Band-in-a-Box provides a basic capability to render MIDI sounds (the Coyote WT). It's genius in that it "wraps" the Windows MIDI sounds into a DXi synth; it's not that great in that the sounds are get are still the same as the Windows MIDI sounds.

If you want to render MIDI to audio (and BIAB will do this for the MIDI-based accompaniment, melody, and soloist tracks), you'll need either a DXi or VSTi synth. You can use an external hardware synth (either a standalone synth or a keyboard); however, you can't render directly to audio, you have to record the whole thing separately.

If you want good MIDI sounds, then you'll have to buy an additional (or multiple additional) soft synths. The sounds you get is only as good as the synths you get. The RealTracks are audio and BIAB can render them, because they are already recorded; however, BIAB doesn't come with any MIDI sounds - only the engine to tell a synth what sounds to generate.

So, at least initially, you should probably look at getting something like the Coyote Fort DXi synth ($40), or perhaps look at buying Cakewalk Music Creator 7 (which is really a DAW, but for about $50, you get the Cakewalk TTS-1 DXi synth; Cakewalk also). Both synths are pretty good and lots of folks use them, but you are still going to be disappointed with certain instruments. They won't be bad, but they won't necessarily be good.

From there, you could look at offerings from IK-Multimedia (such as SampleTank) or from Native Instruments (verious Kontakt-based synths) or from Garritan (lots of orchestral and band sounds) or from Steinberg (such as the Halion synth, which has great sounds, but also requires a USB dongle). There are many other synths available, ranging from free to thousands of dollars. You'll just have to evaluate as to what meets your needs.

The choice is yours. But remember that BIAB is the engine, but not the sound source for MIDI. Better MIDI sounds will unfortunately result in an additional investment.

That being said, using the Coyote WT synth will at least get you up and running right away while you decide which way you want to go.

John

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