An update is available for Band-in-a-Box® Version 2016

Download the Band-in-a-Box 2016 Build 145 update (Beta)
This is considered a beta update because it is new.

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If you don't already have Build 143 or higher, this is a major free update for Band-in-a-Box® Version 2016, that adds significant features; AU (audio unit) and VST plugins are now supported, we've added Hi-Q MIDI instruments, and more.

There is also a plugins installer which you should download in addition to the new build.
Download the MIDI and Audio Plugins installer
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Summary of changes for build 145 (since build 143) (Oct 13, 2016):

  • Fixed: Possible crash when using some Audio Unit plugins (eg. Amplitube 3).
  • Fixed: Some VST plugins might produce audio dropouts when rendering to disk.
  • Fixed: Various chord symbols were not imported correctly from MusicXML files.
  • Fixed: Various chord symbols were not exported correctly to MusicXML files.
  • Fixed: Some VST windows would not close properly, leaving a plain white ghost window stuck on top of the screen.
  • Fixed: Using the "PG Chords" font for chords in the Notation/Leadsheet windows would cause the chords to not display properly (eg. "Eb" displays as "E!").
  • Improved: When trying to add a VST plugin that is not compatible with Band-in-a-Box, the error message will be specify whether the plugin is 64 bit or POWERPC.
  • Added: Support for jBridge has been added. If you have jBridge installed, then you can load a 64bit VST plugin in Band-in-a-Box.
  • Fixed: When "Use Jazz Music Font" is enabled in the Notation Options dialog, the clef symbol would not print properly.
  • Fixed: The VU meters on the Mixer did not work for MIDI tracks.
  • Fixed: If a song previously had an audio track, but the audio file no longer exists, the audio master base tempo was not reset.
  • Fixed: Songs would save with the wrong audio master tempo.
  • Fixed: Plugins would not reset when beginning playback or rendering (eg. an echo effect would continue from before).
  • Fixed: When a song was in a sharp or flat key, it was not possible to enter slash chords if both root and slash were typed in Nashville Notation or Roman Numeral (eg. "1/5" or "i/v" or "1/v").



Summary of changes for build 143 (since build 132) (Sept 28, 2016):

  • Added: AU and VST plugins are now supported. There is a new Plugins tab on the Mixer window, that allows you to add/edit MIDI or audio plugins on each track. We include the Sforzando VST sample player, along with the PG Music HiQ Instruments.
  • Added: HiQ instruments have been added. These are high quality MIDI sounds that make the MIDI tracks (both regular and MIDI SuperTracks) sound much better. You can audition and choose a HiQ patch for any track by control+clicking on the track --> "Select HiQ MIDI Patch".
  • Added: Sforzando is a .sfz sample player made by Plogue that has been customized for Band-in-a-Box and is used to play the HiQ Instrument sounds.
  • Added: We include AmpliTube, which is a VST Guitar Amp Simulator, and can be used effectively with the Direct Input RealTracks.
  • Added: A Plugins Options dialog includes an option to scan for VST plugins on bootup and options for how plugin windows are opened, closed, and arranged on the screen. Plugins that are essential to Band-in-a-Box (eg the "Apple: DLSMusicDevice" or "Sforzando") are scanned for regardless of the "Scan for VST plugins on bootup" or "Scan for AU plugins on bootup" settings.
  • Fixed: StylePicker Options dialog was stuck behind the StylePicker dialog.
  • Fixed: Opening the lead sheet would cause Band-in-a-Box to crash if the current song had bar-based lyrics.
  • Fixed: Rendering a video of the chordsheet would sometimes make a corrupt file (eg. no audio can be heard, and the playback is sporadic).
  • Fixed: When "Display C9sus as C11", "Display 2 as sus2, or "Display sus as sus4 was enabled, it was not possible to enter the chord by typing or using the Chord Builder.
  • Fixed: There were some inconsistencies in color between the mixer and track radio controls.


Summary of changes for build 132 (since Build 129) (Aug 3, 2016):

  • Added: Support for Xtra Styles.
  • Fixed: Half/Quarter Jazz Bass variations were not installed properly with some packages.
  • Fixed: Crashes would sometimes occur when loading a new song if the Audio Edit window was open.
  • Fixed: Killing the Audio track would not reset the audio master tempo.
  • Fixed: StylePicker media player's play button would stop and quickly start again instead of pausing.
  • Fixed: StylePicker media player would not stop immediately when closing the StylePicker.
  • Fixed: Hitting [Cancel] in the Display Options dialog would cause a crash.
  • Fixed: "Treble Clef" and "Bass Clef" settings in Lead Sheet Options would always be disabled after opening and closing Display Options
  • Fixed: "Show Bar #s" setting in Lead Sheet Options would always be set to "None" after opening and closing Display Options.
  • Fixed: "Vary Style in Middle Choruses" setting was being reversed when exiting the Song Settings dialog.


Summary of changes since Build 127 (June 20, 2016):

  • Fixed: The Select Track dialog would get stuck behind the Load XML dialog.
  • Fixed: Song memo did not show information about audio loops or UserTracks in song.
  • Added: Additional Chord Display layer now has an option for "Normal" display.
  • Fixed: Hitting TAB key while in the Notation Window would cause key input to stop working.
  • Fixed: The chord sheet did not work properly with keyboard layouts other than US.
  • Fixed: Command+w would close Notation Window, but not automatically switch to the chord sheet.
  • Fixed: Control+Minus would not set the relative tempo to 50%.
  • Added: "Highlight selected cell" checkbox added to Display Options. If enabled, the currently selected cell will be highlighted instead of just out-lined. Select "Cell highlighting" in the color picker to pick the highlighting color.
  • Fixed: It is not possible to enter 'Faug' as a slash chord, unless typing Roman Numerals ('iv') or Nashville Notation ('4') for the root.
  • Fixed: It is not possible to enter 'Fadd2' as a slash chord, unless typing Roman Numerals ('iv') or Nashville Notation ('4') for the root.
  • Added: Option to load the previous song or style "At program bootup..." added to Preferences.
  • Fixed: It was not possible to select "1st/2nd/3rd" or "1st/2nd/3rd/4th" type endings in the repeats dialog.
  • Fixed: Opening a song from the Finder would not automatically start playback.
  • Fixed: The "Play when selected" option in the Song Picker had no effect.
  • Fixed: If "Auto-open/close editable layers" is enabled, and a song with lyrics is opened from the Finder before Band-in-a-Box is open, the lyrics would not be loaded.
  • Fixed: Diminished chords were recognized wrong when "Treat 'dim' chord as a diminished triad (Cdim5) instead of CDim7" setting was enabled. Entering a 'dim' or 'dim5' chord would result in a 'dim7' chord. Entering a 'dim7' chord would result in no chord.
  • Fixed: Chord entry during playback was very slow.
  • Fixed: 'MIDI QWERTY Keyboard Wizard' feature was not working.
  • Added: "Play when chosen" option added to StylePicker.
  • Fixed: BossaTerryClark variation 3 named incorrectly in RD Picker.


Summary of changes since Build 120 (May 11, 2016):

  • Updated: 2016 full and upgrade PDF Manuals.
  • Added: Save Song as MusicXML feature added.
  • Fixed: StylePicker would crash if there were zero styles to display.
  • Fixed: Splash screen background was white instead transparent.
  • Fixed: Right-clicking on Master radio control would show a popup menu for the wrong track (for which ever radio control was selected previously).
  • Fixed: Edit | Lyrics | Copy Lyrics to Clipboard did not do anything. This was previously for line-based lyrics, but now it opens a dialog with options for bar-based lyrics, note-based lyrics, and chords.
  • Fixed: Edit | Lyrics | Move Lyrics Up/Down Row(s) to Clipboard did not do anything. This was previously for line-based lyrics, but now it works with bar-based lyrics.
  • Fixed: The file type filter in the Video open dialog was not working properly.
  • Fixed: The file type filter in the Audio import dialog was not working properly.
  • Fixed: Crash on bootup (eg. crash reports regarding "ADDMENUITEM").
  • Fixed: Crash on bootup when mouse wheel is used before chord sheet appears.
  • Fixed: When Band-in-a-Box is not the active application, and there is a modal dialog open, clicking on the chord sheet to bring focus back to Band-in-a-Box would cause bar highlighting to begin.
  • Fixed: Settings for hints ("Show Help Tags", "Dialog Help Tags", and "Display Delay") were not applying to hints in some dialogs such as the new StylePicker or Display Options.
  • Fixed: Clicking on the Master radio control resets all panning and reverb on the mixer.
  • Fixed: Control+Click on the number next to "ALL SONGS" in the mixer would cause Band-in-a-Box to crash.
  • Fixed: Control+Click on the number next to "THIS SONG" in the mixer would cause strange behaviour with all of the panning controls.
  • Fixed: Number-pad number keys did not work for chord entry.
  • Fixed: Typing "style" into chord sheet opens a text edit box which a style name can be typed into, but the style is never found.
  • Fixed: Typing "song" into chord sheet opens a text edit box which a song name can be typed into, but the song is never found.
  • Fixed: Switching to DAW mode would not resize the Audio Edit window.
  • Fixed: Flay from and Record from features did not show "Click on a Bar #" flash message.
  • Fixed: MIDI chord detection was not working.
  • Fixed: "Chord Display" button was too big and in the wrong position.
  • Fixed: Some video help buttons were not working.
  • Fixed: There was not option to erase all bar lyrics.
  • Changed: Edit | Lyrics | "Blank Lyrics" changed to "Erase Bar-Based Lyrics".
  • Fixed: Editing lyrics or section text in layers was not undoable.
  • Fixed: Edit | Insert Measures would not shift bar lyrics or section text.
  • Fixed: Edit | Delete Measures would not shift bar lyrics or section text.
  • Fixed: Edit | Delete Measures would not shift repeats.
  • Fixed: Clicking or double-clicking on a text layer to start editing would not place the cursor where the mouse clicked.
  • Fixed: Some messages referred to the program "Notepad", but should say "TextEdit".
  • Fixed: In the Overrides dialog, "Allow loading of any these settings" should say "Allow loading any of these settings".
  • Fixed: The settings in the Overrides dialog would not be saved unless "Allow loading any of these settings" was not checked.
  • Changed: The settings for importing line based lyrics were moved out of the "Allow Songs to load settings for:" section in the Overrides dialog.
  • Added: More specific errors added to the Repeats dialog. If user is trying to add a second "Fine" type of repeat, they will get either error "Cannot have 2 Fine types. DC al Coda suggested." or "Cannot have 2 Fine types. DS al Coda suggested."
  • Fixed: "DC al" on the chord sheet instead of "DS al" for a DS al Coda repeat.
  • Fixed: "DC al Fine" on the chord sheet instead of "DS al Fine" for a DS al Fine repeat.
  • Fixed: Some repeats were not allowed that should be, and showed the error "Error: Repeat conflicts with another repeat in the song.". Eg. a basic repeat should be allowed to overlap with a DC al Coda.
  • Fixed: "Delete all repeats" was not undoable.
  • Fixed: If opening the Repeats dialog, and clicking Close without creating a new repeat, there would be an option to "Undo Insert Repeat/Ending".
  • Fixed: When playback starts from beginning of song, the chord sheet would not automatically scroll up to show bar 1.
  • Fixed: Entering chords into the chord sheet was not undoable.
  • Fixed: Deleting chords from the chord sheet was not undoable.
  • Fixed: Play from and Record from features did not give user option to choose specific bar (played from current bar instead).
  • Fixed: Notation window options did not have settings for picking bar lyrics font, and size percentage for lead sheet.
  • Fixed: 'MIDI QWERTY Keyboard Wizard' feature was not working.
  • Fixed: Some new menu items did not have hints.
  • Fixed: Notation window keystrokes were not working when a flashmessage was visible.
  • Fixed: Flashmessages would deactivate the chord sheet, and prevent chord entry (until user used ALT+TAB to reactivate the chord sheet).
  • Fixed: It was not possible to enter chords, change part markers, etc. in the notation window.
  • Fixed: Track names and/or patch names did not always show up on lead sheet and/or printout.
  • Fixed: Issues with title, composer, style, and copyright font sizes on the lead sheet.
  • Fixed: Printout of multiple tracks had the wrong font when drawing treble clef sign.
  • Fixed: Sinsy dialog might open twice.
  • Fixed: Section letters on chord sheet were not using the correct font.
  • Fixed: StylePicker controls would not move according to window resize.
  • Fixed: The MIDI Drivers window might get stuck behind the splash screen when running the program for the first time.
  • Fixed: Jazz Chord Symbols ("PGChords") font might not work on the chord sheet.
  • Fixed: StylePicker would sometimes not prompt to rebuild.

Andrew
PG Music Inc.