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Beginners Forum
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Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 27
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 27 |
OK guys and gals....First time poster. I am a newbie, here is my story.Started young on keyboards (like 7) changed to bass around 20.Played in various bands and what not till late 30's.Quit playing,had a career and mouths to feed. With 20 plus odd years with out playing,kids out of college and on there own,I get the bug.I could not believe how technology has pass me by as I see everything that the internet and new programs have to offer. With plenty of money now in my pocket that I didn't have years ago,I purchased a new AM Fender Jazz bass, amp and goodies. I told my wife the disease has started. This weekend my new Ultrapak arrived and off I go into my own little world. I am blown away by this software,the realtracks sounds amazing.Very intuitive for a hack like me, however its also a bit intimidating. The whole midi thing is something I really want to get my arms around,but I see I need to peel this onion one layer at a time.I have gone thru the videos and tutorials,but manual but still feel lost.Generating songs from realtracks/styles is quite simple,trying to add a soloist or multiple soloist to parts of the song...not so simple yet. I think bringing aboard this beginner forum is a great idea.As others have said,it can be intimidating to ask questions in the more experienced forums. There appears to be very helpful and knowledgeable staff and users alike,and probably a bunch of old guys like me looking to learn something new. Thank you!! I will have many questions to ask....as soon as I understand what to ask!
BIAB 2020 Ultrapak HP Elitebook 8770W Intel I7 2.3GHz 12GB
Windows 10pro 64Bit
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Beginners Forum
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Joined: May 2012
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Welcome to the forum Props. I can relate to your story! I did not play my guitar for 10 years while I was busy bringing up two children but purchased BIAB in 2013 and it has quite literally changed my life! Here is a blog post I wrote a while back that you might enjoy. 6 simple steps to make cool backing tracks using Band-in-a-Box
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Beginners Forum
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Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,877
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Welcome to the forum. I'm sure this bug will be one you'll not want to get over again. There are quite a few journeys taken by forum members that are similar to yours.
A tip for when the time comes that you post a question in the forum is to include some technical information about your setup and gear. There are variations between the yearly versions of BIAB/RB and for the past few years, each year has featured around 50 enhancements. Some significant and some minor. The specific version and accessories of your BIAB is important information.
Your particular situation that you ask about may sometimes be affected by the particular BIAB version or elements of your computer such as memory, sound card, audio interface, drivers or even if it is a pc or mac.
As you browse through forum posts, you'll see some, (Me too) put this information in their signature.
Many times that information leads to a quick reply and solution to your situation very quickly.
If you write songs, I look forward to hearing you on the Users Showcase and PG Radio on Soundcloud.
Charlie
Last edited by Charlie Fogle; 11/30/16 02:00 AM.
BIAB 2026:RB 2026, Latest builds: Dell Optiplex 7040 Desktop; Windows-10-64 bit, Intel Core i7-6700 3.4GHz CPU and 16 GB Ram Memory.
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Beginners Forum
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Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,105
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Props2, welcome to the neighborhood. You'll enjoy it here, that's a certainty!
Trev
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
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Beginners Forum
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Joined: Apr 2009
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Props....
Welcome. This is some cool stuff and a great bunch of folks here.
As you dig in, and run into issues, just ask the question in the forum that best suits the subject matter. There is a general BAND IN A BOX forum and a general REAL BAND forum as well as several specialized topic forums. You're more likely to get a timely answer in the correct forum as more folks will see it.
Feel free to ask any question you need an answer for.
It really helps if you have a DAW and use it in the process. DAW = digital audio workstation. Or... in other words, a recording studio in the computer. Many here use BB to sketch out the rough structure of the song, we use Real Band to render the audio tracks, and then we put it all together and edit in the DAW. (Real Band is a DAW also)
Poke around in the showcase and also look at some of the user's signatures since we post links to our music in the signatures.
Have a listen. Get to know the people here. Many of us mix live playing in with the real tracks for some really top quality results.
Most of all, have fun with this technology. I love this stuff. My band is always ready to go, they play professionally, work cheap, don't show up drunk, voice no complaints about the songs, no one shows up late to the gig, and the drummer doesn't try to hit on my wife. How does it get any better than that?
Once you get some original music recorded, be sure to share it in the User Showcase.
Again... Welcome to the asylum.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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Beginners Forum
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 8,494
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Welcome Props! I am posting a chord lesson for you in a few seconds. Welcome to the forum. Write some stuff and let us hear it!! 
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Beginners Forum
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Joined: Jul 2000
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Welcome to the forum. I can't help much with bass questions but you've already had welcomes from some fine players. Ask your questions and someone will know. If you don't know what to ask, ask anyway.
If we users don't know the answers, then PG Music Support is easily available and they are friendly and skilled. This is my favorite company to work with, no question.
Enjoy. And come out of the den once in awhile.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Beginners Forum
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,760
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Welcome to one of the warmest and friendliest places on the Internet. All questions are welcomed and answered with kindness, i.e. no Read The Freaking (PC language here) Manual.
I have been playing guitar for many years, the last 30+ in wedding bands. Now with BiaB I play what I want when I want. Along with guitar I also play bass, some wind controller and a little keyboards.
Have fun and don't be afraid to ask any question that you might have.
Dad, how will I know when I've become an adult.
When your day is ruined because they rearranged the grocery store.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Beginners Forum
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Joined: May 2008
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Welcome Props2!
An easy way to get some killer soloists right off the bat is to open your BIAB song in Realband. Then select a track where you want your soloist generated and highlight how many bars you want it to play. Next choose generate and from that menu choose generate riffs - pick your soloist and choose ok and then play the different riffs (press the green play arrow). When you find one that suits you choose okay. If you don't like any of the riffs you hear just choose cancel and do it again as each time the riffs selection will be different. You can also generate a soloist on an entire track and then cut out or mute the parts you don't want or copy and paste parts where you want them.
This is a way to start havng fun now. Later you can get into midi and writing your own solos in BIAB. Remember real tracks are not controlled by midi. You don't have to know how to use midi to make great songs right out of the box with BIAB and Realband. You can create some great original songs or make backing tracks with some of the best players on the planet playing solos for you using the method I described above.
99.9% of my songs are all real tracks.
Hope that helps and have fun!
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Beginners Forum
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Posts: 27 |
Thank you All for the kind words. I have noticed as I browse thru the threads you all are huge contributors and have a vast knowledge of this software(and probably many other add on's).
Joanne, I checked out your blog.....great song! Sound is excellent!
Charlie, I will add the signature and include my meager setup. I don't have an interface yet so I cant record. I am researching that kind of stuff the more I learn what I don't know.
My playing style is more jazz/funk, but also like some great country music,and quite frankly a good variety of music.
I have listened to a bunch of really,really good music from the user's here on the board. Wow...great stuff!
Thank you all again for the big welcome....I feel very much at home.
BIAB 2020 Ultrapak HP Elitebook 8770W Intel I7 2.3GHz 12GB
Windows 10pro 64Bit
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Beginners Forum
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 600
Journeyman
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Journeyman
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 600 |
Josie,
sThis looks like sometihing I really would like to be able to do. I havent figred out how in BIAB in past but will reaally have ot start playisng with RB w. It would really be nice if you could come up with a vidio showing you going through the different steps.
Earl
Last edited by earl kirby; 12/09/16 05:47 PM.
Dell 610 dual Monitor, win 7-10, Sonar Plat, ProTools 10 & 11, Reaper 4, BIAB/real Band 2022, Easy Drummer, Superior Drummer, Kontact Essentials, Personnel Orchestra, Korg Legacy Analog & Digital
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Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.
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Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac - Special Offers End at 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th, 2026!
Order before 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th and SAVE up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 for Mac Upgrade packages... and that's not all! With your version 2026 for Mac purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks... that's 222 NEW RealTracks available with version Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac!
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® today for as little as $49! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all available purchase options.
Learn more about the Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK here.
If you have any questions about which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We're here to help!
202 New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2026!
With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
Our new jazz, funk & blues RealTracks include a groovin’ collection of RealTracks and RealDrums! These include more requested “soul jazz” RealTracks featuring artists Neil Swainson (bass), Charles Treadway (organ), Brent Mason (guitar), and Wes Little (drums). There are new “smooth jazz” styles (4), which include a RealTracks first: muted trumpet, as well as slick new smooth jazz brushes options for drums. Blues lovers will be thrilled—there are more “classic acoustic blues” styles, including guitar (5), bass (4), and drums (10) with blues master Colin Linden, featuring understated and tasty background acoustic soloing, plus brushes drums and acoustic bass. There are also new electric blues RealTracks, including electric blues with PG favorite Johnny Hiland (3) and soulful electric slide guitar from Colin Linden (4). If you love funk & gospel, there are great new options this year, including gospel organ (3) from Charles Treadway, as well as new funk, tango, and rock ’n’ roll drums (3) and bass (1). And for big, bold arrangements, we have uptempo soul horns (4) featuring a three-part hip horn section with options for a full mix or stems of each individual horn — plus an accompanying rhythm section (4) of drums, bass, guitar, and electric piano!
Rock & Pop (Sets 476–482):
Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
Check out all the 202 new RealTracks (in sets 468-488)!
And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.
The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
With your version 2026 for Mac Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!
These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
- The 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
- MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
- Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
- Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
- Playable RealTracks Set 5
- RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
- SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
- iOS Android Band-in-a-Box® App
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
- 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
- FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
- MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
- Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
- Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
- RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
- SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
Learn more about the Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!
All of our XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs are on sale until May 15th, 2026!
It's the perfect time to expand your Band-in-a-Box® style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs. These additional styles for Band-in-a-Box® offer a wide range of genres designed to fit seamlessly into your projects. Each style is professionally arranged and mixed, helping enhance your songs while saving you time.
What are XPro Styles and Xtra Styles PAKs?
XPro Styles PAKs are styles that work with any version (Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition) of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). XPro Styles PAKS 1-10 includes 1,000 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 includes 3,700 styles (and 35 MIDI styles)!
The XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs are not included in any Band-in-a-Box® package.
The XPro Styles PAKs 1-10 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
The Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the Xtra Styles PAK Bundle for only $199 (reg. $349)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
Note: XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 19 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version as they require the RealTracks included in the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Supercharge your Band-in-a-Box today with XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAK Sets!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac Videos
With the release of Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac, we’re rolling out a collection of brand-new videos on our YouTube channel. We’ll keep this forum post updated so you can easily find all the latest videos in one convenient spot.
Whether you're exploring new features, checking out the latest RealTracks or Style PAKs, this is your go-to guide for Band-in-a-Box® 2026.
Check out this forum post for "One Stop Shopping" of our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Videos!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac is Here!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac is here and it is packed with major new features! There’s a new modern look, a GUI redesign to all areas of the program including toolbars, windows, workflow and more. There’s a Multi-view layout for organizing multiple windows. A standout addition is the powerful AI-Notes feature, which uses AI neural-net technology to transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI—entire mixes or individual instruments—making it easy to study, view, and play parts from any song. And that’s just the beginning—there are over 100 new features in this exciting release.
Along with version 2026, we've released an incredible lineup of new content! There's 202 new RealTracks, brand-new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two new RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Special Offers
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac and save up to 50% on most upgrade packages during our special offer—available until May 15, 2026. Visit our Band-in-a-Box® packages page to explore all available upgrade options.
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK Add-ons
Our Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK are loaded with amazing add-ons! The Free Bonus PAK is included with most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac packages, but you can unlock even more—including 20 unreleased RealTracks—by upgrading to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49.
Holiday Weekend Hours
As we hop into the Easter weekend, here are our holiday hours:
April 3 (Good Friday): 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM PDT
April 4 (Saturday): Closed
April 5 (Easter Sunday): Closed
April 6 (Easter Monday): Open regular hours
Wishing you an egg-cellent weekend!
— Team PG
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