PG Music Home Forums PG Music Product Forums Band-in-a-Box for Windows BIAB 2017 Edition: Likes? Dislikes?

Peter,

I'm not sure why my adjusted post is not clear - but I have said that I have been happy with the crooner styles released in 2016. I am comparing NOT the instrumentation of the new jazz combo styles - but of the overall sound. "Tight" or not "tight" - my *opinion* is that the new styles are not as "pleasing" as the previous realtrack release (namely crooner). "Just use crooner" is not exactly a replacement because for my use - I'm more interested in the smaller combo type realtracks for daily use. The feedback stands that I think these could be improved.

Note: that - as my preference is for the smaller combo sound - the fact that the 2016 crooner styles are more full is not why I like them better. It seems the note choices are better and even down to the sound engineering as I pointed out in some specific feedback. So the feedback: a) seems to be some artifacts in the recording (or playback "stretching") which causes a single note to sound odd in the recording (a long tone), b) the combined notes of the instruments sounded like all instruments had a similar character (like the same instrument doubled at different intervals) which seemed to place the notes all "in phase" and sounded a bit more synthetic than the previous recordings, c) the note choices of the combo parts may be part of what can be improved although most of my feedback is on the "sound" (individual instruments, character of instruments in mix - or lack of it) rather than the notes choice/resulting intervals.

I've listened to demos of 2017 content. This is what I was "on the fence" about for the 2017 purchase. I already have 2016 - so I would not be providing feedback for previous content.

I didn't provide links for ALL of what I reviewed - since I "circled bacK" and provided links for the last content reviewed. I mean - this is a fair thing to do, no? I didn't say - "this link proves bigband styles have some problem" - I gave a link for the specific style I was reviewing and earlier in the message did not provide any link at all for that portion of the feedback. The new edited content removed any mention of the bigband styles altogether as to avoid the pushback.

Obviously, from continued support - I value band in a box. I can understand if there needs to be clarification, to gather that information. I would have hoped for a less defensive - "we value your feedback" - or perhaps question if something wasn't clear. My goal is to help improve BIAB. "Best thing since sliced bread" has its place - and is as valuable as "the pumpernickel is a little salty for my taste".

Note that in the previous post - I was asking for reinforcement OR counter opinions. I did receive some feedback from another user that the small group players seemed (and I paraphrase) lost as to what to play because the other user felt the tempo made it hard for the virtual players to figure out what to play. It was some sense of reinforcement. I think also was feedback to keep hitting regenerate until something pleasing comes out. Somewhat neutral feedback - a "workaround" type response.

Thanks for keeping an open mind and commitment to constant improvement of the product - as I know PG Music has had a very good track record in this category.