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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 483
Journeyman
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Journeyman
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Posts: 483 |
"...8GB will only be useful if you run specific memory hungry programs."
I read this statement in an article recently. My setup is a MacBook for live
performance. When I use BIAB in performance all other programs are closed
except Text Edit which is used for lyrics.
My question is, would BIAB be considered a memory hungry program?
Where would I see an improvement between 4gb and 8gb?
With 4gb that I have now song files in jukebox mode now load in 6-8 seconds, would this improve?
In a one hour performance currently there are no hesitations or glitches
running the program. I am just curious where the benefits would be.
Last edited by jazzsax; 03/07/17 08:29 AM.
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Aug 2011
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Is Band-in-a-Box computer memory hungry? No, not when you're only using the program to play a song. The program is a 32 bit program and will use far less than 4 GB of ram.
However if you use effects while playing a song, the effect will also use memory. The background tasks will use memory. The display graphics will use graphics.
The best way to answer the question is to turn on Task Master, click on the "Processes" tab and view how much cpu and memory the BBW.exe process uses while you're simulating using the program as you would in real use.
The biggest advantage to upgrading from 4 GB to 8 GB of ram is your computer will be not have to access the hard drive to move data as often because there is more room to store data. That means there is less chance of an audible glitch caused by audio interrupted by data transfer.
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 483
Journeyman
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Journeyman
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Jim, thanks for the quick reply.
The reason for the original question was that I purchased a laptop that
is identical to my "performance" computer. I plan to use it as a backup and the only difference between the two is the memory sticks.
It sounds like it will be OK to use without modification.
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Jul 2000
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IMHO, You can't have too much RAM.
Insights and incites by Notes
Bob "Notes" Norton  Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com
100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Apr 2009
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I've been running a 4GB ROM DAW forever and never have any issues.
Of course, more is better in 99% of the cases.
One of the biggest improvements in performance I have seen came from an upgraded processor.
Going from my duo core chip in the Dell lappy ( I think that lappy was 2GB ROM)to the Intel i5 quad core with a higher speed made a huge improvement.
In the lappy, I was running projects in Sonar that were pushing the processor to 75% and that would result in some issues on playback. Especially if I had some of the memory hog plug ins running in real time. Ozone and Melodyne in multiple tracks with several synths and a bunch of audio tracks would do that.
Once I got the i5 quad running, that same project dropped back to below 25% on the processor.
All that said, I think the speed of the processor has a larger influence on performance. Memory does play a part as well so the computer has room to swap things around as needed.
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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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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20gb here. I can run Logic Pro X, multiple instances of Izotope plug-ins, Amadeus Pro and BiaB with no issues including latency. And I can review User Forum songs with Safari, SC and YT while all of the aforementioned is running. I did the memory installation and the cost was very reasonable. FWIW.
Bud
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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You can't be too pretty, too rich or have too much RAM!
BIAB 2024 Ultra Plus-all StylePaks*Win11*32GB DDR5*Rhyzen 9745x*AT 2035 Mic*Peavey Nashville 112 Amp*Ibanez ART120* Acoustic/Electric/Washburn D200S Acoustic*Stromberg Monterey Jazz Guitar Loops: https://aldavidmusic.wixsite.com/bestmusicloops
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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4GB RAM is the hard limit for a 32-bit operating system. If you are running a 64-bit operating system, you can (as your computer will allow) install more than that and it is all accessible.
In Windows, when you launch a 32-bit app (such as BIAB), the O/S carves out up to a 4-GB virtual memory space for that app (depending upon how much you have and how much is already in use). If you launch another 32-bit app, it carves out up to another 4-GB virtual memory space. So a computer with 32-GB of RAM can theoretically run 8 32-bit apps with all of them having access to to a full 4-GB of RAM. Your processor then becomes the limiting factor, not how much RAM the program uses.
With just 4-GB on your computer, all the concurrently loaded apps effectively share that same 4-GB of space, just like they did in 32-bit Windows.
John Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 12TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB SATA BB2026/UMC204HD&404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/Notion/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK http://www.sus4chord.com (under rehosting/construction)
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Dec 2012
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4GB RAM is the hard limit for a 32-bit operating system. If you are running a 64-bit operating system, you can (as your computer will allow) install more than that and it is all accessible.
In Windows, when you launch a 32-bit app (such as BIAB), the O/S carves out up to a 4-GB virtual memory space for that app (depending upon how much you have and how much is already in use). If you launch another 32-bit app, it carves out up to another 4-GB virtual memory space. So a computer with 32-GB of RAM can theoretically run 8 32-bit apps with all of them having access to to a full 4-GB of RAM. Your processor then becomes the limiting factor, not how much RAM the program uses.
With just 4-GB on your computer, all the concurrently loaded apps effectively share that same 4-GB of space, just like they did in 32-bit Windows.
Hi John, Yes, you are correct about 32-bit systems limited to 4 Gig of RAM. I have a quad-core CPU, Windows 10 64-bit OS. Wouldn't that allow the the processor to better accommodate the resource demands of other apps running in the background, thus not requiring your processor to put a higher demand on the initial 4 Gig of RAM. Hope I didn't confuse you with that. if I did, let me know and I'll try another approach. I've learned a lot from reading your posts to the various members. I appreciate that! Alan
Last edited by Al-David; 05/08/17 03:15 PM.
BIAB 2024 Ultra Plus-all StylePaks*Win11*32GB DDR5*Rhyzen 9745x*AT 2035 Mic*Peavey Nashville 112 Amp*Ibanez ART120* Acoustic/Electric/Washburn D200S Acoustic*Stromberg Monterey Jazz Guitar Loops: https://aldavidmusic.wixsite.com/bestmusicloops
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Windows will give you virtual memory space for each application. If you don't actually have RAM available to accommodate the needs of the program, it will cache out memory to disk to make it seem like you have all the memory you need, but performance will suffer drastically when that happens. It is better performance-wise when everything can run in actual RAM, not swapping out to disk.
I have some sound libraries that are multi-gigabyte that load into RAM. So having the RAM available makes for a better performing experience.
John Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 12TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB SATA BB2026/UMC204HD&404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/Notion/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK http://www.sus4chord.com (under rehosting/construction)
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Since the days of the Commodore, Sinclair, Texas Instruments and their competitors, it has been a fact that you cannot have too much RAM, and I think that still holds true.
Run out of RAM on a modern microcomputer? The computer will start writing and reading from the hard drive, and that's a snail's pace in comparison.
Insights and incites by Notes
Bob "Notes" Norton Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com
100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Since the days of the Commodore, Sinclair, Texas Instruments and their competitors, it has been a fact that you cannot have too much RAM, and I think that still holds true.
Run out of RAM on a modern microcomputer? The computer will start writing and reading from the hard drive, and that's a snail's pace in comparison.
Insights and incites by Notes Yep; that's called thrashing (for a reason).
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Thrashing. Thanks. I didn't know what it was called. But that's what it sounds like.
Notes
Bob "Notes" Norton Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com
100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
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And depending on the app, that can lead to the "C" word that rhymes with thrashing.
John Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 12TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB SATA BB2026/UMC204HD&404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/Notion/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK http://www.sus4chord.com (under rehosting/construction)
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Bob "Notes" Norton Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com
100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Expert
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Technically, it IS possible to have too much RAM. If you have a 32 bit operating system, anything over 4 GB is too much.
Keith
2026 Audiophile Windows 11 RYZEN THREADRIPPER 3960X 4.5GHZ 128 GB RAM 2 Nvidia RTX 3090s, Vegas,Acid,SoundForge,Izotope Production,Melodyne Studio,SONAR,3 Raven Mtis
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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 Windows Special Offers End Tomorrow (January 15th, 2026) at 11:59 PM PST!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, January 15, 2026!
We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
Version 2026 introduces a modernized GUI redesign across the program, with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, and a new Dark Mode option. There’s also a new side toolbar for quicker access to commonly used windows, and the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, making it easier to customize your workspace.
Another exciting new addition is the new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. You can view the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to process an entire track or focus on specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
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Happy New Year!
Thank you for being part of the Band-in-a-Box® community.
Wishing you and yours a very happy 2026—Happy New Year from all of us at PG Music!
Season's Greetings!
Wishing everyone a happy, healthy holiday season—thanks for being part of our community!
The office will be closed for Christmas Day, but we will be back on Boxing Day (Dec 26th) at 6:00am PST.
Team PG
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: The Newly Designed Piano Roll Window
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You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!
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- MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
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- Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
- Playable RealTracks Set 5
- RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
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- Android Band-in-a-Box® App (included)
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- Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
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Learn more about the Bonus PAKs for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
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