So my point is that no matter what PG calls their product (Everything, Max, Ultimate, Supreme, etc.), short of "almost" or "just about" in the title, some people are probably going to feel mislead.
It is certainly not the fault of the buyer for feeling mislead! We all know what terms like "Everything" and "Komplete" mean. Companies use those terms to make their potential customers think they are getting everything and complete! It is misleading and I wish all companies would just STOP it!
You don't have anything to apologize for! There are still a few hardcore BIAB fans that try and stifle any sort of criticism. Just ignore 'em! Thanks for raising the issue and getting PG's attention with hopefully some results that are better for them and their customers!
... Well, when I open up the stylemaker the only choices I see for instruments are MIDI patches. So how does one go about creating a new real style -- one that uses realtracks instead of midi instruments? What am I doing wrong that I can't access the realtracks instruments?
Open style editor, them "misc", then "more" ...
But i just found out doing so is that i really miss one cannot select "halftime", or "doubletime" in the stylemaker, as with the normal realtrack selector page. F.
I read David's Bailey thread on the Yahoo forum and decided to post here myself.
I've been a long time user of PG products since the early 90s. Certainly I felt misled by the "clear" package label "Everything" which is the package I choose when I upgrade.
No intention to upgrade this year even PG Music includes the Xtra Realtracks.
I came across this thread and have finally read through the whole thing. I can understand the confusion over the word "Everything," and when "Everything" is not really everything. I think that I too would be somewhat miffed. BTW, I bought v2017 with the Everything Pak in December 2016. I haven't made my mind up about upgrading to v2018. It'll depend upon finances and priorities.
But I wanted to report that I actually used the directions that a few members here posted as to how to create your own style. So I gave it a try and stumbled through the process. What I ended up with was a style with realband instruments playing in grooves that I preferred. I was able to save it as a style. Then I went into the style page (by clicking on the guitar and drum symbol button), elected to do the (Slow, Complete) Rebuild Styles List option. It immediately found my style and updated the list to include it.
So, success! Yay! I'll be using this style quite a bit, I expect.
I understand the confusion with the naming of the various options for BIAB. Marketing tends to push companies toward names that imply the package contains more than it does. And no naming system will perfectly describe what the option contains.
Personally, I don't care what they call the different options; name them after sandwiches, for all I care: egg salad sandwich, ham sandwich, turkey sandwich, foot-long sub with extra pickles.
The important thing for me is this: is there a clear description of what comes in the "foot-long sub with extra pickles" option (that's the one I always get).
Thank you everyone for sharing your thoughts on the current Band-in-a-Box package names - we appreciate the feedback!
We've heard you, and we're on it! You will see some name changes to the different Band-in-a-Box packages offered with the release of our 2018 version... stay tuned!
Well, for me, and probably quite a few non US or Canadian resident, a download system, especially for the (large) Audiophile files would be a great thing, as import duties charged are sometimes around 28% over a parcel containing a hard-disk. Some other companies selling large software packages offer that, Toontrack, Steinberg, to name just two. IMO a torrent system makes that even easier, although probably hard to organize properly with copyrighted material- F
Yes, I was a bit bummed about this as well. (Just set up Band in A Box, and am realizing everything didn't mean everything.) Well, I knew that already because in the comparison page you can see you have to upgrade from everything to get the Wave files.
But the real bummer is that there is no way to really know what I do or don't have (as far as I can tell by looking through the site for a while) - There is no explanation page as to what really comes with the everything pak, etc.
Why is it so difficult to have a page listing what comes with what - why demos will be greyed out until you buy this or that, etc. If anyone knows where this page is, (I'm hoping,) please correct me.
On the other hand, I'd buy it again in a second. It's a very cool product.
Welcome to the forum. Yes, this is a terrific product! I've been using it since 1993.
They said they are going to work on clarifying the terms, which is good.
There are also added extras they call Bonus Paks that come along every so often, for an added purchase no matter what you have. If you get any of these, be sure to keep the installer for it in a safe place.
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.
... there is no way to really know what I do or don't have (as far as I can tell by looking through the site for a while) - There is no explanation page as to what really comes with the everything pak, etc.
Why is it so difficult to have a page listing what comes with what - why demos will be greyed out until you buy this or that, etc. If anyone knows where this page is, (I'm hoping,) please correct me.
On the other hand, I'd buy it again in a second. It's a very cool product.
Although it can be a little confusing to interpret, under "Options" have a look at "What add-ons do I have?". This will list all that is installed.
It's possible to copy the contents of each window of information and then collate it in a document.
If you want to do that and then post a link to the document here on the forum we'll be able to help you determine what you do not have.
Its all about whats in a name.I bought BIAB for the first time-2017ULTRA and the Extra packs that went with it. But before I spent my husbands money(LOL)I did actually READ what each of the various options contained.SO, if you didnt,how iis it the fault of PG that you didnt get what you expected? However I do think that calling the most basic option a "PRO" is wicked(as in Naughty, not as in the modern parlance)-its next to useless in my opinion unless you are a devoted midi user. Wendy
BiaB2022PLUS,927. every extras pack I can find ;-),Sonar7XL,Win 10
IMO: PG is a quite musician friendly company with fairly priced, and sometimes even priceless, stuff. Not to forget: with a very good & supportive forum/support system; users like Noel and VideoTrack deserve a lot of credits besides the staff.
What indeed could improve is a kind of (advisory?) list of the (useful or not) extras depending of what you want or need from a program like BIAB, and maybe an option to opt out on certain stuff included with the PG package when you buy. Difficult decisions maybe, especially when someone is a rookie midi-software wise.
For me personally i am not that much into jazz, and RealBand i never used other than trying it and quickly moved on to a "proper" sequencer. In my case Cubase, but at a price compared to "freebee" Realband; shifting audio level adjustment and time stretching, inserting plugins, editing MIDI data like groove, velocity, selecting sounds and a lot more is so much easier & quicker there. All quite dodgy and complex in RealBand IMO. I would like to see a better integration with BIAB (more and more flexibillity regarding tracks within BIAB instead of a separate program?).
(BTW 64bit, the can of worms question ... Jbridge and 32bit compatible plugins no longer necessary. A lot of companies flunked or even stopped support for 32bit, like Steinberg's newest stuff, it must ring a bell somewhere in the PG offices. But hats off, & fair is fair; Halion Sonic 3 64 bit works from within BIAB; as there were questions on this forum about this i remember ... )
I must say with buying "everything" sometimes you run in to some style or realtrack you wouldn't have purchased if you had a choice, but that later turned out quite useful unexpectedly in some musical context. Why the "everything" deal each year keeps intriguing me: "what's the surprise this time?"
However, compared to what other software companies ask for their software, PGmusic's stuff is quite budget friendly, especially regarding all the work that went into the Realtracks. Just looked f.i. at Realivox "the Ladies" 399 dollars for a bit of oo-ing and aah-ing choir sounds from a VST plugin? My foot. Apparently it sells, even at 50% black Friday prices, still $199. Some software is expensive and worth it, to name stuff: Wavelab, Toontrack Easy or even Superior Drummer.
Thus, all IMO, just in case some would-have-been policeman wants to meddle with or criticize me for personal opinions .. -F
For those of us that are familiar with BIAB, and PGMusic's "nomenclature", we pretty much know what to look for and what should be included in each "package".
But for a "first timer", it's a dizzying array of information to wade through. What is/are ...
- RealBand, RealTracks, RealStyles, Real Midi (and if these are "real", is everything else "fake"?)
- MIDI Styles, MIDI Soloists, MIDI Supertracks (if you haven't been exposed to MIDI, this in itself is daunting)
And then there's (as has been discussed, probably ad nauseum)
- BIAB "Pro": wouldn't you think this would be somewhere near the "top" of the selections, that is, "this is what the Pros buy"
- MegaPAK, PlusPAK, UltaPlus Pak, EverythingPak, (and what's the advantage of an...) AudiophilePAK, not to mention the OmniPAK and then those pesky Xtra Style Sets, Melodist Sets, Soloist Sets, Andy LaVerne Solist Sets and likely a few others that I've missed
Glad to hear that PGMusic is going to try to make sense of it all to post with the 2018 Edition. Hope they get some input from the Beta Testers, and maybe ask a few people who have never heard of BIAB to take a look at what they come up with to see if it makes sense.
It's good to read that the naming convention will be changed. Every year, I have to call the fine people at PG Support to determine what I should get.
My secondary hard drive failed me last spring, and it required surgery to bring the data back. A couple of weeks ago, I was reinstalling BiaB, and I found that a number of RealTracks were being reported as NA. I was sure that I had the complete set, so I talked to PG Support.
It turned out that - despite talking to PG Support before ordering - I'd ordered the wrong pack. Perhaps I just asked the wrong question, or read their answer wrong. No problem, the matter was set right by PG.
My point is just to echo that the current naming convention is confusing, and it can be confusing to figure out where particular tracks came from.
It's probably too late to suggest names, but I think "Basic" or "Core" are good. But "Basic MIDI" is better, because it's more clear in the name what you get.
"Audiophile" is also mostly clear, mostly because it's the "top tier", so all the tracks are included.
But I'm not a fan of names like "Mega", because it gets back into the squishy naming convention that we've currently got.
Because of all the extras, it's hard to come up with a good name for some of these products. The decision to make some RealTracks "Bonus" tracks also muddies the waters.
But it's encouraging that the problem is being addressed.
Pleased to see a revised naming convention for 2018 and the word 'Everything' has been removed. This is a real positive step.
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.
So for upgrade purposes what is now equivalent to the everything pack? I have the 2017 everything pack with all of the extra styles when I upgrade 2018, to make sure I don't miss anything, what do I order?
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!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Windows to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade during our special, you'll receive a Free Bonus PAK of exciting new add-ons.
If you need any help deciding which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We are here to help!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® Special Offers Extended Until January 15, 2026!
Good news! You still have time to upgrade to the latest version of Band-in-a-Box® for Windows® and save. Our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® special now runs through January 15, 2025!
We've packed Band-in-a-Box® 2026 with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can process an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. 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!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PST on January 15th, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
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Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: The Newly Designed Piano Roll Window
In this video, we explore the updated Piano Roll, complete with a modernized look and exciting new features. You’ll see new filtering options that make it easy to focus on specific note groups, smoother and more intuitive note entry and editing, and enhanced options for zooming, looping, and more.
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: AI Stems & Notes - split polyphonic audio into instruments and transcribe
This video demonstrates how to use the new AI-Notes feature together with the AI-Stems splitter, allowing you to select an audio file and have it separated into individual stems while transcribing each one to its own MIDI track. AI-Notes converts polyphonic audio—either full mixes or individual instruments—into MIDI that you can view in notation or play back instantly.
Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®
With your version 2026 for Windows 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)
Android Band-in-a-Box® App (included)
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)
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