It seems to be "that time of year" when I turn of notifications from BIAB due to the flood of posts regarding problems with the new version. "Early uptakers" really should review their position - historically there're teething or worse problems that are solved over time. Perhaps there should be a specific sub forum for correspondence related to the newest version.
Cheers rayc "What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
It seems to be "that time of year" when I turn of notifications from BIAB due to the flood of posts regarding problems with the new version. "Early uptakers" really should review their position - historically there're teething or worse problems that are solved over time. Perhaps there should be a specific sub forum for correspondence related to the newest version.
It will only be my second year with PG if and when i buy 2018 but it seems to me that December pricing is at a big discount because its issued buggy to hit a date and those buyers take the pain for their monetary gain. Problem is that non-technical numpties like me who just want to make musicc are thwarted by issues they cant solve until a Fix comes out. Mind you-it is BIG discount. Mmmmhhhh??!! Lol
BiaB2022PLUS,927. every extras pack I can find ;-),Sonar7XL,Win 10
It will only be my second year with PG if and when i buy 2018 but it seems to me that December pricing is at a big discount because its issued buggy to hit a date and those buyers take the pain for their monetary gain. Problem is that non-technical numpties like me who just want to make musicc are thwarted by issues they cant solve until a Fix comes out. Mind you-it is BIG discount. Mmmmhhhh??!! Lol
I think you're right, as right now my BIAB system is a bit messed up, but to tell you the truth, BIAB 504 seems quite stable. Though i might have to do a fresh install (Noel's suggestion) of all the goodies present and leave out all the older plus pack stuff etc, to see if that gets rid of f.i. erroneous messages i have about RTs present or not, missing soloists. And the darn bloody interface as always is too filled with drop down with "more" dropdown sub menus. Took me a while to find where the VST/DXI synth was addressed since they moved the page. BUT for those interested: Halion Sonic 3 64bit dll works (as with 2017 470) without jBridge, and is IMO one of the best GM synth modules of the present day. A tip; with both BIAB and Realband you'll need them to run as administrator, otherwise the VST's GUI won't load.
What i still miss most is of the menus and sub menus have to be closed by mouse clicks, and not by the escape button on the PC's keyboard. And also that BIAB 2018 still cannot sync to an external MIDI clock or MIDI time code. - F
Fiddler, that sounds like a great idea, closing all menus with Esc. I don’t recall seeing this idea before. You should put it in the BIAB Wishlist Forum so the developers see it.
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.
Wendy, as this is your first experience updating to a new version, I can reassure you that things should settle down long before the sale pricing ends at the end of this month. As mentioned, the current build has no show stoppers of which I am aware. Nothing that remains to be fixed stops you from making music with the new RealTracks.
One thing you and others may not know is that the BIAB installer creates backups of the current version before installing the new. It’s always possible to revert by copying the older BBW.EXE and use that if you run into a serious problem. In over 25 years using BIAB, I only had to do this once to finish a project. The rest of the time I ‘live dangerously’ and install each update and upgrade with no hesitation.
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.
Thats me Matt. "Live Danger Mousely". lol.its hubbys nickname for me especialy in the kitchen or if using his(our) PC. If it can go wrong ut usually does. He uses IT daily but says he's stunned how i can create a band with just one finger. Im going to go for it and just pray i dont get my 2017 probs with Forte and silent chord bilder coming back to haunt with 2018. Wendy BTW whats the logic behind RT vids? Why would User want to SEE what Brent is playing?;-)
BiaB2022PLUS,927. every extras pack I can find ;-),Sonar7XL,Win 10
Very thoughtful observations. I always learn from the questions you ask too as I consider each one to be a learning experience for me.
Yes the price is tempting but I understand your concern about bugs. One approach that might be worth consideration is to purchase now and install later. A second approach maybe to purchase now and partially install; for instance install some or most of the content but delay installing the program.
For some people it's the added content that excites them while others can't wait to try out the new features.
I'm very proud of PG Music and the steps they are taking to stabilize the BiaB and RealBand programs. They released 16 updates to 2017 Band-in-a-Box for Windows and 6 updates to 2017 RealBand. Additionally, six updates were released for RealTracks.
I use to be employed by a software developer and I can assure you the strongest testing regime can not test the software as much as the first day software is released. There are just too many variations in how users utilize the software, operating systems and hardware platforms. Also it is very possible for underlying, unknown hardware issues to interfere with diagnosing and resolving software faults.
While every software is released with issues there comes a time when it is better to release what you have than never release it until every known issue is addressed.
I would be much more upset if the updates slowdown or stop.
BTW whats the logic behind RT vids? Why would User want to SEE what Brent is playing?;-)
That is a good question many are asking right now. At first I thought, "what? - I didn't see that on coming". One thing for sure it tells me, PG has a vision for what he wants to market in BIAB and he is going to pursue it. I think a lot of folk don't fully appreciate how innovative this guy is. They keep asking for one thing or another that they think should be added. But we see here, the Boss ultimately decides.
So I have now rendered a simple single "video realtrack" and can view the piano playing along. Honestly, not sure what to make of it from my perspective at this very early introduction. I suspect there will be a lot of discussion of this new feature in the days and months to come.
snip ...BTW whats the logic behind RT vids? Why would User want to SEE what Brent is playing?;-)
I don't have 2018 but from the demo video I can see where many users will appreciate having the ability to integrate the videos. 1) Educational so the user can see "that's how it's done). 2) Find out what instrument and settings are used to make it easier to duplicate the recorded sound. 3) make your video look more like a real band is playing by integrating the solo video into the overall video.
Wendy, Jim's comments about testing are correct (I'm a former comp. sci. prof) but I read that some of the new styles require version 2018 to work. So I'm not sure how to go halfway in. I recommend you just do it. In testing, we had no problems with Coyote Forte nor the chord builder sound.
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.
I like the Buy now, install later idea. Hadnt thought if doing it that way.At the moment vids are of no interest for what i do.It looks clever but of limited use. Wendy
BiaB2022PLUS,927. every extras pack I can find ;-),Sonar7XL,Win 10
There is, where beta testers continue to report to developers.
Thanks for that info. Matt. The sub exists but for Beta testers which is logical but doesn't reduce the number of messages that appear in the general forum for latest release purchasers. The buy now/install later option is a pretty good work around for buyers - so long as the link/facility doesn't go stale. Good thoughts/questions from Wendy. I assume I'll have to stop notifications or activate the junk mail option for the duration.
Cheers rayc "What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
It will only be my second year with PG if and when i buy 2018 but it seems to me that December pricing is at a big discount because its issued buggy to hit a date and those buyers take the pain for their monetary gain. Problem is that non-technical numpties like me who just want to make musicc are thwarted by issues they cant solve until a Fix comes out. Mind you-it is BIG discount. Mmmmhhhh??!! Lol
Well said Wendy. I suppose the usual caveats apply, but one does hope that a purchase is fit for purpose from the outset. Knowing there're floods at this time of year means moving to higher ground. The buy now/download & install later option is a good one but would thwart the patching if it became a popular one there by merely holding back the flood beaver style.
Last edited by rayc; 12/03/1701:06 PM.
Cheers rayc "What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
It will only be my second year with PG if and when i buy 2018 but it seems to me that December pricing is at a big discount because its issued buggy to hit a date and those buyers take the pain for their monetary gain. Problem is that non-technical numpties like me who just want to make music are thwarted by issues they cant solve until a Fix comes out. Mind you-it is BIG discount. Mmmmhhhh??!! Lol
Chances are really good that you will be able to make music with few, if any, complications. A lot of issues reported as bugs are in fact not bugs in the program, but due to either operator error, settings changed or installation errors. The few bugs being found after release are usually peripheral and are not obstacles to the main program operation. Crashes for the most part are from drivers and settings. Fix once on your system and done with it. It's easy to review the fixes in each release to date and see how many would have effected how you use your program. Not many have applied to me and hopefully, it will be the same for you. Any that would effect your system have been identified and fixed.
I speculate that PGMusic staff and many forum members are paying closer attention to forum posts and working longer hours to quickly address and correct issues members encounter. Ordering now and installing now provides you the benefit of addressing any possible issue with a fast acknowledgement and a quick fix.
The benefits are many and while there is some risk, there's also a parachute.
If you look at "My Account" from the main PGMusic web page (not the forum page) and then click on the "My Products" link, you should see everything you have ordered/registered with PGMusic. I can see everything back to 2015, when they first implemented the new "My Account" feature. So i can still download a complete 2015 EverythingPAK, a 2016 EverythingPAK, a 2017 EverythingPAK, a 2018 EverythingPAK, and the other software I've purchased from them (PowerTracks, etc).
I don't think there will be a problem with the link going stale.
John
Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 8TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 11TB SATA
If you look at "My Account" from the main PGMusic web page (not the forum page) and then click on the "My Products" link, you should see everything you have ordered/registered with PGMusic. I can see everything back to 2015, when they first implemented the new "My Account" feature. So i can still download a complete 2015 EverythingPAK, a 2016 EverythingPAK, a 2017 EverythingPAK, a 2018 EverythingPAK, and the other software I've purchased from them (PowerTracks, etc).
I don't think there will be a problem with the link going stale.
I contacted PG Music Sales concerning programs and product I purchased prior to 2014. I was provided with temporary product download links once my claim was verified. Evidently, sales records exist of all prior sales.
That's a good thing because some of the products I purchased exist on floppy disks. Did I mention my computer doesn't have a floppy drive? I'm sure some people experience the same issue with software products that are on CD or DVDs. Make sure you register any product you physically receive so you can have the download link as back up.
Join Tobin as he takes you on a tour of the new user interface in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®! This modern GUI redesign offers a sleek new look with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, and a smoother workflow. The brand-new side toolbar puts track selection, the MultiPicker Library, and other essential tools right at your fingertips. Plus, our upgraded Multi-View lets you layer multiple windows without overlap, giving you a highly flexible workspace. Many windows—including Tracks, Piano Roll, and more—have been redesigned for improved usability and a cleaner, more intuitive interface, and more!
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Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 21 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 10 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 28 RealTracks and RealDrums!
Few things are certain in life: death, taxes, and a brand spankin’ new XPro Styles PAK! In this, the 10th edition of our XPro Styles PAK series, we’ve got 100 styles coming your way! We have the classic 25 styles each from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, and rounding out this volume's wildcard slot is 25 styles in the Praise & Worship genre! A wide spanning genre, you can find everything from rock, folk, country, and more underneath its umbrella. The included 28 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Here’s just a small sampling of what you can look forward to in XPro Styles PAK 10: Soft indie folk worship songs, bumpin’ country boogies, gospel praise breaks, hard rockin’ pop, funky disco grooves, smooth Latin jazz pop, bossa nova fusion, western swing, alternative hip-hop, cool country funk, and much more!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 10 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
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.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 21 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest Xtra Styles PAK installment—the all new Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher)!
Rejoice, one and all, for Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box® is here! We’re serving up 200 brand spankin’ new styles to delight your musical taste buds! The first three courses are the classics you’ve come to know and love, including offerings from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, but, not to be outdone, this year’s fourth course is bro country! A wide ranging genre, you can find everything from hip-hop, uptempo outlaw country, hard hitting rock, funk, and even electronica, all with that familiar bro country flair. The dinner bell has been rung, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 21 today!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Energetic folk rock, raucous train beats, fast country boogies, acid jazz grooves, laid-back funky jams, a bevy of breezy jazz waltzes, calm electro funk, indie synth pop, industrial synth metal, and more bro country than could possibly fit in the back of a pickup truck!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 21 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 21 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 21 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows 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 60 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!
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XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs Special Extended Until August 31st!
XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs Special Extended Until August 31st!
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Note: 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 because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
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