I have used PT on (8 thru 10) and off with the subscription garbage, and still have a ton of stuff in my iLok account. The reasons I don't like PT...
1. Unstable. On a machine that ANY other DAW runs fine PT freezes, hickup, and crashes. More than Sonar & Reaper for sure.
2. Too many clicks to do simple things, like creating a track....it is like an interrogation and slow compared to every other DAW I have used.
3. Locked to an iLok, the BIGGEST reason I despise PT. Pace systems us a virus that you pay for IMHO.....
I own Sonar Producer (but still use Reaper & Mixbus more), and I am sure it will run solid for years, mainly because my OS NEVER gets updated since my studio system NEVER goes online.
This is bad news for sure, I know a few folks who have had a fit, and then just settled down, cleaned their systems, grabbed all the updates, and got back to work.....
i5 3.20GHz, 32gb RAM, 1tb SSD OS, 12tb HDD, 4gb gForce vid card, 32" monitor, Audient id44, Win10 x64, BiaB/RB 2023, Reaper 6,IK Multimedia Total Studio 3.5 MAX, Waves 10
I have used PT on (8 thru 10) and off with the subscription garbage.....
Sorry to hear you've had so many issues with it. I've been lucky and as long as I keep my iLok and Pro Tools software with the latest version updates, I've been good. My machine stays online unless I'm recording/mixing.
Still confusing to people that can’t use a DAW without a fake mixing board on screen.
Not really, I own the newest Traction Waveform (because of a great deal on it!), so it has nothing to do with old & mixing boards....that is just what I have used my entire pro life.....
You can also hit the Traction Site and grab the Full Version 5 for free, a great way to try out the look and feel.
Last edited by jcspro40; 12/10/1707:48 PM.
i5 3.20GHz, 32gb RAM, 1tb SSD OS, 12tb HDD, 4gb gForce vid card, 32" monitor, Audient id44, Win10 x64, BiaB/RB 2023, Reaper 6,IK Multimedia Total Studio 3.5 MAX, Waves 10
Just FYI update Tracktion is now actually giving away version 6 of Tracktion!
Win10Pro,i9,64GB,2TBSSD+20TBHDDs,1080TI,BIAB'24,Scarlett18i8,Montage7,Fusion 8HD,QS8,Integra7,XV5080,QSR,SC-8850,SPLAT,FL21&others,Komp.14,IK suite&others, just a guitar player-AXE FX III &FM9T, FishmanTP, MIDIGuitar2, GK2/3'sw/GI20
If anyone was interested in using Home Studio but Cakewalk closed before you purchased the software, there is a legal alternative method to obtain Home Studio, Rapture Session and about 5 GB of loops. +++ THIS +++ link to the Cakewalk forum provides the details.
Windows 10 (64bit) M-Audio Fast Track Pro, Band in a Box 2025, Cubase 14, Cakewalk and far too many VST plugins that I probably don't need or will ever use
I have been using Sonar for years. I still have Platinum and many add ons that I will use as long as I can. As far as Gibson owning Cakewalk I found almost as soon as they took over good stuff coming from Cakewalk all but disappeared so I won't miss that.
In the past few weeks I have played around in BIAB a lot more than in the past even though I have been using it for several years. I found a number of the synths and things work nicely in BIAB. I can use TH2, Dimension Pro, Adictive Keys and Drums and in truth that is most of what I used anyhow. I would and do generate the rough in BAIB and mix and apply the synths in Sonar.
Since buying the UltraPak in 2016 I tend to use RealTracks and hardly use Sonar for anything other than the mix and setting the final levels. I find the concrete limiter helps keep things at a more constant level. I merge all tracks into a wav and put that onto a laptop for my backing. I have a template set up in Sonar so a lot is already laid out.
On stage I simply plug into a Roland Tri Capture, use TH2 all preset play the Wav using MediaPlayer and everything is set. All I need to do is flip though the songs.
I don't know ill miss Sonar when it dies as I have other ways to do stuff.
Well that's my two bobs worth
Tony
HP i7-4770 16GB 1TB SSD, Win 10 Home, Focusrite 2i2 3rd Gen, Launchkey 61, Maton CW80, Telecaster, Ovation Elite TX, Yamaha Pacifica 612 BB 2022(912) RB 2022(2), CakeWalk, Reaper 6, Audacity, Melodyne 5 Editor, Izotope Music Production Suite 4.1
PG has Peak Limit that does the same thing, just slide it into the last effects slot. Also, have you worked with Real Band? It's not as elegant as some big name DAW's but it covers all the essentials, uses all your VST's plus it opens Biab files and has a completely different way of generating the RT's. I won't go into RB here, just check out the RB forum if you haven't already.
yep Jim I got that about three weeks ago through computer music, really impressed with Home studio.
Not 100% sure if offer is still live though with all that is going on with Cakewalk.
Musiclover
Doesn't hurt for someone to +++ click on the link +++ Even if the downloadable content is no longer available Computer Music is a nice magazine. Having said that, I found out about this just a few days ago and was able to download the content.
I checked most recent link (above) and ended up at the site below. I'm guessing Jim Fogle sees something different than my experience. I'm pretty sure I was redirected more than once. Just FYI Not anything against Jim, just guessing his cookies or something gave him a different option than I got.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome Make your sound your own!
I think you are suppose to actually subscribe to the mag (or site?) to get the deal but Jim should know
But I'm not going to go through the registration process just to find out
Larry
Win10Pro,i9,64GB,2TBSSD+20TBHDDs,1080TI,BIAB'24,Scarlett18i8,Montage7,Fusion 8HD,QS8,Integra7,XV5080,QSR,SC-8850,SPLAT,FL21&others,Komp.14,IK suite&others, just a guitar player-AXE FX III &FM9T, FishmanTP, MIDIGuitar2, GK2/3'sw/GI20
Hi Bob, I have only recently started to play around with RealBand, it's ok but I tend to export each track as a wav then import each track into Sonar that I have pretty much setup for the output I want with minimal work in Sonar. I guess as time goes by I'll do less in Sonar and eventually it might fade away.
The real expense was with the plugins and the ones I used most pretty much work in BIAB/RealBand.
Tony
HP i7-4770 16GB 1TB SSD, Win 10 Home, Focusrite 2i2 3rd Gen, Launchkey 61, Maton CW80, Telecaster, Ovation Elite TX, Yamaha Pacifica 612 BB 2022(912) RB 2022(2), CakeWalk, Reaper 6, Audacity, Melodyne 5 Editor, Izotope Music Production Suite 4.1
Every new DAW has the same issue; you have to learn it. It took me a while to learn ProTools, and Reaper, and .. just like it took a while for Realband.
/heh, maybe I'm just a slow learner //happily, I'm still learning
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome Make your sound your own!
Every new DAW has the same issue; you have to learn it. It took me a while to learn ProTools, and Reaper, and .. just like it took a while for Realband.
I have Pro Tools, Reaper, Samplitude and Sonar. And I mainly use Real Band. The caveat there is that IF I was a real studio, I would be using Pro Tools so bands coming to spend their money to record in my studio could bring me tracks they made at home without a lot of fancy importing. I only know 30-40 people here but most of who I know work in music as a hobby or a second income job, but none are really recording engineers as their main job. I have seen "industry standard" tossed in here a few times and I restate my doubts that any studio anywhere uses Real Band as their primary DAW.
I am a classic dabbler. Create stuff, get the mix close, and save it for a rainy year..... so it doesn't matter to me what I use. I bought Pro Tools mainly because I wanted to see it hands on, and I really do like it. Some of the logic is quite simple despite what many think.
The real difference I found with Sonar is there are a number of books out to show the ins and outs of Sonar and the various plugins. They showed not only the use but also explained the reasoning behind the methods. For example, the question arose in this forum regarding sfz files. The book on plugins had several chapters on how to create the files and what they are used for. Same for channel mixing and the uses of busses etc. How to get the best out of the tools.
It is books like this I find missing with BIAB/RealBand albeit BIAB is more self intuitive.
Tony
HP i7-4770 16GB 1TB SSD, Win 10 Home, Focusrite 2i2 3rd Gen, Launchkey 61, Maton CW80, Telecaster, Ovation Elite TX, Yamaha Pacifica 612 BB 2022(912) RB 2022(2), CakeWalk, Reaper 6, Audacity, Melodyne 5 Editor, Izotope Music Production Suite 4.1
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)
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!
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 10 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Windows & Mac 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 Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Windows & Mac 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.
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.
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