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It doesn't expose the limitation of the software. It exposes the limitation of the user... like an instrument.
Chad (Hope that makes it easier)
TEMPO TANTRUM: What a lead singer has when they can't stay in time.
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What is modern music? Is it the boom boom boom window rattling sound I hear when a car goes up the road? I think that was 20 years ago! 
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It doesn't expose the limitation of the software. It exposes the limitation of the user... like an instrument.
Kinda like a group of intermediate guitar players blaming their guitars for why they aren't getting soloist gigs? I am agreeing with most of what you are saying. Those who crap on the chart topping songs could not create those songs. They don't understand that music or that market. And I agree the limitations in BIAB songs are at least in part based on the limitations of BIAB users. But, I suspect the tool may have limitations for the exact same reason! Maybe it was built by folks not intimately familiar with modern music? I look at the latest release and wonder, are producers of modern music really clamoring for more Klezmer RealTracks? Some have pointed out that more tools are needed and I tend to agree with that. What BIAB excels at is creating authentic sounding classic tracks in country, blues, jazz and rock. It does such an incredible job at that task that you can generate a complete classic sounding song using only BIAB. So I guess that is my main point. BIAB can be used as-is, straight up to produce a classic country song or classic rock song but for modern music that is more varied and complex and less dependent on classic patterns...well, BIAB becomes one tool of many rather than the whole toolbox. And that's ok!
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eddie1261
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This general topic has come up at least a half dozen times since I joined the forums 7 years ago. And every time it has surfaced, one extremely cogent point gets lost in the discussion. BIAB is NOT a DAW. It HAS a DAW built into it as a convenience to users, but it is NOT a DAW. It is a musical generation tool. MUSIC generation, not drum loop generation. The best analogy I can use here is to say that a rock is a hammer because you CAN use a rock to drive nails, though it was never intended to be used that way. As far as "current music" quality, what you are hearing in your mind's ear is not the raw music. You are hearing the effects of high end mastering, possibly higher end than can be done without extremely expensive and advanced mastering plugins that a lot of us hobby level users do not have. (I use Izotope.) The actual content of the music is not that much better, and in some cases not as good, as some of the stuff created just by the users of this forum. Remember that A does not equal B on this forum, meaning that the roster of members here does not necessarily equal the number of copies of BIAB out there. If it did, then the number of users would grow consistently with every sale. I was on this forum for about 8 weeks BEFORE owning the program so I could read, listen and learn without commenting. (There are some who refer to that as "the good old days", but that's another story.) When that song hits the radio and you hear it, you don't get to hear it during the fermentation period. The writing itself is the focal point for me. Again note, FOR ME. That Drake tune that is listed as the top song is a piece of crap, resolving to vulgarity to draw attention and sell units to that lowest common denominator audience who think it is somehow "underground hip and cool" to curse on the radio. Songwriting in almost every genre is sadly and pathetically formulaic. You may have heard this on youtube, but it's a fun listen so check it out again. 6 country songs laid on top of each other. 6 song mashup
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That Drake tune that is listed as the top song is a piece of crap, resolving to vulgarity to draw attention and sell units to that lowest common denominator audience who think it is somehow "underground hip and cool" to curse on the radio. I don't care for the song myself BUT it's not about cursing to try and be "hip and cool." That's the culture. It's how many people actually talk...not to impress, but without thinking at all. It's habit. To NOT do that at this point would be cutting edge. You may have heard this on youtube, but it's a fun listen so check it out again. 6 country songs laid on top of each other. 6 song mashup To me, this is a truly pathetic example. Those songs have been pitch and time shifted to make them work. You can do this with ANY genre from ANY age of music and get the same type of result. I can't believe musicians, especially those who use technology at all point to this as an example. They should know better. For people that don't know how music is produced, I would better understand. Sorry man, I don't think it makes you point. Those songs, however, sound pretty similar on their own.
Chad (Hope that makes it easier)
TEMPO TANTRUM: What a lead singer has when they can't stay in time.
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eddie1261
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To me, this is a truly pathetic example. Those songs have been pitch and time shifted to make them work. You can do this with ANY genre from ANY age of music and get the same type of result.
Not quite true but that is moot. The point of it is the word "formulaic". Also research the famous Pachelbel chord progression if 1-5-6m-4 (think "Don't Stop Believin'", and hundreds of others). That is the point for the example, is that songs are formulaic. "You write with that chord pattern, and make sure your song is EXACTLY 3:34 long, and we will polish your turd and get it on the radio for you!" Pitch and time shifting doesn't matter. All those songs use the same progression. That's kind of the definition of formulaic. Of course there are popular chord progressions. Even the free-est of spirits understands the sonic rules of chord relativity. Chords have to be drawn from the scale of the root chord to sound any kind of pleasing. Your comment about being "the culture" is the problem for me. I don't want to be black. I am not going to live in that "culture". I am fine with being white in my culture, free of sexual abuse of women, drugs as a daily way of life.... Just how much of a music background do you have exactly, "Hear" To Learn? (Was that a music pun or do you truly not know "hear" from "here"?) I looked back 6 weeks in the forum and you have apparently never posted a song. Some of your comments seem deliberately outlandish and provocative, and appear to be there just to stir up controversy. That makes me wonder if you are involved with music at all or just an internet troll looking to poke the bears. Please do respond to that so we know to whom we are speaking. If you are truly "hear" to learn, you don't appear to be learning as much as arguing with people.
Last edited by eddie1261; 04/27/18 11:11 AM.
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Not quite true but that is moot. The point of it is the word "formulaic". Also research the famous Pachelbel chord progression if 1-5-6m-4 (think "Don't Stop Believin'", and hundreds of others). That is the point for the example, is that songs are formulaic. "You write with that chord pattern, and make sure your song is EXACTLY 3:34 long, and we will polish your turd and get it on the radio for you!" Pitch and time shifting doesn't matter. All those songs use the same progression. That's kind of the definition of formulaic.
Of course there are popular chord progressions. Even the free-est of spirits understands the sonic rules of chord relativity. Chords have to be drawn from the scale of the root chord to sound any kind of pleasing.
Totally agree. It's a progression I, and many others like. Your comment about being "the culture" is the problem for me. I don't want to be black. I am not going to live in that "culture". I am fine with being white in my culture, free of sexual abuse of women, drugs as a daily way of life.... I'm not condoning it; just stating that unfortunately that is more and more becoming the norm. Even network TV does it's best to tip toe around it with bleeps or cutting the sound. Things have changed. I would no doubt say for the worse. Just how much of a music background do you have exactly, "Hear" To Learn? (Was that a music pun or do you truly not know "hear" from "here"?) Oh trust me, I listen plenty. I think you will see a fairly low number of posts from me overall. I read a lot, and say things now and then. Many times they will go against what many hear believe, yet they may be more in line with what is happening in the music industry. I looked back 6 weeks in the forum and you have apparently never posted a song. You are correct. In those 6 weeks I haven't. Never? I have posted 2. You commented on 1 of them I believe. Some of your comments seem deliberately outlandish and provocative, and appear to be there just to stir up controversy. Me or you? lol I find it humorous you would be the one to say this; but I'll play along. I think on this forum my statements may seem that way at times. It's simply a different view that I hold verses many here. It's not an unpopular view. Just perhaps not as popular here. I'm not going to change it to appease people. Sorry if that doesn't fit your mold. That makes me wonder if you are involved with music at all or just an internet troll looking to poke the bears. I have significance beyond this forum so no need to gain it here. I do believe in doing what I can to bring something different to, hopefully, help the product overall. I love the company, and I love the product. I believe I even have the respect of the people I respect on the forum. I may be wrong, but feel that may be the case. That doesn't mean we always agree, and I have learned A TON from many people on here. I believe they also know that, as I have expressed it. Troll? Far from it. Look for the guy/girl that ONLY seems to stir things up with his/her opinions and doesn't really offer anything beyond be against everything and I think you will find a troll. Please do respond to that so we know to whom we are speaking. If you are truly "hear" to learn, you don't appear to be learning as much as arguing with people. Again, from you? Ok. There are people on the forum who know me and to some extent my credentials. I don't feel the need to list them to validate myself. I'm here for those who are looking for something other than is provided currently. There are some AMAZING writers and musicians here. They know, undoubtedly, I feel that way. There are also some people who excel WAY beyond the scope of this forum. I highly treasure them. I'm sorry if it bothers you when someone calls you out on calling something "crap" that you couldn't do. After all, I feel that is the heart of what happened here. I told you I don't care for it either, but I also am man enough to admit that's beyond what I can do. I'm talking the WHOLE package. Not just the simplicity of the song. Just like you said they don't want to see you rap. They don't want to see me either!  So if you think I'm a troll with no musical ability; oh well. I seriously could care less. Not meant to offend. Just saying. (by the way, I may have misspelled "here/hear" in this to add to the fun and confusion)
Last edited by HearToLearn; 04/27/18 11:39 AM.
Chad (Hope that makes it easier)
TEMPO TANTRUM: What a lead singer has when they can't stay in time.
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HearToLearn, I like and respect you, not that that matters much here as I too will not hesitate to call out the fanbois around here! 
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What was this topic about again? I forgot.
 Steve BIAB/RB 2022, Pro Tools 2020, Korg N5, JBL LSR 4328 Powered Monitors, AKG/Shure Mics.
PC: Win11 PRO, 4 TB M2 SSD, 2 TB HD, 128 GB Memory
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eddie1261
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What was this topic about again? I forgot. How GREAT of a songwriter I am!!! LOL!!!
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What was this topic about again? I forgot. Steve, I like you, and know you to be intelligent, so I will teach you how the "Off Topic" section of the forum works. Someone picks a topic and you want to make sure you don't stay on topic. Otherwise, it would be named "On Topic." The goal is simply to go "Off Topic." Now that you understand, we will reset; and play again. Who-hoo! Let's see where it goes this time. Here we go... From the original poster : is it just me , I notice the big changes that are.
1 The price of plugins falling to an all time low.
2 the price and availability of the daws and their longevity.
3 How does biab stand in all of this in price and longevity.
Looking for your thoughts, we are after all (biab users) getting on a bit to put it mildly.
I know my son in his thirties thinks its a great program for older, country ,bluesy tunes as he puts it, and amazed at the way it works and sounds but not really for his generation.
What's your thoughts !
Chad (Hope that makes it easier)
TEMPO TANTRUM: What a lead singer has when they can't stay in time.
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Steve BIAB/RB 2022, Pro Tools 2020, Korg N5, JBL LSR 4328 Powered Monitors, AKG/Shure Mics.
PC: Win11 PRO, 4 TB M2 SSD, 2 TB HD, 128 GB Memory
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<...snip...>
BIAB is NOT a DAW.
<...> Repeat that 100 times until you get it. BiaB is an auto-accompaniment app that has a ton of other features added on for your convenience. Yes, it does have it's limitations, and as someone who writes aftermarket styles, I have discovered many of them. Every app has limitations and BiaB as an auto-accompaniment app does it better than anything else out there, that includes the software apps that couldn't compete and hardware/software devices like arranger keyboards. Then there is another limitation, the styles. This is not the fault of the BiaB app, there are perhaps zillions of styles that could be written. If there is nothing for the young user, it is because there aren't any styles for them (or they haven't discovered the aftermarket styles I've written). And BiaB doesn't do modal very well, major and minor modes work fine but it isn't designed to do all 12 modes. But then perhaps 99% of all popular music has been written in either the major or minor mode. IMHO BiaB is the ultimate practice tool, almost any chord progression or the chords to almost any song, at any speed, and in thousands of different styles. I also think it is a good scratch pad that can be exported and then imported to a DAW to take the very good output of BiaB and with some tweaks, make it 'ready for prime time'. It has basic notation functions, quite good MIDI harmonizing functions, some very basic DAW functions and so on. I see these as a convenience because for example, you can't produce what you can in Encore or Finale. But that's not the point. I find it nice to see things in Notation and it helps me as a practice tool. Much of today's music depends on a full fledged DAW and with the right style you can export output from BiaB, import it into a DAW and get some very modern music. But if using the DAW as a musical instrument, you have to learn how to use it and practice your skills to be good at it. Also, BiaB styles tend to be a bit on the generic side. And this is how I think it should be. Early in my style writing career one of my customers asked me to write a style for Elvis Presley's "Don't Be Cruel". It has a very song-specific guitar riff. So I did a Don't Be Cruel style, and as soon as I tried it on another song that guitar riff shouted "DON'T BE CRUEL" and I realized the style was good for one thing only. Plus it would have been much easier to export a generic rock/swing style into a MIDI Sequencer or DAW and then add the guitar riff. It would have taken less time than it did for me to incorporate that riff into BiaB. BiaB stands alone today. It was so much better than the competition that they faded away. IMHO every computer musician needs these tools (1) A DAW and/or MIDI sequencer (2) BiaB (3) A Notation app. 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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WOW never expected all this on this posting brilliant to get all your views I feel I really know some of you now. It did change to (modern song or not posting.) I think everyone is aware of Bruno Mars, can you get just a piano to play a song in biab ??. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekzHIouo8Q4I think its our age, generation influences, on the music we grew up with and we naturally write that way. Its right it should be that way that's why we have all the variety in music we have today. Its just a circle how many older songs from another generation are arranged/STYLED/produced Like the song in the link above. Think about it.
Last edited by beatmaster; 04/28/18 08:45 AM.
win 10 64 bit 16gb,i7 chip, ssd 500gb, m-audio air, ,Roland BK-7M, 1000,shure sm7b,sonar,acid,mixcraft, variety of plugins.Sample tank 3,Kontakt. TC Helicon Voicelive 3 2 . https://beatmaster1.bandcamp.com/releases
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can you get just a piano to play a song in biab ??.
Add the piano track you want and mute the rest of the tracks.
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Looks like we can do modern then !!
win 10 64 bit 16gb,i7 chip, ssd 500gb, m-audio air, ,Roland BK-7M, 1000,shure sm7b,sonar,acid,mixcraft, variety of plugins.Sample tank 3,Kontakt. TC Helicon Voicelive 3 2 . https://beatmaster1.bandcamp.com/releases
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This topic harkens back to my first reading of HTL's comments. I find them to be very offensive. My solution was to ignore him. Just how much of a music background do you have exactly, "Hear" To Learn? (Was that a music pun or do you truly not know "hear" from "here"?) I looked back 6 weeks in the forum and you have apparently never posted a song. Some of your comments seem deliberately outlandish and provocative and appear to be there just to stir up controversy. That makes me wonder if you are involved with music at all or just an internet troll looking to poke the bears. Please do respond to that so we know to whom we are speaking. If you are truly "hear" to learn, you don't appear to be learning as much as arguing with people. I agree with Eddie's evaluation. He is a troll intent on making waves. I made an uneasy peace with him and decided to just ignore him.
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This topic harkens back to my first reading of HTL's comments. I find them to be very offensive. My solution was to ignore him.
I agree with Eddie's evaluation. He is a troll intent on making waves. I made an uneasy peace with him and decided to just ignore him. Sorry you feel that way Eddie and Donny. I don't think he's a troll and he contributed to the "Paradox of You" challenge as I have so he's not a complete troll. I read him as a strange sense of humor kind of guy like I am and sometimes people on the forum may take more offense than others to oddball comments we share. Just keep it laid back guys, there's nothing to see here. or to learn......
Steve BIAB/RB 2022, Pro Tools 2020, Korg N5, JBL LSR 4328 Powered Monitors, AKG/Shure Mics.
PC: Win11 PRO, 4 TB M2 SSD, 2 TB HD, 128 GB Memory
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This topic harkens back to my first reading of HTL's comments. I find them to be very offensive. My solution was to ignore him.
I agree with Eddie's evaluation. He is a troll intent on making waves. I made an uneasy peace with him and decided to just ignore him. In the 6 years I have been here folks like HearToLearn have contributed to improving this forum by changing it from a fan forum to one where critical conversation is possible. Now we can discuss both the amazing features as well as the warts without being shunned for being negative! This is a forum for a commercial product that we all pay actual money to use. It is good for the forum and good for the product to have critical conversations!
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Our new jazz, funk & blues RealTracks include a groovin’ collection of RealTracks and RealDrums! These include more requested “soul jazz” RealTracks featuring artists Neil Swainson (bass), Charles Treadway (organ), Brent Mason (guitar), and Wes Little (drums). There are new “smooth jazz” styles (4), which include a RealTracks first: muted trumpet, as well as slick new smooth jazz brushes options for drums. Blues lovers will be thrilled—there are more “classic acoustic blues” styles, including guitar (5), bass (4), and drums (10) with blues master Colin Linden, featuring understated and tasty background acoustic soloing, plus brushes drums and acoustic bass. There are also new electric blues RealTracks, including electric blues with PG favorite Johnny Hiland (3) and soulful electric slide guitar from Colin Linden (4). If you love funk & gospel, there are great new options this year, including gospel organ (3) from Charles Treadway, as well as new funk, tango, and rock ’n’ roll drums (3) and bass (1). And for big, bold arrangements, we have uptempo soul horns (4) featuring a three-part hip horn section with options for a full mix or stems of each individual horn — plus an accompanying rhythm section (4) of drums, bass, guitar, and electric piano!
Rock & Pop (Sets 476–482):
Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
Check out all the 202 new RealTracks (in sets 468-488)!
And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.
The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
With your version 2026 for Mac 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)
- iOS Android Band-in-a-Box® App
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)
Learn more about the Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!
All of our XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs are on sale until May 15th, 2026!
It's the perfect time to expand your Band-in-a-Box® style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs. These additional styles for Band-in-a-Box® offer a wide range of genres designed to fit seamlessly into your projects. Each style is professionally arranged and mixed, helping enhance your songs while saving you time.
What are XPro Styles and Xtra Styles PAKs?
XPro Styles PAKs are styles that work with any version (Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition) of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). XPro Styles PAKS 1-10 includes 1,000 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 includes 3,700 styles (and 35 MIDI styles)!
The XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs are not included in any Band-in-a-Box® package.
The XPro Styles PAKs 1-10 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
The Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the Xtra Styles PAK Bundle for only $199 (reg. $349)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
Note: 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.
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 as they require the RealTracks included in the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Supercharge your Band-in-a-Box today with XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAK Sets!
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