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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 92
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 92 |
For starters, I just got biab and i have never dabbled in home recording. Well, I had a 4 channel cassette recorder 15 years ago that I mixed some stuff up, but thats about it.
I play guitar, Im just getting back into it as I have not played it for around 15 years ago. (marrige,kids, career,etc)
I have a few guitars but my main is a fender strat that I run thru a digitech pedal processor for tones.
Thats about it.
1.What equipment do you guys recommend I need to develope good music? What equipment do you guys use?
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I noticed in biab that when I do a chord progression sometimes the chord changes are not clean.
2.I have setup biab to vsc dxi with asio4all audio.Is this good? Or does it make the chord changes dirty?
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This next question probably relates to the first but, I dont have a dedicated soundcard. Im thinking, now that Im dealing with sounds and want great quality, I should get one.
3. Do I really need a dedicated soundcard?
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I noticed in some of the files that there is tutorials with instruction audio clips.
4. How do I view the tutorials with audio clips in biab?
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Relates to question 1 but my guitar runs through my processor and gets alot of feedback from nearby electronics, computer monitors,etc.
5.Now that I got biab and practising with it, Im finding the area feedback unbearable at my desk infront of the computer. How do you guys deal with it? what can I do to get a clean sound?
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I have a few more questions but I dont want to make you guys read a book. lol
Cheers!
6 strings. 24 frets. An infinite amount of possibilities.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,333
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Veteran
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,333 |
A small mixer (I have a Behringer) and some earphones would solve that pronto. You can record into band in a box, but I suggest you start with the videos. You can find them on the site. Long and McQuade man..... http://www.long-mcquade.com/departments/33/21/0/0/check the 5 channel mixer 58 bucks, must know the store, Bloor get off at Ossington..not open on Sundays though. List your gear after your signature, computer, guitars, operating system, best way to get help. I'm a keyboard midi guy with too much gear, last trip to Toronto I got the Bose L1 Model 2, it was only 4 grand. Only.
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,333
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,333 |
by the way look at this thread from a few weeks back and read what Carlos wrote....his english is not great but then listen to his songs. http://www.pgmusic.com/ubbthreads/showfl...ge=7#Post240572
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 39
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Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 39 |
Hi,
I'm a guitarist too, here's what I would suggest:
use headphones to record your guitar sounds and turn off your external speakers and any other equipment you don't use to reduce interference & hum when you're recording
As you have a strat - standard single coil pickups are inherently noisier than humbuckers (premium modern single coils are sold as noiseless however). Make sure your guitar has shielding inside to reduce noise. Also roll the volume and tone pots back on the strat, that might reduce noise too
use quality leads between your guitar and digitech, and digitech to PC
experiment with gain and volume settings on the digitech and pc soundcard input mixer. You might find that a little less gain on the digitech reduces signal noise alot. If you don't get this right, your recordings will still sound distorted regardless of how much you spend on soundcards
To answer your specific question on 'great' sound quality...
Get a decent soundcard, inboard or outboard. You will find the separation of instruments and depth of sounds is amazing compared to a standard card. I have an EMU 0404 outboard - lots of inputs & outputs, mixing of signals etc and the clarity of sound is impressive
Get the best monitor speakers you can, they will bring out the best in your music. Monitor speakers are designed to faithfully reproduce the recorded sounds i.e. there is no coloration that you can get with hifi speakers. I have Tapco monitors by Mackie and again, they sound fantastic
Once you have a decent soundcard, don't forget your headphones may need upgrading. And always use quality cables to hook everything up!
hope this helps
regards,
Martin
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 92
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 92 |
Thanks for the link John...
it indeed answer a few questions.
Im off to long and mcquade...
Cheers!
6 strings. 24 frets. An infinite amount of possibilities.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 92
Enthusiast
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|
OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 92 |
Thanks Martin,
Im going to pick up an out soundcard/mixer things. Or at least see whats out there. I havent been to a music store in a decade. I might break the bank!
Cheers!
6 strings. 24 frets. An infinite amount of possibilities.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502 |
With the Digitech and the Strat, good cables and a fair to good soundcard with Line Inputs on it, you should be able to make a pro quality recording with just that stuff. Not kidding.
As for noise of single coil pups, we Strat lovers wouldn't have it any other way.
Biggest noise prob in home recording with the PC may be noise emanating from your video monitor. You can tell real fast if the monitor is the noise source by switching it off midstream and continuing to record a bit more, then switch it back on and hit Stop, give a listen. Sometimes simply moving away from the monitor a bit or turning a 90 degree angle away from it while recording reduces the interference enough.
It is practice, both at the instrument and with the recording system, that makes good recordings. Equipment is a factor, but not as big a factor as many want to make it to be. You've got two pieces of very good equipment in that Digi and your Strat. It is a poor carpenter who blames his tools.
--Mac
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 92
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 92 |
True Mac.
You can have the best equipment in the world, it doesnt make u a better player.
But having the right equipment does motivate one to practise more. And practise is what I need and now is effortless with biab.
6 strings. 24 frets. An infinite amount of possibilities.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502 |
If you are playing guitar and wish to record it, you don't really need a mixer.
Matter of fact, it would just be sitting there adding one more level of thermal noise to your signal chain, needlessly.
The Line Outputs, Stereo, of the Digi, into the two Line Inputs L and R of the soundcard and record to a Stereo track.
Why Stereo? Because many of the digital simulations take advantage of the Stereo field. You can still PAN a stereo track L or R in the mix later if need be. This goes doubly so for effects like rotating speakers, speaker simulators, etc. Or a slapback echo that slaps from side to side. Or Stereo Tremolo moving back and forth. etc.
The Digi can handle any EQ or tone situation needed here.
Be sure to use the Speaker Cabinet simulation. Nothing sounds as sparse as a Direct Injected electric guitar. The speakers of your amp are part of the sound. Digital Speaker Simulation is a good thing, allowing us the freedom to use Direct Injection and heaphones so as not to disturb, yet have the sound of as many speaker cabinets as your virtual guitar amp pedal can provide. Totally silent recording technique that plays back like six Marshall stacks in an arena, if that's what you want.
--Mac
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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 Mac - Special Offers End at 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th, 2026!
Order before 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th and SAVE up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 for Mac Upgrade packages... and that's not all! With your version 2026 for Mac purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks... that's 222 NEW RealTracks available with version Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac!
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® today for as little as $49! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all available purchase options.
Learn more about the Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK here.
If you have any questions about which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We're here to help!
202 New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2026!
With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
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!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac Videos
With the release of Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac, we’re rolling out a collection of brand-new videos on our YouTube channel. We’ll keep this forum post updated so you can easily find all the latest videos in one convenient spot.
Whether you're exploring new features, checking out the latest RealTracks or Style PAKs, this is your go-to guide for Band-in-a-Box® 2026.
Check out this forum post for "One Stop Shopping" of our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Videos!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac is Here!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac 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 100 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!
Special Offers
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac and save up to 50% on most upgrade packages during our special offer—available until May 15, 2026. Visit our Band-in-a-Box® packages page to explore all available upgrade options.
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK Add-ons
Our Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK are loaded with amazing add-ons! The Free Bonus PAK is included with most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac packages, but you can unlock even more—including 20 unreleased RealTracks—by upgrading to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49.
Holiday Weekend Hours
As we hop into the Easter weekend, here are our holiday hours:
April 3 (Good Friday): 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM PDT
April 4 (Saturday): Closed
April 5 (Easter Sunday): Closed
April 6 (Easter Monday): Open regular hours
Wishing you an egg-cellent weekend!
— Team PG
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