10. What new features are there in the latest version of Band-in-a-Box for Windows?

With each version upgrade, we add many great new features.

With Band-in-a-Box 2018, we've added Video RealTracks, a new ultra-low-latency audio driver, the Audio Chord Wizard has been redesigned and is built into Band-in-a-Box, audio harmonies have been enhanced with audio transcription, audio tuning can be fixed, notation properly supports time signatures like 12/8, 9/8 & 6/8, the toolbar has been enhanced with skins and more customization, songs can be saved as MP3, you can open ABC notation files, and the Audio Edit Window has been redesigned with a new GUI and features.

See all the new features in Band-in-a-Box 2018

With Band-in-a-Box 2017, main screen GUI has been redesigned with many requested improvements, including a new, smaller footprint, configurable toolbars, and more. RealTracks sound better than ever with improved stretching and transposition quality (Elastique 3), better phrase transitions, and Natural Arrangements. We have added new "Woodshedding" RealTracks called 12-Key Guitar RealTracks from Brent Mason played in 12 keys with Hi-Q (precise) Tab/Notation which is ideal for studying and learning.

With Band-in-a-Box 2016, we redesigned and enhanced the StylePicker, rebuilt the Chordsheet with improved functionality and customization options. We also added 201 new RealTracks, 11 new MIDI SuperTracks, 19 Instrumental Studies (bass, acoustic & electric guitar, piano & saxophone, in a variety of genres), and for the first time ever, 3 "Artist Video Performances," which are video files that play in Band-in-a-Box, with live saxophone performances playing along with Band-in-a-Box RealTracks. We also have over 80 new RealStyles, which are new styles using existing RealTracks and Loops. These include great Top-40 styles, "Requested" styles, J-Pop, K-Pop, German "Schlager," and more!

With Band-in-a-Box 2015, we added 50 new features, 101 new RealTracks, 15 new MIDI SuperTracks, 46 Artist Performances, 18 Instrumental Studies and 1,000 Killer Modern Loops. New features include support for your 64-bit VST plugins and VSTi instruments using jBridge, functions to load, play, view and slow down videos you've downloaded from YouTube or elsewhere, Automatic Program Updates, and GUI enhancements.

With Band-in-a-Box 2014, we added 50 new features (including an all-new GUI and UserTracks), 101 new RealTracks, 54 new MIDI SuperTracks, 20 Artist Performances and 8 new Hi-Q MIDI Sounds. Compared to version 2012 (December 2011) this adds 100 new features, 303 RealTracks, 145 MIDI SuperTracks and 26 Hi-Q Sounds! There are now over 1,200 hours of RealTracks/RealDrums (studio musician audio recordings) included with the UltraPlusPAK or EverythingPAK!

With Band-in-a-Box 2013 we added a new MIDI DXi/VST synth (SampleTank) and added some great High Quality ("Hi-Q") MIDI Sounds. These Hi-Q sounds make the MIDI tracks (both regular and MIDI SuperTracks), sound much better. We added Performance Tracks – Artist's Performances on the Melody track, to showcase the Band-in-a-Box RealTracks demos playing along to an artist performing the melody. These are great for listening or for learning-from-the-Pros (since notation/tab shows for the performances). "Print to PDF" to save your printouts directly as a PDF file, or share your arrangements with the added SoundCloud.com integration and DropBox integration. There are a number of RealTracks enhancements including "Pick best soloist RealTracks" that shows you the soloists that best match the genre, tempo, and feel of your song, and many more.

With Band-in-a-Box 2012.5 we've added MIDI SuperTracks! MIDI SuperTracks are a great sounding option for those who would like to use MIDI in their arrangement. Instead of MIDI styles based on C7 chord patterns that get repeated over every chord, the MIDI SuperTracks are based on actual playing by studio musicians. When you play the SuperTracks using your MIDI synth, or favorite VST plug-ins you get an incredibly realistic sound using MIDI.

With Band-in-a-Box 2012, we've added VST synth support for each track, so you can have multiple synths playing on your songs. You can also use VST Audio Plug-ins (reverb, delay etc.) on each track. Customize over 150 of the Guitar based RealTracks with the new Guitar Amp Simulator (AmpliTube CS). We include "Direct Input" (clean signal) Guitar RealTracks for these, so all of the added effects come from the Guitar Amp Simulator. We've added "Loops" support, so you can add your own, or 3rd party loops to any Band-in-a-Box track.

For the previous version, Band-in-a-Box 2011.5, we added a new floating Mixer Window, allowing you to quickly set volumes, panning, reverb, tone and patches. There's a new "BB Remote" app for your iPhone®, which can be used as a remote control for the desktop version of Band-in-a-Box 2011.5 or higher! We added 101 RealTracks in Sets 122-136, including: 70's Soul, Celtic Hornpipes & Slipjigs, Crossover Pop, Gypsy Jazz, Jazz Piano and Organ, Brent Mason Country soloing, Praise & Worship, and much more!

For Band-in-a-Box 2011, we added over 50 new features, including big improvements to the sounds of the RealTracks so that they sound more natural over a much wider range of tempos, using the elastique Pro V2 time stretching engine by zplane.development. These improvements are built-in, so there's nothing you need to do to get it working. Your existing songs will just sound better automatically! Also, we made Android and iPhone® versions of Band-in-a-Box, which connects to your Windows desktop version of Band-in-a-Box 2011 or higher and allows you to generate, play, and save songs on your iPhone®, iPod touch®, iPad™, or Android phone - with the same high quality RealTracks sound! 101 new RealTracks since July 2010, including: Gypsy Jazz, Celtic Jigs & Reels, Calypso, Praise & Worship, Reggae, Brent Mason Guitar, and so much more!

In Band-in-a-Box 2010, we added a new "Plug-in" mode, allowing you to simply Drag-n-Drop tracks between Band-in-a-Box and your favorite sequencer (RealBand, Sonar, Reaper, ProTools, FL-Studio, Nuendo and more). RealTracks generation time was improved, typically 3X faster. RealTracks support for Shots, Holds, and Pushes was added. Endings are improved, and RealTracks endings are now 4 bars long, giving time for the natural decay of the instruments. Individual MIDI or RealTracks can be frozen, so the arrangements can be saved and fixed, and will replay quickly without need for regeneration.


Alyssa - PG Music