PG Music Home Forums PG Music Product Forums Band-in-a-Box for Windows Totally confused and disappointed with this years offering

Hi all

Well I must say not for the first time I am totally confused with this years offering
Having sorted out which upgrade I need I see all is normal and I will get a new 32 bit version of BIAB including a handful of new content, but if I want it all I have to get the 49 pack as well, nothing new there then.

On top of that I seem to be getting a 64 bit version that is not quite working in some respects and a 64bit vst that also doesn’t quite work. (and I am being generous with my appraisal).Neither of which I personally require or want, as a must have
I have to ask how you can expect a 64 bit vst to work when the main programme that its trying to emulate and run as a vst doesn’t work itself.
The only saving grace to my mind is that this years upgrade is no more expensive than previous years .
However I find my self reluctant to spend $ 150 just for a few more styles and realtracks as I can not see any improvement in the basic 32 bit version.
Mind you I could have missed it among all the fanfare and subsequent commotion.

Hovering on the edge!
Mike

I could not agree more. I already sprang for the upgrade and am sorely disappointed. The VST was my main motivation and it will not load in any of my three DAWS. Furthermore there is NO NO NO response from any Tech Support person...what can they say anyway. The developers have apparently blown it.

Hi Mike,

This upgrade has more new material (by far) compared to any other upgrade we’ve had. And the response has been the best ever also.

There are 202 new RealTracks, 300+ new realStyles. 140 mire RealStyles in the Xtra styles release.

In addition, there are is the new 64bit version of the program and 64bit VST plugin, both of these which work fine and add up, IMO, to our best release ever.

You should remember, there are thousands of people using all of this already. Some comments that you see are people wanting the plugin to work in a different way with their DAW or have additional features. Most, including me, are happy with how everything works now.

If you have any specific questions, please let me know. We are making videos on specific tips for using the plugin with each DAW (a separate video for each DAW). Most common issue is people installing the plugin to the wrong folder for the DAW they are using, which is easily fixable by copying the plugin file in Explorer.

And there is always a 30 day unconditional money back guarantee on all this, as there has been for the last 30 years.

Thanks Peter

Ok you have convinced me, I don’t and never did doubt your dedication and sincerity in this product.
I will hang on for a week or so for a few more fixes then purchase as normal hoping to avoid quite so many future download patches.
Thank you for your time in posting. I must admit I had missed some of the general upgrade content with all this commotion with 64 bit and vsts etc,
Its still one of the best music programs I own.
Best regards,
Mike

No way, you're not getting mine back, that's for keeps for sure -F

Yes as you say "The response has been the best ever" I see it all over different threads in these pages.

Well done PGmusic

I agree it's the best ever, a Quantum Leap !!

But don't limit the potential of the plugin to hobbyist, there are those of us that would like to use in a more professional way, playing around with it in the office there is not using it day in day out in a professional environment. Please don't let that be an excuse not to do more work on the plugin. You need to expand your thinking on this and go beyond the Status Quo, are the "Most, including me" using it in a professional way day in day out ? You have made a Quantum Leap now do the same with your thinking, go beyond !

Thanks Peter. I think the general expectation for a VST like this may be more than what you have developed. Part of the frustration you see in the forums is we LOVE BIAB and are VERY EXCITED about the potential of a BIAB VST but disappointed to see that it does not seem to be very tightly integrated with the DAW as one would expect. My impression so far is it is a more advanced drag/drop feature in a VST wrapper. And don't get me wrong, if that is all that it is, and the multiriff generation is not taking 10 minutes as some have reported, this will still be a very cool new feature! But still less than many had hoped it would be.


Can you answer the questions below and if some requests are not included in the current BIAB VST could you maybe tell us whether or not they are planned for a near-term or future release? Thanks in advance for helping clarify what the BIAB VST is intended to do so perhaps we can reset our expectations!

Are all BIAB song settings supported?
https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=507780

How integrated is it with my DAW?
https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=507654

Can it regenerate bar by bar?
https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=507416

Does the dependence on a 32-bit helper program cause this to not be a "real" 64-bit implementation as some have suggested?

Pipeline +1
I could not of said better.
One thing that may or have not been mentioned. "Wish list for PGmusic VST" improvements / features in the proper section of the forum.

We did suggest another forum (gasp!) devoted to the VST Plugin, so we could consolidate info there.

Matt, true., I think I have actually seen that. But what about "Wishlist" section?
If you have only one section dedicated to VST, all suggestions will be mixed in with all the other VST discussion posts, and I am sure within short period of time it will be in hundreds.

I too see this year's offering isn't much to upgrade to.
Sure there are many new styles and real tracks, but the vast majority from what I see is for jazz, old style country, waltz, and other not so common genres
(Campfire? Tango? Klezmer??, etc., etc.)

I have to say, in my case, about 50%, of the Real tracks and real styles are rarely, if ever, used and just taking up space in my hard drive.

How about offering Alternate versions of BIAB for specific styles? Something more or less custom made for individuals who only seek certain styles.
And without having to fully upgrade to whatever new version of BIAB that comes out lately. These new real tracks and real styles should work with Any previous BIAB versions that has Real tracks capability. And with various playback patterns to use as well.

For me, a BIAB version mainly for Pop and Rock (All Styles with several substyles too) and even Modern country/country rock would be ideal. Plus adding more up to date Top 40 styles would help, including modern R&B, Pop and Hip-hop grooves and beats.

There may be some people who Only want Jazz styles.
There may be some people who Only want Country styles.
There may be some people who Only want R&B/Hip-hop and Top 40 Pop real styles.
And, like me, there may be some people who Only want Pop and Rock Styles.

Personally I would want more Retro styles and sounds
(50s, 60s & 70s Rock and Pop styles), with more vintage sounding instruments, as I have a side project creating new 60's styles songs. Plus a couple of 50's styles songs as well. But I am limited to just a handful of tools to do more without songs sounding similar. For instance, Surf music, while you provided about 5 different surf drum styles, there are only 2 rhythm surf guitar RTs and just 1 RT surf guitar soloist (of which I was only able to use on 2 songs as it plays basically the same patterns). I would like to have more surf guitars and organs/piano instruments sounds. Especially a few more and different surf soloist guitars!

On a different musical spectrum, I would also want more variety to recreate the 80s New Wave and various dance-pop styles
as well as classic 80s Two-tone Ska styles.
To date I have been limited to create 3 or 4 songs in those styles as there aren't available RTs and real styles to do more without sounding repetitious. Maybe this could be a stand-alone variation of BIAB option in itself too. I'd buy it!

As a songwriter, I want to be able to create songs in a wide variety of rock and pop styles without sounding repetitious in how the finished song comes out sounding. Up to now I enjoyed BIAB since my first BIAB in 2005, and had upgraded every 2 years, currently on 2016, but which each new upgrade we are basically forced to buy in order to get new RTs and new styles to be able to use, we are getting a lot of "fillers" and not enough "meat" to fulfill our appetites.

Maybe PG Music should cater to people's individual needs and wants with separate Alternate versions of BIAB to specific styles people really want.

I was planning to upgrade to 2019 but like I mentioned, the majority of new items are ones I don't need, however some in the XtraPaks are. I don't understand why those are not included. If we are Upgrading, we should get ALL new Real tracks and Real styles. Not as separate purchases.

I do hope PG Music takes this suggestion into serious consideration.

Thank you
MusicMan164

Yeah I had no idea there was such a huge demand for Campfire, Tango, and Klezmer styles that needed even more of them. I too wish there were more realtracks and styles that I would actually use.

Can not agree... Yes, I would like to see more vintage style RT like 50s-60' Pop, boogie etc.,
But I do like things like Tango, Klezmer and other genres to have in my arsenal. There are some so-so items in new release RTs, that is to be expected, but overall I am very happy with diversity. The only serious complaint I have, it was shy of winds such as flutes / recorders.

Yes, I agree. It might take more than one forum.

Dr Gannon, the audio import feature doesn't seem to be working for the 64-Bit version -- as noted here

https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=507805#Post507805

and here

https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=509239#Post509239

No one has replied from PGMusic since the first post on Saturday. I know this is a busy time, but can you or someone from the team please say

--whether you're aware of this, and perhaps

-- how "fixable" does it seem by the time of the early bird discount expires + 30 days? I realise that eventually you fix many early release bugs, but in this case I'm uncomfortable gambling that this will be definitely one of them, as this functionality in a 64 bit program is a must-have for me, anyway.