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........
AmpleSound AGM II Lite looks like a goer. I would like to let others know about it.
Tony
Thanx Tony, I just DLed it. I won the lottery for all of AGM's bass guitars. They are the best sounding software bass guitars that I have ever heard. Thus it doesn't surprise me that their guitars are also very good. YMMV
I get most of my exercise these days from shaking my head in disbelief.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Having sax as my primary instrument I'm luckier than guitarists in the MIDI world. The wind MIDI controllers have almost instant response - about as instant as a keyboard controller.
Sax is my primary instrument but I do play guitar, bass, drums, keyboards and flute along with the wind MIDI controller.
I find putting in rhythm guitar parts with the keyboard a lot of work. Proper guitar chord inversions must be used, and sometimes choking and sustain has to be 'massaged' in the MIDI sequencer/DAW after entering. But it's all worth it.
Years ago when I tried the MIDI guitar, as I noted earlier, the latency drove me crazy. Perhaps I should investigate one of those MIDI guitar controllers.
For lead lines I find using the wind MIDI controller easier. Yes, I'm predominantly a sax player, but I also find that the reed on my WX5 does a much better emulation of string bending than the wheel or joystick on any of my keyboards.
The Yamaha WX5 does have mechanical keys unlike the EWI. But I'm so used to slapping keys on a sax, this is no problem for me. Yamaha made a very sturdy instrument. What I like most about the WX family as opposed to the EWI is the reed.
The EWI has a bite sensor that works with a capacitor discharge for return to 'zero pitch'. That gives the machine control over vibrato return speed. I want to be able to do things like bend up quickly and slowly come down to pitch like a guitarist does. The guitarist in a band I was in a long time ago called it a 'ghost bend'. Yes there are bending plates on the EWI that you can control this with, but my fingers are busy with other functions. I prefer it in the reed.
The Wind MIDI controller's con is that it doesn't do double stops. Everything has it's price. But they could be added.
So for making BiaB styles and the backing tracks for my duo, I use keyboards for chord input and melodic percussion input, and wind MIDI controller for wind, guitar, and other lyrical instrument leads or background riffs.
There are exceptions and no hard fast rules. The right tool for the job might not be the one that works most of the time. If something isn't working right, try other tools and you never know what will work best.
For me music isn't instant gratification. I like the process of making the music as much as I like the music itself.
Sometimes making a backing track for a new song in my duo might take only an hour or two, other times a day or two. It depends on the song and my skills.
The harder songs improve my skills and after working on them for many hours, hearing the playback the way I want it is the reward. And I've been in this duo for many years now, so if I'm lucky, I'll get to play that song hundreds or thousands of times, and I'll be glad I spent the extra time with it every time I play it.
Insights and incites by 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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On sample based digital computer stuff:
The quality and amount of used samples also plays an import roll. There are some great VSTs around sound wise, indeed Ample, and Orange Tree.
Most acoustic instruments (and old electric Fender guitars?) have changing overtones (harmonics) and a resonance frequency belonging to the physical built property of the instrument itself. Hard to capture in a digital VST environment. Years ago i was in the luxury situation of owning some early AKAI and Ensoniq samplers due paid sound-tracking jobs. Spent a lot of time trying to capture mandolins and guitars. Tried layering to capture all, but gave it up sort of with a feeling of 'too much work' and 'i'll play it live on tape myself at a later stage', once i figured out the arrangement. Often done with BIAB, Atari days LoL.
These days i sometimes replace a 'real' rhythm guitarist with a VST (easy way out). And the only time i really was impressed of what synths could emulating a lead rock guitar (and sax and blues type harmonica) was with a Yamaha VL1m i owned quite a few years.
Later Steinberg Wizoo came out with their virtual guitarist VSTs, i still use at times for creating rhythm guitar tracks, maybe also out of laziness.
Sounds fairly OK though ...
MIDI produced stuff versus live recorded musicians has still a very big pre; one can change important parts quite easily at a later stage of some production. RTs are amazing, especially some. The trouble with digital tracks (limited to 16bit?) is IMO when you mix them together a sort of muddy-ing curtain moves in covering the whole caboose making all less palatable. Some RT's sound great soloed however.
On 16bit:
Was assisting at some live recording of a classical orchestra once in a church. The 16bit recordings on an AKAI Dr8, properly externally wordclock slaved and leveled, and left as pure as they were, turned out real well sounding on the final CD afterwards. 16bit can work, but i would prefer at least 24 bit if i have to work with sampled stuff in a complex production situation. RT going 24 bit? However it's the same with Toontracks drummer plugs, all 24 bit, but in a mix all those superbly sounding cymbals need extra help and processing to survive in a final mix. -F
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<...snip...>Most acoustic instruments (and old electric Fender guitars?) have changing overtones (harmonics) and a resonance frequency belonging to the physical built property of the instrument itself. Hard to capture in a digital VST environment. <...>
Agreed. The software synth has to create every note, every nuance of expression, every variation in harmonics, every tonal color change, from scratch by 'doing the math'. This taxes the CPU of the computer. And since software synths need to cut corners to reduce CPU drag, this might be a good case for external synthesizers. Hardware synths can have the properties of each note at each volume stored in RAM so all the changing tonal colors are available instantly with no extra load on the computer's CPU. Better synths have more realistic programming. Some hardware piano synths even add the sympathetic vibrations of the wood of the piano and the not played strings in a manner dependent on how hard the notes are played, and do it so realistically that it satisfies even finicky piano players. A good synth will change the quality of the sample with the pitch, that's pretty standard. A better synth will change the harmonics, brightness, attack, and other properties with volume. This requires a lot more CPU time on a software synth, but a hardware synth can have this pre-programmed. So with the better synth, playing the guitar string with more velocity (volume) will give a bigger noise burst at the attack, a brighter sound that gets damped over time, and a longer sustain. I have a synth that when playing a sax patch, and 'scooping' a note up to pitch as is often done, the sound brightens with the scoop. It also changes the brightness with vibrato so it sounds more a sax is supposed to sound like. All these things make the MIDI sounds more realistic. There are 128 continuous controllers http://www.nortonmusic.com/midi_cc.html many of which are there to add expression after the note has been attacked. They are your friends if your MIDI controller can send this data and your MIDI synth can receive it. Now I admit, I've only tried about a half dozen software synths, but none of these could compare with the amount of expression and realism I could derive out of a good hardware synth. And the hardware synth does this with no extra load on the CPU and thus for all practical purposes, no latency. That's why although I use RTs from time to time, I haven't abandoned MIDI. Insights and incites by 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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A PS on MIDI strings. Strings in an orchestra often sound that good due that the players adept their fine tuning according their feel of the scale's tonality. Usually if i have the time to check matters in a midi controlled environment, i'd like to fine tune the 3rds and sometimes 6ths for a more natural feel. Hardware synth or VST. You can't do that with real tracks.
With them you might be best off to use those in the key where they were recorded in.
F.i. a cajun melodeon is tuned to 'just' tuning. Played latter instrument at a studio job, and the engineer, a well trained classical pianist with ears used to his concert piano's tuning, said: argh, that thing is way out of tune. Well Marc Savoy himself tuned it, and he's the (cajun) expert and one of the best tuners around: 3rds and 6ths are 15% lower, but i changed it later towards around 8 % below zero. Less chilly and chicken skin for a few eager ears i guess LoL. -F
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Good old MIDI. Thank you, I remembered the past and smiled, very beautiful.
Be perfect at all.
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A PS on MIDI strings. Strings in an orchestra often sound that good due that the players adept their fine tuning according their feel of the scale's tonality. <...snip...> Horn players in a section do the same thing. Our ears like just intonation better than equal temperament. Piano tuner professionals often use 'stretch tuning' on a piano because it sounds better to our ears. There are plenty of MIDI edits available, and fine tuning is one of them. Insights and incites by 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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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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XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs Special Extended Until August 31st!
XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs Special Extended Until August 31st!
The XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs special offers are now available until August 31st at 11:59pm PDT!
Ready to take your Band-in-a-Box® 2025 experience to the next level? Now’s the perfect time! Expand your style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs—packed with a wide variety of genres to inspire your next musical creation.
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 1-9 includes 900 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). With over 3,500 styles (and 35 MIDI styles) included in Xtra Styles PAKs 1-20, the possibilities are endless!
Get the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 9 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 Windows or for Mac.
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.
Get Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 19 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Listen to demos and order now! For Windows or for Mac.
Note: 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 because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Don’t miss this chance to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box setup—at a great price!
Mac 2025 Special Upgrade Offers Extended Until August 15th!
It's not too late to upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® and save! We've extended our special until August 15, 2025!
We've added many major new features to Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, including advanced AI tools like the amazing BB Stem Splitter and AI Lyrics Generator, as well as VST3 plugin support, and Equalize Temp. Plus, there’s a new one-stop MIDI Patches Picker with over 1,100 MIDI patches to choose from, all neatly categorized by GM numbers. The MultiPicker Library is enhanced with tabs for the SongPicker, MIDI Patch Picker, Chord Builder, AI Lyrics Generator, and Song Titles Browser, and the tabs are organized into logical groups. The Audiophile Edition is enhanced with FLAC files , which are 60% smaller than AIFF files while maintaining identical audio quality, and now ships on a fast 1TB SSD, and much more!
Check out all the new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® here:
Purchase your Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac during our special to save up to 50% off your upgrade purchase and receive a FREE BONUS PAK of amazing new Add-ons. These include the 2025 RealCombos Booster PAK, Look Ma! More MIDI 13: Country & Americana, Instrumental Studies Set 22: 2-Hand Piano Soloing - Rhythm Changes, MIDI SuperTracks Set 44: Jazz Piano, Artist Performance Set 17: Songs with Vocals 7, Playable RealTracks Set 4, RealDrums Stems Set 7: Jazz with Mike Clark, and more!
Upgrade to the 2025 49-PAK for just $49 and add 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and 20 RealStyles, FLAC Files for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks, Look Ma! More MIDI 14: SynthMaster, MIDI SuperTracks Set 45: More SynthMaster, Artist Performance Set 18: Songs with Vocals 8, and RealDrums Stems Set 8: Pop, Funk & More with Jerry Roe.
Learn more about the Bonus PAKs!
New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2025!
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These RealTracks includes “Soul Jazz” with Neil Swainson (bass), Mike Clark (drums), Charles Treadway (organ), Miles Black (piano), and Brent Mason (guitar). Enjoy “Requested ’60s” jazz, classic acoustic blues with Colin Linden, and more of our popular 2-handed piano soloing. Plus, a RealTracks first—Tango with bandoneon, recorded in Argentina!
Rock & Pop (Sets 456–461):
This collection includes Disco, slap bass ‘70s/‘80s pop, modern and ‘80s metal with Andy Wood, and a unique “Songwriter Potpourri” featuring Chinese folk instruments, piano, banjo, and more. You’ll also find a muted electric guitar style (a RealTracks first!) and “Producer Layered Guitar” styles for slick "produced" sound.
Country, Americana & Praise (Sets 462–467):
We’ve added new RealTracks across bro country, Americana, praise & worship, vintage country, and songwriter piano. Highlights include Brent Mason (electric guitar), Eddie Bayers (drums), Doug Jernigan (pedal steel), John Jarvis (piano), Glen Duncan (banjo, mandolin & fiddle), Mike Harrison (electric bass) and more—offering everything from modern sounds to heartfelt Americana styles
Check out all the 202 New RealTracks (in sets 456-467)
And, if you are looking for more, the 2025 49-PAK (for $49) includes an additional 20 RealTracks with exciting new sounds and genre-spanning styles. Enjoy RealTracks firsts like Chinese instruments (guzheng & dizi), the bandoneon in an authentic Argentine tango trio, and the classic “tic-tac” baritone guitar for vintage country.
You’ll also get slick ’80s metal guitar from Andy Wood, modern metal with guitarist Nico Santora, bass player Nick Schendzielos, and drummer Aaron Stechauner, more praise & worship, indie-folk, modern/bro country with Brent Mason, and “Songwriter Americana” with Johnny Hiland.
Plus, enjoy user-requested styles like Soul Jazz RealDrums, fast Celtic Strathspey guitar, and Chill Hop piano & drums!
The 2025 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2025 49-PAK!
Bonus PAKs for Band-in-a-Box 2025 for Mac!
With your version 2025 for Mac Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Or upgrade to the 2025 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!
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This Free Bonus PAK includes:
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-For Pro customers, this includes 33 new RealTracks and 65+ new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 29 new RealTracks and 45+ new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 20 new RealStyles.
- Look Ma! More MIDI 13: Country & Americana
- Instrumental Studies Set 22: 2-Hand Piano Soloing - Rhythm Changes
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 44: Jazz Piano
- Artist Performance Set 17: Songs with Vocals 7
- Playable RealTracks Set 4
- RealDrums Stems Set 7: Jazz with Mike Clark
- SynthMaster Sounds and Styles (with audio demos)
- 128 GM MIDI Patch Audio Demos.
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2025 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
- 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyles,
- FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
- Look Ma! More MIDI 14: SynthMaster,
- Instrumental Studies Set 23: More '80s Hard Rock Soloing,
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 45: More SynthMaster
- Artist Performance Set 18: Songs with Vocals 8
- RealDrums Stems Set 8: Pop, Funk & More with Jerry Roe
Learn more about the Bonus PAKs for Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®!
New! Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher for Mac!
Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest and greatest in the all new Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box! This fresh installment is packed with 200 all-new styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres you've come to expect, as well as the exciting inclusion of electronic styles!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Minimalist Modern Funk, New Wave Synth Pop, Hard Bop Latin Groove, Gospel Country Shuffle, Cinematic Synthwave, '60s Motown, Funky Lo-Fi Bossa, Heavy 1980s Metal, Soft Muted 12-8 Folk, J-Pop Jazz Fusion, and many more!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 209 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 20.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 20 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 20 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.
New! XPro Styles PAK 9 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and higher for Mac!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 9 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 29 RealTracks/RealDrums!
We've been hard at it to bring you the latest and greatest in this 9th installment of our popular XPro Styles PAK series! Included are 75 styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres (25 styles each) that fans have come to expect, as well as 25 styles in this volume's wildcard genre: funk & R&B!
If you're itching to get a sneak peek at what's included in XPro Styles PAK 9, here is a small helping of what you can look forward to: Funky R&B Horns, Upbeat Celtic Rock, Jazz Fusion Salsa, Gentle Indie Folk, Cool '60s Soul, Funky '70s R&B, Smooth Jazz Hip Hop, Acoustic Rockabilly Swing, Funky Reggae Dub, Dreamy Retro Latin Jazz, Retro Soul-Rock Fusion, and much more!
Special Pricing! Until July 31, 2024, all the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 9 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!
Learn more and listen to demos of XPro Styles PAKs.
Video: XPro Styles PAK 9 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch 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.
New! Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher for Windows!
Xtra Styles PAK 20 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 and greatest in the all new Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box! This fresh installment is packed with 200 all-new styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres you've come to expect, as well as the exciting inclusion of electronic styles!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Minimalist Modern Funk, New Wave Synth Pop, Hard Bop Latin Groove, Gospel Country Shuffle, Cinematic Synthwave, '60s Motown, Funky Lo-Fi Bossa, Heavy 1980s Metal, Soft Muted 12-8 Folk, J-Pop Jazz Fusion, and many more!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 209 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 20.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 20 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 20 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.
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