I noticed in the song forums that Many of you post the names of the Realtracks instruments that you are using but not everyone identifies the styles. Isn't the style on the the first step to developing a song and important information to know? I also noticed that some have used a style called blank or something similar. Is it possible to have a song with no style?
You can use a Blank style, and then just add the specific RealTracks you want to use to each track. All a RealStyle is, is a collection of RealTracks that have been identified to work well together and are bundled in a Style file. But you can easily override any one of them. Some people start with a RealStyle, and then substitute out the instruments from the style (maybe keeping some of them, or not). In the end, you may have a screen that shows a specific style being used; however, every instrument in the style may have been replaced by a different RealTrack. I view the style as a starting point and using the Blank style lets you just create your own "band" sound from all available RealTracks, as opposed to starting with a pre-configured "band".
And that being said, even if you use MIDI styles, you can also replace individual parts using the tracks found in other MIDI styles, or even override a MIDI track with a RealTrack. Your screen may show the initial style you selected, but you could potentially replace every instrument with tracks from different MIDI style files.
To me, that's what's so great about BIAB; you can select something close to what you want to get you started and deviate from there. Or you can start with a blank slate and roll your own. And in the latter case, if you like the result, you can save that collection of RealTracks as a User Style to bring up again later.
Hope that made sense.
John
Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 12TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB SATA
There are four BLANK styles. Two for 3/4 time and two for 4/4 time with each pair having one even tempo and one swing tempo. None of the four have midi or RealTrack instruments assigned. As jford stated that makes them an ideal starting point for creating your own style that includes RealTracks, MIDI SuperTracks or loops.
If you want to create a style that utilizes one or more MIDI instruments you likely are better off starting with a MIDI style and modifying it to meet your needs. That's because MIDI styles include midi patterns that is used to create the midi data generated for each midi instrument.
Another use for blank styles is to modify an existing style used in a song when the style includes an instrument you do not want to use. Just import a blank instrument to replace an existing instrument.
Regarding Styles and individual instruments in constructing a song in BIAB, a very powerful and useful tool is included in the BIAB Stylepicker. When you open the Stylepicker page, notice there are two separate choices to audition Styles (and also the RealTracks, Midi and SuperMidi tracks).
The lower, larger play button with the play triangle, auditions the Styles with a premade Demo SGU file. Sometimes there are two demo files to audition.
The upper Play button plays the Style over the current Chord Chart populating the BIAB project.
Auditioning a Style using each of these options yields dramatically different sounding demos. A Style playing the demo may not suit what you need for your project while hearing the Style using the Chords, tempo and key of your project may be completely satisfactory. The song groove can be totally different between the two.
I use the Demo play to determine how well the instruments work together and the Play over current Chords to see how each particular Style works with my current project.
Also, using these two options together, dozens of Styles and hundreds of instrument tracks can be auditioned in a just a few minutes playing just as they will sound in your project. Many artists rough out their song in BIAB selecting a Style and possibly exchanging or adding instruments and then move their project to RealBand to add additional tracks to the foundation they created in BIAB. Auditioning Realtracks, Midi and SuperMidi tracks from the BIAB Stylepicker is many times faster than auditioning and finding appropriate tracks for your song than can be accomplished in RealBand. The RealBand Stylepicker does not have the Play over current chord chart button.
I have found it surprising when working on covers how effective using the Stylepicker filters in conjunction with the two play buttons are in getting the best and closest RealTrack to properly sound the right voicing of the cover song. This includes rhythms and soloists.
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows Special Offers End Tomorrow (January 15th, 2026) at 11:59 PM PST!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, January 15, 2026!
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Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® Special Offers Extended Until January 15, 2026!
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Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: The Newly Designed Piano Roll Window
In this video, we explore the updated Piano Roll, complete with a modernized look and exciting new features. You’ll see new filtering options that make it easy to focus on specific note groups, smoother and more intuitive note entry and editing, and enhanced options for zooming, looping, and more.
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: AI Stems & Notes - split polyphonic audio into instruments and transcribe
This video demonstrates how to use the new AI-Notes feature together with the AI-Stems splitter, allowing you to select an audio file and have it separated into individual stems while transcribing each one to its own MIDI track. AI-Notes converts polyphonic audio—either full mixes or individual instruments—into MIDI that you can view in notation or play back instantly.
Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®
With your version 2026 for Windows 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!
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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)
Android Band-in-a-Box® App (included)
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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)
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