I think I must have changed a setting somewhere in BIAB that's causing the automatically generated 4 bar ending to be cut short.
When I create a new song, BIAB generates 4 extra bars at the end. However, only the first two bars actually play back and the music abruptly cuts off.
Over in Preferences > Arrange, I have checked the "Allow any Endings" box, but there must be something else that I've overlooked. This feature previously worked as expected.
Song Settings > 4 bar ending option might assist. Make sure that the tracks aren't frozen. You may need to generate more than once to get a suitable ending.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
Which sound suddenly stops? If you solo each of the instruments across the ending, I'm pretty sure that you've find that it's just one of the sounds that's causing the problem.
If you can isolate that sound (or those sounds), paste their realtrack numbers here and I'll give them a try.
But only for real / audio instruments. MIDI instrument endings are controlled within the style editor / Endings grid. I don't think they decay the way that Real Tracks do.
Per the manual By “4-bar-endings” we are referring to a 2-bar ending that has an additional two bars to allow for the natural decay of the audio instrument (instead of being quickly faded out).
BIAB for Windows Version 2019 (643) Windows 10 (1909)
BIAB does not support four bar endings, only two bar endings. The four bar setting is to allow for a smooth decay of the final note, rather than having the sound stop abruptly.
John
Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 12TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB SATA
Thanks everyone. It seems I'm getting some very unpredictable results with the endings. Here's some analysis:
Song #1: A mixture of RTs and midi. 2 bar ending. Chord in 1st bar of ending is set to "No rest". RTs continue to play through both bars and creates a nice ending.
Song #2: 100% RTs. 2 bar ending. Chord in 1st bar of ending set to "hold". Chord is held and decays through the second bar (as expected).
Song #3: A mixture of midi and RTs. 4 bar ending. Chord in 1st bar of ending set to "no rest". RT's play for bars 1 AND 2, then stops suddenly with no decay.
Song #4: A mixture of RTs and midi. 4 bar ending. Chord in 1st bar of ending set to "no rest". RT's play through 1st and 2nd ending and decays in second ending. Not much difference from Song #1 with a two bar ending.
Song #5: A mixture of RTs and midi. 4 bar ending. Chord in 1st bar of ending set to "no rest". RTs hold on chord in 1st bar of ending (though it's not set to hold) and decays in 2nd bar. About the same as Song #2. Why wouildn't it be more like Song #4?
Basically, I'm seeing no real difference in the 2 bar endings and the 4 bar endings. And in one case, the 4 bar ending is suddenly stopping without decay.
Did you isolate which track or tracks are causing the abrupt ending?
Using the mixer, if you solo each track sequentially and play the last 2 bars, you'll be able to identify which one is causing the problem. Some MIDI tracks have been known to end abruptly if they have a sustained final sound like strings.
Also, note that styles (MIDI) are not necessarily limited to a single ending. So you can potentially get disparate endings. MIDI styles can potentially have 13 different 2-bar endings (which could be a mixture of riffs or holds). I'm not sure what RTs do for endings, but I believe there are multiple endings there as well.
Most folks, if you are just looking for a held ending, will turn off the generated 2-bar ending (which effectively turns off the 4 bar ending feature as well), and implement a "hold chord" for the ending. Then when you want it to end, you enter a rest chord (which for weird BIAB reasons needs to be different from the held chord). So you might enter (slashes indicate remaining beats in a bar):
|C...///|////|////|///C7.|
Again, there are no 4-bar endings. There are only 2-bar endings with an additional two bars for fading out.
Also, as I understand it (and I could be wrong), I don't know that all the "soloist" RealTracks have appropriate endings, which is why I think you sometimes get an abrupt RT ending.
John
Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 12TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB SATA
I do what John describes for a held chord ending. The other trick when you do that is to make sure the Bar at End of Chorus, or the ending bar of a Tag, is far enough beyond where you want to sound to end.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
PowerTracks 2026 is here—bringing powerful new enhancements designed to make your production workflow faster, smoother, and more intuitive than ever.
The enhanced Mixer now shows Track Type and Instrument icons for instant track recognition, while a new grid option simplifies editing views. Non-floating windows adopt a modern title bar style, replacing the legacy blue bar.
The Master Volume is now applied at the end of the audio chain for consistent levels and full-signal master effects.
Tablature now includes a “Save bends when saving XML” option for improved compatibility with PG Music tools. Plus, you can instantly match all track heights with a simple Ctrl-release after resizing, and Add2 chords from MGU/SGU files are now fully supported... and more!
Get started today—first-time packages start at just $49.
Already using PowerTracks Pro Audio? Upgrade for as little as $29 and enjoy the latest improvements!
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!
We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
Version 2026 introduces a modernized GUI redesign across the program, with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, and a new Dark Mode option. There’s also a new side toolbar for quicker access to commonly used windows, and the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, making it easier to customize your workspace.
Another exciting new addition is the new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. You can view the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to process an entire track or focus on specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Windows to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade during our special, you'll receive a Free Bonus PAK of exciting new add-ons.
If you need any help deciding which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We are here to help!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® Special Offers Extended Until January 15, 2026!
Good news! You still have time to upgrade to the latest version of Band-in-a-Box® for Windows® and save. Our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® special now runs through January 15, 2025!
We've packed Band-in-a-Box® 2026 with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can process an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PST on January 15th, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® today! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all the purchase options available.
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.
One of our representatives will be happy to help you over the phone. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday, and 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST Saturday. We are closed Sunday. You can also send us your questions via email.
One of our representatives will be happy to help you on our Live Chat or by email. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday; 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST (GMT -8) Saturday; Closed Sunday.
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean