|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 7,327
Veteran
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 7,327 |
Got this email from SoundCloud this morning. Seems like their switching to lossless, however free / basic accounts got this catch 22 thing going:
"As a free user on a Basic plan you can upload a total of 3 hours of audio or 15 tracks, whichever comes first."
To sweeten this nonsense, they got this:
"Anything you upload before December 9th, 2019 when the new upload limit goes into effect will remain on your account, will not be hidden, and will continue to be available to you and all listeners."
I had soundcloud for years, but now feel a bit abandoned. They should of at least honored the limits to which users signed up originally.
Ideally, I would like to see PG own "cloud" thing for tracks made with BIAB...Probably will not happen soon.
I am interested to know an opinion on alternatives that people are using. I use BandLab to upload some of my tracks. Seems that some folks here use Reverbnation...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,933
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,933 |
I've used their free account for several years and hit the limit on that a couple of years ago. I've been reluctant to go pro because I've seen so many signs that they are not gonna be around for long. I really have no problem with them changing the terms on a FREE account. I mean, c'mon, it is FREE! And they are letting you fill it up if you want to the current limit before they change the limits.
One more interesting thing is I have never seen them offer a discount on the pro plan in the time I have been with them. No Black Friday specials. Nothing. But today they sent me an offer to go pro for 30% off. I wonder if that is also an act of desperation meaning they may not survive?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,933
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,933 |
As for recommendations on a replacement, I'm becoming convinced it doesn't matter where you put your music. The platform is NOT going to provide you any plays/listens anyway. It all comes down to the traffic you drive to your music site. I'm probably going to change to self-hosting all my music on my own website as it is cheaper and gives me far more control.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 6,067
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 6,067 |
Well, soundcloud has had financial problems forever, so I’m not surprised they are going to tighten up the free accounts.
I have a paid account there which allows me more space than I’ll ever use, plus I can update mixes which I do from time to time.
But I much prefer reverbnation, sound quality is better IMHO, site looks better too. The free reverbnation account has no limitations on the amount of songs you can upload. There is a file size limitation on each song, forget what it is off the top of my head, but for most songs less than four minutes I found I could upload a 256K MP3 and still be under the limit.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 6,067
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 6,067 |
P.S. also wanted to mention that reverbnation is the only site where I get listens without me pointing people to the site. I hardly ever get that with soundcloud.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 7,327
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 7,327 |
JohnJohnJohn,
Sure, free is "free", however cutting time (number of tracks) that was there from the start seems a bit evil. I think you did not receive "promotions" because you already signed up with them. I was spammed heavily past weeks with all kinds of wonderful promotions from SC.
I was thinking of upgrading once I fill my account, which I still have a little left of. With this thing now, I will most likely go elsewhere.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,933
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,933 |
Sure, free is "free", however cutting time (number of tracks) that was there from the start seems a bit evil. It would be evil if they were forcing you to remove tracks but they are just changing it going forward. I think you did not receive "promotions" because you already signed up with them. I was spammed heavily past weeks with all kinds of wonderful promotions from SC. But you are "already signed up with them" too! Since I already use their free account you'd think I would be their preferred customer to send offers to as existing customers are always easier to convert than new ones. Def keep us posted as to what you decide to do. As I said, I'm prolly gonna just use my own website.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,933
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,933 |
P.S. also wanted to mention that reverbnation is the only site where I get listens without me pointing people to the site. I hardly ever get that with soundcloud. I have a ReverbNation account too but I've not seen it do any better than SoundCloud for directing people to my songs. I originally got a ReverbNation account because they had a really cool player that would embed in Facebook for sharing my songs. Then they removed that player and I just went back to using SoundCloud. I honestly don't find either platform to be of much use in promoting my music.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 6,067
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 6,067 |
P.S. also wanted to mention that reverbnation is the only site where I get listens without me pointing people to the site. I hardly ever get that with soundcloud. I have a ReverbNation account too but I've not seen it do any better than SoundCloud for directing people to my songs. I originally got a ReverbNation account because they had a really cool player that would embed in Facebook for sharing my songs. Then they removed that player and I just went back to using SoundCloud. I honestly don't find either platform to be of much use in promoting my music. They have a great player for embedding songs IMO. You can also embed a reverbnation player on your own website (check my website link if you are interested in seeing it) As far as the traffic goes, that didn’t happen overnight for me. I’ve been there 15 years or so. They have a chart system, once you move up the charts, and that takes time, you get more listens.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,933
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,933 |
I really LOVE their embedded player on my website! It is great. But on Facebook they stopped working. Maybe it was Facebook that caused that.
I just signed in and remembered a couple of things about ReverbNation that annoyed me. 1) They are constantly marketing to me whenever I log in and 2) they are always telling me I'm top of a list or a rising star but when I look closely I find it is meaningless as I am "top" in a list with no one else or only 2 or 3 others!.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 6,067
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 6,067 |
Yes, forget those lists and the rising star thing, those are bogus. I’m talking about the charts, and those are certainly legit.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 36
Enthusiast
|
|
Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 36 |
I like the embedded player and mobile website, but more important to me is actually being able to make the songs & playlist private from random discovery and I be in control of who I share the links with.
My current tracks are fine but if I want to upload more I'll either have to create a secondary account, find an alternative, or perhaps just host them on my own website (But I would have to find some decent 'player' webcode.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 362
Journeyman
|
|
Journeyman
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 362 |
Yeah - that felt like a kick in the teeth from SoundCloud. I really never relied on the site for promotion purposes, and I'm just not in that league to get that type of exposure. I really view it as more of a self-contained community with other SoundClouders where I can find really talented people and great songs, and where I can get some amount of recognition and feedback on my own tracks. They have a pretty big user base, and seem to have a lot of professionals and semi-professionals on there, and its great to have that mix of people from hobbyists to pro. I've always found it to be a very positive, supportive and active community, so I'll hang on for a while and see what happens.
From the con point of view if you're not a Pro subscriber, you're basically going to be pretty limited. They are kneecapping a lot of the people that are potential Pro members - I mean I don't you don't just show up one day and sign up for a Pro account - you've got to start somewhere, and maxing out at 15 tracks which could be a single album seems like a non-starter.
Last edited by EdZ314; 12/02/19 12:39 PM.
Ed Z Soundcloud profile https://soundcloud.com/user-415064494BIAB user since 2019 iPad Mini, Garageband for iOS, BIAB for Windows 2020 UltraPAK, Xtra Styles packs 6-9, Windows 10 Lenovo PC, Kontakt Player, SpitFire LABS, SampleTank 4 CS, some Soundfonts
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 7,327
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 7,327 |
Ohh, I do not care about traffic. My audience are my friends from physical dimension and friends from PG forum  Even telephone companies allow "grandfathered" plans. I just feel it is a bad juju on behalf of SC to do this. I was on the brink of upgrading, all they had to do is keep me for a few more month. Ohh well, thankfully there are choices. What sucks is that I wanted to keep everything in one place and in more or less in chronological order. Now it will take me looong time to locate the tracks I posted to SC to transplant them. Dave, thank you for suggestion. I registered with reverbnation. Your tunes always sounded better there than tracks posted on SC. I think BandLab is in the same basket as reverbnation in terms of quality of sound. P.S. I have a question to SC paid subscribers... Does paid option allows you to download "back" your own content in the same form it was uploaded? Thank you. Misha.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,913
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,913 |
This might be the thing that causes me to abandon SoundCloud. Not complaining about it - it's served me well as an easy place to put songs out there to share for many years - probably the longest, least spammy, least dishonest free platform that has existed for that purpose for me.
I have a Reverbnation account, but quickly abandoned it for Soundcloud when Soundcloud came on the scene. I think the charts thing on Reverbnation is completely bogus.
Not sure what I will do come February time frame, when I participate in February Album Writing Month; writing 14-15 songs and recording as many to share in the community that participates there. I probably will pay for hosting with that organization for that time frame and figure out what I will do next.
I do have a wordpress blog that I might use if I can directly host mp3 files there.
Or go with johnx3 and finally pay for my own hosting through Squarespace or the like.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,608
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,608 |
P.S. I have a question to SC paid subscribers... Does paid option allows you to download "back" your own content in the same form it was uploaded? Yes. I upload WAV and even though they are converted to mp3 format for streaming (as I understand it at least), I can download the oringal WAV file I uploaded.
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 6,067
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 6,067 |
I think the charts thing on Reverbnation is completely bogus.
Why?
Or go with johnx3 and finally pay for my own hosting through Squarespace or the like.
I've paid to have my own website hosted for a long time, 20 years or so. I could stream my music from that site, but prefer instead to imbed the reverbnation player on my site, because it looks and works great.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 2,936
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 2,936 |
I host all my music on my own website (and sell it from there too, along with other courses, ebooks, etc). Do all my own marketing. One of the BEST things I have ever done. Check out BANDZOOGLE They have awesome features for bands. Full disclosure: this is my affiliate link.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 2,732
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 2,732 |
I haven't heard anything about YouTube. It's still free and the quality is decent. Opportunity to display lyrics, etc. too.
 Steve BIAB/RB 2022, Pro Tools 2020, Korg N5, JBL LSR 4328 Powered Monitors, AKG/Shure Mics.
PC: Win11 PRO, 4 TB M2 SSD, 2 TB HD, 128 GB Memory
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Special Offers Extended Until May 31st!
Good news- we've extended our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® special offers until May 31, 2026!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 is packed 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 transcribe 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, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PDT on May 31st, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Check out the Band-in-a-Box® for Mac packages page to find the best package for you.
Holiday Weekend Hours
It's Victoria Day Long Weekend in Canada. Our Customer Service hours are:
Saturday, May 16: Closed
Sunday, May 17: Closed
Monday, May 18: 8:00am - 4:00pm
Regular hours resume Tuesday, May 19th!
Today's the Last Day of the Band-in-a-Box 2026® for Mac Special!
Order before 11:59pm PDT today (May 15, 2026) to save up to 50% off your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrade and receive a FREE Bonus PAK loaded with great new Add-ons to use with this new version!
Don't wait - order today!
Check out all the new features in the redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac - Special Offers End at 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th, 2026!
Order before 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th and SAVE up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 for Mac Upgrade packages... and that's not all! With your version 2026 for Mac purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks... that's 222 NEW RealTracks available with version Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac!
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® today for as little as $49! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all available purchase options.
Learn more about the Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK here.
If you have any questions about which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We're here to help!
202 New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2026!
With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
Our new jazz, funk & blues RealTracks include a groovin’ collection of RealTracks and RealDrums! These include more requested “soul jazz” RealTracks featuring artists Neil Swainson (bass), Charles Treadway (organ), Brent Mason (guitar), and Wes Little (drums). There are new “smooth jazz” styles (4), which include a RealTracks first: muted trumpet, as well as slick new smooth jazz brushes options for drums. Blues lovers will be thrilled—there are more “classic acoustic blues” styles, including guitar (5), bass (4), and drums (10) with blues master Colin Linden, featuring understated and tasty background acoustic soloing, plus brushes drums and acoustic bass. There are also new electric blues RealTracks, including electric blues with PG favorite Johnny Hiland (3) and soulful electric slide guitar from Colin Linden (4). If you love funk & gospel, there are great new options this year, including gospel organ (3) from Charles Treadway, as well as new funk, tango, and rock ’n’ roll drums (3) and bass (1). And for big, bold arrangements, we have uptempo soul horns (4) featuring a three-part hip horn section with options for a full mix or stems of each individual horn — plus an accompanying rhythm section (4) of drums, bass, guitar, and electric piano!
Rock & Pop (Sets 476–482):
Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
Check out all the 202 new RealTracks (in sets 468-488)!
And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.
The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
With your version 2026 for Mac 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!
These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
- The 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
- 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)
- iOS Android Band-in-a-Box® App
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
- 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
- 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)
Learn more about the Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!
All of our XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs are on sale until May 15th, 2026!
It's the perfect time to expand your Band-in-a-Box® style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs. These additional styles for Band-in-a-Box® offer a wide range of genres designed to fit seamlessly into your projects. Each style is professionally arranged and mixed, helping enhance your songs while saving you time.
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 1-10 includes 1,000 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 includes 3,700 styles (and 35 MIDI styles)!
The XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs are not included in any Band-in-a-Box® package.
The XPro Styles PAKs 1-10 are available 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 Mac or for Windows.
The Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the Xtra Styles PAK Bundle for only $199 (reg. $349)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
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.
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 as they require the RealTracks included in the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Supercharge your Band-in-a-Box today with XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAK Sets!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums57
Topics86,334
Posts803,479
Members40,098
| |
Most Online64,515
Apr 8th, 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
There are no members with birthdays on this day. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean