I record my guitar as an audio track into a BIAB song by plugging it directly into my computer. BIAB let’s me add reverberation and I can add some effects like echo using a stomp box hooked up in between. What I can’t get is distortion or even crunch. Running the sound through the overdrive channel on my guitar amp first, produces too much volume for BIAB to handle. Has anyone come up with a good way to do this? Thanks.
Thanks MarioD. How do you hook them up to get the distorted sound into BIAB?
You would use it as an effect after you recorded your guitar. I don't do these kind of things in BiaB, I do them in my DAW, so someone else will have to give you step by step instructions.
I'm in a fitness protection program. I'm been hiding from exercise.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
i record in RB as its a lot easier to my way of working. but if you have amplitube (it comes with BIAB)use the fx insert to choose amplitube as your plugin which you can do with the mixer in BIAB. record your guitar first then open amplitube which comes with an interface where you can choose which pedals to add. there's a tube screamer or similar, delay and chorus. you can also choose amp and cabinet simulations.
from my days as a guitarist, i'd suggest you add the distortion first then the time based effects like echo, delay and chorus later - there are pedals to do that in amplitube - rather than as BIAB fx up front.
I believe if you look you should find that you have Amplitude in with BB. It is essentially a guitar sim. I've never really used in in BB..... I do have it in my DAW, Sonar, and it lets you apply all sorts of different amplifier models and pedals to the sound, and the one I have has different cabinet and speaker models too.
You can use that to make a clean guitar into practically anything you want.
If that doesn't work for you for a variety of reasons, you can google search ACME BAR GIG and get their free amp sim for guitar.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.com Add nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.
The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
Depending on your recording setup, also - you could record amp signal and direct signal simultaneously. That way you can always add a vst amp later. Be mindful of potential phase issues though. If you want only one source I'd advice using the amp signal.
Wow! So that’s what Plugins are! Silly me. The echo, flanger and tremolo sound fine. Distortion isn’t as good as my amp can produce but it’s workable. Thanks you all for educating me.
Wow! So that’s what Plugins are! Silly me. The echo, flanger and tremolo sound fine. Distortion isn’t as good as my amp can produce but it’s workable. Thanks you all for educating me.
You might want to try some of the free distortion plug-ins I mentioned earlier.
I'm in a fitness protection program. I'm been hiding from exercise.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
ok, i think this is how you do it. amplitube comes with biab as a vst. do you already use vst plugins? you access them the same way you do any plug in BIAB or RB. IN RB click on the fx button next to the solo or mute buttons on the track in the tracks window, or on the fx button at the top of the channel/track strip for the relevant track in the mixer. In BIAB go to the plugins tab of the mixer and each track has two lines - the name of the track/instrument and another with a drop down menu above it.
sorry if you know this already. in both cases the fx plugin window opens and you choose the plugin you want. however, you will probably have to add amplitube as a vstplug in.
scroll to the bottom of the list and select add vst plugin and then you will find a windows explorer window opens for you to find the plugin. if your installation is the same as mine you'll need to navigate to your main local drive (usually c for most of us), select programfiles[86] and then scroll down to find the vstplugins folder which being alphabetical is one of the last ones! open it up and select amplitube.dll
amplitube should then open up in the plugins window. you then select pedals, amps and cabinets
there are some presets but some of us have had difficulty getting them to load - try selecting the browser button in the top row and see if you have any - the names are fairly descriptive and they will populate the plugin to give you an idea of how it works.
if you haven't got any presets creating a patch is no more difficult than programming a multi fx pedal.
select stomp A and then go down to the bottom - there are spaces on the fake wooden floor with selector arrows. press the down arrow to cycle through available pedals. then if you need to add another pedal move to the next space along.
once you've done the pedals, choose the amp and then the cabinet. you then get a rack to set up which allows you to add more digital fx there and then but pedals, amp and cabinet are enough for me.
there's all sorts of magic with vsts - there are special files for the pedals, amps etc but they are hidden away and amplitube.dll finds them with no effort on your part. good luck and come back if you have a problem.
play around have fun! once you've added amplitube it will always be there in your drop down fx menu but you'll have to add it separately to BIAB and RB.
FWIW I find myself using Fretted Synth stuff quite often. Freeamp Full and Helian Bass make things quick and easy .. but have a lot of granularity available
Note that all versions of freeamp were different. Some seem to play nicer on a given system than others .. trade off for the cost I guess. I've only tinkered with the Freeamp and Helian Bass tools .. there's a lot more on this page.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome Make your sound your own!
Here are some ideas; 1: Record your amp by putting a microphone in front of it. You would also need an audio interface or at least an adaptor to connect the mic to your computer. Before I started using an dedicated interface I had a small Behringer 5 channel mixer connected to my sound card input. That worked. 2: If your amp has some type of line out jack you could put a DI box with an attenuater switch in between. Live Wire Solutions SPDI has worked for me. Or use a Behringer GDI21 which has great reviews. 3: There are many decent digital FX pedals that do a decent job of amp, over drive and distortion emulation. My current choice has been Zoom G1 Four on the Fender Deluxe Reverb setting. The output on the G1 Four is a single mono or stereo output. I can record straight to my sound card (although I often don't) with a simple cable and an adaptor at one end. 4: Record direct as you have been and use any one of the many and often free plugins such as: SimulAnalog (various plugins) Voxengo Boogex Silver Spikes Ruby Tube Acme Bar Gigs Whisper Tube Blue Cat Audio BC Free Amp (2 thumbs up for this one) MSaturator by Melda Productions (can adjust 2nd and 4th harmonics) Amplitube 3 or 4.
Not sure if this works inside BIAB but the free Voxengo Boogex (or other amp emulator or even distortion/overdrive FX) followed by the free Voxengo Stereo Touch on the Guitar Cabinet preset actually works/sounds great.
Hi AlistairLC I have also been looking at the same thing. I had heaps of trouble getting anything out of Amplitube but that’s just me. I downloaded Native Instruments and their Guitar rig is worth a look. Most of the effects you can only use for 30 minutes at a time (unless you purchase) and then reload but there are plenty freebies than create plenty of distortion and other effects. On the up side there are plenty of other instruments to play around with. Cheers
BIAB 2022 UltraPAK Xtra packs 1,2,3,4,5,6,13 2019 and 2018 49pak Asus Zen Book UX533F 1TB ssd Windows10 pro, 16g i7 64bit Allen and Heath Z10fx mixer Alesis V25 controller
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!
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)
Android Band-in-a-Box® App (included)
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)
Join Tobin as he takes you on a tour of the new user interface in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®! This modern GUI redesign offers a sleek new look with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, and a smoother workflow. The brand-new side toolbar puts track selection, the MultiPicker Library, and other essential tools right at your fingertips. Plus, our upgraded Multi-View lets you layer multiple windows without overlap, giving you a highly flexible workspace. Many windows—including Tracks, Piano Roll, and more—have been redesigned for improved usability and a cleaner, more intuitive interface, and more!
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 10 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 28 RealTracks and RealDrums!
Few things are certain in life: death, taxes, and a brand spankin’ new XPro Styles PAK! In this, the 10th edition of our XPro Styles PAK series, we’ve got 100 styles coming your way! We have the classic 25 styles each from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, and rounding out this volume's wildcard slot is 25 styles in the Praise & Worship genre! A wide spanning genre, you can find everything from rock, folk, country, and more underneath its umbrella. The included 28 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Here’s just a small sampling of what you can look forward to in XPro Styles PAK 10: Soft indie folk worship songs, bumpin’ country boogies, gospel praise breaks, hard rockin’ pop, funky disco grooves, smooth Latin jazz pop, bossa nova fusion, western swing, alternative hip-hop, cool country funk, and much more!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 10 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!
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.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 21 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 21 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 Xtra Styles PAK installment—the all new Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher)!
Rejoice, one and all, for Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box® is here! We’re serving up 200 brand spankin’ new styles to delight your musical taste buds! The first three courses are the classics you’ve come to know and love, including offerings from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, but, not to be outdone, this year’s fourth course is bro country! A wide ranging genre, you can find everything from hip-hop, uptempo outlaw country, hard hitting rock, funk, and even electronica, all with that familiar bro country flair. The dinner bell has been rung, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 21 today!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Energetic folk rock, raucous train beats, fast country boogies, acid jazz grooves, laid-back funky jams, a bevy of breezy jazz waltzes, calm electro funk, indie synth pop, industrial synth metal, and more bro country than could possibly fit in the back of a pickup truck!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 21 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 21 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 21 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.
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 10 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 28 RealTracks and RealDrums!
Few things are certain in life: death, taxes, and a brand spankin’ new XPro Styles PAK! In this, the 10th edition of our XPro Styles PAK series, we’ve got 100 styles coming your way! We have the classic 25 styles each from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, and rounding out this volume's wildcard slot is 25 styles in the Praise & Worship genre! A wide spanning genre, you can find everything from rock, folk, country, and more underneath its umbrella. The included 28 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Here’s just a small sampling of what you can look forward to in XPro Styles PAK 10: Soft indie folk worship songs, bumpin’ country boogies, gospel praise breaks, hard rockin’ pop, funky disco grooves, smooth Latin jazz pop, bossa nova fusion, western swing, alternative hip-hop, cool country funk, and much more!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 10 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!
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.
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