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Beginners Forum
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Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 1
Newbie
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OP
Newbie
Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 1 |
I want to buy BiaB to assist with music writing and recording. I use Logic but find I don't get enough control over loops etc and Drummer is good, but I never find the exact beat I want.
If I purchased the MegaPAK would I be disappointed and wished I'd bought the UltraPAK? Or does the UltraPAK give a lot more but less useful mainstream stuff? Money is tight so anything higher would be difficult. Many thanks in advance.
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Beginners Forum
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Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 2,966
PG Music Staff
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PG Music Staff
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 2,966 |
Hello Skidders, I think that really depends on what you're looking to work with genre-wise. If, for example, you're a big Jazz or Country fan, and you want all the RealTracks you can get for that, I highly recommend the UltraPAK or higher. The best way to think of it is that functionality is the same across all packages, but what changes is the amount of content. You can always take a look at our overview pages and see exactly how they differ. MegaPAK: https://www.pgmusic.com/bbmac.packages.mega.htmUltraPAK: https://www.pgmusic.com/bbmac.packages.ultrapak.htmWith the MegaPAK you can see it comes with around 520 RealTracks. You can see the exact breakdown of what you get for various genres if you continue to scroll down the page. The UltraPAK comes with around 2,900, so it's a pretty big difference. If you have further questions, let us know!
Cheers,
Ember
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Beginners Forum
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,179
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,179 |
Standard answer to this question is to get as much as you can afford.
It is much cheaper to buy in volume, and moving forward it also saves in upgrade prices years later.
If you can afford the Ultrapak, do that.
It saves money in the long run.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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Beginners Forum
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Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 20,330
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 20,330 |
As mentioned, go for the highest Pak that your budget allows is always my advice.
BIAB & RB2025 Win.(Audiophile), Sonar Platinum, Cakewalk by Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M Monitors, Pioneer Active Monitors, AKG K271 Studio H'phones
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Beginners Forum
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 2,110
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 2,110 |
agree about the highest pack you can afford. i bought a basic pack and within a week or so upgraded to the top pack - and PG Music allowed me to upgrade just by paying the difference. so maybe you get a pack and play with it for a week or so and see what you think.
maybe, just maybe, your best course is to buy what you can afford now and wait for the december/january sale of BIAB 2021. that will save you some cash when you upgrade. or if you want total gratification now PG do easy payments.
Last edited by Bob Calver; 04/23/20 11:31 PM.
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Beginners Forum
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Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 6
Newbie
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Newbie
Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 6 |
I started with the Mega and upgraded to the Ultra the next day.
More choices = more creativity/options. My plan was to start easy and wait until a sale to upgrade but I didn’t even last 24 hours. It’s just so good you want more. YMMV:)
BIAB 2020 Ultrapak for WIndows
AMD Ryzen 7 3700X, 32gb ram, 1TB nvme ssd
Presonus 192 interface/Studio 1 DAW
Line 6 Helix Stomp
Gibson, Taylor, Fender, National guitars.
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Beginners Forum
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Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 362
Journeyman
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Journeyman
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 362 |
Agree with the other members. I bought BIAB Pro 2018, and got it at discount from Amazon around a year and a half ago. There was no 30 Day guarantee, and I decided to chance it because I was pretty sure I would want to keep it after hearing what it could do.
I first heard of it on SoundCloud - a pharmacist in Japan was creating just beautiful and fully professional sounding tracks and mentioned that he used it. Then I spent a fair amount of time on the site, reading about the features, then watching some of the excellent videos that PG Music produces which show how the product features and tutorials. After that I spent some time hanging around in the forums, and got a great vibe from the community here and at the same time felt not a little intimidated by the amount of talent, and what people were able to produce, but I felt I just had to give it a shot. This was at a time when I didn't even have a MIDI keyboard.
So I took the plunge and put it on my Windows 10 laptop, and I was hooked. At this point, I knew I wanted to use the heck out of BIAB, but I wasn't sure if I really needed all those extra tracks. After a few months of learning the ropes and figuring how to basically just scratch the surface, I was able to create some very satisfying tracks. Eventually I discovered there were a lot of tracks in the set that just didn't suit my needs, but also quite a few that were pretty awesome (including some Jazz, Bossa Nova, Brit Rock, Country, Soul and Rock). So I tried an Xtra Pack (it was on sale) for around $35, and there was some good stuff in there - that's an advantage of those - they are more modern and mostly RealTracks. A lot of the included stuff is based on MIDI and some of the Styles and tracks go back to the 2000's, and I don't have a great MIDI rig, so that meant I had to rely more on the RealTracks. I spent a couple months really trying to exhaust every single style in the Pro version, but I finally reached a point where I just had to get a taste of that next level. So I sprung for an upgrade to the 2020 version and the Ultrapack+.
I've been using the Ultrapack since around Christmas last year, and I'm very happy that I got it. I've become serious enough about BIAB that I know I'm really going to get my money's worth out of it. Realistically, in terms of dollars you can spend on digital music software and related equipment it's a steal for the price *if it suits your needs*. One thing to keep in mind is that the product is very powerful, and so any limits you encounter are likely to be in your willingness to learn how to get the most out of it. Some products have very enticing features with all sorts of bells and whistles. In my opinion BIAB is more like a Volvo S90, and some of the other music production products are like a Testarossa. Each one is stellar at what it does. But if you do want to give BIAB a try, you can buy it direct from PG Music and get that 30 Day money back guarantee. If you do go for it, I strongly recommend that you give it a good shot and really spend some time with it before you make up your mind.
Finally, I've heard the PG Music sales and support people are pretty flexible at helping you find the product that's right for you.
P.S. - I'm just a plain old BIAB user, no special benefits here, just posting my thoughts and my occasional song in the forums, and trying to get just a little better every day.
Last edited by EdZ314; 04/24/20 08:48 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
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Beginners Forum
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Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 1,173
Expert
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Expert
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 1,173 |
Like many others within a very short time I went to the UltraPak and have not been disappointed. The UltraPak should deliver everything you need (and then some). I found lesser packs left me wishing. The extra $s are worth every cent in my opinion.
Go out and enjoy (well you know what I mean).
Stay healthy all.
Tony
HP i7-4770 16GB 1TB SSD, Win 10 Home,
Focusrite 2i2 3rd Gen, Launchkey 61, Maton CW80, Telecaster, Ovation Elite TX, Yamaha Pacifica 612
BB 2022(912) RB 2022(2), CakeWalk, Reaper 6, Audacity, Melodyne 5 Editor, Izotope Music Production Suite 4.1
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Beginners Forum
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Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 294
Apprentice
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Apprentice
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 294 |
Skidders... Just get in there. If you don't feel comfortable going full boar, then opt Pro or Mega Pak for now, you can always upgrade later. Listen to some of the samples https://www.pgmusic.com/bbwin.packages.mega.htm#megacomboshttps://www.pgmusic.com/bbwin.realtracks.htmSee if any of these are something you can work with or appeal to you. Also, bear in mind if you really like SOME of the instruments on a sample, you can always replace or add new instruments from a huge data base. Just my opinion, but it's an AWESOME program. I love it...
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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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New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2025!
We’ve expanded the Band-in-a-Box® RealTracks library with 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 449-467) across Jazz, Blues, Funk, World, Pop, Rock, Country, Americana, and Praise & Worship—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Blues & World (Sets 449–455):
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!
These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
- The 2025 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-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.
New! XPro Styles PAK 9 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and higher for Windows!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 9 for Windows & Mac 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.
Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®: VST3 Plugin Support
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® now includes support for VST3 plugins, alongside VST and AU. Use them with MIDI or audio tracks for even more creative possibilities in your music production.
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Macs®: VST3 Plugin Support
Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®: Using VST3 Plugins
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