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Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 26
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 26 |
Hi, new to BIAB and have narrowed it down(mostly due to money concerns) to buy either the 2020 Pro BIAB or the 2019 MegaPak. Anyone have any idea on how different the 2020 version is from the 2019, and which one would I get more out of?
I am on a Mac and the style of music I will mostly be working on would be a kind of Alternative(not grungy) with electronic type undertones(think Depeche Mode or New Order).
Another question is would I need one of the UltraPak versions in order to use add ons like the "Loops With Style Pak"?
BIAB 2020 MegaPAK Build 426
on a 2009 24-Inch iMac OSX El Capitan Version 10.11.6
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 11,040
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Veteran
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 11,040 |
Welcome to the forum!
As you undoubtedly already know, both the ProPAK and MegaPAK include the full version of Band-in-a-Box for Mac. However, both packages have limited content compared against the amount of content available in the UltraPAK or Audiophile PAK.
My advice is to get the largest package you can afford with the intent of learning as many program features as you can. Many new users concentrate on the content and become frustrated at not being able to use styles, RealTracks or RealDrums that are not available to them. You can avoid much of that frustration by enjoying what you have and learning the program.
The MegaPAK has about three times the content as the ProPAK so you will get frustrated less often if you have the MegaPAK. However if you want to learn to become proficient and efficient using the program and it's features the ProPAK works just as good as the MegaPAK.
I started with the ProPAK. While learning the program and features I saved my money with the understanding I could upgrade to the UltraPAK during a new release sale.
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Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 26
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 26 |
Thanks! You've helped me lean more toward the MegaPak. Though I also was wondering about the difference in sound quality of the 2020 version to the 2019 version(of which I would be getting the MegaPak for). Is there much difference or is it mainly the new features that the 2020 version gives?
I'm imagining that the 2019 version has pretty decent sound already. And I can always upgrade from there, right?
Thanks again!
BIAB 2020 MegaPAK Build 426
on a 2009 24-Inch iMac OSX El Capitan Version 10.11.6
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 11,040
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 11,040 |
Band-in-a-Box for Mac 2020 includes updated software that improves how audio is time and pitch shifted. This improvement can make audio sound better when the program makes extreme adjustment to audio so the audio will match the chord sheet. For that reason alone 2020 audio may sound better than the same audio created by 2019.
If you're purchasing either package with the intent of finding a lot of content that matches " Alternative(not grungy) with electronic type undertones" you might be disappointed. Both packages offer content in a variety of genres. Check out the demos to determine if the examples matches your music vision.
Again remember the ProPAK and MegaPAK contain the same program. So the ProPAK will not sound different than the MegaPAK. My advise was to get one or the other if your main intent at this time is to learn how to use the program.
You will have a better chance of finding content that matches that song vision with the 550 hours of MegaPAK audio content than the 340 hours of ProPAK audio content. At the same time, the audio content in either package is minuscule when compared to the 3,100 hours of audio content in the UltraPAK or Audiophile.
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Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 26
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 26 |
Thank you again for your replies! They have been very helpful.
Yes, I have looked at some of the demos and with my Korg Workstation I believe I can make it work to my style of music, as if I read it correctly BIAB can be used with other DAWs like Garageband to mix things together. I am not expecting BIAB to be able to give me a whole song by itself, but we'll see on some of them. I have found some interesting and possibly useful sounds on demos of some of the music tracks.
Basically I am looking to give my songs a fuller sound that I haven't been able to do with just my Korg despite all of its features.
BIAB 2020 MegaPAK Build 426
on a 2009 24-Inch iMac OSX El Capitan Version 10.11.6
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 11,040
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 11,040 |
SterlingHolobyte,
Please update this thread with your final choice and what criteria led to your selection.
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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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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!
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-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
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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.
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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.
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Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac Videos
With the release of Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac, we’re rolling out a collection of brand-new videos on our YouTube channel. We’ll keep this forum post updated so you can easily find all the latest videos in one convenient spot.
Whether you're exploring new features, checking out the latest RealTracks or Style PAKs, this is your go-to guide for Band-in-a-Box® 2026.
Check out this forum post for "One Stop Shopping" of our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Videos!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac is Here!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac is here and it is packed with major new features! There’s a new modern look, a GUI redesign to all areas of the program including toolbars, windows, workflow and more. There’s a Multi-view layout for organizing multiple windows. A standout addition is the powerful AI-Notes feature, which uses AI neural-net technology to transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI—entire mixes or individual instruments—making it easy to study, view, and play parts from any song. And that’s just the beginning—there are over 100 new features in this exciting release.
Along with version 2026, we've released an incredible lineup of new content! There's 202 new RealTracks, brand-new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two new RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Special Offers
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac and save up to 50% on most upgrade packages during our special offer—available until May 15, 2026. Visit our Band-in-a-Box® packages page to explore all available upgrade options.
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK Add-ons
Our Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK are loaded with amazing add-ons! The Free Bonus PAK is included with most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac packages, but you can unlock even more—including 20 unreleased RealTracks—by upgrading to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49.
Holiday Weekend Hours
As we hop into the Easter weekend, here are our holiday hours:
April 3 (Good Friday): 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM PDT
April 4 (Saturday): Closed
April 5 (Easter Sunday): Closed
April 6 (Easter Monday): Open regular hours
Wishing you an egg-cellent weekend!
— Team PG
Update to Build 10 of RealBand® 2026 for Windows®!
If you're already using RealBand 2026 for Windows, download build 10 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® users: Build 904 now available!
If you're already using Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, make sure to grab the latest update! Build 904 is now available for download and includes the newest additions and enhancements from our team.
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