|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
RealBand
|
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 3,681
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 3,681 |
DEL.
your post is very interesting.
an hp desktop huh ?
if were me and it only had one internal c drive.
i would look at its specs and see if you can add a couple of cheap ssd internal drives. that way you have all sorts of backup flexibility. what model is your HP ?
is cpu i5 8400 or 9400 ?
in RB what does action..audio performance report for no of traks ?
in addition ive been looking at usb audio mixers with lots of inputs funnily enough.
what do you have ?
my top contender so far seems to be the zed series as its 4x4 usb. and people say nice mic pre's.
would appreciate your input.
best
oldmuso
ps sorry i assumed you were running a laptop from your previous posts.
my songs....mixed for good earbuds...(fyi..my vocs on all songs..) https://soundcloud.com/alfsongs(90 songs created useing bb/rb) (lots of tips of mine in pg tips forum.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
RealBand
|
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 193
Apprentice
|
|
OP
Apprentice
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 193 |
HP Slim S01-pF1036 Desktop Computer, Intel i5, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD
Device name DESKTOP-Studio
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-10400 CPU @ 2.90GHz 2.90 GHz
Installed RAM 8.00 GB (7.84 GB usable)
System type 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor
Pen and touch No pen or touch input is available for this display
I don't have much info on this, I believe it has at least 1 internal slot free for adding another drive but I haven't popped the cover on it to look. The HP site has a broken link to the motherboard specs and I haven't found out anything else about it yet. It came with the internal 256GB SSD
Here is what it has for expansion slots:
2 M.2; 1 PCIe x16; 1 PCIe x1
I have a i5 laptop but don't use it for my DAW.
Last edited by Del; 05/29/21 04:26 PM.
Del
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
RealBand
|
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 193
Apprentice
|
|
OP
Apprentice
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 193 |
I use a Behringer Xenyx 1204 mixer right now. I only record one track at a time but I think you could record two tracks simultaneously by panning one full right and the other track full left. Then separate the tracks in Realband. I've never tried it though since I don't need it.
The 1204USB mixer has 4 mic preamps on the first 4 channels. They call it 12 channels but to my mind it is 6 channels, 4 mic imputs and two stereo inputs. I tried a Behringer U-PHORIA UMC404HD but I didn't like it so I went back to my mixer instead.
It's hard to teach an old dog new tricks.
Del
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
RealBand
|
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 3,681
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 3,681 |
DEL.
after this post my wife and i are retiring for the night.
thanks for the info.
my comments follow.
1. nice processor . rateing on cpubenchmark.net of over 12000. nice !
i normally like 10000 for audio daw work.
so 12000 is good.
what does RB say for action>>test audio performance ?
no of traks ? you should get a LOT OF TRAKS.
2. difficult to find specs on the hp , but looks like you have the new slotted ssd tech internally. i "think" but not sure ; you might be able to add a second internal ssd. get a pc tech to check as this would be advantageous. ie win on one internal ssd. your songs on other internal ssd.
so you can do cross back ups as well as also backing up to external high speed usb ssd drives and pen drives. also get tech to check if you can expand the memory to 16 gigabytes ddr4 ram.
ram is cheap.
3. thanks for the usb mixer info.
best
old muso.
ps please could you add the fact your usb mixer works with pg products in the thread i started in realband forum
"post your interfaces that work". other users might find it usefull. cheers.
Last edited by justanoldmuso; 05/29/21 04:51 PM.
my songs....mixed for good earbuds...(fyi..my vocs on all songs..) https://soundcloud.com/alfsongs(90 songs created useing bb/rb) (lots of tips of mine in pg tips forum.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
RealBand
|
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 193
Apprentice
|
|
OP
Apprentice
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 193 |
Estimated number of playback tracks is 167. Yes, I'll add my mixer to your 'post your interfaces that work'
It looks like I can add another SSD internally but will have to take it apart to make sure.
Del
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
RealBand
|
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 3,681
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 3,681 |
Del.
thanks for adding your mixer.
from what your saying am i correct ? your hp is new ?.
just be aware that sometimes new pc's come with some "bloat". ie stuff youll never use. thus its a good
idea to get a pc tech to get rid of stuff youll never use.
for example some manufacturers include software "trials" .
i would also check into google and these forums ..
"how to optimise a pc for a recording studio".
most manufacturers of audio usb interfaces have support sections on this subject.
finally there might be an outside chance you might be able to add 2 more ssd's in that hp pc. but i just dont know as i cant get to the mainboard details.
so have a tech check inside.
every happiness del.
oldmuso
ps your rb traks report is respectable.
Last edited by justanoldmuso; 05/30/21 06:44 AM.
my songs....mixed for good earbuds...(fyi..my vocs on all songs..) https://soundcloud.com/alfsongs(90 songs created useing bb/rb) (lots of tips of mine in pg tips forum.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
RealBand
|
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 193
Apprentice
|
|
OP
Apprentice
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 193 |
Yes, it is new. There wasn't too much bloatware and I uninstalled most of it. I'll do some more research on it. May have to splurge for another SSD internal hard drive.
Thank you for your advice!
Del
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
RealBand
|
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 3,681
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 3,681 |
DEL. fyi heres some very good links re optimising a pc for daw work. BUT if everything is fine i would tread carefully. one step at a time. latency mon mentioned in the first link is one to try possibly. if your not sure show a well qualified pc tech the links below, https://audient.com/tutorial/optimise-your-windows-pc-for-audio/https://support.focusrite.com/hc/en-gb/articles/207355205-Optimising-your-PC-for-Audio-on-Windows-10https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=654005in addition del if you CAN put in a couple of ssd's inside the hp dont go for huge ones. maybe a couple of 256 or 512 giggers. remember heat can build up inside a pc. heres an idea also. i only use small ssd's. BUT what i do is once ive finished a major song project i free up space on the small internal pc ssd's (ready for the next song project) by offloading them to multiple external back up drives and fast pen drives. i'm nutty on back ups lol. another idea is to store also your critical songs on another machine as further back up. ALSO MAKE SURE YOU TEST YOUR BACK UPS OCCASIONALLY TO SEE THEY WORK. in summary each song folder that contains all biab and rb files (imcludeing saved *seq's) is backed up multiple times. ie anything related to the song. gonna take a break now. my wife just gave me a nice cup of tea. for more info on how to's with a pc. you tube has loads of info. hth and happy song creation. best oldmuso
my songs....mixed for good earbuds...(fyi..my vocs on all songs..) https://soundcloud.com/alfsongs(90 songs created useing bb/rb) (lots of tips of mine in pg tips forum.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
RealBand
|
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 193
Apprentice
|
|
OP
Apprentice
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 193 |
Thank you very much for the links and for your pointers, I appreciate them! I have a pretty good back up routine that I follow to minimize any catastrophes, and get things back up and running. I'll check out the links you sent, many thanks!
Del
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
RealBand
|
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 193
Apprentice
|
|
OP
Apprentice
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 193 |
I want to update this thread to explain what I've done to eliminate the issue I was having.
I wasn't able to add another internal SSD hard drive as the expansion slot was already in use so I purchased a SATA Seagate 2GB hard drive and mounted that in the PC. I installed all my BB and Realband programs on the internal SATA drive and run them from there. Now everything works fine with no issues on rendering files and I've eliminated some external clutter around my DAW.
Rendering times are now consistent and take around 10-15 seconds running the programs from the internal SATA drive.
Thanks to all of you who gave me some ideas to work through this!
Del
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PDT today!
We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
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 amazing new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. View the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to transcribe an entire track or transcribe specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
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!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Mac® to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac 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 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®!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums57
Topics86,485
Posts805,602
Members40,129
| |
Most Online64,515
Apr 8th, 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean