They will maintain Windows 10 for some years yet, and progress is inevitable, otherwise we'd still have DOS 3 or Windows 3.1 (and be driving T-Model cars).
Nothing will stop such progress, but there is a choice: get on the bus, or stay at the bus stop. Ultimately, it's a user choice.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Professional & Windows 11, Sonar Platinum, Cakewalk by Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M Monitors, Pioneer Active Monitors
Exactly why I like being a boat rocker, Trev. I believe the only boat that doesn't rock is the one that's dead in the water.
Eddie, c'mon ! I've never known you to be rock the boat! What gives?
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Professional & Windows 11, Sonar Platinum, Cakewalk by Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M Monitors, Pioneer Active Monitors
Thanks, everyone, for chipping in on that MS Paint situation. I have been working with Paintdotnet; so I do appreciate those suggestions and will dig in. When Illustrator went to the cloud, I figured it was time to bow out. I have irfanview loaded and working. So far, so good.
“Amazing! I’ll be working with Jaco Pastorius, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Buddy Rich, and you’re telling me it’s not that great of a gig? “Well…” Saint Peter, hesitated, “God’s got this girlfriend who thinks she can sing…”
I just took a look at windows 11. On the surface of things it is not a huge change. Who knows what will happen if you install it.
Ugggh, the guy said they are taking ability to start with a local user account away. That's something I like to do as I try to avoid all the Microsoft Store. We'll have to see if they can be created after initial Windows setup. They are integrating store stuff more and more with each release, making it more difficult to avoid it.
If I have to log in with a Micro$oft account, it's absolutely time to turn to Mac. That is too controlling for me. It's bad enough they phone home so often to check my license key. Time to move on.
EDIT: Correction since publishing: You can sign into Windows 11 using a local account (although it's not quite as intuitive as you might think!). When it asks for your Microsoft account details, click "sign-in options" and then select "Offline account".
Correction since publishing: You can sign into Windows 11 using a local account (although it's not quite as intuitive as you might think!). When it asks for your Microsoft account details, click "sign-in options" and then select "Offline account".
Is this true for Windows 11 Pro and Home? Last time I checked for Windows 10 this was only allowed in the Pro version.
All. heres a rare "mini rant"/thoughts from me on how us consumers of tech can protect ourselves in the coming years. (like many pg users i worked in tech for a few years) 1. win 11. if its user friendly and doesnt get in my way i'll probably upgrade after waiting awhile to see if it causes any user issues..particularly for recording rigs like mine that are kept off the net because i want my rig kept clean of stuff or any possibility of viruses etc. if it boots fast i'll be interested in win 11 and IF particularly it helps recording rigs run better. my recording rig boots fast in 5 secs or so cos its not loading all the security stuff // anti virus etc that my pc on the the net does...however if win 11 is very intrusive and wants to control my life...forget about it. in this case i'll again buy refurb pc's with win 7 or 10 on. for many years now day in/out ive done songs useing refurbs with nary a problem. with no bloatware either and never a crash. if i'm really pushed i'll find a way to do songs useing linux on refurb pc's/. and as i do now use my cheap 80 buk amazon tablet for the net/surfing/researching stuff. love it. 2. Apple. i would love an m1 mac like an imac. but i quell my lust for one by asking myself how long before its obsolete and replaced by an m2 imac ? for me as a consumer the price of an imac is not trivial, and i have other family commitments. just simple stuff like paying the never ending monthly utility bills. i feel my whole darn life is bills and taxes. my main concern with going to mac is how long will my financial investment last ? before a new model comes out ? maybe in a couple of years buying a refurb m1 imac with warranty is a shrewder approach ? save money and any tech kinks ironed out ? my overriding concern is...is apple (like the iphones) adopting a strategy to tempt mac users to buy a new mac model every year or so ? if thats the strategy..sorry ..no can do ; i have other financial priorities. if however there was an upgrade path for existing users of m1 mac hardware...depending on pricing...i would probably be more interested. another strategy is just buy older powerfull mac refurbs that are cheap with warranty. there are lots. 3. in closeing i'm watching carefully developments on the raspberry pi computer thats sold now apparently over 30 million units worldwide. and is attracting many devs to it. if i'm pushed now that pi runs reaper and traction daws, thats another possible future option. particularly as its 80 buks. if the pi gets a 3ghz processor i reckon things will get very interesting. cos more developers will get attracted to the platform.
why is it i get the feeling a lot of big organisations try and control my life these days ? its tiring and i'm fed up with it. i'm sure lots of others feel the same.
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.)
oldmuso, I was long a hardware geek with PC's I swapped out cpu's, changed ram & HD's, video cards, overclocked, even watercooled. I don't do any of that anymore.
my take on mac hardware is much simpler: I buy a current model new with near maximum hardware configuration and it lasts me a decade without modifications.
My current macbook pro is almost 10 years old and works fine for biab and Logic Pro. Both of those apps are reasonably resource intensive. I have not thought about upgrades or tweaking during the period. It just chugs along. No drama
The new Mac Mini with the M1x chip interest me. Hopefully we'll see those by years end. I expect a maxed out config to come in around $2k. About half what I paid for my Mac 10 years ago. Good value to me.
My MacBook pro may still be worth $500 or so on the used market also. Bonus.
biab2025(Mac) Latest Build Mac OS (Latest) Apple Mac Mini M2 pro 32GB Ram Logic Pro 11.2.2 Irwin Vice Grip Fencing Pliers
mrgeeze. 1. re keeping a computer for 10 years. yeh i get it. but unfortunately i dont have your patience. lol. what the heck happened to moores law that said "power would double every 18 months" ?. it seems ages its taken to get to 3/4ghz processors. laws of physics of course. 2. paying 2k for computer. this is where i get in a quandary. i can get dual xeon refurb "beasts" of pc's for 600 bucks with all the trimmings (eg hp z ). OR if i'm tempted to pay 2k to 3k for a pc ; i would have to consider one of the custom pc's from custom builders of turnkey recording pc's that the big recording studios buy. just pure dsp beasts that run huge trak and plug in counts. eg...check these out.... purrfect audio, rok box, adk pro audio, scan.co.uk etc eg this very extreme pc up to 384 ddr4 of ram and xeons all the way. wowser. https://silentpc.com/daw/studio-digital-audio-workstation the above really cranks me up. gotta win the lotto lol.
best oldmuso
Last edited by justanoldmuso; 06/19/2105:15 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.)
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