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 & 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
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.
biab2024(Mac) Latest Build Mac OS (Latest) Apple Mac Mini M2 pro 32GB Ram Logic Pro 11 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; 06/19/2106:15 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.)
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
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!
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
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!
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!
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!
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!
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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