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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Feb 2010
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I'm very new at the game so keep from laughing long enough to post an answer for me. I use Band In A Box 2010. Thank you in advance ...
Computer: I have a high-end quad-core Win7/64-bit PC with built-in 7.1 sound (includes S/PDIF output jack).
Audio System: I have a very high-end Sony audio receiver (rated at 1000 watts) that has 7.1 home theater features (including S/PDIF and RCA) along with a Yamaha 7.1 surround speaker system.
Question 1: This is a multi-question ... Is there any way that I could use these components together as a music performance PA system ? The sound from my Sony audio system is just amazing and I'm wondering why I can't use this instead of buying a new PA system. I was also considering the Bose L1 but it's pricey. Why wouldn't my high-end Sony system compete with the output of the Bose L1 ?
Question 2: Shouldn't I be able to use my home audio system to also digitally record from my PC (onto CD) ?
Ike
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Question 1-
What will the 'PA' be used for? Performances in venues, or just home listening?
Question 2-
You said the computer has s/pdif out. So you can send the signal from the computer.
Does the Sony system have s/pdif in? And a way to burn CD's from there? I'm wondering if you were actually asking about going the other way and record from the Sony system into the PC (?) ..
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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I'm confused about question #2 as well.
As far as using the Sony for a PA I say why not. There was a time when there was a big toss off between power and quality. Sound reinforcement stuff had lots of power but the quality wasn't there. Home stuff had quality but no power. This issue is not so much an issue any longer. It still all depends on what size venue. Also that 1000watts may be one of the inflated claims. The speakers in home systems are not as efficient also. There are many factors. Take the system some where and try it is what I would do. Personally I hate most of the PA speakers in the lower price range. A single 15" with a 2" horn will get the sound out there but boy do I hate that 2" horn.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Why not?
Because the AV Receiver was *NOT* designed to withstand the rigors of a lot of moving about.
It should also not be subjected to the vibrations of the road until all internal components have cooled down completely.
The connections on the AV receiver were not designed for constant connect/disconnect cycles.
Power Amplifiers designed for the job at hand are very inexpensive these days, I'd say this needs a rethink.
--Mac
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Mac,
I'm in agreement here. I can see where you're coming from. No way I want to mess up that Sony audio system -- too new and expensive for trial and error method.
Got question #2 figured out guys -- Thank you!
Ike
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Quote:
Personally I hate most of the PA speakers in the lower price range. A single 15" with a 2" horn will get the sound out there but boy do I hate that 2" horn.
Champagne taste with a beer budget?
Check out DIY...
Voight pipes, Zigmahornets, and Fitzmaurice plans.
Voight pipe speaker cabinets
Zigmahornet review
Bill Fitzmaurice Designs
The most inexpensive is the single speaker Zigmahornet.
The most efficient is the DR200 / DR250 by Bill Fitzmaurice designs.
(Will cause cognitive dissonance, when you see melded crossfired piezo arrays and double reverse folded horns)
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Well he didn't say he was going to drag it around 7 nights a week. Of course it would be crazy to think it would hold up. He just asked if there was a way to use it and yes there is. Maybe he just wants to go out and test drive the whole idea at some small little venue and doesn't want to go out and buy a legitimate PA before it's even determined that he'll like doing this. That was my approach here. His home system will not disintegrate the minute it goes out the door.
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The past year I've been working two days a week, parttime bench repairing AV receivers and systems at a local warranty and high end audio house. Times being what they are, I'm grateful for the work.
it ain't worth the risk in $$ IMHO to press one of these AV receivers into road duty service as a live performance for music in local venues.
For one thing, the specs are rather tight, typical idle currents for the 7 power amps inside these things being as low as 1.5mV.
Plenty of other reasons not to try this one, some would include subjecting the typical internal CPU to the stresses of "onlocation" power and the like, speaker hookup to typical twiston or banana jack config, which in the heat of live performance setup can easily result in a frayed wire short that will take out an expensive power amp or two, those typical plastic RCA inputs that are not securely fastened to the panel but merely soldered to the PC board, they are not designed for that type of duty, sometimes I wonder if they were designed for the duty intended at home from the number of failures encountered, then there is the complexity of the system and setup itself -- quite often we end up declaring an NPF or No Problem Found after an hour or more of testing every function and then there's the fault that is very common -- CPU/DSP gets in a confused state or the consumer gets confused when programming or using it and the thing appears to be broken. Sometimes a Reset involves more than just performing the Secret Button Code, meaning going inside and knowing what to power down and how and when.
Myself, if faced between the choice between using a typical >$1000.00 7.1 ch AV Receiver or a ~$300-400.00 Power Amp designed for PA use, its a no-brainer.
My bench charges are at $85.00/HR and frankly we are workin' cheap as it is.
Typical parts and labor charge to rebuild just one of the internal power amps inside the typical mid to highend AV receiver can come to quite a bit of money, often MORE than the cost of said PA Power Amp in entirety.
--Mac
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Mac,
I certainly can't argue with any of that. In fact I'm really on the wrong side of that argument as a don't want to give the wrong impression. Is an AV system a substitute for a PA? NO. Would I buy an AV system for a PA? NO. If I presently had an AV system and wanted to test drive my BIAB Band before spending $1000 or more on a system would I use it? Yes
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Is there any way that I could use these components together as a music performance PA system ? The sound from my Sony audio system is just amazing and I'm wondering why I can't use this instead of buying a new PA system. I was also considering the Bose L1 but it's pricey. Why wouldn't my high-end Sony system compete with the output of the Bose L1 ?
[] Prerecorded music is usually modified and its dynamic range limited; a live performer often "hits the ceiling" with output spikes in dynamic content (unless there's a compressor / limiter on the instrument and/or singer)
[] Live performance audio systems are designed for playing loud (and dealing with the waste heat generated - heavy duty wiring, cooling fans, circuit breakers, output limiters, etc)
[] Live performance audio systems are not necessarily "high fidelity", trading accuracy for efficiency (SPL per Watt consumed)
[] Performance grade systems are more durable and idiot tolerant (not idiot proof)
Home audio systems are designed for a different set of conditions and would not fare well in "live" use.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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FYI, if you are not taking it out of the house it's ok. I did that for years..
I have kept the last 3 versions of band in a box on external hard drives, and beside the acoustic piano upstairs is a bose titanium cd thing. I use the external hard drive, an acer asipire and the bose and jam on the acoustic piano. You can hear it a block away with the windows open.
I have taken it to band rehearsal too. And I have the L1 model 2. Mac sold me on that and should have got the commission.
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Yes John at home I'm also using my stereo system. An old Pioneer SX-990 and a couple of Realistic Nova 6's with new 100watt woofers. When the wife's out I crank the hell out of it and I'm also playing bass.
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We are in renovation hell. The government started it, my wife watches too many reno programs. We could get back 1300 bucks. So the 'music' room needs the baseboards done, and a few finishing touches. I got a new door put in yesterday, and a fancy eco toilet with the button for #1 or #2. Wow.
So my L1 is in a basement room along with clutter. I hate clutter. There's boxes of games we will never play the kids left, old gear, spools of wire, a million pieces of lego waiting for a grandchild to be big enough to use, a mattress 6 horns and cases, a bone, a guitar my son got for Christmas and never used, my accordion, 2 computers, a printer an office desk and my keyboard and stand. And an old dresser stuffed with stuff the wife won't throw out.
I can get punched hard when I suggest the tv show hoarders come and look. The public rooms are almost perfect, except I hoard stuff from relatives, my grandmothers tables, stuff like that. So upstairs, in the room I love to sit in is the accoustic piano and the little bose radio/cd player that is my sound source along with the netbook.
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Quote:
Well he didn't say he was going to drag it around 7 nights a week. Of course it would be crazy to think it would hold up. He just asked if there was a way to use it and yes there is. Maybe he just wants to go out and test drive the whole idea at some small little venue and doesn't want to go out and buy a legitimate PA before it's even determined that he'll like doing this. That was my approach here. His home system will not disintegrate the minute it goes out the door.
Hello Everyone,
Seems I've left lots of factors out. John is right here though. I just wanted a way that I could perform my horn against some backing tracks -- My nephew asked if I'd play a few jazz swing tunes at his wedding reception and I have no way to find out what if any kind of PA there will be (although there was talk of hiring a DJ so I might be able to plug my MP3 player into one of his boxes).
Right now, I just way to figure out a way to do this since I don't already have a PA system and I don't want to rely on someone else's system (as in the case of a DJ). This way too, if it were possible to do, I have some time to practice here at home using my own equipment.
Thanks all. Great feedback!
Ike
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Well, if you treat it very carefully in transport and setup -- paying critical attention that there are no frayed speaker wires at the terminals, certainly -- and then let the thing cool down entirely before attempting to move it after the one-shot performance, you might give it a go with what you've got.
Or -- you might call up the local music emporium and investigate the cost of a one-night PA rental.
--Mac
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Here you can get a decent system cheap for a night or weekend. If you do it enough then bring up the bose again. Mac has one perspective.
I'm not short of cash, so went big. If I want more bass I can really make it shake by putting my old Roland keyboard amp into the bass output of the bose and trim off the treble.
The smaller Bose without bass and the tonematch thing is a good price. I hear good reviews. I think Mac wrote one, someone else can fish for the thread..the wife wants to get outta the house.
John Conley
Musica est vita
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If the reception is down this way I know a great spot to rent a PA for a weekend.. 
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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Peter Gannon Talks Band-in-a-Box with zplane
zplane recently interviewed Peter Gannon, the founder and creator of Band-in-a-Box, about the software's early days, what sets it apart from AI, how zplane's audio algorithms are used in Band-in-a-Box, and more!
Special thanks to the team at zplane for their continued support.
Check out the full interview here: https://products.zplane.de/blog/peter-gannon-interview-pg-music
Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!
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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!
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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!
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There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
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Holiday Weekend Hours
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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)!
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The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!
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