I stumbled across a few extraordinary plugins I didn't know I already had in Sonar and Cakewalk because they were "hidden." They are hidden in Sonar and in some versions of Cakewalk. But they are great for drums and vocals and specifically designed for them. There are also a few more that are great for other things, but the vocal and drums plugins I can see using on every mix.
(I have close to 1,000 VSTS by Waves, Izotope, IK Multimedia, you name it, and these two are very, very useful additionals to the signal chain mix, with phenomenal presets.)
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.)
I use the Sonar default fx all the time. I don;t have the Bandlab version so I don't have those.... but the old Sonar X1 has some pretty useable fx that simply get the job done.
One of these days maybe I will upgrade my gear to the 64 bit platform and get Bandlab.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.com Add nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.
The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
You will only have these if you have an older version of SONAR.
X1? Jeez, that's 11 years old. Way past time to upgrade. CbB is so far past X1 it is unreal.
Last edited by Byron Dickens; 08/09/2207:50 AM.
Byron Dickens
BIAB. CbB. Mixbus 32C 8 HP Envy. Intel core i7. 16GB RAM W10. Focusrite Scarlett 18i 20. Various instruments played with varying degrees of proficiency.
You will only have these if you have an older version of SONAR.
X1? Jeez, that's 11 years old. Way past time to upgrade. CbB is so far past X1 it is unreal.
I absolutely understand that. For me, X1 32bit running on XP Pro 32 is rock solid and it gets it done like I want and need. At some point, yep, I will upgrade to 64 bit and I'll most likely have to repurchase all of my favorite plugs and FX and synths or use J-bridge to continue using the 32 bit versions. One of these days, I will do that. That day is not today. And tomorrow isn't looking good either.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.com Add nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.
The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
But today is not that day and tomorrow It's just too far away!!!!!! Neither day is looking good Oh God, I wish they would but they never could and it's like I say today people today, or tomorrow well, just ain't that day!!!!!
--the end--
David Snyder Songwriter/Renaissance Man Studio + Fingers
XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!
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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.
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!
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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.
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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