Originally Posted By: David Snyder

At a primary foundational level, I do not understand this thread.

BIAB generates tracks, and is wonderful to work with as a song track builder and backing track creator.

However, when you move to the point where you want to do some serious mixing, envelope creation, fading, coloring, addition of numerous track "pieces", and the application of VSTS to all those tracks and the busses, how can you skip the DAW??????

That is where the mixing and mastering takes place.

(Real Band is a gem in that it not only generates tracks but also is not bad as DAW. It is wonderful to see your tracks laid out and get the visual glimpse of how it is all coming together from top to bottom in Real Band. Need a mandolin in there for a few seconds?? Add one!)

But I always do the final stuff in Cakewalk, because of the ease of use with mixing, VSTS, and stuff like that.

So, I am not sure I get this thread.

BIAB and DAWS are too different animals. Apples and oranges.


To answer how can you skip the DAW BIAB requires defining the foundations of BIAB and DAWs. The two software program types entered music creation relatively close to each other. They're different but they share the same foundation, analog multi track recording. The oldest reference I've found where PG Music marketed BIAB as a Multi Track recording is back in the 2015 release of both PC and Mac versions. BIAB had audio elements prior to that year but that's when audio recording was introduced and the term multi track was used.

As each software program developed and progressed, DAWs advanced in track count, digital editing features, VST instruments, libraries and overwhelming quantity of gear emulation software, and mixer routing of a very complex nature.

BIAB developed and progressed improving and adding RealTracks, UserTracks, Styles, upgrading and improving the BIAB algorithm, stability, the elastique stretch and pitch component and upgraded and improved processes and features effecting the multi track emulation of BIAB. BIAB is a very robust and capable digital multi track recorder that's on par more with stand alone digital multi track recorders than it is today's modern DAW. But, the same as a stand alone recorder, BIAB is capable of producing a full production without using a DAW.

Modern digital technology has made it that audio degradation has been eliminated from multi track processes like bouncing and sub mixing down multiple tracks that are used to increase the number of tracks available over the unit's physical track limitation. Prior to the introduction of the 16 additional Utility Tracks, it was assumed BIAB was limited to 8 channel inputs and tracks and if a song production needed more than these 8 channels, then tracks had to be exported and the project completed in a DAW. This has never been the case. Applying well established multi track recorder techniques and processes like assigning groups, aux sends/returns and bouncing, channel and track count had not been a recording project issue for decades. Early Beatles recordings made on 3 and 4 track machines routinely had a final mix of 14-16 tracks. Doubled harmonies, added percussions, guitars and vocals doubled, strings, piano, harmonica could all be in a final Beatle song recorded on a 4 track.

These same principles, techniques, processes, features and tools have been available for use in BIAB all along.

Because BIAB is capable of producing an arrangement of 24, 48 or more tracks in a first generation recording with no audio degradation, a recording that's panned, audio balanced and processed with digital Fx's, it's possible to 'skip' a DAW if one wants to.

BIAB 2025:RB 2025, Latest builds: Dell Optiplex 7040 Desktop; Windows-10-64 bit, Intel Core i7-6700 3.4GHz CPU and 16 GB Ram Memory.