Let me take a crack at this.

In BIAB, there are RealTracks (and RealDrums), and there are styles. Styles you buy, or styles you can make yourself, are just collections of specific RealTracks and RealDrums that are given a convenient name. If you only use RealTracks and RealDrums, you don't really need styles at all; they are just easier to have and search for.

For MIDI, the style does do a lot more by way of instructions. However, if I use a collection of only RealTracks, no MIDI, then a polka style, Chopin, a blues, or a modern jazz style will sound the same in that song IF you select the same RealTrack(s) by number and use the same tempo and key signature.

The 'regular' BIAB packages come with lots of RealTracks and styles. The more you pay for a package (Pro, UltraPak), the more you get of each, since the base program is the same.

Then there are EDITED 'Bonus 0 or 49-packages' each year offered for extra money, and these also give you BOTH additional styles and additional RealTracks.

The quality of the RealTracks (the question about 'better') from any source is the same as the others they produce. If someone likes or doesn't like how something sounds, it's their opinion. The style likewise is just a curated collection of RealTracks, so it has no 'quality' and you are free to like their choice of how these tracks sound together, or not. If you only like some of the style, swap out the tracks you don't like to create and save your own style.

The audiophile version differs because the RealTracks and RealDrums are uncompressed, but in all other respects, things work the same. If the subject of the Audiophile version interests you, read my article on this in Tips and Tricks: https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=378939#Post378939



Last edited by Matt Finley; 12/08/22 09:52 AM. Reason: clarity
BIAB 2024 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 6.5 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6; Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus Studio 192, Presonus Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors