Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread
Print Thread
Go To
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3
#753775 02/15/23 12:04 PM
Off-Topic
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 23
dr_t Offline OP
Enthusiast
OP Offline
Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 23
With all the current hype about ChatGPT and the various AI engines that are apparently capable of generating high quality images and music, I'm wondering what the future road-map looks like for BIAB.

I've been a massive fan of BIAB since the 5.25" floppy days, but are its days numbered, in its present form?

Sure, each annual release gets a few more aesthetic features and a stack of new styles and realtrack samples, but the basic premise of BIAB hasn't really changed in the 30-ish years that I've been using it - you type in some chord symbols and it produces a backing track for you in a style of your choosing. It sounds a million times better now than it did in the early 90's (thanks to realtracks), but other than the sound quality and bit of tinkering here and there, the product hasn't fundamentally changed much over the years. But as simple as the production process sounds, you still need to have a certain degree of musical aptitude in order to get the best results from BIAB, even if you can't play any instruments.

However, I think there will come a point in the near future when we can simply say to an AI application, "create me a backing track for Autumn Leaves in a hip-hop style with a dreamy orchestral introduction and a bagpipes solo in the middle", and products like BIAB become as redundant as the musicians that BIAB has replaced (sorry! that was a rather facetious remark, as I doubt very much that any professional music has ever been made redundant by BIAB, but you get my drift and I couldn't help but observe the irony of it).

At some point, BIAB users are going to tire of the same old Jeff Lorber and Brent Mason realtracks (not me, I love those guys!), and the unadventurous intro-chorus-chorus-chorus-end song structure, and will be enticed by the possibility of simply describing their musical vision to an AI engine.

I wonder how BIAB is going to adapt to keep up with the rapid advancements in AI, or if it intends not to, but just position itself as a niche product for a specific type of person (of, dare I say it, a certain age).......

Off-Topic
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,251
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,251
dr_t,

There's a lot of meat on the bone of this topic currently so rather than type out a response I'm going to give this one a little thought first. I will say that if humanity is removed from art and music then we have nothing left but a glorified algorithm as a replacement for what used to be some of mankind's greatest accomplishments.

Last edited by bobcflatpicker; 02/15/23 02:25 PM.
Off-Topic
E
eddie1261
Unregistered
eddie1261
Unregistered
E
Originally Posted By: dr_t
At some point, BIAB users are going to tire of the same old Jeff Lorber and Brent Mason Real Tracks.


And may already have, I say as I raise my hand. I am not really interested in seeing how many notes Mason can squeeze into 8 bars with no consideration of taste and feel. His stuff is just notes. Better notes that I can play, but that's not the point. Rock and country rock guitar solo options are very limited. The Wish List is full of suggestions but they do not get acted upon.

What's funny to me is this. I follow Tom Bukovac's youtube channel. Many of them are shot at studio sessions in Nashville. You will often see Bryan Sutton, Paul Franklin and John Jarvis at those sessions. Now, I said that to say this. Obviously PG has some kind of connection to that A List inner circle in Nashville because those 3 names are represented in the Real Tracks artists. Bukovac is THE guitar player down there these days. Mason is WAY last year's news. Nobody will ever say (and I have asked) if they ever tried to contact him to lend his sound to the Real Tracks. They must pay those guys decent bucks for their work or they wouldn't do it. Dan Dugmore is another good guy to play pedal steel. Franklin is awesome, but options never hurt. I looked down the list of everybody who plays Real Track samples and some of them are decades old. Some may even be dead. Many I have never heard of and had to Google to see what they have ever done.

So before AI replaces everything, maybe not for the better, let's get some new blood in here, okay?

Off-Topic
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,988
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,988
I think the AI is just hype at this point in time. I have a lyric writing AI app and it's kind of plain white vanilla.... it's not yet ready for prime time or even close in taking over for the creative human mind.

Regarding BB and real tracks.... same thing. It's not the tracks, but how you choose to work with them that makes the song. You and I could use the same exact style, tempo, key, and real tracks and those songs would sound totally different. It's in the human creative mind.


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.
Off-Topic
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 11,079
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 11,079
When Band-in-a-Box first began it was strictly a MIDI production that played midi patterns. Over time Band-in-a-Box added user recorded audio, audio loops, Artist Performance Tracks, RealTracks and midiSuperTracks to enhance playback sound. PG Music licenses and frequently updates pitch and tempo technology to enhance playback performance. These steps encourage me to believe PG Music will continue to update Band-in-a-Box to keep it relevant.


Jim Fogle - 2026 BiaB (Build 1237) RB (Build 10) - Ultra+ PAK
DAWs: Cakewalk Sonar - Standalone: Zoom MRS-8
Desktop: i7 Win 11, 12GB ram 256GB SSD, 4 TB HDD
Music at: https://fogle622.wix.com/fogle622-audio-home
Off-Topic
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,511
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,511
I don't know.

I'm a musician, and I like to play with music. I like to create things, and BiaB is one tool that helps me do that.

I don't want to say to some AI app, "Write a song in the dorian mode with a sax solo as the highlight."

Hundreds of CDs in my collection already do that or in another mode, and as much as I love listening to other people make music, I like to make my own.

It's one of the reasons why I don't use the Real Track solo and melody tracks. I want to play them myself.

I can put some chords into BiaB, run the app, pick up my sax, wind synth, or guitar and play along with it. Since I put the chords in myself, I know what they are, and have a few ideas on how to improvise a solo over the changes.

When I bought BiaB, back in the DOS days, that is exactly what I bought it for. I could improvise solos over songs my band was learning, try out daring things which have low odds of working but if they do, they would be cool, and I wouldn't be taking up the band's time while I experiment.

Eventually, BiaB released the StyleMaker to allow end users to make their own styles. Since I also play bass, drums, and some keys, I tried my hand at it, gave some away, and friends told me they liked them better than PGs. (Aren't friends great). I took out an ad in Electronics Musician magazine, and +30 years later, I'm still making them and selling them.

Making the styles is also a creative process, that I certainly wouldn't want to turn over to some AI bot. Why? It's time-consuming, I get lost in the zone so I don't notice the time passing, and when I'm done with a style and I'm proud of it, I'll offer it for sale. If I don't like it, I'll either make it work until I'm happy, or consider it a learning experience. It's important to know what not to do.

I think AI music would eventually have its place, but for me the fun of music is playing it myself.

I suspect there are a lot of other musicians who want to play, and wouldn't want the AI playing it for them.

Notes ♫


Bob "Notes" Norton smile Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com

100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
Off-Topic
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,310
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 7,310
Yes, one may be able to request A.I. to do many musical & music related things but not everyone will want to.
BIAB can supply a lot but I still, for the most part, record bass & guitars because I can, becasue I like to & becasue, rather like A.I., BIAB can be, at times, a little too generic sounding.
Quite a lot of BIAB users play their instruments and sing their songs because that's what they like to do.
Using A.I. makes a lot of sense as an enabling tool for those who can't do certain things and for those making demos, jingles etc that fit the genre specifics that the A.I. can access.
A.I. would remove, for the most part, the hobby aspects that song writing & recording using BIAB encourages.


Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
Off-Topic
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 7,388
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 7,388
Even if BIAB development stops today, in it's present form, I know it will entertain me for years to come. Let me put it this way...
When references are made to AI, it is like comparing a mass produced "artwork" from Walmart to a local art gallery. Sadly, as history shows, masses will prefer buying a $29.99 "wall art" from Walmart, instead of getting a $80 limited etching, supporting local artist. But even with all Amazawalmarts combined, there will always be interest and demand for "handmade" arts & music.

Sure, program needs "this & that" no argument there...
But the library, even in existing form is phenomenal. Not some chopped cuts from a 1 minute gigs that some developers call "libraries". But a true music library with thousands of hours of performances by talented humans that will play with and for you!

Of course if you got time and money to waste you can just hire anybody and do anything, but for hobbyists, backing tracks, non-gig artists, "on demand" tunes, pro-sounding sketches that can later be embellished with live musicians, substituting a drunk guitarist, bassist who is on a vacation, pianist who is waiting for a tuner, if you have no time for basement practices, need a solo part for the instrument you are unfamiliar with, I can go on...BIAB will come to the rescue. Pre-requisite is to like the genres heavily represented in BIAB: Pop/Rock/Blues/Country/Jazz/Folk

Off-Topic
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 2,792
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 2,792
dr_t, I agree with many of the above sentiments. Just because AI can do something doesn't mean that I want it to do it for me. I think what this comes down to is are you a creative or not? There's no right or wrong answer, it just a question.

Or if that question is too blunt let me sharpen it.

To what degree are you a creative?

For me, I consider myself a creative (albeit, not a very good one) and so, I like to produce, create, build, ponder, experiment, modify, edit and fix. I get an intellectual high from creating something that has never [exactly] been produced before. For me, this is one of the fundamental attributes of being human. I get satisfaction in knowing that my personal thumbprint is on a piece of music. Sure. I have a bunch of tools and toys that help me in this but it is me that controls the creative process. And I choose not to hand that over to a bot.

To be sure, music is far from the only domain where this applies. There are millions of people around the world that get a similar sense of satisfaction and cretive accomplishment in areas such as literature, visual art, medicine, engineering, science, carpentry, design work, sports, acting, education, etc.

At some point I may dabble in AI tools, but I will view them as just that . . . tools. For as long as I am able, the creative engine for the work I produce will always be located between my ears.


https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677
BiaB 2026 Windows
For me there’s no better place in the band than to have one leg in the harmony world and the other in the percussive. Thank you Paul Tutmarc and Leo Fender.
Off-Topic
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 2,745
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 2,745
The fact that something is new and is better does not render other older products useless or unwanted.

I drive a 2023 car with satellite radio. I don't think people will likely send all the 1957 Chevys with AM push-button radios to the junkyard just because the new car is much better.

BIAB has many uses. There are hundreds of demo songs to play along with and learn new stuff.

Some people want instant gratification and do not want to put any effort into what they are entertaining themselves with. If AI can produce acceptable results for those people, they will use it. If corporate America can push a button and generate a marketable song, they will certainly do that.

AI will also become helpful to people who play music. AI will generate ideas that will give musicians something new to experiment with.

AI will take over some jobs currently done by humans. New technology frequently does that.

P G Music will continue to make improvements to its product in an attempt to continue to be profitable. They have no choice but to adapt to the current demands. Their bottom line will dictate what comes next. Those companies that have the ability to adapt will survive. Those who can not adapt will not survive.

Just because AI may be able to generate guitar tracks does not entice me to stop playing guitar. AI may be able to generate guitar sounds, but it can not play anything at this point.

Relax; the world is unlikely to come to an end this week.

Billy

Off-Topic
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,944
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,944
As I have said many times virtually all of my songs start in BiaB. BiaB is the tool that has kept me interested in and playing music. But I have a question.

What is the difference between asking AI to create a song about love using an intro, 2 verses, a prechorus, chorus, and an ending or putting chords into BiaB and looking for style? Are not both using a form of AI?

Both are tools and how you use them is up to you.


Life is short so make sure you spend as much time as possible on the Internet arguing with strangers.

64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
Off-Topic
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 2,680
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 2,680
Originally Posted By: MarioD
Are not both using a form of AI?

I think they're probably not, though there are all sorts of philosophical possibilities.

I think "AI" means a software that learns for itself from exposure to data and forms an answer from that data by searching for patterns in the data that suggest some consistency upon which to draw a conclusion. The obvious problem is that the data has to be sound and sensible for that to work.

I think BiaB is a set of rules, presumably including some random seeding, created by people about what is expected of music production and that it probably does not learn for itself.

The AI will be influenced by people, though, whether by the choices of data on which it is 'trained', or by public opinion, or by mischievous influence, and by how well it understands(?) cause and effect.

I read recently, though haven't bothered to try to verify it, that (ChatGPT?) was arguing very assertively that the current year is 2022 and was accusing it's questioner of bad faith in telling it that it was wrong and that the year was 2023. It's had a year of understanding that the year is 2022 and only a few weeks at most of people telling it otherwise. How long will it take to recognise that things change and it must unlearn certain facts that have become obsolete? Will it be able to tell that from deliberate lies?

That's really quite tricky.


Jazz relative beginner, starting at a much older age than was helpful.
AVL:MXE Linux; Windows 11
BIAB2026 Audiophile, a bunch of other software.
Kawai MP6, Ui24R, Focusrite Saffire Pro40 and Scarletts
.
Off-Topic
E
eddie1261
Unregistered
eddie1261
Unregistered
E
Originally Posted By: Planobilly
Just because AI may be able to generate guitar tracks does not entice me to stop playing guitar.


I selected only this point to comment on.

Mario was right on about the fact that PG products ARE really AI at some level. You give it a style and some chords and it spits out music.

Billy made an important observation. AI won't influence me to stop playing. My diminished skills have influenced me to stop playing. If Real band can make music better than I can (and at this point it's not even close) then I will use the music Real Band makes rather than what I can do myself.

What gets lost in the shuffle of this topic is this.

It's still MY input, MY composition, MY lyrics, MY soul that tells any music generating product to create. And I get to make it do that process again and again until I like it. I am working on a cover of a song by The Cure for Herbstock that has so far seen me generate the basic song, render those to WAV files, start over, generate again, render to WAV again, keep some of the old, add some of the new, and so on.

BIAB, RB, Garage Band, any form of AI, they are just tools. HUMANS ad the "code", the instruction set that makes those tools work the way we want them to. One definition of artificial is "a copy or imitation of something real". So is it really ARTIFICIAL intelligence? The end product is real music, written by human instruction with computer coded instruction produced by HUMAN intelligence.

Love this kind of discussion!!! Nerdvana!

Last edited by eddie1261; 02/16/23 04:53 AM.
Off-Topic
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 13,043
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 13,043
Quote:
My diminished skills have influenced me to stop playing. If Real band can make music better than I can (and at this point it's not even close) then I will use the music Real Band makes rather than what I can do myself.


This is what I fear the most... cry


Retired to Make Music - No Plan B
My SoundCloud
View Current Projects
#753900 02/16/23 05:38 AM
Off-Topic
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,944
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,944
Originally Posted By: eddie1261
[quote=Planobilly].................................... So is it really ARTIFICIAL intelligence? ...................


As far as humans are concerned it's thinking you know more than you really do!


Life is short so make sure you spend as much time as possible on the Internet arguing with strangers.

64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
Off-Topic
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,988
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,988
Second point.... after considering it for a bit.....

You may or may not know that BB has had a sort of AI built in for a very long time. Way back in my early days of playing around with BB, expperimenting to see what was under the hood, I came upon the MELODIST function. When used, the Melodist creates a "song" for you according to the info you give it.

Quite a few of my early day creations in the jazz and bluegrass styles were initially created using the Melodist. In most cases, I ended up doing at least some rudimentary editing or in other cases, a major overhaul and redesign of the basic idea from the Melodist.

I haven't used the Melodist now in a very long time.


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.
Off-Topic
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 2,792
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 2,792
This graphic is how I boil down this subject. It's all about how much personal creativity we have pushed into any given song. We and everyone else is sitting somewhere on this spectrum for any song we have or will produce.

So on the extreme left of the spectrum we have "Cave People Joe and Jane" who first figured out that banging a stick onto a tree and singing to it was fun. There is no greater creativity. They invented their instrument and they were influenced by no other cave people because they were the first.

On the extreme right you have "write me a song" spoken into an AI program or you have outright stolen the song; thereby achieving no creativity at all. Any creativity that does exists in this case is from the people who wrote the stolen song and/or the AI technology used.

I would say that most of us are in Zone 2, 3 or 4. I hope I never end up in 5.

And sorry . . . it's too late to bang a stick on a tree and claim credit smile

Attached Files (Click to download or enlarge) (Only available when you are logged in)
Creativity Spectrum.jpg (63.1 KB, 239 downloads)

https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677
BiaB 2026 Windows
For me there’s no better place in the band than to have one leg in the harmony world and the other in the percussive. Thank you Paul Tutmarc and Leo Fender.
Off-Topic
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 2,745
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 2,745
There is a fundamental difference between BIAB and AI. AI can change its outputs based on new inputs, while an algorithm (BIAB) always generates the same output for a given input.

So, no, BIAB has no AI involved that I am aware of.

If you think there is no skill or creativity involved in generating an AI song, make one in Synthesizer V using BIAB for the backing track and post it.

At some point in the future, perhaps we will be able to describe what we want to hear, and a hit a button and a song will result. That is not today.

Actually, I think much better AI software will require even more skill and creativity to use and get good results.

Billy

Off-Topic
E
eddie1261
Unregistered
eddie1261
Unregistered
E
You missed the last zone.

Off-Topic
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 7,388
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 7,388
Billy,
"(BIAB) always generates the same output for a given input."

I thought BIAB was randomizing results with each change (input), unless you freeze or use partial regeneration.
That actually was a huge problem for me until partial regeneration came along, as tracks were acting like snakes with pinched tail when change was introduced smile


"At some point in the future, perhaps we will be able to describe what we want to hear, and a hit a button and a song will result. That is not today."

I think, it will be more like spitting in the tube connected to Inteloteslapple, AI will analyze your mood from saliva and will generate your personalized masterpiece hit of the day. Those who "Describe" will be considered maestros.

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Go To
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3

Link Copied to Clipboard
ChatPG

Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.

ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.

PG Music News
Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!

Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PDT today!

We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!

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!

Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Mac® to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!

Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac upgrade during our special, you'll receive a Free Bonus PAK of exciting new add-ons.

If you need any help deciding which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We are here to help!

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!

Band-in-a-Box® 2026 is packed with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can transcribe an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. 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!

There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.

When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PDT on May 31st, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.

Check out the Band-in-a-Box® for Mac packages page to find the best package for you.

Holiday Weekend Hours

It's Victoria Day Long Weekend in Canada. Our Customer Service hours are:

Saturday, May 16: Closed
Sunday, May 17: Closed
Monday, May 18: 8:00am - 4:00pm

Regular hours
resume Tuesday, May 19th!

Today's the Last Day of the Band-in-a-Box 2026® for Mac Special!

Order before 11:59pm PDT today (May 15, 2026) to save up to 50% off your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrade and receive a FREE Bonus PAK loaded with great new Add-ons to use with this new version!

Don't wait - order today!

Check out all the new features in the redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!

Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac - Special Offers End at 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th, 2026!

Order before 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th and SAVE up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 for Mac Upgrade packages... and that's not all! With your version 2026 for Mac purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks... that's 222 NEW RealTracks available with version Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac!

Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® today for as little as $49! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all available purchase options.

Learn more about the Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK here.

If you have any questions about which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We're here to help!

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)!

And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.

The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!

2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!

With your version 2026 for Mac Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 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 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK: -For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles. -For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles. -For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
  • MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
  • MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
  • Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
  • Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
  • Playable RealTracks Set 5
  • RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
  • SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
  • iOS Android Band-in-a-Box® App
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
  • 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
  • FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
  • MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
  • MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
  • Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
  • Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
  • RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
  • SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)

Learn more about the Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!

Forum Statistics
Forums57
Topics86,486
Posts805,614
Members40,130
Most Online64,515
Apr 8th, 2026
Newest Members
FabrizioGuitar, Justin Moore, cdtimpy, AKO64, Gomez
40,130 Registered Users
Top Posters(30 Days)
MarioD 122
rsdean 79
DC Ron 67
WaoBand 56
Today's Birthdays
dodo_dj, Keith Parker, Papa Joe, shortieakabri
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5