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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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I'm thinking of getting an Axon AX-100 MkII which is primarily a pitch to midi converter. However, it also has over 500 midi voices. So... Has anyone used one? Does it work well with BiaB and RB? Would it be difficult to find or create a patch map? Any advice or comments would be much appreciated. Thanks.
BiaB 2013 b366, RB 2013 b4, WinXP Pro SP3, Toshiba M70, 1.8GHz 2GB RAM 100GB HD. Focusrite Saffire 6 USB, Ketron SD2. BiaB Wiki
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Sep 2009
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Productor Musical
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Productor Musical
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Hi Paul, Axon-100 MKII is a fantastic MIDI guitar converter, plenty of sophisticated features and programability. I did try it by two weeks aprox. but because I prefer go straight and simple on MIDI guitar recording area and I don´t need internal sounds, I finally got a Roland GI-20 GK-MIDI interface , it don´t have sounds, but it work fast and accurate with my Godin xtSA, I use it primarily as just a interface for drive my external synths and virtual instruments. It is important to considere AXON has gained the reputation of be the faster MIDI interface, it ' has an early transient recognition system (ETR) which evaluates the impulses from the strings as soon as they are picked and converts them into values for pitch' , it does great and fast in low strings!. Just my personal experience with AXON was not all the successful I wanted, because my playing style tend to be strong and precise and the AXON ETR mode in my case produced ghost and retriggering notes. ETR work great for fingerstyle and soft picking, but in my opinion it sacrifice accuracy and dynamic sometimes. As compensation Roland have six PLAY FEEL modes and individual string sensitivity adjust, all of which work great for me. In the other side Axon-100 MKII as standalone device is a big step up over its little and squalid brother Axon AX 50, which need a PC software for even the minimal taks. Also Axon 100 MKII tone bank does a good job and bring a decent sound palette, although IMO nothing outstanding, just then I did connect it as GM bank to my Band-in-a-Box 2008, it did sound good in an average basis, just that, anyway matter of likes. However it have lot of tone patchs specially designed with MIDI guitar on mind which sound impressive, indeed lot of fun there!. Another plus in Axon is it include a software editor for Windows and Mac and a hold mode with arpeggiator and drum sequencer that work great. But as I said before I prefer go simpler, and I love the convenience virtual synths give me, instant rendering without need to connect and record audio from an external module, btw, I only make that when I have some appetizing analog synth handy  . Like Axon, Roland GI-20 also let me assign different MIDI channels to each string and it have other useful features like foot pedals for hold, expression, prog. change etc, and all I need for real time control is in my Godin xtSA: octaves change, basic switching and volume. unfortunately I didn't record anything while I had the AXON. But I have some videos and examples with Roland GI-20, btw, using BIAB most of times. Look here: Mina Sambinha - MIDI guitar and Band in a Box Band In A Box - MIDI Guitar Audio Recording Carlos
Gabriel Arellano,
Nucleox Music
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Carlos,
I have a Roland GI-20 and Godin xtSA, but I can't seem to get the same results you have achieved in terms of tracking. Any hints on how to set it all up?
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,055
Productor Musical
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Productor Musical
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,055 |
Hi Pat, Can you describe what type of issues do you have with your GI-20 and xtSA? About my preferences and setup for Roland GI-20, this is my personal approach, it can vary according your playing style. My setup with Godin xtSA (0.10-0.46 gauge strings): Bend Range: C2 (chromatic) and '12' for pitch bend if absolutly necessary. With PlayFeel: NR , String Sensitivity: 1.4 - 2.4 - 3.3 - 4.4 - 5.4 - .6.4 good for Pads or jazz/rock lead lines with pick (I use Big Stubby Jim Dunlop 3mm) With PlayFeel: Fi (fingered) String Sensitivity: 1.3 - 2.2 - 3.2 - 4.3 - 5.3 - .6.2 great for chords and finger playing without pick. I will put here hint from some web sites discussing MIDI guitar, many of that has been my north to follow. Improves Playing Technique
For optimal MIDI conversion, your guitar playing needs to be clean and accurate. Accidental notes, resonating open strings and other sounds can often be converted into undesired MIDI notes. Often you don’t hear these when playing guitar yourself, but can detect them easily when listening live to the generated MIDI.
Striving to improve MIDI note accuracy, encourages clean picking and accurate fingering, with good control over non-sounding strings by damping them.
Not only will your MIDI output be more accurate, your normal guitar playing will sound clearer and more professional. It’s like having a tutor sitting beside you giving you advice. It’s also great fun!from: http://www.sonuus.com/products_g2m.html I find the pitch tracking pretty bad when I play chords in "normal" configuration-- that is, with pitch bend enabled. I keep my guitars set for "chromatic" response almost all the time. On the rare occasions when I double a guitar lead line with, say, a fretless bass-type sound, bend tracking is quite good. I've read that a lot of Roland users have the same approach-- "Disable pitch bend unless absolutely necessary!" http://jpsongs.com/troubadortech/usmgtr.htmGuitar synths aren't perfect by any means, but with a little imagination a proficient guitarist can create music that would be difficult to realise with a keyboard synthesizer. One of the most powerful performance techniques at the guitar player's disposal is the ability to apply finger vibrato to individual strings with variable depth and rate, which makes things like cello emulation very realistic. Another strength, which I haven't touched on yet, is the way in which guitar sounds (either clean or heavily processed) can be layered with synth voices to create a unique hybrid sound which still retains some of the 'organic' characteristics of a 'real' instrument.
Of course there will always be things that guitar synths are supremely poor at -- such as inputting percussive parts. I think I'd rather rewrite this article using the patch naming facilities on a typical effects unit LCD rather than try to programme a complex drum part from a guitar! Half the battle is knowing when to stop and use something else, which is why I also use conventional keyboards and drum pads in my MIDI studio. But what I don't want you to do is to write off guitar synths as being so imperfect that they're unusable -- even the cheap-and-cheerful Shadow SH075 is a supremely useful little box for interfacing your guitar-playing skills with the sonic world of MIDI. http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1994_articles/feb94/midiguitar.html Other good net references: http://home.epix.net/~joelc/midi_git.htmlhttp://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/recording...-recording.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitar_synthesizerHope this help. Carlos
Gabriel Arellano,
Nucleox Music
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Thanks Carlos.. that was an excellent reply, full of good information I can look up as time allows.
The problem must be in the setup of my GI-20, because the Godin sounds amazing when played through the original Roland GR-1 guitar synth pedal. But when I try to play it through a Roland XV-3080 rack synth using the GI-20 as interface, it doesn't sound good at all. (and it SHOULD sound much better)
I'll plug in the settings you recommended and try again.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Sep 2009
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Productor Musical
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Productor Musical
Joined: Sep 2009
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You're welcome Pat.
I forgot to mention I connect GI-20 via MIDI ports, not USB, I don't know why but it seem to cause conflict with my iLOK and Steinberg USB dongles. Anyway the difference in terms of speed between both, USB and MIDI, is imperceptible.
Carlos
Gabriel Arellano,
Nucleox Music
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Feb 2008
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Thanks Carlos. There's a lot of good info there. Based on your reply, and on other resources, I think the Axon is going to be right for me. I'm going to equip one of my basses with the ghost piezo saddles and hexaphonic board. The idea is to be able to play my bass directly into BiaB. Hopefully that will help me improve my precision and overall musicality. Thanks again.
BiaB 2013 b366, RB 2013 b4, WinXP Pro SP3, Toshiba M70, 1.8GHz 2GB RAM 100GB HD. Focusrite Saffire 6 USB, Ketron SD2. BiaB Wiki
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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You're a collector, like ol' G-Daddy. I picked up my GR-303 Roland Midi/Jazz Guitar way back 20 years ago when Metheny was blossoming...with the GM-70 rack unit, and it's always had great tracking but needs to be soloed very cleanly...it grooves!! This was the beginning into my adding synths to straight jazz hollowbodies...I've an XV-4080 Roland Rack Synth, and a bunch of other synth/sampler keyboards and modules. I've no problems with the sound emanating from these babies...with direct midi connections to all the hardware... Nice having such knowledgeable guitarist on board here. Of course, Carlos is my absolute favorite jazz cat!!!   http://www.thegigbaby.com
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 8,109
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Carlos,
I also connect using midi rather than USB (mostly because there is no 64 bit USB driver for the GI-20, and Roland doesn't plan to provide one)
I did a factory reset on the GI-20 to get rid of all the tweaks I tried to make to the patches, and reset my string sensitivity, and it sounds much better now.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,055
Productor Musical
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Productor Musical
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,055 |
Cita:
Code:
GDaddy
Of course, Carlos is my absolute favorite jazz cat!!!
Muchas gracias Mike!. Although I don´t think to deserve it I appreciate it a lot  ..thanks ... Btw, Oliver (Ganon), drive force behind PGM , is a amazing guitarist and a model I follow.
Cita:
Code:
GDaddy
I picked up my GR-303 Roland Midi/Jazz Guitar way back 20 years ago when Metheny was blossoming...with the GM-70 rack unit, and it's always had great tracking but needs to be soloed very cleanly...it grooves!!
This was the beginning into my adding synths to straight jazz hollowbodies...I've an XV-4080 Roland Rack Synth, and a bunch of other synth/sampler keyboards and modules. I've no problems with the sound emanating from these babies...with direct midi connections to all the hardware...
Wow, GR-303, GM-70 such incredible classic dream gear to death for! . it could be great some pictures to watch of your MIDIfied jazz hollowbodies Mike. What do you use for pickups? the old Roland GK1 or newest Gk2/Gk3 ?
Saludos
Carlos
Gabriel Arellano,
Nucleox Music
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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.
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Holiday Weekend Hours
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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!
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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.
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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®!
XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!
All of our XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs are on sale until May 15th, 2026!
It's the perfect time to expand your Band-in-a-Box® style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs. These additional styles for Band-in-a-Box® offer a wide range of genres designed to fit seamlessly into your projects. Each style is professionally arranged and mixed, helping enhance your songs while saving you time.
What are XPro Styles and Xtra Styles PAKs?
XPro Styles PAKs are styles that work with any version (Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition) of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). XPro Styles PAKS 1-10 includes 1,000 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 includes 3,700 styles (and 35 MIDI styles)!
The XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs are not included in any Band-in-a-Box® package.
The XPro Styles PAKs 1-10 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
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Note: XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 19 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version as they require the RealTracks included in the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Supercharge your Band-in-a-Box today with XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAK Sets!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac Videos
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.
Check out this forum post for "One Stop Shopping" of our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Videos!
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