Dan, you shameless seducer! I bought the Dream machine.
Since new version WILL accept chords in real time and Peter Gannon confirmed in wishlist that VST3 is set for 2024, that would be a nice addition / companion to BIAB.
For new users (!!) I talked to Toontrack customer service and you can purchase current version from other retailers and it would still be eligible for V2 update. I bought dream machine from Best Service for $136, registered it with Toontrack and what they say is true. Confirmed. I got my v2 update AND core library reserved. See attached.
I decided to pull the trigger, because they might discontinue new sales of VST2 and besides BIAB I have another software that is VST2 only. This way I will have both versions.
Misha, I would never ask you to do something I would not do myself. And wasn't it you who made me buy Scaler back in the day? Or maybe it was you who convinced me to buy Flashback Pro? So what goes around comes around.
Not sure if I was the one to strip dance Scaler for you, but Flashback is awesome! I still stand by it. ------------------------------------
Dan, since you had been with Toontrack for a while. Can you recommend third party keys patterns? Their stuff is OK, but I feel a bit overpriced. Thanks.
Dan, since you had been with Toontrack for a while. Can you recommend third party keys patterns? Their stuff is OK, but I feel a bit overpriced. Thanks.
Good Question. I am afraid I have good and bad news but then some good news for you.
Bad news there is a ton of crap out there in the world of third party midi libraries. We have been spoiled by BIAB. So much of their stuff is so good with so little effort. Unlike midi libraries which will allow you to build a sequence one chord arpeggio at a time. These libraries are relatively cheap, but you get what you pay for. I have picked up several big commercial packs over the years and I can't recommend any of them other than EZKeys packs which do go on sale at times. Remember, this was EZKeys model (I call it the printer model). Sell the printer for cheap and then make all your money on selling the ink and paper.
But a bit of good news, there is one 3rd party exception. One guy who makes midi packs in the cimimatic genre which I really like. https://www.mediamusicmastery.com/. Go to his site and grab a selection of freebees to see what he offers. I have used this to make music.
As I read the fine print, it says I can upgrade at the discounted price until the day of the release. Also I wanted to buy Synthwave but if I understand it comes with the upgrade.
Dan, is this your understanding?
Billy
I own EZKeys, EZBass, EZDrummer2, and Superior Drummer3. A bunch of midi packs and a few expansions packs. The more I use their products the better I like them.
What I generally find a waste of time and money is third party midi. But that is only a general statement. If you know of any midi packe that are really good I would like to know and I don't care what they cost.
“Amazing! I’ll be working with Jaco Pastorius, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Buddy Rich, and you’re telling me it’s not that great of a gig? “Well…” Saint Peter, hesitated, “God’s got this girlfriend who thinks she can sing…”
HP Win 11 12 gig ram, Mac mini Sonoma with 16 gig of ram, BiaB 2025, Realband, Reaper 7, Harrison Mixbus 9 32c , Melodyne 5 editor, Presonus Audiobox 1818VSL, Presonus control app.
As I read the fine print, it says I can upgrade at the discounted price until the day of the release. Also I wanted to buy Synthwave but if I understand it comes with the upgrade.
Dan, is this your understanding?
No, I think you have that wrong. You will only get to choose one of four free expansions when you are a first time purchaser. No free expansion when you upgrade ($79 is too cheap to give a free expansion). Check it out closely, the anwer is out there.
Originally Posted By: Planobilly
Billy
What I generally find a waste of time and money is third party midi. But that is only a general statement. If you know of any midi packe that are really good I would like to know and I don't care what they cost.
I am in fully agreement with your understanding about 3rd party midi packs (for keys). I have invested in an embarrising amount of these products so I speak from experience. But this is only in the case of Keys. Drums on the otherhand offer a host of great 3rd party options. Check out GrooveMonkey as an example.
Oh, but don't miss this...
Quote:
But a bit of good news, there is one 3rd party exception. One guy who makes midi packs in the cimimatic genre which I really like. https://www.mediamusicmastery.com/. Go to his site and grab a selection of freebees to see what he offers. I have used this to make music.
I am in fully agreement with your understanding about 3rd party midi packs (for keys). I have invested in an embarrising amount of these products so I speak from experience. But this is only in the case of Keys. Drums on the otherhand offer a host of great 3rd party options. Check out GrooveMonkey as an example.
I can vouch for Groove Monkee! After Mario and Dan recommending them I tried them and ended up buying their entire collection! What an amazingly sweet library to add to my EZ Drummer 3!!!
Cost: Synthwave Instrument $89, Midi packs are $29 each
So I bought The Synthwave instrument plus New Wave Midi and Synthwave Midi. You could play with these three things for weeks...lol It provides some of the same sorts of sounds that are in Kontakt.
The Toontracks website is very unclear about what comes with this Synthwave instrument. They infer an upgrade to EZKeys 2 when it gets here. They don't say how that would actually work or what it cost, or if you are buying this instrument as an add-on to your current EZKeys stuff. The added value stuff is only indicated when clicking "add to cart." Even then, it does not tell you anything. There is no value at $179 for standard if you own EZKeys.
I will order the EZKeys2 software for whatever value it may or may not bring. It is not a material amount of money compared to what I have already spent on Toontracks stuff.
What is less clear is the value of EZDrummer3. What will it do that Superior Drummer3, which I own, does not do?
The bottom line, if you are concerned about what any of this costs, the video Dan posted will give you some idea of how unethical their pricing structure is.
Unfortunately, we live in a world of corporate come on BS.
I think their products are worth the money. I think their deceptive pricing structure sucks.
Billy
EDIT: I did some testing with Synthwave. There is a bass part with 30 presets. Any of this can be played out in EZBass and Trillian. Also, all third-party midi I put in Synthwave worked without issue, including midi I created on my keyboard and drew in by hand. I tested midi from BIAB also without issue.
As far as cost is concerned, good midi at $29 is better than crap midi, even if you pay me to try the crap midi...lol
Last edited by Planobilly; 04/04/2312:40 PM.
“Amazing! I’ll be working with Jaco Pastorius, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Buddy Rich, and you’re telling me it’s not that great of a gig? “Well…” Saint Peter, hesitated, “God’s got this girlfriend who thinks she can sing…”
The Toontracks website is very unclear about what comes with this Synthwave instrument. They infer an upgrade to EZKeys 2 when it gets here. They don't say how that would actually work or what it cost, or if you are buying this instrument as an add-on to your current EZKeys stuff. The added value stuff is only indicated when clicking "add to cart." Even then, it does not tell you anything. There is no value at $179 for standard if you own EZKeys.
Here is my take: What you just purchased will not change the cost of the upgrade which will be $79. At the same time anything you already have purchased will be fully compatible with the upgrade. I think it will all be a good thing in the end.
I ASSUME Cakewalk still has a ton of usable drum midi. I have not used that DAW for a long time. In the Sonar days, it had something called a session drummer, which had a pretty extensive midi collection plus an easy way to separate each drum on a separate track.
I ASSUME you could get to the midi files and use them in EZDrummer.
Billy
“Amazing! I’ll be working with Jaco Pastorius, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Buddy Rich, and you’re telling me it’s not that great of a gig? “Well…” Saint Peter, hesitated, “God’s got this girlfriend who thinks she can sing…”
I ASSUME Cakewalk still has a ton of usable drum midi. I have not used that DAW for a long time. In the Sonar days, it had something called a session drummer, which had a pretty extensive midi collection plus an easy way to separate each drum on a separate track.
I ASSUME you could get to the midi files and use them in EZDrummer.
Billy
Wrong assumption. Cakewalk by Bandlab does not include the Session Drummer plugin use to be included with Sonar. However, any third party content you may have from Sonar packages work with Cakewalk by Bandlab.
Cakewalk by Bandlab does include drums as one of the 4 virtual instruments of drums, bass, electric keys and strings included in the Studio Instruments suite. However, none of the virtual instruments include much midi content.
Yes, my assumption was incorrect. No free lunch...lol
As a test, I tried to download the old paid version of Sonar. The files and the serial numbers are still there on cakewalk.com. It actually loaded up but would not run correctly. The session drummer was there in the program. Perhaps it would run on an older version of Windows.
I think if I remember correctly, things like Dimension Pro 1.5 would work even in other DAWs. Not sure.
I no longer have Cakewalk by Bandlab.
Billy
EDIT: Just as a test, I downloaded the old paid Sonar program on my Win 10 machine. It runs without issue, and all the Session Drummer midi is there. Not that I think I will have a lot of use for it. It looks like all the other stuff I paid money for still exists for download.
Last edited by Planobilly; 04/04/2304:24 PM.
“Amazing! I’ll be working with Jaco Pastorius, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Buddy Rich, and you’re telling me it’s not that great of a gig? “Well…” Saint Peter, hesitated, “God’s got this girlfriend who thinks she can sing…”
The Toontracks website is very unclear about what comes with this Synthwave instrument. They infer an upgrade to EZKeys 2 when it gets here. They don't say how that would actually work or what it cost, or if you are buying this instrument as an add-on to your current EZKeys stuff. The added value stuff is only indicated when clicking "add to cart." Even then, it does not tell you anything.
I initially thought buying an expansion might qualify me for the free upgrade because their webpage is a bit unclear!
But I quickly understood this is NOT the case based on this text at the bottom of the EZ Keys 2 page (I bolded the key part),
Quote:
Buy EZkeys, get the EZkeys 2 upgrade included **This offer is valid now until EZkeys 2 is released on May 16, 2023. This offer applies to any “Regular” version of EZkeys as well as currently available bundle configurations any such variant may be included in. EZkeys Sound Expansion purchases do not include an upgrade to EZkeys 2. Offer is for a digital download only, no physical copy is distributed. EZkeys download is available upon purchase/registration. Upgrade download will be available on release day (on May 16, 2023). Advertised savings may differ depending on currency and currency changes may create price discrepancies. Pricing and availability are subject to change during the course of the promotion. We reserve the right for any printing errors, spelling mistakes or inaccuracies in images or text relating to this offer. Promotion void where prohibited.
Hundreds if not thousands of keyboard midi tracks and always huge sales... These all work in EZKeys the same way that EZkeys packs work.
Just place an order one time, and you will get on the list for ever!
You guys know me, I would never tell anyone what to do. But in this case, do your self a favor. Go to https://www.mediamusicmastery.com/ and download the free pack. Just insert the midi library folder into the "Browser" option in the EZkeys menu. You may be pleasently surprized. This is good stuff. Oh, by the way, your emial will start getting hit. But maybe in a good way for you.
OK, now I do have to apologize. I maybe have been a bit overly vocal on this topic. I don't want to be considered a Fanboy who just goes on and on about a specific app. Unfortunately, it maybe too late for me to do anything about that. But that was never my intention.
So I am going to leave this topic and turn the floor over to this guy who covers this far better than I ever could.
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Introducing XPro Styles PAK 10 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 28 RealTracks and RealDrums!
Few things are certain in life: death, taxes, and a brand spankin’ new XPro Styles PAK! In this, the 10th edition of our XPro Styles PAK series, we’ve got 100 styles coming your way! We have the classic 25 styles each from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, and rounding out this volume's wildcard slot is 25 styles in the Praise & Worship genre! A wide spanning genre, you can find everything from rock, folk, country, and more underneath its umbrella. The included 28 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Here’s just a small sampling of what you can look forward to in XPro Styles PAK 10: Soft indie folk worship songs, bumpin’ country boogies, gospel praise breaks, hard rockin’ pop, funky disco grooves, smooth Latin jazz pop, bossa nova fusion, western swing, alternative hip-hop, cool country funk, and much more!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 10 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
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.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 21 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest Xtra Styles PAK installment—the all new Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher)!
Rejoice, one and all, for Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box® is here! We’re serving up 200 brand spankin’ new styles to delight your musical taste buds! The first three courses are the classics you’ve come to know and love, including offerings from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, but, not to be outdone, this year’s fourth course is bro country! A wide ranging genre, you can find everything from hip-hop, uptempo outlaw country, hard hitting rock, funk, and even electronica, all with that familiar bro country flair. The dinner bell has been rung, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 21 today!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Energetic folk rock, raucous train beats, fast country boogies, acid jazz grooves, laid-back funky jams, a bevy of breezy jazz waltzes, calm electro funk, indie synth pop, industrial synth metal, and more bro country than could possibly fit in the back of a pickup truck!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 21 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 21 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 21 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
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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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But in this case, do your self a favor. Go to 
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