Whether I listen or not listen, does not have anything to do with this. Nor is that a solution to anything. It appears that folks here do not know what respectful and disrespectful even mean.
Yeah. It appears that some don't....
Byron Dickens
BIAB. CbB. Mixbus 32C 8 HP Envy. Intel core i7. 16GB RAM W10. Focusrite Scarlett 18i 20. Various instruments played with varying degrees of proficiency.
Yes, that is making more sense. All this business about un-baking the cake is new to me. I did know about Spleeter and derivatives, but I didn't think they had progressed so far.
Although technically impressive, I put this usage of AI in the same category as a gimmick or low-brow entertainment. So what if someone painstakingly copied a Sinatra sound, reproduced his voice and changed the lyrics for a single song. The real "gold" is for an application to seamlessly do this for any song with the user having full edit control of the output; and my prediction is that some company will provide exactly this within 5 years.
BiaB and AI could be a perfect marriage to allow the creation of fully editable custom styles and chord sheets (much like we have today) based on giving it a target audio sample. So if you want a Sinatra style, feed it a Sinatra audio sample. If you want a Frank Zappa, Chicago, chanting Monks meditation music or any other style, just supply the appropriate audio sample and the output would be a ready-to use SGU file. The days of scrolling thru and auditioning hundreds of pre-programmed styles would be replaced with laser focussing on the style you want.
This technology needs to move from the novelty/consumer/listener domain to the creative/editable/musician domain.
https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677 BiaB 2025 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.
So what if someone painstakingly copied a Sinatra sound, reproduced his voice and changed the lyrics for a single song.
In 2005, Paul Anka released on the album "Rock Swings". The album is covers of rock songs done in the big-band style.
The arrangement you're hearing in the video was created Brad Dechter, and played by studio musicians.
All that was done without AI.
The only thing that AI did was:
Split out the vocal from the backing track; and
Replace the timbre of Anka's voice with Sinatra's.
While that's technologically impressive, it's orders of magnitude less than the sort of thing you are describing.
Originally Posted by Bass Thumper
...and my prediction is that some company will provide exactly this within 5 years.
You've got expertise in the field to base this prediction on?
Because that's not the sort of predictions I hear from people who are actually trying to accomplish this. They're saying there's a world of difference between working with temporally stable pixels and time-changing audio.
Predicting that audio will follow the same timeline as AI generative graphics ignores the huge difference between them.
David answered my question. The band in this example is a real band with real musicians and a very talented arranger who has mastered the style of Nelson Riddle. Not easy!
Eddie, I should have been more precise. It is this thought that AI emulated a real big band playing a Nelson Riddle arrangement that I was skeptical of. Apparently we are not there yet. I’m glad because I write big band jazz charts.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
I wonder... what musicians of 1890's thought of Pianola(Player piano)? Was it something similar to what some people tend to think now about effects/influence of AI on music?
"an inventor in Germany, Edwin Welte, was working on a player which would reproduce all the aspects of the performance automatically, so that his machine would play back a recorded performance exactly as if the original pianist were sitting at the piano keyboard. Known as a Reproducing Piano, this device, the Welte-Mignon, was launched in 1904. It created new marketing opportunities, as manufacturers could now get the foremost pianists and composers of the day to record their performances on a piano roll. This allowed owners of player pianos to experience such a performance in their own homes on their own instruments, exactly as the original pianist had played it." - Wiki.
I certainly admire those skills that came before our time, but somehow would not be so certain that their delivery matched to quality of today's delivery.
Regardless, given time, these things will just continue to improve.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Professional & Windows 11, Sonar Platinum, Cakewalk by Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M Monitors, Pioneer Active Monitors
I play music live for a living in a duo with Mrs. Notes.
Most of my competitors are using Karaoke tracks. I make my own backing tracks. Sometimes with the help of BiaB, sometimes from scratch, depending on the song and how close I want to cover it. It's a lot more work than downloading a K track.
I guess I could accuse the karaoke track duos of cheating, but what would be the point?
My goal is to sound better than my competitors. I think my tracks sound better. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.
Regarding bands using The Wrecking Crew, The Swampers, or other studio musicians to record their songs, I suppose that could be cheating too. But it sells records. The bands then have to learn the licks the studio musicians played when they go live. Even The Beatles couldn't reproduce many of their songs live. Is that cheating?
I've done some, but not a great deal of studio recording, but enough to know there is a difference between playing in the fish tank or playing in stage. Some bands also have the studio skills, but not all do.
I'm amazed at the deep fakes, and feel that ethically, there should be some notification. But I know even if one was required, it wouldn't be universally used, and there is no way to enforce it.
Respect? Isn't imitation the sincerest form of flattery?
When The Knickerbockers recorded “Lies”, it was so close in style that most people thought the song on the radio was actually recorded by The Beatles. Actually, I thought the band was tighter than the early Beatles.
We aren't going to answer the ethical questions here, although it's interesting to discuss them.
Me? I'm going to be amazed by the technology, and make a mental note not to believe what I see or hear. Then I'll go about my daily life, trying to get as much pleasure out of each day, for however many I have left. I have gigs to play, new songs to learn, food in the fridge, a roof over my head, a wonderful wife, I woke up this morning, and everything else is extra.
Insights and incites by Notes ♫
Last edited by Notes Norton; 11/18/2306:27 AM. Reason: speling misteaks
If one form of backing tracks is cheating, then ALL forms of backing tracks is cheating. You making your own doesn't elevate you to some higher plane of "cheating", despite your high opinion of yourself. (You failed to brag about your 15-20 gigs per month. You slipping in your old age? And the cruise ships. Don't forget the cruise ships.) Backing tracks in any form still results in keyboard and horn players being unemployed.
There was a female duo here that sang over tracks. Nobody cared because they were both very good singers, and both extremely hot to a level where none of the men in the audience actually came to hear them sing. Their tracks were nothing more than a mutual producer friend removing the vocals with software, so they literally sang over the original band sans vocals. Cheating? Or just a shorter way to get to the same finish line every backing track group gets to eventually?
Several years back I was meeting a guy who wanted me to do some keyboards for him. The place we met had a small stage and there was a guy setting up. I paid no attention to him beyond noticing movement on that little platform. When he started I looked over and saw he was playing bass. BASS!!! How DARE he present himself as a solo act when all he did was play bass along with backing tracks? I mean guitar solos were tracks!! Short of putting a bass solo into every song, what is entertaining about watching somebody play the easiest instrument in the world of backing tracks? I mean, it's BASS! As I once told the bass player from one of my bands when he started to get too full of himself about how good "we" sounded, "Dude, WE (gesturing in a circle toward the actual real, actual, playing pieces like the horns and the keyboards) sound good. YOU are just here. If you were to have a stroke and die before a show, there are probably 5 or 6 people right in the audience who could come up and play your parts." A bass player can be replaced by the keyboard player's left hand. But by my own logic, that would also be cheating too, because iIf you want bass, hire a bass player (and pay him 3/4 scale). If you want horns, hire horns.
It becomes clearer and clearer why I can't keep a band together, doesn't it?
Y'all ain't seen her yet? Wait till you see her jamming with Steve Vai. On stage.
Byron Dickens
BIAB. CbB. Mixbus 32C 8 HP Envy. Intel core i7. 16GB RAM W10. Focusrite Scarlett 18i 20. Various instruments played with varying degrees of proficiency.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Professional & Windows 11, Sonar Platinum, Cakewalk by Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M Monitors, Pioneer Active Monitors
BTW Eddie, since you asked. When we did cruise ships, we used the backing tracks I made myself, and set all-time revenue records in the lounge we played in. We were rewarded with a passenger sized cabin with a porthole, allowed to sell cassette tapes to passengers, and lasted 3 years on a 3-week contract which ended when Mrs. Notes' mom got sick, and we needed to jump-ship to become her caretaker.
But that's all off-topic
I mentioned various things that could be considered cheating and answered, “what would be the point?” That was to compare it with subbing Sinatra's voice over Anka's tracks.
Cheating or not isn't the question. My conclusion was:
Quote
We aren't going to answer the ethical questions here, although it's interesting to discuss them.
Me? I'm going to be amazed by the technology, and make a mental note not to believe what I see or hear. Then I'll go about my daily life, trying to get as much pleasure out of each day, for however many I have left. I have gigs to play, new songs to learn, food in the fridge, a roof over my head, a wonderful wife, I woke up this morning, and everything else is extra.
So I guess you missed the point.
OT, years later when they sold the ship, the entertainment purchaser on the ships told me that our revenue record stood the test of time, and was the highest on that ship, and her two sister ships, ever. He asked if we wanted to come back on. I had so many land gigs, and we were still taking care of mom, so I had to say, "no"
Join Tobin as he takes you on a tour of the new user interface in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®! This modern GUI redesign offers a sleek new look with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, and a smoother workflow. The brand-new side toolbar puts track selection, the MultiPicker Library, and other essential tools right at your fingertips. Plus, our upgraded Multi-View lets you layer multiple windows without overlap, giving you a highly flexible workspace. Many windows—including Tracks, Piano Roll, and more—have been redesigned for improved usability and a cleaner, more intuitive interface, and more!
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 10 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Windows & Mac 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 Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Windows & Mac 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.
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.
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows is here and it is packed with major new features! There’s a new modern look, a GUI redesign to all areas of the program including toolbars, windows, workflow and more. There’s a Multi-view layout for organizing multiple windows. A standout addition is the powerful AI-Notes feature, which uses AI neural-net technology to transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI—entire mixes or individual instruments—making it easy to study, view, and play parts from any song. And that’s just the beginning—there are over 60 new features in this exciting release.
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!
Special Offers
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows and save up to 50% on most upgrade packages during our special offer—available until December 31, 2025. Visit our Band-in-a-Box® packages page to explore all available upgrade options.
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK Add-ons
Our Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK are loaded with amazing add-ons! The Free Bonus PAK is included with most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows packages, but you can unlock even more—including 20 unreleased RealTracks—by upgrading to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49. Browse the full contents of each package and listen to demos here.
XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs Special Extended Until August 31st!
XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs Special Extended Until August 31st!
The XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs special offers are now available until August 31st at 11:59pm PDT!
Ready to take your Band-in-a-Box® 2025 experience to the next level? Now’s the perfect time! Expand your style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs—packed with a wide variety of genres to inspire your next musical creation.
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 1-9 includes 900 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). With over 3,500 styles (and 35 MIDI styles) included in Xtra Styles PAKs 1-20, the possibilities are endless!
Get the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 9 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 Windows or for Mac.
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.
Get Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 19 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Listen to demos and order now! For Windows or for Mac.
Note: 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 because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Don’t miss this chance to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box setup—at a great price!
One of our representatives will be happy to help you over the phone. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday, and 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST Saturday. We are closed Sunday. You can also send us your questions via email.
One of our representatives will be happy to help you on our Live Chat or by email. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday; 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST (GMT -8) Saturday; Closed Sunday.
Norton Music
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean