Originally Posted by Lee N
Originally Posted by Charlie Fogle
I'm not understanding the correlation to how the number of styles increases the complexity of the program. The number of styles has no relation or dependency to the core program. Regardless of the year version or OS version, the only difference between the different purchase versions is content. The user that purchases a pro version of BIAB has all the functions and features of the user with the Ultra Plus version. There's no difference in the operation or increase in complexity between the two programs. More choice of styles doesn't contribute to making the program more complex. PG Music could add 10,000 new styles but the program will still be the same as would be if all programs shipped with only 10 styles. Styles would still be selected, loaded and play the same. I don't see there being a maximum number of styles to users other than physical storage space. Choice is an external process of the user not an internal issue for operation of the program, Right?

For me it's because of the chore of finding what I'm looking for. 10 styles or 10 realtracks would be easy, I'd listen to all 10 and make a choice. When it becomes 10,000 then things need to be made a lot easier. Search is irrelevant, it rarely brings up anything actually relevant because the categorisation is not only badly labelled, nothing can be properly filtered. Searching for a song title in the filter is nothing short of a joke.

The problem isn't quite as bad if I just want to choose a style and be done. The problem is refining a style, changing realtrack instruments is unnecessarily time consuming and overly complex with far too many mouse clicks required, which needs to be done repeatedly. It just wears down my enthusiasm to a point I can't be bothered. For refining realdrums things are even worse.

I love the realtracks, the more the merrier, but without improved functionality they just add to the already cluttered mess and everything just takes longer and wears down my enthusiasm even more.
Some of the VST instruments are becoming so good that if the BIAB interface doesn't improve then I'm finding less reason to bother firing it up.

I only complain because I love the software, nothing else compares to what it does. With each upgrade I still live in hope of design improvements but it never happens, I've pretty much lost faith in it. I don't care about modern looks or dark themes, in fact I prefer the look of BIAB than all the modern trends that other software developers go for, but BIAB is just endless mouse clicks, menus and sub-menus that make no sense and everything just too unnecessarily difficult. I'm tech savvy, I use lots of software, some of it very frustrating but I alway get my head around things and put up with the bad designs and lack of common sense that seems so common in the developer world. BIAB is the only one that I often give up on and hit the exit button, it drives me to a point of insanity and too much frustration - but I really wish it didn't. If it was better designed I'd use it far more often.
Well said! Several of us have been saying this for a long time (and are often roundly criticized for daring to be critical of BIAB!) I hope PGM starts to realize there are a lot of their customers who feel this way. And you are def correct that the VSTis are becoming really good! I can already put together Bass, Drums and Keys with Toontrack products and the results sound as good as or better than what I can do with RealTracks! Plus the creative process is so much more fun than with BIAB. If Toontrack adds Guitar and maybe integrate these tools a bit better you have your BIAB-killer product.