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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 49
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 49 |
I have an Ultra pack running from its USB hard drive. I was thinking of installing the contents on a
Seagate, 7200rpm, firewire Free Agent Pro type hard drive, to keep the USB as a backup. Firewire
is supposed to be better for transfer of audio files but other than getting back my 2 USB ports and
having the original as my backup copy, is the any benefit to load speed or performance in the
move to a firewire external hard drive? Can someone who has tried this say how it worked
out for you? Thanks.
PowerSpec Tower, Intel Quad Core
4GB RAM, XP pro
3 500 GB Hard Drives
Tracktion 3, Sonic Cell, QY 100
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,583
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Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,583 |
I have tried it.
Although theoretically Firewire 400 is a bit faster than USB 2, in practice I did not notice any difference. And if you don't have a firewire card or controller with Texas Instrument chips, I don't recommend firewire anyway for audio.
If you are talking Firewire 800, or USB 3, then the answer is different.
As I understand it, this is the order from slowest to fastest: USB, USB 2, Firewire 400, Firewire 800, USB 3.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502 |
I haven't noticed much difference if at all either.
While it is true that FireWire still holds the slight upperhand when it comes to Streaming Audio, especially Multitracked streaming Audio, thye loading and playing of RealTracks is not quite the same issue at all.
So the answer is that you could stay with the USB drive if your only goal is higher performance in terms of load speeds. Just always make sure that the USB port you use is USB 2.0 and not USB1.1 - most computers have both types on them these days, typically more 1.1s than 2.0s.
--Mac
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 49
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 49 |
Thanks Matt, I was wondering if there was any added performance boost. My USB
Ultra Pk was from Dec. 2008, the slim profile, Chinese made drive, that has
sometimes been a bit touchy starting up. I have been recording audio with my
tower so I have two dedicated f/w 400 cards, with the TI chipset. The Seagate
Free Agent Pro can be USB 2 or f/w400. If you have tried storing BIAB over
f/w400 to HD and it workes just as good as USB2, then because I use many MIDI
extras, I would like to get back those 2 USB ports it uses. To do the change over
to another HD, would I just copy and paste to the new HD location (and not run
the installer again - UltraPak setup.exe)? As I said my USB Ultra was 2008, but I
upgraded to 2009, then updated that to 2009.5, so the copy I make should be
correct and up to date for what I have ? Thanks for your assistance.
PowerSpec Tower, Intel Quad Core
4GB RAM, XP pro
3 500 GB Hard Drives
Tracktion 3, Sonic Cell, QY 100
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,583
Veteran
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,583 |
It depends on how you installed the program.
If you installed it to your tower's boot drive, then I would recommend you do what I did: copy the Real Drums folder and Real Tracks folder to the firewire drive, but leave the program where it is. Just go to Opt, Preferences, Real Drums and Real Tracks and set the new custom path to the firewire drive. Also make sure you duplicate the correct folder hierarchy.
[Truth be told, I copied only the folders of Real Track instruments that I knew I might use. With the audiophile version, that saved a lot of space.]
But if you run the program from the external drive, you will need to use the Setup.exe to reinstall the entire application to another drive. If I recall correctly, the 2009.5 setup file gave you the same choices it does now with 2010.5.
ps there have been a lot of other improvements since version 2009.5.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 49
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 49 |
Thanks Matt and Mac for the input. I just got back to BIAB, since caring for
Family members and a move, with my system torn down. When I first got my
Ultra in 2008, I just got rolling when I had to stop for lifes issues. Now that I'm back
I'm already in high gear discovering many new sides of BIAB & RB. I can't believe
the quality of the songs I've made...I'm lovin'it!! So if there are improvements
in 2010.5, I've got some reading to do to catch up. (and I just printed out many
chapters of the large 2009.5 guide)...
If the USB HDs have gotten better, an upgrade to 2010.5 on HD may be in order.
PowerSpec Tower, Intel Quad Core
4GB RAM, XP pro
3 500 GB Hard Drives
Tracktion 3, Sonic Cell, QY 100
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502 |
Quote:
... Chinese made drive, that has
sometimes been a bit touchy starting up. ....
The USB enclosure is made in China. The drive itself likely comes from Singapore, where ALL the hard drives come from regardless of brand.
You may be able to cure the "touchy startup" by opening the enclosure and reseating the drive into its connector inside. If you have the black PGMusic supplied enclosure with the Band in a Box logo on it, there are two little tabs on the side of each end -- push those tabs inward slightly using a small jeweler's screwdriver or the like and the end caps will come out. The rest should be self-explanatory, simply disconnect the disk drive itself from that end connector and then connect it again. This action can physically clean the contacts as well as reseat them as sometimes the connector becomes loose inside the case. Then pop the end caps back on.
--Mac
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 49
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 49 |
Hi Mac, thanks for the tip. I have the older style, silver colored housing, saying
"2.5 SATA - External Case". The USB end cap has two small jewelers screws, which
I guess must come out to release the cap. I will then follow instructions to reseat
the connector, then close it back up. But, since I'm going to look at a 2010.5 upgrade, it sounds like there may have been some improvements to the HD
units, from the 2008 style. Is it just a housing change or have the internals
improved also?
PowerSpec Tower, Intel Quad Core
4GB RAM, XP pro
3 500 GB Hard Drives
Tracktion 3, Sonic Cell, QY 100
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,869
Expert
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Expert
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,869 |
jb you have a treat waiting for you when you upgrade - make sure you get the 101 Rts they are cool. i have had the same life issues, a move , new studio, got it all running, got 2010.5 plus started jsmmiung its great!
wwbr up a cherry tree yesterday, staning on top of this ladder reaching up for those top sweet cherries... i know what you thinking, but no, i got down safely enough...
it was when i was standing on the lawn i fell backwards and brije my left arm
Anyways.. few weeks off work to praxtuce my right hand...
00:() Som etimes life can not quite be that bowl ofd cherries...lol
Win 11 64, Asus Rog Strix z390 mobo, 64 gig RAM, 8700k
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 49
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 49 |
Hi ZZ, yes I love the RT I have now. Just having a track or two in a song really
bring up the fun level! I am looking forward to more bass & B3 that are in the
new ones. Hope your arm mends quickly, so you can get back to the cherry bowl!!
PowerSpec Tower, Intel Quad Core
4GB RAM, XP pro
3 500 GB Hard Drives
Tracktion 3, Sonic Cell, QY 100
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 312
Journeyman
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Journeyman
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 312 |
Quote:
I have an Ultra pack running from its USB hard drive. I was thinking of installing the contents on a
Seagate, 7200rpm, firewire Free Agent Pro type hard drive, to keep the USB as a backup.
Well the most obvious advantage is the fact that you will have backed up the USB drive. Luckily I installed the BIAB executable from my pgmusic USB drive to my main PC just before it's quirky behavior got worse. It crashed within a month or two.
There's an interesting comment in the post about the newer drives having better reliability but I try to make a firm policy of not throwing more money after bad when it's not a boat.
If you're going firewire, USB, or NAS don't worry about the spindle speed. Maybe if you're looking at a Gigabit NAS and it has high performance reviews.
If someone is using the realtracks then I would recommend having those files on an internal disk, if you use BIAB frequently. Attached drives are good for backups, shared materials (for NAS storage), and large files that are used infrequently. Attached drives, with the exception of eSATA, have a significant performance hit.
Finally, I have found a cool signature with sufficiently dry humor.
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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
It's Victoria Day Long Weekend in Canada. Our Customer Service hours are:
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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!
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!
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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.
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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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