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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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I have been a” Biaber” since 1996 and by and large have supported the product by buying the annual upgrades.(not that I always have needed them)
Last October I upgraded to an Audiophile External HD 1Gig ( A Noisy one at that!!!) for $199
So that gave me Biab 2009.5; Real Drums up to and including 26; Soloist up to and including 20; Real Tracks up to and including 66; Styles up to and including 77.

So now for me to upgrade to the latest files 2010.5 plus Real Drums 27,28,29 and Real Band files 67-101 that cheapest Biab can do is $299.

I only want probably about 5% to 10% of that number of files

So should the price be more like $30-$50??

I think your update prices are getting way too expensive why not let us download the required files via a torrent program .I’ll still pay after all!!

I realise that since real tracks/drums have come one the scene the files are way larger, but then I’m thinking that the technology will/has developed smaller formats that still retain the quality of the sound so say using some alternate like Kontakt is looking more feasible. What do you guys and girls think?

I still think is a great product and has come a long way since I started using it and i'm sure there are a heck of a lot more users using it out there than there were in 1996!!

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About the noisy hard disk enclosure, I just took the drive out and mounted it as an internal SATA drive. The drive itself is quiet. Performance is better, too, than USB allows.


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I understand how you feel, but I can also understand PG Music having to raise the cost of things. In the pre - Real days, the program was the expense for them. They paid programmers and/or did it themselves, the computer provided the sounds. Real Tracks and Drums added the cost of paying the musicians to lay down all of the tracks, the equipment to record them, the studio to record them in, and who knows what else. So even though I wish it was still the old $59 or so upgrades, what I am getting for the current cost is well worth it. Plus I get a small USB hard drive. I now have 4 of them (I think). I'm not using the Audiophile version, so I don't spend as much as you would need to keep current with BIAB, but I guess you get what you pay for and pay for what you get. I hope it works out for you.
Good luck.

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Quote:


So now for me to upgrade to the latest files 2010.5 plus Real Drums 27,28,29 and Real Band files 67-101 that cheapest Biab can do is $299.

I’m thinking that the technology will/has developed smaller formats that still retain the quality of the sound so say using some alternate like Kontakt is looking more feasible. What do you guys and girls think?





I've frankly been amazed that PG music has been able to offer the quality product that they do and not charge much more than they do so you aren't going to hear me whining about the price. I have a lot of money invested in music software and in a given year most other software companies bleed me for much more and give me much less than PG music does.

The audiophile version was something that they put out at user request because some wanted an uncompressed format. Perhaps you are simply invested in the wrong version of BIAB. If you are looking for something that can be downloaded, I think the majority of users find the wma quite acceptable.


Keith
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Yep Thats a great idea

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Hi All,
Just wanted to say that personally I reckon Biab is great value compared with most other software on the market, music or otherwise when you consider the superb and quick support from the PG guys and the forum along with free updates. The work that must go into realtracks and the programming must be very expensive and time consuming to give us such a great end product, hats off to everyone at PG.
The only thing I find that bumps the price up is being in the UK is the duty/custom charges for a USB to be delivered so I try to stick to d/l where possible and just do a major upgrade when the offers are on.
Considering the amount of use and enjoyment I get from biab working the cost over a year it really is peanuts a week compared to what I have to spend on other things, [not that I want them to put the prices up by the way -smile].
I find no problem with the wma file quality.
Regards Jeff

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I can understand why the price is rising, but I don't understand why I have to pay almost the same if I order DVDs or if I only down load files.
I remember once there was a greater difference.


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I used to pay 35 cents for a hamburger, the same for a milk shake and the same for fries now a $10 bill is shot all to heck doing the same job. Same food same me( just a lot older) just that the monies's not worth what it was or ever was.
I know we gotta book in 2 dates at Carnegie Hall to do what we did a few years ago, but that's the life of us Super Papa Rockers;......on the porch.
With all this $$$$ pain, where's all the gain.
All in all there's still not a better bang for the music bucks.
Wyndham

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Quote:

I have a lot of money invested in music software and in a given year most other software companies bleed me for much more and give me much less than PG music does.




i second that emotion....

it can be a lot of cash to buy the realtrack updates. if, say you only want to play jazz it seems wrong that you must buy the country or it not a deal.

its all fabulous stuff though.......


i am hoping that pg will licence Real track technology to others

good stuff..


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It will eventually reach the stage I think when people will decide to upgrade less often, in other words they will have so many realtracks that they will decide enough is enough for the kind of music they produce.

Maybe then PG will turn its attention to the midi styles 90% I feel that are so outdated that its a pain to listen to them.

Don't get me wrong I really love band in a box my favourite music programe and realtracks are the current flavour of the month but this won't last I think.

just my views.

Musiclover


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My music https://www.youtube.com/user/donegalprideofall

Windows 10 (64bit) M-Audio Fast Track Pro, Band in a Box 2025, Cubase 14, Cakewalk and far too many VST plugins that I probably don't need or will ever use smile
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I think RealTracks have revolutionized this product. It will most certainly last, unless people suddenly hate real musicians playing real instruments. There are plenty of things that haven't even been done yet, so they're just getting started...

Personally, I like having the choice of MIDI and RTs. MIDI does offer some freedom to create what you want and they can sound really good. Look at Samplemodeling's jazz instruments. They sound outstanding and you can create the solo that you hear in your head. But good luck with that - you'd better have plenty of time to work and lots of MIDI keyboard talent. It will take some work.

RealTracks, on the other hand, are instantly natural and authentic. Sure you're stuck with the sound and solo output, but if you don't like it, generate it again or try a different RT. If that doesn't work, then MIDI VSTis are still an option. There are quality choices now.

As for the price, there have been times when I didn't have the cash, so I totally understand. But paying real studio musicians is not cheap, so that's the reality. For a price comparison, take a look at loop sets sold by other companies. They are usually pretty close and, from my experience, not easier to use at all. PG Music has taken music making ease to a whole new level, so it's a much better deal. I recommend saving your money and buying the upgrades when you can. Besides, it's always better to support the true good guys in the business world.

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music lover...my feeling is the midi files are really good for what they are. you just cant get the slurs, the varience in attack, embrouchure, the guitar feedback, the general clatter that brings authenticity out of this technology, though it has its [limited] place.

imo

Zero


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Just a few things:

If all you want is jazz tracks, you can buy just the jazz track sets. I've done it.

Some of us may reach a style saturation point, including me, but I'm not there yet.

I also believe that real tracks are here to stay. I have continually bought most of the new RTs that have come out even though I rarely use any. I want to explore them though.

I believe that BIAB/RB is a real value.....For those of us who use it a lot. If you only use it once a month or less frequently, I can see how you might feel that the upgrades are not worth it.

FWIW


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I would agree, however, that paying $299 for a mid-year update is way out of line. My rule of thumb would be to charge half the price of the normal December annual upgrade for the mid-year one which should be offered as a patch and not a full vrsion release and scale down how many new features and real tracks are offered at mid-year. I think that would keep the interest and affordabilty for both the annual and the mid-year releases for the BIAB aficionados.


Cz...
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If you want to keep up with all the new stuff offered, it sure would get expensive. It's up to the person how much they want.

I thought long and hard about what package to buy, having never experienced this software other than many years ago- a mere shell of what it is now. All I had to go on was the demos. I finally went with the ultra package ONLY because I picked it up on ebay at an amazing price. 2010 ultra at 230 bucks? Oh yea, I was in!

Now having had it and used it all for a while, I like it all a lot but I can't help thinking I would have been disappointed buying at full price. I think everything included is awesome and biab is great. But RB has a LONG way to go and for me, it remains glitchy and clunky- including the midi side. But I am pleased to se how well the software is constantly supported. But as prices add up, I would hope they put out quality, bug free [as much as possible] updates and bring realband up to speed. It should be, and must be imo, biabs perfect mate. At the moment, it's a challenge. But the potential is huge.

Long and short, all of pg's software is only as expensive as you make it.

Dan

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Quote:

music lover...my feeling is the midi files are really good for what they are. you just cant get the slurs, the varience in attack, embrouchure, the guitar feedback, the general clatter that brings authenticity out of this technology, though it has its [limited] place.

imo

Zero




You can get these nuances with midi IF you have good sound sources. But with good sound sources comes a price, usually a hefty price. If you’re using just GM sound sources I will generally agree with you.

So if you are using BiaB with a GM sound source, especially an inexpensive GM sound source, the RT’s and RD’s are the way to go.

For the record I use more midi than RT’s and RD’s. But I don’t put down either. Both are tools to be used by the individual.


Whenever I get something stuck in the back of my throat, I dislodge it by drinking a beer.
It's called the Heineken Maneuver.

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If you know your way around the software the Megapak gives all the Rds, RTs, & styles. It ends up being less then a $250 a year investment. If your making any money with the program that's a drop in the bucket. If it's a hobby it's a cheap price to pay for the enjoyment received.
As far as RB Dan you just aren't experienced enough to make that judgement. I've done well over 200 top of the line tunes all RTs and do not experience any glitches at all. Ask my wife. I use the program at least 6 hrs EVERY day either doing new songs or rehearsing my sets.


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Mario I do have good sound sources, eg, VSL, E.West Symphonic orchestra platimium. the strativari virtual violin, gpo, halion, kontakt and a lot more - take even the best virtual instruments and the articulations are limited.


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Silvertones-

I agree, I don't have a lot of experience with RB. What I do have experience with is enough daws to be able to confidently say- RB has a LONG way to go before I can take it seriously. It's not that you can't get great work done. I'm sure your body of work is marvelous. I'm getting some great work done myself with it at the moment. But it's been pulling teeth almost every step of the way. I'm being patient, reading the manual, and forgiving many, many needed things that aren't there yet because I think RB is in it's infancy and will get there over time. So I'm dealing. But quality work can be done, I am seeing. But make no mistake, RB is clunky compared to a mature daw. And it's been glitchy for me. Clunky I can forgive. It may always be clunky. It may never become what other daws are, nor may they want it to. That's fine- you take it or leave it. Glitchy is a different story and just so you know, I don't mean bash RB. ALL software can be glitchy. RB hasn't always performed some operations for me glitch free. If it weren't for some other folks here and me, we may not have gotten 2010.5 build 2 as soon as we did. I'd like to see all software work without a hitch all the time. It's just not reality. But if it been perfect sailing for you, thanks wonderful. Keep on keepin on.

I have a ton of high hopes for RB. PG has Biab nailed down solid as a rock, ime. RB is the perfect mate and if they're really gonna pull in the serious daw mixing crowd, they're gonna have to step up the features in a large way. SO much potential. Here's to hoping.

Dan

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Dan,

I find the same as you. RB is clunky and glitchy at times. Its good in what it does will generate the realtracks and good at converting everything to wave. But then for me it's a case of importing into cubase, where editing such as using the scissors tool and muting audio events is easy to do , not so in RB.

Joe

Last edited by joemardo1; 07/18/10 02:22 AM.

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