Due to the high number of Realdrums / Realtracks / Styles, finding the specific groove you have in your head is often a difficult and time consuming task. As somebody in the forums said a few days ago, the guys at Toontrack solved this problem brillantly when they introduced the Tap2Find feature in EZdrummer 2, a feature that allows to find grooves in the database, based on the basic drum pattern or rhythm you have in your head, and that works really, really well.
I think a similar feature would be just great for finding the specific Realdrums, Styles and Realtracks in Band in a Box, and would dramatically enhance the user experience and ease of use.
The weak spot in the idea is what approach is the user given to tap out a pattern? RealDrums have RealCharts and RealCharts gives the midi data a utility program needs to make this happen.
Ideally I believe BiaB would need to have a utility that creates a repeating two bar loop. The user then taps assigned computer keyboard keys to enter hits into the two bar pattern. There would need to be a computer keyboard assignment for kick, snare, closed and open hi-hat and cymbal.
Real time tap entry of kick and snare should provide enough data for the utility to figure out time signature and tempo. The hi-hat and cymbal would help the utility define swing or even feel.
Once the user is satisfied with the tap entered pattern the utility could search through the RealDrum tracks to list tracks that meet the user defined pattern.
I would think any list of RealDrum tracks that matches time signature, tempo and feel would be short enough for a user to be able to audition the tracks on the list and pick one or more.
Last edited by Jim Fogle; 12/22/2207:24 AM. Reason: Added RealCharts comment.
+1 You can have it so the users can create up the beat with midi playback then search the RealDrumChart database for matches. It will also mute the drum track and play back midi in sync to give a preview:
This is a great and intuitive way to find specific grooves. +1
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
+1 EZDrummer has indeed solved this problem for EZDrummer. This approach may or may not be best for BiaB, only PGMusic can decide that. That said, I would welcome this functionality in BiaB for finding candidate RealDrums however they choose to implement it.
https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677 BiaB 2026 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.
I can extract all the RealDrum midi/chart and split them up into the variations as short midi clips that will work in EZDrummer but I can't really upload them for users, I have posted a script to do it all. This could work in Biab by dropping a midi clip in or putting the pattern in you want:
+ 1 for 2024 You're filtering options have definitely got better this year because you're intelligently applying them at least the time signature feels and tempo range. A low hanging fruit would be to also automatically assign the genre (sense you already know it once the style is picked) narrowing down the selections for your next steps. This could easily be done in the next patch release.
You have a lot of competitors who have tried to solve this problem of the quickest way to find of something very specific in a large database. Toontracks, XLN Addictive products, Captain Chords, and many sample libraries have all come up with very intuitive or highly organized methods that have beaten pure hierarchical approaches.
Here's a clue the customer knows what he wants because he can hear it in his head. For rhythms that's a match a beat approach. For rhythmic instruments that have pitch or melody, Genre is the first place to start.
You've also done a very good job of categorizing your instruments over the years and 9 times out of 10 the customer is looking for an alternative to for instance a Bass or a Guitar or a Saxophone, so preloading the instrument category is going to put them in a range of less than fifty things to view.
All food for thought. You don't have to go out and reinvent the world to make it at least 2X better than it currently in the next patch release.
Last edited by jpettit; 03/21/2403:48 PM.
Studio One (latest version), Win 11 23H2 , i9 -10940X 3.3 GHz, 32GB Mem, a 4K 40" monitor, PreSonus Studio Live III Console as interface/controller. secondarily test on Reaper, Cakewalk, and S1 on Surface Pro 3 Win 10 (latest versions).
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows Special Offers End Tomorrow (January 15th, 2026) at 11:59 PM PST!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, January 15, 2026!
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Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® Special Offers Extended Until January 15, 2026!
Good news! You still have time to upgrade to the latest version of Band-in-a-Box® for Windows® and save. Our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® special now runs through January 15, 2025!
We've packed Band-in-a-Box® 2026 with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can process an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
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Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: The Newly Designed Piano Roll Window
In this video, we explore the updated Piano Roll, complete with a modernized look and exciting new features. You’ll see new filtering options that make it easy to focus on specific note groups, smoother and more intuitive note entry and editing, and enhanced options for zooming, looping, and more.
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: AI Stems & Notes - split polyphonic audio into instruments and transcribe
This video demonstrates how to use the new AI-Notes feature together with the AI-Stems splitter, allowing you to select an audio file and have it separated into individual stems while transcribing each one to its own MIDI track. AI-Notes converts polyphonic audio—either full mixes or individual instruments—into MIDI that you can view in notation or play back instantly.
Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®
With your version 2026 for Windows Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!
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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)
Android Band-in-a-Box® App (included)
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
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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)
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