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RealBand
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,638
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,638 |
Glad we helped .. sometimes I feel like this forum IS the manual for RB.
/faster just to ask most of the time
//I've been on with Support and they were like "you could do that in RB previously?"
///They do their best, but yeah, RB is not well documented if you want to get the most out of it, it's very capable but takes some effort
FWIW I'm not paying "$29.95 with a 10% discount for Real Band subgroup forum members only" for the trifold manual .. what kind of discounts do contributing members get?
A PDF version would be even better
I do support the idea as it could save me a lot of typing ..
For how many you'd sell, maybe you could donate it to PGMusic so they can add it to the manual, and they offer you free upgrades in return .. I'd probably try that path first
You'd have to sell 15 trifold manuals to cover next years upgrade alone .. minus printing costs
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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RealBand
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Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 3,657
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Veteran
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 3,657 |
(just posting this as the first post in rb forum celebrating with my new eyesight im ecstatic with the surgeons. apologies but im over the moon. )
anyway a music producer once told me if you want to do songs be prepared to get down into the muck and dig deep into any song creation tool. the guy was exemplary.
any daw ive used was lots of work to ge into.
so rb isnt the only daw where a user must be prepared to dig deep.
i am posting this cos i dont want potential new rb users reading this thread to think. hmm not going to try rb because it sounds complex. which would be sad as there are various things that make rb unique over other products. is it perfect ? nope but nothing else ive tried is either. I'm just trying to be fair.
now rb has 256 tracks and its free and lets remember beatles did their hits on 3 or 4 track recorders eg studer j 37's in studios like abbey costing millions. we are spoilt today by comparison.
after many years and doing a slew of songs with pg rb/biab and another daw i use all i'll say is songs are a load of work hours on end no matter the tool used.
even now i discover things in biab/rb and the other daw i use.
And i also discover new ways to use the pg fx .
i often wonder if users dismiss the pg fx like rb because they are free. the three songs in my sig used only pg fx and ive had only likes so far from 'the normal music consumer'.
who knows why. i just try my best.
i am just very happy to see some of my suggestions be in 2024. some have suggested i am biased towards rb. so be it. Is rb work ? sure. but so are any tools. all i can say is ive never had even one problem with rb with my audio interface.
(same for biab).
viva la rb lol.
keep making music.
om
Last edited by justanoldmuso; 03/09/24 01:36 PM.
my songs....mixed for good earbuds...(fyi..my vocs on all songs..) https://soundcloud.com/alfsongs(90 songs created useing bb/rb) (lots of tips of mine in pg tips forum.)
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RealBand
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 8,517
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OP
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 8,517 |
I LOVE Real Band, as I have stated many times.
Many, many, many times.
I would even say I am a super user in that I use it every day and do most of my track generation and even composing from/in it, like jamming on piano to real tracks (e.g, bass and drums) and remembering to always have midi record on. Then, if I hit a cool riff or chord progression, I will let the chord analyzer tell me what I just did, and most of the time I can later cut and paste some of what I recorded in that midi into the final piece. Priceless.
Also, I do ALL all of my recording in it. I just haven't used it for mixing much, because I didn't know how and it was too easy to just move to Cakewalk. But this year, I wanted to figure it out, so I did start digging.
BUT, I want to be able to use it better, and for more things, since there has been a major upgrade, and the manual does not make it easy to figure out the fundamentals.
If you are are directed to this forum to get answers from users, then that is what you will do. I was directed here, to get forum members to explain.
So I did, and they did.
That is the way it works.
Now I get it.
All I really need is what Rob and Bob just said.
So, I am good.
But it was not in manual.
It was here.
I will suggest that the next manual has a two page intro to setting up a board that a two-year-old could understand, which is now in this thread.
By the way, I am the guy who asked for the 256 tracks last year as part of many conversational threads I had with the developers. My argument? I live in Real Band some days and when you are recording 30 vocal takes, 5 guitar parts and 20 takes on some guitar leads, you run out of 48 tracks fast. Real Band is my workhorse, I said. I need more tracks please. Now thanks to PG, who listened, you have them. Personally, I feel locked and loaded now.
So yeah, I know a few things about Real Band.
You're welcome.
Last edited by David Snyder; 03/09/24 06:42 PM.
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RealBand
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Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 3,657
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 3,657 |
i agree re manual/vids etc need for updating.
there are various other features i would like which i have suggested to pg.
but i'm not complaining as things stand.
one major thing i would like to see particularly for new users is more commonalty between bb and rb. to lessen the learning cycle for new users.
for example i like how handy the right click menu in rb is and would like the same in bb.
lol...if i get in a nit picking mood i remind myself that if one wanted
to own a recording studio in the 1960's one had to be very rich to do so due to the high costs.
and even then one would only get a few tracks to record on.
yet here we are today whereby someone can get bb and rb with
various session rt's on a flash drive for a 100 bucks.
George Martin would maybe say WHAT ?
happiness.
om
my songs....mixed for good earbuds...(fyi..my vocs on all songs..) https://soundcloud.com/alfsongs(90 songs created useing bb/rb) (lots of tips of mine in pg tips forum.)
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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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Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Special Offers Extended Until May 31st!
Good news- we've extended our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® special offers until May 31, 2026!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 is packed 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 transcribe 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, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PDT on May 31st, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
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Holiday Weekend Hours
It's Victoria Day Long Weekend in Canada. Our Customer Service hours are:
Saturday, May 16: Closed
Sunday, May 17: Closed
Monday, May 18: 8:00am - 4:00pm
Regular hours resume Tuesday, May 19th!
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!
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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!
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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.
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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!
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What are XPro Styles and Xtra Styles PAKs?
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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.
Supercharge your Band-in-a-Box today with XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAK Sets!
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