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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 155
Apprentice
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Apprentice
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 155 |
I have an Ultrapack and it's true that the tracks created directly by Realtracks, I usually use two to three per song. I work in RealBand and create tracks in wav depending more on harmony than on style, while also creating tracks in midi (I have RealCharts checked). I just create the drums as a midi and split them into separate tracks. And that's the end my work in Realband. I import everything into Studio One and process the drums using Studio One tools. I process the other midi tracks on the Kontakt or Opus module, or some third-party virtual instruments can be run directly without modules. I intervene manually in the midi tracks and make improvements with my ideas according to my own feeling. This kind of bypasses the Audiophile version, which I can no longer afford as a pensioner. However, I consider my recordings on SoundCloud as amateur songs and I do not get paid for them, but it brings me satisfaction. Nevertheless, I do the mixing and mastering at a professional friend's studio.
BIAB 2025,RB 2025,PTA 2024,Windows 11,Studio One PRO 5.5.2,Melodyne Studio 5.4.2.006,Sibelius 8.4.1,Acoustica 7.4.14,Notion 6,Progression 3,Harmony Assistant 9.9.5c,RX9,Ripx DeepAudio 7.5.1,Kontakt 7.10.7,DeCoda 1.3.2,Synthesizer V Studio Pro 1.12.2
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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 2,044
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 2,044 |
Interesting that BIAB standard wma files (bit rate) are below where people listen these days, but the audiophile 16bit 44.1k is above where most people listen these days.
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The times they are a changing. Trying to figure out how old that chart must be. It certainly is not accurate. Neither iTunes nor Amazon have distributed 256k in years. I keep thinking that, at age 70, I shouldn't hear the difference between Audiophile and Ultra (which I can download at any time). Of course I can.
BIAB 2026 Audiophile Mac
24Core/60CoreGPU M2 MacStudioUltra/8TB/192GB Sequoia/Tahoe, M1 & M5 MBAir, 2012 MBP
Digital Performer11, Logic, Finale27/Dorico/Encore/SmartScore/Notion/Overture
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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 4,625
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 4,625 |
Interesting that BIAB standard wma files (bit rate) are below where people listen these days, but the audiophile 16bit 44.1k is above where most people listen these days.
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The times they are a changing. Trying to figure out how old that chart must be. It certainly is not accurate. Neither iTunes nor Amazon have distributed 256k in years. I keep thinking that, at age 70, I shouldn't hear the difference between Audiophile and Ultra (which I can download at any time). Of course I can. It was made this year. The point of the chart was people on average are listening to a lower quality today than say 20 years ago and BIAB offers a slightly lower and higher quality than what the average user is listening to. Amazon Prime Music streams at a bit rate of up to 256 kbps (lossy compression). High Definition (HD): is 850 kbps. lossless compression. CD = 1411kbs (no compression) Ultra-High Definition (Ultra HD): This offers even higher quality, up to 24-bit/192 kHz, with an average bitrate of 3730 kbps. (lossless compression)
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).
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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,574
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,574 |
Jeff, could you elaborate on why you chose a 128k bit-rate for standard BIAB?
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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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 4,625
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 4,625 |
Matt, if you check the properties of one of the BIAB RT wma files you will see it shows a bit rate of 128K. As you pointed out, this may be a better quality than an MP3 compression at that bit rate. Both compressions are lossy. Sorry, to end this conversation, as I'm very busy for the next couple of weeks, I was just pointing out that most people listen to a quality that's slightly less than what CDs produced in the 90s. That's all. I personally can hear the difference between an isolated wma instrument and a wave instrument in BIAB, but my ears are shot, and I wear hearing aids, as I played in a rock and roll band for many years. When the tracks are mixed with other tracks especially if the tracks are generated with midi super tracks where the instruments are at a higher sample rate, I doubt most people would hear a difference in the final mix. Your milage may vary. 
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).
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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 2,662
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 2,662 |
Jeff, could you elaborate on why you chose a 128k bit-rate for standard BIAB? Interesting. I'd presumed that was 128kbps was the rate BiaB used, but looking around I see quite a few older RealTracks are only 48kbps.
Jazz relative beginner, starting at a much older age than was helpful.
AVL:MXE Linux; Windows 11
BIAB2026 Audiophile, a bunch of other software.
Kawai MP6, Ui24R, Focusrite Saffire Pro40 and Scarletts
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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Joined: May 2020
Posts: 2,766
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 2,766 |
Jeff, could you elaborate on why you chose a 128k bit-rate for standard BIAB? Interesting. I'd presumed that was 128kbps was the rate BiaB used, but looking around I see quite a few older RealTracks are only 48kbps. Anything much lower than 128kbps is likely a mono RT.
I work here
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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Joined: Jul 2000
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Posts: 27,574 |
Yes, I was about to say that. And I didn’t find a lot of those many years ago when I spot checked.
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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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Joined: May 2020
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Joined: May 2020
Posts: 2,766 |
Yes, I was about to say that. And I didn’t find a lot of those many years ago when I spot checked. There are plenty. Basses are almost if not always mono. Probably most wind instruments, electric guitars, and many of the drum stems. Basically anywhere there's no advantage to recording in stereo - might as well make for a smaller download.
I work here
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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Anything much lower than 128kbps is likely a mono RT. Ah, right. That makes sense, though the ones I've looked at are, yes mono. 48kbps so less than half the bit rate. I expect that makes sense somehow
Jazz relative beginner, starting at a much older age than was helpful.
AVL:MXE Linux; Windows 11
BIAB2026 Audiophile, a bunch of other software.
Kawai MP6, Ui24R, Focusrite Saffire Pro40 and Scarletts
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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Joined: May 2020
Posts: 2,766
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 2,766 |
Ah, right. That makes sense, though the ones I've looked at are, yes mono. 48kbps so less than half the bit rate. I expect that makes sense somehow Those are probably older ones. These days mono RT's are 64-80kbps, I think using a variable bitrate.
I work here
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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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