Hello everybody. I bought BIAB a few years ago and have been learning it off and on since then.
The question I have, as a musician and songwriter that usually records music into a DAW (Studio One) is how, at this point in 2024, most, or many, BIAB users conceive of the software and where it fits into their production pipelines.
When I first heard about BIAB, some time before I acquired it, I was under the impression that it was a practice tool that instrumentalists (or singers) could use to hone their craft, practice melodies, learn how to improvise, or perhaps use as a songwriting tool.
Once you had enough practice, or finished writing your song, I figured that you would then need to record the song with accomplished musicians or use high end virtual instruments to create backing tracks for final mixes or song releases. Or maybe you would use the output directly from Band In a Box if you were doing things like having karaoke night with your pals or playing on the boardwalk next to the beach.
With what I have learned about RealTracks, it seems that, with PG Music's hiring of professional musicians to make them, as well as listening to some of the accompanying demos, the question arises whether the perception of the software among serious BIAB users, no doubt some of whom contribute to this forum, has evolved from it being a practice and songwriting tool to the exporting of stems or tracks to be used in the final mix inside your DAW for mixing and mastering into final releases (along with any virtual instruments you may need to enhance or extend the sound).
That kind of workflow would certainly save me a lot of time.
Thus my question is this: Has there been a shift on how people think about BIAB from a practice tool or using it to work out songs to an actual source of quality tracks that can be used in a final mixes?
How do people on this forum use the software and think about it? I would love to know your thoughts on this. Do the majority of you use it to practice your instruments and write songs and re-record the backing tracks later, or would you not hesitate to insert the parts into your DAW directly from BIAB and mix them in the final session? How do you think they hold up?
Joe, there's not a single answer to your questions, but BiaB is certainly used to provide backing tracks in a DAW, and the results can be impressive. I'd suggest listening to some songs in the User Showcase forum. There you can hear the results of other users and (usually) see the BiaB credits for the various tracks. You'll see/hear the spectrum from very select BiaB support (eg, drums only) to 100% BiaB backing. You'll certainly get other points of view on this, but I think BiaB is a powerful tool, suitable for final mixes. Welcome to the forums, and...have fun! Ron
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One ASUS I9-12900K DAW, 32 GB RAM Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
I've never used BIAB as a practice tool. I first bought it in 2012 and my song productions went pretty much instantly from zero to hero! I use it on the majority of my songs sometimes as the complete band! I've sold a lot of my originals in the royalty free market. BIAB Is so much more than a practice tool!
Thus my question is this: Has there been a shift on how people think about BIAB from a practice tool or using it to work out songs to an actual source of quality tracks that can be used in a final mixes?
I can only speak for myself of course, but I use RealTracks for the final production. I used to produce and mix local bands, and compared to their almost unsalvageable trainwrecks of recordings , RealTracks are REALLY good. Good as in "professional musicians recorded by a professional sound engineer".
Some of them need a little love to shine, but in general they are very usable. And if I can't find anything suitable for the song at hand, I can still record my own stuff.
....................................... Do the majority of you use it to practice your instruments and write songs and re-record the backing tracks later, or would you not hesitate to insert the parts into your DAW directly from BIAB and mix them in the final session? How do you think they hold up? Thank you and cheers! Joe.
Hi Joe,
I am in the minority here as I use the MIDI side of BiaB. Virtually all of my songs start in BiaB and after I have my chord progression down and my style picked I immediately import them in my DAW, also Studio One Pro. I do very little work in BiaB and most all of my work in my DAW. There I choose my sounds and record my part(s). Thus to answer your questions I use BiaB about 98% of the time for song composing and 2% for practicing. I think BiaB's MIDI tracks hold up very well in my songs but you can be the judge of that by listening to my songs in the Showcase forum.
The bumper sticker said "I'm a veterinarian, therefore I can drive like an animal". Suddenly I realized how many proctologists are on the road.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
Hard for me to answer. Normally, if BIAB is on my screen, a client is being charged. Sometimes, I'm using the Audiophile Real Tracks; other times I'm using MIDI and VIs. Lately, I'm using the DAW plug-in in Digital Performer, again with my own VIs (many of the BIAB libraries are available, however, and I do use them now and then).
Even when I'm using the Real Tracks and Drums, I export everything into DP where I edit the overall feel and correct bass lines. BIAB rarely gets descending bass notes right but they are quite easy to edit for pitch and length in most DAWs.
BIAB 2025 Audiophile Mac 24Core/60CoreGPU M2 MacStudioUltra/8TB/192GB Sequoia, M1 MBAir, 2012 MBP Digital Performer11, LogicPro, Finale27/Dorico/Encore/SmartScorePro64/Notion6 /Overture5
Joe, there's not a single answer to your questions, but BiaB is certainly used to provide backing tracks in a DAW, and the results can be impressive. I'd suggest listening to some songs in the forum. There you can hear the results of other users and (usually) see the BiaB credits for the various tracks. You'll see/hear the spectrum from very select BiaB support (eg, drums only) to 100% BiaB backing. You'll certainly get other points of view on this, but I think BiaB is a powerful tool, suitable for final mixes. Welcome to the forums, and...have fun! Ron
Thank you Ron, I will spend some more time listening to the to the songs showcased in the forums. So basically are you saying that those showcased songs feature parts directly generated from BiaB and not that BiaB was used just in pre-production, correct?
Also, I was intrigued by what you said that some people use it only for the drums (is that RealDrums?) I was originally inquiring mostly about instrumental tracks and kind of forgot about drums. Are the drum tracks generated from BiaB exceptionally good? Is that an important aspect that should not be overlooked?
I've never used BIAB as a practice tool. I first bought it in 2012 and my song productions went pretty much instantly from zero to hero! I use it on the majority of my songs sometimes as the complete band! I've sold a lot of my originals in the royalty free market. BIAB Is so much more than a practice tool!
Good to know John. I will keep an eye out for some of your music. Thanks!
I can only speak for myself of course, but I use RealTracks for the final production. I used to produce and mix local bands, and compared to their almost unsalvageable trainwrecks of recordings , RealTracks are REALLY good. Good as in "professional musicians recorded by a professional sound engineer".
Some of them need a little love to shine, but in general they are very usable. And if I can't find anything suitable for the song at hand, I can still record my own stuff.
Thank you B.D. That would be great if as you say: "RealTracks are as good as pro musicians recorded by a pro engineer". I look forward to trying it for myself but wanted to guage the community first and get a concensus. By giving them a little love, I am assuming that you mean adding EQ, saturation, delay, etc. As you say, nothing is stopping one from recording their own tracks. And that seems to be the nice thing about BiaB, you don't have to take every track.
Hi Joe, I am in the minority here as I use the MIDI side of BiaB. Virtually all of my songs start in BiaB and after I have my chord progression down and my style picked I immediately import them in my DAW, also Studio One Pro. I do very little work in BiaB and most all of my work in my DAW. There I choose my sounds and record my part(s). Thus to answer your questions I use BiaB about 98% of the time for song composing and 2% for practicing. I think BiaB's MIDI tracks hold up very well in my songs but you can be the judge of that by listening to my songs in the Showcase forum.
This is interesting Mario. So basically, are you saying that you are not really interested so much in the RealTracks but the MIDI tracks (or do you somehow convert the RealTracks/RealDrums into MIDI?). Or are they "MIDI SuperTracks" and that is what they were and will stay.
Just so I understand your workflow correctly, you are not using it just for practicing and songwriting, but you would then bring BiaB generated MIDI into your DAW (the bass, drums, organ, etc.) and apply your Virtual instruments to it and build the final track that way. I also use a lot of MIDI. This is also a good thing...
I'll check out your tunes. So no Realtracks, just MIDI and VST?
Hard for me to answer. Normally, if BIAB is on my screen, a client is being charged. Sometimes, I'm using the Audiophile Real Tracks; other times I'm using MIDI and VIs. Lately, I'm using the DAW plug-in in Digital Performer, again with my own VIs (many of the BIAB libraries are available, however, and I do use them now and then).
Even when I'm using the Real Tracks and Drums, I export everything into DP where I edit the overall feel and correct bass lines. BIAB rarely hets descending bass notes right but they are quite easy to edit for pitch and length in most DAWs.
Thanks Mike. That is fascinating as well. So you are using RealTracks and MIDI. Hmm. I don't think I have the Audiophile RealTracks. I believe I have the UltraPak. Maybe it would be worth the investment based on my results. They must be much larger in size. Where do you store all of them? Is there a very noticeable improvement in quality. What are the UltraPak tracks, MP3? What is the difference exactly?
By the way, are you saying that the BIAB VST Libraries are available in your DAW and you can use them there? That is pretty cool. Are there any you think are worth mentioning?
The only thing I question is that when you said that even when you are using the RealTracks and Drums you edit the feel and correct bass lines in your DAW. Do you mean that you edit the generated waveforms by slicing them up and moving them around so that they hit at the right time, or are you talking more about FX, or might you somehow be converting the RealTracks to MIDI and editing them that way? Thanks I am still in the research phase preparing for some new music I want to produce and am trying to learn as much as I can at this point.
By the way, I am listening to the PG Music Band-in-a-Box Radio and think the songs sound great! I still am not sure what I am hearing is BiaB and what is something else, but I am noticing that some of the songs have production notes, so I will try to delve in there.
This is interesting Mario. So basically, are you saying that you are not really interested so much in the RealTracks but the MIDI tracks (or do you somehow convert the RealTracks/RealDrums into MIDI?). Or are they "MIDI SuperTracks" and that is what they were and will stay.
I rarely use RTs or RDs, however they are a tool that for me does come in handy on occasions. If the RT/RD has a line under it in the chord window view then that RT/RD includes a MIDI track and I use it. If said RT does not have a line under it and I would like to use it as MIDI I run the RT through Melodyne to convert it to MIDI. I mostly use BiaB MIDI tracks and the MIDI Super Tracks though.
Originally Posted by Animas3D
Just so I understand your workflow correctly, you are not using it just for practicing and songwriting, but you would then bring BiaB generated MIDI into your DAW (the bass, drums, organ, etc.) and apply your Virtual instruments to it and build the final track that way. I also use a lot of MIDI. This is also a good thing...
I'll check out your tunes. So no Realtracks, just MIDI and VST?
Yes, I bring the BiaB MIDI tracks into my DAW, assign a VSTi to said track, and sometimes modify the track. By modify I mean cut and paste and/or write/play sections and/or change the chord inversion or add/correct chord notes, etc.
Most all of my songs are MIDI only along with my playing parts, i.e guitar, keyboard, bass, etc. But on a rare occasion I will use an RT or two.
I hope this helps.
The bumper sticker said "I'm a veterinarian, therefore I can drive like an animal". Suddenly I realized how many proctologists are on the road.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
......................................... By the way, I am listening to the PG Music Band-in-a-Box Radio and think the songs sound great! I still am not sure what I am hearing is BiaB and what is something else, but I am noticing that some of the songs have production notes, so I will try to delve in there.
Thanks!
If you listen to the songs in the Showcase forum most people list what BiaB tracks they use. The listings include MIDI tracks (RTs and RDs), what MIDI VSTis they used, what they played, etc.
The bumper sticker said "I'm a veterinarian, therefore I can drive like an animal". Suddenly I realized how many proctologists are on the road.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
If you listen to the songs in the Showcase forum most people list what BiaB tracks they use. The listings include MIDI tracks (RTs and RDs), what MIDI VSTis they used, what they played, etc.
Thank you Ron, I will spend some more time listening to the to the songs showcased in the forums. So basically are you saying that those showcased songs feature parts directly generated from BiaB and not that BiaB was used just in pre-production, correct?
Correct
Originally Posted by Animas3D
Also, I was intrigued by what you said that some people use it only for the drums (is that RealDrums?) I was originally inquiring mostly about instrumental tracks and kind of forgot about drums. Are the drum tracks generated from BiaB exceptionally good? Is that an important aspect that should not be overlooked?
I only used "drums" as an example of a limited BiaB application. I use BiaB drums exclusively, and am pleased with the results I can get. But some users prefer to use other percussion sources, like EZDrummer. So...it depends.
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One ASUS I9-12900K DAW, 32 GB RAM Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
The main reason I bought BB back around 2008 was to get access to a good sounding steel guitar.. I knew another musician in the Cakewalk forum at the time who was using some really cool drum and bass tracks in his music. When I asked about how he did his drums he responded with band in a box. Curiosity got me and I went to the PG website. What I saw and heard sold me. I quickly learned about the real tracks and have been using them in my production ever since.
I have never used BB as a practice tool. In fact, all the other features are essentially untouched. My sole purpose for BB is song creation, structure, and track rendering.
Previously , BB was limited to 5 tracks per style. So I used real band to render additional tracks not in the basic style. When they added utility tracks, I didn't have a reason to use real band for anything.
I probably only use about 10% of BB's capabilities. But what I do use packs a powerful wallop.
Now with vst capabilities, I'll often just build my structure and then open BB as a get to generate the tracks with drag and drop convenience. If I don't like the track I delete it from the DAW and use BB get to try a different track and repeat the process until I get something that works.
With the vst, my workflow has changed slightly.
But yes, absolutely I do use the tracks for finished, professional level projects. Some of my music with exclusively BB tracks have been in film and TV shows. They are just that good.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.com Add nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.
The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
I can only speak for myself of course, but I use RealTracks for the final production. I used to produce and mix local bands, and compared to their almost unsalvageable trainwrecks of recordings , RealTracks are REALLY good. Good as in "professional musicians recorded by a professional sound engineer".
Some of them need a little love to shine, but in general they are very usable. And if I can't find anything suitable for the song at hand, I can still record my own stuff.
By giving them a little love, I am assuming that you mean adding EQ, saturation, delay, etc. As you say, nothing is stopping one from recording their own tracks. And that seems to be the nice thing about BiaB, you don't have to take every track.
Yep, it's mostly EQ, and of course the reverb I use for the other tracks to have some consistency here.
Thanks Mike. That is fascinating as well. So you are using RealTracks and MIDI. Hmm. I don't think I have the Audiophile RealTracks. I believe I have the UltraPak. Maybe it would be worth the investment based on my results. They must be much larger in size. Where do you store all of them? Is there a very noticeable improvement in quality. What are the UltraPak tracks, MP3? What is the difference exactly?
If you have the Ultrapak, then it's not the audiophile version. The audiophile version is now a bit over 2TB.
It doesn't make a huge difference just straight out of BiaB, but people who do much processing after BiaB often say it's then signficant. That's pretty reasonable if one is making high-quality productions, perhaps less so for stuff going on, say, YouTube.
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 .
[quote=Mike Halloran] … The only thing I question is that when you said that even when you are using the RealTracks and Drums you edit the feel and correct bass lines in your DAW. Do you mean that you edit the generated waveforms by slicing them up and moving them around so that they hit at the right time…
That's exactly what I'm saying.
You can see that in this video. It started with a couple of live guitars but the client wanted it in a different key. I found that _OLDBOPSTY had the sounds I wanted but everything was straight 4/4 when I needed a few bars in 6/4 and there was no syncopation in the drum part. You'll see the metronome at the top and my edits in DP. The bass and piano do have some nice hits vis a vis the drums so I edited the 5 tracks to match the original parts but based my timing on the drums leaving the other four in the same relative position. I did stretch the piano and bass to cover silences that would have been obvious had I not done so You can't see which were stretched, likewise, you can't tell which bass notes were pitch-corrected.
I later transposed the original guitars which matched perfectly. They sound weird on their own so they are mixed low. My co-producer played a more conventional lead guitar but the client hasn't heard it—he loved the BIAB track, however (I'm fine either way). Since I made this video to demonstrate BIAB, none of that is included nor the vocals.
BIAB 2025 Audiophile Mac 24Core/60CoreGPU M2 MacStudioUltra/8TB/192GB Sequoia, M1 MBAir, 2012 MBP Digital Performer11, LogicPro, Finale27/Dorico/Encore/SmartScorePro64/Notion6 /Overture5
Thanks Mike. That is fascinating as well. So you are using RealTracks and MIDI. Hmm. I don't think I have the Audiophile RealTracks. I believe I have the UltraPak. Maybe it would be worth the investment based on my results. They must be much larger in size. Where do you store all of them? Is there a very noticeable improvement in quality. What are the UltraPak tracks, MP3? What is the difference exactly?
If you have the Ultrapak, then it's not the audiophile version. The audiophile version is now a bit over 2TB.
Quote
It doesn't make a huge difference just straight out of BiaB, but people who do much processing after BiaB often say it's then signficant. That's pretty reasonable if one is making high-quality productions, perhaps less so for stuff going on, say, YouTube.
I agree, the YouTube compression algorithms make any differences negligible.
Otherwise, for my work, Audiophile is the only choice. I'm told that my 70 year old ears can't hear the difference but once that audio goes through my normal process, it's quite noticeable.
BIAB 2025 Audiophile Mac 24Core/60CoreGPU M2 MacStudioUltra/8TB/192GB Sequoia, M1 MBAir, 2012 MBP Digital Performer11, LogicPro, Finale27/Dorico/Encore/SmartScorePro64/Notion6 /Overture5
But yes, absolutely I do use the tracks for finished, professional level projects. Some of my music with exclusively BB tracks have been in film and TV shows. They are just that good.
That is *very* encouraging and, frankly, what I wanted to hear.
Matt Finlay wrote a post on this some time ago and the thread is still relevant
Thanks. Nicely spelled out there. I'll probably stick with the UltraPak for now and maybe switch to the Audiophile version in the future once I have a better feel for a workflow.
Very interesting and a great jazz feel in that track. So everything BiaB except for the soloing guitar?
I can see the extensive editing that you did. A lot of splicing and moving things around to get the syncopation and time signature you wanted. Very cool. I need to factor that into my thought processes and final workflow. Great work.
By the way, I just found out today that an animated movie I made independently some time around 2013 was just accepted on Tubi!
While I made it years ago, I believe it remains a fun watch and story. Although it is animation, it is not really a comedy (though there are some funny parts), but more like a science fiction thriller with the feel of a Tintin story, if you like.
I figured, while I was reading over everyone's comments who were kind enough to answer my questions about BiaB (which I have found enlightening, I would include the link while I am here. Shameless plug I guess, and not necessarily about BiaB, but please excuse me. Today I am excited it got onto Tubi and I my enthusiasm has boiled over.
Incidentally, I wrote and recorded the theme song and also created the entire musical score. Back then I was using Cubase, although now I use Studio One. The theme song has a nice jazz feel to it (bass, drums, piano and a violin and clarinet of all things) while the score has a lot of other things going on. I believe I used Miroslav Philharmonik for the orchestral parts in the score. Maybe I will use BiaB on future productions.
The full theme song is played at the beginning and parts of it are echoed in the score with different instrumentation.
If you have a little time, I would appreciate a watch of the film since it will no doubt help Tubi's algorithm push the film. Even if you don't finish watching it or you don't have enough time to spend (about an hour), I would appreciate it if you please let it finish until the end. However, you may enjoy the picture and will get a kick out of it.
For those who watch the film and enjoy it, I would appreciate it if you would press the Like button.
One thing I haven't seen mentioned here about mixing BiaB tracks; your Ultrapak also includes a DAW called Realband that has most of the BiaB features (including regenerating) and handles odd time signatures MUCH better than BiaB. May want to take a peek at it.
It looks like BiaB interface as far a visual style (Old school), but offers many unique features.
I sometimes get the main song styles/tracks in BiaB, move to RB to flesh it out, and then to another DAW for finishing, although many times I just start in RB to begin with, since it has a more DAW like interface and most of the features. A few of us here work like that.
They are still 'BiaB' tracks, just created in a different environment. For me, the RB workflow was MUCH easier to learn and accept than BiaB, mainly due to preconceived workflows I was used to.
TBH, BiaB workflow still frustrates me at times, which is why, even when I use it, I move to RB pretty quickly.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome Make your sound your own!
Your Ultrapak also includes a DAW called Realband that has most of the BiaB features (including regenerating) and handles odd time signatures MUCH better than BiaB. It looks like BiaB interface as far a visual style (Old school), but offers many unique features.
I sometimes get the main song styles/tracks in BiaB, move to RB to flesh it out, and then to another DAW for finishing, although many times I just start in RB to begin with, since it has a more DAW like interface and most of the features. A few of us here work like that.
They are still 'BiaB' tracks, just created in a different environment. For me, the RB workflow was MUCH easier to learn and accept than BiaB, mainly due to preconceived workflows I was used to.
TBH, BiaB workflow still frustrates me at times, which is why, even when I use it, I move to RB pretty quickly.
This is really interesting. I've heard very little about RealBand (I mean very little and I never cracked it open). From what little I understood about it, it was some kind of DAW, as you said, but since I already use a separate DAW, I have been kind of ignoring it (until now anyway).
I had no idea that you can generate the BiaB tracks in RealBand. And also that it has a more intuitive interface for doing so. Can you do things like hold or push beats? It seems that when you said regeneration works in it that you can generate solos in it and seem to be implying that you prefer working in it in general. Are there things it can't do?
Does anyone else around here prefer working in RealBand?
Very interesting and a great jazz feel in that track. So everything BiaB except for the soloing guitar?
No. Everything BIAB. The solo guitar has since been replaced — maybe, if the client likes the new track.
Quote
I can see the extensive editing that you did. A lot of splicing and moving things around to get the syncopation and time signature you wanted. Very cool. I need to factor that into my thought processes and final workflow. Great work.
It’s not as much as it looks. I had to cut in different spots among the tracks to include the associated beats in a group but then I moved them all together. Every edit was centered on the drum downbeat. As you can see by comparing to the metronome, they often fell on either side of the click — again, all BIAB and I was not going to disturb the feel by quantizing.
What you don’t see is the guitar track I used as a guide (originally recorded to that click). By using those hits instead of centering equally between the metronome marks, the result has a more musical feel. Near the end, he made one hit in the mathematical center—I was so surprised that I double-checked to make certain t wasn’t my mistake.
BIAB 2025 Audiophile Mac 24Core/60CoreGPU M2 MacStudioUltra/8TB/192GB Sequoia, M1 MBAir, 2012 MBP Digital Performer11, LogicPro, Finale27/Dorico/Encore/SmartScorePro64/Notion6 /Overture5
[quote=Animas3D This is really interesting. I've heard very little about RealBand (I mean very little and I never cracked it open). From what little I understood about it, it was some kind of DAW, as you said, but since I already use a separate DAW, I have been kind of ignoring it (until now anyway).
I had no idea that you can generate the BiaB tracks in RealBand. And also that it has a more intuitive interface for doing so. Can you do things like hold or push beats? It seems that when you said regeneration works in it that you can generate solos in it and seem to be implying that you prefer working in it in general. Are there things it can't do? [/quote]
In general, yes to all questions, RB can do things BiaB can't and vice versa, so I was just suggesting give it a try.
As for the question of whether others prefer it, I'd say yes, some do, but many users (like you) never even know it exists.
There is a dedicated Realband forum here on the site also, so some RB questions may receive better answers there.
Normally, I wouldn’t feel the need to post this but since we don’t know your OS or anything else about you…
RealBand is Windows only. Because GarageBand is free, the decision was made long ago not to port RB to the Mac.
You will notice that most of us have our “essentials” (OS, BIAB version and year and anything we think others should know etc.) in our signatures. I recommend that you do the same. Click on your name in the upper right corner and you should see how to get to that page. You are allowed 255 characters & spaces and can also upload a picture or avatar.
BIAB 2025 Audiophile Mac 24Core/60CoreGPU M2 MacStudioUltra/8TB/192GB Sequoia, M1 MBAir, 2012 MBP Digital Performer11, LogicPro, Finale27/Dorico/Encore/SmartScorePro64/Notion6 /Overture5
I use BIAB Real Tracks the way guitarhacker (Herb), Tom Adams, Floyd Jane, and Janice & Bud showed me and taught me here in these forums. Every production I've ever shared contains Real Tracks that were generated and exported multiple times, either in BIAB or in Real Band, and then imported and edited in Sonar or Studio One to fit the song.
We consider BiaB tracks (RTs, RDs & MSTs) to be our personal Wrecking Crew. 😀 And that crew along with collab friends has resulted in a number of licensed songs and a respectable number of placements on streaming playlists. So for us it’s BiaB to Logic Pro for mixing and that includes comping multiple BiaB track regens into a final track that supports the nuances of our tune.
We love that crew!
J&B
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos
We consider BiaB tracks (RTs, RDs & MSTs) to be our personal Wrecking Crew. 😀 And that crew along with collab friends has resulted in a number of licensed songs and a respectable number of placements on streaming playlists. So for us it’s BiaB to Logic Pro for mixing and that includes comping multiple BiaB track regens into a final track that supports the nuances of our tune.
We love that crew!
J&B
+1
biab2025(Mac) Latest Build Mac OS (Latest) Apple Mac Mini M2 pro 32GB Ram Logic Pro (latest or pretty close) Heddon Super Spook XT (Mullet)
I use BIAB Real Tracks the way guitarhacker (Herb), Tom Adams, Floyd Jane, and Janice & Bud showed me and taught me here in these forums. Every production I've ever shared contains Real Tracks that were generated and exported multiple times, either in BIAB or in Real Band, and then imported and edited in Sonar or Studio One to fit the song.
I've changed the way I work now that BB has utility tracks ( no need to go into RB to make additional tracks ) and with the VST plug in capability, I still do all my composing and structure in BB but I now close BB and then open it in the VST. I then use the utility tracks if I haven't already add them, and simply drag and drop the WAV into the DAW track. It saves HD space by not having to create a folder for the wav file tracks. I like the new streamlined way of working much better.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.com Add nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.
The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
I stopped using RB also. In BIAB, I export each regeneration of the RT as a wav to a folder and then bring those files into Studio One.
A while back Rustyspoon (Misha) explained partial regen, but I didn't really see the benefit because the workflow seemed the same to me, just with shorter RT's. And I never know exactly what I want until after I record and comp vocals in the DAW and start listening to everything together.
You may be missing the beauty of RB; you can do vocals, comp and continue to generate as the flow develops ..
Meh...
Those of us on the Mac have never had RB. Once upon a time, I thought it might be nice but with the release of the DAW plug-in in 2018, I got over that.
BIAB 2025 Audiophile Mac 24Core/60CoreGPU M2 MacStudioUltra/8TB/192GB Sequoia, M1 MBAir, 2012 MBP Digital Performer11, LogicPro, Finale27/Dorico/Encore/SmartScorePro64/Notion6 /Overture5
No need for pity. I have no need for anything that Windows does exclusively. I live in Silicon Valley and Windows Support was a day gig for many years. I'm good where I am now.
Quote
(is Audition still free?)
Audition is an Adobe product. Definitely not free.
Are you thinking of Audacity, perhaps? Now part of Muse Group, recent versions are much better and it's still free. Not so many Mac users into it what with GarageBand being supported by Apple and, if you want a pro app with telephone and screen sharing support, Apple's Logic Pro X for $200 is very good.
BIAB 2025 Audiophile Mac 24Core/60CoreGPU M2 MacStudioUltra/8TB/192GB Sequoia, M1 MBAir, 2012 MBP Digital Performer11, LogicPro, Finale27/Dorico/Encore/SmartScorePro64/Notion6 /Overture5
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® users: Build 904 now available!
If you're already using Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, make sure to grab the latest update! Build 904 is now available for download and includes the newest additions and enhancements from our team.
PowerTracks 2026 is here—bringing powerful new enhancements designed to make your production workflow faster, smoother, and more intuitive than ever.
The enhanced Mixer now shows Track Type and Instrument icons for instant track recognition, while a new grid option simplifies editing views. Non-floating windows adopt a modern title bar style, replacing the legacy blue bar.
The Master Volume is now applied at the end of the audio chain for consistent levels and full-signal master effects.
Tablature now includes a “Save bends when saving XML” option for improved compatibility with PG Music tools. Plus, you can instantly match all track heights with a simple Ctrl-release after resizing, and Add2 chords from MGU/SGU files are now fully supported... and more!
Get started today—first-time packages start at just $49.
Already using PowerTracks Pro Audio? Upgrade for as little as $29 and enjoy the latest improvements!
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!
We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
Version 2026 introduces a modernized GUI redesign across the program, with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, and a new Dark Mode option. There’s also a new side toolbar for quicker access to commonly used windows, and the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, making it easier to customize your workspace.
Another exciting new addition is the new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. You can view the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to process an entire track or focus on specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
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!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Windows to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade during our special, you'll receive a Free Bonus PAK of exciting new add-ons.
If you need any help deciding which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We are here to help!
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!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PST on January 15th, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® today! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all the purchase options available.
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