PG Music Home Forums PG Music Product Forums Band-in-a-Box for Windows Make RealTrack more versatile?

I'm fine with disagreement. We all have different workflows and use BIAB in many different ways. Disagree but remain civil as you always do. Nothing I post about a BIAB process should be taken personally. It's about the program not the person.

The Add-ons Window is simply a place where all 467 RT sets are listed in an easy to reach place from anywhere a person is in the BIAB program.
The Add-ons Window provides the numbers necessary to launch a detailed search confined to limited parameters.

Once you know a specific set to search, opening the MultiPicker Library focused on the RealTracks tab, clicking on the # button opens a dialog where you can search by RealTrack set ranges.

RealTrack sets are grouped and sold separately by PG Music as RealPaks.
There are 21 RealPak sets, each selling for $79. Glancing at the Add-ons Page confirms if a particular range of RealTracks are included in your BIAB package or not.

As an example, RealPak Country 1 contains 14 RealTracks Sets with 87 styles added to the purchasers BIAB program. On the PG Music RealTracks page you can access from any page in the forum, you can read the details of the RealPak and also watch a 15 minute video to hear and see demos of all the RealTrack sets and 87 Styles. All 21 RealPak packages are set up the same way. A longtime user like myself and many others, I likely already own these RealTrack sets. I can quickly verify if I do or not by glancing at the Add-ons page. These RealPaks are self-contained search engines for Styles and RealTracks. The same can be said for Bonus Paks, 49 Paks, Xtra Styles, XPro Paks, etc.

My current BIAB version has 11,929 Styles and 4,099 RealTracks. I never begin a search with those numbers. I've found or developed methods to use the Paks listed and other similar tools that allows me to search in groups limiting genres, instruments and styles guiding me quickly to finding what I need. Rarely does a search extend beyond 2-3 minutes. My earlier post was to share my technique in hopes it would help others the same as its benefited me.

<< If I'm seeking compatible RTs for my chosen style how does this help me do that? I would already know which RTs are included in my chosen style. >>

BIAB has search parameters to look for similar styles to the current style. Using this search is a good method to almost immediately find compatible RT's. Create a list of similar styles to use as a search. All of the similar styles will have 4-5 compatible RealTracks that are different from the RT's in the current chosen style. This search is particularly good for finding a compatible soloist. This is limited and precise result of styles that are similar to your current style. Why not search these styles first for compatible RealTracks rather than start a RealTrack search of 4,099 RealTracks? Overwhelmingly, I normally find my best style, best additional and compatible RealTracks, SuperMidi instruments to add or substitute and any soloist or soloist replacement within minutes from my first target search.

I personally think a collection of styles and RealTracks that have been put together into RealPaks by PG Music staff and sells for $79 is a gold mine search engine for a targeted search.