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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Aug 2013
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OP
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With generative audio AI products having reached their current level of usefulness, how has this affected your use of BIAB? Products like SUNO allow you to upload an old demo or to just play or hum a part into it and generate full productions. MOISES Studio allows you to upload a part and generate WAV files for another instrument's accompaniment based on your input. With BIAB doing only yearly updates to the software, does PG run the risk of getting left in the dust? Can they move fast enough to compete?
Don't get me wrong. I still love my BIAB. I was excited to see PG dipping their toes into AI this past year, but as one prominent YouTube AI personality says, "AI Never Sleeps." The industry seems to advance by leaps and bounds from one week to the next, sometimes one day to the next. Last year, I thought it may be a year or perhaps two before AI could even begin to squeeze traditional platforms out of the market. But many traditional software-based companies are scrambling to keep up with the rapid pace of advances.
How do you see PG Music responding to this potential threat to their business model? Do they adapt and begin to implement more generative AI into their product? With the landscape shifting so radically at such breakneck speeds, do you see the yearly release model going away? Perhaps a subscription based model implemented?
I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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In response to your subject line question, AI has had zero impact on my songwriting workflow. Not because I don't appreciate it, I do. It's mind boggling. But I just enjoy the human parts of songwriting and performance too much. Color me selfish.
I'm going to let our hosts ponder the implications of AI on the current product and model for backing track software. But I get your point. The age demographic of our current Showcase forum is certainly problematic for BiaB long term prospects. And I'd bet new YouTube content for AI music is 1000X whatever BiaB music is, and growing daily...
DC Ron
BiaB Audiophile
Presonus Studio One
ASUS I9-12900K DAW, 32 GB RAM
Presonus Faderport 16
Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2003
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Currently I do not use AI for anything. However I can see it being a useful for composing, much like BiaB is a useful composing tool. But I am against having AI do an entire song.
Another but is that having a computer generate an entire song has been around since the early Acid loop days. Heck one can do that in BiaB. All one has to do is to copy some chords from a book or lyric/chord site, select a style, and a lead. Not as easy as the other two examples but it can be done. Also there are some MIDI softwares that is very similar to the Acid loops way of composing. In all three examples no music knowledge is needed, however with said knowledge they are excellent tools.
IMHO in some ways BiaB is being left in the dust on other issues. PGM asking for suggestions in the wishlist forum is an excellent first step in catching up. At least they are listening to their customers.
PGM can implement AI in some areas such as listening to a song and suggesting a style, help in picking a style, RT, RD, etc., suggesting chord progressions, and suggesting key transition chords as examples.
If PGM goes to a subscription model I would be through purchasing their products.
Most all of my songs start in BiaB. BiaB is my second most used piece of music software behind my DAW. I do most of my work in my DAW.
YMMV
OK, a random thought;
Why does toilet paper need a commercial? Who's not buying it?
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Feb 2007
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The only impact it has is the time I spend turning it off whenever it pops up in an app.
the Insolent LadEnough small empty boxes thrown into a big empty box fill it full. ~Carl Sandburg
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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For my work as a gigging musician and my sideline (making aftermarket products for BiaB) it hasn't helped me at all. BiaB helps me make backing tracks for my duo, The Sophisticats for some songs more than others. It depends on the song and available MIDI styles for BiaB. Why MIDI - ability to edit is thousands of times better than audio. If I were a songwriter, I suspect AI might be a good tool. Just as BiaB gives me good musical ideas that I can edit to make what I think is better, or at least more personal, I can see a songwriter using AI for the same reason. I don't see anything wrong with using AI or BiaB for the entire product, but because I like music, I like playing with music, and I like to have my musical touch involved, I would never just let the 'machine' do the whole thing. What's the fun in that? Of course, that's just me. Plus AI is still in it's infancy (or toddler) years. Insights and incites by Notes ♫
Last edited by Notes Norton; 08/28/25 06:07 AM. Reason: I'm TYPOMAN - writing all wrongs :D
Bob "Notes" Norton  Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com
100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
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These days, the only area where I use AI in my music is stem separation from within Studio One Pro.
In learning and constructing basslines (for covers), I find being able to generate clean bass stems from recordings to be a useful AI-enabled tool.
Years ago, someone coined the term unbaking the cake for this.
For me, this is second only to chord detection in usefulness.
https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677BiaB 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.
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PGM has a massive ethically produced library. Their main problem is making it difficult for beginners (and more advanced users) to work with it, discover deep hidden features aka workflow + known issues. Several recent PGM threads collecting opinions makes me hopeful that something significant is cooking. They obviously need to re-tool.
I guess, to me personally it is more about ethics and just having fun in manual tinkering. AI can definitely play a part in future of PGM. For example enhance RTs: more interesting transitions, different octaves, allow for significant tempo changes without artifacts, etc. I still prefer this "semi-manual" algorithmic philosophy of BIAB composing / constructing vs "one click" AI generation.
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I find the proposed topic very interesting. In my opinion, Biab offers the user greater control over the outcome, as we can dictate the sequence of chords, tempo, and other parameters that current programs like Suno, Moises, etc., generate without asking. On the other hand, although the AI sound library is much broader, in Biab you can customize the mix of instruments better. However, I believe there are two aspects in which these AI programs do surpass Biab: 1) The generation of solo vocals, and 2) The creation of songs from a simple recorded idea.
I hope that the engineers at PGMusic leverage their long history to keep Biab as the most suitable program for musicians who want to compose their own songs. Best regards.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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I don't use it as, for the present, I don't need it. Once arthritis takes over I'll have to rely on RT, RD & MIDI much more than now but actually needing/using AI - I can't envisage that in the medium term.
I don't use it for other things except, very occasionally, stem splitting and that's a pretty limited amount of it as well. Not for searches either as A.I. will, doubtless, be used to channel even more paid "results" for the engines. Even Duck Duck Go/Mozilla have a top of the list A.I. "result".
Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
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I don't use AI at all. I may use it implicitly by using a specific tool such as stem splitting that uses AI.
Otherwise I get my kicks from of developing my own skills and creativity.
I would use it if available in a search tool for matching music to find best matching RDs, RTs and styles within BIAB. (I am waiting for this to come)
It may change it depends on what tools come up, I want to keep developing my own skills, creativity and musicality but will certainly use AI for non creative tasks stem splitting, search/ matching etc
BIAB 2026, Studio Pro 8, Song Master Pro, Win11 Home. i7-9700K CPU, 32GB, ESI MAYA44eX, ZOOM UAC-2, Guitar Pro 8, Transcribe, (EZKeys2, EZD3, SD3, EZBass, EZMix3)
Amateur: fiddle, guitar, vocal, beginner on bass.
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I'm not a Luddite, but I enjoy making music. I like the process, and at this point, don't want to share it with AI. Even when I use Band-in-a-Box, I export the MIDI to a sequencer/DAW and continue editing, tweaking, and putting my own creative touches on it. I wouldn't want the machine to have all the fun. But for our gigging backing tracks, I usually play most, or all of the parts from scratch into the DAW, starting with the drums. I'm lucky that I can play sax, flute, wind synth, guitar, bass, drums, and keyboards.
Some day, an AI tool may happen that I find interesting and will still let me do most of the work myself, because I like the work. If that comes about, I'll be happy to add it to my tool set.
Bob "Notes" Norton Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com
100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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AI is certainly changing the game. It's capabilities have made huge advances in just the last year and considering that just slightly over 3 years ago it was simply some futuristic dream.
Yes, PG Music is going to have to incorporate AI into BB in a much more substantial way or risk being left behind and risking irrelevance.
Here's an example of what I'm talking about. I've got a really well constructed song that I'm working on currently. Part me and part AI. It has undergone several reiterations and editing. I've used the BB tools like ACW to get it into BB so I can add real tracks. One of the things I'm seeing is that the real tracks stay with the BB style and are not fitting into the song very well. In the end, I'll most likely only be able to use a few tracks such as synth and B3 since they are the only ones that halfway fit or are useable. I'll end up recording the guitar parts myself to get the groove correct.
AI, properly incorporated, that can listen to the original input, and then seamlessly weave the real tracks, with their superb quality into the song, would be a great tool. Instead of being forced to find and choose a rigid style, what if BB, with AI guiding it, could cross the style boundaries and integrate the perfect style groove based on the song? The AI models out there are doing this now. Albeit, editing what it gives you can get rather tedious currently. However, they are working on integration into what appears to be a DAW format....... Coming soon, as they say. And if the leaps forward over the last few months are any indication of what is coming next in the "studio" version..... This could be a very big deal for AI.
I do agree with the OP on the yearly update schedule. A year in the AI world is an eternity ago. Suno for example was running version 3 one year ago and now they're on 4.5 and planning shortly to release "Studio". One year apart upgrades was cutting edge 4 years ago. It's going to require periodic updates for the product throughout the year just to stay one step behind. Assuming you want to stay current. PG should be using AI to help with the coding and bug testing required to accomplish this. (Maybe they are doing this now. IDK.)
So yes.... I believe PG is going to need to incorporate a more effective use of AI functionality into BB. They will most likely have an "off" switch for the purists in the group. But, yes, the genie is out of the bottle as they say.
Edit to add: another example. The BB stem splitter is good, but AI stems online is now capable of more individual stems and a much higher quality extraction. Some of those are seriously amazing.
Last edited by Guitarhacker; 09/07/25 06:14 AM.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd 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.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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GH, very intelligently expressed.
Your point on how AI could be used to fit/modify real tracks so they aren't fixed and static, but instead dynamic and adaptable to better fit with the groove of the song is insightful.
If today's real tracks (as good as they are and they are very good) are analogous to a limited slide-rule; then AI-enabled dynamic real tracks are analogous to a programming language where you can customize at will.
We could have used your brain on the White Paper team . . .
PS> I still have my slide-rule as an antique conversation piece, and it was mighty useful back in the day. We basically put a man on the moon and brought him safely back home with it.
https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677BiaB 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.
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I select tracks outside of the style when needed..actually more often than not.
My current Showcase song has only one track from the style it was started in.
Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
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AI, properly incorporated, that can listen to the original input, and then seamlessly weave the real tracks, with their superb quality into the song, would be a great tool. Instead of being forced to find and choose a rigid style, what if BB, with AI guiding it, could cross the style boundaries and integrate the perfect style groove based on the song? The AI models out there are doing this now. Albeit, editing what it gives you can get rather tedious currently. However, they are working on integration into what appears to be a DAW format....... Coming soon, as they say. And if the leaps forward over the last few months are any indication of what is coming next in the "studio" version..... This could be a very big deal for AI. Very interesting, Are these AI models available somewhere for test or use? what companies is this refering to? Is anyone aware of any AI software today that can compare and match similarity in music.groove/feel (ie match a song to a music library etc)
BIAB 2026, Studio Pro 8, Song Master Pro, Win11 Home. i7-9700K CPU, 32GB, ESI MAYA44eX, ZOOM UAC-2, Guitar Pro 8, Transcribe, (EZKeys2, EZD3, SD3, EZBass, EZMix3)
Amateur: fiddle, guitar, vocal, beginner on bass.
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You already have Splice included in your Studio One Pro. The genres are not my cup of tea but it can match tempo and key of the song with tons of samples. It is only a matter of time before you will be able to do what you are talking about.
BIAB 2026 Ultrapack- Fender Studio Pro 8, Windows 11, Mac Mini M4 with Logic Pro 11, Melodyne Studio, Luna Pro
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I’ve always considered BIAB to be the earliest commercial program I used that had artificial intelligence. I don’t play guitar, but with BIAB I can give it instructions and out comes a better guitar track with technique and creativity beyond what I could even imagine or describe. That sounds like artificial intelligence to me.
BIAB has revolutionized my professional music workflow for 33 years. I believe that the current focus on AI is just a marketing emphasis on something I think has existed and evolved for decades.
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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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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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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Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac Videos
With the release of Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac, we’re rolling out a collection of brand-new videos on our YouTube channel. We’ll keep this forum post updated so you can easily find all the latest videos in one convenient spot.
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Along with version 2026, we've released an incredible lineup of new content! There's 202 new RealTracks, brand-new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two new RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
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