This caught my attention this morning. First $9 is a McDonald Sanwich with Coke and 2nd the demo sounds very nice. But I don't know nothing about this "loops" things. Back in the day I had a program called Fruity Loops. I remember it was fun to play with but this was before I started to get serious about my music and I never kept the program. Today I work primarily with MIDI and Cover Songs where I get Audio from YouTube and SMP.
I believe I am going to pay the $9 just to see what this can do. Unless, somehere tells me I should go get lunch at McDonalds instead. Can anyone advise?
"No clue..... I can't figure out how things like that actually work. I could never get anything useful out of fruity loops"
You and me both!
I have been advised by a trusty forum member to look closely at https://splice.com/download for working with loops. And another who advised this is like stepping back to the 1990"s. And a third who advised that "nothing is really free", that $9 investment could end up costing me hundreds".
I have been advised by a trusty forum member to look closely at https://splice.com/download for working with loops. And another who advised this is like stepping back to the 1990"s. And a third who advised that "nothing is really free", that $9 investment could end up costing me hundreds".
This reminds me of an old program called Acid, where you purchased loops and "created" songs with them. It was fun for a very short period of time but that was not what I wanted to make music. Today I will occasionally add a loop or two into my songs (drum loops, MIDI loops and sound effects) but I would never make a song completely out of loops.
This program looks much more advanced than Acid was but I think the concept is the same. This is not for me but YMMV.
Last edited by MarioD; 01/14/2609:40 AM.
Life is short so make sure you spend as much time as possible on the Internet arguing with strangers.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
I am very intrigued. Can I make my own loops - meaning can I imput a Audio snipet into Elastik and create my own library? How long can a loop be?
The video shows Elastik importing loops onto a track, Elastik features you can use to alter the audio output of the imported loops and how loops can be combined to create a finished audio track. The video does not show what changes remain in the audio track if the plugin is removed from the track. Band-in-a-Box also has audio loop creation capability. I believe Tobin with PG Music created a video demonstrating how you can highlight part of a track and create an audio loop. The thought was you might want to create an audio loop to use as a recurring riff. Audio loops are generally short but the length really depends on the audio content and the expectation of how the audio loop might be used. For example a bass drum hit only needs to be as long as one note while an audio loop of an instrument riff might extend for four or eight bars. A loop needs to have metadata. A percussion loop needs tempo metadata. Loops that can change pitch need tempo and key signature metadata. There are good loops and bad loops. Good loop construction considers how a loop might be used, sample rate and how the beginning and end of a loop blends with what comes before and after the loop. For example a loop used in a 44.1k sample rate recording must contain exactly 44,100 samples. Too many or not enough and the loop audio will not match the rest of the audio and get out of sync. Sometimes you will run across audio snippets that don't include metadata. They are not loops but instead are called shots because they are one time events that are not repeatable. Last but not least most of my description applies to audio loops. But there are also midi loops.
Many of the old Sampler type keyboards used loops to great effect (at the time), such as the S-series Rolands. And years ago I made many loops. Haven't played with them in years. I had to toss my last W-30 a few years back due to it ceasing to function. I read that at one time MC Hammer's show was driven by two sync'd W-30s with the optional SCSI drives instead of the factory floppies. Music, lights, whole show
Elastik 3 is very fun. Very advanced too. For 9 bucks, DrDan takes no risks, except the one of enjoying himself
Yep: "a McDonald Sanwich with Coke"?
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
zplane recently interviewed Peter Gannon, the founder and creator of Band-in-a-Box, about the software's early days, what sets it apart from AI, how zplane's audio algorithms are used in Band-in-a-Box, and more!
Special thanks to the team at zplane for their continued support.
Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!
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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 amazing new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. View the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to transcribe an entire track or transcribe specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
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!
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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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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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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.
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.
The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!
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