The one area that might use multi-core functionality is the rendering of RealTracks. At first blush, way back a couple of years ago, you'd see RealDrums and perhaps one RealTrack and it would take 40 or 50 seconds to process the thing into wave file(s). Now as we go forward and the software has matured we don't wait for the entire render process before the song starts, it gets so far and boom off it goes and plays while the rendering goes on in the background. So splitting up the processes might solve a bottleneck. That said the software would have to determine the processor and then make the decision.

As to the use of a 'mixer' in my case the line 1 is my mic which goes through a vocal processor, line 2 is the keyboard direct, line 3 is the computer and line 4 is a EWI wind controller. All the knobs are set to 12 on the pre-amps and the volumes, and the main volume is at 12 o'clock at home. Each song has it's notes, ie Mute Ketron (it's a button) keyboard to 80 percent (that would be the Roland piano direct not thru the computer). So the object is to get the levels set in Band in a Box to make things easy, and just send up the main volume. The beauty of a mixer. Mix all the sounds to your liking and tweak. That said the Bose is Mono. I do have a stereo rig too but don't use it any more.

I keep hoping for the software to be compiled for Linux. The only thing I really do on the Win7 machine is Band in a Box. The rest is Ubuntu 10.10 released on 10 10 for the reference to the Hitchhiker's Guide and binary.

My crazy friend Dr. Hank had his 64th birthday on 10/10/10. Weird eh? He got his Bmus and Masters Music at Indiana U and was a student of the long time principal trumpet player at the Chicago Symphony. (Dr. Henry Meredith prof at the University of Western Ontario, (his wife is Dean of Undergrad Music and a Dr. too, but sits beside the wife and I in the Baritone/Euphonium section of the Plumbing Factory Brass Band, Dr. Hank is the conductor, and owns most of the instruments we play....

If you have not found the treasure trove, check out google for >Allanah Band in a Box and you'll find thousands of songs, mostly jazz standards, in Band in a Box format. I have taken the best ones and changed the style, muted the melody, and muted the piano, and use them to play along, usually with all RealTracks and RealDrums.

Most of all, have fun!

John Conley
Musica est vita