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Band-in-a-Box Wishlist
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 673
Journeyman
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OP
Journeyman
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 673 |
I'm hoping that PGMusic will finally give BIAB a facelift after all these years. And a radical one at that. Over the years (and we're talking over a decade here) the user interface has remained essentially the same. More and more new features are added and piled on top of/under the interface. The main screen just keeps getting more and more cluttered. I don't use more than 90% of the buttons on the main page and I wonder whether other users do either. Of course it's much easier for developers this way. Move from ver. 2006 to 2006.5 or 2008 to 2008.5 and just add more features. The standard rebuttal would be: "Well users are most comfortable when things don't change much in the looks department. They know where things are now and would be lost if we were to make major adjustments to the user interface." That rebuttal would be/is a cop-out. It simply isn't true. What's needed is a clean uncluttered user interface. A minimum of buttons situated at the top of the main screen. Everything else should be nested under menus at the top of the page. The interface should look more business-like rather than child-like. Business can be fun too don't forget!!! And while we are changing the interface, please add user-configurable screensets.You know, the kind EMagic wrote for Logic more than a decade ago. Thank you for listening PGMusic! 
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Band-in-a-Box Wishlist
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,610
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,610 |
You can always configure the toolbar to contain only the buttons you want. I just use a few buttons and they're the only ones that show. Later, Ray
Asus Q500A i7 Win 10 64 bit 8GB ram 750 HD 15.5" touch screen, BIAB 2017, Casio PX 5s, Xw P1, Center Point Stereo SS V3 and EWI 4000s.
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Band-in-a-Box Wishlist
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 30
Enthusiast
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Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 30 |
I have also been troubled by the clutziness of the BiaB interface. Luckily for me, RealBand solves most of my problems. Remaining issues? I have three interface concerns that I continue to scratch my head over:
1. Big dialog boxes with many options, and little consideration to functional grouping and natural eye/mouse movements. i.e., they are hard to understand and use.
2. Big lists of filenames in stylepicker and such, rather than a database-type interface. Why? It's gotta be a legacy thing.
3. The WIERD mix of slick User Interface (Track window, Mixer window) with prototype-level UI (the Arranger). <soapbox> Come on guys! The rule is, to the end user, the interface IS the program. If you go all clutzy on the UI, people think you are amateurs, and in large degree they are right. The other rule is, it all has to look like it was done by the same person. That means some measure of discipline in the software development standards area, using the same toolkit in the same way, and having a designer have final say over your UI. This *can* be done in a rapid develop environment, I've seen it done many times.</soapbox>
Scott Emery
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Band-in-a-Box Wishlist
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Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 301
Journeyman
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Journeyman
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 301 |
Personally, I like it the way it is ...... I know where everything is that way, I get confused easy ;o)
I prefer time being spent creating all the great new features. And like Ray said you can configure the toolbar.
Happy New Year,
Dave.
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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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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.
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® users: Build 1237 is now available!
Already a Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows user? Stay up to date and download the build 1237 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.
PowerTracks Pro 2026 for Windows is Here!
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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!
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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®.
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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.
Happy New Year!
Thank you for being part of the Band-in-a-Box® community.
Wishing you and yours a very happy 2026—Happy New Year from all of us at PG Music!
Season's Greetings!
Wishing everyone a happy, healthy holiday season—thanks for being part of our community!
The office will be closed for Christmas Day, but we will be back on Boxing Day (Dec 26th) at 6:00am PST.
Team PG
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