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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 26
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 26 |
Has anyone bought the Real Book software or heard anything about it? If so, could you share your experience or what you heard? Thanks.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 13,096
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Veteran
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 13,096 |
Generally bad reports, just search this forum for this topic as it comes up occasionally. 
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,333
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,333 |
I bought it. I already had everything in the package I downloaded over the years, including the fact that the first 30 songs were identical in titles with asterisks and all. You can save the download times by buying it. The rest to me was bunk.
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,259
Expert
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Expert
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,259 |
I bought it, but never use it. I like Notes Norton's fake book disks better and you buy the actual fake books separately. The notation style is the jazz style in the real book software. Some prefer that style others not. I'm just a customer of Norton and have bought 5 of his fake book disks. Using them has worked out well for us. YMMV.
Stan
Cornet Curmudgeon
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 26
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 26 |
Thanks. I will check out the Notes Norton stuff.
Funny thing about the Real Book web site. I couldn't find a place to click to buy it. I am also suspicious if there isn't a contact phone number.
Thanks again.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,259
Expert
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Expert
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,259 |
Quote:
Thanks. I will check out the Notes Norton stuff.
Funny thing about the Real Book web site. I couldn't find a place to click to buy it. I am also suspicious if there isn't a contact phone number.
Thanks again.
It's been some time, but I did actually buy the stuff and got some bonus stuff, too. Not cheap as I recall, but others on here like the product. As I said YMMV.
Cornet Curmudgeon
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,163
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,163 |
I can second Norton's Fakebook Disks as well. He has just about every fakebook converted for use with Biab. I have several of them here and they do NOT contain any melodies for copyright reasons. Pick a song from his disk, do a style search for the song in Biab and you are set to go.
Trax
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 38
Enthusiast
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Enthusiast
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 38 |
does Norton stuff have intros , endings and other features or is it just straight chords?
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,163
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,163 |
Quote:
does Norton stuff have intros , endings and other features or is it just straight chords?
If the song has an intro, those chords ARE included in his song layout, no riffs, melodies etc (copyright reasons). You are basically getting the song already laid out in Biab form, along with a suitable style already selected. Norton also makes his own Biab styles and uses them in his fakebook disks, but not every fakebook song has a Norton style, he includes standard Biab styles as well.
The way to find a suitable standard Biab file, to replace a Norton style, is to type the songs name into the style search filter. The filter should hit on the song name and suggest a Biab style.
Again, there are NO melodies or song specific riffs, unless it is in the style already. The fake disks are handy for those who perform with Biab. You have the complete song structure and key already set to go in Biab format.
BTW, you can go to his website and d/l some his fakebook songs for free. He usually lists a few freebies with each fakebook disk.
Trax
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,259
Expert
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Expert
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,259 |
There are free BIAB songs already done which include melodies, intros, etc. which you can download. You have to search for them though on the web though. One is Allanah where you can get lots of files. I make a donation to her every once in awhile. I've found some interesting arrangements via her site but I usually do some editing on them. FWIW
When I load in a Norton disk song, BIAB always changes his style to a BIAB one in Styles. This is done before I have a chance to stop it from happening. Of course, I still have the original Norton style.
Stan
Cornet Curmudgeon
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 479
Journeyman
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Journeyman
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 479 |
Also try This Site . You can download a zip of a Real Book in BIAB. Pretty good.
kelso
Dell Desktop XPS 8100 W10 HomePrem/64 / Core i5 760 (quad, 2.8GHz) / 8GB DDR3 / 1 TB SATA / ViewSonic VG2428wm / EMU1616 PCI / Event ASP6 Active Monitors / BIAB 2019 64 bit (609) / Cakewalk
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 32
Enthusiast
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Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 32 |
I did try the site you mentioned, but any downloads referenced go to a page not found.
CMJ IdeaSound Studios www.IdeaSound.usBand in a Box 2020 Audiophile edition Ableton Live Suite 10
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 479
Journeyman
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Journeyman
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 479 |
Opps - Sorry, things ain't what they used to be. Here are the only other two BIAB sites I know of - each take multiple downloads. I think I have heard, and can believe it, that the Allanah collection has all those of Wesley, and then some. So that is where to start. Allanah's Wesley Dick
kelso
Dell Desktop XPS 8100 W10 HomePrem/64 / Core i5 760 (quad, 2.8GHz) / 8GB DDR3 / 1 TB SATA / ViewSonic VG2428wm / EMU1616 PCI / Event ASP6 Active Monitors / BIAB 2019 64 bit (609) / Cakewalk
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1
Newbie
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Newbie
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1 |
Real Book Software: awful, awful, Awful
Wish I had read this thread before paying. But I strongly advise anybody considering it to steer clear.
Worst:
The piracy protection -- moving beyond the ironic for somebody selling a compilation of likely pirated material -- is so unforgiving that it will not run on my computer without freshly installing it anytime. I got a key from their support that allows me to reinstall beyond the 14 day period.
Second worst:
Support is not very sympathetic. I was good natured and asked them to swap it for one of their products without the protection mechanism. No, buddy, we have your money and you don't. Maybe you should buy a new computer.
Bad:
When it is installed a licensed, it works. But the GUI is very cheesy and the workflow is uninviting. You can sort, listen and view/print the charts (I can until I turn my computer off) but it doesn't feel like much value is added.
Okay:
They've been denigrated on this thread, but I enjoy the band-in-the-box files. Those are just sitting in a directory. They don't connect or index to the program at all -- of course, this is good for me because the program does not work. Saved me some typing -- I'm not pleased that I paid $127 for it but it's keeping me from finding and burning down the dingy studio apartment where this business is surely headquartered.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,610
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,610 |
If you want just chord changes, go to this site. Enter a title and click display. No melodies though. Later, Ray http://www.myrealbook.com/realbook_index.htnThis app has 1300 standards plus latin and pop tunes. All chords and no melodies. It's a play along, but not as sophisticated as BIAB. http://irealpro.com/
Last edited by raymb1; 01/09/14 02:54 PM.
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 for Windows
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,860
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,860 |
I downloaded everything on both wesley Dicks and Allanah's site and found most of them incomplete at best. The best way to make good files is to start from scratch and dive in and make them one file at a time.
HP Win 11 12 gig ram, Mac mini Sonoma with 16 gig of ram, BiaB/RB 2026, Reaper 7, Harrison Mixbus 11 , Zoom Livetrack L-8
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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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Introducing XPro Styles PAK 11 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2026 and Higher!
XPro Styles PAK 11 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 (and higher) is here with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 31 RealTracks/RealDrums!
Guess who’s back again? That’s right! It’s our XPro Styles PAK’s triumphant return with the 11th edition in this series! 100 new styles are coming your way spread across the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres. And this edition's wildcard genre explores the immense and far-reaching catalogue of electronic music! The included 31 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Special offers available until August 31st, 2026!
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Learn more and listen to demos of XPro Styles PAKs.
Video: XPro Styles PAK 11 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2026 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 22 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2026 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 22 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2026 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
It’s time to celebrate! Xtra Styles PAK 22 for Band-in-a-Box® is here, and we've got 200 brand-new styles coming your way!
No Xtra Styles PAK is complete without the classic rock & pop, jazz, and country volumes you know and love, and we’ve got plenty to share, with 150 styles spread across too many genres to list! Of course, it also wouldn’t be complete with our special wildcard volume to add a little spice and pizzazz to the mix. This year, because we loved it so much the first time, we’ve decided to make the second iteration of our SynthMaster volume, full of new sounds, interesting genres, and 50 engaging styles, all making use of the diverse SynthMaster plugin! Here you can find genres such as airy yacht rock, sultry electrotango, and even some synth soca funk. Don’t wait, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 22 today!
In this PAK you can find: dulcet folk ballads, funky gospel country, Brazilian jazz fusion, upbeat 1980s pop, classic Americana, a plethora of breezy bossa novas, indie singer-songwriter, scintillating synthwave, exuberant electronica, and many, many more!
Special offers available until August 31st, 2026!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1-22 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 22 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 22.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 22 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 22 requires the 2026 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 11 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2026 and Higher!
XPro Styles PAK 11 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 (and higher) is here with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 31 RealTracks/RealDrums!
Guess who’s back again? That’s right! It’s our XPro Styles PAK’s triumphant return with the 11th edition in this series! 100 new styles are coming your way spread across the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres. And this edition's wildcard genre explores the immense and far-reaching catalogue of electronic music! The included 31 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Special offers available until August 31st, 2026!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1-11 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of XPro Styles PAKs.
Video: XPro Styles PAK 11 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2026 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 22 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2026 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 22 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2026 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
It’s time to celebrate! Xtra Styles PAK 22 for Band-in-a-Box® is here, and we've got 200 brand-new styles coming your way!
No Xtra Styles PAK is complete without the classic rock & pop, jazz, and country volumes you know and love, and we’ve got plenty to share, with 150 styles spread across too many genres to list! Of course, it also wouldn’t be complete with our special wildcard volume to add a little spice and pizzazz to the mix. This year, because we loved it so much the first time, we’ve decided to make the second iteration of our SynthMaster volume, full of new sounds, interesting genres, and 50 engaging styles, all making use of the diverse SynthMaster plugin! Here you can find genres such as airy yacht rock, sultry electrotango, and even some synth soca funk. Don’t wait, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 22 today!
In this PAK you can find: dulcet folk ballads, funky gospel country, Brazilian jazz fusion, upbeat 1980s pop, classic Americana, a plethora of breezy bossa novas, indie singer-songwriter, scintillating synthwave, exuberant electronica, and many, many more!
Special offers available until August 31st, 2026!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1-22 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 22 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 22.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 22 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 22 requires the 2026 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Peter Gannon Talks Band-in-a-Box with zplane
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.
Check out the full interview here: https://products.zplane.de/blog/peter-gannon-interview-pg-music
Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!
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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®.
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Check out the Band-in-a-Box® for Mac packages page to find the best package for you.
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