|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,697
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,697 |
Guess I'm in the minority, since I find my Kurzweil patchmap useful.** Problem is, even though BB permits its use, they didn't facilitate access to it when they added program change functionality at the bar level (F5). Actually a number of us would appreciate that feature, as evidenced here. I'm anxious to see if this improvement made it to the imminent upgrade.
-Ron
Sure, a lot of people set up their keyboards to work with Biab. I have the PC2X, no patchmap for that one but If I really wanted to I could create one myself using the patchmap grid. For me anyway, I don't want a 55 pound 88 key keyboard set up in front of my computer all the time so I've never bothered working that out. I use Biab to sketch out a tune using Forte and if I really want to do something with it, I put it into RB and use Sample Tank, Garritan, Jamstix and all the RT's.
Bob
Biab/RB latest build, Win 11 Pro, Ryzen 5 5600 G, 512 Gig SSD, 16 Gigs Ram, Steinberg UR22 MkII, Roland Sonic Cell, Kurzweil PC3, Hammond SK1, Korg PA3XPro, Garritan JABB, Hypercanvas, Sampletank 3, more.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 507
Journeyman
|
|
Journeyman
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 507 |
Quote:
Sure, a lot of people set up their keyboards to work with Biab. I have the PC2X, no patchmap for that one but If I really wanted to I could create one myself using the patchmap grid. For me anyway, I don't want a 55 pound 88 key keyboard set up in front of my computer all the time so I've never bothered working that out. I use Biab to sketch out a tune using Forte and if I really want to do something with it, I put it into RB and use Sample Tank, Garritan, Jamstix and all the RT's.
Bob, I just PM'd you a PC2X patch map. Might save a little time if you ever go that way. I've got the keyboard near the computer, and since I don't gig, it's a stable setup. I sketch with softsynths too. While I use the patchmap, I don't mean to minimize the bank issues. I'd use the keyboard sounds even more often in early stages if BB permitted easier access to the other banks. (As you know, the GM bank on the PC2X is 1, not 0, and that's not adjustable within BB, so I do find myself not infrequently locking the keyboard into GM mode for convenience and foregoing the patchmap.)
-Ron
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 128
Apprentice
|
|
Apprentice
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 128 |
WSS
Biab is GM based and while you can use non GM synths by using patch maps or just manually assigning an instrument to each channel it's not worth the effort for most of us so we only look at GM stuff and the choices are very limited. You've got the VSC, Forte and Bandstand and that's basically it for softsynths and hardware it's the SD2. All the other hardware synths like my Kurzweil, Rolands etc, may have a GM soundbank but it's lame compared to their primary banks. Some of the high end arranger keyboards have good GM sounds but you're talking 2-3 grand for one of those.
Bob
This is the point, IMHO. For instance, does anybody here use VIR2 Instruments VI ONE? It has a GM bank, I see, but does this mean that automatically it sounds the "right" instruments at the "right" place (VSC and Forte style, I mean), OR do I have to pick every time, for each song, all the instruments, even if in the GM bank?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 69
Enthusiast
|
|
Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 69 |
Has anyone been able to get Dimension Pro to work properly with RealBand? I find that it behaves just like it does in Band in a Box, ie, if I change an instrument for one track it is changed for others as well. How do I use multiple Dim Pro instruments?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 69
Enthusiast
|
|
Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 69 |
So no one's been able to get this to work? 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,697
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,697 |
Dim Pro uses Elements. There are 4 Elements available with each instance and each Element can have it's own patch and midi channel. The problem with using it with Biab is Biab only has one midi port so you can only use one instance of Dim Pro. That means a maximum of 4 instruments. That could be enough for a lot of styles though and is plenty if you're using some Real Tracks or the Real Drums. I think your problem is you're not assigning the correct midi channel to each Element. As was pointed out above, it's gets tedious to have to go into Dim Pro and load a different patch every time you want to change an instrument in Biab. That's why most of us use use a dedicated GM synth because all the proper instruments are already loaded and ready for Biab to call them up.
Real Band is a different story. It has 16 midi ports so you could load 4 instances of Dim Pro and have 16 instruments available on 16 different midi channels.
Bob
Biab/RB latest build, Win 11 Pro, Ryzen 5 5600 G, 512 Gig SSD, 16 Gigs Ram, Steinberg UR22 MkII, Roland Sonic Cell, Kurzweil PC3, Hammond SK1, Korg PA3XPro, Garritan JABB, Hypercanvas, Sampletank 3, more.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
With your version 2026 for Mac Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!
These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
- The 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
- MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
- Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
- Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
- Playable RealTracks Set 5
- RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
- SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
- iOS Android Band-in-a-Box® App
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
- 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
- FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
- MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
- Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
- Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
- RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
- SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
Learn more about the Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
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!
It's the perfect time to expand your Band-in-a-Box® style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs. These additional styles for Band-in-a-Box® offer a wide range of genres designed to fit seamlessly into your projects. Each style is professionally arranged and mixed, helping enhance your songs while saving you time.
What are XPro Styles and Xtra Styles PAKs?
XPro Styles PAKs are styles that work with any version (Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition) of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). XPro Styles PAKS 1-10 includes 1,000 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 includes 3,700 styles (and 35 MIDI styles)!
The XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs are not included in any Band-in-a-Box® package.
The XPro Styles PAKs 1-10 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
The Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the Xtra Styles PAK Bundle for only $199 (reg. $349)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
Note: XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 19 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version as they require the RealTracks included in the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Supercharge your Band-in-a-Box today with XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAK Sets!
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.
Whether you're exploring new features, checking out the latest RealTracks or Style PAKs, this is your go-to guide for Band-in-a-Box® 2026.
Check out this forum post for "One Stop Shopping" of our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Videos!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac is Here!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac is here and it is packed with major new features! There’s a new modern look, a GUI redesign to all areas of the program including toolbars, windows, workflow and more. There’s a Multi-view layout for organizing multiple windows. A standout addition is the powerful AI-Notes feature, which uses AI neural-net technology to transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI—entire mixes or individual instruments—making it easy to study, view, and play parts from any song. And that’s just the beginning—there are over 100 new features in this exciting release.
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!
Special Offers
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac and save up to 50% on most upgrade packages during our special offer—available until May 15, 2026. Visit our Band-in-a-Box® packages page to explore all available upgrade options.
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK Add-ons
Our Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK are loaded with amazing add-ons! The Free Bonus PAK is included with most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac packages, but you can unlock even more—including 20 unreleased RealTracks—by upgrading to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49.
Holiday Weekend Hours
As we hop into the Easter weekend, here are our holiday hours:
April 3 (Good Friday): 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM PDT
April 4 (Saturday): Closed
April 5 (Easter Sunday): Closed
April 6 (Easter Monday): Open regular hours
Wishing you an egg-cellent weekend!
— Team PG
Update to Build 10 of RealBand® 2026 for Windows®!
If you're already using RealBand 2026 for Windows, download build 10 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums57
Topics86,286
Posts802,693
Members40,081
| |
Most Online64,515
Apr 8th, 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean