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RealBand
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I'm a fairly long-time BIAB user, but mostly for practice purposes and for accompanying my students. I wasn't planning to do the upgrade this time, but I'm really looking at Real Band to be able to do decent demo recordings and possibly some decent accompaniment recordings for my students; jazz tunes, funk grooves and such. My questions are thus: am a correct in believing the Real Band is the app for such easy recordings? How are the RealTracks working with Real Band? I mainly want to add my own guitar to tracks that sound decent. What kind of interface do I need? Can I go from my digital modeling effects pedal into the soundcard input, or something else? I'm also confused about the difference between Pro and Megapack? Is there any way to just buy Real Band without upgrading BIAB? funkifized@musician.org
Band-in-a-Box® for Windows
Version 2026 (1237)
64 bit application
RealBand 2026 (4)
Windows 11 Home
Intel(R) Core(TM) 5 120U (1.40 GHz)
12.0 GB (11.7 GB usable)
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From what you describe, Realband sounds like a perfect fit. Have a look at the "Introduction to Realband" tutorial found via the following link. Although this tutorial is for version 2010, it is still application to 2011 and will answer your questions in much more detail than can be given here on the forums. http://www.pgmusic.com/realbandvideos.htmIf, after watching the video, you then have a look at Peter Gannon's up near the top of this forum, there is other information that details the new features of Realband 2011 (in addition to those present in RB 2010). Regards, Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
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funkifized:
After you've checked out the videos (as per Noel's advice above), here are a couple of things I've found, that hopefully will give you something to think about for your stated questions.
- you said you "want to add my own guitar to tracks that sound decent". To what does "decent" refer? To YOUR guitar tracks or to RealTracks? <grin> If you want to check out RealTracks you can "mouse around" the PGMusic website and find demos of each that you can listen to. Then you'll know whether they are "decent" (if that is indeed your question).
- the interface you will need, depends on how you want to record your guitar. You say you want to go from your effects pedal "into the soundcard input".
What soundcard are you using?
If you're just going into the "Mic In" or "Line In" on a PC or laptop that doesn't have a dedicated "soundcard", you may or may not be happy with the guitar recording you get.
You could try it this way by just recording into (say) Audacity (freeware) and see if you like the guitar sound there.
If you don't get the sound you want that way, you may have to get a pre-amp or perhaps a small mixer to route your effects pedal to the PC.
The other consideration is, if you don't have a dedicated soundcard (e.g. Audiophile 2496 or some such), you may not get the quality of sound you're after no matter what you do. I'm assuming that although your effects pedal is "digital modeling", it still puts out an analog signal which must be changed to digital in order for RealBand to use it.
That means that somewhere in the signal path, you need a good (or at least adequate) A to D converter. A "soundcard on a chip" might not be enough if that's all you're using.
Let us know more about your setup and perhaps someone more versed on the subject can get you some help.
Good Luck!
LLOYD S
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RealBand
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I don't have a dedicated soundcard. I was wondering if the line-in/mic-in would work with the Line 6 Pod XTLive: http://line6.com/podxtlive/rearpanel.html. The pedal should work as a pre-amp, no? My reference to "decent" meant the sounds of Real Tracks. What I've heard on the demo videos sounds great, but I know that what's in the demo isn't always what comes out in real life. How much are the Real Tracks editable? How does tweaking dynamics and such sound with these digital sound files?
Band-in-a-Box® for Windows
Version 2026 (1237)
64 bit application
RealBand 2026 (4)
Windows 11 Home
Intel(R) Core(TM) 5 120U (1.40 GHz)
12.0 GB (11.7 GB usable)
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You can probably record using the USB out from that unit. No need for another interface if guitar is all you will record. The line in/ mic in on most onboard soundcards are usually better off avoided; they add noise etc.
Realtracks behave as regular audio; no problem processing them. They sound good, like the demos, to start with.
They edit like regular audio also. Copy/paste, fade, etc with no worries.
Last edited by rharv; 12/30/10 02:50 PM.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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RealBand
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Also, can I buy Real Band without the BIAB upgrade?
Band-in-a-Box® for Windows
Version 2026 (1237)
64 bit application
RealBand 2026 (4)
Windows 11 Home
Intel(R) Core(TM) 5 120U (1.40 GHz)
12.0 GB (11.7 GB usable)
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Quote:
Also, can I buy Real Band without the BIAB upgrade?
negative
You could get PT2010 and have realdrums, but not the Realtracks and styles features.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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RealBand
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Okay, then I should probably just get the upgrade. Now, what I'm not getting from the video is an answer about the editing. Can I edit the tracks that have been generated, like I might with a sequencer? Maybe if I don't like some of the notes, etc.? Create kicks and stops? Input my own parts, to be played by a Real Track sound?
Band-in-a-Box® for Windows
Version 2026 (1237)
64 bit application
RealBand 2026 (4)
Windows 11 Home
Intel(R) Core(TM) 5 120U (1.40 GHz)
12.0 GB (11.7 GB usable)
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RealBand
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You can't do it like you could with MIDI. They are audio tracks.
There are some tricks for shots and holds, using BiaB features. Realtracks can be generated there and brought into RB for DAW use, BTW.
They are audio tracks, so audio type editing is possible, but you can't go in and change a snare to a tom or anything like that.
Realdrums come as stereo files, already mixed together.
Realtracks are individual intruments, sometimes in stereo sometimes in mono, but they are audio.
You can edit audio in RB about as much as most other DAWs, but you can not go in and 'rewrite' a part. You can regenerate it (over and over) and get different variations, but not total control if that is what you are asking.
One plus RB has is that you can just select a certain lick you don't like and regenerate that section. So you can pick from variations.
One trick I'll use occasionally is to generate a bunch of tracks of drums, then pick thru and copy/paste different sections that I like. So, being creative, you can do a lot; you're not 'stuck with it', but you don't get total control like you do with MIDI.
Sometimes you can even accomplish what you want by actually using MIDI in conjunction with a realtrack (ie add a cymbal at a certain point) but now I'm probably confusing you..
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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RealBand
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No, I think I get you. So, this isn't really sequencing software, per se? I can't edit the chord voicings or the rhythms, just pick and choose from what RB generates? But I can also add MIDI files in along with the realtracks, and output the MIDI file(s), realtrack, and my own recorded input into a functioning stereo recording? I'm coming from some sequencing background in the past, and I'm lured by the idea of arranging/sequencing with real sounds. If I can add MIDI sounds into the mix, all the better. Of course, the important part is being able to record my own guitar playing along with all of this.
Am I shooting in the right direction?
Band-in-a-Box® for Windows
Version 2026 (1237)
64 bit application
RealBand 2026 (4)
Windows 11 Home
Intel(R) Core(TM) 5 120U (1.40 GHz)
12.0 GB (11.7 GB usable)
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RealBand
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Hmmm, I guess a better question/example would be, could I write my own drum part, as I would in MIDI, and have it played by realtrack sounds?
Band-in-a-Box® for Windows
Version 2026 (1237)
64 bit application
RealBand 2026 (4)
Windows 11 Home
Intel(R) Core(TM) 5 120U (1.40 GHz)
12.0 GB (11.7 GB usable)
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RealBand
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Quote:
No, I think I get you. So, this isn't really sequencing software, per se? I can't edit the chord voicings or the rhythms, just pick and choose from what RB generates? But I can also add MIDI files in along with the realtracks, and output the MIDI file(s), realtrack, and my own recorded input into a functioning stereo recording? I'm coming from some sequencing background in the past, and I'm lured by the idea of arranging/sequencing with real sounds. If I can add MIDI sounds into the mix, all the better. Of course, the important part is being able to record my own guitar playing along with all of this.
Am I shooting in the right direction?
Funky,
Your summary above is right on the money. I bought this program a year ago for exactly the same reasons and I couldn't be much happier with what it has to offer. 
There's a link to my music page below, all the songs (except the 1st one, "Studmen") are using RT's & RD's plus additional guitar parts & vocals I've added. Also lot's of songs on the Showcase page that others have done. Should give you a good idea of what others are accomplishing with this software and the RT's & RD's.
Take Care,
Greg
http://www.mymusicstream.com/gregachord/
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So, is PowerTracks just MIDI sequencer software, then?
Band-in-a-Box® for Windows
Version 2026 (1237)
64 bit application
RealBand 2026 (4)
Windows 11 Home
Intel(R) Core(TM) 5 120U (1.40 GHz)
12.0 GB (11.7 GB usable)
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RealBand
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Can MIDI files be edited in Real Band?
Band-in-a-Box® for Windows
Version 2026 (1237)
64 bit application
RealBand 2026 (4)
Windows 11 Home
Intel(R) Core(TM) 5 120U (1.40 GHz)
12.0 GB (11.7 GB usable)
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Power tracks is a sequencer much like cakewalk products. I kind of compare it to Cake's MC product, or between that and Home studio. Real Band is Powertracks with some of Band in a Box's features added. It can edit midi files much like PT can. The midi editing is pretty good in it, not the very best but solid.
HP Win 11 12 gig ram, Mac mini Sonoma with 16 gig of ram, BiaB/RB 2026, Reaper 7, Harrison Mixbus 11 , Presonus Audiobox USB96
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Powertracks and Realband share the exact same MIDI engine.
So anything MIDI that Powertracks can do, Realband can do also.
If you have Realband, you also have everything that Powertracks can do.
One exception would be the TC Helicon Audio Harmony engine.
--Mac
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Quote:
So, is PowerTracks just MIDI sequencer software, then?
Both PT and RB give you 48 tracks of midi and/or audio recording. Neither is 'just' MIDI.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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Quote:
Powertracks and Realband share the exact same MIDI engine.
So anything MIDI that Powertracks can do, Realband can do also.
If you have Realband, you also have everything that Powertracks can do.
One exception would be the TC Helicon Audio Harmony engine.
--Mac
However, beginning with the current version 2011, you can access the TCHelicon harmonies through the AUDIO HARMONY feature in either RB or BIAB
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Quote:
However, beginning with the current version 2011, you can access the TCHelicon harmonies through the AUDIO HARMONY feature in either RB or BIAB
But only if you have installed a version of PowerTracks Pro since this is where the TCHelicon gets installed. This has always been the case as best I recall. 
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Quote:
No, I think I get you. So, this isn't really sequencing software, per se?
Real band *IS* midi sequencing software, but it also has features that extend wayy beyond what most sequencers can do. Those of us who love the software do so because of all the unique features that simply do not exist in any other sequencing software
Quote:
I can't edit the chord voicings or the rhythms, just pick and choose from what RB generates?
RealBand can mix audio and midi. The MIDI portion of your songs can be edited totally, same as in any other sequencing software. The audio parts are somewhat more limited where editing is concerned. RB generates passages that fit your chords and tempo. Generated output won't always be the same, so you can generate a bunch of tracks for the same passage, then pick the best passage (much like recording multiple takes with a live musician)
If you have melodyne, you can edit the generated audio tracks quite a bit, but such audio editing tools are not a part of the RB package.
Quote:
But I can also add MIDI files in along with the realtracks, and output the MIDI file(s), realtrack, and my own recorded input into a functioning stereo recording?
Yes. And that's exactly what most of us do with this software. You can also import MP3s and align the audio with the MIDI grid very easily. This is useful for learning or recreating cover songs. I haven't found any other software that tempo maps audio and MIDI as well as this software
Quote:
I'm coming from some sequencing background in the past, and I'm lured by the idea of arranging/sequencing with real sounds.
Indeed! it is very cool, and a lot of fun! I think you'll like it!
Quote:
If I can add MIDI sounds into the mix, all the better. Of course, the important part is being able to record my own guitar playing along with all of this.
if that's what you want to do, Real Band 2011 is a perfect match for your needs!
Quote:
Am I shooting in the right direction?
not only shooting in the right direction, you've hit the bull's eye!
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Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
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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!
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Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® users: Build 1237 is now available!
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PowerTracks Pro 2026 for Windows is Here!
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The Master Volume is now applied at the end of the audio chain for consistent levels and full-signal master effects.
Tablature now includes a “Save bends when saving XML” option for improved compatibility with PG Music tools. Plus, you can instantly match all track heights with a simple Ctrl-release after resizing, and Add2 chords from MGU/SGU files are now fully supported... and more!
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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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Happy New Year!
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Wishing you and yours a very happy 2026—Happy New Year from all of us at PG Music!
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