FYI - I was at a nursing home Christmas party today, my aunt is a resident there. A duo was playing Christmas songs and tunes from the 40s, 50s, and 60s. Two guys, one on a trumpet and flugelhorn and the other on a trombone. Both sang and played to backing tracks. After the gig I talked to them and asked what they were using for the backing tracks.They said iPro. I said I use Band-in-a-Box and their response was " that is to complicated".
I thought that was an interesting comment from two musicians. It was not about how dated the program looked but how complicated it was to create a song was using BiaB. That was their impression of BiaB.
It takes courage for a man to admit his wife was wrong.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
Over many decades I’ve talked to other musicians about BIAB. I usually hear that they tried it and didn’t like the sound quality (from bad MIDI synths, never the fault of BIAB, and amazingly improved by RealTracks) but they didn’t try again, unless I demo it for them. That also quickly alleviates any doubts about how hard it first appears to be to learn. We musicians need to be evangelists.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
I have often wondered how every year introducing 50+ new features - sometime twice yearly - might have made the program unwieldy to many. Let's see? 20 years of 50 new features adds 1000 new features, most of which potentially many users don't want, use or need. I think that model is a contributing factor to the suggestion that the program is complicated.
This year may be different because there are more feature improvements than new features. And that is something that many users have been begging for for a long time.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Professional & Windows 11, Sonar Platinum, Cakewalk by Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M Monitors, Pioneer Active Monitors
I think the RealTracks sound very good but at the same time I have a feeling that there is something missing from them. I can't describe what I mean but I mostly get the feeling that it is not really right. It is like there is a level of "Edge" that is missing but I can't describe it.
I also think a major problem for new users are "How to find what they are looking for". (even very experienced users have big issues with this).
BIAB 2025, Studio One 7 Pro, Song Master Pro, Win11 Home. i7-9700K CPU, 32GB, ESI MAYA44eX, ZOOM UAC-2, Guitar Pro 8, Transcribe, (EZKeys2, EZD3, SD3, EZBass, EZMix3) Amateur: fiddle, guitar, vocal, beginner on bass.
… I also think a major problem for new users are "How to find what they are looking for". (even very experienced users have big issues with this).
I agree with this. It should be the next area for innovation. The ability to find RealTracks and Styles to match a song or sound could be improved.
Hi Matt and shlind. I found your comments so interesting. I too have trouble navigating the vast choices. But the filtering aspects of the unified picker seem to help greatly. What changes would you two propose to make things easier? I ask because I would love to be educated in better ways to search or understand how the process could be made better. Can you discuss this issue more? I think this is a really interesting issue.
... Hi Matt and shlind. I found your comments so interesting. I too have trouble navigating the vast choices. But the filtering aspects of the unified picker seem to help greatly. What changes would you two propose to make things easier? I ask because I would love to be educated in better ways to search or understand how the process could be made better. Can you discuss this issue more? I think this is a really interesting issue.
User shlind is correct; there are many discussions already about this, some that you can see and many others that were suggested behind the scenes during testing, and even some specific proposals that have been submitted by a small group of experienced users.
One specific answer to your request for an example is that the Sort function of the style and RealTrack picker should support sub-sorting within categories. We should be able to sort by Genre (like Jazz) then, keeping only those jazz entries, sort that further by tempo, then keeping that result in that tempo order, sort by Even or Swing feel, etc. Something like that.
Another specific request is to give BIAB a recording and ask it to find a few RealTracks or Styles that closely resemble the audio sample. We speculate this might be a feature where AI could eventually assist. There are other audio programs already with this ability, such as finding a similar drum beat.
And you are correct, the Multipicker is a great improvement! We are just suggesting possible next steps to make it even better. I'm not saying any particular person made these suggestions; it's been a team effort for decades. I do have quite a few of my suggestions that have been implemented, and so do many other users, but we get the best results when ideas are debated and refined. The Wishlist Forum is a good place for this to occur. This year, PG Music opened up the process more for suggestions (which we appreciate), and they sure received them!
Does that help explain? There's a lot more to it ... there's always more.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
I think the RealTracks sound very good but at the same time I have a feeling that there is something missing from them. I can't describe what I mean but I mostly get the feeling that it is not really right. It is like there is a level of "Edge" that is missing but I can't describe it.
I also think a major problem for new users are "How to find what they are looking for". (even very experienced users have big issues with this).
I never thought of “edge” as being a constraint in BiaB styles, but I think you are on to something.
What if each BiaB style had a user-selectable “Edge Score”? This would allow for much easier style exploration plus a higher fidelity of creative control over your song.
Don’t think your song is edgy enough? Just increase the Edge Score and audition 😊
This might even reduce the “need” for over 7,000 styles to just a dozen or two, thereby solving the “It’s too difficult to search thru thousands of styles” problem.
I know there are anti-AI, or at least AI-ignorant folks here, but AI should easily be able to adjust the edge of a style if trained properly.
https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677 BiaB 2025 Windows For me there’s no better place in the band than to have one leg in the harmony world and the other in the percussive. Thank you Paul Tutmarc and Leo Fender.
... Hi Matt and shlind. I found your comments so interesting. I too have trouble navigating the vast choices. But the filtering aspects of the unified picker seem to help greatly. What changes would you two propose to make things easier? I ask because I would love to be educated in better ways to search or understand how the process could be made better. Can you discuss this issue more? I think this is a really interesting issue.
User shlind is correct; there are many discussions already about this, some that you can see and many others that were suggested behind the scenes during testing, and even some specific proposals that have been submitted by a small group of experienced users.
One specific answer to your request for an example is that the Sort function of the style and RealTrack picker should support sub-sorting within categories. We should be able to sort by Genre (like Jazz) then, keeping only those jazz entries, sort that further by tempo, then keeping that result in that tempo order, sort by Even or Swing feel, etc. Something like that.
Another specific request is to give BIAB a recording and ask it to find a few RealTracks or Styles that closely resemble the audio sample. We speculate this might be a feature where AI could eventually assist. There are other audio programs already with this ability, such as finding a similar drum beat.
And you are correct, the Multipicker is a great improvement! We are just suggesting possible next steps to make it even better. I'm not saying any particular person made these suggestions; it's been a team effort for decades. I do have quite a few of my suggestions that have been implemented, and so do many other users, but we get the best results when ideas are debated and refined. The Wishlist Forum is a good place for this to occur. This year, PG Music opened up the process more for suggestions (which we appreciate), and they sure received them!
Does that help explain? There's a lot more to it ... there's always more.
...I know there are anti-AI, or at least AI-ignorant folks here, but AI should easily be able to adjust the edge of a style if trained properly.
AI should ABSOLUTELY be used to enhance BiaB functionality in both search and stem generation, and probably more. Unfortunately (to me), the AI functions added to date have been bolt-ons only obliquely related to building a backing track. (I am obviously differentiating song deconstruction from backing track building, and biased to the latter)
We're in the dawn of a revolution in AI generated backing tracks, right?
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One ASUS I9-12900K DAW, 32 GB RAM Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
I never thought of “edge” as being a constraint in BiaB styles, but I think you are on to something.
What if each BiaB style had a user-selectable “Edge Score”? This would allow for much easier style exploration plus a higher fidelity of creative control over your song.
Don’t think your song is edgy enough? Just increase the Edge Score and audition 😊
This might even reduce the “need” for over 7,000 styles to just a dozen or two, thereby solving the “It’s too difficult to search thru thousands of styles” problem.
I know there are anti-AI, or at least AI-ignorant folks here, but AI should easily be able to adjust the edge of a style if trained properly.
One question Bass Thumper, who defines Edge? Edge for you may be different than mine. If you asked100 people to define musical edge you probably get 100 different answers.
Using AI as a search tool for Styles, RTs, and RDs in BiaB IMHO is absolutely necessary.
It takes courage for a man to admit his wife was wrong.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
................................ One specific answer to your request for an example is that the Sort function of the style and RealTrack picker should support sub-sorting within categories. We should be able to sort by Genre (like Jazz) then, keeping only those jazz entries, sort that further by tempo, then keeping that result in that tempo order, sort by Even or Swing feel, etc. Something like that.
That would get a Big +1 from me.
Originally Posted by Matt Finley
Another specific request is to give BIAB a recording and ask it to find a few RealTracks or Styles that closely resemble the audio sample. We speculate this might be a feature where AI could eventually assist. There are other audio programs already with this ability, such as finding a similar drum beat.
Another big +1 from me
Originally Posted by Matt Finley
And you are correct, the Multipicker is a great improvement! We are just suggesting possible next steps to make it even better. I'm not saying any particular person made these suggestions; it's been a team effort for decades. I do have quite a few of my suggestions that have been implemented, and so do many other users, but we get the best results when ideas are debated and refined. The Wishlist Forum is a good place for this to occur. This year, PG Music opened up the process more for suggestions (which we appreciate), and they sure received them!
Does that help explain? There's a lot more to it ... there's always more.
Yes PGM did one heck of a job posting different improvement categories in the wishlist forum and then listening to the suggestions that were made. I hope they repeat the process in 2026
It takes courage for a man to admit his wife was wrong.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
One question Bass Thumper, who defines Edge? Edge for you may be different than mine. If you asked100 people to define musical edge you probably get 100 different answers.
https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677 BiaB 2025 Windows For me there’s no better place in the band than to have one leg in the harmony world and the other in the percussive. Thank you Paul Tutmarc and Leo Fender.
I totally disagree. I don't think anyone or any company can universally define edge in music. Is it the groove? The lead instrument? The chord progression? A great bass line? Is edge the same for jazz as for blues, new age, ambient, country. folk, etc? IMHO Edge is to generic of a term for music.
I think the way PGM does it now with listing a song title and have BiaB select styles is the way to go. But as I and many others have said improvements must be made in that area. YMMV
It takes courage for a man to admit his wife was wrong.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
I have no idea how to define 'edge' for all genres. In jazz, I might say more edge is more use of chord substitutions, resulting in playing that sounds more 'outside'.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
I have no idea how to define 'edge' for all genres. In jazz, I might say more edge is more use of chord substitutions, resulting in playing that sounds more 'outside'.
I call Edge Playing as 'playing in the cracks' (but that's only me). Peter Nero could do it. Oscar could do it - well, Oscar could do anything. Dudley Moore could do it.
It's an interesting term. I think that there are lots of interpretations.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Professional & Windows 11, Sonar Platinum, Cakewalk by Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M Monitors, Pioneer Active Monitors
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 10 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 28 RealTracks and RealDrums!
Few things are certain in life: death, taxes, and a brand spankin’ new XPro Styles PAK! In this, the 10th edition of our XPro Styles PAK series, we’ve got 100 styles coming your way! We have the classic 25 styles each from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, and rounding out this volume's wildcard slot is 25 styles in the Praise & Worship genre! A wide spanning genre, you can find everything from rock, folk, country, and more underneath its umbrella. The included 28 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Here’s just a small sampling of what you can look forward to in XPro Styles PAK 10: Soft indie folk worship songs, bumpin’ country boogies, gospel praise breaks, hard rockin’ pop, funky disco grooves, smooth Latin jazz pop, bossa nova fusion, western swing, alternative hip-hop, cool country funk, and much more!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 10 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!
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.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 21 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest Xtra Styles PAK installment—the all new Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher)!
Rejoice, one and all, for Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box® is here! We’re serving up 200 brand spankin’ new styles to delight your musical taste buds! The first three courses are the classics you’ve come to know and love, including offerings from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, but, not to be outdone, this year’s fourth course is bro country! A wide ranging genre, you can find everything from hip-hop, uptempo outlaw country, hard hitting rock, funk, and even electronica, all with that familiar bro country flair. The dinner bell has been rung, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 21 today!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Energetic folk rock, raucous train beats, fast country boogies, acid jazz grooves, laid-back funky jams, a bevy of breezy jazz waltzes, calm electro funk, indie synth pop, industrial synth metal, and more bro country than could possibly fit in the back of a pickup truck!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 21 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 21 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 21 requires the 2025 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 10 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 28 RealTracks and RealDrums!
Few things are certain in life: death, taxes, and a brand spankin’ new XPro Styles PAK! In this, the 10th edition of our XPro Styles PAK series, we’ve got 100 styles coming your way! We have the classic 25 styles each from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, and rounding out this volume's wildcard slot is 25 styles in the Praise & Worship genre! A wide spanning genre, you can find everything from rock, folk, country, and more underneath its umbrella. The included 28 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Here’s just a small sampling of what you can look forward to in XPro Styles PAK 10: Soft indie folk worship songs, bumpin’ country boogies, gospel praise breaks, hard rockin’ pop, funky disco grooves, smooth Latin jazz pop, bossa nova fusion, western swing, alternative hip-hop, cool country funk, and much more!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 10 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!
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.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 21 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest Xtra Styles PAK installment—the all new Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher)!
Rejoice, one and all, for Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box® is here! We’re serving up 200 brand spankin’ new styles to delight your musical taste buds! The first three courses are the classics you’ve come to know and love, including offerings from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, but, not to be outdone, this year’s fourth course is bro country! A wide ranging genre, you can find everything from hip-hop, uptempo outlaw country, hard hitting rock, funk, and even electronica, all with that familiar bro country flair. The dinner bell has been rung, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 21 today!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Energetic folk rock, raucous train beats, fast country boogies, acid jazz grooves, laid-back funky jams, a bevy of breezy jazz waltzes, calm electro funk, indie synth pop, industrial synth metal, and more bro country than could possibly fit in the back of a pickup truck!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 21 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 21 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 21 requires the 2025 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.
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows 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 60 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 Windows and save up to 50% on most upgrade packages during our special offer—available until December 31, 2025. 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 Windows packages, but you can unlock even more—including 20 unreleased RealTracks—by upgrading to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49. Browse the full contents of each package and listen to demos here.
XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs Special Extended Until August 31st!
XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs Special Extended Until August 31st!
The XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs special offers are now available until August 31st at 11:59pm PDT!
Ready to take your Band-in-a-Box® 2025 experience to the next level? Now’s the perfect time! Expand your style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs—packed with a wide variety of genres to inspire your next musical creation.
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 1-9 includes 900 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). With over 3,500 styles (and 35 MIDI styles) included in Xtra Styles PAKs 1-20, the possibilities are endless!
Get the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 9 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 Windows or for Mac.
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.
Get Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 19 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Listen to demos and order now! For Windows or for Mac.
Note: 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 because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Don’t miss this chance to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box setup—at a great price!
Mac 2025 Special Upgrade Offers Extended Until August 15th!
It's not too late to upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® and save! We've extended our special until August 15, 2025!
We've added many major new features to Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, including advanced AI tools like the amazing BB Stem Splitter and AI Lyrics Generator, as well as VST3 plugin support, and Equalize Temp. Plus, there’s a new one-stop MIDI Patches Picker with over 1,100 MIDI patches to choose from, all neatly categorized by GM numbers. The MultiPicker Library is enhanced with tabs for the SongPicker, MIDI Patch Picker, Chord Builder, AI Lyrics Generator, and Song Titles Browser, and the tabs are organized into logical groups. The Audiophile Edition is enhanced with FLAC files , which are 60% smaller than AIFF files while maintaining identical audio quality, and now ships on a fast 1TB SSD, and much more!
Check out all the new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® here:
Purchase your Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac during our special to save up to 50% off your upgrade purchase and receive a FREE BONUS PAK of amazing new Add-ons. These include the 2025 RealCombos Booster PAK, Look Ma! More MIDI 13: Country & Americana, Instrumental Studies Set 22: 2-Hand Piano Soloing - Rhythm Changes, MIDI SuperTracks Set 44: Jazz Piano, Artist Performance Set 17: Songs with Vocals 7, Playable RealTracks Set 4, RealDrums Stems Set 7: Jazz with Mike Clark, and more!
Upgrade to the 2025 49-PAK for just $49 and add 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and 20 RealStyles, FLAC Files for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks, Look Ma! More MIDI 14: SynthMaster, MIDI SuperTracks Set 45: More SynthMaster, Artist Performance Set 18: Songs with Vocals 8, and RealDrums Stems Set 8: Pop, Funk & More with Jerry Roe.
Learn more about the Bonus PAKs!
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