After installing BIAB/RB 2021 I now have 3 separate desktop icons for BIAB (BIAB, BIAB 32-bit, and BIAB 64-bit) and 2 for RB (RB and RB 64-bit). Why is this?

If I have a 64-bit system, why should I have the other two icons? Are they backups or what?

From your other post about the PDF995 driver, we know you upgraded from BIAB 2016. That was a 32-bit program. BIAB 2021 gives you both a 32-bit version and a 64-bit version, and installs shortcuts for each.

If you can run 64-bit programs on your computer, you should, with one exception: if the plugins you use are limited to 32-bit, you might choose to use the 32-bit version of BIAB. Since you can start either one, and load the same song into either, even back and forth, you actually have the most flexibility by having both versions available.

That explains it, thanks Matt. It was confusing at first to see all those BIAB/RB desktop icons LOL

As Matt indicated you may have desktop icons for 32 bit Band-in-a-Box, 64 bit Band-in-a-Box, the standalone version of the Band-in-a-Box plugin.

The 2021 RealBand is 64 bit only. The 32 bit RealBand is 2020 build 5. 2020 build 5 is the last 32 bit release of RealBand.

The standalone version of the Band-in-a-Box plugin can be considered as similar in concept to the idea of a light version of Band-in-a-Box. It does not have all the features of the Band-in-a-Box program but is a great way to sample styles, RealTracks or generate tracks for use in a DAW.

The previous posts are all great explanations!

To add to that, The 2021 version is called "RealBand64" because it is now 64 bit; whereas the previous versions of RealBand are just called "RealBand". This also means that your previous version of RealBand will not be overwritten when installing the 2021 version and both versions will be located in the RealBand folder.

plus if you have tracks created in RB 32 bit using PG Music fx, the 64 bit RB won't load the 32 bit fx with the settings you saved so you are best using 32 bit for older files with pg music plugins loaded and creating new ones in the 64 bit version