Interested in creating harmonies using RealBand and the TC Helicon? Check out this forum post, where program user Noel96 shares information on his technique!

Have a tip of your own to share? Feel free to post it to our Tips & Tricks forum!

Thanks for sharing, Noel96!

Band-in-a-Box® 2020 for Windows users!!! The latest FREE patch (build 713) and DAW Plugin Update 2.4.5 is available - learn more and download here.

Summary of changes for build 713:
Fixed: Rendered audio files might be silent if mono and 24 bit are selected.
Fixed: Possible crash when rendering to audio at 48.0kHz or 96.0kHz sample rate.
Improved: Better support for localized versions.
Fixed: Importing audio files that were 96 kHz sampling rate would fail.
Fixed: The [More Info...] button in the Artist Browser dialog would launch the wrong web page.
Fixed: Importing an ABCNotation file would not include the key signature.
Fixed: ABC files only opening some chords.
Fixed: Problem storing minor keys.(ampersand).
Fixed: A few artists not displaying properly in Artist Browsers.
Improved: RealDrums Picker information for the 2020 RealDrums has been updated/improved.
Fixed: Some of the RealDrums from the 2020 release did not have drum groove names.
Improved: All of the 2020 MIDI SuperTracks now have memos.
Fixed: Some RealTracks were listed under the incorrect Set# in the RealTracks Picker.
Fixed: _Gentle style from Xtra PAK 4 had an acoustic guitar set to Held mode.
Fixed: Some ska style demos had drum drop outs.
Fixed: Rendered files were not being normalized.
Fixed: Pressing spacebar in the Notation window might launch a web browser instead of starting playback.
Fixed: Practice window | Master Solos | Blues Piano, displays N/A.
Fixed: MusicXML files created by Band-in-a-Box cannot be loaded by Band-in-a-Box if song title contains & (ampersand).
Fixed: Japanese lyrics are garbage text when saving to MusicXML.
Fixed: Various animations (eg. Guitar window notes) would freeze during playback if using MME drivers.
Fixed: With some computers, distorted audio when soloing a track.
Fixed: Changing a custom track label had no option to Undo, and did not prompt user to save song.
Updated: Manual/Help [routine updates]
Fixed: When re-saving a song that has an audio track, the audio track was not copied.
Fixed: Dropping a song file onto Band-in-a-Box did not set the current directory.
Fixed: The RealTracks picker window should remember its location when reopening.
Fixed: The Piano Roll window was opening at the wrong bar location.
Improved: Better quality audio resampling when rendering audio to higher sample rates.
Fixed: Resampler quality setting in ASIO drivers dialog was ignored.
Fixed: Using WAS audio drivers with 24 bit & 48kHz output rate might result in noise.

Summary of Changes for DAW Plugin Update 2.4.5 (Jan 21 2020)
Fixed: Opening Band-in-a-Box song files (.sgu) would fail if the file names and/or paths contained any European language characters (eg. à,è).
Fixed: Message if bbw4 has no valid handle
Fixed: Mute and sync buttons not working properly
Fixed: Clicking cancel would lag before cancelling
Fixed: Right-click anywhere on track for context menu
Fixed: Increase maximum chord sheet font size
Added: Double click track name to launch picker of currently selected track
Added: Flashing GENERATE button to notify if song needs to be regenerated
Added: Mute and sync buttons to track context menu
Added: Right-click chord opens bar settings menu at that bar
Added: Error code for bbw4 related error messages
Fixed: Plugin asking to save when booting the plugin and selecting File/Open
Fixed: Crash when running vst3 plugin in reaper
Fixed: Scroll bar margins when resizing plugin
Fixed: Bar settings not saving
Fixed: Time Base, and Natural Arrangement not saving settings
Fixed: Calling bbw4 when already open will bring windows to front
Fixed: Tool tips in Preferences Dialog
Fixed: Time signature should be set from DAW when first opened
Fixed: Set "..." colours for truncated chords to black
Fixed: Selected track in table should be more obvious
Fixed: Click YES to Save dialog and then cancel will reset save state to true
Added: Right click for track table context menu
Added: Medley/Multi (thickening) feature

Did you know... all Band-in-a-Box® 2020 for Windows UltraPAK and UltraPAK+ orders ship preinstalled on a USB 3.0 hard drive!

What does this mean? Faster hard drive transfer rates will enhance the program operations (faster time to generate tracks, reduced audio artifacts) and offer faster transfer speeds (typically up to 3x faster)!

Band-in-a-Box^® UltraPAK $469
Upgrade from Version 2019: $279
Upgrade from Version 2018 or earlier or crossgrade: $299

Band-in-a-Box^® UltraPAK+ $569
Upgrade from Version 2019: $379
Upgrade from Version 2018 or earlier or crossgrade: $399

Note: The difference between the UltraPAK and the UltraPAK+ is that the Songs & Lessons PAK is included in the UltraPAK+ package.

Our Band-in-a-Box® Audiophile Edition ships preinstalled on a USB 3.0 hard drive too!
Band-in-a-Box^® Audiophile Edition $669
Upgrade from Version 2019: $479
Upgrade from Version 2018 or earlier or crossgrade: $499
Upgrade from ANY previous Audiophile Edition: $299

Heading to The NAMM Show? Make sure you stop by Booth 1015 (Hall E) - we'll be doing product demonstrations every hour, with some RealTracks Artists popping in for performances with Band-in-a-Box too!

Click here for more information about The NAMM Show, held in Anaheim California at the Anaheim Convention Center.

NEW products for Band-in-a-Box® 2019 for Mac: Xtra Styles PAK 8 and Loops-with-Style PAK 1!

--SPECIAL PRICING ONLY AVAILABLE UNTIL JANUARY 15TH!--

We've added 164 fantastic new RealStyles in Xtra Styles PAK 8! These are imaginative new combinations of our existing RealTracks library that fall into four categories: Rock/Pop 8, Jazz 8, Country 8, and Celtic 1. To celebrate the release of Xtra Styles PAK 8, ALL of our Xtra Styles PAKs 1-8 are on sale for just $29 each! Learn more & listen to demos here.

Also brand-new is our Loops-with-Style PAK 1 for Band-in-a-Box^®, which gives you the chance to expand your loops collection with 100 new loops! We've taken the RealDrums and RealTracks source audio and remixed, remastered, and combined it to create these original loops. All of your favorite genres are covered like jazz, funk, rock, pop, electronic, hip-hop, and more! To show them in action, we've created 50 new RealStyles that each include two of the loops. Plus, if you use the loops in Band-in-a-Box, we've included intelligent versions of the loops that automatically switch at A and B part markers. Each loop has a matching sister loop that works perfectly for another substyle! Get started with Loops-with-Style PAK 1 for the introductory price of just $19 until January 15th (reg: $29). Learn more & watch a great video demonstration here.

Note: Xtra Styles PAK 8 and Loops-with-Style PAK 1 require the Band-in-a-Box® 2019 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.

Windows User? Choose from these links: Xtra Styles PAKs | Loops-with-Style PAK 1

Our Band-in-a-Box® 2020 for Windows version includes some great enhancements to the Built-in Audio Chord Wizard!

-The built-in Audio Chord Wizard is now accessible from the [Audio Chord Wizard] button.
-The Audio Edit window now displays chords and tempos for each bar. They are shown when the Audio Chord Wizard mode is active so that you can see the tempo for each bar as you set the bar lines.
-When you start entering bar lines, the program automatically sets the tempo to the tempo of the first bar.
-Once the tempo of the first bar is set, the program automatically moves the location of the first bar of audio over so that the visual space of the count-in bars is visible.
-After you’ve added the bar lines, IF you adjust the first or second bar and the tempo of the first bar changes accordingly, the program automatically changes the tempo of the song to match.
-Multi-window display. This gives the Audio Chord Wizard a multi-window view so that you can see and edit both the Audio Edit window and the Chords Sheet at the same time. This display is best viewed with a small toolbar mode. This allows you to see the chords as they are being interpreted by the wizard.
-The Audio Chord Wizard can send the transcribed MIDI notes to the Soloist track for further analysis by the user (via Piano Roll or Notation window). Note that this is a "snapshot" view every 8th note of the pitches present, not an attempt at polyphonic transcription. To use this feature, enable the "MIDI to Soloist" check box.

Read more about these enhancements here, or jump to the New Feature - Audio Chord Wizard (ACW) Enhancements section of our New Features video here.

IT'S YOUR LAST WEEKEND TO SAVE UP TO 50% ON YOUR BAND-IN-A-BOX® UPGRADE!

Our SALE on Band-in-a-Box® 2020 Upgrade purchases ends January 15, 2020, so there is still some time to save up to 50% when you purchase your Band-in-a-Box® 2020 for Windows Upgrade!

Customers LOVE Band-in-a-Box® 2020 for Windows with over 50 new features, plus the 202 New RealTracks, new RealStyles, 15 new MIDI SuperTracks, 170 new Instrumental Studies, 30 new MIDI Styles, 280 RealDrums Transcriptions, the 2020 Free Bonus PAK, 2020 49-PAK, and new Xtra Styles PAK 8!

We've packed our Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK with some amazing Add-ons! The Free Bonus PAK is automatically included with most Band-in-a-Box^® for Windows 2020 packages, but for more even more Add-ons (including 40 Unreleased RealTracks) upgrade it to the 2020 49-PAK for only $49. You can see the full lists of items in each package, and listen to demos here.

Check out our Band-in-a-Box^® packages page for all the purchase options available.

Learn more about all the new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2020 for Windows at: www.pgmusic.com/bbwin.new.htm

If you need any help deciding which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We are here to help!