Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread
Print Thread
Go To
Page 2 of 2 1 2
Band-in-a-Box Wishlist
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 457
Journeyman
OP Offline
Journeyman
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 457
Face it. It's time for a major facelift. Like what M$ did when they went from Windows 3.1 to Windows 95. It might have pissed off 3.1 users, but it was a game changer that benefited all M$ users in the long run. (I was an OS/2 user at the time, so I didn't care much one way or another, since I was using a superior product)

Anyway, the same will happen with Band in a Box users. It will grow in use by leaps and bounds. The platform now is bug-ridden and rickety. It's past time for a clean sheet of paper. One of my biggest pet peeves is being stuck with 16bit/44.1Hz when the rest of the world has been using 24bit/96kHz (and higher) for over 20 years.

Band-in-a-Box Wishlist
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,687
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,687
Yawn. Over and over and over...

I don't disagree but jeesh, how many times to we have to write this? Is it really necessary, I would say just give it a rest. Nothing's been done about these things as long as I've been on the forum. I've written all of these points too in who knows how many threads for years and years and years and, and...

It's pointless imho, PGM is well aware, they'll either do it or they won't. Until then get used to Real Band, it does address some of these issues but not all.

Bob

Last edited by jazzmammal; 01/11/20 08:03 PM.

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 Wishlist
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 457
Journeyman
OP Offline
Journeyman
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 457
You talking to me, or another Mike? I don't recall ever having RB crash on me. I'm just not used to the interface and I feel disinclined to have to learn how to use another DAW product right now. If I'm gonna spend the time to learn another DAW, it's probably gonna be Reaper.

Band-in-a-Box Wishlist
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,687
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,687
Oh, must be having a senior moment. I just realized I still had time to edit that part out so no harm, no foul.<grin>

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 Wishlist
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 7,954
P
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
P
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 7,954
Maybe the plugin code can be added to Ardour to create a new 64 bit cross-platform RealBand DAW, it works with scripting like Reaper so no more workarounds just create a script to do what you need. Get it to play from RAM but then be able to write to a tracks also.

Band-in-a-Box Wishlist
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 167
M
Apprentice
Offline
Apprentice
M
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 167
THe codebase of BiaB is so old that you can actually see it. Just have a look at those dialogs * smile

From a programmers standpoint it would be tempting to start from scratch and leave all the legacy code behind. But this is only for the fun of it. Unless you have a really big team it's bound ti fail. So in reality it's only possible to do iterative changes. Depending on nature and quality of the code this takes time. If you are understaffed it will take a very long time.

Masi

* I hope they can use different dialogs in the VSTi. To me all of they dialogs are an example of bad usability (too many issues to list them all in this post).


Band-in-a-Box, BiaB-plugin, Reaper, Win10 64bit, i7-8565U, 24GB RAM (always latest versions)
Band-in-a-Box Wishlist
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 457
Journeyman
OP Offline
Journeyman
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 457
I'll make a prediction right now -- and this is coming from a person who's been using BiaB for 22 years now, and still using it because there is nothing else that can do what it does. Someday that will change. Someday a bright group of young turks is gonna figure out a way to do what BiaB does, but in a slick, streamlined, bug-free interface. And it will spell the beginning of the end of BiaB. Now, I hope this doesn't happen. But I suspect it will. Because that is simply the nature of things.


Last edited by cooltouch; 01/12/20 07:07 AM.
Band-in-a-Box Wishlist
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 5,786
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 5,786
+1

Very, very true! But it can change in a better direction for BIAB with a few efficient steps and relatively small cost.

Mainly:
1) make the interface (Design !!!) and workflow! as smooth as possible using old code.
2) make a demo version of the program with included VERY SIMPLE,
in your face" video to start things, for somebody who never used BIAB.
3)Make the the initial package even "lighter" (less RT's) and cheaper, so more people can try it.
4)Advertise better, there are so many channels...
5)Make upgrades less complicated (all these choices!)
6) And if you see proper traction, hire somebody with proper set of skills who can orchestrate a fast and painless re-write smile

Band-in-a-Box Wishlist
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,687
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,687
Originally Posted By: cooltouch
Someday that will change. Someday a bright group of young turks is gonna figure out a way to do what BiaB does, but in a slick, streamlined, bug-free interface.
And it will spell the beginning of the end of BiaB.


Anything's possible but I doubt it. What's the heart of Biab? Styles. Creating a chord track like Studio One has or even having the ability to alter chords using Melodyne or whatever is nice but that has nothing to do with styles and how to use them inside a DAW to create a complete song arrangement.

People see how a DAW can take individual audio/midi tracks and allow you to move them around to create a song and think that's what Biab does. No it's not. As you know Biab does all the creation and arranging for you using pretty smart music theory based AI. This is a very small niche market I doubt it would catch any "young turks" attention. Most young musicians are all about loop based "bedroom producer" stuff.

The closest thing I've seen in all the different plugin's and music programs to Biab is Jamstix. It has the ability to create a new drum track for you based on an audio file. You have a lot of control as to how that's done similar to how Biab works.

Otherwise there are programs like EZKeys, EZDrums, various guitar instrument plugins that have tons of different phrases in many styles for you to pick from. All of that is great but it's you putting this all together manually. Nobody has 6,000 styles that group all that stuff together for you with a few mouse clicks and then generate a complete song in a few seconds.

I don't see anybody trying to do an end run around PGM patents to try to come out with thousands of pretty decent styles and then using those styles to sort through all the hundreds or thousands of different instrument tracks to put together a coherent song. It's the styles that controls everything. A style has 6 total tracks and somehow behind the scenes Biab knows which tracks to grab out of the thousands available to use. If it's midi I can see that's relatively easy because it's creating a new midi track from scratch but the RT's? Man, that's a whole other thing.

Let's look at midi since it's easier. Everybody knows the sound quality is totally based on the synth. Biab uses GM for simplicity. Say a new company doesn't. A great sounding synth costs big bucks. What are they going to do come up with their own high end synth for sound in their new program? That alone is a huge project. Or do they let you buy what you want? Do that and they'll get all the same complaints we see here. Why do my tracks sound like crap? It's because you're using a crap sound source.

How do they select the exact instrument for a given track? Well that depends on the synth too. GM is simple, same patch numbers regardless of the synth. I suppose a new program could be tailored to the different big name synths. One version for Sample Tank 4, another version for Kontakt another for Halion etc but look at all the different instrument packs you can buy for each. That would be a total complete mess. Thousands of patches available. Can you imagine the nooby questions their forum would get?

And this is just for the midi side, what about audio like the RT's? Where's the source for a new company to provide audio parts? Unless they're going to hire all the same people PG has to record them where would they come from?

That sounds like a huge challenge to me for somebody to try to beat Biab at it's own game.

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 Wishlist
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 457
Journeyman
OP Offline
Journeyman
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 457
Bob, all your points are good ones. And I may be all wet in my prediction. But I hope I'm not. Why? Because the one thing that PGM needs more than anything else is competition. They have become stagnant, complacent, and insensitive to demands because they don't have to worry about anyone else trying to outdo them with a superior product, a lower price, or both. We all know -- or at least we should -- that competition improves the product for all concerned. BiaB is not immune to this. In fact, it shows clearly why competition is necessary.

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Go To
Page 2 of 2 1 2

Link Copied to Clipboard
ChatPG

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.

PG Music News
Band-in-a-Box® 2024 German for Windows is Here!

Band-in-a-Box® 2024 für Windows Deutsch ist verfügbar!

Wir waren fleißig und haben über 50 neue Funktionen und eine erstaunliche Sammlung neuer Inhalte hinzugefügt, darunter 222 RealTracks, neue RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, "Songs with Vocals" Artist Performance Sets, abspielbare RealTracks Set 3, abspielbare RealDrums Set 2, zwei neue Sets von "RealDrums Stems", XPro Styles PAK 6, Xtra Styles PAK 17 und mehr!

Paket | Was ist Neu

Update Your PowerTracks Pro Audio 2024 Today!

Add updated printing options, enhanced tracks settings, smoother use of MGU and SGU (BB files) within PowerTracks, and more with the latest PowerTracks Pro Audio 2024 update!

Learn more about this free update for PowerTracks Pro Audio & download it at www.pgmusic.com/support_windows_pt.htm#2024_5

The Newest RealBand 2024 Update is Here!

The newest RealBand 2024 Build 5 update is now available!

Download and install this to your RealBand 2024 for updated print options, streamlined loading and saving of .SGU & MGU (BB) files, and to add a number of program adjustments that address user-reported bugs and concerns.

This free update is available to all RealBand 2024 users. To learn more about this update and download it, head to www.pgmusic.com/support.realband.htm#20245

The Band-in-a-Box® Flash Drive Backup Option

Today (April 5) is National Flash Drive Day!

Did you know... not only can you download your Band-in-a-Box® Pro, MegaPAK, or PlusPAK purchase - you can also choose to add a flash drive backup copy with the installation files for only $15? It even comes with a Band-in-a-Box® keychain!

For the larger Band-in-a-Box® packages (UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition), the hard drive backup copy is available for only $25. This will include a preinstalled and ready to use program, along with your installation files.

Backup copies are offered during the checkout process on our website.

Already purchased your e-delivery version, and now you wish you had a backup copy? It's not too late! If your purchase was for the current version of Band-in-a-Box®, you can still reach out to our team directly to place your backup copy order!

Note: the Band-in-a-Box® keychain is only included with flash drive backup copies, and cannot be purchased separately.

Handy flash drive tip: Always try plugging in a USB device the wrong way first? If your flash drive (or other USB plug) doesn't have a symbol to indicate which way is up, look for the side with a seam on the metal connector (it only has a line across one side) - that's the side that either faces down or to the left, depending on your port placement.

Update your Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows® Today!

Update your Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows for free with build 1111!

With this update, there's more control when saving images from the Print Preview window, we've added defaults to the MultiPicker for sorting and font size, updated printing options, updated RealTracks and other content, and addressed user-reported issues with the StylePicker, MIDI Soloists, key signature changes, and more!

Learn more about this free update for Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows at www.pgmusic.com/support_windowsupdates.htm#1111

Band-in-a-Box® 2024 Review: 4.75 out of 5 Stars!

If you're looking for a in-depth review of the newest Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows version, you'll definitely find it with Sound-Guy's latest review, Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows Review: Incredible new capabilities to experiment, compose, arrange and mix songs.

A few excerpts:
"The Tracks view is possibly the single most powerful addition in 2024 and opens up a new way to edit and generate accompaniments. Combined with the new MultiPicker Library Window, it makes BIAB nearly perfect as an 'intelligent' composer/arranger program."

"MIDI SuperTracks partial generation showing six variations – each time the section is generated it can be instantly auditioned, re-generated or backed out to a previous generation – and you can do this with any track type. This is MAJOR! This takes musical experimentation and honing an arrangement to a new level, and faster than ever."

"Band in a Box continues to be an expansive musical tool-set for both novice and experienced musicians to experiment, compose, arrange and mix songs, as well as an extensive educational resource. It is huge, with hundreds of functions, more than any one person is likely to ever use. Yet, so is any DAW that I have used. BIAB can do some things that no DAW does, and this year BIAB has more DAW-like functions than ever."

Convenient Ways to Listen to Band-in-a-Box® Songs Created by Program Users!

The User Showcase Forum is an excellent place to share your Band-in-a-Box® songs and listen to songs other program users are creating!

There are other places you can listen to these songs too! Visit our User Showcase page to sort by genre, artist (forum name), song title, and date - each listing will direct you to the forum post for that song.

If you'd rather listen to these songs in one place, head to our Band-in-a-Box® Radio, where you'll have the option to select the genre playlist for your listening pleasure. This page has SoundCloud built in, so it won't redirect you. We've also added the link to the Artists SoundCloud page here, and a link to their forum post.

We hope you find some inspiration from this amazing collection of User Showcase Songs!

Forum Statistics
Forums66
Topics81,629
Posts735,237
Members38,522
Most Online2,537
Jan 19th, 2020
Newest Members
SYOTR, Steve Smith, Bpnsrinu, DanyLevy, Arnav Singh
38,522 Registered Users
Top Posters(30 Days)
MarioD 185
DC Ron 100
dcuny 86
DrDan 73
Today's Birthdays
Bernard Rasson, John Temmerman
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5