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If you want to learn about synthesisers I recommend a series of books by Simon Cann “How to Make a Noise”. These talk about the different types of synths Analogue, Sample Based and FM. They are available in Kindle format from Amazon at about US$2.99 each. (Kindle software for a PCs or iPad are free if you don’t have an Kindle device). The books are simple and show how sounds are created. They are not limited to either software or hardware synths. They will give you a good grounding in the subject.
Note: these books are about synths not MIDI per se.
Keep safe
Tony
HP i7-4770 16GB 1TB SSD, Win 10 Home,
Focusrite 2i2 3rd Gen, Launchkey 61, Maton CW80, Telecaster, Ovation Elite TX, Yamaha Pacifica 612
BB 2022(912) RB 2022(2), CakeWalk, Reaper 6, Audacity, Melodyne 5 Editor, Izotope Music Production Suite 4.1
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I will do that. Sounds like a good place to get started.
AMD Ryzen 9 3900X 12 Core Processor. 3.79 GHZ; RAM = 32.00 GB; 64 Bit Operating System; Windows 10; Focusrite 8i18 External Card; Real Band; Band in a Box; Coyote Forte Wave Table; Oxygen 49 MIDI Controller
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If you're interested in expanding your hardware collection don't overlook purchasing an electric keyboard, either new or used.
If you find one that's interesting to you, look it up at the manufacturer's website before you buy. Is it midi compatible, does the website include drivers and does the keyboard have the general midi (GM) emblem somewhere on the keyboard body or literature.
The major keyboard manufacturers, especially Yamaha, Roland, Casio, are so competitive you can find a new consumer grade keyboard that sounds very good and has midi capability starting at around $200 US. Go up in price just a little and the sounds and feature list jump dramatically.
Used keyboards that sold for $200 - $800 new are fairly easy to find for much less.
Jim Fogle - 2025 BiaB (Build 1128) RB (Build 5) - Ultra+ PAK DAWs: Cakewalk Sonar - Standalone: Zoom MRS-8 Laptop: i3 Win 10, 8GB ram 500GB HDD Desktop: i7 Win 11, 12GB ram 256GB SSD, 4 TB HDD Music at: https://fogle622.wix.com/fogle622-audio-home
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I have an old Roland keyboard and I do use it quite frequently. I wish I could say I was learning how to play well but I’m not going to push it that far.
AMD Ryzen 9 3900X 12 Core Processor. 3.79 GHZ; RAM = 32.00 GB; 64 Bit Operating System; Windows 10; Focusrite 8i18 External Card; Real Band; Band in a Box; Coyote Forte Wave Table; Oxygen 49 MIDI Controller
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 All I know about playing a keyboard is if you depress three alternate white keys you've played a chord A keyboard can be used for a lot more than playing. With a midi connection to your computer you can (1) record midi notes played on the keyboard instead of inputing the notes with a computer mouse or computer keyboard. (2) output midi from your computer to the keyboard and listen or record the audio output from the keyboard. (3) Most DAWs (not Band-in-a-Box or RealBand) accept midi commands from a keyboard to control the DAW transport and modify effects. The hard part is getting the keyboard and computer programs to communicate with each other. How to do this changes not only from program to program but also depends on what task you want to do. Do you like how the Roland sounds? If so then take advantage of what you already have!
Jim Fogle - 2025 BiaB (Build 1128) RB (Build 5) - Ultra+ PAK DAWs: Cakewalk Sonar - Standalone: Zoom MRS-8 Laptop: i3 Win 10, 8GB ram 500GB HDD Desktop: i7 Win 11, 12GB ram 256GB SSD, 4 TB HDD Music at: https://fogle622.wix.com/fogle622-audio-home
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Yes I like the sound. But bear in mind that pisno is probably almost 30 years old. So you get basic piano, organ, electric piano, harpsichord and that’s about it. It wouldn’t be much as a synthesizer. But I do agree it’s a good item to play on with full functionality.
I also have a midi controller called Oxygen 49 which I use for inputting the midi data into the computer.
AMD Ryzen 9 3900X 12 Core Processor. 3.79 GHZ; RAM = 32.00 GB; 64 Bit Operating System; Windows 10; Focusrite 8i18 External Card; Real Band; Band in a Box; Coyote Forte Wave Table; Oxygen 49 MIDI Controller
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From your description I'm guessing the Roland is not general midi (GM) compatible. So you would use it the same way you might use a single instrument soft synth; you would just be using an external single instrument sound engine instead.
The M-Audio Oxygen 49 is a popular midi controller. With it's keybed, knobs and buttons and self learning feature it is a good example of what things you can do with an external controller.
Jim Fogle - 2025 BiaB (Build 1128) RB (Build 5) - Ultra+ PAK DAWs: Cakewalk Sonar - Standalone: Zoom MRS-8 Laptop: i3 Win 10, 8GB ram 500GB HDD Desktop: i7 Win 11, 12GB ram 256GB SSD, 4 TB HDD Music at: https://fogle622.wix.com/fogle622-audio-home
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If the Roland is something like the EP-760 (or many other pianos they made 30 years ago) it can probably also be a controller, FWIW.
I have one still (well my daughter has it currently), a very serviceable keyboard.
Just a thought.
What model Roland is it?
If it has a working keyboard and MIDI out, it's a controller at the very least. <grin>
Last edited by rharv; 04/08/20 11:48 AM.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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HP 13003
And ues it has midi in and out.
Last edited by goofeyfoot; 04/08/20 01:59 PM.
AMD Ryzen 9 3900X 12 Core Processor. 3.79 GHZ; RAM = 32.00 GB; 64 Bit Operating System; Windows 10; Focusrite 8i18 External Card; Real Band; Band in a Box; Coyote Forte Wave Table; Oxygen 49 MIDI Controller
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Well I'd hook MIDI up to it and test it as a controller at least .. not much to lose.
If advanced, I may even use it for sounds but controller seems your basic need and it should suffice if it has MIDI in/out connections.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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Hi all:
I'm the guy who had the too-small computer and crappy soundcard. And I had the every-five-minute crash issues.
Over the last couple weeks I got the Focusrite 18i8 and I built a new computer which is a Ryzen 3900. So no more of those crash-and-burn episodes, at least not yet.
So now I have to get the hang of all that "stuff" in Band in a Box and Real Band that deal with midi, synthesizers, and all that.
Where to start? All the menus look quite foreign.
By way of background I am essentially doing two things.
One I am making backing tracks to play a guitar against. Those usually wind up in Guitar Pro because in that application I can run the tracks on an iPad, slow them down, loop them, take them on the road on trips, etc. etc. The quality of these tracks is not that important. These tracks are just to practice with. But I do like to get midi drums, bass and other instruments in the track just for sake of rounding everything out.
The second thing is I try to make backgrounds for my sister's piano tunes. She is a real musician unlike me and these are more for listening, and not practice. She is more particular about how the finished product sounds. Not the same as my down and dirty backing tracks. My sister might use the tracks just as a karaoke background for her own playing/singing.
So that's the plan anyway.
Thanks.
Michael
AMD Ryzen 9 3900X 12 Core Processor. 3.79 GHZ; RAM = 32.00 GB; 64 Bit Operating System; Windows 10; Focusrite 8i18 External Card; Real Band; Band in a Box; Coyote Forte Wave Table; Oxygen 49 MIDI Controller
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Where to start? I suggest you view the PGMusic videos: https://www.pgmusic.com/videos.bbwin.htmI am assuming that you are relatively new to this. Thus for now I would suggest you put aside your getting better MIDI sounds and learn how to use BiaB and RB. Once you are comfortable with them then you can purchase and learn how to install them and modify them in both BiaB and RB. Good luck.
Whenever I get something stuck in the back of my throat, I dislodge it by drinking a beer.
It's called the Heineken Maneuver.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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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.
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Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®: VST3 Plugin Support
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® now includes support for VST3 plugins, alongside VST and AU. Use them with MIDI or audio tracks for even more creative possibilities in your music production.
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Macs®: VST3 Plugin Support
Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®: Using VST3 Plugins
Join the conversation on our forum.
Band-in-a-Box 2025 for Mac Videos
With the release of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac, we’re rolling out a collection of brand-new videos on our YouTube channel. We’ll also keep this forum post updated so you can easily find all the latest videos in one convenient spot.
From overviews of new features and walkthroughs of the 202 new RealTracks, to highlights of XPro Styles PAK 8, Xtra Styles PAKs 18, the 2025 49-PAK, and in-depth tutorials — you’ll find everything you need to explore what’s new in Band-in-a-Box® 2025.
Reference this forum post for One-Stop Shopping of our Band-in-a-Box® 2025 Mac Videos — we’ll be adding more videos as they’re released!
Band-in-a-Box 2025 for Mac is Here!
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac is here, packed with major new features and an incredible collection of available new content! This includes 202 RealTracks (in Sets 449-467), plus 20 bonus Unreleased RealTracks in the 2025 49-PAK. There are new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 4, two new sets of “RealDrums Stems,” XPro Styles PAK 8, Xtra Styles PAK 19, and more!
Special Offers
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac with savings of up to 50% on most upgrade packages during our special—available until July 31, 2025! Visit our Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all the purchase options available.
2025 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK Add-ons
We've packed our Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK with some incredible Add-ons! The Free Bonus PAK is automatically included with most Band-in-a-Box® for Mac 2025 packages, but for even more Add-ons (including 20 Unreleased RealTracks!) upgrade to the 2025 49-PAK for only $49. You can see the full lists of items in each package, and listen to demos here.
If you have any questions, feel free to connect with us directly—we’re here to help!
Band-in-a-Box 2025 Italian Version is Here!
Cari amici
È stata aggerate la versione in Italiano del programma più amato dagli appassionati di musica, il nostro Band-in-a-Box.
Questo è il link alla nuova versione 2025.
Di seguito i link per scaricare il pacchetti di lingua italiana aggiornati per Band-in-a-Box e RealBand, anche per chi avesse già comprato la nuova versione in inglese.
Band-in-a-Box 2025 - Italiano
RealBand 2025 - Italiano
Band-in-a-Box 2025 French Version is Here!
Bonjour à tous,
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 pour Windows est disponible en Français.
Le téléchargement se fait à partir du site PG Music
Pour ceux qui auraient déjà acheté la version 2025 de Band-in-a-Box (et qui donc ont une version anglaise), il est possible de "franciser" cette version avec les patchs suivants:
BIAB 2025 - francisation
RealBand 2025 - francisation
Voilà, enjoy!
Band-in-a-Box 2025 German Version is Here!
Update Your Band-in-a-Box® 2025 to Build 1128 for Windows Today!
Already using Band-in-a-Box 2025 for Windows®? Download Build 1128 now from our Support Page to enjoy the latest enhancements and improvements from our team.
Stay up to date—get the latest update now!
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