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Band-in-a-Box DAW Plugin for Mac FAQ
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StylePicker does not see my styles and RealTracks, or they are showing as N/A.

It is important for the plugin to know the correct location of your Band-in-a-Box folder, or else it won't work properly. Press the [File] button and select Preferences. Scroll down to the Folder Locations section. Usually the plugin can determine the correct folders automatically, however there are exceptions. For example perhaps you have the basic Band-in-a-Box program installed on your internal drive, but you normally use a Band-in-a-Box UltraPAK hard drive with all the available RealTracks and styles. You will want to make sure that the plugin is pointing to external volume (UltraPAK).

If you have Band-in-a-Box installed on your internal drive, the "Path for Band-in-a-Box" will usually be "/Applications/Band-in-a-Box". In addition, the Paths for RealTracks and Drums will usually be /Applications/Band-in-a-Box/RealTracks/ and /Applications/Band-in-a-Box/Drums/ respectively, unless you are using a custom location for RealTracks and Drums. If the folder path text is red, then that tells you instantly that there is a problem, for example Band-in-a-Box hasn't been found in the selected folder.

Once you have set the folder paths correctly, the plugin should see the exact same number of Styles as the full Band-in-a-Box program.



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I've set up the custom allocation correctly and the real tracks still don't appear except for a bunch on piano tracks?

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Hello Crunchy,

Welcome to the forum and to Band-in-a-Box.

This section of the forum is rarely visited as the intent is for PG Music support to document solutions to common questions support receives.

Your post may receive more views and have a better chance of receiving a response by posting your question in the Band-in-a-Box for Mac forum section +++ HERE +++


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Quote:
I've set up the custom allocation correctly and the real tracks still don't appear except for a bunch on piano tracks?


Could you describe how you have Band-in-a-Box installed? Are you using an external hard drive, etc. Also, what is the approximate size of your Band-in-a-Box folder (Right-click | Get Info).


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The BIAB application is located in the Applications folder on my system SSD drive. The styles are located on a separate SSD drive. I have set the folder paths correctly. The N/A styles are actually there as they play ... I discovered this after I posted. However I am also getting messages that I am missing styles completely. I have the Ultra pack.

The BIAB application folder without Real drums/Real tracks is about 2.8 gig. The complete application folder including the BIAB folder is about 101 gig

Last edited by Crunchy; 07/24/20 07:30 AM.
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Edit: After re-reading your message, make sure you have

(1) Downloaded the latest update patch for Band-in-a-Box, which is in a sticky post on the forum:
https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=39&page=1

(2) Pressed Rebuild in the StylePicker. Earlier builds of the Plugin might have required a rebuild with each new session when using custom folders.

------------
If that's not what the issue is, then take a look at where you have installed files:

There are only two folders that you can locate in a separate folder from the main Band-in-a-Box folder. They are "RealTracks" and "Drums". It sounds like you installed all of the RealTracks files into a Band-in-a-Box folder on the external drive, but installed the main program file to the internal drive. If that's the case there are two ways to fix (you don't need to "reinstall"). Either:

(A) copy the contents of the Band-in-a-Box folder on the internal drive, into your Band-in-a-Box folder on the external drive, and run Band-in-a-Box entirely from the external drive. Or,
(B) copy all of the contents of the Band-in-a-Box folder on the external drive EXCEPT the RealTracks and Drums folder to the Band-in-a-Box folder on the internal drive. This will add about 20 GB.

Important - when copying in Finder, you want to choose the option to MERGE the folders.

Last edited by Andrew - PG Music; 07/24/20 06:41 AM.

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Tried running everything from an external drive but still missing a lot of tracks. My Realtracks folder is approx 86 gigabytes?? I have the Ultra pack and I downloaded everything but this seems too small! Maybe I'll just have to check I've got everything installed. My Realdrums folder is approx 4.5 gigabytes.

Last edited by Crunchy; 07/24/20 08:03 AM.
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not working for me either. The RT are there and play but show as N/A and i have to rebuild the styles and real tracks every instance of BIAB

Last edited by Bob P; 07/26/20 04:51 AM.
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Running B-I-A-B 2020 (426) Audiophile External HD. My DAW is GarageBand 10.4.5 on top of Os Monterey.
Issue: The B-I-A-B DAW plugin opens within GarageBand but freezes up when trying to choose a Style. .

I am not a tech head but I forged anyway to keep learning. I opened the DAW's Preferences as it was running within a GarageBand project. Then, scrolled down to Folder Locations. I found all four paths go to: "/Volumes/Band-In-A-Box Audiophile..." I assume that means the folder paths are correctly set and going to my external Audiophile HD? I see no red text either.

After checking that I went back to my GarageBand projects plugin and clicked on the "Select a style..." and got the message at the bottom below the chord entry window "selecting a style" with a spinning wheel to the left of the message that doesn't change for hours. Then I tried clicking on "Select" and choose "Real tracks". This changes the message to "Selecting a real track" ...same spinning wheel that won't go away.

Have I troubled shooted the plugin pathway correctly?...Any other troubleshooting actions I can take in order to work around this BIAB/Audiophile/mac/GarageBand/DAW freeze up?

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Since it's been a year with no solution to this issue I am coming around to the realization that maybe GarageBand is not the best DAW to interface with B-I-A-B?? I don't know. If there is a DAW that is optimal for use such as Logic or Logic pro. I'm more into pure playing than tech but if it means I can get the B-I-A-B plugin to work I will be glad to.

Currently my workflow is: I get my BIAB tracks and project finished then, I I take each individual BIAB track ...bass, piano, drums, guitar and I creat AIFF files for each individually. then I import them one at a time into GarageBand. This is the only way I know how to be able to maintain control of the levels and such for the individual BIAB tracks.

Sure would save time if I could create the BIAB tracks within GarageBand from the start!

If there is an answer out there to the question "what DAW works best for BIAB plugin for mac?"... I sure would like to start learning on it so maybe by the time BIAB 2022 becomes available I can hit the ground running!
ANYBODY???

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i gave you a number of alternatives to gband.
includeing links to very knowledgeable mac user gtoups
whereby its not their first rodeo.
perhaps you didnt see my post...so i'll repost.
as i say in the repost that follows you will need to
do TESTS ON YOUR OWN RIG.

------------------------------------------------------
REPOST.
if i were on mac , i would check out alternatives to gband.
you might like to check out...
(dont underestimate the following...if you doubt me check on the respective user forums. BUT YOU WILL HAVE TO RUN YOUR OWN TESTS AND CHECK HOW THEY RUN WITH THE BIAB PLUG IN AS WELL AS UNDER MONTEREY.)
1. the popular reaper for mac....users.
https://forum.cockos.com/forumdisplay.php?f=34
2. a dark horse but users swear by it.
(also version for ipad.)
https://www.multitrackstudio.com/
3. studio one.
https://www.presonus.com/products/Studio-One
4. traction waveform
https://www.tracktion.com/products/waveform-free
5. bitwig
https://www.bitwig.com/
each has demos you can try.

and of course logic and dperformer on mac.
and there are others of course.
i dont have time to list all...just google.
all the above five multitrack products have attracted a large following...as you will see by the forums each has.

i'm frankly a reaper advocate...due to its lightweight
footprint and portability....and speed.
there are lots of reaper users on these pg forums.
but dont discounted the other 4 i cited.

anyhoo if you doubt me ..talk to users of above...
and read threads on the mac user forums of each.
cos i havent had a chance to do mac testing.

END OF REPOST.
--------------------------------------------------
mike halloran kindly commented the issue is monterey.
however on further research ive found some folks are
running some of the above useing monterey.
which is why i suggest you talk to actual mac users at the links cited above re monterey.
as i said each rig is different so best bet is to
RUN TESTS ON YOUR RIG.

with the greatest respect...and i'm talking as one who has been round the block more than a few times setting up recording and project studios...i'm afraid understanding the TECH comes with the territory of running a studio.
thus the more the tech is understood the easier ones studio life becomes with respect.

best, and post back how you get on.
every happiness.
om



Last edited by justanoldmuso; 01/24/22 02:16 PM.

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I did miss your previous post. I'll check it out. Your response and information is greatly appreciated.
Many thanks!!

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I've been a GarageBand user for over a decade so I decided to downloaded Logic Pro which is basically a more advanced version of GarageBand.

Doing so should solve the problem of the plugin not working within GarageBand. There's something about GarageBand 10.4.5 that according to PG music that has issues loading the B-I-A-B DAW plugin.

Anyway, now onward and upward with my new Logic Pro! Can't wait to start using the plugin with it! : )

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Well, I downloaded a trial version of Logic Pro and opened the PG DAW plugin. Still the exact same issue. The plugin can't find the styles. This has me believing that the issue may not of been GarageBand but something else. ??

After an open chat with the PG folks they want me to download the 2020 Audiophile again to see if that fixes the problem.

We'll see...

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...Following up on fixing my ongoing DAW issue. PG has sent me the 2020 Pro Upgrades 2020 for Mac to download onto my current 2020 B-I-A-B Hard Drive. For the record, I originally purchased my B-I-A-B Pro Upgrade 2020 for Mac Hard drive in March of 2021.

So I'm basically downloading the same version again? (Unless this current version of 2020 has bug fixes)??

PG says when I download it, it will automatically overwrite the 2020 version I've been having all DAW issues with. After that, there are five more downloads that go along with it: MIDI & Audio Plugins, and four Pro RealTracks. I'm guessing all six downloads will overwrite what's on my B-I-A-B hard drive.

Just to be on the safe side I'll wait to pull the trigger on this action just in case anybody weighs in to the contrary.

Has anybody else had a malfunctioning DAW that was fixed by doing this?

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Hi,

This thread is confusing, as your problem is different than the problem discussed in the original post and thread.

Can you clarify what the current problem is that you are having? It sounds to me like you can launch the Band-in-a-Box plugin, but then when you do anything that requires BBM4 (like trying to open the StylePicker), nothing appears to happen. I suggest that you try the 'stand-alone' DAW plugin to see if this is specifically an issue when using the plugin in a DAW. This will simplify the problem. To do this, locate the 'Band-in-a-Box DAW Plugin Stand-alone.app' in your Band-in-a-Box folder --> Plugin --> Files. Run this and see if you have the same problem.

If so, it would also be useful to know if BBM4.app process shows in the Activity Monitor. The Activity Montior is found on your Mac in Applications/Utilities.

Also, it would be useful if you could state the exact build number of Band-in-a-Box and the DAW Plugin that you have, and let us know whether or not the regular Band-in-a-Box application works fine on your system (not the DAW plugin, but the actual Band-in-a-Box.app).


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Many many thanks for your reply and sorry for the confusion. I am new to this Forum and Forum's in general so apologies if I jumped in line.

The issue, which I stated in my 1/15/22 post, is the plugin opens up just fine within my DAW but freezes up when I attempt to use the style picker.

I am running B-I-A-B 2020 (426) Audiophile External HD. My DAW is GarageBand 10.4.5 on top of Monterey 12.2. I have recently acquired a trial version of Logic Pro. (same issue with Logic Pro)

First, I tried the "stand-alone" DAW plugin as you suggested and the issue of the style picker freezing up is now gone.! Now when I click on Select a style... I actually get the style picker and can select a style within the stand alone plugin. When I click Play, the message asks if I want to generate tracks before playing. Never having got this far I just left it alone.

Next, I followed your suggestion of the BBM4 showing up in the Activity Monitor. Both the Band-In-A-Box DAW Plugin and the BBM4 is showing up in the AM.

Lastly the actual B-I-A-B app works fine. Always has worked fine.

Hopefully this helps out with troubleshooting the problem.

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After checking the three things on your post and reposting the results, I thought I would try the plugin once again inside the DAW.

I opened the plugin inside two different projects. One in GarageBand and the other in Logic Pro.

Still the same problem. I cannot get the Styles to open up. It freezes up. ??

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A couple of ideas..

Go to Apple System Preferences | Security & Privacy | Privacy. Scroll download to Files & Folders and look for GarageBand - make sure that "removable volumes" is checked. Also, you should see Band-in-a-Box listed there OR in the Full Disk Access section.
After that, quit GarageBand and re-open.

In the Band-in-a-Box DAW Plugin, open the Preferences and make sure that the first three folder locations are all set the same:
/Volumes/Band-in-a-Box Audiophile/Applications/Band-in-a-Box


Also, it's possible that the StylePicker window is simply being hidden behind the GarageBand window for some reason. Have you tried just minimizing the GB window and all other windows to see if it's there?

I tested on macOS 12.2 with GarageBand 10.4.5, DAW AU plugin 2.12.15, which is what you have I think.


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Thank you for your attention to this!

Went into Apple Preferences --> Security & Privacy --> Files & Folders --> GarageBand --> "removable volumes". It was unchecked so I checked it. Then, I closed GarageBand and opened it back up.

Next, I opened Band-In-A-Box DAW plugin preferences to see if the first three folder locations were set. The first one was set to: /Volumes/Band-in-a-Box Audiophile/Applications/Band-in-a-Box. But the second was set to: /Volumes/Band-in-a-Box Audiophile/Applications/Band-in-a-Box/RealTracks/ and the third one was set to: /Volumes/Band-in-a-Box Audiophile/Applications/Band-in-a-Box/Drums/.

I checked to see if the StylePicker window was hiding behind the GarageBand window and it was not.

Next, I opened up a GarageBand project and the B-I-A-B plugin. Now the StylePicker opens and allows a style to be chosen! Next, I choose a style, entered some chords and changed the length upon which I saved the project, closed and quit.

A while later, upon opening the project and plugin, a message popped up that read, "There is a problem with your folder paths. Reset them manually in File -> Preferences" Is this message related to how the first three folder locations are set?

When possible could you address the Folder location error message. How do I reset them manually?

Lastly, Do you recommend I download 2020 Band-in-a-Box Pro Upgrade 2020 for Mac (BUPR-A) onto my existing B-I-A-B HD. Is this advisable? PG music has already sent me a product download page with the updates. THANKS AGAIN!!

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Thank you to everyone who has contributed!

Video: Volume Automation in Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows®

We've created a video to help you learn more about the Volume Automation options in Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows.

Band-in-a-Box® 2024: Volume Automation

www.pgmusic.com/manuals/bbw2024full/chapter11.htm#volume-automation

Video: Audio Input Monitoring with Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows®

We've created this short video to explain Audio Input Monitoring within Band-in-a-Box® 2024, and included some tips & troubleshooting details too!

Band-in-a-Box® 2024: Audio Input Monitoring

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5:10: Troubleshooting

www.pgmusic.com/manuals/bbw2024full/chapter11.htm#audio-input-monitoring

Video: Enhanced Melodists in Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows®!

We've enhanced the Melodists feature included in Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows!

Access the Melodist feature by pressing F7 in the program to open the new MultiPicker Library and locate the [Melodist] tab.

You can now generate a melody on any track in the program - very handy! Plus, you select how much of the melody you want generated - specify a range, or apply it to the whole track.

See the Melodist in action with our video, Band-in-a-Box® 2024: The Melodist Window.

Learn even more about the enhancements to the Melodist feature in Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows at www.pgmusic.com/manuals/bbw2024upgrade/chapter3.htm#enhanced-melodist

Band-in-a-Box® 2024 DAW Plugin Version 6: New Features Specifically for Reaper®

New with the DAW Plugin Version 6.0, released with Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows: the Reaper® Panel!

This new panel offers built-in specific support for the Reaper® DAW API allowing direct transfer of Band-in-a-Box® files to/from Reaper® tracks!

When you run the Plugin from Reaper®, there is a panel to set the following options:
-BB Track(s) to send: This allows you to select the Plugin tracks that will be sent Reaper.
-Destination Reaper Track: This lets you select the destination Reaper track to receive media content from the Plugin.
-At Bar: You can select a bar in Reaper where the Plugin tracks should be placed.
-Start Below Selected Track: This allows you to place the Plugin tracks below the destination Reaper track.
-Overwrite Reaper Track: You can overwrite previous content on the destination Reaper track.
-Move to Project Folder: With this option, you can move the Plugin tracks to the Reaper project folder.
-Send Reaper Instructions Enable this option to send the Reaper Instructions instead of rendering audio tracks, which is faster.
-Render Audio & Instructions: Enable this option to generate audio files and the Reaper instructions.
-Send Tracks After Generating: This allows the Plugin to automatically send tracks to Reaper after generating.
-Send Audio for MIDI Track: Enable this option to send rendered audio for MIDI tracks.
-Send RealCharts with Audio: If this option is enabled, Enable this option to send RealCharts with audio.

Check out this video highlighting the new Reaper®-specific features: Band-in-a-Box® DAW Plugin Version 6: New Features Specifically for Reaper®

Band-in-a-Box® 2024 DAW Plugin Version 6: New Features Video

The new Band-in-a-Box VST DAW Plugin Verion 6 adds over 20 new features!

Watch the new features video to learn more: Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2024 - DAW Plugin Version 6 New Features

We also list these new features at www.pgmusic.com/bbwin.plugin.htm.

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