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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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I've had BB for windows for a number of years & have the 2017 version of BB on it. I want to buy a mac & have the new version of BB for mac put on it. Before I shell out big $ for a mac, I have some questions:

1 Can my folders & files in BB from my pc be transfered to BB for mac.?
2 BB for me was a steep learning curve, would BB for mac require me to learn BB all
over again?
3 Is the layout of the screen the same or similar?
4 Are accessing folders, files, styles & instruments the same or similar?

I presently have about 500 songs I've put in BB in a half a dozen folders. I only use a handful of styles & don't go much beyond the basic functions. I'm not tech savvy. I use my BB tracks to practice my playing. On occasion, I've used some of these backing tracks to sing & play my guitar live to on little gigs like nursing homes and the like. Please use language a simple guy like me can understand.

Thanks,
Russ66

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Song (SGU & MGU) files are compatible with both Band-in-a-Box for Windows and Band-in-a-Box for Mac. I've seen several posts where forum members share song files between Windows and Mac computers.

There is some differences between the Mac and Windows versions. Mostly because there are differences between the Windows and Mac operating systems. May I suggest you download the Band-in-a-Box for Mac pdf User manual +++ HERE +++ or look through the online manual to get a better idea how the Mac program looks and feels.

One difference is the Mac has a Command button that is used a lot as a modifier key similar to how Windows uses the Alt or Ctrl key as a modifier. Another difference is Windows uses wma and wav files for RealTracks while Mac uses mp4 and aif files for RealTracks.


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Be aware that BIAB does not run on the latest version of MacOS yet. If you can get Catalina on your new Mac you could run it OK, but if you have to run Big Sur you should hold off until PGMusic release a version that is certified to run on it. Take a look at the Big Sur thread in the Mac forum to see what problems people are reporting.

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I use the Windows version but I do have the Mac version on an older Mac. I had no problem at all adapting (your questions 2 & 3) once you get used to the Command key.


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I too am sitting in a similar place.
I use a Mac and a PC. While they are mostly the same, there are some differences.
My MacBook Pro is almost 9 years old and I'm considering a replacement.
At that time I expect I will abandon BIAB win and crossgrade to BIAB Mac.

I wish to purchase a brand spanking new computer, not a refurb or used model.
I'm probably not going to do anything for at least 6 months, maybe longer

The new Apple Silicon machines have just hit the street. The reviews have been mostly positive but not entirely.
Changing the CPU chipset is a significant issue. I would like for the dust to clear a bit.

BIAB Mac does not run on the latest version of the MAC os. That is a hard no go to me.
I expect when it does run, it won't be without problems.
Not interested in spending a lot of $$$ to be a guinea pig.
I'll give it some time and avoid as much of the problem as possible.

A new batch of Apple Silicon MacBook Pro's are expected out by the end of the year.
For me that's a likely time to upgrade.

But that's just me.


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russ66 Offline OP
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Thank you & the rest for the reply and advice, I'm going to hold off from buying a mac for now. Don't want to be frustrated with issues I don't have the skills to resolve. I'm 76 yrs. old, don't need any of that.
Russ66

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Yeah, with regards to the new Apple silicon, I've also heard good reviews, though you would have to look into compatibility with ALL of your software and hardware - it's dangerous to jump on new tech like this otherwise.

From a quick list I created, only three of the major DAW's currently support the M1 chip - two of those three being Apple Logic and Garage Band, and the third only having experimental M1 support.

For hardware you might have better luck, as many audio interfaces, MIDI controllers, etc are "Class-compliant" and will work with generic drivers - however, anything that doesn't use a generic driver might not work at all. Less than half of the major audio interface manufacturers have M1 support.

With Intel you would have better luck, though still less than half of the DAWs out there support Big Sur.


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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.

PG Music News
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."

Happy Easter! Holiday Hours...

2024 is well underway - it's already Easter Weekend!

Our Customer Service hours this weekend are:

Friday, March 29: 8-4
Saturday, March 30: 8-4
Sunday, March 31: closed

Regular hours resume Monday, April 1st - no joke!

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!

Congratulations to the 2023 User Showcase Award Winners!

We've just announced the 2023 User Showcase Award Winners!

There are 45 winners, each receiving a Band-in-a-Box 2024 UltraPAK! Read the official announcement to see if you've won.

Our User Showcase Forum receives more than 50 posts per day, with people sharing their Band-in-a-Box songs and providing feedback for other songs posted.

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

3:17: Tips
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

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