OK Mike, MarioD,
I get the broad strokes of what you guys are saying, but as far as me implementing the details at this point I'm not so sure.

I probably have a few questions, but I'll take it a step at a time:

With what I currently have (i.e. BiaB running on a Dell laptop with Realtek audio, and a Roland RD-800), what would be your recommended Midi/Audio settings for BiaB. I'm just talking about the basic settings in BiaB under MIDI/Audio Driver Setup.

Right now I've got:
MIDI Input Driver = Roland RD
MIDI Output Driver = Roland RD
Synthesizer / Sound Card = Coyote Wave Table DXi
Use VSTi/DXi Synth = unchecked
General MIDI 2 (GM2) support is selected
Audio Settings...[WAS always] is selected

I know Mike said the Coyote Wave Table DXi isn't doing anything if Use VSTi/DXi Synth is unchecked. What seems to be happening is when I have Use VSTi/DXi Synth "unchecked" I get the Real Tracks out of my laptop speakers and the MIDI sounds out of my studio monitors (which are connected to the piano). In other words, if the style is "R" it all comes out of the laptop speakers. "RM" I get a combination of laptop and monitors. "M" monitors only. I suppose this seems logical.

On the other hand when Use VSTi/DXi Synth is set to "checked" then everything always comes out of the laptop. The MIDI sounds incredibly cheesy. Much worse than when it's coming out of the RD-800 even though the RD-800 might not be mapped correctly for GM. I guess as MarioD hypothesized, it's still better than the MIDI coming out of the PC.

So maybe my current settings are the best I can do right now. I'm not sure what is producing the Real Track sounds that are coming out of the PC if the Coyote Wave Table isn't coming into play. I guess just my default Windows settings.

I'm thinking when I get the Yamaha mixer I can send all of the piano sounds (which would be my live piano playing as well as any MIDI sounds produced by BiaB) into one channel on the mixer. Then send the output of the computer (which would be the Real Tracks sounds) into another channel on the mixer. I could then send the combined results (my live playing and the BiaB MIDI from the piano) and BiaB Real Tracks (from the PC) into my studio monitor and have all of the combined sounds coming out of the montors. Hope this doesn't sound totally goofy. Keep in mind I'm ignorant about all of this stuff. confused

Anyway, do you think I have the MIDI/Audio settings right? Also, is there anywhere else in BiaB where I need to be looking to optimize my sounds?