I'm sure that Peter has probably already heard this, but I've not been around in a while. I don't get to use BIAB that much, as I don't get to play nearly as much as I used to, but I'm trying to spend more time playing to calm myself and reduce stress.

Okay, having said that, here's my pitch.

When BIAB was first developed so many years ago, it was seriously cutting edge, and blew most 'arranger keyboards' away with its capability. Today, however, even the more modest arranger keyboards usually have 8 tracks dedicated to backing tracks. Obviously, that's not for every style, but a lot of jazz, big band, swing, show tunes, cinematic tracks and such can easily use 8 tracks for their backing sound.

For most keyboards that I'm familiar with, Channel 9 is the bass, Channel 10, of course, is the drums, with my Korgs, Channel 11 has been for percussion in addition to the drums, and then 12-16 are for whatever tracks the style designer chooses.

I don't see why an upcoming version of Band In A Box could not be expanded to support a total of 8 channels of backing tracks. You don't have to use them, of course, but it would be nice to have styles, both MIDI and Real Tracks that support more than the current five tracks that BIAB offers.

Updating older styles shouldn't be that hard, and creating newer ones with 8 tracks of backing would just be a matter of course. Making newer real tracks might be interesting if you have to hire an entire string or a horn section, but in the end, I think it makes BIAB a better product.

The reason I also mentioned MIDI tracks is that the newer keyboards that are coming out have some very nice sounds to them. Are they 'as real as real instruments?' No, and they never will be, as there is always the human element involved, but the sounds on a new Korg PA4X far surpass my PA800 from 15 years ago, and maybe it's time that MIDI in BIAB made a resurgence. Eight backing tracks might just do that.

Anyway, just a suggestion, something for Peter and crew to think about. Get a new keyboard, Korg, Yamaha, Ketron, whatever, pull up a Cinematic, Big Band or a Swing style, and see what I mean.

Gary

I'm blessed watching God do what He does best. I've had a few rough years, and I'm still not back to where I want to be, but I'm on the way and things are looking far better now than what they were!