Sales FAQ:
Band-in-a-Box^® and RealBand^® for Windows

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Last updated:  Wednesday, 31 March 2021

1. What is Band-in-a-Box?
2. How can I order Band-in-a-Box?
3. Do you have a Band-in-a-Box Demo?
4. What new features are there in the latest version of Band-in-a-Box?
5. What is RealBand?
6. What are the differences between RealBand, Band-in-a-Box, and PowerTracks Pro Audio?
7. What is the difference between Band-in-a-Box Pro and the Band-in-a-Box MegaPAK?
8. What is the difference between the Band-in-a-Box MegaPAK and UltraPAK?
9. Is it true that you offer a 30 day money-back guarantee on your products?
10. What are the recommended system requirements for Band-in-a-Box?
11. What are the requirements for iPhone version of Band-in-a-Box?
12. Are all the styles in the iOS version or is it only that you can work on the songs (with selected style) saved in the Windows desktop folder used by the server?
13. Do you offer technical support after I purchase the program?
14. What shipping methods do you offer? Is there a download-only option?
15. Are all of your products available for download (electronic delivery)?
16. Do you ship overseas?
17. If I choose to download the program, will I still get shipped a backup copy of the software and documentation?
18. Do you offer upgrades from previous versions of Band-in-a-Box?
19. Can I upgrade from Band-in-a-Box Pro to the MegaPAK, UltraPAK, or Audiophile Edition?
20. If I purchased the last UltraPAK version, do I need to order the new UltraPAK Upgrade?
21. I purchased Band-in-a-Box for Mac/Atari and now I want to run it on a PC. Is there a "crossgrade" that I can purchase?
22. Are songs that I create with Band-in-a-Box copyrighted?
23. Do I need to be a musician to use your products?
24. Why is the price of your products so low?
25. Are your prices in US dollars?
26. Do you offer special academic pricing for school systems?
27. Is it safe to use a credit card over the internet?
28. Is Band-in-a-Box available from any local dealers?
29. How do I know if Band-in-a-Box will be able to create an accompaniment in my style of interest?
30. What is the PG Music OmniPAK?
31. How can I register my software?
32. I placed an order, but didn't receive an email confirmation.
33. Can I purchase a complete User's Guide for Band-in-a-Box?
34. What types of files can Band-in-a-Box save as?
35. Can I view music notation and print out lead sheets with Band-in-a-Box?
36. Can I burn audio CD's containing my Band-in-a-Box compositions?
37. Do any of your products convert audio files to midi?
38. I just placed an order, but I am unable to download the software. What should I do?
39. What languages is Band-in-a-Box available in?
40. Can I purchase the English Band-in-a-Box upgrade if I have a previous localized (non-English language) Band-in-a-Box version.
41. When I try to install the program I get a message that the "setup files are corrupted".
42. Common pre-sales questions about RealDrums and RealTracks.
43. What are RealCombos?
44. I hate installing programs, and just want to plug and play. I also want the best Band-in-a-Box and RealBand version that you have, with everything pre-installed.
45. What is the difference between the Audiophile editions of Band-in-a-Box, and the regular Band-in-a-Box packages?
46. Is the latest version of Band-in-a-Box backwards compatible with songs and styles from older versions?

1. What is Band-in-a-Box?

Band-in-a-Box is an intelligent automatic accompaniment program. You can hear and play along to many song ideas and go from "nothing" to "something" in a very short period of time with Band-in-a-Box as your "on demand" backup band. Just type in the chords for any song using standard chord symbols (like C, Fm7 or C13b9), choose the style you'd like, and Band-in-a-Box does the rest. Band-in-a-Box automatically generates a complete professional quality arrangement of piano, bass, drums, guitar and strings in a wide variety of styles.

2. How can I order Band-in-a-Box?

Place your order online using Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, JCB, UnionPay, Amazon Pay, PayPal, or Wire Transfer. After you place your order, you will receive an email with your product serial number and a link to the download page for your purchase.

If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact one of our customer service representatives by email at sales@pgmusic.com, via our Live Online Chat, or by phone at 250-475-2874 (direct), 1-800-268-6272 or 1-888-PGMUSIC (toll-free in the USA and Canada), or 800-4746-8742* (toll-free outside of the USA and Canada).*Where Universal International Freephone service is available. View International Access Codes..

3. Do you have a Band-in-a-Box demo?

We don't have a demo program available for download currently since the program is quite large with all the RealTracks and RealDrums, however we do have a 30 day money-back guarantee on all products purchased directly from us. You can watch our video on our Band-in-a-Box Video Demos page. You can also listen to hundreds of audio demos of Band-in-a-Box at our RealTracks pages, and you can look through all of the Band-in-a-Box Add-ons offered here.

4. What new features are there in the latest version of Band-in-a-Box?

With each version upgrade, we add many great new features.

With Band-in-a-Box 2021, we've added 16 new editable Utility tracks, which can be used for audio and/or MIDI. 24-bit audio playback, recording, mixing, and rendering is now supported. Auto-Fix "sour" notes - out-of-tune notes in RealTracks will be auto corrected to match chord tones. 4X's faster audio DSP processing (using SIMD), allowing smoother playback & faster rendering for a larger number of tracks.

See all the new features in Band-in-a-Box 2021

With Band-in-a-Box 2020, we added Multi-riffs, RealTracks thickening and panning, left-handed Student Guitar view, Drag n drop from mixer, Audio Chord Wizard enhancements and much more.

With Band-in-a-Box 2019, we added a brand-new 64-bit version of Band-in-a-Box, which works well with the latest plugins and 64-bit OS features! We've also made and include a 64-bit VST Plugin of Band-in-a-Box, which you can use inside your favorite DAW (Cakewalk, Reaper, ProTools, etc.) to generate styles, RealTracks, RealDrums, Multi-Riffs, etc. We include a 64-bit GM MIDI synth VSTSynthFont64 with default GM soundfonts, allowing you to specify any GM soundfont. The completely redesigned SongPicker shows information for up to 50,000 songs and has useful filter and search features including search by chord progression and/or melodic phrase.

With Band-in-a-Box 2018, we added Video RealTracks, a new ultra-low-latency audio driver, the Audio Chord Wizard has been redesigned and is built into Band-in-a-Box, audio harmonies have been enhanced with audio transcription, audio tuning can be fixed, notation properly supports time signatures like 12/8, 9/8 & 6/8, the toolbar has been enhanced with skins and more customization, songs can be saved as MP3, you can open ABC notation files, and the Audio Edit Window has been redesigned

with a new GUI and features.

With Band-in-a-Box 2017, main screen GUI has been redesigned with many requested improvements, including a new, smaller footprint, configurable toolbars, and more. RealTracks sound better than ever with improved stretching and transposition quality (Elastique 3), better phrase transitions, and Natural Arrangements. We have added new "Woodshedding" RealTracks called 12-Key Guitar RealTracks from Brent Mason played in 12 keys with Hi-Q (precise) Tab/Notation which is ideal for studying and learning.

With Band-in-a-Box 2016, we redesigned and enhanced the StylePicker, rebuilt the Chordsheet with improved functionality and customization options. We also added 201 new RealTracks, 11 new MIDI SuperTracks, 19 Instrumental Studies (bass, acoustic & electric guitar, piano & saxophone, in a variety of genres), and for the first time ever, 3 "Artist Video Performances," which are video files that play in Band-in-a-Box, with live saxophone performances playing along with Band-in-a-Box RealTracks. We also have over 80 new RealStyles, which are new styles using existing RealTracks and Loops. These include great Top-40 styles, "Requested" styles, J-Pop, K-Pop, German "Schlager," and more!

With Band-in-a-Box 2015, we added 50 new features, 101 new RealTracks, 15 new MIDI SuperTracks, 46 Artist Performances, 18 Instrumental Studies and 1,000 Killer Modern Loops. New features include support for your 64-bit VST plugins and VSTi instruments using jBridge, functions to load, play, view and slow down videos you've downloaded from YouTube or elsewhere, Automatic Program Updates, and GUI enhancements.

With Band-in-a-Box 2014, we added 50 new features (including an all-new GUI and UserTracks), 101 new RealTracks, 54 new MIDI SuperTracks, 20 Artist Performances and 8 new Hi-Q MIDI Sounds. Compared to version 2012 (December 2011) this adds 100 new features, 303 RealTracks, 145 MIDI SuperTracks and 26 Hi-Q Sounds! There are now over 1,200 hours of RealTracks/RealDrums (studio musician audio recordings) included with the UltraPlusPAK or EverythingPAK!

With Band-in-a-Box 2013 we added a new MIDI DXi/VST synth (SampleTank) and added some great High Quality ("Hi-Q") MIDI Sounds. These Hi-Q sounds make the MIDI tracks (both regular and MIDI SuperTracks), sound much better. We added Performance Tracks – Artist's Performances on the Melody track, to showcase the Band-in-a-Box RealTracks demos playing along to an artist performing the melody. These are great for listening or for learning-from-the-Pros (since notation/tab shows for the performances). "Print to PDF" to save your printouts directly as a PDF file, or share your arrangements with the added SoundCloud.com integration and DropBox integration. There are a number of RealTracks enhancements including "Pick best soloist RealTracks" that shows you the soloists that best match the genre, tempo, and feel of your song, and many more.

With Band-in-a-Box 2012.5 we've added MIDI SuperTracks! MIDI SuperTracks are a great sounding option for those who would like to use MIDI in their arrangement. Instead of MIDI styles based on C7 chord patterns that get repeated over every chord, the MIDI SuperTracks are based on actual playing by studio musicians. When you play the SuperTracks using your MIDI synth, or favorite VST plug-ins you get an incredibly realistic sound using MIDI.

With Band-in-a-Box 2012, we've added VST synth support for each track, so you can have multiple synths playing on your songs. You can also use VST Audio Plug-ins (reverb, delay etc.) on each track. Customize over 150 of the Guitar based RealTracks with the new Guitar Amp Simulator (AmpliTube CS). We include "Direct Input" (clean signal) Guitar RealTracks for these, so all of the added effects come from the Guitar Amp Simulator. We've added "Loops" support, so you can add your own, or 3rd party loops to any Band-in-a-Box track.

For the previous version, Band-in-a-Box 2011.5, we added a new floating Mixer Window, allowing you to quickly set volumes, panning, reverb, tone and patches. There's a new "BB Remote" app for your iPhone®, which can be used as a remote control for the desktop version of Band-in-a-Box 2011.5 or higher! We added 101 RealTracks in Sets 122-136, including: 70's Soul, Celtic Hornpipes & Slipjigs, Crossover Pop, Gypsy Jazz, Jazz Piano and Organ, Brent Mason Country soloing, Praise & Worship, and much more!

For Band-in-a-Box 2011, we added over 50 new features, including big improvements to the sounds of the RealTracks so that they sound more natural over a much wider range of tempos, using the elastique Pro V2 time stretching engine by zplane.development. These improvements are built-in, so there's nothing you need to do to get it working. Your existing songs will just sound better automatically! Also, we made Android and iPhone® versions of Band-in-a-Box, which connects to your Windows desktop version of Band-in-a-Box 2011 or higher and allows you to generate, play, and save songs on your iPhone®, iPod touch®, iPad™, or Android phone - with the same high quality RealTracks sound! 101 new RealTracks since July 2010, including: Gypsy Jazz, Celtic Jigs & Reels, Calypso, Praise & Worship, Reggae, Brent Mason Guitar, and so much more!

In Band-in-a-Box 2010, we added a new "Plug-in" mode, allowing you to simply Drag-n-Drop tracks between Band-in-a-Box and your favorite sequencer (RealBand, Sonar, Reaper, ProTools, FL-Studio, Nuendo and more). RealTracks generation time was improved, typically 3X faster. RealTracks support for Shots, Holds, and Pushes was added. Endings are improved, and RealTracks endings are now 4 bars long, giving time for the natural decay of the instruments. Individual MIDI or RealTracks can be frozen, so the arrangements can be saved and fixed, and will replay quickly without need for regeneration.

5. What is RealBand?

RealBand is a fully-featured and powerful music arranging, sequencing, and digital recording program that is included in Band-in-a-Box for Windows. RealBand combines the most popular features from PG Music's PowerTracks Pro Audio and Band-in-a-Box programs into an all-in-one sequencing program with automatic accompaniment.

With RealBand you can create an arrangement with Band-in-a-Box tracks by typing in the chords and choosing a style. You can add RealTracks and RealDrums that follow the chord changes, add your own audio or MIDI tracks, and then edit and produce the finished song without ever leaving the program!

A great way to learn more about RealBand is to watch the RealBand introduction video.

6. What are the differences between RealBand, Band-in-a-Box, and PowerTracks Pro Audio?

Band-in-a-Box is an intelligent automatic accompaniment and arranging program, which means that you can go from nothing to complete song arrangements in as little as a few seconds. Simply enter chords to a song, choose a style of music, and Band-in-a-Box generates a full band arrangement complete with Bass, Piano, Drums, Guitar, Strings, and more.

Band-in-a-Box can generate MIDI tracks, which are played through a MIDI synthesizer and displayed in notation, and it can also generate RealTracks and RealDrums, which are intelligently compiled from audio recordings of musicians playing real instruments.

Band-in-a-Box has many other amazing intelligent features such as automatic Harmonies, Ear training modules, the Soloist (which generates professional quality solos over any chord progression), and the Melodist (which can create entire original songs from scratch with Chords, Melodies, Intros, and Solos).

PowerTracks Pro Audio is a professional, fully featured, 48 track digital audio and MIDI sequencer. This program allows you to assemble music layer by layer and track by track using MIDI or digital audio, or a combination of the two. Unlike Band-in-a-Box, PowerTracks Pro Audio does not generate any music for you. Instead, it gives you complete control and flexibility to record, edit, mix, and master your music.

You can start from "scratch", recording your MIDI tracks or step-inputting them, and recording digital audio tracks. Or you can work from existing audio and MIDI files that you have imported into the program for further processing. Many people have used Band-in-a-Box in conjunction with PowerTracks, by exporting songs from Band-in-a-Box as MIDI or wave files then importing these files into PowerTracks.

RealBand combines many of the features from PowerTracks Pro Audio and Band-in-a-Box into an all-in-one sequencing program with automatic accompaniment.

As with Band-in-a-Box, you can type in chords to a song, choose a style of music, and it will generate a complete band arrangement that can include MIDI tracks, RealTracks, and RealDrums. Band-in-a-Box and RealBand are compatible with all the same song and style formats, so any style that you use in Band-in-a-Box can also be used in RealBand. Unlike Band-in-a-Box, RealBand does not have many of the additional "intelligent" features, such as the Soloist, Melodist, Harmonist, Vocal Harmonizer, Chord Substitution Wizard, and automatic Melody Embellisher. Developing song ideas and using the program as a educational or practice tool are easier to do and more suited to Band-in-a-Box.

As with PowerTracks, you have complete control over recording and editing your music track by track, as well as mixing and mastering using full-featured Tracks and Mixer Windows. You can 'freeze' your "BB" (Band-in-a-Box) generated tracks then fine-tune them, you can re-generate each track individually or re-generate a range of bars. You can layer as many additional MIDI or audio tracks as you want. You can assign any combination of DX/VST effects to individual tracks, aux busses, or the main output. You can assign different DXi/VSTi synthesizers to individual MIDI tracks. You can merge all your tracks to a single stereo wave file or compressed audio format and burn an audio CD. And you can do ALL of this without ever leaving RealBand!

The latest versions of both Band-in-a-Box and RealBand are included in any Band-in-a-Box first-time purchase or upgrade!

Here is a comparison of some of the features in Band-in-a-Box, RealBand, and PowerTracks Pro Audio.

Feature description	Band-in-a-Box	RealBand	PowerTracks
Intelligent Automatic arrangements using BB (Band-in-a-Box) styles			x
Re-generate a specific range of bars of a BB track	x		na
Re-generate one "BB" track at a time.	x		na
"Freeze" and edit BB generated tracks, save your edits.	x		na
RealTracks support			x
RealTracks support			x
Video RealTracks support			x
RealDrums support
MIDI recording and editing	2 tracks only	48 tracks	48 tracks
Multi-track digital Audio recording and editing	1 track only, basic editing
Load and play MGU and SGU (Band-in-a-Box song) files			x
DXi and VSTi support
Includes Coyote WaveTable DXi synth			x
Multiple DXi/VSTi synths can be used a single song
14 PG DirectX audio effects included
Audio Chord Wizard (chords from MP3)
On-screen Guitar and Piano
Powerful and full-featured multi-track Mixer Window	x
Full featured Tracks Window with track overview panels	x
Notation and Lead Sheet windows
Automatic Melody and Solo harmonization		x	x
Soloist (Auto-generate original solos)		x	x
Melodist (Auto-generate original chords, melodies, and complete songs)		x	x
Re-harmonist (Auto-create a chord progression for your melody)		x	x
Automatic Melody embellisher		x	x
StyleMaker		x	x
Hybrid Style Wizard		x	x
Ear Training module and educational music arcade games		x	x
Automatic Soundtrack generator		x	x
Chord Substitution Wizard		x	x
Big lyrics window
Graphical MIDI "Piano Roll" editing window
Merge song to stereo wave file and burn a CD
Display song forms using repeats and 1st/2nd endings		x	x
Practice Window for learning and practicing your instrument		x	x
Software Guitar Tuner
Guitarist (Auto-create original guitar chord solos)		x	x

7. What is the difference between Band-in-a-Box Pro and the Band-in-a-Box MegaPAK?

The Pro and MegaPAK include the same Band-in-a-Box and RealBand program engines, however the MegaPAK includes many more Styles, Soloists, Melodists, RealTracks, RealDrums and more. Whereas the Pro version comes with about 750 (MIDI) styles, the MegaPAK comes with over 2,000 (MIDI) styles!

Specifically, Band-in-a-Box Pro comes with a basic 'starter' set of Styles, Soloists, Melodists, RealDrums, and RealTracks: It includes 54 MIDI SuperTracks, ~750 MIDI Styles, 100+ MIDI Soloists, ~60 MIDI Melodists, 22 Artist Performances, 21 Nature Sounds and Percussion Loops, 1,000 Dubstep, Modern and Top 40 Loops and the Pro RealCombos (Over 500 RealTracks instruments in 200+ Bands!) RealCombos are full bands of RealTracks and RealDrums instruments (no MIDI) in the same style. For example, the Jazz Swing 140 RealCombo includes 5 RealInstruments (Bass, Piano, Guitar, Sax, and Drums) that play at a medium swing tempo. Essentially, RealCombos allow you to hear *some* full bands of RealTracks without having to get the largest Band-in-a-Box package.

The Band-in-a-Box MegaPAK includes everything that the Pro version has, plus a lot more. It includes all 2,300+ MIDI Styles, 74 MIDI SuperTracks, over 300 MIDI Soloists, 200+ MIDI Melodists, 63 Artist Performances, 21 Nature Sounds and Percussion Loops and 1,000 Dubstep, Modern and Top 40 Loops. It also includes the MegaPAK RealCombos (Over 800 RealTracks in 350+ Bands).

Visit our Band-in-a-Box Add-ons page for a complete list of available add-ons. Visit our Band-in-a-Box page to see comparisons of the different Band-in-a-Box and RealBand packages.

8. What is the difference between the Band-in-a-Box MegaPAK and UltraPAK?

All of the packages include the latest versions of both Band-in-a-Box and RealBand. The Band-in-a-Box MegaPAK includes all 2,300+ MIDI Styles, 96 MIDI SuperTracks, over 300 MIDI Soloists, 200+ MIDI Melodists, 63 Artist Performances, 21 Nature Sounds and Percussion Loops and 1,000 Dubstep, Modern and Top 40 Loops. It also includes the MegaPAK RealCombos (Over 800 RealTracks in 350+ Bands). RealCombos are full bands of RealTracks and RealDrums instruments (no MIDI) in the same style. For example, the Jazz Swing 140 RealCombo includes 5 RealInstruments (Bass, Piano, Guitar, Sax, and Drums) that play at a medium swing tempo. Essentially, RealCombos allow you to hear *some* full bands of RealTracks without having to get the largest Band-in-a-Box package.

The UltraPAK includes all 2,800+ MIDI Styles, 175+ MIDI SuperTracks, over 300 MIDI Soloists, 200+ MIDI Melodists, 145 Artist Performances, 21 Nature Sounds and Percussion Loops and 1,000 Dubstep, Modern and Top 40 Loops. PLUS ALL of the currently available RealDrums and RealTracks Sets. Now there's over 3,100 RealTracks included in the UltraPAK. That's over 3,300 hours of studio musicians recordings!

9. Is it true that you offer a 30-day money back guarantee on your products?

Yes! We offer an unconditional 30-day money back guarantee on all PG Music products purchased directly from us. If for any reason you decide that the PG Music product is not for you, simply contact us within 30 days of your order and we will refund you the purchase price of the item. (Shipping charged not included.)

10. What are the recommended system requirements for Band-in-a-Box?

Band-in-a-Box runs on Windows 7 / 8 / 8.1 / 10 (32 or 64-bit) and require at least a 1.0 GHz processor (2GHz+ multicore recommended). Basic MIDI features require a less powerful computer than the latest RealTracks features. For best performance, we recommend a fairly up-to-date computer with Windows 7 or higher, a fast processor, and at least 2GB RAM. Without RealDrums or RealTracks, you need a minimum of about 1GB of free hard disk space (15GB recommended). More hard disk space is required for the RealTracks and RealDrums, roughly 100-400MB per Set. A full install of the PRO version (including RealTracks/Drums) requires about 15 GB. A full install of the MEGAPAK version requires about 25 GB. The UltraPAK is about 120 GB total, and you have the option of either downloading, or shipping "pre-installed" on a USB hard drive. You can run the program directly from the hard drive or install on your computer.

A MIDI sound source is required. This could be a sound card, a MIDI keyboard, MIDI sound module, or software synthesizer. We include a software synthesizer with Band-in-a-Box.

11. What are the requirements for iPhone version of Band-in-a-Box for Windows?

For Band-in-a-Box iPhone version, iOS version needed is iOS 4 or higher. You also need to have the desktop version of Band-in-a-Box 2011 or higher for Windows.

12. Are all the styles in the iOS version or is it only that you can work on the songs (with selected style) saved in the Windows desktop folder used by the server?

BB iPhone version doesn't generate songs on the iPhone, it connects to your desktop version of Band-in-a-Box 2011 or higher for Windows, within your house (LAN) or from anywhere (Internet - WiFi or 3G). Once connected, it acts as a client, and you can:

• Generate songs, which transfer to and play on the iPhone.
• Get any songs that you have in the c:\bb\BB2Go folder. Either get one at a time, or Get all.
• Send any songs that you make on the iPhone to the BB2Go folder.

For example, lets say you have 100 Favorite Songs that you like to play.

1. Put them in the BB2Go Folder.
2. (optional) If you want to pre-generate mp4 audio for them, in desktop Band-in-a-Box, choose [menu]-Windows-BB2Go and that dialog shows you all the files, and you can press a button to generate mp4 audio for all songs.
3. Make sure that Band-in-a-Box Server is running. This will show up as an icon in System Tray with a musical note. (if it isn't running, you can run it from the BB2Go dialog mentioned in #2 above.
4. Run iPhone BB, choose menu-File-Server, and you should see the IP address of the Band-in-a-Box Server. If you do, then connect to it.
5. If you have any problem connecting or generating songs, it would be because of a firewall or Anti-Virus program blocking communication. If so, create an exception in the firewall or AV program, and the problem should be solved. Usuelly you need to reboot the Band-in-a-Box Server.exe, or the iphone or possibly reboot Windows after you've done that.
6. Once connected, on the iPhone you could choose File-Server-Get Songs- Get All Songs.

This will get your 100 favorite songs, and if you have pre-generated the audio (as in #2), then they are ready to play, and sound identical to how they sound on the BB Desktop, with all of your MIDI and RealTracks sounds.

Also, once connected, you can generate any song in any style, much like you do using the desktop version.

This example above assumes you are using a LAN connection within your house. For connection using Internet, see details on our support page.

13. Do you offer technical support after I purchase the program?

Yes. We offer extensive technical support for all PG Music Inc. products. All technical support is free and unlimited for registered customers. You can e-mail us, use our Live Online Chat, or phone us toll-free (from most countries). Please visit our Support Page for more details and contact information.

14. What shipping methods do you offer? Is there a download-only option?

We do offer shipping for Band-in-a-Box packages. If you would like to receive a backup copy of your Band-in-a-Box, be sure to add the physical backup copy to your order on checkout.

The Band-in-a-Box packages are also available for download with the exception of the Band-in-a-Box Audiophile Edition. All other products are download only.

Flash Drive Orders: Pro, MegaPAK, and PlusPAK packages only
Shipped free by mail. The Flash Drive media is $15.

USA: Delivery within 2-3 business days.
Canada/International: Delivery within 5-10 business days

Hard Drive Orders: UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile, and OmniPAK packages only
Shipped free by courier. The Hard Drive media is $25.

USA: Delivery within 2-3 business days.
Canada/International: Delivery within 2-6 business days

15. Are all of your products available for download (electronic delivery)?

Yes, PG Music software is available for immediate download when you order online, and you will also have the option of a physical shipment for the backup copy of your purchase. Note: If you ordered the Audiophile Edition, you can download the compressed RealTracks and RealDrums. The uncompressed files will be shipped on the hard drive.

16. Do you ship overseas?

Yes, we ship Band-in-a-Box products anywhere in the world that is served by an international carrier.

17. If I choose to download the program, will I still get shipped a backup copy of the software and documentation?

We do offer shipping for Band-in-a-Box packages. If you would like to receive a backup copy of your Band-in-a-Box, be sure to add the physical backup copy to your order on checkout. All other products are download only.

18. Do you offer upgrades from previous versions of Band-in-a-Box?

Yes, you can upgrade to the latest version of Band-in-a-Box from any previous version. Visit the Band-in-a-Box for Windows Purchasing page for more details.

19. Can I upgrade from Band-in-a-Box Pro to the MegaPAK, UltraPAK, or Audiophile Edition?

Yes, you can upgrade to the latest Band-in-a-Box MegaPAK, UltraPAK, or Audiophile Edition from ANY version of Band-in-a-Box including the current version. To order, or for more information, visit the Band-in-a-Box for Windows Purchasing page.

20. If I purchased the last UltraPAK version, do I need to order the new UltraPAK Upgrade?

You don't need to, but we have special low pricing on these upgrade paths. They are a much better deal than a regular upgrade. If you purchase the UltraPAK upgrade, you will keep yourself up-to-date with all the latest Styles, RealDrums, RealTracks, MIDI SuperTracks, Artist Performance Sets, Soloists, and Melodists available. You also have the option of upgrading to the latest PlusPAK version, as long as you have the last UltraPAK version. This will provide you with the new version and any new RealTracks and RealDrums that were released. When you install the PlusPAK to your previous UltraPAK, it is the equivalent of ordering a new UltraPAK version.} If you only purchase the regular upgrade, you will still retain the add-ons (styles etc.) you got with your previous purchase, but you won't get all the new ones. Visit our Band-in-a-Box page to see all of the upgrade packages available.

21. I purchased Band-in-a-Box for Mac and now I want to run it on a PC. Is there a "crossgrade" that I can purchase?

Yes, you can crossgrade from any Mac version of Band-in-a-Box to the latest version of Band-in-a-Box for Windows. You can choose any of the upgrades "from 2016 or earlier or crossgrade".

To order, or for more information, visit the Band-in-a-Box for Windows Purchasing page.

22. Are songs that I create with Band-in-a-Box copyrighted?

The arrangements made by Band-in-a-Box are yours, and your songs may be used freely as long as they don't infringe upon the intellectual property rights of others.

23. Do I need to be a musician to use your products?

No! Our products can be used by anyone, regardless of their musical ability. Although we have many satisfied customers who are professional or amateur musicians and educators, you don't have to be a musician to use or enjoy our products.

24. Why is the price of your products so low?

Peter Gannon, the president and founder of PG Music Inc., states that he set out "..to create software that I would want to purchase and use myself." To this end, we strive to create quality software that is affordable and fun to use, while performing at a professional level. One of our goals is to give you, the customer, more than you ever expected when you purchased the program.

25. Are your prices in US dollars?

Yes, all of our prices are shown in US dollars.

26. Do you offer special academic pricing for school systems?

There are Site License and LabPAK purchase options available to schools and other educational institutions who are interested in purchasing 5 or more copies of Band-in-a-Box for one location (like a computer or music lab). We also offer custom pricing for school-wide, district-wide, and even state, provincial, or national licensing. For more information please visit the Educators Page or contact marketing@pgmusic.com.

At this time, we do not offer an academic/educational discount on individual purchases of our software.

27. Is it safe to use a credit card over the internet?

Every modern browser comes with SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) encryption technology. This allows information that you pass to our servers to be encrypted during transmission, without you having to set up anything special. We also have installed a digital security certificate on our servers, which certifies that we are who we say we are when you're connected.

28. Is Band-in-a-Box available from any local dealers?

Yes, Band-in-a-Box is represented by dealers worldwide. Here is a complete list of our distributors.

29. How do I know if Band-in-a-Box will be able to create an accompaniment in my style of interest?

There are over 2300 MIDI styles and 2500 RealTracks currently available for Band-in-a-Box, ranging from pop, rock, jazz, blues, and country to many different world styles. So, chances are that you will be able to find a suitable style. You can browse through all of the Add-ons for Band-in-a-Box here.

30. What is the PG Music OmniPAK?

The PG Music OmniPAK includes over 40 popular music software titles - Band-in-a-Box and RealBand with all the uncompressed RealTracks and RealDrums WAV files, PowerTracks Pro Audio, the Pianist Series, the Multimedia Performance Series, and much more! The OmniPAK is shipped on a portable high-speed USB 3.0 hard drive with all programs pre-installed. This purchase does not include third-party software.

31. How can I register my software?

We have an Online Registration Form. Note: If you purchased your software directly from us, you are automatically registered.

32. I placed an order, but didn't receive an email confirmation.

The email confirmation is sent out the moment your order is processed. First, check your email program's "spam" or "junk" folder; the email could have been sent there. If not, you may have entered an incorrect email address into the order form, or (rarely) your ISP has blocked the email. Please contact us if you can't find the email.

33. Can I purchase a complete User's Guide for Band-in-a-Box?

You can view the full manual online at https://www.pgmusic.com/manuals/.

34. What types of files can Band-in-a-Box save as?

Band-in-a-Box saves files in its proprietary formats (.SGU, .MGU, .STY, etc.). You can also save your songs in the Standard MIDI File (SMF) Format (.MID - type 0 or type 1), .KAR format (Karaoke File Format), .ABC format (ABC notation), .XML format (Music XML), or convert your songs to .WAV files and a variety of compressed audio formats such as .MP3 and .WMA.

35. Can I view music notation and print out lead sheets with Band-in-a-Box?

Yes, you can view and print out the musical notation for any of the tracks that Band-in-a-Box generates (piano, bass, guitar, etc.), as well as tracks that you input. It is easy to customize and print out excellent quality lead sheets with chords, melody, and lyrics.

36. Can I burn audio CD's containing my Band-in-a-Box compositions?

Yes, as long as your computer is equipped with a CD burner. In fact, you can create an audio CD without ever having to exit Band-in-a-Box!

37. Do any of your products convert audio files to midi?

New for version 2018, Band-in-a-Box now comes equiped with a transcribe function that is accessible from the Audio Edit window. PowerTracks Pro Audio also comes equipped with a Pitch to MIDI conversion tool, and this will convert monophonic .wav files into MIDI. A trumpet, saxophone, or single human voice would be a good candidate for this type of process, whereas a guitar chord (multiple notes) would not. For polyphonic audio files (more than one instrument) the technology needed to convert an audio file to MIDI note-for-note is not available. Band-in-a-Box also includes the Audio Chord Wizard, which will automatically figure out the chords from any MP3, WAV, or WMA (Windows Media) audio file and display them!

38. I just placed an order, but I am unable to download the software. What should I do?

All PG Music software is available for immediate download. The only exceptions are some third party software products, and the Audiophile hard drive uncompressed RealTracks and RealDrums files, since they are over 1000 GB.

If you purchased a downloadable software program from us, it will be available for download on your My Products page. Your order confirmation will contain a link to this page (if nothing happens when you click the link in your email, then copy and paste it into your browser address bar), and/or you can access it by logging into your PG Music account on our site. This page lists all of your recently purchased serial numbers and downloads. If you are looking for older downloads that don't appear on this page, please contact us for help.

When you click on one of your download links, you may be asked whether you want to 'Run' or 'Save the file to disk'. You should choose the option to 'Save the file to disk'.

If you did not get an order confirmation email:

• You may have typed in the wrong email address into your order form. If so, please contact us to correct this.
• Your email program may have a utility that filters out possible junk emails and puts them in a separate mailbox. Check to see if you have a 'Bulk' or 'Junk' folder, for example.

If the download is working, but it is taking too long and you would rather have the product shipped, don't hesitate to contact us.

You should be able to get to your download page simply by clicking on the link in your email or via the My Products link in your www.pgmusic.com account. If nothing happens when you click on the link in your email, right-click on the link and select 'copy shortcut', then paste it into the address bar of your internet browser window and press <Enter>. Some download links expire. If a file is showing as "unavailable" in your download page, that means the link has expired. Contact us if you have not yet been able to download that file.

Some of the RealTracks files are quite large. You should ideally download these large files one at a time, although if you have a very fast connection you can get away with downloading several at once. (Note that in general it won't be any quicker to download two files at once, since each file will be downloading slower. Also, if there happens to be a network problem that breaks the download, you might end up having to start all the files again). If you are having the order shipped, remember that you could download only the main Band-in-a-Box application and use it without the RealTracks until you receive the hard copy. If downloading many RealTracks files, make sure you have enough hard disk space to store all the downloaded installer files (estimate 1 GB per file).

If you get a corrupt file message after downloading this usually means that your internet connection was interrupted partway through the download and the file you have is incomplete.

The Band-in-a-Box Download Manager can be used to downloaded the RealTracks related files in your order. If the download manager option is available for the product you purchased, it will indicate this in your download list. Some files are not handled by the download manager; if you want to use the download manager, just download those files first. Then install, run, and activate Band-in-a-Box, and run the Download Manager (Help menu | Utitities...).

The "Download Manager" referenced in the preceeding paragraph is the Band-in-a-Box Dowload Manager application. There are also third party download managers that can help you download any file on the internet. [staff note: downThemAll fo Firefox was a very good one a few years ago, updated examples needed]

If when you click on a link, you get a 404 page, error message, "page cannot be displayed", or something similar (but other web pages work fine for you), the problem is likely at our end. Please contact us ASAP so that we can fix this.

Below are some additional troubleshooting suggestions:

• If the download starts but doesn't complete, or you get a message that the file is corrupt when you try to run it after downloading, this most likely means that your connection to the server was lost and the file wasn't downloaded completely. Delete this file, and try the download again. If the file seems to download really fast when you try again, you will need to delete your internet browser's cache first.
• Cached files can be a source of confusion. If a download fails and you try to download the same file again, your browser will often use a cached file rather than downloading the file a second time. When this happens, it can appear that you downloaded the same corrupt file twice. You should be able to solve this by deleting your browser cache (temporary internet files). There is an options window in most browsers that allows you to do this.
• Some anti-virus programs and firewalls can cause various problems downloading some files. It is not normally obvious what is causing the problem. Some symptoms might include downloads stopping halfway, receiving a file that is "0 bytes", file extensions being changed, or the file being 'quarantined'. You may need to disable the software or adjust a setting before you start the download. If you are connected to a local area network, you may have to contact your network administrator about this.
• Your internet browser security settings may be set too high. In Internet Explorer, these settings are found in Tools | Internet Options. Other browsers have similar settings.
• Try using a different internet browser.
• Download managers may help, especially if your order contains many download links. A utility that will automatically download all the files on a page one at a time is helpful. For example, if you use the Firefox web browser, there are free plugins like 'Downthemall', which will allow you to download all links on one page. Remember to set max concurrent downloads = 1 in the Preferences. Note that a particular download manager may also be the CAUSE of the problem, and you may want to try disabling it or otherwise downloading the file without it.
• If clicking on the [download] button doesn't seem to work, try right-clicking on the link and selecting 'Save Target As'.
• Your internet service provider may have a bandwidth limit which you may have exceeded. Try downloading a smaller file to see if this might be the problem, or contact your ISP to find out more.
• If when you click on a link, you get a "page cannot be displayed", or some another html error page (but other web pages work fine for you), the problem may be at our end. Please contact us so we can look into it.
• The download may be slow due to internet congestion, time of day, or a router being busy. If all else fails, you may want to wait for a while and try the download later.

There are a wide variety of factors that can affect downloads, including your computer software and hardware, the connection to your internet service provider, internet traffic, and distance from the server. Due to factors beyond our control, we can't guarantee the downloads to work for everyone. As long as you have selected a physical shipping method (and not Download Only) you will be receiving your order in the mail. If you have chosen Download Only (electronic delivery) and are unable to download your software, please contact us to have it shipped.

If you are having a problem not covered here, or you don't think the download is working properly because of a problem at our end, feel free to contact us and we'll look into it.

39. What languages is Band-in-a-Box available in?

We currently have language support for the latest version of Band-in-a-Box for Windows in over ten different languages, including Dutch, German, French, Italian, Portuguese, Danish, Polish, Spanish, Korean, Swedish, Japanese, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, and Russian.

You can purchase Band-in-a-Box in any of these languages from their individual pages. Click on one of the languages above or go to the PG Music home page and click on one of the flags along the top of the page.

If you have already purchased the latest version of Band-in-a-Box in English and would like a different language, please contact us.

40. Can I purchase the English Band-in-a-Box upgrade if I have a previous localized (non-English language) Band-in-a-Box version.

Yes, if you have purchased a localized version of Band-in-a-Box previously (French, Dutch, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Danish, Polish, Swedish, Russian, Simplified or Traditional Chinese, or Korean) and the latest version is not yet available in your language, you can still upgrade to the latest English version. You should install the upgrade into your existing Band-in-a-Box folder (C:\bb by default). Band-in-a-Box will still be in your preferred language after you install the upgrade, with the exception of some of the new features in Band-in-a-Box if they have not been translated yet. You will be eligible to receive the complete translation for the latest version at no extra charge when it is available in your language.

41. When I try to install the program I get a message that the "setup files are corrupted".

This normally occurs with downloaded programs. This error may occur when double-clicking on an installer that was downloaded from our site. It means that the setup file is the wrong size or the file failed a CRC (cyclic redundancy check). Most likely something went wrong when you were downloading the file, for example your internet connection may have been lost. Delete the file that you downloaded and try the download again. Note that your browser may have cached the old (corrupt) file, so to be sure, before downloading the file again delete your internet browser's cache (temporary internet files). Then, right-click on the download link and select Save As. If the download seems to happen very fast the second time, that's an indication that it's using a cached file.

42. Common pre-sales questions about RealDrums and RealTracks.

• Will the RealTracks or RealDrums track play at any tempo that I choose? Yes - the RealDrums track will play in perfect sync with the rest of your tracks at any tempo you select in Band-in-a-Box. In addition, the drummer will change the way it plays based ONLY on the tempo that the song is played at, like a human drummer would. Each RealTracks instrument has an ideal tempo that it sounds best at, but it will automatically play in sync with your song at any tempo you choose. You can even change the tempo on-the-fly (while the song is playing). For the most common instruments (for example basic guitar strumming), there are a wide range of RealTracks available at different tempos.
• Can I replace any MIDI track with a RealTracks instrument? Yes, you can replace any MIDI track in any Band-in-a-Box song or style with the RealTracks instrument of your choice. You can have any combination of MIDI and RealTracks in your song.
• Will RealDrums only work with new RealDrums styles, or can I use RealDrums with older/existing styles? There are specific "styles with RealDrums" included with the program, but you can also have Band-in-a-Box replace the MIDI drum track in ANY of your existing and older styles, with RealDrums. This will add new life and realism to songs that you have already composed. There is a RealDrums settings dialog that allows you to specify how often you want RealDrums to replace the standard MIDI drum track.
• Are RealTracks and Drums included when I save my song as a MIDI file for editing in another program? The RealTracks and RealDrums won't be part of the MIDI file because they are audio (not MIDI), however Band-in-a-Box will automatically save a wave file containing the audio tracks, and this can easily be imported into your audio and MIDI sequencer (for example PowerTracks Pro Audio) along with the MIDI file.
• Will I still hear RealTracks if I play Band-in-a-Box through an external MIDI synth/sound module? Because the RealTracks are audio (not MIDI), they are not transmitted to an external hardware synthesizer via MIDI cables. The RealTracks will still be played through your computer's sound card or audio interface, and you can mix the output from your sound card with the output of your sound module using audio cables.
• I often render my songs to wave/MP3/WMA. Will the RealTracks be in my rendered wave files? Yes, the RealTracks are automatically merged into the rendered wave file.

43. What are RealCombos?

RealCombos are included in the Pro and MegaPAK packages, because those packages don't have the complete set of currently available RealTracks instruments. Essentially, RealCombos allow you to hear SOME full bands of RealTracks without having to get the largest Band-in-a-Box package. For example, the "Jazz Swing 140" RealCombo includes 5 instruments (Bass, Piano, Guitar, Sax, and Drums) from various RealTracks Sets that all play at a medium swing tempo.

44. I hate installing programs, and just want to plug and play. I also want the best Band-in-a-Box and RealBand version that you have, with everything pre-installed.

The Band-in-a-Box UltraPAK and UltraPAK+ can each be shipped pre-installed on a high-speed USB 3.0 hard drive. These include the latest versions of Band-in-a-Box and RealBand, as well as all the currently available MIDI SuperTracks, Artist Performance Sets, Styles, Soloists, Melodists, RealDrums Sets, and RealTracks Sets. You can run the programs directly from the hard drive, without installing them on your computer. Just plug in the drive and you're ready to play! You still have the option of installing the program to your computer hard drive if you would rather run the programs from there.

Another option is the Audiophile edition. This has all the same contents as the UltraPAK+ hard drive, but ALSO includes the uncompressed WAV files for all of the RealTracks and RealDrums. This means that the highest sound quality of the RealTracks and RealDrums is preserved. This package ships on a high-speed USB 3.0 hard drive.

45. What is the difference between the Audiophile editions of Band-in-a-Box, and the regular Band-in-a-Box packages?

The Audiophile editions ship pre-installed on a high-speed USB 3.0 hard drive, and has everything that the "regular" versions of Band-in-a-Box and RealBand have, plus all the uncompressed audio in WAV file format for ALL the RealTracks and RealDrums, so the highest sound quality is preserved. We normally ship RealTracks audio files as compressed WMA files (usually 128 or 160 kbps) instead of WAV files. The WMA files are excellent quality, and make the program MUCH smaller (roughly 90GB).
With a typical setup at home, many people would not be able to hear a difference, but some advanced users prefer to have the original WAV files. Note that it is possible to uncompress the 'regular edition' WMA files to WAV, however these will not be the same as the original WAV files, having already been compressed once. Also, please note that the 'Audiophile editions' do include the WMA files as well, which gives you the option of installing the program on your computer the same way as with the 'regular edition'.

46. Is the latest version of Band-in-a-Box backwards compatible with songs and styles from older versions?

Yes - Band-in-a-Box is designed to be fully backwards compatible with songs and styles created with previous versions of the program. In addition, you can often make your older songs sound much better after upgrading to the latest version, by choosing newer Styles, RealTracks, and RealDrums that came with your upgrade.