Which BIB Pack Should I Get?

[Chris Schlotzhauer]

I'm at a point to where I will spend more time at home playing songs with my wife (piano), maybe a bass player friend, or a guitar singer friend.
I want to play standard country, 70's pop, some standard jazz tunes.
I'm not interested in creating too many of the songs I want to play....I would rather purchase tracks of standards already done and then be able to turn off/on instruments to play along with.
I've never owned this product so I'm not familiar with all the features and details so I want simple.

Thanks in advance

[Norman Evans]

I don't know how much you want to spend, but I have the Ultra Pak. I think it has all of the styles to play songs. The cheaper versions can't play all of the song files you might get from someone unless you pick a different style. There's a lot of tutorials on youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_ ... +ultra+pak

[Jim Fogle]

Chris,

All the packages include a full version of the Band-in-a-Box program so either the ProPAK or MegaPAK will allow you to learn the program. But, as Norm said, the UltraPAK includes all the audio content needed to play any song file.

The link below has a MP3 of a Band-in-a-Box backing track for the Eagle's Peaceful Easy Feeling that demonstrates how good a Band-in-a-Box song file can sound.

https://www.theguitarband.com/

One of the problems with prerecorded backing tracks is you can't change it. What if you want to change the key, tempo or instrumentation? You can't change a MP3 but you can a song file. The website has information about using Band-in-a-Box to create a backing track.

[Chris Schlotzhauer]

Thank you

One of the problems with prerecorded backing tracks is you can't change it. What if you want to change the key, tempo or instrumentation? You can't change a MP3 but you can a song file. The website has information about using Band-in-a-Box to create a backing track.

So can you get or share "song files" that have been created by you or someone else?
If I wanted to play along with mp3's I'll just get an mp3 I'll just find an mp3 and play along.

[Jim Fogle]

You can share song files. One of the nice things about Band-in-a-Box is a song file made a long time ago will still work in a 2020 Band-in-a-Box program. As far as the program is concerned a song file is a song file no matter when it was made.

There use to be several web sites with Band-in-a-Box song file collections but they are not as prevalent now as they use to be.

David Collins started a thread called "Shared Song List Here" located as a sticky post residing near the top of this forum section.

An internet search will give you an idea of what is available. Search using the terms "sgu song files" or "Band-in-a-Box song files" without the quotes.

My brother and I have collaborated on some Band-in-a-Box song files a few times. We both have Band-in-a-Box UltraPAKS. I live in North Carolina and he lives in South Carolina. Band-in-a-Box song files normally are very small, less than a midi file in many cases, so it's fast and easy to attach song files to emails.

By using a Band-in-a-Box feature called an Artist Performance Track or APT it's possible to swap Band-in-a-Box song files with someone that has Band-in-a-Box but doesn't have the same version or content as you do. I have an acquaintance in France that has 2013 Band-in-a-Box. We have built a few song files using APT so we both hear the same arrangement.

One point worth noting, Band-in-a-Box does not make a note-by-note duplicate backing track song. Band-in-a-Box operates comparable to an arranger keyboard. You select a style and the style provides an initial selection of instruments, key and tempo. Enter the chords and press Play and a song is born.

[Chris Schlotzhauer]

Good info Jim....thank you sir!

[Jim Fogle]

Chris,

I hope you'll update the thread and share your decision with everyone.

Band-in-a-Box can be your musical companion, music teacher and song writing inspiration.

If money is a consideration, one trick is to purchase Band-in-a-Box through an international distributor. Here is one example: https://joannecooper.co.za/

[Ken Lang]

It looks like the girl is the way to go, I'm way behind with only BIAB 2012, but i was hoping to update when 2021 cones around. Can any of you tell me if its possible to write your own music such as as intro to a song. I need this to write my own things.

[Jim Fogle]

Ken,

When you ask,

if its possible to write your own music such as as intro to a song. I need this to write my own things.

I'm not sure that I understand your question.

The Band-in-a-Box melody and soloist tracks have staff, notation and piano roll views where a user can use any of those views to compose their music. While playback would be using midi instruments the notation and staff views can be printed so a musician that reads music can play.

There is also an audio track where you can record audio.

Does that answer your question? If not ask again a different way. We'll get it figured out.

[Ken Lang]

just want to record my own music. I think iou have answered my question. I will give it a try.