Band-In-A-Box - honest opinion please

[half diminished]

Who uses this (particularly on a Mac) and what do you think? Should I buy it?

 

[Pjonah]

Its a god send, if I spent more time working with it, it'd be a revelation for someone wishing to have there own little backing band for practice or composition.

Like all these packages I find it assumes a level of competancy in the user I don't posess

But I still think its well worth the money, even more so in my case as it only cost £10 on Ebay!:welldone

 

[old git]

I've used the Mac 12 demo on a G4 but now waiting until there's enough loot for an Intel Mac as Mac 2009 has so many extras available. If you are already Duo-ed, the 2009 is available now with extra bits being given away on the publisher's site.

 

[davhudson]

Who uses this (particularly on a Mac) and what do you think? Should I buy it?

My copy arrived today and I have just started to play with it. It took about 5 minutes to setup a 2/5/1 chord progression that I could easily loop and practise improviations to. It took me another two minutes to change the style from easy jazz to trad jazz.

You are welcome to come over and have a look - it is the PC version though.

 

[Josh Johnson]

Band in a Box is great. You can program specific chord progressions (specific tunes or progressions to practise over) very quickly. Some of the backings are a bit corny, but are fine for practising purposes.

I convert the MIDI files into mp3 files and load them onto my iPod - then you can practise anywhere; or plug the iPod into an amp for an instant backing band (not sure if the musicians union endorses this product!).

 

[Taz]

I agree with Josh, I absolutely love this product and use it a lot for practice and busking. I also convert my finished work to mp3 and then, using my home made sound system, I busk away to my hearts content! Band in a box gets my vote :welldone

 

[losaavedra]

Same here ... first thing I go for when I practice ... more often than not I just chuck a few chord names in and within a minute its chuntering away with me trying to keep up! Wish I'd had something like that when I started on guitar many moons ago ... always arguing with someone over whose turn it was to play the chords while the other one of us got to play the twiddly bits! Not any more ... love it!

 

[robert1960]

I have used the Windows version for about 5 or 6 years. I use it to create backing tracks for practice and for solo performance. The real drums are a great improvement. There is an option to create a leadsheet from a recording, but I have never got that to work too well. Not that I have spent that long trying.

Robert

 

[davhudson]

I have used the Windows version for about 5 or 6 years. I use it to create backing tracks for practice and for solo performance. The real drums are a great improvement. There is an option to create a leadsheet from a recording, but I have never got that to work too well. Not that I have spent that long trying.

Robert

As someone that has used it for a while you may be able to answer a question for me.
I know that I can set the display to show the Eb transposed chords. Is there a way that I can enter the chords in Eb tranposed mode or do I always have to enter the concert pitch chords?

 

[Pee Dee]

Great for transposing music, that's all I use it for so far.
Now I can buy music for any instrument, put it into BIAB, and print out a leadsheet in any key I want. Saves looking for music for tenor sax only.
Also a more fun way to practice scales, play a tune in all keys;}

 

[visionari1]

Ok reading all of the above posts and downloaded the free demo twice to come to grips with it, I've struggled to understand it (maybe my brain works in different ways?)
On the demo version both of the Notation and chords (piano views) are disabled. These are the two I'd use the most (having viewed several of the tutorials)

Hearing Taz endorse this for Busking really makes me swing the BIAB way......

Looks like I should simply shell out and get BIAB-ing.

Ciao
Jimu

 

[Stan's Fan]

As someone that has used it for a while you may be able to answer a question for me.
I know that I can set the display to show the Eb transposed chords. Is there a way that I can enter the chords in Eb tranposed mode or do I always have to enter the concert pitch chords?

You can enter chords in any key and tranpose the song to any other key that you choose. Of course, you can also tranpose any song in BIAB by using PREFERENCES/NOTATION/Transpose Options.

Have you seen the Real Band 2009 software from PG Music? It uses real pre-recorded audio instead of MIDI. It is designed to work in conjunction with BIAB.

Have Fun as they say.

 

[davhudson]

Have you seen the Real Band 2009 software from PG Music? It uses real pre-recorded audio instead of MIDI. It is designed to work in conjunction with BIAB.

Have Fun as they say.

I have yes - I recently bought BIAB 2009 that came with Real Band.

You can use the real instruments in BIAB as well.

 

[Stan's Fan]

Don't forget that you can upgrade these products every year, around Christmas time, when there is a heavily discounted price for moving up to the latest versions.

I take it that you are a member of the PG Music forum. There is an incredible amount of help there for new users and experienced alike.

http://www.pgmusic.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php

 

[half diminished]

Hopefully gonna get a good look at this soon as it looks like I'm going to have to get it. Won't be for a bit though, just shelled out loads on some other stuff - for once not music/sax related but for my other hobby/p/t profession - photography. Mrs hd will kill me if I buy summat else!