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 enlarge | From: PG Music Inc.
Category: Software
Buy New: $99.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  15 reviews
Sales Rank: 2253
Format: Cd-rom
Platforms: Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows Me, Windows Xp, Windows Nt
Media: CD-ROM
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Operating System: Windows NT
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.5
Dimensions (in): 9.6 x 7.6 x 1.7
MPN: PG-BBPRO-W
Model: BB
UPC: 747110004794
EAN: 0747110004794
ASIN: B0002VCUZK
Release Date: December 14, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Excellent backing May 30, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This is an excellent software, I use it almost dayly as backing for my practice. I play jazz-guitar, and wether I want to practice improvising or comping this is a fantastic resource. I just type in the chords and choose an appropriate style. The program will produce excellent bass and druming, the 2007 version includes "real drummer" with the drums based on recorded playing of real drummers. This is an important improvements over older versions. The piano, guitar and string is OK, while if you add a melody line that is goint to sound very MIDI-like, not like live music, but sometimes it is still useful to have the melody playing.
For soloing and melody playing the comp is very good. I do not buy book/CD with backing tracks anymore. Even when I want to practice comping, it is important to have at least the bass and rythm to get an idea of how the comping sounds with a full band. Also in this respect is this software excellent.
Beware though that this is a rich program, and a such it contains much more features than you are likely to ever apply. With this rich set of possibilities, the downside is that it may be difficult to figure out how to do what you want. On one occation I sent an e-mail to the support, and got a swift and very helpful response.
Band-in-a Box May 21, 2007
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
This product is for my son and he seems able to navigate through it quite easily (he is 13). He has been using it to accompany himself for his saxophone lessons as he learns to play scales, etc. It makes the scales and songs more interesting when played with the rest of the band.
Superb sound and easy to get into March 11, 2007
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
I've only had BIAB for a month and already I have written a handful of compositions. I've only scratched the surface, but I am hooked. I have tried all sorts of software and most of them were either too complicated, too elementary and dinky sounding or they just wouldn't work with the pc soundcard I had. The BIAB worked great right out of the box and it sounds fantastic. All you have to do is tell it where you want chord changes and the "band" takes off adding fill-ins and riffs just like a real band. Better, actually, than a lot of the musicians I have played with over the years - and, the best part is there's no worrying about no-shows or complaining and griping from this band. It will make suggestions for changes and if you don't like them, it won't sulk and pout or leave practice early. It is great because it can be used at different levels of your experience or need. I use it just for backup, but you can add melody and solo parts by typing on your keyboard if you don't have a plug-in keyboard or instrument. You can also place music notes on the staff with your mouse if you prefer. The possibilities just go on and on.
The only negative I found is the guitars all sound very unreal, like rubber bands stretched across a tin can but all the software I have ever seen has the same problem. So far it appears the guitar can't be imitated with MIDI sounds unlike most other instruments. Since I play guitar that really doesn't bother me because with this product I can add my own guitar parts by recording on the audio tracks provided.
I write songs mostly as a hobby, but occasionally I perform publicly with a friend who plays bass. Now we can add accompanying instruments and become a whole band by burning a cd of what we need to add for each performance. For example, we do the vocals, rhythm guitar and bass, while the BIAB adds the drums and either keyboard, strings, brass, or any of a myriad of other available parts.
This product is a no-brainer if you love music but don't want to have to study for a week before you can use the product. The tutorials are easy to follow, but it does have an exhaustive manual if you crave the technical stuff. The bonus items that come with the 2007 BIAB are very nice, but a little too advanced for me just yet. For instance, there are real drum add-ons, if the MIDI drums don't suit your taste. But that is the beauty of this software - you can get a lot more complex if you want, but you don't have to get complicated to get a solid sound right off the bat. I'm happy with the elementary stuff but it will be fun to continue learning and making my backup band more lifelike as I go.
Almost a 5 Star purchase! January 30, 2007
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I recieved this Band in a Box from my husband for Christmas. I had been introduced to it at the college during a Jazz Combo class I am taking. It seemed like it would be very helpful for learning to solo and things of that nature.
I find that there are TONS of things in the program that I can't understand how to use. I have read the manual for specific things to try to do and the manual isn't very reader friendly.
I find the program to be very entertaining though, and I am glad we got it.
 Difficult at best January 14, 2007
4 out of 18 found this review helpful
This program is absolutely too difficult to even use. Customer support was also of NO help to me. I am extremely dissastisfied with this product which is sitting on my computer unable to be of any real use to me other than taking up my memory.
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