(not a deal) question about Band-in-a-Box addons

[Leok85]

if you already bought the band-in-a-box UltraPAK 2023
What do you think about the following add-ons? do any of them have a reasonable value to purchase in additional  or its just unnecessary expenses 

* XPro Styles PAKs 1-4 

* Xtra Styles PAKs 1-15

* 2023 Bonus 49PAK

 

many thanks for response 🙂

[Yan Filiatrault]

@Reid Rosefelt is the person to answer you on that one.

[Reid Rosefelt]

Hi @Leok85

The thing that makes BIAB great is that they have RealTracks, which are actual recordings by various studio musicians.   They are 2 bar and 4 bar and one bar.  The program uses Algorithms to make them create realistic arrangements  from your chord progression. 

You can create your own style by taking any of the RealTracks they've released and combining them, for example, two guitars, bass, piano, fiddle, drums, etc.   You kind of have to know what you're doing to do that. 

Each new version of BIAB has more RealTracks and includes styles that show them off.  Combinations of Realtracks, perfectly mixed and ready to use.    I mainly use the styles that come with the program.   The Xtra Styles are just that--more styles.  For me, the more the merrier.  If you watch my video you will see why.

The Xtra Styles PAKs have no new Realtracks.  They just combine the Realtracks in different ways.  But the most recent versions of Xtra Styles PAKs require the latest versions of BIAB, because they use the latest RealTracks.

I've never bought any of the XPro Styles.  They are a product directed towards people who have a lesser version of BIAB than the Ultrapack.  I hear they are different, but I've never felt the need to buy them.

The 2023 Bonus 49Pak is an expensive Xtra Styles Pak. It goes for $49 and they go for $29 during the sale.    I used to think you had to buy these bonus packs when the new version is released, but I now am not sure.  A customer service person from PGMusic told me that if you don't buy one it just gets folded into the following year's upgrade.  Somebody else got a different response.   In the future I won't but the $49 pak and how those styles turn up in the following year's update.  Of course I'll always be a year behind, but I would like to not waste $49.

PGMusic has demos of all the XtraStyles paks, so you can decide what you want.

Hope this helps!

 

 

 

 

[Leok85]

Hi @Reid Rosefelt I appreciate you taking the time to write a detailed viewpoint. it was very helpful. :)
It appears that the most reasonable addon for UltraPAK owners is the Xtra Styles PAK. 

[Jim Fogle]

On 12/28/2022 at 9:30 AM, Leok85 said:

if you already bought the band-in-a-box UltraPAK 2023
What do you think about the following add-ons? do any of them have a reasonable value to purchase in additional  or its just unnecessary expenses 

* XPro Styles PAKs 1-4 

* Xtra Styles PAKs 1-15

* 2023 Bonus 49PAK

 

many thanks for response 🙂

I'm going to answer your question in reverse order.  Remember what follows is my opinion.  I'm assuming you are updating from a 2022 or earlier Ultra or Audiophile PAK.  

The 2023 Bonus 49 PAK is a must have add-on.  If you have an Ultra or Audiophile package you value content.  The 2023 Bonus 49PAK includes unreleased RealTracks, RealDrum Stems set #3, a couple of MIDI SuperTrack sets and an Artist Performance with vocals set.  All of this content will likely be available in the future but you can have it to use now.  It's a lot of useful content for what I consider is a reasonable price.  If you currently have a Pro or Mega package it is even more valuable to you because you have a limited amount of content to use.  The Artist Performance with vocals set gives you fully finished songs with vocals to play with and learn

The XPro and Extra style PAKs depends.  Some users are inspired by PG Music styles and some people seldom use the factory styles.  The majority seem to start a song project using a factory style but modify the chosen factory style to better match a song project.

I value the factory styles almost as much as I value the RealTracks and MIDI SuperTracks content.  I find styles are a great how-to-use the program educational tool.  Each style has a demo song, chords that I'd never think to use, different arrangement than I'd think of and some tone settings.  Looking at the styles and demo songs are a great way to learn how the program works and what the new features do.

If you currently have a XPro or MegaPAK the XPro PAK is worth having.  Not only do you get the styles but, because some of the styles use RealTracks not included in a Xpro or Mega PAK, and you get those RealTracks you would normally would not have.  However, if you have the UltraPAK or Audiophile then you already have the included RealTracks.

The Xtra Style PAKs do not have any additional RealTracks or MIDISuperTracks content, there are only additional styles.  The styles expect that you already have the UltraPAK or Audiophile so you will have the content the styles require.

So in summary, I think everyone that uses Band-in-a-Box should get the 2023 Bonus 49 PAK.  If you presently use the Pro or Mega PAKs the XPro Style PAKs will provide you with additional content and styles while the Xtra Style PAKs are additional styles.  I like using factory styles so the XPro and Xtra Style PAKs are worth having to me.

[Leok85]

Hi @Jim Fogle that was very helpful summery! many thanks you taking the time to write.
hoping PG Music will make everything a bit more intuitive simpler in the future