Band-in-a-Box 2013 Pro [Old Version, Win DVD-ROM]

3 | 15 ratings

Price:

Last update: 12-15-2024

About this item

Band-in-a-Box is a powerful and creative music composition tool for exploring and developing musical ideas with near-instantaneous feedback.
Band-in-a-Box 2013 has over 50 new features and enhancements, including new Add-ons, 101 more RealTracks and 50 great new MIDI SuperTracks!
Features High Quality ("Hi-Q") MIDI Sounds. These Hi-Q sounds make the MIDI tracks (regular and MIDI SuperTracks), sound much better.
Band-in-a-Box is a powerful and creative music composition tool for exploring and developing musical ideas with near-instantaneous feedback.
You'll have even more fun making automatic medleys, playing your favorite song lists in the Band-in-a-Box Jukebox, and singing along to your Karaoke files with CDG graphics.

Top reviews from the United States

Raymond Harvey

Returned Band-in-a-Box

Reviewed in the United States on December 6, 2013

I had to return it to you (at my expense) as the copy received was for Mackintosh! I needed Windows version.

Michael O Kelly

Does the job (sort of) - but you won't enjoy it

Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2014

Pros:
-Does allow you to create chord progressions fairly quickly (this was true in 1995 too).

Cons:
-User interface is a total mess and is not intuitive at all (except for chord entry part). There are so many buttons on the screen that you will have no idea where to start.
-Installation process is very poorly designed and contains a lot of disjointed installers that will most likely cause you to re-install certain programs 3 times. In addition, some of the installers lock up and can only be closed using the task manager. It is not clear what some of the installers are installing or how to access the functionality from band in a box.
-Update process is something out of the 90's. If you buy the 2013 version, you will have to email [email protected] and wait for them to send you a download link.

Detailed review:
I purchased one of the first versions of this software back in 1995 (or somewhere around there). It appears that the user interface has not changed much since then other than becoming so completely cluttered that you don't event know where to begin. The premise behind the program is decent and it does allow you to quickly create chord charts. However, the user interface is very poorly designed and leaves you feeling totally clueless as to what the software is capable of. The user interface is terrible and looks like it was built for Windows 3.1 (it probably was). The menus are difficult to navigate and it is really difficult to do simple things like print out a chord chart.
The installation process will leave you wondering what you just did to your computer. The installer launches about 10 other installers which don't seem to be linked back to the original installer. For instance, after completing the band in the box installer, it provides an option for launching the application. Once you launch the application, an error pops up saying something is not installed. It's then you realize that once of the other installers has not yet completed. I am a software developer myself and am super savvy on Windows OS. Even I was confused. At one point two of the installers stopped responding and I had no idea what was going on. There is the IK Multimedia stuff that gets installed and I don't have a clue what they do. There doesn't seem to be anything inside band in a box program that links to it. I think I ended up installing the IK Multimedia stuff like 3 times because one of the installers sent me to a web page which then asked me to download something that I think was already installed. Later, another installer tried to install the same thing again (I think).
Once I installed everything, I realized that they now have Band in A Box 2014. Luckily, my box has a "latest version guarantee" sticker. Just use the "coupon" included in the box. Cool, I thought, I'll be up and running in no time. Nope. The coupon is simply a note saying to email [email protected]. It also says proof of purchase is required, but doesn't say what that means exactly. I'm thinking, "seriously, are we in 1995 again?" Can't they just provide a code that allows me to access the latest version online? There's this thing called the internet that is really good for that sort of thing. No, these guys are just going to email me a link when they get around to it.
The only reason that this program is able to be sold is that no one else seems to care enough to create something competitive. It would not take much to beat this thing. It's a monolith that apparently does quite a lot, if you can wade through the explosion of buttons on the user interface.

Tim

Band-In-A-Box Is A Monster

Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2013

It is very complex and not real intuitive for a novice. A PHD in music is required - or so it would seem.

Ken Johnson

Great once you get started

Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2014

I like the product as far as what it does but the set up could have had more in depth explanation.

Joseph Mullally

Highly Recommended.

Reviewed in the United States on December 8, 2013

This seems another superb music program from PG MUsic. I've bought all their programs since they started producing them. This one looks like the best one yet. For professional solo or duo acts this will be great, as all the other programs were, for making backup tracks for live performance. Also great for practicing new material. All these programs came with great documentation and were intuitive enough so you could get great results in very little time and could keep the music as simple or advanced (complex) as you liked or had time for. The basic concept is to enter a song as chords and then the built in accompanying "patterns" would provide background for you to play live against. You could also enter melodies note by note and select harmonies to go with them. On certain playback modules there were settings where you could not play the melody (which you would be singing) but leave the harmony tracks on and your live vocal would be reinforced by your voice singing the harmony track(s). You can also create your own "patterns" and weight them so they will play often, seldom or at particular times in the song, like the final 1 or 2 bars or the final bar where the song goes to Chorus or back. This is all cutting edge technology and will help any musician improve his or her capability.

htark

Impossible to use RealTracks. I have BnB Ultra Pak ...

Reviewed in the United States on November 24, 2016

Impossible to use RealTracks. I have BnB Ultra Pak bought new in 2013 and have never been able to use RealTracks. BnB support is no help at all. $500 for nothing. I'd give it zero stars if that was an option.

D. R. GOURHAN

NOT USER FRIENDLY

Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2013

GETTING THE CORDS ONTO THE SONG SHEET WAS OK. THE REST OF THE TOOLS ARE NOT THAT EASY TO USE. WITH THIS BOX YOU ONLY GET A FEW BACK GROUND STYLES, SO YOU HAVE TO BUY MORE STYLES. NOT WORTH THE EFFERT OR MONEY.

SgtPepper

JUST AS DESCRIBED - DELIVERED ON TIME

Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2014

ºTOPº¤ø,¸¸,ø¤ºAMAZON SELLERº¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º10/10º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤ºBIGº¤ø,¸¸,ø¤ºTHANKSº¤ø,¸¸,ø¤‹(•¿•)›

Best Sellers in

eMedia Singing For Dummies [Old Version]

3.1 30

Music Score Writing Notation Composition Windows Mac PC Computer Software

3.1 13

Steinberg Cubase 14 Pro (Download Card)

0 0

579.99

Steinberg Cubase 14 Elements (Download Card)

0 0

99.99

Studio One Pro 7 Upgrade License from Any Previous Version or Edition of Pro or Artist — Stem Separation, Splice Integration,

0 0

104.99

1X-AMP - MP3 Player Software (2024er Version), Cool Music Player Software and Media Player for Windows

0 0

11.95

Audials One Ultra 2025 [PC Download]

0 0

99.9

SOUND FORGE Pro 18 - The All-Round Audio Editor | Audio Software | Music Program | For Windows 10/11 PC | 1 PC license as vou

4.1 54

199