PG Music

Still fun.

On the topic of "Can Band in a Box play jazz harmony?"....? The computer says "no".

http://youtu.be/dNdrtjwdlik

I used the 2013 MegaPack.

1st of January, 2014... Just crossgraded to the 2014 EverythingPack.

It is very difficult to analyse in depth such a all-in-one "composing-improvising-recording-editing-arranging-mastering-broadcasting" tool! And with an incredible quality.

Awesome! For jazz composers I don't know what it can't do.

It can be a very complex environment if one want to use it in-depth, but yet pretty much simple and very useful at only $130 for beginners and even amateurs and students. But beware, it needs a real investment in time to learn all its unnumbered features provided... even in the basic edition! But it's not time lost, believe it.

Don't think that it is an automated composition tool that will do everything for you! It suggests you many phrases and many ideas starting with the chord progression you submit to it... but that... it is only the beginning of your work! It still remains many things to do yourself to reach the final musical work. Even if all the work will be done in Band-In-A-Box (with the instruments provided or/and with your own instruments and VSTi's as synths and effects)... YOU remain the only composer! Especially if you want to create a little "chef d'oeuvre".

A must have!

But beware : it is really a mess to use!!! The GUI of the version 2014 has been a little improved compared to the previous versions... but it remains an insane labyrinth ! Even the help which is supposed to bring you a support is itself an incredible mess .

Since the beginning of 2013 I now compose all my works with it when they are jazz oriented, with its provided instruments (at Christmas 2012 I bought the MegaPack at only 130 euros which provided plethora of instruments and MIDI phrases to inspire the ideas, and now crossgraded to the EverythingPack for almost the same price) and with my own instruments (many flutes and a guitar) and VST's (Z3TA+, Korg Legacy Collection, FM8, and so on). But for all my other compositions which are not jazz oriented (all that is in classic or romantic styles, or new age, progressive rock, instrumental space rock, etc.) are now made by still another tool : RapidComposer. Even Sibelius First that I used for years to compose is now less and less used... since I can do absolutely everything without never leaving BIAB in jazz !!! (and without never leaving RapidComposer in the other styles)

And with the 2014 edition it begins to get a more rational user interface... at last! It was about time...

EDIT (31 march, 2014) : I gave 10 to BIAB 2014 at the beginning of the year. But after 3 full months I now decrease the note to 8 (which remains very good) because BIAB is by far the best for jazz composers... but these two points which are now suppressed are due to the fact that after these three months I see that BIAB remains really a tool which is not made at all for the other composition styles and therefore these composers need another tool for their other styles. PG Music doesn't listen at all to the musicians which ask with insistence for years for a total remake-up of the GUI and doesn't listen at all neither the musicians which ask for less jazz and a lot of more other styles. It is really tedious that all the compositions even when selecting other styles are always keeping in background an obvious jazz color.