Choosing which Band in a Box Edition is right for You

I have often been asked - usually by phone enquiry - about the differences between the various editions of Band in a Box.  People have been ready to buy, but wondering what's in the different editions. 

Before you hit the "Buy Now" button on Band in a Box, you first have to decide which edition you want. ( btw...  Also be careful to choose WINDOWS or MAC OS as you'll be buying one or the other! )  Common sense would tell you that having choices is a great idea - especially if it means you don't have to pay for things you don't need :-)   But for some of us, especially those trying something new,  choices of different editions can be a bit confronting.

We hope we can give you a clear idea about the different editions of Band in a Box, so you can make an informed and confident choice.  

First of all, decide if you will be using Band in a Box on a Windows Machine or a Mac.  If you want to use it on both, then you can buy one, and then pay for an upgrade / crossgrade to the other platform.  (The upgrade would only cost about half as much as the original)

So, then you need to decide if you want:

PRO - Band in a Box, Real Band, and a smattering of Real Tracks

MEGA PAK - Band in a Box, Real Band, and a generous collection of Real Tracks

ULTRA PAK - Band in a Box, Real Band, and ALL of the Real Tracks available at time of release - There are so many that the Shipped ULTRA PAK comes on it's own Hard Drive !!

ULTRA PAK +  Same as ULTRA PAK - PLUS a whole load of video lessons, and ready made songs

AUDIOPHILE - This is the same as ULTRA PAK except that all of the Real Tracks are uncompressed - in the full resolution.  You probably need to be an Audiophile or studio musician to need this extra feature.  

OK.  Let's be clear about the basics.  Every edition of Band in a Box has the same complete application Band in a Box, and Real Band.  Every one of the program's functions and features is the same, and they all have the same complete set of MIDI styles (except Pro edition only has 750+ )- which includes thousands of music styles to choose from, played by either the provided virtual instruments or your choice of connected MIDI sound libraries.  Therefore, the PRO version will do for many users who want all the powerful features of Band in a Box and Real Band.  

 Here is the thing with the other editions.  The main difference lies in the amount of REAL TRACKS that are included in the package.  REAL TRACKS are real recordings of real (good) musicians playing the music styles.  Using REAL TRACKS you can have your chord progression (and even solos) played by REAL MUSICIANS.  So, imagine the power of eg the ULTRA PAK.  Type in a chord progression and try out many hundreds of different music styles, and have your music played by REAL musicians, any time of day or night. Then try more styles, or mix 'n' match.  The possibilities are endless.  (btw... All musical parts  within Band in a Box are royalty free, so you can use the tracks you create with confidence)

The other important difference between the editions is the price!  Generally speaking, each edition has the same functions, but different amounts of extra content - namely Real Tracks.  

To check out the prices of the various editions please proceed to here for WINDOWS,  OR here for MAC OS

My advice: 

If you know you want Band in a Box with all of the convenience of having a real band of great session musicians that can play your music in thousands of styles, and if a few hundred dollars price tag is not a barrier for you, then you should go for one of the top packages and you'll never look back.

If, on the other hand, you're not sure if you'll need ALL of the Real Tracks styles, or if you're on a budget, you can take a confident step forward with Band in a Box Pro or the Mega Pak, knowing that you can always upgrade to the larger editions at a later date.