NAMM 2006 Show News

PG Music Releases Band-in-a-Box 12 for OS X

Thursday, July 15, 2004

PG Music has released Version 12 of its popular Band-in-a-Box intelligent music software for use with Macintosh OS X. New features include an all new 32-bit PPC program engine, enhanced user interface, faster program operation, improved playback timing, improved support for CoreMIDI, QuickTime Music synthesizer and controller keyboards, plus odd time signature support, new count in types, increased maximum number of soloists, the ability to intelligently transform a 4/4 melody to a 3/4 time signature and much more.

Band-in-a-Box 12 for Mac has an all new 32-bit PPC program engine that allows it to run “Native” in OS X Jaguar or Panther (version 10.2 or higher recommended) and is fully Mac OS X carbonized. The user interface has been enhanced with improved menus and more, giving Band-in-a-Box 12 a much better look in the OS X environment. Improved OS X 128X128 “high resolution” program and file icons are also included to enhance the user experience.

Program operations are much faster, with up to 3 times faster notation redraws, song, and soloing generation. Playback timing is improved and rock-solid with OS X. Timing has been improved to microsecond accuracy for tighter playback.

Band-in-a-Box 12 for Mac now includes CoreMIDI support (for external MIDI devices) as well as improved support for QuickTime Music synthesizers, making it work and sound much better in OS X. Additional MIDI driver enhancements allow users with controller keyboards such as M-Audio Oxygen8, or Edirol PCR-1 to play thru the QuickTime Music synthesizer from their MIDI keyboard.

Added odd-time signature support in Band-in-a-Box 12 for Mac OS X provides the ability to play odd-time signatures like 9/8, 11/8, 13/16, 19/16, etc. Count-in and the styles play correctly in the odd-time signature feel. Users can change time signatures during the song.

A new option in Preferences allows users to specify that Band-in-a-Box play 2 bars of a drum pattern instead of the standard count-in. Users may prefer to hear the drum beat as it may provide more information about the upcoming groove. This feature is useful when playing with Band-in-a-Box live. Includes options to have “a” or “b” drum fills or patterns play for the 2 bars.

The maximum number of soloists supported by Band-in-a-Box has been increased and new soloists added.

The previous limit of 256 soloists is now increased to 1,024, and new Soloists Sets are now available. New Soloist Sets include Ballads and Guitar Soloing, Trumpet Soloing and the new “Artist” Soloist Series.

Users can now automatically transform any 4/4 Melody to a 3/4 Waltz (“Strauss-in-a-Box”) or transform “Waltz” Melody to 4/4 (“De-Strauss” the Melody). Users need to simply load in any 4/4 song and change the style to a Waltz style or load any Waltz and change to a 4/4 style. The program will offer to transform the melody so that it works with the newly selected time signature. Band-in-a-Box uses intelligent algorithms to transform the melody to the new time signature.

Customers can download Band-in-a-Box 12 for Mac OS X immediately from http://www.pgmusic.com or order via mail, phone, fax or e-mail directly from PG Music Inc.

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