BAND IN A BOX vs YAMAHA PSR SX900 (BATTLE PT 2)

[@omarstubbs2451]

Having played in bands where we preformed our original material we in essence acted as each other's Band in the Box. I played bass in bands. Wrote songs on the guitar. Doesn't bother me in any mode of thought to use loops, or Band in the Box to perform the parts I can't play to an original song I write. I'm never going to be able to do lead guitar on either guitar or piano to the effect I desire, let alone other instruments I would use in songs. And yet I want Band in the Box, and a Montage. Have the moola for the Band in a Box, but the Montage is out of range at this time. Great playing, Woody.

[@jakesanchez3970]

Nice job on the video and thanks for the comparison, never even considered anything like this but now I have a different perspective on things. All I can say its amazing when we live in a time where there are two different options that can clearly get the job done well. As a musician I am confident I could use either and be happy with what I have.

[@NFCHK]

BIAB is a very good learning tool. BIAB also provides many interesting functions like chord analysis, solo / melody generator, score, lead sheet.... I just updated my 2017 version to 2020 Mega Pak. Good enough. However, arranger keyboard is fun to play and the real time chord/style change is another thing. I am using KORG PA700 too. My thought is simple. Jam track/practicing/learning --> BIAB. PLAYING MUSIC --> arranger keyborad. Need better sound? Connect MIDI out to soft-synth ... :)

[@purplemoon3816]

I'm a singer but not great at improvising solos in a middle of a song, so I have been using BB for a good 10 years to create them and play them back on my Tyros while playing and singing. I also have Power Tracks that I use amongst other things for fiddling with the midi files. Ain't technology great! 😊. I have also subscribed to your chanel as I'm going to be next month the proud owner of the SX900. Learning a lot with you while having fun.

[@WoodyPianoShack]

glad to hear that, congrats on both arrangers!

[@cinepost]

Have you gotten Genos2 envy yet?

[@renebanagudos5533]

Totally enjoyed that last piece. Bravo!

[@morryp5551]

Great stuff Woody. You nailed it with the accordion lead sound on the Yamaha. Actually all your Yamaha answers to Band In A Box sounded good without sounding cheesy. The Band in a Box solos are where things get separated. Unless it’s a very limited solo mix, you can’t replicate the nuances of real guitars or non keyboard based instruments . The Yamaha is very good at matching Band In A Box with only backing tracks. One alternative would be to get Band In A Box, match it with a cheaper Yamaha keyboard like the E463 which has a USB drive. You could create all your Band In a Box backings on your computer along with their solos and transfer it to your USB stick on the much less expensive E463, and you are set for a jam or a gig with your singer

[@LittleRichard1988]

I prefer the much older versions of Band in a box and the general midi type styles, Chordpulse is very similar to the older versions of Band in a box and I use it to make backing styles to play through my Roland SC-88 Pro ( or you can render your chordpulse arrangements with any VST instruments ). Although newer versions still support general midi Band in a box is a little too expensive if you only want it for general midi styles. With Chordpulse you pay a one off small payment now only $29! then you can download any updated versions free!

[@antunkatona5674]

Hi Woody and thank you for this rather fascinating comparison! Listening with a pair of headphones, I was under the impression that the Band in a box software sounded really excellent. The samples are quite obviously of high quality and sound very realistic. In comparison, some of the voices on the Yamaha PSR-SX900 sounded a touch coarse, a bit rougher, although not by much. That being said, the sound of Yamaha was exciting and had more life to it. To put things in context, Yamaha sounded as a real live performance whereas the Band in a box sounded like a very high quality recording, if that makes sense. Also, the drums on the Yamaha were just fabulous. Perhaps I’m biased because I own a PSR-SX900 and am thrilled to be able to own one. I think both have their own merits but IMHO, there is no substitute for a hardware instrument. Computers crash, software sometimes just doesn’t work for no apparent reason and if it happens during a live performance, yikes! , your audience might get upset. I am not a pro musician but I can imagine this unpleasant scenario. It is much less likely this will happen with a hardware instrument. Thank you again. Cheers mate!

[@alechall1450]

Night and day difference between the percussion quality. In listening to the music on studio monitors, the percussion on the Yamaha is MUCH cleaner and realistic.

[@PhilW222]

Listened them both - BIAB really impressed on many of the styles and often had the edge in terms of realism - don’t like the way you have to program it all though. Arrangers are so immediate and you can change things on the fly and most of the time the styles are “good enough” through to great. (If you avoid the cheesiest ones...). Speaking as a Tyros 4 owner.

[@nathanclay7748]

These both have there own place to shine. But as far as making band tracks Band in a box there is no compare to each other. you can do many things with a work station but the way biab is laid out you can quickly make steller band tracks, The Yamaha sounds like midi sounds being played to sound like something but does not really accomplish getting to the real sound, when you use BB and tweak the sounds and use EQ compression and panning, I work in a recording studio and I can't tell which is which if you spend time with BB track it sounds like 5 musicians in the studio, you just can't do that with midi, you can't do it with BB either out of the box you have to spend time tweaking the tracks to make them fit together and not sound like an app.

[@jeffcook3277]

kzbin.info/door/DmniabgycBwaN_v2Rj_HtQ Is this what you mean?

[@iseeolly9959]

The last jam on the yamaha was lovely.....I've just got the MODX and one thing they've got right is guitar sounds.....thanks for a great channel and great playing.

[@WoodyPianoShack]

kind of you to say so, thanks

[@VoidloniXaarii]

Thank you! I wonder if Biab will with time also get into more modern music styles

[@WoodyPianoShack]

no reason why it couldn't, they would need to integrate some modern vst synths into the product and some fresh samples but I have no idea if that's on the roadmap. maybe a traditional DAW like ableton or even Reason will be your best bet.

[@VoidloniXaarii]

@@WoodyPianoShack unfortunately I don't know of any company doing anything similar who would have a chance of filling the more modern slot. I love Biab but sometimes I feel their musical focus is too 60-85. I wish they got some fresh blood to go also 2000s even if just early. I'm okay them being a few decades behind but I hope they'll also step a bit away from their country sound. Feeling this stagnation I moved to Rapidcomposer more recently but it's not the same kind of approach and there is something to this also. Just adding synth vsts hasn't worked out for me as easy. I think it's because a lot of genre understanding is a lot of what Biab brings

[@cfogle100]

@@WoodyPianoShack The concept that BIAB styles lack the ability to create modern music Is more myth than truth. Yes it's true the BIAB provided Styles are more focused toward common genres such as jazz, country, easy listening, Celtic and older pop, but understand that the complexity level of your demonstration relies solely on the surface and most elementary level of the BIAB program to be an easy and fast way to create accompaniment multi tracks. The BIAB program is much more complex and comprehensive than that. First, every BIAB style regardless if it's MIDI, RealTracks (audio) or a combination Hybrid of the two is completely modifiable for user customization. Second, these styles are developed and provided by the BIAB staff but it is super easy to develop and construct your own styles from scratch, whether it's MIDI, RealTracks or Hybrid. BIAB also is compatible with most VST's, VSTi's, MIDI based Players and interface's seamlessly with outboard gear like the Yamaha Keyboard you used in this video. So, by every conceivable way one would use the BIAB software, there's access to the tools and techniques to produce any genre of music, including Modern. The BIAB program includes and supports working with loops, samples,and can create stems or multi track files or import them from tracks created in other software programs or DAWs. Modern VST synths are already integrated into the product and one can add as many loops and samples or multi track audio files as you want. If you consider BIAB as a source of loops and samples, you'll find the BIAB program can come with greater than 3,100 hours of studio quality recorded audio, and over 2,900 instruments by more than 145 top tier studio session artists. PG Music staff have successfully created this studio quality recorded audio into styles that total in excess of 5,500 in number and there's also several companies that provide third party styles in addition to PG Music styles. Also, both PG Music and other third party companies add thousands of MIDI styles to that total. The BIAB program takes on a completely different persona when it's capability as a studio quality level producer of audio tracks is considered from it's singular perception as an accompaniment program.

[@CikguWandy]

Have used it since year 2004

[@PeterGregg]

Is there an alternative to band in a box for those who DON'T play instruments? Do they have a competitor?

[@WoodyPianoShack]

don't quite understand your question, BIAB can be used by both muisicians and non-musos, although why would those who don't play instruments want BIAB? you mean singers?

[@PeterGregg]

@@WoodyPianoShack yeah, that wasn't such a hot question lol, sorry :) Initially I wanted to know if there was an alternative to BBox and in my search those alternatives were aimed at people who already played instruments so that left me out. But today I went ahead and bought BBox and that got triggered cause they have a 25% discount code in the FB post. I still don't play any instruments but I think I can make backing tracks with it for me to sing to. Thanks for your response, it was my question that was the bad part :)

[@pcmcontrole]

Band in a Box Forever!

[@dgsoundCA]

Woody, that was a G R E A T performance! For me was a joy to watch and informative, too. I'm a classical trained pianist trying to expand my musical skills and you really helped me. Thank you! 🎹🏆🙏 ........ I couldn't help it 13:05 🤣

[@peruvianmidilover1216]

Good job, I hope you can do more comparisons between band in a box and the sx900.

[@KAGerby]

Hello dear Woody, I think that Band in a box uses WAV? Like the Optigan? I’ve never heard such a realistic, violin phrase coming out of a Synth/Keyboard, not even the Genos. Same for the guitar and Sax phrases... what do you think? Greets and keep your cool videos coming!!

[@WarrenPostma]

BIAB sounds fantastic, I think because they have real acoustic instrument samples for not just notes, but actual phrases, for example the mandolin stuff around 3:50-4:30 is real mandolin player recorded samples/phrases. The PSR strings sound so bad though at 5:30. I think I like the PSR's plucked and accordion sounds a lot better than those strings. If I was gigging live, I think I'd avoid strings on PSRs if I couldn't get a natural articulated string sound.

[@carlmanalo3444]

You can recreate live sounds via expansion packs. And it will give a ton of different vibe to the tracks

[@ArvindKumar-pe5fw]

Could you pls suggest a key board which can be used as Piano also

[@dykodesigns]

They both have great jazz styles. Felt the grunge rock variant better on the PSR, but still not what I would associate with grunge. It was more Avril Lavinge inspired rather then proper Nirvana grunge.

[@JamminGera]

I love the Yamha PSR SX900. I have a steady gig playing latin and american rythms.I'm not sure Band in a Box has all of the latin styles i use.

[@WoodyPianoShack]

biab has many genres you don't get in psr and more variety for many genres, but you are right, the psr has a bunch of style genres that biab doesn't cover, or does it very badly, for the music genres you play, psr all the way!

[@nicoimagina41]

I like Band in a Box, i think the sounds are much more realistic

[@RLMusicProject]

Woody the SX900 is not the flagship of the Yamaha arranger range of keyboards. That mantle belongs to the fabulous Yamaha Genos. I also have Biand-in-a-Box 2019 but I rarely use it these days. The Genos satisfies all my needs. However, your videos were interesting. Thanks for sharing.

[@andrewreynolds2647]

I think the bib wins hands down, the keyboard sounds a bit fake, great playing but i can hear all the little glitches which doesnt sit right with my ears, great comparison, i thoroughly enjoyed listening to your playing. Thanks for sharing. Cheers. Andy. Scotland.

[@TheRealWinsletFan]

Wow @ BOB's 1994 design aesthetic.

[@WoodyPianoShack]

BOB! i think i know what you're trying to say :)

[@sosey111]

I don't understand what the attraction is for BIAB to play solos. Where is the satisfaction that comes from playing music? Might as well play something on Spotify?

[@davidhiggen3029]

There's a certain amount of entertainment value in entering the chords for a well-known song and then resetting the style to something outrageously different! Might even trigger a useful idea once in a while....?

[@lordbachus]

You must be a maddness fan? Do you know if there is a way to have Band in a box send the chords as midi notes? I can't figure it old, but am on an old version. But this would allow you to combine PSR style parts with band in a box feeding the PSR..

[@WoodyPianoShack]

never tried to do this jules, and have no real desire to dig into it, but I doubt if BIAB output midi chords in format that psr would understand.

[@davidhiggen3029]

@@WoodyPianoShack I just did a quick experiment with BINB2016, and you can set the MIDI output to your MIDI interface, assuming you have one installed, and thus to an external keyboard synth. You do have to disable internal virtual synths to make this work. Any current keyboard synth will be capable of playing from MIDI input. As for format: it's just MIDI, you get whatever BIAB generates, there is no chord "format".

[@roshan_a_]

Band in a box all day for 4/4 and 3/4 . But a different time signature, yamaha keyboard is required..

[@MrIcelander]

Still comparing "Apples & Cucumbers", as I said in your last chapter.

[@brianpetersen3429]

Excellent video.

[@mvdg2927]

Is it possible to let BIAB control the PSR styles ? (the PSR follows the chords you enter in BIAB)

[@WoodyPianoShack]

good question, interesting, prob not since the PSR expects you to play the chords in left hand in a certain way, i doubt it BIAB can output midi data in this format.

[@GaryMeadowsMusic]

Whatever works for you, I'm listening on my phone so can't really trust a comparison. They both would work but whenever possible I use real instruments. Sometimes mix real and fake.

[@kokopelli314]

You get a thumbs up just for that jazz scat voice intro on the PSR! That was cool.

[@8T8Keez]

I have the Genos - and WALTZES are essentially non-existent - they are there - but -most of them are lousy. The ONLY way around that is to create your own style - and that is a chore! The reason I like the BIAB is because of the number of styles and the flexibility to borrow from one to another - plus for the RealTracks - it's real musicians playing - not generated as in the GENOS. In BIAB you have flexibility over songs with multiple time signatures - something that's quite odd in GENOS. Workstations, in my opinion need to be called just that IF they allow all the features of a workstation - and PSR along with GENOS do not offer that, in my opinion. It's extremely difficult working with songs with multiple time signatures, 2|4 with 4|4 or even 4|4 to 3|4. Finally - in the PSR as well as the GENOS - the 6|8 styles sound good, but NONE of them are arranged correctly. For example - start off with a 6|8 and do a fill after 1 bar - you can't do it. ALL of their 6|8 styles are formatted to 4 bars - so when you're doing something like Good Good Father - you can't do your fills properly. It's annoying. STILL, however - GREAT sound. "Apples & Cucumbers" depends on the nature of the goal, I suppose. BOTH with great qualities.

[@RC_Cola2020]

Do the jazz styles, built in with band in a box?

[@WoodyPianoShack]

yeah they are, but you get more with the more expensive bundles.

[@alechall1450]

Actually, Ska does exist on the PSR 900SX

[@hleet]

Nice impro

[@sorinoprea5365]

sx900 wins

[@annother3350]

?! It sounded weak to me

[@only4posting]

Sorry to not be so optimistic, but, this 2'000 dollars synth sounds really really bad, imho... It looks like an old 1990 cheap sound module....like those pcmcia based modules, with sounds made of tiny little samples, of a few milliseconds, probably 8 or 4bit... which allowed those sound modules to have over 1000 patches, while using only a few kb, or mb of memory... Would, those fiddle sounds... those guitars... those accordions.... I wonder who was un charge of creating those patches... Sure, if played alone, without any reference, many people could eventually say 'wow, it sounds amazing'... ... but when you hear the real played/ recorded sounds, from biab2020, and then, you hear these patches... wow, Huston..... I mean, even the accordion / musette patches from my old technics kn3000 or kn6000, ketron, etc., do sound much better. And the kn3000 is from 1996-7... Normally, these devices are capable of making amazing patches, with a ton of expression, without drowning in effects... .... I seriously found these few patches so crappy, that I really feel something went wrong, with the sound design team... Seriously, just compare those few sounds, to the real things... it is night and day. Of course, this is just an opinion... And don't even think I'm trashing this or that brand...

[@lordbachus]

no name you can’t compare these.. the synth is created to respond to real time chord changes... which rules out using the audio files that make band in a box sound so good.. the synth is stuck to midi..

[@whisperdancer]

"even the accordion / musette patches from my old technics kn3000 or kn6000"... you are loosing credibility there. All the samples are high quality and the sample memory is quite big. BAB is even comparable as I see it as a sample playback with stretch and pitch control. What pleasure does that give? I would prefer listening to a record...

[@lordbachus]

whisperdancer you can not yet mimmick real acoustic instruments with sample based synthesis.. some like piano are more suited.. but brass, winds, woods, guitars are much harder.. There is a reason why band in a box is using audio recordings..

[@whisperdancer]

@@lordbachus yes, it's difficult but as an example, between their limited articulation options and control, there are actually very good sounds made with samples. Yamaha SA2 sounds do sound very good, and they are mostly dedicated to brass and wind instruments.

[@lordbachus]

whisperdancer iknow how good these instruments can sound, i have a genos.. but even my genos can not come close to style quallity from band in a box.. but then band in a box has no real time chord changes..

[@Brandraven]

Biab sounds better...

[@keiths.heather8661]

biab far more superior

[@rom4486]

Those Band in box style are real instruments !! Sx900 are not !! Only idiot would want to compare ... play band in box midi sounds and compare with sx900

[@stratcat4461]

Band in a Box looks like it was made in 1975 and hasn't changed much since. It's a real clunky piece of software and wildly overpriced.

[@kanegoodnight5695]

Why does fallow the lights not work on these useless keyboard s

[@WoodyPianoShack]

that feature not available on this keyboard, more likely to find it on entry-level beginner, or even toy keyboards, but that's not a bad thing, it can be useful and fun.

[@kanegoodnight5695]

@@WoodyPianoShack I'm not a beginner but thanks I just don't like psrsx700 it's not worth 1000 it should be 300 that's more like it I got ripped off I downloaded loads expansion packs on keyboard they disappear this is a child's keyboard

[@kanegoodnight5695]

@@WoodyPianoShack I'm no longer interested in download s anymore I'm throwing this out it's child's keyboard no good I want one that allows me to download not little child's piece plastic

[@robertgeorge3812]

The Yamaha sounds fake 👎

[@davidjones6182]

Yamaha sucks

[@followyourpassion8378]

@@winddealer1 www.imdb.com/title/tt0038166/