Sales FAQ:
Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh

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Last updated:  Monday, 14 May 2012

1. What is Band-in-a-Box?
2. How can I order Band-in-a-Box?
3. Do you have a Band-in-a-Box demo?
4. What new features are there in the latest version of Band-in-a-Box?
5. What is the difference between Band-in-a-Box Pro and the Band-in-a-Box MegaPAK?
6. What is the difference between the Band-in-a-Box MegaPAK, UltraPAK, and UltraPlusPAK?
7. I hate installing programs, and just want to plug and play. I also want the best Band-in-a-Box version that you have, with everything pre-installed.
8. Is it true that you offer a 30-day money back guarantee on your products?
9. What are the recommended system requirements for Band-in-a-Box?
10. Do you offer technical support after I purchase the program?
11. I'm having trouble playing videos on your website.
12. What shipping methods do you offer? Is there a download-only option?
13. Do you ship overseas?
14. Are all of your products available for download (electronic delivery)?
15. If I choose to download the program, do I still get shipped a hard copy of the software and documentation?
16. Do you offer upgrades from previous versions of Band-in-a-Box?
17. Can I upgrade from Band-in-a-Box Pro to the MegaPAK, UltraPAK, or UltraPlusPAK?
18. If I purchased the last MegaPAK/UltraPAK/UltraPlusPAK version, do I need to order the new MegaPAK/UltraPAK/UltraPlusPAK Upgrade?
19. I purchased Band-in-a-Box for Windows, and I now want to run it on a Mac. Is there a "crossgrade" that I can purchase?
20. Are songs that I create with Band-in-a-Box copyrighted?
21. Do I need to be a musician to use your products?
22. Why is the price of your products so low?
23. Are your prices in US dollars?
24. Do you offer special academic pricing for school systems?
25. Is it safe to use a credit card over the internet?
26. Is Band-in-a-Box available from any local dealers?
27. How do I know if Band-in-a-Box will be able to create an accompaniment in my style of interest?
28. Can I purchase a complete User's Guide for Band-in-a-Box?
29. How can I register my software?
30. I placed an order, but didn't receive an email confirmation.
31. What types of files can Band-in-a-Box save as?
32. I just placed an order, but I am unable to download the software. What should I do?
33. What other languages is Band-in-a-Box available in?
34. Is Band-in-a-Box compatible with PowerPC and Intel Macs?
35. Is Band-in-a-Box compatible with Snow Leopard and Lion?
36. Can I use the Windows version of Band-in-a-Box and other Windows products on an Intel-based Mac?
37. What is the difference between the Audiophile editions of Band-in-a-Box, and the regular Band-in-a-Box packages?
38. When I try to place an order, it asks me to log into my account. What should I do?
39. Is the latest version of Band-in-a-Box backwards compatible with songs and styles from older versions?

1. What is Band-in-a-Box?

Band-in-a-Box is an intelligent automatic accompaniment program. You can hear and play along to many song ideas and go from "nothing" to "something" in a very short period of time with Band-in-a-Box as your "on demand" backup band. Just type in the chords for any song using standard chord symbols (like C, Fm7 or C13b9), choose the style you'd like, and Band-in-a-Box does the rest. Band-in-a-Box automatically generates a complete professional quality arrangement of piano, bass, drums, guitar and strings in a wide variety of styles.

2. How can I order Band-in-a-Box?

There are several ways to order from PG Music Inc.

You can place your order online using VISA, MasterCard, or American Express or PayPal. Software is available for immediate download if you order this way. After you place your order, you will receive an email with a link to the download page for your order. Orders can also be paced by calling us 24 hours a day at 1-800-268-6272 or 1-888-PGMUSIC (toll-free in the USA and Canada), 800-4746-8742* (toll-free outside of the USA and Canada), or 250-475-2874 (direct). You can also fax your order to 1-877-475-1444 or 250-475-2937. We have a printable order form that you can use.

Purchase Orders can be faxed to 250-475-2946, or emailed to marketing@pgmusic.com.

If you do not have a credit card, you may also pay by bank wire transfer or US Cheque or Money Order. If you have any questions about the payment method, please contact one of our customer service representatives by phone, by email at sales@pgmusic.com, or via our Live Online Chat.

*Where Universal International Freephone service is available. View International Access Codes.

3. Do you have a Band-in-a-Box demo?

We don't have a demo program available for download currently since the program is quite large with all the RealTracks and RealDrums, however we do have a 30 day money-back guarantee. You can watch our video demonstrations at our Band-in-a-Box Demo page. You can also listen to hundreds of audio demos of Band-in-a-Box at our RealTracks pages, and Band-in-a-Box Add-ons pages.

4. What new features are there in the latest version of Band-in-a-Box?

With each version upgrade, we add many exciting new features. For Band-in-a-Box 2011.5, we've added a "Same-But-Different" feature, which ensures that, if you have 2 (or more) of the same RealTracks on different tracks, they will never play the same thing at the same time. There is support for Pedal Bass RealTracks. We've added 101 NEW RealTracks in sets 122-136, including: 70's Soul, Celtic Hornpipes & Slipjigs, Crossover Pop, Gypsy Jazz, Jazz Piano and Organ, Brent Mason Country soloing, Praise & Worship, and much more!

For Band-in-a-Box 2011, we made big improvements to the sounds of the RealTracks so that they sound more natural over a much wider range of tempos, using the elastique Pro V2 time stretching engine by zplane.development. These improvements are built-in, so there's nothing you need to do to get it working. Your existing songs will just sound better automatically!. We added a new Mixer window, allowing you to quickly set volumes, panning, reverb, tone and patches. The Mixer floats on top of the current window, so you can place it wherever it's convenient to make quick and easy adjustments to your Band-in-a-Box track settings. Enhanced RealTracks, so that you can now have RealTracks style changes within a song, generate RealTracks Soloist Medleys. Plus, 101 new RealTracks since July 2010, including: Gypsy Jazz, Celtic Jigs & Reels, Calypso, Praise & Worship, Reggae, Brent Mason Guitar, and so much more!

In Band-in-a-Box 2010, we added 101 RealTracks instruments. We also added RealCharts, which means that most RealTracks display notation showing the notes that are being played. Some Guitar RealTracks also show tab, and accurate on-screen fretboard guitar display to show what is being played on guitar. The RealCharts can be saved to MIDI file or Songs (MGU). The Audio Chord Wizard was enhanced. Chords may be edited in the Audio Chord Wizard. Part markers, chord symbols, key signature, and tuning setting are saved in Band-in-a-Box, and are passed back and forth to the Chord Wizard.

For Band-in-a-Box 2009, we added major new features like RealDrums, RealTracks, and the Audio Chord Wizard....

• RealTracks. We've added additional "Real" instruments, including guitars, piano, bass, saxes, trumpet, trombone, pedal steel, fiddle, banjo, mandolin and many more. These tracks replace the MIDI track for that instrument, and can be controlled just like the MIDI instrument (volume changes, muting etc.). Best of all, they follow the chord progression that you have entered, so that you hear an authentic audio accompaniment to your song.

• RealDrums. RealDrums replace the MIDI Drum track with real recordings of top studio Jazz/Rock/Country drummers. These are not "samples," but are full recordings, lasting from 1 to 8 bars at a time, playing along in perfect sync with the other Band-in-a-Box tracks.

• RealCharts. Many RealTracks can also display notation showing the notes that are being played.

• Audio Chord Wizard. This is one of the all-time most requested features for Band-in-a-Box! The Audio Chord Wizard is the amazing feature that automatically figures out the chords from MP4 files (or other audio files like AIFF, M4A, and audio CD etc.).

• "Direct-to-Disk" Audio Rendering. Audio rendering means converting a song to audio format, usually to an AIFF, M4A or other audio file.

Visit our main Band-in-a-Box page to learn more about the latest new features.

5. What is the difference between Band-in-a-Box Pro and the Band-in-a-Box MegaPAK?

The Pro and MegaPAK include the same Band-in-a-Box program engine, however the MegaPAK includes many more Styles, Soloists, Melodists, RealTracks, and RealDrums. Whereas the Pro version comes with about 200 (MIDI) styles, the MegaPAK comes with about 2000 (MIDI) styles!

Specifically, Band-in-a-Box Pro comes with a basic 'starter' set of Styles, Soloists, Melodists, RealDrums, and RealTracks: It includes MIDI Style Sets 0-3, Soloist Set 1, Melodist Set 1, plus the Pro RealCombos (Over 20 RealTracks, in 6 Bands). RealCombos are full bands of RealTracks and RealDrums instruments (no MIDI) in the same style. For example, the Jazz Swing 140 RealCombo includes 5 RealInstruments (Bass, Piano, Guitar, Sax, and Drums) that play at a medium swing tempo. Essentially, RealCombos allow you to hear *some* full bands of RealTracks without having to get the largest Band-in-a-Box package.

The Band-in-a-Box MegaPAK includes everything that the Pro version has plus a lot more. It includes all of the currently available (MIDI) Style Sets, Soloist Sets (except for the Artist Soloist Series), and Melodist Sets. It also includes the MegaPAK RealCombos (Over 70 RealTracks, in 19 Bands).

Visit our Band-in-a-Box Add-ons for a complete list of available add-ons. Visit our Band-in-a-Box page to see comparisons of the different Band-in-a-Box packages.

6. What is the difference between the Band-in-a-Box MegaPAK, UltraPlusPAK, and EverythingPAK?

All of these packages include the latest version of Band-in-a-Box. The MegaPAK includes the MegaPAK RealCombos (Over 70 RealTracks in 19 Bands), all of the Styles Sets 0-77, Soloist Sets 1-11 & 16-20, and all the Melodist Sets 1-8.

The UltraPlusPAK includes all of the things that the MegaPAK has, PLUS it adds all the RealTracks and RealDrums Sets.

The EverythingPAK includes all the UltraPlusPAK contents, and adds the Andy Laverne Soloist Series, the Songs & Lessons PAK, and The Video Tutorial PAK.

7. I hate installing programs, and just want to plug and play. I also want the best Band-in-a-Box version that you have, with everything pre-installed.

We have versions of the Band-in-a-Box UltraPAK and UltraPlusPAK that come pre-installed on a portable 2.5" USB hard drive. You can run the programs directly from the hard drive, without installing them on your computer. Just plug in the drive and you're ready to play! You still have the option of copying the files to your Macintosh hard drive if you would prefer to have everything installed there, or you can run the Band-in-a-Box program from your Macintosh hard drive, but leave the large RealDrums and RealTracks audio files on the external USB hard drive.

We also have the UltraPlusPAK "Audiophile" edition. This is a very large hard drive which has all the same contents as the UltraPluPAK hard drive, but ALSO has all of the RealTracks and RealDrums audio files in their original uncompressed audio file format (AIFF). This means that the highest sound quality of the RealTracks and RealDrums is preserved.

Visit our Band-in-a-Box for Mac ordering page to see a chart with comparisons of the different Band-in-a-Box packages.

8. Is it true that you offer a 30-day money back guarantee on your products?

Yes! We offer an unconditional 30-day money back guarantee on all products purchased directly from us. If for any reason you decide that the product is not for you, we will refund you the purchase price of the item.

9. What are the recommended system requirements for Band-in-a-Box?

Our most recent version of Band-in-a-Box is designed for Intel-based computers, which should all exceed the minimum requirements. We also have older versions of the program available for PowerPC based OSX systems, and even OS9 systems. The system requirements for the latest version of Band-in-a-Box are:

• Mac OS X 10.4 or later
• Intel Processor
• 512 MB RAM
• About 500 MB free hard disk space to install the Band-in-a-Box program, MIDI styles, Soloists, Melodists, and Lessons.
• Additional hard disk space is required for RealTracks (about 1 GB per set) and RealDrums (about 100 MB per set), unless you get the hard drive version of the program.
• 1024x768 minimum screen resolution strongly recommended.
• DVD-ROM drive (if installing from disc)
• Available USB port (if using Band-in-a-Box on an external USB hard drive).
• An external MIDI sound source is not required, since Band-in-a-Box can use the Mac's built-in sounds automatically. However you can also use an external MIDI keyboard or sound module if you wish.

10. Do you offer technical support after I purchase the program?

Yes. We offer extensive technical support for all PG Music Inc. products. All technical support is free and unlimited for registered customers. You can e-mail us, use our Live Online Chat, or phone us toll-free (from most countries). Please visit our Support Page for more details and contact information.

11. I'm having trouble playing videos on your website.

Most of our recent videos applicable to Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh use Flash, so if you can watch YouTube videos you should be able to watch the videos on our site. If not, you may not have Flash installed on your computer, or perhaps the version you have is too old. The latest version can be downloaded from the Adobe home page.

Some of our older videos are not Flash videos. If you are having trouble with these ones - for example if Quicktime gives you an error message, or if you can hear the video play but you can't see it:

If you downloaded an .AVI file, you should be able to play the file with Quicktime. For many of these videos we used the TechSmith Ensharpen video encoder. The EnSharpen Decoder must be installed on your computer to play the videos properly. This file is available for download from http://www.techsmith.com/download/codecs.asp.

Some of the videos on our website are only available in streaming WMV format, and are not specifically intended for the Macintosh version of our program. But if you want, you may be able to play these with Windows Media Player for Macintosh.

12. What shipping methods do you offer? Is there a download-only option?

We offer standard shipping in conjunction with the free instant electronic delivery. If you prefer not to have anything shipped to you, select 'electronic delivery'. If you would like a physical copy of your order shipped, choose your preferred shipping method. You will still be able to download the software. We provide two methods of shipping: Postal shipping, and Courier Shipping. Our standard courier is United Parcel Service (UPS). Note: If delivery is to a PO Box, shipping by UPS is not available. If delivery is to a US military address, shipping by UPS is not available.

Software Shipping Charges - USA/Canada

Postal Orders - $5 US - Delivery in 7-14 days (Longer times during peak seasons)

UPS Express - $15 US - Delivery next business day

Software Shipping Charges - Outside USA/Canada (International)

Postal Orders - $10 US - Delivery in 7-14 days (Longer times during peak seasons)

UPS Express - $20 US - Delivery within 3 business days

Hard Drive Shipping Charges - USA/Canada

UPS Express - $15 US - Delivery within 2-5 business days

Hard Drive Shipping Charges - Outside USA/Canada (International)

UPS Express - $25 US - Delivery within 2-7 business days

Hardware Shipping Charges - USA/Canada. Note: All hardware products are shipped by Courier.

UPS Standard (Canada only) - $10 US - Delivery within 10 business days

UPS Express - $15 US * - Delivery next business day (*Note: TC Helicon Voiceworks costs $25.00 for UPS Express delivery)

Hardware Shipping Charges - Outside USA/Canada (International)

UPS Express - $25 US*- Delivery in 3 to 5 business days (*Note: TC Helicon Voiceworks costs $50.00 for UPS Express delivery)

13. Do you ship overseas?

Yes, we can ship anywhere in the world that is served by post or an international carrier.

14. Are all of your products available for download (electronic delivery)?

Yes, PG Music software is available for immediate download when you order online, and you will have the option of downloading your software even if you choose a physical shipping method. The Audiophile version is the one exception - it is only available on hard drive due to the large size of the uncompressed audio files. Also, third party software, such as Finale, is not available for download.

15. If I choose to download the program, will I still get shipped a hard copy of the software and documentation?

If you would like to receive a physical copy of the software and printed documentation, just choose one of the shipping options available, and not electronic delivery. You will still be able to download the program, but you will also receive your order by the shipping method you selected.

16. Do you offer upgrades from previous versions of Band-in-a-Box?

Yes, you can upgrade to the latest version of Band-in-a-Box from any previous version. Click here for more details.

17. Can I upgrade from Band-in-a-Box Pro to the MegaPAK, UltraPAK, or UltraPlusPAK?

Yes, you can upgrade to any of the latest packages from ANY version of Band-in-a-Box including the current version. To order, or for more information, Click here.

18. If I purchased the last MegaPAK/UltraPAK/UltraPlusPAK version, do I need to order the new MegaPAK/UltraPAK/UltraPlusPAK Upgrade?

You don't need to, but we have special low pricing on these upgrade paths. They are a much better deal than a regular upgrade. If you purchase the UltraPlusPAK upgrade, you will keep yourself up-to-date with all the latest Styles, RealDrums, RealTracks, Soloists, and Melodists currently available. If you only purchase the regular upgrade, you will still retain the add-ons (styles etc.) you got with your previous purchase, but you won't get all the new ones. Visit our Band-in-a-Box page to see all of the upgrade packages available.

19. I purchased Band-in-a-Box for Windows, and I now want to run it on a Mac. Is there a "crossgrade" that I can purchase?

Yes, you can crossgrade from any PC version of Band-in-a-Box to the latest version of Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh for a much lower price than a first-time purchase.

To order, or for more information, click here and look for the row labelled "Upgrade from 11 or earlier or crossgrade".

20. Are songs that I create with Band-in-a-Box copyrighted?

The arrangements made by Band-in-a-Box are yours, and your songs may be used freely as long as they don't infringe upon the intellectual property rights of others.

21. Do I need to be a musician to use your products?

No! Our products can be used by anyone, regardless of their musical ability. Although we have many satisfied customers who are professional or amateur musicians and educators, you don't have to be a musician to use or enjoy our products.

22. Why is the price of your products so low?

Peter Gannon, the president and founder of PG Music Inc., states that he set out "..to create software that I would want to purchase and use myself." To this end, we strive to create quality software that is affordable and fun to use, while performing at a professional level. One of our goals is to give you, the customer, more than you ever expected when you purchased the program.

23. Are your prices in US dollars?

Yes, all of our prices are shown in US dollars.

24. Do you offer special academic pricing for school systems?

There are Site License and LabPAK purchase options available to schools and other educational institutions who are interested in purchasing 5 or more copies of Band-in-a-Box for one location (like a computer or music lab). We also offer custom pricing for school-wide, district-wide, and even state, provincial, or national licensing. For more information please visit the Educators Page or contact marketing@pgmusic.com.

At this time, we do not offer an academic/educational discount on individual purchases of our software.

25. Is it safe to use a credit card over the internet?

Every modern browser, including Firefox and Microsoft Internet Explorer comes with SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) encryption technology. This allows information that you pass to our servers to be encrypted during transmission, without you having to set up anything special. The most common SSL encryption formats are 40-bit and 128-bit, both of which are extremely secure. We also have installed a digital security certificate on our servers, which certify that we are who we say we are when you're connected.

26. Is Band-in-a-Box available from any local dealers?

Yes, our products are represented by dealers worldwide. Click here for a complete list of our distributors.

27. How do I know if Band-in-a-Box will be able to create an accompaniment in my style of interest?

Well over a thousand styles are currently avilable for Band-in-a-Box, ranging from Pop, Rock, Jazz, Blues, Country, Classical, World, and much, much more... So, chances are that you will be able to find a suitable style. You can browse through all of our styles and listen to audio demos at our Band-in-a-Box Add-ons page.

28. Can I purchase a complete User's Guide for Band-in-a-Box?

A complete User's Guide is included with any first-time purchase of Band-in-a-Box. If you lose or damage your manual, you can purchase a replacement manual for $10 US plus shipping. The latest revision of the full manual is also included with Band-in-a-Box in PDF format.

29. How can I register my software?

We have an Online Registration Form. Note: If you purchased your software directly from us, you are automatically registered.

30. How can I change my address so that I still receive the newsletter?

The email confirmation is sent out the moment your order is processed. First, check your email program's "spam" or "junk" folder; the email could have been sent there. If not, you may have entered an incorrect email address into the order form, or (rarely) your ISP has blocked the email. Please contact us if you can't find the email.

31. What types of files can Band-in-a-Box save as?

Band-in-a-Box saves files in its proprietary formats (.SGU, .MGU, .STY, etc.). You can also save your songs in the Standard MIDI File (SMF) Format (.MID - type 0 or type 1), or render your songs to audio files (AIFF, M4A).

32. I just placed an order, but I am unable to download the software. What should I do?

All PG Music software is available for immediate download. The only exceptions are some third party software products, and the AudioPhile hard drive RealTracks and RealDrums files, since they are over 400GB.

If you purchased a downloadable software program from us, you will receive an email with a link to your download page.

Most download links expire after 7 days. You should be able to get to your download page simply by clicking on the link in your email. If nothing happens when you click on the link in your email, right-click on the link and select 'copy shortcut', then paste it into the address bar of your internet browser window and press <Enter>. If a file is showing as "unavailable" in your download page, that means the link has expired. Contact us if you have not yet been able to download that file.

Note that if your order contains multiple files, it is usually best to download one file at a time. If your order contains a lot of RealTracks files, please note that these files are very large; you will need a very reliable high speed internet connection to be able to download these files, and you should download one at a time. If you are having the order shipped, note that you could download only the main Band-in-a-Box application and use it without the RealTracks until you receive the hard copy. If downloading many RealTracks files, make sure you have enough hard disk space to store all the downloaded files (estimate 1 GB per file).

Depending on your web browser and settings, the file may be automatically downloaded to a folder on your computer without prompting you for a location to save the file. The default for the Safari web browser is normally the 'Downloads' folder in your Home folder. For example, if your User account is 'MyUserName', then the download will be placed in \Users\MyUserName\Downloads. In Safari, you can change this setting if you want, by going to Safari | Preferences | General ('save downloaded files to'). In Firefox, the setting is in Firefox | Preferences ('Save files to').

If the download doesn't seem to work when you click on it, try control-clicking on the link and selecting 'download linked file' or 'download link to disk'. In Safari, go to the Window menu and click on Downloads to take a look at currently downloading files.

If you did not get an email with a link to your download page

• You may have typed in the wrong email address into your order form. If so, please contact us to correct this.

• Your email program may have a utility that filters out possible junk emails and puts them in a separate mailbox. Check to see if you have a 'Bulk' or 'Junk' folder, for example.

Downloads are provided as either .dmg or .zip files (or occasionally .sit).

.dmg files: These are "Disk Images". When you double-click on a downloaded dmg file, the image will be 'mounted' on your desktop. Open this up, and you will find all the files necessary to install the program - installation packages, readme files etc. Most products are installed by double-clicking on the installation package and following the on-screen instructions. You can unmount the disk image when the installation is complete, either by dragging it to the 'trash' (eject icon), or by clicking on it and pressing command-E. Note that this will not delete the files from your computer, the dmg file will still be there.

.zip files: Some products are provided as .zip files. Mac OS 10.3 and later have the built-in ability to extract .zip files - you just need to double-click on them. If that is not working for you, control-click on the file, point to 'Open With', and select 'BOMArchive Helper'. Once extracted, the installer package should be found in the same location as the .zip file - double-click on this and follow the on-screen instructions.

.sit files: Only a limited number of products intended for older operating systems are provided as .sit compressed files. To extract these, use the program Stuffit Expander. As with .zip files, you should simply need to double-click on the file to expand it. Alternatively, open Stuffit Expander and drag the .sit file to it manually. Stuffit Expander program is pre-installed on older Macs, but is not including on newer Macs. A free version can be downloaded from http://www.stuffit.com.

If the download is working, but it is taking too long and you would rather have the product shipped, don't hesitate to contact us.

Below are some additional troublshooting tips, if you are having trouble downloading or it is taking too long:

• Some files are very large, for example the RealTracks files, so these can take some time to download. Download speeds vary greatly depending on the type of internet connection, traffic, and many other factors. A 1 GB file can be downloaded in 30-45 min with a fairly fast broadband connection. Ideally, you should download these files one at a time; in general, it will not be faster to download more than one file at the same time. Downloading more than one file at a time takes longer for each file, increasing the chance of losing the connection to the server at some point (for whatever reason). This results in an incomplete (corrupt) file and the need to download the file again.

• If the download starts but doesn't complete, or you get a message that the file is corrupt when you try to run it after downloading, this most likely means that your connection to the server was lost and the file wasn't downloaded completely. For incomplete disk images (dmg), the message may be similar to this: "The following disk images failed to mount....Reason: no mountable file systems". Delete this file, and try the download again. If the file seems to download really fast when you try again, you will need to delete your internet browser's cache first. In Safari this can be done by going to the Safari menu and selecting 'Empty Cache'. In Firefox, you would 'Clear Private Data' in the Firefox preferences.

• Cached files can be a source of confusion. If a download fails and you try to download the same file again, your browser will often use a cached file rather than downloading the file a second time. When this happens, it can appear that you downloaded the same corrupt file twice. You should be able to solve this by deleting your browser cache (temporary internet files). Your browser should have a preference or menu item to do this, as explained in the previous tip.

• Download managers may help, especially if your order contains many download links. A utility that will automatically download all the files on a page one at a time is helpful. For example, if you use the Firefox web browser, there are free plugins like 'Downthemall', which will allow you to download all links on one page. To add plugins, go to Tools-Addons-Get Plugins, and search/install the plugin. The details will vary depending on browser/plugin/version, but you may be able to highlight all the links on your download page, then go to Tools menu | .. | .. , choose your 'save files in' location, and press Start. Remember to set max concurrent downloads = 1 in the Preferences. Note that a particular download manager may also be the CAUSE of the problem, and you may want to try disabling it or otherwise downloading the file without it.

• If clicking on the [download] button doesn't seem to work, try right-clicking on the link and selecting 'download linked file' or 'download link to disk'. This would also help if you are getting a text page with gibberish when you click on the link.

• Try using a different internet browser.

• Some anti-virus programs and firewalls can cause various problems downloading some files. It is not normally obvious what is causing the problem. Some symptoms might include downloads stopping halfway, receiving a file that is "0 bytes", file extensions being changed, or the file being 'quarantined'. You may need to disable the software or adjust a setting before you start the download. If you are connected to a local area network, you may have to contact your network administrator about this.

• Your internet service provider may have a bandwidth limit which you may have exceeded. Try downloading a smaller file to see if this might be the problem, or contact your ISP to find out more.

• If when you click on a link, you get a "page cannot be displayed", or some another html error page (but other web pages work fine for you), the problem may be at our end. Please contact us so we can look into it.

• The download may be slow due to internet congestion, time of day, or a router being busy. If all else fails, you may want to wait for a while and try the download later.

There are a wide variety of factors that can affect downloads, including your computer software and hardware, the connection to your internet service provider, internet traffic, and distance from the server. Due to factors beyond our control, we can't guarantee the downloads to work for everyone. As long as you have selected a physical shipping method (and not electronic delivery only) you will be receiving your order in the mail. If you have chosen download-only (electronic delivery) and are unable to download your software, please contact us to have it shipped.

If you are having a problem not covered here, or you don't think the download is working properly because of a problem at our end, feel free to contact us and we'll look into it.

33. What other languages is Band-in-a-Box available in?

Band-in-a-Box 2011 for Mac is currently available in French and German. Other translations may be completed in the future. To find out if it is available in your language, please contact us, check our international language pages at www.band-in-a-box.com, or click on one of the flags on the PG Music home page.

We currently have French and German language support for Band-in-a-Box 12 (older PowerPC version).

If you have already purchased the latest version of Band-in-a-Box in English and would like a different language, please contact us.

34. Is Band-in-a-Box compatible with PowerPC and Intel Macs?

The latest version of Band-in-a-Box is designed for Intel-based Macs, and does not run on PowerPC-based systems. However, we have older versions of the program available for PowerPC based OSX systems, and even OS9 systems.

35. Is Band-in-a-Box compatible with Snow Leopard and Lion?

Yes, the latest version of Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh is compatible with Snow Leopard and Lion.

36. Can I use the Windows version of Band-in-a-Box and other Windows products on an Intel-based Mac?

We tested Band-in-a-Box for Windows on an Intel-based iMac that had Windows XP Home Service Pack 2 installed on an NTFS formatted partition. We also tested many other PG Music products, including PowerTracks Pro Audio 10, the Video Guitar Lesson series, GuitarStar, Master Class programs such as the Jazz Guitar Master Class, Multimedia Performance programs such as the Bach Chorales and Rock Guitarist, Master Solo products such as the Master Jazz Guitar Solos, and NoteMatch. In addition, we tested the use of the Roland VSC-3, Roland VSC-DXi, and Coyote ForteDXi software synths with Band-in-a-Box and PowerTracks Pro Audio, and tested MIDI recording and playback through an external (hardware) MIDI device.

We did not encounter any problems with any of the programs that we tested. There were no problems with playback, and all of the features that we tested worked exactly as they do on a PC with Windows XP. In fact, in some cases we experienced better performance on the Intel Mac than on a PC with similar specs.

37. What is the difference between the Audiophile edition of Band-in-a-Box, and the regular Band-in-a-Box packages?

The Audiophile edition ships pre-installed on a 750GB hard drive, and includes everything that the regular Band-in-a-Box packages have, plus all the uncompressed audio in AIFF file format for ALL the RealTracks and RealDrums, so the highest sound quality is preserved. We normally ship RealTracks audio files as compressed M4A files (usually 128 or 160 kbps) instead of AIFF files. The M4A files are excellent quality, and make the program MUCH smaller (roughly 40GB). With a typical setup at home, many people would not be able to hear a difference, but some advanced users prefer to have the original AIFF files. Note that it is possible to uncompress the 'regular edition' M4A files to AIFF, however these will not be the same as the original AIFF files, having already been compressed once. Also, please note that the 'Audiophile editions' do include the M4A files as well, which gives you the option of installing the program on your computer the same way as with the 'regular edition'.

38. When I try to place an order, it asks me to log into my account. What should I do?

That's only one of the options - further down the page you'll see an option to continue without logging in or creating an account.

However, we do recommend creating an account. Your account is your unique personal identification when you visit and shop at PG Music's online store. That means that you can place orders without entering all of your shipping and billing information every time. It also means that your order is processed without delay because your account is positive identification for our sales and shipping staff. You can also use your online account to update your registration information whenever it changes.

Note that the account you might have on the PG Music forums is entirely different than this account.

39. Is the latest version of Band-in-a-Box backwards compatible with songs and styles from older versions?

Yes - Band-in-a-Box is designed to be fully backwards compatible with songs and styles created with previous versions of the program. In addition, you can often make your older songs sound much better after upgrading to the latest version, by choosing newer Styles, RealTracks, and RealDrums that came with your upgrade.