• Latest Update (Band-in-a-Box^®Server)
• About Band-in-a-Box^®Remote (BB Remote)
• Video Tutorials
• Getting Started with BB Remote
• Trouble connecting or getting the app to work?

NOTE: The Android app is not currently available for download from the Play store, and may not be compatible with newer devices.

Latest Updates (Windows)

Download the latest version of Band-in-a-Box Server (2 MB) (April 13, 2015)

This is an update for the Band-in-a-Box Server program in your Windows desktop version of Band-in-a-Box. This is the program that allows the desktop version of Band-in-a-Box to communicate with the Band-in-a-Box, BB Remote, and RealBand Remote apps for iPhone and Android.

This patch will update Band-in-a-Box Server to build 2.0.1.5058 (April 13, 2015) from any previous build.

If you want to find out your version of Band-in-a-Box Server, you can right-click on the green and white musical note icon in your taskbar and select "About".

The newest build of Band-in-a-Box Server supports new features added to the latest versions of the apps, makes connection faster and more reliable, and improves stability.

If you need an older stable version of Band-in-a-Box Server for any reason, you can download 2.0.0.5048 (March 27 2013) or 2.0.0.5046 (Dec 3 2012) or 1.0.0.2939 (Jan 17, 2012)

You need to have Band-in-a-Box 2011 or higher for this update to work, since previous Band-in-a-Box versions did not include Band-in-a-Box Server. Install the update to your existing bb folder (usually C:\bb)

About Band-in-a-Box^®Remote

What is Band-in-a-Box?

Band-in-a-Box^®is a popular music program for Windows desktop PC's. Band-in-a-Box^®is so easy to use! Type in the chords to any song using standard chord symbols like C or Fm7b5; and Band-in-a-Box^®does the rest, automatically generating a complete professional-quality arrangement of piano, bass, drums, guitar, strings and more.

What is Band-in-a-Box^®Remote (BB Remote)?

BB Remote is an app for your Android device - smartphone or tablet. It is used as a remote control to control your existing desktop version of Band-in-a-Box^®for Windows 2011.5 or higher. The sounds will come out of the desktop program, not the Android. You must have the desktop version of Band-in-a-Box^®for Windows 2011.5 to use the program at all.

Note: There is another application for Android that we make, called Band-in-a-Box^®for Android that lets you generate new songs – with the sound coming from the Android - and it isn't a remote control like this one. More about Band-in-a-Box^®for Android >>

Video Tutorials

Getting started with BB Remote

Make sure that Band-in-a-Box^®Server is running on your desktop Windows PC

BB Remote works by connecting to your Band-in-a-Box^®program on your Windows PC. You need to have a program called C:\bb\bbhelper\BandInABoxServer.exe running. If it is running, you will see a musical note icon on your Windows system tray in the right lower corner of the windows taskbar. You can run or install the server from the main Band-in-a-Box^®Windows program, using the menu item Windows | BB2Go.

Running BB Remote and hooking up to the Band-in-a-Box^®Server

Run the BB Remote application on your Android. Choose the File menu, and then Server. Choose "Connect to Server".

• If connecting within a home LAN (local area network) - i.e. if you have wireless: The program will locate the Band-in-a-Box^®Server that is running on your Windows PC (described above). Select the server and press OK.
• If connecting from a WAN (not on the same network), see the Band-in-a-Box^®for Android tutorial.

Using BB Remote

• Load in new songs using the file-menu "File-Open". You should choose a folder that you want to load songs from. For example, this could be c:\bb or e:\MySongs\. This will then show you a list of songs including subfolders within that folder.
• Use the transport buttons (play/stop) at the top of the screen.
• Swipe the screen to different views:
  • Chords View: See the chords of the song, with bar highlighting as the song plays.
  • Conductor: Allows you to navigate around the song as it is playing, including looping sections, or going back to first chorus etc. The Band-in-a-Box^®desktop version has an extensive help topic on the conductor functions.
  • Mixer: Change volumes, panning, reverb, tone.

Trouble connecting or getting the app to work?

If you get an "internal error" or "unknown error" message when you try to connect or play a song, this is probably easy to fix. There is an issue if UAC (User Account Control) is enabled on your computer, AND the Band-in-a-Box^®program (bbw.exe) is set to run as an administrator, AND the Band-in-a-Box^®Server program is NOT set to run as an administrator.

To fix this problem either (1) set Band-in-a-Box^®Server (C:\bb\BBHelper\BandinaboxServer.exe) to run as administrator, and restart it OR (2) set Band-in-a-Box^®(C:\bb\bbw.exe) to not run as an administrator. Solution 1 works because Band-in-a-Box^®"inherits" the privilege level from Band-in-a-Box^®Server.

To change this setting for any .EXE, right-click on the file --> Properties --> Compatibility, and uncheck the "Run As Administrator" checkbox.