BIAB & Ipad Question? - PG Music Forums

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I am aware that there is a BIAB app for Ipad, but correct me if I am wrong . . . BIAB still cannot run from Ipad in place of a laptop, right? I don't have an Ipad but I am thinking because of the lack of memory, disk space and connectibility with a PA system this is still not possible. Just wondering.

If and when this happens I will be 1st in line to purchase an Ipad.

Later,

Danny,
You are correct, BB's iPad and iPhone apps require the desktop version of Band-in-a-Box.

They are:

1. Band-in-a-Box iPhone. This loads and plays songs by connecting to your desktop version of Band-in-a-Box. Files transfer as BB songs and mp4 (m4a) files for the audio. Once you transfer them, you can play them on the iPhone version without being connected, but to regenerate them or get new ones, you need to reconnect to BB Desktop (which you can do over a local LAN or over the internet WAN.
Typical use here would be to prepare your favorite 100 BB tunes, with melodies and RealTracks set up how you like them. Then transfer the 100 tunes to your Iphone BB, and you'll always have those files ready to play on your Iphone, showing you the chords, while you hear the full RealTracks arrangement, including melodies, and whatever synths, VST effects etc you have in BB Desktop.

2. BB Remote. This is a remote control for your desktop version of BBW 2011.5 or higher. Sounds come from your desktop version, and the iPad just functions like a wireless remote control, to load and play songs (you get a display of chords on the iPad and highlight bars as the song plays.

Note that the above is written about the iPhone, but also applies to iPad (the programs work on iPad in iPhone 2X mode), and also there are Android versions of both programs.

Peter,

I suggested this before, but I think it would be great to have a phone and tablet version that is not dependent on a desktop computer, but can run independently on the portable device.

Of course such an app could not contain hundreds of gigabytes of Real Tracks and Real Drums. It would have bo be MIDI only. I think most of these portable devices these days come with a pretty decent built-in GM synthesizer. No problem. While on the road, one can work with the MIDI BB app on the phone or tablet. When one gets home, one could transfer that song to the desktop computer, and then with desktop BIAB change some MIDI tracks to RealTracks if one wishes, use plugin synths, etc. But it would be fine to work out the song first with the portable device and built-in MIDI.

If one looks at GarageBand that comes on the Ipad, for example, it is clear that these devices can work decently with MIDI, and the built-in MIDI sounds/

The current phone and pad app you have, that requires Internet connection with one's desktop computer, really is not very practical for many situations where one might want to use a phone or pad app. For instance, let's say one is going to take a trip to Europe for several weeks.While traveling in the airplane, with an Ipad along, what better way to spend some of the 9 hour plane ride than to work out songs with BIAB? No Internet in the sky? Can't use tje current pad app then. Also, when one travels away from home for weeks, one might well prefer to turn the home computer off while gone, not leave it running for weeks with no one there. Also, when one arrives in the foreign country, one quite possibly might not have an Internet connection everywhere one goes. Travel around in trains? Might be a good time to use BIAB on the phone or tablet, but unlikely to be an Internet connection on the train.

I think it would really be great if you made a BIAB version that really worked self sufficiently on IOS, Android, etc. (of course MIDI only). not dependent on an Internet connection to the desktop computer at home. Please consider this.

I don't have a portable device yet but I wholeheartedly agree with maiki.

And who knows how many potential sales at 99 cents each it will take to cover development and support of such a thing? And having it work without owning band in a box at all? There are going to be lots of midi based things show up on tablets because the tablets cannot support large legacy based software. Just try to find a functioning, real, up to date, piece of software that can run a powerpoint presentation on the latest Android phone. It's not happening soon it seems.

This hardware is in the 'kindergarten' phase. Much more needs to be done before it's ready to eliminate a pc with serious horsepower.

I'm more intrigued with the all on one computers that have a touch screen. For a gigging musician that seems much better suited to running a show.

Peter,

Thanks for the quick response, if and when the Ipad thing happens it would be a very nice.

John,

I was not looking for something for .99 or nothing asd this would be a very valuable asset to live peformers that I am sure they would be willing to pay for.

Later,

Hi,

I just upgraded from BIAB 2008 to 2012 just because I wanted to use BIAB on my iPad.

My problem is transferring files from my PC to my iPad. I have a cable connecting my PC to my iPad. Why can't I just transfer files through iTunes like what most other apps do?

BIAB users should be able to use the program without having to configure the router, port forwarding, etc. Even if I were inclined to do these, I can't get router access at work, and I don't have Internet (let alone a router) at home.

As it is, I'm looking at a waste of money on the upgrade (since I was very happy with BIAB 2008) and the cost of the iPad app.

Cheers,
Jojo

Jojo,

From your post I could not determine just how you currently use BIAB . . . do you do live gigs and are looking to do them from an Ipad and are you currently using BIAB from a laptop as opposed to making wma, wav or mp3 backing tracks? If you do any of these things I would say the upgrade is well worth the price and the differences between 2008 and even 2011 are dramatic.

Also your reference to Itunes threw me a bit as I am not sure how you would use BIAB with Itunes.

Personaly I am wishing that down the line the entire application will be able to run from an Ipad directly, but I do understand that even the Ipad is not yet there.

Later,

Quote:

Hi,

I just upgraded from BIAB 2008 to 2012 just because I wanted to use BIAB on my iPad.

As it is, I'm looking at a waste of money on the upgrade (since I was very happy with BIAB 2008) and the cost of the iPad app.

Am I the only person on the planet that reads all about a piece of software before he buys it to see if it is suitable for what I want it to do? Maybe the other thing you missed reading is that there is an unconditional money back guarantee? If it doens't do what you want it to do, send it back and stop complaining about wasting your money.

>>> My problem is transferring files from my PC to my iPad. I have a cable connecting my PC to my iPad. Why can't I just transfer files through iTunes like what most other apps do?

BIAB users should be able to use the program without having to configure the router, port forwarding, etc. Even if I were inclined to do these, I can't get router access at work, and I don't have Internet (let alone a router) at home.

As it is, I'm looking at a waste of money on the upgrade (since I was very happy with BIAB 2008) and the cost of the iPad app.
============================

You can connect your iPhone to your PC, wirelessly, and fully use the BBREmote and BB for iPhone app, even if you don't have Internet, and don't have a router. Prior to posting this, I tried it out and it works great.

(This assumes that your PC has a wireless adaptor, i.e. something capabale of WiFi)

To be clear, we are talking about a situation where all you have is a PC, and an iPhone. No internet, no wifi, no cable, no router or network available. Just you and the iPhone, on a desert island <G>.

IMPORTANT: This example is applicable only in situations where you DON'T have Wifi, LAN available. If you do have LAN, and WiFI, skip this whole thing, as there'd be no point in setting up an ad-hoc.

Aside from people who don't have a router or Interet, this would be a useful application if you were at a gig, and wanted to use BB Remote to load your songs from and generally control your PC, so that you could see the chords as they play, and not be looking at a big PC. Or maybe you want to look at the notebook screen, and the guitar player wants to look at the iPad screen for chords.

To do this, you need to set up an ad-hoc network, find the IP of your PC, and type that IP into the BB Remote program. I'll post info on how to do that in the Tips-n-Tricks section. There's lots available on the Internet about setting up ad-hoc networks, and the procedure differs on Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 7.

More info here... http://www.pgmusic.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=342264&an=0&page=0#Post342264

Thanks Peter,
some of this info may help me also.

I paid the grand sum of 99c a few weeks back for the app for my new ipod.

Still haven't worked it out yet, (not high on my list of priorities at the moment.)

I may be getting an ipad off santa, so then I will definately have to work it out if that happens.

Links are definately helpful.

Thanks for the link with the steps, Peter. I'll try it when I get home tonight. The router method with port forwarding was the first one I saw when I did a Google search on the subject. I'm glad that you've got another way available.

In reference to iTunes, some apps on my iPad uses iTunes to transfer files from PC to iPad. For example, I have Buzz Player that plays media files. I connect my iPad via USB to my PC running iTunes. From within iTunes, I can select the files I want uploaded to my iPad. It's the same with my PDF Reader, OfficeHD, Flashcards, etc. It seems to be one of the standard method of porting files to an iPad or iPhone. Another way is to upload files through iCloud.

Of course, being able to connect wirelessly is useful, but I'm hoping that the app can (in the future) allow USB file transfers or even transfers using iCloud.

Cheers,
Jojo