Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread
Print Thread
Go To
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 20
R
rpuff Offline OP
Enthusiast
OP Offline
Enthusiast
R
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 20
A General MIDI Patch will not load to a song. I'm using 2015 Build 414. When I select an instrument on the patch list (Select MIDI Patch>Select General MIDI Patch or Select GM2 Patch) and click OK, nothing happens; the track remains blank. Songs that I built with MIDI patches prior to upgrading to 2015 still play; I just can't add a new patch to an empty track in 2015.

Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,921
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,921
What have you selected as your GM source? What were you using before 2015?


"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 20
R
rpuff Offline OP
Enthusiast
OP Offline
Enthusiast
R
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 20
I was using BIAB 2014.

Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,921
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,921
Sorry, I didn't make my question clear. What I meant was, what GM synth were you using in each case?


"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 20
R
rpuff Offline OP
Enthusiast
OP Offline
Enthusiast
R
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 20
MIDI Input Driver is <No MIDI/sound input>.
MIDI Output Driver is Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth. Synthesizer/Sound Card is General MIDI Instrument Misc. VSTi/DXi Synth is CoyoteWT. GM2 Support is General MIDI 2 (GM2) support. Audio Driver Type to MME. This is the same MIDI/Audio Drivers Setup I used in 2014.

Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,921
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,921
Looks good to me. 'Fraid I got nothing for you.


"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 18,907
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 18,907
Hi rpuff,

In addition to what Ryszard has said ...

I have BAIB version 2015 (414). What I did was as follows.

1. I opened a backing style that.

2. The Melody and Soloist tracks did not contain any data.

3. There was no patch assigned to these tracks because no midi data were present. Because of this, it was not possible to assign any sound.

4. I generated a midi solo on the Soloist track using the "S" button.

5. Now that the track contained data, it was possible to assign and to change patches.

Hope this helps,
Noel


MY SONGS...
Audiophile BIAB 2024
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 20
R
rpuff Offline OP
Enthusiast
OP Offline
Enthusiast
R
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 20
Noel,

Thanks, that worked. Your solution is still a workaround to the problem. Before 2015 Build 414 I was always able to load a MIDI patch to an empty track as I described in my original post.

But, thanks to you, I at least have a way to get the result I want.

Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 8,074
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 8,074
Hmmm... if something changed, that might affect me since I routinely assign patches to empty MIDI tracks in order to control external MIDI devices.

But, even if it won't stick from the track's right click menu , you can insert patch changes in a MIDI track 2 other ways:

1) from piano roll, click on CONTROL then from the next drop down listbox pick PROGRAM CHANGE... then in the lower pane, click on the number of the patch you want to use.

2) Another way to do exactly the same thing is to ...
...a) hilite the MIDI track
...b) open the event editor...
...c) insert a program change
...d) enter the number of the patch you want loaded

These two approaches should stick whether you have MIDI data on the track or not

Keep in mind that if you ever want to change the patch later, the track right click menu will NOT override patch changes in the event editor. If you set the patch in the event editor, you have to update it there too.

------------oops-----------
I was talking about RealBand.. I just realized this is the BIAB forum. My bad.






Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 20
R
rpuff Offline OP
Enthusiast
OP Offline
Enthusiast
R
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 20
Note: Noel's workaround only works with the Soloist track and not the Melody track or any other empty track. Use the Melodist to populate midi data to the Melody track, then replace it with a midi patch or Hi-Q instrument.

Last edited by rpuff; 01/11/15 09:11 AM.
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 612
Journeyman
Offline
Journeyman
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 612
A midi patch will only play the midi data on a track. An empty track has no data. Therefore there is nothing for the patch to play. You have to have a style or a melody or some other data.


Bob Coy
HP Desktop
Windows 10 Home, AMD A6-7310, 6GB Ram 1TB Hard drive. Radeon Graphics & Sound
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 20
R
rpuff Offline OP
Enthusiast
OP Offline
Enthusiast
R
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 20
Bob,
That sounds logical but I can't seem to get it to work. Here's an example:
I started with a new song and selected the ROCKABIL.STY style. This style has 4 instruments. The Strings, Melody and Soloist tracks are blank in the mixer. For the Strings track, I selected a General MIDI patch but nothing appeared in the mixer. I then selected a Hi-Q instrument and its name appeared in the mixer, although the text was white instead of yellow, and there was no sound from this track when I clicked Generate and Play.

Would you be so kind to try this test and tell me what results you got?
Ron

Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 18,907
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 18,907
Hi Ron,

The ROCKABIL.STY file does not have any note patterns set up for the Stings track. It's part of this particular styles design. In other words, no midi instructions have been added to the Strings track (that's why the track name is white). This is why it's not possible to assign midi patch sounds.

By comparison, if you have a look ROLBILY1.STY, you'll see that this style has midi data present on the String track and, as a consequence, you can change patches.

Hope this helps,
Noel

P.S. There are a number of styles in BIAB that do not use all available tracks for instrumentation. These styles will have a white track name for those tracks that don't have midi instructions attached.


MY SONGS...
Audiophile BIAB 2024
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 612
Journeyman
Offline
Journeyman
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 612
You'd need to load not just a patch, but a style to that track. I copied this from the help file under Hybrid styles:

"Note: You can add MIDITracks individually (from any style) to play on any track of your current song. This is done from the right-click context menu for any track, or by clicking on the [MIDITracks] toolbar button."

Check it out! I just did it on my setup -- it works. Then you could save it as a Hybrid style when you find what you like and want to use it again.


Bob Coy
HP Desktop
Windows 10 Home, AMD A6-7310, 6GB Ram 1TB Hard drive. Radeon Graphics & Sound
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 20
R
rpuff Offline OP
Enthusiast
OP Offline
Enthusiast
R
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 20
Noel and Bob,
Thank you gentlemen for this education about midi files. I think I'm getting the hang of it. I may be slow but I make a lot of mistakes.

Here's a question that perhaps either of you could answer:
When selecting a Hi-Q instrument from the Select a Prefix F/X track dialog box, there is the option to Play the instrument to preview what it sounds like. When I click on the Play button in the dialog box, however, I get a message box that tells me "there is no audio demo available for the file". Doesn't matter which instrument.

When I first upgraded from 2014 to 2015, this function worked; now it doesn't. I'm now on Build 414. Does it work for you?
Thanks again,
Ron

Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 612
Journeyman
Offline
Journeyman
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 612
Yes, I noticed this before build 414. Not sure when, because I don't use the sample files that much. but I agree with your find --get the same result.


Bob Coy
HP Desktop
Windows 10 Home, AMD A6-7310, 6GB Ram 1TB Hard drive. Radeon Graphics & Sound
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,583
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,583
I'm not at my machine, so I can't check, but some styles don't have any MIDI data for the A substyle, but do for the B substyle. Just one other thing to check.


John

Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 2x2TB, 1x4TB SSD
Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 2x1.5TB, 2x2TB, 1x4TB SATA

BB2024/UMC404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/MixBus/Notion/Finale/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK

http://www.sus4chord.com
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Go To

Link Copied to Clipboard
ChatPG

Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.

ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.

PG Music News
User Video: Next-Level AI Music Editing with ACE Studio and Band-in-a-Box®

The Bob Doyle Media YouTube channel is known for demonstrating how you can creatively incorporate AI into your projects - from your song projects to avatar building to face swapping, and more!

His latest video, Next-Level AI Music Editing with ACE Studio and Band-in-a-Box, he explains in detail how you can use the Melodist feature in Band-in-a-Box with ACE Studio. Follow along as he goes from "nothing" to "something" with his Band-in-a-Box MIDI Melodist track, using ACE Studio to turn it into a vocal track (or tracks, you'll see) by adding lyrics for those notes that will trigger some amazing AI vocals!

Watch: Next-Level AI Music Editing with ACE Studio and Band-in-a-Box


Band-in-a-Box® 2024 German for Windows is Here!

Band-in-a-Box® 2024 für Windows Deutsch ist verfügbar!

Wir waren fleißig und haben über 50 neue Funktionen und eine erstaunliche Sammlung neuer Inhalte hinzugefügt, darunter 222 RealTracks, neue RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, "Songs with Vocals" Artist Performance Sets, abspielbare RealTracks Set 3, abspielbare RealDrums Set 2, zwei neue Sets von "RealDrums Stems", XPro Styles PAK 6, Xtra Styles PAK 17 und mehr!

Paket | Was ist Neu

Update Your PowerTracks Pro Audio 2024 Today!

Add updated printing options, enhanced tracks settings, smoother use of MGU and SGU (BB files) within PowerTracks, and more with the latest PowerTracks Pro Audio 2024 update!

Learn more about this free update for PowerTracks Pro Audio & download it at www.pgmusic.com/support_windows_pt.htm#2024_5

The Newest RealBand 2024 Update is Here!

The newest RealBand 2024 Build 5 update is now available!

Download and install this to your RealBand 2024 for updated print options, streamlined loading and saving of .SGU & MGU (BB) files, and to add a number of program adjustments that address user-reported bugs and concerns.

This free update is available to all RealBand 2024 users. To learn more about this update and download it, head to www.pgmusic.com/support.realband.htm#20245

The Band-in-a-Box® Flash Drive Backup Option

Today (April 5) is National Flash Drive Day!

Did you know... not only can you download your Band-in-a-Box® Pro, MegaPAK, or PlusPAK purchase - you can also choose to add a flash drive backup copy with the installation files for only $15? It even comes with a Band-in-a-Box® keychain!

For the larger Band-in-a-Box® packages (UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition), the hard drive backup copy is available for only $25. This will include a preinstalled and ready to use program, along with your installation files.

Backup copies are offered during the checkout process on our website.

Already purchased your e-delivery version, and now you wish you had a backup copy? It's not too late! If your purchase was for the current version of Band-in-a-Box®, you can still reach out to our team directly to place your backup copy order!

Note: the Band-in-a-Box® keychain is only included with flash drive backup copies, and cannot be purchased separately.

Handy flash drive tip: Always try plugging in a USB device the wrong way first? If your flash drive (or other USB plug) doesn't have a symbol to indicate which way is up, look for the side with a seam on the metal connector (it only has a line across one side) - that's the side that either faces down or to the left, depending on your port placement.

Update your Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows® Today!

Update your Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows for free with build 1111!

With this update, there's more control when saving images from the Print Preview window, we've added defaults to the MultiPicker for sorting and font size, updated printing options, updated RealTracks and other content, and addressed user-reported issues with the StylePicker, MIDI Soloists, key signature changes, and more!

Learn more about this free update for Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows at www.pgmusic.com/support_windowsupdates.htm#1111

Band-in-a-Box® 2024 Review: 4.75 out of 5 Stars!

If you're looking for a in-depth review of the newest Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows version, you'll definitely find it with Sound-Guy's latest review, Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows Review: Incredible new capabilities to experiment, compose, arrange and mix songs.

A few excerpts:
"The Tracks view is possibly the single most powerful addition in 2024 and opens up a new way to edit and generate accompaniments. Combined with the new MultiPicker Library Window, it makes BIAB nearly perfect as an 'intelligent' composer/arranger program."

"MIDI SuperTracks partial generation showing six variations – each time the section is generated it can be instantly auditioned, re-generated or backed out to a previous generation – and you can do this with any track type. This is MAJOR! This takes musical experimentation and honing an arrangement to a new level, and faster than ever."

"Band in a Box continues to be an expansive musical tool-set for both novice and experienced musicians to experiment, compose, arrange and mix songs, as well as an extensive educational resource. It is huge, with hundreds of functions, more than any one person is likely to ever use. Yet, so is any DAW that I have used. BIAB can do some things that no DAW does, and this year BIAB has more DAW-like functions than ever."

Forum Statistics
Forums66
Topics81,686
Posts735,938
Members38,539
Most Online2,537
Jan 19th, 2020
Newest Members
carloncho, jofigueroajr, Zunzez, Isrra29, HukoKamb
38,539 Registered Users
Top Posters(30 Days)
MarioD 178
DC Ron 113
rsdean 91
dcuny 74
Today's Birthdays
mike5256
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5