RB AND Sonar/Cakewalk both feature PianoRoll MIDI entry and editing.
I'm not a big proponent of MIDI sequencing via Notation, because notation simply cannot easily provide enough of the necessary entry paramaters. For example, a trained live musician inherently knows the various rulesets involved with how long a Quarter Note or 8th should be played within the given situation. Notation entry, on the other hand, will yield all Quarter Note values as dead equal and that is not inherently a good sounding musical representation.
By far my most favorite method of MIDI part implementation is Recording to the click in realtime using a MIDI Controller of some sort, though. That delivers a performance that will sound exactly like what you played when you played it, yet offers the note-level Editing of MIDI when needed for cleanup and such.
Midi production and editing in Reaper is excellent. It's something that's been developed significantly over the last couple of years. I use it regularly.
The MIDI engine inside today's Sonar is pretty much the exact same and good MIDI engine that many of us came to know and love from back in the days of Greg Hendershot's original Cakewalk. ... --Mac
I concur. I would add that the SONAR X series (X1, X2 and X3) has now given us a smart tool that adapts quicker to what you want to do when editing MIDI.
BIAB 2024 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 6.5 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6; Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus Studio 192, Presonus Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors
Matt, can you advise which program you like to use for Notation editing? I agree with the comment from Rich that MIDI editing in RB is somewhat cumbersome compared to other programs. Thanks Trevor
Trevor, I haven't used RealBand so I can't compare, but as to Notation programs, I have used Encore for 23 years. I have also been a beta tester for them for the last decade. I love the user interface in Encore (though I still use BIAB for most data entry!).
Although I have used Sibelius and Finale, I don't like their user interface by comparison to Encore, and only use them when I am forced to.
BIAB 2024 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 6.5 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6; Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus Studio 192, Presonus Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors
Another +1 for Sonar. I do extensive MIDI editing and Sonar X3d is the easiest to use IMO. I use the piano roll view (PRV) to do most of my editing. I find that much easier than using the notation view. However I use the notation view when I hear something not quite right as it is easier for me to see there than in the PRV. For example hearing an F someplace during a D chord and knowing that it is not suppose to be there.
Good luck in your search.
I want my last spoken words to be "I hid a million dollars under the........................"
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
RB AND Sonar/Cakewalk both feature PianoRoll MIDI entry and editing.
I'm not a big proponent of MIDI sequencing via Notation, because notation simply cannot easily provide enough of the necessary entry paramaters. For example, a trained live musician inherently knows the various rulesets involved with how long a Quarter Note or 8th should be played within the given situation. Notation entry, on the other hand, will yield all Quarter Note values as dead equal and that is not inherently a good sounding musical representation.
By far my most favorite method of MIDI part implementation is Recording to the click in realtime using a MIDI Controller of some sort, though. That delivers a performance that will sound exactly like what you played when you played it, yet offers the note-level Editing of MIDI when needed for cleanup and such.
--Mac
I agree with this 100%. Step entry or notation based entry is tedious at best, and stressful at worst for me.
I like PG's implementation of a hybrid for post-fat-fingered-recorded-mistake editing. I can read note values much more quickly; instantly honestly, on staff than I can with alternating colors on a piano roll display. I guess an analogy would be the difference between the standard block lettering found on an engineering drawing, versus the same drawing with cursive writing on it.
Alternatively, take a look at Mixcraft's piano roll - the head of each note bar on the roll is identified with pitch value. Zoomed out, this could be a mess, but zoomed in, for precise midi note editing, a nice way of going about displaying pitch value directly. Surely they can't be the only folks that do this.
In doing a little bit more research, it appears that a program called 'Notion' also implements a PG like hybrid between staff notation and 'bars and pipes'.
BB, RB and PT also have the excellent StaffRoll view, very handy for quickly editing Note placements, Velocities and Durations quickly.
I couldn't find that screenshot - that, in my opinion is the best post-recorded midi editing representation available. Are all PG programs like that? If so, IMO that's the high water mark, for editing.
I'll point out that you can paint yourself into a corner by trying to use only one of the MIDI editing/entry methods for all tasks.
Find out which method does a specified task the easiest, or the fastest, or in the most logical fashion for you and don't be afraid to switch between Notation, Staff Roll or PianoRoll views, also don't neglect MIDI Monitor and the other fine MIDI event editing tools as well.
I often prefer Piano Roll, and Event List edits for finer adjustments, especially for note position and velocity. Piano Roll is great if you want to say move a selected group of notes by an octave, third etc.
Like you say, all have a place somewhere or other.
BIAB & RB2024 Win.(Audiophile), Sonar Platinum, Cakewalk by Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M Monitors, Pioneer Active Monitors, AKG K271 Studio H'phones
I use Cubase Le4, with a Zoom R16 as my controller. It is the DAW that came with the Zoom; before that I used Real Band exclusively, but I like being able to move the faders with the Zoom in real time, I can also mute and solo outside the box. I wish Real Band would add Zoom controller to their list. I liked real band!
Personally i find Sonar, and PT, RB to have pretty good midi tools, Reaper to me is still lacking in midi, but is making steady progress.
Lenovo Win 10 16 gig ram, Mac mini with 16 gig of ram, BiaB 2022, Realband, Harrison Mixbus 32c version 9.1324, Melodyne 5 editor, Presonus Audiobox 1818VSL, Presonus control app, Komplete 49 key controller.
I use Mixcraft 6 because it was suggested to me by members of one of the Shadows´sites that I use to post on !:) It handles midi pretty nicely and it was very affordable too !:))
Even when brand spankin', the maintenance was near continuous.
The old analog decks DID sound wonderful with electric guitars, though, but don't for one second succumb to the idea that one can expect it to perform as designed from day to day without either being able to electrically, electronically and mechanically perform the necessary repairs and adjustments needed from day to day themselves, or have enough cash overhead available at all times to hire someone who can.
Guys who show up in lab coats who have German or Swedish sounding first names, speak little English - until it come time to fill out the Invoice for Services Rendered.
And don't try to find fresh reels of good magnetic tape for the things now, either. Today we are down to one $ource...
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!
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!
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!
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.
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!
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."
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