Did you know about RealTracks Medleys? They are special groups of RealTracks that play in sequence. This tutorial shows you how to make your own medleys with the RealTracks feature in Band-in-a-Box: youtu.be/xzJBMmyCzoU
When it comes to Medleys, we don't stop there! With a previous release of Version 2008, we added a feature to Band-in-a-Box called the Medley Maker. This feature is great tool if you are wanting to make a medley of various songs you've created with Band-in-a-Box!
Inside the Medley Maker, which is accessed through the Song Form [AABA] button (the one with the pencil), simply select the songs that you want, and Band-in-a-Box will make the medley for you. A medley is not simply joining songs together - a good medley uses a "transition" area between songs to introduce the new style, key, and tempo. The Medley Maker automatically creates a nice transition area for you, writing in chords that would smoothly transition to the next song, style, key, and tempo!
I just don't know a song that has "one" chorus with a length that prohibits it to be used in a medley. Yes if a medley consists of ten songs each with more than 25 measures in average there might be a problem...
It really depends on the choice of tunes for the medley. But the way I see it, there is a very small chance to be stopped by the 255 bar limit. How high is the percentage that the average user with the average medley is affected? In at least 80 percent of all medleys there no problem. In at least 80 percent of the remaining 20 (16% in total) there is a creative solution to make it possible. That leaves a (calculated) maximum of 4 percent of medleys that might be affected.
Maybe somebody has a valid example where it does not work.
The 255 bar limit is a problem for me for the following reason.
I often play keyboard for gatherings, parties etc and would like a way of stringing together a couple of dozen songs so that I can play continuously for a long time with no breaks in between. e.g. I play literally dozens of songs as background music for a Xmas dinner. In theory the Jukebox does this (each song has it's own 255 limit) but it has one major flaw, that has been discussed many times. If it gets stopped in the middle of a batch of songs you cannot just restart the Jukebox where it stopped.
When I saw this thread on creating a medley I thought - great, the problem is now solved, I don't have to use the Jukebox but unfortunately the 255 limit still applies to the total medley.
Yes, I see it now. Creating a medley is limited for 255 bars, you then can repeat the medley using a number of choruses. So the same 255 bars get repeated over and over until the last iteration is reached.
That is again a topic for the wishlist. A wish that is probably hard to fulfill since it might tackle the current file structure. Just the wild guess that the number of bars is written into one (!) byte giving 256 unique states. To have more than that this status byte needs to be expanded to at least two bytes, allowing 65535 bars per song.
I'm positive that PGMusic will address this when the file structure has to be modified in one way or the other. Then there must also be a converter routine to correctly interpret and write legacy file formats.
One possible way to increase past 255 bars is to use Real Band It has had Medley Maker since 2011 and no 255 bar limit:
It does have some issue with the 255 bar limit and BIAB RT generations. There was a seriously long discussion thread about a year ago. I'm not sure how it would apply to the Medley Maker limit.
A related hidden feature I've found using the Song Medley tool is as way to match incompatible elements within a single song project.
Because the Medley Maker can repeatedly use the same song in the Medley Maker song list and access defined measures of that single song, change tempo, change key as well as include/exclude a list of 7 song elements, and apply these to individual chorus's; Plus you can have transitions from 0-16 measures between each 'song'.
Setting the transition to -0- has no gap between the songs so BIAB plays that transition the same as if it were a Part Marker.
The Medley Maker also creates a unique SGU file to play the Medley and so it's non-destructive to the SGU file made to use repeatedly in the Medley Maker tool.
It's one heck of a powerful single song arrangement tool...
Here's a link from the Songwriter forum where I used the Medley Maker to do with 'songs' what BIAB couldn't do within a single song because BIAB played each 'song' as if it were a Part Marker.
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."
Convenient Ways to Listen to Band-in-a-Box® Songs Created by Program Users!
The User Showcase Forum is an excellent place to share your Band-in-a-Box® songs and listen to songs other program users are creating!
There are other places you can listen to these songs too! Visit our User Showcase page to sort by genre, artist (forum name), song title, and date - each listing will direct you to the forum post for that song.
If you'd rather listen to these songs in one place, head to our Band-in-a-Box® Radio, where you'll have the option to select the genre playlist for your listening pleasure. This page has SoundCloud built in, so it won't redirect you. We've also added the link to the Artists SoundCloud page here, and a link to their forum post.
We hope you find some inspiration from this amazing collection of User Showcase Songs!
Our User Showcase Forum receives more than 50 posts per day, with people sharing their Band-in-a-Box songs and providing feedback for other songs posted.
One of our representatives will be happy to help you over the phone. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday, and 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST Saturday. We are closed Sunday. You can also send us your questions via email.
One of our representatives will be happy to help you on our Live Chat or by email. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday; 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST (GMT -8) Saturday; Closed Sunday.
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean