Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread
Print Thread
Go To
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 457
Journeyman
OP Offline
Journeyman
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 457
Well, once again, I find myself calling upon the Forum Mind to help me solve a BiaB problem. Y'all never let me down, so hear goes again.

I have a bunch of BiaB songs I've collected over the years. When I browse through the songs using the songpicker, over to the right there are columns with one-letter abbreviations. One of the columns is "L" and I've been assuming the "L" is for lyrics and that if there's an L associated with this song, it has lyrics. Is this a valid assumption?

When I load one of these songs, on the bottom right I get the message in the subject: Line based lyrics have been converted to bar based lyrics. It doesn't matter if I have the song set up to show just the chords or if I have the Notation window toggled, where just four bars are displayed at a time.

Problem is, lyrics are never displayed. Now I can recall in the past that lyrics would be displayed -- by "in the past" I mean with earlier versions of BiaB. The last version I upgraded to before 2017, which is installed now on my Win7 machine, was -- I think -- 2014. And I can recall as recently as a few months ago -- with 2017 -- seeing songs in which lyrics were displayed. But now none are being displayed.

I've clicked on that message that displays on the bottom right -- like it tells you to do -- which generates a pop up window, Overrides (also found at Options/Preferences/Overrides), to see if I had something set screwy, but it doesn't appear that I have.

I even went to Options/Preferences/Big Lyrics and clicked on "Auto open lyrics window for songs with lyrics." Didn't make any difference.

So what am I missing? Is there a control somewhere that I got set wrong such that lyrics aren't being displayed anymore? I'm assuming that, of the literally dozens of songs I've loaded that indicate they have lyrics, at least one of them would have lyrics to display. Yes?

Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,580
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,580
According to the user manual, the "L" column in style picker indicates that "Line Based Lyrics" were found in the file. The "N" column means that "Note Based Lyrics" were found. I don't believe that SongPicker has been updated to include the presence of "Bar Based Lyrics". (Wishlist item?!?)

The user manual also states:

Quote:
Convert line-based lyrics to bar-based lyrics

In the previous versions, there were line-based lyrics, which could be entered for each line on the Notation Window. You can no longer enter this type of lyrics, but if your existing song has line-based lyrics, Band-in-a-Box can convert them to bar-based-lyrics. This option allows you to choose how the conversion should occur when the song with line-based lyrics opens. The default is “Always (auto-split),” which will convert line-based lyrics to bar-based lyrics and splitting them into 4 bars. If you choose “Always (don’t split),” line-based lyrics will be converted but they won’t be split into 4 bars. You can also choose not to convert line-based lyrics automatically. If the current song has line-based lyrics, you can press the [Convert now] button to convert them to bar-based lyrics.


So it looks like you need to do the conversion, but it also appears that the Songpicker might need updating accordingly to indicate Bar Based Lyrics instead of Line Based Lyrics.

Not sure why your lyrics don't display if you do convert them, however.


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
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 457
Journeyman
OP Offline
Journeyman
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 457
Hey John, thanks for your prompt reply. I have my system set to the default, which is always auto-split.

Not sure what you mean by updating the Songpicker. I've looked through the commands and don't see anything like this. Unless -- by update do you mean I should rebuild the song list?

I just tried rebuilding one song list that included a couple of songs with lyrics that supposedly got converted. I saved the songs, then rebuilt the list. Nothing is appearing in the N column and when I load a newly saved song, there are still no lyrics that appear.

I tried right-clicking on the screen (chord and notation) and tried a couple of things there, but couldn't find anything pertinent.

The only other thing I've found is the Lyrics position in the Notation window: Options/Preferences/Notation. The Lyrics are set to "7" which is probably the default, since I haven't changed it.

This is really puzzling. I used to see lyrics with 2017 BiaB and then I noticed one day that I don't see them anymore -- and this is with song files that I've had lyrics appear before. I still think I have probably toggled something somewhere that's causing this. But I have no idea why or where.

Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,580
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,580
I think you misunderstood me; what I meant is that PGMusic probably needs to update the songpicker to reflect the use of bar based lyrics instead of line based lyrics.

If it did work before, then I would try backing out one of the updates (or perhaps installing the latest update if you are not) and see if you get it back.


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
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 824
Expert
Offline
Expert
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 824
My problem is the assumption that everyone now wants bar-based lyrics. We don't! All the people I know who use the program want to use note-based lyrics because this is the proper way to produce a lead sheet. All the pop-up notes about converting to bar-based lyrics are a bloody nuisance and I have been asking for them to be removed since this new version came out.

However, I too have a problem with the fact that I have several hundred of songs with line-based lyrics. My usual solution is to redo the lyrics from scratch. frown I suppose it is too much to ask for a 'convert line-based to note-based'. There used to be such a function, from memory, although I realize it is a difficult bit of programming to get right, because the lyric syllables don't always match the notes. Especially where you have more than one verse or slight changes in lyrics for different choruses. But that is okay because one can edit the new note-based lyrics if they are put attached to the wrong note.

PG marketing must realise that there are still huge numbers of people using Band-in-a-Box for creating lead sheets, rather than those that use it for playing live, where they only need the chords and lyrics. Frankly, I think we note-based lyric types are still the majority! Perhaps PG Music should do a survey to find out the real customers numbers using each method and make sure that the future development at least caters for all user requirements. It is great that the program works for all types of users but I just think there has been too much emphasis in the last two years on providing play sheets for the strummer/singers.


Grah Jive Talk
"Don't worry baby, they'll swing their arses off."
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,580
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,580
First of all, BIAB has never been able to convert line based to note based lyrics. I use note based exclusively, so switching over requires re-entering. Lyrics are a pain even with dedicated notation programs.

There are a number of folks here who love the bar based lyrics, so I imagine it's here to stay, but it would be nice if there were an easier way to do note based lyrics.


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
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 457
Journeyman
OP Offline
Journeyman
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 457
I guess I need to admit up front that I'm not 100% sure what bar-based and line-based lyrics are. I've always assumed that bar-based lyrics are those you see when the notation window is open, where you're reading four bars at a time, and that line based lyrics are -- well, I'm not real sure what line-based lyrics are.

But yeah, if what I just described above is actually notation-based lyrics, then that is what I prefer. Also having a leadsheet with both notation and lyrics would be acceptable as well. And I'd of course want to be able to print out these leadsheets showing both notation and lyrics.

Now, what I used to see that I don't see anymore is the four-bars that scroll across the screen, showing both the melody and lyrics. Whatever you call this is what I want back.

Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,580
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,580
Line based lyrics go back to the days where BIAB would display four bars per line in the grid. You could enter lyrics as continuous text represneting lyrics for that whole line of four bars. You would put in new lyrics for the next line of bars. Nothing lined up properly, but it was really there more to jog your memory as to the lyrics. They also tended to print pretty horribly.

Note based lyrics came next. With note based lyrics, you could assign each syllable to a specific note on the melody track. Obviously, you would need the notes there to do that. The lyrics would line up properly to the music you were playing, although long words didn't always print very cleanly all the time either.

Bar based lyrics are basically the replacement to line based lyrics, where you can enter a continuous text representing the lyrics for a single bar. Again, they don't line up to a melody line, but you have a new set of lyrics every bar.

Hope that helps.


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
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 457
Journeyman
OP Offline
Journeyman
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 457
Thanks for the clarifications, John. Now if I could just figure how to get them back!

Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 7,954
P
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
P
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 7,954

Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 457
Journeyman
OP Offline
Journeyman
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 457
Thanks for the links, Pipeline. I'm sure they will be very useful. But my main problem is finding the lyrics that used to be there and that are no longer displayed at all. Until I figure out what happened to them, the above links aren't gonna do me a whole lot of good.

Ultimately, I reckon it's gonna be easier and quicker to just re-enter the lyrics to the songs that I remember having lyrics with them. And move on.

Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 18,838
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 18,838
Originally Posted By: cooltouch
Thanks for the links, Pipeline. I'm sure they will be very useful. But my main problem is finding the lyrics that used to be there and that are no longer displayed at all.


I haven't read through the above posts so I don't know if this has been mentioned or not. Just in case it hasn't...

On your chordsheet, has the bar lyrics layer been activated so that the bar-based lyrics are visible (see the 1, 2, 3 on the upper image below)? If your chordsheet view is different from mine, use CTRL+T to switch views.

When bar lyrics are made visible, they will show up above the chords on the chordsheet (see the lower image).

Attached Files (Click to download or enlarge) (Only available when you are logged in)
bar lyrics layer 2017.JPG (44.15 KB, 29 downloads)
bar lyrics.JPG (19.73 KB, 24 downloads)

MY SONGS...
Audiophile BIAB 2024
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
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!

Congratulations to the 2023 User Showcase Award Winners!

We've just announced the 2023 User Showcase Award Winners!

There are 45 winners, each receiving a Band-in-a-Box 2024 UltraPAK! Read the official announcement to see if you've won.

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.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed!

Video: Volume Automation in Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows®

We've created a video to help you learn more about the Volume Automation options in Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows.

Band-in-a-Box® 2024: Volume Automation

www.pgmusic.com/manuals/bbw2024full/chapter11.htm#volume-automation

Video: Audio Input Monitoring with Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows®

We've created this short video to explain Audio Input Monitoring within Band-in-a-Box® 2024, and included some tips & troubleshooting details too!

Band-in-a-Box® 2024: Audio Input Monitoring

3:17: Tips
5:10: Troubleshooting

www.pgmusic.com/manuals/bbw2024full/chapter11.htm#audio-input-monitoring

Video: Enhanced Melodists in Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows®!

We've enhanced the Melodists feature included in Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows!

Access the Melodist feature by pressing F7 in the program to open the new MultiPicker Library and locate the [Melodist] tab.

You can now generate a melody on any track in the program - very handy! Plus, you select how much of the melody you want generated - specify a range, or apply it to the whole track.

See the Melodist in action with our video, Band-in-a-Box® 2024: The Melodist Window.

Learn even more about the enhancements to the Melodist feature in Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows at www.pgmusic.com/manuals/bbw2024upgrade/chapter3.htm#enhanced-melodist

Band-in-a-Box® 2024 DAW Plugin Version 6: New Features Specifically for Reaper®

New with the DAW Plugin Version 6.0, released with Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows: the Reaper® Panel!

This new panel offers built-in specific support for the Reaper® DAW API allowing direct transfer of Band-in-a-Box® files to/from Reaper® tracks!

When you run the Plugin from Reaper®, there is a panel to set the following options:
-BB Track(s) to send: This allows you to select the Plugin tracks that will be sent Reaper.
-Destination Reaper Track: This lets you select the destination Reaper track to receive media content from the Plugin.
-At Bar: You can select a bar in Reaper where the Plugin tracks should be placed.
-Start Below Selected Track: This allows you to place the Plugin tracks below the destination Reaper track.
-Overwrite Reaper Track: You can overwrite previous content on the destination Reaper track.
-Move to Project Folder: With this option, you can move the Plugin tracks to the Reaper project folder.
-Send Reaper Instructions Enable this option to send the Reaper Instructions instead of rendering audio tracks, which is faster.
-Render Audio & Instructions: Enable this option to generate audio files and the Reaper instructions.
-Send Tracks After Generating: This allows the Plugin to automatically send tracks to Reaper after generating.
-Send Audio for MIDI Track: Enable this option to send rendered audio for MIDI tracks.
-Send RealCharts with Audio: If this option is enabled, Enable this option to send RealCharts with audio.

Check out this video highlighting the new Reaper®-specific features: Band-in-a-Box® DAW Plugin Version 6: New Features Specifically for Reaper®

Band-in-a-Box® 2024 DAW Plugin Version 6: New Features Video

The new Band-in-a-Box VST DAW Plugin Verion 6 adds over 20 new features!

Watch the new features video to learn more: Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2024 - DAW Plugin Version 6 New Features

We also list these new features at www.pgmusic.com/bbwin.plugin.htm.

Forum Statistics
Forums66
Topics81,391
Posts732,463
Members38,440
Most Online2,537
Jan 19th, 2020
Newest Members
Ernest J, Izzy, BenChaz, Csofi, mmpartee
38,439 Registered Users
Top Posters(30 Days)
MarioD 195
Al-David 124
DC Ron 113
dcuny 87
rsdean 83
Today's Birthdays
CeeDee, SethMould
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5