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#452353 01/20/18 02:09 AM
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Good morning!

I might be stupid but I can't get my head around what the purposes of the melody track and soloist track are.

Can some friendly soul take a minute and explain the difference between the two and how they're used.

I did search the forum but couldn't find an explanation.

Thank you in advance

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The Melody track and the Soloist tracks are the primary tracks for users to enter notation and note based lyrics.

Say, for example, you want to create a lead sheet, the Melody track (or Soloist track) is where that would happen.

The Melody track also has a melody-creation function called the MELODIST that will create melodies from chord progressions. This is midi based.

Associated with the Soloist track is a similar function called the SOLOIST which will generate solos. The soloist can be used with midi or soloist Realtracks.

If you go to the below link...

http://www.pgmusic.com/videos.bbwin.htm

... you'll find some video clips that will help give some insight into what can be done on these tracks.

The clips to look for are...

BEGINNER SECTION
*Entering Lyrics in Band-in-a-Box
*Entering Notation in Band-in-a-Box
*Band-in-a-Box® generates melodies & chords

ACHIVE SECTION
*Soloist and Melodist Tutorial

Even though some of the above clips use an old version of BIAB, the principles are the same today.

Regards,
Noel


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Thanks a lot. I'll have a look at it

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I concur with everything Noel said.

I am guessing that the original idea was to put the melody on the Melody track and harmony on the Soloist track. They could have been called Melody and Harmony tracks. In the earlier days of BIAB, it was more common to use the pull-down menu on the Soloist track to select from over one hundred built-in harmonizations. These are actually still there and are quite powerful.

You probably know this, but these two tracks are the only ones that are not overwritten when a song is regenerated (unless you freeze the track, a more modern enhancement).


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That sounds like a good explanation. Thanks a lot.

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With reference to breaks, rests, shots and held chords, i have often wondered if or is it possible to do that when you have Melody and/or Soloist tracks in a song/composition ?

If there is how is that done, please.

Sorry if my question is way off track in the discussion of Melody and Soloist tracks.


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Probably better to start a new thread with this question, which is a good one.

I don’t use the Soloist (that’s my job) but as I understand it, RealTrack solo parts play through Shots and Holds, simulating a real musician. Others will know better.


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w #452648 01/21/18 09:48 AM
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Originally Posted By: w
With reference to breaks, rests, shots and held chords, i have often wondered if or is it possible to do that when you have Melody and/or Soloist tracks in a song/composition ?

If there is how is that done, please.

Sorry if my question is way off track in the discussion of Melody and Soloist tracks.


That's an excellent question and certainly not off track.

With midi styles, shots, rests, holds, pushes do not apply to the Melody and Soloist tracks because they are tracks designed for the user to create melodies and solos on. They are not backing tracks. If a user wanted a, say, a shot on these tracks, it would need to be added via notation in the music.

In older versions of BIAB, it used to be that any Realtrack placed on either the Melody or Soloist track did not play shots, holds, etc. I've just tried it in 2018 and the shots played for me with a Realtrack on the Soloist and the Melody tracks. There is no way yet to exclude these tracks from the effect, though, like the other tracks can be exluded.

Regards,
Noel


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This is a thread that should have a sticky pin applied to it. Every post is chock full of useful information. Great questions and responses.


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I'm not at my music machine right now, but it would be worth trying to see whether shots/holds on the soloist track with RealTracks are honored depending upon whether the RealTrack is designated as a solo instrument versus a rhythmic instrument. Although some may disagree, I would expect the soloist to play through, but the rhythmic instrument to honor the shot/hold.

With MIDI instruments auto-generated by BIAB, they will play through the shot/hold. Obviously, MIDI tracks you create yourself will do whatever you tell them to do.


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That's a really good point, John about soloist versus rhythmic Realtracks.


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