With BB 2012, we’ve added a lot of features specific to MIDI. Although RealTracks (audio) are popular, some people prefer MIDI sounds, because they can edit them etc.

This post is a list of new features with 2012, that apply to MIDI.


So with BB 2012, we’ve added lots of MIDI features, and they are listed here:

Band-in-a-Box 2012 MIDI Features and Additions
There are some exciting new features in Band-in-a-Box 2012. We’ve added VST synth support for each MIDI track, so you can have multiple MIDI synths playing on your songs. You can also use VST Plugins (reverb, delay etc.) on each MIDI track. You can add MIDITracks individually now, simply select your favorite MIDITrack from any style to any track of your current song.

Plus Important MIDI Features added in version 2011.5 (released July 2011), including
- Mixer window, allowing you to quickly set volumes, panning, reverb, and patches.
- “BB Remote” an app for iPhone/iPad and Android for use with your desktop version of Band-in-a-Box 2011.5. BB Remote is a remote control to choose/play/mix songs on the desktop version.
- “WebDemo” button, which plays a streaming demo from the web.

The New MIDI Features in Band-in-a-Box 2012 for Windows are...

VST synth support for each track, so you can have multiple synths playing on your songs.

VST Plugins (reverb, delay etc.) on each track.


You can add MIDITracks individually now, simply select your favorite MIDITrack from any style to any track of your current song.

The “BBRemote” app for iPhone, iPad, Android has been updated with new features.


StylePicker Filter has been Enhanced.
There is a easy search feature on the main StylePicker filter window. You can type a search term, press Enter, and the styles are filtered. This includes, in addition to typing any text, special terms like Ev (shown only Even feel styles), Sw (Swing styles), 8 (8th note styles), 16 (16ths note styles), 140 (find styles that work at tempo 140), 140! (list only styles where the original tempo is 140), Real (list only real styles), MIDI (list only MIDI styles), , “Duo/Trio/Quartet” (# instruments) and more.

The StylePicker Advanced Filter has been enhanced, with new options only include styles matching the tempo exactly, individual genres listed (e.g. show Country and Pop styles only), Faster (single click) selection of options (radio buttons instead of drop down combo) for most commonly used settings. StylePicker filter added for time signatures 4/4, 3/4 waltz, 5/4, 6/8, 9/8, 12/8, others

Stylpicker memo enhanced
- Expanded size show; more of memo shows


BB Remote application updated with new features.
Double Click (to play from bar x). Easier changing of screens, File Save, Red/Green “connected” status button.

Yellow Hint Messages can now be clicked on to perform the action.
Questions asked when songs loaded (requiring a repsonse) are now changed to yellow flash messages, that don't require a response
but can be clicked on if you want to do the function:
- style is even feel. OK to change melody to swing (and vice versa)
- style is 16ths notes, reduce chord duration? ( and - style is 8th notes, expand chord duration?
- style is 3/4 waltz, transform the melody to waltz? (and vice versa)

Styles can now contain extra information, such as:
Custom Panning and Reverb settings. Styles can also store Plugins to use with tracks, and specific MIDI VST synths to use.

Note: If you don’t want panning, reverb, tone information sent with styles, you can set this in Prefs-MIDI Options- Allow Style Panning, Reverb, Tone changes

Note: For styles that store extra information (such as panning, reverb, tone, substylenames, plugin names etc.), an extra file with a .stx extension is saved. So for zzjazz.sty, you would also have a zzjazz.stx file, and both of them should be present for the features to be present. STX files are not needed for most styles, just ones that need to store this extra information.

Rests now apply to the Melody and Soloist tracks (if they have MIDITracks on them). Note that for purposes of excluding the tracks from the rests, the Melody and Soloist tracks use the same setting as the Strings track.

Bar Settings Dialog (F5) improvements: asterisk (*) is shown on F5 dialog on caption when any non default information is set. Also on each chorus number in the choruses drop down list, so you can see if there is any custom information set, and what choruses are set.


Notation Enhancements. On notation, note names are now shown when transposing for instrument and displaying relative note numbers. In editable notation mode, notes entered with mouse now take notation offset into account. so if clicked on the beat 1:1:0 will get entered at 1:1:7 if the notation offset is -7. This gives a more human feel to the arrangement.

On Mixer and top-of-screen Instrument radio buttons:
- - When a track is disabled, color is now dark gray.
- Easy way to disable/enable a track, including as the song is playing.
- - When a track is MIDI, and will be used in the style, or has MIDI data, color is yellow
- - Patch names now say <not used> for unused MIDI tracks, and <empty> for blank melody tracks

Ability to assign an individual track as “simple” (not embellished)

Have Fun!
Peter Gannon
PG Music Inc.