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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
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Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502 |
Quote:
Hi,
I will be buying BIAB/RB soon. I am also buying a used Roland GK-3 pickup system to feed my guitar to a Roland GR-1 Synth to do the Midi Interface conversion (I am buying these because I am getting a great deal and I am only interested in getting my notes into BIAB rather than having a great synth). I have a 5 year old computer running XP that has USB 2.0 capable ports. It is running a "RealTek HD Audio Manager software and it shows MSI on the top because the mother board is MSI". I do not see any mention of MIDI on the Audio Manager. The seller of the GR-1 says I can simply buy a Midi-to-USB converter since the GR-1 output is only 5-pin midi. At the same time I am aware there are PCI boards or sound cards that have Midi input. So I am not sure if BIAB running on my computer will pick up the Midi signal from the GR-1. To deal with this and make the final GR-1 purchase decision, I am thinking of downloading BIAB (I assume there is a trial period), taking my computer to the sellers place, firing it up and seeing if I can get all 6 guitar strings to feed into BIAB on my computer. I am wondering what is the simplest thing I can do to test the Midi signal is coming in to BIAB.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, John
Roland GK with GR-1 is the setup I have used for years with Band in a Box.
The only other thing you would need other than the BiaB program and the Windows computer would be a MIDI to computer device such as the USB device type already mentioned here. There are two types of these devices available, one type uses its own driver software which must be installed first, no big deal, and the other type is "class compliant" -- meaning no drivers need be installed by you as the Windows Operating System will detect that device automaically upon plug in. Either works about as well as the other, no gain by picking one over the other as far as performance goes. PGMusic sells a class compliant USB MIDI adaptor on this website, see the sales pages, hardware for more info.
The Roland GK pickup is fairly nice, a few tips are in order though.
*Most guitar players initially try to play the MIDI pickup as if it were the acoustic guitar. My advice is not to expect it to perform like that, after all, if we needed to record a guitar, it would be far simpler to use Audio and record from the guitar pickup. Instead, concentrate on the pickup's ability to fire MIDI patches of the instruments that are NOT guitars in the MIDI lineup: Pianos, Electric Pianos, Organs, Horns, etc.
*However, when using the MIDI pickup to enter notation for such purposes as guitar teaching or creating guitar parts for sessions, I find that using a clean MIDI guitar patch such as the "Jazz Guitar" patch from the GM bank is a good way to go.
*HAMMER-ONS AND PULLOFFS may not track well with the GK pickup system. While I have found that the thicker the strings on the guitar, the better the MIDI pickup system will track (my old jap strat that ha the GK on it is running 12 or 13 on top...) there is still a slight limitation as to what the MIDI pickup can reasonably handle. Not a big deal to me after beconming familiar with the setup, sometimes I simply pick every note from a passage and then manually Edit the results to indicate hammerons, pulloffs, the slur indicator, etc.
*There are MIDI pickup systems that can track much better and faster than the Roland syzstem, but they tend to cost ten times the entry price of the Roland. So to record fast passages and such with the Roland GK system, I find it better to temporarily set the MIDI host program (such as Band in a Box, Realband, Powertracks, Sonar, etc. ) Tempo to a slower BPM setting than the target and record the whole thing at a speed slow enough to allow for good MIDI note tracking. You can find out what that would be for your setup with a bit of experimentation. After the recording is done, just reset the Tempo where it is supposed to be for a good playback.
*DON'T EXPECT TO FIND ULTIMATE JOY IN THE FIRST HOUR OR EVEN THE FIRST DAY. I found that it was necessary to treat the MIDI guitar setup as if it were a brand new instrument (to me) that happened to be controlled in much the same fashion as my guitar, but with a slightly different set of parameters that I had to become used to. There will be a bit of the unfamiliar there, easily concquered via the repetition of practice with the MIDI system. So I do recommend that you look forward to a certain amount of time for you to go through what I like to call a "ahakedown" period with the new equipment and software. The end result is well worth it, but perhaps far too many, expecting instant and stellar results, perhaps expecting the setup to perform pretty much like an audio pickup would, try the thing for too short a time and then become disgruntled. Practicing with the thing in order to become accustomed to the differences in playing style needed to get good MIDI tracking, plus a few other things that have to happen there, is the way to go.
--Mac
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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.
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User Video: Next-Level AI Music Editing with ACE Studio and Band-in-a-Box®
Band-in-a-Box® 2024 German for Windows is Here!
Band-in-a-Box® 2024 für Windows Deutsch ist verfügbar!
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!
Paket | Was ist Neu
Update Your PowerTracks Pro Audio 2024 Today!
The Newest RealBand 2024 Update is Here!
The newest RealBand 2024 Build 5 update is now available!
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.
This free update is available to all RealBand 2024 users. To learn more about this update and download it, head to www.pgmusic.com/support.realband.htm#20245
The Band-in-a-Box® Flash Drive Backup Option
Today (April 5) is National Flash Drive Day!
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!
Learn more about this free update for Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows at www.pgmusic.com/support_windowsupdates.htm#1111
Band-in-a-Box® 2024 Review: 4.75 out of 5 Stars!
If you're looking for a in-depth review of the newest Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows version, you'll definitely find it with Sound-Guy's latest review, Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows Review: Incredible new capabilities to experiment, compose, arrange and mix songs.
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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