Hi, I have Realband 2009 and I'm wanting to explore recording along with BIAB files.

Realband audio and midi options are configured exactly the same as my BIAB program which I've never had a problem with. Realband has no optional effects or plugins installed as it is just like out of the box. Coyote WT is the only synth that is in use.

When I load a BIAB song into Realband, the program freezes when attempting to play it. I have to kill the program with the task manager to exit.

Realband plays SEQ files that I created in PowerTracks perfectly.

My goal - if it is possible - is to play a BIAB song and record with it, but first I need to get it to play the song by itself.

Windows 10
Creative Soundblaster Audigy FX Internal Sound Card
Lots of HDD space
Lots of RAM
etc.

Please help.

Thanks!

The Watosh

Welcome to the forums the-watosh! Windows 10 was released in 2015, so the 2009 version of Band-in-a-Box/RealBand was not made for this operating system in mind. It is possible that you could experience some compatibility issues. You could try running RealBand as an Administrator and see if that helps. However, we recommend upgrading to the latest version.

If you have any questions about your purchase options, you can contact us directly by either live chat or emailing sales@pgmusic.com.

Maybe try saving the song as a SEQ file first.
File - Save As should offer this option, hard to recall that long ago though.

The next step I would try (if it were me) is, after saving as a seq file, find the 'Make all BB tracks regular tracks'
This would stop RB from trying to generate all the BiaB tracks when you hit Generate.
You would have to select a track or section of a track, and regenerate those manually after that.

Again, this is a pretty old version (2009), so where to find these commands may be in different locations; I am going from memory.
There is a setting in recent RB versions that will cause it to save as a seq file just by hitting save, but back then I think it was a bit more of a manual process.

Of course Chantelle's suggestion is also a good idea, may solve some OS issues like permissions and such.

Sorry, I was wrong. My version of Realband is 2010 ( I read the copyright 2009 ).

Is it correct that Realband (latest version) should be able to play BIAB (MGU etc.) files while recording live through a USB interface?

My goal is to create a sound-on-sound multi track one man band recording using the various instruments that I play along with the BIAB files that I've created.

Is that possible with the latest version of Realband?

Thanks very much.

Thanks, but my version of BIAB 2010.5 does not give me the option to save to a .seq file. I couldn't find 'Make all BB tracks regular tracks' anywhere...

you need to be in RB to save to a seq file and to make all BIAB tracks regular tracks - open the BIAB file in RB first

I tried a different computer (laptop) with Windows 7 that has Realband 2010 installed. When I tried loading a BIAB sample .mgu file that came with BIAB 10 the exact same thing occurred as when I was using my desktop computer with Win 10. Realband froze and a CPU percent display in the upper right screen was at 99% indefinitely.

Each computer has different sound cards. The laptop is using the realtek and my desktop is using Soundblaster Audigy FX.

Each has been working fine with .seq files but they both choke and die when trying to load .mgu files.

Perhaps there is a setting in the options that needs to be checked to load and play BIAB files???

Look at the top of the screen (title bar).
RB has to generate all the tracks before it will be responsive.
Maybe this is taking longer on your machines (?)

That title bar should show the progress.
RB is not like BiaB in that it generates as it plays, instead RB generates first thing.

Ho Watosh, please close RealBand then right click on the RealBand shortcut and choose "Run As Administrator" - see if that helps.

Thanks for you response.

I created a test.sgu consisting of two bars with no loop.

When I loaded that file RB went into instant endless lockup with 98-99% CPU usage.

It's interesting that a yellow box very briefly flashed in the upper right screen too rapidly for me to see what it said....

Thanks for your response.

No change, same problem running as administrator.

Is it true that RB (either 2010 version and/or the latest new version) should be able to load and run a BIAB file (such as the demo files supplied in the BIAB install) while recording through an audio interface at the same time? That's my desired goal.

BTW I haven't yet attached the audio interface to the computer or attempted to configure it in RB during this troubleshooting process, so that shouldn't be a factor since I'm using the soundcards that have long been installed in both my laptop and desktop computers. I have not yet attempted recording since it's a moot point if I can't get RB to play BIAB files.

Thanks

maybe you could do it another way. if you have the drag and drop facility, drag the master button to the wav drop section, wait for it to turn green then drag te wav files into RB.

that's available in the recent programs but not sure if its supported in your versions

Thanks very much for your suggestion.

After some experimentation and research I found that your method works to a degree.

I determined that I don't have a "master button" but I found that the "combo" button in my version of BIAB apparently does the same thing. It also looks like individual instruments listed next to the "combo" button can be separately dropped into RB by dragging them individually! That is a huge step forward toward a successful workaround!

The problem that I'm finding is that no matter what *audio* (non-midi) instrument I drop into RB whether via the "combo" button or by the instrument button alone, the program inserts the music "wav file" at bar #16. The test file I'm using only has four bars total including the ending. This appears to be happening for all *audio* based tracks or instruments. I achieve the same response no matter if I select the track in RB to be audio or leave it at the default midi designation, or if I drop the instrument on the track control area on the left (where the label and midi/audio badge is located) or if I drop into the track itself at position -1 (or any other position). Additionally if I try to drop a second audio instrument into a new previously unused track in RB, the instrument always is inserted into track #1 at bar 16 overriding whatever was in there previously.

The above occurs also when I drag the instruments or "combo" to the "drop" button and drop it into RB after the button turns green.

Midi based instruments drop in and play perfectly!

If I can get the audio based instruments to drop into a separate track at the beginning position and not at bar 16, along with the midi tracks to drop in individually as they are now doing, I'd be very happy with this workaround.

Thanks again, I think we're close to a good workaround solution. I hope.

the-watosh
greetings. interesting user name.
heres my suggestions.
1. for 90 buks you can upgrade the biab and rb programs
(on a pen drive). and get the latest pg versions.
and if you dont like , you have 30 days to get a refund.
whats not to like bout that. why bother with such old versions.
https://www.pgmusic.com/bbwin.packages.pro.htm
2. if you read any good treatise on setting up a daw recording studio...one item at the core of the studio is useing a good audio usb interface for recording and playback.
heres a slew of such interfaces that pg users find work well. note would suggest you rent a device for a month
to ensure compatability with your pc's. and then buy if all ok.
https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=635707#Post635707

wishing you the best.
oldmuso

In a nutshell yes.
You should be able to open a BiaB file in RB and that would work.
Again, you'd have more flexibility saving it as a SEQ file first (after it finishes opening).
It may take a bit to open (because,again, RB regenerates everything upon opening a BiaB file)

For recent versions; yes it does this, but a version that old would be hard to test anymore.

Another workaround is IF
the tracks import to bar 16 and you want them at bar 1, just go to the bars window and highlight the bars you want removed, then select those tracks, then use Cut (and make sure 'Close Gap' in enabled) and cut all the tracks at once, which will move them toward the beginning of the song.
/You shouldn't have to do this though

As for the quick yellow message box; there is an RB Flash Message log in recent versions but I do not remember the location for a version that old or if it even existed back then .. maybe the RBError.Log file would reveal something.
You're testing my memory now

You mentioned that you have BIAB 2010.5. That should also give you the 2010.5 RealBand. Have you made sure you are running the most recent patch for that version? And likewise, I would make sure that BIAB 2010.5 has been patched to the most recent version for that release (since RealBand reads and uses some BIAB program files to process BIAB song files. The patches are available for download from the support tab of the PGMusic website.

Thank you so much for your suggestion!

I downloaded and installed the patches for BIAB, RB, and Realtracks and that totally solved my problem! I can now load a BIAB file into RB and it plays perfectly.

A sincere thank you to you and also to everyone in this thread who took the time to try to help me with this situation.

Very much appreciated!

The Watosh

I"m so glad that worked out for you.