I just bought a MOOG Theremini. It is a modern version of the classic Theremin. It is very difficult to play and I want to make some simple MIDI files to play along with. Octave, major and minor triad, major and minor scale, chromatic scale. Since the Theremin is chromatic and the fingering is the same in every key, I only need to record each exercise once and then, since it is MIDI I can speed it up as I get better and raise or lower the pitch. I have BIAB 2014 but have not used it. I just want to use the onscreen keyboard to create simple MIDI files with a flute tone. This is a very simple use of BIAB. Most of the instructions in the manual are very complex and have to do with many features I don't need. Also I'm a total beginner with BIAB. Can someone give me the basic menu items I need to use?
Thank you.

Edmund,

Welcome to the forum.

The easiest way that I can think of would be to use the notation editor and to add notes on the Melody track using your mouse. To play back, you could then solo the Melody or, if you wanted drums to keep you in time, mute all tracks except the Drums and Melody.

1. Start a song in 4/4.

2. Open Notation Editor.

3. Start Editable Notation Mode.

4. Create the scale by clicking on beats 1, 2, 3, 4 in each bar. (Where each beat note is a scale tone.)

5. Save the file.


For triads, you can enter notes one on top of the other. You will need to turn off 'Mono' mode to do this.

The image below summarises the above.

Regards,
Noel

In addition to Noel's excellent message another way to practice triads would be to input chords in the chord window. This is the first screen you will see when you open BiaB. Put a chord in the first measure, move the cursor to the second measure and input another chord. For example if you put a C chord in the first measure and a F chord in the second you will get 4 beats of C followed by 4 beats of F, assuming of course that you are in 4/4 time. You can of course change the time and key signatures as well as the tempo.

You also can either play all of the tracks or any number of tracks that you select. For instance you can play all of the tracks to get started then mute all but the drum and bass tracks as you practice.

I hope this helps and good luck.

Thanks. I will try this. I was hoping to use the onscreen keyboard to input notes, as I have a few years of piano lessons.

You could do that if you wish. I suspect that it's slower than entering using mouse clicks. Experiment and see what works best for you.

• my latest song : At Apollo Bay

Thanks again for your help. I have just spent an hour struggling with BIAB and I'm beginning to think that my plan is too simple for BIAB to deal with. I don't want an accompaniment. I don't want a style. I don't want tracks. I just want to enter a simple single note line, to indicate octaves, or a scale and that's it. I just want to hear it as a flute or sax. After I can play along with my Theremin I want to increase the speed or change the pitch.
I have read the tutorials on the notation window but I can't figure out how to scroll down into the bass. On my screen I have a whole treble staff but only the top line of the bass staff. If I click on bass part I get more of the bass staff but not all of it. Only four lines are shown. The lowest note I can enter is B3. I would like to enter A3.
Also my screen doesn't look like yours. The top right quarter of my screen has a mixer. I don't see a key icon as shown on your screen shot. This may be because we have different versions. I have 2014. Sorry, but I am an absolute beginner on BIAB. If there are help files or posts I should read, please point them out.

It sounds like the size of your staff's display is too large to fit on screen. Click the "-" sign that I've highlighted on the image below. That will reduce the display's size.

To enter notes in the bass clef, simply click on the line or space in which you'd like the note (in editable notation mode).

Regards,
Noel

You could write your notation in the melody line then mute all other tracks. That should give you what you are looking for. Or you could use RealBand and use notation to input your MIDI track and that would be the only track that you hear.

I hope this helps.

Thanks again. I'm on it.