Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread
Print Thread
Go To
#757663 03/13/23 12:44 AM
Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 48
R
Enthusiast
OP Offline
Enthusiast
R
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 48
I've found that exporting separate tracks in wav format produces wave files which are heavily clipped if I check the "normalise" boxes. Is this a known bug? (Band-in-a-Box® for Windows, Version 2022 (927), 64 bit)

Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,864
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,864
check your settings for the normalize function. The editor I use allows me to set the level for the export.

If yours doesn't allow you to adjust the level.... get a new one. I use WavePad from NCH


You can find my music at:
www.herbhartley.com
Add nothing that adds nothing to the music.
You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.

The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,703
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,703
I agree with Herb.

One thing to check is are the tracks clipping prior to normalizing?


OK, a random thought;
Why does toilet paper need a commercial? Who's not buying it?

64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,566
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,566
I don't recall that this is a known bug in last year's version. It might be worth checking in version 2023, however, so please provide the steps you took.


BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 48
R
Enthusiast
OP Offline
Enthusiast
R
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 48
Originally Posted By: Guitarhacker
check your settings for the normalize function.
Where is that then? I don't see any normalise settings in the BIAB export audio section. In any case "normalise" is "normalise", i.e. amplify the wave so that the highest peak level is at digital FSD.

Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 48
R
Enthusiast
OP Offline
Enthusiast
R
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 48
Originally Posted By: MarioD
One thing to check is are the tracks clipping prior to normalizing?

No, of course not, as proved by; if I don't check the normalise boxes the exported tracks are not clipped.

Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 2,044
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 2,044
Originally Posted By: ricobasso
I've found that exporting separate tracks in wav format produces wave files which are heavily clipped if I check the "normalise" boxes. Is this a known bug? (Band-in-a-Box® for Windows, Version 2022 (927), 64 bit)


Not enough information to guess what you are doing wrong.


BIAB 2026 Audiophile Mac
24Core/60CoreGPU M2 MacStudioUltra/8TB/192GB Sequoia/Tahoe, M1 & M5 MBAir, 2012 MBP
Digital Performer11, Logic, Finale27/Dorico/Encore/SmartScore/Notion/Overture
Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,703
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,703
Originally Posted By: ricobasso
Originally Posted By: MarioD
One thing to check is are the tracks clipping prior to normalizing?

No, of course not, as proved by; if I don't check the normalise boxes the exported tracks are not clipped.


OK great. It wasn't clear that you did that in your initial post.

All I can suggest is the return to factory settings and if the problem continues then it is a bug.

As far as I know there are no settings for normalize in BiaB. I never use a normalizer that doesn't have settings. The free Audacity has a normalizer with settings if you need one.


OK, a random thought;
Why does toilet paper need a commercial? Who's not buying it?

64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 48
R
Enthusiast
OP Offline
Enthusiast
R
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 48
Originally Posted By: Mike Halloran
Originally Posted By: ricobasso
I've found that exporting separate tracks in wav format produces wave files which are heavily clipped if I check the "normalise" boxes. Is this a known bug? (Band-in-a-Box® for Windows, Version 2022 (927), 64 bit)


Not enough information to guess what you are doing wrong.


It's quite simple but I'll spell it out. I have arranged a song by inputting chords to BIAB. I choose a stock BIAB style. It plays back fine; drums, bass, 2 x guitars and piano.

I then want wav files to use in my DAW (Adobe Audition) so I choose audio > export > wav, I check one wav for each instrument, then "render" and save to a location on my PC. I get one wav file per instrument.

If I leave the "normalise" options unchecked everything is fine, but the waveforms do not use the full dynamic range available. If I check "normalise" all the tracks are amplified up to greater than digital FSD, i.e they are "clipped".

Seems like the BIAB software guys don't understand what "normalise" means or am I missing something?

Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 11,038
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 11,038
You're clicking on the WAV button on the File toolbar and then choosing "Export Song as Audio File". That brings up the Render to Audio File window, correct?

Do you have the bit depth set for "32 bit IEEE"? That will cause a render to clip every time.

Attached Files (Click to download or enlarge) (Only available when you are logged in)
Clipboard01.jpg (288.82 KB, 116 downloads)

Jim Fogle - 2026 BiaB (Build 1224) RB (Build 8) - Ultra+ PAK
DAWs: Cakewalk Sonar - Standalone: Zoom MRS-8
Desktop: i7 Win 11, 12GB ram 256GB SSD, 4 TB HDD
Music at: https://fogle622.wix.com/fogle622-audio-home
Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 48
R
Enthusiast
OP Offline
Enthusiast
R
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 48
No, It's set to 24bit PCM

Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,604
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,604
Try 16/44 bit.
BiaB is 16/44 so it may help.


I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 48
R
Enthusiast
OP Offline
Enthusiast
R
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 48
Originally Posted By: Jim Fogle
You're clicking on the WAV button on the File toolbar and then choosing "Export Song as Audio File". That brings up the Render to Audio File window, correct?
Do you have the bit depth set for "32 bit IEEE"? That will cause a render to clip every time.

Correct. This, plus rharv's comment, were great clues as to what was happening. When I exported with normalise checked and used 16bit PCM / 44.1kHz (which is the same as the native setting in my DAW) there was no clipping.

Problem solved. Thanks guys.

Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 2,044
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 2,044
Quote:
If I leave the "normalise" options unchecked everything is fine, but the waveforms do not use the full dynamic range available. If I check "normalise" all the tracks are amplified up to greater than digital FSD, i.e they are "clipped".

Seems like the BIAB software guys don't understand what "normalise" means or am I missing something?


You are missing something. Any multitrack session will behave exactly as yours if every track is normalized first.

Mixing involves summing the results of those tracks. If they’re already at peak before you combine, they will clip. 1+1+1+1+1+1 does not = 1 but that’s what you are expecting. The more tracks, the worse it gets.

For the last 3 years, I have been making virtual choirs for churches. The tracks I get sometimes require Normalization — but then I back off. -3dB if under 8 tracks, -6dB if under 12 tracks and so on… Gotta give the mix some headroom. You aren’t doing that.

Stop normalizing tracks that don’t need it (never seen a BIAB track that did).

A couple things that helped me were to convert all tracks to 32 bit float on import (a huge improvement in headroom) and find a musical limiter, the bx_limiter True Peak from BrainWorx.
bx_limiter True Peak
They often have it on sale. Yesterday, it was $24.95. Most limiters cannot handle what I need for various reasons.


BIAB 2026 Audiophile Mac
24Core/60CoreGPU M2 MacStudioUltra/8TB/192GB Sequoia/Tahoe, M1 & M5 MBAir, 2012 MBP
Digital Performer11, Logic, Finale27/Dorico/Encore/SmartScore/Notion/Overture
Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 2,766
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 2,766
I tried this in both 2022 and 2023, and did not have any clipping - tested with 16-bit and 24-bit. One thing that can affect this is having any of the faders in the mixer set above 0 (or 90 when reading MIDI values), or the master faders at the bottom of the mixer (see the screenshot below). If any of the faders are above zero, this will affect the rendered files, and it will be made worse when using the normalizer to increase the volume of each track.

You might not have heard clipping when playing the song back in BIAB, as BIAB has a built-in peak limiter, which will stop the audio from clipping. That limiter is only used when playing back, not when rendering - this is because users might want to use their own plugins for compression and limiting.


Originally Posted By: ricobasso
Originally Posted By: Guitarhacker
check your settings for the normalize function.
Where is that then? I don't see any normalise settings in the BIAB export audio section. In any case "normalise" is "normalise", i.e. amplify the wave so that the highest peak level is at digital FSD.

There are different ways to normalize audio. BIAB normalizes the loudest peak to 0dB FS. Other normalizers have settings to normalize to any dB level you choose, and some allow you to normalize to an RMS value.


Originally Posted By: ricobasso
the waveforms do not use the full dynamic range available

The audio files for BIAB typically use dynamic compression, so they don't usually use the full dynamic range anyway. If you were to render two files, one with normalization and one without, they would be able to completely null each other in a null test - in other words, apart from an amplitude offset, the audio is bit-for-bit exactly the same either way.


Originally Posted By: Mike Halloran
You are missing something. Any multitrack session will behave exactly as yours if every track is normalized first.

I read ricobasso's original post as meaning each individual track was clipping in isolation. Is that the case rico, or are all the tracks summed together clipping?

Attached Files (Click to download or enlarge) (Only available when you are logged in)
Master.png (2.52 KB, 50 downloads)
Last edited by Simon - PG Music; 05/23/23 12:29 PM.

I work here
Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 14
M
Newbie
Offline
Newbie
M
Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 14
It might be worth checking in Showbox jiofi.local.html tplinklogin version 2023, however, so please provide the steps you took.

Last edited by mariusnoah; 09/30/23 03:00 AM.
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Go To

Link Copied to Clipboard
ChatPG

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.

PG Music News
XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!

All of our XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs are on sale until May 15th, 2026!

It's the perfect time to expand your Band-in-a-Box® style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs. These additional styles for Band-in-a-Box® offer a wide range of genres designed to fit seamlessly into your projects. Each style is professionally arranged and mixed, helping enhance your songs while saving you time.

What are XPro Styles and Xtra Styles PAKs?

XPro Styles PAKs are styles that work with any version (Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition) of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). XPro Styles PAKS 1-10 includes 1,000 styles!

Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 includes 3,700 styles (and 35 MIDI styles)!

The XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs are not included in any Band-in-a-Box® package.

The XPro Styles PAKs 1-10 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.

The Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the Xtra Styles PAK Bundle for only $199 (reg. $349)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.

Note: XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.

The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 19 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version as they require the RealTracks included in the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.

Supercharge your Band-in-a-Box today with XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAK Sets!

Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac Videos

With the release of Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac, we’re rolling out a collection of brand-new videos on our YouTube channel. We’ll keep this forum post updated so you can easily find all the latest videos in one convenient spot.

Whether you're exploring new features, checking out the latest RealTracks or Style PAKs, this is your go-to guide for Band-in-a-Box® 2026.

Check out this forum post for "One Stop Shopping" of our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Videos!

Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac is Here!

Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac is here and it is packed with major new features! There’s a new modern look, a GUI redesign to all areas of the program including toolbars, windows, workflow and more. There’s a Multi-view layout for organizing multiple windows. A standout addition is the powerful AI-Notes feature, which uses AI neural-net technology to transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI—entire mixes or individual instruments—making it easy to study, view, and play parts from any song. And that’s just the beginning—there are over 100 new features in this exciting release.

Along with version 2026, we've released an incredible lineup of new content! There's 202 new RealTracks, brand-new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two new RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!

Special Offers
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac and save up to 50% on most upgrade packages during our special offer—available until May 15, 2026. Visit our Band-in-a-Box® packages page to explore all available upgrade options.

2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK Add-ons
Our Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK are loaded with amazing add-ons! The Free Bonus PAK is included with most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac packages, but you can unlock even more—including 20 unreleased RealTracks—by upgrading to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49.

Holiday Weekend Hours

As we hop into the Easter weekend, here are our holiday hours:

April 3 (Good Friday): 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM PDT
April 4 (Saturday): Closed
April 5 (Easter Sunday): Closed
April 6 (Easter Monday): Open regular hours

Wishing you an egg-cellent weekend!

— Team PG

Update to Build 10 of RealBand® 2026 for Windows®!

If you're already using RealBand 2026 for Windows, download build 10 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.

Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® users: Build 904 now available!

If you're already using Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, make sure to grab the latest update! Build 904 is now available for download and includes the newest additions and enhancements from our team.

Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® users: Build 1237 is now available!

Already a Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows user? Stay up to date and download the build 1237 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.

Forum Statistics
Forums57
Topics86,199
Posts801,874
Members40,065
Most Online64,515
Apr 8th, 2026
Newest Members
Mando Kat, GlennMans, François Sohm, Armando D'Errico, PhilinPhil
40,064 Registered Users
Top Posters(30 Days)
MarioD 128
zedd 109
DC Ron 101
rsdean 92
Noel96 89
vicarn 64
Today's Birthdays
Jay Street, JazzLOCO Almenas, smallchamber
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5