I am working on a tune in 4/4 time where the format is:
|| 1 4 4 .. 3 || 1 4 4 ... 3 ||
where 1, 4 3 represents the number of beats in the bar and || the repeats (i.e two parts repeated both with a pick-up measures and a partial measure at the end or each part).
The A part plays and repeats as I expect, then B first time through plays as expected. But my problem is that B then repeats with the first bar having the same number of beats as the last bar B part. The B part is playing like this:
1 4 4 ... 3 first time though and repeats as 3 4 4 .. 3 then correctly back into the A part.
I have set the 1 and 3 beats/bar by Bar Setting/# Beats This Bar, with the next bar set back to 4 beats. Settings apply for All Choruses.
Why is this not playing as I expect? Have I missed something here?
It would make it much easier for us to see and duplicate this if you could post the song. One way to do that is place it in a public folder in Dropbox (free to do) and put the link in a post here.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
I read the explanation of the problem and the details. Then I looked at the uploaded file. The multiple changes in beats / bar along with two separate repeats is an unusual arrangement. Not surprized it would cause a problem with BIAB operation.
I believe, a lot of your problem will go away if you eliminate the repeats within the chorus. This is easily done by entering the chords in linear fashion. Create one chorus for your arrangement and use the number of choruses to repeat all.
As MusicStudent has pointed out, how you have set out the chord sheet is very unusual. I'm guessing that it came about from copying the notation in a lead sheet. Personally, I always find it better to think of BIAB from the perspective of a performance and not to try and arrange it as a lead sheet. In this regard, my songs are linear. I use no repeats and BIAB plays my songs from beginning to end just as a performer would. It's much easier to work this way and I encourage you to try it.
BIAB actually sets things out from a performance perspective and repeats, 1st/2nd endings, etc., are to used to create leadsheet notation. To see your arrangement as BIAB sees it, you need to disable "Fakesheet | Display Chord Sheet in Fakesheet Mode". See the upper image below.
If your BIAB desktop display is different from mine, use CTRL+T to switch between full-screen and standard views.
With the "Display Chord Sheet in Fakesheet Mode" disabled, your chord sheet will show the 'hidden' bars that BIAB is playing (the lower image where bars 10 - 18 and 24 - 28 are visible). This will then allow you to solve your problem.
Regards, --Noel
P.S. If you are interested in seeing how a song is laid out linearly, the link below will take you to one of my older songs. This video shows how the chordsheet progresses as the song plays back. (My production skills have grown since I created this song. After re-listening to it now after a few years, I realise that I need to revisit it and re-produce it. Still, I think it's good enough for you to get the idea of what I mean about a linear layout. I've used bars with mixed beats in this work.)
Thanks for those comments. I agree the arrangement is a complex and that a linear arrangement would be easier. But part of what I was doing here was experimenting with BIAB features and functions.
The "Display Chord Sheet in Fakesheet Mode" was not a function I'm familiar with. I note in the image given for the arrangement (and I got exactly the same when I disabled Fakesheet Mode) the expansion of the B repeat is empty, which seems inconsistent with what should be displayed. So I tried this: deleted the B repeat (which actual expands the repeat), then deleted the expanded out bars 24 to 28, and then added the repeat back.
And guess what? Now the "Display Chord Sheet in Fakesheet Mode" disabled images shows the B part correctly, and the tune plays as I expect!
I'm glad you got your song up and running. That's great.
Disabling fakesheet mode, and being able to see how BIAB is playing the various repeats, can be a useful problem-solving tool. It adds another level of understanding to how repeats are working.
When you get a chance, if you can click "Resolved" on your original post, it will let the forum know that you found a solution for this problem.
One last thing...so the start of the B part played OK, but I subsequently noticed the last bar of the B part played 4 beats before moving back the A part. Checking '# Beats this Bar' for bar 28, it had a 0, which I take to as per normal time signature. Changed to 3 an last problem solved.
Does raise the question of how I got into this state, but all all resolved now, thanks!
I couldn't get back to this in time but I'm glad it's resolved, and Marked as Resolved. This thread will no doubt be useful in searches by other users.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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