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Hi, I have only been using BIAB for a few days now so if I missed existing functionality in BIAB that does what I describe here, then please forgive me. I was a little bit surprised to see that Chord Builder doesn't give you better options when building a progression based on the currently selected song key. While it allows you to select a large number of chords, it doesn't seem to give you any real guidance to come up with useful progressions. In my spare time I have written a few VST plugins for my own use, and one of them is used to build chord progressions. It is a simple chord sequencer, and the idea is that you build up the sequence from a table of the most common chords, based on the current song key. It doesn't give you all possible chords, but it should cover most cases. See the image below. Note the UI is incomplete and hence is a bit rough and unpolished, but you should get the idea:  So, how it works is as follows: Based on the currently selected key, the chord table lists the progressions at the top for the current scale (the I, ii, iii, etc). In each column, the chords are listed from most common at the top to least common at the bottom. Choosing any chord will result in a chord that has all of its notes fall within the current scale. There are a few chords at the bottom that might have one or two keys that are not in the current scale, but those chords are still sometimes used given the key. In the image, I clicked on the B min7 chord (the screenshot doesn't show the cursor unfortunately). Left-clicking on the chord sounds it out. Right-clicking adds it into the song at the current location. It also highlights the chord, as well as highlight any other chord that have the same notes (D6 in this case). The semi-highlighted chords (G maj9 and B min9 in this case) means that all of its notes are a subset of the currently selected chord. The orange bar at the top of each column shows the "strength" of that progression. For instance, going from the B min 7 to E min would be a "strong" progression, while going from B min7 to G would be a "weaker" (or "fragile") progression. This is important, because for a verse you want fragile progressions, while for a chorus you want strong progressions. If the chord table looks familiar, it is probably because you saw it in JMT Orchestrator or JMT Arranger. I based this VST plugin on their chord table, so I am not claiming that this is at all original, but it is useful. As far as BIAB is concerned, it only really needs the table itself and maybe the chord display area on the right (for recognizing chords in realtime). Anyway, that is my wish item for BIAB, and if I missed a feature in BIAB that is already similar to this, then I would love to hear about it. If not, I think something like this could be very useful in BIAB.
Last edited by BitFlipper; 02/27/10 05:27 PM.
BB+RB 2014 (3)
Windows 8 Pro 64-Bit
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I like the way you displayed the alternate form of the chord as an inversion.
Are you familiar with Window, Chord Substitution Dialog? And Chord Reharmonist Dialog?
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; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box Wishlist
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OP
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No I have not played with those before but I just took a look now. Both seem very useful, although in both cases they seem to require existing chords or an existing melody. The chord entry mechanism I'm proposing would be useful when you start from scratch.
Anyway, I am still playing around with BB and will try those tools out...
BB+RB 2014 (3)
Windows 8 Pro 64-Bit
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Band-in-a-Box Wishlist
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BitFlipper, I have sent you a PM....Thanks!
i5 3.20GHz, 32gb RAM, 1tb SSD OS, 12tb HDD, 4gb gForce vid card, 32" monitor, Audient id44, Win10 x64, BiaB/RB 2023, Reaper 6,IK Multimedia Total Studio 3.5 MAX, Waves 10
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Band-in-a-Box Wishlist
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jcspro40,
When I try to reply to your PM, I get the error: "We cannot proceed."
Not sure what is causing that. Send me your email address via PM and I will reply by email.
BB+RB 2014 (3)
Windows 8 Pro 64-Bit
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Band-in-a-Box Wishlist
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Journeyman
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Journeyman
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bit flipper
Nice looking interface design; clear and concise, the sort of thing you'd hope for in BIAB one day.
The good thing about BIAB substitution dialogue is that you can compile and save your own substitutions.
Other similar applications i've come across are the progression composer in Jammer Pro which comes up with sequences according to the particular mode of the diatonic scale.
By far the most useful for jazz purposes is a very interesting one in the old 'Jazzware' midi sequencer.
It has has a grid of possible chords related to a particular scale like harmonic minor or melodic minor etc showing the possibilities in all 12 keys that you can sound when clicking with the mouse.
It also has a number of conditional functions such as ' show all chords with 1 common tone, 2 common tones, 3 common tones,4 common tones, 0 common tones .. 1 half note difference, II V I moves, common base note )..so that when you sound one chord all the other possible moves within those criteria are highlighted.
The beauty of this is that you can come up with unusual progressions freely ranging across key centres, bound only by a close- to-distant relationship based on common tones or functions or absence of same.
This method is far closer to how todays jazz composers today approach harmonic composition, and intersted parties should at least check it out.
Regards
Alan
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BitFlipper, another PM is on it's way....
i5 3.20GHz, 32gb RAM, 1tb SSD OS, 12tb HDD, 4gb gForce vid card, 32" monitor, Audient id44, Win10 x64, BiaB/RB 2023, Reaper 6,IK Multimedia Total Studio 3.5 MAX, Waves 10
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Band-in-a-Box Wishlist
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Joined: Feb 2010
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OP
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jcspro40, I tried to send you a PM directly (without replying) and it said "This user is not accepting private messages". Maybe that is why I could not reply by PM.
Anyway, I just sent you an email. Let me know how it works out.
BB+RB 2014 (3)
Windows 8 Pro 64-Bit
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Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
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Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: The Newly Designed Piano Roll Window
In this video, we explore the updated Piano Roll, complete with a modernized look and exciting new features. You’ll see new filtering options that make it easy to focus on specific note groups, smoother and more intuitive note entry and editing, and enhanced options for zooming, looping, and more.
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Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: AI Stems & Notes - split polyphonic audio into instruments and transcribe
This video demonstrates how to use the new AI-Notes feature together with the AI-Stems splitter, allowing you to select an audio file and have it separated into individual stems while transcribing each one to its own MIDI track. AI-Notes converts polyphonic audio—either full mixes or individual instruments—into MIDI that you can view in notation or play back instantly.
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- MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
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We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 28 RealTracks and RealDrums!
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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.
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