PG Music Home Forums PG Music Product Forums Band-in-a-Box for Windows How to program a VSTi patch change during playback?

Hello,

I've got Band-in-a-Box 2020 on a PC with Windows 10.

I use a Clavinova CVP as master keyboard and sound module (the Clavinova being connected to the PC through an Edirol MIDI/Audio interface).

With an external sound module, I can change the instrument of a MIDI track during the playing of a song via the "Bar settings, Patch Changes" menu (for example to switch from a piano for the intro to a sax for the theme).

But if I want to use a VSTi, currently Sforzando with Garritan JABB3, instead of the Clavinova sound module, then if I choose "Use VSTi/Dxi Synth" in the "Options, MIDI/Audio Drivers Setup" menu and assign Sforzando with a given instrument to the Melodist or Soloist MIDI track, how to set a patch change during the playing of the song ?

Thanks in advance for your answers.

I am just guessin here, but I would think that you would need to use two different styles. Identical in all ways except the patches used for the track. Then in the Bar Settings (F5) you can change styles at any bar to inplement the different patch. Or look close in F5 for options to change patches. Could it be that easy?

OK issue #1 neither Sforzando or JABB3 are GM.
#2 - JABB3 uses the mod wheel (CC1) as a volume control.
#3 - Sforzando can only load one sound at a time

The best way to achieve this is to use a DAW and put each patch on a different track.

If you want to stay in BiaB then you must put each patch on a different utility track and then use automation to raise and lower the volume of each track as needed. Note I have never done this as I do this kind of work in my DAW.

I hope this helps.

Thanks for your suggestion Dan.
But, - if I understood it correctly -, I think it does not correspond to my problem: what I want is to change the patch of the melody or soloist track in which I myself entered notes; unless I am mistaken, changing the style will not change the instrument used to play these tracks.

Hello MarioD,

Thanks for your answer.

I'm not used to using a DAW, and, for convenience, or laziness ;-), I do everything with Band in a Box.

So I understand that what I want to do is not possible with Sforzando driving JABB because Sforzando is single-track and JABB is not General MIDI.

In your opinion, would this be possible with VSTSynthfont64 which is multi-track coupled with a soundfont like Compifont which is GM?

But indeed, the best solution is to put the parts of the song that I want to be played by different instruments on different BiaB tracks and to assign different instruments to these tracks.

With BiaB 2020, I only have two MIDI utility tracks (melody and soloist) but I know that BiaB now offers 16 other editable tracks.

So I'm going to give myself the gift of BiaB 2025 for Christmas and forget my current problem!

Have a good day !

Yes that would be possible using VSTSynthfont64 and a good GM soundfont. BUT VSTSynthfont64 is 64 bit and I don't remember if BiaB 2020 was 64 bit so you would have to check that out.


Yes, this is the best way to do this. Also if you are on a PC Realband is a much better option for this kind of work.

Because you said this and it's not posted in the Wishlist forum:


I'll share for you and others that prefer to work in BIAB for total productions, that everything you understand at this point and all the advice provided is true. But the issue isn't BIAB can't do it, It is likely that BIAB can do it.

It's all in the workflow. It was possible back in 2013/14 when you and I came aboard the BIAB Forum community. The principles, processes, tools and techniques have been included as far back as then if not earlier. I wasn't here prior to that.

The key is understanding the BIAB Mixer is equivalent to a stand-alone, digital, multitrack recorder.

In 2020 and before, when the Mixer was eight tracks, the BIAB Mixer shared the same benefits and limitations with stand-alone units. So workaround solutions to maximize the benefits and overcome the limitations are similar or the same. Stand-alone multitrack recorders are superior with remote and mobile recording and some recorders have higher sample and bit rate specs but in nearly every other aspect, the BIAB Mixer is superior to these devices.

The BIAB digital mixer can utilize processes like bouncing, busing, sub-groups, overdubbing and punch-ins as well as virtual tracks the same as stand-alone digital mixers. It's clear knowing this, the BIAB Mixer isn't limited to only eight tracks. BIAB can produce internally, with the aid of a DAW, as many tracks as desired of both midi or RealTracks as needed for a song project. There is also no sound degradation as was a problem with analog mixers. All of these processes are digital so there's no loss of quality.

BIAB became a digital multitrack recorder in 2014 when PG Music introduced audio recording. Another important element to allow this transformation to a digital multitrack recorder, is the Artist Performance File. The Artist Performance File allows audio files to moved to any other BIAB Mixer Track which allows the single Audio Track to be used over and over again. he same is true for the Midi Melody and Soloist tracks. Artist Performance Files are a conversion media file with audio qualities unique to BIAB.

Another concept available for midi as well introduced in your 2020 version is the Multiriff feature. Multiriff takes advantage of seven BIAB Mixer Tracks to comp a single track from. It's a manual process to Multiriff for midi but it's easy and fast. The Artist Performance File is a powerful and versatile tool that works with every type of media that BIAB recognizes, like WAV, Mp4, M4a, Mp3, wma, midi, loops, etc. Mixtures of these media types can be mixed and converted to Artist Performance Files. There is also Artist Performance Tracks which is the same as Artist Performance Files but are created by PG Music.

There are books printed back in the early 1990's and that still remain in print today that provide the theory, processes, and techniques of digital multitrack recording that can be applied to the BIAB digital multitrack recorder for those users that wish to do all of their work only in BIAB.

Hello Charlie Fogle

Thanks a lot for your message.

I am not sure I fully understand all your explanations, but it seems to be very interesting.

As I am currently abroad I cannot test them on my equipment right now, but I will not fail to do so when I return.

Have a good day !