I grew up with the Yamaha Arranger Style system. I am finding it hard to understand the Biab Style system and how to adjust the style.
How do I create changes in the style like Variations 1,2,3,4 in Yamaha and insert them in the desired location on the chord sheet. I have been able to do few basic things but I am not getting the overall concept.
Is there any video on this or specific things written this subject ?
As you would be aware of, Band In A Box uses Realtracks and Realdrums as well as MIDI to create backing accompaniments.
Realtracks, Realdrums and SuperMIDITracks are actual live performances of session musicians played across many chords in a number of keys.
When BIAB creates an accompaniment from these tracks, the software searches through a recording and extracts those sections that relate to a particular chord on the chord sheet.
The software then randomly chooses from these sections copies and pastes chords together to create an accompaniment that matches the chords on the chordsheet.
In BIAB, a "style" is literally a collection of instruments that work together to create a particular band sound.
To change a style from a BIAB perspective, means to change the instrumental line-up but adding different Realtracks, MIDI tracks or Realdrums.
With the above in mind...
In BIAB, it's not possible to choose a particular section of the raw audio that you would like to use. If there is some aspect of a track generation that you do not like, what you do to change that is use either partial regeneration (regenerate across a range of bars) or complete regeneration of the track. Part markers can also be used to create rhythmic breaks that lead from one section to another. Part markers are the blue and green boxes that highlight bar numbers.
If you go to the link below, PG Music have many videos on various aspects of BIAB. These may help.
Almost all styles have two substyles, A & B. Part Markers can toggle between the two substyles. The "A" part marker selects song sections with less energy like a verse. "B" is more energetic.
You can use and select more than one style in a song project. That's called a multistyle. Right click on a bar number and the right click menu lists the name of the "A" & "B" substyles. The right click menu also lists "define c/d". Select "define c/d" and the StylePicker opens where you can select another style. The "A" substyle of the selected style will use part marker "C" in the song project and the "B" substyle will use "D".
Using the right click menu you can have a total of 12 styles with each style having two substyles. By selecting similar styles you can have up to 24 substyles with all the instrument and feel variations each substyle provides.
If you are familiar with using a spreadsheet program the StylePicker allows all the StylePicker data to be saved in a tab-delimited text file. The text file can be imported into a spreadsheet and manipulated.
To create the text file open the StylePicker, select Options and Copy List To Clipboard. From the BiaB StylePicker Help file:
Quote
Copy List to Clipboard: This menu item saves the current list with all information to a tab-delimited text file and opens it in Notepad. In Notepad copy all and paste it into a spreadsheet such as an Excel file. You can then apply a hierarchical sorting of the list.
FYI, the RealTracks Picker can also create a tab-delimited text file. Open the RealTracks Picker and select the Copy List button.
Create a two page Band-in-a-Box spreadsheet with one page for Styles and the second for RealTracks. Then you'll be able to sort and add comments as much as you want.
To the best of my knowledge the F7 MultiPicker does not have a button that will create a tab-delimited text file.
User and forum member Noel96 was the first to discover the tab-delimited text file feature and publish a post describing how the text files can be used.
Thanks for the explanations and advice. This is great help for me. I guess I have to give up my arranger approach and adapt to The Biab system.
This a great program but there is so many options .
I wonder if anyone has come up with flow chart or a visual representation of style management in Biab ?
JBran,
When I'm looking for styles to use for a particular song, I ask myself the following questions...
1) What is the song's time signature? 2) Does the song have a swing-note feel or a even-note feel? 3) Is the song based around mostly 1/8th notes or mostly 1/16th notes? 4) What is the tempo of the song?
When I am clear in my mind regarding these aspects of the song, I then used the filters in Stylepicker to begin isolating suitable styles for me to look at.
1) Time signature The time signature is the base of the song. From this dropdown menu I select the time appropriate time signature.
2) and 3) Swing feel or Even feel based on 1/8th note or 1/16th note Stylepicker lists styles as either sw or EV and in these listings there are sub-categories of 8 or 16. This means the following...
sw8 = swing styles based on 1/8th note rhythms.
sw16 = swing styles based on 1/16th note rhythms.
EV8 = even note styles based on 1/8th notes.
EV16 = even not styles based on 1/16th notes.
3) Tempo When I am not sure of a song's tempo, I use BIAB's ability to determine tempo by tapping the speed I want.
By tapping the "=" button (shown on the image below) four times with the mouse pointer at the beat of the song, BIAB will determine the average tempo at which you tapped the beats.
The difference between the "–" and "=" buttons is that while both will determine the beat when tapped 4 times, the "–" button sets the tempo in BIAB adn the "=" button only shows the tempo.
Once the tempo has been determined, I then filter Stylepicker to show only those tempos.
With Time Signature. Feel and Tempo filters now set, Stylepicker will have narrowed down the suitable style significantly.
I've written styles for BiaB and a few arranger keyboards. I think you will find the output of BiaB to be less repetitive than most, if not all, of the others.
Thanks so much for this information. Winters Coming so i will have more time to dig into this and hopefully develop my skills with Styles. I am sure i will have more questions .
Thanks so much for this information. Winters Coming so i will have more time to dig into this and hopefully develop my skills with Styles. I am sure i will have more questions .
Thanks Jim
Hi Jim. Do you still have and use a Yamaha Arranger Keyboard?
If you do, it's possible with most Yamaha arranger keyboards to embed complex BIAB styles, RealTracks instrument audio, Midi, real audio instrument solos and melodies to play along with your keyboard.
BIAB can also load and use Yamaha Styles within the BIAB program.
BIAB and a Yamaha keyboard can be connected to have the keyboard triggered to play from open BIAB SGU song where your keyboard is the MIDI sound card.
We’ve expanded the Band-in-a-Box® RealTracks library with 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 449-467) across Jazz, Blues, Funk, World, Pop, Rock, Country, Americana, and Praise & Worship—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Blues & World (Sets 449–455):
These RealTracks includes “Soul Jazz” with Neil Swainson (bass), Mike Clark (drums), Charles Treadway (organ), Miles Black (piano), and Brent Mason (guitar). Enjoy “Requested ’60s” jazz, classic acoustic blues with Colin Linden, and more of our popular 2-handed piano soloing. Plus, a RealTracks first—Tango with bandoneon, recorded in Argentina!
Rock & Pop (Sets 456–461):
This collection includes Disco, slap bass ‘70s/‘80s pop, modern and ‘80s metal with Andy Wood, and a unique “Songwriter Potpourri” featuring Chinese folk instruments, piano, banjo, and more. You’ll also find a muted electric guitar style (a RealTracks first!) and “Producer Layered Guitar” styles for slick "produced" sound.
Country, Americana & Praise (Sets 462–467):
We’ve added new RealTracks across bro country, Americana, praise & worship, vintage country, and songwriter piano. Highlights include Brent Mason (electric guitar), Eddie Bayers (drums), Doug Jernigan (pedal steel), John Jarvis (piano), Glen Duncan (banjo, mandolin & fiddle), Mike Harrison (electric bass) and more—offering everything from modern sounds to heartfelt Americana styles
And, if you are looking for more, the 2025 49-PAK (for $49) includes an additional 20 RealTracks with exciting new sounds and genre-spanning styles. Enjoy RealTracks firsts like Chinese instruments (guzheng & dizi), the bandoneon in an authentic Argentine tango trio, and the classic “tic-tac” baritone guitar for vintage country.
You’ll also get slick ’80s metal guitar from Andy Wood, modern metal with guitarist Nico Santora, bass player Nick Schendzielos, and drummer Aaron Stechauner, more praise & worship, indie-folk, modern/bro country with Brent Mason, and “Songwriter Americana” with Johnny Hiland.
Plus, enjoy user-requested styles like Soul Jazz RealDrums, fast Celtic Strathspey guitar, and Chill Hop piano & drums!
With your version 2025 for Mac Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Or upgrade to the 2025 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!
These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
The 2025 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 33 new RealTracks and 65+ new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 29 new RealTracks and 45+ new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 20 new RealStyles.
Look Ma! More MIDI 13: Country & Americana
Instrumental Studies Set 22: 2-Hand Piano Soloing - Rhythm Changes
MIDI SuperTracks Set 44: Jazz Piano
Artist Performance Set 17: Songs with Vocals 7
Playable RealTracks Set 4
RealDrums Stems Set 7: Jazz with Mike Clark
SynthMaster Sounds and Styles (with audio demos)
128 GM MIDI Patch Audio Demos.
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2025 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyles,
FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
Look Ma! More MIDI 14: SynthMaster,
Instrumental Studies Set 23: More '80s Hard Rock Soloing,
MIDI SuperTracks Set 45: More SynthMaster
Artist Performance Set 18: Songs with Vocals 8
RealDrums Stems Set 8: Pop, Funk & More with Jerry Roe
New! Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher for Mac!
Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest and greatest in the all new Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box! This fresh installment is packed with 200 all-new styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres you've come to expect, as well as the exciting inclusion of electronic styles!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Minimalist Modern Funk, New Wave Synth Pop, Hard Bop Latin Groove, Gospel Country Shuffle, Cinematic Synthwave, '60s Motown, Funky Lo-Fi Bossa, Heavy 1980s Metal, Soft Muted 12-8 Folk, J-Pop Jazz Fusion, and many more!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 209 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 20 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
New! XPro Styles PAK 9 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and higher for Mac!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 9 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 29 RealTracks/RealDrums!
We've been hard at it to bring you the latest and greatest in this 9th installment of our popular XPro Styles PAK series! Included are 75 styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres (25 styles each) that fans have come to expect, as well as 25 styles in this volume's wildcard genre: funk & R&B!
If you're itching to get a sneak peek at what's included in XPro Styles PAK 9, here is a small helping of what you can look forward to: Funky R&B Horns, Upbeat Celtic Rock, Jazz Fusion Salsa, Gentle Indie Folk, Cool '60s Soul, Funky '70s R&B, Smooth Jazz Hip Hop, Acoustic Rockabilly Swing, Funky Reggae Dub, Dreamy Retro Latin Jazz, Retro Soul-Rock Fusion, and much more!
Special Pricing! Until July 31, 2024, all the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 9 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
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.
New! Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher for Windows!
Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest and greatest in the all new Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box! This fresh installment is packed with 200 all-new styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres you've come to expect, as well as the exciting inclusion of electronic styles!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Minimalist Modern Funk, New Wave Synth Pop, Hard Bop Latin Groove, Gospel Country Shuffle, Cinematic Synthwave, '60s Motown, Funky Lo-Fi Bossa, Heavy 1980s Metal, Soft Muted 12-8 Folk, J-Pop Jazz Fusion, and many more!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 209 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 20 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
New! XPro Styles PAK 9 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and higher for Windows!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 9 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 29 RealTracks/RealDrums!
We've been hard at it to bring you the latest and greatest in this 9th installment of our popular XPro Styles PAK series! Included are 75 styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres (25 styles each) that fans have come to expect, as well as 25 styles in this volume's wildcard genre: funk & R&B!
If you're itching to get a sneak peek at what's included in XPro Styles PAK 9, here is a small helping of what you can look forward to: Funky R&B Horns, Upbeat Celtic Rock, Jazz Fusion Salsa, Gentle Indie Folk, Cool '60s Soul, Funky '70s R&B, Smooth Jazz Hip Hop, Acoustic Rockabilly Swing, Funky Reggae Dub, Dreamy Retro Latin Jazz, Retro Soul-Rock Fusion, and much more!
Special Pricing! Until July 31, 2024, all the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 9 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
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.
Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®: VST3 Plugin Support
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® now includes support for VST3 plugins, alongside VST and AU. Use them with MIDI or audio tracks for even more creative possibilities in your music production.
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Macs®: VST3 Plugin Support
Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®: Using VST3 Plugins
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