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Hi everyone, I am new to Band in a Box and was just wondering if somebody could help me, as I have never used it before.
Basically, I am a song writer and would like to turn my lyrics into songs. I dont play guitar, but I know exactly how I want my songs to sound. I know the tempo, the melody, etc. Its just a case of putting the music in my head onto the pc.
Is this software ideal for it? Am I able to create a song from scratch, adding my own instruments and creating my own sounds/melodies?
I know this probably sounds riduclous to ask, but I have never used the software before, and I basically just need some software to enable me to create songs from scratch.
Rather than paying some bogus company to make a demo for me, Id rather create my own songs on my pc because I know exactly how they should sound. My songs will only be for personal use though, I dont plan on taking them any further, I simply want to create my own album from the material I have written.
Many thanks.
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No doubt you have come to the right place, that is if you have a general feeling for chord structure. You see you have to enter the chord changes for your songs. After that is done you can choose instruments (some very good real tracks I might add) and key signature, style and tempo and you're almost there.
I know you will hear from many of our forum members who use the software just as you intend to use it.
Also keep in mind that PG Music offers a 30 day money back warranty just in case.
Good Luck,
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Will the basic Band in the Box do for this? Or do I need all the updates and add ons as well?
Does the basic Band in the Box have all the instruments? Or would I need to buy all the upgrades to get these?
To be honest, the instruments Im looking to use are just the basics - guitar (acoustic, bass, electric), drums, maybe a few others like strings, depending on the song. Are these all included on the basic version?
Sorry for sounding a bit stupid, its just that I havent yet got Band in the Box, I will be receiving it in the next few weeks. So I really am a complete beginner on it.
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Joined: Dec 2002
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Hi
Could you tell us what your system is, like soundcard or soft synth,hardware modual,which is needed to play
tunes in BIAB,and do you play any instrument like a midi piano which would make it easy to add melodies
regards Dave Hoskins
I always play the right notes but not always in the right order
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Hello, You say you don't play guitar -- do you play an instrument at all?
One thing I like to do, if I get a new song idea with lyrics, is to cruise through the styles and the associated demo songs one by one and see if one comes close to matching the sound in my head. After I have a found a few that work, I will pick a demo and start modifying (change keys, change to my chords, work out sections). Now this could take a little while, since there are so many styles!!!! Of course, if I know it is "country", I stick with the midi country styles (midi vs. realtracks so the demos load faster).
Most of all, have fun!
Kevin
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Journeyman
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You could try that Songsmith program (http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/um/redmond/projects/songsmith/) and see if you get background music that roughly fits what you're trying to do. It's not expensive at all ($30). It uses MIDI and not the greatest quality sounds, so it would probably sound cheesy at first. But you'd get an idea as to whether you're on the right track or not. You could then export it to BIAB, tweak it, add RealTracks, MIDI soloists, etc. Export those tracks to a DAW (RealBand, PowerTracks, Sonar) and redo the vocals for a final product. If you use PowerTracks, you can even generate background vocals - a feature that BIAB has too.
BIAB has a lot of bass, acoustic and electric guitar, and drum sounds, so you will probably be happy with what it has.
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Quote:
You could try that Songsmith ... You could then export it to BIAB, tweak it,....
Are you sure? I did not see where Songsmith exports MIDI. How would you get a S'Smith song into BiaB?
...
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.
....and yes, enforcer, biab is the tool you are looking for. There may be a learning curve, but this is stuff you will have to learn anyway. Give it a try.+
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Joined: Oct 2008
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Quote:
Hi everyone, I am new to Band in a Box and was just wondering if somebody could help me, as I have never used it before.
Hi Enforcer! Welcome to the forum!
Quote:
Basically, I am a song writer and would like to turn my lyrics into songs. I dont play guitar, but I know exactly how I want my songs to sound. I know the tempo, the melody, etc. Its just a case of putting the music in my head onto the pc.
well, unless you play at least one instrument it will be somewhat harder to input a specific melody, but still possible. BIAB comes equipped with various ways to create automated melodies and harmonies. And you can use the piano roll method to create a melody with your computer keyboard and mouse.
Quote:
Is this software ideal for it? Am I able to create a song from scratch, adding my own instruments and creating my own sounds/melodies?
In my opinion, the answer is a resounding YES! Many people use BIAB and its companion product RealBand to do exactly what you want to do. Even people who don't play any instrument are successfully using these products to write AMAZINGLY HIGH QUALITY songs! (Have you listened to any of the demo songs here? I think these snippets are quite impressive, and totally indicative of what you can achieve right out of the box)
http://www.pgmusic.com/ubbthreads/showfl...ge=0#Post249436
Quote:
I know this probably sounds riduclous to ask, but I have never used the software before, and I basically just need some software to enable me to create songs from scratch.
That is not ridiculous at all... it is hard to imagine that any software could do what you want; but that's exactly what this software does... IMHO, it is easily the most intuitive and easy-to-use software for creating original songs entirely from within the software environment.
The most basic package has fewer styles, and styles are what give the songwriter more options. So you (being a songwriter) would certainly want to buy a package that comes with ALL available styles.
http://www.pgmusic.com/ubbthreads/showfl...ge=0#Post249476
Quote:
Rather than paying some bogus company to make a demo for me, Id rather create my own songs on my pc because I know exactly how they should sound. My songs will only be for personal use though, I dont plan on taking them any further, I simply want to create my own album from the material I have written.
Many thanks.
I've listened to some Demo songs that people have paid big money for, and they were quite good. But I have also heard many songs posted right here by people who recorded their own ideas completely in BIAB and/or Real Band, and I don't think the average listener could tell a difference.
In all fairness, it should be noted that your songwriting ability will also play some role in the quality of your final product. But to answer your original question, the software provides the environment and tools for doing what you want to do.
If you are standing on the edge wondering whether to buy, remember that PGMusic offers a 30 day money back guarantee... so you can try it risk free to see if it meets your songwriting needs, as it has for so many other folks (like me)
Good luck in your song writing endeavors! I look forward to seeing you on the forum posting your new songs for us to hear!
Last edited by Pat Marr; 03/21/10 10:58 PM.
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Quote:
Will the basic Band in the Box do for this? Or do I need all the updates and add ons as well?
Does the basic Band in the Box have all the instruments? Or would I need to buy all the upgrades to get these?
To be honest, the instruments Im looking to use are just the basics - guitar (acoustic, bass, electric), drums, maybe a few others like strings, depending on the song. Are these all included on the basic version?
Sorry for sounding a bit stupid, its just that I havent yet got Band in the Box, I will be receiving it in the next few weeks. So I really am a complete beginner on it.
You don't sound stupid at all. Nearly everybody has the same questions, and they are reasonable questions. But let me refine your thinking, because you are in a new paradigm with this software.
Don't think in terms of "instruments".. think in terms of "styles" Many styles of music contain bass, drums, guitar etc, but the way they are handled is different from style to style. For example Acid rock, jazz and country music all typically have a bass, guitar and drums, but they sound completely different.
The musical elements that make them different are incorporated in the styles. Styles incorporate things like characteristic riffs, tempos, distortion (or lack of it) and much more. Upshot is that the more styles you have the more creative options you have. And creative options are what songwriting is all about.
Last edited by Pat Marr; 03/21/10 11:27 PM.
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I am a newbie here and have found all my answers here for a lot less money than anywhere else, and with the support of all the people here, you can't go wrong. My suggestion is to go with the ultrapak, which I did and there is no limits to what you can do. The sound and the possibilities are endless. It may sound goofy but trust me I found out, this is the greatest place to be. The help and support is top notch..........
Critter
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Quote:
I am a newbie here and have found all my answers here for a lot less money than anywhere else, and with the support of all the people here, you can't go wrong. My suggestion is to go with the ultrapak, which I did and there is no limits to what you can do. The sound and the possibilities are endless. It may sound goofy but trust me I found out, this is the greatest place to be. The help and support is top notch..........
Critter is right.. the people here on the forum are users of the software... and they are the most helpful group of people I've ever seen in any forum environment.
Critter, I'm glad to see that you bought the ultrapak, and that you are happy about the options that provides to you as a songwriter. I look forward to hearing some of your songs!
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.
I agree that songsmith will be a good tool for the very beginner.
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Quote:
Are you sure? I did not see where Songsmith exports MIDI. How would you get a S'Smith song into BiaB?
Apparently, it does. This is from their website:
Quote:
Export to MIDI and toss your MIDI into your favorite host application as a skeleton, just to get started working on a new song. Sometimes the hardest part of getting started on a demo is just getting that skeleton in place, and Songsmith is a great way to do that, even if you don’t keep a single note from the original Songsmith track.
Last edited by DanL; 03/22/10 02:18 PM.
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Songs are in the works, Biab for chord input, then to RB for the rest, it is the greatest tool for creating music for the price anywhere...........
Critter
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Quote:
Quote:
Are you sure? I did not see where Songsmith exports MIDI. How would you get a S'Smith song into BiaB?
Apparently, it does. This is from their website:
Quote:
Export to MIDI and toss your MIDI into your favorite host application as a skeleton, just to get started working on a new song. Sometimes the hardest part of getting started on a demo is just getting that skeleton in place, and Songsmith is a great way to do that, even if you don’t keep a single note from the original Songsmith track.
SongSmith is actually built on styles provided by PG Music so it is specifically designed to be able to transport the song into BIAB
Follow That Dream Sam Karaoke King -------------------- Turning that corner again - I have to keep following that dream, no matter what
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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 for Windows® Special Offers Extended Until January 15, 2026!
Good news! You still have time to upgrade to the latest version of Band-in-a-Box® for Windows® and save. Our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® special now runs through January 15, 2025!
We've packed Band-in-a-Box® 2026 with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can process an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
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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
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- MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
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Video: New User Interface (GUI)
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