|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
|
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 7
Newbie
|
OP
Newbie
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 7 |
Hi, I'm in my first week of using BIAB/Mac and have a few questions that I can't find answers to on this forum. My apologies if I missed the "newbies" forum...
1. How do I close a song/file without closing the entire program? I see multiple choices for opening a file or creating a new one, but no option for closing a file, so I'm constantly opening/closing the program, and it gives me the "blank slate" setup each time it restarts.
2. Is there such a thing as a "chord substitution on the fly" option? I'm working on a tune with a middle jam part based on one chord, and it would be lovely if the program substituted the chord during repeats of this section. So far I've resorted to pasting substitutions in to extend the section, but the same sequence of substitutions is getting a little stale. Dynamic substitution would be far more interesting and realistic, I think.
3. A quick scan of the web suggests that manually entering a melody note-by-note with the notation window is painful for everyone, not just me. I've resorted to using a separate program to build melody lines, then exporting/importing them as midi files. But if I make a mistake in my original midi file, I have to go back and tweak it in my other program, then reimport it, etc. It would be so much easier if I could at least select notes in the notation window, then drag them to the right pitch, or right-click to adjust them, but I'm not finding these choices. Am I missing something obvious?
Thanks in advance for any help. Looks like a friendly forum! :-)
-G.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
|
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 344
Journeyman
|
|
Journeyman
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 344 |
Hello,
i will answer to your 3rd question. In notation mode, click on the "N" button above the notation staff, so to get this notation "editable", then you will be able to drag notes or to make further editing by alt-clicking on them.
Macbook M2 Pro 32 GB ram | OSX 13.6 | BinaB 2023 | Logic Studio XI |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
|
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 7
Newbie
|
|
OP
Newbie
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 7 |
Ahhh, it's the venerable ALT key! OK, I'll give that a try, thanks!!
-G.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
|
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 7,620
PG Music Staff
|
|
PG Music Staff
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 7,620 |
Hello,
1. 'File | New' will empty the chordsheet and set all the song settings to their default values. There is always a style open - there is no way for NO style to be open (although you could choose the blank style BLANK.STY). The default style is ZZJAZZ.STY.
2. No, there isn't a way for the program to generate chord substitutions on the fly. As soon as the song beings to play, the arrangement has already been generated. (Although, thru harmonies can be done on the fly). The 'User | Chord Substitutions' options need to be generated while the song is stopped. To have a different chord each chorus, you would need to convert (unfold) the song to one long chorus. This can be done by 'Edit | Unfold'.
3. When inputting notation, all you do is place your mouse arrow where you want a note and press mouse button. This will place a dotted whole note at that position. If it is in the second half of the bar, you will get an automatic 1/2 note rest in the first half. You will still get a dotted whole note in the second half of the bar. Don't worry if the first note you enter isn't the type of note you want it to be. The next note you place will determine the value of the first. Remember that the subsequent note placed always determines the value of the previous note. If you want to shorten a previous note, you can select the rest box and place a rest between the notes at the value you want the previous note to be. Notes inserted between other notes will automatically set the value for the previous note as well.
While inserting a note on the staff, holding down the [Shift] key will make the note 1 half-step sharper. Holding down the [Ctrl] key will make the note 1 half-step flatter. Holding down the Command key forces the note to be a natural. To delete a note from the Notation, hold down the delete key and click on the note.
You can change the beat resolution (the number of intervals in one beat) using the 'Resolution' setting in the Notation Window. For example, if you set this to '3', you will be able to enter triplets. If you set it to '4', you will be able to enter sixteenths.
Andrew
PG Music Inc.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
|
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 7
Newbie
|
|
OP
Newbie
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 7 |
Thanks, Andrew, your answers really helped! I suppose my list of questions could be endless, but here is my current issue: I'm trying to put together a pop arrangement, consisting of intro>chorus>verse>chorus>verse>chorus>bridge>chorus>fade, and I want the solo to only be over the bridge. I'm using the _PBALADM.STY style, with the entire song being one chorus, no repeats. When I select a soloist, it plays over the entire song, of course. Can I restrict the solo to a specific set of measures? If I set the chorus to begin at the first bridge measure, the soloist still starts at the beginning of the song. I've not tried editing a style yet, perhaps that's the way to do it?
-G.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
|
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 7,620
PG Music Staff
|
|
PG Music Staff
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 7,620 |
Hi,
There are a couple different strategies.
One is to use the Soloist. Click the Soloist button, and then click the RealTracks button (makes it easier to find the RealTracks soloists). In the Solo Mode section, press the Custom button, and select the range of bars to generate the RealTrack on.
The other option is to use the F5 bar settings, and mute all the bars that you don't want to play. For example, if you only want it to play in bars 5-8, you would select bar 1, press F5, select mute - ok, select bar 4, press F5, select 'bar to normal'.... and so on.
Andrew
PG Music Inc.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
|
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 3
Newbie
|
|
Newbie
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 3 |
Ok So i am messing with BIAB standalone.......if i use with logic do i open logic first or BIAB?
Also I was messing with BIAB , closed it , opened logic and got no sound from logic!?! until i rebooted
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Season's Greetings!
Wishing everyone a happy, healthy holiday season—thanks for being part of our community!
The office will be closed for Christmas Day, but we will be back on Boxing Day (Dec 26th) at 6:00am PST.
Team PG
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.
Watch the video.
You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!
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.
Watch the video.
You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!
Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®
With your version 2026 for Windows Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 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 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
- MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
- Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
- Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
- Playable RealTracks Set 5
- RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
- SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
- Android Band-in-a-Box® App (included)
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
- 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
- FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
- MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
- Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
- Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
- RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
- SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
Learn more about the Bonus PAKs for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
Video: New User Interface (GUI)
Join Tobin as he takes you on a tour of the new user interface in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®! This modern GUI redesign offers a sleek new look with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, and a smoother workflow. The brand-new side toolbar puts track selection, the MultiPicker Library, and other essential tools right at your fingertips. Plus, our upgraded Multi-View lets you layer multiple windows without overlap, giving you a highly flexible workspace. Many windows—including Tracks, Piano Roll, and more—have been redesigned for improved usability and a cleaner, more intuitive interface, and more!
Watch the video.
You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 10 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
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!
Few things are certain in life: death, taxes, and a brand spankin’ new XPro Styles PAK! In this, the 10th edition of our XPro Styles PAK series, we’ve got 100 styles coming your way! We have the classic 25 styles each from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, and rounding out this volume's wildcard slot is 25 styles in the Praise & Worship genre! A wide spanning genre, you can find everything from rock, folk, country, and more underneath its umbrella. The included 28 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Here’s just a small sampling of what you can look forward to in XPro Styles PAK 10: Soft indie folk worship songs, bumpin’ country boogies, gospel praise breaks, hard rockin’ pop, funky disco grooves, smooth Latin jazz pop, bossa nova fusion, western swing, alternative hip-hop, cool country funk, and much more!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 10 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!
Learn more and listen to demos of XPro Styles PAKs.
Video: XPro Styles PAK 10 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch 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.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 21 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 21 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 Xtra Styles PAK installment—the all new Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher)!
Rejoice, one and all, for Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box® is here! We’re serving up 200 brand spankin’ new styles to delight your musical taste buds! The first three courses are the classics you’ve come to know and love, including offerings from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, but, not to be outdone, this year’s fourth course is bro country! A wide ranging genre, you can find everything from hip-hop, uptempo outlaw country, hard hitting rock, funk, and even electronica, all with that familiar bro country flair. The dinner bell has been rung, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 21 today!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Energetic folk rock, raucous train beats, fast country boogies, acid jazz grooves, laid-back funky jams, a bevy of breezy jazz waltzes, calm electro funk, indie synth pop, industrial synth metal, and more bro country than could possibly fit in the back of a pickup truck!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 21 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 21 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 21.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 21 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 21 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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums57
Topics85,445
Posts792,094
Members39,887
| |
Most Online25,754
Jan 24th, 2025
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean