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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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I'm entering a song and it has an extended ending with multiple instrumental verses. It's going to run well ove the 255 bar limit in BB. How do you guys get around this? I eventually want to use it as a backing track and record it using Reaper or Audacity.
Is there a way to maybe split the extended ending off to another song but have it jump right into it or something like that?
The song's only about 6 1/2 minutes long. I can't be the only one who needs a song that long... There must be someone out there who has come up with a solution...
Thanks!
Charlie
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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You can only input 255 measures in midi (has to do with base 10 mathematics). You will need to add repeat/coda marks etc . . .
There used to be a video tutorial on the PG Support page about adding repeats. Good luck,
Trax
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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I tried the repeats, but repeats add more bars. It does not appear that you can have repeats without adding new bars.
I thought perhaps another chorus, but it seems that it's one chorus per song...
Charlie
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Hi Falconer, I'm not quite sure what you mean by the following. Quote:
I tried the repeats, but repeats add more bars. It does not appear that you can have repeats without adding new bars.
I thought perhaps another chorus, but it seems that it's one chorus per song...
Does your song have verses and choruses that use the same chord pattern? If so, it is these that can be set up to repeat and thus reduce the number of bars. As an example, I'll use the song "Top Of The World" by The Carpenters.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mq5pLi0huhw
The structure of this song is
1) Intro
2) Verse
3) Chorus
4) Instrumental Turnaround
5) Verse
6) Chorus
7) Chorus
8) Ending
In the above structure, the verse and chorus repeat. Using repeats in BIAB, it would only be necessary to type in one Verse and one Chorus and then set the score so that it repeats those sections. In effect, this will halve the number of bars that you have to assemble.
Regards,
Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Starting at bar 161, I have a 36-bar pattern that needs to repeat about 5 times.
I haven't been able to figure out how to make the repeats work. If I choose edit>repeats then select the bars and number of repeats, and check generate/ insert new bars, it overruns the end. If I don't check generate/ insert new bars, then the repeat doesn't work.
How do I create a second chorus using just the section I want to repeat and tack that on to the end of the main section?
Charlie
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Just tried the repeat thing again; it will give me 2 repeats but no more. I need 5. If I copy the 36 repeatd measures to a new file it will play them all. It's all about running into the 255 bar limit.
How to get around that 255 bar thing?
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Journeyman
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Journeyman
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Why are you starting at bar 161? Could any section of that be reduced with repeats? Seems like an excessive number of bars to all be unique.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Bars 1-20 are the intro.
Bars 21-56 are the first verse.
Bars 57-92 are the second verse.
Bars 93-128 are the first guitar solo
Bars 129-148 are the third verse
Bars 149-152 are the break
Bars 153-160 are the turnaround
Bars 161-196 are the first section of the final instrumental. Those bars need to repeat 4x.
Maybe we're disconnecting on the repeats. According to my reading and experience, repeats are strictly a function of the notation, not the song length. Even if it's the same 4 bars over and over, you can only repeat them up to 255 bars total for the song.
Now, I can set the "number of choruses in the song" to a certain number. What I can't figure out how to do is to use that "chorus" construct as a portion of the song (like bars 161-196) with the rest of the song outside of that. Or string multiple "choruses" together...
Charlie
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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You may need to record your song in parts and then splice them together in a sequencer. Biab has a limit of 255 midi measures, due to the math the PC uses etc . . . I was hoping a repeat would have helped with that problem, but if it is not allowing you to go past 255, you will need to record it in sections.
Trax
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Nov 2008
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PG Music Staff
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PG Music Staff
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161-bar intro. 4 36-bar choruses. 197 bars of the chord sheet used, you'll even have room for an extended tag ending. ;-)
Kent
PG Music
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Yes! Got your email, Kent. That did it. I KNEW there was a way to do it. Thanks much. The screen shot helped, too...
Now, is there a way do do multiple different choruses per song or is it limited to one?
Thanks again!
Charlie
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,992
Expert
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Expert
Joined: May 2005
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Falconer
something to think about conceptually when doing songs.
biab for roughing out song ideas n then youll also have realband
where you can do a load of trak manipulation etc etc n song icings.
think of it like building a house.
biab for the song foundation idea..n RB for building up the song.
cos rb has 48 traks.
retired puter engr....powertracks on amd......NICE !
"what is the black art of audio engineering ?"
my silly songs...motagator.com/bmanning
see my tips in the tips section.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,382
PG Music Staff
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PG Music Staff
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Quote:
Yes! Got your email, Kent. That did it. I KNEW there was a way to do it. Thanks much. The screen shot helped, too...
Now, is there a way do do multiple different choruses per song or is it limited to one?
Thanks again!
Charlie
Right on, glad I could help... As for the multiple different choruses thing, that's not possible at this time, sorry.
Kent
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2010
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Enthusiast
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Enthusiast
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>>You can only input 255 measures in midi (has to do with base 10 mathematics). You will need to add repeat/coda marks etc . . . Well actually base 2 (binary) but 10 is 2 in binary so I'll give you credit 
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
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I would make "parts 1 and 2", export them as MIDI files and then combine them in a MIDI sequencer.
There are simply some songs that cannot be put in the 255 limit, no matter how creative you get with repeats.
Insights and incites by Notes ♫
Bob "Notes" Norton  Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com
100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
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How long have I been asking for this...?
Best, Tom SmithWin10/64 • i7-8700K • 24 GB RAM BIAB 2026 • Reaper 7.57 • Izotope MPS AKG C1000S • IK iRig I/O Pro
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Tom,
I believe anything more then 255 is impossible, due to the calculation? I can't explain it, but I believe it has to do with the multiplication of 255x255 and not enough 11000100010 space etc . . . ?
Trax
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Well, when you need more than 255, time to start exporting to REALBAND and keep on going...
--Mac
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Special offers available until August 31st, 2026!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1-11 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.
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XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2026 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
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It’s time to celebrate! Xtra Styles PAK 22 for Band-in-a-Box® is here, and we've got 200 brand-new styles coming your way!
No Xtra Styles PAK is complete without the classic rock & pop, jazz, and country volumes you know and love, and we’ve got plenty to share, with 150 styles spread across too many genres to list! Of course, it also wouldn’t be complete with our special wildcard volume to add a little spice and pizzazz to the mix. This year, because we loved it so much the first time, we’ve decided to make the second iteration of our SynthMaster volume, full of new sounds, interesting genres, and 50 engaging styles, all making use of the diverse SynthMaster plugin! Here you can find genres such as airy yacht rock, sultry electrotango, and even some synth soca funk. Don’t wait, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 22 today!
In this PAK you can find: dulcet folk ballads, funky gospel country, Brazilian jazz fusion, upbeat 1980s pop, classic Americana, a plethora of breezy bossa novas, indie singer-songwriter, scintillating synthwave, exuberant electronica, and many, many more!
Special offers available until August 31st, 2026!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1-22 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 22 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 22.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 22 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 22 requires the 2026 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.
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