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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 110
Apprentice
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OP
Apprentice
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 110 |
Hey Guys 'n Gals!
I'm trying to figure out something (uh, yeah, THAT's and understatement).
How might I mimic a particular style's intesity within a chorus?
I was playing a demo song yesterday and the chorus was set to 3 iterations.
The 1st and 3rd played identically, while the 2nd (in the middle) played with increased intensity.
This style used all real tracks btw.
I found it intriquing.
I'm so green it makes me sick.
How very frustrating it is to know "what" I want to do with a song, but I lack the knowlege base to execute it within BIAB.
Granted, I'm old school...thus, very accustomed to tweaking rhythms and drums to do exactly what I want when I want them to vs. given a block of data and then trying to figure out how to customize the various aspects of the song to fit the groove in mind etc.
Well, I realize that BIAB is not magical, though a tad mysterious indeed. It is by far, the greatest tool I've ever come across in 28 yrs of playing/performing.
I have so many questions and so little time...I just want to get my groove on in my own way...and not be "stuck" with just demos and cookie cutter jams.
I need help in learning how to make the songs my own from the top down...because I KNOW the potential is there...yet, untapped sadly.
Very frustrated,
Eric
JOHN 10:10
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,634
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,634 |
Hi Eric,
Getting acquainted with BIAB is a bit of a learning curve at the beginning. Well worth the effort though.
You might have seen that BIAB arrangement have blue and green boxes that cover some of the bar numbers throughout and arrangement. These are called part markers. The blue part markers tell BIAB to play a simpler sounding arrangement while the green part markers tell the program to play a more developed sounding accompaniment.
By clicking on a bar's number, you can change from blue to green to no part markers. Typically choruses 1 and 3 play with a blue part marker and chorus 2 plays with a green part marker.
I suggest that you have a look at "Part markers" in Help.
Regards,
Noel
Last edited by Noel96; 12/13/10 05:49 PM.
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,616
Expert
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Expert
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,616 |
By default, BIAB plays middle choruses with more intensity (green markers). This can be turned off in the Song Settings - the S button next to the memo button. There is a checkbox for 'Vary Style in Middle Choruses.
For more control over your song, you may want to Edit|Unfold your song into one chourus. Then part markers can be used as you want.
R
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 110
Apprentice
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OP
Apprentice
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 110 |
Hi Rachael and Noel!
Hey there...I do understand those basic priciples.
This particular demo song had the usual A and B part markers.
Yet, as I'll reiterate, the total cycle of choruses was 3.
The entire song (all of the bars...EVEN those with A/B markers) during the "middle" chorus played with a different feel and intesity.
This (among a plethora of others) gives me pause...as to "how" this is being accomplished "behind" the scenes.
I thought it very cool indeed.
I'm green. Perhaps there is a tweak to create/inject a style modification within the chorus bookends if you will.
Either that, or the genius programming the style in the first place is a BB Jedi Knight (which of course is VERY likely)...leaving me in the dust scratching my head wondering, "how dey do dat?".
BTW Rachael, I will remember to Unfold...and try to pry out the secrets as the exist...uh, if they can be discerned (another task to try and figure out).
I love learning...such great fun at 40. LOL
Eric
Last edited by FLAN; 12/13/10 07:06 PM.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,616
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,616 |
As Rachael mentioned, the default is to play that middle - second - chorus using the B substyle. Assuming you start each chorus with an A substyle, the second chorus would appear to sound busier in most RealTrack styles.
If indeed you are also hearing a 'busier' B substyle as well in that second chorus, then it is possible that it just happened by coincidence in the generation of the RealTrack parts, and pressing Play will give you a slightly different sounding pattern.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 110
Apprentice
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OP
Apprentice
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 110 |
Thanks Matt...hmmm...let me try again.
The song has the typical AABA form from soup to nuts.
1st and 3rd the same, middle is different intesity...
Rats, it's getting late. I'll have to find the demo song and post it here so you'll know exactly what I'm taling about.
I'll get back to you on this...promise.
Until then, the conundrums are seemingly infinite.
JOHN 10:10
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502 |
That's by design and it is typically what live performers might do as well, the "middle choruses" often being the area where musicians take solos, they are usually then accompanied in a different fashion than for the head and tail of the song "intensity" as you call it, but there are actually musical terms that exist for the description, depending upon genre. For example, in a jazz piece, the middle choruses would swing harder, incorporating more walking bass. Or in a rock tune, the middle choruses might have more push with a bit more from the kick drum and bass player. That feature can be turned off in the Prefs section as already mentioned above, although I for one usually appreciate it, there are certain songs where you may not want that to happen and its nice to have the choice available. Here's how it works in BB: No matter what the part markers indicate on the chord grid, for the middle choruses it is ignored and the entire run-through is played in the B substyle entirely. B substyle is indicated by the Green blocks on the bar numbers in a song. A is blue. Middle Choruses are always played as B unless you stipulate otherwise. It really depends upon how each particular style is programmed whether or not that B substyle has more "intensity" or not. In some instances, it can even change the feel entirely, such as the Dolphin styles where the A substyle is a Latin thing while the B substyle is flat out Swing. That's the way Green Dolphin Street was written. Having the ability to change that way is essential to perform that song. There are other examples, not in the jazz genre, I just can't think of one offhand right now. Green Dolphin Youtube of Sarah Vaughan, God I miss her, that wasn't a voice, Sassy was an instrument! --Mac
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 493
Journeyman
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Journeyman
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 493 |
Quote:
By default, BIAB plays middle choruses with more intensity (green markers). This can be turned off in the Song Settings - the S button next to the memo button. There is a checkbox for 'Vary Style in Middle Choruses.
I think Rachel was correct and Mac mentioned it - this is what you want to do. You never said you tried it, so maybe you missed it. The same dialog box is also available from the Edit menu, at the bottom of that, or the hotkeys Ctrl N.
Good luck.
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Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
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