|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 7
Newbie
|
OP
Newbie
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 7 |
I have four questions:
Question # 1: My understanding is that the drum patterns are played according to statistical rules according to the weights of each pattern on the substyle line. Yet that is not really true, and it looks like the frequency of playing a given pattern is affected by something else. I can see the possibility in playback Bar Mask, but I cannot find any reasonable explanation as to how that thing works.In short, I do not understand the relation between playing a pattern and the Playback mask.
For instance, open any style (midi or real drums), look at the first pattern of substyle A, put a crash cymbal on beat 1 of 4 and put a weight of 1 on the pattern. According to what is written in the tutorial, that should result in that pattern playing rarely. Well it appears every two beats. Try that with Jazfred and use the first A substyle pattern.
What did I do wrong?
Question # 2:. The real drums are supposed be immune from the drum pattern editor which is good only for MIDI drums(according to the chat help I got recently). Yet I can place the same crash cymbal on beat one (Jazfred). Question: Is the cymbal sound a Midi sound or a real drum sound (I cannot differentiate).
Question # 3: In the drum pattern editor of Jazfred, some of the volume numbers are circled with red squares. What does that mean, and in what way these red square differentiate that instrument volume from the rest of the non-red-square crowd?
Question # 4:. My motivation for doing all this is that I play clarinet and I often get lost when improvising. To reset myself with the music, I am trying to get a crash cymbal on beat 1 of every four bars sequence. Question: How can I modify the drum style so that it plays a single crash cymbal sound on beat 1 of every four bar? Is there any other trick I could do to force an event on beat 1 of each four bars sequence.
Any help would be appreciated.
This BB2011 is amazing and you guys deserve a hell of a lot of thanks and heartfelt recognition. I am addicted to BiaB for ten years now.
Serge
SAG
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502 |
When you invoke the substitution of RealDrums, the Style Editor really has nothing to do with it, that is a separate entity. If using a Real Style, it still likely does not have or need anything on the Drums track inside the stylemaker, although there are some Real Styles that were probably made using a MIDI style as the starting mask. But the RealDrums are created separately using the RealDrums engine, which is why we can have BB automatically substitute RealDrums to play even when we are using an otherwise all MIDI style.
The nature of the auto-accompaniment engine doesn't lend itself to something like you want to do very well, I would not recommend trying to accomplish it in that fashion.
However, if you were to play a style that has MIDI and not RealDrums, one way to get what you want would be to place your desired cymbal hits manually on the Melody or Soloist track and change the MIDI events for that track to MIDI channel 10 so that it is also calling and playing the Percussion Bank of your MIDI synth.
If in editable notation mode on the Soloist track, click to enter the note for the cymbal you want to hear. A Db4, for example, would be the MIDI note of the Standard Drumkit for the Crash Cymbal, so enter that on the first beat of bar 1. Then RightClick on the note and change its MIDI channel to 10 in the single note notation window. Continue on to bar 5 and do the same thing, again at 8, etc. and that should write a cymbal crash to the first beat of every four bars.
Of course, you would have to repeat that for every song you wish to practice in this fashion, though. But it would work.
If I wanted that facility to transfer easily to a lot of different BB songs then I'd use RealBand or another good MIDI sequencing program to write that drum part out for a reasonable length of bars using copy and paste routines, then save it as a Standard MIDI file that could be opened on the SEQ Melody track of BB and save it as part of the practice songs as I opened them. The crashes would then be on the Melody track, of course, beause that's where the SEQ sequencer of MIDI files inside BiaB lives. But at any rate, the static cymbal crashes would work on either of the static tracks inside BB, which would be the Melody or the Soloist track.
The one thing I'm concerned about is that I can't think of anything really valuable from doing this in practice. It would be far more valuable for you to COUNT as you play, and thus build the ability to know where the song is at all times, every four bars at beat one inclusive. Get over that hurdle and you can do it on every song you play every time, in my world this is an important and elementary necessity for the musician.
HTH,
--Mac
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,333
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,333 |
One two three four, Two two three four, three two three four, four two three four 093023033
John are you lost over there?
Blank stare. (Now I watch out of the corner of my eye for the wife to life her horn....to her lips...)
I'm so bad at the counting thing I can't sleep, the sheep are all muddled up.
But I practice almost every day and am getting much better. I count the pension cheques.
John Conley
Musica est vita
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 7
Newbie
|
|
OP
Newbie
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 7 |
Mac & John
I agree that repeat and repeat is the way to go, and I am comfortable most of the time. But there are pieces that are beyond me in terms of speed (greater than 190) and I know that I could leave the melody on at 127 to know where I am. My learning strategy is to lower the melody volume to 20 or so to fly on my own.
At these speeds my brain is no longer good at multi tasking. Counting 1-2-3-4 becomes rapidly 1-3-2- what I am doing here? Thank god my pension cheques are coming automatically into my bank account (Hi John, I am with you here). I can cheat by keeping the impro within the key and guess my next landing spot. Messy.
I gather from the above that going BiaB is not worth the trouble and RealBand or Sonar is the easiest approach with a dedicated track for the timing events.
Thank you.
SAG
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® users: Build 904 now available!
If you're already using Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, make sure to grab the latest update! Build 904 is now available for download and includes the newest additions and enhancements from our team.
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® users: Build 1237 is now available!
Already a Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows user? Stay up to date and download the build 1237 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.
PowerTracks Pro 2026 for Windows is Here!
PowerTracks 2026 is here—bringing powerful new enhancements designed to make your production workflow faster, smoother, and more intuitive than ever.
The enhanced Mixer now shows Track Type and Instrument icons for instant track recognition, while a new grid option simplifies editing views. Non-floating windows adopt a modern title bar style, replacing the legacy blue bar.
The Master Volume is now applied at the end of the audio chain for consistent levels and full-signal master effects.
Tablature now includes a “Save bends when saving XML” option for improved compatibility with PG Music tools. Plus, you can instantly match all track heights with a simple Ctrl-release after resizing, and Add2 chords from MGU/SGU files are now fully supported... and more!
Get started today—first-time packages start at just $49.
Already using PowerTracks Pro Audio? Upgrade for as little as $29 and enjoy the latest improvements!
Order now!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows Special Offers End Tomorrow (January 15th, 2026) at 11:59 PM PST!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, January 15, 2026!
We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
Version 2026 introduces a modernized GUI redesign across the program, with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, and a new Dark Mode option. There’s also a new side toolbar for quicker access to commonly used windows, and the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, making it easier to customize your workspace.
Another exciting new addition is the new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. You can view the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to process an entire track or focus on specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
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!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Windows to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade during our special, you'll receive a Free Bonus PAK of exciting new add-ons.
If you need any help deciding which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We are here to help!
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!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PST on January 15th, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® today! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all the purchase options available.
Happy New Year!
Thank you for being part of the Band-in-a-Box® community.
Wishing you and yours a very happy 2026—Happy New Year from all of us at PG Music!
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums57
Topics86,026
Posts799,096
Members40,011
| |
Most Online44,367
Mar 4th, 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean