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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 47
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 47 |
Thinking of buying a SD-50 (have downloaded all the user manuals from roland website and compared) - anyone got a patch map for it?
What I learnt:
SD-50 - midi module plus usb midi/wav/mp3 player. You can send midi messages to it whilst the usb player is playing - handy if you want to play e.g. a melody line over backing tracks. Can also alter key and tempo. Sounds right for me as I play keyboards in a couple of bands and also do gigs with a sax player where I have done all the backing tracks via BIAB.
Sonic Cell - midi module plus usb midi/wav/mp3 player. Says you can't send midi to it whilst usb player is playing. "Input/output of USB audio and MIDI messages cannot be used at the same time that the SMF/Audio File Player is playing". No key change. Lots of effects and expandable - designed for those who like tweaking sounds. Probably better sounds than SD-50???
BK-7M - midi module plus usb midi/wav/mp3 player plus accompaniment. Last part is like on many keyboards - you choose what style and it reacts to the chords you play, but you can at least set up lots of parameters beforehand and trigger changes with one button. Can't really see the point if you have BIA, where you can drive either of the two above direct from laptop or store midi files on USB stick and play those. I suppose you could argue that the backing will not be so rigid, and you can pop in another verse or chorus if you feel like it, but you're still going to have play all the chords in your left hand (piano/keyboard) and whilst that may be good for e.g. jazz, not so sure it's how I want to play other stuff.
Please shout if you've got one of the above and I've got it wrong or have missed something important!!?? Hope to get down the music store and try them all out soon.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 8,021
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 8,021 |
Have you checked out the Ketron?
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 47
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 47 |
Not yet, am downloading brochure now - looks interesting, thanks.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 8,021
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 8,021 |
It's a great sounding unit but have not heard the others though.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 47
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 47 |
Looks good, and people rave about the sounds, but it doesn't have a USB port for playing midi/mp3 from a USB stick and that's high on my wishlist at present to save carrying round the laptop.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 47
Enthusiast
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|
OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 47 |
Ok, bought the SD-50, and thought I would share some experiences.
1.I have sent patch file to PGMusic and they have put in on the website - thanks.
2.Playing standard MIDI files/songs from BIAB - you can choose between CONTEMPORARY (default) and CLASSIC for GM2 sounds - go for CLASSIC. CONTEMPORARY sounds weird (to me) for playing midi files, and the volumes are all strange, and the whole thing sounds muddy. I was getting ready to take the unit back when I tried the CLASSIC setting and hey presto, all was well. Lots of other sounds on the other banks - still playing with all of those. Guitars and sax all a bit weak (as on many synths) but strings / brass / synth sounds all very good and that's what I need (we have live guitars and sax in the band).
3.BIAB midi driver setup is SD-50 MIDI on the input and SD-50 on the output
4.The ability to change keys / tempo on both midi files and MP3s is magic - bung a USB stick in with the songs you want to play, try a song out and if your vocalist doesn't like the key, just change it. I know we keyboard chaps have transpose buttons, and some of us can transpose on the fly, but this is super quick and neat for agreeing in what key you want. Then you can start worrying about actually playing it in that key!
5.For live work I set up a studio set with 16 pre-programmed instruments (you can have up to 3 studio sets) - load the set, and then just change the channel on my midi ctlr keyboard to choose a different instrument, which gives me a very quick change.
6.You can play live from keyboard plus PC or USB stick playing files at same time. When using BIAB on laptop I use Thru channel for keyboard live. Have to juggle a bit with volumes to get balance right, but I just store BIAB songs now with Thru volume at 127, and I can change that from the keyboard as I'm playing.
Hope that all makes sense!! Shout if you need more / disagree or whatever!
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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.
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Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows Special Offers End Tomorrow (January 15th, 2026) at 11:59 PM PST!
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Season's Greetings!
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Team PG
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