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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Joined: May 2011
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OP
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The Transpose feature is driving me crazy. It doesn't seem to transpose the correct number of semitones.
Does anybody else have a problem?
It's seems like a bug to me.
Jeff
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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Explain your problem and process in detail.
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Ok Perhaps I am doing something wrong but here is what is happening when I try to transpose one chord.
By the way I am a newbie.
1. Go to Notation window.
2. Chord is C
3. Click on OPT button
4. Transpose Semitone—Here I enter any number preceded by a – or + and it never does what I want it to. For instance, I enter the number 1 and click OK and it transposes from C to D. Then I type in +1 and it transposes to A#. What am I not getting here?
5. Also, when I go to Edit, Undo Transpose…nothing happens.
6. I thought maybe the problem was linked to what Key I was in from the start. Like if I forgot to set the key and then transposed , maybe that confused the program. But I started a new piece from scratch and am still finding the same problems.
I hope that clarifies things.
Thanks Jeff
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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Hi Jeff,
On the PC (I imagine it's not too different on Mac), the transpose option that you are talking about only transposes the visual notation. It doesn't affect the accompaniment backing soundwise. This transposition is designed for adjusting the notation to compensate for not C-pitched instruments. Is that what you are after?
Regards,
Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 39
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OP
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In general, what I can't understand is why when I want to transpose One semitone it does two i.e. one whole step.
I was able to find some success from the Edit page, Transpose. There it seems to work properly.
But on the Notation page, Opt button, strange things are happening.
In Sibelius, when you transpose it asks which interval, minor 2nd, Major 3rd etc. To me it is much simpler. Or perhaps I am missing something still.
Thanks
Jeff
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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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This is what I usually would like to do with BB.
Take a jazz standard and write it out in the standard key in BB.
Then, since I am a French Horn player, I want to transpose the entire piece, Melody and Chords to the proper key for me to play in.
When I am on the Notation page and I go to OPT button, I cannot seem to transpose the Entire piece Melody and chords to the right key.
As mentioned earlier, when I want to transpose One semitone, it does a Whole Step which equals 2 semitones. Why is this happening? It seems illogical and flat out wrong what BB is doing, which leads me to the conclusion that it may be a Bug.
Thanks again Jeff
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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Hi again Jeff,
I don't know the Mac version of BIAB but on the PC version, I've always found that the most effective way to transpose a song is to use the box where I set the key. When I type in a new key, BIAB asks me if it should transpose. I say "yes" and it all happens.
With BIAB there are a few different types of transposition available (on-screen, whole song, section of song, etc.). When I first started out with BIAB, these confused the heck out of me! Without knowing which type of transposition you are after, it's difficult to address your problem. In the meantime, though, try changing the key (as suggested above) and see if that works how you'd like it too.
Kind regards,
Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Hi and thanks for your help.
But I have just again opened a new song.
The first chord is C.
I got to the Notation page and and Click on OPT.
I then Click to transpose +1. BB....correctly transposes to Db.
Then I input -1 semitone and it transposes to B. Now what is going on? It transposes from Db to B? I don't get it.
And furthermore...I can't Undo this action.
Anybody??
Thanks Jeff
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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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PG Music Staff
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PG Music Staff
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If you are trying to transpose the chords of the song, this wouldn't be done in notation-options. It is done from the main screen, by clicking on the key signature of the song.
If you are playing a non-concert instrument, and want to see the display in a non-concert key, then you use notation-options. Not sure why you'd be setting that to numbers like +1 and -1 semitones anyway, I've never heard of a non-concert instrument that is only a semitone from concert.
Have Fun!
Peter Gannon
PG Music Inc.
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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Expert
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Peter, You never played the first piano that I owned!  Steve
Steve Young Music"In order to compose, all you need to do is remember a tune that nobody else has thought of." - Robert Schumann
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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Jeff, Quote:
If you are playing a non-concert instrument, and want to see the display in a non-concert key, then you use notation-options. Not sure why you'd be setting that to numbers like +1 and -1 semitones anyway, I've never heard of a non-concert instrument that is only a semitone from concert.
Just to clarify what Peter has said above ...
Using the Opt when in Notation mode ONLY affects the on-screen display, it does not change the pitch of the song in anyway whatsoever. This type of transposition was designed for, say, a Bb clarinet player who wants to play along with BIAB's accompaniment. In this scenario, the clarinetist needs to read the music a tone higher (+2) but the pitch of the accompaniment needs to stay at concert pitch. By using Notation/Opt transposing, the clarinetist would be able to transpose the on-screen display, stand in front of his/her computer, and play along with BIAB while BIAB (a) shows music at the correct pitch for the player to read and (b) plays the accompaniment at the correct pitch for the overall sound of player in Bb and accompaniment at concert pitch.
When using the Notation/Opt transposition, the song ALWAYS maintains the key it was written in and ALL on-screen transpositions are relative to the original key. Thus, for your song in C, when you go +1 it will change to Db because that is 1 semitone up from C. Then when you -1, it will go to B because that is 1 semitone down from C. Importantly, however, the song never leaves the key of C.
As I said in an earlier post, the different types of transposition available in BIAB are confusing when one starts out. I found them challenging. Now that I understand the program a little better, I understand the subtleties and appreciate how each type of transposition is necessary. For my purposes, the transposition that automatically results by changing the key signature suits my purposes 99.9% of the time.
By the way, if you are looking to use transposition to simply change a single chord in a song, my experience is that it is far quicker simply to use the keyboard to type in a new chord.
Hope this helps clarify things.
Regards,
Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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OP
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Ok , let me have a look at your comments and I will get back to you.
thanks Jeff
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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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OP
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Noel and Peter, thanks for your help. I am beginning to understand a bit better how this works.
But what I want to do is this:
Transpose chords and melody to F Horn. And then print the lead sheet.
So I am assuming that 1st off I will write the song out in Concert pitch/key. ONce I am finished...Then I go to the Notation Page and transpose everything down a perfect 4th (for horn)? Then I can read/print from this page, Correct?
One thing I am not liking is that I cannot seem to UNDO actions on the Notation page.
Overall, however, I think I am getting it.
The reason why I am doing this is because we are playing with a singer. We need to accommodate their vocal ranges and have to learn the songs in different keys.
Thanks for your time. I am sorry for the confusion.
Jeff
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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Hi Jeff,
Sounds like you have it worked out. It's interesting that Undo has not been linked with this action. To get back to your original music, all you need to do is to enter 0 (i.e. zero) in the transpose option that you used to transpose for the horn.
I found BIAB to be a bit of a steep learning curve for a couple of weeks. After that, though, everything started to fall into place. It was well worth the adventure!
Regards,
Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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OP
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Hi Noel, and thanks for helping me out.
One thing I am finding very tedious is the input of melody notes on the Notation page.
Is there a way I can input them Real Time at a slower tempo with a midi controller?
I tried to get my yamaha synth set up with BB, but had no luck. I suppose I need to keep trying. Does BB only use the 2 drives mentioned in the midi section?
Thanks Jeff
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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Hi Jeff,
BIAB will certainly allow keyboard entry in real time. I'm afraid that I cannot help you with how to set it up on a Mac (I have a PC). I suggest you start a new thread in this forum by posting a "Request for help setting up MIDI keyboard" or something like that.
Regards,
Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
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