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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 5
Newbie
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OP
Newbie
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 5 |
I have used BB for quites some time and have avoided the real tracks as I have not fully understood how to use them.However, I have just downloaded BB2012 and decided that I would have a go after reading how much support they have got from members of the forum.Am I correct in assuming that when I assign a real track to say a melody line that the original melody will be wiped with a new one,that bears no resemblance to the original, is put in its place; if that's the case I don't see the reason for using this on a melody line. Second, the soloist real tracks also seems to follow its own agenda.For instance in the soloist editor items such as phase length, are not followed by the real track .Does one therefore,have any control over what is played in real tracks which is basically what I am asking?
The base/drum tracks sound excellent by the way.
Thanks
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2005
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The last few months, been working more with realtracks.
For creating melody tracks, say based on existing song.
You wont be able to do that.
The Solo's appear to have a mind of their own.
Been using melodists to create songs. Built 25 or 30 new melodists
based on realtracks styles. In some cases had to add Soloist realtracks.
Sometimes the AABA format is created by the melodist, but not sure
the Soloist realtracks actually follow this personality.
Also when doing this, sometimes many passes are required to get a song
that sounds nice.
My opinion only, but do feel the 20 or so songs created to date using
only realtracks would make great dinner background music, or "elevator music",
but no Hits in the bunch.
But incredible sounds.
I have a very close friend very honest with me, and the "songs" blew him away
when listening to them. He is a country artist in his own right. 40 plus years.
Hope this fills in some spaces for you.
Would advise you to stay with realtracks for all the support and add your specific
melodies to this.
Keep on havin' fun !
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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 |
You have some control by the use of part markers and chords. As far as what notes are played, no. The 'A' part markers usually are simpler while the 'B' are busier. The choice of chords makes a difference - a C7b9 will produce a different line than C. I've also noticed that using a chord over 2 bars produces a different line than the same chord placed every bar. Example: C ///|//// seems to produce an 8 beat line while C///|C/// produced two 4 beat lines. This is probably the case down to 2 beats as well.
R
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 5
Newbie
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OP
Newbie
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 5 |
Thanks seeker for your input.
OK one cannot play real tracks to original melodies,wich means apart from creating elevator music, what's the point? I can't understand the point of realtracks for the soloist and melodist if you cannot control what is played.As for example, no matter what I change in the soloist editor for example there is no change to the track that the soloist creates,such as note range or phase length.Apart from the drums and base I cannot see the purpose of real tracks unless someone can convince me different. Maybe I am asking too much.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,047
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ntmp,
If you listen to music somewhere in the mid part of the songs, a lot of
them there are "Soloist" performers playing their guitar, piano, accordian, whatever
their speicalty is.
This is where the soloist is a real plus for music creations.
Chorus 1...melody AABA or whatever,
Chorus 2...Soloist using realtracks(or midi) generated music
Chorus 3...melody AABA or whatever.
Also you can have soloist parts inserted where you wish too and also
set their lengths. I have not done this, but its there.
Regarding the changes, you have to regenerate after you make changes.
Keep in mind, once you have a nice song setup and melody or soloist.
Look into using the Freeze icon on far right.
Every time you hit the play button changes "may" be made to the song.
I'm a midi person thru and thru, but with the realtrack performers as my
friends, learning to appreciate their sounds and what you can create with them.
Good luck !
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,360
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Hi ntmp, Quote:
I can't understand the point of realtracks for the soloist and melodist if you cannot control what is played
Using a Realtrack in the Melodist or Soloist slot allows for more instruments to be added to a backing accompaniment.
Some people don't use the Melody track to write and store melodies, so having the ability to place Realtracks on the tracks that have been, in the past, used for notation, it's possible to expand the fullness of the backing sound.
For example, I often have Acoustic Bass, Piano, Finger picking guitar, 2 x strumming guitars and a background instrument such as Steel Guitar. That's six instruments for only 5 slots. Being able to use the Melody track allows me to use all six instruments on separate tracks.
Regards,
Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,047
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Rachel,
With all the songs been working on, never used the Part maker.
Great tip.
Will try that out a bit later today.
Thanks
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,333
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Veteran
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,333 |
The purpose of Band in a Box is that. A Band in a Box. Like music minus one. You either play the melody or sing it, and it you really insist you can have a midi melody on say a pan flute and use it as an intro there it messes around with the melody until bar 22 when you start throat singing the Eskimo national anthem with whale sounds in loops over skidoo noise. Harp seals instead of harps. Mush!
So I don't get the whine about RealTracks. Say you want to be a folk-country band. You can put all the parts here, along with your own composition if you want.
The crying is kind of like saying I got a standard beetle VW car and I am having trouble getting it to do off road hill climbing. (I think you forgot to find out if it would first right?)
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 177
Apprentice
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Apprentice
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 177 |
Real Tracks add acoustic realism to backing tracks and soloist tracks. The Melodist and Soloist modules are strictly for midi instruments, thus the failure of a Real Track instrument to respond to midi edits and Soloist midi edit settings. Just like the Real Track bass instruments and Real Drums implement improved timbre when compared to midi counterparts, other Real Track instruments bring very musical phrases and added realism to the tracks they are used on. The quality of melody tracks depends on the quality of the midi instrument you select for performing the melody. Keep listening and experimenting..
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 5
Newbie
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OP
Newbie
Joined: Jan 2012
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I would like to thank you guys, except one, for your help. I had looked around the BB site and various avenues to find out what RealTracks would do and found nothing that explained it as clearly as Dr DuBose and I thank him for that. I could not see the purpose , and it thought that I made this clear, of not being able to control things in the melodist and soloist. Could I say that I was not whining nor crying as one contributor suggested.And I would like to suggest to him that he doesn't encourage contributors to this forum if they are going to get insulted every time they request help.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,333
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,333 |
Apart from creating elevator music, what's the point?
That's plain insulting. I have about 1000 tunes at my fingertips. all of them except for about 7 percent are totally RealTracks. PG music spends tens of thousands of dollars for you to come on their free website and use the Elevator Music snide remark.
Even Oliver Gannon, (Mr. pg's brother and award winning jazz guitarist), who's spent hours laying down RealTracks on guitar does not deserve the elevator music tag.
You don't come in with a post number of TWO and do that in someone elses house.
I do not apoligise for the remarks. You can take a realtrack with notes, transfer it to the melody, and have any midi synth on the market play the same notes. If to you, it sounds better, go with it.
Blah Blah, elevator music.
Well tell it Brent Mason, and Oliver Gannon, Miles Black, and Carlos who you'll find on the Spanish Forum mostly. He does some great stuff in Realtracks.
You'd be right upset if I walked into your house and laughed at the music you liked and then I tell you to shut off the elevator music, wait, I'm passing out from sleep just thinking about that e l v zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 5
Newbie
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OP
Newbie
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 5 |
The elevator music quote was from another contrubutor ;It didn't come directly from me.By the way I have used this forum - under another username/password- for a number of years and have seen a number of intelligent contrubutions from yourself and are suprised at this attitude.Please don't reply, I have had enough.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,333
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,333 |
Well, I've had a transformation. I'm no longer the user in charge of good cheer, optimism and bravado. That's all the others. I'm in the land of don't feed me stuff, I might be between morphine injections or thc meds, or something. At least it's still something.
All the rest of the users will now jump in and sing kum-by-a or however you call it.
I think they are the ones who apoligise for the elevator music creeping into my beloved software.
BTW, I just went out of genre and tried Country Train RealTracks on Folsom Prison Blues. Slow, and gritty. I am going to get some elevator dings and try them in loops, but I'm deaf and don't hear those dings. No more dings or dongs. I just wait for the door to open.
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,047
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Veteran
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,047 |
First Let me apologize for using the words "Elevator Music".
Was not intended in anyway to slight, insult, degrade or otherwise
smear Product, people, or software or people who wrote it.
I've been working on forums as user and moderator on other forum for many
years.
In the early days, learned quickly how easy it was to use words that
unintentionally bite or insult others.
Again never my intention by using those words.
I value all of you folks advice and guidance.
Admire your abilities and professionalism in the music world.
Also the PG music products are beyond compare and in no way intended to
the words to be a reflection on any member of PG, Dr Gannon, Oliver Gannon
or the staff.
To me I feel it is truly an Honor to be part of this group of folks.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 280
Apprentice
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Apprentice
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 280 |
I play "Smooth Jazz" and my "rocker" friends call it "elevator music". I'd be more than proud if I could play that kind of "elevator music". If I could be playing at the same level with such talented musicians like Chuck Loeb, Blake Aaron, Les Sabler... Heck, even Larry Carlton and Lee Ritenour play "elevator music". Long Live the elevator and its music! 
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,449
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Wait enough decades, and almost any music may show up in an elevator. Coltrane, Weather Report, Beatles, Boots, you name it. The new venue that is similar is music while on hold.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 349
Journeyman
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Journeyman
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 349 |
Many years ago, in my youth, a comedian (possibly George Carlin)once commented how someday we would all be in an old age home sitting in our rocking chairs, staring out the windows, listening to Stairway To Heaven.
Back then I laughed and laughed.
Today I just rock and rock.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 2,217
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Veteran
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Posts: 2,217 |
.
Often, I am able to get Real Tracks to follow or support my melody.
As I try different RTracks for my song, I find one that, by chance, happens to to have a sequence of a bar or so that matches, answers, or echoes a phrase of the melody I have written. Then, in Real Band, I can highlight a section, regenerate it, and use cut-and-paste until the echo in the RTrack shows up where I want it - in time with the melody phrase, or just after. The new multi-riff feature in RBand speeds up this process and makes it more reliable.
Sometimes I can get the RTrack to follow my voice in a way that is uncanny. Its not the same as editing the notes directly, but sometimes it works really well. When it applies in a way that has an instrument follow my voice the effect is very convincing.
Last edited by flatfoot; 01/10/12 12:04 PM.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Posts: 4,026
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Elevators would be awkward if they had no music and what would cover up the sounds of old farts passing gas! What was your old name before you had to change it ? Did everybody hate on you too much and that made you change it ? You can PM me if you want to come clean about your past name and problems .
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,722
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Realtracks from a live gig perspective FWIW . . . I play solo gigs, just me BIAB and my guitar. Before realtracks this meant that I had to play every solo for every song on every gig. So I did this for years, and while it made me a better musician it also was a bit repetitive as the only featured instrument all night long was my guitar. Now for an hour gig this is not that big an issue, but when I'd play 2-4 hour gigs I even got tired hearing just the guitar, so I quit booking gigs longer than 1 1/2 hours. So here comes realtracks, IMHO a God send to the soloist gigging musician as now I choose what instrument to feature at any bar I choose. I still do lots of guitar rides and in some cases try to stick to the melody line a bit as I know the great trumpet, trombone or sax man etc. who will be playing rides will play "around" the melody and this makes for a great mix. I don't use the guitar solos as that is my instrument, and while I can not play as well as some of the great guitar solo realtracks I feel my customer booked me not artist doing the guitar solos. In simple terms realtracks enabled me to start booking longer gigs at which I could charge mo money, and this is a very good thing. PS: I installed my 1st realtracks two days after I played a four hour New Years Eve Gig and to say that singing every song and playing every solo for four hours was a tough gig would indeed be an understatement. So you can only imagine how happy I was to hear my first realtracks. I'd just wish I had installed before that gig.  Later,
Last edited by Danny C.; 01/10/12 03:15 PM.
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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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