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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 13
Newbie
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OP
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 13 |
I'm hoping there is a trick out there for this (I tried to search many forms of the question and couldn't find anything - but I think I did see something about this some time ago). I looked through out the practice section in the Preference menu, but couldn't find anything. I'm still on BIAB 2010. I did post this in the Tricks section, but I don't think that was the right place for the question.
I'm trying to get my rhythm better, more consistant. I'd like to setup BIAB to play along and then just mute for a measure or two and then come back in to see if my internal clock can keep steady without the rest of the band present.
Is there any practice section to do this automatically or possibly randomly? I did go in and manually alter the bars to either mute all, or reset to normal. I also set up some measures so the first beat has a single hit and then is muted again until the bar is reset to normal. This works ok, but I was hoping for some sort of automated or random muting.
Thanks!
Rob
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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 |
Hi Rob, If your older version has the Practice Window, I think you should have this feature (IIRC). In BiaB, I went to the Help menu, Topic Search, typed in "practice" and selected Practice Window, scrolled down the page a bit and found this: Quote:
Chord "Breaks"
This feature is great for practicing tempo control.
Select the # of bars, and Band-in-a-Box will play for, say 4 bars (selectable), and then will rest all instruments for the next 4 bars. During the silence, you keep playing (comping, drums, melody, etc.), trying to stay in tempo. Drummers can mute the drum part. When the band comes back in after the 4 bars, you’ll get instant feedback on how well you have maintained the tempo, if the band comes in time with you or not.
Once set, this feature works automatically with all songs until you turn it off.
--Mac
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 13
Newbie
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OP
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 13 |
Yep, that is it. I saw that screen and looked over it too! But I missed that. Thanks so much - hopefully you didn't spend too much time on it and hopefully someone else will see this and it will help them too.
Thanks again!,
Rob
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 392
Journeyman
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Journeyman
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 392 |
When you're filling up with gas, lock the gas flow thingie and count along with the 10ths of a gallon for a little while, then look away and keep counting for a while and then look back to see how close you are to the correct count.
Being off by only 1/10th in 30 seconds or so is REALLY good!
Not kidding...I do it all the time if for no other reason than to avoid boredom. (I don't do windows!)
(-:
Or, if you have a stop watch...start it going for 10 seconds...close your eyes and open when you think you're at 30 seconds.
Again, not kidding. The more ways you practice rhythm the more deeply you will "feel" it.
I'll bet that great drummers...and bass players too might not be off more than 1 second in a minute. Guitar players....not so much!
(-:
Jim
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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 |
I've counted along with things like the gas (petrol) pump dispensers like that for years. Good practice for any musioian when you are doing something besides "just practicing".
If you live in an area with tunnels and commute to work, try continuing to sing a song that is on the radio when you enter the tunnel -- and see how close you are to the track when you come out of the tunnel and radio reception is restored.
When at home and playing the "Radio Game" -- which is simp;ly tuning in a station and attempting to find the key, chords, etc. to whatever musicis playing and play along with it in realtime, great ear training excercise -- try turning down the Volume on a song altogether at some point and keep counting and singing the song. Are you dead on the same place as the song when you turn the Volume back up?
The same can be done with any source, CD, tape, etc.
--Mac
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 392
Journeyman
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Journeyman
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 392 |
Great stuff Mac. However, I'm not sure whether your and/or my or anyone else's "drills" can actually be expected to do anything other than measure how good...or bad...our "internal rhythm clocks" are calibrated.
In other words, I'm not sure drilling will actually improve rhythm.
Personally, I think that some have rhythm and some don't. Some are "speed uppers" and some are "slow downers" by nature.
Similarly, I don't think we can drill for "perfect pitch" in spite of the ads running in Guitar Player Magazine for the past 25 years!!!!
And like my former golf instructor said...when amateurs "practice" all they're doing is "grooving their flaws."!!!! SO true for me. I REALLY have a "repeatable swing." REPEATABLY BAD!!!! (-:
(-:
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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 |
Anyone can improve their abilities with a proper practice regimen.
I've proven that with far too many students, grad students, master classes, etc.
The French word for "practice" is repetition...
BUT first one must know that the routine they have selected is proper for the best learning curve plus how to go about the few minutes a day it takes to *change* bad habits into ones that *WORK*.
Not excellence, but the *pursuit* of excellence.
If you say that you can't do it, your reward will be that you cannot do it.
Counting the whole time music is going on, plus keeping time, is a *discipline* and any discipline can be improved upon over time.
I encourage you to go for it.
--Mac
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,869
Expert
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Expert
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,869 |
I'm with Mac on this.
Of course you can improve your sense of rhythm by practice, you can also eradicate any flaws if your careful about your practice.
One useful skill is knowing where you are in a song. The way I learnt this was by counting:
1234, 2234,3234,3234,......12,2,3,4 (or similar) over songs I heard on the radio in my car. I tapped my foot. I wanted to ensure that I always knew where the one was and also where I was in the song in terms of bars. Now its internalised, I don't have to count and I know which bar and which beat I am on - this intitially took a few months.
There are lots of 'away from your instrument' excercises you can create too, for example listen to a song and count every third beat, or indetify the fifth bar without counting.
All this stuff about some people have and some have not... some work at it and some dont
And BIAB is a great training aid for this - you can slow down as much as you need.
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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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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
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: The Newly Designed Piano Roll Window
In this video, we explore the updated Piano Roll, complete with a modernized look and exciting new features. You’ll see new filtering options that make it easy to focus on specific note groups, smoother and more intuitive note entry and editing, and enhanced options for zooming, looping, and more.
Watch the video.
You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: AI Stems & Notes - split polyphonic audio into instruments and transcribe
This video demonstrates how to use the new AI-Notes feature together with the AI-Stems splitter, allowing you to select an audio file and have it separated into individual stems while transcribing each one to its own MIDI track. AI-Notes converts polyphonic audio—either full mixes or individual instruments—into MIDI that you can view in notation or play back instantly.
Watch the video.
You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!
Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®
With your version 2026 for Windows Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!
These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
- The 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
- MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
- Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
- Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
- Playable RealTracks Set 5
- RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
- SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
- Android Band-in-a-Box® App (included)
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
- 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
- FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
- MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
- Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
- Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
- RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
- SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
Learn more about the Bonus PAKs for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
Video: New User Interface (GUI)
Join Tobin as he takes you on a tour of the new user interface in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®! This modern GUI redesign offers a sleek new look with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, and a smoother workflow. The brand-new side toolbar puts track selection, the MultiPicker Library, and other essential tools right at your fingertips. Plus, our upgraded Multi-View lets you layer multiple windows without overlap, giving you a highly flexible workspace. Many windows—including Tracks, Piano Roll, and more—have been redesigned for improved usability and a cleaner, more intuitive interface, and more!
Watch the video.
You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 10 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 28 RealTracks and RealDrums!
Few things are certain in life: death, taxes, and a brand spankin’ new XPro Styles PAK! In this, the 10th edition of our XPro Styles PAK series, we’ve got 100 styles coming your way! We have the classic 25 styles each from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, and rounding out this volume's wildcard slot is 25 styles in the Praise & Worship genre! A wide spanning genre, you can find everything from rock, folk, country, and more underneath its umbrella. The included 28 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Here’s just a small sampling of what you can look forward to in XPro Styles PAK 10: Soft indie folk worship songs, bumpin’ country boogies, gospel praise breaks, hard rockin’ pop, funky disco grooves, smooth Latin jazz pop, bossa nova fusion, western swing, alternative hip-hop, cool country funk, and much more!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 10 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of XPro Styles PAKs.
Video: XPro Styles PAK 10 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 21 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest Xtra Styles PAK installment—the all new Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher)!
Rejoice, one and all, for Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box® is here! We’re serving up 200 brand spankin’ new styles to delight your musical taste buds! The first three courses are the classics you’ve come to know and love, including offerings from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, but, not to be outdone, this year’s fourth course is bro country! A wide ranging genre, you can find everything from hip-hop, uptempo outlaw country, hard hitting rock, funk, and even electronica, all with that familiar bro country flair. The dinner bell has been rung, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 21 today!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Energetic folk rock, raucous train beats, fast country boogies, acid jazz grooves, laid-back funky jams, a bevy of breezy jazz waltzes, calm electro funk, indie synth pop, industrial synth metal, and more bro country than could possibly fit in the back of a pickup truck!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 21 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 21 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 21.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 21 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 21 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
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