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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 457
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OP
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Posts: 457 |
I have never gotten the hang of how to insert part markers using the notation window. I know what to do: right click over the bar, select the part (A, B, C, etc) and click, but two things inevitably occur. First, the marker is never in a good location and often obscures the chord notation. Two, even when it obscures the chords, the marker doesn't show up on the lead sheet or on the print out.
What am I doing wrong and what's the correct procedure?
Thank you for your advice and suggestions.
Bob aka jazzwombat
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2000
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Veteran
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To insert a Part Marker for any bar, simply LeftClick over the bar NUMBER in the chordgrid.
LeftClick where there is no Part Marker will insert an "A" substyle Part Marker.
If you desire a "B" Part Marker, LeftClick that Blue A part marker one more time and it will turn Green, indicating a B Part.
For MultiStyles, that have more than two substyles available, simply LeftClick again to turn it another color, indicating C, D, or more.
To Remove a Part Marker, simply LeftClick again and again until there is no marker.
--Mac
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2004
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Bob, I think what you have found are "Section Letters", not Part Markers. Some call them "Rehearsal Marks", and they have no influence on how the piece plays in BiaB. They do end up in odd places on the Editable Notation page, but if you look in Leadsheet View, you may find they are better placed where it counts. They never show up in the main chordsheet
Anyway, Section Letters are not what you want. I don't know of any way to insert part markers in the notation view. It may not be a very good place to do it, because it's hard to see your song structure there.
Larry
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 126
Apprentice
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Bob,
As Mac pointed out (and in BBW terminology) part markers is the correct term. They will be indicated not by a part A, B, etc., designation on the printout, but a rather somewhat ambiguous double vertical line (||). So, parts A, B,C, are not distinct one another on the printout (refer to pg 44, 80, 81 of the 2010 manual, pg 56, 98, 100 of the 2012 manual for part markers).
Part markers that Allis is referring to (e.g., Lead Guitar, Strings etc. at the beginning of the first page in BB printouts, are notation selection options ("Display Patch Names on Notation") in the available in the print & notation options.
If you want something else, say Solo 1, Solo 2, Riff 1, they can be entered in the notation view Clicking the Section Text button. You can control the placement in time (bar, beats, ticks), vertical placement, and whether the text is boxed text or not (pg 253 of the 2012 manual, or search "Section Text" in HELP and then click the help button in Section Text dialog).
Hope this is not redundant and of some help,
Richard
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2004
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Quote:
Part markers that Allis is referring to (e.g., Lead Guitar, Strings etc. at the beginning of the first page in BB printouts, are notation selection options ("Display Patch Names on Notation") in the available in the print & notation options.
That's quite puzzling. I am talking solely about simple "SECTION LETTERS", not instrumentation instructions or style summaries. They are not Part Markers, because they not change substyles or trigger drum fills.
Section Letters are little boxed letters that can be placed anywhere, to make it convenient for musicians to find their place. The band director is referring to those when he says "Try it from Letter H..."
In fact, they are the only similar thing available from an editable notation right-click menu, where he says he found them. If I understood him, I mean.
Last edited by allis; 10/03/12 03:15 PM.
Larry
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Feb 2005
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Yes, that's why I addressed the part marker display issue as Bob stated "First, the marker is never in a good location and often obscures the chord notation." In the printout, vs Section Markers (and yes, I understand BB Part Markers and Sections vs Standard Notation terminology). However, one could use section text to simulate a part marker (and better identify Part A vs. B vs. C, or any other designation). However, this method could be tedious until the song arrangement is stable. One could also use the chord vertical position option to avoid the collision between BB part makers (||), although depending on where notes and lyrics are placed, there could be other character collisions. Ultimately, what would be nice is if the BB code considered character placement/proximity and better place the characters. But, BB is not a notation application (nor do I expect it to be). Even the expensive notation applications have problems in this area.
In any case, if I run into a notation/chord sheet that is problematic (in any application), I'll print it to a PDF and edit there. I'm not one for white-out.
Richard
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 392
Journeyman
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Quote:
In any case, if I run into a notation/chord sheet that is problematic (in any application), I'll print it to a PDF and edit there. I'm not one for white-out.
Richard
Richard....VERY interesting. SORRY for what are likely really dumb questions but I am neither a BIAB nor a PDF jockey. Would you mind describing...
1. Which TYPE of BIAB pages would you "print to" pdf...i.e. a Lead Sheet for example?
2. How do you go about creating a pdf version of that Lead Sheet that an be edited?
Again...sorry for the numbskull questions.
Best,
Jim
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 457
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OP
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Hi all,
Just to clarify: it was my error to use the term part marker without context. I am referring to placing in the print out (paper) clear boxed "A" and "B" sections, e.g, in an AABA chart, I want to indicate the start of sections A and B, respectively. My question was not about playback style.
Sorry for the confusion, but it did provide for a lively discussion, imho.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 603
Journeyman
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OK. There's a lot of terminology, so it's no wonder we got balled up.
Those marks are just very hard to place well. They seem to have a mind of their own as to where they finally appear, vaguely near where the cursor was. If they fall on top of a chord or lyric, BiaB doesn't care. Also one probably doesn't do it often enough to get a good technique worked out.
If you enter the markers as Section Text, I think it's a little more accurate. They seem (possibly) to fall nearer the cursor point, You can make them "boxed" to get the same effect you get with letters from the menu. The advantage of section text is that you can edit it -- delete (or move) misplaced objects and try again.
PS: "Section Text" does print with the leadsheet, so it will at least cure that problem for you. I never realized that section letters did not print; that makes them useless to me.
Larry
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Apprentice
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Not a dumb question...
Once I get to a stabilized song (not always guaranteed), I print all my printouts to PDFs, such as chord sheets, specific patch (instrument) standard notation and/or tab. If need additional printouts in the future, I can print them independently of BB. Also, I have PDF editors by which I can edit problem areas (e.g., solo, riff 5, etc.) if there were issues in the BB printout. If I wanted to add some informative text or indicator that I overlooked in BB, I can add those at will to the PDF. Having these as separate files also lets me print from just about anywhere (even directly from printers that support a USB memory stick.
Hope this info helps.
Bob and Allis
Yes, the terminology can get in the way at times, but no big deal. I kind of read between the lines on Bob's (JazzWombat) original post, and interpreted what I thought he was trying to do. While you can't (as far as I know) control the position of the BB Part Markers as to the print location in relation to surrounding characters, if the main issue is with the chords, you can at least control the vertical position of the chord name/symbol placement with the notation options. As to the distinction between BB Part Markers (A, B, etc.), using the section text will work (although it may require a little trial-and-error to arrive at the right placement). Short of that is printing to a PDF file (graphic files get too big and are tougher to work with)and then using a PDF editor.
Some PDF editors work better than others (and are especially version dependent with some vendor's products), but there are some inexpensive ones (< $100 or free) that work pretty well.
Richard
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 794
Journeyman
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On a tangent - can one "jump" to any marker in a BIAB song, using say a keypress from the qwerty board?
So let's say you are playing a song live, and it is on the last loop, and then some in the crowd decide they want to start dancing. Can a user then press say the F1 key for example, and cause BIAB to jump back to the start or some other user defined point in the song to extend play?
Thanks
Dennis
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