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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 8
Newbie
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OP
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 8 |
I folks:
I'm relatively new to BIAB. I have BIAB2014, received as a gift. It came with a few Real Tracks and such. Not many mind you, but enough to make me appreciate how cool they are.
Anyways, I'm trying to make my first BIAB file. I wanted to take the sheet music for Vince Guaraldi's O Tannenbaum and make a BIAB file to use to play along as my band while I play on my upright piano.
Please understand, I'm kind of new at this. But I'm looking for some advice.
I created a new file and chose ZZJAZWAL.STY Jazz Waltz Style to get a 3/4 score going. (Took me the longest time to figure out time signature is tied to the style).
I edited my song settings to have (1) chorus. I really plan on manually creating the sheet music measures end to end, not really in a form of AABA or anything. Just plan on entering in all the bars manually for the whole song.
I've added the first 16 bars using chord notation in my BIAB file. WHen I play it, it kind of sounds bad.
So I was looking around at the Real Drums I got with my version. I Found something called 'jazz brushes' that seems to make it sound better. (it took me a while to figure out that most of my Real Drums are incompatible with 3/4 time).
Anyways, I guess it's a long winded way of asking if anyone has ideas for better Bass, drum, or other RealTracks (?) that might make the accompaniment sound better.
I have very few (maybe 6) basic Acoustic base RealTracks. Accoustic base simple and very simple work, but are boring. The four others just don't seem to match the feel of the song.
THe original Guaraldi version doesn't really have much more than drums (brushes), base, piano, I think.
But I was wondering if there's some other suggestions that might add some interest to the accompaniment? Maybe jazz guitar or something.
Anyways, this is just all for practice. It is my hope that I can use it to practice by.
I took a year of Jazz piano lessons and can kind of play the first 16 bars just by sheet reading. I never learned improv, but i"m hoping to be able to use this to eventually practice my own improvisations over the 2nd 16 bars, and conclude with a repeat of the first 16 bars.
This is just for fun, just for learning.
I'm a 49 year old jazz piano novice hoping to be able to play better and maybe learn enough to improve with this one song. THen on to the next!
I know I have years of practice in front of me. But this Christmas, I would really like to see if i can play this one all the way through and sound not half bad as a Christmas present to me. I've hacked this song for years and never really got serious about getting through end to end.
Thanks for reading (if you've read this far). I'd love to see if you have any ideas.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,618
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Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,618 |
Hi. Welcome to BIAB and to this forum.
First, I want to compliment you on your attitude. Sometimes first posters get on here and rant about what they don't understand. You recognize this is an incredibly powerful program and we look forward to working with you as you improve.
You have part of the solution in your question: get more styles and RealTracks if you want more choices and versatility. We often find people come to that conclusion after working a little with the starter "Pro" version, which I assume you bought. It is likely more economical to upgrade to the MegaPak than to purchase individual RealTrack add-ons, and if you decide to do that, call PG Music Sales. They are most fair and will help you.
As to the specific song, a couple of ideas. First, yes, the style will set the time signature but that's not all there is to it. You can use a RealTrack designed for 4/4 and it will play in 3/4, simply dropping the fourth beat. The recording from A Charlie Brown Christmas moves from 3/4 to a nice easy 4/4 at 126 bpm. BIAB requires you start to with 4/4 and use the F5 key to alter each bar you wish to have a different time signature, including, in this case, bar one.
I assume you are looking for a straight-ahead "light" jazz waltz style to match the marvelous work of Vince Guaraldi. I compose jazz and I always use the BIAB RealTracks for bass and drums, but sometimes at higher tempos I prefer the MIDI piano. BIAB also has SuperTracks, which are also MIDI, and they can be amazing but sometimes need a little editing. Finally, in the menu where you choose a RealTrack, look for an option near the bottom that makes it a Simpler arrangement. The faster the tempo, the more you may want to invoke this option.
I love the jazz guitar sounds in BIAB, but I think your particular song would be better without guitar.
For your song, it's hard for me to remember what styles you have, as I've had them all for decades. If you get stuck, find a place to upload your song (like Dropbox), and you can place a link to it in a post here. We can then look at it and perhaps help. You will learn best by doing it yourself, but there may already be a BIAB version of that song already done by someone, if you are interesting in studying it.
That's probably enough, or too much, for now. Ask for any clarification you need, and just play with the program a lot; you never know what you will stumble onto.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 8
Newbie
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OP
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 8 |
Thanks for the quick response, Matt.
I will look into the mega pack. ANd in the mean time, I"m going to see if I can make it a bit better sounding for now to play along with.
In the Guaraldi tune, he's really doing all the magic. THe bass and drums (brushes) add wonderful support. I'm no Guaraldi. i can play the notes from the sheet music just fine in terms of the first sixteen bars.
I'll dabble a bit more with what I've got and just get in front of the piano.
Man...what a difference REalTracks and Realdrums makes compared to some of the other options.
I really need to get more style packs, though. THere's hardly anything in there 3/4 time in a Jazz Waltz.
Last: Matt, I stopped by and listend to your clips of Brazillian Wish. All I can say is wow! I normally don't like horns because they are often too bright and they hurt my ears. But the richness of the brass in those clips is just amazing! So wonderful and rich!
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 13,035
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 13,035 |
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fh133ZO1AEMatt, got it right of course, that swing ain't 3/4! Nice rendition though. Good luck.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 13,035
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 13,035 |
.. I normally don't like horns because they are often too bright and they hurt my ears. ...  hehe Merry Christmas.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 8
Newbie
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OP
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 8 |
Hey JazzManDan...
I didn't notice, but you are right, the the 2nd 16 bars starts at 4/4 time.
It also seems as if Vince is playing the first 16 bars kind of rubato. It's hard for me to hear the 1,2,3 ...1,2,3...while he's playing. But the sheet music ("A Charlie Brown Christmas") is definitely 3/4.
This is why I'm a student and he's a master!
Thanks for pointing that out. I didn't notice the time signature change.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,618
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,618 |
Thanks! And yes, he plays rubato in 3/4, then a nice steady 4/4 swing at 126 bpm. That's why I gave you the tricks for how to do that.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 8
Newbie
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OP
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 8 |
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,827
Expert
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Expert
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,827 |
. . . It came with a few Real Tracks and such. Not many mind you, but enough to make me appreciate how cool they are. you could have a look here UserTrack List
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 174
Apprentice
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Apprentice
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 174 |
Robert: Usertracks are a good suggestion for the time being and... you may want to wait till Dec ??, for upgrades as PG Music usually comes out with Xmas deals for BIAB.
Welcome to the club.
Cheers
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 8
Newbie
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OP
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 8 |
Thank you. I was wondering if they did have any holiday specials... 
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,888
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,888 |
Nice paintings. Whimsical subjects considering what you are seeing when you look out your window in Elma this week.
Charlie
BIAB 2026:RB 2026, Latest builds: Dell Optiplex 7040 Desktop; Windows-10-64 bit, Intel Core i7-6700 3.4GHz CPU and 16 GB Ram Memory.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 8
Newbie
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OP
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 8 |
Thanks, Charlie. You know, like with many things in my life, I paint to escape to places I'd like to be at, adventuring. Western New York can be pretty, as can central New York with the Fingerlakes. But I pretend I'm actually at that place while I paint, and then after wards, the completed paintings take me away again!
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 8
Newbie
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OP
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 8 |
FOrgot to say thank you, Charlie. And, yes, the week was a tough one. We had six feet of snow. My wife and I live in the area that got hit the hardest. It was no fun, I tell you that much!
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 3,750
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 3,750 |
do you compose music to accompany your paintings
not that they need it but just a thought
Lenovo YOGA 900 Window s 10 Home 64bit M4 pro Mac mini 1tb HD 24GB mem casio wk7500 presonus audiobox i2 usb interface
casio wk-7500
biab & realband 2025 everything pk both with Current builds
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 8
Newbie
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OP
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 8 |
That's an interesting idea...composing a tune for each painting. But no, I don't do that. I do listen to music while I paint. It's amazing how much a song can affect the mood of a piece. I have times when I listen to Jazz, and I have my usual collection of 80's rock / pop. ZZ Top, Cars, Sting, The Police, Madonna, Dire Straits, Billy Idol. I have to get some Pat Benatar and Heart and some Blondie Greatest hits to go along with that collection. I love to have rock/pop going as it gets the energy and vitality going while I paint!
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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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Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PDT today!
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Another exciting new addition is the amazing new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. View the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to transcribe an entire track or transcribe specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!
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Holiday Weekend Hours
It's Victoria Day Long Weekend in Canada. Our Customer Service hours are:
Saturday, May 16: Closed
Sunday, May 17: Closed
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Regular hours resume Tuesday, May 19th!
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With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
Our new jazz, funk & blues RealTracks include a groovin’ collection of RealTracks and RealDrums! These include more requested “soul jazz” RealTracks featuring artists Neil Swainson (bass), Charles Treadway (organ), Brent Mason (guitar), and Wes Little (drums). There are new “smooth jazz” styles (4), which include a RealTracks first: muted trumpet, as well as slick new smooth jazz brushes options for drums. Blues lovers will be thrilled—there are more “classic acoustic blues” styles, including guitar (5), bass (4), and drums (10) with blues master Colin Linden, featuring understated and tasty background acoustic soloing, plus brushes drums and acoustic bass. There are also new electric blues RealTracks, including electric blues with PG favorite Johnny Hiland (3) and soulful electric slide guitar from Colin Linden (4). If you love funk & gospel, there are great new options this year, including gospel organ (3) from Charles Treadway, as well as new funk, tango, and rock ’n’ roll drums (3) and bass (1). And for big, bold arrangements, we have uptempo soul horns (4) featuring a three-part hip horn section with options for a full mix or stems of each individual horn — plus an accompanying rhythm section (4) of drums, bass, guitar, and electric piano!
Rock & Pop (Sets 476–482):
Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
Check out all the 202 new RealTracks (in sets 468-488)!
And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.
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- 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)
- iOS Android Band-in-a-Box® App
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- MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
- Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
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- RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
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Learn more about the Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
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