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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 59
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 59 |
I just got BIAB/Real band and love it. I'm amazed how quickly you can make good backing tracks!
Right now I play solo guitar/vocal gigs. I should be able to put together a nice selection of backing tracks for my busy gigging season (May-Oct). Here is my question...What should I use for playing backing tracks through my PA? I considered a laptop, but worry about crashes, and computer reliability on the road.
Should I copy tracks to a CD, and use a CD player? How about a MP#, such as an iPod?: would the quality be good enough?
Thanks
Brian
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,722
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,722 |
Welcome to the forum Brian.
You will get as many variations for live play setup as we have members on the forum, with all of them working just fine for each respondent. I guess the best answer I can give you is to take into consideration what everyone else is using (as varied as they may be) then choose what you feel will work best for you.
Personally I go the simply route, BIAB via IBM Thinkpad laptop earphone jack right into the stereo jacks of my Yamaha PA System. I also use a Roland Cube powered monitor, which is built into the rack where the PA Head sits. I have done and continue to do many gigs with this setup since I started using BIAB and (not looking for a jinx here) I have never had one single issue with this setup.
If you would like to see my setup just send me a PM and I will email you photos.
Later,
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 8,021
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Here is my setup at the present.I've made stereo .wav files to CD for the "just in Case" I'll explain what I do for recording and then for live. First the equipment.
1. Toshiba laptop with RealTech built in card
2. Audigy2ZS Notebook card in the pcmcia slot
3. Behringer 802 mixer. Has 2 Mic channels, 2 stereo line channels, 1 aux send, 1 stereo aux return.
WDM drivers no ASIO
Now the cabling. Stays the same for both.
1. Mic in Mic #1
2. Bass in Mic #2 with DI
3. Headphone out from RealTech to Stereo Channel 5/6
4. Line out from Audigy to Stereo aux return
5. Aux send to line in on Audigy.
Real Band Audio Setup:
1. Output Driver Real Tech
2. Input Driver Audidgy
PFL the Mic channel to get a good signal on the mixer. Do the same with any other input my case bass. This applies to both scenarios.
Recording:
Note: Your headphones are plugged into the mixer!
1. Select the track you want to record
2. open the view meters
3. Using the Aux send for the channel keep turning up until you have a good signal. Some yellow. NO RED
4. I set the recording in the Audidgy to Line In
5. I enable effects in the Audidgy
6. I adjust the Aux return on the mixer until I get just a little effects.
7. Make sure the music is at a comfortable level and matches the vocal input
8. Hit record audio and sing away
This setup lets you monitor your vocals with effects but records dry as it should be.
For live playing my setup anyway.
The audidgy now is used as an effects unit.
1.Turn off effects in the Audidgy.
2. Open Sonar with 1 Audio track.
3. Insert the Lexicon reverb in the track, choose your reverb and set to be totally wet
4. Arm the track.
5. Adjust the Aux send and return as you would with any effects unit.
I do it this way as I can have a nice Lexicon reverb unit in software. There is no latency that you can here.
This also lets my live setup be just:
1. Computer
2. Mixer
3. Bass
4. Mic
5. Speakers
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,492
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,492 |
I've been using an IBM think pad since 2002. I bought a cheap, used spare and I've only needed it once. The hard drive on my main Think Pad started making a grinding noise (sure sign it was going to fail) so I cranked up the spare. I replaced the HD the next day and it's been playing ever since. And I play music for a living, doing one-nighters. So the ThinkPad bounces around on a keyboard stand a few times per week, gets hauled around in the van twice as many times (to and from the gig), sometimes plays outdoors where it is hot, or indoors where it can be very cool, and has outlasted a couple of iPods that I use to play tunes in the car. Whatever you use you need a spare, and IMHO using the computer is the easiest way to go. And I've tried everything from feeding disks into a player to using the computer. Whether it is an iPod or computer, sooner or later the hard drive will fail. Even a CD player will eventually go (the laser on my home CD player got weak, and it cost more to replace the unit than to replace the laser). Here is my setup 1) IBM ThinkPad with over 500 .mp3 files that I made myself 2) Edirol USB-Audio interface 3) Samson Mixer 4) BBW Sonic Maximizer 5) QSC Amp 6) Carvin Speakers The full instructions on how I make and use the backing tracks on stage can be accessed here http://www.nortonmusic.com/backing_tracks.htmlIt's a bit long and many here have read it already, so rather than re-typing each time someone asks, I've written the web page. Feel free to link to it if you find it worthy. It's also the result of years of experience, I've been in a sequenced duo since 1985 and this is the easiest and most reliable method I've found. Insights and incites by Notes
Bob "Notes" Norton  Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com
100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,730
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I do not play out often, but when i do i use a laptop as well, a Compac older one, 80 gig drive. and an external drive with the songs and programs on it 320 gig. I use a four channel 60 watt Kustom PA with two 10 inch cabs, and one or two small powered monitors placed where i need. I have about 50 songs so far and growning all the time. Plug my guitars into the Kustom adjust the levels andd a touch of reverb and let 'er rip.
Once in a while i add a small mixer if the PA head is to far away. Next purchase will be a harmonizer, a TC helicon harmony G for backup, and a second pair of speakers, most likely 12" this time and turn the 10s into monitors. Then later upgrade the PA head into a 200 watt 8 channel.
I did play a outside show earlier this year with a four guest performers invited up from the audience, and we had about 120 in the audience, and the 60 watt head was plenty for our needs.
Funny i bought the Kustom on a whim a few years back just cause it was on sale for $150 for the head and two speakers, and i have used it now for about 9 years with no issues. A nice investment for fun!
HP Win 11 12 gig ram, Mac mini Sonoma with 16 gig of ram, BiaB/RB 2026, Reaper 7, Harrison Mixbus 11 , Presonus Audiobox USB96
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 583
Journeyman
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Journeyman
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 583 |
I play several nights each week using a new Dell M1530 laptop. Had nothing but trouble until Dell installed new audio and video drivers. Now, everything seems to be working OK with BIAB 2009. At least the snap, crackle, and pops are gone. One point about laptops, if you use the earphone output into the PA, consider a laptop that has the output on the side or back. Mine's on the front which gets in the way of using the pad. What an inconvenience. I've tried the iPod and CD players as well in live play. Guess I prefer the laptop, since I like to see the chords and lyrics scrolling in BIAB. BIAB sounds great into the Bose Model II setup. However, my preference in sound is my stereo Yamaha head into powered speakers. It's nice to have options.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,492
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,492 |
I prefer a USB to Audio connection to the earphone jack because it sounds better. The earphone jack has less bandwidth than the USB-Audio connection. So using USB you get more high and low frequencies.
I heard an engineer at a recording studio I am on the call list for call the headphone jack "telephone quality" and the USB-Audio interface "audiophile quality".
That might be an exaggeration, but I can hear the difference on my PA set.
Insights and incites by Notes
Bob "Notes" Norton Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com
100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,333
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Posts: 8,333 |
I have a very old creative mp3+ usb goes to a box with a volume knob and rca jacks and mini jacks. It has worked with every setup I've had. The Sony laptop had the audio jack out the front and if I touched it while fooling with the mouse it cracked so loud people jumped.
The other advantage is that if you use a Dxi syth the sound output goes to the box and you can plug in headphones and listen and use the mixer for sound back into band in a box for recording.
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,610
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,610 |
Quote:
I prefer a USB to Audio connection to the earphone jack because it sounds better. The earphone jack has less bandwidth than the USB-Audio connection. So using USB you get more high and low frequencies.
I heard an engineer at a recording studio I am on the call list for call the headphone jack "telephone quality" and the USB-Audio interface "audiophile quality".
That might be an exaggeration, but I can hear the difference on my PA set.
Insights and incites by Notes
Will BIAB play through USB out on a PC laptop? Would like to know how to do that. Thanks, Ray
Asus Q500A i7 Win 10 64 bit 8GB ram 750 HD 15.5" touch screen, BIAB 2017, Casio PX 5s, Xw P1, Center Point Stereo SS V3 and EWI 4000s.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
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USB output would require the purchase, installation and use of a USB Audio Device.
Time and technology have marched on.
The old adage about laptop soundcards not being up to snuff has outlived technology, especially as far as the output side of things is concerned.
The general public has expressed such consumer interest in the playback of media files, DVDs especially, which utilize 96KHz samplerate, that the DACs and output circuitry in today's laptops (and even desktops with built in sound) is actually very good indeed. Certainly usable for live performance with BIAB thru your PA.
Rcording is another issue. The laptop and desktop builtin soundcards have not caught up in that regard, their INputs are still rather noisy in nature, the A to D converters not up to the task and if you are contemplating doing multitrack recording you should look into an aftermarket soundcard solution such as the aforementioned USB Sound Devices available today.
I use the built in soundcard of my laptop and the earphone output as Line Out to PA in live performance and it works very well. My laptop is a three year old HP business laptop. Just be sure to turn the Master Fader and Wav fader of the soundcard's software mixer applet up all the way and use proper stereo adaptors to plug into a line input on your PA. Adjust levels at the PA using hard knobs, not in the software mixer. This is because an Audio Line should be *driven* for best signal to noise ratio and full sound.
--Mac
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 8,021
Veteran
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Posts: 8,021 |
I've totally converted to RB. This is my screen layout. First audio track is drums cause I'm a bass player. 2nd audio track is solos. Verses are blue & choruses are green but so are solos so I can see when the solo is. Chord sheet & words. Good setup for us old guys. 
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,492
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Quote:
Will BIAB play through USB out on a PC laptop? Would like to know how to do that. Thanks, Ray
Definitely yes.
It's plug-and-play. If any adjustment is needed, go to your Control Panel, choose Sounds And Audio Devices, click the Audio tab and make sure the interface is selected. In my system I find that if I plug the USB-Audio interface in before I turn on the computer, I don't have to go to the control panel at all.
And another advantage to USB-Audio interface is there is no static that can happen when the audio jack into the sound card is moved.
On stage I use the very bottom-of-the-line Edirol USB-Audio interface. My PA is very high fidelity with very good speakers. I can hear the difference between USB-Audio and the sound card jack (and my ears are slightly damaged). Admittedly the difference is minor, but for a less than $100 piece of equipment that has served me reliably for years, it is to me a worthy investment.
But then music is my product, and I want it to sound as good as I am capable of making it sound. If all the little things I do to improve my product add up to making me sound better than the competition, I stand a better chance of getting the gig in a competitive market.
Insights and incites by Notes
Bob "Notes" Norton Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com
100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,722
Veteran
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,722 |
Silvertone, you have a PM.
Later,
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,730
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,730 |
Silvertones, why not use the chords and lyrics window it can fill the screen from below the controls. and you do not have to split the screens up and have those small little boxes. Just thinkin out oud here?!
HP Win 11 12 gig ram, Mac mini Sonoma with 16 gig of ram, BiaB/RB 2026, Reaper 7, Harrison Mixbus 11 , Presonus Audiobox USB96
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 142
Apprentice
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Apprentice
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 142 |
I burnt Biab files onto a cd and use a cd player. I have an 8 measure intro for each song and that's enough time for me to get ready for the next tune. The downside is that someone asks for a request I have to stop everything to find it. I'm usually just doing back ground music so it's not that big a deal. For a dance gig I'd want something more flexible.
The harder I work the luckier I get.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 8,021
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Posts: 8,021 |
I find entering lyrics tedious and have never been successfull at it. I prefer this arrangement.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,492
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,492 |
Quote:
I burnt Biab files onto a cd and use a cd player. I have an 8 measure intro for each song and that's enough time for me to get ready for the next tune. The downside is that someone asks for a request I have to stop everything to find it. I'm usually just doing back ground music so it's not that big a deal. For a dance gig I'd want something more flexible.
That's the up-side of using a computer. I can get any one of my 500+ songs up in less than 3 seconds. So if someone comes up and lays a $20.00 bill on me and says, "Can you play a Waltz Across Texas" (or anything else we know) I can do it immediately.
Plus I can go from song to song seamlessly, and I can decide what song to play next 5 seconds before the present song ends and still get to the next song with no dead air between the songs.
The technique is simple and explained at http://www.nortonmusic.com/backing_tracks.html
Insights and incites by Notes
Bob "Notes" Norton Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com
100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,730
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,730 |
Makes sense, the lyrics are slow, i mostly search until i find a .kar file and it has the lyrics with it and i start with that for cover songs, for originals i do not input the lyrics. There are tons of midi files but the .kars are growing as well, i have downloaded about 200 so far and still adding as i find them available. RB makes it so easy, the chords and lyrics appear and all i have to do is a little chord cleanup, and work the midi tracks over, andd a RT or two and let 'er rip. I have scrolling lyrics and chords for my silly bad memory thing. ..... what were we talking about?
HP Win 11 12 gig ram, Mac mini Sonoma with 16 gig of ram, BiaB/RB 2026, Reaper 7, Harrison Mixbus 11 , Presonus Audiobox USB96
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 8
Newbie
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Newbie
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 8 |
Many years ago I tried biab on a Win98 laptop onstage. Didn't like it. Later I burned CDs and used a discman-type player with a footswitch hardwired into the pause function. A little better, but what stress having to worry about pausing it just at the right time at the end of a song. Recently I bought a Stanton S.352 DJ CD player ($90), and I love it. It's a big ugly black box with a big CUE button front and center. Song plays then stops and waits. I talk to audience then reach back and hit the button, and it's off to the races with the next tune. No thinking or breaking the flow. The obvious drawback is that there's no random access, but for now I'm fine with a predetermined setlist. Besides, I don't work in the same town as Bob Norton, so I don't have to sweat the competition. 
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 6
Newbie
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Newbie
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 6 |
I'm a big believer in the KISS principle - Keep It Simple Stupid. I only use BIAB live. Here's how I'm set up - BIAB on an old(er) Mac laptop. USB to MIDI adaptor connected to Yamaha MM6 keyboard. Realtime playing through a second keyboard. Both keyboards run through a Peavy KB400 keyboard mixer/power amp - 400 watt power amp to a JBL4612 speaker. PB400 output is also sent to the sound system I have over 300 arrangements in the Mac. I can get to any song with 2 mouse clicks. You can hear (and see) what this sounds like here - http://www.lovesongband.comDru
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Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
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Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® users: Build 904 now available!
If you're already using Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, make sure to grab the latest update! Build 904 is now available for download and includes the newest additions and enhancements from our team.
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The Master Volume is now applied at the end of the audio chain for consistent levels and full-signal master effects.
Tablature now includes a “Save bends when saving XML” option for improved compatibility with PG Music tools. Plus, you can instantly match all track heights with a simple Ctrl-release after resizing, and Add2 chords from MGU/SGU files are now fully supported... and more!
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Another exciting new addition is the new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. You can view the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to process an entire track or focus on specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
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, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
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