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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2010
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Hi,
Not sure how to ask this question so I thought I would ask in here. I have BIAB 10.5 and learning to use again. I will upgrade if I need to.
Back when 10.5 was the latest I was making great looking lead sheets so I remembered how to do that again. The lead sheets I made recently were from Beatle midi files.
Is there a way to take these midi files and convert to real tracks? I read that one way is to create a "style" track from the midi file. Not sure what to do after that?
The real tracks version doesn't have to sound exactly like the midi files, I'm going to jazz them up anyway but what I've been doing is creating songs from scratch by punching in chords and figuring out verse, chorus, repeats. Auditioning real tracks to find something close. Needless to say this takes awhile.
So I'm wondering if there is a way to do this from a good midi file to save some time.
Thanks
Last edited by GaryL; 03/20/16 07:18 AM.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Aug 2011
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Gary,
RealTracks are audio files. Many RealTracks provide midi output for scoring purposes but the midi (called RealCharts by PG Music) is manually transcribed after the audio is recorded. PG Music then embeds the midi transcription into the audio file.
So RealTracks may output midi for transcription purposes but does not follow midi input.
You may be able to get close to what you want by manipulating the chord sheet and regenerating a track. Once a track is like you want it to be then freeze the track and repeat until each track is like you want it to be.
Another way is to export the sgu file to RealBand then use RealBand's multi-riff and partial track regeneration features to make each track like you want
But, to specifically answer your question, no RealTrack can not follow midi commands.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 62
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OP
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Ok, that gives me some ideas.
1. manipulating the chord sheet.. when I opened up the midi file in biab, it put everything in the melody button. What I did there was started deleting tracks until I had just the melody. Biab did such a great job of interpreting the chords when it opened the midi file, it took very little to clean that up.
So if I approach this way, open a midi file and put everything in the melody slot. How do I get all the files separated? For example the bass, how do I get it out of the melody button to the bass button so I can assign real tracks for bass? Same for drums.
2. export the sgu file to RealBand... not familiar with this one, I'll look into it, may be the way to go.
Thanks!
Last edited by GaryL; 03/20/16 08:43 AM.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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If you have a good midi soft synth or a quality external unit, you will likely be satisfied with a mixture of midi and RealTracks. Notes Norton site has quality midi styles including some for Beatle songs. Midi files of Beatle songs done by DW Barnes (some are also listed as Darrel Barnes) are also quality midi files.
Unless specific riffs are required for authenticity, drums, piano, rhythm guitars, strings and pads are good candidates to replace midi instruments with RealTracks. If a riff only occurs in a specific part of a song or only occasionally, you can do the riff with a midi instrument and mute the RealTrack during the portion of the riff and then bring the Realtrack back up after the riff.
Norton styles play musically and do not sound programmed so they work particularly well with this method.
Recording a live instrument along with the other tracks adds to the realism and authenticity of the song.
It's easier to work with midi files in RealBand than it is in BIAB...
It's even easier to combine RealTracks and midi in RealBand than working solely in BIAB.
Last edited by Charlie Fogle; 03/20/16 11:53 AM.
BIAB 2025:RB 2025, 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: Jul 2010
Posts: 62
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OP
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Joined: Jul 2010
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Hi,
Yes, Barnes is where I got the beatle midi. Yes they are good, I've been going to that site for years.
I guess I need to study up on RealBand. I opened up a midi file in there and all instruments are on their own track. When I right clicked on the bass for example to make a Real Track, it said it couldn't do it because there was midi data on the track.
Side Note: A google bot must live on this site because this thread is already in the google index.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 62
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Hi, I'll have to check jam tracks out. Here's a couple of things I did that are sounding good. In Biab the first thing I did was open the midi file and fix the chords as displayed... Then I noted the key and tempo...copied all the chords symbols (right click and drag) and opened a new song...paste, adjust the style and rebuilt the song using real tracks..so now I have jazz beatles  I also did what Jim suggested, I opened the lead sheet project. Put in brushes (biab wouldn't give me a drum sound til I changed the style) and added an acoustic bass and biab nailed it with the midi melody.
Last edited by GaryL; 03/20/16 01:25 PM.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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if you do a google search you will find all the Beatles MGU SGU http://www.igidigi.nl/biab/index.html
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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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