|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,310
Veteran
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,310 |
One-time new product announcement. Norton Music's Christmas Fake Disk has been updated to reflect the changes in Hal Leonard's Ultimate Christmas Fake Book - 6th Edition. Some new songs added, some old ones dropped. Details and song list here: http://www.nortonmusic.com/fake15.html
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,667
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,667 |
Thanks, Bob. Just in time for Christmas.
Do you know how many songs changed from the previous edition? (I have the previous edition printed book).
John Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 2x2TB, 1x4TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 2x1.5TB, 2x2TB, 1x4TB SATA BB2025/UMC404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/MixBus/Notion/Finale/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK http://www.sus4chord.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,310
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,310 |
Thanks, Bob. Just in time for Christmas.
Do you know how many songs changed from the previous edition? (I have the previous edition printed book).
Sorry, I don't. We were so intent on getting the new edition out that we didn't count. I would guess a dozen or two. It took more time than we intended because we went back to the same songs that were in the previous versions and changed many of the styles. New styles have become available in BiaB that simply fit the songs better, so why not update the whole disk? We started months ago, but it was worth it. The song list is on the fake disk page, so you can browse it to see if there is anything new you need (there are some nice contemporary ones like "Mary Did You Know:). There are also a few free, complete, demo songs on the page. 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
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,667
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,667 |
Thanks, Bob. I will order it this weekend. I'll just have to decide whether it's worth it to get the newer edition, or if I already have those songs from other Christmas song books.
John Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 2x2TB, 1x4TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 2x1.5TB, 2x2TB, 1x4TB SATA BB2025/UMC404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/MixBus/Notion/Finale/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK http://www.sus4chord.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,778
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,778 |
are these all set up as BIAB songs? and are they set up to use only MIDI or are they set up to use RealTracks?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 26,879
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 26,879 |
I'm not Bob, but the (excellent) songs I have from him load into BIAB. They are MIDI, for reasons Bob has clearly expressed in other discussions. He probably has that lecture saved and ready to paste here.
Nothing prevents you from replacing one or more of his instruments with a RealTrack. Note that the songs contain chords but not melodies when that would be a violation of copyright.
The quality is top-notch, as is the service.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,778
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,778 |
I'm trying to understand what you get with these. if there is no melody and the styles are based on the stock BIAB MIDI how are these different from me typing in the chord progressions and picking a style? not trying to disrespect the fake disk...just wanna know what I would get if I bought it!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,667
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,667 |
J3, the difference is you get a set of BIAB SGU files which have all the songs chord progressions typed in already (so you don't have to do it) and matched to an appropriate style that works for that song (so you don't have to audition a bunch of styles to figure out what works). Of course, once you have the file, you can change it to your hearts content, but Bob Norton has done the bulk of the work for you. And you'll find every song in the printed fake book (which will give you the melody and lyrics) is matched to a corresponding SGU file. Think about how long it will take you to do that yourself.
But, yes, if you wish, you can do the work yourself, or you can save time and buy the fake disc (and corresponding printed fake book, if desired).
I have a bunch of Bob's Fake Discs (along with the corresponding printed fake books) and love playing along. For songs I want to go deeper with, I can then modify to taste.
John Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 2x2TB, 1x4TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 2x1.5TB, 2x2TB, 1x4TB SATA BB2025/UMC404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/MixBus/Notion/Finale/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK http://www.sus4chord.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,581
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,581 |
Actually, I noticed that quite a few of the demo songs were using Realtracks now. I rather like that although I'm a big fan of midi too. Perhaps they use both? They're very impressive generally. Bob Notes has done a great job. Can you download the books with the songs or do you have to purchase them separately?
Windows 10 Home 20H2 Build 19042.487
BIAB 2021 (Build 818)
Intel(R) Core(TM), i3-4160, CPU @3.60 GHz RAM 16 GB, 64 Bit X64-based processor
Zoom UAC-2 (USB 3 interface-built in midi)
VoiceLive 3 Extreme, Sputnik Valve Condenser Mic
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 10,749
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 10,749 |
I don't believe Bob directly sells fake books but his site has links you can click on goes to where each book is for sale.
Jim Fogle - 2025 BiaB (Build 1128) RB (Build 5) - Ultra+ PAK DAWs: Cakewalk by BandLab (CbB) - Standalone: Zoom MRS-8 Laptop: i3 Win 10, 8GB ram 500GB HDD Desktop: i7 Win 11, 12GB ram 256GB SSD, 4 TB HDD Music at: https://fogle622.wix.com/fogle622-audio-home
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,778
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,778 |
J3, the difference is you get a set of BIAB SGU files which have all the songs chord progressions typed in already (so you don't have to do it) and matched to an appropriate style that works for that song (so you don't have to audition a bunch of styles to figure out what works). Of course, once you have the file, you can change it to your hearts content, but Bob Norton has done the bulk of the work for you. And you'll find every song in the printed fake book (which will give you the melody and lyrics) is matched to a corresponding SGU file. Think about how long it will take you to do that yourself.
But, yes, if you wish, you can do the work yourself, or you can save time and buy the fake disc (and corresponding printed fake book, if desired).
I have a bunch of Bob's Fake Discs (along with the corresponding printed fake books) and love playing along. For songs I want to go deeper with, I can then modify to taste.
Thanks John! I wonder if the lyrics have been added since BIAB now accepts lyrics in the songs. That would be a great addition.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,667
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,667 |
I wonder if the lyrics have been added No, you would have to input them yourself. The issue is a matter of copyright. Sure, Bob could create files with melodies and lyrics, but he would then have to pay the licensing costs, and I suspect the fake disk would cost $3,000 instead of around $30. (I just made up that number, but you get the point). Since chord progressions are not copyrighted, and he is using a commercial program that creates arrangements, he can freely sell the fake discs based on the printed fake books. (And I understand he has vetted all this with his lawyer). But he has done a lot of the work for you in finding appropriate styles (which may or may not be what you would have chosen) and all the chords are entered. Load the song, hit play, and sing along. Or dive into it and change it up as you see fit. For me, the cost is worth not having to enter all the data. Obviously, if you only need a song or two, then it's probably not worth it. But for the whole book, it is definitely worth in (IMHO).
John Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 2x2TB, 1x4TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 2x1.5TB, 2x2TB, 1x4TB SATA BB2025/UMC404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/MixBus/Notion/Finale/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK http://www.sus4chord.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 181
Apprentice
|
|
Apprentice
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 181 |
I concur with jford. I have purchased some of Bob's offerings and they have been excellent. A time saver and, for me, better than what I would have come up with myself.
www.LawTunes.com: The LawTunes - The Musical Scales of Justice - Original Lawyer Rock & Roll www.SurfChords.com: The SurfChords - The Endless Summer Continues and The Wave Never Ends
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,778
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,778 |
I wonder if the lyrics have been added No, you would have to input them yourself. The issue is a matter of copyright. Sure, Bob could create files with melodies and lyrics, but he would then have to pay the licensing costs, and I suspect the fake disk would cost $3,000 instead of around $30. (I just made up that number, but you get the point). Since chord progressions are not copyrighted, and he is using a commercial program that creates arrangements, he can freely sell the fake discs based on the printed fake books. (And I understand he has vetted all this with his lawyer). But he has done a lot of the work for you in finding appropriate styles (which may or may not be what you would have chosen) and all the chords are entered. Load the song, hit play, and sing along. Or dive into it and change it up as you see fit. For me, the cost is worth not having to enter all the data. Obviously, if you only need a song or two, then it's probably not worth it. But for the whole book, it is definitely worth in (IMHO). Thanks John! I appreciate the detailed explanation!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,310
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,310 |
Ok, I'm Bob Norton again. What I have done with my fake disks you can definitely do yourself. It takes many hundreds of hours to compile a fake disk, so all I'm offering is the time saver of me doing the work for you. That way instead of entering millions of chords, you can just start playing the music. Here is how we do it. - Buy an off-the shelf fake book
- Enter the chord changes exactly like they are in the book so you can follow along (the book is optional and I offer an Amazon link to purchase it if you want). My first disk was done without a book, and a couple of others have the books discontinued, but you may still be able to find used ones
- Change any chords that don't seem to work with the way BiaB thinks - these are few and far between and it usually means simplifying the chord a bit, perhaps removing an extension
- For chords which BiaB doesn't support, deciding which is the best way to go - for example: if it is a minor chord with a sus 4, deciding which is more important, the minor third or the fourth by playing the melody along with both choices
- Double checking
- Sending the song to sub-contractors to choose the most appropriate style for the song. I tell the subcontractors not to favor my style but to let the music decide - be true to the music (If I did this myself, I'd probably favor my own styles)
- Get the files back from the subcontractors, listen to them all (we call it office Karaoke)
 triple-check to make sure everything is working right and in very rare cases, override a contractor choice - zip, upload, and offer for sale
The songs are in MIDI format, and depending on how your BiaB is set up, many will either suggest an appropriate Real Style, or automatically substitute one. I suggest that you listen to both the Real and the MIDI because sometimes the MIDI style is perfect while the RT style is not so close. That of course depends on the availability of styles. Also, you may want to change the style, and you are free to do so. Who says "The Christmas Song" can't be done as a Funk, Salsa, Reggae or whatever. As noted, the melody and lyrics are not included in the Fake Disks. The copyright people wanted to charge me from $1 to $2.50 PER SONG to include that. Some of the disks have over 700 songs in them, so with melodies the wouldn't be affordable. I asked Harry Fox agency (who represents many of the publishers) how come they want so much when I can get the melodies and lyrics in the books for a few cents per per song? They said that I should buy the book. So that's why I offer the books for that. You can open the book, load the fake disk file, and play along. I try to do everything without repeats on the BiaB matrix, so if you want to repeat a section for soloing or whatever, it's easy to do in BiaB. I hope my customers feel they are good value for the money, and I sincerely hope they give you years of enjoyment and add value to your Band-in-a-Box experience. 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
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 22,787
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 22,787 |
Ok,......
I hope my customers feel they are good value for the money, and I sincerely hope they give you years of enjoyment and add value to your Band-in-a-Box experience.
Insights and incites by Notes I feel that they are a great value. As you said they save me hours of chord input. Sometimes I will change the style so I can challenge myself. These are great for learning new genres, practicing improvisation, site reading and/or just having fun. I can not post those songs that I do using your fake discs because of copyright issues. These are definitely a no-brainer IMHO.
When you are at the checkout line and they ask if you found everything say "Why, are you hiding stuff?"
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,667
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,667 |
I hope my customers feel they are good value for the money, and I sincerely hope they give you years of enjoyment and add value to your Band-in-a-Box experience. This is certainly my experience. Many years ago, I started going through my music books to create my own "fake discs" (not to sell, but just for my own personal use), and then one day I saw one of Bob's postings on the forum advertising his fake discs. I ordered a couple and was hooked. I have the printed fake books (although for a few, I'm a revision or two off), but using Bob's discs saved me a ton of time and I then had a lot of fun playing and singing along. While none of the BIAB styles (whether from PGMusic or Bob Norton or anywhere else) exactly replicates the song (otherwise a general style would be too song specific), Bob and his team do a great job of finding styles that capture the essence of the original songs. Over the years, I have purchased 14 Fake Discs (for each of which I have the corresponding printed book), 20 Norton style discs (I'm working to catch up with the rest of them), and 7 Hawkesford style discs. Sure it's MIDI only, but as has been said, substitution is easy enough. I generally keep them as is, as I have found the I really like Bob's styles.
John Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 2x2TB, 1x4TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 2x1.5TB, 2x2TB, 1x4TB SATA BB2025/UMC404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/MixBus/Notion/Finale/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK http://www.sus4chord.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,310
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,310 |
Thanks for the kind words Mario and John.
It's good to know our effort is being enjoyed.
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Holiday Weekend Hours
Our Customer Service hours this weekend are as follows:
Friday, April 18: 8:00 - 4:00
Saturday, April 19: closed
Sunday, April 20: closed
Monday, April 21: Regular hours
Thank you!
Band-in-a-Box 2025 French Version is Here!
Bonjour à tous,
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 pour Windows est disponible en Français.
Le téléchargement se fait à partir du site PG Music
Pour ceux qui auraient déjà acheté la version 2025 de Band-in-a-Box (et qui donc ont une version anglaise), il est possible de "franciser" cette version avec les patchs suivants:
BIAB 2025 - francisation
RealBand 2025 - francisation
Voilà, enjoy!
Band-in-a-Box 2025 German Version is Here!
Update Your Band-in-a-Box® 2025 to Build 1128 for Windows Today!
Already using Band-in-a-Box 2025 for Windows®? Download Build 1128 now from our Support Page to enjoy the latest enhancements and improvements from our team.
Stay up to date—get the latest update now!
Update to RealBand® 2025 Build 5 Windows Today!
Already using RealBand® 2025 for Windows®? Download Build 5 now from our Support Page to ensure you have the latest enhancements and improvements from our team.
Get the latest update today!
PowerTracks Pro Audio 2025 for Windows is Here!
PowerTracks Pro Audio 2025 is here! This new version introduces many features, including VST3 support, the ability to load or import a .FLAC file, a reset option for track height in the Tracks window, a taller Timeline on the Notation window toolbar, new freeze buttons in the Tracks window, three toolbar modes (two rows, single row, and none), the improved Select Patch dialog with text-based search and numeric patch display, a new button in the DirectX/VST window to copy an effects group, and more!
First-time packages start at only $49. Already a PowerTracks Pro Audio user? Upgrade for as little as $29!
www.pgmusic.com/powertracks.htm
Video: Summary of the New Band-in-a-Box® App for iOS®
Join Tobin as he takes you on a tour of the new Band-in-a-Box® app for iOS®! Designed for musicians, singer-songwriters, and educators, this powerful tool lets you create, play, and transfer songs effortlessly on your iPhone® or iPad®—anytime, anywhere.
Band-in-a-Box® for iOS® :Summary video.
Check out the forum post for more information.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums58
Topics83,888
Posts771,810
Members39,475
| |
Most Online25,754
Jan 24th, 2025
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean