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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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hi,how do I set BB so that it will play the chords exactly as written? (i.e. with no extensions or alterations)
If I type Cmaj7 and Abmaj7 , it will play an annoying augmented fourth (F#) on the first chord and a ninth (Bb) on the second chord, even if I tick off 'Allow embellishments of chords' in the Song Settings.
How do I get BB to play the chords without any extra notes whatsoever? Thanks
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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If memory serves, a few years back here on the forum Peter thought of adding an option to enforce literal voicings. Alas, up to now unchecking 'Allow embellishments of chords' still throws in some embellishments with no way to choose literal voicings.
Martin
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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OP
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wow...so there is no current solution to that? That's a real problem then. If I write a Cmaj7 ,and F in the melody as a quick passing note and BB instead plays F# in the chord,that will sound like a real bad mess,because only one or the other will work. And in a ny cases, Cmaj7 with a sharp fourth is a Lydian chord. It should be an option,not something that we are forced to use. I am really bummered  thanks for your reply,though,at least I won't waste my time hitting the wall with my head for nothing. You saved me time. Thanks
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Try another Style, likely the particular style must be the culprit forcing the sour notes.
--Mac
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Expert
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Expert
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Hi,
The only way I have got some sense into this problem is to use the feature - Jazz Down - the chords under Edit at least it helps
jazzman
BIAB - RealBand - 2022
Windows 10 64
Zoo computer with 7i processor- SSD 1TB -2TB HDD
Roland keyboards
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Do ya need a Countryfry ma song ma button? 3 chords only?
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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this is crazy. I have opened the same file and pressed 'play' about 25 times to cause BB to play new chord voicings every time,and it did not play one single Fsharp. Mac, ok will keep it in mind for next time,thanks Jazzman, the option you mention totally escaped my attention. The only problem with that is that it will 'jazz down' even the chords that ARE supposed to have extensions or alterations. Maybe I could write the progression, 'jazz it down' and then rewrite the chords that are supposed to be extended or altered. Maybe that will at least not cause unwanted notes on the chords that have to be entirely diatonic. Better than a kick in the teeth,I guess.....thanks for the tip BB is very jazz oriented.....the sharpened fourth thing is jazz theory so it makes sense.... I understand what it's for,but it would be better to allow complete control over each chord. I hope to see more buttons about how 'literally' chords are supposed to play 
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Quote:
this is crazy. I have opened the same file and pressed 'play' about 25 times to cause BB to play new chord voicings every time,and it did not play one single Fsharp.
Likely a stuck bit or resources got squirrelly, usually restarting BB can clear up things or sometimes a reboot of the puter, just glad you got it sorted.
--Mac
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Quote:
Do ya need a Countryfry ma song ma button? 3 chords only?
3 chords is fine ,as long as they get played the way I want 
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Quote:
hi,how do I set BB so that it will play the chords exactly as written? (i.e. with no extensions or alterations)
It never has and it's doubtful it ever will, that's not it's function. It's designed to be very flexible in creating backing tracks and tries to duplicate what real players would do by giving you a slightly different version of the chords every time you hit play. The styles control this as well as the "simplify chords" function. I've never gotten into creating my own styles but I believe you can open up the offending style and tell it what chord types to play, then save it as a renamed user style. When you open up a style, you see how it works. You assign "weighting" to different chords and that's where the beauty of the program lies.
Or, this is yet another one of the many reasons you should start using Real Band because one answer to your question has always been to export the tracks to a sequencer and there you can edit the chords in midi using the piano roll. But Real Band creates Biab tracks too so you're already in a world class midi editor. You can open up that track and change the note to take out that #9 or whatever it is. If you really like the whole style but it's just that one note, this is what I would do. Still, you're now only using Biab/RB to create a static sequence and you're losing all the flexibility. The really cool thing about RB is it lets you recreate that one track using a different style from the others. That means if you like the arrangement but the piano or guitar is the offending track that's giving you those chords you don't like but all the other tracks are good, you can audition every style there is for that one track until you find one that gives you the right chords. It could be a latin rock style is great for the overall feel the but a country style gives you the piano part you need. In RB you can literally have a different style for each instrument, a different style for the bridge vs the verse, vs the solo, vs the ending or whatever. You've got 48 tracks, go crazy with them. When you think about that for a minute, you begin to realize the incredible creative possibilities here. With all those instruments and tracks you still have all the neat Biab stuff, you can change the chords, rearrange the whole song if you want yet all those different style tracks will get regenerated to give you a whole new thing.
Bob
Biab/RB latest build, Win 11 Pro, Ryzen 5 5600 G, 512 Gig SSD, 16 Gigs Ram, Steinberg UR22 MkII, Roland Sonic Cell, Kurzweil PC3, Hammond SK1, Korg PA3XPro, Garritan JABB, Hypercanvas, Sampletank 3, more.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Jazzmammal,thanks for your thoughtful reply,but I disagree. If by 'It's designed to be flexible' means that a computer program will actually replace real knowledge by real musicians,well it is only this the only thing that will never,ever happen. It won't. What you say maybe applies to people who are confused by music theory or don't use much of it and just make music. I have nothing against that. But like many others here, I worked my butt off to learn music theory,I still do, it's my best musical asset ,it will continue to be for the rest of my life, it will always be,and it helps me greatly to pursue my only goal: to learn to write good music. I only use about 10 per cent of all the features of BB. The only reasons I use it, are maybe two or three. It offers something that no other program offers: the ability to write and hear,quickly,your ideas. The good music database of songs and styles,which I examine from time to time to learn and compare things. But I never use this magic wizard who comes up with a title,the one that can improvise,the one that comes up with a melody,the one that comes up with chords substitution,etc. This is stuff for beginners. That's great, I wish there was something like that when I started out with music.But it won't suit people who already know how to write a decent melody. I never allow BB to change my arrangement. What's the point? If I want how to change my chords or their notes,I can do it myself. BB is a tool to compose music with. It should be flexible in that it helps me to reach my goal,not the other way around. Just my opinion. Peace
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Quote:
Quote:
You've got 48 tracks, go crazy with them. When you think about that for a minute, you begin to realize the incredible creative possibilities here.
Bob
Bob, it could have 30.000 tracks and then some. But if it does not help me to reach my goal,there's no point. I am writing my music and I want to use BB to write my music. I love the sound of a major chord with a sharp fourth in certain specific progressions. The Lydian colour can sound very beautiful in certain cases. In others,there has to be a standard major chord in there, no sharpened fourth. No ifs and no buts. If your progression has more of a classical 18th century sound, a sharpened fourth will sound out of place if you just play it the jazz way. And anyways. The melody I wrote has an F in there,not an F#
How many tracks I can use has nothing to do with the fact that not being able to specify your progression down to important details, is a serious limitation.
It's a paradox. I would trade 25 of BB great frills to have a 'play chord literally' option. There are things about BB that keeps me away from other programs, like the instructional add-ons, the Realtracks,etc.
But I think there is still room for improvement.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Quote:
Quote:
this is crazy. I have opened the same file and pressed 'play' about 25 times to cause BB to play new chord voicings every time,and it did not play one single Fsharp.
Likely a stuck bit or resources got squirrelly, usually restarting BB can clear up things or sometimes a reboot of the puter, just glad you got it sorted.
--Mac
well I would not say that it's sorted....even without the 'embellishment' option, BB always throws a ninth here and there
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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OP
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Quote:
The styles control this as well as the "simplify chords" function. I've never gotten into creating my own styles but I believe you can open up the offending style and tell it what chord types to play, then save it as a renamed user style. When you open up a style, you see how it works. You assign "weighting" to different chords and that's where the beauty of the program lies.
Or, this is yet another one of the many reasons you should start using Real Band because one answer to your question has always been to export the tracks to a sequencer and there you can edit the chords in midi using the piano roll.
Bob
I would have to live up to 140 years to have all the time and energy to do all that. All that work,to be able to play your progression? It would be far faster just to forget about it. I am talking about making music, man....not about sitting there editing styles and this and that. Too ridicolously long winded,too unnecessarily overcomplicated. I'd rather learn a new song,or learn something else.
Unless we get a video by PG Music that shows us how to do what you mentioned,of course. Then I'll sit down and work this out.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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by the way, Bob.
Now that you mentioned editing styles,I already did that because I had problems with voice leading (upper part of the chords jumping about and not following the shortest way,which can make any good progression sounds bad). Well, I even SAT down and edited the patterns one by one,but I am afraid it did not work well. For some reasons the upper voice was still jumping about,although maybe to a less extent.
Now I would have to edit all that stuff to play chords as intended? Forget it.....
I love BB, but these are shortcomings that put me off. I hope that they will be fixed in future versions. Then I will be really ,really impressed.
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The StyleMaker provides the opportunity to create new and to edit existing styles. Entering chord voicings manually does make the pattern play the entered pattern. If there are no embellishing notes, the style won't play embellished chords.
However, PG Music styles make extensive use of so called macro notes in the StyleMaker. Such macro notes create voicings that are hard-wired in the BiaB code. Those voicings may create trouble and warrant the cited option *really* switching off embellishments.
... has anybody figured out what exactly the checkbox 'Allow Embellishment of Chords' really does achieve? It doesn't seem to make any difference here whether this checkbox is ticked or not. The style macro note E(88) creates a C7 voicing with a b3 and #11, irrespectively of whether embellishments are allowed or not.
Sure looks like a bug ...
Martin
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Quote:
I would have to live up to 140 years to have all the time and energy to do all that. All that work,to be able to play your progression? It would be far faster just to forget about it. I am talking about making music, man....not about sitting there editing styles and this and that.
Don't know what to tell you, perhaps Biab/RB is not for you. Afaik this is not it's purpose or design, but before you give up, send a detailed query to tech support, maybe we're all missing something.
You might try Jammer Pro, perhaps it does that or get one of the newer hot arranger keyboards. Those things are awesome. A friend just got a Roland G70 and what a blast that thing is to play. I can't even begin to describe what that board can do and how good it sounds. Because of that, I just bought a used Korg Pax1 Pro because I can't afford the G70. The sounds are comparable to my Kurzweil plus it's a killer arranger as well. There's a big tutorial on their forum about how to load Biab styles into the Korg and that's my next project. The problem is of course these keyboards are around 3 grand new while Biab is a few hundred. Good luck,
Bob
Biab/RB latest build, Win 11 Pro, Ryzen 5 5600 G, 512 Gig SSD, 16 Gigs Ram, Steinberg UR22 MkII, Roland Sonic Cell, Kurzweil PC3, Hammond SK1, Korg PA3XPro, Garritan JABB, Hypercanvas, Sampletank 3, more.
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It would be great to read some comment from PG Music -> maybe just a bug acknowledgement?
Martin
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