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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Hi, Because I am just starting to use BIAB to run live jams I am now starting to try and make my BIAB files more interesting. The bolded and underlined headings mark new ways I have managed to do this. There is a specific question with the first method I have used. There is no question regarding the 2nd method I have used to make songs more interesting. There is an open ended question at the end that could cause this thread to balloon into a very interesting thread for people.
Changing Style at the B section of a song:
For the first time I tried and successfully managed to get two BIAB files to change the style in the B section of a song. For reference one was "Wave" and one was "Nica's Dream". I did them two different ways.
Nica's Dream:
Nica's dream I right clicked the A/B/C marker for the B section and I added a new C style then I also had to make the first bar changed to this very same style. That is all I had to do.
Wave:
Here I did not change the beginning of bar marker for the B section. Instead I just changed the style at the first bar of the B section. So I had to also change the style at the first bar of the 3rd occurrence of the A section (I set the style back to the original style of course).
Question:
I understand why I had to do what I did with "Wave" to get it to switch back to the original style. What I don't understand is why with "Nica's Dream" I had to additionally change a bar setting. With "Nica's Dream" if I only changed the substyle to have a C style the song did not change the style when I played the file. Did I miss something or did I do it correctly?
Changing Bar Settings:
Change the Bar Settings to do whatever there is available (volume changes, patch changes, etc).
Question:
I have not looked at the example styles forum yet where people submit their show pieces. If they give comments I am sure this is a good way to learn to make BIAB files more interesting. However I am wondering if there is a list of ideas for doing this with links to the details on exactly how to do each one. If not I am wondering of others might want to submit their ideas to this thread also marking the idea areas with bold+underline markings so we have a central list of such techniques that can easily be found by future readers of this thread.
Last edited by bowlesj; 12/14/16 04:19 AM.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Apr 2013
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"I have not looked at the example styles forum yet where people submit their show pieces."
Yes, the Users Forum is where the magic happens. Many posters provide details of how the song was constructed, the style and additional instruments added or taken away for example. Many also detail recording techniques, song and lyric construction. Plus, you 'hear' examples of these techniques. Posters are also very responsive to questions about their creations in the Users Forum.
A benefit for me from the Users Forum is I find many new instruments and styles that will work in my productions. A guitar strumming pattern or the tone of a lead guitar that I may never stumble across auditioning the demos.
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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I typed in "Variety" at the BIAB help page and spotted a few things that might make things more interesting.--Making Bass Patterns. --Making RealDrums styles. --Select Guitarist to generate Chord Solo --Style changes at any bar (mentioned in my original post). --Making Guitar, Piano and strings patterns (I am not sure what that is). --Making Guitar Styles with the stylemaker. Matt pointed out how to put in a fixed popular bass line at ths thread.http://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=49238&Number=337389#Post337389
Last edited by bowlesj; 12/14/16 04:51 AM.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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You can also add pushes, shots and holds to any bar and the biab style will play them adding even more substance to a song. Try one of the demo songs that use them as an example.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Another one for the list. A friend who has been using BIAB longer than I have pointed something out that he does. He creates two BIAB backing tracks to play against his melody. He gets them into his DAW to mix the one backing track a bit louder then the other then he puts his melody over that. He will mix them all to mp3 and put them on soundcloud.
How he does it:
He selects his first style.
He uses the drag and drop technique of dragging the master-part to the .wav of the drop-station (upper left corner of BIAB).
He waits until the .wav of the drop station turns green.
He then drags the green drop-station .wav onto his DAW.
He repeats this after changing the song to have a different real style.
He them mixes the two of them and his guitar out to an mp3 file.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
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Add/Audition additional real Tracks in Real Band
I load my BiaB files into RB, and add more RTs, some similar and some not, (add a piano where there wasn't one etc.).
I export all the tracks as "audio and midi files", and import them into my (64-bit) DAW where I can layer tracks or just pick what I like best.
Move a section of a Soloist track to a more interesting spot
In RB, I always add multiple copies of soloist tracks to get more variations to choose from.
On one song I wanted the soloist to come in on the 3rd beat of the count-in, before the Intro started.
So I found a suitable section from a soloist track and pasted it there.
Print the BiaB lead sheet to use as a reference in your DAW
I put markers in my DAW for Verse, Chorus, etc, but sometimes I forget what went where in my RTs.
I also jot any notes I need on the lead sheet. Makes it easier to add additional midi or live parts.
Boyd
Win10 - 16GB-RAM - BiaB 2019 - Mixbus 4 - Slate Bundle - Komplete 10 - Ozone 8 - Neutron 2 - Waves Gold
Ample Sound Guitars & Basses - Pianoteq 6 - SSD5 - SD3 - JamStix 4 - Omnisphere - UVI Falcon - EastWest Play
Sonarworks Reference 4 -
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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For those who are playing along with BIAB in a live setting, you can mute all instruments and have the (quarter note cowbell loop track) count the group back in at the new speed.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2012
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New ones I have learned recently.
Using RealBand to create custom user tracks. This can be band new or mimic song rifts of standard songs.
Using RealBand to create custom loops.
Using these in Custom Styles and using the technique of changing styles during the song.
Last edited by bowlesj; 12/10/18 01:53 PM.
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ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.
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