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Hey, gang. Hope you're all well, and sorry I haven't been around much lately (although I do lurk all the time).

Quick question, and I'm betting and hoping Mac can help me on this. I'm working on arranging an old song of mine, and it's basically a slow waltz. PNOMOOD2 at a tempo of 80 is perfect for what I'm doing, with one problem: mid-bar chord changes.

I've got a few places, e.g., end of verse, mid-chorus, where I have two chords per bar, e.g., C D Em A7 and G C G -. Now, the PNOMOOD2 style basically uses what sounds to me more like 6/8 time than 3/4 time, da-da-da da-da-da every bar. And I want that. What I need is for the chord changes to hit every third beat in 6/8 time, DA-da-da DA-da-da.

Unfortunately, what I'm getting is as if BIAB is calculating under 4/4 time, but cutting off the fourth beat, which may be precisely what it's doing. The result is DA-da-da-da DA-da.

I'm trying to avoid going over the MIDI with a fine-toothed comb. Is there any way to get BIAB to actually put the chord changes in a 3/4 bar at the 1-1/2 beat point? Or some kind of workaround, likely involving multiple bars and stuff?

Many thanks in advance.


Best,
Tom Smith
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I'd have to look at the style and get back to you, or better yet, if you can PM me with a place to download your file...


It may just be that "6/8" type feel in that Style and you may just have to find another Style that fits better, dunno.


--Mac

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Sent, and thanks.


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Tom Smith
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Did you make a typo on your example chords? ("where I have two chords per bar, e.g., C D Em A7 and G C G") You put in 7 chords in that example, so that shouldn't work too well with 3/4 timing. And this is really basic, but are you only putting chords into the 1st, 2nd and 3rd spots per bar?

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Tom,

It sounds like you should use a 4/4 style. Choose one with a slow tempo, and a triplet feel. We call these 12/8 styles, since they are 4 beats, with 3 triplets in each. Moonlight Sonata is an example of this. Instead of thinking of it as a fast waltz, think of it as a slow 4/4 song with a triplet feel. (Color my World, I Can't Help Falling in Love with You would be other examples).


Have Fun!
Peter Gannon
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Problem solved, after a nice chat with Tom on the phone.

Once the two of us could settle down from clowning around, I got Tom to play the guitar and sing what he wanted to hear BIAB do.

Turns out that a Bar Setting tempo change of 3 X the original 80 BPM tempo for three bars and assigning one chord per bar was really what he was after. Followed that with one hold first beat of following bar. Then back to tempo.

Nice sounding song, too, from what I heard. Tom has a knack.


--Mac

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I have a Nick.

Maybe we should put them together.


John Conley
Musica est vita
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What a coincidence. I've got a Paddy Whack.

Not to mention a buddy, Mac. Thanks again, m'friend. And, yeah, it was GREAT to talk with you. We'll do that again soon.


Best,
Tom Smith
Win10/64 • i7-8700K • 24 GB RAM
BIAB 2026 • Reaper 7.57 • Izotope MPS
AKG C1000S • IK iRig I/O Pro
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One last thing. Peter, thanks, you're exactly right. Between me and Mac, we found a kludge for the style I'm working with, but I've got a few other songs that will benefit from that. In fact, one in specific that I've worked up should've tipped me off about this one. Live and learn. Again, thanks, all!


Best,
Tom Smith
Win10/64 • i7-8700K • 24 GB RAM
BIAB 2026 • Reaper 7.57 • Izotope MPS
AKG C1000S • IK iRig I/O Pro
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