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Hi
I was wondering if someone could please assist! I have started using real tracks and every now and then BIAB generates an excellent track, how do I "Keep" this track from being regenerated?
My problem is if I save the BIAB song, the next time I open it the track is regenerated and is different!

Your help is most appreciated

Kind regards

Eddie Hughes

Last edited by Eddie Hughes; 08/31/09 11:51 PM.
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Two thoughts spring to mind...
  • If you are in BIAB when "the perfect track" happens, save the track as a wav file (right-click on the instrument and choose the appropriate option). You can then load this into RealBand and use RB to build up an arrangement.
  • Open the MGU/SGU file in RB. Each track can then be individually generated if you wish. Tracks also remain static until you choose to regenerate. I always look at the BIAB settings for a style and adjust RB to reflect those settings (e.g. volumes, pans, etc). Doing this guarantees the style will sound the same in BIAB and RB.

Hope this gives you some thoughts.
Noel


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Thanks Noel!

To me at least this seems a serious flaw in an otherwise perfect product! In every other software program there is, when you save a file it retains what you saved! I mean whats the use of fine tuning a project only to find the next time you open it, its completley changed? I would love to here a technical reply!

Thanks again

Eddie

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The background of BIAB is MIDI and was designed to minimise space storage needed. Now that it is RTs, the concept is no different.

Many musicians like to hear something different each time they play the same track, in order to maintain interest and to give something new to practice with, whilst still maintaining the same chord structure and melody. This is actually an advantage as no twomusicians would play the same piece the same way.

Personally, I would agree with you but then I can understand their needs too.

If you like something, save it to WAV and then import it into RB


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Thanks Sam, I am reading about the new "Freeze" function! Will this work?

Also as a musician myself, some performances are better than others

Eddie

Last edited by Eddie Hughes; 09/01/09 04:53 AM.
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"Freeze" freezes all the tracks and not just single tracks.

If you like a particular arrangement that develops in BIAB, you can also render that arrangement to a single wav file (or mp3 if you have a suitable driver/codec).

Personally, I like BIAB exactly the way it is. It is a musical masterpiece when it comes to songwriting. I guess part of the reason that RB was developed was to have a program with fine-tuned control over individual tracks like you suggest. That's why I find the combination of RB/BIAB magic. If you have a listen to some of the songs that people put together using this combo, you'll be amazed. Have a hunt through the "Off-topic" forum and you'll find a bucket load of works from many talented people.

Noel


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Hit save with patches and harmonies after putting in the instruments you want in bar one. Note that some imported midi files even ones you find in band in a box format on the net have saved changes in the midi data and this will prevail even if you selected trumpet, if the midi file changes at bar 12 to clarinet that might happen.

Aftter filling all the check boxes you need to save, such as volumes etc. save the song that way. You can also change the sytle to the one you tweaked, and then save the song with that style. Some people have notice better results saving the file while it is playing, I've not had that problem.

You can also change the parameters in the song, choose a bar and press F5. As always my advice is to pick a song you don't want, play with it, mess with it, try things and make notes. Later do that with your real work, rather that banging your head against the desk later when it screws up.


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John created an excellent and very clear explanation on this subject, worth copying to a memo file for those not familiar with the workings of BIAB.

One more thing, every once in a while, when I find that the Save with Patches and Harmony doesn't seem to work and the Patches revert to what they were rather than what I've picked, try doing the whole routine *while the song is still playing back* and before it stops. For some reason, sometimes doing that will force the Patch Changes to be at the start of the song and will then work.


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Quote:

Thanks Noel!

To me at least this seems a serious flaw in an otherwise perfect product! In every other software program there is, when you save a file it retains what you saved! I mean whats the use of fine tuning a project only to find the next time you open it, its completley changed? I would love to here a technical reply!

Thanks again

Eddie




+1

Agree totally. I too have been asking for this "save exactly as currently being played" for realtracks for a while too.

While there are workarounds it’s still not the same.

Here's hoping it might be addressed in biab 2010.


Paddy


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With BB, you can get one track fixed - the audio track.

You mute the tracks that you dont want fixed, then Freeze the tracks, which will make the audio track contain the tracks that weren't muted. Then you can unfreeze it, and keep the audio track that contains the track that you didnt want to change.
I realize that this isn't the same thing as having a track that never changes.
==========
With RealBand, you can get exact arrangements that won't change


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