I've been using BiaB through DOS, win XP and now Win 10 and have done 5 years of singing to and with my assisted living friends. I appreciate having immediate custom key and tempo changes available when running it live. Getting older means more computer mistakes so I still feel a beginner. I just ran into a lockup as described below.
My midi output driver, microsoft GS wavetable synth,is fully installed but not available. It is classified as "being used by another program" I tried a reboot a forced closing, by task manager, of the unresponsive BIAB file then another reboot to no avail. I have no alternative synth and wonder how I can restore operation.I am due to be entertaining friends tomorrow!
I just depends on what songs you're doing and how picky you are. Some songs do not have identifying musical hooks in them, like folk styles for example. Lots of strumming guitars with a bass. Dreams by Fleetwood Mac is an example of that. No problem. But take Charlies cover of Listen To The Music by the Doobies. That intro guitar rhythm lick is not from Biab. Either Charlie himself or someone else played that.
If you're the guitarist and will be playing that intro yourself no problem but a midi file will have that intro already programmed in. However, don't expect Biab to produce those song specific hooks. Satisfaction is another common one. Satisfaction without that iconic guitar part really isn't Satisfaction is it? How about the organ part in Gimme Some Lovin by Spencer Davis? Unless you're the keyboardist, you'll need a midi file for that one.
Without those hooks you don't have a song but if you're doing three chord country strumming tunes and you can finger pick along yourself, easy peasy.
I would not simply endorse using Biab for covers, too many unknowns. True backing tracks are not called cover tracks, they're backing tracks for a performer who's playing those parts themselves. In that context Biab is great.
Hi Roy, you just jumped into the middle of a thread (conversation) on the usefullness of using Biab live. That's a different topic than your problem and you should have started a new thread.
Without more details it's hard to come up with an exact answer but try this inside Biab: Options>Return To Factory Settings and let it reset itself. You'll have to go into your midi drivers window and reselect the Coyote Wavetable. This is assuming you're using a recent version of Biab.
Always post which version you have. Otherwise, we're shooting in the dark.
I know this is an old thread but thought I'd jump in because I'm dealing with the same thing right now. My duo partner (singer) has retired for health reasons and I want to keep playing as long as I can but don't sing a note, which leaves me doing instrumental sets at the local assisted living facilities. I'm using BIAB 2021 for backing tracks and do everything from 'surf' to country to Great American Songbook tunes. Ideally, converting to Mp3 would be a great idea and I've been doing that using Windows Media Player for playback on most tunes...but...my problem arises when I want to do extended solos over a set of chord changes - say something simple like a 12 bar blues. I set up the BIAB track to do something like 8 choruses, then output it as an Mp3 and use it as a backing track on the gig. Now, I'm locked in to 8 choruses and (in my advanced age) I forget which one I'm on and where/when the track will end. I'll just be wailing away on a great tune and ...boom, it stops. That's where using the actual program comes in handy because you can see how many choruses you have left, plus, you can see the lead sheet or chord chart if it's a tune you aren't that familiar with. Makes it easier to cover tunes you might have a request for and you have it in your BIAB Songs file - just bring it up - set it to an easy key and sight read it on the spot; I usually won't do this with something I've never heard but if I've heard the tune, I can usually pull it off well enough that the customer is happy. I'm open for suggestions to improve my methods, of course. I'm running the stereo headphone out of my HP laptop into 2 channels of my Yamaha MG10XU mixer, then into one (sometimes 2) Mackie Thump 12 powered cabinet. I'll either run my guitar through one channel of the PA with outboard effects up front or run the guitar through my Evans RE200 amp with effects in the loop. I can run a line out from the amp if needed.
I play guitar over my own biab tracks. Pretty similar to your use case.
I use Anytune pro for my mp3 playback at gigs. My “normal” arrangement is Intro Head (melody) Improv chorus(1 or 2) Head (restate the melody) Outtro / ending
I set a loop inside Anytune on the improv section and take it as many times as I need/want
I alsohave a Bluetooth pedal that makes this (and a few other functions) very easy. Leaves the hands free for playing.
biab2025(Mac) Latest Build Mac OS (Latest) Apple Mac Mini M2 pro 32GB Ram Logic Pro 11.2.2 Irwin Vice Grip Fencing Pliers
Most people recommend the simplest setup with MP3s for minimum risk, but a number of people use BiaB successfully for live gigs. FWIW, I've used iRealPro for live gigs, though BiaB sounds much better.
I'd suggest a proper external sound module like a Focusrite, Presonus, whatever. The headphone output can be a bit temperamental in my experience. The connectors isn't hugely robust and hum can sometimes be a problem. Proper sound modules sound far better.
Jazz relative beginner, starting at a much older age than was helpful. AVL:MXE Linux; Windows 11 BIAB2025 Audiophile, a bunch of other software. Kawai MP6, Ui24R, Focusrite Saffire Pro40 and Scarletts .
(in my advanced age) I forget which one I'm on and where/when the track will end. I'll just be wailing away on a great tune and ...boom, it stops.
One solution to not knowing when your backing track will stop and out of the blue "boom, it stops", is to place something notable in your backing track just prior to the ending. You could insert extra drums, crash cymbals, guitars, etc in the last set of bars. When playing live, this will alert you that the eding will soon arrive.
You can also play around with the "Ending Options" within BiaB to achieve a similar effect. There is lots of flexibility in these settings.
Last edited by Bass Thumper; 07/03/2208:39 AM.
https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677 BiaB 2025 Windows For me there’s no better place in the band than to have one leg in the harmony world and the other in the percussive. Thank you Paul Tutmarc and Leo Fender.
Once in a MIDI sequencer (or DAW) I can insert cues as to when things are going to happen. It might be a drum roll, piano glissando, whistle, cuica, bass run, depending on the mix and what I think I could hear well. I'll do this for when vocals start, when the end of a long solo is coming, or before the last chord progression, so I know when the end is near.
There is more than one right way to do this, and this is my right way.
BTW, I never use the headphone jack to get audio out of my laptop. I use a USB to Audio interface. The advantages are; no static even if the connection is touched, wider bandwidth, and stability.
A basic, no-frills USB->Audio interface works just fine.
agree with the idea of putting a 'cue' in. one song we had had a long intro and i often came in at the wrong time. so i put a cymbal crash on the bar before.
agree with the idea of putting a 'cue' in. one song we had had a long intro and i often came in at the wrong time. so i put a cymbal crash on the bar before.
Yep, been there, done that !
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Professional & Windows 11, Sonar Platinum, Cakewalk by Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M Monitors, Pioneer Active Monitors
...my problem arises when I want to do extended solos over a set of chord changes - say something simple like a 12 bar blues.
Check out the Conductor, it will do this perfectly. Basically, you need access to your laptop's keyboard. You set the Conductor to use a number key such as 1 and typically set it to one or two bars before a part marker but set it to not jump until the next bar. You can set it to jump the instant you hit the number key but to me that's awkward. Unless your timing is perfect, you're messing with the count of the song. That gives you a bar to hit the 1 key and it will loop or jump somewhere else. Also set the ending to say, the number 2 key and one bar before the part marker. If you hit 2 during that bar it will jump to the ending bar number and you're out.
Having said that I've heard it doesn't work so well with some Real Tracks but I know it works perfectly if you're using a midi synth. When the RT's first came out I tested the Conductor with them and they worked great but that was just a small amount of early RT's and since then we've gotten hundreds - thousands? - of new RT's with different things added and people have said many don't work so just give it a try and see.
Old post, I know, but wanted to chime in for those searching the topic. I agree with mrgeeze. Anytune is the ideal companion to BIAB for live performance. I wish PG Music would update BIAB with Anytune's features but since it doesn't have them, Anytune is the way to go, IMO. It's cross platform working on Windows, Mac, iOS and Android.
BIAB has sections that, except for the occasional inserted push, is easily segmented in chunks that can be looped. Most Pop tunes are easily separated into chunks that can be looped as well. Whether you use Anytune on a computer, tablet or phone, it shows you the Markers you've created. It also has some very useful features for looping. You can for example loop on the fly or loop on predesignated sections. You can advance to a section immediately or after the current section finishes. This is great for when you've got the direction to end your song; you can end it gracefully. Those wanting these functions should really check it out. I create a number of versions (tempo, styles, keys etc.) of the same tune. I also create versions that are minus instruments in case I'm playing with a bass player or guitarist etc. I use a naming convention that identifies these settings and place them in folders like Duo w/Guitar, Duo w/Bass etc. It's very cool.
Here's a screenshot of Sunny in C using the CLSFUNK style at 120 bpm that has no Piano and no Guitar track all done from BIAB. 1st time adding an image to a Post so hope this works.
One trick I learned is to pan the drums hard left and the bass hard right in my arrangements. I use the pan control in anytune to mix these tracks down live at the gig. Saves having to make more mixes. Works great as long as you know who might not show up.
I also use a Irig Blueboard for start/stop play, next/previous tune, loop on/off (for soloing). This means no fumbling for controls while playing my guitar.
I'm a longtime AAPL shareholder so I'm happy to live in the apple biosphere. I own a Mac, a couple of Ipads and a iPhone. I keep all my performance tracks (320kbps Mp3's) stored in the cloud. I use the Mac as the Anytune "gospel" and propagate all my songs, marks, and setlists to the portable devices from it. It works great for keeping everything in sync. One ring to rule them all if you will.
I agree with you. At the present time, its the best there is.
biab2025(Mac) Latest Build Mac OS (Latest) Apple Mac Mini M2 pro 32GB Ram Logic Pro 11.2.2 Irwin Vice Grip Fencing Pliers
"It's cross platform working on Windows, Mac, iOS and Android. "
I can't see the Windows version for that.
Hopefully Biab will be made to do all that soon as I posted so much info and demos.
1. The Conductor can be made to work with the RealTracks/Drums by using Smooth Seek same as Reaper to give seamless transitions from section to section.
2. It can be easily made into a Live Arranger playing any chord section instantly via midi keyboard input. This will be easiest done using the BBPlugin Standalone (giving a Win & Mac version at the same time using a common audio file format compressed or uncompressed). So whatever Style you choose it will load all the section info of each instrument in that Style, thus be able to playback Live instantly. This has all been shown to work using the instrument track data in Sforzando changing from one chord section to another, same was show in Reaper.
Interesting topic as I use BIAB for backing tracks of many sorts; purchased it specifically to set up and use backing tracks.
As far as using it for performance, I'm a guitarist and absolutely detest hauling a bunch of equipment around. The less the better.
If you are using BIAB for performance backing tracks, considering a loop pedal or loop station might be worthwhile. (Provided you have an amp or PA of some sort (even a small one)... the looper has to have something to plug into.)
What I do for performance:
I set up the track in BIAB however I want it, save it on the PC then load it to a track on the loop pedal. I use a Boss RC-5 loop pedal (plenty of storage room and easy to use). I can set the track to loop until I stop it or play just once and stop. If a full song, I select that saved track, press the pedal and go. If a looping track, I can create a backing track of just drums and bass for example ... well, that's getting into how loop pedals work. Also, this loop pedal's display shows me how far along I am in the track and that's most helpful.
I'm sure other loopers can do the same thing, just be sure to check the features and functions.
The loop pedal or loop station is small and easy to haul around, simple to set up and use and provides a great playback of the BIAB file.
jdew, thanks for sharing your experiences, and welcome to the neighborhood.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Professional & Windows 11, Sonar Platinum, Cakewalk by Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M Monitors, Pioneer Active Monitors
Then there's me LOL. I use BIAB/the program right from the laptop. I have been doing this since I started using the program back in 2004 and have played hundreds of gigs without ONE GLITCH. The only other advise I will offer is "force yourself to sing", everyone can, some not as well as others but trust me your audience will listen to the entire package.
I emphasis the singing as an all instrumental gig is hard on both the musician as well as he/her audience.
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We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 28 RealTracks and RealDrums!
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