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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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OP
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So far I've been quite satisfied with using just one style for Band in a Box, but I seem to recall reading somewhere that it's possible to have different sections within a song using different styles.
I've tried searching for sections in the user guide / online help and on the website, but there's nothing coming up for this. If I search for "part markers", all I get is how to change sub-styles, which I'm doing happily already.
I would welcome advice or links on how to change styles within a song, so you have more than one style in a song, but what I want to do specifically in this case is (after creating vocal harmonies based on the chords in the song - which I've done) is to change the style for the last verse effectively to "none" - no music at all, just the recorded vocal harmonies.
Then just as an adjuct - is it possible to make the created vocal harmonies sound smoother - they sound rather electronic to me!
Thanks
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jan 2002
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Hi Digihound
Using midi you can right click on a bar and select Bar Settings - on this panel in the bottom right hand corner you can select bar 1 and the chorus you wish to be silent
Then in the dropdowns on the left you can set the various instruments to Mute
If you then select the Thru feature along the top and add Reverb and or Chorus to suit and this reduces the electronic feel
Also for more info - with BIAB open go to Help > choose Topics search and the scroll to Style Changes at any Bar
Regarding the Harmonies there is not all that much you can do but something that helps is to open Harmony Maker and then hit the Edit button and you will see a column on the right named V. Boost for velocity - if you take this number down 5 or 10 or even more it will soften the edge of the sound - if it shows 5 then take it down to 0 or -5 or -10 etc
jazzman
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Hi Digihound. Jazzman gave an excellent answer. I would only like to add that what he described, about changing styles, works for the MIDI-based styles. You did not mention if you meant Real Tracks or not, but if you use them, it is more complicated but possible. You cannot change a single instrument from one Real Track style to another within the same song. However, with creative use of two or more instruments and muting, you could simulate the same thing. Real Band or another sequencer opens up more possibilities.
Check out F5 (bar settings) for muting and other options.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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They covered the style change with the "bar settings" answer. I'd just like to mention that you can also use "chord settings" (Alt F5) for other adjustments; shots, holds, pushes & rests can be applied to the style using that command. Those two, Bar/Chord settings, is where the power lies in creating your backing music with in Biab, IMO. They can change the "feel" of a song and take it to that next level. Get to know how those work and you will be ahead of the curve. Some styles have pushes already in them, but you can use Chord Settings to accent certain beats etc . . . Those two apply to midi styles only in Biab, for the time being. Biab is a powerful program, once you see what lies under the hood of the thing  Trax
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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OP
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Wow - comprehensive answers - thanks guys!
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Quote:
You did not mention if you meant Real Tracks or not, ... You cannot change a single instrument from one Real Track style to another within the same song.
Another R/T item that we are waiting for to be worked out. 
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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There are workarounds. Lots. Copy the instrument to a solo track and make a new one. Use f5 to mute/unmute. Nema problema.
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Productor Musical
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Productor Musical
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Last week I received my UltraPlusPAK hard disk. I cannot enough express the excitement! Real Tracks and Real Drums pack are incredible and open a mega world of possibilities. Now and taking advantage of this related topic I have a question about instruments changing into style. Assuming I play a song with a Real Track style of my choice, lets say a PopBalad which have five real not midi instruments. I want to substitute the RT Piano with a MIDI instrument, all right, not problem, I just go to "Assign RT to Tracks" window and check "disable RT for this track (force to MIDI)" . But now I want select an different style ONLY for this MIDI instrument , lets say the piano from Kneelin LA POP Jazz, while the rest of the instrument stay unchanged in the original RT style. Can that be achieved without excessive tweaking? the useful "Make a Hybrid Style" does not work here because it does turn all to MIDI except drums. The only way I got done is by assign in the song the MIDI style where the instrument I want to "import" is, after I have to manually mount each one of the others RT instruments and finally save my custom style. I can´t imagine repeating such procedure each time I want to test only one instrument in order to use it in a RT style, as substitute or like new instrument track. Any enlightenment about? or it is one good for BIAB 2010 wish list? --------------------- Carlos E. Arellano www.carlosarellano.com/music
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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One of the first things I tested was to load Real Tracks, then change the style to see what it would do. The answer I found, and I'm happy to be corrected if I'm wrong, is that it makes NO difference. The Real Tracks ARE the style. Select a polka, Chick Corea, or a guaracha as the style and it won't change the Real Tracks. So, to answer your question, you can make one instrument MIDI and affect it by the chosen style, but the Real Tracks will not change.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Productor Musical
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Productor Musical
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Matt, thanks. I am testing and doing how you say but my question remain:
1- I load my song or I write chords from scratch, whatever.
2- assign a Real Track style, this time RT Bossa Brasil Quartet ...
3- I force the RT piano to MIDI.
4- The piano part still as bossa style playing via MIDI in my VSTi. The rest of RT remain unaffected
...all right.
Q: Now, how may I assign a MIDI style to only the piano part (now MIDI) without affecting the others RT instruments style?
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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A. Run your test. I believe you will find that changing the MIDI style will not affect the RT instruments.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Productor Musical
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Productor Musical
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Test done. Maybe I am doing something wrong, but RT style is gone when a MIDI style is loaded in the song, despite some Rtrack is forced to MIDI. Please, check this short video capture of my test
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Yes, using one of the RT styles, which can be identified easily in the Stylepicker by the '-' or '=' sign in front of the stylename, will always reload whatever instruments to the tracks that are placed into that particular style file.
If you make a note of which separate RealTracks there are in that style, though, you can do what you want to do.
First, load the MIDI style that has the Piano you want to use in it. Set the Tempo.
Then RightClick on each of the other parts and choose the RealTrack that was originally there in the RealTrack style.
Do that for each of the other tracks that were in that RealTrack style.
There may be other ways to do this, such as using the Style Editor to make your own RealTrack style that has the MIDI part in it. This would make for fast loading of that style in future songs.
***Don't overlook the use of RealBand here. Export the MIDI style as a Standard MIDI File, then change the BB song to the RealTracks style and export the RealTracks one at a time by Rightclicking on their tracknames and choosing the menu item that creates a separate wav track of the RealTrack. Open the MIDI file inside of RealBand and then import the Wav files one at a time to separate tracks.
--Mac
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Sep 2009
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Productor Musical
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Productor Musical
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Thanks Mac, wow! right now I will do as you indicate. Sound pretty interesting and logical. I will post results.
saludos
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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For Digihound and Carlos:
Biab is great and it is the "flagship" program for PG Music but my advice to anyone relatively new to Biab is to learn to use Real Band at the same time as Biab. RB does so much more than Biab does alone that for me at least I use it almost exclusively now.
Just a few high points: 48 tracks to play with, RB will open a Biab file and generate new Biab tracks both midi and RT/RD, this means you can add multiple Biab tracks to a midi file, you can use multiple styles on a per track basis, multiple Real Tracks/Drums, 16 midi ports (Biab only has one) so you can use multiple synths in addition to the RT/RD's. And for 2009.5, they added the TC Helicon harmonizer if you already have it with Power Tracks.
This is just a quick summary, there's more.
Since Real Band is a full audio/midi recorder it's much better suited for full music production than Biab alone is, imho.
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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Joined: Sep 2009
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Productor Musical
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Productor Musical
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,055 |
jazzmammal you right, thanks for a great advise, I know about Real Band outstanding and devoted features on many specific task. I think Real Band take the relief from Band in a Box hand. However I had delayed a bit my definitive alliance with Real Band because I found it a little buggy in earlier versions. Crashes, ASIO failures, weird behaves and incompatibility with certain hardware devices, maybe some matter related to my hardware, not sure about, I was mainly focussed to BIAB, but I can note now in recent 2009.5 rev. a overall improve in those RB issues, therefore I am starting to use it. Count with my feedback in the meantime. Furthermore Real Band look absolutely tempting!!. Jezzz! please, tell me how I will carry out myself with two addictions? BIAB and RB  ......... 
Gabriel Arellano,
Nucleox Music
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Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!
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