|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 25
Enthusiast
|
OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 25 |
Does anyone have a quick method or technique for writing melodies onto the music stave using the notation tool other than entering notes onto the stave one by one. This is quite a drag and takes a fairly long time? Can this be done using a midi piano or via any other external software package?er
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,382
PG Music Staff
|
PG Music Staff
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,382 |
Hi Jyde D,
You can use a MIDI keyboard to record melodies. Just go to Options - MIDI/Audio Driver Setup, and select your keyboard as your MIDI Input Driver.
You can then click the Record MIDI button or Melody - Edit Melody Track - Record Melody to record notes to the Melody track.
Thanks Kent PG Music
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,560
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,560 |
You can also import a MIDI file.
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; Presonus Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 25
Enthusiast
|
OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 25 |
Thanks, will the notes then be written to the music stave directly?
I also discovered this android app that looks very good called Mobile Sheets Pro Music Reader costing a whopping £9.99 (Expensive for an app so it must be very comprehensive). Apparently it rips the notes off pdf's or midi files and converts them to music notation and sound then exports as a Midi file. Could be just what I am looking for. Has anyone here ever used it?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,560
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,560 |
Let’s start again.
Are you trying to take printed music and enter it into BIAB? Music such as purchased published music, leadsheets or fake-books?
Yes, there are apps and programs that can scan printed music and make it into MIDI that BIAB can load. Yes, there are apps that can read a PDF file and convert it to a MIDI file. Both will have errors and will require you to make corrections, in my experience.
If you have a MIDI file, BIAB can read that.
If you don’t, you can play the melody and BIAB can record it.
Or you can enter it note by note with the mouse.
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; Presonus Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 25
Enthusiast
|
OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 25 |
Yes that is exactly what I am trying to do [color:#[FF0000]there are apps and programs that can scan printed music and make it into MIDI that BIAB can load[/color] that would be a great start point, I don't mind the fact that it won't be perfect and will require correction. what I want to avoid is the slow process of using a note by note mouse entry method if I can. I believe there have been a few suggestions made. Many thanks.
Last edited by Jyde D; 07/25/18 03:59 AM.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,844
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,844 |
If you get an app to scan pdf's, be sure to read the specs and user comments carefully. The high end apps can read and process scanned content, with varying degrees of success depending upon the quality and alignment of the original source file. Other apps will only work with pdf's that were created by printing them from a notation app, which means it's not converting the graphical images of the notes, but merely reading the underlying TrueType fonts and recreating the notation that was originally done in a notation program in the first place.
John Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 12TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB SATA BB2026/UMC204HD&404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/Notion/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK http://www.sus4chord.com (under rehosting/construction)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 25
Enthusiast
|
OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 25 |
That's an interesting point to take into consideration. Would you be able to provide some links ?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,560
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,560 |
John is correct. One program I use says exactly that limitation, working only with PDF scores printed in Finale, Sibelius etc. In other words, it will usually not read a PDF scanned from published sheet music.
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; Presonus Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 647
Journeyman
|
Journeyman
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 647 |
I really think that if there was a quick, inexpensive, accurate method of converting from sheet music, scanned or otherwise, we would have found it years ago.
Most of us probably use mouse entry, some use a midi keyboard, or we find something on the Internet
Not the answer you are looking for, but the reality of BIAB
BIAB for Windows Version 2019 (643) Windows 10 (1909)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,560
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,560 |
Right, and don’t think of this as being a limitation of BIAB. It’s a limitation of the industry.
Don’t overlook Dave’s suggestion. Not only are tons of songs in MIDI format on the Internet, but also large collections of BIAB files to share. Many are even legal.
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; Presonus Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,677
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,677 |
I googled printed music to MIDI and one site that says it will scan sheet music to MIDI is this one: https://www.musitek.com/smartscore-midi.htmlIt has a free demo so you might want to give it a try. Note that I do not have any experience with this software.
Tips on how to fall asleep in a living room chair: 1- Be old 2- Sit in a chair
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,382
PG Music Staff
|
PG Music Staff
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,382 |
Hi, Finale PrintMusic can scan printed notation and convert it to MIDI, and it's only $99: http://www.pgmusic.com/finaleprintmusic.win.htmThanks Kent PG Music
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,560
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,560 |
The success of both of these depends on the quality of the original (must be clean, no stray marks), the fonts used (mentioned already), and the size (they deliberately print music oversized to limit copying and scanning).
I also have used PDFtoMusic by Myriad. Sometimes that works when SmartScore won’t.
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; Presonus Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,844
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,844 |
I'm surprised PrintMusic still supports scanned documents. I remember the email notice where they intentionally removed it from its big brother (Finale v25) when it went from 32-bit to 64-bit, I suspect mainly for copyright infringement reasons.
John Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 12TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB SATA BB2026/UMC204HD&404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/Notion/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK http://www.sus4chord.com (under rehosting/construction)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,560
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,560 |
Oh, and originals scan far better than photocopies.
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; Presonus Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 55
Enthusiast
|
Enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 55 |
MuseScore is a free download and will import PDF files that were created by a music notation program (not scanned from sheet music).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1
Newbie
|
Newbie
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1 |
PG Music support told me that Real Band supports recording a live instrument, say trumpet, and then display the notes that were played so they can be printed out. True or False
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,323
Expert
|
Expert
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,323 |
True.
That is the 'Pitch to MIDI converter' feature, and it true too that it works only on monophonic recordings. For more details see the RealBand PDF manual page 198.
Reach for excellence
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac is Here!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac is here and it is packed with major new features! There’s a new modern look, a GUI redesign to all areas of the program including toolbars, windows, workflow and more. There’s a Multi-view layout for organizing multiple windows. A standout addition is the powerful AI-Notes feature, which uses AI neural-net technology to transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI—entire mixes or individual instruments—making it easy to study, view, and play parts from any song. And that’s just the beginning—there are over 100 new features in this exciting release.
Along with version 2026, we've released an incredible lineup of new content! There's 202 new RealTracks, brand-new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two new RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Special Offers
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac and save up to 50% on most upgrade packages during our special offer—available until May 15, 2026. Visit our Band-in-a-Box® packages page to explore all available upgrade options.
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK Add-ons
Our Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK are loaded with amazing add-ons! The Free Bonus PAK is included with most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac packages, but you can unlock even more—including 20 unreleased RealTracks—by upgrading to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49.
Holiday Weekend Hours
As we hop into the Easter weekend, here are our holiday hours:
April 3 (Good Friday): 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM PDT
April 4 (Saturday): Closed
April 5 (Easter Sunday): Closed
April 6 (Easter Monday): Open regular hours
Wishing you an egg-cellent weekend!
— Team PG
Update to Build 10 of RealBand® 2026 for Windows®!
If you're already using RealBand 2026 for Windows, download build 10 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® users: Build 904 now available!
If you're already using Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, make sure to grab the latest update! Build 904 is now available for download and includes the newest additions and enhancements from our team.
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® users: Build 1237 is now available!
Already a Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows user? Stay up to date and download the build 1237 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.
PowerTracks Pro 2026 for Windows is Here!
PowerTracks 2026 is here—bringing powerful new enhancements designed to make your production workflow faster, smoother, and more intuitive than ever.
The enhanced Mixer now shows Track Type and Instrument icons for instant track recognition, while a new grid option simplifies editing views. Non-floating windows adopt a modern title bar style, replacing the legacy blue bar.
The Master Volume is now applied at the end of the audio chain for consistent levels and full-signal master effects.
Tablature now includes a “Save bends when saving XML” option for improved compatibility with PG Music tools. Plus, you can instantly match all track heights with a simple Ctrl-release after resizing, and Add2 chords from MGU/SGU files are now fully supported... and more!
Get started today—first-time packages start at just $49.
Already using PowerTracks Pro Audio? Upgrade for as little as $29 and enjoy the latest improvements!
Order now!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows Special Offers End Tomorrow (January 15th, 2026) at 11:59 PM PST!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, January 15, 2026!
We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
Version 2026 introduces a modernized GUI redesign across the program, with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, and a new Dark Mode option. There’s also a new side toolbar for quicker access to commonly used windows, and the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, making it easier to customize your workspace.
Another exciting new addition is the new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. You can view the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to process an entire track or focus on specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Windows to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade during our special, you'll receive a Free Bonus PAK of exciting new add-ons.
If you need any help deciding which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We are here to help!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums57
Topics86,150
Posts801,376
Members40,061
| |
Most Online64,515 Apr 8th, 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|