I seem to recall that you can set up BIAB, so that if you typically play with your guitar downed a half step, you can still input normal chords, etc. and the program will play them a half step lower to match your guitar.
Is this something BIAB can do, or did I just imagine it?
You can set the Master Tuning, at least on some sound cards. Find it in Options, GM Settings, Master Tuning.
I assume from your question you want to take a guitar where the top and bottom strings are E, and tune the whole thing down so the top and bottom strings now sound an Eb, but you want to read chords normally as if your guitar was still tuned to concert pitch.
Note: I'm answering this from the Help file, without a computer to try it, so I have no idea what this setting does to RealTracks.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
Like with brass instruments, would it be possible to set BIAB to play lower but visually transpose one semitone higher? Because I don't play transposing instruments, I'm not sure of this.
For example, does it work as Frank would like, if the 'Transpose' option in "Chord Display" is set to +1. This will take the visual display up a semitone so that the chords should sound/play down a semitone from what's typed. (See 1, 2, 3 on the image below.)
Would this match his guitar?
Regards, Noel
P.S. Frank, if you display is not the same as mine, press CTRL+T to switch views.
I seem to recall that you can set up BIAB, so that if you typically play with your guitar downed a half step, you can still input normal chords, etc. and the program will play them a half step lower to match your guitar.
Is this something BIAB can do, or did I just imagine it?
Thanks.
You just click the Chord Display button, place your mouse over Guitar Tuned Down... and select the option for tuning down. I do this all the time to use with my baritone guitar so I can play regular open chord forms like C and they will show on the BIAB chordsheet as C.
Noel, It never ceases to amaze me how much useful info can appear in these forums. On your screenshot of the Chord Display Dropdown, I spotted "Guitar Capo (Visual Transpose). How did I prevously miss that?
Co-incidentally, today I am working on a song in F but because I want to fingerpick guitar the chord shapes in D with capo on 3 are more suitable, problem solved.
I only wish that this and some other settings could be made song specific and not global, since unless I reset, it messes up the display for subsequent songs.
There’s Guitar Capo in that screen shot by Noel, which I think means guitar tuned upward. But there’s also a setting for Guitar Tuned Down. Is that it? However, they also give you minus numbers as a choice in the Capo setting; not sure why...
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
They said it couldn't be done but this old dog just learned a new trick!
And this one too, although I just can't think why you would want to tune your guitar a half step down at all anyway, especially as the chords "on screen" would NOT be the ones that you would be hearing. Cheers Ian
Old Guys Rule.The older I get,the better I was! BB2023 ULTRA, 1013, Win 7 and 10
They said it couldn't be done but this old dog just learned a new trick!
And this one too, although I just can't think why you would want to tune your guitar a half step down at all anyway, especially as the chords "on screen" would NOT be the ones that you would be hearing. Cheers Ian
I have a guitarist friend whom can't play in the key of Eb. So for every Eb song he tunes his guitar down a half step. Now I can print a Eb song with the chords that he does know, like E, A, B7. etc.
In the early 1970's I played in a horn band so I had to learn to play in horn keys like Eb, Ab, etc. It was a great learning experience!
It takes courage for a man to admit his wife was wrong.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
They said it couldn't be done but this old dog just learned a new trick!
And this one too, although I just can't think why you would want to tune your guitar a half step down at all anyway, especially as the chords "on screen" would NOT be the ones that you would be hearing. Cheers Ian
I have a guitarist friend whom can't play in the key of Eb. So for every Eb song he tunes his guitar down a half step. Now I can print a Eb song with the chords that he does know, like E, A, B7. etc.
In the early 1970's I played in a horn band so I had to learn to play in horn keys like Eb, Ab, etc. It was a great learning experience!
You and me both! Till '75 I played in Showbands with a big brass section. It was good grounding. I HAD to play in their keys. So Eb, Bb etc hold no fears even now when reading off the page or using BB to arrange material.
Old Guys Rule.The older I get,the better I was! BB2023 ULTRA, 1013, Win 7 and 10
The reason I tune down a half step is that I play slide guitar in Open D and Open G tunings. However, I find that my voice fits those tunings better if I'm tuned down a half step.
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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!
Few things are certain in life: death, taxes, and a brand spankin’ new XPro Styles PAK! In this, the 10th edition of our XPro Styles PAK series, we’ve got 100 styles coming your way! We have the classic 25 styles each from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, and rounding out this volume's wildcard slot is 25 styles in the Praise & Worship genre! A wide spanning genre, you can find everything from rock, folk, country, and more underneath its umbrella. The included 28 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Here’s just a small sampling of what you can look forward to in XPro Styles PAK 10: Soft indie folk worship songs, bumpin’ country boogies, gospel praise breaks, hard rockin’ pop, funky disco grooves, smooth Latin jazz pop, bossa nova fusion, western swing, alternative hip-hop, cool country funk, and much more!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 10 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
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Rejoice, one and all, for Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box® is here! We’re serving up 200 brand spankin’ new styles to delight your musical taste buds! The first three courses are the classics you’ve come to know and love, including offerings from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, but, not to be outdone, this year’s fourth course is bro country! A wide ranging genre, you can find everything from hip-hop, uptempo outlaw country, hard hitting rock, funk, and even electronica, all with that familiar bro country flair. The dinner bell has been rung, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 21 today!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Energetic folk rock, raucous train beats, fast country boogies, acid jazz grooves, laid-back funky jams, a bevy of breezy jazz waltzes, calm electro funk, indie synth pop, industrial synth metal, and more bro country than could possibly fit in the back of a pickup truck!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 21 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 21 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 21 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
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