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With 2018, ACW was rewritten and updated, and introduced as one of the main features of that year, but for some reason, the old, outdated version of the module was also kept.
Now, we have two versions of the same module, the old one and the new one, which is really confusing for the end user, specially for newcomers. In addition, the new ACW is hidden under many icons and menus (in order to access it you have to click Open > Open audio > Audio Edit > Marker Mode > Audio Chord Wizard), while the old, outdated one is directly accessible from the main screen, just by clicking on the Audio Chord Wizard icon.
If the new ACW is working properly, then keeping the old, outdated one is simply unnecessary and only adds confusion to an already cluttered interface. Please, make thinks simpler!
Last edited by Cerio; 12/11/18 02:19 AM.
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I respectfully disagree to removing the old ACW. It appears you have BIAB Mac while I have the Windows version but both versions have the two ACW's. First, they are not the same. There are subtle differences between the two that offer advantages to different tasks. There are default differences, at least in the Windows older version regarding setup, such as muting the Style or not can be defaulted off or on. Setting the first bar in the older version also automatically determines a rough tempo and also the key signature. This has to be setup each time in the new version. Working in the Audio Edit Window (the new version) is a visual aid to setting bars and the new version seems to be a bit better at decoding chords and I like the integration with the BIAB Chord Chart. Personally, I nearly always open and import audio I will be using with the ACW in the old version and then move to the new ACW to fine tune the tempo map and generate the chord chart.
A tip that works in the Windows version that may help you navigating to the new version of the ACW. In Windows, I open the Audio Edit Button, from the Audio Edit screen, I can click the Marker Mode Button to quickly access the Audio Chord Wizard Button and Marker Mode.
There are still benefits to having both. The older version is quick and fairly easy and is especially good to quickly determine the Key signature and tempo of audio being imported and the defaults merge well with the BIAB Chord Chart. The new version is visually helpful, more accurate and merges well with the BIAB Chord Chart.
Just my thoughts.
BIAB 2025:RB 2025, Latest builds: Dell Optiplex 7040 Desktop; Windows-10-64 bit, Intel Core i7-6700 3.4GHz CPU and 16 GB Ram Memory.
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Totally agree with Charlie here.
The two are not interchangeable, and, while it's undoubtedly easier to use and more streamlined, the more current one is not nearly as sophisticated or tweakable as it's predecessor.
Band-in-a-Box 2024. Custom Build Desktop PC W/ Windows 10 Home 64-bit. CPU: Intel Core i5-9600k @ 3.7GHz (6 core x 6 threads) RAM: 16GB DDR4. Storage 238GB SSD + 2.7 TB HDD. GPU: ZOTAC NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4GB
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This is NUTS! Merge them. Having two is...well...NUTS!
This software resembles my grandpa's old junk drawers where he kept everything from the past 50 years just in case!
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This is NUTS! Merge them. Having two is...well...NUTS!
Yes, exactly. If there are important features missing in the new ACW, all the focus should be in adding these features, merging the two programs in one. Keeping the two versions just add confusion to the GUI, make things more complicated to understand for the end user (specially for newcomers), and just doesn't make any sense. These are, in my opinion, the kind of things why a lot of people perceive BIAB as a complicated and cluttered program. If you want to design a good, easy to use GUI, you have to think from the perspective of someone who opens BIAB for first time, not from the point of view of someone who has been using BIAB for years and is simply used to the oddities of the program.
Last edited by Cerio; 12/11/18 08:08 AM.
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It appears you have BIAB Mac while I have the Windows version but both versions have the two ACW's. Cerio, were you testing this on a Mac or Windows version?
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
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It appears you have BIAB Mac while I have the Windows version but both versions have the two ACW's. Cerio, were you testing this on a Mac or Windows version? I'm using Windows, I don't know why Charlie thought I'm using the Mac version.
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<<< I'm using Windows, I don't know why Charlie thought I'm using the Mac version. >>>
I thought so because I've never opened an audio file using the sequence you use. Before I replied to you, I searched through some MAC posts until I located a photo of the Main SCreen for the MAC and saw an OPEN button.
I've always loaded an audio file using the upper toolbar Audio button and selecting import audio from the menu. Both methods, Open and Import, open the same window......
But - Using import rather than open, I get an additional window giving me the option to where in my song I want to place the audio and also the option to choose to either overwrite existing audio or to merge the audio being imported with existing audio on the track.
This function is not currently working in 2019, but it allows me to insert numerous copies of a audio riff, special effect sound or mix stems into a project where the open command will automatically overwrite any existing audio and places the imported audio at the beginning of the song.
BIAB 2025:RB 2025, Latest builds: Dell Optiplex 7040 Desktop; Windows-10-64 bit, Intel Core i7-6700 3.4GHz CPU and 16 GB Ram Memory.
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Also, the new ACW doesn't have any "Erase tempo map" feature.
Bar settings > reset all bars doesn't work because it not only erase tempo, but also bar section letters (???), so if you want to actually erase tempo map, you have to use the "ACW Utilities", an old module from the old ACW version which, btw is REALLY difficult to find:
File > Open Special > ACW Utilities > Erase tempo map
(I swear I forget where is this command each time I need it)
Problem? If you want the tempo map again, you can't, this module doesn't work!!!
The new ACW is a GREAT idea and, in is many ways work much better than the old one. The integration with the main program is great, and the auto marking feature is simply BRILLIANT, you can have a whole song mapped in 30 seconds!
But in my opinion, the new ACW is clearly still work in progress, that's why the old ACW wasn't removed. I really hope PG Music don't forget this feature wich, in my opinion, is one of the greatests and more useful BIAB features.
Last edited by Cerio; 12/15/18 12:19 AM.
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