I'm trying to record to the Melody track, from the qwerty keyboard, using this feature. I can't get anything to record from qwerty, i.e. no sound, no notes, nada.
When I check Options > MIDI / Audio Drivers Setup - MIDI Input Driver -- shows <No MIDI/sound input>
Well that makes sense. But when I go to the Windows "Sound" window > Recording, it shows "What U Hear", "Sound Blaster Z", Default Device" with a green check mark.
That's the extent of my knowledge on the subject. I know I have had it working before, albeit with some latency. Any ideas where to look next?
that is the recording device - but you are not producing any sound to record. for that you need to select a midi device such as a soft synth. you get coyote free with BIAB. go to the midi driver window. select something ( i don't think it matters what) other than no midi sound output.
check the box that says use vst/dxi syth and choose the coyote from the box immediately below. ignore the box that says route mid driver through........ at the top right under synthesizer/sound card choose coyote wave table dxi not coyote forte.
you should now hear midi sounds - probably a piano but you can change the midi instrument to any you like from the general midiset - you must have been able to do that before
Thanks Bob. The problem is not the output, I can hear everything playing just fine when I play a BIAB file. The problem is when I try to use the Playalong Wizard. I can't get any sound on the INPUT side.
lloyd. (i'm on 2020) 1. play menu >tick wizard playalong and tick use smart notes. 2. melody menu >edit melody>clik record melody thus record dialog appears in bb. thus record. 3. play pc kbd. 4. save. etc etc.
you can also hilite to bb the chord area you want melody notes inserted. its all in bb help/at pg also. go thru the pg midi faq's//help//vids etc. best. muso.
Last edited by justanoldmuso; 01/23/2101:05 PM.
my songs....mixed for good earbuds...(fyi..my vocs on all songs..) https://soundcloud.com/alfsongs (90 songs created useing bb/rb) (lots of tips of mine in pg tips forum.)
mmmmmmm if you have the coyote synth selected i'm puzzled. do you get sound when you play a midi only file? and does the BIAB piano sound?
my midi files play fine with no input driver selected.
and i just checked when i open the big piano window notes sound with no input driver selected although from the sound i don't think the midi is rerouted to the default soft synth, so BIAB doesn't seem to need a midi input driver selected to use the built in midi triggers - and i presume the keyboard works the same as the big piano but i may be wrong
Muso: I've tried your process but to no avail. When I click "Record melody" I get the Record dialog, then press the Record button. When I try to play the computer keyboard I get nothing from it. The VU meters show activity for both input and output but it appears like the Input is coming from the Output. There's no input from qwerty.
Bob: I have the TTS-1 synth selected. Yes I get sound when I play a MIDI only style or when I play a RealStyle, even with no input driver selected. It's the "upstream" part that isn't working. That is, I can't get any input to sound.
I also tried your idea of the Big Piano Window. Thought perhaps I could record from there. No luck. The notes sound when I click on the keys, but those notes don't get entered into the Melody track when I do a "Record".
I did search extensively the Help files, videos etc. They do a great job explaining how to PLAY ALONG with the Playalong Wizard, plus how to set up a MIDI keyboard as an input device, but nothing about how to GET an input device into the "MIDI Input Driver" box. (at least that I could find)
The popup over the red Record Midi button shows this: (below) Thanks all for the help. No solution yet ...
LLOYD S
POPUP "Record MIDI to Melody Track. This records external MIDI information from your external keyboard. It will also record notes click on the on-screen piano, guitar, drums, as well as from your qwerty keyboard if using the Wizard Playalong." (My "Wizard playalong feature" is ENABLED)
lloyd. it works for me. tell me this. after following my method, and saveing , GO INTO BB EVENT EDITOR FOR MELODY. DO YOU SEE RECORDED EVENTS ? (after useing pc kbd to record.) (also look in notation or piano roll. do you see note events ??) if you DO see events. its gotta be the way you have the synth set up. THUS, post a PIC of your prefs plz. so i can compare to my pc bb rig. BUT MAKE IT A LARGE PIC AS I HAVE VISION PROBS.
ps as a test useing pc kbd just bash notes useing qwerty M and N keys. DO YOU SEE EVENTS PER ABOVE ?
muso.
Last edited by justanoldmuso; 01/24/2104:41 AM.
my songs....mixed for good earbuds...(fyi..my vocs on all songs..) https://soundcloud.com/alfsongs (90 songs created useing bb/rb) (lots of tips of mine in pg tips forum.)
I have been checking the piano roll window after every "Record" (or non-record in this case) session. Nothing. I took a screen shot of the MIDI/Audio Drivers window. It's a jpg file. You may have to open it in (say) MSWord, click and drag a corner to enlarge. You see that the "MIDI Input Driver" has no driver. If that is the problem, I don't know how to populate that, nor with what.
Matt: I had tried that, but I tried it again. Same result. Can't think what I might have done to change any pc settings as I know I have used this feature sometime last year.
lloyd. NOTE>> IN MY DIALOG I HAVE FOR MIDI OUTPUT DRIVER. MS GS WAVETABLE NOT SELECTED. ie no driver selected. i normally use a midi kbd into reaps for detailed stuff/midi.
re piano roll. sometimes you wont see events unless you scroll around PR. event list editor is MUCH easier to see events immediately. SO USE THAT TO CHECK AFTER RECORDING. just bash the M and N keys to record. THEN check event list. YOU SHOULD ALSO HEAR NOTES OVER YOUR MONITORING AS YOU PLAYALONG USEING PC KBD KEYS. eg hphones
if NO NOTES IN EVENT LIST. try this. heres my settings. IN MIDI DRIVER TAB. (i have no drivers selected and not MS wavetable.) 1. TOP RIGHT under synth/sound card i have GENERAL MIDI INSTR MISC SELECTED. 2. i have both USE VSTI/DXI AND THRU TO MIDI DRIVER TICKED/SELECTED. and under that THRU i have coyote selected as synth. (maybe the prob is the tts ? selection ? try coyote ?) i can also select sforzando as the synth if i want.. clik ok etc etc.
i just tried useing coyote and sforz and both synths worked. am now out of ideas lloyd. sorry. best muso.
ps. matt i'm always leery suggesting reset cos might upset another user setting. i had one user once (newbie on another daw platform ) get really uppity/shirty with me as a result. lol.
Last edited by justanoldmuso; 01/24/2106:05 AM.
my songs....mixed for good earbuds...(fyi..my vocs on all songs..) https://soundcloud.com/alfsongs (90 songs created useing bb/rb) (lots of tips of mine in pg tips forum.)
OK tried all your suggestions and am making progress. I first tried leaving the TTS-1 as output. If I try to set the MIDI Output it tells me I have the VSTI selected anyway, so I assume that would make no difference.
I DID try going to the Coyote synth as the output and that worked. Hurray!
I guess I can use that for recording from the qwerty kbd, then I'll go back to TTS-1 as I like the sounds better there.
Continuing, and regarding your note to Matt re: doing a Return to Factory Settings: since I did that, my Mixer window no longer shows all the tracks, only the "Melody" track. Should I start another thread?
lloyd. i think i know what your tts 1 problem is. 1. go to midi driver. 2. top right hand of dialog, instead of MISC for synth, clik the drop down arrow. NOTICE THE TTS 1 SELECTION ?? select it instead of misc. try that.
failing that just use coyote for playalong kbd recording and try inserting the tts 1 on the melody trak after recording done. see what i mean ? ------------------------------------ re reset losing settings. dont you have a back up of bb song you can reload ??
best. muso.
Last edited by justanoldmuso; 01/24/2108:34 AM.
my songs....mixed for good earbuds...(fyi..my vocs on all songs..) https://soundcloud.com/alfsongs (90 songs created useing bb/rb) (lots of tips of mine in pg tips forum.)
I tried your instructions re: changing the MISC synth to TTS-1 but that didn't work. Not sure what you meant by "re reset losing settings". I found the settings for the mixer tracks under the "eye" icon. Yes, I'll just switch back and forth from Coyote to TTS-1 when I want to record MIDI from qwerty.
lloyd. 1. whats interesting is, if you click that MISC button attached to midi driver dialog; youll actually see tts1 listed twice amongst the slew of synth selections. at least it is on my 2020 bb. just scroll down over the list. i'm going to look into this further. and will give you a shout out if i get more info. i hate to be beaten by this stuff.lol. 2. re back up. i thought maybe you had lost the whole song. i'm a bit of a back up fiend. i'm always backing up, just in case. 3. yes coyote does me. i use it to record little mid melody bb fills/breaks. then i edit a bit in bb. then i export the mid to reaps, and load in fancy schmancy synth plug ins like dune etc and experiment further.
whats really exciting me right now , is. ive been checking out on you tube all sorts of orchestral free or donation ware vsti's. the bbc one looks very interesting. but i dont want any that load down the cpu/my system.
best. muso
Last edited by justanoldmuso; 01/25/2106:13 AM.
my songs....mixed for good earbuds...(fyi..my vocs on all songs..) https://soundcloud.com/alfsongs (90 songs created useing bb/rb) (lots of tips of mine in pg tips forum.)
Thanks muso! I'll be interested to see if anything further comes from your experiments. I may also have to pick your brain for some insight on latency, although I'll check out the Support video first and see if I can get things to work.
my songs....mixed for good earbuds...(fyi..my vocs on all songs..) https://soundcloud.com/alfsongs (90 songs created useing bb/rb) (lots of tips of mine in pg tips forum.)
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: The Newly Designed Piano Roll Window
In this video, we explore the updated Piano Roll, complete with a modernized look and exciting new features. You’ll see new filtering options that make it easy to focus on specific note groups, smoother and more intuitive note entry and editing, and enhanced options for zooming, looping, and more.
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: AI Stems & Notes - split polyphonic audio into instruments and transcribe
This video demonstrates how to use the new AI-Notes feature together with the AI-Stems splitter, allowing you to select an audio file and have it separated into individual stems while transcribing each one to its own MIDI track. AI-Notes converts polyphonic audio—either full mixes or individual instruments—into MIDI that you can view in notation or play back instantly.
Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®
With your version 2026 for Windows Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!
These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
The 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
Playable RealTracks Set 5
RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
Android Band-in-a-Box® App (included)
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
Join Tobin as he takes you on a tour of the new user interface in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®! This modern GUI redesign offers a sleek new look with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, and a smoother workflow. The brand-new side toolbar puts track selection, the MultiPicker Library, and other essential tools right at your fingertips. Plus, our upgraded Multi-View lets you layer multiple windows without overlap, giving you a highly flexible workspace. Many windows—including Tracks, Piano Roll, and more—have been redesigned for improved usability and a cleaner, more intuitive interface, and more!
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 10 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Windows & Mac 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.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 21 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest Xtra Styles PAK installment—the all new Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher)!
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.
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 10 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
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.
One of our representatives will be happy to help you over the phone. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday, and 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST Saturday. We are closed Sunday. You can also send us your questions via email.
One of our representatives will be happy to help you on our Live Chat or by email. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday; 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST (GMT -8) Saturday; Closed Sunday.
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean