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Joined: Aug 2018
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What is the "open voicing" "Closed voicing" drop-down for in the Chord Finder? I've heard the terms, but have no idea what they mean. Is this a midi-only option or does it apply at all to RT's?
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Beginners Forum
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Joined: May 2000
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In my feeble mind it simply implies whether the chord is played in a 'stretched' inversion (a wider range of notes on the keyboard) or tightly (think of Dm9, does the 9 happen in the middle of the chord, actually the second, or up higher where it is truly a 9th). I think of it as 'is my hand closed on keyboards when playing this chord, or stretched out and open'? One means the 9th is played right beside the 3rd, the other means it is an octave higher.
I may be wrong, and I have been plenty of times, but that is how I interpret it. Hopefully others chime in, maybe I can learn something.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome Make your sound your own!
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Beginners Forum
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Joined: Jul 2000
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This refers to an arranging or orchestration choice.
Very simple example: if you write a C Major triad as, low to high, C E G, that's closed voicing. The notes are as close together as you can get. If you instead write it, low to high, as C G E, then you have more open voicing. If you then jump the G up an octave, it's still the same chord, but even more openly voiced. This is like Bob's example above. A ninth and a second are the same pitch, but in different registers. Playing that note as a second is normally more closed voicing.
It depends a lot on what instruments are playing and what register they are in, which sounds better in each situation. An acoustic guitar is lovely with open voicing, even leaving out the root or fifth to emphasize and 'separate' some of the upper extension chord tones. A piano, however, often sounds more 'powerful' with closed voicing. Try GMaj7 as F#, G, B, D rather than the 'normal' spelling of G, B, D, F# and you'll see a good example of closed voicing.
Another way of defining closed voicing is that there is no room between notes for another tone of that chord. Open, there is room.
Even a different definition says that the notes of a closed voicing chord are all in the same octave. Open, they expand beyond. Does that help?
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How does this work in BIAB?
In my experience, BIAB does not always deal with this in RealTracks, and you can get some awkward register jumps. We call it bad voice leading when, for example, one chord is tightly voiced and the following is open voicing, with large interval jumps in the notes between each part (alto to alto, bass to bass etc.), particularly the upper-most tones. For example, if you sang tenor in a chorus, this would be like having to sing three notes in a row where the intervals jumped up then down most of, or even more than, an octave. It may be musically correct notes, but for most of us, this pitch jumping would be very tough to sing (you would be cursing the composer), and jarring to hear. BIAB RealTrack phrases of 8 bars are better than those of 4 or 2, because the player himself or herself will have recorded those longer phrases with good voice leading. This is one reason why Natural Arrangement works, and why the voice leading in 'typical' chord progressions will have better voice leading.
MIDI, however, can make the voice leading more sensible because all the manipulation can be done mathematically and is not limited to what the artists played while recording the RealTracks.
About the BIAB part, I could be wrong.
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.
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Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
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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.
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Video: New User Interface (GUI)
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!
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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!
Learn more and listen to demos of XPro Styles PAKs.
Video: XPro Styles PAK 10 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch 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 Mac Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Mac & Windows 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!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 21.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 21 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch 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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