New to BIAB, thought I'd enter a "simple" song - Margaritaville. Has anyone been able to code this song?
I entered a 7 bar intro.
I entered a 16 bar verse and 16 bar chorus.
I made the verse/chorus repeat 4 times (2 vocal / 1 instrumental / 1 vocal).
I added a 4 bar tag ending.
Now I need help: I'd like the 3rd repeat to use a fuller style than the others. Any way to indicate that?
But my major issue is that on the 4th repeat, I want to eliminate the last 2 bars of the chorus, and jump to the tag ending. This would be like a DS al Coda but only on the last repeat. I've watched the Youtube tutorial on DS coda but I can't figure out how to make it work on this song with 4 repeats.
Instead of using repeats, I strong encourage you to lay your song out in a once-through format. Doing it this way, makes it very easy to control every section. By copying and pasting, it's also very quick to layout a song from start to finish.
The below song I wrote is a video of BIAB's chordsheet that will show you how I laid out the song from start to finish. I have used the blue and green part markers to define each section. The song is in the AABA format. Blue part markers introduce an accompaniment that has less movement than green part markers. Part markers are set by repeatedly clicking on bar numbers (1 click = blue, 2 clicks = green, 3 clicks = no part marker).
Similar to Noel's advice to do the song in a linear format, I begin the song with a 7 bar intro and I use 1st/2nd ending for the first verse/chorus and 2nd verse/chorus and then for a verse of instrumental, I change the style and at the following chorus I change the style back to the original style. At the end of that chorus, I repeat the last two lines "some people claim..." and then use a style change back to the second style and the instrumental plays out to the end of the song.
By using the 1st/2nd ending rather than a single linear format causes BIAB to play a more interesting 2nd verse and chorus without having to use Part Markers to generate different variations of the style. Then by changing the Style to a completely different style adds even more variation and dynamics that continues to build the song arrangement and the song still has the more active B style arrangement on the last chorus and builds again for the two line last repeat and instrumental ending.
Here's a link to the m4a audio of the attached SGU file with no melody or vocals added. I made no attempt to actually recreate a performance of the song Margaritaville but used two styles found using a filtered search for the song in the StylePicker. The styles used are a/b ISLANDP.STY and c/d CTRYPSS.STY
Fantastic production Charlie. Pretty close to the original. Great job, no question.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Professional & Windows 11, Sonar Platinum, Cakewalk by Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M Monitors, Pioneer Active Monitors
Repeats, 1st and 2nd endings, codas and fines are print functions. If you build your song in a linear form, as per Noel, your printed output can look fine
The DO NOT change the underlying music in any way. If you built it wrong it will play wrong and repeats and codas will not fix it
BIAB for Windows Version 2019 (643) Windows 10 (1909)
UNFOLD that thing. Working linear is the only way to work. Forget the musical roadsigns. I was classically trained and started by trying to use the repeats and DC al codas.... and what a pain. I happened to stumble across the UNFOLD to one Chorus feature and life was instantly changed. You can do so much with the song unfolded. Want to do a rit ending.....???? Yep, easy to do in the unfolded form.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.com Add nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.
The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
On the subject of Folded/Unfolded, I hardly ever unfold. I can always get the layout and repeats I want to work with a folded song. Some input might be easier if Unfolded, but I really don't find much that can't be achieved with a standard chorus repeats, tags etc when using the standard multiple chorus layout. Most important for me, the printed score doesn't have to be multiple pages long when I use the folded method.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Professional & Windows 11, Sonar Platinum, Cakewalk by Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M Monitors, Pioneer Active Monitors
I like to use the folded version because I play with sheet music and BiaB chord charts side by side on a laptop screen, and it is easier to follow the progress of the music visually when the layout is similar. But trying to set up the chord chart with multiple repeats, and say a DS al a Fine that is in the middle of the piece (typical AABA) I find impossible in BiaB (I am using the 2024 version). The 1st/2nd ending set up works ok, but then when I open up the drop down box to add a DS or DC al Coda or Fine, the action button is greyed out and there is always a message claiming a conflict with an earlier ending - presumably the 1st/2nd that I have already put in and which I need to maintain. It is only by removing the latter that I can make the action button operable. So then I have lost the first part of the programming I need.
I fully realise that a linear (unfolded) approach provides a way of avoiding these problems, but then I have two screens which look quite different in layout, which negates my major objective. Why can't the BiaB process be made less clunky? It's a breeze in iReal Pro, which I use for other purposes.
I presume you are a keyboard player and want to 'follow the dots'. as a guitarist i used to play margaritaville live and the chords are so easy winging it is straightforward. it's really quite a simple song and folded/unfolded - either way is fine on my BIAB version.
In Song Settings ( <Ctrl>N ), do your ending values look similar to this (bar numbers will change of course):
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Professional & Windows 11, Sonar Platinum, Cakewalk by Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M Monitors, Pioneer Active Monitors
Also, the song will jump to the Tag bar on the last repeat of the chorus.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Professional & Windows 11, Sonar Platinum, Cakewalk by Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M Monitors, Pioneer Active Monitors
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Professional & Windows 11, Sonar Platinum, Cakewalk by Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M Monitors, Pioneer Active Monitors
some tunes allow you to use the folded version quite well to your advantage. a lot of jazz tunes that follow a simple format (e.g. aaba) are a good example. "vary middle choruses" is a great switch that allows for some variety to play your solos over.
Other tunes I just unfold. Its just easier.
So, as usual, it depends.
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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!
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!
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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