I want to use my midi controller to record my melody notes in real time. I have set up my audio with ASIO using a FocusRite Scarlett USB Box. Although there is a good low value for latency, I have a very low audio level on the Thru channel during my recording. I overcame this by connecting a Dynamics Plugin on the Thru channel and increased the gain on the plugin. This allowed me to record the notes with a decent audio relative to the backing. However, when I play the recording I still the low level from the Melody track. The melody track has a default synth on it, so I added a pluging to the synth but this has no effect whatsoever on the melody gain output. So, even with the melody volume control at max, there is still a poor volume.
Surely adding a plugin to the Melody track synth should fix this gain.
Have you looked at the velocity that the notes come in as. I have a keyboard that sends everything out with a velocity of around 60, so it comes across very quietly. There is a setting to boost incoming velocity to get a little more volume while recording.
Or you could just add that same dynamics plugin to the melody track to get the melody to play as you heard it while recording.
There is also a setting for increasing melody track velocity after the fact (if in fact that is the reason for the volume disparity).
Also, depending upon the synth you are using to play the track, some of them control volume level via the modulation wheel. So you may need to a CC1 value to the track to lift the volume. That could happen with Garritan and other instruments.
Don't know if any of that helped.
John
Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 8TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 11TB SATA
Hi Bob, Now, I am getting even more confused! You mention exporting the file as a .wav file. This isn't the problem I have. The problem I have concerns the way that midi data input from the midi controller is processed from within BiaB.
The way I see it, and I may be completely wrong here, is that the midi from controller is passed in to BiaB via the Thru channel. This midi is passed to the selected BiaB channel and is converted to audio by the synth on the Thru channel.
So, when I record, what I am really recording is just midi which will be visible on the Piano Roll. Now all of this works correctly. With the Melody channel selected and I play the keys on the controller, then the sound generated by the keys is as expected by the sound defined by the synth on the Thru channel. Where I have a problem is that when I play the keys I get a low dB value from the synth, way below the levels on the other tracks. To address this I added a Dynamic plugin to the output of the synth on the Thru channel and then increasing the gain of this plugin. This work just fine.
However, having now used this output during a recording session and playing back the midi, I now get that reduced volume again. This is because the midi is now coming from the Melody track and through a synth on the melody track. So, I did the same here, I inserted a plugin and increased the plugin gain. But this time the output was not affected (I don't understand why). Anyway, just to try something out, I chhanged the Melody synth to the Sonar TTS-1 and this DID work. So I have the process working quite well. It's just that I thought there might have been an easier way to do. I mean, I would have expected the faders on the Thru and Melody channels to have sufficient volume range to meet this requirement.
In fact even RealBand suffers a bit like this where the midi generates a very quiet audio. RealBand gets around this by providing a 'Volume Boost' in the range -24dB to + 24dB which I have had to muse on many occasions. But no such mechanism seems to exist in BiaB.
I'm hoping somebody can point out that I'm doing it all wrong and tell me what I can do.
I was just suggesting a workaround I use when a midi track is too quiet. Export as a wav, normalise the wav, reimport as audio and mute the original midi.
Hi John, As always, a very informative reply that really helps me a lot and I will experiment with this now. I've usually relied on RealBand for the creation but decided to try and as much is possible in BiaB for exporting to RealBand. I wasn't sure if I was understanding the routing of the midi within BiaB but I think I do now.
Hi John, I've been using your advice. The velocity increment on the THRU channel worked well, but there is a peculiar issue with the adjusting of level of the Melody track. On my system this level has a default of 10. If I change this to anything else and OK it then OK the the main preference, it doesn't make any difference at all and when I open up this preference I observe that the original default value of 10 is still set.
As always, I am especially grateful with the time you spend on your very illustrative graphics, you do this a lot and I know, at least for me, it takes such a lot of time.
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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.
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.
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows is here and it is packed with major new features! There’s a new modern look, a GUI redesign to all areas of the program including toolbars, windows, workflow and more. There’s a Multi-view layout for organizing multiple windows. A standout addition is the powerful AI-Notes feature, which uses AI neural-net technology to transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI—entire mixes or individual instruments—making it easy to study, view, and play parts from any song. And that’s just the beginning—there are over 60 new features in this exciting release.
Along with version 2026, we've released an incredible lineup of new content! There's 202 new RealTracks, brand-new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two new RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
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XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs Special Extended Until August 31st!
XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs Special Extended Until August 31st!
The XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs special offers are now available until August 31st at 11:59pm PDT!
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Note: 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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Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 19 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.
Don’t miss this chance to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box setup—at a great price!
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