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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2003
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Quote:
MIDI is found everywhere in the music world. I don't understand why you would would say that people using loops and real tracks don't use midi, because the loops and real tracks don't REPLACE MIDI, they are used in conjunction with it to add new options.
I did imply the inclusive RT/RB users as I get the impression that some, not all, RT/RB users use them exclusively and do not use midi at all.
I was thinking of the people using ACID as many of them only use loops.
Of course you are right that many people use both and/or all three at once, RT/RB, MIDI and loops.
Sorry for the confusion.
Life is short so make sure you spend as much time as possible on the Internet arguing with strangers.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jan 2006
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Hey, I'm pushing to have entire style disks based on using BIAB with Garritan Instant Orchestra. Kinda need MIDI for that.  Not to mention the absolute joy of doubling up RealDrums with MIDI drums sent through BFD Eco or Addictive Drums. Seriously, it's unreal. Or too real. Or somethin'.
Best, Tom SmithWin10/64 • i7-8700K • 24 GB RAM BIAB 2026 • Reaper 7.57 • Izotope MPS AKG C1000S • IK iRig I/O Pro
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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I'm on no side, but be pragmatic. Everything has it's day. The real reason right now is...financially to get rid of all the extra people at shows.
The business end is heavily weighted towards this. Click track you say? Well to run the light show you need either 30 people and controllers or ...a click track and a programmer.
I have done the manual lighting thing. 12 guys in a small room with over 100 big butt sliders, each one about 3 feet long with a twist know. You sheet followed the script and at this point you moved 1 to position 8 and 3 to position 4 bla blah blah. Loads of fun. Boat loads. Those par cans got mounted, pointed, gels stuck in the (sheets of hig temp plastic, I have 2 of these in my home studio. Each can is so hot you can feel it 10 feet away, like a heat lamp.)
Now all those lights can be led, midi driven, motorized and run off a pc running midi.
The average Joe can spend 800 bucks and get 4 par cans on a pole and light your show, right from Band in a Box. Which of us will use this? I have that gear, sort of. But setting up and running a show for $150 bucks, you are joking me.
So, the promise is the new version of midi will take the old commands in some string, run it on ethernet, or wireless, and the whole emphasis will shift.
Of course parts of the show may be done in the old midi and rendered to audio and messed with in a DAW, but that audio has to sync with a midi track.
I see the current version of midi too confusing for the new user, and it takes quite a while to learn it from scratch. It is after all a version of programming especially before there is sound, and then you become a sound engineer.
Most people just want to make music. RealTracks does that, and takes away complexity.
Map the future, follow the trends.
But the purpose of Band in a Box was not to spend hours messing with CC comannds to make a string track swell. You could spend a career on messing with strings tracks and make no music.
ASIO, MME, patch maps, chose you midi in, midi out, fix my usb, I can't hear the melody, I don't like the cowbell, wah WAH. Way too much time and effort to figure out joe's pc which he got from fred that is real good, and my wire is blue and goes there, and I have a 20 year old keyboard I got, (at a garage sale for 14$), and it doesn't work with the stupid software so I'm sending it back.
I just want to make music. If you remove the midi from the equation and market that as a separate program, and take away all the midi discussion, maybe you could sell 10,000 copies to 20 year olds who never heard of midi, all for $99 bucks. Almost no support. Sell add-ons.
John Conley Musica est vita
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Meanwhile, MIDI is used in some aspect or other every day in studios all over the world, on stages and also in the creation of soundtracks for both television and motion picture.
--Mac
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 581
Journeyman
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Journeyman
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Posts: 581 |
Quote:
i have BIAB 2012 and its on windows. i have string instruments backing my jazz song i want to make them swell with emotion. does anybody know how to do that? Even if i have to use a different program? Thank you
SO... are your strings swellin' now ? Or maybe yer head after all this banter eh ? 
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Mitch, I have a strings section on my Korg and a volume pedal and I always play swell. I even increase and decrease volumes with it on the fly.
I like it better than codes. But I've got OTHER gear. (also)
John Conley Musica est vita
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 581
Journeyman
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Journeyman
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That's just swell John.  I use a volume pedal for my lap steel swells. Just don't do so good on my MIDI string tracks. I have no hardware other than the laptop and soundcard. 
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Oct 2008
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Quote:
But the purpose of Band in a Box was not to spend hours messing with CC comannds to make a string track swell. You could spend a career on messing with strings tracks and make no music.
ah, but part of what impresses me about this system is the way it provides hooks for us to use all sorts of musical tools that aren't proprietary to PGMusic.
MIDI controllers: we can tweak 'em if we want to (or not if we don't). But they provided a way to do it, and I really like and appreciate that.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 581
Journeyman
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Journeyman
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 581 |
Me too ! I'm a Real Tracks guy... If I got em'. When I don't, glad there's the MIDI option.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Sep 2003
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Yea, if my aunt was a man he'd be my uncle. And I do midi, at times, I got more midi based junk that the local junk dealer has stuff.
But, I try and put it behind me. LOL. It just keeps coming back.
John Conley Musica est vita
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 581
Journeyman
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Journeyman
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See there, ya just can't quite quit MIDI yet eh ? Throw all those midi keyboards and other junk on the sidewalk and put a "FREE - take it all - quick" sign. Done. No more midi nightmares. You'll be a much happier man dontcha think ? "Hi, I'm John, and I'm MIDI free" 
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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My wife, ever the s**t disturber, decides that the stool and mic for her are not enough. She wants a keyboard. This is to hide behind. I'd need a serious 88 for her, she's taken over 18 years of lessons including a Honours 4 yr degree in Piano and one in Music Ed, and then teacher's college. Geez. I can't take the upright and the Roland/Rogers and Yamaha are both 10 years old. Sigh.
Maybe I won't give in. She had duets in mind, it's devious.
Right after our tribute to Johnny Cash we are doing some Rachmoninoff she want's me to do for 4 hands. If she grows 2 more. I gave up classical except for fakebook style years ago.
I can hear it now.
"you are not doing it right"
"Where?"
"At the start."
We didn't start yet.
"That's my point"
"OK"
"Don't agree with me if you don't understand"
"OK"
"To which part"
"All of it"
"Moron"
Note: as another poster said, he didn't say it, he heard someone else say it. This did not work for the Chief who told me one day that I called a guy an F*n A$$.
I said I never saw the guy.
The Platoon Chief says 'I told the guy that Conley takes no BS and he was going to tell him that when he got there.'
Chief, "Is that right you were going to tell him?"
ME: "Never met the man, but if he's that then maybe, but not likely..."
PC: "See, Conley was going to tell him."
Chief: "So you told this guy Conley would tell him he was that, but you didn't say it?"
PC : "No, I wouldn't say that, but he would."
Me: "So I'm on 'trial' here, on charges, because a fire happened last night, and this guy who's the most eccentric lawyer in town and famous, was careless, and I would have, had I ever really met the man, called him a profanity based thing, according to last nights duty chief."
Chief: "Exactly, I don't want loose cannons like you on the street."
Me: "OK so I just got to work, and I think my wife is phoning me."
Chief "Why"
Me: "She's going to hear what the two of you are up to, and then she's going to call me an F'n Moron for working here!"
Chief "You can't say that!" YELLING
Me: "I didn't but my wife would!"
This ended with an actual retired cop hired to investigate, and he laughed so hard tears ran down his face at the interview with the Chief and the PC and Me and the Union Rep.
Sorry, I had to tell that one it was too good to pass up. I'm on overdrive!
John Conley Musica est vita
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 581
Journeyman
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Journeyman
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Posts: 581 |
You ARE writing a book soon, right John ? Let me know the moment it's published !
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Humility and how I attained it!
I was waiting for Eddie to jump in on the stings and swell so I could do the Eddie and the Beav thing with Walt standing there, and Eddie says, geez that's swell Beav.! But hey, Eddie didn't and I didn't and on that note it's 12:07 and my wife has to work int he a.m. and I usually make coffee at 6 and then tomorrow I have to. Um have to. I um don't have to, do a thing. Oh, brass band exec meeting at 7. I feel sick now. I hate meetings.
John Conley Musica est vita
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Quote:
I have 4 midi keyboards a JV1010 and a Ketron. I have the VSC and the Dxi and the dog and coyote show.
I have a EWI that uses midi.
And I see little or no development of midi that excites me.
I'm not having a debate about this. It is my opinion that you won't see MIDI XML or MIDI2.
No debate my friend. I do agree with you that MIDI is a mature product and that in its current form it is probably at or vary near its limit. However I do see it advancing, not with the current 5 pin plug but with USB, much like my EWI-USB MIDI wind controller, AKAI drum pads, Evolution keyboard controller and MOTU midi patch bay. The MOTU had 8 different MIDI ins and outs, all communicating with the computer via one USB port. USB holds the future for MIDI IMHO.
What are your thoughts on this?
Life is short so make sure you spend as much time as possible on the Internet arguing with strangers.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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I just use fade in and fade out. Seems to be fastest method and it gives me the most control.
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Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!
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202 New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2026!
With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
Our new jazz, funk & blues RealTracks include a groovin’ collection of RealTracks and RealDrums! These include more requested “soul jazz” RealTracks featuring artists Neil Swainson (bass), Charles Treadway (organ), Brent Mason (guitar), and Wes Little (drums). There are new “smooth jazz” styles (4), which include a RealTracks first: muted trumpet, as well as slick new smooth jazz brushes options for drums. Blues lovers will be thrilled—there are more “classic acoustic blues” styles, including guitar (5), bass (4), and drums (10) with blues master Colin Linden, featuring understated and tasty background acoustic soloing, plus brushes drums and acoustic bass. There are also new electric blues RealTracks, including electric blues with PG favorite Johnny Hiland (3) and soulful electric slide guitar from Colin Linden (4). If you love funk & gospel, there are great new options this year, including gospel organ (3) from Charles Treadway, as well as new funk, tango, and rock ’n’ roll drums (3) and bass (1). And for big, bold arrangements, we have uptempo soul horns (4) featuring a three-part hip horn section with options for a full mix or stems of each individual horn — plus an accompanying rhythm section (4) of drums, bass, guitar, and electric piano!
Rock & Pop (Sets 476–482):
Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
Check out all the 202 new RealTracks (in sets 468-488)!
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- 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)
- iOS Android Band-in-a-Box® App
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- Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
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