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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 167
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Posts: 167 |
I am having a heck of a time trying to get a certain sound from BIAB.I having been playing around with my keyboard trying to just improvise a melody with the real tracks and to say that they suck would be an understatement. Since I have no Musical skill at least for the piano or any other instrument that requires you to be able to read music except for drum notation I am like a deer in headlights.God, I wish I would have learned when I was younger, but anyway I digress. I love Jazz and I'm trying to get that sound from a smoke filled jazz club circa 1950's. Anyway, when I create a song with a melody with BIAB it just doesn't sound the way it should. The melody is totally off, I mean it just doesn't fit the mood or ambiance I'm looking for. However, when I change the melody I notice that just by playing the real tracks Bass,Piano,Drums it sounds the way I think it should. My question is, is this a musical arrangement even though I'm not playing a melody per say? I mean would you just play this in any setting where people would come and listen.Are these just chords being played or are they individual notes?I hate to appear so stupid and ask such a question, but it sounds fine to me.Does a song have to have a melody to be considered a song or can you just play chords? Thanks for any and all input.  Just a side note,is it possible to get a sound that say Miles Davis would play.You know when he would just sort of barely blow a note really soft and then hit a note hard? I would like the sound of a trumpet player sounding like he is really tired and can barely blow into the horn.He's not, that's just the style I would like to achieve.
Last edited by leonard1962; 04/29/12 12:23 PM.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 12,950
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Quote:
However, ... I notice that just by playing the real tracks Bass,Piano,Drums it sounds the way I think it should. My question is, is this a musical arrangement even though I'm not playing a melody per say? I mean would you just play this in any setting where people would come and listen. Are these just chords being played or are they individual notes? I hate to appear so stupid and ask such a question, but it sounds fine to me.Does a song have to have a melody to be considered a song or can you just play chords? Thanks for any and all input.
You answered your own question when you said, "...but it sounds fine to me". What you are "hearing" in just playing the chords, are ALL the possible melodies hidden in the harmonies created by the chord intervals, chord voicings and rhythm patterns. So what you actually hear is whatever the harmonies and rhythms are implying to you. In this way no specific single melody has to be played since it is implied. Good players can go a long way with simply riffing on the chords. This is what allows multiple melodies to be played over the same chord charts (which is very common). It is also at the heart of improvisation since the soloist is creating a melody from the chord tones. There kis actually a term "reharmonization" which is a technique to create unique melodies from common chord structures. All way cool. 
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 12,950
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Quote:
Just a side note,is it possible to get a sound that say Miles Davis would play.You know when he would just sort of barely blow a note really soft and then hit a note hard? I would like the sound of a trumpet player sounding like he is really tired and can barely blow into the horn.He's not, that's just the style I would like to achieve.
Keep in mind that BIAB is an accompaniment program to play the band parts you don't play while they accompany you while you play (or sing). If you don't play any parts, then the program can only be used as arranging software (still way cool of course). However, you are limited to what is available. The RTs are amazing but they will still only play the notes which have already been recorded. Midi editing will allow customization but alas you need to know how to play or write music. So beyound sound editing (adding effects), there is little you can do other than arrange (still cool) and buy every new RT which is released. 
Hope that helps.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 167
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Thanks jazzmandan...You are correct of course in what you said. I just like to groove to a little sax,piano and sometimes guitar with my drums of course and for sure I will be buying any and all new Rt's.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2002
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I had a final thought on this. Next time you are listening to a Jazz combo, focus out all the players except the guitarist. Listen to what he is doing. All those jazz chords are supporting the melodies or solos those horn players are laying down. Of course we all would fall apart without the drummer.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Apr 2012
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Newbie
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Jazzmandan is spot on...I know nothing of BIAB, but as a intermediate classically trained piano player I know that Jazz is a specialty onto itself. It takes years of special concentration in that area to play it well and even if you add nice jazz tracks it would be difficult to add to those tracks without training. In a few years I hope to find a jazz/blues type of teacher to add to my skill level and love of those great sounds. Good luck.
PS: You might be able to steal some piano jazz riffs from some u tube videos.
Good luck, it is a worth while endeavor...
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 167
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OP
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You are spot on when it comes to Jazz. I would have to pick a genre of music that takes years to be skilled at and master. I always loved Jazz and how every musician instinctively knew where his or her part was. Yea, I can play pop and rock and not to degrade that at all, it just doesn't fill that void that Jazz drumming does.If I even get to 1/2 percent as good as any Jazz drummer out there past or present(you fill in any name you like)I will die a happy man. Quote:
I know that Jazz is a specialty onto itself. It takes years of special concentration in that area to play it well and even if you add nice jazz tracks it would be difficult to add to those tracks without training.
That reminds me of quote from an old funny movie"This Is Spinal Tap"
David: So, that's good, you can play that one.
Derek: "Hole" is out, "Heavy" is out....
David: "Heavy-Hole" ....
Derek: Right, right, right, right...."America" is out.....
David: "America" we can't do, that's Nigel's tune, not my tune.
Derek: We know, we know, we know, we know...That's a nice little set,
isn't it, that's a cozy ten minutes.
David: What are we going to do, we've got nothing to play here...
Derek: I'll tell you what we're gonna have to do...
David: What?
Derek: Jazz odyssey!
David: We're not going about to do a free-form jazz, uh, exploration in
front of a festival crowd!
Funniest part of the movie I thought.
Thanks for the advice about youtube.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,122
Expert
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Expert
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One avenue to consider is to use a real track soloist such as a sax or jazz guitar, through out the song to give you a sort of melody, which could then be configured in Real Band to be sliced and diced into an arrangement of parts that could in fact be turned into a melody, thru copy and paste.  Rob
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2000
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Quote:
...I always loved Jazz and how every musician instinctively knew where his or her part was....
It is decidedly NOT "instinct".
Improvising Jazz properly involves the study of Melody, Harmony, Rhythm, Modes, Scales, Chords, Chord Extensions, Rhythm, Intervals, Key Signatures, Chord Progressions, Basic Repertoire and I've likely left out a few things as well.
--Mac
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 167
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OP
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That is a good idea,I think I'll give that a shot.Thanks
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 167
Apprentice
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OP
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 167 |
I stand corrected. I knew I was probably wrong with that thought. Of course it has to be more complicated than what I figured it to be. It just appears to me that they were cuing each other when their solo up next. Maybe if I live to be a hundred I'll have it figured out by then.Until then I'll keep jamming with BIAB.
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