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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2005
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BIABGuy you're using 2011. A lot of these comments but not all, are referring to the just released Biab 2014.
You asked about the reference to User tracks. That's brand new for 2014. When I said above I could have a bassist friend over to record some bass tracks that's what I was referring to. Read the latest blurbs on the homepage about that but basically yes you can take a prerecorded audio file and use it as your own Real Track but only for the new 2014 version.
The Roland VST came out in the 80's and hasn't been upgraded since and it doesn't work on 64 bit systems. It was decent at the time but not now.
The references to the Hi-Q Sampletank sounds does not apply to your 2011 version but a regular VSTi instrument plugin will work like the regular Sampletank or other software instruments like Garritan or Kontakt. Like Mac said lots of folks use a hardware synth module like the Ketron or in my case a Roland Sonic Cell.
Time to upgrade and get familar with all the new features and then revisit this topic because it's really difficult for us to make suggestions for such an old version of Biab.
Bob
Last edited by jazzmammal; 12/10/13 02:51 PM.
Biab/RB latest build, Win 11 Pro, Ryzen 5 5600 G, 512 Gig SSD, 16 Gigs Ram, Steinberg UR22 MkII, Roland Sonic Cell, Kurzweil PC3, Hammond SK1, Korg PA3XPro, Garritan JABB, Hypercanvas, Sampletank 3, more.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Apr 2008
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Journeyman
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Thanks Mike. It's a pity the demo bass download is not working for me.
BIABguy
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 673
Journeyman
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Journeyman
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BIABGuy you're using 2011. A lot of these comments but not all, are referring to the just released Biab 2014.
You asked about the reference to User tracks. That's brand new for 2014. When I said above I could have a bassist friend over to record some bass tracks that's what I was referring to. Yes I realized that. 
Time to upgrade and get familar with all the new features and then revisit this topic because it's really difficult for us to make suggestions for such an old version of Biab.
Bob
Thanks Bob. I am prepared to upgrade if I need to. I will investigate the midi samplers (hardware/software) more and see what I can do with my current system.
BIABguy
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 673
Journeyman
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Thanks Mac for all of your information in your various posts in this thread! I listened to the Midi clip you linked to above and it was quite decent overall for 1998. I wonder what links you could give me to hear current midi acoustic basses? Maybe some forum here on PGMUSIC?
BIABguy
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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You can go to the various websites and listen to demos but there's one very important thing to keep in mind and that is the midi controller being used to produce that demo.
Biab is a GM based program so basically all you get for midi control is volume, sustain, pitch bend and modulation. That can help a plain bass sound a bit but the best bass synths use way more controls than that to access some slap, some fret noise, slides and other stuff that adds realism. The person playing that controller can also use velocity and aftertouch to access various layers in a multilayered sample. Biab can't do that so that midi demo you heard that sounds so good suddenly doesn't sound so good in Biab because it takes a real player using that controller in real time to make the bass synth sound that good. That's another reason the bass Real Tracks are so popular because they are in fact "real". All that ambience and performance noises a bass player puts out is all there because that's the way it was recorded in the studio.
But as you know, since a RT is prerecorded lines you can't write a specific bass line for a Real Track unless you have 2014 and either you or someone else records it and you plug it in as a User RT.
Bob
Last edited by jazzmammal; 12/10/13 05:03 PM.
Biab/RB latest build, Win 11 Pro, Ryzen 5 5600 G, 512 Gig SSD, 16 Gigs Ram, Steinberg UR22 MkII, Roland Sonic Cell, Kurzweil PC3, Hammond SK1, Korg PA3XPro, Garritan JABB, Hypercanvas, Sampletank 3, more.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 673
Journeyman
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You can go to the various websites and listen to demos but there's one very important thing to keep in mind and that is the midi controller being used to produce that demo. Thanks Bob. I just visited Trillian from Spectrasonics. I listened to a piano, bass, drum track that sounded very good. Unfortunately even though my WinXP system can play back the track with no problems, the software won't install on my system. $300 also might be a bit rich to pay for a midi bass sound that, as you say, BIAB wouldn't be able to replicate. There were a lot of nice bass slides and such that GM midi wouldn't be able to achieve with BIAB. I guess I'll keep searching. BTW I found a cool BIAB thread on this topic from three years ago. At that time this is what Matt Finley said in reply to the following question: "Can enough data be captured and stored in Midi messages that would sound like a RealTrack given a good synth? " "How good can Midi acoustic bass sound" Matt Finley 11/26/10 "That's a thought-provoking question. For me, the answer is no. My Roland Fantom is one of the acknowledged better-sounding hardware synths out there. While I do use the MIDI bass, it's only on the Soloist track while doing unison or ensemble parts where I temporarily mute the RealBass track. I'm so spoiled by the nuances in the bass playing of the Real Tracks that I can't bring myself to listen to the MIDI playing while comping, even if the sound quality is acceptable. " So Matt wasn't sold on a midi bass solution in 2010.
BIABguy
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Hi, i use very often the acoustic dynamic bass from Sonivox http://sonivoxmi.com/products/details/dynamic-acoustic-bass($19.00), with it you have different presets to use.You can hear the "twang" and the fingering of the strings. Pair that wit a good bass midi and I guarantee you that you'll be very satisfied. Hi Mike. I was just able to listen to the bass demo now and it sounds quite good. So what would I need to do to get this plugin (I assume that's what it is) to work with BIAB so I can input my own midi bass line and have this sonivox bass play it back? TIA
BIABguy
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Three years ago! Yikes, that's a long time in software years. My answer is still the same, unless you take a long time manupulating MIDI. RealTracks are just so good and so easy to use though, so I still use them except in an occasional place where I need the bass to play precisely what I wrote for it.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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The only amount of time it takes for me to create a MIDI bass track is the time it takes to set up the keyboard controller, the chosen MIDI synth, Arm a Track and play it in to the click. THAT method works very well, even with the so-called "limits" to MIDI standard commands. Beats the heck out of step-entry as to amount of time, but also as to many of the subtle timing and touch nuances as well, all in one or two passes. Like Recording Audio, playing your non-electrified instrument into a Mic. And correcting the occasional mistake is a breeze in MIDI as compared to audio, as well. You can tap in basslines with one of those tiny octave and a half MIDI keyboard controllers like the good old Oxygen and others. Controller buttons, knobs, wheels already come programmed for the GM commands on most of them, and are also user programmable for those "special" MIDI output options as well. Another thing one can do is only use the MIDI Bass option on the parts of the song where the bassline must play a specified line, and still use the Band in a Box autoaccompanied RealTracks bass for the rest of the tune. I've learned that the MIDI acoustic basses and the RealTracks acoustic basses can match up in sound better than I thought they could in many cases. All depends on the MIDI samples you've got along those lines. Those kind of small sonic differences often go unnoticed, even among the golden eared musicians, if you don't tell them before they listen. There's a lot of presuggestion involved with Audio. Ethan Winer can teach one a lot about that kinda thing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYTlN6wjcvQ --Mac
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Journeyman
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The only amount of time it takes for me to create a MIDI bass track is the time it takes to set up the keyboard controller, the chosen MIDI synth, Arm a Track and play it in to the click.
THAT method works very well, even with the so-called "limits" to MIDI standard commands.
... I've learned that the MIDI acoustic basses and the RealTracks acoustic basses can match up in sound better than I thought they could in many cases. All depends on the MIDI samples you've got along those lines. Those kind of small sonic differences often go unnoticed, even among the golden eared musicians, if you don't tell them before they listen. There's a lot of presuggestion involved with Audio. Ethan Winer can teach one a lot about that kinda thing:
--Mac Thanks Mac you've given me a lot to ponder. I appreciate it.
BIABguy
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