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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 99
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 99 |
Hi and Merry Christmas,
Just got my new hard drive in tonight. Upgrade from 2013. Amazing, delivery on Christmas eve!
I plan to use this for creating backing tracks for live settings. My question - is there a preferred method to do this?
Right now I get the chords from a tab website. Not knowing the time or tempo, I am guessing at where the chords go. Not knowing is it swing or even, 4/4 or 6/8, is the tempo best set at 70 or 140, etc. One chord for measure, two, four? I guess it's easy to see I am not a music scholar. I mainly fingerpick and play chords. I read tab and chord charts and never had any music classes. Is there hope or or did I just make a mistake in my purchase?
I mostly want to create stuff for church. Some of the Christmas songs seem to be the hardest.
Would using the auto chord recognition help to determine some of these parameters? Is there an easy way? Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Marty
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 2,217
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Veteran
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 2,217 |
.
Try googling "Xmas biab" or "hank williams biab" or something like that. A little experimentation will reveal that there are thousands of Biab songs ready to go available on the web.
to the right of the tempo window there are two buttons marked 'tap.' Put the mouse there and then tap four times on the mouse button with your finger. BiaB will figure out what your tempo is.
Study the songs that come with BiaB to learn more about how these things work. Look in the folder called "50SONGS" in your c:\BB folder. Load the demo songs from the style picker.
> Here is a post about 'Swing' vs 'even' from another thread >
Here is a way to divide beats into groups of two:
"Gran-Pa-John-ny, Gran-Pa-John-ny, Gran-Pa-John-ny..."
These are called eighth notes in America.
Here is a way to divide beats into groups of three, called triplets:
"Gran-pa-pa Jon-a-than
Gran-pa-pa Jon-a-than
Gran-pa-pa Jon-a-than..."
The first pattern would be called "even" eighth notes. An idea of "swing' can be had from the second pattern. In place of "Gran-pa-pa Jon-a-than," try saying only the first and third syllables:
"Gran * pa Jon * than
Gran * pa Jon * than
Gran * pa Jon * than"
...leave out the second syllable of "Grandpapa" and "Jonathan" to get a "long-short, long-short" pattern.
Now try some of the styles marked EV (even) and some marked SW(Swing) in the style picker. Listen to how the beats are divided into two-part and three-part divisions. Try chanting "Gran-pa-pa Jonathan" in the two ways described here and see what fits.
(Note that my description of "swing," above, is OK for beginners, but not quite perfect. Its a jazz thing.)
Last edited by flatfoot; 12/24/13 07:28 PM.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 99
Enthusiast
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|
OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 99 |
Perfect. I did not know there were demo songs or songs on the web already made. That's great. I guess I can start with an already created song and experiment to learn more.
I appreciate the music class. That's a big help. That really does clear things up.
I have never listened to jazz and find it quite challenging. The chords are really different than many I have ever played. I am trying to learn more about it since it helps to broaden my limited skill set. I am in my mid-fifties and it's never too late to learn something new. I can imagine I am in for a huge learning experience as I get more into BIAB.
Thanks for your willingness to share your knowledge. This forum is a big help and I read from it each day.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,022
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Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,022 |
Go for it Marty! Flatfoot gave some good tips there. Don't be too reserved to get your hands dirty on something new, (especially Jazz, he he)
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 2,217
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 2,217 |
I can imagine I am in for a huge learning experience as I get more into BIAB. Yup, there is a learning curve here. Fortunately, you have the most effective music learning tool on the planet in front of you - and the most fun one. Its a tool that every musician needs and is used by very many music teachers. Start with the songs that you know. Play with them until you get whats going on with chords, structure etc. If the blues are not already your strong suit, work with them before tackling the jazz tunes. And please say some more about your experience, skill level and the music you like.
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