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This is an absolute Novice RB question.
I have been using BIAB for quite a while and my workflow has always been to export all tracks in BIAB as wavs to my old DAW (Cakewalk GTPro2 from 2004)and mix and mess with it in there.
Despite it always having been there I have avoided RB apart from the odd foray into it.
BUT - I think I MUST get to know it and use it. Having messed with it a bit and got to grips with the fact that things arent where they are in BIAB I created a chord sequence, a style etc etc and it made me wonder -
WHY do we need BIAB at all if everything can be done in RB that can be done in BIAB?
Its not a trick question.
Ian
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For me, I like using BIAB first because I generally find it easier to quickly audition styles, regenerate parts and the parts start playing sooner in BIAB (because RealBand has to generate the whole song before it starts playing and BIAB doesn't), the BIAB interface is geared more towards making song structure, chord, and style changes.
Once I've gotten everything generally how I want it in BIAB, I then move to RealBand for the task of adding additional tracks, vocals, other live instruments, etc.
Both work nicely together, IMHO.
John Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 12TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB SATA BB2026/UMC204HD&404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/Notion/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK http://www.sus4chord.com (under rehosting/construction)
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Thanks John
Astute observation.
Thanks
Ian
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I do the same for all of those reasons.
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For me, I like using BIAB first because I generally find it easier to quickly audition styles, regenerate parts and the parts start playing sooner in BIAB (because RealBand has to generate the whole song before it starts playing and BIAB doesn't), the BIAB interface is geared more towards making song structure, chord, and style changes.
Once I've gotten everything generally how I want it in BIAB, I then move to RealBand for the task of adding additional tracks, vocals, other live instruments, etc.
Both work nicely together, IMHO.
Ditto. --Mac
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Thanks,guys
One of my plans for 2014 was to make myself use RB as my DAW.
Then I found I could do loads of BIAB things in it.
Very happy to continue using BIAB as I have.
I must be brave and drop my next BIAB project into RB whence will likely come beaucoup De questions.
Ian
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I follow in JF's and the other's foot steps.
I find it much faster to get the basic framework put together in BiaB, and then over to the versatility of RB to take it to the next level. I particularly like the way I can regenerate only part of a track in RB, which I cannot do in BiaB.
I also often use multiple choruses with repeats, so it's faster to get this together in BiaB.
Once opened in RB, save as a RB SEQ file, and then the next time the song is loaded in RB, it's instantly playable.
HTH
Cheers
Trevor
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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Pretty much the same for me...
I love BB as a writing tool. Sure beats a note pad and a pencil for composing and writing.
The ease of changing tempo, key, style, structure, chords, etc is just the icing on the cake. Being able to hear what the song "can" sound like when finished is a huge plus.
I don't do much in RB. I use it to render the tracks to wave. That's about it really....
I export all the tracks and mix and edit and record live tracks in Sonar.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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Thanks.
I think I'll stick to my current workflow and maybe run an existing SGU into RB and see what I can do with it - for comparison.
Ian
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RealBand
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Pretty much the same for me...
I love BB as a writing tool. Sure beats a note pad and a pencil for composing and writing.
The ease of changing tempo, key, style, structure, chords, etc is just the icing on the cake. Being able to hear what the song "can" sound like when finished is a huge plus.
I don't do much in RB. I use it to render the tracks to wave. That's about it really....
I export all the tracks and mix and edit and record live tracks in Sonar. My workflow is almost identical with the only difference is that I do not use RB at all. I go from BiaB straight into Sonar. Unlike Herb I can not really hear exactly what the finished BiaB part of the song sounds like as most of my VSTi’s (note VSTi’s are my main sound sources) require more RAM than any 32 bit program can supply. Note this is only true when I work with MIDI and not with RTs but unfortunately the majority of my work in with MIDI using VSTi’s.
Principal: Your child always causes trouble in school.
Me: My child causes trouble at home, do I ever call you?
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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RealBand
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If you work with BB, after a while you may find as I did, you don't really need to hear big and lush MIDI synths playing the thing at that stage of the game.
This is especially true if you narrow down your MIDI synth/sampler possibilities to a few that you can come to know really well.
Once you've been through it a few times, it is possible to use a rather simple sounding GM synth inside BB, say it is set for an Electric Piano, get the thing working together well as a basic songfile, and then export to your DAW in the knowledge that once you substitute that special sounding and lush Rhodes patch, you will have what you want or what the project demands.
So unless the songfile I'm working on is destined to be *played back inside BB* such as in a live performance using the laptop, I'm not all that concerned with BB being able to entertain me at the moment.
--Mac
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Logical thinking Mac.
I've been working on a pseudo classical tune and got so caught up in trying to get a midi / RT / anything so that the "SOUND" was right, I lost sight of the fact that I had 120 bars of tune to work out and enter the chords for. As soon as I went for a simple midi style (ARPORK44 as it happens), the chords kept coming and I was so able to hear the right from wrong.
IAn
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RealBand
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Once you've been through it a few times, it is possible to use a rather simple sounding GM synth inside BB, say it is set for an Electric Piano, get the thing working together well as a basic songfile, and then export to your DAW in the knowledge that once you substitute that special sounding and lush Rhodes patch, you will have what you want or what the project demands.
--Mac That is exactly what I do Mac. My reference to sound exactly like what I want was about timbre.
Principal: Your child always causes trouble in school.
Me: My child causes trouble at home, do I ever call you?
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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RealBand
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Once you've been through it a few times, it is possible to use a rather simple sounding GM synth inside BB, say it is set for an Electric Piano, get the thing working together well as a basic songfile, and then export to your DAW in the knowledge that once you substitute that special sounding and lush Rhodes patch, you will have what you want or what the project demands.
--Mac That is exactly what I do Mac. My reference to sound exactly like what I want was about timbre. +1
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RealBand
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If you work with BB, after a while you may find as I did, you don't really need to hear big and lush MIDI synths playing the thing at that stage of the game.
....... I'm not all that concerned with BB being able to entertain me at the moment.
--Mac exactly. I don't worry too much about what BB version sounds like. I use the RT styles so there are plenty of real sounding instruments in my BB project. I run 32 bits (XP Pro 32)with 4gig ram and have been able to run several of the really big lush synths at the same time..... Kontakt (several instances) and East West, and more all the while having Ozone and several other "heavy plugs" in the FX bins..... and not a single hiccup.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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I run 32 bits (XP Pro 32)with 4gig ram and have been able to run several of the really big lush synths at the same time..... Kontakt (several instances) and East West, and more all the while having Ozone and several other "heavy plugs" in the FX bins..... and not a single hiccup.
I love my XP! Maybe Microshaft should stop bringing out yet another too early Windows "X" release and re-issue ultra stable XP  Ian
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Yep, a lot of serious PC users (and software developers) would argue that Microsoft haven't really done themselves any favors since XP...
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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The problem with being #1 is that you soon realize that you have no real objective other than constantly worrying about staying #1, and that leads to the worry and conjecture as to what #s 2, 3, and 4 are up to, because #2 & etc. have a firm objective; to become #1.
#1 can soon become paranoid.
That's Sun Tzu, paraphrased.
--Mac
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The only problem with the XP Pro 32 version is that it only supports 4Gb of ram..... although, I must say, I have never had a project crash due to a lack of memory.
I do know, however, that at some point, I will need to upgrade to a 64bit OS.... I'm already bumping into that 64 bit ceiling in some ways.... such as the new software and plug ins that are coming out, are all 64 bit now and many are starting to discontinue their 32bit compatibility modes..... so in order to run them at all, I would need the 64bit OS....
But my take is as follows: As long as my DAW runs smooth, does what it currently does with respects to recording and mixing, and I don't feel the "need" to have the latest and greatest updates.... I will continue to use the 32 bit rock solid platform I currently run.
My concern is that PG Music will also, at some point, feel the need to go 64 bit totally and stop making BB/RB compatible with the older 32 bit OS platforms.... when that happens.....???????
I might simply go to using 2 computers..... One new el-cheapo laptop running Windows 10 128/64 (or some such nonsense) and simply export the files as waves via USB stick to my trusty 32 bit DAW.
(wink wink)
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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Herb, i have a newer 64 bit win 7 laptop, and my old trusty 32 bit XP machine running #@ bit stuff. that machine actually runs better. But you are right it is slowly headed that way. I have Studio one on that machine both 32 bit and 64 bit, as i have to still bridge some plugs that are 32 bit like sampletank and kontack. I all of my live playing files work in RB on the lappy now, since they will end up there, but i am going to build a new Win 8 16 gig 2 TB system this year piece by piece, and that one will have to do me as a working DAW, for a few years like the last one did. I use the old delta card on the desktop still, and the Audiobox 1818 is on the lappy. That will change as i plan on a small Presonus 22 VSl for the laptop and the bigger unit will feed the desktop here soon.
Last edited by Robh; 01/31/14 07:18 AM.
HP Win 11 12 gig ram, Mac mini Sonoma with 16 gig of ram, BiaB/RB 2026, Reaper 7, Harrison Mixbus 11 , Presonus Audiobox USB96
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