|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 5
Newbie
|
OP
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 5 |
Hi. I'm Jerry Plemons a newcomer to BAIB, former trumpet player and arranger. I have BIAB 2014.
My question is this: I would like to use a Real Tracks selection, like tenor sax or trombone (played by a real player) to play the notes that I wrote. I don't want BIAB to generate the track. Is there a way to have Real Tracks instruments play my notes?
Many thanks in advance for your help,
Jerry
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 2,217
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 2,217 |
.
Hi Jerry!
Realtracks does not work that way. Its more like handing a horn player a sheet with just the chords on it. The RT player will follow your chords by playing appropriate notes that it chooses.
You can enter and save notation to the Melody and Soloist tracks. These notes will be played through the synth of your choice.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,449
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,449 |
Welcome Jerry. Good advise so far.
I notice you are an arranger. BIAB has a MIDI feature I find useful that generates harmony automatically. You can do octaves, four-part, drop 2, parallel fourths, Jazz Messengers style, whatever - over 100 choices (and I only cited some jazz ones; there are many appropriate to other music genres).
Pro trumpet player here too.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 5
Newbie
|
|
OP
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 5 |
Thanks for the quick answers. All I have is a fast Windows 7 Pro PC with 12gig of Ram and a terabyte of disc space and a Real Tech HD Audio card. By synth, is that a keyboard device (like a portable electric piano, that has a MIDI output)?
I don't have synth yet, but I would like to have something that can produce realistic Trumpet, Trombone, and Sax sound as well as some good strings. The built-in Real Drums, Real Bass, and Real Guitars do an amazing job for the rhythm sections, but I would really like some believable horns. Can you recommend a synth or other device to help my arrangements that isn't too expensive?
As you can see, I'm a real newbee at this. I even have a lot of questions about the BIAB system - like why does the wav output not get all the channels or recognize mutes,etc/
Thanks so much for your help. I'll probably nag everyone crazy asking questions.
Jerry
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,697
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,697 |
Hey Jerry, welcome to the world of Biab and digital audio. To a noob, it's very tricky and confusing stuff.
First, the Real Tracks. They are prerecorded audio files of phrases. They cannot be broken down into single notes, only phrases. The phrases tend to be from one to four bars long. Imagine if you had the horn track only from one of Tower of Power's songs. One phrase might go something like Baa(2-3}ba //ba ba BA baba// That's a prerecorded two bar phrase and that's also what a RT is. Obviously you can't take that prerecorded TOP phrase, put it into Biab and expect that phrase to somehow play what you wrote. It's simply a prerecorded track.
The absolute magic of Biab is all the RT's are full of these phrases and somehow Biab can take the chords your wrote along with the style information and parse all those different phrases together to create a complete track for you, BUT it's still phrases, not single notes. AND not only that, if you regenerate Biab will give you a completely different track from the first one by changing the way it puts the new track together using the same RT phrases. We will have Biab regenerate many times in order to have it come up with a part we like for a particular tune. That's great and all but the big weakness is Biab does it IT'S way not YOUR way. If you want to write exact parts then you have to use midi and synths. And that takes us to...
The second point which is your comment about getting high quality horn sounds to work with. All I can say is welcome to the club. This is what all of the more expensive synth packages are all about. The best ones cost upwards of several thousands of dollars. Basic cheap synths like the Coyote Forte for $40 are fine for basic arranging just to get your song together but to finalize a project to make it sound pro quality you need something like Kontakt or Omnisphere plus a whole lot of knowledge and experience in using them. It ain't easy, that's why people who can do that are called recording engineers.
Native Instruments makes Kontakt and they have a sound library called Session Horns. It's awesome but the regular Kontakt synth by itself is about $5-700 then Session Horns is sold separately for another $300. They do have sales and combo packages from time to time but as you can tell, this is not something you can do for a hundred bucks. You have to treat this like any other worthwhile hobby. People spend thousands on golf or remote control model airplanes for example.
The other possibility is to buy one of the top pro level keyboards that have like 2000 sounds in them. If you play keys as well as horns, that could work too, you just hook up to your computer using a midi or USB cable and Biab will play the sounds from the keyboard. That's called using a hardware synth as opposed to a software synth. Both have their plusses and minuses.
There's way more to this I could write about but this should give you enough to think about for now.
Bob
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,492
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,492 |
As others have said: No. This is the truth -- but only 98 percent of it. Depending on your written melody you might be more or less successful for various parts of your song. What you can do is: 1. Create a chord progression with the right color tones to "force" the RealTrack into your melody. 2. If you are happy with a result, freeze that track an import it in RealBand. 3. If you're not happy either re-generate the song or go back to #1 an tweak your chord progression. You still might need Melodyne or an occasional midi-sequence of one to four notes to finalizs the track. Peter Gannon explained the latter here: http://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=113955&Searchpage=1&Main=17769&Words=Bass&Search=true#Post113955Guido
Desktop; i7-2600k, 8 GB mem., Win 10 Pro, BIAB 2017; RB 2017 - latest build
Laptop: i5-2410M, 4 GB mem, Win 10 Pro, BIAB 2017; RB 2017 - latest build
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,827
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,827 |
Hi. I'm Jerry Plemons a newcomer to BAIB, former trumpet player and arranger. I have BIAB 2014.
My question is this: I would like to use a Real Tracks selection, like tenor sax or trombone (played by a real player) to play the notes that I wrote. I don't want BIAB to generate the track. Is there a way to have Real Tracks instruments play my notes?
Many thanks in advance for your help,
Jerry
You can drag any realtrack sax or trombone into Riffstation. There is a Sax at the end of the video. http://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=256480#Post256480
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 2,217
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 2,217 |
.
BiaB comes with a basic version of Sample Tank, which is one of the more powerful software synths. It can do a lot, but there is a leaning curve. The learning curve is worth it because you will learn stuff you need to know if you are going to get into the more advanced stuff like Kontact.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 2,217
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 2,217 |
.
I should have written this earlier: BiaB Comes with a more basic soft synth called "Coyote Forte." It is quite serviceable, and learning how to use it will lead into the basics of MIDI implementation and related topics, which you have to know before you move on to the more advanced stuff.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 5
Newbie
|
|
OP
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 5 |
Thank you all for your comments and recommendations. I'll try Coyote and maybe add a keyboard. Any recommendations for a good keyboard would be appreciated.
This is a great forum and I've got a lot of browsing here to do that I'm sure will help a lot.
Jerry
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,449
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,449 |
Jerry, start a new thread in the Off-Topic forum and write in the post title that you are looking for a keyboard.
Garry Curran on this forum is a great resource person on keyboards.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,697
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,697 |
Absolutely you can start a whole discussion about it but basically it's the same as what I wrote about softsynths. You can get decent sounding consumer keyboards at Fry's or music stores for $2-300 and they really don't sound too bad. Beyond that the sky's the limit. I have a whole collection of pro level stage keyboards, each one was about $2,500-$3,000 new.
Mo' money = better sound just like everything else.
Bob
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows Special Offers End Tomorrow (January 15th, 2026) at 11:59 PM PST!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, January 15, 2026!
We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
Version 2026 introduces a modernized GUI redesign across the program, with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, and a new Dark Mode option. There’s also a new side toolbar for quicker access to commonly used windows, and the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, making it easier to customize your workspace.
Another exciting new addition is the new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. You can view the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to process an entire track or focus on specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Windows to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade during our special, you'll receive a Free Bonus PAK of exciting new add-ons.
If you need any help deciding which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We are here to help!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® Special Offers Extended Until January 15, 2026!
Good news! You still have time to upgrade to the latest version of Band-in-a-Box® for Windows® and save. Our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® special now runs through January 15, 2025!
We've packed Band-in-a-Box® 2026 with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can process an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PST on January 15th, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® today! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all the purchase options available.
Happy New Year!
Thank you for being part of the Band-in-a-Box® community.
Wishing you and yours a very happy 2026—Happy New Year from all of us at PG Music!
Season's Greetings!
Wishing everyone a happy, healthy holiday season—thanks for being part of our community!
The office will be closed for Christmas Day, but we will be back on Boxing Day (Dec 26th) at 6:00am PST.
Team PG
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: The Newly Designed Piano Roll Window
In this video, we explore the updated Piano Roll, complete with a modernized look and exciting new features. You’ll see new filtering options that make it easy to focus on specific note groups, smoother and more intuitive note entry and editing, and enhanced options for zooming, looping, and more.
Watch the video.
You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: AI Stems & Notes - split polyphonic audio into instruments and transcribe
This video demonstrates how to use the new AI-Notes feature together with the AI-Stems splitter, allowing you to select an audio file and have it separated into individual stems while transcribing each one to its own MIDI track. AI-Notes converts polyphonic audio—either full mixes or individual instruments—into MIDI that you can view in notation or play back instantly.
Watch the video.
You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!
Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®
With your version 2026 for Windows Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!
These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
- The 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
- 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)
- Android Band-in-a-Box® App (included)
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
- 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
- FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
- MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
- Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
- Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
- RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
- SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
Learn more about the Bonus PAKs for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums57
Topics85,740
Posts795,636
Members39,946
| |
Most Online25,754
Jan 24th, 2025
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean