|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 161
Apprentice
|
OP
Apprentice
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 161 |
Hi there,
As I am new to this I am wondering how folks here use the Tc-helicon to add harmonies to vocals.
Do you,
1 add the vocal harmonies in biab?
2 Add them to the vocal track in realband on separate tracks of course?
3 Record the vocal in another Daw and then import the vocal track into Realband to add the harmonies on separate tracks and then reimport everything into your other Daw again?
While we are on the subject what would be good harmony parts in terms of intervals for country music?
Many Thanks
Regards
Jan
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 12,921
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 12,921 |
There is a thread in Tips And Tricks called "Adding Harmonies" that talks about this.. http://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=199488#Post199488down in the thread a bit, is this (typical) explanation... (It was a response in yet another thread that I reposted there) "The BAIBettes - How I typically create harmonies" (response to Jo's questions) I can tell you what I do... though "your mileage may vary" (since I'm starting with a male vocal and you would be starting with a female vocal). After getting the song set up in BIAB (meaning simply, the chords right), I open RealBand and load the BIAB file. Then import the vocal track. Select that vocal track, right-click and choose "Generate Audio Harmony (using PowerTracks or BBW...)" I choose "Harmonize to the chord symbols of the song" - which is what the BIAB file is for. So far, I've only used "1 Down and 3 Up" as the type. And then generate. I don't typically change any of the settings in the plug in. I then save each of the 4 (mono) tracks so that I can work with them in a different DAW (the one I know from the past). But you could simply work with them in RealBand Listening to any one of the "voices" separately you will find... they don't sound "real". But add them all together at the right levels and you can get some decent results. But... not all the time. I often have to really lower or eliminate the highest one (because she's warbling something awful). Particularly if I am singing high (and loud). They (the BIABettes, as I called them) work best when I am singing low and soft - almost my natural speaking voice. At times, I have to drop them all out because they don't work for a particular phrase. A lot of it becomes finding where they work and how they fit in the song. And they work best (for me) when they are blended together. Here and there I will use the 1 Down and the first above - but most of the time it's all 4 together. I pan two left and two right one a bit more than the other - meaning - L 70% L 50% R 50% R 70% (percentages out of 100). Obvious, I know, but some might not consider it...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,577
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,577 |
Hi Jan,
I follow your third approach.
I record my vocal in Reaper. Then I tune those notes that are out of pitch. Once I've done that, I export the tuned vocal track to a WAV file and load that WAV into Realband so that I can use TC Helicon using the BIAB SGU/MGU file to provide the chord structure needed for the harmony.
The reason I tune my vocal before using TC Helicon is because it helps reduce octave jumps when TCH is processing the harmonies.
Lastly, I always harmonise the entire vocal track and then I use envelopes in Reaper to choose which parts of the harmonies I want in the mix.
Hope this helps,
Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 161
Apprentice
|
|
OP
Apprentice
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 161 |
Thank you very much Floyd and Noel for your very helpful and detailed replies. This will help me a lot.
I am indeed privileged to have two prolific songwriters such as yourselves giving me advice on this.
Thank you both again.
Regards
Jan
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 57
Enthusiast
|
|
Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 57 |
Thank you very much Floyd and Noel for your very helpful and detailed replies. This will help me a lot.
I am indeed privileged to have two prolific songwriters such as yourselves giving me advice on this.
Thank you both again.
Regards
Jan Ditto what Jan said.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
|
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 368
Journeyman
|
|
Journeyman
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 368 |
Jan,
I use the VoiceWorks to sing my own versions and arrangements in a “The Four Freshmen”-style all by myself.
I use the "output chords option" in Band in a Box and use the chords I have entered in my song. As this function only works with 3 and 4 note chords, there are some restrictions; C7#5 is OK, but C7#9 is not OK. I often bypass this by writing my arrangements with full chords, then freeze e.g. piano track. Then I reduce all chords to 4 note chords, so e.g. C9 becomes C7 etc. This way VoiceWorks will work OK, while BiaB is still sounding the full chords.
Also I enter passing chords if the melody only move one half step or one whole step, as the other voices then remain stationary, while I want them to move. So when the melody moves e, f, g and the chords is Cmaj7, I would enter e.g. Cmaj7, Dm7, Em7.
Hope this helps.
Tonnie
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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 Mac Videos
With the release of Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac, we’re rolling out a collection of brand-new videos on our YouTube channel. We’ll keep this forum post updated so you can easily find all the latest videos in one convenient spot.
Whether you're exploring new features, checking out the latest RealTracks or Style PAKs, this is your go-to guide for Band-in-a-Box® 2026.
Check out this forum post for "One Stop Shopping" of our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Videos!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac is Here!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac is here and it is packed with major new features! There’s a new modern look, a GUI redesign to all areas of the program including toolbars, windows, workflow and more. There’s a Multi-view layout for organizing multiple windows. A standout addition is the powerful AI-Notes feature, which uses AI neural-net technology to transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI—entire mixes or individual instruments—making it easy to study, view, and play parts from any song. And that’s just the beginning—there are over 100 new features in this exciting release.
Along with version 2026, we've released an incredible lineup of new content! There's 202 new RealTracks, brand-new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two new RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Special Offers
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac and save up to 50% on most upgrade packages during our special offer—available until May 15, 2026. Visit our Band-in-a-Box® packages page to explore all available upgrade options.
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK Add-ons
Our Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK are loaded with amazing add-ons! The Free Bonus PAK is included with most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac packages, but you can unlock even more—including 20 unreleased RealTracks—by upgrading to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49.
Holiday Weekend Hours
As we hop into the Easter weekend, here are our holiday hours:
April 3 (Good Friday): 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM PDT
April 4 (Saturday): Closed
April 5 (Easter Sunday): Closed
April 6 (Easter Monday): Open regular hours
Wishing you an egg-cellent weekend!
— Team PG
Update to Build 10 of RealBand® 2026 for Windows®!
If you're already using RealBand 2026 for Windows, download build 10 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® users: Build 904 now available!
If you're already using Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, make sure to grab the latest update! Build 904 is now available for download and includes the newest additions and enhancements from our team.
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® users: Build 1237 is now available!
Already a Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows user? Stay up to date and download the build 1237 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.
PowerTracks Pro 2026 for Windows is Here!
PowerTracks 2026 is here—bringing powerful new enhancements designed to make your production workflow faster, smoother, and more intuitive than ever.
The enhanced Mixer now shows Track Type and Instrument icons for instant track recognition, while a new grid option simplifies editing views. Non-floating windows adopt a modern title bar style, replacing the legacy blue bar.
The Master Volume is now applied at the end of the audio chain for consistent levels and full-signal master effects.
Tablature now includes a “Save bends when saving XML” option for improved compatibility with PG Music tools. Plus, you can instantly match all track heights with a simple Ctrl-release after resizing, and Add2 chords from MGU/SGU files are now fully supported... and more!
Get started today—first-time packages start at just $49.
Already using PowerTracks Pro Audio? Upgrade for as little as $29 and enjoy the latest improvements!
Order now!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums57
Topics86,190
Posts801,753
Members40,063
| |
Most Online64,515
Apr 8th, 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean