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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 673
Journeyman
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OP
Journeyman
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 673 |
OK very simple question.
I have a song with just chords, no melody.
I would like to add line-based lyrics below the treble clef staff lines so the lyrics line up with the proper
chords.
How would I go about doing this?
Right now I'm entering the lyrics blind, I can't see where they are going or where they will be when the the song is printed.
TIA
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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OP
Journeyman
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 673 |
I've looked through the manual and can't find anything about just lyrics and chords.
Can this be done with BIAB?
A lead sheet showing the chords and the lyrics below empty staff lines?
TIA
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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OP
Journeyman
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 673 |
Well I finally figured out how to do this.
Yes it can be done, and yes the BIAB documentation sucks.
The more I use this program the more it becomes apparent that there is a HUGE DIVIDE between what the program can do and the way it is presented to the user.
In other words, PG Music needs to:
1. Sit down with someone who understands music
2. That someone is shown what the program can do, feature by feature
3. And then that someone is given the job of writing both a manual and on-screen help files that show how to use each feature, as quickly and simply as possible.
BIABguy
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 7,729
PG Music Staff
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PG Music Staff
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 7,729 |
Hello BIABguy,
I think you should consider using note-based lyrics, which are much more flexible than line-based. Of course, you can only enter note-based lyrics if you have notes, but you could enter some notes, enter your lyrics, then delete the notes. When you enter note-based lyrics, the lyric event is only associated with the note to the extent that it is placed at the same time as the note. You can delete notes, and the lyrics will still be in the same place. This might sound complicated, but it's not really...for example you could.
1 - Enter 1 note per beat in bar one (4 notes total).
2 - Edit-Copy from to... check only the melody checkbox. Copy the first bar to bar two and select 'repeat X times'.
3 - You will then be able to enter lyrics at every potential chord location.
4 - When your lyrics are in, Edit-Erase from to... erase only the lyrics.
Maybe you could save a backup copy of your song then experiment with this method.
Andrew
PG Music Inc.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 673
Journeyman
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OP
Journeyman
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 673 |
Quote:
Hello BIABguy,
I think you should consider using note-based lyrics, which are much more flexible than line-based. Of course, you can only enter note-based lyrics if you have notes....
1 - Enter 1 note per beat in bar one (4 notes total).
2 - Edit-Copy from to... check only the melody checkbox. Copy the first bar to bar two and select 'repeat X times'.
3 - You will then be able to enter lyrics at every potential chord location.
4 - When your lyrics are in, Edit-Erase from to... erase only the lyrics.
Maybe you could save a backup copy of your song then experiment with this method.
Hi Andrew, thanks for helping out!
That's a neat trick you've mentioned here.
As you guessed, I don't have any notes, just chords and lyrics.
I will experiment and see how your suggestion works out.
Thanks again.
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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OP
Journeyman
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 673 |
Quote:
1 - Enter 1 note per beat in bar one (4 notes total).
2 - Edit-Copy from to... check only the melody checkbox. Copy the first bar to bar two and select 'repeat X times'.
3 - You will then be able to enter lyrics at every potential chord location.
4 - When your lyrics are in, Edit-Erase from to... erase only the lyrics.
Maybe you could save a backup copy of your song then experiment with this method.
This is the frustrating part about this program.
I followed your above instructions to the word and nothing was copied. 
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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OP
Journeyman
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 673 |
Quote:
This is the frustrating part about this program.
I followed your above instructions to the word and nothing was copied.
I found my mistake.
I entered the melody to the string track.
When I entered it to the melody track it worked.
Now I need to be able to clear up this busy melody track at bar 17.
BIABguy
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 507
Journeyman
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Journeyman
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 507 |
While experimenting, why not generate a dummy melody with the melodist. Can do it in one shot. (Be sure to disable chord generation.) Delete it after lyrics are entered, as Andrew suggests. Just a thought. -Ron
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 673
Journeyman
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OP
Journeyman
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 673 |
Quote:
While experimenting, why not generate a dummy melody with the melodist. Can do it in one shot. (Be sure to disable chord generation.) Delete it after lyrics are entered, as Andrew suggests. Just a thought. -Ron
Thanks Ron that's also a good suggestion. I will experiment some more with this.
Right now it's a toss-up in terms of speed (note-based vs. line-based).
Since I discovered the <Right click, insert section text> feature when you are in notation edit mode, (which was a huge discovery by the way) line-based text entry isn't so difficult.
BIABguy
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 22
Enthusiast
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Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 22 |
I'd like a better way of recording and printing lyrics. I'd like to have just the chords and lyrics - no notes or staff. It's a real pain having to do even the "shortcuts" listed above. You should be able to see the chords and just type the words under them as in a word processor. I tried the "insert section text" feature, and after spending a bit of time getting the word spacing right in the editing window, then after all that work, I found that it didn't keep the same spacing when I printed it! What a hassle.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 583
Journeyman
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Journeyman
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 583 |
At first I was intimidated in doing the lyric thing. Put it off for the longest, like most things. Took a while to get the hang of it---i.e., line based lyrics. And, I discovered that you have to do a lot of inventive spelling and short-cuts on "wordy" songs the keep the lyrics reasonably matched to the chords that are scrolling by. However, it's really worth the effort to me. Now, no carrying a bulky music stand, a light to see lyrics in dark rooms, extension cord for the light, or the heavy totebags of music notebooks full of lyrics. That's at least a one trip saving in loading and unloading gear. Is there a feature in BIAB to get a full screen shot of the entire song, with lyrics and chords displayed, while the song is playing? That would be great to be able to see the full arrangement rather than one line at a time----sort of like sheet music.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 5,278
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 5,278 |
Quote:
Is there a feature in BIAB to get a full screen shot of the entire song, with lyrics and chords displayed, while the song is playing?
Press the LeadSheet Window button ...
Martin
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502 |
Yes, the Leadsheet Window may just fill the bill for what people are looking for here. Words 'n Chords.
But I prefer using the Big Lyrics window, be sure to check that out.
--Mac
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