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Hello all. When I import a standard MIDI file into BIAB, the entire file is put in the Melody track. Is there any way to import the individual MIDI tracks into BIAB for editing? (v.2014).
Thanks,
Bob
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NO (not that I know of)
and if its a type 0 it's all or nothing but at least if it is a type 1 file you should be able to thin the heard to just the track or tracks (channels actually) you want on the melody track of BIAB
I've never tried the import MIDI chords function however
Larry
Win10Pro,i9,64GB,2TBSSD+20TBHDDs,1080TI,BIAB'24,Scarlett18i8,Montage7,Fusion 8HD,QS8,Integra7,XV5080,QSR,SC-8850,SPLAT,FL21&others,Komp.14,IK suite&others, just a guitar player-AXE FX III &FM9T, FishmanTP, MIDIGuitar2, GK2/3'sw/GI20
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I haven't done this, but my understanding is you can use the green SEQ button to break out parts if this is a format 1 type MIDI file. I have also read that RealBand will separate out the individual parts.
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.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Well yes and no - I have different idea of "break out" or import individual MIDI tacks than the green "Seq" button performs. But maybe that's what Bob wants, and it probably is (just not as clean as breaking into separate BIAB TRACKS).
I assumed the desired structural outcome was individual MIDI channels placed on the corresponding different BIAB tracks (i.e., Channel 2 goes to "bass" track; Channel 3 goes to "piano" track; Ch 10 goes to "drum" track ) if that's desired outcome take file into RB as Matt suggested, otherwise that is not going to happen. Unless I missed how to do it (always possible)
What the "Seq' button does allow you to do is select which channels to play (all, some, none), which to display, and also allows you to break out/split channels on the LEAD sheet.
However, you can EDIT the whole MIDI file (with or without the Seq button being used) using the "#" key (it is next to instruments lists: B P D G S M S # ) you can edit events: notes, program changes, etc. - but it still all stays on the Melody track.
PS Actually unless, and until, BIAB expands to a FULL 16 channel/track/part "band" it would be dangerous fro BIAB to allow a MIDI Type 1 file to be parsed to separate BIAB tracks/parts: since you might be trying to force 16 channels into 7 tracks (or 8 if you include thru or 12 if you include the harmony channels) - that is 2 pounds into a one pound bag as it were.
I guess BIAB could make a "read" check to see if the .MID file had 7 or less channels then just go ahead and parse, or similar strategy but up to PG to come up with method (or not).
Larry
Win10Pro,i9,64GB,2TBSSD+20TBHDDs,1080TI,BIAB'24,Scarlett18i8,Montage7,Fusion 8HD,QS8,Integra7,XV5080,QSR,SC-8850,SPLAT,FL21&others,Komp.14,IK suite&others, just a guitar player-AXE FX III &FM9T, FishmanTP, MIDIGuitar2, GK2/3'sw/GI20
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This question has come up many times. If a midi file were to go onto the individual Biab instrument tracks, what's the point of Biab generating it's parts on those same instrument tracks? Isn't that the numero uno reason for Biab's existence? It creates parts for you, it's not a simple midi file player except for putting a file on the melody track.
This is one of the primary reasons for the creation of Real Band. Real Band combines the full midi capabilities of Power Tracks with most Biab functions. It will separate a type 1 midi file onto separate tracks with one mouse click. It will also separate a complete midi drum track onto separate tracks with another single mouse click. I did that once using a complex latin drum track that included full percussion in addition to the basic drums. Holy crap, it was something like 12-15 tracks. Just the drums alone took up the whole track view. But this is a big deal for those like me who have a good drum plugin like Jamstix. To have complete control over individual drum kit parts with percussion like that is lots of fun. Once I had my sound and mix of different elements of the drums I recombined them into 3 or 4 tracks.
RB is the midi monster here not Biab. Those who know more about this than I do have said that RB is one of the best and easiest to use midi editors out there which is one more reason why I keep telling people they should learn RB at the same time they're learning Biab. It's a shame so many seem to think that RB is some kind of weak sister that PG just "throws in" with Biab.
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.
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Thanks for the advice. I am aware that RB will open Type 1 MIDI. Maybe I should have explained exactly what I'm trying to do. I have a MIDI (Type 1) that contains signature phrases that BIAB will not replicate (otherwise I would just use BIAB for the song). My normal procedure is to open the MIDI in Sonar, replace the MIDI tracks with samples, mix and save. Easy.
In this case, I need to transpose the MIDI, and I want to audition different BIAB styles, to find a better match. I can transpose in Sonar, but I would really like to be able to use a better BIAB style on the song.
How could I accomplish this in Real Band?
p.s. I would never have asked the question had I found a suitable answer in searches.
Regards,
Bob
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Bob,
I copied the following from a previous post of mine.
Soloist is interchangeable w/ Melody track.
HTH.
Percy
****************
Here's what I do:
1. Open midi in BB and click on the big green Sequencer button
2. In the Sequencer window,the midi parts are listed, and in the last column is EDIT
3. Click on the little box of the desired part and select 'move to soloist'.
4. When done, at the main menu in BB, go to Edit and click on 'Copy/Move' Tracks
5. Last step is when you move Soloist to the desired BB part.
You can continue to make changes as long as you freeze accordingly and don't regenerate.
This allows me to keep much of my work in BB, if desired.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Thanks Percy, but I'm not seeing the same dialog boxes. Are you using v.2015?
I'm still on v.2014.
Regards,
Bob
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I don't think the sequencer function changed from 2014 to 2015.
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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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Bob,
Go to the TOOLS Bar; it should be there in 2014- a green button w/ SEQ in the middle.
Percy
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Bob,
Go to the TOOLS Bar; it should be there in 2014- a green button w/ SEQ in the middle.
Percy I'll have to get back to you guys. Got a band practice. Thanks.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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One other caveat- the midi has to be opened in order to see the aforementioned dialogue boxes.
That should do it.
Percy
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Hi Bob, Here are some graphics to go with the above excellent comments. As you've already mentioned, the first thing to appreciate about a midi file is that it is loaded into either the Melody or the Soloist track. The reason for this is because the Guitar / Piano / Drums tracks, etc., are reserved for BIAB to create accompaniments. Under normal circumstances, the Melody and Soloist slots are single-channel midi tracks.  When a midi is loaded onto the Melody or Soloist track, that track becomes a multichannel midi player. To access this information, click on “Melody” (#1) and have a look at #2, #3 – whatever has a tick beside it is the one that's selected. When the Melody, or Soloist, track is being used as a multichannel midi sequencer, it is the “SEQUENCER” button that allows control of those channels.  Here's an example of how I use it … 1. I've loaded a midi file onto the Melody track (using “Open MIDI file” under the “File” menu). When I double-check the channel setting for the Melody track, I see it's set to 16 channels. That's what I need.  2. Now I click on the green SEQUENCER button that's shown in the image that immediately precedes this example. 3. As you can see in the image below, each track of the midi file has been assigned its own midi channel (#1). Each channel has also been given its own sound/patch (#2). These settings would have happened when the midi file was created.  4. Using the above midi control it is possible to isolate specific tracks and to have those play solo simply by unchecking all other tracks (#3). I can also modify any track. Under the “Edit” button, there are a number of options for further control. These too could be useful for you. Hope this helps, Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
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Bob, I'll take the other side, RB.
Open a new project in RB and import the midi and click to separate the tracks. You see each track right in front of you with the instrument names, channel # and all the other info in the track header box to the left of each track.
Leaving all the midi tracks active except for drums, arm the next blank track and start generating some Biab drum parts using midi or the RD's. Since you're in RB you can do both at the same time by putting a RD part on one track and a midi drum part on another track. Since you have 48 tracks you can pretty much use as many tracks as you want just for the drums. Use maybe 4 different styles on different tracks and then mute/unmute different ones while you listen to the midi file.
Then lets say bars 1-3 contain your song's hook on two guitar tracks. Highlight those and copy those 3 bars to another blank track. Then you can isolate just the hook and start manipulating that with different effects, instruments patches and such.
During this process you can also start generating other Biab parts. I think you can see how this can work. You have 48 tracks and you can use them all to put your piece together. You can chop up that midi file, mangle it, change keys, move sections around, transpose individual parts of it to your hearts content. By using RB's copy functions you can do this while leaving the original tracks alone just mute them. It's very cool to copy a part to a new track, change channels and change instruments so you now have your original track playing the original guitar instrument and your new copy using different instruments. You can harmonize the second track or just parts of it too.
And then there's the RB mixer, the aux sends, the subgroups, the effects, all that stuff.
I'm starting to throw out different scenarios but you get the idea. Personally I would never use Biab for working with midi files. RB is much more flexible.
Another very important and useful trick with RB and is the chord grid. You can change the chord grid after every generation of a part. Say you do one drum track and use the part markers to generate a drum fill. Do that once for one track and then change the chord grid using different locations for the part markers and do another drum track. Same with the instruments. Sometimes you can get very interesting results by changing the chords from one instrument to another or using part markers to change the sub styles. In RB each track stands on it's own, it only generates whatever you tell it to generate and each time you do that you can change the chord grid.
Bob
Last edited by jazzmammal; 12/11/14 09:04 PM.
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.
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Thanks guys. I will try both methods today. I appreciate all your time!
Regards,
Bob
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