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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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As a newbie I am having problems saving my song as a MP3. I want the MP3 format because I want to load it on to my sheet music tablet and I do not have much storage capacity. I have viewed the tutorial video and followed its instructions. What I am encountering is that a window pops up asking for the format. I choose Lame MP3. After a few seconds I get a second small blank window which simply has an OK button. I click n it and the process finishes. When I look at the file in my folder it show up as a MP3 with 0 KB? There is also a second file labeled ".bt1" with 1KB? I have saved the song as a WAV file just to see. It produces a 19,000 KB file and the song is "out of tune" or "off key" when it is played back? It sounds terrible. The song plays fine through BIAB 2015, but not when it has been saved? Any ideas will be most appreciated. Please keep it simple as I have no experience at this. Thanks
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Hi Larry, These days I prefer to use wma format rather than mp3 format for compressed files. to my ears, wma sounds better. Both file sizes are pretty much the same (both are approx. 3 MB for a 3 minute song). To save a song in wma, simply follow the red boxes on the image below. It would be worth checking this format out to see if it works for you.  What made me switch to wma is that PG Music use that format for their Realtracks. (If you have a look in the \bb\Realtracks folder, you'll see what I mean.) A number of users on these forums have recently been having problems with mp3 conversions using BIAB and it usually seems to boil down to the fact that Windows doesn't automatically support the higher quality audio bitrates in mp3. To get these bitrates, it's necessary to install third party software. Also ... You mentioned that the wav file sounded strange when you played it back. How did you play the file back? Did you open it with Windows Media Player? Regards, Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Hello Noel,
I saved the song as a wma easily but when I play it back through Windows Media Player it also sounds off key/out of tune? Is Media Player not a good player to use?
Thanks for your guidance!
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Hello Noel,
I saved the song as a wma easily but when I play it back through Windows Media Player it also sounds off key/out of tune? Is Media Player not a good player to use?
Thanks for your guidance! Media player should be fine. We have seen this issue in the past. I don't recall exactly why... but, Could it be a mismatch in your audio device settings in the Windows Control Panel. Are you defaulting to 44.1 or 48K? I believe BIAB only likes 44.1K/ My MOTU will automatically detect and adjust as needed. Not all do. 
BIAB – 2026, Reaper (current), i7-12700F Processor, 32GB DDR4-3200MHz RAM, Motu Audio Express 6x6 - My SoundCloud.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Journeyman
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Journeyman
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I have occasionally experienced odd stuff with Windows Media Player. I prefer VCL (and it seems to have a broader range of codecs.) http://www.videolan.org/index.html
Jan - 12 Core AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
32GB DDR4
Win 10 64-bit
Samsung m.2 SSD Boot drive,other SSD internal and USB drives.
MOTO 2
Ketron SD4,SD1000
Yamaha RX-v381amp
VB-Audio virtual cables
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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the song is "out of tune" or "off key" when it is played back? It sounds terrible. Is it actually playing in a different key? That would not sound terrible but would just be the wrong key. Different Key vs Terrible would mean two different things for how to fix it. What sound device are you using and are these RTs or Midi which are playing?
BIAB – 2026, Reaper (current), i7-12700F Processor, 32GB DDR4-3200MHz RAM, Motu Audio Express 6x6 - My SoundCloud.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Newbie confusion here---My "Sound" control panel playback device setting only shows the speakers that my sound is being played back through. I have no other devices installed. My sample rate was at 48,000. When I changed it to 44.1 the song still sounded off. I can only guess that the problem occurred during the rendering process? I am using Windows 7 Pro on my laptop.
Thanks
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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i agree with PJazz i also use VLC
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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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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The MIDI sound from the melody line is what is off primarily. I can not hear the backup RTs to hear if they have been affected. Everything sounds fine when played through BIAB. It is only after rendering to both a WAV or wma file that the song gets thrown off?
Thanks
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Guys, VLC is well known and has a very good rep, but really, are you telling our newbee that the mp3 and wav files created from BIAB do not PLAY well in Media Player...???
BIAB – 2026, Reaper (current), i7-12700F Processor, 32GB DDR4-3200MHz RAM, Motu Audio Express 6x6 - My SoundCloud.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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The MIDI sound from the melody line is what is off primarily. I can not hear the backup RTs to hear if they have been affected. Everything sounds fine when played through BIAB. It is only after rendering to both a WAV or wma file that the song gets thrown off?
Thanks Can you upload the BIAB file (e.g., dropbox) so we can try on our systems?
BIAB – 2026, Reaper (current), i7-12700F Processor, 32GB DDR4-3200MHz RAM, Motu Audio Express 6x6 - My SoundCloud.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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I have no idea what just happened, but I re-rendered a new wma file and the song came out fine this time. It sounds good. I still have the previous bad files and have loaded them and this new good file into my "gaelyn" DropBox. I am still relatively new to DropBox so I hope I shared the folder correctly so that anyone who wants to can access it? If not, please let me know what else I need to do.
Since I now have a good wma file of my song, you folks do not need to spend your time on trying to figure out why I was having the problem. The files are there for your curiosity.
Thanks for everybody's advice. It all does help us Newbies!
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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OK, another success! Makes us all look like geniuses. Glad you got it figured out.
BTW, you would have to provide a "link" to the dropbox file. Just right click on it over in dropbox (be sure it is in a public box) and say "copy URL", then come her and paste it. That's how it works.
BIAB – 2026, Reaper (current), i7-12700F Processor, 32GB DDR4-3200MHz RAM, Motu Audio Express 6x6 - My SoundCloud.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Hi again, Larry. I've just had a listen to the 'bad' wma and it's definitely the midi track that's creating the conflict in sound. It's out of tune with the backing. Jazzmandan solved your problem for you. You needed to set your Windows system to 44.1 kHz (which you did). Doing this won't affect the files that have already been created by rendering but, when you render a new file (after altering this setting), it will have an effect. That explains why you were successful when you re-rendered. What version of Windows do you have? Below is how I have my system set-up (Vista 32 bit). 1. Right click on the speaker icon in the System Tray.  2. Select "Playback Devices". Then click on "Speakers" and select "Properties".  3. When you enter into the "Properties" settings, select the "Advanced" tab.  4. Activate the option that says "Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device" (#3 in the above image). This will ensure that BIAB will always operate the soundcard at 44.1 kHz even if another program comes along a resets it to 48 kHz. Regards, Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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I have Windows 7Pro. I reset my speakers to 44.1 again. I had the exclusive mode set appropriately. The sample rate had gone back to 48. I will leave it at 44.1 and check it from time to time, especially if I have any more rendering problems.
Thanks again for your guidance!
Larry
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Larry, If you have the exclusive mode set appropriately, all should be well. As you can see from my set-up, I have 48 kHz as the default. Because of activating the "allow applications to take exclusive control", though, when I start BIAB it will set the system to 44.1 kHz. There's a bit of a learning curve associated with all this stuff. Hang in there  By the way, I was very impressed that you used tags and repeats in your waltz! I rarely use those because I prefer to lay my song out in linear from as one single chorus from start to end. All the best, Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Thanks Noel,
I've been admiring your audio (Soundcloud) and videos (Vimeo). Impressive! Did you do all the production of those through BAIB? If so, I really do have a lot to learn!
I am retired old geezer, newbie to BAIB, who plays the hammered dulcimer mainly by ear. I am willing to learn whatever I can for however long I have left in this world.
Thanks
Larry
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Larry, Thank you for listening to my songs. I appreciate it With the exception of "Always There" and "Brighter Than Any Star", in which a live guitar player is involved in addition to BIAB, all other songs are entirely Band In A Box. The only thing added is me singing. I compose my songs in BIAB and then move to Realband (RB) to add extra tracks if I need to. After then, I take the tracks I've created in BIAB/RB and put them in Reaper for mixing. Reaper is a very comprehensive DAW (Digital Audio Workstation). In Reaper, I record my vocals and add them to the backing tracks. Once again, thank you. All the best, Noel P.S. You are the very first hammered dulcimer player I have met! It's such an impressive instrument. Every time I see one played, I am mesmerised!
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
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