Ken, I could write a lot about this, but let's get to the heart of the matter:

BIAB expects a samba to be twice the tempo you are looking for.

Now, you can modify individual RealTracks at a tempo of quarter=80 to use Double Time in the Timebase pull-down. It doesn't sound terrible but it's not very energetic. The main problem is, there is nothing comparable for RealDrums (that I can find). This is an item I placed in the Wishlist many years ago. I just added it again if you want to give it a +1.

So, I have usually had to enter samba songs from leadsheets etc. at twice the tempo in BIAB. Mine are typically in the 200 - 240 range. The good news is, for the Brazilian melodies I normally work with, I'm using quarter, eighth and at most sixteenth notes, not a lot of sixteenth and thirty-second notes, so it's easier to read.

Here's something you could try. If you really want a samba at 80, then try writing it at 160 and selecting Half-Time for one or two of the RealTracks (not drums). Then, when you want it more energetic, Mute the track(s) and assign a new RealTrack on another track that is the same (or different) style but make it Normal Time. Mute that track until it is needed. Note that you cannot use different time bases within the same track (another part of my Wishlist item).

Holding back a fast comping pattern sounds a lot better than speeding up a slow one. Perhaps at that point where you want more energy, also choose a RealDrum variation with more cymbal.

I haven't tried this, but something else if you choose to stay at 80, is to write the song without a drum track and freeze all the tracks. Move them to a DAW as audio. Then play around with double the BIAB tempo, construct a drum track that works, and record that as audio to be added to the DAW.

ps. Wombat, where is Balmer Merlan? Is that local for Baltimore?

BIAB 2024 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 6.5 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6; Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus Studio 192, Presonus Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors