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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Aug 2009
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OP
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Can anyone shed light on how real tracks work that won't reveal any trade secrets? I have an awful itch to get how they do this. I promise I won't create a knock-off rival company.  The musicians sat down and played riffs which can be played with a zillion chords and many keys and speeds? Their work can follow midi file directions? Hmmmmm.......
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2003
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Have you read the tutorial on how to make your own Real Drums ? I've done it . It's tedious.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2000
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Open up your Realtracks folder inside BB folder and doubleclick any of the .wma or .wav files and give a listen using your default player.
Those are the "raw" files that RealTracks technology chops up and uses.
If you listen to enough of them, you will come to the conclusion that I have, and that is simple enough, the player is playing to a "target" set of changes or a song that the developers used for the purpose of that particular style and genre. But only the player can hear the backing tracks in their headphones as they play.
You will also notice that each Realtrack source file is set up such that there is one "dead on" the target key, plus two more, one a half step above and one a half step below that target key. They are playing identical stuff, just in the three different keys. I take it that these are enough for the underlying pitch-shifting algorithm to be able to transpose whichever chosen RealTrack to the chosen keysignature.
There is an accompanying txt file for each RealTrack, too, which has the carefully chosen Loop Points for each source file in it. BB needs those, too, to put your tracks together.
For the most part, what the RealTrack plays is chosen by the *phrase* and not by the note as would be the case in a MIDI situation.
--Mac
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 21
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OP
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Quote:
You will also notice that each Realtrack source file is set up such that there is one "dead on" the target key, plus two more, one a half step above and one a half step below that target key. They are playing identical stuff, just in the three different keys. I take it that these are enough for the underlying pitch-shifting algorithm to be able to transpose whichever chosen RealTrack to the chosen keysignature.
I was watching as the real tracks installed today and noticed the +1, +2, -1, etc.. Made my curiosity even worse. I can understand that soloists can play around a major key signature but what about the minors and the rt guitars playing chords of wierd varieties? So you think the underlying pitch-shifting algorithm is able to take it from there?
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2000
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Heheh.
The minor modes are actually derived from the Major mode, starting on the 6th note as the minor root.
So the 1,3,5 Major in key of C would be C,E,G, but the relative minor triad would be A,C,E in the same key sig or A minor.
If you know that, you can often interchange things between the Major and its Relative Minor.
That's a rather basic explanation, if you consider what can happen when using extensions over the basic triads, other modes come into play that can be used "safely" as well.
--Mac
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 21
Enthusiast
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OP
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 21 |
Quote:
So the 1,3,5 Major in key of C would be C,E,G, but the relative minor triad would be A,C,E in the same key sig or A minor.
Oh, dang, I forgot that.
Fascinating stuff, this.
I loaded up the summer pack. Wow! I am going to try to let the styles suggest a song to me, the opposite of how I normally write a song and try to find a style to fit it. I used to write with my brother-in-law. He'd just start playing some chords and it "talked to me" and the melody and words came. Let's jam, BIAB.
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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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Quote:
Wow! I am going to try to let the styles suggest a song to me, the opposite of how I normally write a song and try to find a style to fit it. I used to write with my brother-in-law. He'd just start playing some chords and it "talked to me" and the melody and words came. Let's jam, BIAB.
Try Juking the Demo Song folders for the new stuff.
I do that, then I Mute the Melody track so that I hear only the accompaniment and for your stated purpose, it can really get the creative juices flowing when certain stuff pops in. And you can Juke bb in the background while you surf or do other tasks, too. Hear something interesting, pop back to the bb window and make a note of it.
--Mac
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Aug 2009
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OP
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Well that works! Thanks for that!
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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.
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Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows Special Offers End Tomorrow (January 15th, 2026) at 11:59 PM PST!
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Season's Greetings!
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Team PG
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