I have gone through 3/4's and styles stating they are 12/8 but the guitar parts are still essentially 4/4. Are the ANY guitar parts that are genuine 6/8? (strumming guitars that is)
The important thing to realize (at least if you agree with me) is that 12/8 and 6/8 are just 4/4 in disguise, where each beat of the 4/4 is 3/8
If I asked you to play the following medley of the 3 sheet music versions of color my world.
COLOR MY WORLD MEDLEY (see sheet music above) 1st medley song color my world in 6/8 2nd medley song color my world in 12/8 3rd medley song color my world in 4/4
Would you expect to playing them any differently? The answer is no, they are the exact same, just counted differently and notated differently. But played the same.
Any slow 4/4 tempo style with a triplet feel works well for 6/8 or 12/8.
The stylepicker for version 2016 has a time sig filter and you can choose 12/8 or just type 12/8 or 6/8 into the filter or better still just type /8 and you'd get both 12/8 and 6/8 styles.
The real issue with 6/8 or 12/8 support (especially in slower 6/8 or 12/8) is that chords often change on count 6 (or even a run up on beats 4, 5, and 6) and again on count 1, which BIAB then doesn't support. The only recourse there is to use a 3/4 waltz style, which doesn't necessarily have the feel of a 6/8 or 12/8 song.
A tripletized 4/4 style works great as long as the chords only change on counts 1, 4, 7, and 10.
I'm thinking, for example, "Great Is The Lord" by Michael W. Smith (see below).
John
Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 8TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 11TB SATA
Hi John, Good point. Having ability to do input more than one chord per beat would definitely help in BiaB, esp. At slow tempos.
Fwiw, Any slow song with a triplet feel can also be done as a fast waltz. In this case, each beat of the 4/4 6/8 or 12/8 becomes a bar of 3/4 So in the example you provided, that bar with F E D C would be done as two bars of a waltz.
Note I am not saying that BiaB shouldn't have the ability to do more than one chord per beat. There are 4/4 songs that have more than one chord per beat. But doing slow 4/4 triplet songs often works well when done as fast waltzes, and vice versa. For example, if Strauss wrote "I can't help falling in love with You" I'm guessing he would have published it as a fast 3/4 waltz.
Btw, a somewhat related point. Any fast waltz RealTrack eg 3/4 tempo 180) can be used on a slow 4/4 song tempo 60, to give it a triplet feel like a slow 6/8 or 12/8. to do this you select 'triple time' in the RealTracks picker.
Yes, you can do an equivalent 6/8 to 3/4 conversion and depending on the style, it may sound fine (although the drums might end up too busy), but from a notation perspective, changing from 6/8 to 3/4 will also generally increase your page count, since quarter and half notes generally use more horizontal space (for visual perspective to indicate they are longer notes) on the page versus eighth notes (which is generally what you see in 6/8).
John
Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 8TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 11TB SATA
I am a bit confused here (but nothing new for me). The feel which we are looking for with each different time signature is more about where the accent is placed in the rhythm (i.e., where the beat is stressed) then about how you can count it.
But keep going since I am definitely not the authority on the topic.
I think what I am reading here is that there are no 'Native' 6/8 time signatures. There are just workarounds that 'resemble' or 'simulate' the 6/8 requirements, albeit many times not too perfectly.
Doubling tempos is generally undesirable, as some instruments just become too busy, as John F pointed out. That's been my experience too.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Professional & Windows 11, Sonar Platinum, Cakewalk by Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M Monitors, Pioneer Active Monitors
I am a bit confused here (but nothing new for me). The feel which we are looking for with each different time signature is more about where the accent is placed in the rhythm (i.e., where the beat is stressed) then about how you can count it. .........
Exactly!
It takes courage for a man to admit his wife was wrong.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
It would be nice if this discussion could be edited, renamed and pinned as there is a bunch of real useful information here.
For me it's all about the feel and until this discussion I haven't seen much discussion about how manipulating the chord chart can obtain different feels.
I am a bit confused here (but nothing new for me). The feel which we are looking for with each different time signature is more about where the accent is placed in the rhythm (i.e., where the beat is stressed) then about how you can count it.
But keep going since I am definitely not the authority on the topic.
hmmm, yes and no. If you listen to a guitarist strumming in 3/4 and then listen to them strumming 6/8 (or other compounds 12/8 9/8 etc) there is a real difference. Well to me there is haha!
)) I think what I am reading here is that there are no 'Native' 6/8 time signatures. There are just workarounds that 'resemble' or 'simulate' the 6/8 requirements, albeit many times not too perfectly.
There are native 6/8 styles, like Celtic jigs. Those are present in BiaB as 4/4 styles, but play exactly as if they are 6/8. Instead of trying to read about if these styles exists. why not listen to a style like a Celtic jig on this page and tell me if you hear 6/8. http://www.pgmusic.com/realtracks.all.php?os=win#104 And if you don't, tell me what time sig you are hearing.
Adding these 6/8 styles isn't some "simulation" as you've called it. It is intentional because this brings these styles into the world of 4/4 where they belong. 6/8 is just a thing for notation, it is not something that people count 1-2-3-4-5-6 as they play. Think of tapping your foot along to a jig - are you tapping every triplet, of course not, you are tapping every 3rd triplet, which is why they are entered in BiaB as 4/4 styles.
Lots of people in the user showcase add these styles to all kinds of genres like country, folk etc that are also 4/4. And they work because of this.
The 6/8 support that is missing is just the notation. I find the 4/4 representation just fine, since the triplets are notated the same way. In 4/4 you see three 8th notes with a triplet mark. In 6/8 you see three eighth notes with no triplet mark. I think you could read either one easily.
Thanks for the reply, I should have included no 'Native' 6/8 RT time signatures for Guitar.
That's what the O/P's question was about.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Professional & Windows 11, Sonar Platinum, Cakewalk by Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M Monitors, Pioneer Active Monitors
Thanks for the clarification. I'm away from my music systems at present and am not able to actually listen.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Professional & Windows 11, Sonar Platinum, Cakewalk by Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M Monitors, Pioneer Active Monitors
The 6/8 support that is missing is just the notation. I find the 4/4 representation just fine, since the triplets are notated the same way. In 4/4 you see three 8th notes with a triplet mark. In 6/8 you see three eighth notes with no triplet mark. I think you could read either one easily.
Actually Peter another thing missing is exporting to DAWs in 6/8 time signature. The only time signatures BiaB/RB export in is 3/4 or 4/4. This makes it a little difficult to work with in a DAW.
3/4 and 4/4 I can work around but other time signatures like 5/4, 7/4 etc are problematic. YMMV
Last edited by MarioD; 11/05/1603:12 AM.
It takes courage for a man to admit his wife was wrong.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
Without wishing to change or hijack the O/P's original thread, I certainly agree that it's problematic that the stave cannot show notation as 6/8. Playing 6/8 while reading in 4/4 is less than ideal. I guess this will never change though. This is a bar of 6/8 from RT 104:
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Professional & Windows 11, Sonar Platinum, Cakewalk by Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M Monitors, Pioneer Active Monitors
I'm posting this link because I'm still learning the most elementry ideas of music and BIAB. This youtube vid showed me how to use a 12/8 time to make a backing track for this song. Because of my lack of knowledge is the guitarist playing 12/8 or 2-3/4 beats to the bar or what is he doing as related to this discussion Thanks Wyndham https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=F0w3xI4A054
I'm posting this link because I'm still learning the most elementry ideas of music and BIAB. This youtube vid showed me how to use a 12/8 time to make a backing track for this song. Because of my lack of knowledge is the guitarist playing 12/8 or 2-3/4 beats to the bar or what is he doing as related to this discussion Thanks Wyndham https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=F0w3xI4A054
Classic compound time tune used as an example of 6/8 time. He even tells us how he counts it and how he notates it "1 bar of C, One bar of Am..." But here is the point to the tread, Tap your foot to 1 2 3 4 and you easily hear the 4/4 beat. Then sing along, 123456 123456 123456 123456 and you hear the 6/8 beat. Now which one is more dominate?
My answer as the guitar player is 123456 since the accent is on the 1 and the 4 therefore I feel 6/8.
Now lets go back to what Peter's first said: "...6/8 is essentially 4/4 (with a triplet feel on each beat). So a 4/4 bar would be the same as a single bar of 12/8 or two bars of 6/8."
So to make a backing in BIAB for this tune you would likely be using a 4/4 style with a triplet feel so you need to put 2 chords into each bar instead of 1.
Not sure that helps... OK Bit of mistake in my figure in the 12/8 line which should be same as the 4/4 but with only two chors --- you get the idea...
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: AI Stems & Notes - split polyphonic audio into instruments and transcribe
This video demonstrates how to use the new AI-Notes feature together with the AI-Stems splitter, allowing you to select an audio file and have it separated into individual stems while transcribing each one to its own MIDI track. AI-Notes converts polyphonic audio—either full mixes or individual instruments—into MIDI that you can view in notation or play back instantly.
Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®
With your version 2026 for Windows Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!
These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
The 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
Playable RealTracks Set 5
RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
Android Band-in-a-Box® App (included)
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
Join Tobin as he takes you on a tour of the new user interface in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®! This modern GUI redesign offers a sleek new look with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, and a smoother workflow. The brand-new side toolbar puts track selection, the MultiPicker Library, and other essential tools right at your fingertips. Plus, our upgraded Multi-View lets you layer multiple windows without overlap, giving you a highly flexible workspace. Many windows—including Tracks, Piano Roll, and more—have been redesigned for improved usability and a cleaner, more intuitive interface, and more!
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 10 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 28 RealTracks and RealDrums!
Few things are certain in life: death, taxes, and a brand spankin’ new XPro Styles PAK! In this, the 10th edition of our XPro Styles PAK series, we’ve got 100 styles coming your way! We have the classic 25 styles each from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, and rounding out this volume's wildcard slot is 25 styles in the Praise & Worship genre! A wide spanning genre, you can find everything from rock, folk, country, and more underneath its umbrella. The included 28 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Here’s just a small sampling of what you can look forward to in XPro Styles PAK 10: Soft indie folk worship songs, bumpin’ country boogies, gospel praise breaks, hard rockin’ pop, funky disco grooves, smooth Latin jazz pop, bossa nova fusion, western swing, alternative hip-hop, cool country funk, and much more!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 10 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 21 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest Xtra Styles PAK installment—the all new Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher)!
Rejoice, one and all, for Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box® is here! We’re serving up 200 brand spankin’ new styles to delight your musical taste buds! The first three courses are the classics you’ve come to know and love, including offerings from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, but, not to be outdone, this year’s fourth course is bro country! A wide ranging genre, you can find everything from hip-hop, uptempo outlaw country, hard hitting rock, funk, and even electronica, all with that familiar bro country flair. The dinner bell has been rung, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 21 today!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Energetic folk rock, raucous train beats, fast country boogies, acid jazz grooves, laid-back funky jams, a bevy of breezy jazz waltzes, calm electro funk, indie synth pop, industrial synth metal, and more bro country than could possibly fit in the back of a pickup truck!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 21 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 21 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 21 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 10 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 28 RealTracks and RealDrums!
Few things are certain in life: death, taxes, and a brand spankin’ new XPro Styles PAK! In this, the 10th edition of our XPro Styles PAK series, we’ve got 100 styles coming your way! We have the classic 25 styles each from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, and rounding out this volume's wildcard slot is 25 styles in the Praise & Worship genre! A wide spanning genre, you can find everything from rock, folk, country, and more underneath its umbrella. The included 28 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Here’s just a small sampling of what you can look forward to in XPro Styles PAK 10: Soft indie folk worship songs, bumpin’ country boogies, gospel praise breaks, hard rockin’ pop, funky disco grooves, smooth Latin jazz pop, bossa nova fusion, western swing, alternative hip-hop, cool country funk, and much more!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 10 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 21 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest Xtra Styles PAK installment—the all new Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher)!
Rejoice, one and all, for Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box® is here! We’re serving up 200 brand spankin’ new styles to delight your musical taste buds! The first three courses are the classics you’ve come to know and love, including offerings from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, but, not to be outdone, this year’s fourth course is bro country! A wide ranging genre, you can find everything from hip-hop, uptempo outlaw country, hard hitting rock, funk, and even electronica, all with that familiar bro country flair. The dinner bell has been rung, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 21 today!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Energetic folk rock, raucous train beats, fast country boogies, acid jazz grooves, laid-back funky jams, a bevy of breezy jazz waltzes, calm electro funk, indie synth pop, industrial synth metal, and more bro country than could possibly fit in the back of a pickup truck!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 21 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 21 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 21 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
One of our representatives will be happy to help you over the phone. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday, and 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST Saturday. We are closed Sunday. You can also send us your questions via email.
One of our representatives will be happy to help you on our Live Chat or by email. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday; 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST (GMT -8) Saturday; Closed Sunday.
and in notation I totally agree, however in real time playing altering 3/4 rarely works as the feel is totally different. JMO!
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean