Hi, I am just beginning to work with inserting a solo real tracks into a song and have it coming in on the designated bar etc. Is there a way this solo instrument can used again elswhere in the song - for example the lead in intro or a small break during the song?? I am writing the chord format in linear style. I haven't used or am familiar with Real Band and wondering should I be looking in that direction for the solution. I am only using real tracks at this stage. Thanks in advance.
BIAB 2026 UltraPAK Xtra packs 1,2,3,4,5,6,13 2019 and 2018 49pak LENOVO THINK PAD i5 Windows10 pro, 16g i7 64bit Allen and Heath Z10fx mixer Alesis V25 controller
I do it differently. I don't try to get the solo to play correctly in either BB or RB. I let RB generate the entire track and then export it to a DAW. In the DAW, I can edit, move, copy & paste my audio track clips as needed. I can also use volume automation envelopes to get certain instruments to come in or out at points in the song.
I find this to be easier for me and it gives outstanding results. The down side is, you can;t hear it as a finished song in BB or RB.
RB can be used as the final mix point since it is a DAW, it's just that I don't use RB in that fashion. My DAW is Sonar. All mixing is done there.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.com Add nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.
The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
I'm interpreting your question a bit differently than the others who have answered. This question sounds to me as if you are referencing bringing the same 'instrument' in and out at different sections of your song. It seems the others are interpreting 'instrument' to mean a repeating riff or the same musical phrase in different sections of a BIAB song.
Bringing the same instrument in and out at different bars and in different sections is very easy to do in BIAB and no DAW or other software is necessary. You can also vary the instrument of a track so for instance you can have a portion of your song have a lead guitar and in another section of the song, have the same track as the lead guitar play a pedal steel guitar and switch back and forth between the two (or more). The limitation is they cannot both play at the same time. For me, my experience has been that BIAB does a great job anticipating these changes and the transition is very smooth and musical.
I'm not completely clear to how you meant the question and probably have guessed wrong since every other comment seems to indicate you are looking to repeat a phrase. They are correct, RealBand works wonderfully if that is your intent.
When I first starting using biab, I would use the song settings to change RT from rhythm to solo and to mute tracks, etc. at different places in the song. However, I like to hear pick-up notes sometimes which aren't always generated. I then tried starting the solos a measure early, but then that causes other timing problems. I too found it better to generate separate solo tracks and rhythm tracks for the same instr. and exporting to my DAW (Audacity). I can then edit those tracks to come in and go out where I want them as well as change dynamics, etc. The tracks can then be compiled and rendered to one track for my final mix. There are a number of ways to achieve what you want, you just have to experiment and find what works best for you.
Yes Eddie, Volume Control has been automated for a while now. Not new .. called 'Nodes' in PG terms.
Click the little arrow at the very left of any track in RB. In the tracks view (to the right) there is a volume line .. drag it up/down as desired. Essentially volume automation ..
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome Make your sound your own!
Thanks everyone. Charlie - you've got my question. I'm not sure of the answer but I would like to bring in a (say) solo save intermittently through the song. Is this do-able in BiaB?? While I am trying to create backing cover backing tracks, the fact it's not going to be the same melody, the beat is the prioity.
BIAB 2026 UltraPAK Xtra packs 1,2,3,4,5,6,13 2019 and 2018 49pak LENOVO THINK PAD i5 Windows10 pro, 16g i7 64bit Allen and Heath Z10fx mixer Alesis V25 controller
From the Bar setting window, each track has multiple choices in a drop down window to mute, return to normal, change by, fade or louder volume. You can also choose the dashed lines to reset the selected track to its last state without using the Reset Bar Button if you have made other changes to the bar that you do now want to reset. You can do many other things from this window with tempo, user tracks, realdrums, midi and so on but I will focus on your current question of bringing a lead instrument in and out at various bars.
Now let's have some fun. As an example, say that you have chosen a style that includes a lead guitar like "_SHINAMP.STY. Amplitube Shining ElGuitar Solo". Instruments: El.Bass, Ac.Piano, El.Guitar, El.Guitar(solo), Drums.
You want to have the solo guitar play an 8 bar intro playing along with just the bass and drums and all other instruments muted.
Select bar one and enter the bar setting window using F5.
Select the instruments you do not want to play and select mute. There are other ways to do this but I'll demonstrate just this one.
Select Bar Nine and enter the bar setting window using F5.
Select the instruments you muted in bar one and select Return to Normal. Select the solo guitar and select mute.
All instruments except for the solo guitar are now playing.
You decide you want to bring the solo guitar back for four bars at bar 17.
Select bar 17, Enter F5 and unmute the solo guitar.
Skip forward 4 bars, F5 and mute the solo guitar.
That's how easy it is to bring a solo instrument in and out throughout your song.
The fun part is this is just the beginning of the fun things you'll soon be doing.
I've attached some images indicating where you can select RealTracks and change one instrument for another so you can have multiple soloists for your song and more.
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202 New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2026!
With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
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Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
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And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.
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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)
iOS Android Band-in-a-Box® App
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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)
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