Some other things that are worth testing that may help identify the issue...
1. Does this happen with all styles or is it just a particular style?
2. Rather than pushing the limits of repetition of cycling through 40 choruses, have you tried simply setting the song to (say) eight bars long and then looping through those eight bars indefinitely?
Looping is found under the button "Loop" that sits immediately to the right of "Generate and play" (with BIAB 2017; I'm not sure where this isn BIAB 2009).
3. What happens if you load in one of the MGU files that work fine, and use that at a template for your backing? To do this...
Open the MGU file.
Save as a new name so that you don't overwrite the original.
Delete all the chords.
Add Dmaj9#11 to bar 1.
Mute the melody and generate and play
4. Is a particular track louder/softer than the others?
5. Have you tried downloading and installing the latest update for BIAB 2009 found at the link below? Right-click and select "Run as administrator" when installing it.
They play the .SGU "songs" I create plenty-loud. The laptop's internal speakers are NOT loud enough (on .SGU files). 2) I did notice something potentially-helpful today.
This may help you to help me... .WAV and .MGU songs play louder than .SGU songs.
I save the "song". It gets saved as a .SGU (which I think is the problem. SGUs aren't as loud as .WAV or .MGU files).
This is interesting, and may or may not be related. I can understand that the WAV files may have a different volume. The MGU and SGU comparison is a little more confusing. The M in MGU indicates that the song has a recorded Melody track. That shouldn't change the volume though. How did you create the .SGU and .MGU song files?
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 updated the version to 2009.5 Build 287 (as suggested by John, in an earlier post)
Someone's asked: "How do I enter my songs?" Again: - I click New" - I type ONE chord (see above) -I set BIAB to play the one chord repeatedly (32 measures repeated 40 times)
Please understand: I do nothing else. I'm using BIAB to play one chord repeatedly.
Others have asked me to try certain things. I haven't tried those yet. I'll report back.
I did load 2009 on my Windows 10 system and tried the default Microsoft sounds, and several other synths I already have on that system, and they all sounded pretty equal volume-wise.
You didn't say what kind of laptop. I know on my laptop, the sound card actually splits out the speakers versus the headphones, so volume can be adjusted independently.
This is just an offchance suggestion, but you might want to try downloading the ASIO4ALL and see if it works with you laptop's sound card and see if it makes a difference.
Just a thought.
We can talk you through it if necessary.
John
Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 8TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 11TB SATA
Hmmm, my laptop is an HP (not Elitebook) from a 2011 vintage; however, I had to downgrade it to Windows 7, since the Windows 10 anniversary update rendered it unbootable (after Windows 10 had been working fine since it was publicly released) and I didn't have time to troubleshoot the problem (lost of folks on web apparently reported the same problem).
Anyway, I did try it on my HP desktop, using the internal sound card and the volume was consistent, now matter what I was playing.
Did you ever try to "normalize" your MIDI volumes (I think that was available in your version). Set it to 110 or 120 and see if that helps. I'm not at my machine right now, but I think it's under Preferences, then in the "Arrange" tab.
Also, have you tried several different styles? Some styles are much quieter than others. MIDI normalize will help level out all the styles. It doesn't make all the volumes the same, but basically it raises the MIDI velocity (which affects volume) center. So, if all the MIDI data was defined to play at a velocity of between 44 at 64 (which allows for some dynamic variance), then the MIDI center is around 55. If you then set MIDI normalize to say 85, then the MIDI velocities are adjusted to play in the range of 74 to 94, making it louder, but still preserving dynamic range.
By the way, this was one of my suggestions many years back that was implemented by PGMusic.
John
Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 8TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 11TB SATA
Yes, good idea, John. That's one of the adjustments I was referring to, but we still don't know if the OP is hearing MIDI or audio in the one-chord song.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
Yes, good idea, John. That's one of the adjustments I was referring to, but we still don't know if the OP is hearing MIDI or audio in the one-chord song.
Matt, audio as in RealTracks?
Cardinal24, in BiaB, are the tracks shown as yellow or green colored font?
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
Yes, good idea, John. That's one of the adjustments I was referring to, but we still don't know if the OP is hearing MIDI or audio in the one-chord song.
Matt, audio as in RealTracks?
Cardinal24, in BiaB, are the tracks shown as yellow or green colored font?
Trevor, yes, exactly. But I don't remember if version 2009 had that color distinction. RealTracks were only one year old at that point.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
Matt, thanks. Yes I did not know if the Yellow and Green codes were used. There were certainly very few RealTracks available at that time (just 3 for the preceding 2008 version if I recall).
Others might recall if the Yellow/Green color coding was used in 2009?
Last edited by VideoTrack; 03/24/1701:52 AM.
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
If you've kept updating BIAB in the same directory over the years, you'll have all the user manuals in x:\bb from when you first created the directory. That's what I use to look up things for older versions.
The image below from the 2009 manual shows that the present colour coding system was in place at that time.
That's what I do also (look at the old user manuals). Comes in handy when someone asks a question about an older version that I no longer have installed.
John
Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 8TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 11TB SATA
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
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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.
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Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
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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.
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