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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 15
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OP
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 15 |
I am just wondering if its possible to have unique musical short phrases within the style of BIAB? I use realtrack and realdrums on everything pack (Mac).
I like the way BIAB works in particular with realtracks and realdrums, sounds great. However, sometimes I need to have say 2 bars of riffs or phrases within the song, so all parts (bass, drum, guitar etc) will play differently from the original style. Will it be possible to achieve this?
Thanks
LJ
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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
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It is possible with MIDI but not with Real Instruments.
Using MIDI, you have two ways to do it, for static defined parts, I prefer writing them out or recording them as MIDI to the Melody and/or Soloist tracks. That way the parts won't change when the song is reloaded or when you hit Play again because BIAB will regenerate all the accompaniment parts slightly differently. Then use Rest Instruments command at bars where you don't want the accompaniment instruments but just the static part you entered.
Another method, still MIDI-based, is to edit the Style using the Style editor and place your own patterns in there. This can be more tedious to do, but may be better for certain situations where you wish to use those patterns in more than just one specified song.
--Mac
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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 15
Enthusiast
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|
OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 15 |
Hi Mac
Thanks for your quick reply. Good ideas.
The first idea sounds close to what I want, because unlikely I will use the same "Phrase" again in other songs. However, can I also change the drum/bass/piano parts instead of just the melody or solo parts? Say edit in the Part's MIDI editor?
The second idea, although I will not going to use the same phrase again, but I can edit the style and keep it just for this song. How about based on variation A and B, I edit the bars (say bar 7 and 8) with the phrase on all parts, then save it as variation C or D and use it where I need. Will this worked?
BTW, I have never touched the Style editor yet. May be something to learn soon.
Cheers
LJ
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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502 |
Quote:
The first idea sounds close to what I want, because unlikely I will use the same "Phrase" again in other songs. However, can I also change the drum/bass/piano parts instead of just the melody or solo parts? Say edit in the Part's MIDI editor?
In BIAB, only the Melody and Soloist edits or notes entered will "stick" because the other instrument parts are the "autoaccompaniment" parts that are generated by the chosen Style file. Each time you reload the song or hit the Play button, any edits you make to those other tracks will disappear and be replaced with notes generated by the style engine.
Quote:
The second idea, although I will not going to use the same phrase again, but I can edit the style and keep it just for this song. How about based on variation A and B, I edit the bars (say bar 7 and 8) with the phrase on all parts, then save it as variation C or D and use it where I need. Will this worked?
That *may* work. What I do instead is to edit the style and then save it under a new name. I then use the Style Change at Bar command to simply switch to that particular style when needed. I find this method to be good for the reason that, first, it does not overwrite the existing pgmusic style in case I need it again, second, because a lot of "riff based" parts can be so specific as to not need a full style with lots of cells and weighting in it, just the riff and maybe a slight variation of the riff in a following cell. I just prefer to use Style Changes rather than multiparts. Maybe because I'm more familiar with that, since we didn't get multiparts until relatively recently.
--Mac
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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 15
Enthusiast
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OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 15 |
Thanks Mac
Your suggestion on the second idea would be good. So just to make sure I understood completely:
For example, I have a 2 bar riff on bar 7 and 8, and the original style is called "FAB"
1. Open style FAB and save/rename it to FAB_new.
2. Working on FAB_New, use Style editor to edit the first 2 bars so it becomes the exact performance of the riff on all parts. (this is the bit I am not sure. shall I edit the first 2 bar and remove the rest, or keep the first six bars and edit only bar 7 and 8.
3.When happy with FAB_New save the new style.
4. Open style FAB (the original) then import chords, melodies etc.
5. On bar 7 choose "Style Change" to style FAB_New.
I guess this also works on customised ending and opening.
Thanks again
LJ
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Band-in-a-Box for Macintosh
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502 |
Well, there are several different ways to use the Style Editor.
I suggest you start out trying your idea there, for there is likely going to be a learning curve involved no matter how you do it.
**The Hybrid Style Wizard may be a good way to do this also. Download a MIDI file that has the desired riff already in it, then invoke the Hybrid Style Wizard on that file to start building your own style file from it. **
--Mac
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