Hi friends, Very new to BIAB/RB. Trying to establish a sensible workflow for myself. A word about me:

1. A horn player, not a polyphonist
2. Better reader than a transcriber
3. Better melodist than chord-based composer
4. A limited theorist, though I understand jazz basics

I have melodic ideas that I'd like to build a tune around. I'll know appropriate chords when I hear them against the melody. I realize this is sort of bass-ackwards of the 'BIAB Way!'

I've read about the Melodist, Soloist, Reharmonist, and Chord Wizard and messed around with Notation and Big Piano but I've not yet been able to find my way yet.

As I said, I read better than I write, so it's difficult entering a melody with complex rhythm into Notation. There doesn't seem any way to enter that melody into notation w/ the Big Piano. Without clicking into the next note position in the staff, the piano just writes notes over notes without the appropriate rhythm. There is some outside software that can listen to a sung or played melody and transcribe it very well. I assume BIAB doesn't do that, but would transcribe well from a MIDI entry. I'd love not to have to work outside of BIAB/RealBand. I tried this today, and the outside app did a great job on transcription, but the rhythm of the MIDI file imported into BIAB from the outside was very off.

I'm thinking a MIDI keyboard is the way, hunt n' pecking a tune into BIAB, then quantizing and speeding it up as the melodic basis for the chord generation. Somewhere it's claimed that the computer keyboard can function as a note entry device?! I've also thought about laying down a scratch horn track of my own. Could someone walk me through generating a chord pattern in either of these ways, or suggest a better way? I hope I've provided enough info to get your wheels turning to help me out of my newbie rut! Thanks so very much!

Best, Warren

Warren A. Keller- Woodwindist/Producer
Spontaneous Groovin' Combustion
Tune 9 Music- SESAC