Hi Folks,there is something that I've been puzzled by. I have a collection of some old midi songs which I use in the days I had a Roland Brush Midi Player SD35 . Lately I have been trying to load some into BIAB2018, do a little editing/adjusting (in Events list)then saving the song. Then creating an MP3. The MP3 goes onto a Samgsung Tablet then to my mixer as a back-track to jam with and sing-along. I noticed as an MP3 some songs are losing a few notes right at the begining. When I play the song in BIAB it's fine and I hear all the notes, but they are missing as an MP3. I also notice when I look at the "Events List" in BIAB some of the events are timed in minus values and do not start at Bar 1 but before Bar 1. Could this be causing the problem, what can I do? Kind Regards. Bryan.
It’s not the MP3; that’s audio and could not be failing to play some notes. The problem is whatever is producing the notes that are recorded into an MP3. Your Roland is one of the few Roland MIDI synths I’ve never used, but they all have a spec for polyphony ( the number of notes that can sound simultaneously). After you add harmony and strings, certain patches can overload the module. Are you hearing all the notes in BIAB when you play the song?
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
I have the idea that is the notes which fall into the minus in the events list. Forgive me but I'm not very skilled. I still use an very old version of Cakewalk when I buy a midi file, to edit and customize the file by changing instruments, controls etc . When I load a midi file into this cakewalk all events start at measure 1. When I load the same midi into BIAB some events are -1 measure. I can't get me head around that. When I make an MP3 it seems that the MP3 notes which are in the minus (-1) measure are dropped and the audible notes start only from the notes from measure 1 and on from there. Not sure if its making sense. Thanks for the replies, much appreciated.
The bars -1 and 0 are count-in bars in BIAB. This nomenclature is used so that bar 1 represents the start of the music.
I'm surprised that some parts of your midi are starting in the -1 bar region. Whenever I've loaded midi files into BIAB, they automatically load correctly. The only time I've had notes appear before bar 1 is if they are a few pickup notes.
(Pick up notes are usually two or three melody notes that occur before the first bar. See the upper image below.)
For what it is worth, I encourage you to begin experimenting with Realband to work with midi. It's possible to have the different midi channels of different tracks. In this way, it's more like Cakewalk.
Realband also makes it very easy to see if everything aligns. BIAB is a bit 'clunky' when working with fully fledged midi files.
I've just made a discovery. This might help...
If the "Options | Preferences | Count-in/Met" 'Lead In' is deacativated, then BIAB will not play pickup notes that occur in bar 0.
Have a look at the lower graphic below and make sure that you have the same settings for #4 that I have (i.e. that it's been activated).
It also depends upon whether you "open" the MIDI file or "import" it to the melody track. If you import it, you have to take the 2-bar lead in into account in the options when you bring it in.
John
Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 12TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB SATA
Thanks Guys for the advice. I will have a go and let you know how it works out. Things used to be so simple when I was a kid. The "old" fellows then had a language of their own I remember when they jammed one would call out a song title and say in "Katvoet" translated it means cat paw. Eventually I worked out the song was in D and it had something to do with the chord shape on the guitar which looked a bit like a cat foot print. Regards. Bryan.
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® users: Build 904 now available!
If you're already using Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, make sure to grab the latest update! Build 904 is now available for download and includes the newest additions and enhancements from our team.
PowerTracks 2026 is here—bringing powerful new enhancements designed to make your production workflow faster, smoother, and more intuitive than ever.
The enhanced Mixer now shows Track Type and Instrument icons for instant track recognition, while a new grid option simplifies editing views. Non-floating windows adopt a modern title bar style, replacing the legacy blue bar.
The Master Volume is now applied at the end of the audio chain for consistent levels and full-signal master effects.
Tablature now includes a “Save bends when saving XML” option for improved compatibility with PG Music tools. Plus, you can instantly match all track heights with a simple Ctrl-release after resizing, and Add2 chords from MGU/SGU files are now fully supported... and more!
Get started today—first-time packages start at just $49.
Already using PowerTracks Pro Audio? Upgrade for as little as $29 and enjoy the latest improvements!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows Special Offers End Tomorrow (January 15th, 2026) at 11:59 PM PST!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, January 15, 2026!
We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
Version 2026 introduces a modernized GUI redesign across the program, with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, and a new Dark Mode option. There’s also a new side toolbar for quicker access to commonly used windows, and the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, making it easier to customize your workspace.
Another exciting new addition is the new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. You can view the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to process an entire track or focus on specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Windows to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade during our special, you'll receive a Free Bonus PAK of exciting new add-ons.
If you need any help deciding which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We are here to help!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® Special Offers Extended Until January 15, 2026!
Good news! You still have time to upgrade to the latest version of Band-in-a-Box® for Windows® and save. Our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® special now runs through January 15, 2025!
We've packed Band-in-a-Box® 2026 with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can process an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PST on January 15th, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® today! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all the purchase options available.
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.