RealTracks are Audio files, not MIDI, so generally cannot be exported as MIDI.
Some RealTracks have RealCharts which is the RealTrack that has been transcribed to MIDI
If a RealTrack has an associated RealChart, it will have an underline (short or long) with its name:
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
So can the RealChart aid in exporting to MIDI file?
Yes, if it has MIDI data, the simplest way is to use these two steps to get your MIDI file:
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
In a sense. If a RealTrack has notation (a RealChart), it is MIDI that can be saved to a file. RealCharts are sometimes exact performances, but other times they are just for educational purposes and lack any data for expression, volume etc.
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 has made a very worthwhile point. Don't expect any expressiveness in the data. The MIDI file is likely to just be a manually created transcription.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
If I save everything as midi, will the MGU file it lose expression when it is played on Band-in-a-Box? Or should I have two versions -- a midi and an MGU?
Another question -- I want to make the melody quite quiet (for a play along), except for an 8 bar fill in the middle of the song (I made the notes "invisible" in this section). What is the best way to do this?
I have tried playing around with "settings for current bar", but I'm not sure what the numbers mean, as in "louder per bar" it wants you to give it a number.
The MGU and SGU files are BIAB's file types. These save ALL information relating to the backing track you create. MIDI files, on the other hand, only save MIDI information and by saving only in this file-type, you'll will lose some data that was present in the BIAB file.
In other words, if you want to keep the best possible file with the most information, MGU/SGU files are the way to go.
Another question -- I want to make the melody quite quiet (for a play along), except for an 8 bar fill in the middle of the song (I made the notes "invisible" in this section). What is the best way to do this?
In Bar Settings (F5), set the "Melody | Change By" (Volume Changes button) to something like -20 for the first bar in the 8 bars you want the melody to be quieter. If -20 is still too loud, try -30, etc. Negative values reduce the volume and positive values increase it.
After the quieter 8 bars, you'll need to use F5 again to set the melody back to normal.
Another question -- I want to make the melody quite quiet (for a play along), except for an 8 bar fill in the middle of the song (I made the notes "invisible" in this section). What is the best way to do this?
I have tried playing around with "settings for current bar", but I'm not sure what the numbers mean, as in "louder per bar" it wants you to give it a number.
If you want Quiet, as in cannot hear it, just choose Mute If you want quieter, just choose reduce by say a value of -80 and listen to the result (you can choose a value of -127 to +127). Feel free to experiment with values. Remember to choose Back to Normal at the bar where you want the sound to resume/return to normal.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
When I use F5 and make a change does it just change one bar, or all the bars from there on? I'm guessing the later? But the red outline only appears around the bar number of one bar.
Without this forum I would give up in despair. The manual seems to lack detail about some things. Or it is difficult to find the information, if it is in there. Sometimes I try googling a question, and usually this forum pops up. I found one post that Noel had made in 2010, I think.
I hope BiaB is paying you helpful BiaB veterans because you provide a very valuable service.
Thanks so much for this information! When I use F5 and make a change does it just change one bar, or all the bars from there on? I'm guessing the later? But the red outline only appears around the bar number of one bar.
The change applies from that bar forward. Even though the red line appears at the location of the change, it continues until a different change is made elsewhere (further) in the song.
Quote:
I hope BiaB is paying you helpful BiaB veterans because you provide a very valuable service.
You comment about being helpful is greatly appreciated.
There are many dedicated forum members here. We're all just end-users, simply volunteers. Many have considerably more experience than me, and continue to unselfishly share their skills.
This really is a very great forum, because of the quality of all of the members.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
Velocity as it applies to MIDI means how hard you strike. Think of how hard you might press a key on a piano, for example, on a scale of 0 to 127. For most purposes, it translates into volume.
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.
This is generally what happens; however, some synths respond differently depending upon the velocity (how hard you strike the note). Sometimes you get a harsh sound at higher velocities, or sometimes you get a different articulation. But yes, velocity and volume generally are related.
That being said, all MIDI notes have a specified velocity in a range from 0 to 127, but the track the MIDI data is on also has a specified volume setting. So velocity is sort of like volume within volume (or as I like to view it, the strength of the note at that volume setting).
So, if your volume settings went from, say, 1 to 10. Then, if you strike a note with velocity of 127 (the highest velocity), and your volume is set to 8, that's the loudest that instrument will play at volume 8. If you up the volume to 10, then velociy 127 is the loudest it will play at volume 10. You can kind of think of velocity as the strength of the note in relation to the volume setting.
But conversely, you can hit a note with velocity of 127 at volume 1 and it will be very quiet; however a note with velocity of say 50 at volume 10 would be louder than the note at volume 1, because it's all relative.
Hope that made sense, or maybe I made it worse.
John
Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 12TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB SATA
1. MIDI export defines my work style. I often create the framework for songs in BIAB, then port them into Propellerhead Reason, which is, among other things, a high-quality MIDI-based soft synth. From there I revoice, expand, and massage at will.
2. Jford’s remark about “different synths” responding differently to velocity is actually a patch-dependent effect called “zoning.” It is caused by mapping different samples (digitally recorded sounds) to velocity values. A simple patch might have a clean electric piano sound from 1-80 and a distorted sound from 81-128 to simulate overloading an instrument amplifier at higher volume.
Of course, it can be much more complicated; I have a book on the subject. It is not germane to the discussion, but it’s pretty interesting!
Richard
"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
Lesley, as you can see MIDI is very complex which is why people who are good with MIDI are sometimes referred to as "midiots".
I'll mention General Midi or GM because Biab is based on GM. GM is the simple brain dead way to work with midi. The Coyote Wavetable synth that is included with Biab along with the Sfzorando synth are both GM. They have a limited soundset and have limited control over the individual patches (instruments). This could be good enough for you and if so stop here, you're happy don't mess with it.
BUT if you want to have much better sounds, more control which means much more realistic sounds then you have to move up to more expensive softsynths like the aforementioned Reason, Sampletank, Kontakt etc. Those are NOT GM meaning you have to manually set each instrument for each part inside Biab, they will not simply play automatically. Well, they might play SOMETHING, but not what you expect. The piano track for example may be sounding a completely different instrument, even drums. Hearing that will cause you to post here in a panic if you don't understand what's happening.
The complete explanation of this is long and complex, I'm just giving you a heads up about it.
Thank you for all this additional information, though some of has gone right over my head!
I am an absolute beginner with regards to midi. I asked about it because someone at the chromatic harmonica forum (where I have been posting links to my play-along videos) asked me if I could supply midi files, so he could adjust the tempo. So I think i just need basic, simple midi for that--a simple midi accompaniment.
I'm going to sneak in a non-midi question: How do you handle a "pause" , that is, an upper semi-circle with a dot inside it, above the staff line. Is there a way to make Band-in-a-Box pause?
One way to do it in BIAB is to slow down the tempo for that measure. Press F5 on the measure and there are two types of tempo adjustment. Then go to the next measure, do F5, and set the tempo back to normal.
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.
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!
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Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: The Newly Designed Piano Roll Window
In this video, we explore the updated Piano Roll, complete with a modernized look and exciting new features. You’ll see new filtering options that make it easy to focus on specific note groups, smoother and more intuitive note entry and editing, and enhanced options for zooming, looping, and more.
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: AI Stems & Notes - split polyphonic audio into instruments and transcribe
This video demonstrates how to use the new AI-Notes feature together with the AI-Stems splitter, allowing you to select an audio file and have it separated into individual stems while transcribing each one to its own MIDI track. AI-Notes converts polyphonic audio—either full mixes or individual instruments—into MIDI that you can view in notation or play back instantly.
Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®
With your version 2026 for Windows Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!
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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)
Android Band-in-a-Box® App (included)
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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)
Join Tobin as he takes you on a tour of the new user interface in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®! This modern GUI redesign offers a sleek new look with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, and a smoother workflow. The brand-new side toolbar puts track selection, the MultiPicker Library, and other essential tools right at your fingertips. Plus, our upgraded Multi-View lets you layer multiple windows without overlap, giving you a highly flexible workspace. Many windows—including Tracks, Piano Roll, and more—have been redesigned for improved usability and a cleaner, more intuitive interface, and more!
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