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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Bunyip Offline OP
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Hi folks.

This is my first post, with a problem, of course.

When I do a quick play of an RT style it works fine. When I try the Play Using Current chord sheet for song option, the sound is terribly distorted.

I tried the same file in Real Band and that worked fine.

I use ASIO drivers with my Steinberg UR22 MK11 interface. I have tried increasing the latency buffer to no avail, tried WAS and MME drivers to no avail.

I am using an ASUS laptop with an AMD E450 1.65gh processor. I guess this is the crux of my problem and I am looking to buy a new computer with a faster processor.

I would appreciate any suggestions people may have.

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Firstly, welcome to the forums.

What version of BIAB are you using? Is it 2018?


In the meantime, here's what I'd try...

1. Switch to MME as the audio driver for the moment. In 99 out of 100 cases, this is the best audio driver to use when problem solving. ("Audio | Audio Driver/Settings")

2. Unplug any attached USB BIAB-related audio devices.

3. Exit BIAB.

4. Make sure the the latest update is installed. You can check this by having a look under "Help | About Band In A Box". The update in use will be in brackets after the year version. The present update for 2018 is #509. The below site is where you can get the updates from. Simply download it and doubleclick on it to install it. Just check that the installation paths are correct when that option presents itself.

http://www.pgmusic.com/support_windowsupdates.htm

5. Restart your computer. (Restart is necessary to make sure that all memories are fully cleared. Logging off or putting the computer to sleep doesn't do this.)

6. When you computer has fully booted up.

7. Right-click on the startup icon for BIAB and start the program by selecting "Run as administrator".

Now give BIAB a test run and see if it's working any better?

If you still do not have any joy....

8. Go into "Options | Preferences | Realtracks" and deactivate the "Speed up generation of Realtracks" (#3 on the image below).

9. OK your way out of the Realtracks preferences.

Now test BIAB to see if the problem still persists.

How's it behaving now?


Lastly, if there is still no joy, is the sound you are hearing the same as the sound in the below Youtube clip?

https://youtu.be/mpL3CJW5byA

Regards,
Noel

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generation-speed up.JPG (83.85 KB, 90 downloads)

MY SONGS...
Audiophile BIAB 2026
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There's a topic on the steinberg forum about static and the UR22, drivers related?
UR22 static


PS Noel, just a Q, what windows do you use? Your display's BIAB fonts seem better readable than mine with windows 10, tweaked for speed. F

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Hi fiddler,

I'm on Windows 7 and I have the font display (under "Control Panel | Personalisation | Display") set to a custom 140% (I cheat).

Also, when I take a screencapture, because of my screen resolution, it's a very big graphic when loaded on the forums so I always resize my graphics to 75% using Irfanview.

Regards,
Noel


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Aye Capt'n, you shoot fast; thanks, i am going not back to 7 LoL, had too much issues with permissions and installers; IMO windows 10, tweaked, trimmed and skimmed off all those unneeded "goodies", seems a lot faster and more stable. F

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Bunyip Offline OP
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Noel, thanks for your detailed response to my questions.

I have BIAB 2018.

I've tried everything suggested but no change. The CPU is maxing out at 100% when trying to play a song with Real instruments. If I load a MIDI style it works fine.

The brighter side of this is the justification to buy a new computer. I'm not sure whether to get a notebook or desktop PC, but it's fun looking at what's available.

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Is your issue with a particular style. In theory at least RealTracks should cause less CPU use than midi with synths etc. Some RealTracks however could have something such as Amplitube running. Something like Amplitube or some other additive may be the cause of the high CPU.

Noel or TV will have better explanations than I but I would try a style that has no extras first.

Just a thought

Tony.


HP i7-4770 16GB 1TB SSD, Win 10 Home,
Focusrite 2i2 3rd Gen, Launchkey 61, Maton CW80, Telecaster, Ovation Elite TX, Yamaha Pacifica 612
BB 2022(912) RB 2022(2), CakeWalk, Reaper 6, Audacity, Melodyne 5 Editor, Izotope Music Production Suite 4.1
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