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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2018
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OP
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So I just purchased BIAB Pro 2018
I entered the chords for "Blue and Green" and used real tracks to generate the piano part. Did this 3 times to get 3 different versions.
This sound has a few specific chords such as Dm69, A7#9, E7#9, A7b13-
So I printed up the piano part and was really disappointed. The program either just wouldn't play a #9 or it would play a 9th or a b9.
It never played the 6th for the Dm69 chord
It never played the b13th either.
Anyone else having this problem?
I had purchased this program to use as part of teaching and analyzing voicings. Obviously this isn't going to work so I'm looking for any solution.
Thanks
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2012
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Welcome to the forums.
Firstly, if you used a RealTrack then the notation chart may have been manually transcribed. However, you mentioned a Piano RealTrack, and for Piano that is more likely to be the actual note-for-note recording of the original RealTrack.
You mentioned: "So I printed up the piano part and was really disappointed. The program either just wouldn't play a #9 or it would play a 9th or a b9."
Can I interpret this that you didn't see those notes in the notation, or you couldn't hear those notes in the playback?
Under Options > Preferences > Arrange, there is a feature called Natural Arrangements
You can also get to the Natural Arrangements setting for individual tracks by clicking on the track in the mixer and choosing Track Settings.
Experimenting with these options may alter the results you are receiving.
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.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Oct 2008
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I agree with Videotrack, if natural arrangements is set on, it may have simplified the chord for you.
Also, Realtracks can only play what chords the recording artist who played the Realtrack used. This means that while one might not get the required chord on one Realtrack, it will be present on other Realtracks.
For example... The chords you list are more likely to be found in jazz Realtracks. If a country-based Realtrack was used, they may not be present.
What was the name and number of the Realtrack(s) you tested? I'll give them a test run.
Regards,
Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
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Even if you turn off Natural Arrangement for a song, you may still not hear the correct voicing in a RealTrack. Try another style, as it’s possible the artists who recorded a particular style didn’t record the chord you want. You can just try another individual RealTrack also.
If you use a MIDI track, you should always hear the correct voicing.
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; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Sep 2001
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Try midi - midi does exactly what it's told. live musicians don't! and that's what you get with RealTracks
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2018
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OP
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Thanks for the reply.
Since yesterday I did another test - I entered the following chords -
E7#9, A7#9, A7b13, and Dm69
I went through all the realtrack styles I had and then "generated" the song. As the song played I looked at the Piano view -
Never did the program play any #9 notes - either it played the 9th or even a b9 but never a #9. I went into chord builder and entered E7#9 and clicking on "preview" - it did play the #9. I entered it - went back to the song - but no luck - still no #9.
The program never played a b13 nor the 6th of the Dm chord - lots of 7th for the Dm but never a 6th.
So I didn't hear the right notes plus the notation screen never showed the right notes either.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2018
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OP
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The problem with using MIDI is the quality of sound. I purchased this program only because of the Real Tracks. Even though the VST is better than years before it still isn't that great.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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I have tried ALL the jazz styles listed under realtracks. I purchased the PRO version so I only have a handful of styles available. But none of them would play a #9
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2018
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OP
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I'd like you posters to try the same experiment I'm doing - just enter a simple progression of 7th chords with a #9 and ones with b13ths, and minor chords with a 6th. See if you can get the program to correctly play the voicings.
Please let me know what you find out.
Thanks for all the help -
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2018
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OP
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nope - entered the chords correctly and in BIAB pro 2018 - there is a m69 chords available.
Update - I've tried using just MIDI as someone suggested and it does indeed work. Unfortunately it's very basic and nothing close to sounding like real tracks.
the solution I think is to keep the chords a 7th chords and I'll play the #9s and b13ths. At least then I won't have a backing track that is playing the chords incorrectly.
I did talk to tech support and they said that maybe other real tracks would play the #9s but they were unsure which tracks those would be. With Pro I only got a handful of jazz styles so would need to move up to a more expensive version with the hope of more real tracks.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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I know I hear #9 but I primarily use Latin styles. I do have all the tracks available.
This is not meant to excuse what you are not hearing, but experiment with 7alt chords, too. Often the intelligence used by the program selects a #9 in that chord type.
Thinking out loud without checking (not at my BIAB computer), there are some local and global settings to explore, such as ‘jazz up the chords’ or ‘simplify’. If you had simplify selected, it might explain the program failing to play the correct upper extensions. But I’m not sure if these settings affect MIDI only.
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; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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You can try Song Settings > Avoid Transpositions in RealTracks.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Using Real Tracks, Poll winners medium swing, I entered a series of 7#9 chords and didn't get any #9 chords, the only 9th I got were natural ninths. Never noticed it before because I only use bass and drums for accompaniment.
Asus Q500A i7 Win 10 64 bit 8GB ram 750 HD 15.5" touch screen, BIAB 2017, Casio PX 5s, Xw P1, Center Point Stereo SS V3 and EWI 4000s.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Latecomer to this thread. Searched the site to see if anyone was having this same problem. Yes, Real Tracks doesn't voice 7#9 or 7b5 chords. Quite annoying. One might say that it flattens the affect of some tunes. SOME of the midi styles will, some won't.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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I would like to see a song posted that demonstrates that, with Natural Arrangement off, you cannot hear a #9 in those chords that have it.
We have been told about chord progressions but do not yet have specific styles and RealTracks to test. I don't know from these comments which instruments are being used. Could we have a song, both the .MGU file and an audio snippet?
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; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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(Take a quick look back at Pipeline's previous post that shows a screen capture of the "Biab Chord Picker" Window)
I guess people have far greater expectations than I, when it comes to being able to get a RealTrack to play a specific chord.
And especially the chords that "musicmanboy" is looking for.
Is it reasonable to expect that, when PGMusic hires musicians to do a RealTracks recording session, said musician will be expected to record each of those chords, in multiple keys?
If I was PGMusic at that recording session, I would ask myself, how much of my customer base is going to need all "one hundred plus" of those chords, played in all twelve keys? Then make an appropriate request to the musician, based on what my (and my customers) expectations should be.
Not to mention, how much time and money is being tied up in the recording session!
I guess my point is, if I absolutely HAD to have an Asusb9#11b13 chord in my song, I wouldn't have expected a RealTrack to play it, even though the Chord Picker says I can enter it to the chord sheet. I'd be looking for a MIDI track, and a suitable sound source, enter the chord, and if necessary, fix up the notes in the Piano Roll to get the voicing I wanted, then freeze that track.
Just my 2¢ (CDN).
LLOYD S
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