PG Music Home Forums PG Music Product Forums Band-in-a-Box for Windows Bye bye, BIAB

The "mad face" you see was NOT posted by Cerio! Cerio used an online service called TinyPic to post a screen capture when he posted this in 2016. But TinyPic went out of business recently so any images previously hosted there are now replaced by that image. This illustrates a disadvantage of this forum that does not allow uploading of images; sometimes they go away and whatever intelligence was contained in them for the forum goes away too.

BTW, in that post Peter thanked Cerio for the post!

Hmmm, OK. Yes, I know Peter said that but considering how minor that issue was that "mad" pic really seemed over the top to me and now it's some weird internet mistake? Well, I still have issues with Cerio but maybe not so many now. I agree with Roger about the grandstanding exit.

Jan, I can't let this go either. We went over your issues with Biab not using the higher extension chords in detail in your other threads. It's the RT's only that do not use those chords. Midi tracks for guitar and piano use every one of those chords, remember? I even posted notation pics showing that and you agreed. You do have a point about the bass so if you want to say that fine but to post here that Biab cannot handle anything other than 7th chords is unfair. Midi is a huge part of the program.

I also pointed out the problem with having the RT's play all those extensions which is they have to be recorded by the artist. Adding who knows how many new chords to a piano RT could double or even triple the file size. Even if the program can handle a RT file that big it makes logical sense that would greatly increase the generation times. Since there are already lots of posts complaining about that, what's the solution? I don't know but if doing that does greatly increase the generation time then you can handle the new complaints about that.

You can use the midi instruments for your complex chords and RT's for everything else and if you don't like the quality of the midi sounds then get a better synth.

Bob

>> Noticing that Biab doesn’t live up to its’ promise to play “all the chords” and really only knows 7 chords (7 7th chords to be precise) was another big let down.

Dzjang,

That's a feature called "Natural Arrangements", not a bug. You can turn the feature off Prefs-Display'Natural Arrangements-Never. That would turn it off for all songs, until you enable it again.

You can turn it off for a single song (via SongSettings button or Edit-Song Settings)

With the feature off, if you type | Gm9 | C9#11 |, the rhythm section will play those exact chords. With the feature on, the rhythm section will think more like | Gm7 | C7 | and play some embellishments based on those chords. This is how real musicians play (try handing Herbie Hancock | Gm9 | C9#11| on a leadsheet and see if he plays those exact chords) , but if you want the exact chords you are specifying, then turn that feature off. (similar to telling Herbie - please play those exact chords)

btw, that feature just affects jazz styles (not pop, or country)

HI Bob

I posted a heads up about the demise of Tiny pics back at the beginning of AUG when those of us that images hosted there were informed .

Link to my post .

https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=77586&Number=547674#Post547674

It is a pain but that’s what happens sometimes with free host!
One particular problem with this host was that you could host pics there without being a member. In this case of course you would not be notified of the closure.
So we may well see a lot of that little man where folks used it to insert diagrams and images.


Stay cool man!
Mike

It is not "some weird internet mistake"! But I see how it could be confusing if you are unfamiliar with how it works.

This forum does not allow uploading of images so if you wish to post a screenshot to illustrate your post you must do so somewhere else. Most folks here do not likely have access to their own server so they use free image hosting services like TinyPic.

First they create the image then they upload it to TinyPic. And finally they add the link to it in their BIAB forum post. Whenever the post is displayed that image is automatically retrieved from the external hosting and displayed in the post.

BUT, if the image is removed at some point in the future that post cannot display it any longer and instead will display a broken image icon or a placeholder image which, in this case, was that little "mad face" from TinyPic that you see in the post.

I wish the PG forum allowed uploading images instead of requiring 3rd-party hosting for this very reason. Over time, as forum users come and go, anything they posted in the form of an image will likely disappear. So, imagine a user like Pipeline who provides some really great step-by-step instructions for doing things in BIAB. And then imagine he stops using BIAB or at least stops using the forum. When it comes time to renew a hosting account or clear out some files those old BIAB forum post images will likely be forgotten and deleted. That means knowledge contained within this forum will go missing. And that is a shame.

Another reason to require uploading images instead of linking to them from a 3rd-party is the image can be changed at any time on the 3rd-party site, by the poster or by a hacker. What if someone decided to change all of those lovely step-by-step instructive images with p0rn? That p0rn would be displayed right along with the post until someone reported it and PGM removed the post.

As an example, below you will see an image of you and your new little pal. Lemme know when you have viewed this and then I will change it to something bad (not real bad) without ever touching this post!



NOTE: Your avatar cannot be changed in this manner because that image is uploaded to PGM forum and stored there! I simply downloaded a copy of your avatar and your little buddy to make the image!


I don't disagree with you here. It would not be my style to leave in such a fashion either. Maybe he was just frustrated and blowing off some steam?

Hi Cerio,

It's always sad to see familiar names leave. I hope that good things happen for you on your new journey.

All the best,
Noel

HI John

Just to say in case some folk don’t know that while you cant upload images to the forum so that they show up in the body of the post at point that you may want to insert them.
Unless you use a third party site.

You can providing you are in the full post screen not the quick reply screen .

Attach an image at the end of the post using the file manager at the bottom of screen, providing it is below a certain size 2M and reasonable dimensions about 800 wide seems fine but 640X480 should be readable for most folk.
Mike

Hi Mike!

WOW! Thank you for that! Now I wish everyone would use that and stop using 3rd-party hosting so the forum knowledge would stay put!!

@ Cerio, I can hear you ! I know how you feel, I have been there done that many a time from shear frustration, and think why do I bother.
It really puts me off and makes me want to give up when other users are over defensive about RealBand and Biab and deny there are bugs and crashes, I won't mention any names but jazzmammal knows who I'm talking about how many new users have been pounced on never to return ?
Cerio you have contributed so much over the years I would suggest having a good long break from it and see what 2020 brings.

All software has limitations and this includes Band in a Box of course. I tend to use the software in quite a straightforward manner and use it to output wave files which I then work on in my DAW. There are loads of limitations such as the 4 chords a bar, RealDrums as stereo file, 255 bar limit etc etc. Overall though I have not encountered many errors and found it to be pretty stable. Also I really can’t think of any other programs that offer what Band in a Box can do and which is pretty remarkable despite any issues it may have.

I hope you reconsider your viewpoint and give the program (and the forum) another chance. Whatever you decide I wish you all the best with your music making.

+1 on that.
I think BIAB is trying too hard to be all things to all men.
Mostly I stick to its core concept of Arranging and creating SGU's to become my backing tracks and mostly (lol) all is well
Ian

Ok, my current BIAB version of BIAB is 2018.

Having said that, I've been using BIAB since v. 2004, and the only problem I ever had with it in the at least seven different computers I've had it on, was upgrading Windows from v. 8.1 to v. 10, which it took about three minutes to solve via the chat.

Of course, I haven't been facing all the problems associated with both the new 2019 features and the 64-bit recoding of the program, so I can't really fully understand the level of grievance you've had so you've decided to throw the towel, so to speak.

The only good thing is, as you already paid for the program, you can re-install it and re-use it once you'll realize the big mistake you've made uninstalling it.

Yours very truly,

OP
Guilty. It's called loyalty to Peter and his Co.I still stand by my opinion that there is more user error than bugs.

Wow indeed JJJ. That's only been available for 6 or 8 years? Maybe longer. That's why I didn't understand the problem with that pic.

Pipeline, first I want you to know I really appreciate what you do. We're completely cool as far as I'm concerned. My only issue with just a few certain posters is their strident attitudes. This or that thing MUST be done. They're very demanding in their attidude. They imply if it's not done, the program is a POS, PGM is an unresponsive company. They continually say PGM is not responsive to their users because some of these things have been talked about for years and NOTHING IS DONE!!! They love to use exclamation point!!! It's like posting in ALL CAPS IT'S LIKE SHOUTING ALL THE TIME. That's that attitude I think is unfair and I'll call them out on it. But it's only a few.

And the biggest single thing certain people will continually say is they can't live with Biab because of all the crashing. I'll ask what crashing? They never respond with details. I'll tell them Biab is very stable tell us what you did and they say something like all it does is crash man, it's terrible. They never give us the details and then they may disappear from the forum. Does that mean I chased them away?

Cerio just did that with this thread. I asked him several times to give us the details of his crash. What did I get back? Squat. And he's done that before, I called him on it and got nothing.

Yet he leaves us with this: Biab crashes so much, I just can't stand it, I'm done! Bye bye.

Bob

I'm still perplexed by the grandstanding, attention-seeking exit. If you want to leave, go. Making a big show of it is ridiculous IMO.

I've found BIAB to be very stable, and the company to be very responsive. I certainly can't speak for others' experiences, but that's mine. Furthermore, if I have questions or need advice, I come to these forums - I have found the users to be very informed and helpful. Should I ever have a problem or issue, I'll take that up directly with PG Music privately (I'm betting if I do, my concerns will be addressed promptly). If, for whatever reason, I become dissatisfied - don't see that happening - I'll just stop using the program and stop frequenting these boards.

What I WON'T do is submit a "you won't have ol' RB to kick around anymore!" post on my way out. I don't have a high enough opinion of myself to think anyone would care.

My 2 cents.

Roger,
Thanks. To be honest, we’ve been flat out busy on the Mac version of BiaB 2019 over the last few months (64 bit program and VST/AU plugin), but that is released now, and we can be more responsive to individual Windows issues that arise. There have been over 100 added features and fixes to BiaB 2019 since its release in Dec. 2019, detailed here https://www.pgmusic.com/support_windowsupdates.htm#632

Do you understand now? The way the forum is set up it encourages the use of images stored elsewhere and that is why many (most?) users use it that way. And it IS a problem because of the reasons I stated.

Cerio has been very loyal to PG Music products.

Users may not remember or know, but Cerio was the first, and as far as I know only, third party to offer aftermarket RealDrums. How much devotion or love of product does an action like that illustrate?

Sometimes a break is necessary for a variety of reasons. I hope Cerio will consider a break from the forum sufficient but he must do what's best for him.

I wish him well and hope to see his return sometime in the future.

You are right Jim, I purchased all of Cerio's drums from RealDrumsforBiab.com they are great and still use them.

We all get frustrated at times and post !!!!!
but we always come back as nothing can do what Biab does !!
Maybe the yelling and complaining helps as we do now have 64bit, a Plugin and a Mac Cat Compat 64bit and Plugin, and that's a quantum leap for PG.

Exactly!