The only DAW I've spent a significant amount of time with is Cakewalk (formerly Cakewalk Sonar Platinum). One of the handy features I've come to rely on in Cakewalk is multiple files will remain open until closed in Cakewalk. And one really handy aspect of having multiple files open is it becomes very simple to cut and paste sections of files between two or more files. I've come to take it for granted. It's a lot like the way we all use word processors these days to cut and paste text. We all assume that any word processor worth being called such can perform this simple feat.
Sadly, BiaB can't. Or at least I haven't figured out yet how to do it. I'm aware of the box one can check to allow multiple instances of BiaB to run. And I assumed the first time I loaded multiple instances that this would be a way to do a bit of cut and pasting. But I found out to my deep disappointment that this wasn't to be. I mean, what's the point in having more than one instance if you can't share data between files?
Anyway, that's my wish. Multiple files so that data can be shared between them. Oh, and if this is a feature that already exists, then please let me know what I need to know so I can do this.
With 2 instances of BB you can copy from the audio track to audio track. You need to save the track as Performance and move it to the audio track, copy the section of track you like to the other audio track and so on. You can save a master stereo wav of your song, load it in the second instance audio track, generate up 7 of the same instrument, solo track 1 and the audio track if there is a section you like make a note of it, now solo track 2 and the audio track and make a note of any sections you like. Now you can save track 1 as a Performance and move to audio track replacing the song master, now with "Snap" on copy the section you like to the audio track with "Snap" on in the first instance and so on.
...It's a lot like the way we all use word processors these days to cut and paste text. We all assume that any word processor worth being called such can perform this simple feat....
If it's just chords you need to copy you can do it the word processor way:
The first instance of BB File > Save Special > Save Song ABC Notation File.. select one instrument check ONLY Include Chords Copy to clipboard
paste in Notepad
The second instance of BB do the same
paste in the bottom of Notepad as below
now you can make it into one new song with a bit of cut n paste save it as new song.abc File> Open Special > Open ABC Notation Music File..
Thanks for responses guys. Actually what I was wanting to do was share MIDI melody data, not chords. Chords are a piece of cake. Melody is quite a bit more complicated. See, here's a more complete explanation.
Occasionally I'll use the Melodist utility to generate a melody. Most of the time it's pretty forgettable stuff, but every once in a while the Melodist will hit on something that I'll consider a keeper. So what I'll do is have the Melodist generate several melodies and then I find that I might have a few clips worth adding to the melody. Now, I could just print out what the Melodist has generated and then enter the notation myself, and while it would be rather tedious, at least it would work. But here's the kicker -- the Melodist is actually pretty slick when it generates melodies. There's a lot of quantization going on and also quite a bit of variation in volume, all in a bid to make the melody sound "natural." Duplicating this level of quantization means I would have to right click on every single note and type in the data from the Melodist's generated notes. That suddenly becomes an ordeal I'd just as soon live without.
BUT!!!! Pipeline's mentioning copying stuff to the Notepad gave me an idea. What if I copied notation data just doing a CTL-C, then clicking on the popup BiaB generates, exit that file, load the target file, locate the cursor where I want to insert the notes, then do a CTL-V. And guess what? It worked! So, I dunno if the BiaB folks are even aware of this, but it turns out that this is a function that can be accomplished by just doing a simple copy to the Notepad.
Actually, turns out it is a little more involved than that. I found I had to clear the area in the target file where I wanted to insert the new note data first. If there are any notes in the target area, they can't be there cuz trying to get rid of them using the Cut or CTL-X command dumps the saved notes from the Notepad. Not really a big deal, cuz it's something I'd need to do anyway.
That should also work copying notes in the piano roll. You can also Import SGU and select what you want from it like Melody/Soloist tracks and what bars to bar locations. As well as Import MIDI File and select where you want it.
Thanks for the reminder, Pipeline. I thought I'd remembered running across that capability before, but I'll be dinged if I could find it last time I looked. Although it was just sitting right there. Selective dyslexia strikes again, which is a term I've coined for not seeing something that's staring me right in the face. And you're right, that'll work just as well. Plus this utility has an overwrite ability, something that my cut and paste method lacks.
I'm happy to report, however, that the cut and paste method works well. I was able to successfully copy into a tune a few snippets from a couple different Melodist generations which helped me complete a melody I'd been working on.
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