|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 85
Enthusiast
|
OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 85 |
I only bought BiaB a few days ago, but I cannot begin to tell you how IDEAL this software is for my intended use. I am an old hand at songwriting, having written a LOT of tracks for both band-oriented music as well as various videogame and indie film soundtracks. Oddly enough, NONE of the material I've written over the decades is in the "jazz" territory, even though I've been STEEPED in the jazz standards, having absorbed and performed a LOT of songs from the usual suspects (Cole Porter, Sammy Cahn, Jimmy Van Heusen, etc.) over the years. So, loving this classic material so much, I recently got it into my head to write and record some NEW songs that have that "timeless" vibe. I've been playing around with melodies and chord progressions in my head for a while, but hadn't really committed anything to paper or recording. Having not looked at BiaB for a while, I stumbled across it again by accident, and thought, "Hey, if this let's me play with arrangements the way I think it will, it could shave a lot of time off of my songwriting process, and let me experiment with song ideas in semi-finished form without having to re-record on a traditional DAW every time I want to go back and tweak a song. The idea for me was, I'll get the songs tuned and "perfect" in BiaB before I ever open up my DAW to start "real" tracking. Well, as I have discovered very quickly, this BiaB thing is a godsend. Having already spent a few days coming up to speed with the software, last night I FINALLY got some uninterrupted time with BiaB, and I was stunned to find that at the end of the evening, I had managed to write and arrange THREE ENTIRE SONGS. I've got full arrangements, lyrics, melodies, everything I need to start laying down tracks. Wow. As an incredible bonus, BiaB let me discover that I really DO have a flair for writing this swingin' jazz stuff. Yeah, having lived and breathed the classics for so long probably has a lot to do with how easy it feels for me to do this "new" thing, but having BiaB around to instantly play back my arrangements as I build them, with the proper feel, goes a LONG way toward inspiring me as I write. I also love the way I can record scratch tracks of vocals, so I don't have to write charts or other notation to remind me of some cool lyrical phrasing or melody for my songs. This combined with the lyric sheet capability gives me all I need to do some SERIOUS songwriting without opening up any other apps or using pen-and-paper. Let me also mention that I'm probably going to have to buy that Coyote Forte sampler plugin before the 30day trial runs out. It makes the MIDI parts much more pleasant and listenable than the normal GM instruments. I'm surprised in particular that the brushed drums and upright bass patches are so usable. This keeps my RealDrums/RealTracks usage to a minimum, so re-generation times are reduced and I have the option of exporting some of the midi as a foundation to drive even better virtual instruments when it comes time to put together finished tracks. Is it PERFECT? No, no software is perfect. Is it ideal for what I'm doing? Yes, yes it is. It's like the developers read my mind and said, "Let's make an app so that EightString can write his jazz album with minimal fuss and maximum creative flow." SWEET! Oh, and all this songwriting is being done on my little Acer Aspire netbook and some earbuds. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,926
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,926 |
ONE OF US! ONE OF US!  R.
"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,333
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,333 |
And don't forget the lurking on the new are most of the Jazz Standards and other stuff already done.
Mantooth did 4 books of Jazz Standards, and although Notes Norton does not sell them with the melodies, he's put in the chord progressions both the standard and the Manooth one. You can get the books thru him or Amazon, and he sells you the files.
You will also find many of the by using Google and looking for peoples collections. I have about 13,000 files, and only about 50 of them I did myself from scratch.
And if you think the Dxi synths are good find the Ketron samples here...I have one and it's outstanding.
John Conley
Musica est vita
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 85
Enthusiast
|
|
OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 85 |
Yeah, I saw some other posts about that. That all looks like some good source material, but I figure I'll avoid THAT particular rabbit hole for a while, or I'll never get any of my originals done. :lol:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 38,502 |
TIP: An arranger can make quick work of section parts by using the BiaB Harmonizer.
I often enter a single line by recording it from my MIDI controller keyboard, then invoke a harmony and export that as separate staves in a .MID file, open that up in my notation software suite (Sibelius here now, formally was Finale) and keep on working up the arrangement. Bigband, orchestral, etc. this makes fast work of the SATB voicing game. Or, the "BATS" as I like to call 'em.
--Mac
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 85
Enthusiast
|
|
OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 85 |
Thanks for that. I'll look into that at some point.
So far, the way I've been working is to "hear" the chord progression in my head, including transitions and chord substitutions, and then simply enter this bar by bar. The base melody either comes to me in parallel to this, or is something I've been kicking around in my head, like a chorus "hook", and is then shaped to best fit with the lyrics I've written.
Once I've tweaked and tuned a few times on arrangement, progressions, lyrics, and melody, I'm done.
This workflow feels very natural to me.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 10,199
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 10,199 |
I'll also add something else. The QUALITY of the sound you're listening to goes a long way towards hearing what's in your head. Instead of the Coyote Forte, I would recommend spending the extra money and getting the Ketron SD2 synth module. Very small, easily portable, and a KILLER sound. It's not cheap at $400, but then again, it costs a LOT less than what it would cost me to replace my Korg PA800 at $2,800. I would call the sounds, from what I've heard, equal.
Gary
I'm blessed watching God do what He does best. I've had a few rough years, and I'm still not back to where I want to be, but I'm on the way and things are looking far better now than what they were!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 85
Enthusiast
|
|
OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 85 |
Ah, well I could always run BiaB through a rack of Reason instruments if I wanted to go that route. But I'm basically loving the "take it to a coffee shop" portability of doing this with just my netbook and earbuds, so an external synth module, no matter if it's tiny, would kill that vibe for me.
But it sounds like an interesting module, and I'll take a peek anyway.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 85
Enthusiast
|
|
OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 85 |
Oh, never mind --- that's very tiny. That wouldn't kill my portable "vibe" after all. But $40 vs. $400 ... I'll think do the Forte thing for a while. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 10,199
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 10,199 |
8, Just to give you an idea of what the Ketron can really do, our local resident expert Mac did some recordings with the SD2 a while ago. Here is one of his posts to another forum member. Make sure you check out the link of 'Peg', it'll astonish you. Quote:
...you can also purchase the Ketron SD2 Orchestral Wizard right here on this website from PGMusic. Their standard 30-day no questions asked policy applies, too.
http://www.pgmusic.com/ketronsd2.htm
Works a treat together with the Audiophile 2496 card. Automatic Rendering is out, as it would be with any nonDXi hardware MIDI synth, including soundfonts on a Creative card. You simply record the MIDI output from start to finish to "render" to a digital audio file if you need to do so.
Here are some BIAB demo songs done on the SD2. NO changes made to any settings other than selecting the hardware MIDI output inside BIAB rather than a software synth. This is what it sounds like at playback (YOu can search and locate the same demo songs on your BIAB setup and listen to those and compare the differences if you like):
HipHopRockSwDemo_REALDRUMS.WMA
HipHopRockSwDemo_MIDIDRUMS.WMA
Peg_Mac_KetronSD2.mp3 (NOT BIAB. Powertracks Sequence)
TruckinDemoRealDrumsSD2.mp3
TruckinDemoMIDIDrumsSD2.mp3
BigSurDemoRealDrumsSD2.mp3
BigSurDemoMIDIDrumsSD2.mp3
Straightahead_SD2_upperbanks_136BPM.mp3 (NOT BIAB. Powertracks Sequence)
--Mac
Gary
Last edited by Gary Curran; 01/16/10 10:20 PM.
I'm blessed watching God do what He does best. I've had a few rough years, and I'm still not back to where I want to be, but I'm on the way and things are looking far better now than what they were!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 85
Enthusiast
|
|
OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 85 |
Thanks for the links. It's a cool product.
It's probably overkill for me at the moment, since all I really need to do, at least for now, is to write and arrange songs as a pre-production phase before recording.
Plus, I've managed to make my own hybrid styles (mixed RealBand and MIDI) that capture all the vibes I need (at least so far) in a realistic enough way for me to get that "toe-tapping" inspiration as I write.
However, I might pick one up in the future if I start using BiaB for "live" applications.
Side note, I "discovered" that I could use 4/4 RealTracks (so far just tried it with Piano) in 3/4 songs, with only a RARE hickup in the transition between measures. I'm sure this is something many of you already know, what with me being a n00b and all, but I thought it was cool that my supposedly "limited" number of RealTracks that came with the MegaPAK are turning out to be more and more versatile.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,345
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,345 |
Welcome EightString! Quote:
So far, the way I've been working is to "hear" the chord progression in my head, including transitions and chord substitutions, and then simply enter this bar by bar. The base melody either comes to me in parallel to this, or is something I've been kicking around in my head, like a chorus "hook",
That's exactly what I do.
Mick
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,726
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,726 |
Welcome aboard EightString!
The fun has just begun,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 85
Enthusiast
|
|
OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 85 |
This is crazy. I'm up to five new songs now. At this rate, I'll have the 10 to 12 songs I need for a CD in less than a week.
Of course, then I actually have to record the stuff. lol
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 484
Journeyman
|
|
Journeyman
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 484 |
Welcome Eightstring! Wow, you have a lot of time on your hands! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 85
Enthusiast
|
|
OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 85 |
lol I wish! No, I only get time to work on this stuff during the evenings or the weekend, and even then, it's "catch as catch can". However, BiaB's flow works so well for me that the material just "comes to me" very naturally. That said, I was going to wait until I was done with about 12 songs before recording, but I couldn't wait. So last night, I did get started on recording and sequencing the "real" versions of a couple of the songs, and I am VERY excited by how this is starting to sound.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 85
Enthusiast
|
|
OP
Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 85 |
BTW, if anyone is curious about how I'm going about getting my BiaB songs recorded in a more finished way, I do the following:
First, I simply export the BiaB song/arrangement as MIDI, containing only drums, bass, and piano comping.
I then import this MIDI into my DAW and route the channels to soft-synth rack (Reason in this case) of instruments that I have put together for "jazz".
The idea is that the BiaB MIDI serves as a placeholder framework around which I hang all my custom sequencing, real recorded instrumentation, and vocals for the song.
I expect most or all of the original BiaB generated midi will "go away" as I finish up my tracks.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Off-Topic
|
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,726
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,726 |
Please post some of your music when you are ready.
Later,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Peter Gannon Talks Band-in-a-Box with zplane
zplane recently interviewed Peter Gannon, the founder and creator of Band-in-a-Box, about the software's early days, what sets it apart from AI, how zplane's audio algorithms are used in Band-in-a-Box, and more!
Special thanks to the team at zplane for their continued support.
Check out the full interview here: https://products.zplane.de/blog/peter-gannon-interview-pg-music
Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PDT today!
We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
Version 2026 introduces a modernized GUI redesign across the program, with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, and a new Dark Mode option. There’s also a new side toolbar for quicker access to commonly used windows, and the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, making it easier to customize your workspace.
Another exciting new addition is the amazing new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. View the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to transcribe an entire track or transcribe specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Mac® to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac upgrade during our special, you'll receive a Free Bonus PAK of exciting new add-ons.
If you need any help deciding which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We are here to help!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Special Offers Extended Until May 31st!
Good news- we've extended our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® special offers until May 31, 2026!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 is packed with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can transcribe an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PDT on May 31st, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Check out the Band-in-a-Box® for Mac packages page to find the best package for you.
Holiday Weekend Hours
It's Victoria Day Long Weekend in Canada. Our Customer Service hours are:
Saturday, May 16: Closed
Sunday, May 17: Closed
Monday, May 18: 8:00am - 4:00pm
Regular hours resume Tuesday, May 19th!
Today's the Last Day of the Band-in-a-Box 2026® for Mac Special!
Order before 11:59pm PDT today (May 15, 2026) to save up to 50% off your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrade and receive a FREE Bonus PAK loaded with great new Add-ons to use with this new version!
Don't wait - order today!
Check out all the new features in the redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac - Special Offers End at 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th, 2026!
Order before 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th and SAVE up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 for Mac Upgrade packages... and that's not all! With your version 2026 for Mac purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks... that's 222 NEW RealTracks available with version Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac!
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® today for as little as $49! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all available purchase options.
Learn more about the Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK here.
If you have any questions about which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We're here to help!
202 New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2026!
With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
Our new jazz, funk & blues RealTracks include a groovin’ collection of RealTracks and RealDrums! These include more requested “soul jazz” RealTracks featuring artists Neil Swainson (bass), Charles Treadway (organ), Brent Mason (guitar), and Wes Little (drums). There are new “smooth jazz” styles (4), which include a RealTracks first: muted trumpet, as well as slick new smooth jazz brushes options for drums. Blues lovers will be thrilled—there are more “classic acoustic blues” styles, including guitar (5), bass (4), and drums (10) with blues master Colin Linden, featuring understated and tasty background acoustic soloing, plus brushes drums and acoustic bass. There are also new electric blues RealTracks, including electric blues with PG favorite Johnny Hiland (3) and soulful electric slide guitar from Colin Linden (4). If you love funk & gospel, there are great new options this year, including gospel organ (3) from Charles Treadway, as well as new funk, tango, and rock ’n’ roll drums (3) and bass (1). And for big, bold arrangements, we have uptempo soul horns (4) featuring a three-part hip horn section with options for a full mix or stems of each individual horn — plus an accompanying rhythm section (4) of drums, bass, guitar, and electric piano!
Rock & Pop (Sets 476–482):
Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
Check out all the 202 new RealTracks (in sets 468-488)!
And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.
The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums57
Topics86,618
Posts807,533
Members40,174
| |
Most Online64,515
Apr 8th, 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean