Hi, I'm trying to record some vocals on my bb files using my new 2020 version with Windows 7. When I hit a record button the bar indicator starts in the middle of the song even the song starts from the beginning. I hit a space bar then the indicator started from the beginning. I recorded my voice. Played it back. My voice Track and other instrument track play different bars. What am I doing wrong?
How are you recording your vocal? Can you post a screenshot of the Band-in-a-Box audio settings?
I suspect your issue is latency. Latency is the time it takes for your vocal to get to your microphone, become an electrical signal, go into the computer, get converted into a digital signal and then recorded onto Band-in-a-Box's audio track.
The best way to minimize latency is to use an audio interface between your microphone and the computer and to use the ASIO driver provided by the audio interface manufacturer. Audio interfaces that support "real time monitoring" with a headphone jack and internal mixer can fix the latency issue altogether. The audio interface mixer adjusts the time of the Band-in-a-Box audio from the computer and the audio from your microphone and then combines the two audio signals effectively eliminating latency.
When you go to record, do you select "Record Audio" (#1 on the image below) and then select "Start of song" (#2 on the image)?
If you don't have the "Record Audio" button, press CTRL+T to switch from full-screen view to standard view.
Also, do you have the latest update for BIAB? Updates are found at the URL below. To double-check your update, go to "Help | About Band In A Box" and the update will be in brackets following the version of the program [example: version 2020(709)] -- #709 is the latest update.
Thank you for the tips guys. Jim I think I fixed the latency. It’s the micro second differences, right? My problem is bar to bar differences between my voice track and the other instrument track.
Noel I updated to 709. And doing recording as you suggested. Maybe some other settings? Could be something simpler? I don’t know.
By the way, I’ve been recording my voice on multiple tracks for a few years using other recording devices. Then found out now BIAB has harmony function. It might have started a while ago? Anyways, I got so exited about using the function. So I really really need to fix my recording problem. Please help me guys.
Actually, you might be better off using Realband for recording. It also has the harmony function.
In case it's useful information... any vocals recorded in any other program, can be imported into BIAB.
It's also possible to time-shift the audio track using "Audio | Edit Audio | Delete (or insert) Region" or using "Audio | Edit Audio | Time-shift (in ms)" where ms = milliseconds and 1 second = 1,000 ms. I'm referring to "Audio" on the upper-most menu.
It looks like the same thing happening to Realband as well. Actually kinda worse. When I click record button, drum counting sound AND hi-hat sounds start at the same time. Then hi-hat stays the whole tune. It won’t even be insync with drums. It’s unusable. BIAB is unusable now too. I cleaned and updated my computer. The symptoms stay the same. Is my computer not powerful enough for new BIAB by any chance? I wonder other windows7 users are OK with this program or not?
are you using asio drivers? latency is noticeable if you are using a midi keyboard to enter midi notes - you press the key then there is a lag before the on on the pc sounds
if you use asio drivers, the sound you hear when you sing should be in synch with the vocal as you sing and then when you playback.
if you are using MME drivers you'll never synch vocals and backing track
WAS come close to asio and i've used both. sounds to me as if the backing is playing back delayed but you are being recorded in real time so the error shows up in playback
are the backing tracks midi or realtracks?
even if i can't help, someone else will so tell us more
While it is not a proper ASIO driver, it reduces latency enormously and is friendly with both BIAB and Realband.
And what Silvertones is saying regarding the metronome, that's found under "Options | Preferences" as shown on the top image (IMAGE 1) below.
See if either of the above helps.
============
Now, to get you in a position to play with the audio harmonies in BIAB, what I suggest while we are working on overcoming your problem is...
1. In BIAB, under the "Audio" option on the Top Menu (#1 on the bottom image -- i.e. IMAGE 2), select "Export song as audio file". Now follow the numbers 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
BIAB will now take around a minute to create an audio file.
Quote:
NOTE: This audio file will now also open each time you open BIAB unless you "kill it". I suggest that use "Audio | Edit Audio | Kill entire audio" to remove it once you've loaded it in your DAW. It can always be rendered again if you need it later.
2. Load this audio file in your DAW.
3. Record your vocal in your DAW. Start the recording so that it aligns with the 2-bar count-in in BIAB (even though this will be blank for a couple of bars, it helps to align it in BIAB).
4. Export your vocal from your DAW.
5. Back in BIAB... select "File | Import | Import Audio" to load the vocal file.
6. Save the song with a new name so that you don't overwrite the original file because you might want to get back to it.
7. Because your recording began when BIAB's count-in first started, you should be able to import your vocal in at Bar -1 and it will align with BIAB's backing track.
Now you can run the harmony options on this vocal track.
Hope this will allow you to play around with the audio harmony while I try and wrap my head around what might be the problem that you are experiencing.
Hi Bob. I use MME in order to fix latency problem I experienced before I created this post. Turning it back to WAS will give me the latency problem back I suppose. But I’ll keep it in mind. Thank you.
Backing track is real tracks. I never used midi yet.
If latency is the issue, that's a fixed length that's out of sync between the recorded audio and the backing track. I don't have an audio file that's out of sync but I import audio files all the time and because of the different lead in lengths of the various recorded audio clips, I have to syncs the tracks. Syncing the tracks may work to eliminate the latency offset. It does not cure the latency issue but it may salvage your recordings and make them usable.
Try this:
In a project (song) that your recorded vocal is out of sync with the BIAB backing track
Select the Audio Editor (Do not open the Audio Chord Wizard)
Place your cursor at the very beginning of the first beat of the audio clip
Right click with your mouse and select the last option - Mark this point as bar 1 of the song EDIT: You may receive a message showing the number of clicks that will be offset, accept by hitting the YES button.
This will shift your entire audio track and sync it with bar 1 of the BIAB backing track. Since the latency lag is a fixed length, this one click should align the entire track.
ASIO and DAW are new to me too. I’m so low tech and am still living in the last century. I feel like a five-year-old lost in a university campus. I’ll try what you are suggesting and report it back soon though.
By the way, I hope you are far away from the forest fire. I’ve been feeling so bad watching news about it everyday.
Hi Charlie, I couldn’t find my “bad recording” to do the editing that you suggested. I guess I didn’t keep it. I’ll report you as soon as I’m able to record another sample. Thanks.
Since you have Windows, you have RealBand that comes free with BIAB.
There are many other DAWs to consider, but two very good ones are free: Cakewalk by Bandlab and Reaper. Each has many users on this forum. They all have similar features, so try downloading each and see which one feels more natural to you.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
It's fantastic and it can be used for an unlimited amount of time without buying. All that happens is eventually a popup will occur when you start the program to remind you to buy it.
Also, my main reason for settling on Reaper is the huge amount of free online video clips prepared by Kenny Gioia -- he's an awesome educator. The clips range from beginner to advanced.
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