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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 457
Journeyman
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OP
Journeyman
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 457 |
I'm using BiaB 2017 -- I have 2019 and I doubt there's any difference between the two on this issue.
OK, I'm at a bar in the middle of a piece I'm working on and I want to change the style. I right clicked on the bar (I also tried clicking on the "Bar Settings" icon up where all the icons are) and filled in some info. I indicated a style (which I auditioned first), then selected some instruments to go along with it and that's all I did. I didn't change any of the other parameters because I didn't want or need anything they would have done.
After I clicked on OK, at the very top of the BiaB Window, where it normally shows file information is Bar Settings: Patch changes. Style change etc., instead. This remains in place for that bar only. If I move the edit box to the next bar, this info disappears. Also, a little red line appears under the bar number, but only for that one bar.
So, I played through the piece and nothing is happening when this bar is reached. I'm not clear whether just this bar is the only one affected, or if it is all the bars after it as well. There's no box where I can indicate the number of bars I want this to apply to. So I'm just assuming that, if/when I want to revert back to "normal" I just go through this same process again, resetting everything back. It sure looks like that's what it's set up to do with the "Reset ALL Bars" and "Reset Bar" buttons.
But I can't get to first base. What have I overlooked (that is not at all obvious)?
Last edited by cooltouch; 01/06/20 03:27 PM.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,848
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,848 |
What style did you start with and what style did you switch to. That might help us troubleshoot.
One issue to be aware of is that you can't mix and match RealTracks and MIDI on the same track.
So if you switched from a RealStyle to a MIDI style, it won't work.
John Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 12TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB SATA BB2026/UMC204HD&404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/Notion/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK http://www.sus4chord.com (under rehosting/construction)
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,848
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,848 |
Also, remember to regenerate the arrangement after making the change; also make sure the tracks aren't frozen when you make the change.
John Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 12TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB SATA BB2026/UMC204HD&404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/Notion/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK http://www.sus4chord.com (under rehosting/construction)
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 112
Apprentice
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Apprentice
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 112 |
Michael, have you thought about just rendering to wav (or other ) files [save special> save song as...] and just dealing with them in a daw?
I also have thought about trying to do style changes in songs in BIAB, but honestly I always prefer a super straightforward dealio, so that's how I approach style changes. And that way, I can "mix" (hyuk) midi and real with no worries...that's just one benefit. And let's say I want a tempo change, too...boom. Just render in that tempo...without worrying about if you are doing it right.
Since my pipeline is always going to daw anyway... it's a no-brainer for me to just do it that way. Way more control over everything in a daw, anyway.
^For what little it may be worth to you, sorry I can't be of more help as to the actual help request. Color me the perpetual newbie.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 457
Journeyman
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OP
Journeyman
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 457 |
John, the style I'm starting with is M_ANSWR1.STY, which is all MIDI, I think. A couple of instruments are blue -- Piano and Strings 2. So the blue tracks are "MIDI Super" tracks. Will that make a difference? The style I want to switch to, which I chose on a whim, is also straight MIDI: ETERNAL.STY.
I have all the instrument tracks frozen. And I was just hitting "Play," not "Generate and Play." So I'm gonna try unfreezing them right now, and then hit the Regen button.
Huh, strange. I had selected different instruments, but the only actual change occurred with the drums. All the other instruments stayed the same. So then I tried it with the box clicked, which sez to send patch change with style change. That didn't make any difference either. Odd that the drums changed, but nothing else did.
So, strike one.
Dioechoto, what you describe is the way I normally operate. I prefer to save my BiaB arrangements in small segments -- individual tracks, that is -- and import them into my DAW so that I can combine them how I want. Trying this "feature" in BiaB is more of a lark, really. I was thinking that, since it was there, I should give it a try and see what happens. Not impressed so far. So I guess I'll go back to the way I was doing things before until or if I can figure out why BiaB doesn't want to cooperate. Absolutely the buggiest software I've ever spent money on.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,848
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,848 |
Frozen tracks will not allow style changes as they need to be regenerated for any changes to take place, but freezing prevents that.
I'm not sure about the blue tracks (MIDI Supertracks), but it's possible they might also be part of the problem, since they use a different processing engine than standard MIDI style tracks. So they act similarly to RealTracks in that sense. PGMusic would have to answer that one.
John Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 12TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB SATA BB2026/UMC204HD&404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/Notion/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK http://www.sus4chord.com (under rehosting/construction)
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 7,930
PG Music Staff
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PG Music Staff
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 7,930 |
After I clicked on OK, at the very top of the BiaB Window, where it normally shows file information is Bar Settings: Patch changes. Style change etc., instead. This remains in place for that bar only. If I move the edit box to the next bar, this info disappears. Also, a little red line appears under the bar number, but only for that one bar. That is all expected behavior, and indicates a bar settings change at that bar. I'm not clear whether just this bar is the only one affected, or if it is all the bars after it as well. There's no box where I can indicate the number of bars I want this to apply to. It changes until you change it back. I have all the instrument tracks frozen. And I was just hitting "Play," not "Generate and Play." You definitely need to unfreeze the track. MIDI tracks can't change to RealTracks (and vice versa), as someone else mentioned. Style changes work MIDI <--> MIDI, RealTracks/Drums <--> RealTracks/Drums. Currently MIDI SuperTracks style changes are not supported, and I think that is what the main problem is here.
Andrew
PG Music Inc.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 457
Journeyman
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OP
Journeyman
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 457 |
Thanks for the help and advice, guys. I got it working. Oh, a file with the MIDI Super tracks sorta works. It pays attention to the tempo changes, but not the style changes. Too bad. There's one style that has a beautiful piano part that I would really like to use, but I CAN'T.
Andrew, you guys should do something about that. The Super MIDI tracks should be supported.
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