PG Music Home Forums PG Music Product Forums RealBand RB song creation

Tech told me that there is a way to create a new song in/with RB by importing an audio file into RB, can someone tell me how to do this but it has to be SIMPLE instructions (my mind can only handle simple). I made a few attempts to import an audio file but got a message "failed to convert file to wav". and other messages like can not convert to midi. I would like to be able to convert to midi to get songs in an appropriate key for my voice range, is there anyway to do this?

<<< "Tech Support solved my issue:

Ember: Keep in mind that RealBand is intended for editing, mastering,
and mixing your already existing Band-in-a-Box SGU and MGU files.

Gary: I did not know this, so I loaded a BIAB song and sure enough it
worked - play and audio both

Ember: but you can always create songs from scratch by recording
things in to the program.

Gary: I don't know how this works but i'll experiment with this later.

So what is the advantage/benefit of the RB over BIAB?" >>>


I'll assume this is the post the PGMusic tech made and that you're referring to in this post.

I read through all of the other post's comments and suggestions. They gave good advice but none actually narrowed your issue to the correct source. In the RealBand program, you were not generating your song and the suggestions you received were more directed to how Band in a Box generates a chord chart versus how RealBand does it.

<<< "So what is the advantage/benefit of the RB over BIAB?" >>> and your question, <<< " I would like to be able to convert to midi to get songs in an appropriate key for my voice range, is there anyway to do this?" >>>

I suggest the answer to your question is that at this time, BIAB is the most advantageous for you to get started.

The SIMPLE instructions I recommend for you is to locate and download a midi file to your computer and then open BIAB and using the hot key F7 open that midi file into BIAB.

Opening the midi file in BIAB does the following:

.Imports the file (Normally onto the Melody Track of the BIAB Mixer)
.Analyzes the file and populates the BIAB Chord Chart with the song's chords
.Sets the key Signature, Time Signature and tempo
.Loads a default BIAB midi Style and on my program, disables the default BIAB Style

It accomplishes the above in only a few seconds. So, when you click either Play or Play Generate button, the entire midi file (all of the midi channels are located on the Melody track) will sound and play the full midi song from the Melody Track.

Simply by muting the Melody Track and Enabling the BIAB Style (Rt click anywhere in the Style Menu and from the drop down menu that opens, Select to enable the Style).
At this point, by clicking either Play or Play Generate button, the selected BIAB style will play the BIAB Chord Chart that came from the midi file.

If necessary for your vocals, you can change the key signature, time signature and tempo to parameters that are suitable for your vocal range and style.

You can use the StylePicker to change the Styles using either midi Styles or RealStyles of a combination of the two and they will generate and play according to the key signature, time signature and tempo you have selected.

This will get you started and allow you to maneuver around the different modules as you familiarize yourself with the program.

Hope this helps and feel free to ask questions along the way. Welcome to the Forum and BIAB.

This was helpful giving me some insights into "how to" as I experiment with the program (BIAB). This should keep me busy for a while. Thanks!

This part of our FAQ also goes over the differences of what can be done in Band-in-a-Box, RealBand, and PowerTracks and how they differ from one another: https://www.pgmusic.com/salesfaq1.htm#6

While you can make songs from scratch by recording into Realband (and you can also load styles and generate RealTracks into the program), I always suggest starting out in Band-in-a-Box and moving to RealBand once you've got your arrangement laid out. I just find it provides a better workflow that way, but that's just personal opinion on my part.

Here's a video that actually goes over making a song in RealBand: https://youtu.be/En9Jq948m7w

Hi Ember looked at the sales faq and note that TC Helicon is available in BIAB and PT but only in RB if you have PowerTracks. Does that mean RB can't use the BIAB version? I have decided that if you do bring out a PT 2020 I no longer need to upgrade my PT2019 because RB does everything I need although I find PT a little lighter and swifter.

But does that mean if PT2020 gets an improved TC Helicon function I have to buy it just to get TC Helicon to work in RB?