Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread
Print Thread
Go To
#652041 04/17/21 12:35 PM
Beginners Forum
Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 43
Boots49 Offline OP
Enthusiast
OP Offline
Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 43
Hi All,

Still very much a Newbie here, but learning. I am working on my 2nd song here and I'm having 2 issues with a track.
It's an old style Country song with a background Pedal Steel track. In writing the song in BIAB, I did not use repeats, but just copied and pasted the verses and choruses.

Question 1. The song is in the key of C, and the Chorus or B section starts on an F. On the first Chorus, the pedal steel does not play on the first bar (F) of the chorus for some reason, but picks back up on the 2nd bar, yet it does play on the first bar on next 2 choruses. I've tried using cutting and pasting, drag and drop, and even just deleting and manually re-creating the first chorus, but the same thing happens.

Question 2. There are 3 verses and 3 choruses in the song. Coming out of the 2nd chorus, on the 3rd verse, the pedal steel plays what sounds like an ending figure on the first 2 bars of the verse and then totally drops out for the rest of the verse and well as the last chorus.

I'm guess there is some setting I need to change but I can't find it, and it's driving me nuts! Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks so much!


2023 BIAB Ultrapak, Reaper, EZDrummer 2 & 3, Roland VS-2480, Tascam 38 Reel to Reel 8-Track
Boots49 #652126 04/18/21 05:56 AM
Beginners Forum
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 10,936
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 10,936
Hello Boots49!

Welcome to Band-in-a-Box and to the forum.

I don't think as a new member you can attach to messages yet or I would ask you to attach a copy of the song file.

What you can do is to select the MEMO button and then copy and paste the "Song Summary" into a new post. That will tell us useful information like the tempo, what style and instruments are used and key signature.

I'm thinking the pedal steel guitar may not like the tempo or something like that.


Jim Fogle - 2026 BiaB (Build 1220) RB (Build 4) - Ultra+ PAK
DAWs: Cakewalk Sonar - Standalone: Zoom MRS-8
Desktop: i7 Win 11, 12GB ram 256GB SSD, 4 TB HDD
Music at: https://fogle622.wix.com/fogle622-audio-home
Boots49 #652161 04/18/21 12:45 PM
Beginners Forum
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,242
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,242
Hi Boots,

Is the Pedal Steel track frozen? This will show up as a lit up snowflake icon on the mixer.

If it is, click on the icon to deactivate it and then regenerate your song.

Regards,
Noel

Attached Files (Click to download or enlarge) (Only available when you are logged in)
frozen track mixer icon.JPG (46.84 KB, 66 downloads)

MY SONGS...
Audiophile BIAB 2026
Noel96 #652166 04/18/21 01:52 PM
Beginners Forum
Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 43
Boots49 Offline OP
Enthusiast
OP Offline
Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 43
Hi Noel96
I do have the pedal steel track frozen. I did that because, after regenerating it a lot of times, I finally found the exact pedal steel pick up figure that I wanted for the song. If I unfreeze it and regenerate, I have to keep regenerating again to find that pick up figure/lick. Do you think the issue is just on that particular regeneration, so that if I want that pick up figure, I'm stuck with the other issues?


2023 BIAB Ultrapak, Reaper, EZDrummer 2 & 3, Roland VS-2480, Tascam 38 Reel to Reel 8-Track
Boots49 #652168 04/18/21 02:33 PM
Beginners Forum
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,242
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 20,242
Hi Boots,

I think that part of your problem is due to the track's freezing. It's possible that the pedal steel could have been frozen when the song has less bars than what it does now.

When I get something I like, I do exactly what you have done and freeze the parts I want to keep.

Then I save the song.

Then I save the song with a slightly new name.

With this newly named version I unfreeze the track(s) and regenerate. (Because I've already saved the song with the previous name, I can always get back to it and save anything from it that I've frozen.)

I usually end up with around 10-15 versions of a song I can return to if I want to. To change the name, I just use a number. For example, if my song is called "MySong", I first save it as "MySong1", then when I save and move to more experimenting, it becomes "MySong2", then "MySong3", etc.

BIAB files are not very big (usually around 20-30 kilobytes) so they don't take up much room on the computer.

Following this plan of attack, I usually regenerate my song around 1,000 (estimated) times during its writing. This gives me a chance to hear tons of generations and often there is an even better one waiting to be found.

Regards,
Noel




MY SONGS...
Audiophile BIAB 2026
Boots49 #652265 04/19/21 07:29 AM
Beginners Forum
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,678
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,678
Originally Posted By: Boots49
Hi Noel96
I do have the pedal steel track frozen. I did that because, after regenerating it a lot of times, I finally found the exact pedal steel pick up figure that I wanted for the song. If I unfreeze it and regenerate, I have to keep regenerating again to find that pick up figure/lick. Do you think the issue is just on that particular regeneration, so that if I want that pick up figure, I'm stuck with the other issues?


Not necessarily. But you might have to move to Real Band..... freeze the track and copy it to real band. In real band, you can easily use the same exact Steel Guitar real track in multiple additional tracks. You can then easily generate as many new and different versions of the same steel as you need.

I don't work in Real Band except to use it to generate tracks. However, I have in the past used it to generate 5 different guitar solos. I then loaded the 5 tracks into Sonar and used volume automation to comp the 5 tracks into one really smokin solo. You can hear it in this song..... https://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=11971116 I also did the same thing with the piano fills using 2 tracks. The guitar fills are comped from the various 5 tracks. But they are fully used in the solo. None of them alone cut it for the solo.

Using a DAW like Sonar really lets you do things that are difficult at best in BB

Hope this is useful.

Edit: If you get something you like..... freeze it. Sometimes you can get it back through a few regeneration but there's been times that I spent a full hour or more trying to recover a particularly tasty lick to no avail. And there are times where it does exactly what it did for you.... doesn't play in a particular measure, usually at the start. I've had that happen.... If you're not already doing this.... unfold your project to ONE CHORUS. Don't use the repeats in the default mode.

Last edited by Guitarhacker; 04/19/21 07:33 AM.

You can find my music at:
www.herbhartley.com
Add nothing that adds nothing to the music.
You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.

The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
Noel96 #652483 04/21/21 07:02 AM
Beginners Forum
Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 43
Boots49 Offline OP
Enthusiast
OP Offline
Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 43
Hi Noel96
Thanks for the reply!
As to the pedal steel dropping out on the last verse, you were right on the money. I did freeze the steel track before I added that last verse. So un-freezing and re-generating solved that issue. Thank!
Thanks for the other tip. I already do that, and have multiple versions of one song. My big problem there is I will re-generate to fix one section and won't lick the new intro lick. I guess I have to learn more and try opening the song in RealBand, and then try cutting and pasting sections. Any other thoughts would be appreciated.
Originally Posted By: Noel96
Hi Boots,

I think that part of your problem is due to the track's freezing. It's possible that the pedal steel could have been frozen when the song has less bars than what it does now.

When I get something I like, I do exactly what you have done and freeze the parts I want to keep.

Then I save the song.

Then I save the song with a slightly new name.

With this newly named version I unfreeze the track(s) and regenerate. (Because I've already saved the song with the previous name, I can always get back to it and save anything from it that I've frozen.)

I usually end up with around 10-15 versions of a song I can return to if I want to. To change the name, I just use a number. For example, if my song is called "MySong", I first save it as "MySong1", then when I save and move to more experimenting, it becomes "MySong2", then "MySong3", etc.

BIAB files are not very big (usually around 20-30 kilobytes) so they don't take up much room on the computer.

Following this plan of attack, I usually regenerate my song around 1,000 (estimated) times during its writing. This gives me a chance to hear tons of generations and often there is an even better one waiting to be found.

Regards,
Noel




2023 BIAB Ultrapak, Reaper, EZDrummer 2 & 3, Roland VS-2480, Tascam 38 Reel to Reel 8-Track
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Go To

Moderated by  Andrew - PG Music, PeterGannon 

Link Copied to Clipboard
ChatPG

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.

PG Music News
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® Special Offers Extended Until January 15, 2026!

Good news! You still have time to upgrade to the latest version of Band-in-a-Box® for Windows® and save. Our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® special now runs through January 15, 2025!

We've packed Band-in-a-Box® 2026 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 process 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, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!

There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.

When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PST on January 15th, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.

Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® today! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all the purchase options available.

Happy New Year!

Thank you for being part of the Band-in-a-Box® community.

Wishing you and yours a very happy 2026—Happy New Year from all of us at PG Music!

Season's Greetings!

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy holiday season—thanks for being part of our community!

The office will be closed for Christmas Day, but we will be back on Boxing Day (Dec 26th) at 6:00am PST.

Team PG

Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: The Newly Designed Piano Roll Window

In this video, we explore the updated Piano Roll, complete with a modernized look and exciting new features. You’ll see new filtering options that make it easy to focus on specific note groups, smoother and more intuitive note entry and editing, and enhanced options for zooming, looping, and more.

Watch the video.

You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!

Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: AI Stems & Notes - split polyphonic audio into instruments and transcribe

This video demonstrates how to use the new AI-Notes feature together with the AI-Stems splitter, allowing you to select an audio file and have it separated into individual stems while transcribing each one to its own MIDI track. AI-Notes converts polyphonic audio—either full mixes or individual instruments—into MIDI that you can view in notation or play back instantly.

Watch the video.

You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!

Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®

With your version 2026 for Windows Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!

These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!

This Free Bonus PAK includes:

  • The 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK: -For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles. -For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles. -For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
  • MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
  • MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
  • Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
  • Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
  • Playable RealTracks Set 5
  • RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
  • SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
  • Android Band-in-a-Box® App (included)

Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:


  • 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
  • FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
  • MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
  • MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
  • Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
  • Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
  • RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
  • SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)

Learn more about the Bonus PAKs for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!

Video: New User Interface (GUI)

Join Tobin as he takes you on a tour of the new user interface in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®! This modern GUI redesign offers a sleek new look with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, and a smoother workflow. The brand-new side toolbar puts track selection, the MultiPicker Library, and other essential tools right at your fingertips. Plus, our upgraded Multi-View lets you layer multiple windows without overlap, giving you a highly flexible workspace. Many windows—including Tracks, Piano Roll, and more—have been redesigned for improved usability and a cleaner, more intuitive interface, and more!

Watch the video.

You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!

Forum Statistics
Forums57
Topics85,454
Posts792,199
Members39,888
Most Online25,754
Jan 24th, 2025
Newest Members
Ikarus58, Arn, Da_bassman, Doug825, charliereal
39,888 Registered Users
Top Posters(30 Days)
MarioD 189
jpettit 128
DC Ron 123
Noel96 110
DrDan 81
Today's Birthdays
streamlinemyrei
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5