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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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OP
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I'm trying to enter a custom chord into BIAB. Here are the notes:
G F Bb C A
I think the chord may be a Gm9/11, but BIAB doesn't recognize that chord name.
I tried exporting the chord as a MIDI file from my DAW (Reaper) hoping that I could then import it into BIAB, but I can't figure out where the chord has gone once I import it.
I tried the built-in chord builder, that that appears to be more a music theory tool than chord builder.
Is there a way I can build a chord in BIAB note-by-note? Thanks.
****** Song Summary *************
Title: Silhouette Portrait
File:Silhouette Portrait BUILD 14.MGU
Key=C , Tempo 100, Length (m:s)=4:50
4 bar intro, 38 bar chorus, from bar 5 to bar 42. Repeat x3 choruses
Melody has 426 notes, Melody harmony is < no harmony >(0)
Soloist track has 891 notes, Soloist harmony is < no harmony >(0)
Song is saved with Volume, Pan, Reverb, Chorus, Bank0,
Soloist is saved with the song : Pop Piano -16ths- (121)
Style is ANSWERS.STY (Answers - New Age - Smooth Jazz)
Style MIDI Instruments are : Strings (49), Pad-New Age (89), 26/1 12-Strings Guitar, GM2 Bank 1, Pad-Bowed (93),
MIDI Drums :9 Room Drum Kit (9)
*******************
Windows 10 Home v2004
MOTU M2 USB Audio Interface firmware v1.02
MOTU M Series ASIO Driver v4.0.8.4479
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Oct 2020
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PG Music Staff
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PG Music Staff
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In Band-in-a-Box you can do a Gm9 and a GMajor9#11, but not a Gm911. A full list of recognized chords are here: https://www.pgmusic.com/tutorial_chordlist.htm You can write in your own custom chords either in the Piano Roll view or the Notation window. But when you write these in, it needs to be on a MIDI track (yellow or blue in the mixer). After making your own edits, you'll need to freeze the track so it does not re-generate. The freeze button looks like a snowflake (*) in the mixer. This video goes over how to use the Piano Roll in Band-in-a-Box: https://youtu.be/7VnIIx3V4QY
Best,
Chantelle
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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OP
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Thank you for the prompt reply. While it would be helpful if I could create a library of custom chords for re-use, the piano roll should do the trick. By the way, I initially thought the Mixer Settings icon was a snowflake, but then figured it out with the help of this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTccQDqgiPAThanks again!
Windows 10 Home v2004
MOTU M2 USB Audio Interface firmware v1.02
MOTU M Series ASIO Driver v4.0.8.4479
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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I'm trying to enter a custom chord into BIAB. Here are the notes:
G F Bb C A
I think the chord may be a Gm9/11, but BIAB doesn't recognize that chord name.
******************* The only way to enter this chord is Gm9/C. However it may not give you the inversion you want as the C is in the bass line. Also some RTs do not work with this chord.
Life is short so make sure you spend as much time as possible on the Internet arguing with strangers.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Thank you, MarioD. Much appreciated!
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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BIAB supports Gm11. Just write it that way.
The ninth is implied, although BIAB can sometimes take liberties with what flavor of 5, 7, or 9 you might hear. MIDI instruments will be correct. For RealTrack instruments, you may want to experiment turning off Natural Arrangement.
But I would first like to know from the OP, what is the order of those notes? Did you spell the chord from lowest to highest note? And to be really sure, what are the chords preceding and following?
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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But I would first like to know from the OP, what is the order of those notes? Did you spell the chord from lowest to highest note? And to be really sure, what are the chords preceding and following?
The song is in C and the verse chords are: C C Gm13 Gm13 Gm9/11 Gm9/11 A7sus C9sus The order of the notes is: G1 F2 Bb2 C3 A3 I'm composing this song on guitar with an open C tuning: CGCGCE. The open tuning helps me find some interesting and delightfully dissonant chords. BIAB is a brilliant composition tool, but I realize that trying get BIAB to faithfully recreate these strange chords and associated inversions might be pushing the envelope, nevertheless I'm constantly trying to get BIAB to do more of the heavy lifting prior to my exporting the composition to MIDI, where I then import it into Reaper for further editing and mixing.
Windows 10 Home v2004
MOTU M2 USB Audio Interface firmware v1.02
MOTU M Series ASIO Driver v4.0.8.4479
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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The only way to enter this chord is Gm9/C. However it may not give you the inversion you want as the C is in the bass line. Also some RTs do not work with this chord. In cases where the RT doesn't work with the chord and plays a slightly different chord, you can always use the "Auto-Fix Sour Notes" feature in BIAB 2021. From the manual: Right-click on the track radio button on the main screen, and go to Track Settings | Auto Fix “Sour” Notes. You can then select one of the rules for the auto-fix.
I work here
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The order of the notes is:
G1 F2 Bb2 C3 A3
Pretty open voicing. And G1 is really low... Thanks for the answer. Interesting progression. Using Gm11 sounds pretty good to me; nice contrast with Gm13. BIAB is building the chord up from G3. It's basically playing a BbMaj7 over G. It adds the D and doesn't have the C. To get the C, you could use BbMaj9/G. But again, the D is in there giving it a rather tame sound. Of these choices, Gm11 sounds best to me in your progression. Back to your original question, I am not aware how you can specify the exact voicing you want in BIAB.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Pretty open voicing. And G1 is really low... Low indeed, but those values are from the MIDI guitar track exported from BIAB. On a related note, nearly always when I export a song from BIAB to MIDI for use in Reaper, the bass track is so low that I have to raise it an octave in order to make it playable on a VST bass emulation (Waves Bass Fingers, SONiVOX Classic Bass, Cakewalk SI-Bass). I don't know if that is a BIAB thing, or Reaper. Now that I mention it, I recall there's a General MIDI spec thing where Yamaha(?) offsets middle C an octave from the standard, so maybe that's what's going on? I think I've discussed this here before; so many moving parts! 
Windows 10 Home v2004
MOTU M2 USB Audio Interface firmware v1.02
MOTU M Series ASIO Driver v4.0.8.4479
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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The lack of standardization of Middle C is indeed a separate and annoying topic.
Can you post the song here? Use the File Manager in the Reply.
If you look in Options, Preferences, Channels, you will see a -1 in the column for the octave setting of the bass track. You could make that zero, do your export, then reset it as -1. Might work; haven't tried it.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Low indeed, but those values are from the MIDI guitar track exported from BIAB. On a related note, nearly always when I export a song from BIAB to MIDI for use in Reaper, the bass track is so low that I have to raise it an octave in order to make it playable on a VST bass emulation (Waves Bass Fingers, SONiVOX Classic Bass, Cakewalk SI-Bass). I don't know if that is a BIAB thing, or Reaper. Now that I mention it, I recall there's a General MIDI spec thing where Yamaha(?) offsets middle C an octave from the standard, so maybe that's what's going on? I think I've discussed this here before; so many moving parts! This problem has been discussed before. Both guitar and bass are written an octave higher than they sound. This is so the notations can be on one staff, treble for the guitar and fewer ledger lines for the bass. BiaB's output is the actual octave the instrument uses. How this is utilized is based on your VSTi. If the VSTi uses the actual octave then all is fine, however if the VSTi expects the notation octave then you must raise the track one octave to get the proper sounding note. This explains both of your issues. Your bass VSTis expect the notation octave, most all of my bass VSTis' expect the notation octave also, thus you must raise the track an octave. You didn't mention the guitar VSTi so that VSTi is using the actual octave. The lowest guitar note using standard tuning is E2 so a G1 is impossible, unless you are using some nonstandard tuning, however I have never heard of a tuning going as low as G1. Note that most all guitar VSTis utilize the notation octave and only most if not all GM sounds ignore them; this also applies to other instruments playing out of their normal range. I hope this helps. Note the middle C assignment, either C3,C4, or C5, is an arbitrary labeling. All middle Cs are MIDI note 60 regardless of what C number it is called. So if all possible go by the MIDI note number. I know this is very confusing at times.
Last edited by MarioD; 05/05/21 08:29 AM.
Life is short so make sure you spend as much time as possible on the Internet arguing with strangers.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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You didn't mention the guitar VSTi so that VSTi is using the actual octave. The lowest guitar note using standard tuning is E2 so a G1 is impossible, unless you are using some nonstandard tuning, however I have never heard of a tuning going as low as G1. That G1 is what Reaper's MIDI editor told me that BIAB's guitar output delivered, but as you alluded to before it's likely an octave thing. I'm a long-time amateur guitar player and only started (amateur) song-writing about three years ago. To accommodate my voice I tuned my guitar down a whole step so in standard tuning the lowest string is now D2 instead of E2. Works for me, and I've grown to appreciate the booming result on my acoustic dreadnaught. Open D and open C are even lower, and as I recall B1 or Bb1 is as low as light gauge strings can go before they start rattling like a loose rubber band.
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