Hi, Cathie.

BiaB can be really frustrating if you're looking for a particular sound. My most successful songs have usually been by finding a style that I like, and then write the melody to that, and add the lyrics last.

It's completely backwards, but the benefits is that you don't have to search for a song to match a set of lyrics, and changing lyrics is often easier than changing an arrangement.

Of course, the downside is that writing lyrics feels like solving in a rhyming crossword puzzle. That's not always a bad thing, though! Sometimes that's what songwriting feels like anyway. And setting constraints can often force you to be more creative. wink

OK, back to your problem.

When working with electric guitars, keep in mind that there is the sound of the guitar isn't just the "raw" guitar sound, but it's typically run through a number of effects pedals, and then through an amp, which is then recorded by a microphone.

By default, that's the sound you get when you select electric guitars in BiaB.

But more recently, BiaB also allows you to grab the "raw" DI (Direct Input) unprocessed sound of the electric guitar. This isn't available for some of the older RealTracks, as they were recorded before this feature was added.

But you can add effects to them anyway, and sometimes it works well.

You can find this option in the Assign RealTracks to Track dialog in the top middle portion as the Direct Input checkbox.

There's also a Held option, so you don't have to do that tedious process of changing all the chords to holds in the chordsheet like I described. Sorry about not mentioning that before. I thought that feature existed, but forgot where it was. That's often the case with BiaB features.

BiaB allows you to then add a simulated effects chain to the DI sound, so you have freedom to modify the tone on your own.

For example, if you select a DI guitar for a RealTrack, you can then go to the Plugins tab of the Mixer window, click the first column, and choose Choose Plugin. There are a number of built-in effects:

  • PG Distortion
  • PG Flanger
  • PG Guitar Amp
  • PG Tremolo

You can even chain these together. For example, you can put PG Distortion in the first slot (that is, the first column), followed by PG Guitar Amp in the second slot. Crank up the distortion of the first effect, and then the gain of the amp, and you've got some classic distorted guitar.

My son just walked by and asked what guitar effects I was using. I told him it was the built-in BiaB effects, and his response was "Sounds good". laugh

If that's not enough, you can find very good free amp and guitar effects. For example, check out FreeAmp3.

At one point, BiaB used to also include the free version of AmpliTube Custom Shop, but I don't think it's part of the install anymore. If you want to install it, click the provided link. wink

Anyway, using this you should be able to get the custom guitar "tone" that you're looking for, if you don't like the one that comes with the RealTrack.

-- David Cuny

My virtual singer development blog
Vocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?

BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.