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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Hey guys!

I play a song, and after a couple of minutes, my monitor gets black ... very annoying!

Where do I manage this, application-specific?

I really don't want to change my Windows sleep mode settings for the complete System, but specifically when BiaB is running or at least when the BiaB Window is in the foreground or at the very least when a song is playing in BiaB, I definately don't want to experience any Sleep Mode or Screensaver Mode.

So what can I do? Help would be much appreciated!


BiaB UltraPak+ 2026; Windows 10
Bass: Intermediate; Piano: Beginner
I came to this forum in order to suggest feature improvements for non-professional musicians like myself that use BiaB mainly as a playalong tool and as a learning tool
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Not sure if these do screensaver or just sleep ?
EDIT: the CoffeeFF says "Option to keep monitor awake."
https://sourceforge.net/projects/coffeeff/
https://mywindowshub.com/turn-ability-apps-prevent-sleep-transitions-windows-10/

Last edited by Pipeline; 09/18/21 01:11 AM.
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Heya again, Pipeline!

So BiaB doesn't offer an option to toggle this from inside the application?

Your links look very promising - I'll definately check out if it works.
Many thanks!!

Anyway, I think that I should add this issue to the wishlist, since in my opinion, also BiaB should really offer the option to toggle this from the inside of the program (in the BiaB preferences).


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I am not aware of a setting in BIAB but you might try the DAW Mode. This keeps BIAB on top of all Windows.

You will have to maximize the window and remember you did that, because other windows will be hidden behind it.

This is just a guess; it may not work.


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; Presonus Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Originally Posted By: MoveToGroove
So BiaB doesn't offer an option to toggle this from inside the application?

Anyway, I think that I should add this issue to the wishlist, since in my opinion, also BiaB should really offer the option to toggle this from the inside of the program (in the BiaB preferences).


Are you aware of any other music software app with such a feature because I have never see one and never needed one? crazy Sleep and Shutdown features for in Win 10 are readily available. No need to have a separate app or feature to control these.

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BIAB – 2026, Reaper (current), i7-12700F Processor, 32GB DDR4-3200MHz RAM, Motu Audio Express 6x6 - My SoundCloud.

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Hey Matt and hey MusicStudent,

@ Matt: I'll check that out, thanks!

@ Music Student: Yeah, there are other programs which do that, including music apps; Rocksmith does it, for example; I think Sythesia also did it, and I know that Synthesia is planning to do it (again), since it's just quite unconvenient for the users otherwise. In regard to the Windows options: I have already checked them out, but didn't find any options for specific applications (just in general - and in general, I do want my computer to go into sleep); but maybe it's just me (I'm really not very good in understanding operating systems).


BiaB UltraPak+ 2026; Windows 10
Bass: Intermediate; Piano: Beginner
I came to this forum in order to suggest feature improvements for non-professional musicians like myself that use BiaB mainly as a playalong tool and as a learning tool
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Windows 10 Sleep Mode is pretty flexible but of course not triggered by any one app.

Sleep Mode
Sleep mode conserves energy by putting your computer into a low-power state and turning off your display when you're not using it. Instead of completely shutting down your computer and later rebooting, you can put it in sleep mode so that when it wakes up, it will resume where you left off.

You set the time-out duration (see picture). The timer only runs when there is no keyboard or mouse activity. As long as BIAB is running and you are using it, it will not sleep. If you don't use the computer for the timeout duration it will sleep.

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BIAB – 2026, Reaper (current), i7-12700F Processor, 32GB DDR4-3200MHz RAM, Motu Audio Express 6x6 - My SoundCloud.

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Sure, BiaB is running, but when it's used to playalong, there's no mouse or computer-keyboard activity then.


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I came to this forum in order to suggest feature improvements for non-professional musicians like myself that use BiaB mainly as a playalong tool and as a learning tool
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In that case you have to select an appropriate time durations. For example, 30 minutes or 1 hour or two hours. Each time you touch the computer (mouse or keyboard) the timer starts over. What is your current sleep time set at??


BIAB – 2026, Reaper (current), i7-12700F Processor, 32GB DDR4-3200MHz RAM, Motu Audio Express 6x6 - My SoundCloud.

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I've never needed it from within the BiaB program. Like most others have mentioned, I just handle that through the O/S. If it was from within the program it might just be another thing to go wrong, or break something else. It happens.

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Hey VideoTrack,

ok, then I understand at least, why many ppl here couldn't see the problem at all.

I do a lot of different things on my PC during the day, but I don't work constantly on it. That means in my case either having to boot and shut down the PC many times a day (too unconvenient) or manually going on low energy a lot of times during the day (which I definately would forget most of the times) or wasting a lot of energy (= costs a lot of money and is quite "ungreen") or, well, using a Windows energy plan with a short time-setting.


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Hey Pipeline,

oh thanks, another interesting link! So I have 3 options from you now, which all sound good and which I'll try out tomorrow (today I have spent too much time with forum discussions haha, so I still haven't done that)!

Many thanks!!


BiaB UltraPak+ 2026; Windows 10
Bass: Intermediate; Piano: Beginner
I came to this forum in order to suggest feature improvements for non-professional musicians like myself that use BiaB mainly as a playalong tool and as a learning tool
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Originally Posted By: MoveToGroove
That means in my case either having to boot and shut down the PC many times a day (too unconvenient) or manually going on low energy a lot of times during the day (which I definately would forget most of the times) or wasting a lot of energy (= costs a lot of money and is quite "ungreen") or, well, using a Windows energy plan with a short time-setting.


No one is suggesting any of that. That is not what Sleep Mode does, no reboot no shutdown. Must be something lost in translations here.


BIAB – 2026, Reaper (current), i7-12700F Processor, 32GB DDR4-3200MHz RAM, Motu Audio Express 6x6 - My SoundCloud.

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It's just a misunderstanding, MusicStudent. I didn't say that someone is suggesting it here, I simply explained, why I have a relatively short period until sleep mode (by showing that the alternatives are not appropriate in my case).


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I came to this forum in order to suggest feature improvements for non-professional musicians like myself that use BiaB mainly as a playalong tool and as a learning tool
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You could adjust your sleep settings to "never" just for when you're using Band-in-a-Box, then change it back when you're done using the program. It's a few extra steps, but then you wouldn't need a third party application to do it taking up extra space on your computer.


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Hi Ember,

nah that's really too uncomfortable (I don't "feel" that as "just a few extra steps").


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Something like this

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Right, Pipeline, it would only need one checkbox in the preferences.


BiaB UltraPak+ 2026; Windows 10
Bass: Intermediate; Piano: Beginner
I came to this forum in order to suggest feature improvements for non-professional musicians like myself that use BiaB mainly as a playalong tool and as a learning tool
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Here is my final word on sleep and power settings. I was surprised to hear we a dealing with a laptop here. It does add another level of complexity. This article covers all of that. Best of luck.

https://www.techrepublic.com/article/how-to-optimize-windows-10-power-settings-for-higher-performance/

Dan


BIAB – 2026, Reaper (current), i7-12700F Processor, 32GB DDR4-3200MHz RAM, Motu Audio Express 6x6 - My SoundCloud.

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