|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
Beginners Forum
|
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 2,331
Veteran
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 2,331 |
I previously hoped that the more multistyles, the better.
I tried more chord changes today, and found it was very good, the accompaniment was more stable, and it was more suitable for singing. So although it is just a pattern, the chord changes more, which will effectively improve the feeling of accompaniment repetition.
But I sang this song.
If you are doing rap, there may be fewer chords, and at most 1-4 chords may be used in the whole song. Because I found that many good songs have very few chords. Maybe they use a lot of substitutions?
WIN10 20H2, AMD R4800H ,16G , 2T ,FOCUSRITE 2i4 MKII，Studio One,FL STUDIO
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginners Forum
|
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,057
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,057 |
...Because I found that many good songs have very few chords. Maybe they use a lot of substitutions? My recommendation is not to lock yourself in to too many rules, especially as far as chord structures go. Remain flexible. Your results will be broader also.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginners Forum
|
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 2,331
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 2,331 |
WIN10 20H2, AMD R4800H ,16G , 2T ,FOCUSRITE 2i4 MKII，Studio One,FL STUDIO
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginners Forum
|
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 2,145
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 2,145 |
basic fact is that chords are the building blocks of music in BIAB. you have to get those right. whizzy features such as multi styles are what you go for when you need them not as a starting point. so create music by what sounds good not what the software is capable of.
thousandths and thousands of hit pop and country songs use only three chords and thousands more only use six when they add their relative minors.
and the same songs often use no more than majors, minors and sevenths. at least in pop and country.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginners Forum
|
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 1,689
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 1,689 |
thousandths and thousands of hit pop and country songs use only three chords I’m trying to figure out what he means when he asks if they use a lot of “substitutions”. I guess the idea is that Woody Guthrie sat down at BIAB and banged out “This Land Is Your Land” with the normal ration of hairy jazz chords but then BIAB took over and simplified it. It would be interesting to hear the original.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginners Forum
|
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 2,145
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 2,145 |
i think we keep uncovering some basic lack of music knowledge. he's not just learning BIAB as he goes along but how music works. if he's working off sheet music he might be entering chords that we would automatically simplify.
and i agree with Woody that 'anything more than three chords is showing off'.........
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginners Forum
|
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,455
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,455 |
i think we keep uncovering some basic lack of music knowledge. he's not just learning BIAB as he goes along but how music works. if he's working off sheet music he might be entering chords that we would automatically simplify.
and i agree with Woody that 'anything more than three chords is showing off'.........
Love is grand.
Divorce is twenty grand!
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginners Forum
|
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 1,689
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 1,689 |
It sounds like he started at ground zero and is trying to learn everything at once. But I really give him credit to learning this way. When you put it that way, it sounds awesome, almost heroic, like Abraham Lincoln trudging through the snow to get a lump of coal to do arithmetic on the back of a shovel. But I imagine someone sitting in a class, ignoring the teacher and his fellow students, surfing the Internet on his phone and periodically yelling out random questions based on what he finds. If you answer a specific question, he will pop his head up long enough to record your answer, argue with you, mention something he wants, then dive back into surfing the Internet (which he has called the "best teacher".) Maybe I'm being unkind, but I see a serious problem with this approach to "learning", as evidenced by the extremely odd title of this thread. Of course, surf the Internet and you will encounter a barrage of marketing from companies promising to teach you how to write 100 songs a day with zero knowledge of music. They will mock the "old fashioned" ways and assure you you don't need ANY of that to emit Monetizeable Musical Material. BIAB and Scaler will help you automate the entire process! Once you learn the software you can plug one program into the other and have your computer write music while you sleep. Sorry, can't type any more, my old fart hat has slipped down over my eyes.
Last edited by Mark Hayes; 12/30/21 05:41 AM.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginners Forum
|
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,489
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,489 |
Swingbabymix, I don’t know if ‘substitutions’ means the same thing to you as it does to me (for example a tri-tone substitution).
Also, many of the Brazilian songs I work with may have four chords in the first measure, never mind the whole song. And for anyone who says it’s showing off; it’s not. It’s perfectly normal for the genre.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginners Forum
|
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,598
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,598 |
But I imagine someone sitting in a class, ignoring the teacher and his fellow students, surfing the Internet on his phone and periodically yelling out random questions based on what he finds. If you answer a specific question, he will pop his head up long enough to record your answer, argue with you, mention something he wants, then dive back into surfing the Internet (which he has called the "best teacher".)
Maybe I'm being unkind, but I see a serious problem with this approach to "learning",
I absolutely agree. Swingbabymix,
Also, many of the Brazilian songs I work with may have four chords in the first measure, never mind the whole song. And for anyone who says it’s showing off; it’s not. It’s perfectly normal for the genre. Also agreed. Brazilian musicians do that all the time, not only when composing, but also when playing live and reharmonizing on the fly.
Latest BIAB version, latest build.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginners Forum
|
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,455
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,455 |
When you put it that way, it sounds awesome, almost heroic, like Abraham Lincoln trudging through the snow to get a lump of coal to do arithmetic on the back of a shovel.
But I imagine someone sitting in a class, ignoring the teacher and his fellow students, surfing the Internet on his phone and periodically yelling out random questions based on what he finds. If you answer a specific question, he will pop his head up long enough to record your answer, argue with you, mention something he wants, then dive back into surfing the Internet (which he has called the "best teacher".)
Maybe I'm being unkind, but I see a serious problem with this approach to "learning", as evidenced by the extremely odd title of this thread.
Of course, surf the Internet and you will encounter a barrage of marketing from companies promising to teach you how to write 100 songs a day with zero knowledge of music. They will mock the "old fashioned" ways and assure you you don't need ANY of that to emit Monetizeable Musical Material. BIAB and Scaler will help you automate the entire process! Once you learn the software you can plug one program into the other and have your computer write music while you sleep.
Sorry, can't type any more, my old fart hat has slipped down over my eyes.
I agree. I'm old school, that is learn how to read music and learn at least some theory. I know you do not need to learn theory to write or play music but IMHO learning theory will help your playing/writing. I totally agree with your second paragraph. Answers have been given that were ignored. A number of us have suggested getting an intro to music theory book. Some of his questions have been answered by other questions that would have been obvious if a little theory and/or playing experience were applied. I still stand by my statement "started at ground zero and is trying to learn everything at once". IMHO, and I might be wrong here, it seems that instead of cracking a book he wants to be spoon fed answers by forum members. YMMV
Love is grand.
Divorce is twenty grand!
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginners Forum
|
Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 26
Enthusiast
|
|
Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 26 |
I actually think there are no "wrong" chords if they support the melody. Consider your basic circle of 5th/4ths construct and there are chord relationships shared by multiple keys. There is clearly no rule that restricts you from "borrowing" from other key centers. As for 'substitutions', tritones make anything possible and this is the path to adding 'color' where a standard more predictable chord can sit.
Proof? Joni Mitchell does it. Sting more deliberately so. But the king of this? Stevie Wonder. The more I think on this cat, the more it makes sense why it is easy for him to break the rules: he trusted his ears and it if sounded good, who cares what the rules are. Revisit My Cherie first and then nearly any other of his tunes as he messes with the listener much to their delight.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginners Forum
|
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 1,689
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 1,689 |
I think of musical rules as being like rules of the road, but not legal rules, like basic rules of driving. "Leave adequate space for braking" and such, and how to negotiate merges. But these guidelines are just there to help me get where I'm going in one piece, and are immediately overridden by any situational factors. I'm not going to yield to somebody going dangerously slow because it might create a general hazard, I will accelerate past them, and if I'm on a Christmas "light ride" I will disregard a lifetime of habit and turn my headlights off at night.
Imagine a musical "rule" that says, "Don't play a song in two different keys at once". It makes sense because of the dissonance that will cause. A bi-tonal piece will quite likely sound awful, and a beginner would be well-advised to have all his players playing in the same key.
Of course, if you're Charles Ives, you will do what you want and in fact that will often be EXACTLY what you want, and "rules" do not stop you.
The beginning composer, however, is advised not to unintentionally come off sounding like Charles Ives when that was not desired.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginners Forum
|
Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 26
Enthusiast
|
|
Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 26 |
I get the rules of the road analogy but those rules are in place for the purposes of safety, regardless of how you employ them the reasonable expectation is that they will be observed. The rules of music are considerably blurred by comparison because 'safety' is on no one's mind. (Charlie Parker and Coltrane come to mind.)
It is helpful to have intention built into your creative purpose but much is to be said for 'happy accidents' which no musician, educated or not, hasn't stumbled upon in their respective journeys. As for the beginning composer, we have all been there and I dare say it was fun to be ignorant because the absent of rules made us much braver then. My personal struggle as a songwriter is to somehow get "back to the egg" because it all seemed fresh and exciting when we knew nothing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginners Forum
|
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 2,145
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 2,145 |
apologies mario, i realise there are songs with more than three chords - i even know some of them.  but my point is quite serious. pop, country and folk are probably the most accessble of genres, and majors, minors and sevenths usually suffice to create a lot of really wonderful music. playing guitar we all get the hang of sus chords and how they resolve - add and take off the g on the top string of a D chord is sonething we all learnt by simply playing or watching other guitarists. it sounds cool and we learnt by doing it! some of the chords the OP is asking qestions about seem to come out of nowhere - unless as i mentioned earlier he is using a program that creates chord sequences. if that's the case he's generating chords with a program and turning them into songs with BIAB instead of starting with the music he wants to create. mind you, if he's attemtping to learn BIAB and jazz from scratch he's braver than i am. but then creating any kind of music without learning an instrument misses a great deal of the pleasure and satisfaction. i do feel we are being used a little - i have had invaluable help from the forum but my first reponse is not to make a psot if i'm not sure how to do something which is what the OP seems to do.
Last edited by Bob Calver; 12/30/21 10:07 AM.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginners Forum
|
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,455
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,455 |
No need to apologize my friend. No foul no harm.
I agree with your last post completely.
Love is grand.
Divorce is twenty grand!
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginners Forum
|
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 1,689
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 1,689 |
if that's the case he's generating chords with a program and turning them into songs with BIAB instead of starting with the music he wants to create I actually think that would be great! He just posted a simple chord progression here, probably emitted by Scaler, that would make a fine BIAB song, creation of which would do far more for him, as a would-be songwriter, than having 10 people explain why E Major sounds cool in the key of C.
Last edited by Mark Hayes; 12/30/21 01:23 PM.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginners Forum
|
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 2,145
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 2,145 |
But would it? Press button A to get chords. Press button B to get backing. No personal input no creativity.
Is that really the way we want music making to go?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginners Forum
|
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 2,331
Veteran
|
|
OP
Veteran
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 2,331 |
thanks for your replies! I will work hard to learn chords.
However, I may not go to read. Because books are basically translated, I don’t understand. The most important thing is that I have been sleeping since I was young.
My main source of music theory knowledge comes from video and direct software operation.
With your help, I have a more in-depth understanding of BIAB. The more I use it, the more I like it. Not only can this software help to make music, but I think it is also a very good teaching software. It is difficult for me to understand some chords in a short period of time. I can only rely on memorization or familiarity with the operation. However, I believe that with the accumulation of time, I will change from mere memory to flexible use, and I will gradually get better. thank you all ^0^
WIN10 20H2, AMD R4800H ,16G , 2T ,FOCUSRITE 2i4 MKII，Studio One,FL STUDIO
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginners Forum
|
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 280
Apprentice
|
|
Apprentice
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 280 |
Many, many years ago when I first got in to music, the most helpful thing I found was a circle of fifths wheel. It taught me the basic building blocks of music, in time I found it easier to be able to work out chord patterns, and that you could break the rules. These days there are apps and many web sites that do the circle of fifths. I would suggest that Swingbabymix look in to that, he will get an awful lot of benefit and insight very quickly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
PowerTracks Pro 2026 for Windows is Here!
PowerTracks 2026 is here—bringing powerful new enhancements designed to make your production workflow faster, smoother, and more intuitive than ever.
The enhanced Mixer now shows Track Type and Instrument icons for instant track recognition, while a new grid option simplifies editing views. Non-floating windows adopt a modern title bar style, replacing the legacy blue bar.
The Master Volume is now applied at the end of the audio chain for consistent levels and full-signal master effects.
Tablature now includes a “Save bends when saving XML” option for improved compatibility with PG Music tools. Plus, you can instantly match all track heights with a simple Ctrl-release after resizing, and Add2 chords from MGU/SGU files are now fully supported... and more!
Get started today—first-time packages start at just $49.
Already using PowerTracks Pro Audio? Upgrade for as little as $29 and enjoy the latest improvements!
Order now!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows Special Offers End Tomorrow (January 15th, 2026) at 11:59 PM PST!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, January 15, 2026!
We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
Version 2026 introduces a modernized GUI redesign across the program, with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, and a new Dark Mode option. There’s also a new side toolbar for quicker access to commonly used windows, and the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, making it easier to customize your workspace.
Another exciting new addition is the new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. You can view the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to process an entire track or focus on specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
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!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Windows to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade during our special, you'll receive a Free Bonus PAK of exciting new add-ons.
If you need any help deciding which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We are here to help!
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!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums57
Topics85,965
Posts798,341
Members39,996
| |
Most Online44,367
2 hours ago
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean