I want to create a song that completely combines multiple styles, all the instruments from every part, from beginning to end, even if that would be discordant or redundant.
Why do I want to do this?
Right now I will sometimes set a style, export audio / MIDI into Logic, then set another style and repeat, sorting it all out in Logic. This way would make that a lot easier.
I'm guessing the answer will have something to do with copying tracks onto utility tracks, which I approach with fear and trembling because of the way BIAB seems to use random names for instruments. But, if that's what I have to do, that's what I have to do.
Please note, I am using BIAB MacOS 2021. I post this here because I doubt it's a Mac-specific question.
Super easy way to do that...... Write the song in BB in the style you want. Export the tracks as waves into a DAW. Save it with a name. Change the style to the other style.... repeat the export. Save it with a name+1. Select the tracks you want from each style in your DAW.... Selectively mute the ones you don't want to use.
Thanks, but then I wind up with multiple versions of the BIAB song. What I'm looking to do is have all the tracks in one place so that if I make a change, I only have to make it in one place, and only have to re-export it once.
< I'm guessing the answer will have something to do with copying tracks onto utility tracks, which I approach with fear and trembling because of the way BIAB seems to use random names for instruments. But, if that's what I have to do, that's what I have to do. >
There are several combinations of BIAB techniques that will accomplish this and it's also possible to do without Utility Tracks if that's the way you want to do it.
Use MultiStyles on Legacy Tracks in combination with the RealTrack Medley Maker and Artist Performance Tracks along with the Audio Track to create a song that contains more than 70 instruments over layers of dozens of tracks in a single render. This will create a song using only BIAB and not external DAW or editing software if that's how you want to do it.
I think Guitarhackers has value as it would seem easier to manage the styles in separate files vice a dogs breakfast in a single file.
That's the way I'm already doing it now, and it works fine... until you want to change something later. What I'm looking to facilitate is the process of subsequent editing at the chord progression level.
Say I've created a piece that uses 3 styles, and I want to go back to the ground floor and change a C Major to a B Major for 4 bars.
If I have 3 BIAB files, I have to make the change in 3 files and re-export audio from each of them.
In my fantasy dream world, I make the change once, export a bunch of audio tracks once, and I'm done.
Use MultiStyles on Legacy Tracks in combination with the RealTrack Medley Maker and Artist Performance Tracks along with the Audio Track to create a song that contains more than 70 instruments over layers of dozens of tracks in a single render. This will create a song using only BIAB and not external DAW or editing software if that's how you want to do it.
Thanks, Charlie. Having seen the word "MultiStyles" at point in the past, the first thing I did was look into that, but what I found was stuff about "substyles" rather than the arbitrary combinations I had in mind, so it seemed not a solution. But you're apparently talking about something more elaborate (and scarier!) than that, which I'll see if I can find in the interface. Thanks again.
If I understand your first post correctly when you say, "... create a song that completely combines multiple styles, all the instruments from every part, from beginning to end, even if that would be discordant or redundant."
MultiStyles will do exactly that. Substyles are derived from a master style, using Master style for want of a better word. I don't recall what PG Music calls them at the moment. Any existing style can be modified into a substyle or a substyle can be another existing style or a style that's custom user created. A master style will be identified by a + following the style name. The modified substyles will be identified by a number following the style name
From the Master MultiStyle, the substyles will be activated by the different colored Part Markers. There can be up to 24 different Part Markers in any single song.
I've attached a screen shot of a PG Music created MultiStyle. There are nearly 1,000 PG Music created MultiStyles in the StylePicker on my version of BIAB. However, any style can be modified into a MultiStyle.
There are two types of MultiStyles, song specific MultiStyle and a Style MultiStyle.
Mark, I'm assuming using F5 to change styles isn't the solution your looking for, is that correct?
I believe not, because I'm not looking to change the active style, I'm wanting to add another style to it. But I think Charlie may have my solution, I need to confirm that now. Thanks!
Mark, I'm assuming using F5 to change styles isn't the solution your looking for, is that correct?
Nope it isn't. It sort of does the same thing but not to the same extent as using MultiStyles. One would normally change a style or maybe two throughout a song and that can be done manually using the Bar Settings RealStyle Button.
MultiStyles can make complete Style changes and can also modify existing styles or both. Songs with MultiStyles can have 24 Part Markers and each Part Marker will have both an A section and a B section. A song can be drastically edited just by changing Part Markers or adding/deleting Part Markers at any bar throughout the course of a song.
Chord changes or any other subsequent editing at the chord progression level will be done in a single BIAB project song and can be regenerated multiple times the same as with a normal two Part Marker song with the appropriate Style or substyle generating properly.
MultiStyles will do exactly that. Substyles are derived from a master style ... Any existing style can be modified into a substyle or a substyle can be another existing style or a style that's custom user created ... Chord changes or any other subsequent editing at the chord progression level will be done in a single BIAB project song and can be regenerated multiple times
Thanks, Charlie, it does sound like that's exactly what I'm looking for. I will try to consolidate my current project this way now, to see how well that works vs. maintaining separate files.
I think my problem was an ambiguity between "MultiStyles" as a technical feature and "MultiStyles" as a marketed, saleable product, but, not important now.
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