Hi, I'm new (again) to Biab, because I had to stop using my Version 8 when I got a new 64-bit machine in 2012. I've forgotten SO much in these last 10 years!
I would love to get advice from some of you experienced users regarding writing for multiple instruments.
I'm trying to write for 5 instruments, including drums. So I asked a chat person about how to create a conductor score sheet, where I could enter the notes for the MIDI instruments that are assigned to each staff.
The person in the chat session informed me that Biab cannot present more than the single treble and bass staves at one time.
But I need to hear all the instruments playing together as I go through the writing process. And they need to play exactly what I write for them to play. No styles, iow.
Has anyone accomplished anything similar to this using Band-in-a-Box? As I sit here, it occures to me that it might be possible to write each individual part here, and then export it as MIDI to another program which can present them all together.
Any thoughts on this? It's not ideal, but better than guessing thru the whole process how the mix of the instruments would sound.
It would be great to hear from anyone who's involved in this process. This is a dream I've had for years. Really hoping there's a way to accomplish it.
As best I understand what you have said, I would have to say that this is not what BIAB can help you with. Do you actually write notation to the staff lines? If so, then best to use something like Musescore which is free. It will overlay multiple staff and allow you to write and play each individual instrument as one composition. Or, do you play-in and move midi notes on the piano roll? That can be done nicely in your DAW for multiple instruments.
Good luck
BIAB – 2025, Reaper (current), i7-12700F Processor, 32GB DDR4-3200MHz RAM, Motu Audio Express 6x6 - My SoundCloud (Tip: No need to create a SC account to hear music - just hit ESC ).
But I'm curious why you want to do this in BIAB at all, since you don't plan on using BIAB-generated material in your pieces. You mention starting out in BIAB and finishing up in some other program, what makes you want to start in BIAB?
Thank you all for your responses! You have helped greatly. Let me answer individually:
AudioTrack: Your information above looks great! I don't think you mean that it would allow Biab to play back all the instruments from the score, but if at least it can create the multiple staves, I could add in the instrument names later for printing out and sharing. Thank you!
MusicStudent: I actually have been using Musescore, which I have found very frustrating to use. If I enter notes near the right side of a page, it flips down to the next line before I'm thru adding notes! To avoid this, I have to minimize the page quite a bit, too much for my "old, cataract eyes." (Sounds like a nice name for a song!) I have a small, ancient keyboard, which I just discovered has a MIDI output! All this time I've been poking here on my computer keys. I tried Cakewalk years ago... for a day. Maybe I'm "smarter" now. Worth trying your suggestions. Thanks!!
Mark Hayes: What I did with the old Version 8 was simply enter music I liked, some Bach pieces for example, and listened to what Biab could do with it. I never tried to write my own things, nor did I try mixing instruments for combos. But I have two new purposes now. I'm learning to write (Nothing professional! Never had music theory, but I can "feel" what sounds OK), so I had hoped this program could provide everything I need.
The other purpose, though, will work very well. I'll be helping my sister with her flute playing while the pandemic keeps her community band membership muted, iyw. She needs to feel she's playing with other musicians. We think this is the way to go.
Thanks again folks! I guess I'll try to learn Cakewalk (my curiosity is revived), or just keep using MuseScore for the writing process. Cheers!
^^ what Bob Calver said Use multiple tracks, enter the notes any way you want (piano roll, MIDI, physical entry etc) And if you set the tempo correctly you can still use BiaB generate features, though it sounds like you may not be, which again leads to the 'why use BiaB for this' question.
Anyway, Realband will likely make your described workflow better
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome Make your sound your own!
But I have two new purposes now. I'm learning to write (Nothing professional! Never had music theory, but I can "feel" what sounds OK), so I had hoped this program could provide everything I need
I, too, aspire to getting back to part-writing. I even had fantasies of sitting by a big window at my local public library with a pad of music paper and a pencil and trying to begin something that way, but at this point the idea of reading in a library feels as ancient as the idea of smoking on an airplane.
Anyway, I am currently looking at Musescore myself as a notation editor, so I hope you're wrong about it. I do a lot of stuff in Logic Pro but it's not particularly friendly with notation.
This is not what you’ve asked, but in case it helps, this is how I work. I write for a nine-piece chamber ensemble and a 19-piece big band jazz ensemble.
I make the rhythm section parts in BIAB, record them to a .WAV file, and load that file into my notation program, Notion 6 by Presonus. Often I will write the melody in BIAB and often a counterpoint / harmony line, since I find entering those in BIAB to be easier than any other program. Then I export those as Music XML. But them I form the full arrangement with other parts in Notion.
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; Roland Integra-7, Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
Bob Calver: Thanks for mentioning Realband specifically. I've spent most of my time searching tutorials to see how to enter more than just one "instrument" at a time. And I'm so confused by the various modules in Biab, it's probably wiser now to start over "as if" I were a total newbie. I feel overwhelmed, to be honest. As to Realband itself, when I read in its blurb about it being part of a "music production powerhouse", I naturally assumed Biab would do what I've described here as being my goal. I will dig into it after I clear a few of my "basic-newbie" problems. Thanks!
rharv: Glancing again thru the Realband features, I think I see what you mean here. Not completely;-)... but this looks good. Thank you!
Mark Hayes: Again, my problem with MuseScore may be due to how I need to zoom in so tightly to each measure that I'm working on. Musescore wants to flip you immediately to where it thinks you're next going to enter notes. With the screen homed-in on one measure, that often means the measure disappears before I'm done working in it! It has positives. It's easy to balance the volumes of each instrument. Easy to change them, rearrange their placements, etc.
Matt Finley: Wow! I took a quick look at the Notion 6 site. I'm not regretting getting Biab, but that program, on brief look-over, seems to be much more what I was looking for! The two together? Oh yes!... Am I worthy?
Thank you for this! I don't understand why it didn't come up in my much-Googling. ---
Thanks again everyone! I didn't expect so many nor such helpful answers, nor so quickly. I look forward to reading these forums often. Lots to learn from you folks!
BTW - I'm "AdimWit" because I grew up with a Dad who was a musical genius concert pianist and French hornist, who played in symphonies and dance bands all his life, and a Mom who was not only an accomplished pianist, but a very respected artist and teacher in watercolors, oils, etc. I never had the sense to learn anything from them. I couldn't gain interest in piano at age 6, so I quit, and am now trying to learn it on my own at 73, because of course they're gone. And, I love diminished chords:-) Cheers, -Ken
BTW - I'm "AdimWit" because I grew up with a Dad who was a musical genius concert pianist and French hornist, who played in symphonies and dance bands all his life, and a Mom who was not only an accomplished pianist, but a very respected artist and teacher in watercolors, oils, etc. I never had the sense to learn anything from them. I couldn't gain interest in piano at age 6, so I quit, and am now trying to learn it on my own at 73, because of course they're gone. And, I love diminished chords:-) Cheers, -Ken
I grew up in a family that no one played an instrument. Mom tinkered with a piano but never really played it. My uncle on dad's side was the only musician. My kids grew up with me and my bands/music for their entire lives and no one took up an instrument! My two boys got the mechanic's gene from my wife's side; Her dad ran Nascar Modifieds back in the day and her brother raced also. But that was OK as they saved me a ton of money by working on my car; far more than they would have given me if they played in bands
The fitness trainer asked me, "What kind of a squat are you accustomed to doing?" I said, "Diddly."
64 bit Win 11 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
I let "friends" convince me I wasn't any good. I quit.
Those friends are gone from my life - some died, some still living - and I am having the time of my life with my instruments. I started back to playing after a 33 years hiatus.
I actually have been using Musescore, which I have found very frustrating to use. If I enter notes near the right side of a page, it flips down to the next line before I'm thru adding notes!
FWIW, I use the keyboard entry method, digit for note length and A thru G, cursor up/down per semitone and ctrl-up/down per octave.
There are easy enough shortcuts for chord text, lyrics, section marks and so on.
Edit->Preferences->Shortcuts.
I personally prefer keyboard entry as I now have a long-standing wrist issue due to mouse use.
It may be only me and lack of practice, but I personally find BiaB's note-entry almost intolerable. I'm fairly sure sure others will feel the reverse is true. I'll do a few small changes, but for anything more I go to Musescore then Export->Import to BiaB, usually via MusicXML.
Jazz relative beginner, starting at a much older age than was helpful. AVL:MXE Linux; Windows 11 BIAB2025 Audiophile, a bunch of other software. Kawai MP6, Ui24R, Focusrite Saffire Pro40 and Scarletts .
Interesting. I’ve used most notation programs and served as a beta tester for two, but I prefer entering a melody into BIAB over all of them. In all of software, this might be the most personal of all preferences I’ve seen.
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; Roland Integra-7, Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
A lot probably comes down to what one first learned and whether happiest with computer keys or mouse.
Playing and quantising should work best of all.
Jazz relative beginner, starting at a much older age than was helpful. AVL:MXE Linux; Windows 11 BIAB2025 Audiophile, a bunch of other software. Kawai MP6, Ui24R, Focusrite Saffire Pro40 and Scarletts .
It's always been interesting to hear about other musicians' experiences in developing their art. The posts here are likewise fascinating. Other than my sister, I don't know any other musicians personally.
For me right now, I guess I'll continue writing tunes and chord progressions, just to see what I can develop.
But what has sort of shocked me is how the 3 or 4 Bach pieces I've memorized on keyboard (because I can't read music in real-time!), those pieces have sort of burned into my hands a feel for where things should go. It's hard to explain. Maybe it's because I play them everyday... if I don't, I quickly forget various sections!!
I'm limited to keys of C or E mostly, because I converted the Bach pieces to those keys before learning them. And I do have a few years, up to 1990, of learning fingerpick guitar. That helped with gaining a feel for folk styles and those simple chord progressions. And the discovery of diminished chords (Bach 'taught' me!), has widened my options greatly. Although, I tend to overuse them!
So it's great to have Band-in-a-Box back again, this time with a bit more sense of where I want to go with it.
And I will take Gordon Scott's comments to heart, regarding how he uses a keyboard entry method. Yes, I've probably been making things a lot harder for myself than necessary.
It's fascinating to read everyone's comments. I'll be lurking around and add responses from time to time... So many forums here to read!!!
My friend uses ForteNotation for this purpose (I haven't tried it myself), he says that it is easy to work with.
Forte is among the easier notation programs to use. I think there are easier, but surely there are far more that are harder.
A lot depends on how much you need publishing quality of the printout. If that’s the goal, then Dorico is the easiest of the hard ones (over Sibelius and Finale). If all you need is quick basic notation for yourself, then there are different programs that will be better suited to you.
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; Roland Integra-7, Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs Special Extended Until August 31st!
XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs Special Extended Until August 31st!
The XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs special offers are now available until August 31st at 11:59pm PDT!
Ready to take your Band-in-a-Box® 2025 experience to the next level? Now’s the perfect time! Expand your style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs—packed with a wide variety of genres to inspire your next musical creation.
What are XPro Styles and Xtra Styles PAKs?
XPro Styles PAKs are styles that work with any version (Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition) of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). XPro Styles PAKS 1-9 includes 900 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). With over 3,500 styles (and 35 MIDI styles) included in Xtra Styles PAKs 1-20, the possibilities are endless!
Get the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 9 for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Listen to demos and order now! For Windows or for Mac.
Note: XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
Get Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 19 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Listen to demos and order now! For Windows or for Mac.
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 19 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Don’t miss this chance to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box setup—at a great price!
Mac 2025 Special Upgrade Offers Extended Until August 15th!
It's not too late to upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® and save! We've extended our special until August 15, 2025!
We've added many major new features to Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, including advanced AI tools like the amazing BB Stem Splitter and AI Lyrics Generator, as well as VST3 plugin support, and Equalize Temp. Plus, there’s a new one-stop MIDI Patches Picker with over 1,100 MIDI patches to choose from, all neatly categorized by GM numbers. The MultiPicker Library is enhanced with tabs for the SongPicker, MIDI Patch Picker, Chord Builder, AI Lyrics Generator, and Song Titles Browser, and the tabs are organized into logical groups. The Audiophile Edition is enhanced with FLAC files , which are 60% smaller than AIFF files while maintaining identical audio quality, and now ships on a fast 1TB SSD, and much more!
Check out all the new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® here:
Purchase your Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac during our special to save up to 50% off your upgrade purchase and receive a FREE BONUS PAK of amazing new Add-ons. These include the 2025 RealCombos Booster PAK, Look Ma! More MIDI 13: Country & Americana, Instrumental Studies Set 22: 2-Hand Piano Soloing - Rhythm Changes, MIDI SuperTracks Set 44: Jazz Piano, Artist Performance Set 17: Songs with Vocals 7, Playable RealTracks Set 4, RealDrums Stems Set 7: Jazz with Mike Clark, and more!
Upgrade to the 2025 49-PAK for just $49 and add 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and 20 RealStyles, FLAC Files for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks, Look Ma! More MIDI 14: SynthMaster, MIDI SuperTracks Set 45: More SynthMaster, Artist Performance Set 18: Songs with Vocals 8, and RealDrums Stems Set 8: Pop, Funk & More with Jerry Roe.
Learn more about the Bonus PAKs!
We’ve expanded the Band-in-a-Box® RealTracks library with 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 449-467) across Jazz, Blues, Funk, World, Pop, Rock, Country, Americana, and Praise & Worship—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Blues & World (Sets 449–455):
These RealTracks includes “Soul Jazz” with Neil Swainson (bass), Mike Clark (drums), Charles Treadway (organ), Miles Black (piano), and Brent Mason (guitar). Enjoy “Requested ’60s” jazz, classic acoustic blues with Colin Linden, and more of our popular 2-handed piano soloing. Plus, a RealTracks first—Tango with bandoneon, recorded in Argentina!
Rock & Pop (Sets 456–461):
This collection includes Disco, slap bass ‘70s/‘80s pop, modern and ‘80s metal with Andy Wood, and a unique “Songwriter Potpourri” featuring Chinese folk instruments, piano, banjo, and more. You’ll also find a muted electric guitar style (a RealTracks first!) and “Producer Layered Guitar” styles for slick "produced" sound.
Country, Americana & Praise (Sets 462–467):
We’ve added new RealTracks across bro country, Americana, praise & worship, vintage country, and songwriter piano. Highlights include Brent Mason (electric guitar), Eddie Bayers (drums), Doug Jernigan (pedal steel), John Jarvis (piano), Glen Duncan (banjo, mandolin & fiddle), Mike Harrison (electric bass) and more—offering everything from modern sounds to heartfelt Americana styles
And, if you are looking for more, the 2025 49-PAK (for $49) includes an additional 20 RealTracks with exciting new sounds and genre-spanning styles. Enjoy RealTracks firsts like Chinese instruments (guzheng & dizi), the bandoneon in an authentic Argentine tango trio, and the classic “tic-tac” baritone guitar for vintage country.
You’ll also get slick ’80s metal guitar from Andy Wood, modern metal with guitarist Nico Santora, bass player Nick Schendzielos, and drummer Aaron Stechauner, more praise & worship, indie-folk, modern/bro country with Brent Mason, and “Songwriter Americana” with Johnny Hiland.
Plus, enjoy user-requested styles like Soul Jazz RealDrums, fast Celtic Strathspey guitar, and Chill Hop piano & drums!
With your version 2025 for Mac Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Or upgrade to the 2025 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!
These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
The 2025 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 33 new RealTracks and 65+ new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 29 new RealTracks and 45+ new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 20 new RealStyles.
Look Ma! More MIDI 13: Country & Americana
Instrumental Studies Set 22: 2-Hand Piano Soloing - Rhythm Changes
MIDI SuperTracks Set 44: Jazz Piano
Artist Performance Set 17: Songs with Vocals 7
Playable RealTracks Set 4
RealDrums Stems Set 7: Jazz with Mike Clark
SynthMaster Sounds and Styles (with audio demos)
128 GM MIDI Patch Audio Demos.
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2025 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyles,
FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
Look Ma! More MIDI 14: SynthMaster,
Instrumental Studies Set 23: More '80s Hard Rock Soloing,
MIDI SuperTracks Set 45: More SynthMaster
Artist Performance Set 18: Songs with Vocals 8
RealDrums Stems Set 8: Pop, Funk & More with Jerry Roe
New! Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher for Mac!
Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest and greatest in the all new Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box! This fresh installment is packed with 200 all-new styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres you've come to expect, as well as the exciting inclusion of electronic styles!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Minimalist Modern Funk, New Wave Synth Pop, Hard Bop Latin Groove, Gospel Country Shuffle, Cinematic Synthwave, '60s Motown, Funky Lo-Fi Bossa, Heavy 1980s Metal, Soft Muted 12-8 Folk, J-Pop Jazz Fusion, and many more!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 209 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 20 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
New! XPro Styles PAK 9 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and higher for Mac!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 9 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 29 RealTracks/RealDrums!
We've been hard at it to bring you the latest and greatest in this 9th installment of our popular XPro Styles PAK series! Included are 75 styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres (25 styles each) that fans have come to expect, as well as 25 styles in this volume's wildcard genre: funk & R&B!
If you're itching to get a sneak peek at what's included in XPro Styles PAK 9, here is a small helping of what you can look forward to: Funky R&B Horns, Upbeat Celtic Rock, Jazz Fusion Salsa, Gentle Indie Folk, Cool '60s Soul, Funky '70s R&B, Smooth Jazz Hip Hop, Acoustic Rockabilly Swing, Funky Reggae Dub, Dreamy Retro Latin Jazz, Retro Soul-Rock Fusion, and much more!
Special Pricing! Until July 31, 2024, all the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 9 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
New! Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher for Windows!
Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest and greatest in the all new Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box! This fresh installment is packed with 200 all-new styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres you've come to expect, as well as the exciting inclusion of electronic styles!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Minimalist Modern Funk, New Wave Synth Pop, Hard Bop Latin Groove, Gospel Country Shuffle, Cinematic Synthwave, '60s Motown, Funky Lo-Fi Bossa, Heavy 1980s Metal, Soft Muted 12-8 Folk, J-Pop Jazz Fusion, and many more!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 209 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 20 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
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