Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread
Print Thread
Go To
Page 2 of 2 1 2
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,010
J
Expert
Offline
Expert
J
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,010
Matt: I loaded the style and demo song and made sure it had a solo track. I then generated the song, listened for about 5 min and then turned the volume down but not all the way so I had some background music playing. I checked the progress every so often and when it got up to chorus 37 I watched it play to the end. I did not have the looping feature on so when the song reached the end of chorus 40, it stopped as expected. Nothing unusual about the playing except the abnormally long duration due to the # of choruses chosen.

The Vary Style In Middle Choruses was on so I would assume it did that also.

Bottom line, everything worked as expected.


BIAB2025
Windows 10 Pro
WA6NCB
No Longer on a Crappy Laptop!
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,010
J
Expert
Offline
Expert
J
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,010
Interesting:

Just took the same song, did a copy and paste so it reached the maximum of 255 measures and 40 choruses.

I also turned OFF the fast generate option so it was forced to generate the entirety all of the RealTracks before playing.

After clicking on the Generate button, using a stopwatch, it took 4:38 to generate the song and start playing.

BUT!!!!!!

The chorus number dropped down to 7 from 40 and it will not let me increase it.

Looks like the 40 chorus and 255 measure limit does not apply in this case.

The question of course is, WHY

Attached Files (Click to download or enlarge) (Only available when you are logged in)
biab.jpg (346.23 KB, 119 downloads)

BIAB2025
Windows 10 Pro
WA6NCB
No Longer on a Crappy Laptop!
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 2,989
PG Music Staff
Offline
PG Music Staff
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 2,989
This might help to explain why generating a song of that length might take a while or even may not be possible: if you were to unfold a song that has 40 choruses with each chorus containing 255 measures, that'd be approximately 10,200 total bars you'd be asking Band-in-a-Box to play and generate and then render if exporting to an audio file. For best performance, the max number of measures you can have would be 255. You may start to experience issues after that with playback or generation, and potentially in other ways too.

That said, I tried to set it to 255 at 40 choruses just to test it, and it did change to 7 immediately after I tried picking 40. As Band-in-a-Box's max is 255, I'm not surprised that a song created at all these maxes may not work as it's basically being asked to generate over 10k bars. I will ask the developers about expected behaviours when pushing the program, but I don't suspect this is a bug so much as a program limitation, but I'll share what I find out!


Cheers,
Ember
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 2,989
PG Music Staff
Offline
PG Music Staff
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 2,989
Okay, so I actually heard back pretty quickly:

So 255 bars is the max of what you can set in the program, but the maximum linear amount of bars you can have including repeats and choruses is 2000. To that end, what you can set Band-in-a-Box to depends on the math. The program cannot do 40 choruses of 255 because it far exceeds that 2000 limit. You could, however, do 40 choruses of 50 bars because this would equal 2000. The program when you enter 255 bars is putting in that limit of 7 because 7 choruses of 255 = 1785 bars. Setting it to 8 choruses of 255 would push it over 2000 by about 40 measures.

We hope this helps!


Cheers,
Ember
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,352
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,352
Ember, thank you.

This is serious news. I hope you will announce this in several ways, such as a new FAQ, and a Tip and Trick post, changes in the documentation, etc. I am quite sure most (or maybe even none) of us who have used the program for 30 years knew this way of considering the measure limit.

But before you publish the new limit, may I suggest some more experiments might be in order. In particular, test with a RealTrack set to double-time time base.


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.
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 20,812
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 20,812
Originally Posted By: Matt Finley
Ember, thank you.

This is serious news. I hope you will announce this in several ways, such as a new FAQ, and a Tip and Trick post, changes in the documentation, etc. I am quite sure most (or maybe even none) of us who have used the program for 30 years knew this way of considering the measure limit.

But before you publish the new limit, may I suggest some more experiments might be in order. In particular, test with a RealTrack set to double-time time base.

Excellent points. I was certainly not aware of these specifications, and as we have found in the past, tracks set to double-time base are presumably limited to half this amount again.


BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Professional & Windows 11, Sonar Platinum, Cakewalk by Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M Monitors, Pioneer Active Monitors
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,010
J
Expert
Offline
Expert
J
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,010
Well I just tried style _CORDIAL.STY which I use in the song, After Your Gone. Originally I had 3 RT's and 1 RD in that song using that style and it had 80 measures. That would equate to 720 bars the BIAB has to generate. Works just fine in that setting.

Using the formula, 2000/80 = 25, I could have a maximum of 25 choruses. Well it only let me do 24 but that was good enough for test purposes.

I then made all the tracks 1/2 time and generated the song again. The result was the song generated with 80 measures with 24 choruses and played at 1/2 time. That was what it should have done.

I then did the same the same thing but set the tracks at Double Time and the result blew me away. Instead of generating the song at Double Time, each time I pressed the Generate & Play button, it opens up my File Browser program in my Song Directory and it wants me to load a style!!!!!

Tried it 2-3 times with different songs that I made and the results are the same. It opens up the File Browser asking me to pick a style.

So......

I then used the same style, _CORDIAL.STY but this time loaded the built in demo song and increased the measures to 64, since mathematically I would not have enough choruses to max it out as the demo song only had 32. Anyways, setting the measures to 64 and the choruses to 31, the song generated and appeared to play just fine at normal time BUT each time, I loose the audio, no sound at all but the song moves along as it appears to play.

Since we are in uncharted territory, I am giving it back to the developers since there appears to be multiple bugs in the program when you approach the max number of measures vs choruses in it's current form.

Bugs I see so far:

1. You cannot go above 2000 measures if the choice of measures and choruses goes above that number.

2. Using a song that YOU made mght cause your file browser program to open if you set the tracks to 1/2 time using the maximum number of measure and chorus combinations.

3. Using a style with the built in demo song might cause you to loose audio when you set the tracks to 1/2 time using the maximum number of measure and chorus combinations.

Comments?


BIAB2025
Windows 10 Pro
WA6NCB
No Longer on a Crappy Laptop!
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 2,989
PG Music Staff
Offline
PG Music Staff
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 2,989
Originally Posted By: Matt Finley
Ember, thank you.

This is serious news. I hope you will announce this in several ways, such as a new FAQ, and a Tip and Trick post, changes in the documentation, etc. I am quite sure most (or maybe even none) of us who have used the program for 30 years knew this way of considering the measure limit.

But before you publish the new limit, may I suggest some more experiments might be in order. In particular, test with a RealTrack set to double-time time base.



I can definitely pass this along to the right people for that and see what we can set in motion. smile


Cheers,
Ember
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 2,989
PG Music Staff
Offline
PG Music Staff
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 2,989
Originally Posted By: jcland
Comments?

This is good to know and thank you for testing that! I will pass this along as well and make a report for it. Although I will mention that the choruses and bars bit needs to = 2000 total. So if it goes over, it will round down to the nearest possible option. You can see this example with the 7 x 255. While 8 x 255 would have only been over by 40, this wasn't possible because it still exceeded the 2000 limit. So it went down to 7 x 255 because ~1780 was possible while 2040 was not.


Cheers,
Ember
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 11
T
Newbie
Offline
Newbie
T
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 11
Limited to 256 measures TOTAL... I am finding songs to be limited to 256 TOTAL MEASURES no matter what I do, when using 1 big chorus or unfolding 3 choruses, etc.

[BIAB 2023 latest build]. When I attempt to add more measures, it defaults to 256. When I unfold songs, they are cut off at 256 measures.
--------------------------------------------------------
Am I understanding the above post incorrectly, or is above stated "2000 measure" limit no longer correct?

Please advise.

Thanks,
-Tom

P.S. When I attempt to get what I need using the 'Song Form Maker' the program simply crashes. [I am attempting to create a 3 verse & 3 chorus song (traditionally speaking), but with 4 or 8 bars difference in the 2nd & 3rd verses. I can use BIAB multi-chorus feature, but how to nix the 4 or 8 bars in the 2nd & 3rd verses [i.e. BIAB 2nd & 3rd "Chorus"] using BIAB alone?]

Last edited by tomcadman; 08/20/23 01:25 PM.

"Most of us go to our grave with our music still inside of us." - Pcom Pete
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 12,661
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 12,661
Originally Posted By: tomcadman
Limited to 256 measures TOTAL... I am finding songs to be limited to 256 TOTAL MEASURES no matter what I do, when using 1 big chorus or unfolding 3 choruses, etc.

[BIAB 2023 latest build]. When I attempt to add more measures, it defaults to 256. When I unfold songs, they are cut off at 256 measures.
--------------------------------------------------------
Am I understanding the above post incorrectly, or is above stated "2000 measure" limit no longer correct?

Please advise.

Thanks,
-Tom


I don't remember this tread from last year, and I don't know what this stuff about 2000 is. 256 is the limit, always has been. grin

OK, I re-read the entire thread. My conclusion is that this issue was never resolved. So we still don't know what exactly is going on here.

Last edited by MusicStudent; 08/20/23 01:21 PM.

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

Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 11
T
Newbie
Offline
Newbie
T
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 11
Okay... then I am seeking solution via new post here...

https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=774381#Post774381

-Tom


"Most of us go to our grave with our music still inside of us." - Pcom Pete
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,352
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,352
Dan, I think you are correct; I do not recall this being clarified or mentioned again until today.


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.
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Go To
Page 2 of 2 1 2

Link Copied to Clipboard
ChatPG

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.

PG Music News
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!

Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®

With your version 2026 for Windows Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 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 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK: -For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles. -For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles. -For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
  • MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
  • MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
  • Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
  • Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
  • Playable RealTracks Set 5
  • RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
  • SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
  • Android Band-in-a-Box® App (included)

Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:


  • 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
  • FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
  • MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
  • MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
  • Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
  • Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
  • RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
  • SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)

Learn more about the Bonus PAKs for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!

Video: New User Interface (GUI)

Join Tobin as he takes you on a tour of the new user interface in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®! This modern GUI redesign offers a sleek new look with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, and a smoother workflow. The brand-new side toolbar puts track selection, the MultiPicker Library, and other essential tools right at your fingertips. Plus, our upgraded Multi-View lets you layer multiple windows without overlap, giving you a highly flexible workspace. Many windows—including Tracks, Piano Roll, and more—have been redesigned for improved usability and a cleaner, more intuitive interface, and more!

Watch the video.

You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!

Introducing XPro Styles PAK 10 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!

We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 28 RealTracks and RealDrums!

Few things are certain in life: death, taxes, and a brand spankin’ new XPro Styles PAK! In this, the 10th edition of our XPro Styles PAK series, we’ve got 100 styles coming your way! We have the classic 25 styles each from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, and rounding out this volume's wildcard slot is 25 styles in the Praise & Worship genre! A wide spanning genre, you can find everything from rock, folk, country, and more underneath its umbrella. The included 28 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.

Here’s just a small sampling of what you can look forward to in XPro Styles PAK 10: Soft indie folk worship songs, bumpin’ country boogies, gospel praise breaks, hard rockin’ pop, funky disco grooves, smooth Latin jazz pop, bossa nova fusion, western swing, alternative hip-hop, cool country funk, and much more!

Special offers until December 31st, 2025!

All the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 10 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!

Learn more and listen to demos of XPro Styles PAKs.

Video: XPro Styles PAK 10 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch 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.

Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 21 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!

Xtra Styles PAK 21 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 Xtra Styles PAK installment—the all new Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher)!

Rejoice, one and all, for Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box® is here! We’re serving up 200 brand spankin’ new styles to delight your musical taste buds! The first three courses are the classics you’ve come to know and love, including offerings from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, but, not to be outdone, this year’s fourth course is bro country! A wide ranging genre, you can find everything from hip-hop, uptempo outlaw country, hard hitting rock, funk, and even electronica, all with that familiar bro country flair. The dinner bell has been rung, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 21 today!

In this PAK you’ll discover: Energetic folk rock, raucous train beats, fast country boogies, acid jazz grooves, laid-back funky jams, a bevy of breezy jazz waltzes, calm electro funk, indie synth pop, industrial synth metal, and more bro country than could possibly fit in the back of a pickup truck!

Special offers until December 31st, 2025!

All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 21 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 21 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!

Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 21.

Video: Xtra Styles PAK 21 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!

Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 21 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.

Introducing XPro Styles PAK 10 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!

We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 28 RealTracks and RealDrums!

Few things are certain in life: death, taxes, and a brand spankin’ new XPro Styles PAK! In this, the 10th edition of our XPro Styles PAK series, we’ve got 100 styles coming your way! We have the classic 25 styles each from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, and rounding out this volume's wildcard slot is 25 styles in the Praise & Worship genre! A wide spanning genre, you can find everything from rock, folk, country, and more underneath its umbrella. The included 28 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.

Here’s just a small sampling of what you can look forward to in XPro Styles PAK 10: Soft indie folk worship songs, bumpin’ country boogies, gospel praise breaks, hard rockin’ pop, funky disco grooves, smooth Latin jazz pop, bossa nova fusion, western swing, alternative hip-hop, cool country funk, and much more!

Special offers until December 31st, 2025!

All the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 10 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!

Learn more and listen to demos of XPro Styles PAKs.

Video: XPro Styles PAK 10 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch 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.

Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 21 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!

Xtra Styles PAK 21 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 Xtra Styles PAK installment—the all new Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher)!

Rejoice, one and all, for Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box® is here! We’re serving up 200 brand spankin’ new styles to delight your musical taste buds! The first three courses are the classics you’ve come to know and love, including offerings from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, but, not to be outdone, this year’s fourth course is bro country! A wide ranging genre, you can find everything from hip-hop, uptempo outlaw country, hard hitting rock, funk, and even electronica, all with that familiar bro country flair. The dinner bell has been rung, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 21 today!

In this PAK you’ll discover: Energetic folk rock, raucous train beats, fast country boogies, acid jazz grooves, laid-back funky jams, a bevy of breezy jazz waltzes, calm electro funk, indie synth pop, industrial synth metal, and more bro country than could possibly fit in the back of a pickup truck!

Special offers until December 31st, 2025!

All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 21 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 21 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!

Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 21.

Video: Xtra Styles PAK 21 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!

Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 21 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.

Forum Statistics
Forums57
Topics85,354
Posts791,200
Members39,859
Most Online25,754
Jan 24th, 2025
Newest Members
Samuel Song, Max Gain, BEAN223, Brazilboyz, doccawudi
39,859 Registered Users
Top Posters(30 Days)
jpettit 321
MarioD 209
DrDan 190
DC Ron 152
Noel96 144
Rob Helms 116
Today's Birthdays
DarleneProctor, Lonestar Uk, MeisterMusic, Tim Anderson
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5