I've had an experiment with this and I think what you are trying to achieve, can't be done. In my opinion you are just making hard work for yourself by using the Nashville system or Roman numerals. It seems that BIAB does not take this into account with key changes. It also doesn't conform with the standard upper and lower case, unless I'm missing something. From what I can figure out, BIAB cannot modulate to different keys, the song itself is set to just one key.
Yes this is maybe a shortcoming but I don't personally see it as much of a problem. This is not composing software.
With that said, it's also not a problem unless this somehow alters they way it generates chords. Some say it does, I'm not so sure myself - either way, you need to understand one thing that's important...
"Key signature" and "Key" are not really the same thing. In this respect, I think BIAB is doing things correctly - it just isn't taking chord position into account as they all relate to the overall key that is set for the song.
If all you want to do is make the notation display correctly then just use chord names.
Example:
Key of C ... I, ii, iii, V = C Dm Em G Key of D ... I, ii, iii, V = D Em F#m A
BIAB displays this as I IIm IIIm V which I find odd but maybe there is a setting I have overlooked.
Either way. Let's look at those chords in Roman numerals all in the key of C major (with BIAB interpretation in brackets).
C = I (I) D = II (II) Dm = ii (IIm) Em = ii F#m = #iv G = V A = VI
Personally I would have a harder time deciphering that than if I just looked at chord names, it just seems messy.
So back to using chord names and looking at what BIAB is doing.
4 Bars in the key of C C Dm Em G
change key to D at bar 5 D Em F#m A
Now go to settings and change the key signature to D major at Bar 5 ... everything in the notation is correct and showing as it should. BIAB just doesn't take that into account if you switch the chord display type. Just remember, key signature is a notation thing only - it does not relate necessarily to the home key.
That might seem a bit odd but it's not really. Most of these things are about keeping notation as tidy as possible. If you have a whole bunch of chords throughout a song that do not conform strictly to one single key (quite common) then notating everything as a change of key would become a mess for any reader. Much better to improve your theory and knowledge of chord function if you want to think in numerals. As I said, I personally think you're just making hard work of it.
Just remember, key signature is a notation thing only - it does not relate necessarily to the home key.
This is quite important and I think Lee N may well have identified a confusion.
The key signature identifies the "home key" for the song and gives a short-form indication of how to identify the notes as they're written on the staff. For example, if the key signature is BbMaj, then the there will be three flats at the start of the staff and the reader will know that notes on the B, E and A positions are to be played as Bb, Eb and Ab. Many songs will modulate to a different key for a while, then return to the home key, and during those parts the reader will see that as notes on the staff start to get individual sharps, flats or naturals, which will remain for the duration of the bar or until another sharp, flat or natural.
It unusual to change the key signature for that. It's normal that those sharps, flats and naturals indicate the modulation -- the temporary key change.
As an example of this, it's perfectly possible to write any song with a CMaj key signature and mark all accidentals as they're used in the song. Some people prefer to work that way and there is no reason why they should not do so.
I don't tend to write chords using the Nashville/Roman notations, but just to see what BiaB does, I tried typing #IV and #V7 into cells and saw the F# and Ab7 that I would expect. For my own benefit I also tried iii7 and iiim7 to check how major and minor thirds are handled.
Jazz relative beginner, starting at a much older age than was helpful. AVL:MXE Linux; Windows 11 BIAB2026 Audiophile, a bunch of other software. Kawai MP6, Ui24R, Focusrite Saffire Pro40 and Scarletts .
62. How do I change keys in the middle of my Band-in-a-Box® song? Can I display more than one key signature? To transpose to a new key in the middle of a song, you can use the Edit | TransposeFrom...to Dialog. To display the new key signature in the notation window, you can use the Settings for Current Bar dialog (press F5 at any bar).
Lee beat me to the punch as I can change keys in BiaB by typing in the chords, for example A-D-E to Bb-Eb-F is no problem. I don't now how this looks in notation as I do not use BiaB notation.
Life is short so make sure you spend as much time as possible on the Internet arguing with strangers.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
Lee beat me to the punch as I can change keys in BiaB by typing in the chords, for example A-D-E to Bb-Eb-F is no problem. I don't now how this looks in notation as I do not use BiaB notation.
Thanks for the reply. After reading the official information, I found the answer. I don't know much about the rest.
I believe BIAB will get better and better. I'm looking forward to the BIAB2023 release right now. Ha ha
OK, now that the smoke has settled and I have calmed down, I think we are ready to move to the real reason that we want to include Key Changes in our music. If you have not see this video, and you want to learn more, please follow Adam here.
OK, now that the smoke has settled and I have calmed down, I think we are ready to move to the real reason that we want to include Key Changes in our music. If you have not see this video, and you want to learn more, please follow Adam here.
OK, now that the smoke has settled and I have calmed down, I think we are ready to move to the real reason that we want to include Key Changes in our music. If you have not see this video, and you want to learn more, please follow Adam here.
I love this lesson. It gives me goosebumps.
Thanks for posting that. A seminal example of the power of key change.
There's a difference, though, between an actual key change and whether that key change should be written into the key signature. I don't have strong feelings about that ... for me it's a tradeoff between recognising the key change from the accidentals or seeing the new signature and having to change my understanding of the accidentals.
I've been thinking throughout this thread of a particular example and the mention in the video of John Coltrane prompts me to mention it, and that's his "Giant Steps", which changes key something like every bar, to the extent that a written "key" becomes probably irrelevant. In practice one learns the chord progression and just "deals with it". The version I use is written in C Major and every chord/note/key is defined by the music as it's written.
Jazz relative beginner, starting at a much older age than was helpful. AVL:MXE Linux; Windows 11 BIAB2026 Audiophile, a bunch of other software. Kawai MP6, Ui24R, Focusrite Saffire Pro40 and Scarletts .
I had to do this the other day. I wrote out Verse 1 in the desired key, then changed the entire song to the new key that I wanted for Verse 2. I selected the Verse 1 bars and pressed Ctrl+C to copy, then Ctrl+Z to Undo the transposition of Verse 1. I then pasted the chords below verse 1 which remained in the new key, and then pressed F5 on the first bar of verse to let BB know about the new key.
zplane recently interviewed Peter Gannon, the founder and creator of Band-in-a-Box, about the software's early days, what sets it apart from AI, how zplane's audio algorithms are used in Band-in-a-Box, and more!
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Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!
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Another exciting new addition is the amazing new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. View the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to transcribe an entire track or transcribe specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
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, and much more!
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Band-in-a-Box® 2026 is packed 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 transcribe 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, and much more!
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202 New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2026!
With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
Our new jazz, funk & blues RealTracks include a groovin’ collection of RealTracks and RealDrums! These include more requested “soul jazz” RealTracks featuring artists Neil Swainson (bass), Charles Treadway (organ), Brent Mason (guitar), and Wes Little (drums). There are new “smooth jazz” styles (4), which include a RealTracks first: muted trumpet, as well as slick new smooth jazz brushes options for drums. Blues lovers will be thrilled—there are more “classic acoustic blues” styles, including guitar (5), bass (4), and drums (10) with blues master Colin Linden, featuring understated and tasty background acoustic soloing, plus brushes drums and acoustic bass. There are also new electric blues RealTracks, including electric blues with PG favorite Johnny Hiland (3) and soulful electric slide guitar from Colin Linden (4). If you love funk & gospel, there are great new options this year, including gospel organ (3) from Charles Treadway, as well as new funk, tango, and rock ’n’ roll drums (3) and bass (1). And for big, bold arrangements, we have uptempo soul horns (4) featuring a three-part hip horn section with options for a full mix or stems of each individual horn — plus an accompanying rhythm section (4) of drums, bass, guitar, and electric piano!
Rock & Pop (Sets 476–482):
Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.
The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!
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