Para 40 of the online help list says that BIAB is Jazz oriented, but I want to use the format of Intro-Chorus-Bridge-Ending for my songs.Do I have to do chord inputs from 1 to 120 for each song? There's got to be a better way?
I'm not sure that I'm understanding your post fully. For what it's worth, how I interpreted what you said is below.
Unless your songs all have the same chord progression, at some point you are going to have to enter chords.
The section you quote on page 40 of the manual, sounds like it's referring to BIAB's use of the word "Chorus". From a jazz perspective, a chorus means 'once through the entire song'.
When I write a song in BIAB, I always use a single chorus and enter the chords for bars 1 to whatever. This gives me total control over the blue and green part markers which help map sections. (Blue part markers are less energetic than green ones. For this reason, I usually use blue for intro, verses and bridge and green for choruses and ending.
With copy and paste for similar sections, it doesn't take that long to layout a song.
If you go to the link below, you'll see how I set out a song.
Yes, chorus in BIAB is as Noel said, with BIAB originating to play accompaniment from jazz fakebooks.
If you can convert your thinking to AABA type song construction, you can use a BIAB feature where you can define each section by letter and then ‘play it back’ in whatever order you choose. Let’s say your form is ABBACABA. This makes it easy to enter ABC once but play back without worrying about block copying, tags, 2nd endings etc. Write back if you want to know more.
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.
I enter a single verse, bridge and chorus and then use Song Form Dialogue instead of cut/paste. Intros and endings are often a shortened verse or chorus phrase that can be selected from the Song Form Dialogue as well. For a simple song, it's less than ten minutes, often way less. The first ones are the hardest, and it gets easier quickly. Good luck!
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One ASUS I9-12900K DAW, 32 GB RAM Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
Noel, so happy you replied. It appears you've come to the same conclusion as I. I can copy and paste chords, and use the blue/green partmarkers for a slight change. My problem is I don't know how to control the grayed out bars or get a proper ending. The grayed out bars are my problem now. Any comments you can provide are greatly appreciated. With regard to the above subject, this is my 1st time on the forum. Thanks again, and did play your song. I tried to program "I'll Fly away" - 3 simple chords right, but can't get the ending right. Ill keep playing with it. Best regards! P.S, I'm Cajun from Louisiana living in Knoxville, TN. , displaced by hurricane Katrina.
My problem is I don't know how to control the grayed out bars or get a proper ending. The grayed out bars are my problem now.
The grayed-out bars are not bars at all, they are simply unused regions of the chordsheet.
If you have a look at the link in my above post you can see (for example) that I have three grayed-out 'bars' after bar 13. You might not have noticed, though, that the very next non-grayed-out bar is 14.
Every time one uses a blue/green part marker, BIAB's default behavioiur is to start a new line for the first bar that follows the part marker. Thus, the grayed out regions are irrelevant -- the colouring simply means that they are not used by BIAB for this particular song.
Quote:
I tried to program "I'll Fly away" - 3 simple chords right, but can't get the ending right. Ill keep playing with it. Best regards! P.S, I'm Cajun from Louisiana living in Knoxville, TN. , displaced by hurricane Katrina.
As you will have already discovered, by default, BIAB automatically adds a two bar ending to a song. If you want to disable this so that you can construct your own ending...
1. right-click on the chord sheet
2. select 'Song Settings'
3. deactivate the 'Generate 2 bar ending for this song' checkbox
Also, in relation to the bars that follow 'end' on the chordsheet (bars 70 and 71 on my above song), these are BIAB's bars that are used to create ending (although 4 of them in BIAB 2018 are not grayed-out, it's actually a 2-bar ending and 2 bars of letting the sound die away). The ONLY chord that works in the ending region is the first chord of the first of these 4 bars. Chord added anywhere else in those 4 bars will not play (this might be what's causing your problem).
I'm really sorry to hear that you were in the thick of Katrina. I cannot begin to imagine how horrendous that must have been. We've had a few forum members caught up in cyclones... absolutely devastating stuff.
Hello Noel, thanks for the heads up' I have solved the grayed out bars (too an extent) in that you can delete or insert bars, but sometimes it doesn't work. I'll keep working on it. Solved the song repeat, removed the checked box in Loop. Next I'll try unchecking the 2-bar ending box. Thanks again, I've gotten more help from from you than Live Support. And Katrina was over 10 years ago, just another bump in the road. It's beautiful up here lower humidity and temps than Louisiana, but I sorely miss the food.
Yes, chorus in BIAB is as Noel said, with BIAB originating to play accompaniment from jazz fakebooks ....
And an annoying general bad habit; too many jazzers can play a song, but most never heard of a verse. I like Leon Redbone's arrangements a lot: he usually includes the verse in his recordings, thereby showing respect for the songwriters. I would like to see a proper selection-able section naming function as f.i. intro-verse-chorus-end in BIAB. Requested that before, maybe 20 years ago LoL ... Makes leadsheet production a lot easier. -F
. .. too many jazzers can play a song, but most never heard of a verse
...thereby showing respect for the songwriters. . -F
All I did was give you the history of how BIAB started. I have always supported this request to allow labels of verse, chorus, bridge etc., as long as the current system remains an option.
There is no need for the nonsense about what jazz players may not know or do.
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.
IMHO use the unfolded method. That is 1-n-1, where n is the number of measures. You don't have to know n as you can increase it as needed. This is how I do all of my songs, i.e. in the unfolded method.
The bumper sticker said "I'm a veterinarian, therefore I can drive like an animal". Suddenly I realized how many proctologists are on the road.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
Mario is right; this is one good way to do it. Just be aware that the whole song must be no longer than 255 measures. It may even be less than that if you use RealTracks with a double-time time base. That’s one reason I mentioned defining sections. I also use Bar-based Section Letters to identify sections, like V for verse, T for tag etc.
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.
I don't think I have done a single song that was much over 120 measures long. So unfolding it just makes sense. I have used it from early on in my experience with BB some 15 odd years ago. In the repeat version, you have no idea where you are in the song and starting further on in the song is nearly impossible. With the unfolded version, it's linear and you always know where you are in the song. So much easier to work with.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.com Add nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.
The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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!
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.
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.
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.
One of our representatives will be happy to help you over the phone. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday, and 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST Saturday. We are closed Sunday. You can also send us your questions via email.
One of our representatives will be happy to help you on our Live Chat or by email. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday; 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST (GMT -8) Saturday; Closed Sunday.
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean