Folks, As I "write" a chord sequences out and add repeats etc, how can I see the actual duration of the song in minutes and seconds? Am I being really stupid here? Thanks. JL
Last edited by John Lancelotte; 12/31/2312:42 PM. Reason: Incorrect spelling.
https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677 BiaB 2026 Windows For me there’s no better place in the band than to have one leg in the harmony world and the other in the percussive. Thank you Paul Tutmarc and Leo Fender.
I added 4 repeats to a 32 bar song and borrowed Mario's image to show his timer of 1:41 changes to 4:54 when repeats are added. This indicates to me the timer works with repeats, codas, etc so it's unnecessary to unfold the song to use the BIAB timer.
I added 4 repeats to a 32 bar song and borrowed Mario's image to show his timer of 1:41 changes to 4:54 when repeats are added. This indicates to me the timer works with repeats, codas, etc so it's unnecessary to unfold the song to use the BIAB timer.
That is interesting as it didn't change when I did a demo using one repeat. However I always do my songs unfolded so I obviously made a mistake.
Tips on how to fall asleep in a living room chair: 1- Be old 2- Sit in a chair
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
I think I get it, thank you both. What, though, is "unfolding?" (I've only had BIAB for 8 days).
Hi John,
Unfolding is taking a song with repeats and converting it to a linear form. Say you have a song with 32 measures with a repeat of 10 measures in it. When that song is unfolded it will be 42 measures with no repeats. FWIW I always use the unfolded method from the start, that is no repeats, codas, etc, but that is my workflow and yours may be different.
Tips on how to fall asleep in a living room chair: 1- Be old 2- Sit in a chair
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
Thank you. So how do I fold and unfold? Sorry about the basic nature of the questions, but I'm in overwhelmed mode!!!
We all have been there and many times I still get in the overwhelmed zone!
One usually starts in one or the other mode. If you have repeats, codas, and such you are in folded mode. If you don't have them and your song is linear, that is one measure after another with no repeats, etc, you are in unfolded mode. Also you chorus repeats are set to one for the unfolded mode. You can go from one to another mode in edit, see attached images.
Tips on how to fall asleep in a living room chair: 1- Be old 2- Sit in a chair
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
John, there's a lot to learn about this program so don't hesitate to reach out. We're more that happy to help you with questions.
So on the UNFOLD thing.... It's something I do at the start of every song. Top menu....EDIT>SONG FORM>UNFOLD
This puts it into a linear form.... start to finish with no repeats. I was classically trained so reading the musical sign posts was second nature to me. However, I soon discovered that there were issues with the folded version. Setting up DC al coda and other things just didn't seem to work properly for me. In addition, I had no clue how to start it somewhere in the middle or near the end. So I unfolded it. That gives me a linear form and if I need to start at the beginning of the 3rd verse or the bridge, I simply click on that measure and hit GO. Any tags, repeats, whatever, even custom endings are all entered on the timeline where I want them to happen.
And yeah... the total length of the song is up top where they showed you. I use that a lot when I write something that has to be a certain running length.... either has to be a certain length or even how to know up front if I'm too long.
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.
I really appreciate all the input, it's helping me dramatically. Maybe I should say what I'm actually doing? I'm a poor quality acoustic guitarist who has been "Open Mic nighting" for 8 years. Mostly I write my own songs, but you know how audiences are..... They want something popular, so I do some covers, but omit all the cliched stuff. Ok, this can make my "covers" a little odd, but that's ok. My weapon of recording choice is Mixcarft 10 pro, which is versatile and fairly simple with no particular style bias. I only started with BIAB Ultra on Christmas day, (2023), thanks to my wife. Oh, ps..... I'm NOT young at all! Again, thank you! John.
With the release of Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac, we’re rolling out a collection of brand-new videos on our YouTube channel. We’ll keep this forum post updated so you can easily find all the latest videos in one convenient spot.
Whether you're exploring new features, checking out the latest RealTracks or Style PAKs, this is your go-to guide for Band-in-a-Box® 2026.
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac is here and it is packed with major new features! There’s a new modern look, a GUI redesign to all areas of the program including toolbars, windows, workflow and more. There’s a Multi-view layout for organizing multiple windows. A standout addition is the powerful AI-Notes feature, which uses AI neural-net technology to transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI—entire mixes or individual instruments—making it easy to study, view, and play parts from any song. And that’s just the beginning—there are over 100 new features in this exciting release.
Along with version 2026, we've released an incredible lineup of new content! There's 202 new RealTracks, brand-new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two new RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Special Offers
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac and save up to 50% on most upgrade packages during our special offer—available until May 15, 2026. Visit our Band-in-a-Box® packages page to explore all available upgrade options.
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK Add-ons
Our Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK are loaded with amazing add-ons! The Free Bonus PAK is included with most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac packages, but you can unlock even more—including 20 unreleased RealTracks—by upgrading to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49.
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® users: Build 904 now available!
If you're already using Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, make sure to grab the latest update! Build 904 is now available for download and includes the newest additions and enhancements from our team.
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!
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.