Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread
Print Thread
Go To
Post your own Tips and Tricks here
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 3,612
J
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
J
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 3,612
im posting this cos new people often bring it up.


eg drum intro 8 bars bb or rb.

1. enter c.d meaning only play drums for 8 bars.
you can put c.d in every cel or randomly.
in the case of drums it doesnt matter what c is.
but c means key of ones song if one wishes.
so key c would be c.d ...key of b you could put in b.d etc.

2. put part markers every bar or randomly.

3. generate.

repeat as many times as you wish.
Experiment...you can get solos/fills and shots etc by experimenting. also try different marker colors or sub styles.
in rb you have 256 tracks now so you could assemble a final drum track from lots of gens etc etc. taking or comping best bits.

get those grooves ...its a hoot.
go thru all the real drums and experiment.

om. 🇨🇦. 🇬🇧

Last edited by justanoldmuso; 01/31/24 09:42 AM.

my songs....mixed for good earbuds...(fyi..my vocs on all songs..)
https://soundcloud.com/alfsongs
(90 songs created useing bb/rb)
(lots of tips of mine in pg tips forum.)
Post your own Tips and Tricks here
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 878
Expert
Offline
Expert
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 878
Great tip.

Lots of fun to play with.

Good results

Thanks


biab2025(Mac) Latest Build
Mac OS (Latest)
Apple Mac Mini M2 pro 32GB Ram
Logic Pro (latest or pretty close)
Heddon Super Spook XT (Mullet)
Post your own Tips and Tricks here
Joined: Mar 2024
Posts: 1
Newbie
Offline
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2024
Posts: 1
What a great tip. My first 5 minutes on the forum and I've learnt something already. Thank You.

Post your own Tips and Tricks here
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 3,110
M
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
M
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 3,110
Whitsundays, I remember George had an island up there.

Post your own Tips and Tricks here
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 3,612
J
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
J
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 3,612
RE DRUM TYRICKS….MORE TRICKS.

thanks folks.

as there seems to be interest in this topic here are some more drum tracks tricks and tips.
please note what i do , instead of experimenting with drums in bb (or rb) actual song chord sheet ive laid out…I do this in a separate bb file for the song where I can try all sorts of ideas.
eg let's say the song is called 'crazee rock' …
Then I will test out things in a separate file chord sheet called CR+DRUM+TESTS.

So let's get to it.
(note lots of these ideas also apply to rb. advantage of rb being lots more tracks (256) to test and experiment and comp drum tracks. what follows should also apply for mac users except the rb aspects.)

1..you find you really really like a drum sound in a rd. but no drum stem. how to isolate it ? eg a cymbal. how to isolate that cym you like ?
Try the following.
..look in the pg drum picker and note the bpm range.
..then try slowing the bpm in the drum test bb file to see if you can isolate the cym you like.
..if your successfull then simply use editing to just isolate the cymbal.
..note be careful going too far outside the rd bpm range shown in the rd picker.
..also note you should use the tips in my original post ie experimenting with markers and sub styles and where you put them. sometimes at a slower bpm and testing out using the tips in my original post you can isolate a drum sound.

2..another tip is let's say you love a rd sound eg a latin perc here's how you might be able to isolate the drum sound and use it at various time points in your song.
let me say in advance this is a bit of a dodgy tip….and involves auditioning the source bb rd files in windows. so what i do is WITHOUT DISTURBING THE PG FILE STRUCTURES..
copy the whole drum library out to a separate folder ive set up in win....eg called 'RD TESTS'....ie completely separate from the BB dirs/folders thus leaving the pg content as you received it.
let me reinforce its vital you dont mess with the pg file structures or content.
ALL YOUR DOING IS COPYING THE PG DRUM LIBS.
SO DO AT YOUR OWN RISK AND DELETE OR MOVE NOTHING IN THE PG CONTENT.
(note i recommend when you receive the pg ultrapak or whatever you back it up to another drive or more .
in my case i backed up the pg ultrapak sent to a very fast m2 ssd in an enclosure. and THAT is what i hook up over usb to the pc. which might be why my bb gen times for track genning from pg content occurs in the blink of an eye for me. also the fact that pg have sped up the gen routines...ymmv.)
So let's take an example.
In our crazee rock song we have a pretty decent guide bed drum track happening.but testing rd's you discover as i said you like a latin perc sound for use in the crazee song.

youve tried the tips ive mentioned prior to grab the latin perc sound you like..but no go..so how to isolate it ?
answer…go to the end of the pg demo rd youve copied and played in win and often youll find sometimes the drum sound you want is isolated at the end.
and there's another way ive found also.
use bb song ending feature in the chord sheet with maybe a lowering of tempo and sometimes you can grab the drum sound you want. in this case a latin perc sound.
Once again let me say ONLY COPY THE PG DRUM CONTENT TO YOUR DRUMS TEST FOLDER.
then you can test forever in your media player.
Now let's continue with more tips.

3..maybe like me you have various family responsibilities and dont have the budget for expensive drum libraries like many commercial recording studios
can afford.
Thus, here's some suggestions.
..over time build up your own drum library not just with drum sounds you have isolated but also there are lots of free drum sounds on the net as well as in free drum plugins you can try out. There are lots of sources for both natural and synthesised drum sounds.
(note that the synth that comes with bb/rb has synth drum sounds and fx etc etc.)
In summary you could build a huge lib of drum sounds including ones you have created yourself in your studio from scratch. all with the idea of reinforcing basic drum tracks.
..there are free vst plug in sample players on the net you can use.
look for ones that let you load drum sounds into different 'cells'....eg if i remember computer music mag uk has various drum plug ins….
and in total 80 instruments and fx plug-ins for a pittance.
if you cant do a song that wows your fans useing those 80 cm plugins plus the pg dx fx and synth plugins you wont with anything imho.
also often lots of drum samples included with cm mag.
Here's the you tube link for demos of the cm plugins. some are absolutely delightfull…but caution...some
use more cpu than others of course.

https://www.youtube.com/@ComputerMusicMag/videos

now go make some groovy grooves lol.
please note that realband (rb) has some additional neat tricks up its sleeve including quickie drum styles.
just consult the manual. also now rb has 256 tracks.
The skys the limit. in some cases you might be able to isolate a drum sound in rb tracks view and using some of the ideas ive outlined. lots of tricks to discover and your own methods of working in bb/rb.

I hope the above helps further.

happiness.

om

Last edited by justanoldmuso; 03/13/24 05:34 AM.

my songs....mixed for good earbuds...(fyi..my vocs on all songs..)
https://soundcloud.com/alfsongs
(90 songs created useing bb/rb)
(lots of tips of mine in pg tips forum.)
Post your own Tips and Tricks here
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 3,612
J
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
J
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 3,612
ADDENDUM 1
(something i forgot to mention…note if not done please read my previous tips posts first.)

I was trying to isolate a particular drum sound a few days back from the pg rd content...in this case a cymbal. Here's what I did to isolate the cym.

1..i went to the folder of drums i had copied from the bb drums dir.
2..imported the rd demo i liked into a rb track.
(import function).
3..in the demo the cym was embedded ... .SO here's what I did.
i went right to the end of the demo waveform in rb…AND THERE IT WAS…my cym i wanted.
so i edited out everything but the cym and added it to my lib of cyms via export. so now i can use the cym at any time point in a song. TADA !...lol.

as i repeatedly said DONT move or delete anything in the bb source dirs.
just copy the bb drum dir to your own SEPERATE test drums dir on a different drive from the pg supplied one.

The advantage of the foregoing tips in this thread is one can save lots of money re buying drum libraries.
(ive found buying my wife a present with money saved always works cos she often says to me 'you know your birthday is coming up and youve looked at that new guitar pedal...how bout i get it for you'. lol...joking.)

om

Last edited by justanoldmuso; 03/13/24 06:55 AM.

my songs....mixed for good earbuds...(fyi..my vocs on all songs..)
https://soundcloud.com/alfsongs
(90 songs created useing bb/rb)
(lots of tips of mine in pg tips forum.)
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Go To

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
PowerTracks Pro 2026 for Windows is Here!

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!

Order now!

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.

Happy New Year!

Thank you for being part of the Band-in-a-Box® community.

Wishing you and yours a very happy 2026—Happy New Year from all of us at PG Music!

Season's Greetings!

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy holiday season—thanks for being part of our community!

The office will be closed for Christmas Day, but we will be back on Boxing Day (Dec 26th) at 6:00am PST.

Team PG

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.

Watch the video.

You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!

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!

Forum Statistics
Forums57
Topics85,977
Posts798,539
Members40,003
Most Online44,367
Mar 4th, 2026
Newest Members
brendcrns01, JOHNSON01, Jacko192, Punam, Caminerin
40,003 Registered Users
Top Posters(30 Days)
MarioD 163
DC Ron 120
rsdean 105
Noel96 104
DrDan 78
Today's Birthdays
Cygni_61, LisaHaywood
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5