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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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I use BIAB to first create the basic structure. One of the biggest reasons is that RB can not as of yet do shots and holds unless they were first done in BIAB.There is no way to enter these in the chord sheet of RB although if done on the chord sheet of BIAB RB will react to them.
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Hi, John -
Actually, shots, rests, and holds work fine in RealBand. All you have to do is go into the chord grid and type the appropriate number of dots. Exceptions work as well.
. - rest
.. - shot
... - hold
A...d is hold the A chord, except the drums. As long as you explicitly type it in, it works fine.
John Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 12TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB SATA BB2026/UMC204HD&404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/Notion/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK http://www.sus4chord.com (under rehosting/construction)
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Thanks folks, really useful info as I get ready to plunge into using Real Band. If anyone else wants to share their work flow specific to songwriting, either starting in BIAB or directly in RB, that would be great. I realize there are many ways of doing things, good to hear experienced members share what works for you.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Journeyman
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I asked this question too and have to tell you RB is a real asset to have... dont ever finish a song without using it.Frankie 
AMD Athlon 7550 dual core
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windows 7 Ultimate
yamaha rev 500 effects
tacam DP-24 DAW
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Yamaha PSR-620 Keyboard
Fender semi accoustic guitar
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Journeyman
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quietly whispers-(PowerTracks) shh. . . .
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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You say you do a melody in Finale and then import it into BIAB. I used to do that all the time with Sibelius and still so on occasion. However, some kind soul on here told me about getting free biab and/or midi files from the web and then editing them in Real Band. I have gotten some pretty neat arrangements/backups that way after editing some freebie files in RB. It has tons of features and is a great tool to work with individual tracks, IMHO. I should add that I'm still a rookie with most of this stuff, but it has been very worthwhile for me to learn or at least begin to learn. I suggest that you watch all of the available videos on Real Band (via PG Music Support) and decide for yourself.
Stan
Cornet Curmudgeon
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Mentioning Powertracks is very cool, since it is a PG product. But why RB is PT with some BiaB features added, wheres the advantage? To PT over RB?
I do find PT to be a tad quicker, and simpler, but still it does nothing that RB can't do, and you can't generate RTs with it.
HP Win 11 12 gig ram, Mac mini Sonoma with 16 gig of ram, BiaB/RB 2026, Reaper 7, Harrison Mixbus 11 , Presonus Audiobox USB96
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Quote:
Besides the fact that it is not really cool to advertise another products web site in your post's signature line here.
Huh!?
You referring to me?
If so, as Matt mentions, I've never used a signature in my life.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Quote:
Can you open your BiaB project in any of those?
Can you generate a sax solo (or any part) in any of those DAW's?
That's what BiaB is for.
The functionality of RB, though, as a DAW, is covered by a product that the O/P might already have and thus would not necessarily have to learn a new product.
That was my point.
Is there a lot of overlap between BiaB and RB? Absolutely. And if one were able to seach back through the Archives one would see that I predicted (and recommended) this a long time ago (with Power Tracks).
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Quote:
Hi, John -
Actually, shots, rests, and holds work fine in RealBand. All you have to do is go into the chord grid and type the appropriate number of dots. Exceptions work as well.
. - rest
.. - shot
... - hold
A...d is hold the A chord, except the drums. As long as you explicitly type it in, it works fine.
Well! 3,318 posts and I'm a few dots shy of a full boat. Well I'll be dang.
Thanks John
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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FirstBassman, I regret even posting, but in the spirit of clarity the following was your post:
No one here yet has mentioned the obvious.
RB is a DAW or sequencer, whichever you want to call it.
If you already own and use another sequencer such as Logic, Pro Tools, Cubase or Sonar, etc. than you don't need Real Band at all.
Personally, I use Acoustica's Mixcraft:
"http://www.acoustica.com/mixcraft/"
This was your exact post, and you were correct that it is a DAW, and if someone is currently using another DAW they might not need it. That is a correct and fair statement. The only thing i was pointing out is that after that you mentioned you use Mixcraft, again not a bad thing others mention they use Sonar, or Cubase, that is fine, but then you added a Link to a competitive product, it is your choice to do so, all i did was point out that in my opinion that is not cool, as this site is for the promotion, and support of PG music product, not mixcraft, Sonar, or Cubase, or any other product for that matter.
I was not trying to call you out or make you feel badly, just point out the facts. I am sure that Sonar, or Cubase, or Mixcraft would not appriciate folks going on and registering on their site and linking posts to their competitors products. The fact it was not a signature is neither here nor there, it was at the bottom of the post where signatures are usually placed and it appeared to be one.
Again i was pointing out the etiquitte of the situation as the forum rules state: 9.All of the forums except for the Off Topic forum are for discussions of PG Music products only. The Off Topic forum is used for MUSIC-RELATED discussions that aren't about PG Music products. Please keep all your posts as constructive as possible.
I would imagine what they mean by non PG could be construed in many ways, but most likely means discussion of songs, artist, VST, and Dx instruments, hardware, Etc. I doubt they really want links to competitors, but most likely turn a blind eye to it in favor of the big picture.
Still I most likey should have said nothing, and so for that i applogize if I offended in any way.
One other thing i would like to say is that From the comments of the OP he was really asking what benefit RB would be to someone who was using BiaB to finish a song he started in Finale, and then built and mixed to a wave in BiaB. He was not asking if RB was better than any other DAW he had, and should he switch. Anyway peace and appologies to you my music brother! Rob
HP Win 11 12 gig ram, Mac mini Sonoma with 16 gig of ram, BiaB/RB 2026, Reaper 7, Harrison Mixbus 11 , Presonus Audiobox USB96
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Stooooopid noob question time. What is Power Tracks? I see it on the PG web site, but i looks like something that is covered in RB.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Quote:
Stooooopid noob question time. What is Power Tracks? I see it on the PG web site, but i looks like something that is covered in RB.
It is. However PowerTraks is available for separate purchase at a lower price, and does a lot of what RB does... except the BaB stuff.
You get Realdrums but not RealTracks. It has its own niche..powerful reliable multitracking, but not too many of the frills. If you have RB then PT is pretty much redundant. If you don't (and only need certain features); it's a good deal.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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But...
...if you have RealBand and want to use the TC-Helicon harmonizer, you need to get PowerTracks, if for nothing else but to just install it and point to it in RealBand for the TC-Helicon. It's a licensing issue, as I understand it. Otherwise, I really can't think of anything that PowerTracks does at this point that can't be done in RealBand.
John Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 12TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB SATA BB2026/UMC204HD&404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/Notion/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK http://www.sus4chord.com (under rehosting/construction)
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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True ..
If you want/need that plugin.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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The new Power Tracks also has the Conductor for live work and I think it has the most current version of the ACW plus automatic midi tempo mapping for midi files that were recorded free form.
Bob
Biab/RB latest build, Win 11 Pro, Ryzen 5 5600 G, 512 Gig SSD, 16 Gigs Ram, Steinberg UR22 MkII, Roland Sonic Cell, Kurzweil PC3, Hammond SK1, Korg PA3XPro, Garritan JABB, Hypercanvas, Sampletank 3, more.
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Journeyman
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Quote:
In Biab, if you change a style or the part markers and regenerate, everything changes unless you've frozen some tracks. Freezing tracks is ok but why not just start in RB where, as the project evolves, you're probably going to wind up anyway?
I tried doing that in the beginning- working up my full project in just RB. Why I didn't continue to do that was because it takes longer to generate multiple tracks in RB- at least for me anyway. I don't use repeats or anything. My chart is top to bottom and can get up to 200 bars or more. So trying to generate [and heaven forbid, regenerate multiple times] rhythm section in RB just took a whole bunch of time. Not so in Biab. Those same number of tracks generates and regenerates much faster in there. So I start in biab to get the rhythm section completely done and then open that project in RB to add everthing else. I think if you're into detailed song production you need RB along with biab. If for nothing else, in RB you're able to expand the track count to include most any real tracks you'll need. And when I get all those tracks done to my liking in RB, then I dump out to another daw for editing and mixing. That's a personal choice. I see real band not as a choice, but a necessary component for creating your work with PG software. Both biab and RB are needed for larger, more complex productions.
Dan
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Quote:
But...
...if you have RealBand and want to use the TC-Helicon harmonizer, you need to get PowerTracks, if for nothing else but to just install it and point to it in RealBand for the TC-Helicon. It's a licensing issue, as I understand it.
That's interesting. Did not realize that. Thanks John.
Not that I have had any real success using the TC-Helicon harmonizer.
At a risk of going off-topic ... has anyone? - Mark
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Hi, Mark -
I've used it a few times, but judiciously. I was happy with the results and had some fun with one song (the result was not what I expected, but was pleasantly surprised). But as I understand it, the hardware units are much better. However, you won't find a hardware (or even software) unit for the $59 price of PowerTracks, however.
Of course, if you have RealBand, then you have BIAB. BIAB has the TC-Helicon also, but I've found it much more flexible to use in either PowerTracks or RealBand (linked to PowerTracks).
John Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 12TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB SATA BB2026/UMC204HD&404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/Notion/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK http://www.sus4chord.com (under rehosting/construction)
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I have done two or three songs with it, but found that it is harder to use than the hardware units. If you are careful and use it wisely it does a rather neat job. Try to make it do to much and it will sound real badly.
HP Win 11 12 gig ram, Mac mini Sonoma with 16 gig of ram, BiaB/RB 2026, Reaper 7, Harrison Mixbus 11 , Presonus Audiobox USB96
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Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
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