I'm trying to import a Sibelius generated melody into BiaB. It's in 6/8 time which has not been a problem before, but now it is putting the first four crotchet beats into a single bar rather than the two dotted crotchets.
So in one BiaB bar I'm getting the first bar of the the music plus the first crotchet of the next bar, which is weird. The second bar then starts on the quaver left oveer and so on.
I'm using a 6/8 style, although the part indicator at the start of the tune shows 4/4, which I don't appear to be able to change.
I know Biab is weird about 6/8 and treats it like a set of triplets, but this is imppssible. There's probably a trick I've mnissed - any suggestions?
I'm on a PC running Windows 10 and BiaB 2022, if that's any help!
Arthur.
I understand. I'm not sure of the solution. Yes, BIAB is limited to time signatures of 2/4, 3/4 and 4/4, so all other time signatures are simulated by variations on those.
Are you exporting Music XML from Sibelius, and importing that into BIAB? If you are working with MIDI, try the Music XML instead.
Sib 6 doesn't seem to let me export in XML, much to my surprise. I've tried loading the midi file back in and it looks fine. Baffled, I am. I know I've put 6/8 stuff into BiaB before.
I've looked at the imported melody file in BiaB. What it's done is imported it into alternate bars of 4/4 and 2/4. Why I have no idea.
I would have expected it to be forced into two bars of 3/4.
Check Sibelius again. I used Sibelius through version 4 (long time ago) and it did export Music XML.
EDIT: I found this on the MusicXML site.
Using Dolet for Sibelius
Dolet® software serves as a translator between music programs. These translations are done using the MusicXML file format. Dolet 6 for Sibelius writes MusicXML files, allowing you to exchange music between Sibelius and other programs that can read MusicXML files. Currently this includes Finale, capella, and Notion. You can see a full list at http://www.musicxml.com/software. Dolet 6 for Sibelius saves files in the MusicXML 3.0 format, which allows more music playback and notation information to be transferred between applications.
To save a Sibelius score as a MusicXML file, go to the Plug-ins menu and select the MusicXML submenu. Then select the “Export MusicXML” item. You will then see a standard save dialog box asking where to save the XML file. By default, this will be the same as your existing Sibelius file name, with “.xml” used instead of “.sib” for the file extension.
You may translate an entire folder of Sibelius files to MusicXML format. This batch routine will overwrite any XML files with the same name that are currently in that directory. Use the “Translate Folder of Scores to MusicXML” menu item to save MusicXML files from your Sibelius files.
For best results, do the following before exporting a score:
If you have a transposing score, be sure to display a transposed score so the transpositions can export correctly. Otherwise the score will be exported as a concert score without transpositions.
If you are using magnetic layout in Sibelius 6, 7, or 8, freeze the magnetic layout positions before exporting your score. Otherwise the score will export with the positions that objects would have if magnetic layout were turned off. To freeze the positions, first select everything in the score using Ctrl-A on Windows or Command-A on Mac. Then go to the Layout menu and click on the Freeze Magnetic Layout Positions item.
I've looked at the imported melody file in BiaB. What it's done is imported it into alternate bars of 4/4 and 2/4.
It's something to do with the midi file, I think, rather than BinaB. The note values are all wrong too.
I understand. Try the Music XML instead of MIDI. It still may not work but it has a better chance of being right.
Many thanks. I didn't have the plugin so had to get hold of that, then work out how to import an XML file into BiaB - you don't seem to be able to do it directly into the melody track, so I had to do it as a new song, export it as midi and then import it back and it worked!
My new problem is that for some reason while I did all this, BiaB has completely changed the desktop appearance of the thing and cluttered it up with the menus for views, transport, track and toold, which i really don't need over half the screen and I can't work out how to hide them...
Edited to add, found it... Control T...
I know it's now a wonderful prog, but it was an awful lot simpler to use when it came out first with about 20 styles and nothing else! I understood it, then.
Thank you all very much for your help.
Ha. Over nearly 30 years I used it, yes, it has changed! There are still a few original limitations, though, and complex time signatures is one. A few years ago, time bases were added like double time, and that sometimes makes it possible to see notation that was more appropriate.
The GUI was changed in 2018 to give more screen space and, allow some control over Windows. As you discovered, CTRL+T toggles between views.
I don't know if this helps here as I'm not musical enough to work it all out
https://forums.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=250880
