I just installed Band-in-a-Box yesterday, so I still don't know what I'm doing. I loaded a simple song and tried to save it as a midi file. I only got the melody. What am I doing wrong?

Hi Marcia,

Welcome to the forums

It sounds like the song you created was made up of Realdrums and Realtracks. These are audio tracks and not MIDI tracks. If you want to save an audio production, "File | Save Special" will open a menu that lets you save the song as wav, wma, mp3, etc.

BIAB has both MIDI capabilities and Audio capabilities. Did you specifically want MIDI files?

Regards,
Noel

P.S. Just in case you haven't stumbled across the below PG Music webpage that's full helpful video clips, here is a link to the Windows tutorials.

https://www.pgmusic.com/videos.bbwin.htm

I would like to load a melody from a midi file, add chord names, then generate a midi file complete with an accompaniment created by Band-in-a-Box. Is that possible?

Absolutely, Yes. Will depend a bit on the type of .mid file you have and the using all the proper options in BIAB 2022. It may be a multi step process.

Start here and let us know how it works out. It will be a challenge for a newbee,

I have imported the melody from midi and entered the chords manually. What do I do next?

So I assume you have the melody on the BIAB Melody Track. right?

1) You need a BIAB Style which defines what accompanying instruments you will have and how they will play.

2) Is the BIAB Style enabled or disabled (big X in front of the Styple Name if disabled)?

3) Did any midi content other than the melody get imported?

4) Is the melody patch set the way you want (playing with the correct instrument)?

5) Is the melody in sync with the two bar leadin that BIAB imposes?

Finally, Can you send me the midi melody file so I can walk through the exact process with you if needed.

I believe I did all the things you said. I chose a style. I synchronized the melody with the two measure drum beats. I was able to play the song. I liked the way it sounded. I was able to save it to wav. The only thing I was not able to do was to create a midi file of the finished product. You say that the accompaniment I generated was audio, rather than midi. Is BIAB able to generate a midi accompaniment from the melody, chords, and style that I chose?

Also, if the goal is to create a MIDI file, be sure to choose a MIDI style. "RealStyles" use audio recordings which probably have but may not have corresponding MIDI available for export.

Wow, you must be gifted to pick this up so quickly


OK, I hear you. You want a midi file for final song. Therefore you have to have all midi tracks. Meaning no RTs (no audio). All the accompaning instruments have to be midi. Then you can save the entire song as a midi file. Very doable. See the menu item for saving your song as a midi file.

Today your post got me motivated and I did much this same thing - except my final version included patches to Kontact for high qualilty midi patches and then save as Audio to my DAW. ....... - This is created from a midi melody with a BIAB midi style accompanyment. You likely with not have the Kontakt VST but your midi synth should substitue to default player. Oh, also no RD's for your final midi file. Look for an all midi style to start.

If I understand you correctly, my problem is that I was choosing an audio style instead of a midi style. How do I choose a midi style?

StylePicker type is "M".

Exactly. Or look for MST these are the golden ticket for midi.