Thank you Mike. It's warming to hear such feedback.
I'v also made this video, which is kind of part #2 for "Away from simple triads" -video, and gives more tools for building moods for songs.
Still, let me remind that my theory lacks behind my musical expressiveness. I express myself by how I see instrument and feel it under my fingers. I'm able to pick up new ideas and generate my own concepts behind how playing in certain way works, but due to this I may have errors within my commentary. I just noticed that I stated on some chord being C7 or such, while it should have been CMaj7 ... so it's just a reminder that I have no educational background and nothing I say should be taken for granted... Still, I hope you guys find something new and useful.
I´m barely a two-month user of BiaB, and have a lot of doubts, and this fórum is very instructive. From time to time,and until recently, most of my compositions and songwriting activity developed starting out as a simple riff or chord progression on my guitar, and later on further additions of some drums, vocals and synths in my DAW.
With BiaB I want to make an extra step forward and use the resources available in the program. I´m still learning, but progressing. I know the theory about deciding which style and chords progression to use and let BiaB give you some ideas to choose from. That´s good, and I´m starting to use it, but I wonder whether it is posible to go the other way around, and back to my initial roots: I develop an idea on my guitar with a certain groove, be it strumming or picking and a chords progression. Record the ideas in my DAW and then?.
The question is: how to integrate those ideas developed initially on my guitar in BiaB? . And particularly how to match my Groove with any of the existing styles in BiaB, avoiding to have to go through all of the potentially candidate styles, listen to them and select the one which most closely simulate the Groove and "style" I developed?. Is there a known workflow to make that process less painfull and laborious?. I´m learning now something related with building your own style through the melody track in a MIDI file, but´not sure if this is the only (and practical) way to do it. But what if my recordings are only audio and not MIDI yet?
Maybe this issue has been already posted in this or other fórum, then, forgive me for bring it over, but as of today I do not see (yet) a practical way to work it out.
Perhaps it can help to reword your question a little differently. What if you develop something unique and then ask yourself "What song does this (the something unique) remind me of?" The something unique could be a riff, chord change, the mood it evokes or whatever but chances are "it" reminds you of some song.
Enter four or five bars of chords and set the tempo so they match the song you have in mind.
Go to the Stylepicker and search for that song title. It may help to check the checkbox for "Include similar". Narrow the list of styles by genre, tempo, feel until you have a small list of styles to work with.
Highlight the top style in the list.
Now check the checkbox for "4 bar preview", match the song tempo and select the gray play button just below the "Play current Chordsheet for song"
Go through the list of styles until you find something suitable.
By-the-way, you've asked a great question. There are so many styles to select from finding the right one can be a daunting task. You'll find it gets easier as you get more familiar with styles and the program.
The question is: how to integrate those ideas developed initially on my guitar in BiaB? . And particularly how to match my Groove with any of the existing styles in BiaB, avoiding to have to go through all of the potentially candidate styles, listen to them and select the one which most closely simulate the Groove and "style" I developed?. Is there a known workflow to make that process less painfull and laborious?.
add your support to this wishlist post ACW enhancement if you think it would help accomplish what you want
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I´m barely a two-month user of BiaB, and have a lot of doubts, and this fórum is very instructive. From time to time,and until recently, most of my compositions and songwriting activity developed starting out as a simple riff or chord progression on my guitar, and later on further additions of some drums, vocals and synths in my DAW.
With BiaB I want to make an extra step forward and use the resources available in the program. I´m still learning, but progressing. I know the theory about deciding which style and chords progression to use and let BiaB give you some ideas to choose from. That´s good, and I´m starting to use it, but I wonder whether it is posible to go the other way around, and back to my initial roots: I develop an idea on my guitar with a certain groove, be it strumming or picking and a chords progression. Record the ideas in my DAW and then?.
The question is: how to integrate those ideas developed initially on my guitar in BiaB? . And particularly how to match my Groove with any of the existing styles in BiaB, avoiding to have to go through all of the potentially candidate styles, listen to them and select the one which most closely simulate the Groove and "style" I developed?. Is there a known workflow to make that process less painfull and laborious?. I´m learning now something related with building your own style through the melody track in a MIDI file, but´not sure if this is the only (and practical) way to do it. But what if my recordings are only audio and not MIDI yet?
Maybe this issue has been already posted in this or other fórum, then, forgive me for bring it over, but as of today I do not see (yet) a practical way to work it out.
Many thanks Kworth
This has happened to me as well.
In my case, I'll lose the originality of my project idea to the tsunami of available BIAB material. It is easy and acceptable to have a short list dozens of suitable styles that match the genre, time signature, feel, tempo and instruments- both Real Tracks, midi or a combination of both from the thousands of choices.
<< Is there a known workflow to make that process less painful and laborious?. >>
Yes. There are several techniques you can try.
1. Develop your song idea without using BIAB and then bring what you have developed into BIAB and produce your idea in BIAB as if you had hired a studio and session musicians.
2. Include your live playing with the BIAB production project (or move the project over to RB or another DAW) to set the groove of the song.
Here's one way I match a groove of a project to quickly narrow dozens of choices to ones that will work with my groove.
I use a recorded track, either one I or someone else have recorded or a commercial recording if I am working on a cover. I process that recorded track through the Audio Chord Wizard and import the audio, time signature and tempo with chords into BIAB. I make any necessary corrections to chords and lower the volume from 90 to around 70 or lower so that any style I audition will be louder than the recorded audio. Note the time signature, feel (even or swing) and tempo
Open the Style Picker and enter the above as well as choose a genre and type.
When you find a style you want to audition, use the "PLay with Current Chordsheet of Song" feature. Set the tempo to the first bar of your song on the Chord Sheet. The Style will play your chord progression and adjust to the variations in tempo of your chord chart. The value doing your search this way is interestingly, the 'groove' of the style will not necessarily be the same playing over your chord chart as the groove you hear just listening to the demo of the style. It can sound very different. Your search then becomes a groove search rather than a style search.
What I mean by that is with some styles, certain instruments may play quite acceptable parts to the groove you are seeking while other instruments may not be playing a suitable groove. While the style is playing over your audio and chord chart, hit the cancel button to minimize the Style Picker window and from the Chord Chart page, you can mute and even replace instruments on tracks to mix and match instruments you have located during your style auditions thus creating a unique blend of midi and real track instruments that do fit the groove of your project.
You can have drums from one style, bass and two guitars from another style, keyboards and a specific instrument such as a fiddle, pedal steel, solo guitar, sax or trombone from another style to complete your combo and this combo gathered from several styles works together to play in a style that matches your personal groove.
At this point, I normally erase (kill) the audio track, erase the tempo map and set a steady tempo for my song and build my project from there. I don't always erase the tempo map because in some cases it is an important element to retain the groove and live playing feel of my project.
Hi Charlie Fogle Thanks a lot for sharing with us your esperience. The procedure you suggest seems to me a bit complicated at this moment ( just 15 days of tests in BiaB and still learning ). But i take note of your workflow and keep it with me for further review and practice once I get a better knowledge of the program.
Hi Kworth. I've likely written out the process to read to being more difficult than it actually is.
Simply, On the Stylepicker page there are two 'play' buttons. One located above the other.
The lower play button plays a demo file of the style you are auditioning. The upper play button plays the style over your chord progression on the main chord sheet page. Playing the style demo provides you with a general feel/groove of the style while playing the style using your particular chord progression let's you hear how that style integrates with your song.
I've found this to be particularly useful in matching the feel, groove and structure with matching up to audio files I've imported into BIAB to work with.
Sorry if I overcomplicated it with my first explanation.
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Introducing XPro Styles PAK 11 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2026 and Higher!
XPro Styles PAK 11 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 (and higher) is here with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 31 RealTracks/RealDrums!
Guess who’s back again? That’s right! It’s our XPro Styles PAK’s triumphant return with the 11th edition in this series! 100 new styles are coming your way spread across the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres. And this edition's wildcard genre explores the immense and far-reaching catalogue of electronic music! The included 31 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Special offers available until August 31st, 2026!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1-11 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2026 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 22 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2026 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 22 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2026 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
It’s time to celebrate! Xtra Styles PAK 22 for Band-in-a-Box® is here, and we've got 200 brand-new styles coming your way!
No Xtra Styles PAK is complete without the classic rock & pop, jazz, and country volumes you know and love, and we’ve got plenty to share, with 150 styles spread across too many genres to list! Of course, it also wouldn’t be complete with our special wildcard volume to add a little spice and pizzazz to the mix. This year, because we loved it so much the first time, we’ve decided to make the second iteration of our SynthMaster volume, full of new sounds, interesting genres, and 50 engaging styles, all making use of the diverse SynthMaster plugin! Here you can find genres such as airy yacht rock, sultry electrotango, and even some synth soca funk. Don’t wait, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 22 today!
In this PAK you can find: dulcet folk ballads, funky gospel country, Brazilian jazz fusion, upbeat 1980s pop, classic Americana, a plethora of breezy bossa novas, indie singer-songwriter, scintillating synthwave, exuberant electronica, and many, many more!
Special offers available until August 31st, 2026!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1-22 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 22 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 22 requires the 2026 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
zplane recently interviewed Peter Gannon, the founder and creator of Band-in-a-Box, about the software's early days, what sets it apart from AI, how zplane's audio algorithms are used in Band-in-a-Box, and more!
Special thanks to the team at zplane for their continued support.
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Another exciting new addition is the amazing new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. View the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to transcribe an entire track or transcribe specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
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). But i take note of your workflow and keep it with me for further review and practice once I get a better knowledge of the program.
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