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I'm working on "Naima" (Keyboard). How do I force the bass to play only Ebs and Bbs throughout the A and B sections in BIAB?


Equipment: Yamaha 5'6" grand piano. BIAB for Macintosh 2017 --> 2020. MacBook Pro. Focusrite 2i2, Yamaha YC 88 keyboard

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You could use slash chords everywhere. The Bass should play whatever the slash is.

Ex.

Ab/Bb | Cm/Bb | Fm/Bb (bass plays Bb)

Bb/Eb | Ab/Eb | Fm/ Eb (bass plays Eb)

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This is interesting Floyd. I didn't know this could be done. Thanks!


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Slash chords as Floyd pointed out.


I used it here on this old but updated gospel song.

It is Well

It's really easy to use. It will play any bass note you place after the slash.


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Programming it with a slash chord works, but it becomes pretty monotonous because the bass doesn't change the rhythm any. It just plods along playing a note every beat. I was looking more for a way to make it stay on the one note but vary the octave and add syncopation, the way it would do naturally if I just let it do its own thing with the chords.


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You may be confusing "slash chords" with pedals. If a chord with an /x after it plays only one note in quarter beats, it's because it likely plays one note in quarter beats under the natural root. You should enter the slash note with your chord entry by computer keyboard. (Chord name) / (New Root). Different bass RT's will handle this info in different ways. Try a different bass RT or regenerate Bass until you find one closer to your liking.

There may also be other options in the new utility tracks to "change" notes...not quite sure about that myself yet. Regardless, the rhythm of the bass will be what was recorded for that bass-line with whatever variations that includes.

Beyond that, MIDI is the option when you want complete control over all aspects.

Last edited by Tangmo; 04/13/21 03:56 PM.

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Since you want more movement from the bass (not just main notes), there are some alternatives. A bit more work, but certainly do-able...

One way would be to begin by creating your BIAB file (SGU) with your chosen chord (Bb for example) as the only chord in the verse and your other chord in the chorus (Ex. Eb) and generate the bass track and FREEZE it.
Then, continue to input the rest of your chords for the song for your other instruments to play.

The other way would be to make a separate SGU - with those two chords (if you did not want to start over to do the Freeze thing). Again, just use your 2 Bass notes and export the audio. You can then import that into you other BIAB file as an audio track.
I believe that if you name it properly (I do not know what that name IS, but others can probably tell you - Charlie Fogle or Noel Adams would likely know), and put it in the same folder as you full SGU, it will automatically load it to the Bass track...


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Originally Posted By: Genghis_McCann
Programming it with a slash chord works, but it becomes pretty monotonous because the bass doesn't change the rhythm any. It just plods along playing a note every beat. I was looking more for a way to make it stay on the one note but vary the octave and add syncopation, the way it would do naturally if I just let it do its own thing with the chords.



If you can play a bit of the keyboard, it's super easy to play the bass on it into a midi track. Since it IS Band in A Box, and since it is MIDI, you can even change the tempo to a slower BPM to play and record comfortably and then back to normal tempo for playback. A mouse can drag the wrong notes in edit mode. Move it to a DAW when you like the track and insert the synth and sample of your choice.

That's how I would do it if I wanted something other than what the RT's would yield.


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Thanks for all the input. I did eventually manage to get quite a decent bass track with the slash chord method, but it caused some weird sounds from the guitar track because that also is generating slash chords with the Eb and Bb bass. I think I'll have to explore making a specific midi track for the bassline, although I might try Floyd's suggestion of freezing a bass track generated on its own.

The tune is still starting to sound pretty cool though! :-)

Can anyone point me to a youtube video that explores the topic of making midi tracks for BIAB? I've used BIAB quite a bit from the laptop keyboard to generate backing tracks but I know nothing yet about inputting into BIAB from my electronic keyboard. I'm on a steep learning curve here!


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<< I did eventually manage to get quite a decent bass track with the slash chord method, but it caused some weird sounds from the guitar track because that also is generating slash chords with the Eb and Bb bass. >>

To avoid these anomalies on other tracks in the future, Create your chord chart normally, generate the chord chart and freeze all the tracks except the Bass. Then edit the chord chart to contain the slash chords and generate the Bass track. The other tracks will not generate and the bass will follow the slash chords.


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Originally Posted By: Charlie Fogle
generate the chord chart and freeze all the tracks except the Bass. Then edit the chord chart to contain the slash chords and generate the Bass track.

Yes! Thank you. I'll go back and do that.

Is it possible to use the notation chart to enter a "melody" on the bass track? Then I could make a transcript of the bass line from the original recording on Coltrane's Giant Steps album. Is that feasible?


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Originally Posted By: Genghis_McCann
...............
Is it possible to use the notation chart to enter a "melody" on the bass track? Then I could make a transcript of the bass line from the original recording on Coltrane's Giant Steps album. Is that feasible?


With MIDI yes. With Realtracks no.


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It won't play D/D.

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Originally Posted By: Dynamata
It won't play D/D.

I think that has always been the case. Not sure why. It's not that it won't play it, it won't allow you to enter it.


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What does D/D mean?


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Originally Posted By: Noel96
What does D/D mean?
I’m assuming it’s a D chord (D major triad) with the slash root (bass) of D.


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Originally Posted By: Noel96
What does D/D mean?

Hi Noel

I needed to take a second look also. I agree with Matt's interpretation. That's how I thought about it any way. Interestingly, what I found was that you cannot use the Slash root for the same key. Not sure why, but it won't allow you to enter it, regardless of the key signature. I tried a few different tests.


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Interestingly, the Chord Builder will allow the slash chord to be entered, and it plays it (in the builder), but it doesn't allow it to be passed on to the chord sheet.

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Interesting observation AT. Why would that be? Is there a technical reason for this or have you stumbled onto to glitch in the program?

Jeff


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Hi Jeff
Frankly, I really don't know way it's not possible to force (encourage?) the bass the play the same note as the chord root. I've never tried it before and was just as surprised when it didn't deliver the expectation.

I think we've stumbled onto something...

There is an option in Song Settings:
"Ignore Slash Root of Slash Chords (eg C/E), except Bass Track"
If this is set, the RealTracks other than the Bass track will not play the slash root of chords. For example, the RealTracks will play C instead of C/E.

But when set that didn't appear to work for me, anyway.
I still could not enter a slash chord with the same key in the chord sheet (e.g. F/F).



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