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I have just returned to using my 2015 version of BB (Windows 10) with plans to upgrade, but I'm having problems hearing the songs I create in tune when I play over them with a Bb instrument (tenor sax).

I am inputting the chords from a Bb Real book, and setting the key signature as given in the music (I'm not transposing, but I do check 'Transpose and Set Key Signature').

I have the sound card set for 16 bit 44100htz under sound in Control Panel. I have 'Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device' checked.

I have checked the tuning of the saxophone and I'm playing in tune.

Nevertheless, there appears to be dissonance between the chords of the BB song (I usually use real-track styles) and the notes I'm playing. It may not be a lot, perhaps a semitone or less, but it's just not 'quite right'. I have even tried just playing the chord root as the chords change, but it still sounds 'off'.

I would like to know if there is something basic (and silly) I'm doing wrong. I have a vague feeling that I noticed this issue the last time I used BB, but it was sometime ago.

All suggestions are welcome.

Stephen

Last edited by StephenP; 04/13/21 04:54 AM.
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HI Stephen
As you say you use mainly realtracks, are you using ones that require a lot of tempo change, as this is achieved by time stretch and pitch changing it may introduce some problems if the tempo is far from the original

Is it as bad with Midi styles?

Member Mat, is probably your man here as he arranges for a band and often has to at least print out in instrument pitch. Not certain if he transposes for practice parts.
I know he works with a wind controller so I guess he works with midi
Just a thought Mike


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Hello Stephen,

Welcome back to Band-in-a-Box and to the forum!

A second idea is to verify the computer's Windows 10 control center audio settings match the default audio settings for Band-in-a-Box.

The Windows 10 control center audio settings have a terrible habit of defaulting to 24 bit depth and/or 48 kHz after an update.

The default Band-in-a-Box audio settings for Band-in-a-Box are 16 bit depth and a sample rate of 44.1 kHz.


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Go to your sound settings and uncheck "Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device" - this option can cause other programs to change the actual sample rate which can cause tuning issues. Make sure your input and output devices are both set to 44,100hz 16-bit as well, that can help.


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Originally Posted By: Mike Head
HI Stephen
As you say you use mainly realtracks, are you using ones that require a lot of tempo change, as this is achieved by time stretch and pitch changing it may introduce some problems if the tempo is far from the original


Hi Mike and thanks for the reply. No, I'm not changing tempo at all in the songs I've worked on so far.

Originally Posted By: Mike Head
Is it as bad with Midi styles?


I haven't tried it really, although I do have trouble getting some midi sounds to play at all (such as vocal sounds).

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Originally Posted By: Jim Fogle
Hello Stephen,

Welcome back to Band-in-a-Box and to the forum!

A second idea is to verify the computer's Windows 10 control center audio settings match the default audio settings for Band-in-a-Box.

The Windows 10 control center audio settings have a terrible habit of defaulting to 24 bit depth and/or 48 kHz after an update.

The default Band-in-a-Box audio settings for Band-in-a-Box are 16 bit depth and a sample rate of 44.1 kHz.


Hello Jim and thanks for the welcome back. I've just checked the output sound settings and they are still showing 16 bit / 44.1 KHz. I had actually only just set them when I tried the sax with the backing track. Although I fairly sure it didn't sound so out of tune yesterday!

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Originally Posted By: Simon - PG Music
Go to your sound settings and uncheck "Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device" - this option can cause other programs to change the actual sample rate which can cause tuning issues. Make sure your input and output devices are both set to 44,100hz 16-bit as well, that can help.


Thanks. I did that as you suggested, but nothing seems to have changed in terms of the mismatch between the tuning of the computer and the sax.

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Thanks for all the help so far, everyone. Unfortunately, it still doesn't quite sound right to my ears. I'll check the chords on the charts I'm using, and then have my ears looked at!

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Hi Stephen,

I'm not quite understanding when you...

Quote:
I am inputting the chords from a Bb Real book, and setting the key signature as given in the music (I'm not transposing, but I do check 'Transpose and Set Key Signature').

See if this helps...

Under "Preferences" (#1 on the image below), select "Arrange" (#2) and then set the "Concert Pitch Adjust" to -2 (#3). This will lower BIAB's playback by 2 semitones.

Provided the keys of the songs in your Bb book align with the chords, then this should work (e.g., a song is in the key of C and the tonic chord is C).

Regards,
Noel

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Just tuning into this thread (ha) and I see my name was invoked. Yes, I play a bunch of horns in different keys, and write for everything from brass choir and chamber orchestra to jazz ensemble and symphony orchestra.

I don't think the problem here is in the system, as in the sample or bit rate. Nor MIDI versus RealTracks. Nor your ears. I believe you that it sounds bad.

I think Noel is closer to the right answer, but I would not adjust the concert pitch as the remedy here. It will fix this song but mess up all your other songs, because I think that value sticks.

Stephen, here's the problem. You took a fakebook with songs written for a Bb instrument and entered that into BIAB. Because your fakebook is not in concert pitch, you will have to make adjustments most people do not. For example, if your fakebook has a song in the key of G, the song is actually in Concert F but BIAB is still playing it in G because that's what you entered. When you then read along with your tenor, your tenor sound is one full step (two half-steps) low. See if that's what you're hearing.

BIAB is kind of designed to be used the other way around. I always get fakebooks in concert pitch and enter songs in concert pitch and then use the BIAB transposition to adjust for the instrument that is playing along.

So, since you've already entered the song from Bb instrument sheet music, first transpose your song down one whole step (example G to F, or C to Bb). Then use one of several ways in BIAB to tell the program you want to see sheet music adjusted for tenor sax (but not change the pitch of playback). This happens to be +14 half-steps in the pull-down, since a tenor sax sounds an octave and a major second lower than written, or in other words, a ninth lower. Depending on the resulting range of the song, you can also try +2 which works for soprano sax or trumpet, other instruments pitched in Bb.

If you want to avoid head-scratching situations, always think in terms of concert pitch and adjust from there.


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Originally Posted By: Noel96
Hi Stephen,

Under "Preferences" (#1 on the image below), select "Arrange" (#2) and then set the "Concert Pitch Adjust" to -2 (#3). This will lower BIAB's playback by 2 semitones.

Provided the keys of the songs in your Bb book align with the chords, then this should work (e.g., a song is in the key of C and the tonic chord is C).


Hi Noel, it's great to have you help with my query, as I found a post of yours from 2018, last week before I joined the forum, when I was struggling to set up the MIDI in my BIAB Windows version. I joined the forum especially to be able to view your excellent diagrams and it helped a lot - although some sounds (such as vocal Aah's) still won't play for me.

I have made the -2 pitch adjustment as you suggested, but I'm also conscious that I would need to adjust it for other tunes, as Matt mentions. I'll say a bit more in my reply to Matt, but basically the original tune I tested - Naima by John Coltrane - is in Bb (or possibly F minor) and the -2 adjustment brings it fairly close to what I'm playing, in terms of tuning, but it still sounds 'off' to me. I'm now beginning to wonder if the chords given in the fake book are not accurate?

Thanks again for you input - it's much appreciated.


Last edited by StephenP; 04/14/21 02:05 AM.
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Originally Posted By: Matt Finley
I think Noel is closer to the right answer, but I would not adjust the concert pitch as the remedy here. It will fix this song but mess up all your other songs, because I think that value sticks.


Hi Matt and thank you for your very detailed and helpful reply. I did try Noel's suggestion, but I am bearing in mind your advice that it may have to be re-adjusted for other tunes. However, as you'll see from my reply to Noel, there is still a mis-match to my ears between the playback and my melody on the tenor.

Originally Posted By: Matt Finley
...if your fakebook has a song in the key of G, the song is actually in Concert F but BIAB is still playing it in G because that's what you entered. When you then read along with your tenor, your tenor sound is one full step (two half-steps) low.


I find this confusing because I had assumed (wrongly, it seems) that the key signature and the chords were written to match when played on a Bb instrument. If so, then why would I need to adjust anything when setting them in to BIAB?

Originally Posted By: Matt Finley
So, since you've already entered the song from Bb instrument sheet music, first transpose your song down one whole step (example G to F, or C to Bb).


The tune (Naima) is in Bb in the real Book, so I transposed it to Ab. As with Noel's method, it's still not quite right, but probably as close as I am going to get it. I tried several other options, including the relative Minor keys, but they sounded worse.

Originally Posted By: Matt Finley
Then use one of several ways in BIAB to tell the program you want to see sheet music adjusted for tenor sax (but not change the pitch of playback). This happens to be +14 half-steps in the pull-down, since a tenor sax sounds an octave and a major second lower than written, or in other words, a ninth lower. Depending on the resulting range of the song, you can also try +2 which works for soprano sax or trumpet, other instruments pitched in Bb.


I am really struggling with this. Could you please walk me through how to set this, as I can't find the pull down you mentioned. Also, is this the missing link, or should the backing be in tune with the instrument by making the transpose adjustment alone without this extra setting? I'm hoping you'll say it does make the difference. smile

Of course, as mentioned to Noel, the real issue might be the chords themselves (some quite complex ones for this tune: Dbmaj7/C; C13b9; BMaj7/F; etc. I am going to try a simpler tune in a major key without the 'jazz chords' to see how that works.

Thanks again for your invaluable input.

Stephen

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Every version I found of Naima is in Ab concert.

There are several ways in BIAB to transpose. When I get to a computer, I can give more detail. I use a method you don’t have with version 2015. But I think you should do Options, Preferences, Notation and look for the pull-down settings for Transpose. Select tenor sax.

If the problem here is that you know the tune and how it should sound, but BIAB is not playing quite right chords when they are complex like in this tune, then turn off Natural Arrangement. However, I don’t remember if version 2015 had that.

Your last few posts indicate you have a knowledge of music theory., so I’m starting to be more puzzled. Is your report that the chords are not quite right, or that the pitch is not quite right?


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I was most interested in the O/P's initial comment:
Quote:
Nevertheless, there appears to be dissonance between the chords of the BB song (I usually use real-track styles) and the notes I'm playing. It may not be a lot, perhaps a semitone or less, but it's just not 'quite right'.


A semitone would sound extraordinarily terrible, in fact it would be completely "unlistenable" to. So I suspect that this might be related to a tuning issue(?) (only a guess, I'm not a horn player, so many other influences could come into play), but I'll be the tonality difference is much less than a semitone. Nevertheless, it's a concern and needs resolving.


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Originally Posted By: VideoTrack
I was most interested in the O/P's initial comment:
Quote:
Nevertheless, there appears to be dissonance between the chords of the BB song (I usually use real-track styles) and the notes I'm playing. It may not be a lot, perhaps a semitone or less, but it's just not 'quite right'.


A semitone would sound extraordinarily terrible, in fact it would be completely "unlistenable" to. So I suspect that this might be related to a tuning issue(?) (only a guess, I'm not a horn player, so many other influences could come into play), but I'll be the tonality difference is much less than a semitone. Nevertheless, it's a concern and needs resolving.


Good point. Stephen make sure that everything in your system is set to A=440. Being off a little can cause your problem. My wife's old upright piano has to be tuned to A=432 and if my guitar or wind controller is at A=440 then we have the same problem as you are experiencing.


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Originally Posted By: VideoTrack
A semitone would sound extraordinarily terrible, in fact it would be completely "unlistenable" to. So I suspect that this might be related to a tuning issue(?) (only a guess, I'm not a horn player, so many other influences could come into play), but I'll be the tonality difference is much less than a semitone. Nevertheless, it's a concern and needs resolving.


It is un-listenable, certainly unplayable. As mentioned in the OP I don't think it's a tuning issue, at least not on the sax, as I've checked it more than once on different tuners. I could probably live with 2 or 3 cents difference in the sax tuning, but the sound jars on my ear, so it's more than that.

As an afterthought, is it possible to check the tuning on BIAB, and if so how?

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Originally Posted By: MarioD
Good point. Stephen make sure that everything in your system is set to A=440. Being off a little can cause your problem. My wife's old upright piano has to be tuned to A=432 and if my guitar or wind controller is at A=440 then we have the same problem as you are experiencing.


Thanks for the help Mario. I have replied to Videotrack (above). As far as I know, the sax is correctly tuned to A=440. I just need to check that BIAB is as well, if that's possible.

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To set the master tuning in BiaB go to options/GM settings etc/master tuning. The master tuning setting should be at zero as zero equals A-440.

Good luck.


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Originally Posted By: Matt Finley
Every version I found of Naima is in Ab concert.


Thanks again Matt. It's definitely in Bb in the Realbook I have (see attached).

[img]https://www.dropbox.com/s/79qfiixa8i1uhuk/Naima%20sheet.jpg?dl=0[/img]

Originally Posted By: Matt Finley
I think you should do Options, Preferences, Notation and look for the pull-down settings for Transpose. Select tenor sax.


That worked perfectly, thank you.

Originally Posted By: Matt Finley
If the problem here is that you know the tune and how it should sound, but BIAB is not playing quite right chords when they are complex like in this tune, then turn off Natural Arrangement.


I did looked for this, then got sidetracked by the exciting news I can register for a COVID vaccine tomorrow. Eventually found that it only appears after version 2017.

Originally Posted By: Matt Finley
Your last few posts indicate you have a knowledge of music theory., so I’m starting to be more puzzled. Is your report that the chords are not quite right, or that the pitch is not quite right?


I've been reading and playing music since I was 12, and I'll be 66 in August. I can't say it's an extensive knowledge base, but enough to get by. I suppose I would say that the chords and the playing don't 'sit' together well. Probably that the chords have too many 'blue notes' in them, if you catch my meaning.

Last edited by StephenP; 04/14/21 03:46 AM.
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Originally Posted By: MarioD
To set the master tuning in BiaB go to options/GM settings etc/master tuning. The master tuning setting should be at zero as zero equals A-440. Good luck.


Thanks, I checked and 0 was set. I also tested the Master Tuning and it is working. So, that's not the issue (sadly).

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Stephen, I know your version of Naima is in the key of Bb because you said you have a Bb fakebook. If you had a concert key fakebook, Naima would be in the key of Ab. My advice to always think in terms of concert pitch stands.

But I'm beginning to think the problem here is not that you are two half-steps off, or that your BIAB and sax are not each tuned to A=440. I'm wondering if you are objecting to the choice of chord notes played by the RealTrack artists you selected. You mentioned 'blue notes'. As a test, try using an all-MIDI style. That will faithfully represent the correct notes in all the complex chords. If I'm right and that sounds OK, then your remedy is to purchase a newer BIAB version and turn off Natural Arrangement for the RealTracks.

Another thing you could do is attach the song and let us look at it and try it. Use the File Manager in the Post Options to your lower left.


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Originally Posted By: Matt Finley
Stephen, I know your version of Naima is in the key of Bb because you said you have a Bb fakebook. If you had a concert key fakebook, Naima would be in the key of Ab. My advice to always think in terms of concert pitch stands.


Sorry Matt, I realised you were thinking in Concert pitch after I posted.

Originally Posted By: Matt Finley
As a test, try using an all-MIDI style. That will faithfully represent the correct notes in all the complex chords. If I'm right and that sounds OK, then your remedy is to purchase a newer BIAB version and turn off Natural Arrangement for the RealTracks.


I tried this as you suggested, but to my ears the MST sounds are even more discordant. Maybe it really is my ears (or my sax/playing!)

Originally Posted By: Matt Finley
Another thing you could do is attach the song and let us look at it and try it. Use the File Manager in the Post Options to your lower left.


I've taken you up on your very kind offer. To my ears, it's closest to being in tune with the sax when I don't transpose (leave it in Bb, as per the Realbook. I'll be relieved, in some ways, to hear that it's fine for you - so I may need to check the sax tuning again. Thanks again.

Attached Files (Click to download or enlarge) (Only available when you are logged in)
NAIMA-Coltrane-Backing-Track.mp3 (1.31 MB, 18 downloads)
Some slash chords have been shortened, so C-7/F is C-7, for example.
Last edited by StephenP; 04/14/21 07:16 AM.
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Hi Stephen

Thank you for your kind words about my 2018 post. I'm glad I was able to help. When you've solved this issue concerning tuning. Please create another thread and I'll see if I can solve the remaining MIDI issues you are having. (Sometimes luck works in my favour smile )

When it comes to understanding transposing instruments and BIAB, Matt Finley is one of the forums' gurus. I know very little about this area of BIAB. Compared to Matt, I'm a bit like a light bulb placed beside the Sun.

One thing that Matt mentioned, I don't know if you picked it up or not, is "Natural Arrangement". This setting gives BIAB license to change your chords as the program sees fit.

Another setting that gives BIAB freedom to change the chords you've entered is the lack of "Force Song To Simple Arrangement".

To remove BIAB's choice to alter chords, it's necessary to....

1) DISABLE "Natural Arrangements"

2) ENABLE "Force Simple Arrangement" (This might seem counter-intuitive but "Force Simple Arrangement" really means, "Play the chords as written"

Both these options are obtained by right-clicking on the chord sheet and selecting "Song Settings". The image below should help.

Set both settings as shown on the image.

Regards,
Noel

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Noel, he has BIAB 2015. He checked and, as I suspected, he says Natural Arrangement didn’t exist yet.

I’m intrigued by your idea of Simple when using complex chords. I’ll have to try that. I had thought it was used only when you didn’t want G7, only straight G major etc.

Stephen, are you able to record a few seconds of your playing and attach that to a reply, so we can hear what you hear?


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Thanks Noel and Matt (again).

Noel, as Matt says I only have 2015, but I've found 'Force Song to Simple Arrangement' and I'll try that later.

Matt, I'm not sure I can record myself right now, as UPS seem to have lost my valuable soprano saxophone that was sent to the UK for repair, so I'm a bit distracted at the moment.

But, I'd be interested to know if the file I put the link to in a recent post, sounds OK against your playing. I have to say that not transposing the key from the Realbook is reasonably close to being 'in tune'.


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I had the TSA (forerunner of Homeland Security) break my soprano at the Los Angeles Airport security station. Luckily it was after a concert. Mine's just a mid-quality Yamaha but I feel your pain. What do you have?


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OK, I just listened to your MP3.

The chord voicings sound fine to me. I would be very happy playing over those (and it's such a lovely tune I haven't played in thirty years).

However - the form goes off the rails quickly and does not match the tune as I know it.

Could you please attach your BIAB song file, the MGU or SGU file? Let me look at that.


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Originally Posted By: Matt Finley
I had the TSA (forerunner of Homeland Security) break my soprano at the Los Angeles Airport security station. Luckily it was after a concert. Mine's just a mid-quality Yamaha but I feel your pain. What do you have?


It's a Hanson LX, handmade in Marsden, Yorkshire, UK by Alaister Hanson and his team, who have won awards for sustainable wood clarinets. The LX is their top-of-the-range instrument, I also have the Hanson LX tenor.

It was especially engraved with my father's birth and death dates, as I bought it with money he left me. So to say it's special, is an understatement.

Originally Posted By: Matt Finley
Could you please attach your BIAB song file, the MGU or SGU file? Let me look at that.


I will certainly try - although some head-scratching may be involved and thanks again for offering. smile

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Just hit Reply and use the same File Manager. Browse to your BIAB song file.

Very interesting about your sax! Good luck.


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Originally Posted By: Matt Finley
Very interesting about your sax! Good luck.


My saviour here is the courier, because he called me for my eircode (like, zip code)before collecting the sax on Friday, otherwise I wouldn't have his number. This is relevant because after 7 calls and 4 emails to UPS head offices around the world, no one was prepared or able to help me. Mike, the van driver, did by asking his local depot to track the parcel and mark it 'return to sender.' So, it's coming back sooner than expected. Unrepaired, but at least I can try again (in Ireland).

Last edited by StephenP; 04/15/21 07:44 AM.
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OK, I found some things and fixed them.

If I just give you the song back, you won't see what I did. So do this:


Add the roots to all these chords (except the last few that don't use them). For example, the first chord is not Cm7. It's Cm7/F and you enter the /root. The root on many chords gives the tension your song was missing.

Here's the one absolute mistake: your chart is wrong on bar 4 (and 8). Your chart says BMaj7/F but it's actually BbMaj7/F Big time mistake in the sound.

You didn't put the b9 in bar 10. You had C13 but it's C13b9

Bar 13 is not enterable in BIAB, so I suggest Dbm9/C

I suggest a part marker at measure 17

If you want to use a Tag, change the bar numbers above the chordsheet from 1-29 to 1-20

Then start the Tag after bar 19 and go to 21

Finally, set the key signature to Bb but use NO Transpose

Then set the key signature to Ab and DO use Transpose

Then Options, Preferences, Notation and select Tenor Sax in the Transpose pull-down.

Send me the song when you're done and I'll see how you did.


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I read all your material but did not look at your song yet.. I don't think Nathan Hein said the slash roots are 'wrong' and I think it's needed in the bass.

I then looked at The New RealBook Vol. II, both the Bb version to make sure the chord in bar 4 was right (it is) and to check the chord in bar 13.

As a result, I have altered my song as follows, and it sounds great:

changed the tempo from 70 to 60; matches the tempo marking in the fakebook and is the recorded tempo of your choices of RealTracks

changed the chord in bars 1,5 and 17 to DbMaj7/Bb [note: this and all other chords here are concert key]

changed bars 10 and 12 to Bb7susb9

changed bar 13 to DMaj7#5

and a small change of bars 2,6 and 18 from Ebm7 to Ebm9

One more thing. You had a repeat of the first four bars, and for some reason, it played correctly for the first time through but not the second. I'm using the newest build of version 2021 and mine sounded just like your MP3 which was clearly wrong starting around bar 7. So I dropped the repeat, added four bars and copied 1-4 into 5-9. Now it sounds right. I'm not sure why the repeat didn't work correctly and will follow up on that.


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Originally Posted By: Matt Finley
I read all your material but did not look at your song yet.. I don't think Nathan Hein said the slash roots are 'wrong' and I think it's needed in the bass.


I'm not sure what Nathan Hein said, but Ethan Hein says..."There are as many interpretations of this tune’s chord changes as there are transcriptions of it. The ones in the Real Book are real wrong. “Naima” is full of slash chords – chords with the “wrong” bass note. If you think of the bass note as determining the chord quality, you can interpret most of “Naima” as consisting of ornamented or altered dominant seventh chords." He may be suggesting that they are meant to be 'wrong' (as in...not the correct note for the chord.

Originally Posted By: Matt Finley
I changed the tempo from 70 to 60; matches the tempo marking in the fakebook and is the recorded tempo of your choices of RealTracks changed the chord in bars 1,5 and 17 to DbMaj7/Bb [note: this and all other chords here are concert key] changed bars 10 and 12 to Bb7susb9 changed bar 13 to DMaj7#5, and a small change of bars 2,6 and 18 from Ebm7 to Ebm9


I'll try that, thanks.

Originally Posted By: Matt Finley
One more thing. You had a repeat of the first four bars, and for some reason, it played correctly for the first time through but not the second. I'm using the newest build of version 2021 and mine sounded just like your MP3 which was clearly wrong starting around bar 7. So I dropped the repeat, added four bars and copied 1-4 into 5-9. Now it sounds right. I'm not sure why the repeat didn't work correctly and will follow up on that.


I did actually hear that myself and assumed there was something wrong with my software. I'll try your suggestion tomorrow. (Very late here in Ireland).

Thanks again for all your help with this and for your song, I'll have a listen in the morning. smile

Last edited by StephenP; 04/16/21 12:46 PM.
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There's a difference between the Real Book and The New Real Book. I have both. The second one is legit and fixed a lot of problems.

Here's a better recording.

Attached Files (Click to download or enlarge) (Only available when you are logged in)
Naima.mp3 (7.98 MB, 14 downloads)

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Originally Posted By: Matt Finley
Here's a better recording.


thank you again Matt. It sounds great and I really appreciate all your time and effort. smile

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Oops - typo. Bar 1 , 5 and 17 should be over Eb not Bb.


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What have you concluded? Assuming the pitch is ok and you are in the right key, is it better? Can you conclude the problem was in the chords used? Also that weirdness in the 4-bar repeat?

I think BIAB is quite capable of playing this song well.


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Originally Posted By: Matt Finley
What have you concluded? Assuming the pitch is ok and you are in the right key, is it better? Can you conclude the problem was in the chords used? Also that weirdness in the 4-bar repeat?

I think BIAB is quite capable of playing this song well.


It's much closer to my ears, as being 'tuning' with my playing than anything I've managed. The odd glitch on the repeat obviously didn't though, but I think I'll try a simpler tune with major chords, to see how that sounds.

BTW, did you transpose this back to Ab? Also, Any thoughts on the issue I have in the key signature window, where I don't get the option to chnage key OR transpose - I am forced to do both. Do you know if that's 'normal'?

Thanks again, this has been a real learning curve. I gave up on BIAB some time ago, but I'm ready to get stuck in again. I may even upgrade. If so, they owe you a commission! smile

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I didn't transpose it; you did. That's what I think started the problem.

This tune is generally played and written in Ab concert, and that's what my recording is.

Your leadsheet (with the one wrong chord in bar 4) is for a Bb instrument to play along with the song when it is played in Ab concert (like my MP3). Thus the song on your leadsheet is transposed up one full step to the key of Bb, and you just read it as-is on your tenor to play along with my MP3.

To put this another way, you should not enter the song into BIAB using your Bb instrument leadsheet without dropping all notes and chords one full step, then transposing to see it in terms of a tenor sax. That's the most important lesson here.

Once you decide to work and think in concert pitch, these problems disappear. Think about what I play: My horns are pitched in C, Eb, F, G, A, and Bb. I don't have the slides for my Eb trumpet to play in D or I'd have that one covered, too. I think you see the problem. If my base song were not entered in concert pitch, I would really be sunk trying to keep track.

Is this making sense?



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Originally Posted By: Matt Finley
Once you decide to work and think in concert pitch, these problems disappear. Think about what I play: My horns are pitched in C, Eb, F, G, A, and Bb. I don't have the slides for my Eb trumpet to play in D or I'd have that one covered, too. I think you see the problem. If my base song were not entered in concert pitch, I would really be sunk trying to keep track.

Is this making sense?


Thanks again, Matt. It's making sense, to some extent. I have always understood that, (using the circle of fifths), if I am to play a concert pitch tune on a Bb instrument, the backing tracking track needs to be 1 whole tone (-2 steps) lower. So, if I'm playing a sheet in C, the backing track needs to be in Bb, for example. For Eb, the difference is a minor-third (-3 steps) below.

So, yes, that bit makes sense and always did. The bit that's not so clear is that I had assumed the Bb Real Book had already transposed the chords down 1 tone (-2 steps), or else what's the point of it being a Bb book?

The only conclusion I can draw is that the lead sheets are written in the key that will cover the range of the Bb instrument. But, that's not actually the case for some of the songs, as they go to a low A, which is not possible to play on many tenors and sopranos.

Confused? I will be!

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Get a bari? (kidding, but the low A key is killer; I've never seen a tenor or soprano with a low A key; didn't know such existed)

OK. I think there are important clues in your last post that confirm my original guess was correct. If I am right, forgive me for dropping back a step (pun intended) and let's review. Go with me on each point and let me know if anything is unclear.

If you want to learn a song, the goal is to learn it so you play it in the 'standard' key everyone else does on a gig, or in the key of the recording. Naima is in Ab concert.

A Bb instrument is called Bb because, if you read a C on a piano score, it sounds a Bb. This is one full step (two half-steps) lower than the pitch you need, so your music needs to be written one step higher to compensate. [An Eb instrument is called Eb because, if you read a C on a piano score, it sounds an Eb. This is three half-steps higher than the pitch you need, so your music needs to be three half-steps lower to compensate. Note for anyone else reading this: I'm not counting the register jumps here; the tenor actually sounds an octave and a full step low, or a 9th low.]

A Bb version of the RealBook exists because someone playing a Bb instrument like tenor sax would read this to play along with rhythm section musicians (piano, bass, guitar) in a band who are reading the Concert C version of that Real Book.

You would not want to enter the song into BIAB using the Bb leadsheet because you are creating the song in what BIAB thinks is concert pitch. Now Naima on your computer would not be in Ab as it should be, but in Bb. [If you did, I'll fix it, below]

Then you play the song back, and your tenor sax pitch is one full step low again with respect to what you are hearing played. You post on the BIAB forum thinking the sound is wrong, and it sure is.

How am I doing so far?

So the first part of the remedy is to transpose the song you entered on BIAB down one full step. Noel said this part. If your key signature was C because most users forget to set it, transpose the song to Bb. If you did enter the correct key signature from your Bb fakebook and your key signature says Bb, transpose it to Ab. Later versions have a better fix for this.

Now BIAB plays the song in the key you want to learn, like everyone else will play it on a gig.

Lastly, because you are reading this music with a tenor sax, you need to visually correct the music you see on BIAB to appear one full step higher than it is actually playing.

BIAB has several ways to transpose. Although BIAB version 2021 added a new way, you can still do this in version 2015. I don't quite remember if the steps were different but here goes:

STEPS TO FIX IT

Enter the song from your Bb fakebook. Fix the chords we talked about. Remember I talk in concert pitch.

Use the key of the song, on the upper right of the chordsheet near the tempo, to adjust the pitch down. If it says C, change it to Bb. If you did put Bb there when you entered the song, good. Now change it to Ab. The sound you hear will go down one full step.

Now, go to Options, Preferences, Notation. Select Tenor Sax there for Transpose. Note that THIS transpose does not change the pitch of the song you are hearing, only the notes that are displayed!

Still with me?


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Originally Posted By: MarioD
To set the master tuning in BiaB go to options/GM settings etc/master tuning. The master tuning setting should be at zero as zero equals A-440.

Good luck.


How do you set it for 432 Hz?

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