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Hi all, sorry for the basic question, but I can't find the answer anywhere. I'm returning to BIAB after many years' absence. I see there is both a "Songs" folder and a "MySongs" folder. What's the difference? And where should I put my collection of several thousand .SGU and .MGU files? Thanks!

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The Songs folder is automatically created when you install Band-in-a-Box. It is empty when you first install Band-in-a-Box. It sounds like "MySongs" is a folder that you had created at some point.

Please check the contents of both folders. It is best to save your songs to the same folder that you were using before in order to stay consistent.


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Thanks, Chantelle. Or is it the opposite? I’m pretty sure from the documentation and previous posts that the MySongs folder is part of the installled files, and is the default home folder for Song Picker. But I’m not sure whether the Songs folder is something I dragged over from the earlier version, or whether it’s also part of the install.

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You can save your songs anywhere you like.

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Oh my! Somewhere in my long history of using BIAB my songs got placed in the "Ear Training" folder. Why? I have no idea.

Sounds like I need to move them to a more sensible location.

Thanks all!

...Deb

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This:
Originally Posted By: TRYUK
You can save your songs anywhere you like.

Just choose where you want to save them, and save them there. Quite simple really.


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Thanks, all! This is helpful. But let me probe some more…

I’ve finally read through the entire user manual for 2021. I can see definitively that the Songs folder and the MySongs folder are loaded as part of the program. Here is how they’re described on pp. 346-347 of the manual:

“MySongs: This is your “home” folder for the SongPicker. You can put any songs to this folder.”

“Songs: This is the default folder for storing your Band-in-a-Box songs, the default folder that is selected by the File | Open Song menu command. It includes the basic Band-in-a-Box song library, and the songs you make yourself will be stored here unless you specify a custom folder for them.”

Can anyone explain what the difference is. And why they’re both here?

I understand now that songs can be put anywhere, and I can change my default file for storing songs. But I’m intrigued about why these two seemingly overlapping folders exist? The language here is confusing, and they seem redundant. I just want my songs in one place, to avoid confusion, but can’t really figure this out.

Real world example: I just bought a bunch of Django tunes rendered for BIAB, from Djangobooks. They come packaged in their own file folder. Assuming I’m going to put that folder inside either the Songs or the MySongs folder, which one and why!

Thanks!

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That’s a good observation. It does bear further examination.

A few random thoughts:

In 2018, major changes were made to use many more folders to reduce the huge number of files in certain folders. The installation invoked a cleanup Utility. This can be invoked separately. My point is that a folder, and/or the documentation, may be a remnant. I will research this and report it to the developers. However, my own installation is far from pristine:

For decades, I have stored all my BIAB songs - many hundreds of them - in folders of my own making. I have two main folders, Matt Arrangements and Matt Originals. Within each are many sub folders. Within my Originals I have folders such as Big Band, Church, Orchestra, Classical, Jazz Combo etc. Within Arrangements I have those categories then further folders by composer names. As mentioned above, store your songs wherever you want.

I then regularly use SyncToy to back up those songs to two other locations.


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Song (files) you create can be stored in the My Songs folder if you want to store song files that you've created there. If you want to store song files you create somewhere else, that is okay too. PG Music created the empty folder in response to the many questions from beginners regarding where to store song files that they created.

The Songs folder is where PG Music stores some of the song files they create.


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Thank you all! Very helpful.

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With 'MySongs', I suspect that you are seeing a reference to a legacy folder. I have both also, but MySongs was created much, much earlier.

In the 'Songs' folder there is a file 'AboutSongsFolder.txt' with this message:
This folder can optionally be used to store your own songs, and can be set as the home directory for the Song Picker in Band-in-a-Box


If you needed to choose, I would use the 'Songs' folder.


BIAB & RB2024 Win.(Audiophile), Sonar Platinum, Cakewalk by Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M Monitors, Pioneer Active Monitors, AKG K271 Studio H'phones
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I concur with VideoTrack. I just checked my audiophile drives for the last few years. The MySongs folder is not present on new drives, but the Songs folder is. It is empty, however, except for the message in the post just above this one.

If you have songs in a MySongs folder, just copy them wherever you like, and then you could delete that folder to avoid confusion.


BIAB 2024 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 6.5 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6; Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus Studio 192, Presonus Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors
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PG Music News
Update Your PowerTracks Pro Audio 2024 Today!

Add updated printing options, enhanced tracks settings, smoother use of MGU and SGU (BB files) within PowerTracks, and more with the latest PowerTracks Pro Audio 2024 update!

Learn more about this free update for PowerTracks Pro Audio & download it at www.pgmusic.com/support_windows_pt.htm#2024_5

The Newest RealBand 2024 Update is Here!

The newest RealBand 2024 Build 5 update is now available!

Download and install this to your RealBand 2024 for updated print options, streamlined loading and saving of .SGU & MGU (BB) files, and to add a number of program adjustments that address user-reported bugs and concerns.

This free update is available to all RealBand 2024 users. To learn more about this update and download it, head to www.pgmusic.com/support.realband.htm#20245

The Band-in-a-Box® Flash Drive Backup Option

Today (April 5) is National Flash Drive Day!

Did you know... not only can you download your Band-in-a-Box® Pro, MegaPAK, or PlusPAK purchase - you can also choose to add a flash drive backup copy with the installation files for only $15? It even comes with a Band-in-a-Box® keychain!

For the larger Band-in-a-Box® packages (UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition), the hard drive backup copy is available for only $25. This will include a preinstalled and ready to use program, along with your installation files.

Backup copies are offered during the checkout process on our website.

Already purchased your e-delivery version, and now you wish you had a backup copy? It's not too late! If your purchase was for the current version of Band-in-a-Box®, you can still reach out to our team directly to place your backup copy order!

Note: the Band-in-a-Box® keychain is only included with flash drive backup copies, and cannot be purchased separately.

Handy flash drive tip: Always try plugging in a USB device the wrong way first? If your flash drive (or other USB plug) doesn't have a symbol to indicate which way is up, look for the side with a seam on the metal connector (it only has a line across one side) - that's the side that either faces down or to the left, depending on your port placement.

Update your Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows® Today!

Update your Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows for free with build 1111!

With this update, there's more control when saving images from the Print Preview window, we've added defaults to the MultiPicker for sorting and font size, updated printing options, updated RealTracks and other content, and addressed user-reported issues with the StylePicker, MIDI Soloists, key signature changes, and more!

Learn more about this free update for Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows at www.pgmusic.com/support_windowsupdates.htm#1111

Band-in-a-Box® 2024 Review: 4.75 out of 5 Stars!

If you're looking for a in-depth review of the newest Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows version, you'll definitely find it with Sound-Guy's latest review, Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows Review: Incredible new capabilities to experiment, compose, arrange and mix songs.

A few excerpts:
"The Tracks view is possibly the single most powerful addition in 2024 and opens up a new way to edit and generate accompaniments. Combined with the new MultiPicker Library Window, it makes BIAB nearly perfect as an 'intelligent' composer/arranger program."

"MIDI SuperTracks partial generation showing six variations – each time the section is generated it can be instantly auditioned, re-generated or backed out to a previous generation – and you can do this with any track type. This is MAJOR! This takes musical experimentation and honing an arrangement to a new level, and faster than ever."

"Band in a Box continues to be an expansive musical tool-set for both novice and experienced musicians to experiment, compose, arrange and mix songs, as well as an extensive educational resource. It is huge, with hundreds of functions, more than any one person is likely to ever use. Yet, so is any DAW that I have used. BIAB can do some things that no DAW does, and this year BIAB has more DAW-like functions than ever."

Convenient Ways to Listen to Band-in-a-Box® Songs Created by Program Users!

The User Showcase Forum is an excellent place to share your Band-in-a-Box® songs and listen to songs other program users are creating!

There are other places you can listen to these songs too! Visit our User Showcase page to sort by genre, artist (forum name), song title, and date - each listing will direct you to the forum post for that song.

If you'd rather listen to these songs in one place, head to our Band-in-a-Box® Radio, where you'll have the option to select the genre playlist for your listening pleasure. This page has SoundCloud built in, so it won't redirect you. We've also added the link to the Artists SoundCloud page here, and a link to their forum post.

We hope you find some inspiration from this amazing collection of User Showcase Songs!

Congratulations to the 2023 User Showcase Award Winners!

We've just announced the 2023 User Showcase Award Winners!

There are 45 winners, each receiving a Band-in-a-Box 2024 UltraPAK! Read the official announcement to see if you've won.

Our User Showcase Forum receives more than 50 posts per day, with people sharing their Band-in-a-Box songs and providing feedback for other songs posted.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed!

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