I've used BiaB for years, and absolutely love it. I know my way around it pretty well for my purposes (practicing improvising over jazz standards and generating the occasional piano or bass part for an original song).
What I'm looking for is an interview, or video, or something else that gets into the more technical nuts and bolts of the program. Does it try to intelligently piece together a guitar part over a strange chord progression, or is it completely random? Do the musicians record the same parts at different tempos and in different keys, or is it all pitch adjusted / time stretched? are midi parts clicked in, or are they basing those parts off real performances?
The internal functions of exactly how BiaB delivers its functionality are probably the proprietary features of the program and are not widely publicized.
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
The internal functions of exactly how BiaB delivers its functionality are probably the proprietary features of the program and are not widely publicized.
That's a shame, but understandable. I was just hoping for a peak under the hood. It's an endlessly fascinating program.
BIAB uses some amazing but propriety algorithms to adapt each instrument to the chord progression and rhythmic directions. I would call that artificial intelligence and it’s definitely not random (although we could discuss further what random means).
There is some pitch and time stretching when needed, now using the Elastique algorithm. If you go more than a few half steps from the recorded pitches, you begin to hear artifacts. Same for tempo, especially going much slower than designed.
If you are asking about Real Notation, the MIDI that accompanies some Real Tracks, the answer depends. The piano notation was recorded directly by a digital piano. Some instruments were manually transcribed in the early days of RealTracks (I did some of that work). Now, I think they have automated that process though I do not know this for certain. The software to do that has improved since 2008. Real Notation is for educational purposes only; it looks OK but often lacks the nuances of a real player’s performance.
Does that help? I use BIAB as you do, to compose and practice, plus arranging and transcribing.
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
+++ HERE +++ is a link to the online manual where UserTracks are described. There are also directions about how to create them.
You may find the screen shot below of the F5 UserTracks Development button window useful. The screen shot displays the commands a creator can use to "direct" Band-in-a-Box how-to-use specific portions of an audio file. Some command descriptions are below.
UserTracks Development Button Settings
The [UserTracks Development] button in the F5 Edit Settings for Current Bar dialog opens a dialog with advanced setting for making UserTracks. The dialog allows you to determine how the bars of music you recorded for your UserTracks will be applied by Band-in-a-Box in the song. For example, you can completely exclude a particular bar or make it only play in a particular place like an ending or a fill.
Bar # and Chorus # indicate the current song location. This is the bar where the settings will be applied, but you can apply them to a range of bars if you enter a list (3,5,7) and/or range (10-20, 25-28) of bars, separated by commas, in the field under Enter a Range of Bars.
Don’t include this bar in the UserTracks excludes the current bar (or range of bars, if set) from the UserTracks and will never be used.
Ending starts on this bar (4 bar ending) sets the current bar as the first bar of the 4-bar ending.
Don’t start a new Riff on this bar prevents the current bar from being used as the start of a new riff. This is useful if the bar has sustained notes carried over from the previous bar and no new attack of a note.
Don’t End a Riff at the start of this bar means that the current bar (or list of bars in the edit control) will not be used to end a riff at the start of the bar. This is useful if the previous bar doesn’t have a defined ending for a riff.
Only choose this bar if the key matches allows the bar to be used only if the user’s song key matches the key of this song. So, if this is the IV chord, it would only get chosen if it will be the IV chord in the user’s song.
This bar is simple sets the bar to use simple riffs.
Only Play this for a fill sets the current bar as a fill, which will only be played where the user’s song is also a fill.
Only play this for a post fill (after a fill) sets the current bar (or list of bars in the edit control) to only play after a fill in the user’s song.
Odd/Even must match sets the current bar to play in the user’s song only if the odd/even status (bars after a part marker) matches the user’s song.
Always play this bar if it matches means that the current bar (or list of bars) will always get played, as long as its chord and other settings are compatible. It overrides any other riffs that match.
Once is enough (don’t repeat this) sets the bar to only be played once in a song. Use for an unusual riff that you don’t want repeated.
Bar/Beat Markers: You can set the location of the bar or beat markers if the riff doesn’t start on the bar or beat. You can set the location in ms offset, and also set the riff marker type, begin and/or end. The offsets can be set visually in the Audio Edit window.
The general assumption within the forum appears to be that Band-in-a-Box uses RealTracks similar to the way the program uses UserTracks.
Last edited by Jim Fogle; 08/26/2208:41 AM. Reason: Added last comment.
The above is probably the best public knowledge we have about the inside workings of the magical 'voodoo' concerning how RTs work. Thanks for expanding this Jim.
Make your sound your own! .. I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
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!
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.
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!
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!
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.
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