I floated similar idea in the past, but I think it is formed better in my mind now. While great effort is made to maintain the User Manual / Help file, many times it is difficult to find specific topic related items. Not because manual is written poorly, but because it has a lot of information. Yes, I look at the manual from time to time, but most of things I learned about BIAB was from forum members. Some of those items are explained in the manual, some are completely absent because they deal with third party software / hardware connection, routing, workflow and their interaction with BIAB.
I have a separate "note" file on computer that I add things to that might be particularly useful to me. But it would be more convenient and elegant to have this right in BIAB.
------------- The wish is to have some kind of text editor embedded in BIAB with ability to create custom "topics" and content for those topics, which should also have "search word" function. Custom tailored manual if you prefer.
I have for decades wondered about the BIAB documentation. I'm accustomed to opening a manual, finding the contents or index, and zeroing in to the one place a topic is covered. A searchable PDF is even better. The approach of ordering the info that BIAB uses makes sense to me but is not how I would like it for myself. You see a quick reference to the new features, then there is a chapter introducing the new features, then there are more chapters detailing the new features. The same phrases occur three times. And, if the feature you want help with is from prior years, it can be a challenge finding more about it.
I get that this is a choice or organization based on marketing and education, and it is perhaps the better approach for most people who are just beginning with BIAB.
About the material in my posts, some of it is gleaned from BIAB documentation, but some of it is an observation or even a guess on my part and I have stated so. I would love it if PG Music would review and correct the content, then prepare an Advanced Topics chapter or some such. In some documentation I've written, I will take the subtle extra tidbit of advanced info and make it a sidebar box and call it Advanced Tip or some such.
Is any of that helpful to what you are saying?
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
The wish is to have some kind of text editor embedded in BIAB with ability to create custom "topics" and content for those topics, which should also have "search word" function. Custom tailored manual if you prefer.
+1 Awesome idea!
Perhaps even better would be if PGM would curate forum conversations that yield tips & hacks into an online reference that is searchable.
Yes, in the spirit of teaching, tips like these should be available to all. Of course, one could argue that the Tips and Tricks Forum could be used more to do exactly that.
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
I get that this is a choice or organization based on marketing and education, and it is perhaps the better approach for most people who are just beginning with BIAB.
As a beginner to BiaB I found the manual and videos packed so many options and variations into each subject that I'd lose track of the task at hand. The human brain has a short-term memory limit of at most 7 items and too many diversions just breaks that.
I've said before that I think the manual should focus essentially on one "preferred" way to do things, with links at the end to tips, tricks and options. Maybe that one preferred way offers a mouse route and its related hot-key where such exists. Any more than that at one point just risks confusing the reader.
Jazz relative beginner, starting at a much older age than was helpful. Kawai MP6, Korg M50, Ui24R, Saffire Pro 40. AVL:MXE Linux; Windows 11; Win8.1: Scarletts BIAB2022 UltraPAK, Reaper, a bunch of stuff.
I agree with everything above. The tips and tricks that are posted at this forum are a literal goldmine and treasure trove of solutions. But it's a shame that this knowledge isn't permenantly captured.
An example of this is earlier this year there was a lengthy thread about this very subject where I suggested that the knowledge posted here could be captured in a series of "How-To" PDF files contining screen shots and placed somewhere so they can be searched and downloaded as needed. I looked at my past posts and couldn't find this thread. It appears that I can go back in time only so many pages and I'm unable to search prior to June; which demonstrates that there is no guarantee of finding past posted material.
I think I remember saying that such a collection of PDF files could even form the basis or become a part of the user manual or Help pull-down function.
Some may say, "no problem, just ask the same question again". To that I say, the person with the expertise the first time may not be around the next time the same issue is raised. And even if he/she is around, the quality of the solution the 2nd time may not be as good as the original solution.
[Ever have a hard drive crash where you lost user created files and so you tried to reconstruct them? I have, and the 2nd go-around often doesn't produce the same level of quality as the first. Being frustrated with this duplicative effort may explain why this is so.]
But even if he/she is still available to re-answer the question, imagine the wasted time and resources that that entails. Every hour working on a solution for the 2nd, 3rd or 4th time is an hour taken away from working on your next song. Far better to solve the problem once and for all and capture it for "future generations" to use. When better/more appropriate solutions are eventually arrived at, just update the PDFs.
If there is interest, maybe someone can find the thread I'm talking about.
https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677 BiaB 2024 Windows For me there’s no better place in the band than to have one leg in the harmony world and the other in the percussive. Thank you Paul Tutmarc and Leo Fender.
One of my guidelines is that, if I find myself writing the same answers year after year, I create a post in Tips and Tricks. Another of my guidelines is that I don’t normally answer private messages with technical answers, instead asking for the topic to be stated in a forum where all can benefit and comment.
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
With much searching I think I found it, I didn't start it, JustAnOldMuso did back in March. Many good descriptions of common frustrations and possible solutions to them are embedded in this thread; everybody had their thinking cap on that day
Even though his thread has "custom settings" in the title, much of what was discussed could easily apply to a personalized manual.
Note the comment by Mark Hayes re: a knowledge base, I think that's spot on.
Last edited by Bass Thumper; 10/21/2210:21 AM.
https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677 BiaB 2024 Windows For me there’s no better place in the band than to have one leg in the harmony world and the other in the percussive. Thank you Paul Tutmarc and Leo Fender.
I feel I wasn't clear. #1 I am not bashing the manual in any way. It is great and has a LOT of useful information.
#2 The request is a selfish and ego-centric. To be able to cherry pick "tips" and other information that might not necessarily be in the manual, as it might deal with very specific 3rd party related items, etc, that is useful only to dear you (me) and to be able to save and access that info within BIAB.
Call it "My Notes" or something. Hope that graphics help.
P.S. JJJ, I don't think curation will work well with this, because.... Information is scattered trough out the forum. It could be in several places like Beginner, Windows, Other, Video, Tips, etc. It might not be phrased as you might expect. But once you find it, or somebody points you to it it, it might be a good idea to save it in "one" place.
Like Rustyspoon# I have a Band-in-a-Box word processor file. However, I don't maintain the file the way I want to or refer to the file as much as I should. I've found it helps me to remember certain facts if I document them.
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.
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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.
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I've found it helps me to remember certain facts if I document them.
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