Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread
Print Thread
Go To
Page 2 of 2 1 2
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,098
C
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
C
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,098
<< But I'm sure it's my fault. Would you be so nice to nudge me into the right direction? Once you have an APT, how do you go back to its original RT status? Because that is the whole point: once you have a APT, or a transposed APT, is there a way to revert it to its original RT status? >>

It's not really a fault but just inexperience with a little known but very powerful option. So, how do you turn your steak back into a side of beef as MoultiPass asks? Here's the way to revert an APF to its original RT status:

RT click on the track to reveal the drop down menu
From the drop down menu, select and click Track Actions\Kill Audio and OK out of the window
The APF and orange color will disappear and the original RT will display
Click generate/play button to generate a new RealTrack -- The track is blank at this point so, play will not generate a new track. Generate/Play button (F4) is required.


BIAB Ultra Pak+ 2024:RB 2024, Latest builds: Dell Optiplex 7040 Desktop; Windows-10-64 bit, Intel Core i7-6700 3.4GHz CPU and 16 GB Ram Memory.
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,098
C
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
C
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,098
Originally Posted by DrDan
Good discussion topic. I only wish this was better understood by all, including me.
Here is what GPT says.

[Linked Image - Only viewable when logged in]


Almost good information but look closely and the Chat GPT is referring to Artist Performance Tracks that are prerecorded tracks by professionals for PG Music - Not a user created Artist Performance File. They are not the same.

They are the same but different. They are created exactly the same but serve different purposes to BIAB projects. Artist Performance Files are utilized in projects more as a UserTrack. They were introduced in 2011 along with the Record Audio feature. At that time, Legacy Tracks could not contain audio. The APF was how audio files could be converted so that any Legacy Track (except drums if I recall) could contain audio. This freed up the Legacy Tracks to be used to record new Midi or RealTracks and provide SGU files with more than just the 7 available tracks and single audio track. The Audio Track, while the only track for recording audio into BIAB, the recorded audio could be converted to an Artist Performance File and moved to another available Legacy Track resulting the one audio track could be used multiple times in a project.

The BIAB Mixer functions as a MultiTrack Recorder and back in the old times, audio engineers/mixer/ producers would use a 2nd recorder to bounce tracks to so that more tracks could be recorded than the main recorder had. For instance, a four track like the Beatles used in their early records, while recorded on a 4 track recorder, engineers used a 2nd recorder to mix and bounce the original 4 tracks to a track on another recorder and free up channels by erasing the audio from those tracks and recording new material. The Artist Performance File served the same function in the BIAB Mixer.


BIAB Ultra Pak+ 2024:RB 2024, Latest builds: Dell Optiplex 7040 Desktop; Windows-10-64 bit, Intel Core i7-6700 3.4GHz CPU and 16 GB Ram Memory.
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,098
C
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
C
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,098
As I noted Artist Performance Files are not considered Artist Performance Tracks but a form of UserTracks. Here's what PG Staff say about Artist Performance Files in the UserTrack Forum:
<< -----
7. Artist Performance Files.

These are audio files, that you put on a track, that can also have the MIDI transcription of it. People hear the audio, and see the MIDI in notation/guitar tab etc. For example, if you are a great bluegrass fiddle player, you could put your songs in this format. People can listen to your real playing, see the notes on screen, slow them down etc. - all inside Band-in-a-Box where they can do other things like solo/mute other tracks, mix them etc. >>


BIAB Ultra Pak+ 2024:RB 2024, Latest builds: Dell Optiplex 7040 Desktop; Windows-10-64 bit, Intel Core i7-6700 3.4GHz CPU and 16 GB Ram Memory.
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,098
C
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
C
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,098
Artist Performance Files are audio files saved as either WAV or M4a files and are associated with the BIAB SGU file of the same name. When a Track from the BIAB Mixer is converted into an Artist Performance File, the converted file is automatically saved in the same folder as the SGU file and the converted file has the same name as the SGU file and will open whenever the SGU file is opened.


BIAB Ultra Pak+ 2024:RB 2024, Latest builds: Dell Optiplex 7040 Desktop; Windows-10-64 bit, Intel Core i7-6700 3.4GHz CPU and 16 GB Ram Memory.
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,486
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,486
Originally Posted by musocity
"My question was about how to do that in BIAB with frozen tracks"
Are you looking to shift 1 or 2 semitones or a lot more ?
As I said Biab can be made to do this without creating any wav files, the transpose amount is just set to the source wav/wma file section in the frozen SGU:

Transpose Frozen Tracks

Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 223
Apprentice
OP Offline
Apprentice
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 223
Thank you Charlie
I tried your suggestion. I have a feeling right now that this area of BIAB is buggy, and that should be addressed. The reason I'm saying this is that I tried going from frozen to APT with another song (not the one that gave me problems yesterday) and I got the same problem that I reported in my previous posts (no transformation of a frozen RT into an APT, rendering notification stuck in the middle of the screen). That makes it 2 songs out of 3. I think PGM should be looking at this (the process of transforming a frozen track into a APT, it seems buggy to me).

So, I tried again with a brand new song, built from scratch, just to test what you suggested. It worked as you said. Yay.
But ... there's a but.
Now, I really don't want be annoying, at this point I'm insisting on this feature (or lack thereof) just as a way to suggest a potential improvement for PGM, nothing else. It's not a crucial feature, at all. I'm not bothered by this, at all. I'm just trying to help out for future developments.
Once you go back from APT to RT you have to regenerate, as you rightly said, because once you "kill" the audio, the track is empty. Well, that defies the purpose of it all (or, actually, half the purpose). What I have in mind is not just going back to a RT status (which is half of the story), but going back to the specific combination of riffs / audio segments that constituted my frozen track. Now, again, this may look like reconstituting the beef from a steak, but for the reasons I explained above, I don't think it is necessarily so. I think BIAB has all the information to do, potentially, just that. I'll explain again what the advantage of this would be, maybe for those who didn't follow this thread or never thought of this possibility.

1. Let's say you have a RT that you carefully, painstakingly "designed" by using the partial regeneration feature, or the multi-riff feature (truly wonderful features, by the way). You designed the perfect solo part with all the phrases that you like. Now you freeze it of course, cause you don't want to nullify all your work by accidentally regenerate
2. Days later, or months later, you realize that you need to transpose it, because your singer needs a little help. Or maybe you want to change the tempo a little bit. Whatever. You can't do that with a frozen track. What you need to do is to transform your frozen RT into an APT and that allows you transpose as much as you want, just like Charlie described. That's all fine and well (provided that you don't encounter bugs, like I did).
3. This is half of the story. The other half is ... let's say that, at this point, you want to change just a couple of bars of your beautiful solo, without losing every other part of it. You can't. You can go back to RT status, like Charlie suggested, but now you have to regenerate the whole track. Your well designed solo is all gone, if you go back to RT status. Yes, you can rebuild it piece by piece, like you did the first time, but it's pretty annoying to redo everything that you already did in the past. Not the end of the world, obviously, but pretty annoying. Maybe you don't remember all the beautiful phrases that you originally found (obviously there's workarounds: you could use two tracks for the same solo: one with old phrases that you want to keep, while muting the phrases you want to change, and one with only the new phrases, generated from the same RT, loaded in this second track ... it works obviously, but it's not very elegant, and it can become cumbersome when you want to change more and more things over time)

In summary: either you have the flexibility to change parts of your frozen track (but you can't transpose it or change tempo etc) or you have the flexibility to transpose and change tempo if you go from frozen to APT (but you lose the ability to change parts of the performance: at that point, either you change everything or you change nothing). This seems the current state of affairs to me. And, it seems to me, that this limits somehow the wonderful flexibility that the multi-riff and partial regeneration features potentially provide.
Again: this is not too important. I'm not claiming that it is. There are many more important issues or potential improvements to be made, for sure. It is just another suggestion for PGM. Hope it helps.
Thank you again Charlie.

Last edited by Jon Thomas; 12/04/23 01:31 AM.
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,098
C
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
C
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,098
You are not being annoying Mr. Thomas. I applaud you sticking with it and curiosity to know more. You're correct through points 1 and 2.

Briefly about point 3, it's possible to retain an Artist Performance File audio, restore it as a RealTrack for editing and not lose any material. Meaning a APF can revert back to a RealTrack without regenerating new material and losing that well designed solo. BIAB provides the flexibility to change parts of the performance and retain what you want to save.

The attached screenshots show the WAV form as it appears in each step of converting and restoring the track from a RT to a APF and restored back to a RT.
I've reached the maximum attachments with this post so I will add a screen shot of the original and restored track side by side in a separate post.

Attached Files (Click to download or enlarge) (Only available when you are logged in)
1.jpg (262.51 KB, 139 downloads)
APF Convert.jpg (258.96 KB, 140 downloads)
Kill Audio.jpg (199.08 KB, 139 downloads)
Restored RT.jpg (260.93 KB, 140 downloads)

BIAB Ultra Pak+ 2024:RB 2024, Latest builds: Dell Optiplex 7040 Desktop; Windows-10-64 bit, Intel Core i7-6700 3.4GHz CPU and 16 GB Ram Memory.
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,098
C
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
C
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,098
Screen Shot of the original RT and the restored RT after conversion to an APF and back to a RT.

Attached Files (Click to download or enlarge) (Only available when you are logged in)
Comparison.jpg (201.8 KB, 137 downloads)

BIAB Ultra Pak+ 2024:RB 2024, Latest builds: Dell Optiplex 7040 Desktop; Windows-10-64 bit, Intel Core i7-6700 3.4GHz CPU and 16 GB Ram Memory.
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 223
Apprentice
OP Offline
Apprentice
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 223
Charlie thanks again. But I'm afraid I miss one step. How do you get from the empty track (after the "kill audio" procedure) to the end result, the restored track, identical to the original one? Thanks

Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,098
C
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
C
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,098
Press the Play button.


BIAB Ultra Pak+ 2024:RB 2024, Latest builds: Dell Optiplex 7040 Desktop; Windows-10-64 bit, Intel Core i7-6700 3.4GHz CPU and 16 GB Ram Memory.
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 223
Apprentice
OP Offline
Apprentice
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 223
Ok Charlie. Thanks again. But it doesn't work me. I'm more than one way. I'm just giving up. It's not so important, and 2024 is at our door so ... we'll see if there's improvement in this department. What I found (in my case):
1. it works exactly as you say only if you don't touch the APT. If you transpose it, for example, and go back to the original RT as you suggested, the original composition (the original riffs) is lost. You have to regenerate. But, if you can't touch the APT, what's the point of going from unfrozen to APT? I don't see the point, really. I'll just stick with the frozen track. But that's not all ...
2. Sometimes, when I go from frozen to APT (without touching anything, no transposing, nothing) the volume of the track is drastically decreased. So much so that even when setting the APT volume to maximum is not loud enough. Very odd.
3. Sometimes, when I go from frozen to APT, the whole track is moved ahead of some significant time (like more than a bar), so that the APT track is completely misaligned with everything else. Very, very odd.
Again, I'm not wasting any more of my time or anybody's time on this. As I said, it's not important. It might be useful that PGM takes notice that the APT transformation seems to be a buggy, buggy feature. At least in my case, in my system, with my songs. Your experience may be different, I don't know. I'll just live with frozen tracks (which seem to work fine) and, if I need to transpose something, I'll just use an external DAW or an audio edit app.
Thank you for all your help, anyway.

Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,486
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,486
Drag it to WAV then drag in an empty track then transpose:
EDIT: this is just an easy way than messing around converting to APTs.
[Linked Image - Only viewable when logged in]

Last edited by musocity; 12/05/23 03:42 AM.
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,098
C
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
C
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,098
Thanks for sticking with the process as long as you have. Regarding your points; In point 1, the first six words up to your bold 'only' reflects my experience with Artist Performance Files. I've used Artist Performance Files since 2014-15 era and never experienced the issues from all of point one after the bold only - through the entirety of points 2 and 3. I can't speculate to why you get results different from mine. I don't believe it's buggy for no other reason that as much as I use the feature, I would have run into the same errors you have and I haven't. My demonstrations prepared for you were all quick and easy one take renders no different than all other times I've done it in the past. Musocity's copy/paste method also works and I believe a better option than exporting to a DAW.


BIAB Ultra Pak+ 2024:RB 2024, Latest builds: Dell Optiplex 7040 Desktop; Windows-10-64 bit, Intel Core i7-6700 3.4GHz CPU and 16 GB Ram Memory.
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 223
Apprentice
OP Offline
Apprentice
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 223
Charlie
I have no reason to doubt what you're saying. I'm sure that the APT is a very solid feature. Still, I did experience those bugs that I mentioned. Most likely there's something wrong with my system or my installation, who knows. Good thing I'm not going to use APTs, as it seems that they do not allow to do what I was looking for. Anyway, I just upgraded to BIAB 2024. Maybe the fresh install will fix some things for me. And I'm excited about the new features. Life is good, in December :-)

Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,098
C
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
C
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,098
No problem sir. I'm sorry we couldn't get it to work for you. Don't know why as the program can work like you want it to but seems to have a mind of its own. Maybe PG Staff will see this and prepare a patch to get it working the same for everyone. Enjoy 2024 and the new features.


BIAB Ultra Pak+ 2024:RB 2024, Latest builds: Dell Optiplex 7040 Desktop; Windows-10-64 bit, Intel Core i7-6700 3.4GHz CPU and 16 GB Ram Memory.
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,486
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,486
How to transpose frozen tracks in BIAB 2024

Select Edit Riffs, select all riffs to transpose:

[Linked Image - Only viewable when logged in]

Last edited by musocity; 12/05/23 08:38 PM.
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 1,629
PG Music Staff
Offline
PG Music Staff
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 1,629
I've put in a feature request to add this, on account of how popular this particular forum thread is.

HOWEVER

Please keep in mind that transposing a frozen track would require more pitch-shifting up or down, and pitch shifting more than a semitone or two tends to sound weird and glitchy. This is the nature of the beast, as literally every pitch shifting engine that exists will break down at a point.


I work here
Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,486
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,486
If you use Avoid Transpositions in the song settings this will give a better range rather than adding to something that already has +2 semitones.

Band-in-a-Box for Windows
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 1,629
PG Music Staff
Offline
PG Music Staff
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 1,629
Originally Posted by musocity
If you use Avoid Transpositions in the song settings this will give a better range rather than adding to something that already has +2 semitones.
Correct, however it'll also give you less variation in the riffs BB can use to generate your song with - bit of a double edged sword.


I work here
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Go To
Page 2 of 2 1 2

Link Copied to Clipboard
ChatPG

Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.

ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.

PG Music News
User Video: Next-Level AI Music Editing with ACE Studio and Band-in-a-Box®

The Bob Doyle Media YouTube channel is known for demonstrating how you can creatively incorporate AI into your projects - from your song projects to avatar building to face swapping, and more!

His latest video, Next-Level AI Music Editing with ACE Studio and Band-in-a-Box, he explains in detail how you can use the Melodist feature in Band-in-a-Box with ACE Studio. Follow along as he goes from "nothing" to "something" with his Band-in-a-Box MIDI Melodist track, using ACE Studio to turn it into a vocal track (or tracks, you'll see) by adding lyrics for those notes that will trigger some amazing AI vocals!

Watch: Next-Level AI Music Editing with ACE Studio and Band-in-a-Box


Band-in-a-Box® 2024 German for Windows is Here!

Band-in-a-Box® 2024 für Windows Deutsch ist verfügbar!

Wir waren fleißig und haben über 50 neue Funktionen und eine erstaunliche Sammlung neuer Inhalte hinzugefügt, darunter 222 RealTracks, neue RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, "Songs with Vocals" Artist Performance Sets, abspielbare RealTracks Set 3, abspielbare RealDrums Set 2, zwei neue Sets von "RealDrums Stems", XPro Styles PAK 6, Xtra Styles PAK 17 und mehr!

Paket | Was ist Neu

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."

Forum Statistics
Forums66
Topics81,650
Posts735,438
Members38,526
Most Online2,537
Jan 19th, 2020
Newest Members
theyearofjess, OlvaJownDay, Tranner Track, Ely Bass, Barking
38,525 Registered Users
Top Posters(30 Days)
MarioD 176
DC Ron 100
dcuny 89
rsdean 70
Today's Birthdays
David Robinson, louiep, Ozkar, Timothy W. Cook
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5