What is the crowd's opinion of
Band-in-a-Box?
From 3.5 billion comments
16 reviews of this app found across the web:
It should use what you have configured in Windows. What does the MIDI settings in the Multimedia Control Panel look like for you? I don't know much about your card (I only ever used an SB16 with Windows 95) but according to this review it uses a system called DLS for its sample-based MIDI synthesis, so there should be some driver application to configure that specific to your card.
I'm not sure what would cause that, sorry, I'm not at all familiar with that card (I only ever had SB16 cards). I don't know if you'd have any luck experimenting with the MIDI settings in the Multimedia Control Panel, if you have a different option for MIDI there that might work? (Depending on what your card offers).
Two inputs isn't exactly the same as stereo if you can't pan each input all the way to the left and right.
I think band in a box might do that. You can get it from https://www.pgmusic.com/
I don't know anything about it other than watching woody play around with it once on his YouTube so read up on it first i guess.
I think i watched this video https://youtu.be/9dxSfwjBvG0 but it's ages ago. It looks like he did a few about it.
> Boss DR880
The manual for the MIDI implementation of this is online. They use the word "timing clock", which most directly maps to MTC as words. Perhaps not very well; could be ambiguous.
This seems to suggest it does support MTC. IMO, MTC is arguably easier and less error prone than Midi Clock. Er, the only system I ever used which successfully supported any sync at all was N-Track with MTC as master and a Fostex VF16 chasing. MTC worked; Midi Clock never did.
It might have been different with a motor drive tape transport.
https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=41408
Head to Edit | Preferences | Transpose
In the window that appears you can choose to change semitone change for each chorus.
https://www.pgmusic.com/manuals/bbw2020full/chapter15.htm#_Settings_for_transposing
OK...so that was a collaboration. That is sweet.
My copy of SONY Acid Studio is outdated and so is my knowledge of it. I read that SONY has been changing. So, investigate! The Good news is Reaper appears to have obtained most of the effects and tools such as EQ, etc. from SONY. I am a regular on the Band in a Box Forum. A lot of good info on recording. https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ I think you can get a free Reaper. If you have to pay it isn't much. Oh, if you do go to that forum, my user name is edshaw. (You don't have to buy the software to register)
All of the Band-in-a-Box packages include the SAME features, it's just the amount of Add-ons that differ, which is what the program uses as a resource for generating the accompaniment.
A lot of users find the Pro is adequate, while others find it's a great place to start. If you do decide to go with the Pro and decide you want more Add-ons, you can choose to exchange within 30 days, or UPGRADE to a larger package at any time. If you're looking for the best Add-ons resource, we recommend the UltraPAK upgrade ($279) which will include ALL the available RealTracks & RealDrums.
For more discussion about this, please reach out to us directly: www.pgmusic.com/contact.htm
Thanks!
Callie
Team PG
Something Jazzy for sure! Our Jazz RealTracks list here: https://www.pgmusic.com/bbwin.realtracks.jazz.htm
Admittedly, our Reddit is not overly active - while you're on our site I encourage you to reach out to our Forum members with this question - they will help you narrow things down! It's an incredibly active Forum packed with knowledgeable and helpful program users!
These settings are made in the Preferences dialog. Click on the [Count-in/Met.] button to open the Count-in and Metronome Options dialog.
There you can adjust the volume
Learn more about Lead-in Counts and Metronomes with Band-in-a-Box here: https://www.pgmusic.com/manuals/bbw2020full/chapter5.htm#playingpausingstopping-songs
If you take a look at the Windows 2020 features available here: https://www.pgmusic.com/bbwin.new.htm , you'll get a pretty good idea of "what's to come" with our pending Mac 2020 version - they are usually quite comparable!
​
When a new version is released, our upgrade pricing is discounted up to 50% - so there will be some significant savings available - with our last release, upgrades started at just $49 for the Pro version, with UltraPAK Upgrades starting at just $149.
Plus, if end up purchasing the 2019 version within 30 days of the new release, you're entitled to a FREE update!
Whatever you decide, we hope that if you end up adding Band-in-a-Box to your software collection, we hope you LOVE it!
​
Thanks!
and here are a bunch of audio demos of the real tracks you can get (depends on what version but i think you can also buy them separately but the base program is needed)
https://www.pgmusic.com/bbwin.realtracks.htm they will change baesd on the chords you enter but gives you a good example of the sounds/styles and whats great is you can mix and match em too for tons of possibilities (plus the older midi styles too)
band in a box is my secret little weapon of choice
i read about it in a computer music magazine like nearly 20 years ago and at the time i though it sounded too good to be true.....but it actually works. you type in the chords and it will generate backing tracks either wave or midi. tons of styles and if your super lazy it can generate entire songs (using the melody too) but whats neat is that you can create endless arrangements by changing styles etc im using it lately to take sample loop libraries i already have (wave/midi files) running it through the chord wizard and then making extra tracks for it to mix into something unique ;-)
https://www.pgmusic.com/ info here surprisingly not a ton of people know about this software and its not really well known in the music industry but i find it a nice little "secret weapon" none the less.
Not the answer you're looking for, but I don't think BIAB does input monitoring.
Random forum post from back in 2012 with basically your same question
dramaturgy of the melody: 1) Melody is King! - Write melody before lyrics - Build song around it w/o being too complicated - Fit syllables to notes of melody - A line has to have a certain amount of syllables and the next line has to be the mirror image
Chorus pattern example, # of syllables: Line 1 - 5 6 8 <--A B C Line 2 - 5 6 12 <--A B D Line 3 - 5 6 8 <--A B C Line 4 - 5 5 12 <--A B D
2) Chorus within 50 seconds of song start
3) No more than 3 or 4 melodic parts per song - Only introduced one part at a time
4) Recycle melodic parts - Using them repeatedly gets the listener used to the song - You can also use parts of the melody in both verse and chorus - Katy Perry - ET - Had the same 8 bar melody in verse and chorus
5) Create balance - Ying Yang - If verse is sloppy, make chorus a little neater
Gross motor, I mean. Versus fine motor.
FL is a good DAW too.
Here's REAPER, it's the DAW I use. A lot of people like it. It's free-ish ($60 to license) but you can use it on an unlimiyed trial w/a nag screen for quite a while
Band in a Box is accompaniment software here, there's different versions https://www.pgmusic.com/