Band-in-a-Box Software

BassBarry

Hi Guys,

Brother in law on lead and me on Bass and nobody to play the other instruments. We get guys from time-to-time but they never stick it out or want to practise-a-plenty. Has anyone used Band-in-a-Box to create backtrack music that one can play to?

Conversely, what can we use to easily make backtracks to play with when we do not have the other instruments around? We would like to add piano/rhythm guitar/drums, etc.

Regards ........ BassBarry

AlanRatcliffe

Never used it, but I don't see why not. Easy to use at least. Otherwise any recording software will allow you to create backing tracks - Cubase, Cakewalk, Nuendo, ProTools, Reaper, et. al..

Always nice if you do things like play in a few real instruments rather than using softsynths for everything - record guitars for rhythm tracks behind the solo you are playing, etc..

deefstes

It's a fantastic piece of software but it is rather pricey unfortunately. It has a large variety of styles but I still find them lacking somehow. The Jazz and Blues styles are quite good and there are satisfactory pop and rock styles as well but you'll find that it doesn't take long before all of your backtracks have a very similar feel to them. I'd imagine that the newer versions have more style diversity though.

I'm far from a pro muso so my opinion is only formed on the amateur meddling about that I've done with it but I do think that it is an excellent package.

By the way, does anyone know of alternatives to BiaB? While it's true that you can create backtracks with the likes of Cakewalk, Reaper, ProTools or Cubase, I have yet seen one that offers the simplicity of Band-in-a-Box.

AlanRatcliffe

I haven't used it in years, but Fruity Loops was always a cool way to put stuff together quickly and easily. I know they later expended it to a full-blown recording package (F L Studio), but never got around to trying it - so they might have messed up the ease of use for all I know. But worth at least looking into.

VellaJ

I tried Band in a Box, can't say it did anything for me...

I'm using Cakewalk Sonar LE. This came as a combo with a Roland Duo Capture recording interface, retailing at around R1200 but got it on a deal for about R800. Fantastic software, as long as you're willing to take a bit of time to actually learn to do the stuff...

It's fairly simple once you've figured the controls. Insert a MIDI track in the program, select what instrument you want it to be, then program in the notes in the "Piano roll" view.

It's a rather poor example, because I was in a hurry, but if you listen to a track I did for this month's competition at this link: http://www.box.com/s/oy4m3r5f1n3sgsax9mgr , I programmed the drums in as a MIDI file in my software...

deefstes

VellaJ wrote:It's fairly simple once you've figured the controls. Insert a MIDI track in the program, select what instrument you want it to be, then program in the notes in the "Piano roll" view.

Right there is where Cakewalk or any other DAW that I know of differs from Band-in-a-Box. Program the notes into Piano roll view? Seriously? That sounds like a hell of a lot of work to do if you want a backtrack that consists of drums, keyboards, synths, etc. It means every note you want in the backtrack, you have to put in there yourself.

With Band-in-a-Box you specify the chord progression of your song, the style and tempo in which you want the backtrack and the structure of the repetitions and BAM! it creates an entire backtrack for you. Sure, you can then still tweak that backtrack and insert, remove or change notes as you deem fit but I have yet to see anything that allows you to create an entire backtrack with more ease.

VellaJ

Dewald "deefstes" Swanepoel wrote:
VellaJ wrote:It's fairly simple once you've figured the controls. Insert a MIDI track in the program, select what instrument you want it to be, then program in the notes in the "Piano roll" view.
Right there is where Cakewalk or any other DAW that I know of differs from Band-in-a-Box. Program the notes into Piano roll view? Seriously? That sounds like a hell of a lot of work to do if you want a backtrack that consists of drums, keyboards, synths, etc. It means every note you want in the backtrack, you have to put in there yourself.

With Band-in-a-Box you specify the chord progression of your song, the style and tempo in which you want the backtrack and the structure of the repetitions and BAM! it creates an entire backtrack for you. Sure, you can then still tweak that backtrack and insert, remove or change notes as you deem fit but I have yet to see anything that allows you to create an entire backtrack with more ease.

Fair enough, though Copy/Paste is a wonderful function ?

I guess it all depends on what you're looking for, as with anything. Sonar I guess is aimed at complete customization, and you can see exactly what's going on. Indeed, not the simplest software...

FruitarGeek

I tried Band in a Box, and although there are big buttons and childlike colourful icons to create this illusion its user friendly... It's really not. I spent a few hours learning how to make my own drum beats and put them in specific parts of the song, cause lets be honest, no song has a constant drum rythym from A to B. Trying to do the same for bass lines is nearly impossible. I gave up on it and went back to Guitar Pro 6.

BassBarry

Hi Guys

Thanks for all the replies. We have now upgraded to Adobe Audition recording organ/rythm/sanio bass. Tracks sounds real good but it is a lot of hard work. Now brother-in-law realises he needs Guitar Rig 5, Alesis IO, Drumkit 8, new amps and a different guitar.

Good times for the suppliers coming up...........

domhatch

an ode to gear acquisition syndrome

upon this feeble earth thy heavy winds doth blow
and we, thy weak, weak servants
mere reeds to the flow of thy mighty waters doth bend
aye
bend and drink
drink and feast
feast and suffer
suffer from post-purchase regret

deefstes

domhatch wrote: an ode to gear acquisition syndrome

upon this feeble earth thy heavy winds doth blow
and we, thy weak, weak servants
mere reeds to the flow of thy mighty waters doth bend
aye
bend and drink
drink and feast
feast and suffer
suffer from post-purchase regret

Wow! That was tremendous. ? It has moved me to tears.

Maybe you should consider setting it to tune and submit it in the clips for review thread.

domhatch

deefstes wrote: Wow! That was tremendous. ? It has moved me to tears.

Maybe you should consider setting it to tune and submit it in the clips for review thread.

thanks dude, but nah. it's got too dark a feel to it. maybe one of our metalheads will pick it up and run with it?

dudes? ?
dh

Nitebob

Don't wanna sound like a dumbass...any freeware out there thats worth the effort, for getting started?

deefstes

Nitebob wrote: Don't wanna sound like a dumbass...any freeware out there thats worth the effort, for getting started?

I wish there were but I have not been able to find any. PLEASE let me know if you do.

Nitebob

Still see some free downloads of fruity loops available, don't know if their worth the bandwidth though

domhatch

Nitebob wrote: Don't wanna sound like a dumbass...any freeware out there thats worth the effort, for getting started?

get a line 6 recording interface - comes bundled with a bunch of stuff to get you started. the interface might cost you, but the software is ALL FREE!

deefstes

Nitebob wrote: Still see some free downloads of fruity loops available, don't know if their worth the bandwidth though

As far as I can tell it's a demo that is downloadable for free. Do you know by any chance what the limitation of the demo is? Is it impaired functionality or is it the full application that's useable only for a limited time period? I'm not keen to go download something big and install it, only to find out that I need to buy it in order to really use it - in which case I'm right back where I currently am with Band-in-a-Box.

Nitebob

@ Deefstes: I think if you have band in a box, freeware will not be an improvement. I have nothing...and I seem to have my first gig at the end of the month... I wanted to doe some of my own material, but looks like I'll have to go the jamtrack route.
@ Domhatch: Thanks, will investigate that possibility...

deefstes

Nitebob wrote: @ Deefstes: I think if you have band in a box, freeware will not be an improvement. I have nothing...and I seem to have my first gig at the end of the month... I wanted to doe some of my own material, but looks like I'll have to go the jamtrack route.

Well that's the thing, I don't have BiaB. I had an old pirated copy but now that I have a new PC I'd like to keep it 100% legal and as free or low cost and opensource as possible.

There are some fantastic top end software out there that is opensource (like GIMP) or low cost (like REAPER) but it doesn't look like I'm going to find something free or cheap to replace BiaB. :'(

domhatch

Nitebob wrote: @ Domhatch: Thanks, will investigate that possibility...

i recently purchased a pod studio kb37. the entry-level pod studio device is the ux-1 (1 guitar and 1 mic input - both 1/8th inch jacks), comes bundled with "Ableton® Live Lite Line 6 Studio Edition 8-track recording software and RiffWorks™ T4 recording software for instant pro recording and idea capture right out of the box." (straight from http://line6.com/podstudioux1/.) i had the predecessor to the ux1, and it worked abfab for me, only reason i upgraded was for the integrated keyboard and more inputs. the pod studio devices work ferpeckly well with reaper (so far). not sure about pricing though...

good luck!
dh