For anyone on here that uses BiaB, I have a question.

Anyone?

p

I use it PT. Come on back to RN and ask it you crusty old coot! What?

Here tis........when you write your own song, does biab allow you to install your own song, cord changes, tempo, and instrumentation, or do you have to play according to pre placed songs they install up front?

$220 in a lot of money for me now days, and I want to make sure it will work for my needs.

Thanks Greg.

pt

Preston,
I use BIAB and really like it except when you do make up your own songs it kinda drives me crazy. It is kinda hard (for me) to figure out. I don't think the book explains stuff very well but I'm sure the smarter folks have no problem with that. I don't program new songs very often so when I do I have forgotten all that I learned the last time. They have tutorials and all but I think they are incomplete. I eventually struggle through and get what I want. When I did "The Creptid Mule" that I posted here,written by Ivan Rosenburg, It took he a long time to get what I wanted. Maybe Troy from Lessons with Troy can make an instructional video. He uses it all the time. Course, he's smarter than me. The real tracks sound great but when you use them at slower tempos they kinda get funny sounding.

I haven't been able to do anything with it .. drives me ape****! Wish someone would come up with a tutorial for us "cavemen" LOL.
Mine didn't even come with instructions so that doesn't help much either.

Preston, from what I seen on RN discussion Greg posted this "Go to their site: pgmusic.com/ They have a live person online to chat with. Plus the site explains everything"

A live rep should be able to help with anything you want to do. From what I have read their support is good. FWIW Just passing along what I read.

Edited by - Grizz on 09/03/2010 10:20:51

Hi Preston... If I read your question right...... All my stuff submited to RH.. 95 percent I'm using BIB. for rhythm.with their MIDI instrumation. You can put any chords you want to any song and it will play your chords. The only thing your locked into is the styles of rhythm that comes with the program. You can change the type of instrument...EX upright bass for an electric bass sound. Or you can subdue any instrument that is given with the style you have selected.
May I suggest you check out the prices for the BIB package with Musicians Friend, ZZound, or any other on line musical company.
I have helped many other musicians get started (by E mail). I would be more then happy to help you if you wish. Good program leegee

Just now getting back to this thread, looks like leegee answered your questions Preston. As with any software, it takes a little trial and error at first, but it really is pretty easy. There are at least a dozen different styles just in the bluegrass real tracks and you have complete control over the chords and tempo. I'm going to bring my BIAB setup to the Summit and we can mess around with it there.

I have a boss micro br that can be used as a recorder- mp3 player and has the ability to record 32 different tracks which can then be downloaded to a comptur and copyed into a cd I haven't learned all the functions but have used it to record music and record myself it's portable so I can take it with me record and play back at home and or use that to enhance my own playing. Just a thought about the same price also

All this sounds great.
Fred........what's a boss micro?

Greg....your suggestion for the summit sound like the cat's meow.

Leegee......I'll take your sugestion and checkout the prices.

I do know I want bluegrass. I don't want drums at all. But I don't quite understand the lock into "style of rhythm". Do you mean 4/4 or 6/8?

p

Preston.... Locked in might be the wrong term.. I ment the many varied and different styles of rhythm that comes with the program. Also you can import many different rhythm styles from various sources. Bluegrass, Ray Price shuffle, etc etc
When Greg shows you his, I know it will all come together for you. Lots of Luck
leegee

Preston, You don't have to have drums if you don't want. You can pick and choose what instruments you want. The real tracks instruments are pretty good. With the basic stuff that comes with the biab the guitar, mando, fiddle and (gasp) banjer all sound like sounds on my grand daughters little keyboard.

Preston---please look it up on the internet that ill explain it mare then I

I use BiaB to practise. It plays "on demand" and never moans. It's easy to use.

I write and/or import the melody part in the first break (fiddle or banjo), mix it with the backup made with BiaB and export as a Midi file.

I read the Midi files with Van Basco's (free) Karaoke Player. I saved Van Basco program files and the Midi files on an SD card and have my Band in my Pocket.

GB......Thanks, that sound pretty neat.

fred........I have looked, and read what I can find. The problem I have is written instructions are never up to date nor as thorough as hands on experence. So that means the spoken word is much more relevant to me that written instructions. I may also read something and not interpert it the way the writer intended. But maybe that's just me, and I am getting older and more senile than I was 20 years ago.

thats the same problem I have with the Br and when I had a Band in the box which i sold never could get ot to work on this computer

Preston...I use BIAB quite a bit and like you, I find it extremely difficult to understand what the program can do for you in various circumstances. A while back I requested some help from Lee (Leegee) and he very generously walked me thru a scenareo, corrected my mistakes and got me going where I wanted to head. Now I am able to set up fairly good backup tracks for the tunes I am working on. Am I an expert? Not by a long shot! This program is very extensive and probably confuses even the better computer geeks out there (not that any reso players are geeks of course). I now have to figure out how to change the various instruments lee mentioned. Maybe Lee should put together an instruction video for all us old guys (was gonna use the other word but my wife was watching me type this note). It is fun going back to school after 45+ years as long as you can take a break for an afternoon snooze.

Al

I vote for a video demonstrating what it can do and how to use it.

I bought the bluegrass version of band in the box for $99. It came with a tutorial. I wouldn't be without it, it's great for practice as well as putting together your own stuff. Just takes a little playin' around with. I use it on windows vista 64 bit and so far it has worked fine. Good luck with your decision.

Al....that's funny. I just got up off the floor from my afternoon nap.

Sorry guys...i dont own a video camera.. I am willing to help with E mail like I did with chipmonk. leegee

Preston.....here a couple of BIAB tutorial links that I forgot to include in my last post. I found them very helpful when I started using BIAB. bernert.org/tutorials/binab/index.html gwixon.com/

Al

Now CM,,,,,,,,that I can get by with. Thanks a a ton. Those instructions are very well written and understandable. But I still think Lee should bite the bullet, for us, and buy himself a video camera for helping us old and senile.

Sounds like a good idea to me. :-{)

p

If he gets a camera, maybe we can all get together at his place and hold an old timers reso convention. Wouldn't that be a great addition for UTube?

I arrived late for the BIAB thread, count me in for any instructions at all. It is written for guys with normal intelligence. That counts me out right away. A slow learner and a beginner for 65 years is what I am. Gosh 3 o'clock already, time for a nap.
Jim

Yeah, I would really like to see all you old timers get together and make a video.