Here are some good tutorials from Ray Thigpen:

rsthigpen.com/free/

I just got the Band in a Box Bluegrass Pak a few days ago. I'm just scratching the surface on what it can do but even playing along with some simple rhythm styles I gotta say this thing is a hoot! Way more fun than playing with a metronome. I'm not real good on a computer so I did need a little help (from the wife) and a couple frustrating hours of my (her) time to get everything up and running on the computer. I bought mine from Jimmy Heffernan and I really like the download he has for 250 bluegrass songs ready to go on BIAB. You click on the song you want and the chords are already programmed in for you. I spend a majority of my time playing alone and when I do play with others I find it very difficult to keep up. I really think this is going to be a great practice tool.
Dan

I found this : rickcampbellworld.com/ . Hope it helps.

I hope the people who make and sell BIB are reading all the comment's about useing their product. I have a friend who works for Best Buy. He tells me about 50% of all electronic returns are because the manuals are so difficult to understand for the average person to figure out how to use the product. When there is nothing wrong with the product itself. So, why the Mfg's. don't make simple instructions or videos for the general public to use, I wish I knew!

I would guess because it just ain't so simple. It's easy to those that know and understand, but to the rest of us, not so simple.

XWIND, I'm with you on the manuals. I did the tutorials for BIAB and to me, they were worthless. I learned more in a few emails from Lee G than I did from the manual/tutorials. Course, I ain't very smart

quote:

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Originally posted by XWIND

I hope the people who make and sell BIB are reading all the comment's about useing their product. I have a friend who works for Best Buy. He tells me about 50% of all electronic returns are because the manuals are so difficult to understand for the average person to figure out how to use the product. When there is nothing wrong with the product itself. So, why the Mfg's. don't make simple instructions or videos for the general public to use, I wish I knew!

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I don't get you guys. It's way easier to learn how to use BIAB for jam practice purposes than it is to learn the dobro. You can MASTER it for the needs described here in just a few hours, whereas it takes - oh, quite a bit longer - to master the dobro.The manual is pretty good, and it is written by native English speakers. The tutorials are actually very good, and if that still doesn't work, just call PG Music (BIAB manufacturer). Customer service is excellent, friendly, and I've never had to wait in a queue.

Bottom line IMO is that we learn what we want to learn - we find a way. If you really wanted to learn how to use BIAB then you would. Poor leegee.

This will be my final post.

(Just kidding.)

Preston,
I'm new here so forgive the late comments on this thread.

First the important techie stuff.
I've read the thread (everything so far) and haven't seen any mention of what version of BIB you or anyone else is using. I've used the product since 1998, starting with version 5, I now use version 2010 (292) for Windows. Trust me it is very important to know what version you're running to have any meaningful discussion about the features of Band-in-a-Box since there have been many changes between releases (you'll also need this info if you contact anyone at PGM).

There is a BIB discussion forum that can be very helpful at: pgmusic.com/ubbthreads/postlis...oard=UBB1.

OK Preston, now to your original question: I’m not exactly sure what you mean by “install your own song”, so I will assume you want to do one of two things.

1. If you want to create a virtual band to play along with for practicing, all you need to do is; (1)open BIB, (2)enter your chords, (3)select a style, (4)set your temp and (5)hit play. If you like what you've created and want to use it at some point in the future, give it a name and save it. I’ve found this technique helpful when I’m in the early stages of writing a song or suffering from writer's block and searching for something interesting and/or different to get me started.

2. If you want use BIB to create backing tracks for your own compositions that you also want to record other instrumentation or vocal tracks to at some point in time. Open a new song and perform step 1 above. Once you’re happy with what you have created save it, then following the version specific instruction to record you audio tracks. Remember to save your project when you’re done.

I will admit that I have never recorded audio tracks directly into BIB, it wasn’t an option when I started using the product. I’ve grown very comfortable creating my backing tracks using BIB, then exporting the midi files to my multi-track recording software (current procedure) or recording the midi output directly from the sound card into a stand alone multi-track recorder where I add any audio tracks I need (procedure before I started recording using computer based software). Even though newer versions of BIB do incorporate an option to record audio input, remember BIB was designed primarily as a midi tool to generated backing tracks. It does the task it was designed for very well, but it was not designed as a multi-track recording environment and therefore BIB audio recording functionality is not as robust as dedicated multi-track recording software. I hope this helps some.

Edited by - Greysun on 11/17/2010 12:23:10

I guess there's some things that are easy for some folks and other things that are easy for other folks but I might as well be reading Chinese when I try to figure out the BIAB stuff. I just don't get it. I can do basic stuff but I spend more time trying to get something worked out than playing. I use it for simple stuff and to practice with and I'm better off practicing than trying to figure this thing out

OK, I was feeling my oats.

Now I will offer something that hopefully will be helpful to some.

"How do I use BIAB to jam with? It's too hard!" is one of those perennial forum topics. I'm going to answer it once and for all, by expanding on greysun's directions - "(1)open BIB, (2)enter your chords, (3)select a style, (4)set your temp and (5)hit play. "

***Don't be intimidated by BIAB. There are dozens of buttons in BIAB. You will use less than a dozen.***

Here goes:
1) open BIAB - when you do you will see probably only a C chord in measure 1.
1a) The default key will be C. Say your song will be in G. Select G form the dropdown and click YES on the prompt. (You don't have to change the key, but being persnickety as I am, I do - it also makes future transposing more intuitive.)
1b) Also decide how many measures you want in the song. 32 is the default, but sometimes you may want 16. This rarely needs changed for our type of music. If it does, look for the "32" among the buttons, click and change the number.
1c) To the right of this button is a button that says "3" - this is the number of choruses. Change it if you wish.

2) enter chords - place cursur on measure 1 and enter the name of the chord ("G" for G major -small or cap, no matter). A G minor is "gm", D7 is "d7". B flat is "bb". F sharp is "f#". Pretty intutive. hit Enter or Tab to enter the chord and move to the next position.

3) select a style - The style will be the default style for BIAB, or the last syyle you used. Click on the Style button. This takes you to the Stylepicker, which is probably the most confusing thing you will do. Select a genre on the left and peruse the styles on the right. Select your style. For fiddle tunes and bluegrass I've been using "ZZOLCTRY.STY". Not great but gets the job done.

4) set tempo - the BPM indicator has an up and a down arrow next to it. Click arrows to chage tempo or click BPM number to enter specific BPM.

5) hit Play. Save the song if you like.

EXTRA STUFF -
a) if the piano, drums, or whatever annoy you, you will find at the top of the page some buttons for these instruments. Right-click and mute if you wish.
b) There is a button marked "S" (song settings). Click here to create custom endings to the song
c) To the left of the "32" and "3" buttons is a "1" button. This indicates where the repeatable part of the song ("chorus") starts. If you want a custom intro that lasts 4 bars, change the "1" to a "5" and enter the chords for your intro.
d) The jukebox - I love this feature and use it every day. Click on the "Juke" button then click "Play". All the songs in the folder you are currently in will play one after another.
e) tranposing - if you want to change the key, select a different key from the drop-down box.
f) Real Tracks - very cool, but beyond the scope of this cheat sheet.

Edited by - cecilpwv on 11/17/2010 14:52:20

Pat.........thanks a ton for the explaination. Now something else. How can I select your post and greysun's post to print? I ain't figured that out. I'll fight BIAB later.

Thanks, both of ya.

pt

quote:

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Originally posted by Preston Thompson

Pat.........thanks a ton for the explaination. Now something else. How can I select your post and greysun's post to print? pt

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quote:

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Originally posted by Preston Thompson

Pat.........thanks a ton for the explaination. Now something else. How can I select your post and greysun's post to print? I ain't figured that out. I'll fight BIAB later.

Thanks, both of ya.

pt

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I think I may just have to practice some more. I've done that but ended up printing the entire thread. Just a little more work on my end,.

Thanks y'all.