Band in a Box for practice?

mebusdriver · #1 11-03-2010, 02:17 PM

Never seen anybody use it or used it myself, but I've heard good things. Seems like a good program for accompaniment...... Which is what I need. I've also looked at the yamaha music sequencer. B.I.A.B seems a little easier to use with a little more features tho. I'm learning to sight read and getting heavy into walking lines and starting the whole jazz thing. A lot of modal stuff and learning to use chord tones for building walking lines and all that. Problem is have an enourmous amount of material to practice and no one to practice with. Anybody have any experience with this program?

**Pacman** · #2 11-03-2010, 02:52 PM

Tons. It's the ultimate practice tool - I use it daily.

Atoz · #3 11-03-2010, 05:19 PM

How hard is it to learn how to use?

thatotherguy · #4 11-03-2010, 11:03 PM

Not hard at all do a quick youtube search or look on the BIAB website.

dvh · #5 11-04-2010, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pacman

Tons. It's the ultimate practice tool - I use it daily.

Ditto. You can take a song and change keys, tempos, styles. There’s a lot in there, I’ve only scratched the surface…

A tempo · #6 11-04-2010, 08:21 AM

I have looked at the BIAB website ad nauseum and am instantly overwhelmed by the choices that must be made when it comes to ordering. So one simple question, which BIAB offerings are most useful to a bass guitar player who wants to use it for all facets of practice?

dave64o · #7 11-04-2010, 09:07 AM

I just bought it. Can't wait for it to arrive and start using it. Looks to me like it would be a great tool for practice - and more.

greenbass5 · #8 11-04-2010, 10:10 AM

very interested in this too. And, very confused by the BIAB site too....Mainly, I'm a little worried that my PC will make it sound cheesy and uninteresting. The demos on the site sound great.

**Pacman** · #9 11-04-2010, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A tempo

I have looked at the BIAB website ad nauseum and am instantly overwhelmed by the choices that must be made when it comes to ordering. So one simple question, which BIAB offerings are most useful to a bass guitar player who wants to use it for all facets of practice?

One thing I did spend money on, beyond the basic program, was RealDrums. As a bass player, it's much nicer to practice with nice drum sounds...

I think I use the ultimate edition...

gtaus · #10 11-05-2010, 01:12 AM

I have used BIAB for years (from the old DOS days). It is really easy to set your key, tempo, rhythm pattern, and enter your chords on the grid. In a couple of minutes, you can have the whole song sketched out for you. Really, just a few minutes.

Since I started gigging in a cover band, I just download the original tracks and play along with them. But I used BIAB for many years for practice at home. The sounds have improved over the years, but still, a midi guitar just comes up short compared to the real deal, IMHO. BIAB used to be my main trainer because I could slow down and/or loop the midi file without losing any quality in the sound. My new guitar trainers and software can do almost as good as a job with audio files. So, for me, playing along with the original audio tracks works out better.

It's been a few years since I upgraded now, but BIAB was always stronger in the Jazz areas than in my field - Rock. BIAB is a great composing tool and you can sketch out a song, chord progression, etc... with minimal effort. I think it's worth it. But I also use other tools, and more recently, I'm just playing along with audio files for my cover band practice.

Depending on your needs, and the type of music you intend to play, you might consider Guitar Pro. There are thousands of Guitar Pro songs for download on the internet. Recent versions of Guitar Pro have moved more to the accompaniment and composing features than in the past. Also, they are using 'real' sounds now and not just the simple midi synth of your computer. I have used that program in the past too. It's a good program for me if I can find the song already posted on the internet. In my version of Guitar Pro, it's not too easy to set up a song from scratch. BIAB is much easier in that respect.

A tempo · #11 11-05-2010, 05:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pacman

One thing I did spend money on, beyond the basic program, was RealDrums. As a bass player, it's much nicer to practice with nice drum sounds...

I think I use the ultimate edition...

Thanks Pacman, that is exactly what I wanted to know.

I really hate spending money with a company that has a website that sux so bad. Apparently their program is better than their ability to describe it.

gtaus · #12 11-05-2010, 09:26 AM

Here is a search list of Band In A Box videos on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/results?searc...=band+in+a+box. Maybe that will give you a better idea of what the program can do for you and if it's what you are looking for.

mebusdriver · #13 11-07-2010, 05:14 PM

Thanks a ton. Gawd I love this place.

Chrisk-K · #14 11-07-2010, 05:27 PM

You guys have persuaded me to buy BIAB. I practice with a simple drum machine at home but it sounds like much much more fun to practice with BIAB.

powerbass · #15 11-07-2010, 05:36 PM

I use BIAB a lot mainly for jazz standards - it is excellent. Do a google search and you will find hundreds of jazz songs to download.http://nortonmusic.com/ also has R&B songs as well. A couple of great features to BIAB is you can transpose songs to different keys, print out the bass line as well as transpose melodies to bass or treble clef. It is a great learning tool

outbackyak · #16 11-12-2010, 08:49 AM

A quick and easy way of producing backing tracks for practice and learning songs sounds perfect!

So, would I be able to use BIAB with my current sound card (an M-Audio Fast Track Ultra)? It doesn't do General MIDI (i.e. it has no built-in MIDI sounds). What would BIAB use instead? Would I need some sort of General MIDI sound source (software. hardware?) No, my motherboard has no on-board sounds either.

For reference: I'm on PC, Windows 7, my main audio software is Propellerhead Record 1.5 with Reason 5; I also use MULAB for VSTs, Rewired to Record. Never thought that I might need General MIDI - do I?

rickl289 · #17 11-12-2010, 12:22 PM

There are two yahoo groups with BIAB files of nearly every genre. These are not just limited to jazz but includes rock, punk, country, ...

**Pacman** · #18 11-12-2010, 03:17 PM

You can use your current m-audio sound card. BIAB comes with a general MIDI software synth that sounds pretty good. Again, spring for a few sets of realdrums...

greenbass5 · #19 11-13-2010, 06:56 AM

Looks like there are Real Jazz sets that have really good piano and guitar on them and drums. I'm mainly interested in Jazz so, I think some of the swing and Bossa real Jazz sets are where I'll probably start.

reedo35 · #20 11-13-2010, 07:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pacman

You can use your current m-audio sound card. BIAB comes with a general MIDI software synth that sounds pretty good. Again, spring for a few sets of realdrums...

Be warned, though, that software synth (Roland VSC) will not work with windows 7. It will crash the program. But overall, I love BIAB too, it is the most user friendly sequencer, composition, and practice tool I have ever used.