About BIAB

Jack Mattison · Post by **Jack Mattison** » 4 Dec 2008 12:06 pm

Hi Guys ......... This might suppose to be in a differant section, But I am asking for help from steelers who know, so I will post it here. I want to know if "Band in a box" works only pluged into a computer?? The reason is because my computer isn't any where close to where my steel, dvd, tv is. Or is there something else that I can use to make and record back-up music for songs that I play lead on???. Hope that makes sence!!. If anyone knows what I am trying to say, Please Help......... You guys are all knowing and all seeing. Thats why I like this place. Thanks ............. Jack<><

Michael Haselman · Post by **Michael Haselman** » 4 Dec 2008 12:13 pm

Let me start, and hopefully not too technical. You can turn any BIAB file into a WAV file, or MP3, or whatever you want. Then you can burn it to a CD, or if you have an Ipod or MP3 player, you can put it on there. That's the short version. "Render to wav" is the command you need on BIAB. Hope that helps. I'm sure many more will chime in here. So, the answer is it only works on your computer, but you can burn it to a CD or download to your MP3 player.

Jack Mattison · Post by **Jack Mattison** » 4 Dec 2008 12:30 pm

Thanks Micheal.......... Will see what anybody else has to say, and if they feel this is the only way to go...... Then I will go shoping

Michael Haselman · Post by **Michael Haselman** » 4 Dec 2008 12:35 pm

Well, you shouldn't need to shop. Chances are your computer has a built-in CD burner, unless it's pretty old, and I'll bet you have a CD player somewhere in the house. You would have to buy some blank CD-ROMs, though.

Alan Tanner · Post by **Alan Tanner** » 4 Dec 2008 1:30 pm

You could also burn to CD-RW discs which would allow you to "re-use" or delete and add tracks as you see fit. Even if your computer does not have a CD burner, an add on is cheap, and you can also get an outboard burner if you don't like opening up your case....goodluck

Rick Campbell · Post by **Rick Campbell** » 4 Dec 2008 1:45 pm

CD blanks are so cheap, it's not worth using the rewritable ones. In fact, you can probably pick up a used computer rather cheap just to run the BIAB on. It doesn't take a powerful computer to run it. To get a decent sound, you do need to run the computer sound output through a stereo amplifier of some sort. BIAB is the best tool that's been created for rhythm tracks. Once you get into using it, it will be so easy. I can program a song with stops, endings, etc... in just a few minutes. Once you program it, you can change keys and tempo with the click of the mouse.

Every kid knows you're supposed to keep all your toys in one place. LOL

Jack Mattison · Post by **Jack Mattison** » 4 Dec 2008 2:27 pm

Thanks all .............. Looks like I will go to BIAB web sight, and see what I am up against as far as money. I do have a good computer with a cd,dvd,r,rw the works. And I have alot of blanks plus an old computer to use in my music room. Can't move the good one into the "Toy Room" Rick as much as I would like too..... Because the wife and my daughter are on it all the time playing there games

Thank you very much for the help. By the way....... Would the 1st. version of BIAB be good enough to start with, untill I learn what I am doing??. Thanks again. Jack<><

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 4 Dec 2008 3:03 pm

They are out of production now but, at one time, Alesis built a rack mounted unit called a "Data Disk".
I download my BIAB tracks onto a floppy and play it back through the Data Disk.
Of course, you need something to convert the MIDI signals to audio and I do this via a Edirol tone generator.
This tone generator supports over 1,000 different instruments.
Kind of complicated but it sure sounds good.

Rick Campbell · Post by **Rick Campbell** » 4 Dec 2008 3:20 pm

To do rhythm tracks, you don't need all the BIAB add on stuff. The basic version is plenty and the real drums are a big improvment over the midi drums. They both keep time, but the real drums are actual recordings of drums and sound like, well....real drums. If i were you, I'd go with the basic version, country styles, and real drums. Your old computer may be enough to do the job. The pgmusic.com web site will tell you the requirements. BIAB is really a bargin. Knowing what I know now, I'd gladly pay $1000 for it, if that's what it cost....and assuming I had $1000 to spare.

Leon Campbell · Post by **Leon Campbell** » 4 Dec 2008 4:31 pm

Is there any place you can get cords for songs to put in BIAB? I have the newest version of BIAB but can't use it because I don't know the cords to new songs I want to learn. Thanks for any help, Leon

Rick Campbell · Post by **Rick Campbell** » 4 Dec 2008 4:52 pm

Forum member Jim Baron sells CD with hundreds of songs for BIAB already programed. Most of the popular songs are there. You just load and play. For new songs, you have to figure them out. If you can't recognize the chord changes by ear, use a guitar to find them and then plug them in BIAB. It's so easy a caveman can do it.....or is that something else?

John Bresler R.I.P. · Post by **John Bresler R.I.P.** » 4 Dec 2008 4:54 pm

Leon:

Big Jim Baron has a CD that lots of forum members have that has 4100+ songs already arranged for BIAB including the Buddy Emmons version of Danny Boy. I'd recommend contacting Big Jim and getting it. Do a search and you'll find nothing but great ratings for the CD. Big Jim is a forum member and BIAB Guru, great steel picker, and really great person to work with. He'll go the extra mile for you,too.

Leon Campbell · Post by **Leon Campbell** » 4 Dec 2008 4:59 pm

Hey John, How do I contact Big Jim, Do you have hia email address? Thanks, Leon

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 4 Dec 2008 5:25 pm

The "Box" of "Band In A Box" is your computer. It's not a gadget - it's a program that runs on your computer. You can't use it without a computer.

You can use BIAB to make backup CDs that you can play on any CD player. That's not how most people use it, though. Most people run the program through their computer speakers and play along with it.

Moved to "Computers" section of the forum.

John Bresler R.I.P. · Post by **John Bresler R.I.P.** » 4 Dec 2008 7:12 pm

Leon:

I sent you an email

John Bresler R.I.P. · Post by **John Bresler R.I.P.** » 4 Dec 2008 7:20 pm

Another method for better BIAB amplification is to run your computer/laptop output speaker jack to a mixer and then from the mixer to an amplifier. Sounds much better and gives you better control over everything.

Andy Sandoval · Post by **Andy Sandoval** » 4 Dec 2008 10:22 pm

Leon Campbell wrote:Is there any place you can get cords for songs to put in BIAB? I have the newest version of BIAB but can't use it because I don't know the cords to new songs I want to learn. Thanks for any help, Leon

I think you can import the chords from any mp3 or wav file so you don't have to try and figure out the chords on your own.

Ernie Pollock · Post by **Ernie Pollock** » 5 Dec 2008 5:32 am

Since that awful word 'C O S T' came up, I wonder how much the newest version of the BIAB costs??
& Jim, if you don't want to say it on the forum, just email me & tell me just how much it does cost to get into the BIAB??

Ernie Pollock
[still using my own tracks, made with 4 track tascam with me on rhy guitar, bass guitar, & my fake drum machine!!]

Papa Joe Pollick · Post by **Papa Joe Pollick** » 5 Dec 2008 6:35 am

Ernie,Here is the info you need..PJ...
http://www.pgmusic.com/index.html

Ernest Cawby · Post by **Ernest Cawby** » 5 Dec 2008 8:24 am

Doug has 60 songs posted, you can download all 60 of them as fast as you can type the next song, I think it took me a total 10 min to down load them all. His tab book is a work of artm ghet it and it has country and pop tunes.

ernie

Bo Legg · Post by **Bo Legg** » 6 Dec 2008 6:39 am

I think it's coming to or it is already here when everyone is including a laptop in their cartage.
I have my BIAB on a sata about the size of a post card and have it in my seat and just plug it USB Laptop anywhere I'm at and I'm all set. I run the sound through my amp.

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 6 Dec 2008 10:06 am

Bo Legg wrote:I think it's coming to or it is already here when everyone is including a laptop in their cartage.
I have my BIAB on a sata about the size of a post card and have it in my seat and just plug it USB Laptop anywhere I'm at and I'm all set. I run the sound through my amp.

I don't take a laptop to gigs or have a computer in my music room. What's a sata?

I put my practice tracks on an iPod. You could do the same with BIAB songs. They can be rendered as WAV files and burned to CD or imported into iTunes for transfer to an iPod. It's easy to run the output of an iPod to any amplifier.

Bo Legg · Post by **Bo Legg** » 7 Dec 2008 1:13 am

b0b

I don't take a laptop to gigs or have a computer in my music room. What's a sata?

I'm sorry for being so brief.
I use a Hitachi 160GB SATA a 2.5 inch HDD external storage system that is USB2 plug and play.
The reason for carrying this with me as opposed to mp3 or Ipod is that in the BIAB files I can change keys, tempo, style or chords. I can also of course just make a new song on the fly.
I don't have time to practice so I get a song list from what ever band I'm playing with and I have my son go wifi to youtube to adobe audition and put the kicks, solos and ending on laptop.
The more difficult songs he charts the chords, all filed together with the song in the laptop.
It beats the hell out of index cards and is more fun than playing with matches.
The computer to me is an absolute necessity.

BIAB in a shirt pocket

Robert C. McKee · Post by **Robert C. McKee** » 7 Dec 2008 7:05 am

In regards to Leon Campbell's reply, I cannot find anything by Jim Baron on here. I'm sure I'm not doing something right, but then spouse tells me that all the time.

) How does a person find his stuff/himself...??? Thanks in advance. Bob

Rick Campbell · Post by **Rick Campbell** » 7 Dec 2008 9:09 am

Jim Baron

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/profile. ... file&u=647

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