band-in-a-box - auburn · pdf fileband-in-a-box macintosh version 12 kimberly c. walls ......

BIAB for Macintosh file:///Users/kim/Desktop/For%20Monday%20handouts/macbiab.html

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Band-in-a-BoxMacintosh Version 12

Kimberly C. Walls

Last updated October 5, 2004

Graphics version and Windows version published at www.auburn.edu/~wallski/TechnologyPages

<>Playing/Changing Playback Open a file: (“Open” button or click "Song" button) Play a song (Play button, tap = four times in desired tempo) Hold (pause) a song (Hold button, bksp or del key) Stop a song (Stop button, esc key) Play along on computer keyboard (check Wz, select Song->Wizard uses "Smart Notes") Play along on drum set (Windows->Drum Window, or the Drum Button) Play all song in a folder ("Juke" button)Change combo (Click Combo, then a number under instrument selection box) Change an instrument (Click an instrument button, then a number under instrument selection box, or useinstrument box arrows) Mute an instrument (Click M and click instrument button, if grayed out it is muted, if black it is selected forchanging) Unmute an instrument (Click on the instrument button again)

Create your own song Make a new file (File -> New) Set title, key, and tempo (Click on Title of song) Type in chords (Click on measure, type in chord symbol, click on a bar line to have a drum fill lead into it orchange to style a or b, type a comma to have two chords in one block, tab to next block) Copy and paste chord (Drag across region to highlight, cut and paste where desired)Frame the song (Click on Chorus start [right of tempo] and desired measure, click on Chorus end anddesired measure, click on # of choruses) Song Settings (Click on "S" button. Tag is "last ending" for song before the 2 measure "end")Play song Record a melody (Click Record and play either Wizard keys , Drum window, or MIDI keyboard, overdubor replace previous melody) Harmonize the melody (Click on M button and select a harmonization scheme; play again to hear the newpart) Harmonize the thru and you'll play more than one note with your fingers! (Click on T button) Change the style (Click the STY (S) button)

Have Band-in-a-Box Generate a Song Use the Melodist to create title, chords, and melody. Juke it now to have lots of songs created. (Use the < and > buttons to move ahead/back.)Use Soloist to create a solo part.

BIAB for Macintosh file:///Users/kim/Desktop/For%20Monday%20handouts/macbiab.html

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Save as a Standard MIDI file (File->Save Standard MIDI File) to open in other programs!

<>Macintosh Version Does Not Record Audio Creating an Audio FileUse iTunes to covert MIDI file to MP31. Check iTunes Preferences for Importing to select MP3 file type and quality2. Use File->Add to Library to add MIDI file3. Highlight the title in the Library playlist4. Choose Advanced, Convert Selection to MP35. Drag the new converted file title to the desktop or preferred folder

Band-in-a-Box http://www.auburn.edu/~wallski/TechnologyPages/bboxpage/biab.html

1 of 5 6/12/05 12:05 PM

Band-in-a-BoxWindows Version 10

Kimberly C. Walls

January 13, 2003

Graphics version and Macintosh version published at www.auburn.edu/~wallski/TechnologyPages

Playing/Changing PlaybackPrimary Controls

Open a file: (“Open” button or "Song" button) Play a song ("Play" button, tap "=" button four times in desired tempo, spacebar twice) Hold (pause) a song ("H" button, or CTRL-H) Stop a song ("Stop" button, esc key, spacebar) Play along on computer keyboard (check "Wizard") Play along on drum set ("Drum" button) Play all songs in a folder ("Juke" button) Play from a certain measure ("From" button or CTRL-F) Play from current measure selected in chord sheet (CTRL-G)

Instrument Line

Change combo (Click "Combo", when dot is blue, select an instrument from Instrument drop down menu or "F" button) Change an instrument (Click on desired instrument part, when dot is blue, select an instrument from Instrument drop down menu or "F"button) Mute an instrument (Right-click instrument part) Unmute an instrument (Right-click on the instrument part again)

Create Your Own SongMake a new file (Click the "New" button)

Set title (Click on "Untitled Song" title area and type title) Set key (Click on key signature drop down menu) Set tempo (Click on up/down arrows by tempo, type "-" four times, or type "=" four times and music will start"

Portion of chord sheet area


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Type in chords (Click on measure in chord sheet, type in chord symbol, click on a bar line number to have a drum fill lead into it orchange to style a or b, type a comma to have two chords in one block, press ENTER to next half measure or use arrow keys to move) Cut and paste chords (Drag across region to highlight, cut and paste where desired)

Frame the song (Click on Chorus start [right of tempo] and desired measure, click on Chorus end and desired measure, click on # ofchoruses) Song Settings (Click on "S" button. Tag is "last ending" for song before the 2 measure "end")

Record a melody (Click Rec button and play either Wizard keys , Drum window , or MIDI keyboard,

overdub or replace previous melody)

Harmonize the melody (Click on "M" button and select a harmonization scheme; play again to hear the new part) Harmonize the thru and you'll play more than one note with your fingers! (Click on "T" button)

Change the style (Click the STY button )

Have Band-in-a-Box Generate a Song

Use the Melodist to create title, chords, and melody.

Juke it now to have lots of songs created. (Use the < and > buttons to move ahead/back.)

Use Soloist to create a solo part.

Record an Audio Track

Click the Microphone button.


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Click SET RECORDING PROPERTIES to select the input. Then Click "Record".

Click OK - Keep Take if you liked it! (Copy 1st chorus will play the track each chorus. Overdub allows you to have two tracks playing atonce.)

Save Your Project

Click "Save" button to save BIAB file.

Click ".MID" button to save a MIDI File.


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Click ".WAV" button to save a WAV file.

Click (Re)-Render to WAV file.

Test the settings by clicking STOP RENDERING FILE

Then click TEST WAV

If it sounds OK, then click (Re)-Render to WAV file. (I had to click SET RECORDING PROPERTIES and check "Mixer." Your sound card may have a "MIDI" to check.)

Making an MP3 file


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I used dBpowerAMP Music Converter 9.0

“Here’s Technology”SmartMusic Studio®Kim Walls

SmartMusic Studio® is an intelligent accompaniment system that is great for practicingmusic. The software can play accompaniments that follow the tempo of a live performer.SmartMusic Studio® includes thousands of solo accompaniments and exercises.Additional titles may be purchased and new ones can be created using Finale Familysoftware (such as Finale PrintMusic!®). Exercises have an assessment option that willshow visually which notes were performed with incorrect pitch or rhythm. The softwarecan keep track of how much a piece is practiced. SmartMusic Studio® also has aninteractive tuner. Recordings of live performance are easily created. Assessment reportsand performance recordings may be saved and emailed to the teacher and there is anexercise report database for record keeping. SmartMusic Studio® also provides manyoptions to control aspects of accompaniment playback, similar to MIDI sequencingprograms and other accompaniment programs.

Following are a number of ideas for using SmartMusic Studio® with Making Musiclessons in the music classroom.

• Assess individual singing and clapping of exercises• Record student performances for electronic portfolios• Email performance recordings and assessments to parents• Have students practice and record solos• Edit accompaniments for practice and performance

o Change tempoo Transpose keyo Set practice loopso Omit repeats and sectionso Choose piano or orchestral accompaniment instrumentso Mute melody or accompanimento Set pitch level of accompaniment

• Develop intonation with interactive tuner• Explore tempo, meter, and subdivisions with metronome• Print, save, or email practice reports and assessments

Setting Up SmartMusic for Recording

SmartMusic will work best if the microphone is placed about 2 inches from a singer’smouth and about 6 inches from clapping hands. Before recording, perform a portion ofthe composition with the microphone in place and watch the Mic Level indicator; thelevel should be in the green area and rarely in the red area of the indicator. Also play partof the SmartMusic file without performing to make sure that the Mic Level is notoverloaded by the speaker output. If so, then turn down SmartMusic’s volume or increasethe distance between the speakers and microphone. Finally, if there is feedback, click onthe yellow speaker icon to the left of the Volume indicator, click Next, then make certainthat Mic Play Thru is not selected.

Checking Voice Levels

Some students sing more softly than others so remind the students to check the volume that will berecorded by first watching the Mic Level indicator; the level should be in the green area and rarely in thered area of the indicator.

Playing Back Recorded Performances

Recordings must be saved before they can be played back. Before class begins, create afolder in which recordings will be saved and actually record a short example and save itin the folder. This way, when students save the files, all files will be in the folder. Savingfiles using the performers’ name will make it easier to assess and file performances. TheMP3 format takes less disk space than uncompressed formats such as WAV and AIFF..Recordings may be played for the class by navigating to the folder and double-clickingthe recorded file. An MP3 player such as Windows Media Player or iTunes is required toplayback the recordings.

Using Custom Files

After changing accompaniment settings in SmartMusic Studio, you may save a CustomFile that retains the settings. When you close an accompaniment file that has hadchanges, a dialog box will ask whether or not you want to save the settings. You mayclick Yes, which allows you to name and save the custom settings in a custom file butdoes not change the original accompaniment file. To use the custom settings, you wouldfirst open the accompaniment file, then use the Open Custom… option in the File menu.A list of custom files appears so that you may choose the custom settings desired.

Custom Accompaniment Files

Follow these steps to cut sections of the SmartMusic Subscription File Swing Low, Sweet Chariot tocustomize the form of the song.

First, find and open the accompaniment:

• Click Open in the File menu

• In the left side of the screen, click SmartMusic Subscription files

• Click on the triangle beside SmartMusic Accompaniments to browse the accompaniment files

• Click on triangle to expose the list of Instruments

• Click on triangle to expose the Vocal list

• Scroll down and click on “The Spirituals of Harry T. Burleigh—Low Voice”

• Scroll down the right side of the screen and click on “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”

• Click Open

Set the jumps or cuts as follows:

• Click Customize

• Click Set Cuts

• Click Add

• Set the Cut From bar to 10 and beat to 4

• Set the Cut To bar to 19 and beat to 4

• Click OK

• Click Done

• Click Play to listen and test the cut

• When you close the file or quit SmartMusic, save the custom file

To use the custom file:

• Follow the steps above for finding and opening the file

• Click Open Custom… in the File menu

• Click Open/Save Custom

USING SMART MUSIC WORKSHEET

Turn Solo andAccompaniment partson or off

Turn IntelligentAccompaniment on or off Play starting pitch or

pitch SmartMusic iswaiting for

Customize cuts

Set tempo

Recordperformance

Transpose theaccompaniment

Preview & Save

Load an accompanimentby clicking OpenSmartMusicAccompaniment in the Filemenu

band-in-a-box - auburn · pdf fileband-in-a-box macintosh version 12 kimberly c. walls ......

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