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chunky monkey
Ha`aha`a
USA
1003 Posts |
 Posted - 11/14/2008 : 11:57:54 AM
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I need some a advice concerning Band In a Box (BIB). I heard that you could input a mp3 (or wav) file and it would interpret the music (chords) and output standard notation; not produce tab, but the music would be ok. Anybody have experience doing this with BIB? About $125. Any other software to do this?
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Mark
Ha`aha`a
USA
1628 Posts |
Posted - 11/14/2008 : 1:18:06 PM
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I have used Band in a Box for years-- it is a great practice tool as well as a terrific way to rough out arrangements for recordings or rehearsals. Essentially, what you do is type in chords and select an accompaniment style, and BIB creates a full MIDI accompaniment-- bass, drums, keys, etc. It also will create solos and melodies based on the chord changes and styles. Pretty useful.
However, I have never heard that it can "interpret the music (chords) and output standard notation" from an audio file.
PG Music has a program called Power Tracks Pro Audio that claims to be able to "hear" the chords from and audio file and display them as chord names.. so maybe that's what you are talking about.
There is more info here:
http://www.pgmusic.com/
Good luck.
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Edited by - Mark on 11/14/2008 1:19:44 PM |
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cpatch
Ahonui
USA
2187 Posts |
Posted - 11/14/2008 : 1:38:05 PM
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| Band in the Box has a feature (at least the latest version does) called "Audio Chord Wizard" that will extract the chord progression from an audio file. From PG Music's description of the app: "The Audio Chord Wizard has the amazing ability to analyze, extract, and show the chords from audio recordings on-screen and then write them to the Band-in-a-Box chord sheet." It supports MP3/WAV/WMA files and CD-Audio tracks. |
Craig
My goal is to be able to play as well as people think I can. |
Edited by - cpatch on 11/14/2008 1:39:30 PM |
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Mark
Ha`aha`a
USA
1628 Posts |
Posted - 11/14/2008 : 2:18:42 PM
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Craig, can I hire you to fact check?  That's twice in 2 days.
I just spent some time on the BIB forums & discovered that the PC and Mac versions are very different.
This might be the first time I've ever said this, but the PC version is better, with far more advanced features. It also has some very cool "real" instruments to replace the MIDI ones. PG has some other extremely cool programs.. all of which are PC only.
Hokey Smokes, I may have to get a PC.... not. But I may just get a new Mac that runs Windows.....
Large print disclaimer: Please, let us not sink into a Mac vs PC rant. Or Linux, for that matter.
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chunky monkey
Ha`aha`a
USA
1003 Posts |
Posted - 11/14/2008 : 5:44:45 PM
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| thanks guys. I think I'll get it |
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RJS
Ha`aha`a
1635 Posts |
Posted - 11/14/2008 : 8:32:50 PM
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| Please post your results - I'm sure there would be more than a few sales if it worked. |
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cpatch
Ahonui
USA
2187 Posts |
Posted - 11/14/2008 : 9:26:13 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Mark
Craig, can I hire you to fact check? That's twice in 2 days.
See my signature! |
Craig
My goal is to be able to play as well as people think I can. |
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chunky monkey
Ha`aha`a
USA
1003 Posts |
Posted - 11/17/2008 : 11:08:08 AM
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| Bought the Power Tracks Pro Audio software instead of BIB (only $49). Has a feature called Audio Chord Wizard that reads mp3/wav/midi files and does a chord diagram. I input a somewhat complex MP3 that I got off of an aloha Joe CD. Lots of synthesized stuff (I'm guessing because it's supposed to be a lounge duo) and a guitar lead. Worked as advertised, although some of the resulting chords may be difficult to string together in Open D. I only got the software for this feature, so it looks like a keeper (30 day guarantee). BIB is supposed to also have this feature ($129 base price). I may pop for that someday. Thanks for the input |
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`Ilio Nui
`Olu`olu
USA
826 Posts |
Posted - 04/13/2009 : 1:38:25 PM
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This is about Band-in-a Box (BIAB), but first, a little talk story.
Forty one years ago I was humping boxes in a hot, dusty, pit of an Army Depot just outside Honai, Viet Nam. I'd been in country about two weeks. Up to me walked another newbie named Ed Hooper. After I ascertained that he had no naked pictures of his wife, I offered to sell him some. Once the dust settled and I realized no punches were thrown, we somehow became the closest of friends. We shared our lives and dreams and fears for an entire year together; even managed R&R for a week on O`ahu with our wives. We left Viet Nam and the Army within 3 days of each other. We stayed in touch.
In 1978, while I was in Dental School, I received a phone call from is wife. Ed had been in an accident, broke his neck and was in critical care. Ultimately he came threw alive, but was a quadriplegic. I first got to visit him a year later in Chicago. We had talked many times on the phone, but I was fearful, mostly out of ignorance. Once I saw that sh*t eating grin and felt the pain of his sarcastic wit, it was just like old times. We just couldn't play tackle football anymore. Anyway, long story, short, we've been in touch throughout the years, visited each other a few times and even managed and Alaskan Cruise.
Last year, Ed had another accident. He was t-boned in an intersection by a woman running a red light. He managed to escape with two broken legs and a broken hip. A new spirit of mortality reawakened his poetry and song writing. He's the best poet I've ever known. He asked if I would help with turning his songs into a CD. Having only a cheap USB microphone and words in his head, he sang all the songs and sent them to me. There was no background music and no click; basically free-form. On my first listen I thought, "Oh my God. What have I gotten myself into?". But I dug in. First thing was to establish approximate tempo. Then I chopped up all the phrases into beats as best I could. It's a good thing I'm used to hawaiian music, because some of those 5 and 6 beat measures would have thrown me for a loop otherwise. Next, figure out the chords. With his limited vital lung capacity, he amazingly stayed pretty close to pitch throughout any given song. Most of the material was pretty straight forward, but some had some pretty advanced progressions. Now it was time for Band-in-a-Box.
I have been using BIAB since V1 and now its V8. Its an incredible tool. With today's advanced MIDI sequencing programs and virtual instruments, using soft-synth plug-ins, the sky is the limit. The amount of styles and solos to chose from makes it a must have program for any songwriter, especially for NO-Budget projects like this one. I simply typed in the chords, picked a style or two that I thought fit the songs, and recorded them. Ed would download them from my Mac Public server and tell me what he liked. Once we had a basic template, he re-recorded all the vocals (He's in Florida, I'm in California). Once I had the final vocals, I was able to fine-tune the instruments I wanted and solos if necessary, cut and paste sections, EQ, rewrite MIDI, etc. I also recorded my own guitar playing and some keyboards on many of the tunes.
After moving files back and forth for final approval and almost 6 months work, we are just about to release the CD, "Shadow Figure". Just to give an idea of what is possible with BIAB, I have a couple songs for you to listen to. The first one is Another Day. It is actually in Taropatch capoed to the first fret (Ab). Yes that's me playing in the background. The second is Open Your Door. Again, I'm playing lead and rhythm. Enjoy!
A final comment about Hoop. He's my inspiration. He could have given up a long time ago, but he didn't. I could list a long resume of things he's done since the accident, but of note, he's the President of the US Quad Rugby Association (and a long time player). He has a weekly (well most of the time) BLOG called Spokes Ableman that is well worth reading.
Thanks for your time. BIAB rules.
dog |
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Admin
Pupule
USA
4551 Posts |
Posted - 04/13/2009 : 6:01:15 PM
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Dog,
Thanks for sharing your and your friend's story. Great that your friendship has endured the years and life's experiences. So cool that you were able to collaborate musically between CA and FL. Congrats to you both! Thanks for sharing the tunes. |
Andy |
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JimC
Lokahi
USA
135 Posts |
Posted - 04/14/2009 : 1:20:24 PM
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Dog
I remember when you shared this story about you and your good bud back at PMMC in Hilo a couple of years ago.
What a great project. Nice job.
Pup |
Jim
http://www.ohanahulasupply.com
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