Here is a table of the original 24 built in styles: When BIAB allowed you to bring a multi-channel MIDI onto the melody track, you will see those files saved as an MGX file. In fact you can save all your SG-whatever songs as an SGU file and it still plays fine. Later, they replaced the numbers and letters with the letter "U" (for user). So your ZZJazz SG1 song would become an MG1 song. If you add a melody and/or solo to the song, the next time you save it, it will start with "M" instead of "S". Once there were more than 10 styles, they started using letters, so you will see extensions of SGA or SGB. So, for example, a song file using the ZZJazz style would have an extension of SG1 (since ZZJazz was style #1). These were numbered, and so initially instead of SGU (which came along later), the file extension indicated which ZZ style was being used. When BIAB first came, there were only a handful of styles (they are the MIDI styles that begin with ZZ (like ZZJazz). Once you add either a melody and/or a soloist track, the "S" in SGU becomes the "M" in MGU. It is a BIAB file that does not have a melody or soloist track in it. Reviewed by Laura Beauchamp-Williamson, Freeland, Michigan.SGU is what PGMusic calls a song file. The service is free to registered users, and help is available in the evenings and on weekends-definitely an added bonus for busy musicians and teachers. When I had trouble with my MIDI settings, the people I talked to at PG Music were friendly and helpful. I strongly recommend that anyone who is new to the program view these tutorials first. It only functions during playback and won't permanently affect the melody track unless the embellished version is saved.īand-in-a-Box was easy to install, and there are two CD-ROM tutorials packaged with the software. The Embellisher creates a more lively and realistic performance, automatically changing timing of notes, durations, velocities, articulation and adding grace notes, additional notes and turns. Finally, the Embellisher will "jazz up" any melody as it is played, and it will be different every time. There are many "Guitarists" provided to select from, or the user can define her own by choosing guitar-specific parameters. The Guitarist allows the user to generate a guitar chord solo for any melody. The Soloist, as its name implies, will generate an elaborate melodic solo over a series of chords, and as with the styles themselves, many of the "Soloists" are famous artists. The Melodist, for example, will generate a brand new song complete with introduction, chords, melody and arrangement, in any specified style. While much can be created from scratch if desired, it's the "automatic" features-the Melodist, the Soloist, the Guitarist and the Embellisher-that make Band-in-a-Box so appealing. There also is a Juke Box that will play through a list of songs using options specified by the user, which is especially helpful for musicians using the software during live performances. Once Band-in-a-Box generates an arrangement, the student can edit it and save it as his own creation, view the notation of the various parts onscreen and even edit and print his own sheet music, complete with lyrics and title. I especially appreciated the onscreen memos that describe each style's features and the referencing of specific titles from that particular artist or genre. Not only can the user edit tempo, key, instrumentation, rhythm, note velocities and more, but also choose from literally hundreds of styles, many based on famous musicians. A student can even record herself as she plays along with the accompaniment (The software allows for both MIDI and digital audio input.), save her performance as an additional melody track in the arrangement, then listen to the complete "ensemble."īand-in-a-Box offers many advantages over traditional accompaniment CDs and MIDI files because the music can be manipulated so quickly and easily. Students can perform solos with it, practice improvising, work out chord voicings, sight read from the on-screen notation or simply use it to generate ideas for compositions. The music can be played from a computer's soundcard, a software synthesizer or an external MIDI device such as a keyboard or sound module. To create an accompaniment, users enter the chords of a song, choose a musical style (jazz, pop, classical, rock and so on), and the software automatically creates a complete arrangement with piano, bass, drums, guitar and strings. It can be used by players of all instruments, as well as singers. $88.īand-in-a-Box is an "intelligent" accompaniment software program that generates musical arrangements based on parameters set by the user. 2004 Music Teachers National Association, Inc. MLA style: "Band-in-a-Box." The Free Library.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |