How to Export Songs from Band In A Box to Pa4X Backing Seqs

[Minneapolis Musician]

I have used Band In A Box (BIAB) for many years as a songwriting workspace. Maybe some of you have as well.

I have many, many original songs stored in that program.

I was pleased today to see how easy it is to "play" those songs into the Backing Sequence recorder.

Here is how to do it:

I set the Pa4X Global/MIDI to External MIDI USB. I run the Korg USB driver on the PC and select it as both the MIDI in and MIDI out in BIAB.

Channel 3 is typically the piano track in BIAB. I usually set that (ch 3) as the chord recognition channel on the Pa4X, and as a GLOBAL channel on the Pa4X Midi In. BIAB also has the ability to output each chord in the chart in real time on a channel you choose in case there is no suitable pad/piano track. I have done that into the Backing Track recorder as well with success.

By the way, RealTracks won't work unless they have a RealChart stored with them. Just select a pure Midi style for the export, or use the OUTPUTCH in Preferences to output the chord for each measure into the Pa4x chord recognition channel you set up.

I choose the style I want on the Pa4X, (CHURCH.STY, because it holds a simple chord for four beats) go to Sequencer Backing Track (Quick Record) , press the Variation that I want to start in, and then hit the Start/Stop button. The Pa4X waits until I start BIAB.

When I press PLAY on BIAB, it counts off four beats which I see registering on the Pa4X recorder as well, and then the first chord flows into the Pa4X and the backing accompaniment starts with that chord.

I can press the variations and fills in real time, as well as the pads. All is recorded effortlessly. It's beautiful.

I stop BIAB and then hit Stop on the Pa4X.

I can then add parts or adjust volumes in the multisequencer.

It's nice to be able to so easily get my songs translated into backing arrangements using the the Pa4X styles.

I am glad to share it with you all here.

[Stilli]

Thanks for posting, that was very useful.

Martin

[mstodola]

You can also create a mp3 from BIAB. It is a great program.

[Minneapolis Musician]

You can also create a mp3 from BIAB. It is a great program.

That is true.

I did it this way because I specifically wanted the pa4x styles. I think they're very high quality and the sound is so good.

[kbrkr]

That is awesome! Thank you for sharing this.

I used to use BIAB as a scratchpad for music ideas many moons ago. Perhaps I should give it another look as a tool to transcribe songs.

[Minneapolis Musician]

That is awesome! Thank you for sharing this.

I used to use BIAB as a scratchpad for music ideas many moons ago. Perhaps I should give it another look as a tool to transcribe songs.

I find it is MUCH easier to work out a backing sequence for the PA4X in Band In a Box and then export it into the Pa4X. Because using the Backing Track Step Editor for any major editing is painful and slow. I like being able to literally SEE the entire song as I am working and changing things.

[Minneapolis Musician]

By the way I am using band in the Box 2015 for this.

[rikkisbears]

double post

[rikkisbears]

Hi ,
Never actually tried it with the backing sequencer, but I used to have my pa800 midied to biab.

I basically created the song in biab..
The chords were played by biab and controlled the chords on the keyboard.
I actually managed to get a mix of biab real tracks and korg style tracks playing together ie some of the real track guitars sounded so much better than the guitar parts in the pa800.


It was a lot of fun experimenting .

[tombikadam]

can you make a video or tutorial for us?