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ENH202: Enhancing a Simple Band-in-A-Box File |
| This is an exercise designed to illustrate some of the functions available in Band-in-a-Box version 7.0 (BIAB) and how these can be utilized to improve the quality of a simple file. To apply tempo and time signature changes, and create a worthwhile song by adding several instrument changes together with harmonies from within BIAB. | |
| BIAB can be obtained from P.G. Music
for a modest outlay. If you have any of versions 7.0 thru 7.0f, you
can upgrade to the current 7.0g free of charge.
If you are a music lover but can not play any instrument, you can still enhance BIAB files which have a melody line included. (We have several ZIP files with a total of well over 1000 songs in the Basement.) All of the procedures in this excercise can be accomplished by you, simply by having the BIAB software. Order your copy and join in the fun!! |
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| First, let me begin by stating I have no training in composing or arranging, and any knowledge is based solely on having listened to over 200,000 renditions of songs during my lifetime. I am an average Piano player, and due to a lazy left hand, much better at my preferred instrument, which is the Hammond Organ, where my two feet can "give a helping hand". | |
| Every song, or musical arrangement, is usually the result of an idea.
I recently listened to "I'll Take Romance", sung in a dreamy ballad style.
I immediately heard it a different way in my head, a nice swinging Big-Band
arrangement.
Unable to find the chords, or a BIAB file, a quick note to Gene Confrey resulted in the receipt of the chord progressions for the tune. These were entered into a BIAB worksheet. (I must confess that I changed some of the chords to suit my style.) To provide a good solid rhythm section, the J_BASIE1.STY was loaded. Press [Shift], then left-click here to download illtak-1.sgu, or all the files associated with this Workshop. For those just following along, midi versions of the work-in-progress in BIAB can be listened to whenever there is a reference to do so. |
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| First, let's determine what we wish to accomplish, and the best method to achieve our goal. As we progress, you will see that in this example most of the work is in creating a suitable work sheet in BIAB. | |
| Somewhere back in time I recall this song done as a Waltz. Now, I would like a nice big-band arrangement, and in the 2nd and 3rd choruses, change the time signature to 3/4 in the bridges only AND at a different tempo AND each chord change should be 3 beats. I would also like to feature different sections of the band in different choruses, AND I would like to open up with Jazz Guitar played in harmony for the first 16 bars.. Wow, that is quite an undertaking! Or is it?? BIAB to the rescue!! | |
| STEP ONE. Getting Ready. Download the file illtak-1.mgu and place it in your BIAB work directory. Open the file and have a look at the chord progressions. Two chords in every bar. Tempo is 140, just right for an easy swing arrangement. J_BASIE1.STY is already loaded. Key of F with nice chord progressions. I like the key of F. But, look at some of the chords in the bridge, Ebm7, Db6, Ab7. I said I was an average piano player!! | |
| STEP TWO. Make it simpler. Let's transpose the worksheet to the
key of C and perhaps that will help us out in the bridge. Click on the
Down Arrow beside the key signature, and select 'C'. You will be
prompted "OK to transpose work sheet". Answer 'Yes'. Now have a look
at the chords. Much better, and almost everyone can play in the key
of C.
Save File As "illtak-2.sgu. |
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| If you are familiar with BIAB you will realize that to have the time changes in only 2 choruses, and the many instrument changes we plan, that it is impossible to achieve given the present layout of the worksheet. That is, chords entered for one chorus, to be repeated three times. Any changes we made in the one chorus would be the same throughout choruses two and three. | |
| STEP THREE. More preparations. As a means to achieving our goal, we can "Unfold" the work sheet. Click on "Edit" then "Unfold (convert to 1 BIG Chorus). Having done this, our worksheet is now 96 bars, instead of 32. | |
| We still do not have a melody, but before we can play that in, we have to further prepare the work sheet to create the time changes in the 2nd and 3rd choruses. . | |
STEP FOUR. Changing the time to 3/4 and each chord change to last for
3 beats. Since we now have two chords per measure, we will have to increase
the bridges in the 2nd and 3rd choruses from 8 bars to 16 to accommodate
the 16 chords.
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| STEP FIVE. Adding a melody line. (Usually BIAB files can be found including
a single note melody, but since not in this case, let's record one now
in Real-Time mode.
Every keyboard player has their own unique style of phrasing and touch, so if you are able to play at least a one-note melody, it is preferrable that you do so to impart your "touch" which will be inherent in the final arrangement in BIAB. Since I do not have the music, I will play in the melody "by ear" and as most of the instrumentation will be horns, trumpets and trombones, I will keep that in mind as I play, and also select a mute trumpet as my instrument. As we now have a huge work sheet of 112 measures, all three choruses will have to be recorded, with special attention paid when coming up to the time changes in the 2nd and 3rd. choruses. Done!! Only one bad note(too soft), but heck let's leave it.
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| Now let's listen. Wow, is it boring. 112 measures of muted trumpet and we still haven't made the tempo changes in the waltz sections. (You can listen to illtak-4.mid here). | |
| The preliminary experimentation with different instruments has been
done ahead of time. During this process it is good practice to convert
from the BIAB format to a midi format to ensure that everything remains
the same.
While doing this preparatory work, it was discovered that from measure 73 to the end of the song (the last chorus), the actual recorded notes were transposed one octave higher when saving to a midi file?? This changed our original plans for instrumentation, since we had to substitute ones which sounded okay at the higher range when converted to a midi file. |
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| STEP SIX. The home stretch. This is where it all comes together, to reach our final goal. Adding the instrumentation and harmonies and changing the tempo of the waltz sections. The simplest method of inserting instruments and harmony is by using the [F5] key which opens the "Change Info at Current Bar" dialogue box, illustrated below. | |
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All references to clicking on a bar, mean click the first chord
in the bar. At the end of each instruction, click on the OK button.
Not too bad.. and just what I had in mind at the outset of this exercise!! |
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| The procedures described above reflect my personal tastes and are intended only to provide you with some ideas to work with on your own. As with any editing procedures, experiment, have fun, and let YOUR imagination take over. | |
| STEP SEVEN. Printing. It's not a bad idea to print a copy of the song we're editing. Later on, we may want to refer to the chord-progressions and melody. Click on "File," then "Print Song--Chords/Melody". Or, if you prefer, you can simply click the Printer icon. | |
| We now have a very acceptable arrangement of "I'll Take Romance". If you wish to further enhance this file, by adding other tracks, experimenting with pan and reverb, then load our final version illtak-5.mid in your favorite sequencer software such as PowerTracks Pro Audio or CakeWalk. These programs are designed for the editing of midi files. | |
| Let's see what else we can do in EDT302. | |
| Les Gorven
July 24, 1998 |
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| Questions or comments? Contact Les | |
| Download in ZIP format (including images, .mid & .mgu).
THIS PAGE (63 KB) |
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