User Guide

Chapter 6: Band-in-a-Box PowerGuide
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Converting a Cakewalk .Ins file to a Band-in-a-Box .Pat file.
This is done using the same process described above for PowerTracks, except that you open the individual .INS file
instead of a PATCHES.INI file. For example, if you have a Cakewalk file called “My Synth.INS” you would select
this file name. You would then save that converted list to c:\bb\My Synth.PAT.
General MIDI 2 support
General MIDI 2 standard (GM2) adds 128 new instruments to Band-in-a-Box styles and songs, including ukulele,
mandolin, 12-string guitar plus many new and improved piano, organ, guitar, brass, and string sounds.
Note: The included Roland VSC3 synth supports the new GM2 instruments, as do many newer modules/sound cards. If
yours doesn't, a similar instrument from the existing 128 General MIDI sounds will be substituted.
The type of GM2 support is set in the MIDI Driver Setup dialog (Opt. | MIDI driver setup…). The choices are:
- General MIDI 2 support: If you're using the Roland VSC3, or a newer Sound Canvas then choose this GM2
support.
- Roland GS (older Modules): “Older” Sound Canvases (SC55/SC88) support GS, but not GM2. The good
news is that they have the same patches available, just at different locations. So if you choose this option,
Band-in-a-Box will find the patches at the “GS” locations instead of the “GM2” locations. If you have a newer
GS module like the SC8820 that supports both GM2 and GS you should likely choose GM2.
- No GM2 support: Most sound cards don't have GM2 support yet, so just support the original 128 General
MIDI sounds. Band-in-a-Box will use the closest instrument in these cases.
You can select the GM2 patch using the GM2 button next to the Instrument box. This shows a menu
organized by instrument types.
Technical note: For a GM patch like Nylon Guitar the patch is 25. For a GM2 patch like Ukulele, the patch is also 25, but it
is accompanied by two bank settings, MSB Bank Controller 0 setting of 121 and LSB Bank Controller 32 setting of 1.
When you select the instrument from this menu, it will make the bank settings (Bank0 and LSB) for you. You can
also change the bank #s directly, and the patch in the box will change. GM2 patches can also be selected elsewhere
in the program, such as the Edit Settings for Current Bar dialog and the StyleMaker.
Changing Volume, Panning, Reverb, Chorus, Bank
To change the Volume, Panning, Reverb, Chorus, or Bank of a part, click on the desired part to change.
The names of instrument parts that are playing are colored yellow. If the part name is white when the song is
playing it means that the instrument is not present. A red instrument part name means that the part is muted.