User Guide

Chapter 6: Band-in-a-Box PowerGuide
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When making any changes to a measure using the Edit bar settings dialog box, Band-in-a-Box will place a colored
indicator box around the measure number of the edited measure.
Settings apply to Chorus # is a setting that lets you apply the changes at the specified bar in all choruses or just in
the chorus you choose.
# beats this bar sets the number of beats in a bar.
The initial time signature of the song is determined by the style (e.g. Jazz =4/4, Waltz =3/4). In certain songs you
will want to insert time signature changes at a certain bar. For example you might want a single bar of 2/4, or 8 bars
of 3/4 time etc.
This option allows a change of time signature during a song. The change takes place at the beginning of the bar and
continues until a new time signature change is specified. You can select # beats per bar from 1 to 4 beats per bar. A
setting of 0 beats/bar is used for no change of time signature.
Examples:
- A song in 4/4 time with a single bar of 6/4 time. Since the maximum # beats per bar is = 4 we will split the 6/4
bars into 2 bars, a 4/4 bar and a 2/4 bar. Insert a # beats per bar = 2 at the beginning of the 2/4 bar and then restore
the time signature to 4/4 by assigning # beats per bar = 4 for the next bar.
A song in 5/4 time throughout: To do this we will alternately create a 3/4 bar + 2/4 bars. On odd numbered bars
insert a # beats per bar = 3, and on even bars insert # of beats per bar = 2. This needs to be done for every bar.
Style Changes at any Bar
You can specify a new style at any bar of the song, so that you can use many styles within the same song. To
change styles at any bar:
- Move the cursor highlight bar to the bar for the style change.
- Press the F5 key to open the Edit bar settings dialog (or choose the Edit | Bar Settings menu command, or use
the keystrokes Option+B).
Use the [Style…] button to select a style using the StylePicker dialog.
Use the [*.sty] button to select a style from a folder on your hard drive. You should select a style
that is present in the Styles folder in Band-in-a-Box (or the same folder where the song resides).
The name of the new style you choose will be displayed.
To remove the style change at this bar, press the [Clear Style Change]
button.
There is an option to send the embedded patches in the style with
the style change. Disable this checkbox if you want to keep the patches that you have already selected.
Note: If you want to mix styles with 3/4 and 4/4 time signatures you should make the main style used in the song a 4/4 style.
You could then change back to 3/4 at bar 1 if you want.
When you select a style change, you'll notice that there is a red frame drawn around the bar line. This indicates that
there is a style change (or other change at that bar) found in the Edit bar settings dialog.
RealDrums Changes at any Bar
RealDrums can be changed at any bar, either for the whole song or just for the selected chorus. To select the new
RealDrums style, press the [R.Drums] button. This will open the RealDrums Picker where
you can choose from a full list of RealDrums or filter the list to narrow your selection.
You’ll see the new style name displayed onscreen.
To remove the change click on [Clear RealDrums change].
Tempo Change At This Bar
Most songs will have a single tempo throughout, but if you want to change the tempo at a certain bar of the song,
then use this dialog box to type in the new tempo in beats per minute. Or type in a relative tempo change in a range