User Guide

Chapter 4: The Main Screen
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Options and Utilities
These settings are found in the Opt. menu and the Opt. | Utilities submenu.
Language Selection
This item in the Opt. menu allows you to change language from English to another language for display. If there are
other languages supported by your version of Band-in-a-Box, then they will display in this dialog box. The new
language will be displayed the next time Band-in-a-Box is launched.
Edit Chord Shortcuts file (shortcut.txt)
Add your own chord shortcuts. Have you found a chord that Band-in-a-Box doesn't recognize? If so, you can make
a text file called \bb\shortcut.txt for your own shortcuts. (Note that this file doesn't ship with Band-in-a-Box or it
would overwrite your file!) The file \bb\pgshortc.txt is only for shortcuts supplied by PG Music.
Refresh Chord Shortcuts…
When you have saved your shortcuts file click on Refresh Chord Shortcuts… to start using them. Changes to your
chord shortcuts won’t take effect until you choose this command.
Status Bar
The
name of the open song is identified in the status bar at the top of the screen. The full file name and path name
are shown, as well as audio track information if present, the length of the song in minutes and seconds, and the
current position of the highlight cell. Other “running status” messages such as Soloist Generation and Song
Generation display in the status bar.
The status bar changes during playback to show additional information like the current bar and chorus location and
the current style. The on-screen file name includes “*” when a file has been changed.
Status bar during playback.
Taskbar hint
The entire song name displays in the taskbar hint when Band-in-a-Box is
minimized. This is useful to find the name of a song playing when Band-in-a-
Box is playing in the background.
Synth Window / Piano Keyboard
The Piano Keyboard:
This keyboard displays the notes (in different colors) that are being played by all instruments on various parts of the
piano keyboard during playback (except drums). The MIDI Thru/Soloist is also displayed on the piano keyboard.
On the top row, guitar (green), melody (red), and soloist (pink) are displayed.
On the bottom row, bass (brown), piano (blue), and strings (grey) are displayed.