User Guide

Chapter 6: Making Songs in Band-in-a-Box
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Repeats/codas/1st-2nd endings
Most lead sheet-style printouts contain 1st/2nd endings, repeats, coda, tag, and sign markings. Band-in-a-Box now
supports entry, display, and printout of song forms using these symbols. This command launches the Edit Repeats
and Endings dialog where you can enter repeats, 1st and 2nd endings, DC, DS al coda and more.
The “Auto-Find” feature will intelligently detect 1st/2nd endings automatically for you, so you can
view and convert any Band-in-a-Box song to include 1st/2nd endings in lead sheet format.
When you have created your repeats and endings, either manually or automatically, simply select the “Fake Sheet”
checkbox on the Chordsheet or Lead Sheet window. Band-in-a-Box will hide the repeated bars and display the fake
sheet using 1st and 2nd endings.
Reduce (durations of chords by ½) cuts chord durations by 50% (e.g., 4beats>>2beats, 2beats>>1beat, etc.).
Expand (durations of chords by 2) doubles the durations of chords (e.g., 1beat>>2beats, 2beats>>4beats, etc.).
Unfold (convert To 1 BIG Chorus)
Choose Edit | Unfold (convert to one BIG chorus) to unfold a multi-chorus song into one BIG chorus.
becomes
If you have a song with 3 choruses and want to convert it to a single large chorus, this command unfolds the song
into just that; one BIG chorus. This is useful for customizing a song with style, patch or tempo changes in different
verses.
Fold (convert 1 chorus to multiple)
A “Fold song” routine converts a song with a single large chorus to multiple smaller choruses with optional tag
ending. If you have imported a MIDI file, you might have a file that is 96 bars long, but really consists of 3
choruses of 32 bars each. You can convert this to a 32-bar song by using the Edit | Fold song option, including
inserting tag endings, and 2-bar endings.
becomes
Set Time Signature (range of bars)
Under the Edit | Set Time Signature (range of bars) menu item, you can assign a specific time signature at any bar
and apply it to a range of bars, as often as you want.