User Guide

Chapter 14: User Programmable Functions
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For example, if “MultibarPatternPercent=20” is entered, then every time Band-in-a-Box searches for a pattern, there
is a 20% chance that it will eliminate 1-bar patterns as possibilities. If “MultibarPatternPercent=80” is entered, then
every time there will be an 80% chance that 1-bar patterns will be eliminated as possibilities. If such an instance
occurs, but no multi-bar patterns will fit in the Band-in-a-Box bar in question, a 1-bar pattern will be allowed.
If no amount is entered here, then Band-in-a-Box simply always picks between all possible patterns based on their
relative weights.
PushAmount8=x
PushAmount16=x
When pushes are entered in Band-in-a-Box (with either “^” for an 8
th
note push or “^^” for a 16
th
note push, entered
before a chord”), the RealDrums mix single drum hits with the bars of regular playing to emphasize the push. These
settings determine how many ticks prior to a beat the pushes are played.
Mathematically, since 1 quarter-note is 120 ticks, in a straight 8
th
style the 8
th
-note will be 60 ticks and the 16
th
-note
will be 30 ticks, and in a swing 8
th
style the 8
th
-note will be 40 ticks. However, since drummers (thankfully!) do not
play mathematically, these numbers will vary based on their individual style, and the amount of “swing” in their
playing. A good amount to enter for these values can be determined by closely examining the drummers playing in
an audio editor and measuring the number of ticks between a few 8
th
-notes prior to beats.
In this straight-8ths style (example 3), this eighth note played prior to the downbeat of bar 6 is played at 5:04:058, or
62 ticks before the downbeat. The rest of the file could be examined in a similar fashion (or random samplings), but
based on this example you would enter PushAmount8=62.
Example 3: The left edge of the highlighted area represents the eighth note before the downbeat of bar 6, and the
right edge of the highlighted area represents the downbeat of bar 6.
If no amount is entered for these values, Band-in-a-Box determines the amount based on whether or not the Band-in-
a-Box style being used is a swing or straight 8
th
style.
ASubstyleAllowed=NO
BSubstyleAllowed=NO
Using either one of these lines blocks all patterns for the specified substyle, and then uses the patterns of the
remaining substyle for the entire song, regardless of the substyle selected in Band-in-a-Box.
This can be useful for altering an existing style. For example, if you have a style made that uses brushes at the A
section and sticks at the B section, but you want to change it so that it only uses sticks, you can enter the line
“AsubstyleAllowed=NO” into the text file. All of the B section patterns will be used for both A section parts and B
section parts in Band-in-a-Box. This is also a useful tool in making “Alternate” styles (see “Alternate Styles and
Expanded/Reduced Styles” below).
It is important, however, to not enter both of these lines. If you do this, Band-in-a-Box will not be able to find any
patterns at all, and you will get an error message.