Technical information

Chapter 1: Welcome to Band-in-a-Box!
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The Synth Track tab edits Synthesizer settings, and the Audio Track tab edits Band-in-a-Box audio track DirectX
plug-ins. Select your desired DXi synth in the top plug-in Insert Slot 1.
To apply DirectX audio plug-ins to the synth, insert DX audio plug-ins to Insert Slots 2, 3, or 4. This can be useful
to add EQ, Reverb, Compression, or Peak Limiting plug-ins, if the “raw sound” of the synthesizer needs sweetening.
You can also choose the patch map (instrument list) that matches your synthesizer keyboard or sound module.
Original equipment sound cards or integrated sound chips are General MIDI (GM) compatible.
We have made preset drum/patch files for many
synthesizers and sound cards. If your synth is not listed
you should use the General MIDI Instrument Misc.
patch kit (default).
You can probably omit this step unless you're using an
old synth that is not General MIDI compatible. If your
non-GM synthesizer or sound card is not listed you can
easily make your own patch map in Opt. | Preferences |
Patch Map.
General MIDI 2 (GM2) Support
General MIDI 2 patches are supported for 128 additional instruments, the type of GM2 support is set in this dialog.
The choices are:
- General MIDI 2 support: If you're using the Roland VSC3, or a newer Sound Canvas (i.e. newer than
1999, or newer than the Roland SC88), 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, it supports both GM2 and GS - you should likely choose GM2.
- No GM2 support: Some sound cards don't have GM2 support yet; they just support the original 128
General MIDI sounds. Band-in-a-Box will use the closest instrument in these cases.
Now you’re ready to have fun with Band-in-a-Box!