Band in a Box Alternative

[Blue(s) Skies]

Hey there,

I have bought a laptop and realize that I need something similar to BIAB. To be quite honest, I am a little short of money at the moment (due to my laptop) and I recall that someone mentioned a free website where you can get something very similar for free in this forum.

Hope someone can remember! Or perhaps you know other similar programs!

Thanks

Julian

[marzamonte]

Not a lot of functionality, but since my main Operative Sistem is Linux, I'm using Impro-visor.

It takes a few days to get used to it.
You also have to edit your own sheets, although I think there is a BIAB to Impro-visor sheet converter somewhere.

[jayx123]

if you are looking for backing track creator you can try this:
JamBuddy - Free musical play along chord player backing track creation web site

[Blue(s) Skies]

Hey there,

thank you!

@marzamonte : Can you let this program play chords and stuff? Does it have drums?

@jayx123 : Checked it out. Really sweet!

Thanks

Blue(s) Skies!

[marzamonte]

Yeah, it has drums, and it's so easy to write chords, loop parts, ... but it's not as intuitive as BIAB.

You can select rythm pattern, styles, ... it's a functional tool, ugly drums, basic comping.

[Blue(s) Skies]

Hey,

Impro-visor is incredible. I mean you're right that it's not BIAB but!!! it's also free and I am not sure if BIAb is 130 bucks better!

I have got some questions to the program:
-how can I mark something and copy it?
-how can I put in some repeat signs?

Well, thanks for showing me Impro-Visor !

Have a nice day!

Julian

[marzamonte]

well, I'm not an impro-visor expert, only month and a half using it ocasionally. Here's how I do what you ask:

Copy: I use leadsheet textual editor (Ctrl + F or the utilities menu). There you can change almost anything, and of course, copy and paste whatever parts you want. After editing you should push the button "Editor to Leadsheet".

Loop: there's a Looping group wich has a Loop green button and a text you can edit. I select what I want to loop (Shift, mouse click at the begining, mouse click at the end), push loop button (It will become straight) and change the default text from 2 loops to 0, which means infinite repetitions. Then just press Enter or Play menu > play selection, and you're done.

[Blue(s) Skies]

Sorry for replying that late! Thank you for your help!
I still can't believe that this program has so many features and stuff, thanks for telling me!

Have a nice day

Julian

[Arpeggio]

JamStudio.com - Create Music Beats - The online music factory - Jam, remix, chords, loops

I use this for my one chord vamp sing then repeat on guitar and other stuff. I think it's $26 for 6 months. Jambuddy jayx123 mentioned looks good I might use that.

I have BIAB but only use it as backing for my music method commercial work. If it's for practise to play over I wouldn't use Band In A Box anyway because even though it might have higher quality sound it takes longer to load up and you can't as quickly go through styles and instruments or to match whatever exercise in a method book you might be reading at the time.

[marzamonte]

For all of you using impro-visor.
I recently discovered a yahoo-group with a lot of information, exercises, and a huge quantity of sheets, in what they call the "imaginary book".

amazing stuff

impro-visor : Impro-Visor

[marr]

I highly recommend IrealB (Irealbook) for bakcing tracks. It's available on mac, iphone and android and it is really simple and sounds much better than impro-visor in my opinion.

[FatJeff]

Sort of a different beast altogether, but apparently Roland is coming out with (or maybe already has) something called RMIX that allows you take an MP3 (or .wav, or .wma, or whatever) and remove the parts you want with a simple visual interface. That combined with a slower-downer/pitch changer would allow someone to play along with the "real deal."

[pashute]

Arpeggio wrote to you already, above, but you didn't seem to see it. JamStudio is the only BIAB equivalent and much better sounding. Although since the time you posted its not free anymore, only for a short test period.

[FatJeff]

Arpeggio wrote to you already, above, but you didn't seem to see it. JamStudio is the only BIAB equivalent and much better sounding. Although since the time you posted its not free anymore, only for a short test period.

From what I saw looking at JamStudio real quickly, it doesn't even support 3/4?

[pashute]

[strikethru]Yup. It does. Hit the 3 beats in measure, instead of the 4 on the top left[/strikethru].
Sorry, your right. Nope. It doesn't. Hovering over the 3 it says: Comming soon: 3 beats per measure.

[mhch]

Is there a way to enter several chords per bar in JamStudio ? couldn't find it