View Poll Results: How many of you use BIAB or similar software for practice?
- Voters
- 135. You may not vote on this poll
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I use BIAB or a similar tool all the time
80 59.26% -
I rarely use them but it is helpful
39 28.89% -
Nah I play along with my old records man
16 11.85%
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Mike, because Miles only plays a few tunes. right?
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10-16-2014 07:24 PM
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I used an older version tons to jam along and learn real book tunes. There are/were files for volume 1 matching the book. It was a great help. I also used it for a William Leavitt book (melodic rhythmns I think) that someone shared the files for.
Now I use iRealBook on my phone. Thinking about getting a looper pedal too.
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Originally Posted by henryrobinett
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Nothing has to be an either/or proposition. Last night I was feeling good, having finished my taxes on the 15th (miserable ordeal that it is) and listening and playing along with tunes off the Bill Evans Trio "Waltz for Debby" CD. Like a masterclass from the guy I consider the most brilliant star in the jazz firmament. Every measure is like poetry.
But I think the videos and music I've heard created with percussion and bass tracks are pretty adequate for practice demos and rehearsals, though I have no direct experience with certain plug-in drum software for percussion with DAWs, for example.
So, unless I'm misinformed, the BIAB Ultrapak Plus with good jazz Real Tracks and other styles would cost around $470 for first timers, right? I'm expecting a pretty good tax refund, but given the crappy AGI to begin with in this economy, I guarantee my wife would kill me! Gotta win the damn Lottery...
Jay
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Biab has had a sale in December every year in the past for as long as I've been following them.
Last edited by fep; 10-20-2014 at 11:36 AM.
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I used to use BIAB often, but not so much anymore, and it doesn't work as well on a Mac.
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Thanks for that heads-up, FEP!
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Originally Posted by targuit
I bought the 2012 Megapack and it is fine for my needs. I bought it in 2013, one year old and for only $140.00 at the time.
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Originally Posted by zigzag
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BIAB Works great on my MacBook Pro. It has far more features than I will ever need but is great for creating a sequence that you can practise in any key at any speed. Downloading all the jazz standards files then lets you play around with all the songs you'll ever need.
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I have tried several times over the years and always wound up frustrated. I have been using Macs for 30 years, don't know how the PC version works, but the interface is confusing enough that I usually just say screw it and find a backing track.
The upgrades are pretty spendy, if you stay in the plus range, you are looking at around $200 every 12 months or so, and it's never much easier. The interface is just counter intuitive - you have to hunt all over to find repeats, intros, etc. Not saying it isn't capable of some good sounds, but the mix of computer vs. real instrumentation libraries was confusing and inconsistent (this works with this track, but defaults to that style if its not the real instrument track, etc) .... don't recall the specifics, I just couldn't make it work easily. I'm sure if I sat down for several hours, I could (and have) create something very nice and useful, but it just SHOULD work more intuitively. I use lots of complicated software without difficulty that requires reading the manual at times. I think BIAB could be much improved. And, I'm sure some have it down cold and wonder if I'm brain dead, or something. Oh, well.
I use Amazing Slow Downer for 90% of my transcription, Transcribe! if I want to watch a video in slo-mo, iRealbook for a quick and dirty loop of changes and the occasional loop pedal for a short 4 or 8 bar phrase that I want to practice the changes for. And, I have several tracks from Bobby's Backing Tracks, which are all extremely high quality, well recorded versions of more popular tunes, for when I want to play along with something of record quality - he puts together some great players and does nice tweaks and arrangements of lots of tunes I already like to play. If you've not looked at those, check them out.
I agree with Henry, you will own a tune much more quickly if you practice it without accompaniment - I can cheat pretty well with a backing track, but hearing the changes in your head and implying them with your lines is like doing CrossFit on guitar. It gets you in shape pretty fast!Last edited by yebdox; 10-19-2014 at 06:43 AM.
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I'm really sold on BIAB - I find it to be a valuable tool for practice, recording, arranging and for printing charts. Somehow, PG Music has developed "Real Tracks", which are based on recordings of some great players like Ron Carter, Kenny Baron and Lewis Nash (soloists include Phil Woods and Pat Martino). These aren't samples, but actual recordings - how they are manipulated so that they can be played back over any set of changes, in any key/tempo is beyond me, but they sound good and swing like crazy. At the very least, for practice purposes, BIAB makes a really cool metronome...
I've been rehearsing lately with a singer - lots of tunes, some I'm not very familiar with, none of which are in the original keys. It's really nice to be able to transpose them with a key stroke, and then print out a lead sheet in the new key.
The "PG Allstars" may be the ideal back-up band; like the old stage joke about drum machines (yeah, I'm an old guy),
they "never get paid, never get laid", don't disappear into the parking lot during breaks and are willing to put up with your soloing 'till the cows come home. Good clean fun...
Don
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I'm really sold on BIAB - I find it to be a valuable tool for practice, recording, arranging and for printing charts. Somehow, PG Music has developed "Real Tracks", which are based on recordings of some great players like Ron Carter, Kenny Baron and Lewis Nash (soloists include Phil Woods and Pat Martino). These aren't samples, but actual recordings - how they are manipulated so that they can be played back over any set of changes, in any key/tempo is beyond me, but they sound good and swing like crazy. At the very least, for practice purposes, BIAB makes a really cool metronome...
I've been rehearsing lately with a singer - lots of tunes, some I'm not very familiar with, none of which are in the original keys. It's really nice to be able to transpose them with a key stroke, and then print out a lead sheet in the new key.
The "PG Allstars" may be the ideal back-up band; like the old stage joke about drum machines (yeah, I'm an old guy),
they "never get paid, never get laid", don't disappear into the parking lot during breaks and are willing to put up with your soloing 'till the cows come home. Good clean fun...
In the meantime, I have so much accumulation of learning tools, that I will probably do better to use what I have, as well as follow Henry's advice more often.
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Originally Posted by zigzag
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I consider BIAB to be my best investment ever in my own music education. I've used it regularly since it first came out and upgrade every few years.
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For you BIAB users - I presume that you can see any of the tracks as notation, correct? Because that is so valuable.
I use Sibelius to create my own transcriptions and arrangements of jazz standards and to compose. I find using notation software and I presume BIAB (I've never used it yet) to be invaluable to my situation.
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targuit,
I can't speak for Real Tracks, since I don't have those, but in the standard BIAB, yes, you can see every part as notation. I've even printed out the piano part once or twice for my wife to play on piano while I played guitar (she's a classically-trained pianist who doesn't really have jazz chops or ear yet, so this was very helpful).
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Originally Posted by nosoyninja
Last edited by reventlov; 10-25-2014 at 05:08 PM.
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Originally Posted by henryrobinett
Index of /biab/jazz
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Whoa!! Thank you!! I'm on a gig right now. I'll check this out tomorrow! Thanks!!!
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Originally Posted by Stevebol
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I think you have to open these document with BIAB installed on your computer, then you can hear the backing track and I assume, adjusted it to your taste (e.g.) remove an instrument, change tempo, add an instrument etc...
I have not tried it yet, but will later today.
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Originally Posted by henryrobinett
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Originally Posted by AlsoRan
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I switched from a PC to a MacBook several years ago. I've had more problems locking up on the MacBook, but I have, apparently, been overruled. Perhaps everyone else has newer versions. But, as I said, I don't use it much anymore.
Last edited by zigzag; 10-27-2014 at 07:51 AM.
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