Computer music is too big a subject to be examined in the space of a single web page. Think about the huge specialized web sites, such as
Harmony
Central, that need many web pages to discuss completely this subject, it is so complicated: this is why in recently software has became more and more "specialized". The age of "all-in-one" software programs is gone: programs today are professional, trying to satisfy the growing immediate needs of users. Programmers have succeeded in creating professional level sequencers such as Cubase and Cakewalk, that are like a complete recording studio, since they can easily integrate MIDI (which is not as popular now)and audio. Other programs, called audio editors, can easily elaborate, edit and clean any kind of audio file. The most famous programs of this kind are Wavelab and Sound Forge. Classical musicians will find useful programs in score editors such as Finale or Sibelius, perfect for score editing and printing. In recent years, finally, many plug-ins, such as VST-instrument, are becoming more and more numerous: these are small programs that can transform MIDI data into audio...You could lose yourself in the technology!!!
Talking about the features of each of these programs, really professional, but also rather complicated, would require several web pages, and anyway there are whole newsgroups, books and videotapes devoted to the most popular of these programs.
For all who are interested in these subjects, there is the recent and complete
www.audiopro.it,
(in Italian), with a forum, a chat, reviews, news, musical e-commerce, second-hand music market...
For many years I've been a supporter of this program, which is now in version 10.0. Band-in-a-Box is a "software arranger": in other words an automatic accompaniment program, today still unsurpassed in ease of use and the musical quality it achieves.
This site is a member of WebRing.
To browse visit
Here.
What is Band-in-a-Box? Suppose you're a singer, or you play guitar, or any other solo instrument, and you need for an accompaniment for practice that is always available, with the right features (musical style, rhythm, key...) for the tune you are going to play or sing. Here is where Band-in-a-Box works: all you have to do is to put the chords (even the most sophisticated ones) at the right place, in a grid similar to a spreadsheet, choose the musical style (there are hundreds available together with the program), the tempo, and the key. Band-in-a-Box will do the rest: the software will create a professional level accompaniment, according to your desires, by a virtual MIDI group, including piano, bass, drums, strings and rhythm guitar, with a large choice of possibilities.
This has been, since its birth, the main scope of Band-in-a-Box. During the years (and the versions) many other features have been added, making it even more attractive.
This is the list of the main features, updated at Version 10:
Automatic soloing: select the soloist you prefer (more than 100 available), and BIAB will create and play a solo in that style.
Automatic songs: BIAB can create a new song in the style you prefer, complete with intro, chords, melody, arrangements and improvisations.
Standard musical notation:with printing of chords, melody and lyrics.
Audio track: you may add your voice or any instrument to the BIAB songs.
Guitar support: BIAB can create guitar chord solos; guitar tablature (on screen or printable) is available.
Automatic harmonization:
You may harmonize the melody line or what you are playing in real time: this way it's so easy to play like Wes Montgomery or Joe Pass...
CD recording tool.
The program is by the musical and informative skills of Peter Gannon, jazz guitarist very cool in informatics related to musical tuition. He has founded
PG
Music Inc. and this software house is now the best in the subject: computer & musical teaching and learning. In the large catalogue of PG Music you may find useful tools to learn more about jazz, pop, blues and classical music: these are some titles: Jazz Piano MasterClass, Jazz
Guitar MasterClass, Master Jazz Guitar Solos, The Blues Guitarist, The Rock
Guitarist, Sor Studies for Classical Guitar, The Bach Chorales, The Rock
Saxophonist, The Jazz Saxophonist, The Pianist, The Modern Jazz Pianist, The
Latin Pianist, The Gospel Pianist, The New Orleans Pianist, The Latin Pianist,
The Blues Pianist, The New Age Pianist...
The following links may be very useful for BIAB users:
PG
Music: PG Music home page: you may find here the latest news, updating patches, patches for various languages (Italian included), and much more related to BIAB.
The
Style Librarian :the Canadian Denis Ladouceur has created this software that may be very useful if you have many styles: the program can organize them by category (jazz, pop, country, classical and so on...) so you may find them more easily.
Norton
Music and MIDI Home Page: commercial web site by an American musician (but his grandparent's surname was Nardiccione, and his family is from Avellino, near Naples, Italy!): he is very good at creating wonderful musical styles and fake books for BIAB.
Song+Style
Launcher for Band-In-A-Box:
German commercial web site: they have created a utility tool for a better organization of the styles, a real problem for BIAB since its beginning.
ABC
and Band-in-a-Box Music Files: Alf Warnock is, like me,a Celtic music lover and uses (very well!) BIAB: At his site there is a complete collection of Celtic music in BIAB format.
MMissary:
this web page, by Marty Ward, is so full of songs and styles for BIAB...Probably actually it's the richest one!
Phantom
styles: this ghost has a web page full of BIAB styles....
Alisdair
MacRae Birch: he is a jazz guitarist, composer and teacher, very expert about everything having to do with BIAB. He is also the promoter of the:
Computer music is too big a subject to be examined in the space of a single web page. Think about the huge specialized web sites, such as
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