Hi All

I know........
Why the heck would I use Band in a Box when I have Sonar....Right?

Well....
This program (Band in a Box, or, BIAB) has some really convenient and useful “practice tools” for getting your chops together “before” you record in Sonar (IMHO).

Anyway..

I was wondering if anyone uses, or knows the procedure that would allow me to use the sounds of my MO8 within a program like this.
It’s basically a midi program (though the more recent versions are using audio more and more)which utilizes the sound card of your computer or a DXI synth.
I find the MO8’s sounds (voices) far more superior than either of them and need instructions on how I can fire up my “BIAB” and automatically be set to access all the cool voices of my MO8.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Octaveman

BIAB is a great program, I use it to write songs.

This has been discussed here quite a bit and I uploaded a script that can be loaded into BIAB but that’s to select voices on a song by song basis which can get really tiring.

You should do some searching for GM mode and BIAB here because there are some good detailed instructions for getting into pattern mode with only GM voices available then BIAB would select voices according to styles used.

I don’t do that anymore, seems like you have to initialize a pattern and deselect everything except the GM sounds.

I export .mid files for a chord pattern in the different styles then import them into cubase where I can chop them up and try different voices etc. Works good.

Yea

I usually work in Sonar, which is an excellent program for my “serious” projects.
I use BIAB mostly for “practice sessions” or “shedding”.
Until I find a way to easily utilize the “import abilities of voices” with this program I’ll leave my “production” process with Sonar.

What I’m talking about here is a way to be able to use my MO8’s voices within BIAB as easily (or as close to “as easily") as selecting the GM voices on the VSC DXI card I’m currently using.

With the VSC DXI I don’t need to worry about assigning voices to each track as I go from song to song. It (the DXI) automatically knows what voices to play for every BIAB style I choose.

I’ve downloaded both the Motif ES, and the MO6/8 Patch Map available from the PG Music website.

Now, with these patch maps, am I not supposed to be able to access all the voices on my MO6/8 from BIAB, and have them assigned to the various styles within that program automatically?
Or am I way off on the purpose ond/or the ability of “Patch Maps?

Octaveman

You can get a patch script into BIAB seems like it can import sonar scripts...may be. I’m not sure how to modify the styles, if you can use the script selection method, or if it is all numbers.

You could find the voice you want to use, say an organ voice that you want for a certain style and look the program change/bank info in the mo voice list and type in the info when you edit your style.

There is a BIAB group on Yahoo Groups that has some advanced users who may offer some useful information.

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Band-in-a-Box/

Thanks Tacman7

I got the BIAB program to at least access the GM voices of my MO8 by way of the Patch map thats listed on the PG Music website.

Problem #2:

As I try to access the other voices of the MO (non GM voices), they are mapped totally incorrect (et al guitar plays organ and string voice plays brass etc).

Does Yamaha have an authentic MO8 patch map that could be downloaded for situations such as these?

Or do I have to figure out how to create a workable patch map for this situation myself?

Octaveman

Well I tried 3 times to upload a .ins file that I got off this board some time back that was written by Brad.

If you can find it here…

MO6_8Defn.ins

There is a utility for converting it to .pat file in the BB package.

It may be how I created my pat file, I’ll try and attach it

Mo6Tacman.zip  (File Size: 8KB - Downloads: 266)

Tacman7

I re-read your replies and realized that the patch map only accesses the GM voices of the MO6/8 while using BIAB.

I think Brad’s .ins file might be the same as the one available on the PG Music website. However, even if it was created by a different “author” (so to speak), it will still perform the same, (meaning it will only access MO6/8 GM voices while using BIAB)correct?

Tacman7, I’m really a bit confused as to why I can’t seem to access all of the voices of the MO6/8 while I’m playing a BIAB song within the BIAB program.

Why are the “MO6/8 non-GM” voices not matching up with the voice list derived from the MO6/8 .ins file?

Are you having (or did you ever have) any success accesssing these MO6/8 non-GM voices while playing a song within BIAB?

Octaveman

Right click the .pat file and open with notepad to look at it, it looks like everything is in there to me.

It worked for me.

Just been a while, so I can’t tell you exactly, seems like you have to put the .pat file in the BB directory then restart the program, can’t remember if you have to import it or just being there makes it part of the list but once you choose it, it should work. You need a pattern mode with all the voices available of course…

I’ll look at it the next time I’m in the studio and have some time, see if I’m missing something, brain cells you know.

OK, just looked at it in notepad, that’s a catagory list, so may not have every voice but organized by type.

It has a lot more than GM.

I have an excel file that I use to construct script files if you want to get into that to make your own.

Octaveman

Check your BIAB Options\Preferences\MIDI Options and make sure you do not have either “Send GM Mode on startup” or “Send XG Mode on startup” selected.  I can’t remember if the MO6/8 have a GM/XG mode or not, but I don’t think you would want to sent either one of those resets if you are trying to use a native voice patch map.

Also, under the Optons\Preferences\Arrange tab, you can choose whether you want a GM, XG, or no drum patch map for drum brushes.

Good luck !

Regards,

TN