Then select "Ok - send to BIAB".īand-in-a-Box will be populated with the chords from the Audio Chord Wizard. Double check that the tempo is more or less what you have already determined. Play the MP3 and set the first bar of the song. Firstly get hold of the MP3 of the original song and use the Audio Chord Wizard inside BIAB to help you figure out the basic chords, key and structure. For the rest of us, we can use some tools at our disposal. If you can figure chords out by ear then by all means go ahead and do it that way.
Now is the tricky part (well for some of us anyway) which is to figure out the key and the chords. Simply count the number of beats for one minute and that is the tempo. Next determine the tempo of the original song. For this song, I decided on an even beat. Anyway, the point it is you should decide on an even or a swing beat and stick with that decision throughout the song. If it feels like the notes are alternatively lengthening and shortening then it probably swings.
If you feel like sashay-ing then it is probably has some "swing" in it. Does it make you want to sashay across the room or does it make you want to bunny hop across the room. I am rather talking about the feel or "groove" of the song. Now I am not talking about the type of party you sometimes go to where you put your car keys in a hat and go home with the person whose keys you later draw out of said hat. Next you need to figure out if the original song is a "swinger" or not and whether you want your cover song to "swing" or not. There are other more unusual types of meter but you will probably survive with these for now. This particular song is in 4/4 time. If you feel like you want to count ONE, two, three, four, five, six, ONE, two, three, four, five, six then it is most likely in 6/8 time. If you end up counting ONE, two, three ONE two, three then the song is probably a waltz and is in 3/4 time. (It may be in 2/2 or 2/4 but don't worry too much about that). If you can count ONE, two, three, four, ONE, two, three,four etc.then the song is in all likelihood in 4/4. Many many many MANY songs will be in 4/4 so try this first.
The first task is to figure out if the song is in 4/4 time (ie it has four beats in every bar of four beats). Determine meter, tempo, chords and key of the original song If you want to learn the complete process in detail, please check out my video course First song with Band-in-a-Box for windowsġ. So, here is a short summary of the steps I took to produce this cover. Here is his version of "Auld Lang Syne"Īnd here is my cover version of this song.
#BAND IN A BOX FOR DUMMIES FULL#
I seem to be going through a bit of a James Taylor phase at the moment and found a Christmas album recorded by Taylor in 2006 that is simply chock-a-block full of James Tayler-ish interpretations of some classic Christmas tunes. It is by association, also sung at funerals, graduations and farewells. The poem was written in 1788 and is generally used to sing out the old year and welcome in the new one. The one I did this year is based the Robbie Burns poem "Old Lang Syne" set to the tune of a traditional folk song.
In this blog I am going to take you through the steps that I use to record a cover song using Band-in-a-Box and RealBand.Įvery year I record a public domain Christmas song. This is my last blog post of the year and I will be back in 2018 refreshed and ready to write. Hello Band-in-a-Box lovers! I hope you have had an awesome and musical 2017 and that 2018 will be just as productive.
#BAND IN A BOX FOR DUMMIES HOW TO#
If you want a detailed step-by-step guide on how to make and perform with Band-in-a-Box backing tracks, have a look at my eBook "Band-in-a-Box 101: A beginners guide to making and performing with Band-in-a-Box backing tracks"