MIDI Files for Faster Styles - BIAB

In this video BIAB MIDI Styles for Faster Styles I show how you can import a MIDI file to create a style that you can use in creating songs. This is especially useful if you can't find the style you're looking for in the re-arranged BIAB style Paks. The quality of your MIDI file is important but this works across all genres of music.
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[@richardingraham6264]

Thanks Henry. I have used midi files included with BIAB and assigned real tracks to those files, but never used a famous song for this. Great extra step. I'm 71 years old but still love making music. I appreciate you.

[@henryclarke5407]

Thanks

[@stevekobb3850]

Henry -- May you live for a thousand years.

[@henryclarke5407]

Well that would be a stretch but maybe the videos will love on . hahahahahaha

[@Capt-Cran]

Henry's at it again!!!!!!!!!!! ... great video!!

[@henryclarke5407]

Thanks again!

[@KennethGonzalez]

Always great thoughts and tips, Henry! Well done 👍😁

[@timkearsley]

Thanks for the pointer regarding loading the chords never thought of doing it that way round cheers my good man

[@henryclarke5407]

Even without MIDI files I still type the chords in FIRST before I audition style. I've had a lot of success doing it this way and even discovered some new ways to do a cover that I had never thought of before.

[@slipperedlobster]

My oh My.... You did it Henry. Nice presentation, clear and precise. You are my hero.

[@henryclarke5407]

Thank you kindly!

[@hammingus]

Nice! But isn’t the „new style“ you saved there the same than the style you initially picked? I thought a style defined the instruments contained and the way to play these (maybe rhythms, voicings etc.). So what difference of a result does you new style do to a new chord progression (or midi file) compared to the original style? Style is progression independent, or is it not. Thanks a lot for clarifying! Great videos!

[@ilblues]

I have yet to read the manual, but watched a half dozen of your videos, and already producing better tracks than I ever did with Jammer Pro. You inspired a parody - most start by mishearing a lyric ... "You got a screen so bright, you could of been a Kindle" ... but I couldn't do that to Smokey.

[@henryclarke5407]

Nice lyric. Keep plugging. It's fun !!

[@djba]

Thanks Henry … this is really good information.

[@adrianjarratt]

Brilliant tips - thanks Henry!

[@henryclarke5407]

Hope the work for ya !!

[@williamburns7336]

nice to see you back on my pc

[@henryclarke5407]

Thanks. Glad to be back :-)

[@Habanero212]

Hi Henry. thank you for this very informative video. There aren't alot of solid BiaB content creators, much less in our age bracket. My question is, do you have a preferred site(or sites) that you like to go to for midi files? back in the 90s there were tons but I'm not having alot of luck.

[@henryclarke5407]

Hi. Yes I discussed MIDI file in this video. Hope it helps kzbin.info/www/bejne/oKqZoZiarcurnpo

[@Jgear28]

Thank you, Henry. You have saved me so much stress and time with your very insightful tutorials. This info is a true game changer for me.

[@henryclarke5407]

Thanks

[@songwriterdermotmcmahon4522]

Terrific information Henry. I’ve been going over your video all evening using my band in a box..some really great ideas using midi files which I didn’t realise were possible!

[@henryclarke5407]

I do this all the time. It helps a lot.

[@dat-projeckt]

Thank you for this and all other Lessons, Heinz from Germany (75 Years old)

[@henryclarke5407]

Welcome!

[@fldrummerman]

Henry....my hero!

[@henryclarke5407]

Thanks !!

[@munggebrot]

Combining theory and practice: Henry does it Best BIAB content. Thanks.

[@henryclarke5407]

Glad you think so!

[@genelesage5350]

Hey Henry, Love you bro! I've been wood shedding this video for days now. Finally making my own styles are starting to happen! God Bless you my friend and keep on keeping on.

[@henryclarke5407]

Thanks, Glad it was helpful.

[@AdrianGeorges]

Thanks, very helpful. What would be interesting, is to add little changes to the saved style. But it is a lot more easier than beginning totally from scratch.

[@henryclarke5407]

The goal is to get away from programming. Yes you can edit the style but for me I'd rather mold my music to the existing style. I'm trying to keep programming to a minimum.

[@TommyBlue-vs5et]

So,... i look now some of your videos and the declarations - and i have to speak out a compliment for your kind of bringing the technique into a simple and understanding form. I'm no musician and i tinker my songs with failplay on keyboard and repare the import on my DAW. But some songs in my mind i couldn't get out, because of the missing science of the chord-universe (i'm better with lyrics). Now i think this could be possible with your training, ideas and maybe BiaB 2023 in next days. Thank you for the music and also your teachin' and motivation to me. Greetings from germany and sorry for my english :-) (learned only from songs, not school or lessons). Tommy Blue

[@henryclarke5407]

Greetings my friend. I'm glad the videos help.

[@trevschannel2135]

Thanks Henry. You’re the man.👍👍👍

[@henryclarke5407]

Glad to help

[@SuperLeonSax]

Nice Tip, Thank you 😊

[@angelvelazquez1537]

Hey Henry, Thanks for your pointer, to what you just went over, I would use it with the new 2024 new features. Like the "MultiPicker" (F7). With this you can even refine the instrument selection even more for the style your creating. Peace!!!!

[@henryclarke5407]

I finally have 2024 and did use it. It's a pretty good function.

[@hammingus]

Please excuse (somehow I can’t edit my own posts on my ipad, as it seems). Do you save the „new“ style only to be able to find it easier? Because the style is no different than the style you initially loaded, is it?

[@jjason]

Thanks Henry

[@henryclarke5407]

You're welcome. Hope it was helpful.

[@johnmack3017]

I absolutely loved this tutorial. You are a great teacher. But where do you get the midi files in the first place?

[@henryclarke5407]

Please view and see if this helps kzbin.info/www/bejne/oKqZoZiarcurnposi=5yu91IqpvWgOm4V5

[@johnmack3017]

It certainly does. Thanks again.​@@henryclarke5407

[@jpdunn76]

man I always like what you have to say !!!

[@henryclarke5407]

Thank You.

[@zedxxx9]

Maybe I'm missing something, but it seems like you simply used the stylepicker to present you with BIAB styles most similar to "My Guy", and then you selected the one you liked best and then renamed it as a new style. Did the MIDI have anything to do with anything other than to allow you to hear the styles with the chords of your intended song?

[@henryclarke5407]

You missed the whole point. The MIDI file was loaded FIRST then I used styles in the stylepicker to match the feel of the MIDI file. Once I did that I saved that as a style to be reused as I see fit.

[@zedxxx9]

@@henryclarke5407 -- I don't think I missed the point. My point is that you didn't actually use the MIDI file for anything other than reference, and in the end simply renamed an existing BIAB style. What would be really cool is if BIAB (like a Toontrack product) could do it's best to match the feel of your imported MIDI file to present the closest bass, drum and supporting Realtracks that most closely match the MIDI file so that a totally new style can be saved which gives you the best options on a track by track basis.

[@henryclarke5407]

The MIDI file is what set up the feel. That is the point. To use the MID file for reference. If you just played the style by itself it would work as well. Have you tried it?@@zedxxx9

[@zedxxx9]

@@henryclarke5407 -- I'm gonna try it both ways to try to understand what could cause it be different. I'll get back to you. Thanks!

[@losackmd]

Hi Henry, is it possible to create an entirely different style or use/import a midi file from a Professional Arranger ( Korg, yamaha ) to create a BIAB style using that midi data? Can real players be inserted into this NEW STYLE instead of the GENERIC Midi instruments? On the other hand , Audio can be recorded from a Professional Arranger ( all accompanying parts ) into GarageBand and also an MP3 can be created from a PA. I know Garageband can use BIAB as a VST or AU. Can these audio tracks from a GENOS or KORG style be imported into BIAB and real players used on those AUDIO tracks? kindly send me a link how to do this. If so ill buy BIAB for mac.. I appreciate your time and experience thank you very very very much

[@henryclarke5407]

You asked for a lot of separate functions and I don't have a single video that encompasses them all. I will just say that BIAB accepts MIDI data, it accepts audio wavs, and MP3s, and all of these can be manipulated. However, with what you wrote I can't see why you even want to get into all the programming. If you have everything on the Korg and Yamaha, plus I assume you have these going to vst's and maybe audio vocals in a DAW. why bother. BTW. I don't sell BIAB. I just try to help those that have already purchased get though the many facets of the product.

[@djba]

Hi … I have a similar question related to arranger keyboards. Can you use a style file from an arranger keyboard as a style file in BIAB? I just watched a video created by Yamaha about their (free) Midi to Style software tool. It allows you to take a midi song and convert it to a style file that can be used in an arranger keyboard. My understanding is that arranger keyboard style file are midi files with an added component that tells the arranger how to use the midi file. I am wondering if the BIAB style file is similar.

[@user-hz5rq5xj3z]

Excellent as always, thank you! Can you or another subscriber comment on how this might apply to Mac 2022 BiaB? I've seen in other Mac vs. Windows BiaB differences that similar features may be available but through a different set of Menus. My 2022 BiaB Mac Stylemaker only offers 2 options: "New - Make A New Style" and "Edit A Style". While its 'make a new style' then provides a grid of individual instruments' patterns that I presume are for literally changing or adding specific beats or hits to each.

[@mailghall]

I noticed the same thing with my 2024 Mac version. Thanks for pointing that out.

[@henryclarke5407]

I'm sorry. Since I don't have a Mac version I'm not able to comment and help you. That may be a question for PG Music help desk.

[@RonLWilson]

Cool!

[@henryclarke5407]

Thaks. Hope you get the chance to try it.

[@luismora7486]

Bravoooo

[@ryanbo4045]

Thanks Henry, but I don't understand, I am missing something. It looks like you use the midi file just to have the chords from it and just to listen and compare to the BIAB style, is it true? And then you muted that midi channel. Then you loaded a BIAB style, you played it and then saved that BIAB style under a new name called MYGUY.STY without any data from the midi. So my confusion is: How did you have anything from the midi file into your new style? I don't see it. You basically just saved the BIAB style into a new name MYGUY.STY but you had nothing from the midi file incorporated into the new style; that's what I don't understand. haha I hope you understand my questions. Thanks in advance if you could reply.

[@dennyps1]

Hi Henry 👋 really great video! I'm a new viewer and also a KZbin creator, and I appreciate your video skills as well as your Band in the box skills. As of yet, I am not a band in the box owner yet, but I've been considering it for a while. Since you're obviously very fluent in BIAB, I have a question for you. I am putting together a live solo show featuring me on guitar and keyboards on different songs along with mp3 tracks (for backing tracks) I'll be playing live with from my laptop, leaving a hole in the mix for my piano/guitar & vocal. Note I have full capability of rendering a mix to mp3. I have hundreds of stored midi files and also a Yamaha workstation in which I can create any midi file/song I'd like to feature in my show. However, it can be quite labor intensive. It seems like, according to your video, BIAB would speed up the process? After going to the BIAB website, I am confused as to which add ons I will need to accomplish what you have so eloquently done with this video. Obviously, I'd like to keep the cost to a minimum on the features I dont need. Which add ons would you recommend? Thanks in advance for your time and a great presentation 👍

[@henryclarke5407]

The key is to have a large selection of "RealTracks". The MIDI capability is in all versions but without the Realtracks the sound won't be as good. If you can afford I always recommend Ultrapak. I really don't believe in trying to piece the program together with a bunch of add-ons. I think in the long run it gets more expensive. Check out this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/sKGyhZapd8Sjftksi=AZEwporw9Ai4-vtT

[@dennyps1]

@@henryclarke5407 Thank you

[@sscisom]

Thank you so much! (#CovertActionMusic)

[@henryclarke5407]

Thanks for watching.

[@jerryg7491]

Amen brother

[@henryclarke5407]

:-)

[@Kadimaolalla]

One question. Where i can download mídi files ?

[@henryclarke5407]

Here ya go kzbin.info/www/bejne/oKqZoZiarcurnpo

[@ricobass0253]

OK, but where do you get your midi(s) to start the whole thing off?

[@henryclarke5407]

Try This kzbin.info/www/bejne/oKqZoZiarcurnpo

[@fldrummerman]

Where do you get the midi files???

[@henryclarke5407]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/oKqZoZiarcurnpo

[@waldemarpawlik1458]

Henry, I don't get it. If you already have a MIDI file of a particular song, why go and mess with it?

[@henryclarke5407]

It's the style you want. Not the song. If you have the STYLE you can write YOUR OWN song in that style. The goal is not to duplicate the MIDI song but use it as a basis for creating your own composition. Does that make sense?

[@duesenberger]

Thx for this video. Just a question for understanding. At 8:40 You say ther would be no style associated with the song but when I look at the interface I see "X ZZJAZZ.STY Jazz Swing Style" under MYBABYT. Is that an empty style?

[@henryclarke5407]

Yes. That's just a leftover style from something else I was doing. But REMEMBER !. There is no style enabled until I use the style I created in the video. I hope that makes sense . :-)