User Guide

Chapter 6: Band-in-a-Box PowerGuide
101
To use keystrokes, type the caret symbol [^] before the chord. The caret symbol is located above the numeral 6 on
your computer keyboard.
- Type a single caret to get a chord an eighth note before the beat, e.g., ^C7.
- Type a double caret to get a chord a sixteenth note before the beat, ^^C7.
Part Markers
Part markers are used to indicate a substyle change or to insert drum fills.
Part markers
and are placed on the chordsheet to indicate a new part of the song. They may be placed at the
beginning of any bar.
Placing Part Markers
- Move the highlight cell to the bar that you want the part marker at. Then press the P key. Repeatedly pressing
the P key will toggle between part markers or no part marker, or
- Position the mouse cursor directly over the bar line (or an existing Part Marker). Then, click the left mouse
button. Repeat this procedure to toggle among the A, B, and NO PART MARKER options.
Changing Substyles
Each style has 2 available substyles
and . The song continues to play in one substyle until it encounters a new
part marker, or on second choruses (see below). There is always a part marker at bar 1 so that Band-in-a-Box knows
which substyle to begin with.
Substyle
is usually used for the verse of a song.
Substyle
is usually used for the bridge of a song, and for soloing in the middle choruses. The entire middle
choruses of the song will be automatically played in the “b” substyle.
Placing Drum Fills
A one bar drum fill will occur in the bar preceding a part marker. If you want a drum fill at bar 7 of a song, you
insert a part marker on the bar after the bar with the drum fill (i.e. Bar 8). You can either retain the original substyle
or change the substyle (a or b) when you place the part marker.
Song Settings Dialog
The [S] button on the main screen will bring up the Song Settings dialog. The keystrokes Ctrl+N key or
the Edit | Settings (for This Song)… menu command also brings up this window.
Here, you can choose from various song settings such as chorus embellishments, tag jumps, and endings, to make
your song interesting and varied.
These are additional song settings that are saved with the song.
Vary Style in Middle Choruses
If set to “Yes” the song will play in substyle “b” for all but the first and last choruses. For example, in the Jazz
Swing style, since the “b” substyle is swing, all of the middle choruses will have swing bass, whereas the “a”
substyle is playing half notes on the bass.
If set to “No” the middle choruses will play “a” and “b” substyles exactly as they appear in the song as outlined by
the part markers.
Allow Pushes in Middle Choruses
This is most frequently used if there are pushes in a song (indicated by the “^” symbol), but you don't want these
pushes to play in the middle choruses. Simply set the checkbox to “No” (disabled) and the pushes will be ignored in
the middle choruses. This is to allow for uninterrupted soloing choruses.
Allow Rests in First/Middle/Last Chorus
These parameters allow you to decide which choruses will play any rests that are present in a song (indicated by the
“.” symbol). For example, you may have put rests into a song but don't want the rests to play in the middle
choruses, since you are using them for soloing: simply set the ALLOW RESTS IN MIDDLE CHORUSES checkbox
to “No” (off).
Allow Pedal Bass in Middle Choruses
This determines whether Pedal Bass effect will be allowed in middle choruses.