![]() I then discovered they had separate apps for Jazz and Acoustic Guitar for $0.99 each (they also have a piano app for $0.99). ![]() I purchased the Session Band app for under $3 and then did an in app purchase for all styles for just under $6. I don’t know if the author plans to increase the price but right now it is a bargain. It seems to be a new product that was released in June 3013. I just recently discovered Session Band app for iPad. There’s no easy going back and changing the chords or the feel of the music. minor pentatonic) force only those scale notes to be played as you pluck or strum the strings or virtually pound the keyboards.īut when you’re done you’ve got a multi-track sound file which is now stuck in the musical style you selected. Alternatively you play single notes and by choosing a scale (e.g. You can add tracks for drums, orchestra, keyboards and all allow you to auto play chords in several styles. It’s available both as an iLife app for Macs and an iOS app for your iPad or iPhone. ![]() Still, if you can live with that, and can live with sort of playing the auto-accompaniment then it’s a good tool. There are only a small selection of instruments and styles supported and chords are limited to the harmonized scale for the key you choose. However, if you want automation then this product is very limited. Among them, you can create backing tracks fairly easily. Garage Band is reasonably priced and has a lot of features. If you’re a Windows user, you’re out of luck with this Apple product. It may be fun if you’re not a musician but I don’t want to pretend I’m playing a virtual keyboard, I just want a blues progression in a shuffle rhythm – what ever. Many of the iOS and Android tools I’ve seen require you to string loops together or to “play” a virtual instrument in order to generate a backing track. If this were pre-computer days I would want to either be able to call out the chord changes I wanted, or I want to write down the chords – at most a lead sheet with chords and a melody line. Once you’ve made a track, you’re stuck regarding style unless you start over. You essentially must become a sound editor to use this. There are many cool and useful things you can do with this type of software if you are so inclined but for me, it fails as an easy solution for creating automated backing tracks. Sony Acid also allows you to combine midi tracks with the audio tracks. But I’m really using this as an example of loop, midi and audio edition software that allows you to arrange, stretch and pitch change musical snippets as sound file loops. … and other Audio, Midi and Loop and Editing Software. So far, Impro-visor isn’t available on tablets. The advantages of Impro-Visor are that the software is free and is available on Windows, Mac and Linux. ![]() There are fewer styles to choose from and like older versions of BIAB, but unlike options for the new versions, the music generated is pure midi. The interface isn’t as intuitive as BIAB and the accompaniments generated aren’t as good. But it can also be used as auto-accompaniment software. It was written as a tool for jazz education to help students study improvisation. First, some of the other alternatives for Windows or Mac laptops (or bigger computers). What has me excited is a new series of iPad apps that are nearly as easy to use as BIAB and a lot less expensive. But you get what you pay for and BIAB (as it is often known) may be worth it to you. There are a number of alternatives available on different platforms with prices from free to not very much, all a lot less than Band-in-a-Box. Sell a guitar to buy Band-in-a-Box? I don’t think so! But if you buy extra styles it can run hundreds of dollars – money I no longer have available for software. The good news is Band-in-a-Box is available for both Macs and Windows. But that was a computer I used three computers ago. I purchased a copy years ago and paid for multiple upgrades. If you have the money and are serious about music, it’s worth it. The major problem with Band-in-a-Box is it is expensive. You can even edit the band that is playing by muting some instruments or replacing one instrument with another. Among the cool features are the ability to change the style, change the key and change the speed. This type of software is great for song writers as wells as for musician’s who can’t always practice with a band. You type in the chords to your song, select the style and tempo and it plays back an accompaniment. I’ve been looking for a good replacement to Band-in-a-Box. The gold standard for automated accompaniment software is Band-in-a-Box from PG Music.
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