Band-In-A-Box (BiaB), Jammer, etc. ... and Sonar

What wrong with coming up with these things your self!!! more satisfaction and a sense of pride and achievement.
 
Peace and Love Ben B.CT (Bachelor Of Creative Technology)

DrHash: I've written to many new songs from scratch and I need other genres besides re-inventing the Philip-wheel.  The whole-thing-from-scratch is getting old ... (AKA, "there's nothing new under the sun")

NoKey: Thanks, I'm thinking of Biab ... (for reasons I hashed to DrHash.  I find I can take a beat with just a few triad chords are go crazy with creativity.
 
Currently I'm toying with free progressions from: http://www.schoolofguitar.com/soloing.htm

NoKey: I just found some useful stuff at http://www.torvund.net/guitar/index.php?page=prog&prid=6,  and have started a sketch with it.

Based on your input, I'll probably $pring for the BiB (to learn 'other' genres besides 'Philip' ... using chords from song-theory pop charts etc. 

I looked at Jammer but wasn't impressed.

Thanks so much NoKey for your chiming.

I feel the same way. I have used bib for about 5 or 6 years upgrading when the offers were too good to resist. I have found it to be a great learning tool. I am not a bass player or a drummer and have used it to generate those tracks. I found the chord input to be tedious but well worth it after you drop all the midi tracks into Sonar and make the arrangement come alive. I can't tell you how amazing it becomes when using Steve SLate Drums and Kontakt sounds for the synths. It's night and day. I add the vocals and it really changes everything. I feel it's a great beginning tool in the song creation process when I need drums and bass for the mix.  There are tons of tutorials and learning tools that I too wish I had more time to use. I probably only know one half of one percent of this program the same could be siad of Kontakt and sonar but hey that's life! I have never regretted buying it either and btw they are very nice company with great customer service. Good luck

Thanks again, NoKey, SleepingAngel, and Djjhart (I'm researcing Catanya and Harmonizer now).

I suppose Catanya is faster (on the fly) while BiaB must be written outside Sonar and offer$ more genres and costs 10x as much. 

Ah decisions decisions!

Have  a look at JAMMER PRO. I'v been using it successfully for many years.

It requires Chord entry but it can be done from a drop down list and its neat hopw you can experiment with chord variations and just generate a new melody, bass line or any other accompaniament, whatever you want.

In 32 bit SONAR there's also the JAMMER MFX plugin which allows you to use SONAR's softsynths but use JAMMER's features to generaste the music. Awesome.

Skyline:  I will look again ...  but, I am 64bit and have had serious issues with Catanya (last night) ... as per other threads.

Mudgel:  I certainly will study (Jammer Pro) more carefully this round.  Thanks so much for your validation!  The future appears (to me) to be studio MIDI for non-vox music components.  Again, I'm a 64bit junky hoping to integrate venerable 32-bit VSTs (via bitbridge jbridge) if/when feasible.

NoKey: I'll give PG a call today.  I'm seriously considering the USB-HD version of something.  I'd hate to go all out ($650 for the BIB 'Audiophile') and get the Real-This and Real-That when I already have adequate EWQL samplers.

Jammer Pro plugin on SONAR shows up as an MFX ie MIDI FX and it wont run through bitbridge or jBridge, It will only run in 32 bit. soundtrek were a long time getting to the plugin stage but as for 64 bit I can't see it happening. I've asked a few times without any positive response.

I run both 32 and 64 bit version of SONAR and JAMMER is the only reason I have left to run 32 bit. Once I have generated the MIDI files I want I just open them in the 64 bit version and away I go. there's no real problem doing it this way.

One more vote for Jammer, as I used it for a bit and had a good experience with it.  As with all tools of this sort, you have to work with it and understand it to get the most out of it, but I personally found that Jammer would create some interesting and very musical variations.  Good luck with the decision!

I wouldn't be too enthusiastic about audiophile edition...

Much bigger files to load, slower, and more storage, for most practical uses.

Also, I'm not to enthusiastic either of the usb hard disk, specially if it does not have a power supply and wants to run off from usb power, where some laptops or pcs may not have enough juice.

For instance, if it comes in hd, I'd still have to make a backup of it, otherwise if I use if as such, what to do when that little hd fails? I also prefer to run these types of softwares from bigger, faster drives that are not too expensive nowdays, and serve additional purposes, with much bigger storage.

Just a couple of thoughs in case they have not been considered.

Thanks for the clarifications, garigus.

My view is that even though they are great features, if they are not needed and cost extra, and just keep them there with no use, then why get them?

I agree BiB is a great product. But options need to be checked well, if it matters to the budget. And boy, do they have variations in options!

Thanks for chiming, Statman, NoKey, Garrigus,

Well, as per you guys, I don't care for the Real-stuff either (I love lofi Beatscape, hifi SuperiorDrums2-64, and hords of the hifi EWQL stuff).  

Garrigus, Its great to know one has the low-fi (WMA) quality option.  The BiaB Audiophile USB HD is 7200 RPM on a 1.5TB HD ... unlike the other slower BiaB USB HDs (5600).  I doubt I'll be moving Real-Samples (wav files) onto my Alienware pc with SSD nor Envy laptop.

NoKey: There may be a usage for hi-fidelity Real wav files for certain instruments or genres ... one sweet song (for me) might be worth the extra $300 in the long run. 

TBH,
1) Time and disk space is also preciou$: Installing BiaB from 10-80 GBytes of DVDs probably sucks.  (I tolerated 10Gbytes of SuperiorDrummer2 and a lot of EWQL freakiness)

2) on multiple computer$ DVD installations may be illegal ... vs plug and play on any computer with a USB (dongle-like) convention.

3) My other agendas ... possibly ... to accidentally find ad-hoc means of inspiring quality song sketches/riffs ... or instrument grooves (wavs (for some instruments), WMAs, etc. and not just MIDIs) ... may be fruitful for multi genre ambitions ... I don't know. 

4) I'd like to know what the bass player and fiddle player sounds like 'live' in BiaB during intros, grooves, etc. before exporting a bass or fiddle (MIDI) for EWQL Ministry of Rock guitar samples.

5) Country genre: I'm hoping to learn country and/or 'discover' a realistic country instrument sample in BiaB (which EWQL does not have) that may become a dominant riff or something (exported) for Sonar polishing.  (My country guitar skills here are limited)

I would suggest you listen to a song or songs you are inspired by, and find the chords on a keyboard. then, make it your own thing.

BB King's biggest tip to new artist - "borrow from somebody you love" :)

Thanks Lance and djjhart!