Can Mixcraft and Band in a box work together?

[Veets]

Hi,

One of my friends I write with bought Band in a box. If I sent him a data file of my tracks, can band in a box read them through a plugin? I was hoping that he could add more tracks on his end and then I can transfer them into Mixcraft.

Thanks

[Acoustica Greg]

Hi,

You could mix down to stems (from the File menu) and create separate audio tracks, and then your friend could load those audio tracks and do the same for you.

Greg

[mbkeareny]

I use Mixcraft Pro 9 and BIAB together routinely. I usually start out in BIAB and generate backing tracks in a given style. I save these tracks as individual .wav files from BIAB and import them into Mixcraft. Often I go back to BIAB and add additional tracks from different styles for variety. In Mixcraft I add recorded audio tracks and live keyboard/guitar and prepare a final mix. I can then load this final mixdown back into BIAB which I use for live performing.

Basically to me, mixcraft sucks for live use. Not that BIAB is great, but I can use the mixed backing track from mixcraft for background, play the "chord video" with lyrics in BIAB and sing/play along. The BIAB "Juke box" feature works OK for this -- I set up a playlist for each set and step through the songs. Each song includes a BIAB file with the chord progression+lyrics, the mixed backing track .wav file from mixcraft, and a midi track in the BIAB file for setting up my keyboard and vocal processor. It loads instantly and is ready for playback, which unfortunately doesn't happen in Mixcraft. If I want to deviate from my playlist, I just load a song into BIAB and it finds the associated mixed backing track.

BIAB works best for generating tracks as it can maintain control over the basic song structure. I would always start there. Mixcraft is good for adding recorded tracks as you can use virtual intruments, recorded instruments/audio, all your affects and do mixdowns. Midi editing sucks in Mixcraft and is only slightly better in BIAB. For midi editing I export into a freeware "Midieditor" and then back.

Bottom line -- the two work great together, but I would recommend starting in BIAB, then add recorded tracks from Mixcraft to the foundation laid out in BIAB

[Ukcowboy2409]

BAIB has a Daw plugin, simply load MC add an instrument track, then search baib daw plugin in your instrument library, load the .Sgu/mgu file into the plugin and allow it to render them simply drag the master track into your MC track window and it will automatically load all tracks to individual stems in your MC. Alternatively if you only want a specific track or tracks then drag the individual tracks from the plugin to MC.

Hope this is of some help

[mbkeareny]

I've tried the BIAB plugin with varied success but after way too many crashes losing a lot of work, I prefer to just use BIAB and Mixcraft separately. I ultimately end up back in BIAB for live anyway after mixing down in Mixcraft. Believe me, it saves a LOT of frustrating time in the long run. I would love to find something that works better than BIAB for me for live, single-performer performances -- but I ain't found it yet.

[Mark Bliss]

Not exactly an answer, but perhaps some ideas:

I recently did a mastering project for an artist who creates backing tracks in BIAB for live performance purposes.
He created the tracks and mixed them down, and sent me a folder of wav files.

I sorted the order out, spaced them as he desired. The focus was on getting the tracks loudness levels evened out relative to each other, as he was having trouble with constantly having to adjust his PA on his stage rig. They required a hint of eq, but I think he had just mixed a little bass heavy, making them a little muddy.
I set the mixdown loudness in a modest range, since he was only competing with himself.

He converted the playlist wav file I sent him to high quality MP3 and loads it onto an iPad that feeds into his PA. The iPad sits on a mic stand accessory.
With a little practice he determined his vocal level and sorted his various guitar stuff out, and can just hit play and perform his gig, and hit pause if needed. (Between songs, improv chatting etc)

He was happy with the result.
(And I was impressed with the capability of BIAB. Some of his tracks were pretty good!)

[craigbuhlerjazz]

The BIAB plug in is a wonderful addition to Mixcraft. But, when I attempt to access a BIAB file, it does not load. Instead, it brings back a brand new, empty BIAB worksheet.
In the past, I have exported each individual instrument (dms, bass, gtr, pno) from BIAB as a .wav file and then loaded them into Mixcraft. Watching the YouTube tutorial led me to believe that a person could pull all the instruments from a finished BIAB arrangement over to Mixcraft using the the plug in.