Technical Support FAQ:
Other Products for Windows and Macintosh

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Last updated:  Friday, 08 April 2022

Most Common Topics

• I am having trouble downloading files from your site.
• What is the Roland Virtual Sound Canvas, and what is the difference between the VSC and VSC-DXi?
• How do I access all of the patches available in the Roland VSC and VSC-DXi?
• I am having trouble playing the video tutorials.
• How do I use the Video Guitar Lesson programs?
• Can I copy the Multimedia Performance or Master Class programs to my hard drive and run them without the CD?
• During installation of the Roland VSC on Windows XP I receive the message "The software you are installing has not passed Windows Logo testing".
• "Problem reading Define.Txt" error after installing an update patch for one of the Multimedia or MasterClass programs.
• When I try to install some programs, the CD just spins in the drive, or nothing happens when I try to run the installer.

All Topics

1. What is MIDI?
2. What is digital audio?
3. Why do I get an "incorrect MPLAY.DLL version" error when I exit the MIDI Driver Setup dialog?
4. The MIDI files in the program folder only have 3 digit numbers for names. How do I tell what their true names are?
5. I get an "Eres Not Found" error message when I try to run one of the Multimedia Performance programs.
6. I get an "Error 193" when I try to install the Roland VSC on my Macintosh.
7. How do I install the Multi-MPU driver in Windows 95/98?
8. Do any of your products convert audio files to midi?
9. Why can't I install the "Triple Bonus" CD that I received with Band-in-a-Box^®?
10. When I try to install the program, I get the message "Setup is not a valid win32 application".
11. How do I get SlowBlast! to work? There is no sound during loop playback.
12. What is the Roland Virtual Sound Canvas, and what is the difference between the VSC and VSC-DXi?
13. During installation of the Roland VSC on Windows XP I receive the message "The software you are installing has not passed Windows Logo testing".
14. Why is there a delay between when I play a note on my MIDI keyboard, and when I hear the note play through my computer speakers?
15. When I try to use the Roland VSC as my output driver, I get the message "...installed properly but currently in use by another program", even though there are no other programs open.
16. How do I use the Roland VSC on a Macintosh? Does the Roland VSC run on OS X?
17. How do I get the Edirol HQ-QT SuperQuartet and the Edirol HQ-GM2 HyperCanvas to work with PG Music software?
18. Can I copy the Multimedia Performance or Master Class programs to my hard drive and run them without the CD?
19. How do I use the Video Guitar Lesson programs?
20. Why does the Video Memo button not appear in the Song Memo window when I use the 101 series add-ons with Band-in-a-Box^®?
21. How can I print out the songs in the Master Blues Piano Solos with the Right and Left Hand parts on the same page?
22. Why do I get the message "Cannot find SHELL.DLL" when I try to launch the program on Windows 2000/XP?
23. When I try to launch the program on Windows 2000/XP, I get a 16 bit Windows Subsystem error referring to the file "AUTOEXEC.NT".
24. I am having trouble playing the video tutorials.
25. After installing the Roland VSC, I get a "Cannot load VSCAPI.DLL" error at bootup.
26. Why do I get an MCI error when I launch the application or when I try to open a song?
27. The videos are poor quality, or the program crashes during video playback.
28. How do I access all of the patches available in the Roland VSC and VSC-DXi?
29. I get an ISINST30 error when trying to install the program on Windows 95/98/ME.
30. When I boot my Windows 95/98/ME computer, I get an MSGSRV32.exe error naming devcon32.dll.
31. After installing an update patch for one of the Video Guitar Lessons, I get an MMPLAY32.DLL error when trying to launch the program.
32. When I try to install some programs, the CD just spins in the drive, or nothing happens when I try to run the installer.
33. "Problem reading Define.Txt" error after installing an update patch for one of the Multimedia or MasterClass programs.
34. When I use the HyperCanvas DXi, the Bass/Kick Drum is too loud or doesn't sound right.
35. Can I customize the drum kits in the HyperCanvas DXi?
36. After installing an update patch for the Guitar MasterClass Volume 1, some of the images turned into exclamation marks and the program does not work properly.
37. Some of the notes do not display on the proper clef in the Notation Window.
38. When I try to step advance through the notation window chord-by-chord, some chords are split into their individual notes.
39. Error message: "Waveform device can't play requested format".
40. Why do I hear a buzz or hum when my computer is connected to an external speaker system?
41. How do I display and print Eb charts for alto saxophone?
42. I am having trouble downloading files from your site.
43. I need to install the latest version of DirectX on my computer but it isn't connected to the internet.
44. I get a "Format Error", "unsupported archive version", "not supported on this architecture", or "compression error" message when I try to install a program or update that I downloaded.
45. Can I add my own MIDI files to the NoteZapper song list?
46. How do I use the Garritan Jazz & Big Band and Garritan Personal Orchestra with PG Music Inc. software?
47. When I set the Playback Media Type to AU/MIDI in the Multimedia Performance programs, the audio and MIDI tracks are out of sync.
48. Error message when loading the program: "GetCharWidth function call unsuccessful. Notation display may therefore have problems."
49. How do I use Native Instruments Bandstand with PG Music software?
50. I cannot see the entire screen in GuitarStar, the Video Guitar Lessons, Notematch, NoteZapper, Music Replay, and Pitch Invasion.
51. Can I use the Windows version of Band-in-a-Box^® and other Windows products on an Intel-based Mac?
52. When I try to install the program I get a message that the "setup files are corrupted".
53. Error when trying to install the Roland VSC: "This driver has been blocked from loading" or "[KnncFddl] C:\DOCUME~1\"Username"\LOCALS~1\Temp\_ISTMP3.DIR\_ISTMP0.DIR\. Quite the installation."
54. When using the ForteDXi, the sound cuts out every few seconds.
55. "failed create property pages" error message when clicking on the [Setup] button in the Roland VSC-DXi control panel.
56. Error message when trying to open the Pianist Performance programs.
57. The help file doesn't work on Windows Vista.
58. Video playback for the Sor Studies and Oscar Peterson Multimedia doesn't work on Windows Vista.
59. GuitarStar playback stutters on Windows Vista.
60. Trouble installing the Roland VSC on Windows Vista.

1. What is MIDI?

MIDI is an acronym for Musical Instrument Digital Interface. The MIDI specification is maintained by the MIDI Manufacturers Association (MMA). We have written a couple of short starter tutorials on MIDI:

• Getting to Know MIDI.

• MIDI in a Nutshell.

• General MIDI Instrument and Drum Kit lists.

There are many other MIDI tutorials on the internet, which you can find using any internet search engine.

2. What is digital audio?

We have written an introduction to digital audio that explains the basic concepts of sound waves, waveform diagrams, and digital recording.

3. Why do I get an "incorrect MPLAY.DLL version" error when I exit the MIDI Driver Setup dialog?

Applies to: Some older Pianist Performance programs.

There is actually nothing wrong with any of the *.dll files in your system. Windows is giving a wrong indexed message. This will only happen if you exit the MIDI Driver dialog and you have no MIDI Input Drivers selected. Simply select your MIDI drivers in the Driver Setup dialog and continue using the program. You can ignore the error message.

4. The MIDI files in the program folder only have 3 digit numbers for names. How do I tell what their true names are?

Applies to: Pianist Performance programs, such as the Latin Pianist and Modern Jazz Pianist.

Load the program and go to Options | General Settings. Select 'Show Song Length and File Name'. Now when a song file is played the file name and the length of the song in minutes will be displayed at the top of the window along with the song title and the name of the artist.

You can also make a text file with the names of the songs and the corresponding file names, by selecting File | Copy the list of songs to the Clipboard... and pasting the content into any word processor or text editor.

5. I get an "Eres Not Found" error message when I try to run one of the Multimedia Performance programs.

Applies to: Multimedia Performance programs, such as the Rock Guitarist and Jazz Saxophonist.

Some customers were getting an "Eres not found" error when running some of the Multimedia Performance programs. This was found to be caused by an interaction with an older version of Norton Anti-Virus. You can resolve the problem by upgrading your version of Norton Anti-Virus, or uninstalling it.

6. I get an "Error 193" when I try to install the Roland VSC on my Macintosh.

Most likely you are not meeting the system requirements for the Virtual Sound Canvas. This would only apply to older systems. The system requirments are:

PowerPC 603e 133 MHz or higher
System 7.6 or higher
24 MB or more RAM
5MB Hard disk space

7. How do I install the Multi-MPU driver in Windows 95/98?

The Multi-MPU driver was designed for Windows 3.1. It allowed up to 10 programs to use the MPU-401 driver simultaneously, and allowed inter-program MIDI communication. In general, you can't use the Multi-MPU driver with modern computers/operating systems. However, we do have instructions explaining how to replace your existing MPU-401 driver with the Multi-MPU driver on Windows 95 and 98. Click here for more information.

8. Do any of your products convert audio files to midi?

PowerTracks Pro Audio comes equipped with a Pitch to MIDI conversion tool, and this will convert monophonic .wav files into MIDI. A trumpet, saxophone, or single human voice would be a good candidate for this type of process, whereas a guitar chord (multiple notes) would not. To our knowledge, technology capable of converting a typical polyphonic audio recording to MIDI does not yet exist.

9. Why can't I install the "Triple Bonus" CD that I received with Band-in-a-Box^®?

There are three programs included on the Triple Bonus CD: PowerTracks Pro Audio, the Roland VSC, and SlowBlast. If nothing happens when you try to run this CD on your Windows XP computer, you can do the following:

1. Double-click on My Computer.

2. Right-click on the CD drive containing the Triple Bonus CD and left-click on Open.

3. You should now be able to view the contents of the CD. To install PowerTracks Pro Audio, open the PT folder and double-click Setup.exe. Similarly, the installers for the VSC and SlowBlast are located in the VSC and SB folders respectively.

10. When I try to install the program, I get the message "Setup is not a valid win32 application".

If you are trying to install a program that you downloaded, you might get this error if the download did not finish properly or the file is corrupt for some reason. Delete the file that you downloaded, restart the computer, and try downloading it again.

If you get the error when trying to install a program from a CD, your computer may be having trouble reading the CD.

• First, try rebooting your computer and closing all running applications.

• Examine the disc for large scratches and warping. If the disc is dirty, use a disc cleaning kit or wipe the disc surface with a soft, lint-free cotton cloth. Wipe from the center to outer edge of the disc, not in circles.

• If possible, try the CD in another drive. If it works in another drive, the original drive may not be reading it properly.

If it appears that your CD is damaged, you may contact us about obtaining a replacement CD.

11. How do I get SlowBlast! to work? There is no sound during loop playback.

SlowBlast! is compatible with all Windows operating systems. If you are having trouble using the program, you most likely just need to make some minor adjustments in the Windows Mixer or Control Panel. World Wide Woodshed, the makers of SlowBlast!, have instructions on how to resolve this problem on their website:https://www.slowblast.com/techSppt/noSoundSBshort.htm.

Other frequently asked questions about SlowBlast! can be found here:https://www.slowblast.com/Faq.htm.

12. What is the Roland Virtual Sound Canvas, and what is the difference between the VSC and VSC-DXi?

The Roland VSC (or Edirol VSC) is a software synthesizer based on Roland's highly successful hardware Sound Canvas synthesizers, the Roland SC88, SC8820, and SC8850. Basically, the VSC allows you to listen to high quality sounds without having to use a hardware MIDI module. While the sounds aren't as high quality as what you will get with the hardware module, they are a close approximation. Once you install the VSC on your computer, you can use it as a stand alone MIDI player or as your MIDI Output Driver with most PG Music Inc. applications, including Band-in-a-Box^® and PowerTracks Pro Audio.

The VSC-DXi contains the same sound set as the VSC-3 (stand-alone), but it is used as a DXi (DirectX instrument) plug-in. DXi is a plug-in standard that allows software synthesizers made by any manufacturer to be used in a standard way with many different DXi host applications. The newest versions of Band-in-a-Box^® and PowerTracks Pro Audio have DXi support. One advantage to using the VSC-DXi (as opposed to the VSC stand-alone version) is that it makes converting songs containing both MIDI and audio tracks to a stereo wave file, a simple one-step process. Also, if you have Band-in-a-Box^® 2006 (or higher) or PowerTracks Pro Audio 10 (or higher) you can output the VSC-DXi through an ASIO driver and have almost no latency.

13. During installation of the Roland VSC on Windows XP I receive the message "The software you are installing has not passed Windows Logo testing".

Windows XP will display this message when it cannot find a Windows Logo certificate during installation. This does not necessarily mean that uncertified software will have any problems. The VSC runs very well under Windows XP. Select [Continue Anyway] and proceed with the installation. If you don't have the option to "Continue Anyways", you need to change your Driver Signing settings. To do this:

1. Right-click on My Computer and select 'Properties'

2. Click on the Hardware tab and press the [Driver Signing] button.

3. In the Driver Signing Options dialog, select either "Warn" or "Ignore" and press OK.

4. Restart your computer. You will be able to install the VSC now.

14. Why is there a delay between when I play a note on my MIDI keyboard, and when I hear the note play through my computer speakers?

You are most likely using a software synthesizer such as the Microsoft GS Wavetable or the Roland VSC as your MIDI output device. One characteristic of a software synth is that it takes some time for it to express the MIDI data it receives as sound. In other words, there is a delay between when a note is sent by Band-in-a-Box^® (and other MIDI software) and when you hear the note played. This delay is called latency, and is normally a fraction of a second.

In Band-in-a-Box^®, the Driver Latency setting in the Opt. | MIDI Driver Setup dialog is used to delay the notation and chord highlighting so that it is synchronized with the music during playback. However, note that this is only a visual setting; it doesn't change the actual latency of the driver. There will still be a delay between when you strike a key on your keyboard and when you hear the note played.

For recording or playing live from an external MIDI synth, the solution is to use a MIDI Output Driver with no noticeable latency. This could be the built-in MIDI synth on your computer's internal sound card, or your external MIDI keyboard or sound module. If you prefer the sound quality of the soft synth, you can record using a no-latency driver, and switch back to the soft synth for playback when you have finished recording.

Here is some more information about the Roland VSC and Microsoft GS Wavetable.

Roland VSC (Virtual Sound Canvas)

This information is only applicable to the stand-alone version of the VSC, not the VSC-DXi plugin.

The Roland VSC is a software synthesizer based on the sounds from the Roland Sound Canvas hardware sound modules. The VSC's latency, or "Response Time", is adjustable. By default, the Roland VSC has a response time of about 430 to 450 ms (a little less than half a second). This is a safe setting, and will avoid audio drop-outs and glitches even on older and slow computers. If you select the Roland VSC as your MIDI Output Driver and press OK in the MIDI Driver Setup dialog, Band-in-a-Box^® will automatically offer to set the latency to 430 ms.

On most modern computers, you can reduce the VSC's latency by a fair bit without experiencing any problems. Depending on how fast your computer is, you may be able to reduce this to about 100 ms or less. This is still not ideal for live playing, but is much better than 430 ms. Follow these steps:

1. Open the VSC. You can do this by clicking on the VSC icon in your task bar and selecting 'VSC Panel', or by going to Start | Programs | Virtual Sound Canvas 3.2...

2. Click on the [Setup] button to open the VSC Settings Window.

3. Click on the Performance tab.

4. Move the Response Time slider to the left. Try setting it at about 100 ms to start with.

5. Go back to Band-in-a-Box^® and try playing a song. If there are no playback problems, you can move the Response Time slider another notch to the left. 68 ms is often the minimum.

6. The next step is to go to the Opt. | MIDI Driver Setup dialog and set the Driver Latency setting to the same value as the VSC's Response Time. When you exit the MIDI Driver Setup dialog, Band-in-a-Box^® may ask you if you want to set the driver latency to 430 ms. If so, answer "No".

If you have trouble reducing the VSC latency below 100 ms, the following adjustments in the VSC settings window may improve performance without sacrificing sound quality. See the VSC help file if you want more information on each setting:

• Click on the Performance tab and uncheck delay and TVF.

• Click on the Performance tab and turn the load limit up to 90%.

• Click on the Sound Set tab and select 'Secure Memory at all times'.

• Click on the Receive Events tab and uncheck any that you do not use (ie - delay, expression...) on all channels.

• Click on the Device tab, and set 'Direct Sound' to off.

For best results, close as many background programs as possible.

Microsoft GS Wavetable

The Microsoft GS Wavetable is a software synthesizer included with Windows. The sounds are somewhat similar to the Roland VSC, but they are lower quality sounds, and there are fewer of them. The latency of the GS Wavetable varies between different computers - it is usually between 50 and 100 ms. As far as we are aware, there is no way to reduce the latency on any particular computer. Unfortunately, many new computers don't include a sound card with a built-in MIDI synthesizer, so choosing a "no-latency" MIDI output driver for recording may not be an option. In an increasing number of cases the GS Wavetable is the only MIDI output driver choice, aside from purchasing a sound card or using an external synth/sound module for output.

Using a DXi software synth with an ASIO driver in Band-in-a-Box^® and PowerTracks Pro Audio

Recent versions of Band-in-a-Box^® (2006 and higher) and PowerTracks Pro Audio (10 and higher) added support for ASIO drivers. The main advantage to using ASIO in Band-in-a-Box^® is that it allows you to play live from an external MIDI keyboard through a DXi synth with almost no latency. Previous versions of Band-in-a-Box^® supported DXi synths, but you couldn't play through the DXi synth from your keyboard because there was too much latency. If your sound card supports ASIO and you have ASIO drivers installed on your computer, you can use ASIO by selecting this audio driver type in Opt. | Preferences | Audio. See the Band-in-a-Box^® help file and manual for further information on setting up the ASIO audio driver dialog. If the manufacturer of your sound card doesn't have an ASIO driver, you may be able to use the ASIO4ALL driver.

Since Band-in-a-Box^® comes with the Roland VSC-DXi, you have the option of installing this DXi synth and using it for MIDI output through an ASIO driver. As long as you choose a sufficiently low latency/buffer size in the ASIO Audio Driver's Control Panel, this would resolve your latency problem. For more in-depth information on the latency settings in Band-in-a-Box^®, see our tutorial Understanding Band-in-a-Box^® Latency Settings

15. When I try to use the Roland VSC as my output driver, I get the message "...installed properly but currently in use by another program", even though there are no other programs open.

These instructions apply to Windows 2000/XP. Other possible symptoms are:

• "Audio Conversion cannot be started" error message when you attempt to Direct Render your song to a wave file using the VSC.

• When you open the VSC as a stand alone application (Start menu | Programs | Virtual Sound Canvas...), you may get the error "MIDI device or the audio device to be used for VSC's audio output cannot be opened. Playback unavailable at this time"

There are a few possible solutions. You should be able to resolve the problem by following one or more of the suggestions below. Alternatively, use the VSC-DXi instead of the VSC-3 stand-alone version.

Select something other than the VSC as your default MIDI driver in Windows

1. On Windows XP, go to Start | Control Panel | Sounds and Audio Devices | Audio tab. On Windows 2000, go to Start | Settings | Control Panel | Sounds and Multimedia | Audio.

2. Select something other than the Roland VSC for default audio and MIDI playback.

3. Restart your computer.

Make sure vscvol and vsc32cnf are enabled at startup.

1. Go to the Start menu | Run, type "msconfig" and press OK. This should open the System Configuration Utility. Note: Windows 2000 doesn't have the system configuration utility.

2. Click on the Startup tab and make sure there are checkmarks beside 'vscvol' and 'vsc32cnf'.

3. Press [Apply], then [OK], and restart your computer.

Reinstall the VSC

1. Uninstall the Roland VSC using the Add/Remove Programs utility.

2. Right-click on My Computer and select 'Properties'.

3. Click on the Hardware tab and press the [Device Manager] button.

4. Expand 'Sound, Video and Game Controllers' and look for 'Virtual Sound Canvas'. If you see it listed there, right-click on it and select 'uninstall'. Restart your computer.

5. Reinstall the Roland VSC. If you get a message saying that the VSC has not passed Windows Logo Testing, you can "Continue Anyways". You should be prompted to restart your computer again after the VSC has been installed.

6. Go back to 'Sound Video and Game Controllers' in the Device Manager.

7. Right-click on the Virtual Sound Canvas 3.2 and select 'Properties'. Make sure that Device Usage is set to "Use this device (enable)".

Change your audio output device settings in the VSC

1. Click once on the VSC icon in your task bar, point to 'VSC Settings Window' and click on 'Device'. Or: Go to Start | Programs | Virtual Sound Canvas 3.2 | Virtual Sound Canvas 3.2 to open the VSC panel, then click on the [Setup] button and choose the Device tab.

2. If the audio output device is listed as "Selecting Automatically" choose your sound card's audio driver specifically. If that doesn't work, try choosing a different audio output device if available. Press [Apply], then [OK] before trying each selection. You can also try toggling DirectSound to "On" or "Off", as this may improve compatibility with your system.

Remove old and duplicate MIDI entries from the registry

Proceed with this if the suggestions above didn't solve the problem.

There is a limit to the number of MIDI devices that you can have installed. When you install MIDI devices, windows creates a registry entry, starting with "midi" and up to "midi9". Additional MIDI devices are not recognized by Windows. This can be a problem, since new entries may be created when you reinstall MIDI devices or move a hardware device from one port to another. As well, some MIDI device uninstallers do not remove their registry entries. Even if you have not exceeded the limit, the VSC seems to have trouble if there are duplicate or old MIDI entries in the registry.

First, you should make sure that you have uninstalled any old MIDI devices that you are not using - for example, an old USB interface that you used at some point in the past but are no longer using. If this doesn't help, any old or duplicate entries for midi to midi9 can be removed from the registry. If you aren't comfortable editing the registry, you should get a computer tech to do it for you, since making mistakes can prevent your computer from operating correctly.

Go to Start | Run, type "regedit" (without the quotes), and press OK. In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following location:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\Drivers32.

When you click on the Drivers32 folder you should see the midi, midi1, midi2... entries on the right side of the window. Look for and delete any duplicates. If you recognize one that may refer to an old MIDI device that is no longer installed on your system, you can remove that entry as well. If you are unsure, you should probably leave it alone.

Use the VSC-DXi version, rather than the stand-alone VSC

If you are still having trouble with the VSC, we might suggest that you use the VSC-DXi instead. Band-in-a-Box^® 2004 and higher support DXi plugins, and the VSC-DXi would have been included with your Band-in-a-Box^® purchase. The DXi version has the same set of sounds as the stand-alone version, but is used a little differently with Band-in-a-Box^®. To use the VSC-DXi, you need to first install it on your computer. To choose the VSC-DXi as your MIDI output device in Band-in-a-Box^®, go to Opt. | MIDI Driver Setup and place a checkmark in the "Use DXi Synth" checkbox. When the DirectX window opens up, choose the VSC-DXi as your plugin. Close the DirectX window, and you should be back in the MIDI Driver Setup dialog. By default, Band-in-a-Box^® will set the Driver Latency to around 2000 milliseconds. This is a high setting, but is safe even on older computers. With most computers, you should be able to choose a Driver Latency of around 200 ms or lower. You can experiment with the Driver Latency until you hear audio glitches. A lower latency will give you a quicker response time.

If you were used to using the "Direct Render to wave" feature of the VSC, you will find that the "DXi Direct Render" feature in Band-in-a-Box^® will give you the same results. It is also a quicker and easier method of rendering your songs to wave.

16. How do I use the Roland VSC on a Macintosh? Does the Roland VSC run on OS X?

Unfortunately, the Roland VSC-88 for Mac only works on OS 8 and 9 since it requires the use of OMS. On OS X, the built-in CoreMIDI has replaced OMS. If you have OS 9, we have instructions on how to configure your Mac to use the Roland VSC with Band-in-a-Box^®. Click here for more information.

17. How do I get the Edirol HQ-QT SuperQuartet and the Edirol HQ-GM2 HyperCanvas to work with PG Music software?

Here are some general tips for using the SuperQuartet and HyperCanvas with our software.

• Earlier versions of our software did not support DXi plug-ins. You must have at least Band-in-a-Box^® Version 2004 or PowerTracks Pro Audio Version 9 to use the SuperQuartet or HyperCanvas with our software.

• You will have the option of installing the VST and/or DXi version of the SuperQuartet and HyperCanvas. You can install both versions. PowerTracks Pro Audio 9 and higher, and Band-in-a-Box^® 2004 and higher support DXi. Band-in-a-Box^® 2006 and higher support VSTi as well. The DXi and VSTi versions of the HyperCanvas and SuperQuartet have identical sound samples and user interfaces.

• In PowerTracks Pro Audio, you can choose the HyperCanvas or SuperQuartet as your default DXi synth in the MIDI Driver Setup dialog (Options | MIDI Devices), or select the DXi synth that you want to use on a track-by-track basis by using the DirectX window and setting the appropriate port for each track. In Band-in-a-Box^®, you would select either the SuperQuartet or HyperCanvas as your DXi synth from the DirectX Window. To open the DirectX window, go to Opt. | MIDI Driver Setup and select "Use DXi Synth" or press the [DXi Synth Settings] button.

• The HyperCanvas is General MIDI 2 compatible, but the SuperQuartet is not so it requires some extra setup in order to use it effectively with Band-in-a-Box^®.

Using the Edirol HQ-QT SuperQuartet with Band-in-a-Box^®

The HyperCanvas has a full General MIDI (GM) set of sounds, so it can be used in Band-in-a-Box^® with hardly any setup. The SuperQuartet does not have a full set of GM sounds. Instead, it contains four categories of very high quality and customizable sounds: bass, piano, drums, and guitar. There are a number of variations for each instrument. If your Band-in-a-Box^® style has a French Horn in it and you want the SuperQuartet to play the part using a French Horn, you are out of luck. It can only play bass, piano, drums and guitar. You could accomplish this by saving your song as a MIDI file and playing it with PowerTracks Pro Audio (Version 9 or higher), because PowerTracks allows you to select a different synth for each track. So, you could have another synth play the French Horn.

Here are some tips for successfully using the SuperQuartet with Band-in-a-Box^®:

• Download the Edirol SuperQuartet patch map from https://www.pgmusic.com/support_miscellaneous.htm. Copy the .pat file to your BB folder.

• In Band-in-a-Box^®, open the DirectX window and select the SuperQuartet as your DXi synth.

• Make sure the SuperQuartet is set to use the 'Normal Map'. To do this, click on the Master Module tab and select 'Options'. (Note that this will only be possible if you have SuperQuartet version 1.5 or higher. To check your version, click on the [About] button. If you are using a previous version, ignore this step). Beside 'Control Change Map', press the [Load] button and select 'Normal Map'. If set to the 'Logic Map', the patch map will not work.

• Add as many modules as you need for your song by clicking on the black tab on the left side of one of the guitar, bass, piano, or drum modules, and selecting 'append...'

• Set the channels for each module to the same channels used by each Band-in-a-Box^® track. To see what channels Band-in-a-Box^® uses for each track, go to Opt. | Preferences | Channels.

• You should increase the polyphony limit to prevent dropouts. The default is too low for Band-in-a-Box^®. This setting is on the SuperQuartet's Master Module panel.

• In Band-in-a-Box^®, go to Opt. | Preferences | MIDI Options, and make sure 'Drum Bank Changes' is enabled.

• In Band-in-a-Box^®, click the [+] button (choose patch from higher bank) and and select Edirol_SuperQuartet.pat. Use this to select the patch you want to use for each track.

• Once you have chosen your patches, and before pressing play again, save your song using File | Save Song with Patches and Harmony. Click [Fill w/ patches] and make sure 'Bank' and 'BankLSB' are both selected.

An alternative to using the patch map would be to disable song and style patch changes in Band-in-a-Box^® (Opt. | Preferences | MIDI Options), then choose your patches directly in the SuperQuartet.

18. Can I copy the Multimedia Performance or Master Class programs to my hard drive and run them without the CD?

Applies to: Rock & Blues Guitarist, Jazz & Rock Saxophonist, Bach Chorales, Barbershop Quartet, Sor Studies, and the Jazz Piano & Jazz Guitar MasterClass.

Before 2004, we designed these programs to be run from the CD because of their large size. Some of them have over 500 MB per CD. Since hard disks are much larger than they used to be, you should be able to copy the programs onto your hard drive and run them locally, without the CD. Here is how you do it:

1. Create a folder on your hard drive for each CD that you wish to run locally.

2. Copy the contents of the Data folder on each CD to the folder(s) that you created in step 1.

3. Highlight all of the contents of the each new folder with CTRL-A.

4. Right-click on the highlighted region and select Properties.

5. In the Properties dialog, make sure the box labelled 'Read-only' is unchecked.

6. The programs are now ready to run. You can make a shortcut to the application (.exe) file. Sorting the files by "type" makes it easy to find the application file. For example, for the Jazz Piano MasterClass you would find the file "Pmclass.exe", right-click on the file, and select Send to | Desktop (Create shortcut).

After you have copied the program to your hard drive, it would be a good idea to download and install the latest update patch for the program, available from our Software Updates pages. Make sure to select the correct destination directory when you install the update patch. This is the folder that you created in step 1 above.

19. How do I use the Video Guitar Lesson programs?

Applies to: Video Guitar Lessons - Essential Rock Guitar Volumes 1 & 2, Essential Blues Guitar Volumes 1 &2, and Essential Jazz Guitar Volumes 1, 2, & 3 (also known as "Essential Jazz guitar Vol. 1 - Advanced Comping High Strings" and "Essential Jazz guitar Vol. 1 - Advanced Comping Low Strings")

The best way to install these programs is to install them to your Band-in-a-Box^® folder, usually C:\bb. There are two ways that you can use the Video Guitar Lessons.

1. You can use the Windows versions of these programs as stand-alone applications. The installer should create a shortcut icon on your desktop that you can use to open the program, or you can open them via the Start menu | Programs... This will allow you to see professional style notation and videos of each of the tunes, riffs, or phrases. This method doesn't require you to use Band-in-a-Box^®.

2. You can them as Band-in-a-Box^® add-ons. Each of the phrases/tunes is included as a Band-in-a-Box^® file. In Band-in-a-Box^®, use File | Open (BB Song) to open each of the files. Note that the Band-in-a-Box^® files *only* contain the basic chords and style accompaniment. These are intended to be practice files that you can jam along with to learn the lead part. With one of the files open, you can also press the [Memo] button to view a text description of the file. In the Memo window, you will see a [Video Memo] button if the file has an associated video. Note that the Video Memo button will only be present in Band-in-a-Box^® 2004 or higher. If you are using Band-in-a-Box^® 2004 and you don't see the video memo button, download and install the latest update patch for Band-in-a-Box^® 2004 from the Band-in-a-Box^® Updates section of our website.

20. Why does the Video Memo button not appear in the Song Memo window when I use the 101 series add-ons with Band-in-a-Box^®?

Applies to: Video Guitar Lessons and 101 series Band-in-a-Box^® add-ons for Mac and PC.

If there is a video (.WMV file) associated with the phrase, riff, or intro that you have loaded into Band-in-a-Box^®, a [Video Memo] button will show up in the Song Memo window. This is a convenient way of loading the video files. You must have at least Band-in-a-Box^® version 12 for Macintosh or Band-in-a-Box^® version 2004 for Windows for this feature to work. If you have Band-in-a-Box^® 2004 for Windows and the Video Memo button still isn't showing, download the most recent update patch for Band-in-a-Box^® 2004, available from our software updates page.

You can also play the videos by double-clicking on them from Explorer.

21. How can I print out the songs in the Master Blues Piano Solos with the Right and Left Hand parts on the same page?

Applies to: Master Blues Piano Solos.

You can't print the left and right hands together from the Blues Piano Solos program itself. However, you can import the songs into another application such as Band-in-a-Box^® or PowerTracks Pro Audio and print them out there, since the songs are standard MIDI files.

If you use PowerTracks Pro Audio:

1. Choose File | Open, and locate the Blues Piano Solos folder. You will find the MIDI files in the bpsolos\data folder.

2. Open one of the files. You should see each instrument on a separate track.

3. Use the Tracks | Merge tracks command to merge the Piano track with the Melody track. The Piano track is the left hand, and the Melody track is the right hand.

4. You can now print out the merged track showing both treble and bass clefs.

If you use Band-in-a-Box^®:

1. Go to Melody | Edit Melody Track | Import Melody from MIDI file. As explained above, locate and open a MIDI file from the bpsolos\data folder.

2. Only import channels 3 and 4 and press OK.

3. If you look at the Melody track in the Notation Window, you will see both LH and RH, and you can print this out. Make sure that in the Print Options dialogue, you have both treble and bass clef selected.

22. Why do I get the message "Cannot find SHELL.DLL" when I try to launch the program on Windows 2000/XP?

This problem isn't specific to PG Music Inc. software, and may occur when you try to run any 16-bit Windows application on Windows 2000 or XP. This would apply to Band-in-a-Box^® 12 or earlier, PowerTracks Pro Audio 7 or earlier, and some other PG Music software.

The error indicates that the system file "shell.dll" is missing or damaged. You should be able to resolve the problem by copying "shell.dll" from the 'Windows\System' folder to the 'Windows\System32' folder ('WINNT\System' and 'WINNT\System32' on Windows 2000). If the problem persists, we recommend contacting Microsoft or searching for the solution on the internet.

23. When I try to launch the program on Windows 2000/XP, I get a 16 bit Windows Subsystem error referring to the file "AUTOEXEC.NT".

The complete error message is usually: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\AUTOEXEC.NT. The system file is not suitable for running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications. Choose 'Close' to terminate the application."

This problem isn't specific to PG Music Inc. software, and may occur when you try to run any 16-bit Windows application on Windows 2000 or XP. This would apply to Band-in-a-Box^® 12 or earlier, PowerTracks Pro Audio 7 or earlier, and some other PG Music software.

The error usually indicates that the system file "AUTOEXEC.NT" is missing or damaged. You should be able to resolve the problem by copying "AUTOEXEC.NT" from the '\Windows\repair' folder to the '\Windows\System32' folder (On Windows 2000, copy from 'WINNT\repair' to 'WINNT\System32').

If you are experiencing this problem with a Multimedia Performance, Master Class, or Master Solos series product, download and install the latest update patch for the program. The most recent versions of these programs use 32 bit engines. Updates are available for download from our Software Updates pages. Note that if your program requires the CD to run, you will first need to copy the program to your hard drive. Click here for information on how to do this.

If you are experiencing this problem with an older version of Band-in-a-Box^® or PowerTracks Pro Audio, another solution would be to upgrade to the latest version of the program.

24. I am having trouble playing the video tutorials.

Applies to: Any Video tutorial that you are playing from a CD or have downloaded from our website.

Windows

If you hear sound but don't actually see the video while it is playing, or if you get an error message when you try to play it, you most likely don't have the TSCC codec installed on your computer. Most of our recent videos use the TechSmith Screen Capture Codec. Click here to download the TSCC codec.

If you are still having trouble playing the videos for any reason, we suggest reinstalling Windows Media Player. This is easiest done by downloading and installing the most recent version of Windows Media Player for your operating system.

Note that If you have downloaded the video from our website, you will need to extract the file with a program such as WinZip. A trial version of WinZip can be downloaded from https://www.winzip.com. Windows XP has a built-in utility for extracting files. You should then be able to then play the file in Windows Media Player. If the video doesn't run automatically when you double-click on it, open Windows Media Player (Start | Programs | Accessories | Entertainment | Windows Media Player), and use the File | Open command to open the file.

Macintosh

If you downloaded one of the .AVI files, you should be able to play the file with Quicktime. For most of our recent videos, we used the TechSmith Ensharpen video encoder. The EnSharpen Decoder must be installed on your computer to play the videos properly. This file is available for download from https://www.techsmith.com/codecs.asp.

Note: Some of the videos on our website are only available in streaming format, and can only be played with Windows Media Player.

25. After installing the Roland VSC, I get a "Cannot load VSCAPI.DLL" error at bootup.

The file VSCAPI.DLL needs should be copied to the \Windows\system32 folder (WINNT\system32 on Windows 2000) by the VSC installer. Most likely, you have some other software running on your computer that prevented this from happening. You can resolve the problem by doing the following:

1. Uninstall the VSC using the Add/Remove Programs utility.

2. Go to the Start menu and click on Run.

3. Type msconfig and press OK.

4. Choose 'Selective Startup', and uncheck 'Load Startup Items'.

5. Press Apply, then press Close, and reboot the computer.

6. Once the computer has restarted, cancel the System configuration Utility (if it comes up automatically), and install the VSC.

7. After you have installed the VSC, set Windows back to 'Normal Startup' and reboot your computer again.

Note: Windows 2000 doesn't have the system configuration utility so you would need to close programs manually.

26. Why do I get an MCI error when I launch the application or when I try to open a song?

Applies to: Video Guitar Lessons (Essential Rock Guitar Volumes 1 & 2, Essential Blues Guitar Volumes 1 &2, and Essential Jazz Guitar Volumes 1, 2, & 3), MasterClass series, and Multimedia Performance programs.

The error message is usually similar to: "Problem initializing MCI at (address)".

Other symptoms: With the Video Guitar Lessons, you may find that the video screen remains blank when you play a song.

You can usually resolve this problem by downloading and installing/reinstalling the latest version of DirectX available from Microsoft: https://www.microsoft.com/games/en-US/aboutGFW/pages/directx.aspx. If you need to install DirectX on a non-internet computer, see FAQ 43.

If you are running the program on Windows 2000 and downloading the latest version of DirectX didn't resolve the problem, follow the suggestion in FAQ 39.

27. The videos are poor quality, or the program crashes during video playback.

Applies to: Programs that use .WMV files: Video Guitar Lessons (Essential Rock Guitar Volumes 1 & 2, Essential Blues Guitar Volumes 1 &2, and Essential Jazz Guitar Volumes 1, 2, & 3), GuitarStar, and some Master Class programs.

You should first download and install/reinstall the latest versions of DirectX and Windows Media Player for your operating system from Microsoft's website. This is often an easy fix for this type of problem. If you need to install DirectX on a non-internet computer, see FAQ 43.

If that doesn't help, you should be able to resolve the problem by updating the drivers for your video card and/or reducing graphics hardware acceleration. To reduce hardware acceleration:

1. Go to the Start menu | Control Panel | Display | Settings | Advanced | Troubleshoot.

2. Set Hardware Acceleration to the notch that reads "Disable all DirectDraw and Direct3D accelerations..."

3. Press [Apply], and restart your computer if prompted to do so.

To find out what type of graphics card you have, right-click on My Computer and select Properties, then go to Hardware | Device Manager and click on the [+] sign beside 'Display Adaptors'.

If you are still having trouble:

• Download and install the latest update patch for your program. Update patches can be downloaded from our Software Updates page.

• If you have Windows 2000 and you are still having trouble, see FAQ 39

  .

28. How do I access all of the patches available in the Roland VSC and VSC-DXi?

The Roland VSC has two modes.

• GM2 mode gives you access to the 256 GM2 patches.

• GS Mode gives you access to around 900 patches. This is the same sound set as in the SC88Pro Sound Canvas.

To choose the mode that you want to use, launch the VSC controller window and press either the GS or GM2 mode button (stand-alone version), or press the [Setup] button (DXi plugin version). To see a list of instruments included in GS and GM2 mode, click the [Help] button in the VSC, then click on 'Instrument List'.

Click here to download Roland VSC patch maps for Band-in-a-Box^® and PowerTracks Pro Audio. The following two files are included:

• Patches.ini: This is for PowerTracks Pro Audio. Rename the existing patches.ini file in your PT folder to patches.old (this keeps a backup of it), then copy the downloaded patches.ini to the PT folder. You will then be able to choose any patch on the VSC using the Select Patch dialog in PowerTracks. There are two patch lists - one for GM2 mode and one for GS mode.

• Roland_VSC_(GSMode).PAT: This is for Band-in-a-Box^®. Copy this file to your BB folder. You will then be able to select any patch on the VSC by doing one of the following:

  1. If you have the VSC set to GM2 mode: In Opt. | MIDI Driver Setup, under the GM2 Support menu, select 'General MIDI 2 support'. This will allow you to choose any of the 256 GM2 patches by simply using the Instrument pull-down menu or GM2 button on the main screen of Band-in-a-Box^®. (.PAT file not needed for this)

  2. If you have the VSC set to GS mode: In Opt. | MIDI Driver Setup, under the GM2 support menu, select 'Roland GS'. To select one of the 900 patches supported in GS mode, click the [+] button or go to Opt. | Utilities | Choose patch from higher bank and choose the Roland_VSC (GS Mode).PAT file.

29. I get an ISINST30 error when trying to install the program on Windows 95/98/ME.

Applies to: Older versions of our software (for example, some PowerTracks Pro Audio 5 and older Pianist Performance installers).

This occurs because of an incompatibility with the InstallShield installer and a currently running program. You can use one of the following methods to work around the problem:

Method 1

1. Press CTRL+ALT+DEL once. This should open the Close Program window.

2. Select all programs (except systray and explorer) one at a time and press [End Task].

3. Certain programs may display "Program not responding". Is so, just click the [End Task] button in the pop-up dialog.

4. Try to install the program.

5. Restart your computer.

Method 2

1. Copy the CD contents into a directory on your hard drive.

2. Restart your computer in safe mode (Usually done by pressing F8 repeatedly as you reboot your computer).

3. Run the Install Program from the temporary directory you created on the hard drive.

4. Re-start your computer.

5. Delete the temporary CD directory you installed the product from.

Method 3

1. Restart your computer while pressing F8 repeatedly.

2. Choose "Safe Mode with CD-ROM Support". (This choice may not exist on all systems.)

3. Install the program from the CD.

30. When I boot my Windows 95/98/ME computer, I get an MSGSRV32.exe error naming devcon32.dll.

Devcon32.dll is a driver for the Creative SoundBlaster Live! sound card. This problem is often encountered when you have the Roland VSC installed on your computer and you are using older SoundBlaster Live! drivers. You should be able to resolve the problem by uninstalling and reinstalling the sound card, using the latest drivers available from Creative. Download the most recent driver updates for your card from Creative's website.

Note: If Windows won't load, you can start your computer in safe mode. This is normally done by pressing F8 repeatedly while booting your computer.

If you are having trouble resolving this problem, we recommend contacting Creative for support or uninstalling the Roland VSC from your computer.

31. After installing an update patch for one of the Video Guitar Lessons, I get an MMPLAY32.DLL error when trying to launch the program.

Applies to: Essential Rock Guitar Volumes 1 & 2, Essential Blues Guitar Volumes 1 & 2, and Essential Jazz Guitar Volumes 1, 2, & 3.

• Windows 2000/XP error: "The application has failed to start because MMPLAY32.dll was not found."

• Windows 98/ME error: "A required .DLL file, MMPLAY32.DLL, was not found."

This means that either (1) you didn't have the full program installed before installing the update patch, or (2) you did have the program installed, but you installed the update patch into the wrong directory.

For (1), the solution is to install the program from the original CD (or the installer that you downloaded if you purchased the program by download-only) and then install the update patch, making sure that they are both installed into C:\BB.

For (2), the solution is simply to run the update installer again, and make sure to specify the correct installation directory. When you installed the program originally, it would have been installed to your Band-in-a-Box^® folder by default (ie, C:\BB). Make sure that when you get to the screen that asks you to select the destination directory, it says "C:\BB" (without the quotes), and nothing else.

More information:

The file MMPLAY32.DLL is required for the program to run, and would have been installed when you originally installed the program on your computer. MMPLAY32.DLL must be located in the same folder as the application file. The update patch doesn't install this file or most of the other program files. The fact that you get an MMPLAY32.DLL error would usually indicate that many other program files are missing from the directory.

32. When I try to install some programs, the CD just spins in the drive, or nothing happens when I try to run the installer.

Applies to: GuitarStar, CopyMe, and the Video Guitar Lessons (Essential Rock Guitar Volumes 1 & 2, Essential Blues Guitar Volumes 1 & 2, and Essential Jazz Guitar Volumes 1, 2, & 3).

ZoneAlarm and some other system security (anti-virus/firewall) software can cause this to happen. The solution is to either "be patient" (sometimes it just takes a few minutes for it to start), or:

1. Remove the CD from your CD drive.

2. Restart your computer.

3. When Windows has restarted, disable your system security software. If you aren't sure how to do this, look at the icons in your computer's taskbar at the bottom right-hand side of your screen. One of them will likely be for your virus checker. If you click on the icon, you should be able to find an option to disable it.

4. Put the CD back in your CD drive and run the installer.

If that didn't help, use the system configuration utility to perform a selective startup, like this:

1. Go to the Start menu and click on Run.

2. Type msconfig and press OK.

3. Choose 'Selective Startup', and uncheck 'Load Startup Items'.

4. Press Apply, then press Close, and reboot the computer.

5. Once the computer has restarted, cancel the System configuration Utility (if it comes up automatically), and install the software.

6. After you have installed the software, you can set Windows back to 'Normal Startup'

33."Problem reading Define.Txt" error after installing an update patch for one of the Multimedia or MasterClass programs.

Applies to: Rock & Blues Guitarist, Rock & Jazz Saxophonist, Sor Studies, Master Jazz Guitar Solos, Master Flatpick Guitar Solos, Blues Piano Solos, Bach Chorales, Barbershop Quartet, and all MasterClass programs

You may also get the error "Problem reading Contents.htm" or "Problem reading chapters.htm"; the same solution applies to these errors.

The update patches install a new application (.exe) file. If this file is not installed into the same folder as the rest of the program files, the program won't work properly. In this case, the application is looking for define.txt, chapters.htm, or contents.htm, but can't find these files. The fact that you get one of these errors would usually indicate that many other program files are missing from the directory; these are simply the first files that the application is looking for.

So, either (1) you didn't already have the full program installed on your hard drive, or (2) you already had the program installed on your hard drive but you didn't install the update patch into the correct directory.

You may have a version of the program that was originally designed to run from the CD, or you may have a version that was designed to be installed to the hard drive.

• If your program requires the CD to be in the drive to run, you must first copy the CD contents to a location on the hard drive, such as C:\MyProgram\. For each CD, do this:

  1. Create a folder for the program on your hard drive (ie C:\MyProgram\).

  2. Navigate into the "Data" folder on your CD. Select all the files and folders within the Data folder using Edit | Select All or CTRL+A.

  3. Copy and paste these files into the chosen directory on your hard drive (ie C:\MyProgram).

  4. Highlight the contents of the folder (CTRL-A), right-click and choose Properties. In the Properties dialog make sure 'Read-only' is unchecked and press [Apply].

  5. You are now ready to install the update patch. Double-click on the file you downloaded to run the installer. When asked to select the destination directory for installation, make sure to select the "MyProgram" folder before proceeding.

• If the program doesn't require the CD to run (it runs from your hard drive), install the update patch to \MyProgram\Data\ if the data folder exists, or \MyProgram\ if there is no data folder, where "MyProgram" is the folder that you currently have the program installed in.

Note: The Master Blues Piano Solos should be installed in your Band-in-a-Box^® folder (for example, C:\bb). When installing the update patch for this particular program, choose C:\bb as the destintation directory.

34. When I use the Edirol HyperCanvas, the Bass/Kick Drum is too loud or doesn't sound right.

Applies to: Edirol HyperCanvas DXi or VSTi, when used with Band-in-a-Box^® or PowerTracks Pro Audio.

Try one of the following:

• If you are using Band-in-a-Box^®, go to Opt. | Preferences | Drum Kit and change the Bass drum numbers from 35 to 36. In PowerTracks, use the Edit | Replace command on the drum track to change all instances of note 35 (B2) to note 36 (C3). Bass drum note number 35 on the HyperCanvas does not seem to respond to velocity data (velocity is the volume of individual MIDI notes), while note 36 does. Note 36 is another bass drum that sounds similar to 35.

• Make a custom drum kit, as explained below in FAQ topic 35. However, this will only allow you to change the overall volume of the bass drum note 35 - it will stay constant at the new volume that you set it to. For this reason, the first solution is probably the best.

35. Can I customize the drum kits in the HyperCanvas DXi?

Applies to: Roland HyperCanvas DXi, when used with Band-in-a-Box^® or PowerTracks Pro Audio.

Yes you can.

For example, if you wanted to create a custom drum kit that uses a lower volume for the kick drum, you can follow these basic steps:

1. Open the HyperCanvas control console in the DirectX window.

2. Click on the Edit button for the Drum part.

3. Select Kick drum by clicking in the Instrument Name field.

4. Set the Volume a bit lower.

5. Double-click on the Drum Set name and type in the name of your choice for the drum set that will contain the modified bass (kick) drum sound.

6. Click Write, and save the drum set to any available space. For example, 002.

7. Close the DirectX window. In Band-in-a-Box^® or PowerTracks Pro Audio, choose patch 2 for your drum part. In Band-in-a-Box^®, you will need to use File | Save Song with Patches and Harmony after selecting Drum Patch 2.

36. After installing an update patch for the Guitar MasterClass Volume 1, some of the images turned into exclamation marks and the program does not work properly.

Applies to: Guitar MasterClass Volume 1: Beginner

You most likely installed the update patch into the wrong directory. If your Guitar MasterClass Volume 1 folder has a data folder in it, you must specify the data folder as your destination directory when you install the update. If you don't, the program won't work properly.

More information: The update patch installs a new application (.exe) file. If you see an exclamation mark where an image should be, this means that the application cannot find the image file. The images may have been installed to C:\GuitarMasterClass\Data. If you installed the update to C:\GuitarMasterClass, the program would now be trying to find the images in C:\GuitarMasterClass, rather than C:\GuitarMasterClass\Data, where they actually are. The same type of thing applies to other files (lessons, exercises, etc.), not just the images.

37. Some of the notes do not display on the proper clef in the Notation Window.

Applies to: All MasterClass programs.

Go to File | Options, uncheck "Auto Hand-splitting", and close and re-open the program. With this setting enabled, the program uses an algorithm to attempt to determine which notes should be played by the left and right-hand. The "right-hand" notes are displayed on the treble clef and in Blue on the piano keyboard, and the "left-hand" notes are displayed on the bass clef and in Red on the piano keyboard. In some exercises/songs, notation is more accurately displayed if the setting is disabled.

Also, take note of the "clef split" setting in the Notation Window. This setting determines the split point for placing notes on the Bass or Treble clef, when the "Auto Hand-splitting" setting is disabled. The default setting is C5, which is middle C. For example, you can use a higher split point such as C6 if you want notes above middle C to be displayed on the bass clef with ledger lines, instead of on the treble clef.

38. When I try to step advance through the notation window chord-by-chord, some chords are split into their individual notes.

Applies to: All MasterClass and Pianist Performance programs.

In the Notation Window Options | [Other options] dialog, you will find the following settings: "Chord Note Separation in MS" and "Chord Total Separation in MS". Increasing these values will resolve the problem. When the tracks were recorded, some of the notes in the chord weren't played at exactly the same time (which is normal). For example, the last note in the chord may have been played a fraction of a second after the first note.

The programs use the settings mentioned above to determine what notes should be part of the same chord. For example, if the "Chord Note Separation in MS" is set to 25 ms, then the space between the notes in a chord will have to be 25 ms or less for them to be recognized as part of the same chord.

39. Error message: "Waveform device can't play requested format".

Applies to: All MasterClass, Multimedia Performance, and Video Guitar Lesson programs.

This may indicate a problem with the sound card installation. You should start by downloading and installing the latest drivers for your sound card. This will normally resolve the problem, with the exception of some Windows 2000 systems.

If you have Windows 2000 and reinstalling the sound card drivers didn't resolve the problem:

Some Windows 2000 computers have a driver called "Unimodem Half-duplex Audio Driver" that can cause a conflict with multimedia applications. This is an older driver that was included to support a specific type of telephony device. Chances are you don't need to have this device enabled. Follow the instructions below to disable the driver and see if this resolves the problem. You will need to restart your computer after you do this for the change to take effect with the multimedia application.

1. Go to Start | Settings | Control Panel | System.

2. Select the Hardware tab and click the Device Manager button. Expand the 'Sound Video and Game Controllers' section.

3. Look for "Unimodem Half-Duplex Audio Driver". If you see it, right-click on it and select Properties.

4. In the Device usage menu, select 'disable...'

5. Press OK, close out of the Device Manager and System Properties windows, and restart your computer.

40. Why do I hear a buzz or hum when my computer is connected to an external speaker system?

This could be caused by a "ground loop". This happens when the ground on your computer and the ground on your external amplifier have a difference in potential. If you are using a laptop with a 3 prong plug and are connected to AC power, try unplugging the power cord (use battery power) and see if you still hear the buzz. If not, chances are you have a ground loop. You may be able to use an isolation transformer or even just a 3 prong to 2 prong adaptor to resolve the problem. There may be safety issues to consider, so you should consult a technician or the computer manufacturer for more specific advice.

41. How do I display and print Eb charts for alto saxophone?

Applies to: Rock Saxophonist and Jazz Saxophonist.

To toggle between text and notation modes, press F2 or click the Notation button near the top left-hand side of the screen. There are two different notation modes available in these programs: Regular mode and MIDI Notation Mode. To enable MIDI Notation mode, press the [MIDI] button in the top right-hand toolbar. To disable it, press the [MIDI] button again.

MIDI Notation Mode

In MIDI notation mode, the Notation window displays MIDI notes for the selected track, assuming that a MIDI part was recorded for that particular track. MIDI Notation has certain advantages. One is that you can use the Notation Window Options dialog (OPT button) to visually transpose (in semitones) the notation to whatever key you would like. For example, for Alto Sax you could set it to -3 or 9. The MIDI Notation is set to concert pitch by default.

Regular Notation Mode

The lead sheets that you see on-screen are high quality bitmaps that are intended to look like what you would see in a fake book. The program also includes high resolution bitmaps that can be printed out.

Assuming you have Build 65 or higher of the program (check this by going to File | About...), you can set the 'Notation Bitmap Set' in File | Options | General to Eb Alto. Once you do this, Eb charts will print out. When you select File | Print you will be asked if you want to use the high resolution bitmaps for printing; answer "yes".

Note:

• The Notation Bitmap setting does not affect the pitch of the music playback, only the key signature of the transcription notation set. Also, there are only on-screen bitmaps for C-Concert and B-flat tenor. The E-flat alto setting will print out the correct high resolution bitmap, but will only display to the screen the B-flat tenor part. Therefore, to follow along using the E-flat notation, print out the high resolution version.

• If you purchased the program before 2004, you may have received a version of the program that runs from the CD. In other words, the CD is required to be in your CD drive for the program to work. In addition to the main program CD, you would have also received an Eb supplement CD. To use this CD, insert it into your drive, run the application, choose a song, and print it. The print-out will be the Eb chart of that song. Note that the Eb supplement is only used for printing Eb charts. You need to run the program from the main CD for it to function fully.

  We have now integrated Eb support with the main program. If you purchased the program recently you should have this feature automatically as described earlier. If not, download and install the latest update patch for the program to get this feature integrated. The latest updates can be downloaded from our Software Updates page. If you have a version of the program that runs from the CD, follow the instructions in FAQ 18 to copy the program to your hard drive, and then install the update.

42. I am having trouble downloading files from your site.

Please see these sales FAQ topics for information and suggestions for downloading files: Windows | Mac

43. I need to install the latest version of DirectX on my computer but it isn't connected to the internet.

You may need to update DirectX to resolve an issue with one of our products. For the normal DirectX install to work, you need to have an internet connection. If you need to install DirectX on a non-internet computer, Microsoft recommends that you use the DirectX redistributable. You will find a link to this on Microsoft's DirectX page. Once you do the validation and download the file, you can burn it to a CD-R and transfer it to the computer you need to install it on. On that computer, create a new folder on the desktop (or wherever). Double-click the downloaded file, and when asked where to extract files to, point to the new folder. Once the extraction is complete, open the new folder and run the setup.

44. I get a "Format Error", "unsupported archive version", "not supported on this architecture", or "compression error" message when I try to install a program or update that I downloaded.

Applies to: Programs and updates for Macintosh OS X

You need to download the latest version of Stuffit Expander for your operating system, available from https://www.stuffit.com. This is a free update. The exact version you need to download depends on which exact OS you have. For example, Stuffit Expander 8.0.2 is the latest version compatible with OSX 10.2, while there are more recent versions of Stuffit available for OSX 10.3 and higher.

Once you have downloaded and installed the latest version of Stuffit for your system, extract the .SITX file that you downloaded again and it should work. If you are still unable to unstuff the file, please contact us.

45. Can I add my own MIDI files to the NoteZapper song list?

Applies to: NoteZapper

You can use your own custom or third party MIDI files in the program, as long as they have the following characteristics:

• They must have a resolution of 120 PPQ.

• They must be Type-1 MIDI files.

• You can have a number of channels in your MIDI file, but only the notes that you have on channel 4 will show up on the screen. Channel 4 is considered to be the melody.

If your MIDI file does not have these characteristics, you can edit it in a MIDI sequencer such as our program PowerTracks Pro Audio. In PowerTracks, the resolution setting is in Options | Preferences | File. To save your song as a type-1 MIDI file, go to File | Save As and choose that file type in the pull-down. You can change the channel assignments for each track in the Tracks Window.

In NoteZapper, you can choose any MIDI file you have saved on your hard drive by going to the Type menu and selecting 'Custom Choice'. Alternatively, in the NoteZapper folder on your hard drive there are five folders with MIDI files in them: 01Kids Songs, 02Folk Songs, 03Classical, 04Pop-Jazz Songs, and 05Major Scale. You can place your MIDI file in one of these existing folders, and it will play when you choose that category in NoteZapper. You can also make your own categories by creating folders such as 06MySongs, 07Latin, and so on, making sure that you use the same numbering scheme in the folder name. The categories will then show up in NoteZapper after the program is restarted, and as long as you have MIDI files saved in those folders.

46. How do I use the Garritan Jazz & Big Band and Garritan Personal Orchestra with PG Music Inc. software?

Click here to read a tutorial explaining how to use these products with Band-in-a-Box^® and PowerTracks Pro Audio.

47. When I set the Playback Media Type to AU/MIDI in the Multimedia Performance programs, audio and MIDI playback is out of sync.

Applies to: Multimedia Performance and Master Class programs, such as the Rock & Blues Guitarist, Jazz & Rock Saxophonist, Bach Chorales, Barbershop Quartet, and the Jazz Piano & Jazz Guitar MasterClass.

You are most likely using a software synthesizer that has a significant amount of latency, such as the Microsoft GS Wavetable or Roland VSC. You can check to see what MIDI output driver you are using by going to File | Options | MIDI Drivers.... You can correct the problem by going to File | Options | Audio, and adjusting the 'Synth Latency Offset' value. For the Microsoft GS Wavetable, try a setting of around 100 mS. The exact number will vary depending on your computer - you will need to experiment to get this exactly right. Basically, the 'Synth Latency Offset' setting will allow you to delay the audio output as much as you need to compensate for the MIDI synth latency.

Note that the 'Synth Output Latency' setting in the MIDI Driver Setup dialog is different - this setting is used to sync up the display (scrolling, highlighting) with what you hear. Normally it works to set this to the same as the Synth Latency Offset.

48. Error message when loading the program: "GetCharWidth function call unsuccessful. Notation display may therefore have problems."

This can happen if there is a problem with the way the PG Music fonts are installed. The solution is to reboot your computer and reinstall the program using your original CD (or the installer that you downloaded when you placed your order). If you have a 64-bit version of Windows, you may also need to install the font update patch, available from our Software Updates page.

If that does not resolve the problem, you may need to update or reinstall the drivers for your video card. Drivers can normally be downloaded from the manufacturer's website.

49. How do I use Native Instruments Bandstand with PG Music software?

Please click here to read our Bandstand tutorial, which explains how to use Bandstand with Band-in-a-Box^® and PowerTracks Pro Audio, and provides some troubleshooting tips.

50. I cannot see the entire screen in GuitarStar, the Video Guitar Lessons, Notematch, NoteZapper, Music Replay, and Pitch Invasion.

Applies to: Video Guitar Lessons - Essential Rock Guitar Volumes 1 & 2, Essential Blues Guitar Volumes 1 &2, and Essential Jazz Guitar Volumes 1, 2, & 3 (also known as "Essential Jazz guitar Vol. 1 - Advanced Comping High Strings" and "Essential Jazz guitar Vol. 1 - Advanced Comping Low Strings"), GuitarStar, NoteMatch, Note Zapper, Music Replay, and Pitch Invasion.

In the Video Guitar Lessons, you might notice that the bottom and right-hand sides of the notation are cut off. These programs are designed for a screen resolution of at least 1024X768. If you have your screen set to a lower resolution, such as 800X600, you will need to increase the resolution in your Display Properties dialog. To do this, right-click anywhere on your desktop and select Properties. Then, click on the settings tab and move the resolution slider to the right until it is set to at least 1024X768.

51. Can I use the Windows version of Band-in-a-Box^® and other Windows products on an Intel-based Mac?

We tested Band-in-a-Box^® 2006 for Windows on an Intel-based iMac (512 MB RAM, 2.0 GHz processor) that had Windows XP Home Service Pack 2 installed on an NTFS formatted partition. We also tested many other PG Music products, including PowerTracks Pro Audio 10, the Video Guitar Lesson series, GuitarStar, Master Class programs such as the Jazz Guitar Master Class, Multimedia Performance programs such as the Bach Chorales and Rock Guitarist, Master Solo products such as the Master Jazz Guitar Solos, and NoteMatch. In addition, we tested the use of the Roland VSC-3, Roland VSC-DXi, and Coyote ForteDXi software synths with Band-in-a-Box^® and PowerTracks Pro Audio, and tested MIDI recording and playback through an external (hardware) MIDI device.

We did not encounter any problems with any of the programs that we tested. There were no problems with playback, and all of the features that we tested worked exactly as they do on a PC with Windows XP. In fact, in some cases we experienced better performance on the Intel Mac than on a PC with similar specs.

52. When I try to install the program I get a message that the "setup files are corrupted".

This normally occurs with downloaded programs. This error may occur when double-clicking on an installer that was downloaded from our site. It means that the setup file is the wrong size or the file failed a CRC (cyclic redundancy check). Most likely something went wrong when you were downloading the file, for example your internet connection may have been lost. Delete the file that you downloaded and try the download again. If you are still having the problem, or if this is occurring with a program that you have on CD, reboot your computer. Also, see our Sales FAQ topic 21 for help troubleshooting download problems.

53. Error when trying to install the Roland VSC: "This driver has been blocked from loading" or "[KnncFddl] C:\DOCUME~1\"Username"\LOCALS~1\Temp\_ISTMP3.DIR\_ISTMP0.DIR\. Quite the installation."

This happens when you try to install the VSC on a 64-bit version of Windows XP. You would get the first error if you were trying to install the VSC-DXi, and the second would occur when trying to install the VSC-3 (stand-alone version). The VSC is not compatible with 64-bit versions of Windows XP. An alternative software synth that you could try is the ForteDXi. There is a demo available for download from our website.

54. When using the ForteDXi, the sound cuts out every few seconds.

This means that you have had the trial version of the ForteDXi installed on your computer for over 30 days. If you want to continue to use the ForteDXi without this restriction, you will need to purchase the full version. After you have placed your order, you will receive a registration code via email. To convert the ForteDXi into the unlimited version, right-click in the ForteDxi control panel and select 'Enter Registration Code'.

55. "failed create property pages" error message when clicking on the [Setup] button in the Roland VSC-DXi control panel.

This means that the VSC-DXi is not installed properly. You will need to uninstall and reinstall the VSC-DXi. Make sure that Band-in-a-Box^®, PowerTracks, or whatever other program you are using as the host application, is closed when you do this.

56. Error message when trying to open the Pianist Performance programs.

Applies to:Blues Pianist, Latin Pianist, New Age Pianist, and Modern Jazz Pianist, when running the programs on Windows 2000, XP, or Vista.

If you get an error message and the program doesn't open, it is most likely a similar error to the one discussed in FAQ topic 23, and you should be able to resolve the problem by copying the file autoexec.nt from your \Windows\Repair folder to the \Windows\System32 folder.

57. The help file doesn't work on Windows Vista.

Applies to: Band-in-a-Box^® 2006 and earlier, PowerTracks 11 and earlier, Pianist Performance programs, GuitarStar, Metronome Pro, Chord dictionaries, Pitch Invasion, NoteMatch, NoteZapper, Music Replay.

Symptoms: When you try to open the help file, you might get a message similar to this: "The Help for this program was created in Windows Help format, which was used in previous versions of Windows and it is not supported in Windows Vista."

Cause: In Windows Vista, Microsoft has dropped support for .HLP help files, which use the program WINHLP32.EXE. This problem is not specific to PG Music software.

Solution: Band-in-a-Box^® 2007 (and higher), PowerTracks Pro Audio 12 (and higher), and the latest builds of other PG Music products have help files that are supported under Windows Vista. Also, if you have Band-in-a-Box^® 2006, you can download a free update patch to resolve the problem. If you have an earlier version of Band-in-a-Box^® or PowerTracks, you could purchase an upgrade. If you have another PG Music product, install the most recent update patch available for that product.

There is also a Microsoft update that will allow you to view most .hlp files on Windows Vista. Click here for more information about this.

58. Video playback doesn't work on Windows Vista.

Applies to: Sor Studies and Oscar Peterson Multimedia

Symptoms: When you try to play one of the videos, the video screen is blank or gives an error message.

Cause: In Windows Vista, Microsoft has stopped including the Indeo video codec, which was required to play some of the videos.

Solution: We have update patches to fix this issue, which you can download from our Software Updates page. Alternatively, you could purchase and install the Indeo codec (You can find it using a simple internet search).

59. GuitarStar playback stutters on Windows Vista.

Applies to: GuitarStar Volumes 1,2, and 3(Brent Mason Country).

You can resolve this issue by installing the latest update patch available.

60. Trouble installing the Roland VSC on Windows Vista.

Applies to: Roland VSC-DXi

Symptoms: You might get the following error when trying to install the VSC-DXi on Windows Vista: "String NOSUPPORT_OS was not found in string table".

Solution: Note that the stand-alone version of the VSC (Roland VSC3) is not compatible with Vista, however the VSC-DXi is. To install the VSC-DXi, you can either install it using one of the more recent Band-in-a-Box^® 2007 installers, or (if your BB installer doesn't give you the option to install the VSC-DXi) set the VSC-DXi setup file to Windows XP compatibility mode. To do this:

1. Locate the VSC-DXi Setup .exe file.

2. Right-click on it and select Properties.

3. Click the compatibility tab.

4. Check the "Run this program in compatibility mode for" box, and select "Windows XP (Service Pack 2)".

5. Press Apply, and you can now install the VSC-DXi.

If you still have trouble installing or using the VSC-DXi on Windows Vista after you have set the compatibility mode as explained above, you may need to turn User Account Control off by going to Start | Control Panel | user Accounts. You will need to restart your computer. See this page for more information on DXi synths.