It actually did work on my older computer so I know it does. As a side note, I do agree that it isn’t perfect, but it worked for me for 90% of what I wanted to do…so I’m sticking with it and waiting for an update.
That said…I have a new computer I am dedicating music related stuff and I want the manager and midi software on it…but I installed the Java thing, downloaded the file and nothing. As others have said it just doesn’t work right. I am pretty much just fed up. Can’t you just download a damn file or something…somewhere?
Sounds like you might be using Windows 10. I think with the release of every new version of a computer operating system, it makes it that much more difficult for apps that were created a couple of years ago to remain fully functional.
From https://www.java.com/en/download/faq/win10_faq.xml, this paragraph might be of use:
[SIZE=3]How do I find the Java Control Panel in Windows 10?[/SIZE]
From Windows Search, type in Java. If Java is installed, Configure Java will appear in the search results. Select Configure Java. The Java Control Panel will appear. Alternatively, it can be found by clicking on the Start button on the taskbar, then All Apps, where Java will be listed, if it is installed.
Some Java apps users report online that they installed the Java Developer Kit (JDK) and then installed the Java 32-bit runtime environment (JRE) and that they could get their apps to work. As to the details on how to do that, I’m afraid you’re on your own unless someone here on the forum can chime in.
Although I’m using a Mac, BeatBuilder is one of a couple of the Java apps that still works in the latest Mac OS beta (High Sierra). I’m always apprehensive about how long it’ll be before either the Mac OS or Java cause BeatBuilder (BB) to stop working—I don’t know if the BB creator is still working on this app and if that’s the case, those users depending on the BB are probably going to be living on borrowed time (@CharlesSpencer if you’re still logging on to this forum, could you provide an update on your intent?).
For this reason, you might be better off finding a DAW that will live up to your requirements and expectations and that will be supported for a while. Reaper comes to mind; PreSonus Studio is a free version that you can try.
I did all that. BUT…what now? How do I actually open a JAR file? OR is there something else I’m supposed to do?
I have actually installed this on a windows 10 computer before, but don’t remember doing any of this.
That does not work. I’ve tried it SO many times. I still don’t get what the whole Java thing is all about or why that matters. Either way that doesn’t make any difference either. What I’m going to do tonight is see if I can find an .exe file on my other computer as it seems to me like it was WAY simpler there. Mystery.
Apps are written in different languages and Beat Builder was written using Java. In order to make the app work, your app and the operating system requires the language it was written in. Have you tried to run the jar as Admin?
[SIZE=4]What is Java technology and why do I need it?[/SIZE]
Java is a programming language and computing platform first released by Sun Microsystems in 1995. There are lots of applications and websites that will not work unless you have Java installed, and more are created every day. Java is fast, secure, and reliable. From laptops to datacenters, game consoles to scientific supercomputers, cell phones to the Internet, Java is everywhere!
No I haven’t. I’m actually not sure that was an option anywhere to do that. There certainly isn’t an option of opening the program using Java. I have two options only in the drop down: Explorer and a zip app I downloaded at some point.
I finally sort of have it working. I took a last shot at downloading and installing java and this time it asked if I wanted to delete old versions. I did that and suddenly java starts showing up as an option to open the .jar file I downloaded…again. It doesn’t put a direct icon on the desktop though. I still need to go in and do “open with”. It works though.
Try going to your Start menu and just type in File Type, select “Choose a default app for each file type”, look for .jar and see if you can associate it with Java. If you can then you should be able to run the Beat Builder like any other app. Word of caution, I’ve always had problems exiting out of it, it won’t do it. I have to do a Ctrl-Alt-Del, select Task Manager, and terminate the app there. Then again I haven’t used it in a while but it’s pretty good for fast simple beats IMO.
That’s never been an issue on my other computer. Odd that. I have a desktop icon for beatbuilder and it opens and closes fine.
That said, there have been some little glitches in the program itself that I have mostly worked around. I end up using Ableton, Reaper and/or Protools for a few things.
Yeah I wound up with Reaper and it does the job for me. It also replaced Beat Builder on my PC. I don’t write midi songs but have learned to manipulate existing midi files for the BB.
For fast extraction of drum and/or any other part(s), I use the open-source Midi-Editor. Obviously Reaper can do anything this app can but since Reaper was a bigger learning curve for me, I started with something a little simpler and have used it ever since.
What I like, other than it’s free, is you can easily isolate the midi tracks or channels (depending on where the midi events are) that you want. If the midi events are in separate tracks it’s just a matter of deleting the tracks you don’t want. However, when the midi events are in only one track but separate channels, you do have to work on them differently. But it’s still really easy because you can hide the channels you want to keep and delete what’s showing in bulk. Then you just unhide to keep going.
You can even combine tracks/channels like horn parts into one track/channel. For example sometimes I combine a few guitar parts with piano parts, sounds pretty good on the BB. A word of caution though, I wouldn’t try to do much more than what I mentioned or it’ll crash on you so save often.
Once I have the parts I want I save the file, open it in Reaper and do whatever I need by letting Reaper create separate tracks. From there it’s just a simple export for the BB merging everything to 1 track.
BTW I’m sure you already know some or most of what I’m saying but I’m just doing it for anybody else who might still be on a learning curve about how to get the most out of their BB. I think most everybody on this forum is still trying to figure all this out at some level or another because you can never learn everything about anything, there’s always more to learn.
Thanks. I don’t really add other parts much. All my BB work is done with my bass playing wife and a looper. It’s a gig we started so we could rock in small venues during months when full band gigs are sparse. I am thinking of tossing in some keys occasionally for a few songs and I’d either just do it with our keyboard (although I’m not the greatest player) or add it here.
I’m most interested though in breaking apart BB .sng files so we can manipulate the midi files connected to them for recording. Right now we are working with stereo BB sends to tracks. My son wants to pull them apart and work on them in ProTools. This open source editor might work pretty well for that.
