This will work with the BB Chord Output Track also, I have the last version below in RealBand, you can put your key switches in another track set to Kontakt as well for pattern changes, open string between changes etc..
Hang in there guys, last year at this time the product went on a 50% sale. It could happen again.
But I did not wait. So I am trying to figure this VST out. It is a bit unusual for me. The best explanation for my confusion appears to be a comment I read, "..this type of VST is aimed at Keyboardists/MIDI Controller Users".
It appears it will NOT follow a midi chord chart exported from BIAB (like the Toontracks EZK does so nice). You have to actually play the chords and record as you play. Not necessarily a show stopper for me since I have a midi control keyboard and a moderate level of skill. It does insert as a VST into Reaper, but I have yet to figure out any way to record (midi or audio) from what is played.
Dan, I'm confused here are you saying it won't follow a MIDI chord track or that it won't follow a BIAB chord sheet. The ability of it to follow chords inputted into BIAB is my primary reason for looking at it. If it can't do that, then my interest drops off the page. Do appreciate you jumping in early for a first preview of the software.
Have you got the midi note range 60-84 if not just transpose by 12st til it's in range, set Kontakt Midi In to Omni or the same channel. Put your red key switches in to change patterns, add D# for open string before chord change if you want it more realistic.
EDIT: In the Playback tab set the latch mode to stop, you also have shots, holds and Endings switches you can add.
Major set back, the application simply disappeared on my machine. I have contacted support and opened a ticket!! V2 may not be ready for showtime.
In the limited time it was available on my machine it appeared to work well but I was not able to record any midi into my DAW. Simply a button somewhere which I could not find. Then it disappeared.
thanks Pipeline for the verification that it should work as intended. But right now I am anything but thankful....
Major set back, the application simply disappeared on my machine ? from folder or app as in Kontakt ? or it disappeared out of Kontakt, in standalone or VST and in what DAW ?. I have contacted support and opened a ticket!! V2 may not be ready for showtime.
In the limited time it was available on my machine it appeared to work well but I was not able to record any midi into my DAW. Simply a button somewhere which I could not find. Then it disappeared.
thanks Pipeline for the verification that it should work as intended. But right now I am anything but thankful....
Oh-oh....OK I'm on hold and on the fence. Let's us know how it all resolves.
Jeff
Jeff, I am up and running again. My support tickets remain open (they claim it may take several days to respond). In the meantime I was able to download the Kontakt v5.6 player and install it over the prior install. When I did this the Session Guitarist v2 reappeared.
That is the good news,
Bad news is this will likely take me a bit longer than I thought to figure out. Kontakt in Reaper is not a simple plug and play. So you may not want to wait for my go/nogo. Pipeline says he has it running in RB (which I don't use). I can tell you in standalone mode, just playing from my keyboard, it sounds great and is as cool as I thought it would be. But obviously I need it to integrate into my workflow with Reaper and BIAB in order to use it to make music. That will take me some time to verify.
Hey...anyone else having problems with the latest Kontakt upgrade? I installed it on my Win 7 machine and it stopped working completely. Had to roll back to a previous version.
A completely separate issue...is anyone else seeing the color coding of the onscreen keyboard disappearing? I used to have color coded keys for key switches and various segmenting of the keyboard but now they are all white.
OK, thanks for the update Dan. I'd be using it in the full Kontakt 5.6.1 and RB so I might be able to avoid some of the issues. But, I'll wait till I get more info from you. As it stands, it seems that only version 1 is on sale so no hurry to get version 2.
Hey...anyone else having problems with the latest Kontakt upgrade? I installed it on my Win 7 machine and it stopped working completely. Had to roll back to a previous version.
A completely separate issue...is anyone else seeing the color coding of the onscreen keyboard disappearing? I used to have color coded keys for key switches and various segmenting of the keyboard but now they are all white.
That is the biggest complaint over on Kontakt. The color coded keys were replaced with a small colored dot just above the key. I will not upgrade until that is returned to the colored key days.
I'm in a fitness protection program. I'm been hiding from exercise.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
Mario, I see you over in the Kontakt forum commenting on the colors. Good to recognize friends in different forums.
Jeff I am making progress, but it is slow. I am confident it will eventually work. Huge learning curve to set up Kontakt for me. I am watching videos and reading what I can.
1) I can now play via my keyboard controller, but while I was able to record last night, today I can't record what I play?? Not sure what changed.
2) Still not able to insert a BIAB midi chord file and hear anything in reaper. I can see the midi notes on the track in the right areas (c3 - c4), I can even use my mouse to click on the same midi track and I hear it, but the BIAB midi notes are mute??
I guess I need Pipeline to "make a video" just for ME. Or let him log onto my machine via Teamviewer and push the right buttons for me. But that would be imposing????
So are you saying that it will NOT play anything midi that BB exports?
If it's midi, and the DAW supports both midi (in all of it's variations) and the DAW can run plugins and VST's without any reservations, that should work perfectly. Just like any other synth.
Maybe I'm not grasping the full ramifications of this discussion.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.com Add nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.
The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
So are you saying that it will NOT play anything midi that BB exports?
You under stand that correct.
Originally Posted By: Guitarhacker
If it's midi, and the DAW supports both midi (in all of it's variations) and the DAW can run plugins and VST's without any reservations, that should work perfectly. Just like any other synth.
I agree with you 100%
Originally Posted By: Guitarhacker
Maybe I'm not grasping the full ramifications of this discussion.
It is also a mystery to me.
Good to know that what I am saying is being understood
But wait... I just discovered the BIAB midi track which I output will not play in anything (windows player or with any other VST). It has all the notes but NO Sound. So back to the drawing board.
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: The Newly Designed Piano Roll Window
In this video, we explore the updated Piano Roll, complete with a modernized look and exciting new features. You’ll see new filtering options that make it easy to focus on specific note groups, smoother and more intuitive note entry and editing, and enhanced options for zooming, looping, and more.
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: AI Stems & Notes - split polyphonic audio into instruments and transcribe
This video demonstrates how to use the new AI-Notes feature together with the AI-Stems splitter, allowing you to select an audio file and have it separated into individual stems while transcribing each one to its own MIDI track. AI-Notes converts polyphonic audio—either full mixes or individual instruments—into MIDI that you can view in notation or play back instantly.
Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®
With your version 2026 for Windows Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!
These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
The 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
Playable RealTracks Set 5
RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
Android Band-in-a-Box® App (included)
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
Join Tobin as he takes you on a tour of the new user interface in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®! This modern GUI redesign offers a sleek new look with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, and a smoother workflow. The brand-new side toolbar puts track selection, the MultiPicker Library, and other essential tools right at your fingertips. Plus, our upgraded Multi-View lets you layer multiple windows without overlap, giving you a highly flexible workspace. Many windows—including Tracks, Piano Roll, and more—have been redesigned for improved usability and a cleaner, more intuitive interface, and more!
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 10 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 28 RealTracks and RealDrums!
Few things are certain in life: death, taxes, and a brand spankin’ new XPro Styles PAK! In this, the 10th edition of our XPro Styles PAK series, we’ve got 100 styles coming your way! We have the classic 25 styles each from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, and rounding out this volume's wildcard slot is 25 styles in the Praise & Worship genre! A wide spanning genre, you can find everything from rock, folk, country, and more underneath its umbrella. The included 28 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Here’s just a small sampling of what you can look forward to in XPro Styles PAK 10: Soft indie folk worship songs, bumpin’ country boogies, gospel praise breaks, hard rockin’ pop, funky disco grooves, smooth Latin jazz pop, bossa nova fusion, western swing, alternative hip-hop, cool country funk, and much more!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 10 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 21 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest Xtra Styles PAK installment—the all new Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher)!
Rejoice, one and all, for Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box® is here! We’re serving up 200 brand spankin’ new styles to delight your musical taste buds! The first three courses are the classics you’ve come to know and love, including offerings from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, but, not to be outdone, this year’s fourth course is bro country! A wide ranging genre, you can find everything from hip-hop, uptempo outlaw country, hard hitting rock, funk, and even electronica, all with that familiar bro country flair. The dinner bell has been rung, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 21 today!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Energetic folk rock, raucous train beats, fast country boogies, acid jazz grooves, laid-back funky jams, a bevy of breezy jazz waltzes, calm electro funk, indie synth pop, industrial synth metal, and more bro country than could possibly fit in the back of a pickup truck!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 21 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 21 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 21 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
One of our representatives will be happy to help you over the phone. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday, and 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST Saturday. We are closed Sunday. You can also send us your questions via email.
One of our representatives will be happy to help you on our Live Chat or by email. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday; 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST (GMT -8) Saturday; Closed Sunday.