I'm just wondering, since there seem to be loads of free Kontakt sets out there if any of you have ever examined the idea of converting those to the sfz format?
Just because you can, doesn't mean you should! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- BBox 2022 Audiophile, Mac Pro Intel, OSX 10.6.8, 800x600 (TV VGA)
When you convert one format to another you may lose some or many attributes and nuances of that patch. Thus although you can convert the final sound may or may not be the same as the original.
FWIW-you can use those free Kontakt sounds with the free Kontakt player. Personally that is the way I would proceed.
I arrived early to a restaurant. The manager asks, "do you mind waiting a bit?" I said no. "Good", he said. "Take these drinks to table 3"
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
When you convert one format to another you may lose some or many attributes and nuances of that patch. Thus although you can convert the final sound may or may not be the same as the original.
FWIW-you can use those free Kontakt sounds with the free Kontakt player. Personally that is the way I would proceed.
Probably not. Only NI licensed libraries get to use the free Kontakt player except for the free libraries that NI includes.
All those free sounds are designed for use in the paid version of Kontakt.
NI does not want people to convert their libraries and make it very difficult to do so.
BIAB 2026 Audiophile Mac 24Core/60CoreGPU M2 MacStudioUltra/8TB/192GB Sequoia/Tahoe, M1 & M5 MBAir, 2012 MBP Digital Performer11, Logic, Finale27/Dorico/Encore/SmartScore/Notion/Overture
I'm just wondering, since there seem to be loads of free Kontakt sets out there if any of you have ever examined the idea of converting those to the sfz format?
Why would you even want to do that? I guess you want the free Kontakt sets and the ability to play them huh?
Why not just get the FREE KONTAKT player? On the NI site.... there are a few free players for their stuff. Not as full featured but totally free and "full working versions" none the less.
...there seem to be loads of free Kontakt sets out there...
Originally Posted By: MarioD
but if those wavs are copyright protected then you would be breaking the law...
If they are free they are free.
We went through all this with Frank (Seeker), he was put off creating UserTracks forever after someone said "you would be breaking the law", I got in touch with the company and found out from them that it wasn't the case.
I know, I was trying to avoid having to grasp their convoluted interface, I s'pose, particularly since we got that blissfully simple sfz interface already. I'll give that link a shot, Pipeline, although that too seems like more new things to grasp, so I dunno
Anyway, thanks to all who chimed in, I just might end up just sticking with the decent stuff I already got for sforzando, so write this one out to general curiosity more than dire need (which it certainly wasn't).
Just because you can, doesn't mean you should! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- BBox 2022 Audiophile, Mac Pro Intel, OSX 10.6.8, 800x600 (TV VGA)
"J-311 free Kontakt drum library requires a full version of Native Instruments Kontakt. In the free Kontakt Player version, it will be functional only 15 minutes with each opening. If you don’t own Kontakt, no problem, you can use the included one-shot drum samples (311 WAV files) in any drum sampler of your choice."
"Details The Pack Contains 1 Grand Piano instrument for NI Kontakt (5+ Full).
93Mb Download Size 210Mb Total Size (unrared) Free"
ESC has many import formats but is only for Win unless you use something like WineBottler ?
For those who want to convert other formats to SFZ.
From the Soundiron Venus Women's Choir:
"While you can reprogram the samples or presets to other formats, we always recommend using Kontakt for best results, since it widely considered the industry standard and easily the most powerful sample programming and playback platform on the market. However, if you wish to convert or reprogram the wav files and instrument presets into any other sampler or softsynth format, including free and open-source standards like SFZ, then there are a variety of great tools that you can use to customize this library, such as Extreme Sample Converter and Chickensys Translator. Just be aware that not all settings and properties will translate accurately, reliably or even at all from one instrument or audio format to the next, due to vast differences in standards, behaviors, structures and capabilities that each platform relies on."
I arrived early to a restaurant. The manager asks, "do you mind waiting a bit?" I said no. "Good", he said. "Take these drinks to table 3"
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
Here's a Mac WineBottle Extreme Sample Converter. It's a Standalone ESC.app It may take a while before the gui comes up. if it works you know the full will.
I've converted a number of Kontakt samples into sfz instruments. My motivation was to be able to use them with my USB EWI, which uses an underpowered netbook as the sound source.
In some cases, I've been able to use Kontakt to export the samples as .wav files, which is convenient. Getting the samples by playing them through Kontakt means you're getting a second generation sample, at best.
When there's just a single sample per note, I set up a <group> trigger=first for one set of samples, and <group> trigger=legato using the same samples, but with legato parameters for the second group.
I've not had to deal with loop points. Those values are visible in Kontakt, but often samples are long enough (several seconds) that it not been a problem for me.
When the sample set contains true legato samples, it's a lot more work. That's mostly because transitions are shared between notes. For example, the transition from A4 to D4 might be shared by the notes F#4, G4, G#4, A4 and A#4. There are a lot of sampled legato transitions, so my solution was to write a Java program to figure out the the best mappings and generate the .sfz file.
If I'm feeling particular clever, I'll also create round robins from the nearest notes.
XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!
All of our XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs are on sale until May 15th, 2026!
It's the perfect time to expand your Band-in-a-Box® style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs. These additional styles for Band-in-a-Box® offer a wide range of genres designed to fit seamlessly into your projects. Each style is professionally arranged and mixed, helping enhance your songs while saving you time.
What are XPro Styles and Xtra Styles PAKs?
XPro Styles PAKs are styles that work with any version (Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition) of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). XPro Styles PAKS 1-10 includes 1,000 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 includes 3,700 styles (and 35 MIDI styles)!
The XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs are not included in any Band-in-a-Box® package.
The XPro Styles PAKs 1-10 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
The Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the Xtra Styles PAK Bundle for only $199 (reg. $349)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
Note: 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.
The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 19 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version as they require the RealTracks included in the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Supercharge your Band-in-a-Box today with XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAK Sets!
With the release of Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac, we’re rolling out a collection of brand-new videos on our YouTube channel. We’ll keep this forum post updated so you can easily find all the latest videos in one convenient spot.
Whether you're exploring new features, checking out the latest RealTracks or Style PAKs, this is your go-to guide for Band-in-a-Box® 2026.
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac is here and it is packed with major new features! There’s a new modern look, a GUI redesign to all areas of the program including toolbars, windows, workflow and more. There’s a Multi-view layout for organizing multiple windows. A standout addition is the powerful AI-Notes feature, which uses AI neural-net technology to transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI—entire mixes or individual instruments—making it easy to study, view, and play parts from any song. And that’s just the beginning—there are over 100 new features in this exciting release.
Along with version 2026, we've released an incredible lineup of new content! There's 202 new RealTracks, brand-new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two new RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Special Offers
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac and save up to 50% on most upgrade packages during our special offer—available until May 15, 2026. Visit our Band-in-a-Box® packages page to explore all available upgrade options.
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK Add-ons
Our Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK are loaded with amazing add-ons! The Free Bonus PAK is included with most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac packages, but you can unlock even more—including 20 unreleased RealTracks—by upgrading to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49.
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® users: Build 904 now available!
If you're already using Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, make sure to grab the latest update! Build 904 is now available for download and includes the newest additions and enhancements from our team.
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.
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean