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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 238
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Posts: 238 |
I've been using BIAB, Realband... 2009.5, and I like the many midi sounds I get out with the included VST DXi for instruments like piano, trumpets, etc... but, when it comes to Electric Jazz Guitar (or even Acoustic/Nylon) guitars they don't sound anything close to a real guitar... Does anyone have any suggestion of some software-bases solutions (Not too expensive please)?
Thansks.
2008 Gibson ES-339 Custom & 2010 Les Paul Traditional. Fender SCXD Amp
BIAB/RB 2015 UltraPAK + Ketron SD2
Windows 7/64 Intel i5 3550 PC, Tascam USB144MKII
Behringer X1204 Mixer
Bose Companion 3 and/or L1 II w/T1 + SM58 MIC
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 141
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Hi! The ForteDXi is a quite cheap plug-in that enhanced my midi guitar sounds. You can try it for free. Head over to http://www.pgmusic.com/fortedxi.htm- Jepster
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Joined: Feb 2005
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Something you can do to improve the sound of the guitar is to use the stylemaker feature. Find a style that you think sounds good and then listen to each guitar part. When you here something that does not sound right delete it, once you have all of the patterns you want to keep. save it under a new style name. That way the original style will remain. Then you will have a new style with guitar parts that sound better. Most people believe that the forte dxi is a big improvement from the vsc that is given free with biab. Sometimes though you can make a big difference just by editing the style. Often what hurts the guitar sound is just the unrealistic way in which it plays. This can be improved by editing the style. Also if you have a style that has a guitar sound you like you can create a hybrid style using the guitar from that style. I hope this helps. The sd2 that pg sales is a HUGEEEEE improvement from the vsc and forte. It is just how much money you have to spend. Listen To My MusicRead My Blog
My TunesPsalm 57:7 My heart, O God, is steadfast, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music.
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,391
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Joined: May 2000
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Umm, from the signature, it looks like you play guitar.
Why not just record your own parts, or use realtracks?
One way to help the midi sounds is to run them thru a guitar processing effect; it helps add to the illusion, espcially electric guitar sounds.
As PGFantastic alluded to, the way the midi track is played has a lot to do with it too. If the track is recorded by a piano player pounding out chords, it will not sound like a guitar just by changing the sound. Think about the mechanics of how a guitar creates sound - the strings are strummed in either direction, so it helps if the midi track is laid out that way... there is a lot to consider besides just the tones used. A finger squeek here and there also adds to the illusion..
Getting into soundfonts will give you a lot of free choices to experiment with.
I created a nylon gtr soundfont a while back that a few people really liked, and I have found others that I liked more.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,058
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Expert
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,058 |
Music lab has a VST "Real Guitar" that sounds better than most and can be used as a vst from a KB to a midi track then back out in a final mix.They also have something new coming out. It's a Les Paul vst, I have not heard it yet but if it's as good as the real guitar, it should sound very good.
Wyndham
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rharv, yes I do play the guitar... what I am trying to do is learn a few solos that came with Jazz Guitar Solos (which came in EverythingPAK)... and then eventually record them while I play the guitar part... they're loooong pieces -- around 200 Bars of solo. So in order to learn, I render the pieces I like into mp3 and listen to them while I'm out and about (driving etc...) until I feel really comfortable with the melodies. The midi version of the melody/guitar part is "OK" but a bit annoying trying to listen to over and over. Hence why I am looking for a way to make it a bit more palatable -- until I eventaully do my own recording. The TABs are helpful (as I am not too good with reading regular notes just yet LOL), but the pieces are not all very easy to learn...
Thanks for some of the great suggestions too. I am going to look into them. Also I read some good reviews here about the ketron DS2... although I am not sure I want to spend so much just yet...
Wyndham, that Les Paul thingy sounds intereting too... I like Gibsons. As you can see I play the ES-339 myself and am thinking of a Les Paul someday too ;-)
On a different note, I just purchased a Behringer mixer (1202FX) and a Canon Camcorder (FS20).... I am eventually going to make some videos of my playing, using BIAB or RB playing along with me.... I will input the sound coming from my PC (BIAB) into the mixer along with my guitar amp's "line-out" and take the whole mixed sound into the camera's MIC input... while I play live and video tape. Curious to see how how it would all sound... LOL!
2008 Gibson ES-339 Custom & 2010 Les Paul Traditional. Fender SCXD Amp
BIAB/RB 2015 UltraPAK + Ketron SD2
Windows 7/64 Intel i5 3550 PC, Tascam USB144MKII
Behringer X1204 Mixer
Bose Companion 3 and/or L1 II w/T1 + SM58 MIC
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Joined: Jan 2006
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 2,441 |
Agreed with Wyndham: If you can afford Real Guitar, it truly is great. But there are a few really nice freebies out there, like Spicy Guitar and Flamingo. And, like PGF and rHarv said, processing the raw guitar sound and playing with the MIDI file itself can help a lot. I have also found a few really good soundfonts, but bluntly the best of those are commercial, from Sonivox, and they've put most of them into much-easier-to-use plugin instruments nowadays.
Best, Tom SmithWin10/64 • i7-8700K • 24 GB RAM BIAB 2025 • Reaper 7 • Izotope MPS AKG C1000S • IK iRig I/O Pro
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Here's an example of the difference between the MIDI version, and me playing the guitar melody. Midi Version: http://www.Tchairdjian.com/mp3/GS051.mp3 Me playing: http://www.Tchairdjian.com/mp3/TheEndGame.WMAI've been reading your suggestions... and I am a bit confused with these options. i.e. what is Soundfonts, and how can I process a "raw guitar sound". I checked Sonivox's Website too but I have no idea where these pieces would fit? Do Ihave to change the whole GM? or just the guitar parts? And the real guitar software looks like a whole software piece rather than a patch... I am confused.
2008 Gibson ES-339 Custom & 2010 Les Paul Traditional. Fender SCXD Amp
BIAB/RB 2015 UltraPAK + Ketron SD2
Windows 7/64 Intel i5 3550 PC, Tascam USB144MKII
Behringer X1204 Mixer
Bose Companion 3 and/or L1 II w/T1 + SM58 MIC
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Joined: Dec 2003
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I’ll try to answer some of your questions, but first IMHO YOU should be playing the guitar parts and not some software package. Trying to emulate all of a guitarist’s nuances into midi is almost impossible. Although I’ve heard some very convincing midi guitar parts the time it takes to create them is extremely long compared to the time it takes for a guitarist it just play them. Plus you have the chops! Soundfonts (SF2) are samples made for either a Creative Lab sound card or a soundfont player. SFZ is a free SF2 player you can download and there are a ton of free SF2s out there also. Some of these free ones are very good. Just remember that SF2’s are at the lower end of the sample scale. That is there are very few samples to each sound when compared to higher end and more costly players such as Kontakt and Sonivox thus, although I mentioned some a very good, they may not be as realistic sounding as you want. SFZ, real guitar and Sonivox are VSTi’s. These are plugins that you can use with Realband. You will need a midi controller (keyboard, guitar etc) or you can input individual notes via the piano roll. The VST is the sound source, i.e. whatever sound you pick is what you will hear. To process a raw guitar sound I render the midi file to a wav file then run the wav file through an amp modeler (there are some free ones out there) and/or some effects. This can help add some realism to a guitar part. Note that this is how I add effects to my real guitar playing many times. Record the guitar then play with the effects in my sequencer. Also note that there are many really good free effects out there. This site will have most of what you want. IMHO I would record my own guitar parts. Purchasing an amp modeler such as V-Amp, Line 6 POD or a small Vox modeling amp may be another option. Also remember that google is our friend. You can find the pros and cons on everything there. I hope this helps.
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
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Joined: Mar 2006
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Hi, I too struggled with this issue. I bought every sampled guitar library, even hired a session guy to play guitar.....that got expensive. One day a buddy of mine suggested I check out the following guitar library> http://www.pettinhouse.com/html/directguitar.htmlI watched the demos, after I picked my jaw off the floor, I purchased both the jazz and rock guitar library, I haven't looked back since. I can't recommend it enough, there is NO library or samples out there that can touch it, and the price is very low-$130!!! VERY easy to use, tons of articulations and variations...... Bottom line, the realism of this library is scary! Ed
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I found a great website with EXTENSIVE information on this subject... things finally make sense now... For anyone interested, here is the URL: http://www.tweakheadz.com/guide.htm Not only it has detailed information on how to set up Home Studios (from begineers to Professional), but also has a great educational section on audio plug-ins, effects, VST, Synths, MIDI, Cables, etc etc... I wish I had seen this first.
2008 Gibson ES-339 Custom & 2010 Les Paul Traditional. Fender SCXD Amp
BIAB/RB 2015 UltraPAK + Ketron SD2
Windows 7/64 Intel i5 3550 PC, Tascam USB144MKII
Behringer X1204 Mixer
Bose Companion 3 and/or L1 II w/T1 + SM58 MIC
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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.
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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.
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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!
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This Free Bonus PAK includes:
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-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
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- 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.
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- 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
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Learn more about the Bonus PAKs for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
Video: New User Interface (GUI)
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!
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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!
Learn more and listen to demos of XPro Styles PAKs.
Video: XPro Styles PAK 10 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch 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!
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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!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 21.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 21 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch 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.
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 10 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Mac & Windows 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!
Learn more and listen to demos of XPro Styles PAKs.
Video: XPro Styles PAK 10 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch 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.
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