As I understand it, in BIAB, you can mix and match default a GM soft synth and VSTi synths, but you can't mix and match an external hardware synth and VST synths, because there is only one output MIDI port (unlike in Realband). Because Coolsoft Virtual MIDI synth presents itself virtually as if it were an external hardware synth (even though it uses your sound card for its output), that's how BIAB sees it and so the hardware synth rule applies.
I didn't go back and read all four pages of posts, but if you install something like VSTSynthfont (which will not present itself as a virtual hardware synth), you can run Timbres of Heaven soundfont in VSTSynthfont, and concurrently use Kontakt or some other VSTi on other tracks.
John
Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 2x2TB, 1x4TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 2x1.5TB, 2x2TB, 1x4TB SATA
Thanks for this tip - and I assume if I install VSTSynthfont with Timbres of Heaven soundfont I can then mix and match Real Tracks with MIDI tracks without them going out of time - is this correct?
Thanks & Best Regards Nigel
Nigel Spiers Christchurch, New Zealand info@nzacoustics.com
Nigel, you should be able to, although as with anything, it depends on your computer and sound card settings. But I mix and match RTs and MIDI all the time without going out of sync.
John
Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 2x2TB, 1x4TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 2x1.5TB, 2x2TB, 1x4TB SATA
Thanks for coming in on this. I had not come across this, as I don’t normally mix real and midi. But its good to be aware. The timbres of heaven sound font in Vstsynthfont seems like a good one.
I guess the other reason I had not come across this, is in BIAB I often use the Yamaha XG lite vsti that I uploaded and its pat file to select higher banks, as my default synth. Then off course I have no probs with mixed real content, Thanks again for your help and interest. Mike
OK - so I purchased Kontakt 6 this week and tried out the Factory Instruments that are bundled with it - appalling - much worse than Coyote!
So I purchased a Big Fish Audio set of Instruments called "Crossroads Blues". When I played them in Kontakt they sounded fine. However when I then go into BIAB and load an all MIDI style and then link each instrument in the Plugin window to the Big Fish Crossroads Blues instruments (making sure I set the MIDI channel correctly for each instrument i.e. 3 for Piano, 7 for Guitar etc) it plays a cacophony of pre-recorded random sounds, phrases and rhythms which have nothing at all to do with the BIAB style and are not musical at all!
What am I doing wrong?
Thanks for your assistance.
Best Regards
Nigel Spiers Christchurch, New Zealand info@nzacoustics.com
Not sure what your problem is but all I can say there is two ways of doing this.
Set up a Kontakt multi to insert in BIAB once and chose your channel for each instrument in the multi.
Or my preferred method, Insert multiple separate instances of Kontakt for each BIAB track and set those individual instances Kontakt input to match the BIAB ch numbers one at a time. Mike
I prefer hardware synths. There is practically no latency, they do not tax your computer CPU because everything is stored in the synth itself instead of having to 'do the math' for every note, nuance, and change in the MIDI stream, you can mix and match at will because they all have about the same latency (about 5ms) and when the OS changes, the synths still work (synths I bought when Windows 3.1 was new still work) --- but most of all IMHO they sound better.
I note that when I play the instruments in the "Crossroads Blues" library in Kontakt they play not single notes as I expected but phrases and the instruments are labelled Guitar - Verse 1, Verse Two, Intro, Ending etc. So when they are triggered by BIAB I think they are playing these phrases rather then the notes dictated in the BIAB style.
This non-GM MIDI and buying Instrument libraries is all new to me. So I may be entirely wrong with my above thoughts and further more I may have purchased an Instrument library not designed to be used with BIAB.
If you have purchased a Kontakt (non Native Instruments) library and it works well with BIAB Midi styles and has very high quality instrument sounds (as good or better than the BIAB Real Tracks) then I would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions.
Thanks & Best Regards Nigel
Nigel Spiers Christchurch, New Zealand info@nzacoustics.com
I used to use an SD2 hardware Synth many years ago before Real Tracks came along and it was fine at the time.
But I have been spoiled by the Real Tracks and I now want the same or better instrument and playing quality for BIAB MIDI Styles - hence my trip down the Kontakt route.
Best Regards Nigel
Nigel Spiers Christchurch, New Zealand info@nzacoustics.com
As far as I know there are no GM modules for Kontakt.
I have Kontakt and a lot of third party patches for it and most all of them are better then the Kontakt Library, which is quite old now. Let use know what sounds you are looking for and we can point you in the right direction.
PS - you might want to start a new thread with something like sounds for Kontakt as its title as some Kontakt owners might not be following this thread.
I get most of my exercise these days from shaking my head in disbelief.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
The Kontakt factory library content is just okay; I hardly ever use. They are just basic sounds; not the high quality sounds that sound designers try to produce. It comes with Kontakt, so you have something to start of with, but better are other Kontakt libraries. I've got some phenomenal sounds that run in Kontakt and wouldn't trade them for the world.
The good news is that now that you have the full Kontakt, you will later be offered some pretty good sales on other libraries from Native Instruments. Session Brass, Session Strings, Session Guitarist, Symphony Series are all pretty cool. And then add libraries from Indiginus and Realitone, and other vendors. While there is a lot of free Kontakt content out there, you can also drop a lot of dollars as well, but there's some pretty cool stuff.
Of course, they key is understanding that, as Mario said, Kontakt is not a GM module; you just use it for specific instruments. In BIAB and RealBand, you have to make sure you match the track channel to the channel you load an instrument on. Kontakt will not auto-load any instruments; you have to do it manually (as I'm sure you've found out).
Also, since it's not GM, you will also find that instrument ranges may differ from standard GM output, depending on the Kontakt instrument you select. There may also be key switches. That's why Kontakt works best when used on the Melody or Soloist track, as you have much better control over the notes played. The notes from styles are based on using a GM synth, and so your results may vary. It can be done on accompaniment tracks, but you just have to pay attention to what's being generated and marry it with an appropriate Kontakt sound library instrument.
John
Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 2x2TB, 1x4TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 2x1.5TB, 2x2TB, 1x4TB SATA
I feel for you and your venture into buying Kontakt libraries Many of them are mapped to the keyboard to do all sorts of things using key switching and are not therefore just single note. I have a very good cine orchestra that plays major or minor legato or staccato chords on strings depending where you play it on the keyboard. Obviously I cant use that to play midi notes from biab as a string instrument voice.
If I need really good midi voices better than my vsti or sound font players I use my Yamaha Clavinova CVP405 as an external synth, no latency and about 700 midi (using a pat file) voices including a full XG/ gm set.
Might be worth a thought to look out for a decent keyboard just make sure it has a full set of midi voice not just a few pianos
Here is a pic of my hook up this allows me to record from BIAB and includes ALL tracks midi & audio + mic etc. BIAB is set to send silent control chords from the chord sheet to my VH in the clavinova for vocals.
Nigel, once you go down the software synth route, I can't help; others here will. But I'll just comment on your comment that you had an Edirol SD20. So did I. It really wasn't bad at all; for anyone not recognizing the name, it used the Roland sound set. The bigger brothers of this were the Edirol SD80, which I used for years, and the SD90 which Notes used. The sound set was only a little better (and the 90 handled audio; the 20 and 80 were just MIDI synths). I then made the next moves up, to the Roland Fantom and now to the Integra-7. But they are basically just improvements to that old SD-20, which was an improvement to the old 8080.
I also use a hardware MIDI synth, for the reasons Bob gave. I'm a composer and arranger, and I don't want to be bogged down by the computer. The hardware synth just works. No foolin' needed.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
Nigel, I just looked up your Crossroads Blues library. It says it's a blues song construction kit and it consists of "100% live played, hand-made loops". What that means is it's similar to Real Tracks. You get 1, 2 or maybe even 4 bar phrases to use. Take guitar for example. They probably have loops of many different guitarists playing blues phrases using many different guitar types and they also give you all the different guitar midi instruments. All you need to do is understand the differences between using these loops and using the individual instruments. The only mistake you made is not realizing you loaded in loops into your instrument tracks rather than the midi instrument itself.
Now if you like blues styles, try those loops in Real Band I'll bet they sound very good. Big Fish Audio has a good reputation so don't worry, that library is solid. Biab also can use loops it's just if you want to construct a song just using loops then a DAW like RB is better suited for that.
EDIT
For your purposes, I'm totally wrong. I just checked this out further because I may be interested in it myself. This is all AUDIO loops, no midi so unless you still want to keep the audio loops, this is no good for you. There are other pure midi instrument sound libraries available so see if you can exchange this for one of those.
stands upin my opinion to a lot of other stuff really well , I have tried it against some hardware modules like sonic cell and ketron and its better in some areas than them.
Just putting another wee idea for you to look at .
Last edited by beatmaster; 08/02/1907:37 AM.
win 10 64 bit 16gb,i7 chip, ssd 500gb, m-audio air, ,Roland BK-7M, 1000,shure sm7b,sonar,acid,mixcraft, variety of plugins.Sample tank 3,Kontakt. TC Helicon Voicelive 3 2 . https://beatmaster1.bandcamp.com/releases
<...snip...>The bigger brothers of this were the Edirol SD80, which I used for years, and the SD90 which Notes used. <...snip...>
I also use a hardware MIDI synth, for the reasons Bob gave. I'm a composer and arranger, and I don't want to be bogged down by the computer. The hardware synth just works. No foolin' needed.
I still use the SD90, it's a great synth with some fantastic sounds.
I dabbled in soft-synths a few years ago, and really couldn't find any that sounded better than the hardware synths I own. But that was a few years ago.
Good luck with your soft synth quest. Let us know what you find, perhaps I'll be able to help another.
Yes, it's probably time I did another survey to see what's out there in software MIDI synths. One disadvantage of using a hardware MIDI synth like I do is that you can't render a song in BIAB; you must record the output in real time.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
Yes, it's probably time I did another survey to see what's out there in software MIDI synths. One disadvantage of using a hardware MIDI synth like I do is that you can't render a song in BIAB; you must record the output in real time.
That's no problem for me.
The advantage after saving to MIDI is that I can stack a half dozen sound modules, all with the same latency (5-6ms), choose the best sounds from each (the bass from one module, the snare from another, the guitar yet another etc.), feed them through a mixer where I can adjust individual volumes and tones, and record them into Power Tracks Pro or another DAW, add a little BBE Sonic Maximizer plug in, and save as an audio file that sounds much, much better than what BiaB may have rendered.
It's a little extra play (some call it work) time, but the end results can be so much better. And playing around with the sound is fun anyway.
I don't have any tips as sophisticated as some of the forum members. But I have been working on a blues/soul project for the last year, and I have learned a couple of cheap and easy things you can use.
The Sampletank piano is pretty good when it's mixed. You can record it, copy it to another track, pan the tracks slightly and make one a little later than the other (offset-just a few milliseconds).
If you download Cakewalk, you can use the TTS piano and do the same thing.
I use Westwood Drums and MT Power Drums, depending upon the song. They sound great IMO.
If you learn how to do some Notation Editing and Piano Roll Editing in BIAB, you might like the results. You can get rid of notes that don't work and put in some you like. In Piano Roll, you can change the velocity (already mentioned) and create crescendos/decrescendos (swells and fades). That helps to get a more natural sound. If you decide to try editing, there are a few things to be careful about. If you PM me, I will share those with you.
Hope something here helps. Good luck on your journey.
Midi came out in 1983.A whole lot of water under the bridge. A lot to learn before purchasing a program like BIAB.If I were you I'd set BIAB aside and do all the learning about midi you can get your hands on. Even some experienced people are using VST and VSTi, and DX and DXi interchangeably. Even PG calls their plugin a VST. Which is wrong sort of.
Mac 2025 Special Upgrade Offers Extended Until August 15th!
It's not too late to upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® and save! We've extended our special until August 15, 2025!
We've added many major new features to Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, including advanced AI tools like the amazing BB Stem Splitter and AI Lyrics Generator, as well as VST3 plugin support, and Equalize Temp. Plus, there’s a new one-stop MIDI Patches Picker with over 1,100 MIDI patches to choose from, all neatly categorized by GM numbers. The MultiPicker Library is enhanced with tabs for the SongPicker, MIDI Patch Picker, Chord Builder, AI Lyrics Generator, and Song Titles Browser, and the tabs are organized into logical groups. The Audiophile Edition is enhanced with FLAC files , which are 60% smaller than AIFF files while maintaining identical audio quality, and now ships on a fast 1TB SSD, and much more!
Check out all the new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® here:
Purchase your Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac during our special to save up to 50% off your upgrade purchase and receive a FREE BONUS PAK of amazing new Add-ons. These include the 2025 RealCombos Booster PAK, Look Ma! More MIDI 13: Country & Americana, Instrumental Studies Set 22: 2-Hand Piano Soloing - Rhythm Changes, MIDI SuperTracks Set 44: Jazz Piano, Artist Performance Set 17: Songs with Vocals 7, Playable RealTracks Set 4, RealDrums Stems Set 7: Jazz with Mike Clark, and more!
Upgrade to the 2025 49-PAK for just $49 and add 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and 20 RealStyles, FLAC Files for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks, Look Ma! More MIDI 14: SynthMaster, MIDI SuperTracks Set 45: More SynthMaster, Artist Performance Set 18: Songs with Vocals 8, and RealDrums Stems Set 8: Pop, Funk & More with Jerry Roe.
Learn more about the Bonus PAKs!
We’ve expanded the Band-in-a-Box® RealTracks library with 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 449-467) across Jazz, Blues, Funk, World, Pop, Rock, Country, Americana, and Praise & Worship—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Blues & World (Sets 449–455):
These RealTracks includes “Soul Jazz” with Neil Swainson (bass), Mike Clark (drums), Charles Treadway (organ), Miles Black (piano), and Brent Mason (guitar). Enjoy “Requested ’60s” jazz, classic acoustic blues with Colin Linden, and more of our popular 2-handed piano soloing. Plus, a RealTracks first—Tango with bandoneon, recorded in Argentina!
Rock & Pop (Sets 456–461):
This collection includes Disco, slap bass ‘70s/‘80s pop, modern and ‘80s metal with Andy Wood, and a unique “Songwriter Potpourri” featuring Chinese folk instruments, piano, banjo, and more. You’ll also find a muted electric guitar style (a RealTracks first!) and “Producer Layered Guitar” styles for slick "produced" sound.
Country, Americana & Praise (Sets 462–467):
We’ve added new RealTracks across bro country, Americana, praise & worship, vintage country, and songwriter piano. Highlights include Brent Mason (electric guitar), Eddie Bayers (drums), Doug Jernigan (pedal steel), John Jarvis (piano), Glen Duncan (banjo, mandolin & fiddle), Mike Harrison (electric bass) and more—offering everything from modern sounds to heartfelt Americana styles
And, if you are looking for more, the 2025 49-PAK (for $49) includes an additional 20 RealTracks with exciting new sounds and genre-spanning styles. Enjoy RealTracks firsts like Chinese instruments (guzheng & dizi), the bandoneon in an authentic Argentine tango trio, and the classic “tic-tac” baritone guitar for vintage country.
You’ll also get slick ’80s metal guitar from Andy Wood, modern metal with guitarist Nico Santora, bass player Nick Schendzielos, and drummer Aaron Stechauner, more praise & worship, indie-folk, modern/bro country with Brent Mason, and “Songwriter Americana” with Johnny Hiland.
Plus, enjoy user-requested styles like Soul Jazz RealDrums, fast Celtic Strathspey guitar, and Chill Hop piano & drums!
With your version 2025 for Mac Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Or upgrade to the 2025 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 2025 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 33 new RealTracks and 65+ new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 29 new RealTracks and 45+ new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 20 new RealStyles.
Look Ma! More MIDI 13: Country & Americana
Instrumental Studies Set 22: 2-Hand Piano Soloing - Rhythm Changes
MIDI SuperTracks Set 44: Jazz Piano
Artist Performance Set 17: Songs with Vocals 7
Playable RealTracks Set 4
RealDrums Stems Set 7: Jazz with Mike Clark
SynthMaster Sounds and Styles (with audio demos)
128 GM MIDI Patch Audio Demos.
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2025 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyles,
FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
Look Ma! More MIDI 14: SynthMaster,
Instrumental Studies Set 23: More '80s Hard Rock Soloing,
MIDI SuperTracks Set 45: More SynthMaster
Artist Performance Set 18: Songs with Vocals 8
RealDrums Stems Set 8: Pop, Funk & More with Jerry Roe
New! Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher for Mac!
Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest and greatest in the all new Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box! This fresh installment is packed with 200 all-new styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres you've come to expect, as well as the exciting inclusion of electronic styles!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Minimalist Modern Funk, New Wave Synth Pop, Hard Bop Latin Groove, Gospel Country Shuffle, Cinematic Synthwave, '60s Motown, Funky Lo-Fi Bossa, Heavy 1980s Metal, Soft Muted 12-8 Folk, J-Pop Jazz Fusion, and many more!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 209 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 20 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.
New! XPro Styles PAK 9 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and higher for Mac!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 9 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 29 RealTracks/RealDrums!
We've been hard at it to bring you the latest and greatest in this 9th installment of our popular XPro Styles PAK series! Included are 75 styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres (25 styles each) that fans have come to expect, as well as 25 styles in this volume's wildcard genre: funk & R&B!
If you're itching to get a sneak peek at what's included in XPro Styles PAK 9, here is a small helping of what you can look forward to: Funky R&B Horns, Upbeat Celtic Rock, Jazz Fusion Salsa, Gentle Indie Folk, Cool '60s Soul, Funky '70s R&B, Smooth Jazz Hip Hop, Acoustic Rockabilly Swing, Funky Reggae Dub, Dreamy Retro Latin Jazz, Retro Soul-Rock Fusion, and much more!
Special Pricing! Until July 31, 2024, all the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 9 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.
New! Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher for Windows!
Xtra Styles PAK 20 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 and greatest in the all new Xtra Styles PAK 20 for Band-in-a-Box! This fresh installment is packed with 200 all-new styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres you've come to expect, as well as the exciting inclusion of electronic styles!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Minimalist Modern Funk, New Wave Synth Pop, Hard Bop Latin Groove, Gospel Country Shuffle, Cinematic Synthwave, '60s Motown, Funky Lo-Fi Bossa, Heavy 1980s Metal, Soft Muted 12-8 Folk, J-Pop Jazz Fusion, and many more!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 209 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 20 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.
New! XPro Styles PAK 9 for Band-in-a-Box 2025 and higher for Windows!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 9 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 29 RealTracks/RealDrums!
We've been hard at it to bring you the latest and greatest in this 9th installment of our popular XPro Styles PAK series! Included are 75 styles spanning the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres (25 styles each) that fans have come to expect, as well as 25 styles in this volume's wildcard genre: funk & R&B!
If you're itching to get a sneak peek at what's included in XPro Styles PAK 9, here is a small helping of what you can look forward to: Funky R&B Horns, Upbeat Celtic Rock, Jazz Fusion Salsa, Gentle Indie Folk, Cool '60s Soul, Funky '70s R&B, Smooth Jazz Hip Hop, Acoustic Rockabilly Swing, Funky Reggae Dub, Dreamy Retro Latin Jazz, Retro Soul-Rock Fusion, and much more!
Special Pricing! Until July 31, 2024, all the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 9 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.
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.
Norton Music
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean