BNK File – What is .bnk file and how to open it?
BNK File Extension
Adlib Instrument Bank – file format by Adlib
BNK (Adlib Instrument Bank) is a file extension developed by Adlib for their digital sampler and synthesizer expansion board. It stores instrument banks, which contain the sound samples and settings used by the Adlib sound cards.
BNK File Format
A BNK file is a binary file format designed to store instrument bank data for the AdLib sound card. Introduced in 1987 as part of the AdLib Music Synthesizer (AMSynth) driver, BNK files contain a collection of musical instrument definitions, each representing a specific sound or instrument. These definitions include parameters such as waveform data, envelope shaping, and filter settings, enabling the AdLib card to generate a wide range of musical sounds and effects.
BNK files typically contain multiple instrument banks, each organized into a hierarchical structure of categories and subcategories. This allows for efficient organization and retrieval of specific instruments within the bank. AdLib cards use BNK files to load instrument definitions into their memory, making them available for use in applications such as games and music software.
Opening BNK Files with Native Software
Adlib Instrument Bank files (.BNK) are used by the AdLib sound card, a popular audio hardware from the 1990s. To open and manipulate BNK files, you can use the AdLib Visual Composer (AVC) software, which is a dedicated tool for managing AdLib instrument banks. AVC allows you to create, edit, and convert BNK files, providing full control over the sample instruments and settings.
Using Third-Party Tools for BNK Conversion
Since AdLib sound cards are no longer widely used, you may need to convert BNK files into more contemporary audio formats. Various software applications can assist with this conversion process. One such tool is Awave Studio, a comprehensive audio editor that supports a wide range of file formats, including BNK. With Awave Studio, you can import BNK files, convert them to WAV or other formats, and edit the resulting audio data as needed. Other conversion tools include BNK2WAV, a dedicated converter designed specifically for BNK files, and BNK2SF2, which converts BNK files into the SoundFont 2 format.
BNK File Format
The BNK file extension is primarily associated with the Adlib Instrument Bank format, developed by Adlib. This file format is specifically designed to store digital musical instruments that can be utilized by sound cards manufactured by Adlib, such as the Adlib Gold, Adlib Diamond, and Sound Blaster Pro. BNK files contain a collection of waveform samples and parameters that define the sound characteristics of each instrument. These instruments can vary widely, encompassing both traditional orchestral instruments and more experimental electronic sounds.
Technical Details and Usage
BNK files are binary in nature and consist of two main sections: a header and a data section. The header contains information about the file version, the number of instruments it contains, and the sample rate and bit depth of the waveforms. The data section stores the actual waveform samples for each instrument, along with additional parameters such as attack, decay, sustain, and release (ADSR) envelopes, which shape the dynamics of the sound. By utilizing these stored waveforms and parameters, sound cards can synthesize realistic musical sounds in real-time by manipulating and combining the individual instrument samples.