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soundfonts & SF2

Can anyone help me? I want to use some of the soundfonts that different web sites like "Creative" are offering for download. Their format is 'sf2'. What do you do with them? I downloaded 'IDFEdit' but I don't know what an IDF file is. Whatever I do I fear wiping out what I have.

Re: soundfonts & SF2

Reply #1 –
The ability to use soundfonts is a function of the soundcard or the software synthesizer you are using and should be explained in the manual or help for the card/software. If a SoundBlaster AWE card with random access memory installed; there is included software (called 'Control Panel') which gives the tools for loading soundfonts. If you identify your card there may be someone here who also has it and can help.

Re: soundfonts & SF2

Reply #2 –
You need a soundblaster live card or some sound card that uses SF2's. There is software you can use as a substitute to the card but they are crap.

So wake up, get a soundblaster live

Re: soundfonts & SF2

Reply #3 –
well if you have already purchased a sound blaster even then you won't be able to play soundfonts unless you install an appropriate software like "cakewalk" and after that you will still need some software which could help "cakewalk" to play soundfonts....! that software actually works in the background and helps cakewalk to play soundfonts on it.... you can use veanna (pardon me if my spellings are not correct)...

wish you all the best

PS: if you need any help... you can always e-mail me and i will try to reply you as soon as i could.... actually i am thinking over making a cyber band.... so you can be a part of it!!!

Re: soundfonts & SF2

Reply #5 –
Reply 4 is a but misleading. Generally, when using soundfonts, you need the following:

1 - a sound card that supports them
2 - a program or utility that manages them (as far as I know, this always comes with the card)
3 - any Windows MIDI programs, such as NWC

Re: soundfonts & SF2

Reply #6 –
I have a soundblaster 16 sound card and have just gotten interested in the whole deal with the soundfonts and such. I figured out (using media player and cool edit) how to convert my midi files into wave files, but I don't know how to change the intruments in my synthesizer's bank to ones I would like to download into it. I've tried finding answers, but can't! I would love more than anything to have my midi sounds that are converted to sound better than what they do (not that they sound THAT bad!) If anybody can help, please reply.

Re: soundfonts & SF2

Reply #7 –
For the SB16 and similar cards, the short answer is "you can't". These use a much different approach to making midi sounds, essentially they control various sound generators to synthesise (create) the various sounds, rather than playing actual sound samples.

However, all is not lost. If you just want better quality sounds, and if your computer is at least a P133, you can get prety good results from Yamaha softsynth.

If you're bound and determined to experiment with soundfonts, you can do so using Audio Compositor. This lets you render, i.e. "play" your midi files using the soundfont of choice, recording it to disk for listening later. If you have a fast enough computer, it can even do it in real-time (although, even on a fast machine it may stutter on complex passages). Its real strength is that there's no real limit to polyphony (how many voices can play at the same time).

(It's rather interesting to see some of these old threads come back to life, thanks to the new forum layout!)

Re: soundfonts & SF2

Reply #8 –
I have been searching for the same...and...I think, the answer lies in the Windows32 folder.  Thats where I found the default sound bank for SBLive(5.1). Maybe adding them there before you load them will keep them there perm. Though it may require tampering with the registry also...if so, i would not recommend it unless you experienced or have a backup.

Good Luck

Re: soundfonts & SF2

Reply #9 –
I work on a project about an interface MIDI between an organ and a sound card SB Live! The software that I use is Audio Compositor 4.5. I would like to load the different instruments of the banks (with soundfont 2 format) from the hardware (electro-magnetic sensors linked at a decoder card then linked at a processor card connected to the sound card) to the software (which rebuild the sounds).
So, if you can say what is the MIDI message that I should use and what is the memory adress, I thank you to answer me at :

nounours.toxo@caramail.com

Xavier