Free Software Synthesizer

[Tuplanolla]

I came here after trying to search for a solution for almost 20 hours, with little luck.

I need to replace my Microsoft GS WT SW Synth with a software synth which would use *.sf2 files (8mbgmsfx.sf2 for example). Partly because it doesn't work with dual-core processors, but mostly because the sound quality is so low. Finding and testing every synthesizer, plugin and hack existing, hoping they would work with my configuration, is beyond my scope.

I don't want to fix the current synth, buy a sound card, replace the gm.dls, stop listening to MIDI files, disable the processor's other core, install another operating system or convert the files into another format. I just want a simple, gadget free (nothing like four console applications combined with a virtual MIDI port interface and a compatibility hack) replacement.

I'm running Windows XP on a custom built computer. I've already tried Timidity++ and Fluidsynth, but I couldn't get them to work (it could be my fault).

[tacman7]

Independence is a free one but giant download.

Emu.com has a free proteus that is great.

Neither of these are GM so you would have to select your own patches.

A roland sound canvas is pretty good for GM but you'd have to buy it. It comes in BIAB.

[richiebee]

The sound quality of sf2's are very low. You don't get a high quality GM sample library into 8Mb!

I think you seek the impossible.

[Tuplanolla]

Originally Posted by richiebee

The sound quality of sf2's are very low. You don't get a high quality GM sample library into 8Mb!

I think you seek the impossible.

Let's not limit it to *.sf2 files then. What would you recommend?

Anything beats the 3 MB GM though (also remember that 8 MB = 64 Mb).

[garww]

I use TiMIDIty and SynthFont. My Merlin Fonts are over 30Mb and decent. My older TiMIDIty uses roland .pats and are about 36MB and delicious(dry).

Right now, I'm sending GM to TiMIDIty and older Merlin Pro sf2. Some DAW have a VST that you can assign to play a instrument from a sf2. You have the piano MIDI track, assign the VST and select the instrument #2 from any sf2 file, for example.

The VST I use cataloged the 30 some sf2 in my bank directory. So, I can pull-up a huge Kawai Grand or Cathedral drawbars in an instant.

[Tuplanolla]

Originally Posted by garww

I use TiMIDIty and SynthFont. My Merlin Fonts are over 30Mb and decent. My older TiMIDIty uses roland .pats and are about 36MB and delicious(dry).

Right now, I'm sending GM to TiMIDIty and older Merlin Pro sf2. Some DAW have a VST that you can assign to play a instrument from a sf2. You have the piano MIDI track, assign the VST and select the instrument #2 from any sf2 file, for example.

The VST I use cataloged the 30 some sf2 in my bank directory. So, I can pull-up a huge Kawai Grand or Cathedral drawbars in an instant.

I've tried Timidity++, but the player only worked independently. How did you set Timidity as the default MIDI driver?

[garww]

The newer version has instructions on the web somewhere and I followed them. I put the sf2 capable version on my new vista laptop and also had do download the mIDI enabler so I can select it as windows default. I kept the old timidity on this machine, because it's still a very good player/renderer with the old pats.

I've posted the link many times here, so you might be able to search it.

[Tuplanolla]

Originally Posted by garww

also had do download the mIDI enabler so I can select it as windows default.

That's something I haven't heard of before. What is the program called and what does it actually do?

[garww]

Originally Posted by Tuplanolla

That's something I haven't heard of before. What is the program called and what does it actually do?

In XP and earlier, there was a MIDI Mapper dialog in /sounds. I actually have the laptop running this time and it's Putzlowitchs Vista Midi Mapper!! Here you choose what processes MIDI sound system-wide. This is what I installed with my newer ver. TIM.. There are a shit-load of banks out there. I sometimes use a Chaos 12Mb along with the Merlin Pro. There are newer Merlin that I haven't tried, but they should be good. The laptop is a x2-core amd.

Oh, and listen to RB about the 8-bit banks, they are just better than GS-wavetable : )

What is fun for me are the non-GM specialty banks - old synths and bagpipes, etc..

[Tuplanolla]

Originally Posted by garww

In XP and earlier, there was a MIDI Mapper dialog in /sounds.

No.

Originally Posted by garww

I actually have the laptop running this time and it's Putzlowitchs Vista Midi Mapper!!

It's for Vista, so it doesn't help (and "Putzlowitchs Vista MIDI Mapper" doesn't even exist). I figured out that I needed MIDI Yoke though; it almost works now.

Originally Posted by garww

Here you choose what processes MIDI sound system-wide. This is what I installed with my newer ver. TIM.. There are a shit-load of banks out there. I sometimes use a Chaos 12Mb along with the Merlin Pro. There are newer Merlin that I haven't tried, but they should be good. The laptop is a x2-core amd.

No matter what sound bank I use the sound is constantly crackling and loading new instruments into memory during a song causes a lot of lag. It's probably not my 3 GHz processor's fault.

Originally Posted by garww

Oh, and listen to RB about the 8-bit banks, they are just better than GS-wavetable : )

What is fun for me are the non-GM specialty banks - old synths and bagpipes, etc..

Maybe later.

Is there a way to run FluidSynth in stealth mode (like a Windows service)?