====== Instruments, Samples, and Sound Effects ======
This is the central page where you can find sampled instruments, recorded snippets, sound effects, and other resources to help render your ideas and MIDI data to real audio output.
<note>This page and wiki/free_audio_data need to be merged. </note>

==== Overview ====
What are samples, sampled instruments, synthesizers, soundfonts, and samplers? How do they interact with sequencers and JACK? What is physical modelling?

**Sound synthesis** is the artificial generation of sound. It can be done via **spectral** or **physical modelling**. A **synthesizer** is a tool used for sound synthesis. Sound synthesis is not yet well-developed enough to realistically render orchestral pieces. See [[apps:categories:softsynths_and_samplers]] for more about this type of sound generation.

**Sampling** is the use of samples to produce audio. **Samples** are soundfiles of individual notes and articulations an acoustic instrument can produce. They serve as sources for **sampled instruments**, files a **sampler** can use as virtual instruments for sound production. Formats for sampled instruments include GIG, SF2 (also: **soundfonts**), and SFZ. Sampling is currently the only way to produce acceptable renditions of orchestral music.

A **sequencer** is tool for playing and manipulating note information, most commonly in MIDI form.

For more practical information, see [[http://missives-from-the-edge.blogspot.ca/2013/06/orchestrating-with-musescore-v13-and.html|Peter Schaffter]]'s MuseScore [[http://musescore.org/en/node/21159|tutorial]], and another page in this wiki, [[wiki:composition|]].

==== Licenses ====
What licenses can be expected? What is the "ideal" license for sampled instruments?

==== Current practice ====
As it stands, most Linux users build their own **ad-hoc collections** by scavenging fragments from around the net. See the section [[wiki:instruments#how_to_create_instruments|How to create instruments]] below.


==== Commercial products ====

For an outdated list, see [[http://bb.linuxsampler.org/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=11|List of sample libraries]] at the LinuxSampler forum. Check also the [[http://bb.linuxsampler.org/viewforum.php?f=8|Sample Libraries]] section of the same forum.

(Please note, it would be useful to have such information integrated and updated here.)

== Digital Sound Factory ==
[[https://www.digitalsoundfactory.com|Digital Sound Factory]] offers sample libraries in 2 formats that can play on Linux:
  * [[https://www.digitalsoundfactory.com/soundfont_products|SoundFont]] (SF2)
  * [[https://www.digitalsoundfactory.com/dimension_products|Cakewalk Dimension]] (SFZ)

Cakewalk Dimension is an SFZ player, and the files play on LinuxSampler.

Check their [[https://www.digitalsoundfactory.com/example-downloads|free example downloads]].

Relevant forum discussion: [[http://linuxmusicians.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=11331|Thousands of SFZ samples for LinuxSampler]].

==== Free Sampled Instruments =====
See [[Free audio data]]

==== External Links =====
This section provides unverified, unchecked links to other instruments. Warning: Most of the licenses are bad, and some downloads on collection sites are straightforward illegal. If there are instruments with good licenses around, we would like to integrate them here and mirror on our own download server: [[http://download.linuxaudio.org/|download.linuxaudio.org]].

==== How to create instruments =====
This section discusses tools, methods, and resources for the creation and editing of instruments.

=== GIG editors ===
  * [[http://www.linuxsampler.org/about.html|gigedit]]

=== SF2 editors ===
  * [[http://www.swamiproject.org/|Swami]]
  * [[http://polyphone.fr/|Polyphone]]