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wiki:instruments [2013/07/16 07:05] – [What are sampled instruments?] the_aviv | wiki:instruments [2014/02/23 12:50] – remove distracting details raboof |
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====== Instruments, Samples and Sound Effects ====== | ====== 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. | 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> |
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==== What are sampled instruments? ==== | ==== Overview ==== |
What are samples, instruments, synths, soundfonts, and samplers? How do they interact with sequencers and JACK? What is physical modelling? | What are samples, sampled instruments, synthesizers, soundfonts, and samplers? How do they interact with sequencers and JACK? What is physical modelling? |
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//Sound synthesis//, whether by //spectral// or //physical modelling//, is not yet well-developed enough to realistically render orchestral pieces - which currently, can only be done via //sampling//. | **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. |
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Samples are sound files. They serve as sources for sampled instruments. | **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** (also: **soundfonts**), files a **sampler** can use as virtual instruments for sound production. Formats for sampled instruments include GIG, SF2, and SFZ. Sampling is currently the only way to produce acceptable renditions of orchestral music. |
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Sampled instrument formats, currently supported by LinuxSampler, include GIG, SF2, and SFZ. | See also: [[apps:categories:softsynths_and_samplers]]. |
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An SFZ instrument comes with samples separately (which is not the case with the GIG and SF2 formats). It instructs the sampler on how to utilize the samples. | A **sequencer** is tool for playing and manipulating note information, most commonly in MIDI form. |
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The term //soundfont// is associated with the SF2 format. | 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|]]. |
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LinuxSampler is currently the only sampler in Linux. However, Calfbox is another development in the works. See [[apps:categories:softsynths_and_samplers]] for a list of samplers. | |
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==== Licenses ==== | ==== Licenses ==== |
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==== Current practice ==== | ==== Current practice ==== |
As it stands, most Linux users build their own **ad-hoc collections** by scavenging fragments from around the net. | 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. |
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Popular sites: | === Popular sites === |
| * [[http://www.sf2midi.com|Sf2Midi.com]] |
| * [[http://hammersound.net|HammerSound]] |
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* [[http://www.sf2midi.com/soundfonts/|Sf2Midi.com]] | === Orchestral soundfonts === |
* [[http://hammersound.net/|HammerSound]] | The [[http://www.sf2midi.com/soundfonts/file-detail/sinfon36-sf2-3885.html|sinfon36.sf2]] soundfont (from **Sf2Midi.com**) might be the best free orchestral soundfont on the net. For playbacks of well-known classical pieces, check [[https://soundcloud.com/misterdls|misterdls's SoundCloud page]]. The audio was produced simply with MuseScore and the sinfon36.sf2 soundfont. |
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==== Sonatina Symphonic Orchestra ==== | ==== Sonatina Symphonic Orchestra ==== |
The [[http://sso.mattiaswestlund.net/|Sonatina Symphonic Orchestra]] (SSO) is currently the best open source orchestral sample library - although there are a number known issues with it. Unfortunately, it is not under development. There is no structure put in place to help improve it. [[http://mattiaswestlund.net/|Mattias Westlund]], the author, is only one person. A project like this requires collaborative effort. | The [[http://sso.mattiaswestlund.net/|Sonatina Symphonic Orchestra]] (SSO) is an SFZ orchestral sample library. It is currently the best open orchestral sample library - although there are a number of known issues with it. Unfortunately, it is not under development, and there is no structure put in place to help improve it. [[http://mattiaswestlund.net/|Mattias Westlund]], the author, is only one person. A project like this requires collaborative effort. |
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There is a need in the Linux community for an open sample library. It is the missing link that hinders otherwise good tools, like LinuxSampler, from developing. What good is a sampler if there is no sample library? | There is a need in the Linux community for an open sample library. It is the missing link that hinders otherwise good tools, like LinuxSampler, from developing. What good is a sampler if there is no sample library? |
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[[http://www.nilsgey.de/|Nils Gey]]'s project is one such effort to fill in the void: [[https://github.com/nilsgey/sfz]]. | [[http://www.nilsgey.de/|Nils Gey]] has done a series of experiment pieces with SSO, the first one is [[http://www.nilsgey.de/Blog/14_Initial_opinion_about_Sonatina_Symphonic_Orchestra|here]]. While his conclusion is that the library disappoints, do check out his pieces and decide for yourself. |
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| He also maintains a [[https://github.com/nilsgey/sfz|github project]]. for collecting an maintaining/fixing SFZ libraries like SSO. |
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| ==== Commercial products ==== |
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| 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. |
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| (Please note, it would be useful to have such information integrated and updated here.) |
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| == 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) |
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| Cakewalk Dimension is an SFZ player, and the files play on LinuxSampler. |
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| Check their [[https://www.digitalsoundfactory.com/example-downloads|free example downloads]]. |
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| Relevant forum discussion: [[http://linuxmusicians.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=11331|Thousands of SFZ samples for LinuxSampler]]. |
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==== List of Sampled Instruments ===== | ==== List of Sampled Instruments ===== |
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| See [[Free audio data]] |
==== Non-sample based instruments ===== | ==== Non-sample based instruments ===== |
See [[apps:categories:softsynths_and_samplers]]. | See [[apps:categories:softsynths_and_samplers]]. |
==== How to create instruments ===== | ==== How to create instruments ===== |
This section discusses tools, methods, and resources for the creation and editing of instruments. | This section discusses tools, methods, and resources for the creation and editing of instruments. |
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| === GIG editors === |
| * [[http://www.linuxsampler.org/about.html|gigedit]] |
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=== SF2 editors === | === SF2 editors === |
* [[http://www.swamiproject.org/|Swami]] | * [[http://www.swamiproject.org/|Swami]] |
* [[http://polyphone.fr/|Polyphone]] | * [[http://polyphone.fr/|Polyphone]] |