mididev Google Group

Re: [mididev] Re: softsynth for windows thats free and will do SF2...?

stephen.ha...@gmail.com (Stephen Hazel) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:04:38 UT

Actually, all I'm tryin to do is get a rig that just needs keyboard +
basic laptop.
To do drums,etc. My keyboard doesn't do drums :(

Not looking to write code, but i would if it turns out to be helpful.
I'll try out some of the freeware hosts + freeware sf2 VSTs.
If that's unsatisfactory, I'll probably just setup the "fluidsynth

Re: softsynth for windows thats free and will do SF2...?

d...@pheugo.com (pheugo) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:37:55 UT

Hi Steve --

You can find copies of the VST spec online, if you want to go that
route. IIRC, it's a COM interface on Windows.

Do you really want to host any VST plugin? Or are you just trying to
get SF2 into your own synth?

I added classes to load and playback SF2 files to the latest version

Re: softsynth for windows thats free and will do SF2...?

utkuuz...@gmail.com (Utku Uzmen) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:37:06 UT

If you're looking to integrate VST synths/plug-ins into your own app,
then your app is the VST host. Generally the host is the stand-alone
executable that can load and use VST plug-ins, which are essentially
DLLs with specific exported functions in Windows. There are also DX
instruments/effects that work similarly.

RE: [mididev] Re: softsynth for windows thats free and will do SF2...?

timg...@hotmail.com (Timoth E. Gard) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:44:04 UT

Never said Cantabile was free, just the VSTs -- vstplanet.com, kvraudio.com, dontcrack.com all have good lists of instruments/effects. I believe that I saw at least one VST instrument out there that used sound fonts. Although I don't recall specifically named file-formats.

Hope that helps a bit.

Re: softsynth for windows thats free and will do SF2...?

jabberdab...@hotmail.com (Les) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:05:55 UT

VSTHost is a good, free standalone host.

[link]

Re: [mididev] Re: softsynth for windows thats free and will do SF2...?

stephen.ha...@gmail.com (Stephen Hazel) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:17 UT

Yep, that's what i was lookin for - Thanks Tim.
But Cantibile ain't freeware, per se. I'll go google some stuph :)

...Steve

RE: [mididev] softsynth for windows thats free and will do SF2...?

timg...@hotmail.com (Timoth E. Gard) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:46:53 UT

Steve,

There are several programs out there that exist only to host VSTs. I've just started checking them out recently, and have been using Cantabile (Lite) with few complaints. So far, I'm using them in a purely live environment and am fairly happy with results. I got some freeware virtual instruments and some virtual effects, link them all together in Cantabile and my MIDI controller now has an even more extended soundsource.

softsynth for windows thats free and will do SF2...?

stephen.ha...@gmail.com (Stephen Hazel) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:59:43 UT

I'm hopin' this is an easy question...
Lookin for a free softsynth on windows that'll load SF2.
From what I can tell, SFZ is a vst that meets those requirements.
But a vst needs a "host" or whatever, right?
So that leads me to ask, what the heck is a host and is there a free one?
How many types of software (only) midi synthesis are there?

Send me your SysEx

obiwanjac...@hotmail.com (obiwanjacobi) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 07:53:28 UT

Hi y'all,

Do you own equipment that supports MIDI System Exclusive messages?
Please send me a link (or post it here) of the manual that describes
these messages.

I'm doing an analysis of sysex messages of various manufacturers in
order to validate the generic sysex engine I'm making. So I'm

Re: [mididev] Re: QT/RTmidi (was "Re: Hello form the PianoBooster (open source) dev guy")

louisjbar...@googlemail.com (Louis B.) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 22:24:43 UT

No that is not way I would recommend (unless you WANT to have a
DIFFERENT UI for windows and mac -- which may be the only way IF you
want to follow all UI guidelines for both platforms -- granted). But
if you something that works across all platforms then I recommend that
you get a MAC + PC (plus Linux VM) and stick with a single codebase

Re: [mididev] Re: QT/RTmidi (was "Re: Hello form the PianoBooster (open source) dev guy")

sanitat...@earthlink.net (Paul A.) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:27:34 UT

Jeff:
I'm developing on Win, yes. While I may follow your advice here, I
think I need to spend a little time starting to focus more on the
reality of the cross-dev tools, so at least there's the possibility
of a remote chance I'll be able to re-use substantial portions of the codebase.
Thanks.
-Paul

Re: QT/RTmidi (was "Re: Hello form the PianoBooster (open source) dev guy")

utkuuz...@gmail.com (Utku Uzmen) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:16:26 UT

I meant that the binary Qt framework is made up of a bunch of
libraries (DLLs on Windows) and you simply bundles these libraries
with your application. On Windows and Mac the libraries live under
your app folder so there is no issue of version conflicts. (I haven't
looked into Linux yet) The libraries themselves are precompiled for

Re: QT/RTmidi (was "Re: Hello form the PianoBooster (open source) dev guy")

jbeeg...@gmail.com (Jeff) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 01:51:14 UT

Speaking of which, there is an excellent application out there called
KnobMan which renders custom knobs ([link]
knobman.html). You still need to create your own custom control but
KnobMan will render the knob... you just draw it.

Jeff

Pipe Organs and such now...

stephen.ha...@gmail.com (Stephen Hazel) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 23:54:33 UT

Looks like more awesome-ness comin' our way...
Welcome to the group, John :)
...Steve
---------- Forwarded message ----------
To: Stephen Hazel <stephen.ha...@gmail.com>
One area where MIDI has caused no end of confusion is in the world of pipe
organs. There being no standard way to handle organ stops has led to

Re: [mididev] Re: QT/RTmidi (was "Re: Hello form the PianoBooster (open source) dev guy")

louisjbar...@googlemail.com (Louis B.) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:41:30 UT

Hi Paul

If you are new to GPL this article explains it very well. Especially try
to understand the diagrams.

[link]

the uses of LGPL library is different as there is no requirement to
release your source code when linking to a LGPL library.