What exactly is a Sound Font?

[Brian Scanlon]

It is a replacement instrument set for .mid files. In other words, like you
can change a text font to convey a different feeling to your words,
different sound fonts can sound more or less realistic when playing back
MIDI music. Sound fonts are collections of sampled notes, organized
according to a standard instrument set, the GM standard, a collection of 128
instruments plus drum kits. Each font uses different types and amounts of
samples per instrument, trying to produce a balanced and realistic sound.
Sound fonts can be loaded into half of your system RAM to function properly.
I'm sure someone else can give a more detailed response, but this should
give you a basic understanding of the purpose and function of sound fonts.

--

Brian Scanlon
http://members.home.com/sharps97
http://www.mp3.com/novatech
To seek to know the cause of this effect, Or, rather say, the cause of this
defect, For this effect defective comes by cause . Wm. Shakespeare - Hamlet
.
"Nautics" <nau...@entic.net> wrote in message
news:8h76mg$r9f$1...@news.creativelabs.com...
> I have no idea what a Sound Font is or does. Can someone shine some light
on
> this for me?
>
> Thanks!
> -Vincent
>
>

[Brian Scanlon]

True true, there are many individualized sound fonts that are out there as
well too...

--

Brian Scanlon
http://members.home.com/sharps97
http://www.mp3.com/novatech
To seek to know the cause of this effect, Or, rather say, the cause of this
defect, For this effect defective comes by cause . Wm. Shakespeare - Hamlet
.

"Bov" <musi...@nospam.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:8h7jum$d4i$1...@news.creativelabs.com...
> Hi Brian
>
> I'm not very happy about this comment:

>
> > Sound fonts are collections of sampled notes, organized
> > according to a standard instrument set, the GM standard,
>

> SoundFonts have nothing to do with GM (og GS or XG). The Banks (2, 4 &
8MB)
> that come with the card just happen to be setup as GM instruments for GM
> playback. Many .mid files are in GM or GS (or even XG) mode, but from a
> musician's point of view it is not really usefull unless you want to
quickly
> map some instruments. Instead many of us would rather use 10 good
> instruments which has nothing to do with GM but could be as big as 32 MB
> (Working with SoundFonts is much like working with a sampler - so it might
> be the sound of a car passing and some Africans singing - which has
nothing
> to do with GM).
>
> Just my 2 cents..
>
> Cheers
> Bov
> --
> __________________________________
> Piano Soundfont and Gigainstrument:
> http://come.to/bovbjerg
>
>

[PJ]

Ultimatley the best way to think of what a soundfont is, is this:
There are several different types of text fonts for the alphabet
Some look dull some are gorgeous. The same is true with Soundfonts.
For example a piano can sound flat and dull or bright and beautiful.
There are many different brands of pianos all with their one
characteristics. The Soundfonts allow you to choose which piano sound
you love the best to use in your midi file. Soundfonts do not need
to conform to amy GM standard. The whole Soundfont bank can be all
pianos or it can be a Sound font bank with many different instruments
laid out in any order the creater desires. The best place to learn
about what they are is the Creative site www.sblive.com. You'll find
the link at some point.
Pete

On Fri, 2 Jun 2000 08:20:19 +0200, "Bov" <musi...@nospam.hotmail.com>
wrote:

[Bov]

Pete:
No need to tell me about soundfonts......