How to search for GM Sounds
I don't know how to do that in searching machines! Everytime I type "GM Sounds piano/violin" etc all I get is just plain sounds or list of names.(Sorry to Jojo-Smitch who tried to explain to me in another channel but in vain) So... how do I exactly search and find sounds (and even hear) to see whether they could be nice to add?
Comments
By the way I also saw the "Soundfonts" section... does it have to do with what I try to search? And do they recommend new sounds there or just discudd about how the current sounds sound and what could be make them better?
It's not totally clear what you are asking. You want a list of what the GM sounds are? Just go to View / Mixer and open up the Sound dropdown for any channel - that's the list of available sounds, which if you haven't changed to a non-standard soundfont, will be the GM list.
In reply to It's not totally clear what… by Marc Sabatella
I believe the OP is looking for piano and violin sounds on the internet. As well as a way to hear them before he tries to use them.
@lothes. The sound font page in the manual lists some different pianos. The instructions on how to download and use them are pretty good. The default general HQ sf3 font has decent strings (and pianos). I suggest you work with what is already in MuseScore before yo try to branch out.
You can't get good playback with any font without a little trickery.
In reply to I believe the OP is looking… by bobjp
Oh so those 'libraries' contained soundfonts to use in musescore as alternatives(?). I'm not looking only for those instruments. I generally want to find sounds of instruments that could perhaps have better sounds when playback-ing. For example the flute has an ok sound but I hate the fact that it has this slow vibrato. I believe if the pitch remained the same it would sound much better in an orchestra. That's why I want to search for such sounds and suggest adding those.if this makes sense.
In reply to It's not totally clear what… by Marc Sabatella
Well I think I'm generally confused with how those things work... And wiki doesn't help me either. What I probably meant was that : I'm a bit disatisfied with the soundfonts(?) of some instruments. That's why I want to search for other ones that could sound better in an orchestra ( and there's the issue of how much the instrument sounds in contrast with others in the same dynamics).But I don't know where and how to search for such sounds.
In reply to Well I think I'm generally… by [DELETED] 32872726
To search for sounds, just ouse ordinary web search. Like, just type "flute soundfont" into a web search engine and see what comes up.
To learn how to actually use a soundfont with MuseScore, see the Online Handbook (Help / Online Handbook) and go to the section on soundfonts.
In reply to Well I think I'm generally… by [DELETED] 32872726
There are many sounds and sample sets under "soundfonts" or "sf2" name. I would key those words. But there are many other sample sets that do sound better. BUT, you cannot play them in the Msc. synth which uses sf2 and sfz format files.
In reply to Well I think I'm generally… by [DELETED] 32872726
You can find some info. here:
https://www.hedsound.com/
(...but you have to dig around the site to find stuff. Lots of soundfont related topics can be found there, too.)
In reply to You can find more info. here… by Jm6stringer
@lothes The other problem is that "good sound" is pretty subjective. I get that you may not like the flute vibrato. The problem is that if you line up five real flute players they will each play with different tone quality and vibrato. Which one is Right or Better? And there will always be the problem of recorded sounds mixing differently than live sounds.
My current setup involves the default font and some horn and string sounds from an SFZ collection. But SFZ sounds make the MuseScore open much more slowly and load slower in a score.
In reply to @lothes The other problem is… by bobjp
I think at least in orchestras the wind instrument players don't do vibratos... or do they?
In reply to I think at least in… by [DELETED] 32872726
It depends on the player, the music, the situation, the instrument, and what the MD asks for. In my orchestral experience, in lyrical passages, left to their own choices flute and oboe use vib more often than not, bassoons less often, clarinets less often than that, horns very rarely, trumpets sometimes, trombones never as they don't get lyrical passages.
In reply to It depends on the player,… by SteveBlower
This is obvious... Sorry I meant generally even in not lyrical passages.
In reply to This is obvious... Sorry I… by [DELETED] 32872726
The point is, it is matter of taste, either the players' or the MD's or sometimes the composer's who may mark passages "vib." or "molto vib." or perhaps "senza vib." The same applies to strings, but they use vib. more often (we wind players say they do that as it helps to cover their poor intonation).
In reply to The point is, it is matter… by SteveBlower
It's alright you don't need to continue I got it xd Though if you have to suggest any nice orchestral soundfonts :D
In reply to It's alright you don't need… by [DELETED] 32872726
Soundfonts are not my area of expertise. I rely on good old-fashioned blowing down a wooden stick to make a noise.
So.. do you recommend any soundfonts that include a muted trumpet soundfont that could sound like in this video? https://youtu.be/maJVfFnAqtA
In reply to So.. do you recommend any… by [DELETED] 32872726
Link doesn't work for me. But based on the piece, I'd guess it's a straight mute. Most GM soundfonts that include on muted trumpet sound will do a different mute like a Sharon. Probably there exist some that have lots of different options - harmon stem in/out, cup, straight, various plungers, etc.
In reply to Link doesn't work for me. … by Marc Sabatella
so complicated stuff... Lol I have to say the good thing with musescore is that in a way it makes up for your lack of knowledge if you have, in orchestration sometimes. I have heard many of Stravinksy's pieces so I guess I'm fine with that... But I don't know a what "Straight" mute is... I tried downloading the virtual-playing one from here https://vis.versilstudios.com/vsco-community.html#articulations
In reply to so complicated stuff... Lol… by [DELETED] 32872726
Though I don't know if they work: it says that it must have 2 folders one containing .wav files and the other .sfz ones. AH I want to install them but I don't know how! Is it even possible?
In reply to Though I don't know if they… by [DELETED] 32872726
Did you read the Handbook section on soundfonts as suggested earlier? just follow those instructions. But be aware, it's much simpler for SF2 than SFZ soundfonts.
In reply to Did you read the Handbook… by Marc Sabatella
Sorry! Just realized I had been downloading the simpler ones :/
In reply to Sorry! Just realized I had… by [DELETED] 32872726
Alright! So I put both folders separately in Musescore's Soundfonts folder... But opening the synthesiser I find nothing... Perhaps I need to put both in one folder INTO the soundfonts folder?
In reply to Alright! So I put both… by [DELETED] 32872726
Yes, for SFZ you need to have everything dealing with that font in one folder. That means that the main folder contains individual folders but no files outside folders. In the synthesizer, open the Zuberus tab. select ADD button. find you SFZ folder. Select load. Every instrument in the folder will show. Select the ones you want. I think Select All works, if you want all of them. Select load. Don't be surprised when MuseScore starts much, much slower and doesn't have any sound at first
In reply to Yes, for SFZ you need to… by bobjp
MuseScore can't effectively teach you much about orchestration. You really need to know how things work first.
In reply to MuseScore can't effectively… by bobjp
Thanks a bunch! And yes gotta agree... Maybe it's just my case, that I have analyzed some great orchestrators' works, that helps me imagine and understand what instrument takes what. But the playback can help you decide sometimes such stuff too I believe.
In reply to Thanks a bunch! And yes… by [DELETED] 32872726
So this is how it looks: (It's inside the Soundfonts folder) I loaded them in Musescore but nothing sounds.
In reply to So this is how it looks: (It… by [DELETED] 32872726
Made it like this: (not much changed)
In reply to Made it like this: (not much… by [DELETED] 32872726
Oh! I actually made it work... I needed to put all the sfz folders in the same place with the wav libraries... unfortunately it doesn't contain MUTED STUFF!
In reply to Oh! I actually made it work… by [DELETED] 32872726
This time I downloaded one that contains muted trumpets... but it won't work with this setup (All the folders except Sfz folder contain .wav files while the sfz contains the sfz files...) Do I do something wrong?
In reply to This time I downloaded one… by [DELETED] 32872726
.sfz files are nothing but text files referencing those .wav files. Important those mix and match, including the directory structure.
In reply to .sfz files are nothing but… by Jojo-Schmitz
Meaning? Do I have to move the sfz files somewhere else? or the wav ones?
In reply to Meaning? Do I have to move… by [DELETED] 32872726
The WAV files need to be exactly where the SFZ file(s) claim them to be. Spaces in file- or path names are know to have been causing issues too
In reply to The WAV files need to be… by Jojo-Schmitz
So I just need to look inside the sfz files.
In reply to So I just need to look… by [DELETED] 32872726
Alright it worked! But unfortunately won;t do crescendos and such...
In reply to Alright it worked! But… by [DELETED] 32872726
Indeed, SFZs don't in general IIRC. Or our Zerberus Syth doesn't, not sure
In reply to Indeed, SFZs don't in… by Jojo-Schmitz
How do I check that?
In reply to How do I check that? by [DELETED] 32872726
I don't know
In reply to I don't know by Jojo-Schmitz
Then can the developers? :D (does this sound rude?)
In reply to Then can the developers? :D … by [DELETED] 32872726
yes
;-)
In reply to Indeed, SFZs don't in… by Jojo-Schmitz
I may well remember wrongly. It may be just that particular soundfont not supporting it. Or supporting it a different way than the default settings in synthesizer use
In reply to I may well remember wrongly… by Jojo-Schmitz
So I have to change something in the synthesiser? But like .. what?
In reply to So I have to change… by [DELETED] 32872726
The Single Note Dynamics settings of course
In reply to The Single Note Dynamics… by Jojo-Schmitz
Of course XD Alright gonna check that and reply later if it worked.
In reply to The Single Note Dynamics… by Jojo-Schmitz
As I understand it, It is a sfz problem, not a MuseScore problem. Symphonic Sounds has a dizzying number of choices. Not all of them work correctly on my system. Some sound better than default. Some do not. None support SND as far as I can tell. And by "not work correctly", I mean that I can select a brass sound in the mixer, but a woodwind sounds in playback. I spent a couple of days trying to figure it out and decided to only retain a few voices from it.
In reply to so complicated stuff... Lol… by [DELETED] 32872726
You don't have to already know what a straight mute is, but FWIW a web search will tell you all you need to know about different trumpet mutes. No need to think of any of this as complicated.