How to use MuseScore’s piano soundfont for playing MIDI files
This might be a bit off-topic, but since I couldn’t find a better place to post my question, I decided to ask here.
I would like to use the piano soundfont of MuseScore to make my external MIDI files sound more realistic. I downloaded MuseSource_General.sf2 (see https://musescore.org/en/handbook/3/soundfonts-and-sfz-files) and imported the SF2 soundfont into my MIDI synthesizer.
In my MIDI player, I opened a MIDI file created in another software (see MIDI.mid). The sound quality is very poor, even when using the original MuseScore soundfont; this is what it sounds like: www.mediafire.com/file/egom0mgpqs0my9n (MP3).
When I import the same MIDI file into MuseScore, however, and change the velocity of the notes to 80 through the inspector, it sounds excellent, see: www.mediafire.com/file/uj8zb7075d7dgd6 (MP3).
Exporting this as MIDI (see Exported MIDI.mid) improves the quality significantly, but it still differs from what it sounds like in MuseScore, see: www.mediafire.com/file/wzr61go9j55t6yr (MP3).
Any ideas how I can fix the issue?
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| MIDI.mid | 183 bytes |
| Exported MIDI.mid | 181 bytes |
Comments
Midi itself doesn't contain sounds; MuseScore uses a (dated and slightly modified) version of the Fluid synthesizer with the sf2 soundfonts. Since you use a different synthesizer it is likely that it uses a different interpretation of the sf2 format.
In reply to Midi itself doesn't contain… by jeetee
Where can I download that version of the Fluid synthesizer and how do I install/use it on Windows?
In reply to Where can I download that… by Aldolat
It's not a standalone program. To use the MuseScore version of FluidSynth you install MuseScore and play back your score...
In reply to It's not a standalone… by jeetee
So it is not possible to use the original MuseScore soundfont in my MIDI player (MIDITrail)? Is there a MIDI synthesizer you would recommend?
Also, is there a way to change the velocity of the notes without importing the MIDI file into MuseScore? The MIDI file in question does not seem to be parsed correctly.
In reply to So it is not possible to use… by Aldolat
Yes, there is a way to play using the original MuseScore Soundfont in your MIDI player, you've used it, but you didn't like the result.
Perhaps because of this issue of MIDITrail where the coder explicitly states:
"MIDITrail's internal synthesizer is implemented very simply and has poor performance. Depending on the wavetable file, the sound may not be output correctly."
There is no specific synth I would recommend, as I myself for my goals am mostly fine with the ones from MuseScore.
You can probably use any other MIDI editing software as well, such as the free MidiEditor.
In reply to Yes, there is a way to play… by jeetee
I think the follow-up question currently on my mind is this: if you like the MuseScore playback, then why aren't you using it? To what end are you attempting to do whatever "it" is that you're hoping to achieve.
In reply to I think the follow-up… by jeetee
I was hoping to find a better way to use the high-quality soundfont of MuseScore together with a 3D MIDI visualizer, without having to run both applications simultaneously.
In reply to I was hoping to find a… by Aldolat
Then I'm afraid you'll have to look into another MIDI Visualizer if the synth from MIDITrails isn't to your liking.
It's not really clear what sort of differences you are perceiving - that example is too short and isolated to really give much sense. But if it's literally using the same soundfonts, then presumably any differences are trivial things like effects applied afterwards - like how MuseScore adds a small amount of reverb, or some synths might apply EQ or whatever. So if that program doesn't have its own controls for this, presumably you could simply run it through some audio processing before going to your speakers, such as by playing through a mixer.