How to retrieve soundfonts from version 1
The new soundfonts for the wind instruments are, in my opinion, a step down from version 1. I write mostly scores for concert bands, marching bands, and jazz ensembles, so it is very important that the timbres of the wind instruments work well with each other and are true to the timbre of a real instrument. While I had no problem with the soundfonts in version 1, those in version 2 have been giving me problems. No matter how I mix them, the sounds clash in some way. It's difficult for me to arrange pieces for wind ensembles without being able to hear what a real ensemble would sound like. Is there any way that I can retrieve the original musescore soundfonts?
Comments
I feel very similarly—except I don't think the old SoundFont sounded like a real wind ensemble, either. Take my advice and use GeneralUser GS for concert band scores. Regardless, though, at https://musescore.org/en/node/36171#list you can get GeneralUser, TimGM (the default sound from 1.x), or others you can try if you want to.
There is an initiative to improve the quality of some of the instruments in FluidR3Mono.
I feel that it is the woodwind which needs the most attention and I have started by creating a new clarinet using samples from the University of Iowa.
Currently this is available as a beta release from the Soundfont forum...
https://musescore.org/en/node/52271
It is very early days, but hopefully this will help to solve your problems with the new default soundfont.