Better sound fonts esp. timpani and strings
The default sound font file TimGM6mb.sf2 is rather weak on timpani and strings: I cannot have it plan drum rolls with the timpani, even with the tremolo symbol, and it did not really sound like a timpani. The strings sound very subdued compared to other instruments, which is not the case in a real orchestra.
I tried downloading other sound fonts, and put them in the same folder. But the software does not load them even on restart. The only way I could have it load the new sound font is to rename the new sound font file as TimGM6mb.sf2 (and put the original elsewhere).
Is there a better way? Thanks!
Comments
For steps to load a different sound font than the default one, see the relevant handbook page .
For a different sound font, I have found an acceptable compromise between quality and file size with the Fluid R3 sound font, listed in the same handbook page. Quality is no stellar, but acceptable for several instruments; you may check if its timpani and strings suit you or not.
About tremolo: I may be wrong, but I suspect in the current MuseScore version (0.9.6.3) tremolo is only graphical, not actually played bak. If this is true, no sound font will ever add what the program does not do in the first place.
M.
In reply to For steps to load a different by Miwarre
Thanks for pointing out the link to a revised handbook. The current pdf one is quite outdated.
Strangely, not all .sf2 files can be read by MuseScore. The FluidR3 works fine, but if I use other sound fonts for orchestra, not a single sound is heard.
As for the tremolo and rolls, well, looks like this is a 'feature request' for the developers!
Cheers!
In reply to sound fonts by silent_comp
All the .sf2 files I've tried have worked. Can you name the SoundFont you are having trouble with?
In reply to All the .sf2 files I've tried by David Bolton
I tried the Akai Orchestral. I could not retrace the website, as it seems to be available from a number of sites. Perhaps the version I had was a faulty one.
On a related question: is it possible to mix and match sound font files? For example, there is a good sound font for a specific instrument, can I ask the software to pick that sound font for the instrument?
Thanks!
In reply to sound fonts by silent_comp
Next major version will be able to load several soundfonts in MuseScore.
After loading in a new soundfont, you need to restart MuseScore I believe. Not so with the latest trunk.
In reply to Restart MuseScore by Thomas
No need to restart if you are using the latest stable version (see New features in MuseScore 0.9.6 , "Playback")
Some hints about mixing and matching parts of sound fonts can be found in this thread .
M.