Musicians: Soundfont Exchange?

Gregjazz · Tue 10/02/2004 22:15:18

Hi,

I was wondering if we could set up some sort of soundfont exchange website or something. I have many original commercial-quality soundfonts that I'm just dying to put out there on the net.

The site could have some sort of point system, where you get points for uploading soundfonts -- the better and more rare soundfont gets more points. With those points you can download other soundfonts. You can also preview the soundfonts with low-quality MP3s to see if you'd want it.

What do you think?

Trapezoid · Tue 10/02/2004 22:20:56

Sounds pretty cool. I'm not sure if any of my soundfonts are particularly rare though... most of them are just off of Hammersound.

Nine Toes · Tue 10/02/2004 22:29:22

You're talking about sound effects that can be used in game production, right? In that case, it sounds like a good idea to me.

I've been needing some sound effects for my game, and I can't find anything decent on the web.

Ben · Tue 10/02/2004 22:52:17

Actually, soundfonts are a digital format of samples used by musicians. Usully soundfonts are recordings of instruments, but they can be used for sound effects too..

It sounds like a good idea to me. I don't really have much original stuff to share, but I can trhow in a few nasty synth sounds I made..

Sluggo · Tue 10/02/2004 23:30:02

I think this is a great idea also, but that point system sounds kind of complicated, although it's a good idea. Who would run it?

remixor · Wed 11/02/2004 00:16:16

Sounds good, but I have 0 soundfonts to trade.

Gregjazz · Wed 11/02/2004 05:05:36

The point system is rather complicated, as you guys mentioned. Just an idea.

I would run the site myself, if necessary. These soundfonts would be public domain -- you can use them in games that you sell, etc., you just can't resell the soundfonts themselves. I think it would be cool if these soundfonts were available to AGS members only as a sort of in-house thing. Otherwise I would deal with massive bandwidth issues.

I think I'll look into using freewebs or some free webhoster like that. Well, not freewebs, because they are so slow, but you get the idea. I don't want to pay to be able to put my own soundfonts up there. That's just silly!

But this site wouldn't be solely about my soundfonts. We all can contribute with our best sounds. Right now, I have a copy of Awave, with which I can convert to and from millions of sample formats. I can convert your Gigasamples! I can convert your Korg Trinity/Triton sounds! Well, you get the idea.

I keep my soundfonts sounding commercial-quality, while taking up as little space as possible.

Currently I have oodles of original soundfonts. I currently make the soundfonts for myself only, but I think it would be good to get them out there on the net. Here's a list of the best soundfonts that I have made recently:

- Funk Drumset (6.67 MB. Probably the best drumset I have heard in a while. Very usable and very flexible.)
- Complete Jazz Kit (20.0 MB. If you are into jazz, this is the kit for you. Many velocity layers.)
- Jazz Bass (674 KB. I spent years looking for a nice jazz trio string bass sound. I couldn't find anything that sounded realistic enough. So I made my own. This is a great soundfont, including even the sound the strings make when you release them.)
- War Drums (1.18 MB. Two instruments inside, a BodhrÃ¡n drum and a nice Kodo drum. This soundfont is so useful for me. I am using it very often in Apprentice 2.)

These soundfonts are all uncompressed, but I think I'll use SFPack to compress them. It does a great job, compressing the soundfont to a third of the original size.

Anyways, I don't want to bore you guys to death. I think this website would benefit us all!

Trapezoid · Wed 11/02/2004 05:14:40

Those are awfully tantalizing. It would be cool to set up a sharing system, but if you just want to share them, you could always just find some webspace and advertise them in Soundfont communities.

Gregjazz · Wed 11/02/2004 06:39:09

What I'm thinking of doing is just setting up a website from some decent free webhoster. Then I'd set up an upload script. I might need help with that.

I rather like the sharing system, but it wouldn't even have to be a website. It could be some sort of public I-Drive.

I don't want to upload my soundfonts onto a place like http://www.sf2midi.com, because it's almost like they'd just drop into a black hole among all the numerous cheezy soundfonts. I want a soundfont site with quality control. A site where you have nice descriptions of the pros and cons of each soundfont so you can get a general idea of it before you download it.

Anyways, I talk to much.

Haddas · Wed 11/02/2004 20:06:15

How about "Oldgrounds.com: the problems of Yesterday, Today!"
That's original! Considering the point system and stuff.

Now, to my point(lol) I think that if you are someone who needs nice sounds for their game, sees a REALLY COOL AWESOME ULTRA GIGA MEGA KILO thing that they want... but he/shye/it doesn't have the points for it! What then? Maybe they can't make own soundeffects?

No point system!

P.S I have a few soundeffects made. They're in wavformat to loop better. They probably must be cut down or something first. Anyways. They're comical spaceship, amiga and radio soundeffects.

Gregjazz · Wed 11/02/2004 21:30:19

Yeah, discard the point idea. It's too complicated for me to script anyway.

But the site would be mainly about musical instrument sounds. I might have some sound effects, but that's skeptical. It's up to you guys, anyways.

Peter Thomas · Wed 11/02/2004 21:34:14

Sounds TOPS, Geoff.

Looking forward to it......

Damien · Sat 10/04/2004 13:14:29

Can anyone tell me what is the best software for creating soundfonts?

Sluggo · Sat 10/04/2004 20:33:10

I use Vienna Sound Font Studio. You can download it free from the creative labs website I think. I've never used any other programs, but this one seems to do everything I need it to.

Archangel (aka SoupDragon) · Sat 10/04/2004 21:09:56

Yeah I'd love another soundfont resource, a quality one this time. I'd be happy to contribute some things I've put together from some samples off magazine coverdiscs, but I don't think being constrained by a points system is a good idea. After all, I don't even have a microphone.

Damien · Sat 10/04/2004 22:27:12

I tried Vienna, but I got an error message. It was something about that my computer cannot process soundfonts.

remixor · Sun 11/04/2004 04:10:50

Quote from: Damien on Sat 10/04/2004 22:27:12
I tried Vienna, but I got an error message. It was something about that my computer cannot process soundfonts.

I got the same thing. I think you have to have a certain kind of sound card to use soundfonts, unfortunately.

Gregjazz · Sun 11/04/2004 05:09:56

Doesn't Megafont load soundfonts for any soundcard?

I could always put together a quick soundfont loader VST for you. That would take all of five mouse-clicks.

EDIT: Here, check out this link: http://www.rgcaudio.com/sfz.htm. Hope this helps!

Damien · Sun 11/04/2004 09:59:24

I checked out the program, but i cannot find the option to save as *.sf2.

remixor · Sun 11/04/2004 10:09:09

I'm not sure how to use Megafont, and on top of that its system requirements include a SBLive card. God, I'm useless with this stuff...