Inserting soundfonts

[gmutt]

I'm really new at recording with soundfonts, VST, etc. (usually sync Cakewalk midi files thru my synths into a Korg D1600 digital 16 track recorder). I recently downloaded the Reaper program, SFZ player from rgc audio, and some free soundfonts to give this a try. I know I have to load the fonts into the SFZ (which I haven't been able to accomplish yet - I right click on the "file" box in SFZ, see the soundfont, click to open, zippo, nada,etc). I did get one sf called "bass slide" to open in SFZ, but couldn't get the Reaper program to recognize it. I went to "insert"/"media file - insert" but don't know if I clicked on the right thing or not.

Can anyone tell me a few basic steps to see if this thing is going to work or not?? (I have a Compaq Presario - 2.08 GHz, 488 ram, windows Xp - linked via USB to a midiman midisport 4x4. The SFZ does recognize the different midisport connections.)

I would really like to try some of the new soundfont sounds that don't sound too good on my synths (Kurzweil and Korg).

Gary

[Justin]

Be sure to enable the MIDI input in prefs/MIDI.

Then, once you have SFZ loaded, click the record arm button for the track, arm it, right click the record arm button again, choose a MIDI input, and click the record monitor button to enable monitoring.. At this point, the MIDI input should be routed to SFZ and you should be able to hear something when you play on the keyboard/etc.

-Justin

[gmutt]

thanks Justin
I still can't get it to work with sfz. I got it to record a midi track from my Kurzweil, but don't hear anything when I try to assign a different track to sfZ. I'm not sure it's even routing. When I arm the track, as far as midi choices, I only see the "all channels" or "channel 1, 2 etc" to choose from.
Should I have the controlling keyboard (Kurz) set to local-off? I've tried it both ways, but I still don't hear any sound font after I arm the track and select a midi channel. I should hear the sound on my computer speakers, right? I don't think the sfz and the kurz or Reaper are hooking up.

Do I have to go up to the "insert" menu page at the top to pick sfz or a soundfont? or should it hook up by arming the track, etc?

Gary

[fluffy]

Have You tried VstSynthFont, gmutt? It works really well and even plays GigaSamples. Under reaper, when you open the gui, it fills the entire screen, and you'll have to manually resize it, but other than that it's pretty great.

http://www.saunalahti.fi/kru99/Downloads.htm

[malcolmj]

Originally Posted by gmutt

Do I have to go up to the "insert" menu page at the top to pick sfz or a soundfont? or should it hook up by arming the track, etc?

Have a look at this procedure and make sure that you're inserting the Soundfont player into the FX chain correctly:

http://www.cockos.com/wiki/index.php...Ti_instruments

Cheers,

Malcolm.

[gmutt]

Heeeeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyyyyyy !!! Yiippee!!! thanks guys!!
I finally got Reaper to make sounds. Now if I can just find some sounds I like. It seems like most of the stuff I've downloaded are all synth sounds that are the "spacey" variety - you know, synth bass with strange effects, etc. I'm looking for some good sounds of electric guitars, brass, drums, that are more like samples of true instruments. I downloaded some guitar stuff (I think from KVR) when unzipped, have names like "198 strato - vs.sfpak" which I assume is a collection of guitar sounds?? anyways, I can't get it to open in SFZ or Reaper. Also, when I did open SFZ (by clicking the FX button, etc) I saw the SFZ panel, with a sound I loaded to SFZ, but the sound did not show up on the "preset" or "program" bars on the Reaper FX chain page - thus no sound. Can you recommend some good places to find some basic elec guitar, brass, etc sounds - or maybe you know how I can get the ones I've already downloaded to work.

Buuuttttt - hey, I've already made some progress thanks to your excellent tutelage.

Gary

[RokkD]

You'll find a ton of great sf2's here:
http://www.sf2midi.com/

and here: http://www.hammersound.net/

sfpack is the compressed file, you'll need sfpack and sometimes sfark to decompress the files, they'll direct you to them at Hammersound.
Im not sure what problem you're having with sfz, you load it like any other vsti, which it seems you now know how to do, sounds like you were trying to load the sfpack into sfz maybe.
Well you're getting closer, just give a shout if you need more help..

--

[synth]

We have to create a "Good Free Soundfonts' thread,like the other VSTi thread there.

It's very hard to find GOOD soundfonts.For example,I need good sax,electric/distorted guitar,80's power drums and electric (guitar) bass fonts.

[synth]

I know about SF2MIDI and Hammersound.
The biggest problem is the download system of SF2MIDI is terrible,and the links to all the good soundfonts (MEGA fonts) are broken.
It would be good if there was a place which had only the best ones,and with a better system,that enables resuming and using a DL manager.Imagine downloading a 100MB SF2 file on 64k ISDN (argh!)
Hammersound offers only dead links,not files

[RokkD]

I know, even with highspeed sf2midi is slow, and the site is a bit of a mess to get around in, but they have some gems there, likewise Hammersound there's still a few good ones left, and you can't always go by the ratings, you have to try them yourself.

[synth]

Originally Posted by RokkD

you can't always go by the ratings, you have to try them yourself.

That's why a "good soundfonts" thread is needed