Subject: Re: [linux-audio-dev] Soundfont synthesizer (Was: LinuxTag 2001)
From: jgreen_AT_users.sourceforge.net
Date: Wed May 23 2001 - 01:03:49 EEST
Quoting Peter Hanappe <peter_AT_hanappe.com>:
>
> I couldn't resist replying to this mail. It seemed like a good
> opportunity
> to bring out the soundfont synthesizer I've been working on.
>
> It's 100% software and implements most of the SF2 specification.
> It's still in early development stages and the TODO list is still pretty
> long
> but it should compile and run. If anyone is willing to try it out, I've
> quickly
> put together a release and a web page at
> http://www.hanappe.com/iiwusynth.html
>
> It currently uses Alsa 0.9 but an OSS version will be ready soon.
>
> Please mail me with your comments.
>
Awesome! I think there are a couple others too (Timidity and CSound), but the
more the better. I've thought of writing one myself, just for the fun of
programming a soft synth. I'll give yours a try.
What we need to do now is create a Sound Font loading API for ALSA. This is
something that Takashi Iwai was working on (not sure what the status is now).
Its something that I also want to help with, although I have limited programming
experience within the ALSA kernel. I've been thinking that we should just start
defining an API for what the data flow should look like. This could even be done
outside of the ALSA API and then just integrated into it later. Essentially it
would be an API for loading/updating/querying sound font patches. This would be
really cool because it would not matter what was on the other end, whether it be
an SB Live! or your software emulator. I would also like to work on developing
the modulator side of Sound Fonts. I just love the idea of controlling almost
any aspect of sound font synthesis in realtime with MIDI controls!
If you, or anyone else on this list, is interested in developing a Sound Font
loading API, lets start seriously designing something.
>
> PS: Thank you, Josh, for the Smurf SoundFont Editor. I really love it.
> It's been very helpful as an application and as a code base! Yes, your
> name is in the AUTHORS and THANKS page ;)
>
Thank you :) Its always nice to get good feedback. So many other people deserve
thanks as well, like Takashi Iwai for which I based some of the preliminary
sound font loading and AWE driver Smurf code off of.
So. I'm thinking of starting to write a preliminary API document for Sound Font
loading. I'll post a link on this list when there is something to look at. I had
thought about trying to integrate Timidity or CSound with Smurf in the past, but
since I'm not familiar with their code base I never got around to it. Since you
probably have good knowledge of your own program (hopefully :) it would be neat
to use your soft synth as the guinea pig. Let me know what you think. Lates..
Josh Green
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b28 : Wed May 23 2001 - 02:49:49 EEST