Re: [linux-audio-dev] Soundfont synthesizer (Was: LinuxTag 2001)

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Subject: Re: [linux-audio-dev] Soundfont synthesizer (Was: LinuxTag 2001)
From: Peter Hanappe (peter_AT_hanappe.com)
Date: Sun May 27 2001 - 00:06:19 EEST


jgreen_AT_users.sourceforge.net wrote:

> 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!

That would be a really good idea. I should study a little more the
various required file access functions. My basic needs were just a
file reading API. Off course, we would have to design a full file
editing API.

Since i'm not doing any editing, I can read all the samples in memory
in one block. Smurf creates and inserts samples much more randomly.
Both should be supported.

Anyway, I'll start thinking about what kind of design I would propose
and what I think should be in the API.

> 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.

Sure, I would like that. I think the advantage of the my synth is that
it does just that: being a soundfont synthesizer. I also designed it to
be easily integratable in plugins, frameworks or language interpreters.

I'll continue working on the synthesizer and I'll start thinking about
some API designs.

Cheers
Peter

> Lates..
> Josh Green

-- 
Peter Hanappe
peter_AT_hanappe.com


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