Subject: Re: [linux-audio-user] Big professional tiMIDIty patchset.. Any interrest ?
From: Dave Phillips (dlphilp_AT_bright.net)
Date: Fri Nov 29 2002 - 15:12:54 EET
Roel de Wit wrote:
> I am one of two persons in Utopia Sound Division, makers of profesionally
> sounding (and commercial) soundfonts since 1996...
> [snip]
Hi Roel: Thanks for writing to this list, hopefully we can help you make
a good decision.
> What we've planned is a patchset sounding very similar to our current Utopia
> Live! soundfonts currently available for the SB Live! and Audigy soundcards
> (for information and MP3s check our website to get an idea what I'm talking
> about.). Since I noticed that tiMIDIty is still widely used these days in
> the Linux community I thought it might be a good idea to build a GM/GS
> patchset for tiMIDIty from scrap. <--- !
I think you mean "from scratch". ;)
My first question for you is: How would your set improve upon the
available Midia PAT set or the Fluid SF2 soundfonts ? Can you give some
technical details (i.e., how they've been recorded, layered, etc.) ? I
would pay for an outstanding set of soundfonts. They're used in some
very cool Linux audio software, for instance:
iiwusynth (softsynth)
Swami (SF2 editor, very good!)
Csound (software sound synthesis environment)
TiMidity++ (well, you know about TiMidity...)
Snd (soundfile editor with support for SF2)
MusE (MIDI sequencer with iiwusynth support)
and others, so I think you might find some market here.
> Basically my questions are:
> - If you are a MIDI enthusiast of any form are you interrested in such a
> product if it truly stands out. With interrested I mean, would you be
> willing to buy it it would be developed ?
Yes.
> - If you are a MIDI enthusiast but are not willing to pay for a product like
> this, do you think others would be.
Hard to say. Commercial Linux audio software has not fared well so far,
but that's due to a rather complicated set of circumstances.
> - What do you dislike or like about current tiMIDIty patchsets ?
The Midia PAT set is of uneven quality, but it's quite serviceable. One
big complaint I have with it is the format itself: AFAIK there's no PAT
editor for Linux.
Fluid seems better prepared, but I haven't explored the set as fully as
the Midia PATs. And of course for editing SF2 we have Josh Green's
wonderful Swami.
> - Can anybody tell me what is and what is not correctly supported currently
> in tiMIDIty regarding SF2 files (we are trying to decide between the .PAT
> and .SF2 format). I've done some tests which have not been too promising
> with the SF2 format but I'm still considering it since .PAT files only allow
> single layered (mono) instruments.
Hopefully Josh Green and/or Peter Hanappe will jump in here, they
probably know the most about soundfonts on this list.
> I'd appreciate any comment on this email (either negative or positive)..
>
> I hope that I've not crossed any rules in this mailinglist (I've been very
> careful to avoid doing so) since I really need some feedback for MIDI
> enthusiasts in the Linux community to decide whether or not it has any use
> for use to develop such a product.
We must have quite a prickly reputation ! ;)
Seriously, thank you for your concern re: etiquette. I hope the feedback
is positive enough for your company to pursue this venture.
Best regards,
== Dave Phillips
The Book Of Linux Music & Sound at http://www.nostarch.com/lms.htm
The Linux Soundapps Site at http://linux-sound.org
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