New SC55 Soundfont 266MB (all new 44.1k samples)

[zz_denis]

I made a brand new SC55 Soundfont, and most samples were record from my Roland RA90 and SC55mk2. (EMU0404USB)

I care about the quality of the sound and prefer to keep long samples (> 1 second) so the soundfont is bigger.

 

v0.1 (2022/6/25)
This is the first version and has finished setting up the loop for the samples, but has not started tuning yet.

 

v0.2 (2022/6/29)
Vol env decay/sustain/release of instruments setup complete.

 

v0.3 (2022/7/1)
It is now a multi-velocity layered sounfont.
Recommended sound engine: Fluidsynth or RgcAudio sf2/sfz player.
https://github.com/FluidSynth/fluidsynth/releases
VirtualMIDISynth and FSMP(bassmidi) don't seem to support multi-layered sf2.

 

v0.4 (2022/7/6)
Replaced some short samples and fixed some bad loops.
But the size of the soundfont increased to 302MB.

 

v0.5 (2022/7/9)
Replaced some short samples and fixed some bad loops. (284MB)

 

SC55_zzdenis (v0.5):

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wdYpwoCka8r7ZuIzPn1CHy13_4aP9oSq/view?usp=sharing

 

I also made the Akai-SteinwayIII piano soundfont 20 years ago:

https://www.polyphone-soundfonts.com/documents/10-pianos/303-akai-steinway-iii

DEMO:

http://musictrack.jp/musics/64273

Edited August 3, 2022 by zz_denis

[Doomkid]

Thank you so much for this. I listened to the “0.09” version of this soundfont the other day and it rapidly became my favourite SC-55 soundfont variant after listening to some of my favourite tunes through it!

[Dusty_Rhodes]

Excellent soundfont! I really appreciate the work put into this, works great for wads and for listening!

[Dexiaz]

Just got free time to test it! A pretty nice version of soundfont! I've even made some demo:

 

[zz_denis]

v0.2 (2022/6/29)
Vol env decay/sustain/release of instruments setup complete.

 

v0.3
Plan to make multi-layer presets for instruments

 

I got some SC midi files from

http://shells.tw/~bill/midi/midi.htm

https://archive.org/details/sound_canvas_midi_collection
as test samples and packed into:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rJ8W7WYNQoPXsfHoB7yPXcA_ywgsOb61/view?usp=sharing

Real SC55 (RA90)  version:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1CIqN6xuHPICtdn4ajer7DihVAuwInP3E

Edited July 11, 2022 by zz_denis

[Okej5722]

Woah, this soundfont sounds pretty nice. I might start using this with any limit-removing ports from now on.

[TheUltimateDoomer666]

One downside with the way the samples are recorded is that the loops are too short, so longer notes in some MIDIs sound like a "broken record". This is noticeable in the opening music from Rise of the Triad and the menu music from Tyrian.

[zz_denis]

Thank you all. :)

 

@TheUltimateDoomer666

Thanks for your advice. Do you mean these music?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1F47oiBDQ4 (0:0)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20Kwbkn2Ptg (0:10)

Is my timestamp correct?

Do these games have MIDI files for easy testing?

 

v0.3 (2022/7/1)
It is now a multi-velocity layered sounfont.
Recommended sound engine: Fluidsynth or RgcAudio sf2/sfz player.
https://github.com/FluidSynth/fluidsynth/releases
VirtualMIDISynth and FSMP(bassmidi) don't seem to support multi-layered sf2.

 

There is a mp3 comparison between my soundfont v0.2 (single layer) / v0.3 (multi layer) / Real SC55.
v0.2:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qoxyiiTGg9czvy6yknATMfC2Gu-ObIiy/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/13-w397LU9n8m3wz1aNbTAgXvqLX74u_l/view?usp=sharing
v0.3:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XxU16LKVk7xFOheVV7hs1QC_Z9eFOXDL/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1L15qr1vQUb_rKAz7y0LMRc31HZ4OV5Cb/view?usp=sharing
Real SC55 (RA90):
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IKDFlQzUlDLqmiJuD5pntqNEH6GC0n_w/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Snzab7qQdVptKHeghtIi3O9BEx-joARK/view?usp=sharing

Edited July 6, 2022 by zz_denis

[TheUltimateDoomer666]

3 hours ago, zz_denis said:

@TheUltimateDoomer666

Thanks for your advice. Do you mean these music?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1F47oiBDQ4 (0:0)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20Kwbkn2Ptg (0:10)

Is my timestamp correct?

Do these games have MIDI files for easy testing?

For Rise of the Triad, the opening music is at 0:13, and for Tyrian, the menu music is at 35:59. For MIDI downloads, VGMPF has MIDI rips from many classic games available. Here's the page for Rise of the Triad. Tyrian is a little different in that its music is in LDS format and was written specifically for AdLib cards. Regardless, here's a download for the General MIDI versions of the songs: MIDIs recorded by Borg No. One.

Edited July 1, 2022 by TheUltimateDoomer666

[LuciferSam86]

Really nice!

Where can I download the "rgc:audio sf2/sfz player" ? It seems I cannot find in google.

"rgc:audio sf2/sfz player" does support virtual midi cables? So I can tell ScummVM to output to a virtual cable and the player you suggested receives midi data and play the music

[DannyMan]

This sounds like swag 

[zz_denis]

@LuciferSam86

1.sfz197 is a vst plugin that can be used with savihost.
sfz197 (free):
https://rambusco.com/viewtopic.php?style=4&t=4825
savihost:
https://www.hermannseib.com/english/savihost.htm

 

2.fluidsynth for windows (only text console but good quality):

https://github.com/FluidSynth/fluidsynth/releases
usage: fluidsynth.exe -g 1 -m winmidi -o midi.winmidi.device=0 SC55_zzdenis_v0.3.sf2
-g 1 -> GAIN
-o midi.winmidi.device=0 -> 0 is the first midi-in device.

 

They both require a virtual MIDI device to work:
https://nerds.de/en/loopbe1.html
or https://www.tobias-erichsen.de/software/loopmidi.html

Edited July 1, 2022 by zz_denis

[zz_denis]

v0.4 (2022/7/6)
Replaced some short samples and fixed some bad loops.
But the size of the soundfont increased to 302MB.

 

v0.5 (2022/7/9)
Replaced some short samples and fixed some bad loops. (284MB)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wdYpwoCka8r7ZuIzPn1CHy13_4aP9oSq/view?usp=sharing

 

@TheUltimateDoomer666

Game music played with v0.4:

Rise of the Triad:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/15EgGOmNcUncUfZkF3aA33CF_-p2HlUFB/view?usp=sharing
Tyrian:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1C3UwWnUlOQqz6jtrZMm583RK2YeKalUN/view?usp=sharing

Edited July 9, 2022 by zz_denis

[zz_denis]

KORG i3 (X3R) GM Soundfont: (New)
v0.3 (2022/7/14)

 

v0.4 (2022/7/16)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KHl3FQ7A5S9YXvphABeKX_yJLgJKWLQr/view?usp=sharing

 

"Doraemon.mid" played with v0.3:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/19yHOHX2qk--sypyVvi75cRRfC1TPXAmi/view?usp=sharing

"Factory Demo - Korg AG-10.mid" played with v0.3:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YpRvflP-lF3jrxZMnflBswWdEvRHyvzg/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Q9AZgTnarRtsjcnLmxcz6NZCKBXecs4p/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/15tOTvBUidEzjvchzhEqnxNyv_C0f649o/view?usp=sharing

Edited July 16, 2022 by zz_denis

[LuciferSam86]

You're unstoppable :D Really nice stuff :)

 

I see you posted a link with .jp domain, are you from Japan ?

[zz_denis]

@LuciferSam86

No, I am from Taiwan. :)

[Tycitron]

Already my favorite, It's the only sound font that plays "Into the Beasts Belly" from TNT accurate to the original SC-55, (among lots of other Doom tracks) instant classic.

[PKr]

On 7/1/2022 at 4:03 PM, zz_denis said:

@LuciferSam86

1.sfz197 is a vst plugin that can be used with savihost.
sfz197 (free):
https://rambusco.com/viewtopic.php?style=4&t=4825
savihost:
https://www.hermannseib.com/english/savihost.htm

 

2.fluidsynth for windows (only text console but good quality):

https://github.com/FluidSynth/fluidsynth/releases
usage: fluidsynth.exe -g 1 -m winmidi -o midi.winmidi.device=0 SC55_zzdenis_v0.3.sf2
-g 1 -> GAIN
-o midi.winmidi.device=0 -> 0 is the first midi-in device.

 

They both require a virtual MIDI device to work:
https://nerds.de/en/loopbe1.html
or https://www.tobias-erichsen.de/software/loopmidi.html

 

Hey!

 

Wonder if you could help me with a fluidsynth+loopmidi setup?

 

I have put your soundfont to c:/soundfonts folder and renamed it to sc55.sf2 for the sake of simplicity. In Woof, I set soundfont_path "C:\soundfonts\sc55.sf2".

 

Now, I have downloaded and installed loopmidi from the last link you have provided in your post, launched the program and added the port (by pressing a + button). Then I cd to C:/tools/fluidsynth/, and type fluidsynth.exe -g 1 -m winmidi -o midi.winmidi.device=0 c:/soundfonts/sc55.sf2.

 

This is the output (no errors):

Spoiler

FluidSynth runtime version 2.2.6
Copyright (C) 2000-2022 Peter Hanappe and others.
Distributed under the LGPL license.
SoundFont(R) is a registered trademark of Creative Technology Ltd.

Type 'help' for help topics.

 

However changing gain to "1" doesn't change the music volume. While playing the game, loopMIDI shows "0" for Total data and "0 byte" for Throughput, so I guess it's not being used at all? What am I missing here?

 

P.S. Just to clarify, fluidsynth works in game (obviously, as I can change soundfonts and I can hear reverb applied by Woof! settings, etc), and also I can play midi files using "fluidsynth sc55.sf2 D_RUNNIN.mid". It's just that loopMIDI doesn't do anything at all?

Edited July 20, 2022 by PKr

[TheUltimateDoomer666]

38 minutes ago, PKr said:

However changing gain to "1" doesn't change the music volume. While playing the game, loopMIDI shows "0" for Total data and "0 byte" for Throughput, so I guess it's not being used at all? What am I missing here?

 

P.S. Just to clarify, fluidsynth works in game (obviously, as I can change soundfonts and I can hear reverb applied by Woof! settings, etc), and also I can play midi files using "fluidsynth sc55.sf2 D_RUNNIN.mid". It's just that loopMIDI doesn't do anything at all?

LoopMIDI isn't needed for programs that have built-in support for FluidSynth (or other synths). Since Woof already supports FluidSynth, loopMIDI is being bypassed entirely.

[PKr]

1 minute ago, TheUltimateDoomer666 said:

LoopMIDI isn't needed for programs that have built-in support for FluidSynth (or other synths). Since Woof already supports FluidSynth, loopMIDI is being bypassed entirely.

I see. Is there any way to change a soundfont volume when using built-in fluidsynth without relying on something like virtualMIDIsynth? Just curious.

[zz_denis]

@PKr
I don't know the details of the fluidsynth engine in Woof.
But Equalizer APO (system wide EQ) with preamp functionality might be an alternative solution?
https://equalizerapo.com/

[rfomin]

This is great soundfont, thanks!

 

4 hours ago, PKr said:

Is there any way to change a soundfont volume when using built-in fluidsynth without relying on something like virtualMIDIsynth? Just curious.

Woof changes fluidsynth GAIN when you change in-game music volume. So it works fine for me.

[PKr]

3 hours ago, zz_denis said:

@PKr
I don't know the details of the fluidsynth engine in Woof.
But Equalizer APO (system wide EQ) with preamp functionality might be an alternative solution?
https://equalizerapo.com/

Thanks, I will give this a try.

3 hours ago, rfomin said:

This is great soundfont, thanks!

 

Woof changes fluidsynth GAIN when you change in-game music volume. So it works fine for me.

Yeah, it works perfectly fine. I am asking not because I have some problem with zz_denis' soundfont or Woof, but rather because I wanted to know if I was missing some obvious and easy way to manipulate soundfont volumes via fluidsynth settings beyond what can be tweaked in source port settings. Some soundfonts I was trying to use previously were so silent at max volume sliders that they were almost mute while using Windows' loudness equalization (for example Trevor0402's SC-55 SoundFont.v1.2b in my case is extremely silent). At the same time zz_denis' soundfont and for example deemster's one have excellent volume levels.

[rfomin]

2 minutes ago, PKr said:

Some soundfonts I was trying to use previously were so silent at max volume sliders that they were almost mute while using Windows' loudness equalization (for example Trevor0402's SC-55 SoundFont.v1.2b in my case is extremely silent). At the same time zz_denis' soundfont and for example deemster's one have excellent volume levels.

Interesting, I will try Trevor0402's SC-55 SoundFont.v1.2b. I think we could expose the FluidSynth gain setting in the config so you can manually change it in case of a quiet sound font.

[pantheon]

Just started using this with Woof/fluidsynth and I absolutely love it! Thank you so much for sharing this soundfont.

 

I've tried using sfz197 with SAVIHost (trying to replace CoolSoft for non-fluidsynth games) but it sounds wrong with the default settings (loopmidi as input #1 and my sound card as wave device), are there any other settings I should change? It sounds much better with Woof's built in fluidsynth.

 

How it looks before I start playing something:

 

Edited July 21, 2022 by pantheon

[chth96]

hello.

I managed to succeed to play midi file with fluidsynth using

"fluidsynth.exe -g 1 -m winmidi -o midi.winmidi.device=0 SC55_zzdenis_v0.5.sf2 example.mid"

But I really want to hear any general midi sound whenever I run retro dos game using dosbox.

How Can I use fluidsynth in order to hear retro dos game's general midi sound in dosbox?

Edited July 23, 2022 by chth96

[zz_denis]

@pantheon

The sfz197 has to manually set the drum channel to bank 128, so fluidsynth might be a better choice than the sfz197.
 

@chth96

I set it up successfully:

 

1. Use the command "mixer /listmidi " in the DOSBox.

 

2.Exit DOSBox and edit the DOSBox.conf section:

mpu401=uart
mididevice=win32
midiconfig=6

 

3.fluidsynth.exe -g 1 -m winmidi -o midi.winmidi.device=0 SC55_zzdenis_v0.5.sf2

midi.winmidi.device=0 ---> You can try 0, 1, 2....

Or you can get the MIDI-IN device ID through the app "MouseKeyboard": https://archive.org/details/MouseKeyboard200 

 

This is equivalent to "mixer /listmidi": (Get MIDI-OUT device ID)

 

Good Luck! :)

This tool can set the default system MIDI output device for Windows Media Player:

https://www.benryves.com/products/vistamidi

Edited July 24, 2022 by zz_denis

[chth96]

Thank zz_denis very much for replying my question.

I have followed you guide But it seems that It is totally impossible for me to hear any midi sound in dosbox using fluidsynth ..

I think I configured correct  "MIDI-IN device ID" in DOSBox.conf, Because I tested Sound Canvas VA VST plugin as I have played X-wing CD edition in dosbox and I could hear midi sounds of X-wing CD. and I could hear sound of midi file using fluidsynth. But I could not succeed to hear midi sound in dosbox using fluidsynth even with following your excellent guide...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/i3zbcgp8dorvl98/bandicam 2022-07-25 23-11-54-211.mp4?dl=0

 

Edited July 25, 2022 by chth96

[BoxY]

Awesome work dude, I think this is probably my new favourite sc-55-alike soundfont. Clean, well balanced, super high quality.

[zz_denis]

@chth96

I guess a MIDIIN or MIDIOUT device can only be used for one application at the same time, So you can try this:

 

1.Get the MIDI-IN/OUT device ID number via MouseKeyboard200, then "turn it off".

2.Restart DOSBox/Fluidsynth and try again.

 

Can you successfully play the piano with a mouse or computer keyboard in MouseKeyboard200 (MIDIOUT to fluidsynth)?

If the problem has not been resolved, you can try another versions of fluidsynth, eg:

https://github.com/FluidSynth/fluidsynth/releases/download/v2.2.7/fluidsynth-2.2.7-winXP-x86.zip

I tested OK with this version.

 

In addition, I found that "fluidsynth.exe -a wasapi" has better sound quality than "fluidsynth.exe -a dsound". (default is dsound)

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------

My preferences for fluidsynth:

 

fluidsynth.exe -f fluidconf.txt -g 1 -a wasapi -m winmidi -o midi.winmidi.device=0 SC55_zzdenis_v0.5.sf2

Contents of fluidconf.txt file:

 

Heavy effects:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Fi3WnAxprymT5NsPLHzFFMDOVzDUwv42/view?usp=sharing

----------------

set synth.polyphony 160
set synth.reverb.active 1
set synth.reverb.level 0.6
set synth.reverb.room-size 0.7
set synth.chorus.active 1
set synth.chorus.level 0.2
set synth.dynamic-sample-loading 0

 

Slight effects:

----------------

set synth.polyphony 160
set synth.reverb.active 1
set synth.reverb.level 0.3
set synth.chorus.active 1
set synth.chorus.level 0.1
set synth.dynamic-sample-loading 0

Edited July 26, 2022 by zz_denis