Most probably better than TimGM6mb, the default for MuseScore 1.x, but also better than FluidR3_GM, which also will be the default for the next version of MuseScore?
Having compared these two and others on a variety of scores, I still think FluidR3 is still the best choice overall. As I mentioned elsehwere, Arachno seems to focus primarily on the electronic instruments, but orchestral instruments are not up as good.
Secondly the licence is extremely ambiguous, probably containg copyright material from other authors and therefore incompatible with the GPL licence MuseScore is distributed under.
On my own, I will always support such initiatives, and will always be happy to have my SoundFont included as part of musical software, as long as appropriate credit is given.
But, Arachno SoundFont has been created from various sources made available with various licenses. Thus, I can't obviously guarantee that all material it contains could comply with the GPL.
Moreover, it would add ~150 MB to the download package (minus the size of the current default SoundFont). Therefore, it could be offered as an alternative download, but not as a replacement of the default package.
Feel free to take the appropriate decision. If the MuseScore team decides to promote Arachno SoundFont in any way - either by adding a link to //www.arachnosoft.com
on the website or any other mention on the software itself - I'd be happy to promote MuseScore on Arachno SoundFont's webpages as well.
Regarding the size, MuseScore 2.0 will support a modified version of the SF2 format. It's exactly the same format but the samples are compressed in OGG format. It was "invented" for MuseScore 2.0 only, and so there is no tool but MuseScore to read this format. We do have a command line tool to convert SF2 to SF3. Compressing to OGG is spectacular of course... FluidR3_GM.sf2 is 141M, the SF3 version is 19.2MB. Only 3x the size of the default soundfont of MuseScore 1.3. Would you mind if we convert your soundfont to SF3 and host it on our servers in the future? With the appropriate licence notice and documentation of course.
It's fun ... I just found on the French forum this note of Jall2 (11/12/ 2011 ) : http://musescore.org/fr/node/13402#comment-46757
or he indicated that in "Freelog" This soundfont was provided on the enclosed CD and it had made a very good impression. Nobody seems to be paying attention at the time.
@Miré: I read Jall2's post from this thread a long time ago, and I understood that only MuseScore itself was included on the Freelog CD, without the SoundFont.
I used to buy Freelog every month, many years ago, and even sent them a copy of my own software in the early 2000s - got published from #19 to #31.
So, I don't think that they actually took the initiative to include Arachno SoundFont on their media - moreover considering the additional 10%/20% space it'd take on a 650/700 MB CD - without asking me first.
But I may be wrong as well - I don't own a copy of the above-mentioned November 2011 issue of the magazine, so I can't check this fact ;)
As said above, thanks for the link!
I should be able to update my webpages very soon.
Feel free to convert Arachno SoundFont into your future SF3 compressed format!
As long as it's clearly stated that this is a compressed version of the original SoundFont, I'll fully support your initiative, moreover if you can include the documentation within the bundle.
Of course, I'll also be able to host it on my website (and keep it updated when I'll release future updates of the SoundFont itself) if you provide the SF2 to SF3 conversion tool.
Comments
Most probably better than TimGM6mb, the default for MuseScore 1.x, but also better than FluidR3_GM, which also will be the default for the next version of MuseScore?
In reply to Most probably better than by Jojo-Schmitz
Having compared these two and others on a variety of scores, I still think FluidR3 is still the best choice overall. As I mentioned elsehwere, Arachno seems to focus primarily on the electronic instruments, but orchestral instruments are not up as good.
Why would it be better???
For a start it is way way bigger than TimGM6Mb
Secondly the licence is extremely ambiguous, probably containg copyright material from other authors and therefore incompatible with the GPL licence MuseScore is distributed under.
I'm the author of Arachno SoundFont.
I agree with the above posts.
On my own, I will always support such initiatives, and will always be happy to have my SoundFont included as part of musical software, as long as appropriate credit is given.
But, Arachno SoundFont has been created from various sources made available with various licenses. Thus, I can't obviously guarantee that all material it contains could comply with the GPL.
Moreover, it would add ~150 MB to the download package (minus the size of the current default SoundFont). Therefore, it could be offered as an alternative download, but not as a replacement of the default package.
Feel free to take the appropriate decision. If the MuseScore team decides to promote Arachno SoundFont in any way - either by adding a link to //www.arachnosoft.com on the website or any other mention on the software itself - I'd be happy to promote MuseScore on Arachno SoundFont's webpages as well.
In reply to I'm the author of Arachno by arachnosoft
Adding a link to your sound font to http://musescore.org/en/handbook/soundfont, should be easy...
In reply to Adding a link to your sound by Jojo-Schmitz
Thank you!
I'll add a link to the MuseScore website on this page: http://www.arachnosoft.com/main/links.php?type=software&category=soundf…
In reply to I'm the author of Arachno by arachnosoft
Hi Maxime,
I added a link to your soundfont on our handbook page about soundfonts
http://musescore.org/en/handbook/soundfont
Regarding the size, MuseScore 2.0 will support a modified version of the SF2 format. It's exactly the same format but the samples are compressed in OGG format. It was "invented" for MuseScore 2.0 only, and so there is no tool but MuseScore to read this format. We do have a command line tool to convert SF2 to SF3. Compressing to OGG is spectacular of course... FluidR3_GM.sf2 is 141M, the SF3 version is 19.2MB. Only 3x the size of the default soundfont of MuseScore 1.3. Would you mind if we convert your soundfont to SF3 and host it on our servers in the future? With the appropriate licence notice and documentation of course.
In reply to Hi Maxime, I added a link to by [DELETED] 5
It's fun ... I just found on the French forum this note of Jall2 (11/12/ 2011 ) : http://musescore.org/fr/node/13402#comment-46757
or he indicated that in "Freelog" This soundfont was provided on the enclosed CD and it had made a very good impression. Nobody seems to be paying attention at the time.
In reply to Arachno soundfont by Miré
@Miré: I read Jall2's post from this thread a long time ago, and I understood that only MuseScore itself was included on the Freelog CD, without the SoundFont.
I used to buy Freelog every month, many years ago, and even sent them a copy of my own software in the early 2000s - got published from #19 to #31.
So, I don't think that they actually took the initiative to include Arachno SoundFont on their media - moreover considering the additional 10%/20% space it'd take on a 650/700 MB CD - without asking me first.
But I may be wrong as well - I don't own a copy of the above-mentioned November 2011 issue of the magazine, so I can't check this fact ;)
In reply to @Miré: I read Jall2's post by arachnosoft
Jall2 spoke of the French version of Freelog. Your soundfont was in No. 106 of 12/11/2011.
In reply to Hi Maxime, I added a link to by [DELETED] 5
As said above, thanks for the link!
I should be able to update my webpages very soon.
Feel free to convert Arachno SoundFont into your future SF3 compressed format!
As long as it's clearly stated that this is a compressed version of the original SoundFont, I'll fully support your initiative, moreover if you can include the documentation within the bundle.
Of course, I'll also be able to host it on my website (and keep it updated when I'll release future updates of the SoundFont itself) if you provide the SF2 to SF3 conversion tool.
In reply to I'm the author of Arachno by arachnosoft
Basically, the more the merrier :)
The range of soundfonts accessible to users is pretty minimal at the moment.
It would be great to have it available for users to download - I just don't think it should be bundled with MuseScore.
The more variety users can have access to the better, particularly as multiple spundfont use will become a reality on the realease of MuseScore 2.