The MuseScore Orchestra SoundFont
Of the many SF2 SoundFonts in the world, one of the best for playing orchestral music is FluidR3/FluidR3Mono—which is why it's included with MuseScore. However, there are a few problems with it: the default piano is too "bright" ; a few notes in the violin are noticeably out of tune ; alto and tenor saxes are out of tune ; and the clarinet sound is awful .
MuseScore's ChurchOrganist Michael Cowgill has been gradually adding improvements in recent years to the SoundFont originally created by Frank Wen, having added an alternative "mellow" piano, currently putting in the hard work to manually loop 135 individual samples just to replace the clarinet sound, and most recently fixing an issue with the timpani.
I don't have the patience for that. ;-) So I fixed the above mentioned issues by borrowing samples from other SoundFonts. The result is, to my ear, already the most lifelike orchestra that exists in the SoundFont format—and I intend to improve it in the future.
It's frustratingly impossible to track the actual origin of the samples, but it's pretty near certain that you can use this for whatever you want.
So, here's my customized SoundFont, mostly FluidR3Mono but with modifications and replacements from GeneralUser GS and Timbres of Heaven. For me, this is the orchestra I want to hear when I use MuseScore, which is why I had to call it the MuseScore Orchestra SoundFont.
https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B8XyJFPN233fbmY3WFhMT3djc1E&usp…
Below is an unedited MP3 of https://musescore.com/classicman/scores/887471 played with the MuseScore Orchestra (please compare and contrast at various points with the MuseScore.com default playback—the clarinet is highlighted at about the one minute mark):
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8XyJFPN233faWN5STVvTnh4X2s/view?usp=s…
So, download and enjoy, my friends! And let me know which instruments to replace next.
Comments
One slight problem Zack
You can't issue this under an MIT licence if you are using Presets from Timbres of Heaven.
Timbres of Heaven clearly states in the Readme that it is for Non Commercial Use only.
An MIT licence allows commercial use.
On first hearing - very well done.
Once I've examined it in Viena I may be able to comment more :)
In reply to One slight problem Zack You by ChurchOrganist
Hmm. But FluidR3Mono requires that "this permission notice shall be
included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software."?
In reply to Hmm. But FluidR3Mono requires by Isaac Weiss
Now you know why I didn't just import stuff willy nilly :)
Welcome to the murky world of intellectual property and rights management :)
Your best bet is to contact the author of Timbres of Heaven and ask if you can include those presets under the MIT licence. That's what I did with Ethan Winer's temple blocks.
Otherwise as the two licences are incompatible you will have to abandon one or the other.
In reply to Now you know why I didn't by ChurchOrganist
I can't figure out how to contact Don Allen.
In reply to I can't figure out how to by Isaac Weiss
Marc may have his email address.
In reply to I can't figure out how to by Isaac Weiss
Contact me offline and I'll see if I can dig it up.
I've updated to MuseScore Orchestra version 1.1, incorporating all the latest improvements from FluidR3Mono—notably, drumline/marching percussion instruments are now included by default. On my own end, the thing I'm most happy with is that the timpani is now audible with my customized SoundFont. The same link as above still applies. Enjoy!
In reply to I've updated to MuseScore by Isaac Weiss
Are the timpani audible because of my changes to the amplitude envelopes?
Or because you've raised the volume?
Incidentally I did look at the timps again - I used a baroque Concerto Grossi by Barsanti as a test piece and found that with a little balancing in the mixer the timps were coming across fine on my sound system simply because the envelopes were allowing the timps to play the whole sample instead of chopping it with a note off at the end of the note duration.
I'm going to check again on my new Behringer Studio 5 Reference Monitors tomorrow, just to be sure.
In reply to Are the timpani audible by ChurchOrganist
I changed the preset's attentuation from 10dB to -10dB. That seems like it should be extreme, but really it only brings it up to about the level of the tuba or orchestral bass drum.
EDIT: No, you're right—now I made it too loud. I'll see if I can find a happier medium.
In reply to I changed the preset's by Isaac Weiss
There is no attenuation on the timps in the latest version - I removed it when I sorted out the envelopes.
Playing them through my new reference monitors was a real eye-opener.
I had to turn down the timps in the mixer because they were too loud!
Which just goes to show that unless you are using equipment capable of reproducing the full audio spectrum you are going to get a false impression of the sound.
In reply to Are the timpani audible by ChurchOrganist
Hey, Michael! Glad to hear that my sample score for the Barsanti was useful to you. I'm grateful for the adjustments you made and suggested in the playback, too; my orchestra contractor was able to hear a much more accurate representation of the score as a result.
Keep up the good work!
In reply to I've updated to MuseScore by Isaac Weiss
Hey Zack - could you add a credit in your Licence file to Mike Schorsch for the Marching Percussion instruments.
Is there a link to the updated version?
In reply to Is there a link to the by Elwin
I just "rebased" on the latest FluidR3Mono, so some orchestral percussion instruments will have a better decay. The same big link at the top of the page will get you there.
In reply to I just "rebased" on the by Isaac Weiss
I finally got around to checking this out - very nice! Maybe my new favorite :-)
But, with the default volume in 2.0.3 being higher than it was in 2.0.2, this thing clips pretty badly for me on large ensemble scores unless I turn down the master a ways. I guess that's probably not anything wrong with your soundfont, more an issue of our having optimzied the default volume for FluidR3?
In reply to I finally got around to by Marc Sabatella
Thanks for the comments! The one thing I really wish could get "upstream" into FluidR3Mono is my fix for #85636: Violin notes out of tune, caused by sample "Violin B6(L)" in FluidR3Mono, but ChurchOrganist isn't sure about it—any thoughts on how that came out? It seems the clipping is probably due to the alto and tenor saxophones—I'll see if I can balance those better.
In reply to Thanks for the comments! The by Isaac Weiss
Yes, the tuning of those notes sounds better.
While the actul clipping might be limited to saxophones,I see the meter constantly in the red zone pretty much across the board.
Um, I pulled up the major symphony I was working on, I have searched high an low for a soundfont that would make it sound great. I just downloaded the soundfont and used it, here's what I have noticed that needs to be improved
(1) The Flute part is played by a grand piano
(2) The bass clarinet part is also played by a grand piano
(3) Violin 1 Tremolo is played by a harp
Also, the string sound is drowned out at times.
In reply to Um, I pulled up the major by Elwin
I don't see how that's possible. Are you sure you aren't using something like Sonatina Symphonic Orchestra, which requires mixed-up sound assignments? If the score plays with the correct instruments with FluidR3Mono and other GM SoundFonts, it plays correctly with this MuseScore Orchestra.
In reply to I don't see how that's by Isaac Weiss
I basically did not mix anything. I simply, downloaded, loaded, then hit play. When I noticed the sounds were different, I checked the mixer and then I saw.
In all honesty, very few soundfonts have impressed me. Sometimes, I grudgingly use it. Sonatina Symphonic orchestra sounds better when it's no sf2 format.
In reply to I basically did not mix by Elwin
I definitely can't reproduce this. Can you attach an example file that's not playing back correctly?
In reply to I definitely can't reproduce by Isaac Weiss
To come to think of it, I think something was messed up with my synthesizer and mixer. When I loaded HQ Orchestral, it had weird playbacks as well.
In reply to To come to think of it, I by Elwin
Are you using a custom instruments.xml? Look under the Score section of MuseScore's Preferences. Is there anything other than ":/data/instruments.xml"?
In reply to I definitely can't reproduce by Isaac Weiss
If you were using Sonatina, then very liekly you had previously gone into the Mixer to customize the instrument assignments to match the non-standard layout used in that soundfont. You'll need to reset those back to the standard assignments.
Hey Isaac Weiss, I really enjoyed your MuseScore Orchestra SoundFont. Can you make an .mp3 file of this composition with the Soundfont?: https://musescore.com/user/5012316/scores/2918046
In reply to Hey Isaac Weiss, I really by Arianna2001
Any reason you can't do it yourself?
In reply to Any reason you can't do it by Isaac Weiss
Oh I can do this by myself, just by exporting the .mscz file with your Soundfont to .wav because I don't have Lame to export it to .mp3.
In reply to Any reason you can't do it by Isaac Weiss
Oh I can do this by myself, just by exporting the .mscz file with your Soundfont to .wav because I don't have Lame to export it to .mp3.
In reply to Oh I can do this by myself, by Arianna2001
FYI, it is free to install Lame.
In reply to Oh I can do this by myself, by Arianna2001
Scottish Fantasy Op. 46 - Max Bruch
http://imslp.org/wiki/Scottish_Fantasy,_Op.46_(Bruch,_Max)
Just use your SF2 to produce a mp3 file that done & exported by musescore v2,
the other SF2 by Richard Roma.
Compifont_NEW.sf2
http://violin.sytes.net/demo/scottish_fantasy-orc-mvt1-compifont.mp3
Sonatina Symphonic Orchestra (MuseScore).sf2
http://violin.sytes.net/demo/scottish_fantasy-orc-mvt1-sonatina.mp3
https://musescore.com/user/54813/scores/2964106
In reply to Oh I can do this by myself, by Arianna2001
Flac is better though.
This soundfont is great and I use it with all my compositions. However, there is one slight problem with the piano. When there is a chord right after a break in the pedal, it makes a strange kind of pounding effect, like a popping noise with the note except more implemented into the sound. I am working on a section of a composition in pianissimo and it still does this. A natural piano doesn't do that at all, except with extremely loud notes. And even then, it's not as extreme.
Is there a way this can be fixed?
In reply to This soundfont is great and I by McCleffy
Can you provide an example score or step-by-step instructions to reproduce the problem?
In reply to Can you provide an example by Isaac Weiss
It turns out it's a problem with MuseScore itself (it happens for voices from Fluid as well), so it's not any problem with the soundfont. I should have experimented with it earlier on :(
In reply to This soundfont is great and I by McCleffy
Actually, I have experimented and it turns out this problem exists for voices from the Fluid soundfont as well, so it must be a bug with MuseScore itself, not just the soundfont. Sorry about that.
In reply to Actually, I have experimented by McCleffy
Not necessarily a bug in MuseScore.
It could be a) something to do with the sound configuration on your computer, and b) (most likely) loop points being badly set for one or more samples in the instrument.
Which particular voices exhibit this "pounding" effect in the Fluid soundfont?
And an example score with indications to where this happens would be helpful too.
This is nice, but the strings are still very unrealistic and quite harsh to listen to in my opinion. I would try and create a softer, more natural sound with them. Try listening to the strings that come with Sonatina Symphonic Orchestra. They're probably the best around in my opinion.
In reply to This is nice, but the strings by [DELETED] 6125686
I have to agree with you on SSO's strings, but remember that it's not a single string ensemble sound. If it was easy to combine 1st Violins Sustain, 2nd Violins Sustain, Violas Sustain, Celli Sustain, and Basses Sustain into a single patch appropriate for all of them, I'd do it.
Wow! I might actually use clarinets now, thanks.
Thanks! It seems great!
What instruments work with this soundfont?
That Bass Drum is ATROCIOUS. That is literally the only problem, otherwise, it's perfect.
Could you add the most up-to-date version of the soundfont to your initial post please (with a short descriptive note)? I'm really having trouble finding the correct links within the depths of the comments section.
It says the download is forbidden.
In reply to It says the download is… by Brodie_H
me too