Embedding Sound fonts in MP3 Files for Streaming

• May 12, 2019 - 00:40

We are undertaking a major (and long-overdue) redesign of our website, and as a result I will soon need to use MuseScore's built-in app to create MP3 sound-sample files for streaming (probably using Sound Cloud) . But I need to know how to EMBED the sound fonts I use on this local computer directly into those files so that they will play back on ANY computer or mobile device sounding the same way they do here. The problem is, I can't use the default soundfont that MuseScore uses for uploads to MuseScore.com; some of the instruments in that font sound absolutely horrid.

What I have done in the past is change each instrument sound to a relatively-acceptable substitute (e.g.: change recorder sound to flute sound) in the default sound font, and then upload the score to my page on MuseScore.com. From there, I have used the native MuseScore.com app to create a scrolling-score video on YouTube, which (of course) plays back using the default sound font. That is no longer good enough.

So, silly question: If I export to MP3 directly from the mscx file WITHOUT uploading to my MuseScore page, will the locally-loaded sound fonts designated for internal playback be embedded in that file?

The sound fonts I use here are the default fonts that came with earlier versions of MuseScore (Tim and Fluid), and if I pick and choose between them for the various instruments I work with, I can get an acceptable-sounding playback.As an example: The recorder sound in one sound font is decent; the cello sound on the other is actually quite good. BUT: The cello sound on the sound font with the 'decent' recorder sound is ghastly, and vice versa. So I have to mix the two sound fonts to get something that's acceptable.

Both of these sound fonts are open-source, so there should be no legal problem streaming the resulting sound files. What I need help with is the technical processs of embedding those sounds into a file so that it can be streamed by a computer or mobile device using any standard media player... and so that it will sound the same way it does when I play back the native mscx file locally.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.


Comments

You can't store the soundfonts in the score, at best their names.
But your locally generated MP3s will sould like they do on your local machine, will be using the non-default soundfonts.
Also using 'Save online' and ticking the box for uploading the score audio too will make musescore.com use your sounds.
And I guess a then subsequent "send to YouTube" would too, but I'm not sure on that.

In reply to by Jojo-Schmitz

Hi, Jojo!
Somehow I managed to miss the checkbox for uploading the score audio, but as it turns out, we'll probably create the sound-samples by exporting locally from MuseScore 2.0.1 to .wav rather than .MP3

I just tested that locally, and the designated instrument sounds from the locally-installed sound fonts were indeed used on playback in WMP, so that's what we're looking for.

The only question remaining is if I can edit those sound files (with GoldWave or some other audio-editing software) once they're created. We'll need to do fade-outs and cut portions of each file; we only want to provide samples of each piece, not play the entire thing from start to finish. (Among other reasons, there's a 4 meg limit to individual uploads for the free version of Sound Cloud,)

Sorry; wanted to attach a sound file but can't seem to make it work. Don't know why....

In reply to by Jojo-Schmitz

You're right; I don't have the lame_enc.dll. Is it safe to download that from Audacity? On second look, those .wav files really are too big.

Going to have to experiment to see if I can import an existing sound file into Goldwave and edit it there. All I've ever used it for previously was processing live input that was saved by the program.

In reply to by Recorder485

Take the one included in MuseScore 2.2 and later (and 3x too), like from https://s3.amazonaws.com/utils.musescore.org/dependencies.7z
Or the ones mentioned in the MuseScore 2 handbook, https://musescore.org/en/handbook/file-formats#mp3
IIRC the one from Audacity doesn't work.

See also https://musescore.org/en/handbook/share-scores-online#direct, step 6. That checkbox is only available if you can export to MP3 and are using a non-default soundfont. And only with MuseScore 2.1 or later... (so you haven't missed it it just doesn't exist in 2.0.x)

Maybe be better to upgrade to 2.3.2. Or, maybe just for the purpose of sharing online, grab and use a 2.3.2 PortableApp. Has the additional advantage that it uses the same layout engine as musescore.com.

In reply to by Jojo-Schmitz

Thanks; got the one from the link in the handbook, and it installed without problems. Thought I'd have to point MuseScore to the location, but 2.0.1 found it without even asking me where I put it (in the Plug Ins folder).

Native export to MP3 now works seamlessly. All I need to do now is create a Sound Cloud account, upload the file to there, and then stream it here to verify that the instrument choices I made in MuseScore have been embedded in that file. It sounds right when I play it back with WMP, but I can't be sure my computer isn't 'helping' by referring to those two loaded sound fonts.

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