Custom instruments.xml file for Jeux14.sf2 (organ) SoundFonts - selecting subset of instruments to create particular organ styles

• created 4 years ago • last updated 4 years ago
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The attached instruments_pipeorgan.xml file is a self-documented description about creating a custom instruments.xml file for use in conjunction with the Jeux14.sf2 SoundFont. This SoundFont is available on the Polyphone site if you don't have it:
https://www.polyphone-soundfonts.com/en/files/11-organs/100-jeux-14

Documentation on the xml tags and elements is contained in the actual file, while more detailed instructions are contained in this instruments.xml file.
While I'll admit that my skills do not represent the greatest example of using SoundFonts in your tracks, the techniques described could be used in any situation where you want your own sampled sound files to be included in particular SoundFont file, and consequently a MuseScore track.
I think MuseScore's functionality is very powerful stuff indeed, and please: any corrections/additions are greatfully accepted! I'm not fussy about being told what to do in these groups, and would prefer to maintain harmony rather than get bogged down by basic mistakes highlighted by a small number of pedants.

Basic instructions for using a custom SF2/SF3 SoundFont file in MuseScore.

To use this file:

  1. Select Edit - Synthesisers, and within the 'Fluid' tab, add your Jeux14.sf2 file if it's not already there.
    You should probably remove other SoundFont files, so that your patch list in the Mixer makes more sense, but this is not compulsory.
  2. Edit your instruments.xml file setting in Preferences - Score - Default Files, attaching this new file to Instrument List 2:
  3. Select I or Edit - Instruments and choose those new organ manual(s) that you want in your score.
    There are 5 possible instruments to add - read the contents of the file to see what each one does.

The attached instruments_pipeorgan.xml file is a self-documented description about creating a custom instruments.xml file for use in conjunction with the Jeux14.sf2 SoundFont.
Documentation on the xml tags and elements is contained in the actual file, while more detailed instructions are contained in this instrument .xml file.
While I'll admit that my skills do not represent the greatest example of using SoundFonts in your tracks, the techniques described could be used in any situation where you want your own sampled sound files to be included in particular SoundFont file, and consequently a MuseScore track.

Basic instructions for using a custom SF2/SF3 SoundFont file in MuseScore are listed below:

To use a specific SoundFont file (this example use the excellent Jeux14 SoundFont file, which includes a very broad range of organ ranks/stops, cutting across numerous styles of the time eg. Late Victorian, Late Renaissance, and Baroque. Within Baroque, there's a difference between southern organ builders and those of Northern Germany - which you can examine from the patches selected. If you wanted only a North German sounding organ, you'd edit Jeux4.sf2 and remove those stops and ranks not relevant to your final SoundFont file.

Managing SoundFont files

  1. Select Edit - Synthesisers, and within the 'Fluid' tab, add your Jeux14.sf2 file if it's not already there.
    You should probably remove other SoundFont files, so that your patch list in the Mixer makes more sense, but this is not compulsory.
  2. Edit your instruments.xml file setting in Preferences - Score - Default Files, attaching this new file to Instrument List 2: by specifying its exact location.
  3. Select I or Edit - Instruments and choose those new organ manual(s) that you want in your score.
    There are 5 possible instruments to add - read the contents of the file to see what each one does. Remember, each instrument track refers to a SoundFont instrument.
  4. Save your edited SoundFont file as something like 'Jeux14 Northern Europe.sf2'.
  5. You can then load this new file into MuseScore (via Edit - Synthesisers, and loading your new file. You may also want to remove any other SoundFont files in the list to ensure you only see your new Baroque, North German organ ranks/stops.
  6. After loading the North German SoundFont you just made, be sure to remove any other SoundFonts from the user dropdown lists. In short, we have no need to for 'Shakahuchi' and 'Reeds 16' 8' 4'' in the same music file, so we'd remove the Shakahuchi's SoundFont from our track. Do this in 'View-Synthesisor', then, after you've loaded your own edited SoundFont, add it and select 'Save to Score' to make sure it will always load when starting your track.
Attachment Size
instruments_pipeorgan.xml 18.9 KB

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