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I am pretty new to this but had good luck creating a pitched instrument sound font. I want to create a drumkit soundfont but it does not seem to work for all the samples I am using.. I am using the key numbers of GM percussion for my samples. The keyboard just plays back clicks or a loud noise, yet some notes seem to work. help would be appreciated. Attached is a pic of instrument - the italic line "sample root key" is also something I cannot find info on.
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in your drum Instrument set Tuning (Scale) to zero.
i dont know the architecture of your soundfont, but it you are a clever or lucky soundfonteneer, then you can set this value for all your samples in the Global column.
regards bottrop -
I set the global scale tuning to zero but no joy. what is happening is that all the sound fonts play together on any one key so it is like one big noise. I also tried setting each samples scale tuning to zero but that did not work either. I also wonder why some sample root keys say "1" or "2" and others say "60"? I appreciate your help.
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of course, like in any soundfont, you must set a Key Range for every sample (top of the list) an .sf2 cannot smell on which key you want to hear which sound.
dont forget to start every soundfont with 1 or 2 milliseconds Volume env Attack and 1 second Volume env Release. -
Dear Eric Rollnick,
Welcome to the soundfont community!
I see that you are having problems with notes that always play regardless of what key you press. From the screenshots you have shown me, you have assigned some key ranges. However, since there are still notes that always play, you have not assigned all of the key ranges.
To solve the problem, find samples with a blank key range, and assign the key range correctly. Once you have done this, you can test each note to make sure that the problem is solved.
Useful tips when making a drum kit SF2:- Refer to the General MIDI drum kit map, which you are doing right now.
- Use a release time of 100 seconds, otherwise the notes will cut off when you release the key. If you use a release time of 1 second as Bottrop suggested, the notes may fade out on keyoff with longer samples, like cymbals.
- Set the "exclusive class" parameter for all hi hat sounds to "1" for a more natural hi hat sound (The closed hi hat will stop the open hi hat sound).
- Bottrop has suggested you set the scale tuning to zero. In most cases however, you don't have samples of six different sizes of toms, as required in General MIDI. Feel free to use the tuning settings, as these will still work if the scale tuning is set to zero.
- If the "Sample Root Key" (in italic) matches the root key parameter you have added, you do not need the root key parameter. This saves you an instrument parameter, which is useful, as you are limited to 65536 (internal soundfont structure addresses instrument parameters as 16-bit). I have run out of instrument parameters before.
The "sample root key" (in italic) is the root key that is stored with the sample.
To change it, you need to go to the "samples" section, select a sample (for example "sidestick_M1L" you have highlighted), and go to the tuning section below the waveform.
Now change it to whatever you need (which in this case, will be the General MIDI drum kit map).
When you go back to the instrument, you will notice that the italic value has changed.
I'm sorry if this is a bit much, but I hope this helped you.
sylvia -
Thanks for the help. you stated: "go to the tuning section below the waveform.
Now change it to whatever you need (which in this case, will be the General MIDI drum kit map)" Is that where it now says
1 (C#)? An d do I just type in General midi drum kit map? I assume I should do this for every note..
"find samples with a blank key range," where do I find these? This is my first attempt at sound font creation so i do appreciate your understanding. -
Dear Eric,
Thanks for the help. you stated: "go to the tuning section below the waveform.
Yes, it is the field which says "1 (C#)". Highlight it and replace it with the correct note number.
Now change it to whatever you need (which in this case, will be the General MIDI drum kit map)" Is that where it now says
1 (C#)?
In the case of the side stick, this will be 37.I assume I should do this for every note.
You are correct, you should repeat this for all notes.
Make sure to use the correct note numbers, otherwise the pitch of each drum sound could be different from the original sample."find samples with a blank key range," where do I find these?
When you go back to the "instruments" section, and where you have assigned your key ranges for each sample, look for any samples that do not have any key range assigned. This will appear as a blank space in the "key range" field.
Fill in the blank space with the correct key number in the General MIDI drum kit map. Repeat this until you've filled in all the blank spaces.
By default, a blank space means that the sample will play if you play any note on the keyboard. Thus, a failure to fill in blank spaces will result in the problem you initially had; the sample will play regardless of what note you play on the keyboard.This is my first attempt at sound font creation so i do appreciate your understanding.
I understand that soundfont creation can start off as a little daunting, and I'm glad I was able to help you.
sylvia. -
Af question: lease?
"select a sample (for example "sidestick_M1L" you have highlighted), and go to the tuning section below the waveform.
Now change it to whatever you need (which in this case, will be the General MIDI drum kit map).
When you go back to the instrument, you will notice that the italic value has changed.
After changing the value in the tuning section to the key # and letter I notice in the instrument the sample root key is 0 -not the same as the key range. Do I still need the Root key parameter?. -
if Tuning(Scale) is set to zero, the sample plays its actual pitch anywhere and you dont need the Root Key parameter.
because drum sounds consist for 99 percent of release (reverb), you better not scale (transpose) them, release is easily lost when transposing. the sf2 protocol transposes by changeing the bit rate, so when you play a 44 kHz sample one octave lower, it is in fact a 22 kHz sample (that is about the sound quality of Alexander Bells wire phone)
the settings you need for a drum soundfont are;
Key Range; at which key you want to hear the aound
Tuning (Scale); zero
Volume env Attack; 1 or 2 milliseconds to avoid cracks
Volume env Relaese; always start with 1 second, adjust later al gusto
Reverb; if you want the sound coming from a longer distance
Loop; for sustaining sounds
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