does audigy LS support imported soundfont?

wgan · Mar 15, 2006, 06:20 AM

I know very little about the midi staff, could you pls answer some questions (might be stupid and periodic to you guys), but please, I really want to know.

1. as title, I couldn't find such a soundfont manager in audigy LS, I heard that LS doesn't support imported soundfont, so what the heck LS is??
2. what's the difference between soundfont and VST??
3. Is the windows xp default "microsoft GS Synth" a kind of soundfont or VST??
4. what the heck Kx is?? a 3rd party improved SB driver??

many thanks if u can answer them

**dj_stick** · Mar 15, 2006, 06:30 AM

kX is a custom driver written from the groundup for 10kX cards

The audigy LS is NOT supported by kX

GS Synth is neither soundfont nor VSTi

Soundfont is a sample bank, VST is an audio instrument/effect interface standard

wgan · Mar 15, 2006, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj_stick

kX is a custom driver written from the groundup for 10kX cards

The audigy LS is NOT supported by kX

GS Synth is neither soundfont nor VSTi

Soundfont is a sample bank, VST is an audio instrument/effect interface standard

I'm still a bit confused between GS synth and the concept of soundfont; I played the same midi by timidity++ with a 50M soundfont and the media player with the default GS synth, I got the different sound, the timidity++ with 50M soundfont is obviously better than the later, it seems the soundfont and ms GS synth work the same way with a player; so what's the difference?

btw, does LS have a kind of soundfont manager??

Maddogg6 · Mar 15, 2006, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wgan

1. as title, I couldn't find such a soundfont manager in audigy LS, I heard that LS doesn't support imported soundfont, so what the heck LS is??

It seems LS = 'Limited and Stripped-down' - hehe, sorry couldnt resist.

Maddogg6 · Mar 15, 2006, 12:16 PM

A GS indicator means - (IN ADDITION TO GM specs) there are extra patches defined, as well as some additional midi CC's defined.

The Microsoft GS is a 'software synth' much like A VSTi is, BUT, is 'embedded' in the OS.
The GM/GS specs are designed so If I make a midi file using a piano sound - if I send you this midi file, and you have GM GS compatable synth - you will hear the peiano sound - if not, if may sound like a banjo, a harp or mabe even drum sounds. GM says - PATCH 0 Bank 0 - WILL be a piano sound.

Now, a sound font is THOSE sounds defined - so a soundfont capable card could be GM/GS (with the right sound fonts loaded) - or some wild and wackey set of sounds that are more unique - but to send that midi file to others - and it NOT be GM/GS compatable - the recipeint wont hear your 'wild and wackey' sounds. - thus, the recipient would need THAT wild and wackey sounfont AND a soundfont compatable card. - OR a VSTi that allows emulating a soundfont compatable card - in a VST host.

Did that make sense??

wgan · Mar 17, 2006, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maddogg6

A GS indicator means - (IN ADDITION TO GM specs) there are extra patches defined, as well as some additional midi CC's defined.

The Microsoft GS is a 'software synth' much like A VSTi is, BUT, is 'embedded' in the OS.
The GM/GS specs are designed so If I make a midi file using a piano sound - if I send you this midi file, and you have GM GS compatable synth - you will hear the peiano sound - if not, if may sound like a banjo, a harp or mabe even drum sounds. GM says - PATCH 0 Bank 0 - WILL be a piano sound.

Now, a sound font is THOSE sounds defined - so a soundfont capable card could be GM/GS (with the right sound fonts loaded) - or some wild and wackey set of sounds that are more unique - but to send that midi file to others - and it NOT be GM/GS compatable - the recipeint wont hear your 'wild and wackey' sounds. - thus, the recipient would need THAT wild and wackey sounfont AND a soundfont compatable card. - OR a VSTi that allows emulating a soundfont compatable card - in a VST host.

Did that make sense??

thanks, you make it clearer; just one more question now, I'm looking for a good yet free software synthesizer similar to timidity++ just for the playback of the midi with the capability of handling soundfont like timidity++ (which the win32 version is too buggy to play with), is there any one?

Maddogg6 · Mar 17, 2006, 11:03 AM

You best bet is too look here
http://www.kvraudio.com/get.php

There are many DXi/VSTi - not all are free, not all are SF capable.

I never looked for a free SF VSynth as I have a hardware accelerated one in my soundcard, so...
Sorry I cant be more help.

kXfanatic · Mar 17, 2006, 01:33 PM

Maddogg6

You've forgot mentioning "and get some free and light-weighting VST host". A soft synth and a VSTi synth are not the same.

wgan

Isn't http://www.google.ru/search?hl=ru&q=...1%81%D0%BA&lr= well enough?

Maddogg6 · Mar 17, 2006, 01:52 PM

This is my understanding:
Soft Synth - is Short for 'Software Based Synth'
VSynth - short for a Virtual Synth (as in an emulator of a hardware device - like Moog has or Pro-52, B3, VPiano, VGuitarist - are all what I would refer to as a VSynth to be more descriptive than simply 'soft synth' and it could be a DXi or some other type that requires something like Midi Yoke to rout midi into it.)

Thus I used the VSynth - as KX (CL too) is 'emulating' EMU's hardware synths that used to exist back when the AWE32 was around. But since have all turned to all software now.. so, maybe the VSynth term wasn't the best clear term to use.

I also assumed the OP already has a VST host of choice.

with that said... for clarity, a VSTi IS a soft synth - but not all soft synths are VSTi..

Theres RTAS (for Protools)
and DXi too.
Rewire - may fall in this 'soft synth' or VSynth' category also.. ??

AFAIK ARE all software synths.

But I did just think to mention this - there IS a difference between VST and VSTi - as there is for DX and DXi - the 'i' meaning 'instrument' as opposed to an audio 'effect'.