Sf2 Files

Audio playback is provided by MuseScore's onboard synthesizer, which houses a large selection of virtual (or software) instruments—including percussion and sound effects.

MuseScore supports virtual instruments in two formats:

  • SoundFont (.sf2/.sf3): A single file containing one or more virtual instruments.
  • SFZ (.sfz): A set of audio and definition files containing one or more virtual instruments.

A real-time software synthesizer based on the SoundFont 2 specifications. It can be used for live audio synthesis of MIDI events or for rendering MIDI files to disk, using SoundFont instruments. It can also be embedded in other applications. What is a SF2 file? The.sf2 file extension is most commonly used for SoundFont 2 sound bank files. These files define a group of audio samples (commonly referred to as a patch collection) that are played back using MIDI data on a user's computer. The SF2 file may contain loops, envelopes, layers, instruments and other sound bank information.

SoundFonts

MuseScore comes with its own GM (General MIDI) SoundFont, MuseScore_General.sf3, containing over 128 instruments, sound effects and various drum/percussion kits.

GM (General MIDI) is a universal format, so once your score is set up for correct playback using MuseScore's native Soundfont, you should be able to export it in a format of your choice and have it play back on any other user's computer.

Many different Soundfonts are available on the Internet: some free, some commercial. For a list of free soundfonts, see below.

Install a SoundFont

After finding and decompressing a SoundFont (see →below), double-click to open it. In most cases, the SoundFont file type will already be associated with MuseScore, and MuseScore will start and a dialog will appear asking if you want to install the SoundFont. Occasionally an application other than MuseScore will be associated with the SoundFont file type; if this is the case, you will need to right-click or control-click on the file, so as to display a menu from which you can choose to open the file in MuseScore. In either case, when the dialog appears asking if you want to install the SoundFont, click 'Yes' to place a copy of the SoundFont file in MuseScore's SoundFonts directory. This directory can be viewed or changed in MuseScore's Preferences, but the default location is:

  • Windows: %HOMEPATH%DocumentsMuseScore3Soundfonts

  • macOS and Linux: ~/Documents/MuseScore3/Soundfonts

In contrast to user-added SoundFonts, the initial default SoundFont installed with MuseScore is located in a system directory, meant only for that purpose, which should not be modified. This directory and its default SoundFont file is:

  • Windows x86 (32-bit) / MuseScore x86: %ProgramFiles%MuseScore 3soundMuseScore_General.sf3
  • Windows x64 (64-bit) / MuseScore x86: %ProgramFiles(x86)%MuseScore 3soundMuseScore_General.sf3
  • Windows x64 (64-bit) / MuseScore x86_64: %ProgramFiles%MuseScore 3soundMuseScore_General.sf3

  • macOS: /Applications/MuseScore 3.app/Contents/Resources/sound/MuseScore_General.sf3

  • Linux (Ubuntu): /usr/share/mscore-xxx/sounds/MuseScore_General.sf3 (with xxx being the MuseScore version)

Uninstall

To uninstall a SoundFont, simply open the folder where its file is installed and delete it.

SFZ

An SFZ is a collection of files and directories, an SFZ file and a bunch of actual sound files in WAV or FLAC format, with the SFZ file being a text file that basically describes what sound file is located where and to be used for what instrument and pitch range.

Install an SFZ

After downloading an SFZ (see →below), you need to manually extract all the files that belong to the SFZ (the SFZ file(s) and all the subdirectories and other files) into the directory listed above. Leave the subdirectories and their contents as they are.

Uninstall

To uninstall an SFZ, simply open the folder where its files are installed (see above) and delete them all.

Synthesizer

Once a SoundFont has been installed on your system, it also needs to be loaded into the Synthesizer. See To load a soundfont.

Mixer

The Mixer allows you to easily change the sounds for each staff (even while the score is playing). For further details, see Mixer.

List of downloadable soundfonts

GM SoundFonts

The following sound libraries conform to the General MIDI (GM2) standard. This specification gives you a sound set of 128 virtual instruments, plus percussion kits.

  • GeneralUser GS (29.8 MB uncompressed)
    Courtesy of S. Christian Collins
  • Magic Sound Font, version 2.0 (67.8 MB uncompressed)
  • Arachno SoundFont, version 1.0 (148MB uncompressed)
    Courtesy of Maxime Abbey
  • MuseScore 1 came with TimGM6mb (5.7 MB uncompressed)
    License: GNU GPL, version 2
    Courtesy of Tim Brechbill
  • MuseScore 2 (up to version 2.1) came with FluidR3Mono_GM.sf3 (13.8 MB).
  • MuseScore 2 (as of version 2.2) and 3 come with MuseScore_General.sf3 (35.9 MB) (SF2 version (208 MB)) and are being updated from time to time (see the Changelog).
    License: released under the MIT license
    Courtesy of S. Christian Collins
    MuseScore 3 on top offers an HQ version of that soundfont as an extension
  • Timbres of Heaven, version 3.2 (369 MB uncompressed)
    Courtesy of Don Allen
  • Soundfonts4U (12MB up to 1GB, depending on which package you choose)
    Collection of beautifully sounding acoustic guitars as well as pianos, basses, strings, harps and many more.

Orchestral soundfonts

  • Sonatina Symphonic Orchestra (503 MB uncompressed)
    Downloads: SoundFont | SFZ format
    License: Creative Commons Sampling Plus 1.0
  • Aegean Symphonic Orchestra
    Courtesy of Ziya Mete Demircan (352 MB uncompressed)

Piano soundfonts

SF2 Pianos
  • Acoustic grand piano, release 2016-08-04
    Description: Yamaha Disklavier Pro Grand Piano, sf2 format, 36MiB compressed, 113MiB uncompressed, 121 samples, 5 velocity layers
    More information: http://freepats.zenvoid.org/ including other soundfonts.
    License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0
    Courtesy of Roberto Gordo Saez
  • Salamander C5 Light
    Courtesy of Ziya Mete Demircan (24.5 MB uncompressed)
Sf2 files lmms
SFZ Pianos
  • Salamander Grand Piano
    Downloads: version 2 | version 3
    Description: Yamaha C5, 48kHz, 24bit, 16 velocity layers, between 80 MB and 1.9 GB uncompressed
    License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0
    Courtesy of Alexander Holm
  • Detuned Piano (244 MB uncompressed)
    License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0
  • Plucked Piano Strings
    Description: 44.1kHz, 16bit, stereo, 168 MB uncompressed
    License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0
  • The City Piano
    Description: Baldwin Baby Grand, 4 velocity layers, 696 MB uncompressed
    License: Public domain
    Courtesy of Big Cat Instruments
  • Kawai Upright Piano, release 2017-01-28
    Description: 68 samples, 44KHz, 24bit, stereo, 2 velocity layers, 58MiB uncompressed
    License: GNU General Public License version 3 or later, with a special exception
    Courtesy of Gonzalo and Roberto

Unzipping downloaded soundfonts

Since soundfonts are large, they are often zipped (compressed) into a variety of formats, including .zip, .sfArk, and .tar.gz. You need to unzip (decompress) these files before they can be used.

  • ZIP is standard compression format supported by most operating systems.

  • sfArk is a compression format designed especially for compressing SoundFont files. To decompress it, use Polyphone (cross-platform software); or this online service: https://cloudconvert.com/sfark-to-sf2

  • .tar.gz is a popular compression format for Linux. Windows users can use 7-Zip; Mac users can use The Unarchiver, or macOS' built-in Archive Utility. Note that if using 7-Zip, you will need to apply decompression twice—once for GZip and once for TAR.

Troubleshooting

If the toolbar play panel is greyed out, or not visible, follow the instructions below to get your sound working again:

  1. Right-click on the menu bar and make sure there is a check mark next to the Playback Controls menu item. If this step does not solve your problem, go to Step 2.
  2. If the play panel disappears after changing the SoundFont, go to EditPreferences...I/O tab and click OK without making any changes. After restarting MuseScore, the play panel should reappear.

If you are setting up a SoundFont for the first time, please use one of the recommended SoundFonts listed above.

If playback stutters, then your computer may not be able to handle the SoundFont being used. The following advice may help:

  • Reduce the amount of RAM (memory) used by MuseScore by using a smaller SoundFont. See the list above for suggestions.
  • Increase the amount of RAM available for MuseScore by quitting all applications except MuseScore. If you still have problems and a large SoundFont is important to you, consider more RAM for your computer.

See also

External links

Sf2 files download

Sf2 Files In Kontakt

Sf2

Sf2 Free Download

  • How to change the SoundFont or add another (MuseScore HowTo)
  • The SFZ Format (for details about the sfz specification)

Sf2 Files Music Maker

:: Download Music :: about Johannes Roussel :: Links :: Free soundfonts ::Orion presets

FREE 32 SOUNDFONTS KIT [ 32 free SF2 FILES ]

Thank you for visiting the famous Johannes Roussel's free soundfonts library.
This library is online for ten years and is one of the earliest soundfonts library on the Internet.
While you download the soundfonts, enjoy my music playing from the Soundclick player.
If you like my music, feel free to visit my music page where you can listen to many of my CD albums.
WHAT'S IN THE FREE SOUNDFONTS KIT?
- 32 High quality exclusive Soundfonts

- 18 Mo of Soundfonts.
- 12 New exclusive soundfonts

DOWNLOAD THE 32 SOUNDFONTS KIT
(17,8 Mo Zip archive).
What is in the free soundfonts kit ?

SOUNDFONT

SIZE

DESCRIPTION -- New files at the bottom of the page --

Electric piano
460 koMust have Very realistic fender like piano. (Download the free kit. See above)
Electric organ
207 koMust have Sounds like Hammon. Ideal for Jazz. 2 instruments included with variety of presets.
Ambiance
323 koAmbient dreamy mood pad
bells
308Must havePad with bells
Church organ
1139Must haveHuge church organ (needs a heavy reverb) 11 presets
Effects 2K
513Very nice arpegio effects. 6 presets
Effects 2
11576 different effects based on six different samples.
Flute electro
992electro flute for lead or solo. 3 presets
Galboro
828complex looped pad. Very original. 2 presets
Soft strings
162 koSampled in stereo from real orchestra. Unfortunately some background noise.
Vibraphone
198 koMust haveVery réalistic. Far much better than the 'toyphone' delivered with your Soundblaster.
Soft choir
563 koSampled in stereo from real mixed choir.
String effect
249 koVery nice stereo effect with string. To use as background.
Male choir
293 koSampled in stereo from real male choir. Different presets.
Mood
282 koSoft synth sounds. 7 instruments
Ligeti
1034 kocomplex orchestral effect
Loops 2k
341 koTwo filtered rythmic loops. 11 presets
Noises 2
867 ko6 different effects
Pad voice
1196 koMust havehuge voice based pad
Pad string
533 koMust have huge voice and string based pad
Popol pad
937Must have hugest synth based pad
Synthstring 1
278small soundfont, but excellent vintage analogic synth pad (works only on old soundblaster cards)
synthstring 2
760percussive pad. Very nice
Analog synth
88 koJust like'Vintage dreams waves' famous soundfonts. Small file containing 22 instruments !
Sax tenor
867 koMust have Very realistic. Far much better than the one delivered with Soundblaster soundcard.
Synth bass227 koBig analogic sound.
Big noise
266 ko10 heavy industrial metallic noises
Bublbass
103 ko2 nice and original bass sound with bubbles effect
Jr pad
629 koMust have 7 Very nice pads. I use it in a lot of my music
Synthetic vox452 ko3 Synthetic voices. Great for ambient music
Padbell
1075 koNice pad with bells in the background
Padvoice
1195 koPad mixed with voices
Ethnic voice
608 koNEW Excellent for World music
Ethnic trumpet
738 koNEW Excellent for World music
JR Cosmic
872 koNEW Cosmic Pad
FREE .HH HAMMERHEAD TRACKS
What is this ? : Hammerhead is a freeware rythm station. It is easy to use and you can produce your own rythm loops. You can download Hammerhead herehttp://www.threechords.com/hammerhead

File

SIZE

DESCRIPTION -- New files at the bottom of the page --

Jr_Bank 1 4 koThis is a zipped archive containing dozens of .HH tracks I produced.
Click here to listen to a sample. You can find other tracks on the official hammerhead webpage http://www.threechords.com/hammerhead follow 'submissions' link.
DOWNLOAD THE TS 404 SYNTHESIZER + FREE TRACKS
What is this ? : TS404 is a freeware analogue synthetiser with a 16 steps sequence. As it is almost impossible to find this software today, I decided to have a full package to download. You will find below the software with included the loops I made.

File

SIZE

DESCRIPTION -- New files at the bottom of the page --

TS 404 Pack537 koThis is the TS404 sequencer containing dozens of tracks I produced.
Click here to listen to a sample.