FluidSynth

FluidSynth is a console based real-time software synthesizer based on the SoundFont 2 specifications.

FluidSynth can read MIDI events from a MIDI input device and render them to an audio device using SoundFont instruments. SoundFont files are composed of digital audio "samples" and additional instrument parameters. These files can be created or downloaded off the Internet.

FluidSynth also has support for controlling effects in real time and can play MIDI files. Simply run fluidsynth with the SoundFont and the list of MIDI files to play.

A number of applications depend or use FluidSynth including Swami, QSynth, MusE, FluidGui, and The Miditzer. It has also been used in the MicrotonalISM project of the Network for Interdisciplinary Studies in Science, Technology, and Music.

For an attractive interface for FluidSynth, check out Qsynth.

FluidSynth

Price Free to download Size 1.2MB License GNU GPL Developer Peter Hanappe, Josh Green, Markus Nentwig, and many others Website www.nongnu.org/fluid System Requirements Support Sites: Manual Page, Mailing List Selected Reviews:

Features include:

• Render MIDI input or MIDI files to audio
• Microtonal support
• Easy to integrate the synthesizer modules in various environments, as a plugin or as a dynamically loadable object
• SoundFont 2 support
• Realtime effect modulation using SoundFont 2.01 modulators
• Built in command line shell
• Shared library which can be used in other programs

Last Updated Sunday, September 21 2008 @ 07:09 AM EDT