Re: [fluid-dev] FluidSynth 1.0.4-1

[Josh Green]

On Tue, 2004-05-11 at 08:21, Joerg Anders wrote:
> Hi all!
> 
> First of all: Thank you for fluid_synth-1.0.4-1. From time to
> time I try this software to test its usability for my
> program NoteEdit:
> 
>   http://rnvs.informatik.tu-chemnitz.de/~jan/noteedit/noteedit.html
> 
> Time ago I posted a little critism to this list concerning
> the strings rendering and the overall sound quality.
> 
> Now with fluid_synth-1.0.4-1 the quality is much better than
> with fluid_synth-1.0.3. The sound differs from hardware synthesis and 
> the TiMidity++ generator. But it sounds good and gives very
> interesting new sounds.
> 
> The problem is: Some instruments seem to be much too silent.
> 
> Have a look at:
> 
>   http://rnvs.informatik.tu-chemnitz.de/FLUID/fluidtest.html
> 
> Here you find a MIDI file and 3 MP3s:
> 
>       - hardware rendering
>       - fluidsynth rendering
>       - timidity rendering
> 
> As you can hear TiMidity is close to hardware rendering.
> FluidSynth rendering differs but is very interesing,
> but the piano is much too silent. The problem is: If I
> accept this I have to produce always 3 different scores:
> 
>       1. for FluidSynth
>       2. for all others
> 
> Pershaps it is a small bug.(?) Because the MIDI file
> is at this page, too and because I use the free
> FuidR3 soundfont from http://www.hammersound.org
> you are able to find this small problem.(?)

It is likely related to the volume envelope Attenuation parameter.
FluidSynth currently follows the SoundFont specification (why not, thats
what the spec is for right? :)  Well unfortunately EMU8k/10k don't
follow this standard. So any SoundFont files that are made for these
cards will sound quiet when the Attenuation parameter is used. The fix
is to add EMU8k/10k compatibility for this parameter to FluidSynth (its
on the TODO list).
You can verify this is what is occurring by seeing if the Attenuation
parameter is used for those instruments for which you experience
quietness.
On a semi-related note; I have noticed that sometimes it is hard to get
FluidSynth to be loud without distortion. This is despite the fact that
its not playing to the maximum amplitude of the sound card. So perhaps
clipping is occurring at some other stage. I haven't done any tests yet
related to this, so its more of just a thought. Cheers.
        Josh Green