Soundfonts

     You will find here .sf2 soundfonts of the following types:

- soundfonts I made of samples recorded by my own (Type A1),
- soundfonts I made of audio phrases of an instrument (Type A2)
- soundfonts I made of free samples to be found in the net (Type B),
- soundfonts I alterated for better use with Jazz midis (Type C) or
- just good soundfonts that don't have to be edited (Type D).

I make and present sf2-files here that have 44000 khz and a maximum size of 1 MB - a complete soundbank with all the main instruments for Jazz should use about 20-25 MB - my one is around 20 MB .
Note: the mp3 examples of the soundfonts have been created with only 96 kbps - so the samples do not present the full quality you will achieve after having installed them!
 

jAzZgUiTaR-Soundfont
V 2.0
(Type A1)
preset 026

The story: As long as I've been looking for soundfonts I never found a JazzGuitar soundfont that sounded like a REAL Jazz Guitar! It seemed to me that all available fonts are simple guitar fonts (recorded with solid body guitars) with less high frequencies. The typical depth, the mellow tone and the long sustain - that means the character of an archtop guitar was never reached.

The Gibson L-5 is called the "Queen of Jazz Guitars" and the typical Gibson sound is only achieved with this kind of guitar. The first L-5 was introduced in 1923, had no cut-away and was of course not electric at that time. The most known type today is the L-5 CES ( C=cut away, E=electric, S=spanish). Many famous Jazz guitarists use the L-5, amongst them my favourite player Wes Montgomery, Mark Whitfield, Peter Leitch and many others.

Since I'm the proud owner of a vintage Gibson L-5 CES-N (built 1969/70 - N is for "natural") I thought that it would be nice to get this sound not only when I play on my guitar but also when I play midi files! So I took my guitar (with an old set of heavy gauge strings on it - LaBella 20 PH), plugged it directly into the soundcard of my PC (a Soundblaster Live), spent several hours (days?) with recording, sampling, listening, filtering, looping, adjusting and produced a lot of SF2-files. One that I was satisfied with is presented here. It's a small sf2-file called jAzZgUiTaR with a size of only 462 KB and contains 3 samples of my guitar (the light version has even less: 111 KB/1 sample). It can either be loaded temporarily into the midi banks of your wavetable sound card or you can make it permanent by importing it into your favourite sound bank (with Vienna for example). The jAzZgUiTaR - Soundfont uses bank 0 preset 026 (as usual for "Jazz Guitar").

First listen to the Midis "Stella By Starlight" and "Sweet Georgia Brown" and "Sushi" as you usually hear it with your present settings (click the titles) ...
Stella By Starlight
Sweet Georgia Brown
Sushi

... then listen to the following MP3-demos (recorded from midis with my SB Live and a modified Chaos Sound Bank with 96 kbps and 44100 Mhz/Stereo) which give you an impression of how the new guitar soundfont works - and compare it!
Stella By Starlight (single line soloing)
Sweet Georgia Brown (using of chords)
Sushi (soloing & accompanying)

If you hear a significant difference (I'm sure you will),
you should download the free

jAzZgUiTaR-Soundfont
... and tell me what you think about it!


Version history:

1.0 - first release

2.0 - It sounds a little bit more
chrispy and brighter than version 1.0,
sustaining loops are switched off now,
one sample has been shortened a little bit
(without loss of quality)

v.2.1 - (May 2003)
volume adjustments and other fine tunings
corresponding light version: 1.2


jAzZgUiTaR-Soundfont (Version 2.1 - 416 KB)
Direct download (172 KB sfArk-file)

jAzZgUiTaR-Soundfont - light version (1.2 - 111 KB)
Direct download (49 KB sfArk-file)


The files are compressed with a special compression/decompression
program for soundfonts: sfArk (works like Winzip)
you can download this program for free at http://www.melodymachine.com


 

mUtEd tRuMpEt

V 1.0
(Type B)
preset 059

Another instrument I wasn't satisfied with is the Muted Trumpet - used by Miles Davis for example. So I looked for some wav-samples in the net and made this soundfont.

Compare:

 

Play the Midi with your
present settings: Decoy

 

Play the MP3 demo
recording: Decoy

 


Download:

mUtEd tRuMpEt-Soundfont (Version 1.0, 488 KB)
Direct download (338 KB sfArk-file)

The file is compressed with a special compression/decompression program
for soundfonts: sfArk (works like Winzip)
you can download this program for free at http://www.melodymachine.com


 

tRoMbOnE

V 1.0
(Type C)
preset 057

This is originally a soundfont I found in the net but it was twice as big before and sounded a little bit dirty - so I fixed that (shortened samples, new loopings, other adjustments).

Compare:

 

Play the Midi with your
present settings: Peace

 

Play the MP3 demo
recording: Peace

 


Download:

tRoMbOnE-Soundfont (877 KB)
Direct download (466 KB sfArk-file)

The file is compressed with a special compression/decompression program
for soundfonts: sfArk (works like Winzip)
you can download this program for free at http://www.melodymachine.com


 

FLuTe

V 1.3
(Type C)
preset 073

This font already sounded very natural, but the envelopes of the samples were not suitable for fast playing, so I edited the samples, set new loopings and made other adjustments.
(version 1.0 replaced by slightly changed version 1.1 (better high frequencies) and version 1.2 and version 1.3 (some changed loopings)

Compare:

 

Play the Midi with your
present settings: Nutville

 

Play the MP3 demo
recording: Nutville

 


Download:

FLuTe-Soundfont (378 KB)
Direct download (280 KB sfArk-file)

The file is compressed with a special compression/decompression program
for soundfonts: sfArk (works like Winzip)
you can download this program for free at http://www.melodymachine.com


 

TrUmPeT

V 1.0
(Type C)
preset 056

The samples for this trumpet font were good recorded but it sounded much too wet and was only usable for some few midis. So I had to edit all samples, made new loops and the result is a trumpet that has individuality.

Compare:

 

Play the Midi with your
present settings: Lazy Bird

 

Play the MP3 demo
recording: Lazy Bird

 


Download:

TrUmPeT-Soundfont (496 KB)
Direct download (303 KB sfArk-file)

The file is compressed with a special compression/decompression program
for soundfonts: sfArk (works like Winzip)
you can download this program for free at http://www.melodymachine.com

 

 

BrAsS

V 1.0
(Type D)
preset 061

This is the best Brass soundfont I could find - you will be satisfied with it!

Compare:

 

Play the Midi with your
present settings: Love Machine

 

Play the MP3 demo
recording: Love Machine

 


Download:

BrAsS-Soundfont (898 KB)
Direct download (640 KB sfArk-file)

The file is compressed with a special compression/decompression program
for soundfonts: sfArk (works like Winzip)
you can download this program for free at http://www.melodymachine.com

 

 

TeNoRsAx

V 1.0
(Type A2)
preset 066

Don't you also think that the Tenor soundfonts you can get in the net sound like everything else, but not as a real Tenor Sax - although it's the main instrument in Jazz?

So I tried to change that - I looked for a nice and clear saxophone phrase, splitted the notes and experimented a lot with samples, loops and many special adjustments. Finally - after some months - I finished the work on the TeNoRsAx soundfont and here is the result:

A realistic sound that can be used for slow and breathy saxes as well as for fast playing !
And the best: it consumes not 2 MB, not 1 MB, not 500 KB - just 243 KB!

Compare:

 

Play the Midi with your
present settings: Lazy Bird

 

Play the MP3 demo
recording: Lazy Bird

 


Download:

TeNoRsAx-Soundfont (243 KB)
Direct download (185 KB sfArk-file)

The file is compressed with a special compression/decompression program
for soundfonts: sfArk (works like Winzip)
you can download this program for free at http://www.melodymachine.com

 

 

aCoUsTiCbAsS

V 1.0
(Type C)
preset 032

Here is a very small bass soundfont that I edited with the purpose to let it sound with more depth and a little bit heavier.

Compare:

 

Play the Midi with your
present settings: Softly ...

(listen to the bass solo at the end)

 

Play the MP3 demo
recording: Softly ...

 


Download:

aCoUsTiCbAsS-Soundfont (25,4 KB)
Direct download (11 KB sfArk-file)

The file is compressed with a special compression/decompression program
for soundfonts: sfArk (works like Winzip)
you can download this program for free at http://www.melodymachine.com

 

 

CoNtRaBaSs

V 1.1
(Type C)
preset 043

It's rare in midifiles that you hear a fiddled acoustic bass - but if it happens (mostly as bass solo parts) it should sound good! I found a nice classical contrabass soundfont in the net but it was a big one, so I made it smaller by leaving out some samples and shortening the rest of them. The envelopes had also to be changed a lot due to the faster playing in Jazz.

Version 1.1: altered settings due to a problem that came up after installing new SBLive! drivers.

Compare:

 

Play the Midi with your
present settings: Lazy Bird
(listen to the bass solo
at the end)

 

Play the MP3 demo
recording: Lazy Bird

 


Download:

CoNtRaBaSs-Soundfont (129 KB)
Direct download (94,9 KB sfArk-file)

The file is compressed with a special compression/decompression program
for soundfonts: sfArk (works like Winzip)
you can download this program for free at http://www.melodymachine.com

 

 

7 gUiTaRs

(Type C/D)  

Here I present all the other guitar sounds I have in my soundbank (beside the jaZzGuItAr).

 


Download:

NyLoNgUiTaR-Soundfont (32,6 KB) - preset 024
Direct download (25,9 KB sfArk-file)
see also below for another version !

StEeLgUiTaR-Soundfont (322 KB) - preset 025
Direct download (201 KB sfArk-file)
see also below for another version !


ClEaNgUiTaR-Soundfont (18,7 KB) - preset 027
Direct download (17,5 KB sfArk-file)

MuTeDgUiTaR-Soundfont (18,5 KB) - preset 028
Direct download (11,2 KB sfArk-file)

OvErDrIvEgUiTaR-Soundfont (48,2 KB) - preset 029
Direct download (39,1 KB sfArk-file)

DiStOrTiOngUiTaR 1.1-Soundfont (747 KB) - preset 030
Direct download (641 KB sfArk-file)

GuItArHaRmOnIcS-Soundfont (41,6 KB) - preset 031
Direct download (28,9 KB sfArk-file)


The files are compressed with a special compression/decompression program
for soundfonts: sfArk (works like Winzip)
you can download this program for free at http://www.melodymachine.com

 

 

HaRmOnIcA

V 1.1
(Type C)
preset 022

Version 1: The original I had in my bank sounded very good already, but was to big ...
Version 1.1 covers now also the highest notes ..

Compare:

 

Play the Midi with your
present settings: Prelude To A Kiss

 

Play the MP3 demo
recording: Prelude To A Kiss

 


Download:

HaRmOnIcA-Soundfont (734 KB)
Direct download (531 KB sfArk-file)

The file is compressed with a special compression/decompression program
for soundfonts: sfArk (works like Winzip)
you can download this program for free at http://www.melodymachine.com

 

 

NyLoNgUiTaR2

V 2.1
(Type B/C)
preset 024

This is a new soundfont (not an edited one from above). It sounds very natural compared to other nylon guitar fonts. The Original was too big and needed some adjustments (tuning) too.
Version 2.1: after installing new SBLive! drivers not all samples were recognized, at least on my PC - so I fixed this problem

Compare:

 

Play the Midi with your
present settings: Manha de Carnival

 

Play the MP3 demo
recording: Manha de Carnival

 


Download:

NyLoNgUiTaR2-Soundfont (640 KB)
Direct download (169 KB sfArk-file)

The file is compressed with a special compression/decompression program
for soundfonts: sfArk (works like Winzip)
you can download this program for free at http://www.melodymachine.com

 

 

StEeLgUiTaR2

V 1.1
(Type B/C)
preset 025

Also a new one ! Bill Williams sent me a font that already sounded very good and I completed the work by some fine tuning (thanks Bill!).
Differences between version 1.1 and version 1.0: edited samples, new loop points

Compare:

 

Play the Midi with your
present settings: Mediterranean
Sundance

 

Play the MP3 demo
recording: Mediterranean
Sundance

 


Download:

StEeLgUiTaR2-Soundfont (328 KB)
Direct download (175 KB sfArk-file)

The file is compressed with a special compression/decompression program
for soundfonts: sfArk (works like Winzip)
you can download this program for free at http://www.melodymachine.com

 

 

SoPrAnOsAx

V 1.0
(Type C)
preset 064

Here is a nice soprano sax that sounds very typical (edited for better use with jazz midis).
Notice: today (Febr. 181h) I uploaded another version with better balanced volume.

Compare:

 

Play the Midi with your
present settings: My Favorite Things

 

Play the MP3 demo
recording: My Favorite Things

 


Download:

SoPrAnOsAx-Soundfont (814 KB)
Direct download (599 KB sfArk-file)

The file is compressed with a special compression/decompression program
for soundfonts: sfArk (works like Winzip)
you can download this program for free at http://www.melodymachine.com

 

 

aLtOsAx

V 1.0
(Type A2)
preset 065

I wasn't satisfied with my old alto sax soundfont and was glad to find good recorded samples - after some work here is the result: another realistic soundfont from TheJazzPage

Compare:

 

Play the Midi with your
present settings: Members Only

 

Play the MP3 demo
recording: Members Only

 


Download:

aLtOsAx-Soundfont (432 KB)
Direct download (314 KB sfArk-file)

The file is compressed with a special compression/decompression program
for soundfonts: sfArk (works like Winzip)
you can download this program for free at http://www.melodymachine.com

 

 

bArItOnEsAx

V 1.0
(Type B)
preset 067

Again a sax-soundfont - the family is complete now ...

Compare:

 

Play the Midi with your
present settings: Stolen Moments

 

Play the MP3 demo
recording: Stolen Moments

 


Download:

bArItOneSAx-Soundfont (248 KB)
Direct download (156 KB sfArk-file)

The file is compressed with a special compression/decompression program
for soundfonts: sfArk (works like Winzip)
you can download this program for free at http://www.melodymachine.com

 

GM Patches - Listen how midi instruments sound with your soundcard

Click here if you want to know how to install soundfonts ... (external link)

Do you have other realistic soundfonts
for Jazz midis that should be presented here ?
Please send it to me via E-Mail!


home back up