SFZ Player for Linux

Link to good samples/soundfonts at http://wiki.linuxaudio.org/wiki/free_audio_data

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gmfraser
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SFZ Player for Linux

Post by gmfraser »

I have the SFZ files from the Virtual Playing Orchestra and am wanting to use these in my audio recordings under Linux (Ubuntu 18.04). In the past I've used them in Windows with Cubase and Sforzando. What is going to be my best bet in terms of DAW + sampler that will be relatively easy to set up?

I have Tracktion 7 on Linux and can use the Virtual Playing Orchestra *.wav files with the built-in Tracktion sampler. However, it doesn't recognize SFZ. I set up the Carla plugin with Tracktion and nothing happens (i.e. when I drag an SFZ file to the Carla plugin GUI, nothing appears). Does Tracktion have any add-ons that recognize SFZ files? I would be willing to pay a small amount for an add-on sampler that works.

In the past I've tried Ardour + Linux Sampler and could never get the combination to work. Is it worth trying to get Sforzando to work under Wine? I'm open to suggestions and don't mind paying a small amount (< $100) for a tool that works with minimal fuss. I like the Tracktion GUI if I can find an SFZ player that works with it.
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sysrqer
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Re: SFZ Player for Linux

Post by sysrqer »

I think you should be able to do that with carla, unless something has changed recently. If you add your SFZ location to the preferences in carla and then scan it should find them just like plugins and you can just double click to load them. You might need to set the preferences and scan in the standalone carla. Have you tried that?
gmfraser
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Re: SFZ Player for Linux

Post by gmfraser »

In standalone Carla, I can click on Configure Carla and set a path for the SFZ files, but I'm not sure how to force Carla to scan that location for files. Is it meant to happen automatically?

I'm pretty sure I don't have Carla configured correctly, as I get no sound output with either ALSA or JACK, and it doesn't recognize my MIDI keyboard input. It doesn't seem to give me many options in terms of specifying inputs and outputs.
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Re: SFZ Player for Linux

Post by bluebell »

The "Add Plugin" tab has an option "Refresh" (right upper corner). Be sure to have "Sound Kits" checked.

That does a rescan.

Linux – MOTU UltraLite AVB – Qtractor – http://suedwestlicht.saar.de/

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sysrqer
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Re: SFZ Player for Linux

Post by sysrqer »

You can force it to scan on the Add Plugin dialog, press refresh, choose the options you need and scan. Then when you add plugin again you can find the sfz instruments.

Not sure what might be happening with your no sound issue. In the standalone carla there are 3 tabs near the top, if you click patchbay you can route things how you want. You can also see this from Catia. I suspect that when you run sound alone it is just not connected to the output.

As a plugin though, if I remember correctly, there are two versions, one is a rack where the audio just goes in, processes the plugins in their order, and then outputs. The other version, carla patchbay, you can change the routing of the plugins. You probably don't need to do that if you're just hosting the sfz files, easier to just choose the carla rack.

For the midi you might need to use a2jmidid. I think there is an option for this as a midi bridge in cadence/carla/catia/claudia.
gmfraser
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Re: SFZ Player for Linux

Post by gmfraser »

Thanks! I was able to get Carla to scan that directory and the instruments now show up.

Still not getting any sound, though. What should my Carla rack and patchbay look like? Say I want to use one of the violin sfz files. Do I just need the one plugin on my rack, as shown below?
carla-screenshot-rack.png
carla-screenshot-rack.png (50.53 KiB) Viewed 16299 times
And how should the patchbay be connected? The MPKmini is my MIDI keyboard.
carla-screenshot-patchbay.png
carla-screenshot-patchbay.png (24.83 KiB) Viewed 16299 times
gmfraser
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Re: SFZ Player for Linux

Post by gmfraser »

I just tried running Sforzando under Wine and it works perfectly. I wonder if there is a way to get Tracktion to recognize the Sforzando plugins since they were built for Windows. I tried to get it to scan for the Sforzando plugins but it didn't find/recognize them.
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sysrqer
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Re: SFZ Player for Linux

Post by sysrqer »

You can use linvst for windows plugins.

For the carla connections, connect the red 'MPKmini2:MPKmini2 MIDI 24:0' to the red carla midi in, then the carla audio-out 1&2 to playback 1&2. I'm fairly sure that you don't have to do this if you load carla-rack as a plugin inside tracktion.
gmfraser
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Re: SFZ Player for Linux

Post by gmfraser »

Thanks! I will check out LinVst. That sounds like exactly what I need. I've got Sforzando working with LMMS (using the .dll plugin files), but think I will need to convert to .so files for Tracktion.

I'm having some other Carla issues that currently prevent me from fully testing it out (Qt issues which sometimes prevent it from running). So I am going to focus for now on getting Sforzando working with Tracktion.
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Re: SFZ Player for Linux

Post by sysrqer »

gmfraser wrote:but think I will need to convert to .so files for Tracktion.
That's exactly what linvst does.

I'm sure there must be other native plugins that can do this, I just can't think of any. I think Redux can load them and can manipulate the files in realtime but it's not free.
antiesen
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Re: SFZ Player for Linux

Post by antiesen »

Yes, redux can handle sfz, but this feature is a little bit hidden.
You can try SFZero:
https://github.com/osxmidi/SFZero-X/releases
Probably the easiest way if it works for you.

Other options would be carla as vst or linuxsampler vst together with qsampler.

Paid solutions:
Tracktion Waveform 9 has a internal Multi Sampler wich reads sfz files,
or Bliss from DiscoDSP
This was made to end all partys - Einstürzende Neubauten 1985
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Re: SFZ Player for Linux

Post by stanlea »

Redux can handle sfz but only if they fit in memory, that means no disk streaming, just small sfz banks.
rhydermike
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Re: SFZ Player for Linux

Post by rhydermike »

stanlea wrote:Redux can handle sfz but only if they fit in memory, that means no disk streaming, just small sfz banks.
I was going to add this. It also seems to load them in an inefficient way that gives them a larger footprint than it should, and performance is badly affected on larger banks. I like Redux, but I often end up adding piano and string SFZ banks via Carla, even though I'd rather have the editability of Redux for things like the envelope.
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Re: SFZ Player for Linux

Post by Audiojunkie »

Long time lurker here. I just registered to respond to your question. :mrgreen:

Check out Disco DSP's Bliss sampler. In my opinion, it is likely one of the best SFZ sample players available for Linux. They have frequent sales so if you watch carefully, you can get it on sale for much less than the list price.

Also, as mentioned above, the other options are:

LinuxSampler
Carla
Redux
SFZero

Oh, and another possible solution would be to convert the SFZs to Soundfonts and run them through the various soundfont players available.
oddy.o.lynx
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Re: SFZ Player for Linux

Post by oddy.o.lynx »

Good comment by Audiojunkie.

I have a license for Bliss and it's great. Also waited to get in on special. Likely the best option for native Linux.

I wasn't aware that Redux could load SFZ files and am thankful I read this comment as after testing it, is also excellent.

That being said, I really like sforzando. It's a WIndows native app but runs extremely well using WINE staging.

Would also second the suggestion that to be able to play samples in samplers that can't handle SFZ to convert them to SF2 format using a program like Polyphone.

Also recently installed Virtual Studio Code with the vscode-sfz extension and am looking to build and modify SFZ files directly.
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