Congratulations on your decision to use the download-able sampled sounds found on this SoundFont(R) Library CD-ROM.
We've included 60 Multi-resolution SoundFonts in both SoundFont 1.0 and 2.0 file formats on Volume 1 of The Developer's Choice SoundFont Library. When added up there are 180 SoundFont banks in both formats on this disk. Many of these banks are actually collections of instruments, so when you count up the shear number of available instrument sounds and variations provided by the objects included, you'll quickly see why The Developer's Choice Library CD-ROM was the right choice for your audio and multimedia projects.
To make it easier to use SoundFonts in your productions we've done the difficult work for you. That is, the sampling and tailoring of those samples, which involve recording individual notes of the instrument in question, and then looping and otherwise editing the samples to make them musically useful. Finally, we've arranged these samples into useful objects allowing for online selection of many great instrument variations.
This readme will fill you in on the finer points of
"The Developer's Choice" disk you have purchased.
* Individual Readme Files *
Included with each SoundFont bank is a readme.txt file bearing the same name, except for the suffix '_.txt'. As an example the SoundFont bank fuzzgtrl.sbk (or .sf2) is accompanied by the readme file fuzzgtr_.txt. The resolution indicator 'l' that would come before the '.txt' has been left off deliberately as this file is pertinent to all three resolutions of the SoundFont.
In the readme file you'll find references to the three SoundFont banks with their file names and part numbers. (these numbers are for the most part for in-house use)
Next You'll find a list of instruments included in the SoundFont banks. These are the same for all three resolutions. The instruments are made up of sampled sounds, sometimes 1, but usually many samples are used to build a convincing representation of the instrument in question.
Finally, there is a list of Objects found in the SoundFont banks. These Objects (or presets) are made up of one or more instruments and include articulation parameters such as filter settings, enveloping, and LFO modulators.
* SoundFont 1.0 & 2.0 *
There are two complete sets of SoundFont banks on this CD-ROM. They are located in the directories marked sfont1 and sfont2. The numbers (1 & 2) refer to the SoundFont file format used when creating each of the sets of banks. They differ as follows:
SoundFont 1: Version 1.0 is the original proprietary file format used by Creative Labs AWE32 drivers and Vienna sound editor program.
SoundFont 2: Version 2.0 is the publicly released file format which is used by the latest Creative Labs AWE32 drivers as well as the new E-mu Systems, "Preditor" SoundFont Designer program.
SoundFont 1.0 format is not compatible with SoundFont 2.0 format, meaning the 1.0 drivers and tools may not work properly with 2.0 banks and vice versa. For this reason we have provided banks in both formats.
* Software Drivers *
If you are using the Creative Labs AWE32 sound card you will require the following files that have the same or newer dates installed on your system:
For SoundFont 1.0
SBAWE32.DRV 9/15/94 Version 1.24
AWEMAN.DLL 8/16/94 Version 1.10
AWEGUI.DLL 8/26/94.
For SoundFont 2.0
SBAWE32.DRV Version 4.01 (beta)
AWEMAN.DLL Version 1.40.02
The drivers listed above are current at the time of release of this CD-ROM. Earlier versions may not provide the best quality sound from your new SoundFont Bank. If you don't have these files and would like to obtain a copy they are available as a file called AWEUP.EXE in the following locations:
BBS - (405) 742-6660
Compuserve - type GO BLASTER - see Library 8
Creative FTP - FTP.CREAF.COM
If you are using a sound card other than the Creative Labs AWE32, and you are having problems loading or playing SoundFont banks please refer to your user's manual for information reguarding software drivers available from the manufacturer of that card.
* Multi-Resolution Fonts *
Within each of the main 'sfont' directories you'll find three sub-directories with the names sbklarge, sbkmed & sbksmall (in sfont1 directory), and sf2large, sf2med & sf2small (in sfont2 directory). In these sub-directories you'll find large, medium & small versions of each of the SoundFont banks. These are the three bank sizes or 'resolutions' of each SoundFont. The file name of each of these banks is the same except for the last character before the suffix.
As an example, there are three sizes of the SoundFont "B3 Slow Rotor Organ", which are named "b3slow_l.sbk", "b3slow_m.sbk", & "b3slow_s.sbk". The resolution is indicated by the l(arge), m(edium) or s(mall) that preceeds the .sbk (or .sf2) suffix. The sizes of these banks are 2Meg (large), 1Meg (Medium) & 512K (Small). These file sizes are approximate and indicate the minimum amount of sound card RAM needed to load that particular resolution.
With three resolutions of each Font available, you can pick and chose the quality/size of each of the sounds used in your production.
You might decide to use smaller resolutions of rhythm section instruments such drums, bass & guitar, while using the largest resolution trumpet to solo over the top. In this case you would free up sound memory for the solo instrument by using the less memory consumptive (small resolution) backing instruments.
Or maybe your designing a video game for distribution on CD-ROM, where you'll have plenty of space to include all three resolutions of the SoundFonts you've chosen. In this case the final sound quality of your game can be determined by the sound memory available on the players computer. With more memory installed larger SoundFonts may be used to achieve better sound quality.
* SoundFont Listing *
The following are the banks included on this CD-ROM. They are listed by catagory for your convenience. The actual file names on the CD-ROM will be a contraction of the names found in this list, which are shown after the name of the SoundFont. Also, listed are the three SoundFont bank sizes, as well as the number of Instruments and Objects included.
