User Manual

This document has the same layout as the manpage, but it contains links to other pages for more information: FluidFeatures and FluidSettings.

NAME

FluidSynth - a SoundFont synthesizer

SYNOPSIS

fluidsynth [options] [ SoundFonts ] [ midifiles ]

DESCRIPTION

FluidSynth is a real-time MIDI synthesizer based on the SoundFont® 2 specifications. It can be used to render MIDI input or MIDI files to audio. The MIDI events are read from a MIDI device. The sound is rendered in real-time to the sound output device. See FluidFeatures for a comprehensive list of features implemented and working.

The easiest way to start the synthesizer is to give it a [SoundFont]] on the command line: fluidsynth output.sf2. FluidSynth will load the [[SoundFont]] and read MIDI events from the default MIDI device using the default MIDI driver. Once FluidSynth is running, it reads commands from stdin. There are commands to send MIDI events manually, to load or unload [SoundFonts, and so forth. Available commands are discussed below.

FluidSynth can also be used to play a list of MIDI files. Simply run FluidSynth with the SoundFont and the list of MIDI files to play. In this case, you might not want to open the MIDI device to read external events. Use the -n option to deactivate MIDI input. You may also want to deactivate the shell causing FluidSynth to quit as soon as all MIDI files have been played. Start FluidSynth with the -i option to do so:

fluidsynth -ni soundfont.sf2 midifile1.mid midifile2.mid

Run FluidSynth with the --help option to check for changes in the list of options.

For some scenarios, it might be useful to execute certain shell commands right upon starting FluidSynth, e.g. to do some custom default initialization of the synth, change the default audio driver in use, etc. This can be achieved with a configuration file as described below. If no such file is provided via the -f command-line argument, FluidSynth tries to load a user-specific configuration file (as given by fluid_get_userconf()). If that fails, it tries to load a system-wide configuration file (as given by fluid_get_sysconf()).

OPTIONS

FluidSynth accepts the following options (call FluidSynth with the --help option to get most up-to-date information):

-a, --audio-driver=[label]

The audio driver to use. "-a help" to list valid options

-C, --chorus

Turn the chorus on or off [0|1|yes|no, default = on]

-c, --audio-bufcount=[count]

Number of audio buffers

-d, --dump

Dump incoming and outgoing MIDI events to stdout

-E, --audio-file-endian

Audio file endian for fast rendering or aufile driver ("-E help" for list)

-f, --load-config

Right upon starting, load and execute a configuration file containing fluidsynth related shell commands as described in the Section below.

-F, --fast-render=[file]

Render MIDI file to raw audio data and store in [file]

-G, --audio-groups

Defines the number of LADSPA audio nodes

-g, --gain

Set the master gain [0 < gain < 10, default = 0.2]

-h, --help

Print out this help summary

-i, --no-shell

Don't read commands from the shell [default = yes]

-j, --connect-jack-outputs

Attempt to connect the jack outputs to the physical ports

-K, --midi-channels=[num]

The number of midi channels [default = 16]

-L, --audio-channels=[num]

The number of stereo audio channels [default = 1]

-l, --disable-lash

Don't connect to LASH server

-m, --midi-driver=[label]

The name of the midi driver to use [oss,alsa,alsa_seq,...]

-n, --no-midi-in

Don't create a midi driver to read MIDI input events [default = yes]

-O, --audio-file-format

Audio file format for fast rendering or aufile driver ("-O help" for list)

-o

Define a setting, -o name=value ("-o help" to dump current values). See FluidSettings for details

-p, --portname=[label]

Set MIDI port name (alsa_seq, coremidi drivers)

-q, --quiet

Do not print welcome message or other informational output. (Windows only: also suppress all log messages lower than PANIC)

-Q, --query-audio-devices

Windows only, enumerate available WASAPI devices and their supported sample rates

-R, --reverb

Turn the reverb on or off [0|1|yes|no, default = on]

-r, --sample-rate

Set the sample rate

-s, --server

Start FluidSynth as a server process

-T, --audio-file-type

Audio file type for fast rendering or aufile driver ("-T help" for list)

-v, --verbose

Print out verbose messages about midi events (synth.verbose=1) as well as other debug messages

-V, --version

Show version of program

-z, --audio-bufsize=[size]

Size of each audio buffer

SETTINGS

All the settings that can be passed with the -o flag to FluidSynth are known as FluidSettings. Refer to the wiki page for more details.

SHELL COMMANDS

When starting FluidSynth an interactive shell opens. This section describes the most common commands.

GENERAL

help

Prints out a summary of the main commands

help help

Prints out list of other help topics (type "help <topic>")

quit

Quit the synthesizer

SOUNDFONTS

load filename

Load a SoundFont

unload number

Unload a SoundFont. The number is the index of the SoundFont on the stack.

fonts

Lists the current SoundFonts on the stack

inst number

Print out the available instruments for the SoundFont.

MIDI MESSAGES

noteon channel key velocity

Send a note-on event

noteoff channel key

Send a note-off event

cc channel ctrl value

Send a control change event

prog chan num

Send program-change message

select chan sfont bank prog

Combination of bank-select and program-change

channels

Print out the presets of all channels.

AUDIO SYNTHESIS

gain value

Set the master gain (0 < gain < 5)

interp num

Choose the interpolation method for all channels

interpc chan num

Choose the interpolation method for one channel

REVERB

Note: Before FluidSynth 2.0 custom reverb commands existed. Starting with 2.0 users are encouraged to set reverb parameters via the realtime FluidSettings as described below.

set synth.reverb.active [0|1]

Turn the reverb on or off

set synth.reverb.room-size num

Change reverb room size (i.e the reverb time) in the range [0 to 1.0] (default: 0.2)

set synth.reverb.damp num

Change reverb damping in the range [0.0 to 1.0] (default: 0.0)

• When 0.0, no damping.
• Between 0.0 and 1.0, higher frequencies have less reverb time than lower frequencies.
• When 1.0, all frequencies are damped even if room size is at maximum value.

set synth.reverb.width num

Change reverb width in the range [0.0 to 100.0] (default: 0.5)

num value defines how much the right channel output is separated of the left channel output.

• When 0.0, there is no separation (i.e the output is mono).
• When 100.0, the stereo effect is maximum.

set synth.reverb.level num

Change reverb output level in the range [0.0 to 1.0] (default: 0.9)

CHORUS

Note: Before FluidSynth 2.0 custom chorus commands existed. Starting with 2.0 users are encouraged to set chorus parameters via the realtime FluidSettings as described below.

set synth.chorus.active [0|1]

Turn the chorus on or off

set synth.chorus.nr n

Use n delay lines (default 3)

set synth.chorus.level num

Set output level of each chorus line to num

set synth.chorus.speed num

Set mod speed of chorus to num (Hz)

set synth.chorus.depth num

Set chorus modulation depth to num (ms)

MIDI ROUTER

router_default

Reloads the default MIDI routing rules (input channels are mapped 1:1 to the synth)

router_clear

Deletes all MIDI routing rules. Please note that deleting all rules means that all events for all types are dropped. Please see the examples below on how to modify only a selected type of event and pass all the rest unchanged.

router_begin [note|cc|prog|pbend|cpress|kpress]

Starts a new routing rule for events of the given type:

• note - note-on and note-off
• cc - control change
• prog - program change
• pbend - pitch bend
• cpress - channel pressure (channel aftertouch)
• kpress - key pressure (polyphonic aftertouch)

router_chan min max mul add

Limits the rule for events on min <= chan <= max. If the channel falls into the window, it is multiplied by 'mul', then 'add' is added.

router_par1 min max mul add

Limits parameter 1 (for example note number in a note events). Similar to router_chan.

router_par2 min max mul add

Limits parameter 2 (for example velocity in a note event). Similar to router_chan.

router_end

Finishes the current rule and adds it to the router.

Router examples

router_clear  
router_begin note  
router_chan 0 7 0 15  
router_end  

Will accept only events of type "note" from the lower 8 MIDI channels, all other events of different types or note events on other channels will be dropped. Regardless of the channel (0-7), the synthesizer plays the note on ch 15 (synthchannel=midichannel*0+15).

router_begin cc  
router_chan 0 7 0 15  
router_par1 1 1 0 64  
router_end  

Configures the modulation wheel to act as sustain pedal (transforms CC 1 to CC 64 on the lower 8 MIDI channels, routes to ch 15).

router_clear

router_begin note
router_par2 0 127 0 60
router_end

router_begin cc
router_end

router_begin prog
router_end

This router will only pass note, cc and progam change events. Note events will always have a fixed velocity of 60, cc and prog events are passed on unchanged.

LADSPA

LADSPA must be enabled for these commands to work (-o synth.ladspa.active=1). Please also see the LADSPA documentation for more details on how to use these commands.

ladspa_effect

Create a new effect from a LADSPA plugin

ladspa_link

Connect an effect port to a host port or buffer

ladspa_buffer

Create a LADSPA buffer

ladspa_set

Set the value of an effect control port

ladspa_check

Check LADSPA configuration

ladspa_start

Start LADSPA effects

ladspa_stop

Stop LADSPA effect unit

ladspa_reset

Stop and reset LADSPA effects

AUTHORS

Peter Hanappe

Markus Nentwig

Antoine Schmitt

Joshua "Element" Green

Stephane Letz

Please check the AUTHORS and THANKS files for all credits

DISCLAIMER

SoundFont® is a registered trademark of Creative Technology Ltd.