Create Your Own Virtual Instruments with SFZ Files Keyboard Mag Article By Craig Anderton

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chad
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2014/07/23 11:36:01 (permalink)

Create Your Own Virtual Instruments with SFZ Files Keyboard Mag Article By Craig Anderton

Hey guys,
 
I thought you would all appreciate this article from the June 2014 copy of Keyboard Magazine.
 
http://www.keyboardmag.co...s-with-sfz-files/31010
 
The article and tutorial also includes a free bass instrument sfz by Craig. 
 
Enjoy!
Chad
 
 
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    AT
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    Re: Create Your Own Virtual Instruments with SFZ Files Keyboard Mag Article By Craig Ander 2014/07/24 11:37:54 (permalink)
    Great one.  Maybe you or Craig should do some tutorials hosted by Cakewalk somewhere on site (there I go, making more work for others!).  But Cake ought to do something w/ SFZ - drive some Alchemy etc. people to the site.
     
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    chad
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    Re: Create Your Own Virtual Instruments with SFZ Files Keyboard Mag Article By Craig Ander 2014/08/05 08:44:44 (permalink)
    AT
    Great one.  Maybe you or Craig should do some tutorials hosted by Cakewalk somewhere on site (there I go, making more work for others!).  But Cake ought to do something w/ SFZ - drive some Alchemy etc. people to the site.
     
    @




    Hey AT,
     
    I may have some time to tackle an SFZ tutorial in the future.  Would you be interested in any particular content? 
     
     
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    Grem
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    Re: Create Your Own Virtual Instruments with SFZ Files Keyboard Mag Article By Craig Ander 2014/08/05 09:04:57 (permalink)
    chad

    Would you be interested in any particular content? 
     


    Yeah some basic tutorial to help us create simple sfz files to get us going. Maybe there is some place that I don't know about.

    But it seems to me that sfz files is a great concept that hasn't gotten much support to help users get into it.

    Grem

    Michael
     
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    chad
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    Re: Create Your Own Virtual Instruments with SFZ Files Keyboard Mag Article By Craig Ander 2014/08/05 09:15:04 (permalink)
    Hey Grem,
     
    Thanks, what type of instruments would you be interested in learning to create?  Acoustic/Orchestral/Synths/Percussion?
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    AT
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    Re: Create Your Own Virtual Instruments with SFZ Files Keyboard Mag Article By Craig Ander 2014/08/05 11:10:25 (permalink)
    That's a hard one Chad.  All the above?  ;-)
     
    Since it is SFZ, something acoustic I would think.  A piano would be great, but a bit hard.  Maybe a string - cello?  Basic mapping and layering that could be a model to use.  And maybe some sfz enveloping.  Does sfz support portamento control?  Some Ligeti-style stuff would be an interest of mine.  Some of the Dimpro presets seem to do that, though I haven't looked at the sfz files.
     
    @

    https://soundcloud.com/a-pleasure-dome
    http://www.bnoir-film.com/  
     
    there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.
    24 And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.
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    Grem
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    Re: Create Your Own Virtual Instruments with SFZ Files Keyboard Mag Article By Craig Ander 2014/08/05 13:40:18 (permalink)
    Just read Craig's article. It gives good info. And great examples. Good tutorial that I plan on working on in the next few days.

    But where is he getting the parameters that are available to the sfz engine? Are the parameters different for each sfz engine?

    These type of questions answered for a non-programing person would be helpful to me. Or even point me in the right direction.

    I would like to learn to do my own samples in the sfz file to make something I never heard of.

    Grem

    Michael
     
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    scook
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    Re: Create Your Own Virtual Instruments with SFZ Files Keyboard Mag Article By Craig Ander 2014/08/05 14:09:39 (permalink)
    The best source I have found for sfz info is Simon Cann's "Cakewalk Synthesizers". Cakewalk use to have a page listing sfz v1.0 opcodes, fortunately, Wayback still has the page. Search Wayback for www.cakewalk.com/DevXchange/article.aspx?aid=108. Vendors have extended the sfz opcodes for their synths.
    post edited by scook - 2014/08/05 14:19:08
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    Paul P
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    Re: Create Your Own Virtual Instruments with SFZ Files Keyboard Mag Article By Craig Ander 2014/08/05 14:14:54 (permalink)
    Grem

    But where is he getting the parameters that are available to the sfz engine? Are the parameters different for each sfz engine?
     



    Good question !
     
    I can no longer find the sfz specification document on cakewalk.com.  But it was only version 1.02, from jan. 2010.
     
    Simon Cann's book Cakewalk Synthesizers: From Presets to Power User is the only reference I know of for version 2.0.
     
    Looks like Cakewalk has abandoned it (and synths built on it ?).  Other companies use it but have added proprietary codes.  I'm not optimistic for its future, but I'd like to be.
     
     PS.  I'll send anyone the 1.02 version in a Word doc if they PM me.
     
     

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    Paul P
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    Re: Create Your Own Virtual Instruments with SFZ Files Keyboard Mag Article By Craig Ander 2014/08/05 21:42:26 (permalink)
     
    The Internet Archive Wayback Machine can be very useful for unearthing lost info relating to Cakewalk and
    rgcaudio :
    http://web.archive.org/web/20071011015934/http://www.rgcaudio.com

     
    For instance, the sfz format spec, version 1.0 :
    http://web.archive.org/web/20071011041531/http://rgcaudio.com/sfzformat.htm

     
    and a directory of some sfz sample files : 
    http://web.archive.org/web/20071020025349/http://www.rgcaudio.com/sfzsamples

     
    The forum software won't preserve a link with an http address contained within it, so you'll have to copy the above links (the whole line in the box) and paste into your browser's address field, or highlight the line and open it as a link.
     
    post edited by Paul P - 2014/08/05 23:01:32

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    Grem
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    Re: Create Your Own Virtual Instruments with SFZ Files Keyboard Mag Article By Craig Ander 2014/08/06 15:35:38 (permalink)
    I found out yesterday that most of the links that the sfzed site referenced were broken, moved, no longer exists, and all were CW links. Which I found funny.

    Thanks for the heads up on the "Way back" links. Heading over there now.

    I also picked up Simon's book on CW instruments. Looks like that will help.

    Grem

    Michael
     
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    scook
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    Re: Create Your Own Virtual Instruments with SFZ Files Keyboard Mag Article By Craig Ander 2014/08/06 15:51:41 (permalink)
    There was a major reorganization of the Cakewalk site last May. I do not know if the sfz knowledge base pages were intentionally dropped. Many links were broken in the reorg. Here is the page to notify the webmaster about issues with the website http://www.cakewalk.com/About/Email/1
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    Grem
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    Re: Create Your Own Virtual Instruments with SFZ Files Keyboard Mag Article By Craig Ander 2014/08/21 09:50:08 (permalink)
    Paul P
     
    Simon Cann's book Cakewalk Synthesizers: From Presets to Power User is the only reference I know of for version 2.0.
     
    Looks like Cakewalk has abandoned it (and synths built on it ?).  Other companies use it but have added proprietary codes.  I'm not optimistic for its future, but I'd like to be.
     
     



    Well with some interest in this, I wanted to learn more so I bought the book you talked about Paul.
     
    Now I am finding out that I can no longer d/l the Triangle synth from CW. Seems that there is trouble with it playing well with Win7 64 and Sonar since the X series (got this info from different posts back when X1 was released). So I am thinking that CW isn't offering it anymore because they are not wanting to be bothered with supporting it maybe. IDK.
     
    But I have found a place that I d/l it from. Not sure if it's a trusted site or not.

    Grem

    Michael
     
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    scook
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    Re: Create Your Own Virtual Instruments with SFZ Files Keyboard Mag Article By Craig Ander 2014/08/21 11:19:36 (permalink)
    The download link went missing after a significant website reorg. Probably just an oversight. I just reported the link missing to the webmaster. Try calling tech support for a link to the synth.
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    scook
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    Re: Create Your Own Virtual Instruments with SFZ Files Keyboard Mag Article By Craig Ander 2014/08/21 11:30:49 (permalink)
    I found the link using the Wayback Machine.
    Copy these two links together into one line with no spaces into the URL path in your browser to see the old Cakewalk page and click on the "Download it Today" option.
    https://web.archive.org/web/20140327103800/
    http://cakewalk.com/products/triangle/default.aspx
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    Grem
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    Re: Create Your Own Virtual Instruments with SFZ Files Keyboard Mag Article By Craig Ander 2014/08/21 15:00:21 (permalink)
    In my excitement scook, I typed a bunch of stuff that may not be appropriate (it wasn't, believe me!)
     
    But let me say you da man!!
     
    It worked!!
     
    Thanks a bunch. 

    Grem

    Michael
     
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    Grem
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    Re: Create Your Own Virtual Instruments with SFZ Files Keyboard Mag Article By Craig Ander 2014/08/21 15:02:19 (permalink)
    scook
    The download link went missing after a significant website reorg. Probably just an oversight. I just reported the link missing to the webmaster. Try calling tech support for a link to the synth.




    You may have a point here scook. Because the Triangle II page is still there and lists all the features, just like the Square one page. Except on the Triangle page there is no d/l link.

    Grem

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