John Vere Posted February 27 Author Share Posted February 27 Good lord, any attempts at finding sf2 files takes you to the time machine and way back machine web pages. I think I'll pass, that's just way to much like work. The one @Glenn Stanton was all dead ends. Lots of interesting reading but no obvious downloadable GM midi sf2 files. I'm sort of careful about downloading files. Even though I'm doing this on a old laptop that is it gets screwed I'm fine. I doubt if my watchers are interested in ancient tech anyhow. I have found some very good alternatives that are super easy to download and install. Another weird one is I have Coyote with Band in a box. It directly will replace the TTS-1 in Cakewalk and sounds pretty good. But trying to find a simple download seems a rabbit hole of of scary places on the internet. If anyone has insight please share. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fitzj Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 TTS-1 was great to get a midi up and playing quickly. If you had midi files associated with cakewalk once clicked upon the midi opened and applied TTS-1 to all tracks and later you could use other synths if you wanted. I'm ok as I have it from the old days. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Stanton Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 2 hours ago, John Vere said: Good lord, any attempts at finding sf2 files takes you to the time machine and way back machine web pages. I think I'll pass, that's just way to much like work. this might help getting past the first one or two entries in the search results... 🙂 https://musescore.org/en/handbook/3/soundfonts-and-sfz-files The list below are different from other sf2/sf3/sfz online depositories, in that these virtual instruments contains at least one Musescore 3 compatible attenuation modulator. That is, they are engineered to at least responds to one volume-affecting MIDI data exchange practice used by Musescore 3, such as MIDI velocity. Community handbook editors updating this list should be mindful of the distribution aspect of the SoundFonts or SFZ's license (wikipedia) All sounds GeneralUser GS Direct download from schristiancollins.com (29.8 MB uncompressed) Courtesy of S. Christian Collins Magic Sound Font, version 2.0 (67.8 MB uncompressed) Arachno SoundFont, version 1.0 (148 MB uncompressed) Courtesy of Maxime Abbey TimGM 6mb: The free default soundfont that comes with MuseScore 1 Direct download from sourceforge (5.7 MB uncompressed): License: GNU GPL, version 2 Courtesy of Tim Brechbill FluidR3Mono_GM: The free default soundfont that comes with MuseScore 2 (up to version 2.1). SF3 Direct download from github (13.8 MB). License: MIT license MuseScore_General and MuseScore_General_HQ:MuseScore_General.sf3 is the free default soundfont that comes with MuseScore 3 and MuseScore 2 (2.2 and above). SF3 Direct download from osuosl.org (35.9 MB) SF2 Direct download from osuosl.org (208 MB) MuseScore_General_HQ.sf3 is the pre scale-down version of MuseScore_General. You can download and install it inside Musescore 3 as an extension, see Language, translations, and extensions: install extension. Changelog. License: MIT license Courtesy of S. Christian Collins MS Basic: MS Basic.sf3 is the free default soundfont that comes with MuseScore 4 More info see notes inside your computer's Musescore 4 MuseScore\instruments\instruments.xml Bank and program (work in progress) details on google sheets Development folder on github Timbres of Heaven, version 4.0: Direct download from google drive (429 MB uncompressed) Direct download from jeetee.net Courtesy of Don Allen Soundfonts4U (12 MB up to 1 GB, depending on which package you choose) Collection of beautifully sounding acoustic guitars as well as pianos, basses, strings, harps and many more. Orchestral sounds File that contains common instrument sounds of the four families: Sonatina Symphonic Orchestra (503 MB uncompressed) Downloads: SoundFont | SFZ format License: Creative Commons Sampling Plus 1.0 Aegean Symphonic Orchestra Courtesy of Ziya Mete Demircan (352 MB uncompressed) Piano sounds SF2 Pianos Acoustic grand piano, release 2016-08-04 Description: Yamaha Disklavier Pro Grand Piano, sf2 format, 36 MB compressed, 113 MB uncompressed, 121 samples, 5 velocity layers More information: https://freepats.zenvoid.org/ including other soundfonts. License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Courtesy of Roberto Gordo Saez Salamander C5 Light Courtesy of Ziya Mete Demircan (24.5 MB uncompressed) SFZ Pianos Salamander Grand Piano Downloads: version 2 | version 3 Description: Yamaha C5, 48kHz, 24bit, 16 velocity layers, between 80 MB and 1.9 GB uncompressed License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Courtesy of Alexander Holm Detuned Piano (244 MB uncompressed) License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Plucked Piano Strings Description: 44.1kHz, 16bit, stereo, 168 MB uncompressed License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 The City Piano Description: Baldwin Baby Grand, 4 velocity layers, 696 MB uncompressed License: Public domain Courtesy of Big Cat Instruments Kawai Upright Piano, release 2017-01-28 Description: 68 samples, 44KHz, 24bit, stereo, 2 velocity layers, 58 MB uncompressed License: GNU General Public License version 3 or later, with a special exception Courtesy of Gonzalo and Roberto Drumset SFZs The free MuseScore Drumline (MDL) extension contains a collection of drumset sounds, to download and install see Language, translations, and extensions: install extension Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fitzj Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 On 2/27/2024 at 7:02 PM, fitzj said: TTS-1 was great to get a midi up and playing quickly. If you had midi files associated with cakewalk once clicked upon the midi opened and applied TTS-1 to all tracks and later you could use other synths if you wanted. I'm ok as I have it from the old days. Even if you have TTS-1 already installed when loading a midi in the Cakewalk it will not load TTS-1 with the Midi. So no midi player except you go in and assign everything manually. A real pain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Sasor Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 39 minutes ago, fitzj said: Even if you have TTS-1 already installed when loading a midi in the Cakewalk it will not load TTS-1 with the Midi. So no midi player except you go in and assign everything manually. A real pain. It only auto loads tts1 if there's no physical midi ports enabled. So if you have a port checked, it won't load it with a midi file. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fitzj Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 1 hour ago, Jonathan Sasor said: It only auto loads tts1 if there's no physical midi ports enabled. So if you have a port checked, it won't load it with a midi file. Thanks for the update. Ok, tried that and it works. Why not leave it as it was? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Sasor Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 Just now, fitzj said: Thanks for the update. Ok, tried that and it works. Why not leave it as it was? That's how it's been since that feature was implemented. The goal was to have audible playback of midi files for people without external MIDI gear. If you have ports enabled, the MIDI has somewhere to go and we assume you've set up for external monitoring, per that type of workflow. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Vere Posted March 6 Author Share Posted March 6 Just to cap this off I ended up making 2 videos on the topic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tez Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 I used and alternative for the TTS-1 percussion, as TTS-1 is flakey... see NOTE All the other instruments are also available for conversion... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaLuh Posted March 23 Share Posted March 23 huh awesome. now we dont have quality midi variety. And the new Cakewalk Sonar, strangely is only for "premium users" of bandlab. What's the point of letting only the daw that is ecxacly how the web daw itha little diference for access and keep the real daw closed? by the way will be good if bandlab find anothe "tts" to put in the new versions of CbB 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
User 905133 Posted March 23 Share Posted March 23 (edited) 2 hours ago, User 905133 said: 2 hours ago, KaLuh said: On mine, tts stills not appearing. There's a "Groove Player"(i don't know what the hell it is) but tts is not there or any place. if you can copy the file and up to drive and send it to me will be more helpful than try to find where in my pc that gone. [emphasis added] You tacked this on to a thread from 2019. Much has happened since 2019, especially in the past several months that affected TTS-1's inclusion in the current build of CbB (Cakewalk by Bandlab). See the following thread. If you have an older version of CbB, perhaps you can find TTS-1. Not sure if you only have a version after which TTS-1 was dropped. In either case, the 2024 thread would be a better place to ask for help than a 2019 thread. 1 hour ago, KaLuh said: huh awesome. now we dont have quality midi variety. And the new Cakewalk Sonar, strangely is only for "premium users" of bandlab. What's the point of letting only the daw that is ecxacly how the web daw itha little diference for access and keep the real daw closed? by the way will be good if bandlab find anothe "tts" to put in the new versions of CbB Edited March 23 by User 905133 to emphasize "to ask for help" to clarify my intent in replying to the OP in the thread from 2019. My intent was not to suggest a rant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruno de Souza Lino Posted March 23 Share Posted March 23 On 2/25/2024 at 6:39 PM, John Vere said: I just saw this posted in the announcement regarding the last release. Quote: “The TTS-1 synth is no longer installed by Cakewalk, by request from Roland. This product is no longer supported and has reached end of life. Older installed versions may continue to work but it is no longer a default for insert instrument.” Unquote But I would imagine we will still have access to it if it was already installed. I guess it will not be installed with upcoming Sonar. I wonder if Sonar will include the same Generic boring instruments as Cakewalk Next? I noticed in Next that GM midi files open with very few appropriate instruments assigned to the tracks. I think there’s only a few common instruments. So GM midi files will end up with a lot of piano substitutes as tracks instead of wind instruments and what not. I can see Roland requested the removal of the TTS-1 as they are one of the few developers that make a GM player still. We will all be fine until down the road when you rebuild a new system then you will be faced with life with out a free GM player. update March 23 2024- I’ll post the links to the 2 videos I produced on this topic so people don’t have to go digging through this long thread: No TTS-1 No Problem- https://youtu.be/kF3tEttGdIQ?si=ww5yU8Wesi0ejmBz Goodbye TTS-1 : https://youtu.be/Zw-UqrMmF0A?si=Y3lSjXwjR61elW-p That problem would be extremely reduced if some of the SONAR Platinum instruments which were owned by Cakewalk (like z3t4) were part of Cakewalk instead of ceasing to exist, especially when one of those was a soundfont player. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveWave Posted March 26 Share Posted March 26 (edited) Sad that TTS-1 is getting removed. I actually love the drums samples and once made a TTS drum track in a post-punk band where we using drum machines. My bandmate loved the snare. I've always loved the whole kit in general. Is there anything else that sounds like it? Specifically the "standard set." I tried a free Steven Slate sample pack once and I couldn't find anything thats got that 80s electro rock vibe. I wrote this song in 2012 using it and I would love to find something similar if its not going to be supported. Edited March 26 by SteveWave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan Stitt Posted May 26 Share Posted May 26 John Vere - Thanks for your reply to the other thread today... I watched your video about GM synth alternatives a while back, but none of the other options seemed to match the capabilities and user-friendly GUI of TTS1. I want the capability to pan instruments via the GUI, rather than via midi commands embedded in the midi file (assuming it would remember the panning for the next time I open the file.) This would save me a lot of busy work getting the midi files ready on my Mac before moving them to the PC. (I'm using my old Roland JV1010 for GM midi on the Mac, but don't plan on bringing it to the gig.) Any suggestions? All I need is basic instruments. - bass/drums/acoustic guitar/strings for cover band gigs in the C&W and classic rock genres. I keep my backing tracks stripped down so they don't sound like karaoke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Vere Posted May 27 Author Share Posted May 27 My question would be why on earth don’t you just export the songs once they sound good to you as Wave files and play them back like that. I’ve been doing stereo files since they invented the mini disk player in the 90’s. I later switched to a basic laptop. I still use a 2008 W7 laptop using Win Amp or Foobar for playback which I control with a USB foot switch. In all those years I’ve never had anything fail , crash or not work. I always have a backup as well. I found the Cakewalk Playlist was slow and way too much work to manage. And I would never allow a GM player in my band. I use proper sample based instruments. GM sound like 1987 to me. But to each there own. I still have sound modules like the Sound Canvas but I sure don’t miss that messy set up. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan Stitt Posted May 27 Share Posted May 27 I may end up using wav files. 20-some years ago I was running the Cakewalk playlist into a Korg 05RW for a 30 minute can can show, two shows a night, with listening and dance music in between. After each song ended in the can can show, a vamp would play automatically, with me waiting for the spoken cue from the singer to hit the 'N' button to jump to the the next song. In some cases, she'd change the song selection (I could tell by her spoken intro) and I'd have to scroll down the playlist to find the song, cue it up in the list, play it, and then, while it's playing, scroll back up to where I was before in the playlist. It was all very seamless. These days I'm just looking to get a dance band duo back together, but I like the playlist function because I can choose songs on the fly, rather than being stuck with a song order in a list. As a keyboard player, I can scroll to pick the next song while the current one is playing, using the 'up' or 'down' arrows and the 'enter' key on the laptop. The main reason to use midi files is the ability to change keys. I sing everything one or two steps below the original key. If I have a guest singer or guest duo partner, I need the capability to transpose songs into their key, and I need to be able to turn off a guitar in the sequence if the guest is a guitar player. For my assisted living solo gigs, I have mp3s in Set List Maker on an iPad. I suspect I'll back up all my duo songs as mp3s in the iPad, but I prefer working from the Cakewalk playlist. In all my years using a laptop on the gig - mid-90s through early 2000s - I never had a glitch in Cakewalk, but that was then and this is now. We didn't have to reauthorize software back then, we paid for it and used it indefinitely. I miss those days. (BTW, my Toshiba Win 98 laptop that I hadn't turned on since the early 2000s started up no problem last month, and I was able to take it to a local shop and have them transfer all my old midi files and wrk files to a usb stick. That was awesome!) I was thinking of getting a GM VI from the Roland Cloud, but their JV1080 VI is $125 and overkill for me. I'd get the $69 Roland Sound Canvas, but you mentioned it's DX based, which sounded like it could be a problem? Plus, I don't see a panning option in their GUI. It appears to be hidden behind an 'edit' button. I found several GM VIs from Vee Keys for either $75 or $25. I might try one of those. Thanks again for your responses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Vere Posted May 27 Author Share Posted May 27 My set up with Win Amp I can easily navigate the playlist as well as drag songs around on the fly. With the foot controller I can skip songs as well as jump up or down all while I’m taking between songs or tuning up. The audience is oblivious to this. If someone requests a song not on the playlist it takes 10 seconds to drag it from the folders. I have often had different versions of a lot of my songs. I just name them accordingly. “Proud MaryG” I have versions with no keyboards or no bass for when I play with those musicians. I also often use split tracks with the Bass on the Left and drums and keys on right. I run the bass into a bass amp and then I might play real bass on a few songs I just use channel mutes to swap over. I was hoping to use the Cakewalk playlist but for me it was going to be a lot of extra work. Not being able to skip songs easily with the foot controller was the deal breaker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan Stitt Posted May 31 Share Posted May 31 On 2/27/2024 at 10:59 AM, John Vere said: ... I have found some very good alternatives that are super easy to download and install. .. After watching your TTS1 alternatives video, I'm wondering how does workflow differ between using Synthfont VST versus Synthfont Standalone? Would one or the other be better when using the Playlist? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Vere Posted May 31 Author Share Posted May 31 (edited) I don't use the playlist and it looks like the stand alone is something you pay for and my demo expired so cannot comment. I think you should try it as it looks to me like is can be used to create playlists? Interesting mid player, but I just never got around to messing with it. And I've been using Coyote sometimes I like the way it sounds sort of compressed. Edited May 31 by John Vere Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan Stitt Posted May 31 Share Posted May 31 I was imagining a scenario similar to my old system where Cakewalk was sending midi to an external sound module. I even bought a Sonority V3 hardware midi sound module for that purpose, but discovered it doesn't respond to GM patch changes. I was thinking that avoiding a VST instrument loading with every song might increase stability, but if Synthology Standalone doesn't work that way, I'll give the VST a try. I'll definitely be rendering all my songs to audio at some point, but there's going to be a transition period where I'll be tweaking my sequences to accommodate the correct tempos for dancers, and the correct keys to match the voices of the singers. Thanks for your expertise. Your videos are great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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