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UserManual
This document has the same layout as the manpage, but it contains links to other pages for more information: FluidFeatures and FluidSettings.
FluidSynth - a SoundFont synthesizer
fluidsynth [options] [ SoundFonts ] [ midifiles ]
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.midRun 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()).
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
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.
When starting FluidSynth an interactive shell opens. This section describes the most common commands.
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
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.
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.
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
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)
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)
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_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_endThis 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 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
Peter Hanappe
Markus Nentwig
Antoine Schmitt
Joshua "Element" Green
Stephane Letz
Please check the AUTHORS and THANKS files for all credits
SoundFont® is a registered trademark of Creative Technology Ltd.