RKhive SoundFonts

RKhive links

~ ~ ~ AWE / Live / EMU APS / Audigy Hardware Tools ~ ~ ~

AWE V-bank 98 patch manager / editor, by Markus Eisenstoeck
Magnificent, and years ahead of its time—turns an old AWE or SB Live card into a full-featured, low-latency hardware sampler, able to mix and match samples from multiple banks.

Vienna editor
Creative Labs’ original hardware SoundFont editor; free and still a reliable choice on old hardware.

SB Live Win2k, WinXP, WinXP64 drivers
The last versions of Creative Labs’ drivers for the PCI SB Live cards.

~ ~ ~ Cross-platform Soft Synths ~ ~ ~

Sampler plugin for Ableton Live
Dependable and performant. The most expensive of these options at USD $100, but an easy decision if you already own Live.

Sforzando soft synth
Similar to the older RGC player below, but updated for modern OSes. Mac, Windows, AU, and VST available.

Bismark BS-0, BS-1, and BS-16 soft synths
Respectively free, USD $30, and $50. (The feature-limited free one will still get your SoundFonts into the sequencer of your choice.) Mac, Windows, iOS, AU, and VST available.

~ ~ ~ Old Windows Soft Synths ~ ~ ~

SoundFaction Alive editor
A SoundFont editor that can work with the LiveSynth soft synth. Both are abandonware, so you're stuck with the trial versions.

SFZ soft synth by RGC Audio
Early free VST plugin for using SoundFonts in Windows.

~ ~ ~ Old Mac Soft Synths ~ ~ ~

Apple DLS Music Device soft synth
Included with OS X. Limited by an inability to select more than the first patch in a SoundFont bank and sound quality issues on some Intel Macs.

SoundFont Synth by Andy Drabble
AU plugin for using SoundFonts in OS X MIDI apps like GarageBand. Some quality issues on Intel Macs, Ableton Live compatibility problems.

SimpleSynth soft synth, by Pete Yandell
Free, open-source standalone app that you control through the Mac's IAC driver.

fluidsynth~ soft synth, by Norbert Schnell
Free Max external that lets you use SoundFonts in Max/MSP/Jitter.

~ ~ ~ Commercial Samples ~ ~ ~

Jensen Samples
Excellent guitar samples, from USD $10.

SONiVOX
Sonic Implants’ high-end SoundFonts, from USD $10.

~ ~ ~ Resources ~ ~ ~

HammerSound
Definitive SoundFont collection.

SynthZone
A collection of links for SoundFonts and sampling in general.

Jordan van Bergen
Another vintage link collection.

FreeMusicSoftware.org
Blog focusing on free tools.

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