Is there an easier way to browse through different patches in a soundfont?

[Mia]

I'm using FL Studio on a laptop connected to a MIDI keyboard.  Is there an easier way to go to the next patch than clicking and dragging?  I have some tendonitis/carpal tunnel issues, so I'm always looking for the easiest most ergonomic ways to do things.

This is a bit of a newbie question I feel like.  but yeah.

[Meteo Xavier]

Might to give us some more information on what version of FL Studio you're using and what's playing the Soundfonts. FL Studio used to have its own soundfont player that was considerably easier to work with IMO (no dragging that I can recall in 15 years of using it) back in its 32-bit versions, but axed that out in more recent versions. It's one reason I'm still on FL Studio 11.

These days, soundfonts are really outdated and I don't recommend them to people who haven't been using them as long as I have anymore. If you have Kontakt, there are ways you can get replacements for soundfonts that I would recommend instead that are free (if you don't mind wading through ancient CD-based sample libraries that have been converted). Another idea is a VST called "Xpand! 2" which is a pretty cheap synth and GM sampler (most places sell it for $15, I got mine for $1) that is a great modern budget-priced sample set for beginners to cut their proverbial teeth on.

[HoboKa]

18 hours ago, Meteo Xavier said:

Might to give us some more information on what version of FL Studio you're using and what's playing the Soundfonts. FL Studio used to have its own soundfont player that was considerably easier to work with IMO (no dragging that I can recall in 15 years of using it) back in its 32-bit versions, but axed that out in more recent versions. It's one reason I'm still on FL Studio 11.

These days, soundfonts are really outdated and I don't recommend them to people who haven't been using them as long as I have anymore. If you have Kontakt, there are ways you can get replacements for soundfonts that I would recommend instead that are free (if you don't mind wading through ancient CD-based sample libraries that have been converted). Another idea is a VST called "Xpand! 2" which is a pretty cheap synth and GM sampler (most places sell it for $15, I got mine for $1) that is a great modern budget-priced sample set for beginners to cut their proverbial teeth on.

Xpand is baller!  So is Hybrid 2, which goes on sale at Pluginboutique for insane discounts.  Most notable are Hybrid 2's Risers/Downers.  Soft and Hard synths in it are OK.

Also, more to the point, there is an OK soundfont player VST called DSK SF2, which is free.  It lets you see all of the soundfont patches at once in the Bank | Sound area.  No scrolling needed.  It's a tad quiet, so definitely consider using a compressor with it.  Oh and it works with 64bit FL Studio 20!!

Edited November 10, 2021 by HoboKa
couldn't get all my thoughts at once. ADD

[Nase]

jeez folks, stop selling people new software and instead try to answer the question at hand.

does your midi keyboard have knobs transmitting midi cc? i can atleast rightclick on the "patch" selector field, select "link to controller" and then move a knob on my midi controller.

you can then browse through the patches with that knob; the trouble is, there's 256 patch slots in the software while midi sensivity is only 128. so you only get to select every other patch with that method.

well, it's better than nothing.

 

slightly related news, the next FL version will FINALLY get a 64 bit compatible soundfont player! not joking. how crazy is that.

Edit: it's out already. oops.

Edited January 2, 2022 by Nase

[Mia]

On 12/18/2021 at 6:04 PM, Nase said:

jeez folks, stop selling people new software and instead try to answer the question at hand.

does your midi keyboard have knobs transmitting midi cc? i can atleast rightclick on the "patch" selector field, select "link to controller" and then move a knob on my midi controller.

you can then browse through the patches with that knob; the trouble is, there's 256 patch slots in the software while midi sensivity is only 128. so you only get to select every other patch with that method.

well, it's better than nothing.

 

slightly related news, the next FL version will FINALLY get a 64 bit compatible soundfont player! not joking. how crazy is that.

Edit: it's out already. oops.

sorry for taking so long to get back to this.
thank you!  unfortunately my keyboard doesn't have any knobs i can use.  and yeah i'm using the fruity soundfont player.  the computer i'm on has FL studio version 12.

maybe i'll try one of those alternate soundfont players. it's too bad i don't have money to just get a better midi controller.

[Mia]

lol, now i have a new problem, which is that i can't easily open a soundfont from the browser on the left into the DSK SF2 vst because FL studio wants to open the soundfont player instead.  so i gotta add new channel -> dsk sf2 and then from there browse to my soundfonts.  oof.

[Mia]

aaand, i can't say that switching between patches in DSK SF2 is any easier than in the fruity soundfont player...  seems to me to be the exact same.  =|

[Mia]

i should mention, the reason i'm using soundfonts is because i have soundfonts of specific things, like for instance a soundfont of all the sounds from zelda ocarina of time.

[HoboKa]

On 5/7/2022 at 3:48 PM, Mia said:

aaand, i can't say that switching between patches in DSK SF2 is any easier than in the fruity soundfont player...  seems to me to be the exact same.  =|

If you update FL to latest version, the soundfont player is massively improved and has an improved way to find patches.  I don't use DSK SF2 anymore as of the recent patches lol.