Create SF2 files using SFZ Template

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Message from Peter Haskins on …

Hi there

If I convert a SF2 file to SFZ, I can see all of the parameters

<group>
loop_mode=no_loop
ampeg_attack=0.001
amplfo_freq=8.176
fillfo_freq=8.176
pitchlfo_freq=8.176
fil_type=lpf_2p
cutoff=19913

<region>
sample=samples\Track 1_001.wav
pitch_keycenter=60

Is it possible to 'merge' / 'import' the SFZ data lines above, into a different .SF2 file?

Say I want to create 1000 SF2 files based on 1000 different WAV Files, and using the settings mentioned above.....
How is this achieved? ie merging a wav file with group and region data (visible in SFZ version) via a batch command

I see very little batch conversion info for SF2 / SFZ

Thanks!

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Message from siebenhirter on …

Your sfz format - located in an folder - corresponds a sfz-file (textfile), maybe named "001.sfz", that will contain the parameters (data lines you mentioned) and to a wav-file (Track 1_001.wav) memorized in a subfolder "samples". That is the structure of sfz.

If you use polyphone to load "001.sfz" and save as "001.sf2" you get back your sf2 converted. That also happens with an sfz with lines describing hundreds or thousands of wav-files, because wav-files are not memorized separated but all must exist in a sub-folder "samples" corresponding to that sfz.

PH 3 0

Message from Peter Haskins on …

Thank you for your reply!

I'm not sure I understand this bit:
>>That also happens with an sfz with lines describing hundreds or thousands of wav-files, because wav-files are not memorized separated but all must exist in a sub-folder "samples" corresponding to that sfz

If I do what you did, I add all the sample data into the sfz file, and add all these samples to the samples folder, one large sf2 file is created for all the samples mentioned in the sfz file

However what I need is a single sf2 file per individual wav in the samples folder, or am I not understanding something obvious?

Is there not some way of batch processing this?

thank you for your help

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Message from siebenhirter on … 1

Peter Haskins on … -

Thank you for your reply!

I'm not sure I understand this bit:
>>That also happens with an sfz with lines describing hundreds or thousands of wav-files, because wav-files are not memorized separated but all must exist in a sub-folder "samples" corresponding to that sfz

If I do what you did, I add all the sample data into the sfz file, and add all these samples to the samples folder, one large sf2 file is created for all the samples mentioned in the sfz file

However what I need is a single sf2 file per individual wav in the samples folder, or am I not understanding something obvious?

Is there not some way of batch processing this?

thank you for your help

Sf2-files may contain 128 sf-banks and banks may contain 128 presets - for my workflow it does not make sense to create one sf2-file for one wav, whereas it is possible to organize sf2-files within 128 x 128 presets (total 16.384).
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Arranged for performances for me the sfz format is a collection of sample files plus one or multiple .sfz definition files. This (non-monolithic) structure, containing multiple files instead of a single file allows to represent one or a collection of instruments for each .sfz definition. An instrument is defined as a collection of regions. Regions include the definition for the input controls, the samples (the wav/ogg files) and the performance parameters to play those samples.

As samples often are getting big with thousands of individual samples (layers, zones, ranges) collected in single instruments, and triggered according to many input control combinations, the most important benefit of sfz-format is the file size limitation on FAT32 partitions.
***
If you have 1000 wav-files each one described with one single sfz-file load all your sfz-files with Polyphone, mark all of them before you import sfz-files that will be memorized as sf2-files. For me, however, this seems unfamiliar to use a single wav file for an sf2 preset.

I prepared an example of loading some Sonivox-Presets (Arco-Bass, StandardKit, Vibes and VintageKits) in sfz-format. None of my four sfz-files has only one wav-sample (StandardKit eg has 121 samples, VintageKit has 600 samples ...). Because mostly of its huge amount wav-files will not be IMPORTED. It are its describitions (.sfz-files) to be handled - that is done with the LOAD of sfz-files into Polyphone. I think there is no restriction how much sfz-files can be loaded (never tried a limit), but at least you can mark all your loaded sfz-files for IMPORT.

Each of the sfz files now corresponds to an sf2 preset - but there is no batch process to import separate wav-files automatically for converting to sf2-files. In import-menue use "Select ALL" to get sf2-files (soundfont.sf2, size 212.310 MB, 740 samples, 12 instruments, 4 Presets --> 05convertiert.jpg). As described eg in standardKit.sfz conversion built nine instruments for standardKit-preset - all other sf2-presets comes with one instrument.

example.zip

PH 3 0

Message from Peter Haskins on …

Many thanks for your help

I am using an old sampler from the 80s with extremely limited memory - that why i want one sample per sf2 file created

I am able to create a sfz file, with multiple samples in it
However I do not know how to export these as individual sf2 files - all i see in polyphone is 'Export Soundfonts' - and all this does is create a single soundfont, instead of one per sample. I get the same when using your Standard Kit file.
I dont have an import menu here - using polyphone 2.2.0

It looks like I have to do all if this manually - eg create one sfz file per sample and then export as sf2 even though the only difference between each step is the sfz&sample name

this is in line with what you said '>>If you have 1000 wav-files each one described with one single sfz-file load all your sfz-files with Polyphone, mark all of them before you import sfz-files that will be memorized as sf2-files. For me, however, this seems unfamiliar to use a single wav file for an sf2 preset.'

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Message from siebenhirter on …

Peter Haskins ...I am able to create a sfz file, with multiple samples in it .
However I do not know how to export these as individual sf2 files - all i see in polyphone is 'Export Soundfonts' - and all this does is create a single soundfont...

You do not get a single soundfont but a SOUNDFONT-BANK.
LOAD an amount of sfz-files into Polyphone.
Mark all of your loaded sfz-files.
Open File-Menue and select "Export Soundfont".
In Export-Menue select "Select ALL".
Select a location where your sf2 should be memorized,
select Format ".sf2" and click "Export".
Now you get all Samples, Instruments and Presets from all of all of your marked sfz-Fils in ONE SOUNDFONT-BANK, separated by PRESETS as you had with separate sfz-samples.

You do not get a single sf2-file, but Polyphone always creates a soundfont-bank structured with samples, instruments and presets. Each one Preset is corresponding to one of your sfz-files.
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Each of the PRESET can be used or saved separately as a single sf2-file. Mark one Preset and it can be exported as single sf3 or sfz (if you do not mark "select all" in export-window).

Peter Haskins ...It looks like I have to do all if this manually - eg create one sfz file per sample and then export as sf2 even though the only difference between each step is the sfz&sample name ....

I thought you have sfz-files ready for exporting- one for each wav. What really is the base of your audio-material? If you only have WAV-files only and nothing else, than it is necessary to write sfz-describtions for each wav. if one preset consists of more than one wav, all wavs of a preset are written into such a describtion.