Question from an absolute MIDI-newby

[HarryR]

Hi everybody,

i try to configure a midi track.
Instrument is “Calf Wavetable” (which doesn’t really matter, cause my problem exists with every midi-instrument).

When I try to configure a patch, for example “cello”, there’s no difference to the patch “flute”.
In other words, every patch sounds the same.

You can see in the screenshot what i try …
As i wrote before I’m an absolute newby (playing guitar, never used any midi).

Can someone give me a hint, how to get a flute patch sound like a flute ?

Best regards
Harry

I’m using Ardour 6.9 on Ubuntu 20.04

[seablade]

Because you said you were new at this, post a screenshot of the mixer strip showing the plugin area? Trying not to make any assumptions.

Seablade

[x42 (Robin Gareus)]

It seems the issue is that you use a custom synth-plugin (Calf Wavetable), that is not a general MIDI (GM/GS) compatible synth, but selected a naming schema “General MIDI”.

So Ardour displays MIDI patch names (like Cello) due to the naming schema. But that does not correspond to what the plugin does.

@HarryR

When I try to configure a patch, for example “cello”, there’s no difference to the patch “flute”.

No surprise there. Calf Wavetable does not support this.

You need a “General MIDI” compatible synth (the official Ardour binary from Download Ardour | Ardour Community includes one).

[HarryR]

Yes, you’re right. That’s what i misunderstood.
I’m running a selfcompiled Ardour 6.9 under Ubuntu,
any chance to find the GM compatible synth by it’s name ?

Best regards

[x42 (Robin Gareus)]

The easiest is to use “ACE fluidsynth” and load a GM/GS compatible soundfont - see Soundfonts 4U

Alternatively you could get the “General MIDI Synth” that is bundled with ardour from: x42 General MIDI Synth

[HarryR]

Okay, got it

I have some Soundfonts from my (former windows) GuitarPro5.
Can i use them for “ACE fluidsynth” ?
Or, better for “General MIDI Synth”, I always prefer to user x42*
The better question is, how can i change soundfont in “General MIDI Synth” ?

[pinus.sc (Paulo Pinheiro)]

If they are sf2 format soundfont files you surely can. I don’t know about “General MIDI Synth” (for some reason is not working on my system), but in ACE Fluidsynth you browse to find the sf2 file on your filesystem and load it. Then you choose the appropriate channel and it should be working.