Recommended Apps

SoundFonts can be played on just about any device but you do need a program that supports SoundFont sf2 files.

For iPhone/iPad

With the greater availability of tablets and smart phones, the setup for playing them has now become a whole lot easier and a lot more portable.

Go to Photos of Set Up Example Page 2 on this Site

There are a few apps on iOS that support SoundFonts. The app called bismark bs-16i or "bs-16i" will work as a standalone app with a midi keyboard or as an Audio Unit Extension and large SoundFount files like the Essential Keys* listed near the top of the home page have been tested and run perfectly on newer iPads with 3gb of Ram or more. For iPads with 2gb (Air2) it is best to limit the SoundFont size to around 700mb. If your device struggles for Ram then try loading the default soundfont before loading one of the larger ones. This tends to clear your Ram. For early model devices try SoundFonts around 300mb. The bs-16i app has features like mixing or layering sounds as you play as well as the ability to remember setup scenes. Having been around for a long time now the bs-16i app is stable and reliable for live performance. A recent update includes a stay open option in Instruments List which is great for live performance.

MultitrackStudio for iPad reportedly plays soundfonts well. This is a full featured recording and mixing app for audio and midi.

A newer app is simply called "SoundFonts" by B-Ray Software also runs as a standalone app with a midi keyboard or as an Audio Unit Extension and also includes reverb and delay effects. You can add the reverb or delay effects that display as separate Audio Unit Extensions when run under AU apps as well. The developer of the SoundFonts app releases updates regularly and further improvements are expected.

There is an app called JamKoo - Live Performance Synth & Score Viewer or simply "JamKoo" that runs standalone with a midi keyboard and has some interesting features. While at first glance it seems focused on the Chinese market (most users are currently from China) and includes downloadable Asian instruments, the pro version allows the loading of your own SoundFonts. JamKoo has a great responsive sound engine with no noticable latency and has lots of other features like the ability to pick sounds from lots of different SoundFonts and have them all available on the front page. It also has an inbuilt recorder and the ability to have backing tracks. It also remembers volume, reverb, pichbend range and other settings for every sound. You can also save set list patches for quick call up for live performances on all devices and even view music scores on the iPad version which is a nice feature. Presently the app does not work as an Audio Unit Extension but will run as Inter-App Audio. I have had some damper pedal issues with one keyboard with some notes being cut short while other keyboard/damper pedals work without any problems. Being a relatively new app it is progressively becoming better and updates are released regularly.

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If you prefer to use the iOS SoundFonts app with AUM, select it at the top as an AU Extension, tap it again and select midi source (the curved arrow icon) say your hardware audio interface (eg Steinberg UR22mkii) and you may need to select the bottom button destination again as your hardware output (say Steinberg). You can add in the insert effects as an Audio Unit Extension with the middle button in AUM (eg. SoundFonts Reverb).

The bs-16i app will run under AUM either as Inter-App Audio or as an Audio Unit Extension. All functionality also works with the cheap AU Host app.

Another app that reportedly loads SoundFonts very well is Auria Pro with the Lyra plug in.

If you are looking for an app to just play midi files then there is the free app NS Midi Player (a simple midi player) and the paid app Sweet Midi Player that has mixing, song lists and karaoke lyrics display abilities. Both have the ability to install your own GM soundfonts.

For Android Smartphones

The app FluidSynth Midi Synthesizer reportedly plays soundfonts well without latency.

For PC and Mac

There are available DAWs (like Cubase) or some free programs that support sf2 like LMMS or Cantibile with an sf2 player plugin installed, but probably the best no-fuss option is the free standalone player from Plogue called sforzando (which will convert sf2 to sfz). Plogue sforzando may not work correctly with all SoundFonts but the ones recommended for sforzando on this site have been tested and work well.

Plogue Sforzando for PC or Mac can be downloaded for free from https://www.plogue.com/products/sforzando/

Tips for sforzando users - don't forget to check your Reverb Send (CC91) level (suggest 14%) and to choose a Reverb preset that you like for the best sound. Set volume CC7 at around -6db, change Polyphony to 128 and for PC install the free ASIO4ALL driver to greatly improve audio response and select it in Tools, Preferences. (ASIO4ALL is downloadable for free) http://www.asio4all.org/

There is an audio recorder built into sforzando. Click the bottom right box to create a folder to record your wav file to then click the red record button. When finished click the stop button next to record. You should close sforzando before attempting to listen to your recording with say Windows Media Player (ASIO4ALL needs to unload to allow handing over audio control back to windows). In addition on the bottom left there is a basic midi file player but it is limited to single instruments at a time like piano so don't expect to use sforzando as a backing band.

If you are wanting your Windows PC to be able to use a GM SoundFont with say Windows Media Player you can install the free software by Coolsoft called VirtualMidiSynth (https://coolsoft.altervista.org/en/virtualmidisynth) and you can choose a new default GM SoundFont. I suggest keeping your soundfonts for VirtualMidiSynth in a new folder in say Documents.

How to Load a New SoundFont

For the SoundFont player "bs-16i" (for iOS) load new wavetables/soundfonts via iCloud. Go to Settings, WaveTables, Library#1, scroll to bottom and choose Import WaveTable File. You can also import them from other places on your device (Wavetables, scroll to bottom and locate Import Wavetable, Browse).

If using the iOS player "SoundFonts" or "JamKoo" apps just navigate to the SoundFont you want to load with the "+" button.

A great app for playing and basic editing of general midi files is Sweet Midi Player which includes a lyric viewer for midis with lyrics/chords. You can load one of the General Midi SoundFonts (see main page) to greatly improve the sound quality. With this setup you can have a full band backing your performance. The easiest way to import a SoundFont/Wavetable for Sweet Midi Player is via iTunes, File Sharing.

To load a SoundFont in sforzando (Windows/Mac) you can just drag and drop to the desktop or click Instrument, Import and navigate to your SoundFont. If you want to edit or record your playing on PC then consider Musescore. Loading a new SoundFont is done by putting the file in the default Musescore SoundFont folder then selecting View, Sythesizer, Add and Set as Default. Musescore has basic editing capabilities as well as an excellent sheet music/score viewer and editor.