Aegean Symphonic Orchestra

"Aegean Symphonic Orchestra" soundfont (sf2) 4.08 (SND) version
Updated on June-21-2021

Free Orchestral Soundfont sf2 (LTS)

This is the latest stable version of ASO sountfont.

This new version is compatible with Musescore's orchestral patches and soundfonts.
But it's incompatible with older 3.x and 2.x ASO versions. (The Patch-map is different)

What's New in SND (4.xx) version:

• MuseScore style Single Note Dynamics (SND) and Expressive Patches.

• HQ : Separate patches for string sections Violins-I, Violins-II, Celli, Basses and each their own sub-banks tremolo, pizzicato, etc..

• Any Classic Music Orchestral scores you have previously written using the "Musescore General" (and HQ version) soundfont works on the "Aegean Symphonic Orchestra SND" soundfont, without any special settings and adjustments (However, the reverse of this situation will not be possible, as ASO soundfont has some extra additions in its instrument list and patch structure).

• All patches that were previously Stereo (containing two separate samples, for right and left channels) were converted to Mono (one sample for both channels). Thus, the "pan/balance" issue has also been fixed.

• The loudness of all Strings-section instruments (Violins, Violas, Celli, Basses) has been increased (compared to other instruments). Thus, it was prevented that "Woodwinds" instruments were more dominant than Strings-section instruments.

• Removed all "Woodwind-Section(Ensemble)" and "Brass-Section(Ensemble)" patches that are not in general use. example: Flutes(sec), Bassoons(sec); There are solo versions of these already. example: Flute, Bassoon (Also "Brass" and "Brass2" patches have been removed).

• All "Pizzicato, Sordino, Tremolo, Sordino+Tremolo, Sordiono+Pizzicato" special sub-patches are already available in the soundfont ("sordino" patches are named "mute" in instruments.xml.). However, in order to use them, their own "ASO-SND-instruments.xml" must be added separately to the Musesore software. There is no other way to automatically define additional sub-banks when you add instruments from the "Instrument selection" window. If you don't need all of them, you can choose an Instrument from Musescore's own "Orchestra" section (Musescore's pizzicato and tremolo sub banks are already available in their own instrument definitions).

• Dynamics Method: (default) // Single note dynamics and velocity

• CC to use: (default) // CC2

• Patches: (default) //Expressive

• To add (additional) percussion Instruments: You can choose from the original Orchestra > Percussion instrument list of Musescore software. Aegean Symphonic Orchestra soundfont supports both Orchestral and Standard percussion (and Drumsets).

General Features

• for use in Orchestral Classical Music Works (with Musescore).

• Based on Virtual Playing Orchestra 2 (sFz) "Similar to Sonatina Symphonic Orchestra"

• Almost the same sound quality.

• All sustained samples (re)looped.

• All important parameters are carefully adjusted.

• Excellent usability in both fast and slow passages. (important!)

• Much more balanced than the original. (Balance adjustment was made for each sample and instrument)

• 194MB (approx.)

• Main Preset Bank is GM compatible (Bank 0), other sub-banks are Musescore compatible, plus: extended with extra sordino(mute)/dark, tremolo, sordino+tremolo, sordino+pizzicato banks .

• Real Solo "pizzicato" banks (Violin, Viola, Cello, Contrabass and sections).

• Sordino(mute)/Dark Instrument banks for all instruments (imitated with parameters).

• Three different Gong instruments were added in drumset: Big Gong, Small Gong, Asian Gong (you can use it with ASO_SND-instruments.xml).

• "ASO-SND-instruments.xml" is included. (for Musescore)

• 16 bit, 44.1kHz Sample Rate.

• Free for personal use.

Aegean Symphony Orchestra SND, version 4.06 Audio Demos

These are compressed ogg audio files, and the quality of these files is lower than the originals.

While extracting these demos, the mixer settings of the Musescore software were not touched; All instruments were kept at the same level.

If you get the message "There was a problem playing this audio file" after listening to one demo file and want to play the other, refresh the page. This means that Google-Drive has terminated the session with this web page (not your computer).

Downloads:

Revision 4.02: Sordino parameters used in 2.x versions of Musescore differ in 3.x versions using CC02. Therefore, Attenuation corrections were required. It has been replaced with an emergency fix version for this situation that was noticed at the last minute.

Revision 4.06: The orchestra's overall instrument levels were tested by listening to test-scores with over-ear headphones in many different sessions, and many attenuation settings were adjusted to be more appropriate. (Please listen to the Demos above.)

Revision 4.08: Improvements have been made to Keyboard instruments and Harp, and many attenuation settings on instrument levels have been adjusted to be more appropriate.

AegeanSymphonicOrchestra-SND-408.zip (Now, in the same quality and in a smaller size: 194MB)

For older (legacy) versions, you can refer to the "old versions" web page.

You DO NOT have permission to "sell" or "repackage and sell" this soundfont in part or in whole .

Instrument selection window, when "ASO-SND-instruments.xml" is loaded

Legal Notice: There is no (real) actual orchestra called "Aegean Symphonic Orchestra" at the time this soundfont was created (2017-03-12 ~2017-07-23). If an orchestra is formed after this date, it can not claim any rights over this soundfont.