Aegean Symphonic Orchestra (Old version)

"Aegean Symphonic Orchestra" soundfont (sf2) updated: 2.5 and 3.5 versions are available.

Free Orchestral Soundfont sf2 (LTS)

This is the latest stable version of ASO sountfont.

• 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!)

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

• 352MB (approx.)

• Main Preset Bank is GM compatible (Bank 0), plus: extended with extra banks.

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

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

• (New) 2 different pianos and additional 2 banks is added (v3.x only)

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

• (New) All patches are expressive. (v3.x only)

• (New) "Sordino+Pizzicato" and "Tremolo+Pizzicato" banks added to Solo and Ensemble sections (v3.2 &v2.2 and up)

• instruments.xml is included. (for Musescore)

• 16 bit, 44.1kHz Sample Rate.

• Free for personal use.

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

Downloads:

(New) v3.5 (2020-02-04) : Musescore only; Not compatible with other midi software!!!.

Don't download this version unless you are using Musescore 3.x ; Instead, use version 2.5 below.

Version 3.5 replaces old versions. And old versions has been removed.

Download link => Aegean Symphonic Orchestra Soundfont v3.5 (301Mb in Zip file; 350MB uncompressed sf2 file.)

rev 3.5: a Major bug is fixed: "-" sign in Filter-Cutoff-modulator was missing, it is now fixed.

Instrument levels and attenuations corrected.

rev 3.3.1: Sect.Flutes: A root-key has been updated.

Notice: Since this soundfont uses many extra banks, it will not be possible to use expressive patches for each. Therefore, all (sustained) patches are set to expressive. For this reason, you should select "Non-Expressive" from the Synthesizer window of Musescore software. (Because normal patches are already expressive, the software does not use extra patches that don't exist).

Adjustments:

• go to Synthesizer => Dynamics Tab;

• Dynamics Method: Default (Single note and dynamics and velocity)

• CC to use: CC2 (default)

• Switch all sounds: To Non-Expressive <= {For this soundfont, this setting means: All expressive}

• Clik on the [Save to Score] buttton.

• (Then click the [Load from Score] button when you load the score.)

To use percussion: You can choose from the original instrument list of Musescore software. Aegean Symphonic Orchestra soundfont supports both orchestral and standard percussion (and drumsets).

Adapt new instrument-xml settings to old scores:

Note: When you use the new instrument-xml, the new scores you create will be automatically identified with the new settings. However, in order to adapt an existing old score to the new instrument-xml, you must redefine the instruments in the score in the "Right click menu => Staff / Part properties => Change Instrument" field.

v2.x Downloads

v2.5 universal (2020-02-04) : also compatible with other midi software.

Download link => Aegean Symphonic Orchestra Soundfont v2.5 (301Mb in Zip file; 350MB uncompressed sf2 file.)

Revisions:

rev: 3.5: a Major bug is fixed: "-" sign in Filter-Cutoff-modulator was missing, it is now fixed.

Instrument levels and attenuations corrected.

rev 2.4.1: Sect.Flutes: A root-key has been updated.

Original samples and library here and free: Original Creator's Web Site: "virtualplaying.com" : 680MB uncompressed (Original SFZ version) -Multiple CC Licences. Percussion and Drums: SGM-v2.01 (Shan's Website)

Sound Demos (old v2.2 only)

*v3.2 and up & v2.2 and up.

Recommended Settings (for Musescore)

Strings (and Other) Instrument Section Settings (for Musescore)

In GM, all Strings Ensemble is on the 3 separate sound presets: String Ensemble, Pizzicato Strings, Tremolo Strings, .

Of course we have these sections in our SoundFont (for GM Compatibility). And you can play all the music tuned in this way without ever changing it. But to get a better sound: we need to set them seperately: Violins, Violas, Celli, Basses

Option 1: (easy) If you specified the "ASO-Instruments.xml" file path in Preferences: Right click on staff and select "Change Instrument". (included in aso-sf2.zip file)

By this way: The instruments and articulations you select will be generated automatically in the mixer.

And with "Staff Text Properties" you can easily switch between articulations.

PS: Don't forget to press the OK button in the bottom right corner of the window after making the change!

Option 2 [not recommended] : (Hard way) Select every Instrument in mixer; individually (See the pictures below).

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.