FluidSynth(1)

NAME
FluidSynth - a SoundFont synthesizer

SYNOPSIS
fluidsynth [options] [ SoundFonts ] [ midifiles ]

DESCRIPTION
FluidSynth is a real-time MIDI synthesizer based on the SoundFont(R) 2 specifications. It can be used to render MIDI input or MIDI files to audio. The MIDI events are read from a MIDI device. The sound is rendered in real-time to the sound output device.

The easiest way to start the synthesizer is to give it a SoundFont on the command line: 'fluidsynth soundfont.sf2'. fluidsynth will load the SoundFont and read MIDI events from the default MIDI device using the default MIDI driver. Once FluidSynth is running, it reads commands from the stdin. There are commands to send MIDI events manually, to load or unload SoundFonts, and so forth. All the available commands are discussed below.

FluidSynth can also be used to play a list of MIDI files. Simply run FluidSynth with the SoundFont and the list of MIDI files to play. In this case you might not want to open the MIDI device to read external events. Use the -n option to deactivate MIDI input. If you also want to deactivate the use of the shell, start FluidSynth with the -i option: 'fluidsynth -ni soundfont.sf2 midifile1.mid midifile2.mid'.

Run fluidsynth with the --help option to check for changes in the list of options.

OPTIONS
fluidsynth accepts the following options:

-a, --audio-driver=[label]
    The audio driver to use. "-a help" to list valid options

-b, --bank-offset=[num]
    A positional flag that specifies the bank-offset for any Soundfonts following that flag. Can be specified multiple times.

-c, --audio-bufcount=[count]
    Number of audio buffers

-C, --chorus
    Turn the chorus on or off [0|1|yes|no, default = on]

-d, --dump
    Dump incoming and outgoing MIDI events to stdout

-E, --audio-file-endian
    Audio file endian for fast rendering or aufile driver ("-E help" for list)

-f, --load-config
    Load command configuration file (shell commands)

-F, --fast-render=[file]
    Render MIDI file to raw audio data and store in [file]

-g, --gain
    Set the master gain [0 < gain < 10, default = 0.2]

-G, --audio-groups
    Defines the number of LADSPA audio nodes

-h, --help
    Print out this help summary

-i, --no-shell
    Don't read commands from the shell [default = yes]

-j, --connect-jack-outputs
    Attempt to connect the jack outputs to the physical ports

-K, --midi-channels=[num]
    The number of midi channels [default = 16]

-L, --audio-channels=[num]
    The number of stereo audio channels [default = 1]

-m, --midi-driver=[label]
    The name of the midi driver to use. "-m help" to list valid options.

-n, --no-midi-in
    Don't create a midi driver to read MIDI input events [default = yes]

-o  Define a setting, -o name=value ("-o help" to dump current values)

-O, --audio-file-format
    Audio file format for fast rendering or aufile driver ("-O help" for list)

-p, --portname=[label]
    Set MIDI port name (alsa_seq, coremidi drivers)

-q, --quiet
    Do not print welcome message or other informational output

-r, --sample-rate
    Set the sample rate

-R, --reverb
    Turn the reverb on or off [0|1|yes|no, default = on]

-s, --server
    Start FluidSynth as a server process

-T, --audio-file-type
    Audio file type for fast rendering or aufile driver ("-T help" for list)

-v, --verbose
    Print out verbose messages about midi events (synth.verbose=1) as well as other debug messages

-V, --version
    Show version of program

-z, --audio-bufsize=[size]
    Size of each audio buffer

SETTINGS
The settings to be specified with -o are documented in the fluidsettings.xml hopefully shipped with this distribution or online at https://www.fluidsynth.org/api/fluidsettings.xml . We recommend viewing this file in a webbrowser, favourably Firefox.

SHELL COMMANDS

GENERAL

help
    Prints out list of help topics (type "help <topic>" to view details on available commands)

quit
    Quit the synthesizer

SOUNDFONTS

load filename [reset] [bankofs]
    Load a SoundFont onto the SoundFont stack. If reset is 1 (which is the implicit default), all currently in-use SoundFont presets will be re-evaluated with the newly loaded SoundFont taken into account. Optionally, you can specify a non-zero bank offset for the new SoundFont. For example the command load soundfont.sf2 0 10 will load the soundfont.sf2 with a bank offset of 10 without re-evaluating the presets.

unload number
    Unload a SoundFont. The number is the index of the SoundFont on the stack.

fonts
    Lists the current SoundFonts on the stack

inst number
    Print out the available instruments for the SoundFont.

MIDI MESSAGES

noteon channel key velocity
    Send a note-on event

noteoff channel key
    Send a note-off event

cc channel ctrl value
    Send a control change event

prog chan num
    Send program-change message

select chan sfont bank prog
    Combination of bank-select and program-change

channels
    Print out the presets of all channels.

AUDIO SYNTHESIS

gain value
    Set the master gain (0 < gain < 5)

interp num
    Choose interpolation method for all channels

interpc chan num
    Choose interpolation method for one channel

REVERB

set synth.reverb.active [0|1]
    Turn the reverb on or off

set synth.reverb.room-size num
    Change reverb room size

set synth.reverb.damp num
    Change reverb damping

set synth.reverb.width num
    Change reverb width

set synth.reverb.level num
    Change reverb level

CHORUS

set synth.chorus.active [0|1]
    Turn the chorus on or off

set synth.chorus.nr n
    Use n delay lines (default 3)

set synth.chorus.level num
    Set output level of each chorus line to num

set synth.chorus.speed num
    Set mod speed of chorus to num (Hz)

set synth.chorus.depth num
    Set chorus modulation depth to num (ms)

MIDI ROUTER

router_default
    Reloads the default MIDI routing rules (input channels are mapped 1:1 to the synth)

router_clear
    Deletes all MIDI routing rules.

router_begin [note|cc|prog|pbend|cpress|kpress]
    Starts a new routing rule for events of the given type

router_chan min max mul add
    Limits the rule for events on min <= chan <= max. If the channel falls into the window, it is multiplied by 'mul', then 'add' is added.

router_par1 min max mul add
    Limits parameter 1 (for example note number in a note events). Similar to router_chan.

router_par2 min max mul add
    Limits parameter 2 (for example velocity in a note event). Similar to router_chan

router_end
    Finishes the current rule and adds it to the router.

Router examples

router_clear

router_begin note

router_chan 0 7 0 15

router_end
    Will accept only note events from the lower 8 MIDI channels. Regardless of the channel, the synthesizer plays the note on ch 15 (synthchannel=midichannel*0+15)

router_begin cc

router_chan 0 7 0 15

router_par1 1 1 0 64

router_add
    Configures the modulation wheel to act as sustain pedal (transforms CC 1 to CC 64 on the lower 8 MIDI channels, routes to ch 15)

AUTHORS
Peter Hanappe <hanappe@fluid-synth.org>
Markus Nentwig <nentwig@users.sourceforge.net>
Antoine Schmitt <as@gratin.org>
Josh Green <jgreen@users.sourceforge.net>
Stephane Letz <letz@grame.fr>
Tom Moebert <tom[d0t]mbrt[ÄT]gmail[d0t]com> Please check the AUTHORS and THANKS files for all credits

DISCLAIMER
SoundFont(R) is a registered trademark of E-mu Systems, Inc.