[fluid-dev] Virtual Theatre Organ Using FluidSynth Available

[Jim Henry]

I am pleased to announce that the newest version of the Miditzer virtual 
theatre organ, which now integrates FluidSynth, is available as a free 
download for Windows PCs at
www.VirtualOrgan.com

This is a real-time performance program.  It replicates a theatre 
organ.  In particular, it provides organ stops so that the organist can 
play notes on multiple MIDI channels by playing a single key based on 
the stops that are selected.  Stop control is an essential component to 
obtaining an organ performance via MIDI.  Keyboard players who are 
unfamiliar with organs and stop control may find the Miditzer of 
interest even if they have no interest in the theatre organ sound.  By 
replacing the sound font, the Miditzer interface could provide a 
real-time performance interface for an instrument that provided a sound 
entirely unlike a theatre organ.

I want to extend my thanks and greatest admiration to the programmers of 
the FluidSynth.  The Miditzer is an extremely demanding program for MIDI 
sound font synthesis.  Many Miditzer users use systems with two or more 
SoundBlaster cards to provide adequate polyphony.  Some users have 
investigated various commercial soft synthesizers in an effort to find a 
way to obtain a high polyphony sound font synthesizer.  None was found 
that could deliver adequate polyphony on a reasonably powered CPU.  
FluidSynth has exceeded all expectations in terms of the sound quality 
and polyphony it can provide on even relatively modest CPUs.  The 
integration of FluidSynth with the Miditzer has taken the Miditzer to 
new heights of ease of installation that will open this program to a 
whole new class of users who previously found the task of using sound 
fonts daunting.

Jim Henry