--- name: "smurf" section: "1" platform: "linux" package: "smurf" version: "0.52.5-1" release: "Debian 3.0 (Woody)" platforms: ["linux"] url: "https://new.carta.tech/smurf" --- # smurf(1) A SoundFont editor ## NAME smurf - A SoundFont editor ## SYNOPSIS **smurf** ## DESCRIPTION **smurf** is a sound font editor for Linux and other \*nix like operating systems. Sound font files contain digital samples and other parameters which allow for the creation of realistic (and un-realistic) sounding instruments that can be used in music compositions. These instruments can be played with a wavetable-capable sound card or software emulation. **smurf** does not take any command-line parameters. This manual page was written for the Debian GNU/Linux distribution because the original program does not have a manual page. Most of the content on this manual page is adapted from the Smurf project webpage, which is located at: **http://smurf.sourceforge.net/** ## GENERAL OPERATIONS Many operations are performed through the sound font tree by right clicking on an item in the tree, which pops a menu. The options on the menu depend on which item was clicked. Most options should be self explanatory (i.e. I'm too lazy to write about them). Here is a description of some of the more non-intuitive options. The **Info** option will pop a dialog to view/edit the sound font information (Title, Author, Copyright, etc). The **Dump** option will output a textual description of the entire sound font to "/tmp/smurf\_dump.txt" for debugging/fun/happy purposes. ## SOUND FONT TREE SELECTIONS Tree selections are made by holding down CTRL and/or SHIFT and clicking on items in the tree. CTRL will select/unselect multiple individual items, SHIFT will select a range of items. CTRL and SHIFT will select multiple ranges of items. Selections currently are only useful for pasting zones or deleting items. In the future cutting/copying will also be available. ## CREATING PRESET/INSTRUMENT ZONES To add zones to an Instrument hold down the CTRL key and select the samples you want to be added (SHIFT works too like the expected micro$oft way). Then "Right Click" the Instrument you want to add the samples to. Select "Paste Zones" from the pop up menu. A zone will be created for each Sample (or Instrument zone) you selected. This same procedure can be applied to Presets using Instruments as zones. To create a "Global Zone", "Right Click" on the Preset or Instrument you want to create the zone under. Select "Global Zone" from the pop up menu. Global Zones are used to set "Default" generator (and modulator) parameters that the other zones don't already have set. ## USING THE SAMPLE VIEWER **NOTE:** Some things have changed in the sample viewer and probably will be changing again. The sample zoom/unzoom is now performed with the SHIFT key held down. Regular left mouse clicks are now used for sample selections for upcomming audio editing functions (not yet available :). The **sample viewer** is used to change loop points for samples and instrument zones. **Zoom/Unzoom:** Hold down SHIFT on the computer keyboard and click and hold the LEFT mouse button in the sample window, a white line will appear to mark your click, move the mouse to the left or the right to zoom into the sample. The distance you move the mouse from the original point of your click determines the speed in which the view zooms. If you then move the mouse to the other side of the line the view will unzoom. The RIGHT mouse button does the same thing, except the first direction you move the mouse unzooms the view. **Loop points:** Loop points can either be set by typing the position (in samples) for the start or end loop position in the text entries provided, or by moving the pointers attached to the loop point line markers, just above the sample view. For the best artifact free sample looping the start and end loop sample values should be the same as well as the 8 samples surrounding them (4 samples before and after), this is not required however. The loop points are restricted by the minimum loop size and loop padding (minimum # of samples between loop and sample end points) parameters in the Smurf preferences. The default values are 32 and 8 samples for minimum loop and padding sizes respectively. These are the recommended minimum values by the sound font standard to ensure compatability with the widest range of hardware, but can be altered as the AWE card can get by with much smaller values. The loop start and end points can be set for samples. The loop start and end offsets, sample start and end offsets and loop enabled/disabled state can be set for instrument zones. ## AUTHOR **smurf** is written by: **Josh Green \** This manual page was written by Hwei Sheng Teoh \ for the Debian GNU/Linux system (but may be used by others). ## SEE ALSO For more information about **smurf** and sound fonts, visit the Smurf project page at **http://smurf.sourceforge.net/** Most of the information on this manual page can be obtained there, as well.