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Patch file formats are used to store information that define the elements used to produce instrument sounds. This can include sampled waveforms that can be uploaded to wavetable synthesizers and/or what is called articulation data which define instrument envelopes, LFOs and other audio signal transformations used in the synthesis of instrument sounds.
Sound Fonts and Downloadable Sounds Formats
E-mu Systems' Sound Font format (SF2) is relatively new, but is quickly becoming the most widely supported patch file format. The original SoundFont Bank 1.0 format (SBK) was supported by the Create Labs Sound Blaster AWE32 which had the EMU8000 wavetable synthesizer (by E-mu Systems). It then was improved and the specification was made available to the public allowing software developers to more easily support this format. This format is currently being pushed by E-mu and Creative Labs in hopes of gaining even more support with free sound font give-aways and other promotional activities.
The Downloadable Sounds Format (DLS) is closely related to the Sound Font format. More information about this format will be added in the future.
Tracker Instrument Formats
More will be written about this type of format in the future.
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