Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

TiMidity++ VS FluidSynth

Compare TiMidity++ VS FluidSynth and see what are their differences

TiMidity++ logo TiMidity++

TiMidity++ is an open source MIDI to WAVE converter and player.

FluidSynth logo FluidSynth

FluidSynth is a real-time software synthesizer based on the SoundFont 2 specifications and has...
  • TiMidity++ Landing page
    Landing page //
    2020-10-07
  • FluidSynth Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-29

TiMidity++ features and specs

No features have been listed yet.

FluidSynth features and specs

  • Cross-platform compatibility
    FluidSynth is available on multiple operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux, making it accessible to a broad range of users.
  • Real-time MIDI synthesis
    It offers the ability to synthesize and manipulate MIDI streams in real-time, providing a responsive performance for musicians and developers.
  • SoundFont support
    FluidSynth supports SoundFont files, which allows users to use a variety of high-quality instrument samples to enhance their MIDI performances.
  • Open-source software
    As an open-source project, FluidSynth allows users to view, modify, and contribute to its codebase, fostering a community-driven development model.
  • Low CPU Usage
    FluidSynth is efficient in terms of CPU usage, which makes it suitable for use in environments where computational resources are limited.

Possible disadvantages of FluidSynth

  • Complex setup for beginners
    New users might find the initial setup of FluidSynth challenging due to the need for configuring SoundFonts and settings manually.
  • Limited GUI options
    While it supports command-line usage, FluidSynth lacks a robust graphical user interface option, which could be a deterrent for users who prefer GUI-based interaction.
  • Dependency on SoundFonts
    FluidSynth's output quality relies heavily on the SoundFont used, meaning low-quality SoundFonts can result in subpar audio output.
  • Technical knowledge requirement
    To fully leverage FluidSynth’s capabilities, users may need a solid understanding of MIDI, audio routing, and synthesizer technologies.
  • Limited native effects
    FluidSynth offers only basic effects, which might require users to employ additional software for advanced audio manipulation and effects processing.

TiMidity++ videos

Me playing a MIDI via TiMidity++ under ReactOS with the open-source AC97 driver being used

More videos:

  • Review - TiMidity++ on Redox OS

FluidSynth videos

MIDI SoundFont synthetizer with Intel Edison and Fluidsynth

More videos:

  • Review - Triggering Fluidsynth with my Alesis Nitro Mesh MIDI in Linux
  • Review - Setting up Fluidsynth MIDI channels on phone

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to TiMidity++ and FluidSynth)
Email Marketing
29 29%
71% 71
Work Management
30 30%
70% 70
Music
56 56%
44% 44
Audio & Music
19 19%
81% 81

User comments

Share your experience with using TiMidity++ and FluidSynth. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, TiMidity++ seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 1 time since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

TiMidity++ mentions (1)

  • [Piano Jam] Rebikov - Silhouettes op 31 no 4: Playing Soldiers
    No, I record a MIDI file on a USB drive. That means only the notes I play are stored but not the sound. Then on my PC I generate the piano sound from the MIDI file and assemble it with the video. So the sound is from the PC app (I use timidity++), not from the Roland. Source: about 3 years ago

FluidSynth mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of FluidSynth yet. Tracking of FluidSynth recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing TiMidity++ and FluidSynth, you can also consider the following products

VirtualMIDISynth - VirtualMIDISynth is a software MIDI synthesizer implemented as a Windows multimedia user driver...

ZynAddSubFX - ZynAddSubFX is an open source software synthesizer for Linux, Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows.

Virtual MIDI Piano Keyboard - Virtual MIDI Piano Keyboard is a MIDI events generator and receiver.

Surge XT - Open-source subtractive-hybrid synthesizer formerly sold commercially as Vember Audio Surge.

Spesoft Audio Converter - Convert between a large collection of audio file formats.

Synthfont - SynthFont is a program for playing midi files using SoundFonts.