SoundFont guides
How to load and play SF2 and SFZ SoundFonts in the DAW you already use. Each guide covers what your DAW can do on its own and how to play whole banks with a SoundFont plugin.
SoundFonts in Logic Pro
Import SF2 files into Logic's Sampler, or play them as they are with an AU plugin.
Read the guide →SoundFonts in FL Studio
Import SF2 files into DirectWave, or play whole banks in the Channel Rack with a plugin.
Read the guide →SoundFonts in Ableton Live
Live can't open SF2 files itself. Set up a SoundFont plugin and load banks on a MIDI track.
Read the guide →SoundFonts in Reaper
Play SF2 and SFZ files in Reaper on Windows, macOS and Linux with a SoundFont plugin.
Read the guide →What is an SF2 file?
What's inside a SoundFont, how SF2 compares with SFZ, and how to open one.
Read the guide →How to make PS1-style music
What gave PlayStation 1 soundtracks their sound, and how to get it in any DAW.
Read the guide →What is a SoundFont?
A SoundFont (.sf2) is a single file that holds a bank of sampled instruments,
along with the key ranges, loops and envelopes that turn the samples into playable presets.
They were made for sound cards in the 1990s and are still used for General MIDI banks,
game music and retro sounds. SFZ is a newer, text-based format that does the same job with
separate sample files. Read more about SF2 files.
Most DAWs can't play SF2 files directly, which is why simpleSF2 exists: it loads SF2 and SFZ files as they are, in any host that runs AU or VST3 plugins.