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#2
Discussions / The Pool Sfp Converter
Today at 01:35:32 AM
Windows
https://baloran.com/ThePool/Tools/ThePoolSfpConverter.zip

Mac
https://baloran.com/ThePool/Tools/ThePoolSFPConverter_Installer.dmg
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As promised, please find The Pool SFP Converter.

This tool converts SF2 (SoundFont) or WAV files into SFP files, which you can place in the SF folder on your microSD card.

To convert an SF2 into an SFP:

  • Prepare and test your SF2 in Polyphone.
  • Click Load SF2, select the file, then choose an instrument if several are listed. For stereo samples, only the left channel will be retained.
  • Choose the output folder using Browse, then click Convert.

To convert one or more WAV files into an SFP:

  • Prepare your WAV files in 16-bit or 24-bit PCM format, mono or stereo. The files will be converted to 16-bit mono, retaining only the left channel if they are stereo.
  • Without a descriptor file, include the root note in each filename: C4.wav or C4_Voice.wav, for example. C4 corresponds to MIDI note 60.
  • For multiple WAV files, put them together in a ZIP file: they will be mapped automatically across the keyboard according to their root notes. You can include a CSV file to specify key ranges, the actual pitch of the sounds in Hz, loop points, levels, and attack and release times.
  • Click Load Wave, select the individual WAV or ZIP file, then choose the output folder using Browse and click Convert.

Without a CSV file, WAV files are played without looping.

Installing SFP files in The Pool:

  • Switch off The Pool.
  • Remove the microSD card and insert it into a card reader connected to your computer.
  • Copy the resulting SFP file into the SF folder on the microSD card.

I strongly recommend temporarily moving all existing files from this folder to your computer before testing your own. Synchronizing SoundFonts across all voice cards takes time. You can put all the SFP files back once you have tested yours.

  • Put the microSD card back into The Pool.
  • Switch on The Pool.
  • Press the SYS button twice, use encoder 5 to select Soundfonts, then touch the START CARDS SYNCHRO button.
  • Once synchronization is complete, switch off The Pool.
  • Wait about ten seconds, then switch it back on.

You can now test your SFP ;)

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Comme promis, voici ci-joint The Pool SFP Converter.

Cet outil permet de convertir des fichiers SF2 (SoundFonts) ou WAV en fichiers SFP, que vous déposerez dans le répertoire SF de votre carte microSD.

Pour transformer un SF2 en SFP :

  • Préparez et testez votre SF2 dans Polyphone.
  • Cliquez sur Load SF2, choisissez le fichier, puis l'instrument si plusieurs sont proposés. Pour les samples stéréo, seul le canal gauche sera conservé.
  • Choisissez le répertoire de sortie avec Browse, puis cliquez sur Convert.

Pour transformer un ou plusieurs WAV en SFP :

  • Préparez vos WAV en PCM 16 ou 24 bits, mono ou stéréo. Les fichiers seront convertis en mono 16 bits, en conservant uniquement le canal gauche s'ils sont stéréo.
  • Sans descripteur, indiquez la note de référence dans chaque nom : C4.wav ou C4_Voice.wav, par exemple. C4 correspond à la note MIDI 60.
  • Pour plusieurs WAV, rassemblez-les dans un ZIP : ils seront automatiquement répartis sur le clavier selon leurs notes de référence. Vous pouvez ajouter un CSV pour préciser les plages de notes, la fréquence réelle des sons, les boucles, les niveaux et les temps d'attaque et de relâchement.
  • Cliquez sur Load Wave, choisissez le WAV seul ou le ZIP, puis sélectionnez le répertoire de sortie avec Browse et cliquez sur Convert.

Sans CSV, les WAV sont lus sans boucle.

Installation des SFP dans The Pool :

  • Éteignez The Pool.
  • Retirez la carte microSD et insérez-la dans un lecteur connecté à votre ordinateur.
  • Copiez le fichier SFP obtenu dans le répertoire SF de la carte microSD.

Je vous conseille vivement de déplacer temporairement tous les fichiers déjà présents dans ce dossier vers votre ordinateur avant de tester les vôtres. La synchronisation des SoundFonts sur toutes les cartes voix est longue. Vous pourrez remettre tous les SFP une fois que vous aurez testé les vôtres.

  • Remettez la carte microSD dans The Pool.
  • Mettez The Pool sous tension.
  • Appuyez deux fois sur le bouton SYS, utilisez l'encodeur 5 pour sélectionner Soundfonts, puis touchez le bouton START CARDS SYNCHRO.
  • Une fois la synchronisation terminée, éteignez The Pool.
  • Attendez une dizaine de secondes, puis remettez-le sous tension.

Vous pouvez alors tester votre SFP ;)
#3
Discussions / Re: format conversion +
September 13, 2026, 10:25:20 AM
A slight change in the specifications: it won't be a command-line tool. It will be a small, simple, yet user-friendly application for both PC and Mac.

Petite évolution des spécifications, ce ne sera pas un outil en ligne de commande. Ce sera une petite application, simple mais conviviale PC et MAC donc.
#4
Discussions / Re: format conversion +
September 13, 2026, 01:05:35 AM

You will provide a ZIP file containing one or more WAV files. Without a descriptor file, each filename must specify its root note, for example C5.wav or C5_Caw.wav. The samples will then be mapped automatically across the keyboard.

For more control, you can include a CSV file, prepared in Excel, LibreOffice or Google Sheets, specifying each WAV's key range, actual pitch in Hz, loop points, level, and attack and release times.

You will then run a small command-line utility to convert the ZIP into an SFP file, ready to copy onto your The Pool's SD card.

Alternatively, you can provide an SF2 file created and tested in Polyphone, then run the dedicated script to convert it into an SFP file. ;)

It's good for you ?

-------------------------------------

Vous fournirez un fichier ZIP contenant un ou plusieurs fichiers WAV. Sans autre indication, le nom de chaque fichier devra préciser sa note de référence, par exemple C5.wav ou C5_Caw.wav. Les samples seront alors répartis automatiquement sur le clavier.

Pour davantage de contrôle, vous pourrez ajouter un fichier CSV, préparé dans Excel, LibreOffice ou Google Sheets, précisant pour chaque WAV la plage de notes, la fréquence réelle du son, les points de boucle, le niveau et les temps d'attaque et de relâchement.

Vous lancerez ensuite un petit utilitaire en ligne de commande qui transformera le ZIP en fichier SFP, à copier sur la carte SD de votre The Pool.

Vous pourrez également fournir un fichier SF2 créé et testé dans Polyphone, puis lancer le script dédié pour le convertir en SFP. ;)

Cela vous conviendrait ?

#5
Des utilisateurs de Logic ou autres soft pourraient tester le plugin AU ?
J'ai constaté un petit détail qui sera corrigé plus tard : quand on clique "Setting" pour sélectionner le port de The 3FX, le dialogue de sélection est quelquefois caché par le plugin. 

https://baloran.com/The3FX/Softwares/The3FX_AU_MAC.zip

Could Logic users or users of other software test the AU plugin?
I noticed a minor issue that will be fixed later: when you click "Settings" to select the port for The 3FX, the selection dialog is sometimes hidden by the plugin. 

https://baloran.com/The3FX/Softwares/The3FX_AU_MAC.zip
#6
Discussions / Re: format conversion +
September 12, 2026, 12:45:45 AM
Les fichiers sfp de The Pool sont des fichiers soundfonts "décodés". Le projet POLYPHONE https://www.polyphone.io/ me semble tout à fait excellent pour servir de base à la création de sf2 compatibles avec The Pool.
Il y a plusieurs contraintes à respecter , un seul son par SF2 et une longueur totale de tous les samples qui ne dépasse pas 6 Mo. Mais vous pouvez utiliser de nombreux samples, définir les bouclages etc...
Vous pouvez déjà mettre en ligne des sf2 que vous aimeriez voir sur The Pool, cela me permettra de tester l'outil (sommaire) de conversion sf2 vers sfp que je vais développer.

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The Pool's sfp files are "decoded" SoundFont files. The POLYPHONE project (https://www.polyphone.io/) seems to me to be an excellent starting point for creating sf2 files compatible with The Pool.
There are several constraints to follow: only one sound per SF2 file, and the total size of all samples must not exceed 6 MB. However, you can use as many samples as you like, set up loops, and so on...
You can already upload SF2 files that you'd like to see on The Pool; this will allow me to test the (basic) SF2-to-SFP conversion tool that I'm going to develop.
 
#7
I'm currently updating it for PC and Mac. After that, I'll need to test it on The River ;) It should be available soon.
#8
Discussions / Re: is the Pool forum dead?
September 11, 2026, 11:08:40 AM
Quote from: chrisp on September 11, 2026, 10:19:09 AMLaurent, I hope this selective and inconsistent listening to users won't cost you in the long run.
When you say ''it is better for me to spend my time on something else'' after a paid offer for development
of your products, you render any future product almost worthless, at least for me.

Crisp, I'm a little surprised by your comments. I hope at least that you hold all manufacturers to the same standard and also ask them to continue development and add new features several years after a product's launch.

I suggest discussing a possible development here with other users and putting together a reasonably detailed set of requirements, so I can see what I can do, free of charge and in a friendly spirit.

I'm sorry for my tone, but I can't accept everything. Now, if that doesn't suit you, I'll understand without any problem.
#9
 :o Alors là, je me torture le cerveau sans comprendre ce qu'il peut se passer. Il y a de la magie dans The River ;)
Je ne vois vraiment que la vélocité qui pourrait être plus "dynamique" avec The River qu'avec le clavier intégré du Roland ?

#10
Discussions / Re: is the Pool forum dead?
September 11, 2026, 08:50:20 AM
Quote from: riveruser on September 11, 2026, 01:22:29 AMI bet your customers and River and Pool owners would chip in to pay for some of the cost of software development.
Maybe some would not be happy because of the very idea of a builder asking for help to fund software, but my guess is most would happily pay some amount to help firmware (and editor/librarian) development.
This way you could hire a developer, or you could also self fund but then charge for the firmware update.
I expect that even if not very happy about it, most would be MUCH be happier then waiting a LONG time for updated firmware.

When it comes to a bug or a problem that gets in the user's way, I think I have shown that I react quickly. If I go by this forum and the messages I receive, The Pool does not currently have any blocking software issue. In that case, yes, I do not release updates just for the sake of it.

But let's be clear: if I see the forum becoming active, and you start discussing improvements that are genuinely useful to the community, pragmatic and realistically achievable, I commit to implementing them — gladly, and free of charge.

The 3FX and The 3B have not been the commercial successes I had hoped for, even though, from my point of view, The 3FX is absolutely amazing and The 3B is a lot of fun.

Charging for development work on The Pool might make me $200 ;) If I want Baloran to still be around for many years, it is probably better for me to spend my time on something else. The River II seems to be far more exciting to potential Baloran customers.

Now, with the new customs rules imposed by the USA, I am not even sure anymore whether I will still be able to sell my products to you, even the smaller ones...

We live in a crazy world... but I really do have some great customers ;)

Laurent,
#11
Discussions / Re: is the Pool forum dead?
September 01, 2026, 06:27:50 PM
Actually, that's true—I did mention that project.
Today, Baloran is still going strong, but if I want to stick around for a few more years, I have to make some choices and set priorities. The River 2 is my top priority. If I can find the time needed to bring my original idea for The Pool regarding this topic to life, I'll do it, but I can't give a specific date.
 ;)
#12
Je viens juste de rentrer de vacances, heureux de voir que tu as su gérer. Bizarre que tu sois ibligé de repasser par une update. Je pense qu'un redémarrage en gardant le shift "molettes" appuyé devrait suffire. Concernant les pédales, c'est une fonction que j'ai ajoutée pour des utilisateurs non voyants. C'est aussi surprenant qu'elle surgisse comme cela.
Bravo ;)
#13
Discussions / Re: is the Pool forum dead?
August 30, 2026, 12:02:53 PM
Hi Chris,

Sorry for the late reply—I spent a few days in Italy, a beautiful country with wonderful people, and it was truly a much-needed break :D

The forum isn't dead, but the idea was that I wouldn't be the one creating all the content here myself.
As for the conversion tool, it's not that simple. It takes a significant amount of time and effort. The format I use is .sf2 "soundfont." There's a large online community dedicated to this format. But I have to adapt existing soundfonts, which involves steps that aren't always straightforward. I fully understand your frustration, but you also have to understand that I can't devote x days of development time to every request. Right now, Baloran needs to focus on projects that are more "anticipated" than the last two (The 3B and The 3FX), which are having a bit more trouble than expected finding their audience ;) Whereas The River 2 is highly anticipated.

Otherwise, I disagree on one point: the evolution and addition of features to software—aside from necessary, non-evolutionary updates—is not critical to a product's lifecycle. The "big" manufacturers quickly take care of this after a product has been on the market for two or three years; for small players like me, it's not any easier ;)

Thanks again, Chris
#14
Quote from: KazRemark on July 05, 2026, 04:27:45 AMLaurent, would it be possible to get an AU version of the plug-in so we can use it in Logic Pro?
I need to check, but I think it's doable.  I might just have some trouble testing it ;)
#15
There was an issue with an older version of The Riverkey firmware. Has The Riverkey also been updated? You can check the firmware version on The Riverkey's display.

https://forum.baloran.com/index.php?topic=716.0

If the problem only affects a group of adjacent notes, check that the edge of the front panel is not preventing the keys from returning properly, and make sure the keys do not make a clicking or snapping noise when released quickly. It may also be useful to loosen the keyboard mounting screws slightly for testing, as the keyboard frame may have been twisted during transport. Otherwise, the keyboard assembly may need to be replaced. If the problem affects the entire keyboard, further tests are required. Disconnect all connected pedals, computers, and CV/Gate cables, then try using an external MIDI keyboard, and so on, in order to identify the source of the problem.