SFZ is a royalty-free but poorly documented plain-text [[File Formats]] that specify how samples should be treated by a sampler in an instrument. > SFZ is a file format which only defines the behavior of musical instruments and does not include the sample content. # Notability Used by [[Plogue]], [[Garritan]], and many other music software. # Philosophy ## Origin Originally created by ... ... Cakewalk ... ## Purpose SFZ essentially defines a sampler preset with a designated set of samples, their loop points, keyboard/note splitting, and layering along with basic envelopes and effects. This portable preset file can then be loaded up by many different sample players for more-or-less the same results, making the sample collection more versatile and powerful than plain samples alone. # Features - Samples of any bit depth (8/16/24/32-bit) support, mono or stereo. - Samples taken at any samplerate (i.e. 44.1k, 48k, 88.2k, 96k, 176.4k, 192k, 384k). - Compressed samples. Compressed and uncompressed can be combined. - Looped samples. - Unlimited keyboard splits and layers. - Unlimited velocity splits and layers. - Unlimited regions of sample playback based on MIDI controllers (continuous controllers, pitch bend, channel and polyphonic aftertouch, keyboard switches) and internal generators (random, sequence counters). - Sample playback on MIDI control events. - Unlimited unidirectional and bidirectional exclusive regions (mute groups). - Unlimited release trigger regions with release trigger attenuation control. - Unlimited crossfade controls. - Trigger on first-note and legato notes. - Sample playback synchronized to host tempo. - Dedicated Envelope Generators for pitch, filter and amplifier. - Dedicated LFO for pitch, filter and amplifier. # References - SFZ Format [site](https://sfzformat.com/) and Github [org](https://github.com/sfz/) - LinuxSampler's SFZ [Opcode Listing](https://www.linuxsampler.org/sfz/) - Plogue/Garritan's Aria Engine [page](http://ariaengine.com/overview/sfz-format/) for SFZ - Peter L Jones' [site](http://drealm.info/sfz/plj-sfz.xhtml) for SFZ info - SFZ Wikipedia [article](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SFZ_(file_format))