# Install fluid-synth with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper, scoop Real-time software synthesizer based on the SoundFont 2 specs. Version 2.5.7 via Homebrew; verified 2026-07-25. Also installable with macports: sudo port install fluidsynth. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:fluid-synth ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install fluid-synth ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install fluidsynth ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: multimedia/fluidsynth/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add fluidsynth ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: fluidsynth from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install fluidsynth ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: fluidsynth from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install fluidsynth ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: fluidsynth from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/07190dc5ae9f35ae73866675fed6d95fe6e8d9fe22c9d7cdf85862cb2ed24a4c-primary.xml.zst - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#fluidsynth ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/fl/fluidsynth/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S fluidsynth ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: fluidsynth from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install fluidsynth ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: fluidsynth from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/50b07339cb64c8ed4091bdbabddadc1ff5737b090e478818a195b40d8a3292861a879139b4a3987c31109699fde9fbf4a716367ddf4eef77da75f96e3193d6ed-primary.xml.zst ### Windows - Scoop (92%): ```sh scoop install extras/fluidsynth ``` Evidence: Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/fluidsynth.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Extras/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:fluid-synth - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Version:** 2.5.7 - **Source summary:** Real-time software synthesizer based on the SoundFont 2 specs - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Last updated:** 2026-07-25T10:54:36Z - **Generated:** 2026-08-03T19:37:03+00:00 ## Executables - fluidsynth (alias) ## Install behavior - Bottle: not available ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-08-03 - Package-manager version: 2.5.7 ## Project history and usage FluidSynth is a real-time software synthesizer and shared library based on the SoundFont 2 specifications, with a command-line shell and API used by many music and multimedia applications. ### Project history The official project site presents FluidSynth as a GUI-less synthesizer that reached widespread distribution and became reusable through a shared library API. Its feature set centers on SoundFont 2 and SoundFont 3 playback, MIDI file playback, audio drivers, and a built-in command-line shell. The release history shows a long 1.x line followed by the 2.x series. FluidSynth 2.0.0 introduced major synthesis, MIDI, SoundFont, build-system, and API changes, including a CMake-only direction and removal of the deprecated autotools build system. ### Adoption history FluidSynth's adoption is visible in its official showcase of frontends and dependent applications, including QSynth, wxFluid, LMMS, MusE, Miditzer, Swami, jOrgan, Denemo, and other music tools. The project site also notes embedded and mobile-app usage. ### How it is used Users run the fluidsynth command to render or play MIDI with SoundFont files, script the built-in shell, or use libfluidsynth from applications that need software MIDI synthesis. Developers use the API documentation when embedding the synthesizer in games, notation software, sequencers, or audio utilities. ### Why package nerds care FluidSynth is important in package ecosystems because it provides a common free MIDI synthesis backend: one packaged shared library and CLI can enable MIDI playback across many otherwise unrelated applications. It is also a useful packaging case because audio backends, optional features, SoundFont search behavior, ABI compatibility, and command-line rendering all matter to downstream users. ### Timeline - 2009: FluidSynth 1.0.9 added PulseAudio, JACK MIDI, CoreMIDI, and OS/2 support. - 2010: FluidSynth 1.1.0 added file rendering, multicore synthesis, and developer API improvements. - 2018: FluidSynth 2.0.0 was released with major MIDI, SoundFont, API, and build-system changes. - 2025: FluidSynth 2.5.0 was released. - 2026: FluidSynth 2.5.5 was released. ### Related projects - QSynth is a cross-platform GUI frontend for FluidSynth. - LMMS, MusE, Miditzer, Swami, jOrgan, and Denemo are listed by the project as applications or frontends using FluidSynth. ### Sources - - - - ## Security Notes narrow executable package without higher-risk signals. - **Geiger risk:** green / low - narrow executable package without higher-risk signals ## Other Package-Manager Records - MacPorts - fluidsynth: installed executable or alias match | MacPorts ports tree: multimedia/fluidsynth/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Debian apt - fluidsynth - 2.4.4+dfsg-1+deb13u2: installed executable or alias match | Debian stable package indexes: fluidsynth from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Real-time MIDI software synthesizer | https://github.com/Fluidsynth/fluidsynth - Debian apt - libfluidsynth-dev - 2.4.4+dfsg-1+deb13u2: installed executable or alias match | Debian stable package indexes: libfluidsynth-dev from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Real-time MIDI software synthesizer (development files) | https://github.com/Fluidsynth/fluidsynth - Debian apt - libfluidsynth3 - 2.4.4+dfsg-1+deb13u2: installed executable or alias match | Debian stable package indexes: libfluidsynth3 from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Real-time MIDI software synthesizer (runtime library) | https://github.com/Fluidsynth/fluidsynth - Nix - fluidsynth: installed executable or alias match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/fl/fluidsynth/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - fluidsynth - 2.3.4-1build3: installed executable or alias match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: fluidsynth from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Real-time MIDI software synthesizer | https://github.com/Fluidsynth/fluidsynth - Ubuntu apt - libfluidsynth-dev - 2.3.4-1build3: installed executable or alias match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libfluidsynth-dev from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Real-time MIDI software synthesizer (development files) | https://github.com/Fluidsynth/fluidsynth - Ubuntu apt - libfluidsynth3 - 2.3.4-1build3: installed executable or alias match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: libfluidsynth3 from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Real-time MIDI software synthesizer (runtime library) | https://github.com/Fluidsynth/fluidsynth - apk - fluidsynth - 2.5.7-r0: installed executable or alias match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: fluidsynth from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | A real-time software synthesizer based on the SoundFont 2 specifications | https://www.fluidsynth.org/ - apk - fluidsynth-dev - 2.5.7-r0: installed executable or alias match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: fluidsynth-dev from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | A real-time software synthesizer based on the SoundFont 2 specifications (development files) | https://www.fluidsynth.org/ - apk - fluidsynth-doc - 2.5.7-r0: installed executable or alias match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: fluidsynth-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | A real-time software synthesizer based on the SoundFont 2 specifications (documentation) | https://www.fluidsynth.org/ - apk - fluidsynth-libs - 2.5.7-r0: installed executable or alias match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: fluidsynth-libs from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | A real-time software synthesizer based on the SoundFont 2 specifications (libraries) | https://www.fluidsynth.org/ - dnf - fluidsynth - 2.5.4-2.fc45: installed executable or alias match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: fluidsynth from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/07190dc5ae9f35ae73866675fed6d95fe6e8d9fe22c9d7cdf85862cb2ed24a4c-primary.xml.zst | Real-time software synthesizer | http://www.fluidsynth.org/ - dnf - fluidsynth-devel - 2.5.4-2.fc45: installed executable or alias match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: fluidsynth-devel from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/07190dc5ae9f35ae73866675fed6d95fe6e8d9fe22c9d7cdf85862cb2ed24a4c-primary.xml.zst | Real-time software synthesizer development files | http://www.fluidsynth.org/ - dnf - fluidsynth-libs - 2.5.4-2.fc45: installed executable or alias match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: fluidsynth-libs from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/07190dc5ae9f35ae73866675fed6d95fe6e8d9fe22c9d7cdf85862cb2ed24a4c-primary.xml.zst | Real-time software synthesizer run-time libraries | http://www.fluidsynth.org/ - pacman - fluidsynth - 2.5.6-1: installed executable or alias match | Arch Linux sync databases: fluidsynth from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | A real-time software synthesizer based on the SoundFont 2 specifications | https://www.fluidsynth.org/ ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/fluid-synth.yml](https://github.com/mxcl/pkgdb/blob/main/combined/fluid-synth.yml) ## Sources - pkg.so package database - Geiger risk classifier - curated package history - pkgdb category and tag curation - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph