General MIDI Synthesizer: soundfont question

[Anthony Green]

Sun's JRE includes a MIDI Synthesizer provider licensed from Beatnik
Software[1].  I believe the default Synthesizer is a basic General MIDI
(GM)[2] wavetable synthesizer using Beatnik's proprietary wavetable
sound format. 

For GNU Classpath, we can also make the default synthesizer a GM capable
synthesizer.  The core synthesis can be provided by
FluidSynth[3]-via-DSSI preconfigured to use a GM soundfont[4].  I expect
to have the FluidSynth DSSI part working properly in short order.

The only real problem is how to get a GM soundfont.  There are lots of
free-as-in-beer soundfonts out there, including a few high-quality
free-as-in-beer GM soundfonts.  The problem is that I can't find any
with clear licensing terms.  Most say things like "I created this GM
soundfont by cobbling together free samples from the net".  I can't find
anything that any project (GNU, Fedora, etc) caring about these things
would agree to redistribute.

So, does anybody have a lead on a redistributable GM soundfont?

There are good Free tools[5] for creating soundfonts, so that is always
an option as a last resort.

AG


[1] Beatnik was founded by Thomas Dolby Robertson, AKA Thomas "She
Blinded Me With Science" Dolby.  Seriously.

[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_MIDI

[3] http://www.fluidsynth.org

[4] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soundfont

[5] http://swami.sourceforge.net