I'm having trouble finding instrument files I can use

[Mike12345]

Can anyone clarify the situation regarding using single-note note instrument files I've downloaded from other sites?

I don't have much experience with music software so many of the terms I've seen (Soundfont, sample, VST) are unclear to me. But I've put together a short tune I like for a game I plan to sell and need to ensure I have the right to do so.

The problem is that it uses a sound file I downloaded from a website that didn't state the license terms of the file. I contacted the site owner for clarification but haven't yet received a reply. But after looking around and finding a surprising lack of freely available, good quality instrument files I'm wondering if the situation is similar to that of typefaces, for example.

I'm aware that a loop or jingle can be owned by its creator just as a song can. But I'm unclear about the use and ownership of single-note instrument files.

If I'm not free to just use them, can anyone recommend a good source of public domain instrument files? I've checked all of the sites in the 'Useful Resources' section but couldn't find what i was looking for.

[musikbear]

Can anyone clarify the situation regarding using single-note note instrument files I've downloaded from other sites?
:
I'm aware that a loop or jingle can be owned by its creator just as a song can. But I'm unclear about the use and ownership of single-note instrument files.

That is exactly the same. The file belongs to the creator, and unless it is released as C00, meaning free to use, you need to obtain the creators accept
Especially!!! when you plan to sell your product using his files!!!
:

can anyone recommend a good source of public domain instrument files?

You need to look for samples with C00 licences
But..
What is it that makes you decide to use single-note-samples?
LMMS does not allow you to stretch the timing, so you essentially need one instance of audifileprocesser/ sample!
That is a horrible convulated way to use a DAW
Can you give us an example of the instrument you are looking for? I suspect that this can be done in a much better way :)

Besides that, since you are new here
Welcome to the forum Mike12345 ! Here are all our important links:
http://lmms.io/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4740
-And a few rules for Avatars, signatures, posting and using the right sub-forum :)

[Mike12345]

What is it that makes you decide to use single-note-samples?

It was really just convenience as I'm not aware of any other way of doing it. I'm also spending a lot of time on things like animation and creating levels and have virtually no experience in any music software, so I'm really looking for the quickest way to get a few simple tunes put together. The only one I've made so far is just a short xylophone tune. So if you can recommend a way to get an authentic sounding xylophone sound or recommend where I could find a CC0 one that would be great.

[musikbear]

get an authentic sounding xylophone sound

Thats easy you can find a lot of xylophone VSTs
I do not have any myself, but if you search for xylophone VSTs, you will find many, and you will find free ones you can use, also in your games
But in the zynAddSubFX folder 'Collection' there is a preset named xylophone
Try that it is default included in your LMMS.