diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 14906e0d..ca928881 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -24,3 +24,5 @@ Jamulus.app/
 .DS_Store
 distributions/opus*
 distributions/jack2
+distributions/claudio_piano.sf2
+distributions/fluidsynth*
diff --git a/distributions/raspijamulus.sh b/distributions/raspijamulus.sh
index b3c632fc..13aaba7e 100755
--- a/distributions/raspijamulus.sh
+++ b/distributions/raspijamulus.sh
@@ -37,6 +37,24 @@ else
   cd ..
 fi
 
+# optional: FluidSynth synthesizer
+if [ "$1" == "opt" ]; then
+  if [ -d "fluidsynth-*" ]; then
+    echo "The Fluidsynth directory is present, we assume it is compiled and ready to use. If not, delete the fluidsynth directory and call this script again."
+  else
+    wget https://github.com/FluidSynth/fluidsynth/archive/v2.0.6.tar.gz -O fluidsynth.tar.gz
+    wget https://data.musical-artifacts.com/hammersound/claudio_piano.sf2
+    tar -xzf fluidsynth.tar.gz
+    rm fluidsynth.tar.gz
+    cd fluidsynth-*
+    mkdir build
+    cd build
+    cmake ..
+    make -j${NCORES}
+    cd ../..
+  fi
+fi
+
 # compile Jamulus with external Opus library
 cd ..
 qmake "CONFIG+=opus_shared_lib" "INCLUDEPATH+=distributions/${OPUS}/include" "QMAKE_LIBDIR+=distributions/${OPUS}/.libs" Jamulus.pro
@@ -54,3 +72,18 @@ PATH=$PATH:distributions/jack2/build/common
 distributions/jack2/build/jackd -P70 -p16 -t2000 -d alsa -dhw:${ADEVICE} -p 128 -n 3 -r 48000 -s &
 ./Jamulus -n -c jamulus.fischvolk.de
 
+if [ "$1" == "opt" ]; then
+  sleep 1
+  jack_disconnect system:capture_1 "Jamulus:input left"
+  jack_disconnect system:capture_2 "Jamulus:input right"
+  ./fluidsynth-*/build/src/fluidsynth -s -i -a jack -g 1 claudio_piano.sf2 &>/dev/null &
+  sleep 3
+  jack_disconnect system:capture_1 "Jamulus:input left"
+  jack_disconnect system:capture_2 "Jamulus:input right"
+  jack_disconnect fluidsynth:left system:playback_1
+  jack_disconnect fluidsynth:right system:playback_2
+  jack_connect fluidsynth:left "Jamulus:input left"
+  jack_connect fluidsynth:right "Jamulus:input right"
+  aconnect 'USB-MIDI' 128
+fi
+