Obsolete: Enhanced ScummVM MIDI music on Windows

Spin · Post by **Spin** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 9:05 am

Very nice and clear guide, thanks a lot for that raina and chrisis.

I just got one question, currently I am using TiMidity++ windows synthesizer(TWSYNTH) since it acts both as a MIDI Driver and as a Synthesizer (I don't have to install multiple programs to get the nice MIDI result) together with Shan's Soundfont SGM-V2.01 and the sound quality is very good compared to the default Windows MIDI.

So my question, what is the big difference with using seperate programs like MIDI Yoke together with rgc:audio sfz versus for examply a standalone like TiMidity++. Are there big pro's (like in sound quality) in using a seperate MIDI Driver and Synthesizer or is the result exactly the same if you would use TiMidity++?

Anotherguest · Post by **Anotherguest** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 10:12 am

Is n't this actaully a combination of the SoftSynth and soundbank used?

I mean you could get good sound from the default Windows configuration, based on that the soundcard driver provides a good softSynth and the ability to load new soundbanks. I know there are several that allows you to do just that, and in that case this solution does n't provide any benefit over that?

The same goes for the Timidity solution. I just got the feeling that SFZ was/is quite good at rendering audio or?

When it comes to data routing, i.e separate softsynth or combined with a mididriver, I think the quality don't have anything to do with the actually mididriver, integrated or not.

raina · Post by **raina** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 11:48 am

@Spin, This is A solution, just one I've found. I wouldn't know how it compares to TiMidity++ because I haven't used it. I remember having installed it once for whatever purpose but the little I can remember of it is that I couldn't (be arsed to) get it to work. I think that was because I couldn't find anything remotely up-to-date and thought the whole thing (TiMidity++ Windows) was basically dead.

And so it would SEEM even today, Googling doesn't result in the page you linked. Why all this obscurity, mystery and Japanese?

Anyway, thanks to your link, I've now installed it again and plan to take it for a spin sometime.

@Anotherguest, if you take a look at the subtitle of the guide, you'll see this whole thing is about using SoundFonts without special hardware requirements (although the CPU and RAM use admittedly go way beyond normal ScummVM usage). Many are perfectly happy using integrated sound chips and many prioritize other features when shopping for sound cards.

All I can say at this point is sfz sounds pretty darn nice and is pretty configurable for different class PCs. I wrote the guide because I'm following it myself. Because it was born out of necessity, I don't have much to compare with it.

If you already have a working configuration you're pleased with, there's no reason for altering it.

UPDATE: Ok, TiMidity++ seems to work this time and sounds better than Windows MIDI out of the box already. So it's definitely the easier installation of the two but sfz still has some usability perks IMO. I have to think about how to integrate TiMidity++ in the guide as well. Thanks, Spin.

Anotherguest · Post by **Anotherguest** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 10:03 am

Oh! I really missed the "Without the need for SoundFont compatible hardware". Still even with SoundFont compabtible hardware, this might be an easier or better solution, depending on what soundcard you use.

Three Headed Jacket · Post by **Three Headed Jacket** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 6:26 pm

Trying to use the installer on MIDI Yoke in Vista gives me this:

Happens every time I run it.

I tried the manual method, but it doesn't seem to be possible in Vista either (it doesn't let you add generic sound hardware)

chrisis · Post by **chrisis** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 8:04 pm

do you have administrator rights? Perhaps you have to temporarily disable the user account control (UAC).

Longcat · Post by **Longcat** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 9:54 pm

or try running with compatability mode?

or buy a mac? just saying ...

md5 · Post by **md5** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 10:27 pm

Jonatan wrote:or try running with compatability mode?

or buy a mac? just saying ...

Macs have their own kinds of problems...

Longcat · Post by **Longcat** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 6:16 am

yeah I forgot:D they're still shiny and pretty though:P

Three Headed Jacket · Post by **Three Headed Jacket** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 5:59 pm

chrisis wrote:do you have administrator rights? Perhaps you have to temporarily disable the user account control (UAC).

How would I do that?

and could I re-enable it afterwards?

chrisis · Post by **chrisis** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 8:14 pm

Three Headed Jacket wrote:
chrisis wrote:do you have administrator rights? Perhaps you have to temporarily disable the user account control (UAC).
How would I do that?

and could I re-enable it afterwards?

Google (or any other searchengine is you friend): http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=di ... h&aq=f&oq=
(and yes, you probably can enable it again afterwards)

Three Headed Jacket · Post by **Three Headed Jacket** » Sun Oct 12, 2008 8:58 am

chrisis wrote:
Three Headed Jacket wrote:
chrisis wrote:do you have administrator rights? Perhaps you have to temporarily disable the user account control (UAC).
How would I do that?

and could I re-enable it afterwards?
Google (or any other searchengine is you friend): http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=di ... h&aq=f&oq=
(and yes, you probably can enable it again afterwards)

Thank you, I got it working now.

A new problem though:

While it works in ScummVM, I cannot seem to listen to normal midis outside of ScummVM anymore.

How come?

Edit: Also, how do I record video from ScummVM? I'd like to make some preview videos of the soundfont stuff and Scumm games, but Fraps does not seem to work with it.

raina · Post by **raina** » Sun Oct 12, 2008 10:11 am

Three Headed Jacket wrote: A new problem though:

While it works in ScummVM, I cannot seem to listen to normal midis outside of ScummVM anymore.

How come?

Sounds like you either need to have sfz running or change back to Microsoft Wavetable with the MIDI Picker.

md5 · Post by **md5** » Sun Oct 12, 2008 10:19 am

ScummVM does not use Direct3D, so it's not supported by Fraps (which only supports Direct3D/OpenGL)

Try CamStudio (which is free):
http://camstudio.org/

Three Headed Jacket · Post by **Three Headed Jacket** » Sun Oct 12, 2008 7:03 pm

raina wrote: Sounds like you either need to have sfz running or change back to Microsoft Wavetable with the MIDI Picker.

Ah, yeah, that makes it work. Thanks!

I am sorta curious if this'll work in non-ScummVM games a bit.

md5 wrote: ScummVM does not use Direct3D, so it's not supported by Fraps (which only supports Direct3D/OpenGL)

Try CamStudio (which is free):
http://camstudio.org/

It seems like a nice program, yet that doesn't seem to work in Vista.