Lucas Soundtrack

[Queseuq]

On this website (http://soundtracks.mixnmojo.com/) are many very nicely done soundtracks for Lucas arts games. However the quality of the songs seems much greater than in my actual games so I was wondering if anyone had any tips on how to get the same quality in-game? I tried all the different drivers but the audio was the same with each.

[eriktorbjorn]

I was wondering if anyone had any tips on how to get the same quality in-game?

You probably can't. At least some of those soundtracks are "created from the MIDI files ripped and mixed by HighLand Productions", which means they've been tweaked to sound better.

[MusicallyInspired]

The guy who runs that website recorded those tracks from the original MIDIs on modern MIDI hardware (or software?). It's not possible to have it like that in-game. I'm a little disappointed in it, to be honest. Some of them are lacking. For instance the DOTT soundtrack has missing instruments everywhere and others have missing tracks.

[Queseuq]

Thanks, I was worried it would be something like that. At least the music is the same as I remember so it's got that lovely nostalgic feel

[raina]

It's not possible to have it like that in-game.

Not entirely true. I'm not saying you get the quality of mastered audio tracks but what I like to do with older ScummVM games that use MIDI music is routing the music to a software synthesizer.

My setup is:
ScummVM Music driver: Windows MIDI
=> Windows MIDI device: MIDI Yoke loopback
=> sfz soundfont player listening to MIDI Yoke and playing the SGM v2.01, a very nice sounding 235MB General MIDI bank.

Somebody posted instructions to a similar setup using Timidity but this was working for me earlier already, so I've kept with it. It's easy to set up, especially if you have an ASIO sound card (there's an additional step if you don't), and I can post more detailed instructions if anybody is interested.

[Longcat]

you should actually make a sticky about it raina:)

[Queseuq]

I can post more detailed instructions if anybody is interested.

I'd be interested . The way I understand it is that the game sends sheet music to the MIDI controller which then plays it using the soundfonts it has. If that is the case then the same music will be played in the game, just with better sounding instruments. Is this correct?

[MusicallyInspired]

Yes, that's right. But you won't get the same sounds that are from that soundtrack website unless you have the same MIDI equipment/software he had. Plus he mixed and mastered it, I think, which is impossible to reproduce just by playing it through a separate MIDI controller even if you do have the same equipment/software.

[Queseuq]

Yeah, that's alright. I just thought that those songs were somehow an improved version that could be accessed with the right game configuration. I'll try the new soundfonts and see if the improvement is enough to give up the 'nostalgia' sound.

EDIT: At least I will when raina posts more detailed instructions. Just had a look at the different programs and decided I didn't want to go poking around until I knew what I was doing.

[raina]

I've been writing this "Enhanced MIDI music on Windows" guide for several hours tonight and I'll be finishing and posting it on Monday (hopefully). Probably in a separate thread because it's huge.

EDIT: here it is.