SQ3 (sometimes Sq4 and Sq5)

Noooo!
Space Quest V is a great example of a game you DON'T play with the MT-32. In the SysEx sending it just sends some dodgy General MIDI patch bank to conform the MT-32, as the soundtrack's designed for the SC-55. I absolutely hate 'CS TRUMP', 'CS HARP' et al.

- Alistair

Originally posted by canadacow The goal of my emulation, of course, is to get it to match what the real MT-32 does, regardless of whether it sounds good or not. 😜

Ack! Pick something else as an example. A good MT32 title will serve as just as good an example without deliberately subjecting the human ear to unnecessary punishment.

There's no point in basing the emulation of the MT-32 device on songs/ games it was never designed to be played with.

- Alistair

The music for U6 wasn't even made for the game. According to the Soundtrack CD, most of it were made in the 80's by some dude called Todd Porter and one in 1974 or so. They probably got some guy to put the sheet music into MIDI format for the game instead of using a composer who might be familiar with MIDI (such as The Fatman who worked at Origin back then).
That might explain why the MT-32 support is flakey.
Also, I've found that MI2's imuse engine contains bugs. Sometimes it makes the MT-32 play the wrong instrument. Try to enter Captain Dread's boat and wait for the tune to repeat. It'll change the instrument playing the melody on the first repeat.

Hrm... That's strange, the devs of U6 always said that they basically just "threw some stuff together" that happened to sound decent (One reason a lot of the songs sounded very simple if not outright alike... Take the Character Creation/Main Menu/Intro songs, for example.) Other songs were just rehashes of previous Ultimas (Ultima Title Theme, Stones, Engagement And Melee, and Capt. John's Hornpipe were all in U5(Stones predating U5 by many years), Rule Britannia was, of course, Not an original piece ;->)

Any other suggestions of games with good MT-32 music worth testing on?

How about Leisure Suit Larry 3 ? Has Great MT-32 soundtrack..
Compare with the mp3's on Queststudios...

Canadacow, I think you should add Wing Commander 1&2 to the list of reference games for your emulator. First, they have a great Soundtrack (listen to Prince Thrakath theme in the WC 2 intro, it was reused as easter egg in Ultima 7) and second they are the two titles I know of which gave the emulator the most trouble.