this sounds like the symptom of lacking midi reset commands, which is not the sound module's fault. try using a player that can send midi reset command between tracks, like winamp.

Thanks, but this won't cut it when playing Duke3d. 😢 Does anybody here own this particular module?

d1stortion wrote:

Thanks, but this won't cut it when playing Duke3d. 😢 Does anybody here own this particular module?

Yes, and I believe many of us do. This usually occurs with crappy (creative) sound blaster cards and it cant be helped without getting another (or a different) sound card 😀

Its not usually that much of a fuss, really - the module has reset button within hands reach 😜

Heh, resetting the module ingame is quite a pain, because you'll need to restart the level every time in order for the module to load the (hopefully, 🤣) correct samples.

Creative cards are crappy indeed, but in this case I wouldn't bet on my AWE64 Value being the culprit for this, because it was the same with an EWS64.

Man, am I the only one on earth with this? Can't seem to find anything on the net either. Really frustrating. 😒 It's hard to believe that it's a hardware error when it's playing fine else...

Sounds like the module may be faulty. A shame, really. But you may want to try a different power supply, because a bad power supply may explain the erratic behavior.

Wikipedia says: "technically not GM compatible (GM reset interpreted as GS reset)."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_Sound_Canvas

I'm not sure if that matters in your case, just chiming in.

SC-55ST ≙ SC-55mkII, so this probably doesn't apply to it.

Hmm, so it turns out it's a game related problem after all. Same symptoms with a completely different config - Terratec EWS64 with XR385 DB. When playing a few DOS games in succession the loaded instruments don't seem to get reset, so whistles and whatever are played instead of strings, for example. It's only fixed by restarting the PC. Am I really the first to have this issue...?

I asked fellow Vogons user Ahcruna about the problem on Youtube, he suggested to run Doom in order to reset the instruments. I did this and found the result to be a good representation of the problem. The recording was made directly after booting the PC up. The drums are clearly different when Grabbag plays for the second time.

d1stortion wrote:

I asked fellow Vogons user Ahcruna about the problem on Youtube, he suggested to run Doom in order to reset the instruments. I did this and found the result to be a good representation of the problem. The recording was made directly after booting the PC up. The drums are clearly different when Grabbag plays for the second time.

Having hear the difference between Duke3D before Doom and after Doom, is the first one the correct one?

There was a similar issue relating to Doom and Duke3D in relation to the AWE32 / 64 a while ago (just shows the brain sometimes beats google). I'll look if I can find it.

But I know the fix was rebooting the machine in order to avoid the issue.

Here is the link: AWE64 squealing, screeching, nails running down a chalkboard, static, hissing

PS: If Duke Nukem 3D sounds fine after starting the computer, what is the problem?

The first one is how it plays after restarting the PC. My best guess would be that this is how it's supposed to sound then. Really all the recordings of Grabbag on youtube with the XR385 sound like the second though, so that had me fooled for a minute. Even yours on that comparison video in your signature 😜

I'm running an EWS64 right now, so it's not hardware related. You ask why I keep refreshing this thread? Well, with most common issues somebody already made a thread about it somewhere, but not with this. I think restarting the PC after each game or (especially) MIDI file is kind of tedious, so there could exist a utility for that.

Interesting. It really points to Duke 3D causing the issue.

Assuming you don't play Duke3D, but lots of other games, do they all sound correct?

Also, what if you only play Duke3D several times (and quit in-between)?

But well done for spotting this! You might very well have discovered this but. Let's call it the d1stortion bug 😁

Ok I just tried replicating your issue, but no luck 🙁

However my machine doesn't have a Sound Blaster at the moment, just a MPU401 interface. Could you try this.

Turn PC on, play Duke3D only with MIDI music (for sound device select none). Quit. Play Doom only with MIDI music (for sound select none). Quit. Play Duke3D only with MIDI music again.

On my machine I didn't hear a difference. I have the same MIDI unit as yours and also a SC-55 and SC-55MKII.

PS: Maybe I should clean my ears, but your first bit in the recording sounds exactly like in my comparison video? It's the second part that sounds off with the drums totally having lost their punch.

Is that what you found, not the other way round?

🤣, damn fitting user name for this bug for sure.

The games where I really noticed it are DN3D and SW. But I checked and you can provoke this easily by running an XG MIDI, everything will sound like crap after that. That makes kinda more sense with XG being a different mode than GM I guess.

It all comes down to having a utility that resets the MIDI device. I read about one called VBSYXSEN here, but seeing as it's listed as only for GS I'm not sure if it would help.

Just power cycle the unit?

But still, I wasn't able to replicate the issue. It's even in my YT video, having played Doom and Raptor before Duke 3D and Duke 3D sounds like the first part in your recording.

I do use a Roland MPU401AT though. So maybe it's an issue with MPU401 UART interfaces?

Just the drums are replaced in this case. Hardly noticable without looking for it but it's there. Here as well, sounds 100% like my second part

Try running a XG file. I can provoke this with vchile.mid any time.

I'll try running it without sfx like you suggested, but I'm damn sure it will be the same.

Edit: No difference, everything like in the recording.

d1stortion wrote:

Just the drums are replaced in this case. Hardly noticable without looking for it but it's there. Here as well, sounds 100% like my second part

It's VERY noticeable!

That recording has a XR385. Of course it sounds different compared to your SC-55ST 😉

Edit: No difference, everything like in the recording.

Very strange. I did a quick capture (Wow it's 5AM, haven't gone to bed yet because playing with retro gear is SO MUCH FUN and I have a month of holidays 😀:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCD2XaeoJzc

But my recording sounds like your first part. Before and after doom, the drums sound nice and fat 😀

So, sorry I couldn't replicate your issue at all.

You know that you can just turn off the SC-55ST and that will reset it? No need to reboot, that's only necessary for internal cards.

Lol man, please read all the posts before answering 😉 I'm using an EWS64+XR385. All of the recording was done from that. I actually sold that SC thinking it's toast. Nevermind, I'll get another one someday 😀

I can assure you I'm not making it up. You heard it for yourself in your own and Ahcruna's recording. Since you talked about the MPU401: it would only make sense if you didn't use the intelligent mode card in there when making the video.

Another idea would be DirectX. I have 9.0c on here (98 SE). I don't know if that has anything to do with MIDI but there you go...