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Can MIDI run with just a sound card

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First post, by GabrielKnight123

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Hi all, am I right that to get dos games to use the sound options “MIDI” or “MPU 401” in the install options I have to have an external MIDI module of some sort connected to my PC or can I use just the sound cards internal FM Synthesis/OPL3/QCM? I was reading this text file about sound blaster set ups:

SET MIDI=SYNTH:<1/2> MAP:<G/E/B>

Where:
SYNTH: 1 Specifies internal synthesizer (default)
2 Specifies MIDI port

MAP: G Specifies General MIDI file format
E Specifies Extended MIDI file format (default)
B Specifies Basic MIDI file format

Can I use the internal synthesizer option “SYNTH: 1 Specifies internal synthesizer (default)” to play MIDI music in games with just the sound card if it has an OPL3/QCM/FM synthesis chip on the sound card with the appropriate loaded drivers?

At the bottom of the sound blaster set up text file was this:

The included version of SB16FM.DRV is from Voyetra Technologies

I guess this SB16FM.DRV is a FM synthesis driver so thats why I put together the thought that sound blasters can have MIDI music on its own if a driver is loaded, how far off am I ; 🤣 the moon or further off?

Reply 1 of 2, by Scali

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An MPU-401 is a MIDI interface by Roland, consisting of an ISA card and a break-out box with MIDI in/out/thru connections.
In its original form, you will have to connect an external MIDI synthesizer/sound module to the MPU-401. Popular units are the Roland MT-32 and the Roland Sound Canvas.

However, the MPU-401 interface became a standard for MIDI, and various soundcards can emulate an MPU-401 interface and redirect the MIDI audio to their built-in synthesizer (or add-on board like a WaveBlaster).
Examples are Sound Blaster AWE32 or Gravis UltraSound (using the MegaEm software).

So it depends an awful lot on what hardware you have, and what your goal is.

http://scalibq.wordpress.com/just-keeping-it- … ro-programming/

Reply 2 of 2, by gdjacobs

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Plus MPU-401 has what amounts to two different feature levels, intelligent (or normal) mode and UART mode (what most sound cards provide). Older game titles sometimes require normal mode. This requires either a true MPU-401 card from Roland, a full clone (from Voyetra, MIDIMAN, etc) or SoftMPU which loads a TSR to emulate the additional functionality of those cards on UART only devices.

All hail the Great Capacitor Brand Finder

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