Talking about true (Creative Labs SBs), this might help (the ones with N/A probably won't, the other ones seem to do, with varying degrees of bugginess):

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1o0_u- … XLim3GuobVNvaY/

are you sure the 660 is GM/GS? its a drum machine and last time I messed with one (admittedly a VERY long time ago) I dont believe it was GM/GS compatible at all. all its internal sounds + presets are drums/hats/claps/etc.

MPU-401 was first implemented on the SB16. For older SBs that have MIDI but no MPU-401 compatibility, you can try running SoftMPU which has a /SBMIDI option to route to the port. But game compatibility won't be 100%.

keenerb wrote on 2022-02-16, 01:04:

I'm waiting on delivery of an external midi module, the BOSS DR RYTHM DR 660 which is a sound canvas compatible GM/GS midi device under the hood.

It occured to me that I"m not 100% certain that all soundblaster cards support midi devices over the joystick port.

Can anyone verify whether I'll be able to use this as a general midi device with SB as old as 1.0?

If this [1] is what you are waiting for, the manual states it has a maximum of 12 voices of polyphony (page 121), so it is not even close to being even GM capable on that front . I also don't see any reference to a GM map or even any non percussive instruments (page 102 and following) .

For the MIDI port compatibility, in short :

- If going with a Creative Labs product, you need an SB16 or newer for UART (dumb mode) MPU-401 hardware compatibility. DSP 4.05 OR 4.16 recommended to avoid hanging note issues (see also FixMPU: Software solution for "hanging note bug" on SB16 with DSP >v4.06 <v4.16 )
- For non Creative products, you need to check specs for UART (dumb mode) MPU-401 hardware compatibility
- For intelligent mode MPU-401 hardware compatibility, the only currently available (possibly the only ever) SB compatible card is the higher end version of the Orpheus . The forthcoming AWE64 Legacy will also offer that functionality .
- If you need intelligent mode MPU-401 compatibility on hardware that only has UART (dumb mode) MPU-401 hardware compatibility or even on non MPU-401 compatible cards (such as the Creative SB Pro variants, earlier Creative SB cards and clone cards without explicit UART (dumb mode) MPU-401 hardware compatibility ), you need SoftMPU . See http://bjt42.github.io/softmpu/

[1]

BloodyCactus wrote on 2022-02-16, 01:23:

are you sure the 660 is GM/GS? its a drum machine and last time I messed with one (admittedly a VERY long time ago) I dont believe it was GM/GS compatible at all. all its internal sounds + presets are drums/hats/claps/etc.

Sorry, not DR 660, DS 330.

Was about to say, wonder if it's the DS-330. Cool.

http://www.muzines.co.uk/articles/boss-dr-synth-ds-330/2356

Guts of an SC-33, basically: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_Sound_Canvas

keenerb wrote on 2022-02-16, 02:49:

BloodyCactus wrote on 2022-02-16, 01:23:

are you sure the 660 is GM/GS? its a drum machine and last time I messed with one (admittedly a VERY long time ago) I dont believe it was GM/GS compatible at all. all its internal sounds + presets are drums/hats/claps/etc.

Sorry, not DR 660, DS 330.

That is reassuring. Congratulations!