Robertkopp wrote on 2022-04-11, 23:25:

Now that I have read so much about these external MIDI modules, I have some questions that I don't find a answer to with google. […]
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Now that I have read so much about these external MIDI modules, I have some questions that I don't find a answer to with google.

I have read about certain games that basically need a primer to start with the correct instruments.
I am quite sure that this is isolated to the mt32 with Sierra titles or is this also true for other games and modules like the sc55?
How would I know what sysex Kung-Fu to perform for which game? Is there no list of all those games?

Not quite sure what you are referring to here. With the external modules you refer to, it's pretty much plug&play. All you need is functioning MPU-401 on the PC (usually UART mode, but some early MT-32 titles need intelligent mode - missing that would give you no MIDI sound at all, not wrong instruments though). Hook up the module, refer your game to the MPU-401 resources and it plays as intended.

The setup or options menu of many games are not that revealing either, MK1 for example just says Roland.

If a very old game just says "Roland", it generally means it's older than the SC-55, so it's referring to MT-32/LAPC-I

I tried all rom combinations in munt and all sc variations on the virtual sound canvas vst. With munt there are sound effects missing and
with the sound canvas it is a circus orchestra. So I narrowed it down to being one of the unobtainable Roland isa cards or a CM module.
How would I find out? The manual does not even mention the sound options.

Hang on... you started off asking questions about external MIDI modules, now you are talking about Munt and VST. That's a different kettle of fish. Perhaps you should be clear about exactly what hardware and software you are using here, both to play the game and to emulate the MIDI - and how you have them hooked up.

I just learned not to have channel follow and capital tone fallback on when hosting Munt with the Midi Player, so I have to try some of it again
For MK I did Munt in Dosbox X, I did feed it from Dosbox with loopmidi to Munt and Dosbox through a Audigy 2 ZS into a PC hosting Munt VST in Midi Player.
All those combinations have the same result, missing most of the projectile sounds. And it is quite sensitive, the small lag going fullscreen does make it go out
sync. Munt then tosses out the 2 correctly mapped sfx sounds for blocking and falling on the ground and out comes the bell and the gong again.

Projectile sounds? Depends on the game, but those are usually DA (or plain PC speaker), not MIDI. Are you sure that the sounds should be produced by the MIDI device?

If it is MIDI, then it might be a custom sound uploaded by the game to the MT-32. Not sure if Munt supports that - I'm afraid I'm a bare metal person with real MT-32 and SC-55, and no experience with emulation (and this is the part of the forum for real old hardware). Maybe someone in MT-32 General would be able to help.

Still, wherever you go, it would help to have a much clearer picture of the hardware and software involved. What OS is DOSbox running in on the two computers? One apparently has an Audigy, but what MIDI interface is being used on the other one?

There are 2 channels for sfx from my observation. I just turned off munt and then the other way around while playing to check what is played where.

I do it from a Audigy to another Audigy or to the M-Audio UNO, which is tested as flawless if it works (some bad badges, that just do not get recognized on some systems)
The forum says Discussion about old sound cards, MIDI devices and sound related accessories. I don't go to emulation and ask for sound options in game and midi in general, that has nothing to do with the emulation.
And I would post here again I guess, because I am looking for a answer preferably by someone who has a MT32 or a CM module. So you could also just launch MK and check instead of getting picky about my choice please.

Robertkopp wrote on 2022-04-11, 23:25:

I have read about certain games that basically need a primer to start with the correct instruments.
I am quite sure that this is isolated to the mt32 with Sierra titles or is this also true for other games and modules like the sc55?
How would I know what sysex Kung-Fu to perform for which game? Is there no list of all those games?

What you are referring to are program change commands. These are typically called at the beginning of the MIDI track to select specific instruments (programs) on the MIDI playback device. These may be called in conjunction with Bank Select CC messages (to select specific banks of sounds) depending on how the MIDI track is programmed.

If you're playing games with MIDI, there isn't anything you would have to initialize. The MIDI file will take care of that by sending appropriate commands to the MIDI device.

You just need to make sure all the MIDI devices you are using are configured to allow program change and other MIDI CC messages to be sent/received.

Robertkopp wrote on 2022-04-13, 01:09:

And I would post here again I guess, because I am looking for a answer preferably by someone who has a MT32 or a CM module. So you could also just launch MK and check instead of getting picky about my choice please.

I just tried Mortal Kombat 1 with a Roland CM-32L. It worked.

If I set it just to Roland (via the in-game setup), I would music and what sounded like the occasional sound effects. But to the get the full sound effects and music, I had to set it to Roland + Sound Blaster.

This was through DOSBox so while the CM-32L was real hardware, the sound blaster was being emulated.

Robertkopp wrote on 2022-04-11, 23:25:

The setup or options menu of many games are not that revealing either, MK1 for example just says Roland.
I tried all rom combinations in munt and all sc variations on the virtual sound canvas vst. With munt there are sound effects missing and
with the sound canvas it is a circus orchestra.

From what I've read about MK1 MIDI support, it looks like it was written for the CM-32L / Roland LAPC-I. So using it with a regular MT-32 may result in missing sounds and it won't support Sound Canvas (either General MIDI or GS) at all.

But keep in mind that even with the CM-32L it doesn't have sounds for everything. You really need a combination CM-32L with a Sound Blaster.

Thank you for taking the time Shponglefan.
It kind of works with the CM-32L and a SoundBlaster, but for some odd reason Rayden has no lightning sound on his special move and some other missing things and there is also the option with only Roland . And since nothing changes on the Midi side compared to the Roland and Soundblaster option it tells me that the Roland card must have been capable of playing back digital sounds from the computer.

This is what it sounds like with every modules but the CM32.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-iyIN3mLJk

I found this list and if these are really all cards it basically only can be the RAP-10 for the Roland only option and other compatibles for the Roland and Soundblaster option.

http://midi.teragonaudio.com/tutr/roland.htm

MK2 however is more revealing in it's menu, it states scc1 and soundblaster or for the solo option the lapc-1.
And the best part is that it still sounds good with a CM32.