James-F wrote:

Fellows, I urgently need the help of someone who ones the SC-88 or SC-88Pro, before I make a fool of myself in front of Roland C […]
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Fellows, I urgently need the help of someone who ones the SC-88 or SC-88Pro, before I make a fool of myself in front of Roland Corporation. 😀

Please test the following:
1. When playing a game or midi file, when you press the SC-55 map mode, DOES THE SOUND CHANGE IMMEDIATELY?
2. When playing Doom or (GM mode), can you change the Map mode? does it change immediately? Or does the map is locked on what was selected before entering Doom?

Answer :

1) No , if select other mode during play map last also as not play sounds selected map
2) No , if select GM mode , map always set as SC8820 or any other selected mode... aslo , this only if select other mode earlier in GS mode.

Roland User, do you own a real HARDWARE?
These questions are specifically for people who own the hardware not the plug-in.

No , I've answer about SC-VA only.
In 1.01 Select map work at once

Available new version 1.02

This available since 31/03/16
Or you meen about over newer ?

Combined

James-F
The personal messages need to discuss your letter in Roland.
Now About GM / GM2 / GS Modes
General MIDI mode must hard lock to SC-55 Map
GS mode must be user defined.
GM2 mode must hard lock to SC8820 Map

Combined

James-F
I understood what error was when I compared SoundCanvas VA and Virtual SoundCanvas.
I mean what i thought what Virtual SoundCanvas worked as SoundCanvas VA but with simple samples of sounds. It turned what Virtual SoundCanvas always will ignore any sysex messages , include Reset mode.

Thank you for the clarification.

Please , deleting this message.

Please , deleting this message.

PhilsComputerLab wrote:

So guys, my video about the Sound Canvas VA is online.
Roland Sound Canvas VA Software Synthesizer with DOSBox and ScummVM

(backlink)

I'll double by the text the main idea how to make this to work. (to preserve it)

It's for Win7 and later, as in XP the SCVA seems to be blocked.
1. Install Sound Canvas VA (tested v1.02)
2. Install loopMIDI (tested v1.0.13.24) and create "SCVA" MIDI device in it.
3. Get savihostnkx86/64.zip (tested v1.42), place savihost.exe to SCVA's folder and rename it to "SOUND Canvas VA.exe"
4. Run "SOUND Canvas VA.exe" and set device "SCVA" for input, then choose SC-55 in the system subsection.
Now, when loopMIDI and SCVA are run, you may use the SCVA synthesizer. For example, in DOSBox as any other GM device on your computer.
DOSBox needs in the config:
mididevice=default
midiconfig=<device number>
Where <device number> is the number near SCVA showing inside DOSBox after the command: mixer /listmidi

That is the difference between the Sound Canvas VA b Sound Canvas 8850
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QP_67GQkKn4

I just got a mail from Roland:

Hi James, […]
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Hi James,

I have just received an email from Roland Japan to say that they are working on the bug. They say that if all goes to plan then they should have something by the end of the month (but they don’t promise anything).
Keep an eye on the SC-VA Product page for updates. http://www.roland.com/products/sound_canvas_va/downloads/

Regards,

Paul Smyth

Customer Support

I will test the new version when it rolls out and report here and to Rolands if there are bugs found.
Nice to have contact with Roland Australia and Japan, the service is very good actually, they have not forgotten me even after 2 months of silence they notified me a new build is coming.
I love the Japanese BTW. 😀

Their service is indeed excellent. I had a CM-32L and the volume dial was busted. I contacted them about a spare part, and yup, they had it in stock in Australia 😀 Bought it and it arrived a few days later.

Available new version 1.03 (Build 1003) 17/05/16

Wow that was fast!
Not even till the end of the month, more like till the end of the day , I checked this morning it was still 1.02.

SC-VA 1.03:

1. They fixed the GM On and GM Off sysex bug.
Doom and Prince of Persia 2 work perfectly and when you exit it returns to GS.

2. Fixed the GM/GM2 mix-up when called via Sysex, all is correct now.
Doom switches to GM (not GM2) as it should according to sysex command.

3. They fixed the Map Mode selection while in GM mode, it is select-able now with the dropdown menu.
GM2 is locked to 8820 (as it should) because only 8820 supports the full GM2 instruments.
When the game/you switch between GM and GS (and vise versa) the Map Mode is preserved.

This build also fixes the functionality of my midi keyboard/piano which I connect to my audio interface via midi cables.
My keyboard is an old Yamaha from the 90s and it only sends midi (GM), which was fixed in this build.
Great build for musicians also.

Roland Japan fixed all the bugs exactly as I described to them.
Best service I have ever had from any company, bless them.

I strongly suggest downloading scc-1 utility (http://www.vogonsdrivers.com/getfile.php?fileid=419) and using "scmode exe gs" in a batch file to reset SC-VA from dosbox without leaving fullscreen in Norton Commander.
For maximum old-school dos experience of course, not a single start button in sight. 😎

BTW any SC-VA bug reports are welcome here, I'll pass them on (no feature request Roland User).

polo wrote:

Available new version 1.03 (Build 1003) 17/05/16

Thank you

So James, what's the final verdict?

Is Sound Canvas VA now "user proof" and "just works" or does one still need to do things manually?

User proof, just select SC-55 (or any other) in SC-VA and hit Reset (I suggest "scmode exe gs") between games, because most of them leave SC as is when you exit.
You can also switch SC-VA to MT32 mode using "scmode exe mt32" like the hardware SCC-1 or SC-55, but that's what MUNT for.

GM2 Mode not Correctly , this mode always set as SC-88Pro , a should be SC-8820 ) This can compare per Drum Sets , if select Standard Drum Sets , will be played set of SC-88Pro map what not correctly. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_Sound_Canvas
Wherein in GM mode map is selectable and can selected as SC-55 / SC-88 / SC-88Pro / SC-8820 and working in selected mode. This not correct , because the GM mode must match only SC-55 Map.
https://temp-share.com/f/ktjolrhwdk/0388a81b0 … 6f7f6fb5b6365c5

Roland User you are wrong again.

GM can be ANY of the SC models because Capital Tones are exactly the same, that is a FACT, all SC unit throughout history were GM capable.
If you want to use only SC-55 for GM that is your choice, I want SC-88 Map with my GM.

GM2 unlike GM is not strictly 8820 tones, but a combination of sounds that make a unique GM2 Tone Map (sounds), indeed the drums are different than 8820 or 88Pro,
but they sound exactly like GM2 drums should.

Everything is fine.

Ok ) , I thought , what GM2 mode must working only with SC-8820 Drum Sets.
And more not reset if player XG Files ing GM2 mode... earlier it was reset always to GM2 mode.