I'm no expert, but I believe you have to connect the SC-55ST to the sound card's gameport. You'll need something like this

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32881937700.html

mtest001 wrote on 2024-04-03, 22:40:

need to connect it so the serial port on my SB Live using a specific MIDI cable is that correct ?

Not serial, Gameport with the cable dominusprog linked above.
on the non gameport end you have the 2 DIN plugs the one labelled IN goes to OUT on the SC55 and the one labelled OUT on the cable goes to IN on the SC55

mtest001 wrote on 2024-04-03, 22:40:

Once done, how do I configure games to take advantage of the Sound Canvas?

In Windows/Control Panel/Multimedia you point MIDI playback to the external port.

In Dos you set the music device to use the Midi port assigned to the gameport this is specified in the set blaster line, in this case Port 330
SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 H5 P330

mtest001 wrote on 2024-04-03, 22:40:

Do I need to loop the SC output back into the SB Live "line-in" mini-jack?

Yes, and don't forget to unmute Line In!

mtest001 wrote on 2024-04-03, 22:40:

need to connect it so the serial port on my SB Live using a specific MIDI cable is that correct ?

Not serial, Gameport with the cable dominusprog linked above.
on the non gameport end you have the 2 DIN plugs the one labelled IN goes to OUT on the SC55 and the one labelled OUT on the cable goes to IN on the SC55

mtest001 wrote on 2024-04-03, 22:40:

Once done, how do I configure games to take advantage of the Sound Canvas?

In Windows/Control Panel/Multimedia you point MIDI playback to the external port.

In Dos you set the music device to use the Midi port assigned to the gameport this is specified in the set blaster line, in this case Port 330
SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 H5 P330

mtest001 wrote on 2024-04-03, 22:40:

Do I need to loop the SC output back into the SB Live "line-in" mini-jack?

Yes, and don't forget to unmute Line In!

Edit,
The only thing I'm not sure about is if the SBLive!'s gameport works for dos games.

Another option, which would save you $120USD, is to install your sound drivers using this method : Guide: Installing Windows 9x and DOS drivers on Sound Blaster Live! cards (version 3.1). Follow the whole method, but check out the last sections in particular.

It will give you SC55 sounds via software sound fonts (rather than through hardware) when operating windows games and DOS games in windows mode. The only downside is that it won't work in pure DOS mode (you will get MIDI just not using theSC55 sound bank), but like Chinny22 said, I'm not sure if the external module works on an SB Live in pure DOS mode anyway.

I use this method on two machines with Audigy cards, and I have an SC88ST pro that I use on an older system. To my primitive, cave-man ears, there isn't a lot of difference, if any.

Thank you for the info, that seems like a good alternative. I did not realize how close the software fonts sounded compared to the hardware... I will certainly give it a try. Is there any hardware requirements on the PC side? My setup is based on a Pentium MMX so not very powerful.

Also the SC-55ST still look so appealing... I may decide to buy it in any case just for the satisfaction of owning that little magic box.

mtest001 wrote on 2024-04-04, 13:52:

Is there any hardware requirements on the PC side? My setup is based on a Pentium MMX so not very powerful.

I’m not sure, but it’s worth a shot. I haven’t tried on my MMX machine as I only have ISA sound cards on that - which may be another option for you in combination with the Live! and the SC-55st (especially for DOS games) albeit, it requires another sound card and going down the ISA sound card rabbit hole…

Also the SC-55ST still look so appealing... I may decide to buy it in any case just for the satisfaction of owning that little magic box.

Oh for sure, I hear you on that. I was originally dead certain I would not buy any external MIDI modules but extremely satisfied when I did, even if I could get similar results without.

You have a couple of options for hosting the SC55 (or any other external modules).

Easiest is if you have a soundcard with gameport that supports midi. Many older ones do.

Next you can buy a dedicated sound card or midi controller card. Though most are ISA.

Next option is something like a serial to midi converter.

You could also use a usb midi interface if you are on windows and have usb ports.

A lot depends on whether you want to use the midi device in windows, in windows hosted Dos games or in Dos directly.

I would recommend the gameport and real sc55.

There are three options for how to route the output of the midi module and the computer. The first is the line in option. You run the output of the midi module to the line in of the computer. Supposedly this can introduce some noise, but it's super cool to be able to control the volume of the midi module on the computer, and to be able to route it back out to your normal computer speaker setup.

The second option is kinda the reverse: you route the output of the computer into the input of the midi module. Then you can route the output of the midi module to speakers or headphones, etc.

The third is kinda for serious hardcore midi module power users: you run the output of your computer and the output of your midi module(s) into an actual mixer and equalizer and fancy audio stuff like that. The advantage is that you have a series of knobs that you can use to turn up or down the volume on each input, and you can equalize it, and apply various other fancy stuff to it if you want. This is mainly useful if you have a bunch of midi modules, or if you're really hardcore about the output.

Personally I just route to line-in. I love being able to route the output to my computer speakers.

Thanks you all @Martli, @megatron-uk and @midicollector for your feedback and suggestions. I'll think about it and will keep posting on this thread.

Btw my setup has a Sound Blaster Live Drive II installed, which has MIDI IN and OUT ports... Does this mean I can connect the Roland SC-55ST directly to it ?

I'm just looking for the best possible alternative to the gameport-MIDI cables, which are a bit hard to find and costly.

mtest001 wrote on 2024-04-06, 03:50:

Btw my setup has a Sound Blaster Live Drive II installed, which has MIDI IN and OUT ports... Does this mean I can connect the Roland SC-55ST directly to it ?

Yes.

mtest001 wrote on 2024-04-06, 03:50:

Btw my setup has a Sound Blaster Live Drive II installed, which has MIDI IN and OUT ports... Does this mean I can connect the Roland SC-55ST directly to it ?

I'm just looking for the best possible alternative to the gameport-MIDI cables, which are a bit hard to find and costly.

PicoGUS is another option. Comes with a cable to connect your Roland and supports MPU-401 intelligent mode.

https://polpo.org/picogus/

mtest001 wrote on 2024-04-06, 03:50:

Btw my setup has a Sound Blaster Live Drive II installed, which has MIDI IN and OUT ports... Does this mean I can connect the Roland SC-55ST directly to it ?

I'm just looking for the best possible alternative to the gameport-MIDI cables, which are a bit hard to find and costly.

Yes, that's exactly what they are for.

I would however keep an eye out for the DA15 cable too, as you might find DOS games that don't run perfectly with the TSR drivers for your SBLive. In that case you'd need an ISA soundcard (which generally do not require drivers in DOS) which will probably not have DIN MIDI ports, although they do exist, I'm looking at them on my my Terratec EWS64XL as I write this - but cards like this cost a lot more and/or are a lot harder to find than one of those cables.

I don't think SBLive/Audigy drivers allow for using external MIDI devices in pure DOS. They will always redirect to the internal synth.

Granted, I haven't tried that with a LiveDrive, but it didn't work when using a standard gameport to MIDI adapter.

Joseph_Joestar wrote on 2024-04-06, 08:49:

I don't think SBLive/Audigy drivers allow for using external MIDI devices in pure DOS. They will always redirect to the internal synth.

Granted, I haven't tried that with a LiveDrive, but it didn't work when using a standard gameport to MIDI adapter.

Yes, this is correct. You won't be able to use external devices with Sound Blaster Live! in MS-DOS or a shell in Windows.

Thanks all for the information. It is a lot clearer now.

Ok so I bought the SC-55ST for 100 CHF (around 110 USD or 102 EUR). It is in pristine condition according to the pictures from the seller.

I have also ordered the MIDI cable I will need to connect the SC to the Live Drive II.

So if I understood well the connections will look like this:

[ Live Drive II (MIDI OUT)] <--MIDI 5 PIN Male-Male --> [(MIDI IN) SC-55ST (RCA OUT)] <-- RCA to mini-jack --> [ SB LIVE (LINE IN)]

Happy to report that the installation of the SC-55ST with the Creative Live Drive II was super simple... Connect the MIDI cables and the audio back to line-in on my Soud Blaster Live, change the MIDI device in Windows 98 Multimedia control panel and done!

I'll probably look for a longer MIDI cable, possibly with a 90 degree connector to limit the aesthetic impact.