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Phantom MIDI

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First post, by isdeai

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This has been happening since the days I was using Sound Canvas VA. Now that I have the actual hardware SC-55mkII, this phenomenon is still there. So here it is:

With SCVA, you need to first create a MIDI port using CoolSoft MIDI Mapper or LoopMIDI, then load the SCVA DLL before any MIDI can be played back through this virtual device, right? But sometimes, I was listening to a MIDI file with Media Player or something before I realized I actually forgot to load the SCVA. And the playback was 100% proper SCVA MIDI, not the crappy FM.

Last night, I selected several MIDI songs and played through my SC-55 via Media Player and went outside for a smoke. When I came back, the music was still playing through the speakers, on the third song or something, but then I noticed the EQ bars on the SC-55's display weren't moving at all. But the music was playing. I turned off the SC-55, and the MIDI continues to play! And it was true Roland MIDI, not FM.

This only happens under Windows environment (I'm on Win10 Pro64). When I play DOS games, ScummVM or DOSBox, if there's something missing in the MIDI setup, there will be no music, period. But in Windows, it's as if by some means the instruments are preloaded into the memory, so playback is still possible without the actual device being loaded or turned on.

I don't know how to reproduce this phenomenon, it just happens sometimes. If I do it deliberately, then things go back to how it was supposed to be.

Is this normal or is it just me?

Reply 1 of 13, by darry

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isdeai wrote on 2021-09-11, 03:59:
This has been happening since the days I was using Sound Canvas VA. Now that I have the actual hardware SC-55mkII, this phenomen […]
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This has been happening since the days I was using Sound Canvas VA. Now that I have the actual hardware SC-55mkII, this phenomenon is still there. So here it is:

With SCVA, you need to first create a MIDI port using CoolSoft MIDI Mapper or LoopMIDI, then load the SCVA DLL before any MIDI can be played back through this virtual device, right? But sometimes, I was listening to a MIDI file with Media Player or something before I realized I actually forgot to load the SCVA. And the playback was 100% proper SCVA MIDI, not the crappy FM.

Last night, I selected several MIDI songs and played through my SC-55 via Media Player and went outside for a smoke. When I came back, the music was still playing through the speakers, on the third song or something, but then I noticed the EQ bars on the SC-55's display weren't moving at all. But the music was playing. I turned off the SC-55, and the MIDI continues to play! And it was true Roland MIDI, not FM.

This only happens under Windows environment (I'm on Win10 Pro64). When I play DOS games, ScummVM or DOSBox, if there's something missing in the MIDI setup, there will be no music, period. But in Windows, it's as if by some means the instruments are preloaded into the memory, so playback is still possible without the actual device being loaded or turned on.

I don't know how to reproduce this phenomenon, it just happens sometimes. If I do it deliberately, then things go back to how it was supposed to be.

Is this normal or is it just me?

MIDI playback is probably going through the Windows bundled (and IMHO crappy) Microsoft GS Wavetable SW Synth device .

You can disable it, if you want . See https://www.windowsphoneinfo.com/threads/ms-g … storted.556578/

Reply 2 of 13, by isdeai

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darry wrote on 2021-09-11, 05:56:

MIDI playback is probably going through the Windows bundled (and IMHO crappy) Microsoft GS Wavetable SW Synth device .

I have disabled that long ago through Device Manager because I prefer silence than hearing that crap.
But even if it was playing through that device (albeit disabled), the instruments and sound quality were definitely Roland, that I am certain.

Reply 3 of 13, by Falcosoft

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isdeai wrote on 2021-09-11, 03:59:
This has been happening since the days I was using Sound Canvas VA. Now that I have the actual hardware SC-55mkII, this phenomen […]
Show full quote

This has been happening since the days I was using Sound Canvas VA. Now that I have the actual hardware SC-55mkII, this phenomenon is still there. So here it is:

With SCVA, you need to first create a MIDI port using CoolSoft MIDI Mapper or LoopMIDI, then load the SCVA DLL before any MIDI can be played back through this virtual device, right? But sometimes, I was listening to a MIDI file with Media Player or something before I realized I actually forgot to load the SCVA. And the playback was 100% proper SCVA MIDI, not the crappy FM.

Last night, I selected several MIDI songs and played through my SC-55 via Media Player and went outside for a smoke. When I came back, the music was still playing through the speakers, on the third song or something, but then I noticed the EQ bars on the SC-55's display weren't moving at all. But the music was playing. I turned off the SC-55, and the MIDI continues to play! And it was true Roland MIDI, not FM.

This only happens under Windows environment (I'm on Win10 Pro64). When I play DOS games, ScummVM or DOSBox, if there's something missing in the MIDI setup, there will be no music, period. But in Windows, it's as if by some means the instruments are preloaded into the memory, so playback is still possible without the actual device being loaded or turned on.

I don't know how to reproduce this phenomenon, it just happens sometimes. If I do it deliberately, then things go back to how it was supposed to be.

Is this normal or is it just me?

1. You cannot create Midi ports with CoolSoft MIDI Mapper. As its name suggests it can only select what port should be the default port on your system. Maybe you are referring to Coolsoft Virtual Midi synth instead? That really creates a virtual SF2 soundfont based synth on your system that functions as a Midi our port. If this is the case that could explain you heard Roland -like sound depending on the loaded soundfont.
2. SC-VA is a VST instrument plugin. So you cannot 'load the SCVA DLL' per se. SC-VA requires a VST Host. Without telling us what 3rd party VST Host you use (and how) it is hard to tell if things should be working as you believe or not . (Windows in itself cannot use VSTi plugins).

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Reply 4 of 13, by isdeai

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Falcosoft wrote on 2021-09-11, 07:03:

1. You cannot create Midi ports with CoolSoft MIDI Mapper. As its name suggests it can only select what port should be the default port on your system. Maybe you are referring to Coolsoft Virtual Midi synth instead? That really creates a virtual SF2 soundfont based synth on your system that functions as a Midi our port. If this is the case that could explain you heard Roland -like sound depending on the loaded soundfont.

Okay. I made a little mistake and also oversimplified the details. Sorry about that.
For virtual devices like SCVA and MUNT, I first create a port using LoopMIDI, then I use CoolSoft Mapper to assign the default MIDI port, in case I have more than one and my DOS game doesn't know which one to use. If I want to use the hardware SC-55, I'd specify the "UM-ONE" port in the CoolSoft mapper.

Falcosoft wrote on 2021-09-11, 07:03:

2. SC-VA is a VST instrument plugin. So you cannot 'load the SCVA DLL' per se. SC-VA requires a VST Host. Without telling us what 3rd party VST Host you use (and how) it is hard to tell if things should be working as you believe or not . (Windows in itself cannot use VSTi plugins).

Yes, I know I cannot load the plugin directly. It comes in a file named "Sound Canvas VA.dll", which can be loaded by a host software (I use SaviHost). In order to load the SCVA's DLL, I put Savihost.exe and the DLL in the same folder, and rename one of the files so that they have identical names (i.e., "Sound Canvas VA.exe" and "Sound Canvas VA.dll", or "Savihost.exe" and "Savihost.dll"). Launching the EXE will then load its twin DLL.
And so, after the SCVA main interface loads, I go to settings and assign MIDI-IN to the LoopMIDI port I created earlier, then the MIDIs will play properly through this interface.

Back in my SCVA days, LoopMIDI was set to run at startup, so the virtual port was always there. Now if I want to play a DOS game that requires MT-32, I launch MUNT, point it to the proper LoopMIDI port, assign that port to the CoolSoft Mapper, and off I go. If I need General MIDI, then I'll load up the SCVA via Savihost instead. In any case you need to load the proper plugin (or turn on the proper hardware) and give it a port before you can play through it.

The problem, of course, is that sometimes the music plays even without anything loaded (or turned on), and they are proper Roland MIDIs, not the stock MS Synth. The ports, however, are always there, one created with LoopMIDI for emulators and the other UM-ONE for the SC-55.

I hope this clears things up. Sorry for the confusion.

Reply 5 of 13, by Falcosoft

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isdeai wrote on 2021-09-11, 08:24:
Okay. I made a little mistake and also oversimplified the details. Sorry about that. For virtual devices like SCVA and MUNT, I f […]
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Falcosoft wrote on 2021-09-11, 07:03:

1. You cannot create Midi ports with CoolSoft MIDI Mapper. As its name suggests it can only select what port should be the default port on your system. Maybe you are referring to Coolsoft Virtual Midi synth instead? That really creates a virtual SF2 soundfont based synth on your system that functions as a Midi our port. If this is the case that could explain you heard Roland -like sound depending on the loaded soundfont.

Okay. I made a little mistake and also oversimplified the details. Sorry about that.
For virtual devices like SCVA and MUNT, I first create a port using LoopMIDI, then I use CoolSoft Mapper to assign the default MIDI port, in case I have more than one and my DOS game doesn't know which one to use. If I want to use the hardware SC-55, I'd specify the "UM-ONE" port in the CoolSoft mapper.

Falcosoft wrote on 2021-09-11, 07:03:

2. SC-VA is a VST instrument plugin. So you cannot 'load the SCVA DLL' per se. SC-VA requires a VST Host. Without telling us what 3rd party VST Host you use (and how) it is hard to tell if things should be working as you believe or not . (Windows in itself cannot use VSTi plugins).

Yes, I know I cannot load the plugin directly. It comes in a file named "Sound Canvas VA.dll", which can be loaded by a host software (I use SaviHost). In order to load the SCVA's DLL, I put Savihost.exe and the DLL in the same folder, and rename one of the files so that they have identical names (i.e., "Sound Canvas VA.exe" and "Sound Canvas VA.dll", or "Savihost.exe" and "Savihost.dll"). Launching the EXE will then load its twin DLL.
And so, after the SCVA main interface loads, I go to settings and assign MIDI-IN to the LoopMIDI port I created earlier, then the MIDIs will play properly through this interface.

Back in my SCVA days, LoopMIDI was set to run at startup, so the virtual port was always there. Now if I want to play a DOS game that requires MT-32, I launch MUNT, point it to the proper LoopMIDI port, assign that port to the CoolSoft Mapper, and off I go. If I need General MIDI, then I'll load up the SCVA via Savihost instead. In any case you need to load the proper plugin (or turn on the proper hardware) and give it a port before you can play through it.

The problem, of course, is that sometimes the music plays even without anything loaded (or turned on), and they are proper Roland MIDIs, not the stock MS Synth. The ports, however, are always there, one created with LoopMIDI for emulators and the other UM-ONE for the SC-55.

I hope this clears things up. Sorry for the confusion.

OK, so you are using SAVIHost and you only start it manually when you need it (you could have used e.g. VST Midi driver or my FSMP as VST Host. Both can run at Windows startup so your ghost Midi phenomenon could have been explained by them).
Then the most likely explanation is that you are still using MS GM/GS softsynth. Disabling it in device manager interestingly does not remove it as a valid/available Midi out port for other Midi software (I have just tested this, screenshot below).
The best thing you can do to investigate what provides this ghost Midi phenomenon is to start Coolsoft Midi mapper when you hear that ghost Midi sound and look at what is selected in Coolsoft Midi mapper as default Midi port.
Contrary to some beliefs (about its crappyness) MS GM/GS Softsynth uses Roland provided patches and it emulates SC-55 fairly good (in some respect even better than SC-VA).

The attachment MSGS1.png is no longer available

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Reply 6 of 13, by isdeai

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Falcosoft wrote on 2021-09-11, 19:47:

OK, so you are using SAVIHost and you only start it manually when you need it (you could have used e.g. VST Midi driver or my FSMP as VST Host. Both can run at Windows startup so your ghost Midi phenomenon could have been explained by them).
Then the most likely explanation is that you are still using MS GM/GS softsynth. Disabling it in device manager interestingly does not remove it as a valid/available Midi out port for other Midi software (I have just tested this, screenshot below).
The best thing you can do to investigate what provides this ghost Midi phenomenon is to start Coolsoft Midi mapper when you hear that ghost Midi sound and look at what is selected in Coolsoft Midi mapper as default Midi port.

Well, Savihost is free and it gives me what I needed, so I didn't look for other hosts.
When the ghost played, I did look at the CoolSoft mapper, and the default port was still assigned to either LoopMIDI or UM-ONE, depending on what I was using previously.
I've had my suspicions that the MS synth was the culprit behind all this, albeit being disabled. But the playback quality...it was Roland, not some chink-psst FM crap.

Falcosoft wrote on 2021-09-11, 19:47:

Contrary to some beliefs (about its crappyness) MS GM/GS Softsynth uses Roland provided patches and it emulates SC-55 fairly good (in some respect even better than SC-VA).
MSGS1.png

This is also possible. I've thought about that as well. But what triggers its Roland emulation?
In the days before I discovered any kind of MIDI synth VST, all I had was this MS synth, and it was nothing but some crap FM MIDI, like the AdLib, listen to too much of it and I might go bald one day.
If the MS synth was the ghost, then it started playing well only AFTER I got the SCVA, and then subsequently the SC-55.
So, if the MS synth was the ghost, what makes it decide then, that it should emulate Roland or just play the FM crap?

And don't forget, two days ago I was playing a couple of songs through the hardware SC-55, but at some point the hardware stopped responding and the ghost took over, without any kind of deterioration to the sound quality, as if the hardware was still working on the songs. This is what truly baffled me.

Reply 7 of 13, by Falcosoft

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isdeai wrote on 2021-09-12, 07:14:

Well, Savihost is free and it gives me what I needed, so I didn't look for other hosts.

Both VSTi Midi driver and FSMP are also free 😀

isdeai wrote on 2021-09-12, 07:14:

This is also possible. I've thought about that as well. But what triggers its Roland emulation?
In the days before I discovered any kind of MIDI synth VST, all I had was this MS synth, and it was nothing but some crap FM MIDI, like the AdLib, listen to too much of it and I might go bald one day.
And don't forget, two days ago I was playing a couple of songs through the hardware SC-55, but at some point the hardware stopped responding and the ghost took over, without any kind of deterioration to the sound quality, as if the hardware was still working on the songs. This is what truly baffled me.

First of all MS GM/GS has nothing to do with FM synthesis. It never had. It's a wavetable based software synth and uses Roland supplied patches. So you must have heard something else (maybe your soundcards's built-in FM synth). They cannot be confused since sound very differently.
This is MS GM/GS:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gBZOPQZ0Is
This is FM/Adlib:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgQIqxyjwYA

You can try to mute different mixer channels on your speaker's property page (Levels tab) to determine what is the source of the sound. Otherwise I have no other idea what is happening on your gear.

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Reply 8 of 13, by isdeai

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Falcosoft wrote on 2021-09-12, 12:07:
First of all MS GM/GS has nothing to do with FM synthesis. It never had. It's a wavetable based software synth and uses Roland s […]
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First of all MS GM/GS has nothing to do with FM synthesis. It never had. It's a wavetable based software synth and uses Roland supplied patches. So you must have heard something else (maybe your soundcards's built-in FM synth). They cannot be confused since sound very differently.
This is MS GM/GS:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gBZOPQZ0Is
This is FM/Adlib:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgQIqxyjwYA

This is getting interesting...I never knew the MS synth has that kind quality.
From the Doom sample it sounded pretty decent, and it certainly beat the hell out of AdLib. My ghost, however, sounded much better, with a lot of punch in percussion instruments. Then again, I don't have the Doom game to get a real comparison.
Tonight I'll try to get to the bottom of this. Strip everything down and make sure the MS synth is the only available MIDI device, then see what happens.

Reply 9 of 13, by isdeai

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Okay, now I'm pretty sure the MS synth is behind this, after all. After some test runs I found that it sounds even better than the SC-VA that I paid $125 for!

The SCVA was quite a disappointment actually. Maybe if you're a musician you'd benefit from it, but I'm just a listener, and it not only lags in playback (like I press a note on the keyboard and it can take up to 2 seconds to hear the resulting ding), but overall it sounded weak and sometimes off-key. The MS synth sounds clean, has more punch, and I didn't notice any kind of lag. This disappointment was what led me to buy the vintage SC-55 later. Needless to say, I wouldn't have purchased the SCVA if I had discovered this MS Synth first.

I had always mistaken the MS Synth for some FM crap, I think it's because it was not assigned to a port by default unless you appoint it in a music composition software, which I don't use. DOS games will not recognize the MS Synth unless it has a default port assigned (via CoolSoft Mapper), and will then play the default AdLib. That was why I always thought MS synth = FM MIDI. I didn't know about the CoolSoft Mapper or LoopMIDI until I bought the SCVA and had to start working with ports.

Anyway, now that the identity of the ghost is revealed, there remains one question that I probably will not be able to answer:
What exactly triggers the MS synth? It was never mapped in CoolSoft (since I always thought it was FM). I would understand if I hear no sound because I forgot to load a VST or assign a port, but sometimes even halfway down a playlist, it took over, just like that?

Reply 10 of 13, by Falcosoft

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isdeai wrote on 2021-09-13, 12:58:
Okay, now I'm pretty sure the MS synth is behind this, after all. After some test runs I found that it sounds even better than t […]
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Okay, now I'm pretty sure the MS synth is behind this, after all. After some test runs I found that it sounds even better than the SC-VA that I paid $125 for!

The SCVA was quite a disappointment actually. Maybe if you're a musician you'd benefit from it, but I'm just a listener, and it not only lags in playback (like I press a note on the keyboard and it can take up to 2 seconds to hear the resulting ding), but overall it sounded weak and sometimes off-key. The MS synth sounds clean, has more punch, and I didn't notice any kind of lag. This disappointment was what led me to buy the vintage SC-55 later. Needless to say, I wouldn't have purchased the SCVA if I had discovered this MS Synth first.

I had always mistaken the MS Synth for some FM crap, I think it's because it was not assigned to a port by default unless you appoint it in a music composition software, which I don't use. DOS games will not recognize the MS Synth unless it has a default port assigned (via CoolSoft Mapper), and will then play the default AdLib. That was why I always thought MS synth = FM MIDI. I didn't know about the CoolSoft Mapper or LoopMIDI until I bought the SCVA and had to start working with ports.

Anyway, now that the identity of the ghost is revealed, there remains one question that I probably will not be able to answer:
What exactly triggers the MS synth? It was never mapped in CoolSoft (since I always thought it was FM). I would understand if I hear no sound because I forgot to load a VST or assign a port, but sometimes even halfway down a playlist, it took over, just like that?

OK, let's slow down before drawing unfounded conclusions.
Facts:
1.MS GS soft synth has lower quality samples than SC-VA and it has a minimum 150 ms latency.
2.Also it does not support reverb/chorus controllers when used as Midi out port so it always sounds too dry compared to SC-VA.
3.SC-VA itself cannot have 2 sec latency since it does not produce sound per se but it requires a VST Host. Latency depends entirely on the VST Host (buffers, supported sound drivers etc.). With a proper VST host and settings SC-VA can have less than 10 ms latency that is even suitable to real-time jamming (tested).
4.The default output level of SC-VA is much lower than MS GS (so it is less 'punchy' by default) but it is actually not a bad thing since it prevents clipping in case of loud Midi files and can be compensated with other VST gain/compressor plugins.
5. MS GS Soft synth is the default system wide Midi port on modern Windows that is available to all Midi software (including DosBox and hence DOS games). You only need Coolsoft Midi mapper to select other available ports since by default on modern Windows you can not select other than MS GS soft synth since Microsoft Midi mapper has been removed in Windows 8/10.

To confirm/refute my claims you should try FSMP with SC-VA. I think you are using the 64-bit version of SC-VA so you should download the 64-bit version of FSMP (otherwise download the 32-bit version):
https://falcosoft.hu/softwares.html#midiplayer
FSMP does not require installation (it's portable) you should simply copy the folder inside the zip file to your desktop.
1. Then start it with Midiplayer.exe.
2. Activate Bass output mode in Device Settings dialog and press OK.
3. From the Main menu select Bass VST(i) Plugins -> VST Instruments then browse for the SC-VA dll and load it.
4. With the virtual keyboard of FSMP you can test the latency at once.
5. If you select 'Main menu ->Bass VST(i) Plugins -> VST effect' you can load SimpegainVST effect plugin supplied with FSMP. If you set it to +6Db SC-VA will be much more punchy/louder.
6. In Device settings dialog you can also enable Midi input so you can use the same LoopMidi port with it the same way as you do with SaviHost.

Here is a video from Phil that can help you with the above written config settings:
https://youtu.be/vSk9S1bkRS8?t=501

I seriously think your disappointment must be temporary 😀 SC-VA is superior even in case of pure Midi listening purposes.
With a proper setup you can have something like this with SC-VA that cannot be achieved with MS GS Soft synth:
https://youtu.be/by4xdMoBa_c

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Reply 11 of 13, by isdeai

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Falcosoft wrote on 2021-09-13, 15:37:
OK, let's slow down before drawing unfounded conclusions. Facts: 1.MS GS soft synth has lower quality samples than SC-VA and it […]
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OK, let's slow down before drawing unfounded conclusions.
Facts:
1.MS GS soft synth has lower quality samples than SC-VA and it has a minimum 150 ms latency.
2.Also it does not support reverb/chorus controllers when used as Midi out port so it always sounds too dry compared to SC-VA.
3.SC-VA itself cannot have 2 sec latency since it does not produce sound per se but it requires a VST Host. Latency depends entirely on the VST Host (buffers, supported sound drivers etc.). With a proper VST host and settings SC-VA can have less than 10 ms latency that is even suitable to real-time jamming (tested).
4.The default output level of SC-VA is much lower than MS GS (so it is less 'punchy' by default) but it is actually not a bad thing since it prevents clipping in case of loud Midi files and can be compensated with other VST gain/compressor plugins.
5. MS GS Soft synth is the default system wide Midi port on modern Windows that is available to all Midi software (including DosBox and hence DOS games). You only need Coolsoft Midi mapper to select other available ports since by default on modern Windows you can not select other than MS GS soft synth since Microsoft Midi mapper has been removed in Windows 8/10.

To confirm/refute my claims you should try FSMP with SC-VA. I think you are using the 64-bit version of SC-VA so you should download the 64-bit version of FSMP (otherwise download the 32-bit version):
https://falcosoft.hu/softwares.html#midiplayer
FSMP does not require installation (it's portable) you should simply copy the folder inside the zip file to your desktop.
1. Then start it with Midiplayer.exe.
2. Activate Bass output mode in Device Settings dialog and press OK.
3. From the Main menu select Bass VST(i) Plugins -> VST Instruments then browse for the SC-VA dll and load it.
4. With the virtual keyboard of FSMP you can test the latency at once.
5. If you select 'Main menu ->Bass VST(i) Plugins -> VST effect' you can load SimpegainVST effect plugin supplied with FSMP. If you set it to +6Db SC-VA will be much more punchy/louder.
6. In Device settings dialog you can also enable Midi input so you can use the same LoopMidi port with it the same way as you do with SaviHost.

Here is a video from Phil that can help you with the above written config settings:
https://youtu.be/vSk9S1bkRS8?t=501

I seriously think your disappointment must be temporary 😀 SC-VA is superior even in case of pure Midi listening purposes.
With a proper setup you can have something like this with SC-VA that cannot be achieved with MS GS Soft synth:
https://youtu.be/by4xdMoBa_c

This is quite a lot for me to chew on.
I have actually tried out the FSMP before while hunting down MIDI players shortly after I purchased SC-VA. But I soon stashed it away because the interface was so intimidating. And I didn't know how to make it play MIDI through the SCVA. It must have been using the MS Synth at the time, now that I think back about it, because the SCVA was unresponsive throughout the playback. All I wanted was a simple player without all those bells and whistles that will allow me to choose my preferred synthesizer, so in the end I settled with the combination of LoopMIDI, CoolSoft Mapper, SAVIHost, and the stock MPlayer for playback. Now I'll go back and take another good look at this FSMP...Thanks for the tip, this is very useful.

Initially, there was no noticeable playback lag in the SCVA. I first noticed something was wrong when I was playing a Sierra game, when the title screen already appeared but the logo music was still lingering behind (usually it's the logo -> title sequence, each with its own music). I then went to the SCVA main interface and tested it with the onscreen keyboard. It just got worse after that until I could stand no longer. At around this time I saw a good deal on a vintage SC-55mkII and went for it.

As for the MS Synth, I agree that it is supposed to be the default device for MIDI applications, but in my experience, some DOS games just won't play off it. In the case of Sierra's Leisure Suit Larry 3 (ScummVM) that I tried last night, specifying the MS Synth device will result in FM MIDI (hence my previous confusion). In another DOSBox game that I tried, it didn't work until I looked up the device number and forced it with the midiconfig=n statement in the config file. Its set up (in DOS games) is not as straightforward as SCVA or MUNT. I'll try it with other Sierra games tonight.

Anyway, there's a lot I need to learn. I'll take another good look at SCVA.

Reply 12 of 13, by Falcosoft

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isdeai wrote on 2021-09-14, 02:49:

...
As for the MS Synth, I agree that it is supposed to be the default device for MIDI applications, but in my experience, some DOS games just won't play off it. In the case of Sierra's Leisure Suit Larry 3 (ScummVM) that I tried last night, specifying the MS Synth device will result in FM MIDI (hence my previous confusion). In another DOSBox game that I tried, it didn't work until I looked up the device number and forced it with the midiconfig=n statement in the config file. Its set up (in DOS games) is not as straightforward as SCVA or MUNT. I'll try it with other Sierra games tonight.

Anyway, there's a lot I need to learn. I'll take another good look at SCVA.

DOS games inside DosBox do not/can not reach Windows Midi out ports individually. DosBox itself should be configured to use a Midi out port other than the default MS GS Soft synth (if you want it). Vanilla DosBox itself can emulate digital sound (SB/GUS) and FM/OPL synth but does not emulate GM/GS or MT-32 Midi but uses the default 'external' Windows Midi port or the port you set explicitly in the config file.
What you can/have to set in the DOS game's setup is to use GM/MT-32 Midi for music . When you set this the game will use the Midi out port configured for DosBox.
If the game only has 'Sound Blaster' or similar option for music then it always means FM/OPL synth emulated by DosBox itself.

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Reply 13 of 13, by isdeai

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After another long night I finally got the MS Synth working in all the games--all but one. This DOS game will only play nothing but FM MIDI, won't even acknowledge the presence of the SC-55. But that should go on another thread.
To summarize this, the MS synth is indeed the ghost, although I still don't know exactly what summoned it. It is understandable that it will fire up if nothing else was loaded, leaving it the only undisablable device. But at times when I was playing multiple songs with say the SC-55, the MS synth took over after the first song. For this I am still baffled, maybe I'll stumble into the cause one day.
Next I'll be taking a more serious look at the SCVA. I'm sure what I experienced with it so far was just the tip of the iceberg. I'll see how much more I can dig out.
Thank you so much for all your valuable tips. Really appreciate it.