Falcosoft wrote on 2023-07-23, 16:28:

OK, I have added support for these types of port select markers. Unfortunately they are simple text events with the format 'Axx' […]
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basic wrote on 2023-07-23, 14:25:

I found other issue about a 32ch MIDI file, '26orchst.mid' from SC-8820 demo files. This doesn't work 32ch with current version […]
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I found other issue about a 32ch MIDI file, '26orchst.mid' from SC-8820 demo files.
This doesn't work 32ch with current version of FSMP.
But I found this midi works 32ch correctly with an another MIDI player supports 2-port, It's Miyap2002.
This player supports RCP/R36/G18/G36 with GSD/CM6, RCP/R36/G18/G36 is another MIDI format those was created with PC-98.

I hope FSMP can detect 26orchst.mid to 32ch mode, and similar types too.

OK, I have added support for these types of port select markers. Unfortunately they are simple text events with the format 'Axx' and Bxx' where xx is the channel number and A/B designate the port. So in this case the chances of false positives are higher than in case of previous markers.
Please, test it and report back:
https://falcosoft.hu/midiplayer_62_test.zip

Thanks very much! It works with port A and port B correctly!

But I found another issue, some MIDI files are detected 32ch or 48ch from FSMP but it doesn't use Port B(Ch 17-32) or Port C(Ch 33-48), used only Port A.
This issue is appeared stable version (6.1.1) too.

for example, this MIDI file is fight88.mid, Title is 'A Fighting Girl', composed by Anomaria from Japan.
Before playing, all ports received reset signal, and after playing, only port A received MIDI signal.

basic wrote on 2023-07-23, 18:12:

Thanks very much! It works with port A and port B correctly! […]
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Falcosoft wrote on 2023-07-23, 16:28:

OK, I have added support for these types of port select markers. Unfortunately they are simple text events with the format 'Axx' […]
Show full quote

basic wrote on 2023-07-23, 14:25:

I found other issue about a 32ch MIDI file, '26orchst.mid' from SC-8820 demo files. This doesn't work 32ch with current version […]
Show full quote

I found other issue about a 32ch MIDI file, '26orchst.mid' from SC-8820 demo files.
This doesn't work 32ch with current version of FSMP.
But I found this midi works 32ch correctly with an another MIDI player supports 2-port, It's Miyap2002.
This player supports RCP/R36/G18/G36 with GSD/CM6, RCP/R36/G18/G36 is another MIDI format those was created with PC-98.

I hope FSMP can detect 26orchst.mid to 32ch mode, and similar types too.

OK, I have added support for these types of port select markers. Unfortunately they are simple text events with the format 'Axx' and Bxx' where xx is the channel number and A/B designate the port. So in this case the chances of false positives are higher than in case of previous markers.
Please, test it and report back:
https://falcosoft.hu/midiplayer_62_test.zip

Thanks very much! It works with port A and port B correctly!

But I found another issue, some MIDI files are detected 32ch or 48ch from FSMP but it doesn't use Port B(Ch 17-32) or Port C(Ch 33-48), used only Port A.
This issue is appeared stable version (6.1.1) too.

for example, this MIDI file is fight88.mid, Title is 'A Fighting Girl', composed by Anomaria from Japan.
Before playing, all ports received reset signal, and after playing, only port A received MIDI signal.

It's because the above Midi file contains explicit port select 2 meta events on 20(!) tracks (port 0 = channels 1-16, port 1 = channels 17-32, port 2 = channels 33-48). Actually port select meta event is the only well defined method for selecting ports (this event is part of the Midi specification). All the other methods (e.g. intended port coded into track name) are just unfortunate hacks.
It's another question that the file then never sends note events on the given tracks. It's a hard decision what we should consider to be multi-port Midi files. Only the ones that really send note events on the designated tracks?

@Edit:
OK, I have added a check so only that tracks are considered "real" in multi-port calculation that contain at least one note event.
Download location is the same.

Falcosoft wrote on 2023-07-23, 18:31:

It's because the above Midi file contains explicit port select 2 meta events on 20(!) tracks (port 0 = channels 1-16, port 1 = c […]
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basic wrote on 2023-07-23, 18:12:

Thanks very much! It works with port A and port B correctly! […]
Show full quote

Falcosoft wrote on 2023-07-23, 16:28:

OK, I have added support for these types of port select markers. Unfortunately they are simple text events with the format 'Axx' and Bxx' where xx is the channel number and A/B designate the port. So in this case the chances of false positives are higher than in case of previous markers.
Please, test it and report back:
https://falcosoft.hu/midiplayer_62_test.zip

Thanks very much! It works with port A and port B correctly!

But I found another issue, some MIDI files are detected 32ch or 48ch from FSMP but it doesn't use Port B(Ch 17-32) or Port C(Ch 33-48), used only Port A.
This issue is appeared stable version (6.1.1) too.

for example, this MIDI file is fight88.mid, Title is 'A Fighting Girl', composed by Anomaria from Japan.
Before playing, all ports received reset signal, and after playing, only port A received MIDI signal.

It's because the above Midi file contains explicit port select 2 meta events on 20(!) tracks (port 0 = channels 1-16, port 1 = channels 17-32, port 2 = channels 33-48). Actually port select meta event is the only well defined method for selecting ports (this event is part of the Midi specification). All the other methods (e.g. intended port coded into track name) are just unfortunate hacks.
It's another question that the file then never sends note events on the given tracks. It's a hard decision what we should consider to be multi-port Midi files. Only the ones that really send note events on the designated tracks?

@Edit:
OK, I have added a check so only that tracks are considered "real" in multi-port calculation that contain at least one note event.
Download location is the same.

Thanks for fixing it.
Downloaded new test file and launched again, no problem in my MIDI files currently 😀

Falcosoft, is there any way that we can add an option/toggle in OPL3VSTi to function like OPL2 instead (supporting only mono output and max 9 voice-polyphony)? In tinkering with Sierra SCI games to preview songs and composing for SCI fangames, OPL3VSTi has been invaluable in previewing tracks and composing in a DAW to make sure they sound as they should in-game. Saves a LOT of time. But the polyphony limit is obviously lifted and stereo is used as well. There is actually an "SBPRO.DRV" OPL3 driver for SCI games so it's accurate for that setup, but not for the the "ADL.DRV" OPL2 driver. I've had to resort to watching the polyphony voice count during playback to ensure it doesn't go higher than 9 while I'm composing/previewing before adding it to a game.

And if I may make a second request, can there be an option to load custom Adlib BNK files in addition to IBK? It'd just be one less conversion to have to make to get started. (Sierra PAT -> Adlib BNK -> IBK)

MusicallyInspired wrote on 2023-08-02, 22:09:

Falcosoft, is there any way that we can add an option/toggle in OPL3VSTi to function like OPL2 instead (supporting only mono output and max 9 voice-polyphony)? In tinkering with Sierra SCI games to preview songs and composing for SCI fangames, OPL3VSTi has been invaluable in previewing tracks and composing in a DAW to make sure they sound as they should in-game. Saves a LOT of time. But the polyphony limit is obviously lifted and stereo is used as well. There is actually an "SBPRO.DRV" OPL3 driver for SCI games so it's accurate for that setup, but not for the the "ADL.DRV" OPL2 driver. I've had to resort to watching the polyphony voice count during playback to ensure it doesn't go higher than 9 while I'm composing/previewing before adding it to a game.

And if I may make a second request, can there be an option to load custom Adlib BNK files in addition to IBK? It'd just be one less conversion to have to make to get started. (Sierra PAT -> Adlib BNK -> IBK)

Hi,
1. No, and honestly I do not think that it would make much sense either. OPL3 GM VSTi as its name suggests is not a multi-purpose all around OPL(2,3) emulator but first and foremost wants to be a GM (General Midi) synth. You cannot achieve this goal with OPL2 at all since its constraints not only mean voice polyphony constraints but also channel count constraints. You cannot emulate 16 independent channels (16 possible different instruments) and so a 16-channel GM device with only 9 OPL2 channels. There are VST plugins that really emulate the OPL chips themselves. I think they fit better for this task (e.g. JuceOPLVSTi, VOPM, OXE FM Synth VSTi etc).

2. Honestly I do not feel the urge to support different bank formats without additional benefits since learning the structure and implementing a converter for these formats is a rather tedious task and tools like OPL3 Bank Editor makes this somewhat pointless or at least redundant.

PS:
For mono sound you can take advantage of a glitch/bug of the plugin: if you switch from DosBox OPL emulator to Nuked OPL emulator engine during playback without pressing Reset (or sending a GM/GS Reset with the help of the host/player) it becomes mono until the next Reset.

Very well, I understand. Thanks for your response.

Falcosoft wrote on 2023-08-02, 22:35:

Hi, 1. No, and honestly I do not think that it would make much sense either. OPL3 GM VSTi as its name suggests is not a multi-pu […]
Show full quote

MusicallyInspired wrote on 2023-08-02, 22:09:

Falcosoft, is there any way that we can add an option/toggle in OPL3VSTi to function like OPL2 instead (supporting only mono output and max 9 voice-polyphony)? In tinkering with Sierra SCI games to preview songs and composing for SCI fangames, OPL3VSTi has been invaluable in previewing tracks and composing in a DAW to make sure they sound as they should in-game. Saves a LOT of time. But the polyphony limit is obviously lifted and stereo is used as well. There is actually an "SBPRO.DRV" OPL3 driver for SCI games so it's accurate for that setup, but not for the the "ADL.DRV" OPL2 driver. I've had to resort to watching the polyphony voice count during playback to ensure it doesn't go higher than 9 while I'm composing/previewing before adding it to a game.

And if I may make a second request, can there be an option to load custom Adlib BNK files in addition to IBK? It'd just be one less conversion to have to make to get started. (Sierra PAT -> Adlib BNK -> IBK)

Hi,
1. No, and honestly I do not think that it would make much sense either. OPL3 GM VSTi as its name suggests is not a multi-purpose all around OPL(2,3) emulator but first and foremost wants to be a GM (General Midi) synth. You cannot achieve this goal with OPL2 at all since its constraints not only mean voice polyphony constraints but also channel count constraints. You cannot emulate 16 independent channels (16 possible different instruments) and so a 16-channel GM device with only 9 OPL2 channels. There are VST plugins that really emulate the OPL chips themselves. I think they fit better for this task (e.g. JuceOPLVSTi, VOPM, OXE FM Synth VSTi etc).

2. Honestly I do not feel the urge to support different bank formats without additional benefits since learning the structure and implementing a converter for these formats is a rather tedious task and tools like OPL3 Bank Editor makes this somewhat pointless or at least redundant.

PS:
For mono sound you can take advantage of a glitch/bug of the plugin: if you switch from DosBox OPL emulator to Nuked OPL emulator engine during playback without pressing Reset (or sending a GM/GS Reset with the help of the host/player) it becomes mono until the next Reset.

Hi Falcosoft. Does your VST host support patching the SC-VA SC-55 mode to do the cymbal choke on DOOM's E1M1 and DOOM2's MAP01? I would really not like to resort to buying a hardware unit for the accurate sound. Thank you.

Abu Brandino wrote on 2023-08-03, 15:24:

Hi Falcosoft. Does your VST host support patching the SC-VA SC-55 mode to do the cymbal choke on DOOM's E1M1 and DOOM2's MAP01? I would really not like to resort to buying a hardware unit for the accurate sound. Thank you.

Hi,
No, it does not and unfortunately I do not think this is even possible.
At least I do not know any methods currently that make this possible.
SC-VA simply has no such mode or compatibility map that produces the same drum handling quirks as the SC-55.

@Edit:
To emulate this SC-55 drum behaviour on SC-VA you can try the following:
Select channel 10 on FSMP's interface. Then set the 'User' controller number to 75. Then set the knob to value 32. You can also set the 'Force manual mode' toggle to on state. This way I could get a similar effect at the beginning of Doom E1M1.
Unfortunately this controller value influences all the drum notes on Channel 10 not just the needed ones so it's not perfect. Actually this is rather a hack not a solution.

Abu Brandino wrote on 2023-08-03, 15:24:

Hi Falcosoft. Does your VST host support patching the SC-VA SC-55 mode to do the cymbal choke on DOOM's E1M1 and DOOM2's MAP01? I would really not like to resort to buying a hardware unit for the accurate sound. Thank you.

For the ones who want to try it here is a modified Doom E1M1 Midi file that emulates the SC-55 drum cymbal sound on SV-VA properly. This also works on S-YXG50 that also has the same problem with SC-55 cymbal behaviour in GM/XG mode (in GS mode it emulates the SC-55 cymbal sound properly). This works better than the real-time controller modification since the modified controller value is only applied to the problematic section.

Also here is a fixed version of Doom2 Map01 (Running from Evil) for SC-VA and S-YXG50 GM/XG mode:

The above fixed files may also sound better than the original ones with other GS compatible synths that support CC #75 (Decay time) controller but do not support the drum quirks of original SC-55.

@Edit:
I have made a video about the playback of the fixed Doom2 Midi file (+ improved guitars):
https://youtu.be/9fkMC3FQscs

Hi,
FSMP 6.2 has been released.
https://falcosoft.hu/softwares.html#midiplayer

1. Added support for 32-bit float directsound recording (for external synths).
2. Per channel recording mode added (right click context menu of record button).
3. Added Program number/name display option to Spectrum dialog ->Midi Channels view.
4. Added Reset menu item to tray menu.
5. Added /traysilent command line option.
6. Added 4 more VST effect slots.
7. Added many helper functions to Event debugger's Actions menu (Insert SysEx, loop, port select events)
8. Sending port select events can be explicitly enabled/disabled in compatibility settings.
9. Added detection of more multi port Midi files that encode port select in track name.
10. Fix for fake multi port Midi files (only detect file as multi-port if tracks that select port contain note events).
11. Fixed VST forms multi monitor bug.
12. Added Channel Solo on/off and Mute on/off as SysEx commands from Midi in (F0 66 Cmd[05-08] ChNum[00-0F] F7).
13. Other minor fixes and enhancements.

Falcosoft wrote on 2023-08-04, 13:25:

Also here is a fixed version of Doom2 Map01 (Running from Evil) for SC-VA and S-YXG50 GM/XG mode: Doom2_MAP01_SCVA_fixed.zip […]
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Also here is a fixed version of Doom2 Map01 (Running from Evil) for SC-VA and S-YXG50 GM/XG mode:
Doom2_MAP01_SCVA_fixed.zip

The above fixed files may also sound better than the original ones with other GS compatible synths that support CC #75 (Decay time) controller but do not support the drum quirks of original SC-55.

@Edit:
I have made a video about the playback of the fixed Doom2 Midi file (+ improved guitars):
https://youtu.be/9fkMC3FQscs

These sound awesome! But would there be any way to apply these fixes to the actual games? I run SC-VA as my MIDI device in DOSBox and Sourceports.

Did your most recent update to your midi player add the fixes or no?

The issue with your fixed MIDI files is that they leave SysEx coding that makes the original MIDIs of the WADs play up until a GS RESET is performed. I wish there was better solution.

Falcosoft wrote on 2023-08-03, 17:38:

Abu Brandino wrote on 2023-08-03, 15:24:

Hi Falcosoft. Does your VST host support patching the SC-VA SC-55 mode to do the cymbal choke on DOOM's E1M1 and DOOM2's MAP01? I would really not like to resort to buying a hardware unit for the accurate sound. Thank you.

For the ones who want to try it here is a modified Doom E1M1 Midi file that emulates the SC-55 drum cymbal sound on SV-VA properly. This also works on S-YXG50 that also has the same problem with SC-55 cymbal behaviour in GM/XG mode (in GS mode it emulates the SC-55 cymbal sound properly). This works better than the real-time controller modification since the modified controller value is only applied to the problematic section.
Doom_E1M1_SCVA_fixed.zip

I tried to edit the WAD and whilst the source ports have allowed the fix without a hitch, the DOSBox native emulation doesn't work at all. It also makes the game crash. I really wish there was a controller fix instead of having to modify the MIDI files.

Abu Brandino wrote on 2023-08-05, 13:02:

...Did your most recent update to your midi player add the fixes or no?

No, as I said above there is no automatic fix possible. If you set CC#75 controller value to fixed 24 on channel 10 then it affects all drums sounds and some of them will be affected negatively. So CC#75 only works when you place it right before problematic sections and set CC# 75 to default(64) when the problematic section is over. This cannot be done "generally" this process can only work by examining and correcting every affected Midi file.

Falcosoft wrote on 2023-08-05, 13:32:

Abu Brandino wrote on 2023-08-05, 13:02:

...Did your most recent update to your midi player add the fixes or no?

No, as I said above there is no automatic fix possible.

Fair enough then. I will try to get in contact with Roland about it. (I also edited my first comment regarding your MIDIs).

Abu Brandino wrote on 2023-08-05, 13:02:

The issue with your fixed MIDI files is that they leave SysEx coding that makes the original MIDIs of the WADs play up until a GS RESET is performed. I wish there was better solution.

Only the Doom2 Map01 Midi file contains SysEx messages ( Doom E1M1 does not contain any SysEx messages) . And the SysEx messages are NOT necessary for the drum sound fix. They are only necessary for the improved guitars. So actually all SysEx messages can be removed and the drum fix would still work.
Here is the version without any SysEx messages:

As you may remember I have taken over the development of the abandoned VST Midi driver.
Here's a little preview for the upcoming v1.8 of VST Midi driver

Together with FSMP it will be able to play 32-channel Midi files automatically by opening the 2nd port when needed. This feature relies on FSMP's ability to transfer the rarely documented 0xF5 port select Midi messages (supported also by S-YXG50 Win9x and WinXP driver aw well as Dreamblaster X2/X3).
AFAIK this will be the easiest way to play back 32-channel Midi files properly through VST instruments since no explicit 2nd port selection or other configuration steps are needed.
So this will be easier than using WinMM Multiport VSTi to play back multi-port/32-channel Midi files through SC-VA (or other VSTi plugins).

Video about the new feature tested with 5 Konami 32-channel Midi files (rather long, almost 30 minutes):
https://youtu.be/edHM21rWXRg

PS:
Be aware that this version of VST Midi driver is not released yet (will be in the near future), but the source files are already uploaded to GitHub. So you can build it for yourself from the available source.
You can download new releases here:
https://github.com/Falcosoft/vstdriver/releases

Hello to everyone. This is my first post related to MidiPlayer and forgive me if some of my questions or thoughts will be a bit silly.

I was using MidiPlayer in my past, it was most probably wersion 5.x or maybe older... not really remember. But it was somem time ago, on different computer, older Windows 7.
About 20+ years ago or so, I liked to listen MIDI files on my SB32 AWE with 8MB and some reasonable soundbanks. Now... I wanted to bring some good memories and decide to return to MIDI... somehow.

Currently I have Windows 10, and basic integrated sound card. Despite this fact, I'm able to run MidiPlayer and use VST plugins... and here my questions start:

1. Probably I'm most interested about Yamaha XG50 and Roland VS Sound Canvas. However I have to install two versions of MidiPlayer 32bit and 64bit. If I want to use Yamaha, then 32bit when Roland, then 64bit. As explanation, I will tell, I have just access to older version of Roland Sound Canvas (1.1.6) and it's only 64bit. Is a easy way to keep it in one version of MidiPlayer?
2. I'm not sure if this version of Roland is quite old, or maybe not as perfect as it could be... but a flavour of sound is not as pretty as I was expected. From my past I have some foggy memories, and I think Roland and Korg had some amazing sound... or maybe just my memory, or maybe reason behind all of this is the fact, I always preferred Yamaha and always had keyboards from this company? Is there a chance anyone could share some of beautifull MIDI files, just for this Roland?
3. I do understand Windows 10 changed a lot in MIDI, stripping this system from many things, but I'm not sure if it would be a good idea to buy a real sound card, like Audigy FX V2, or maybe just for listening MIDI and plugins I currently have I don't need anything better?

I do really appreciate if you will be able to answer at least some of my questions... so thank you so much in advance.

For Roland Sound Canvas, I just use the old Roland VSC-MP1/Virtual Sound Canvas, which is a 32-bit Roland Sound Canvas VST that Roland released over 20 years ago, for Roland GS MIDI creation and playback. The current Roland Sound Canvas VST (Sound Canvas VA) discontinued it's 32-bit releases in favor of 64-bit, as 64-bit Windows is the dominant OS by a wide margin and they don't want to waste support resources on 32-bit software anymore.

Monokuma wrote on 2023-08-24, 13:39:

Hello to everyone. This is my first post related to MidiPlayer and forgive me if some of my questions or thoughts will be a bit […]
Show full quote

Hello to everyone. This is my first post related to MidiPlayer and forgive me if some of my questions or thoughts will be a bit silly.

I was using MidiPlayer in my past, it was most probably wersion 5.x or maybe older... not really remember. But it was somem time ago, on different computer, older Windows 7.
About 20+ years ago or so, I liked to listen MIDI files on my SB32 AWE with 8MB and some reasonable soundbanks. Now... I wanted to bring some good memories and decide to return to MIDI... somehow.

Currently I have Windows 10, and basic integrated sound card. Despite this fact, I'm able to run MidiPlayer and use VST plugins... and here my questions start:

1. Probably I'm most interested about Yamaha XG50 and Roland VS Sound Canvas. However I have to install two versions of MidiPlayer 32bit and 64bit. If I want to use Yamaha, then 32bit when Roland, then 64bit. As explanation, I will tell, I have just access to older version of Roland Sound Canvas (1.1.6) and it's only 64bit. Is a easy way to keep it in one version of MidiPlayer?
2. I'm not sure if this version of Roland is quite old, or maybe not as perfect as it could be... but a flavour of sound is not as pretty as I was expected. From my past I have some foggy memories, and I think Roland and Korg had some amazing sound... or maybe just my memory, or maybe reason behind all of this is the fact, I always preferred Yamaha and always had keyboards from this company? Is there a chance anyone could share some of beautifull MIDI files, just for this Roland?
3. I do understand Windows 10 changed a lot in MIDI, stripping this system from many things, but I'm not sure if it would be a good idea to buy a real sound card, like Audigy FX V2, or maybe just for listening MIDI and plugins I currently have I don't need anything better?

I do really appreciate if you will be able to answer at least some of my questions... so thank you so much in advance.

Hi,
1. SC-VA v1.1.6 i rather new than old. The original 'old' offline verison offered both 32-bit and 64-bit plugin versions. The new cloud version only offers the 64-bit plugin. You still can download the old offline trial version but AFAIK you cannot get the license legally anymore. But old trial version with 32-bit plugin can still be legally downloaded:
https://static.roland.com/assets/media/zip/sc … a_win_trial.zip
2. If you cannot get a 'workaround' to use the 32-bit SC-VA then you should use the 64-bit version of Midi Player together with JBridge v1.76+:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/zqkhao2rjy16u2o/jBr … ersion.zip?dl=1
Midi Player has built in JBridge support so after installing it you can open 32-bit plugins from th 64-bit version of Midi Player (and actually vice versa). Since S-YXG50 is the more simple and compatible plugin it works better with JBridge. That's why I recommend to use the 64-bit version of Midi Player with the native 64-bit SC-VA and the 32-bit verision of S-YXG50 through JBridge.
3. Right above your post you can find a video about nice sounding Roland specific Midi files 😀 But here it is again:
https://youtu.be/edHM21rWXRg
4. If you want authentic Roland or Yamaha Midi sound SoundBlasters will not help much ( and never helped). Depending on the exact SB model they only offer you hardware SF2 soundfont compatible synths. So you can use soundfonts but nowadays I think software solutions like Bassmidi can offer the same or more in terms of quality and features.