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How is stereo handled with MT32

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First post, by GabrielKnight123

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When playing games through an MT32 is the output stereo, Im not really asking about the combined left and right channel to make stereo but rather do games use stereo with the MT32 so that some instruments go to the left and some to the right or are they all sent the same way to both left/right to get "stereo". I need to know because I have a modded MT32 1st gen and it took me a while to figure out how to get reverb to work which is not through the normal outputs. I have one reverb output from the MT32 going into a stereo mixers mono input and one dry output from the MT32 going to the mixer as well to another mono input, so I'm using "left" reverb and "right" dry on separate channels so I can mix them independently and I'm using mono for the mixer or I would have double the amount of dials to change one thing, that's why I need to know if games send some music to the left or right otherwise I might be missing some music "effect" by using only one channel each from reverb and dry as there are four outputs for reverb and dry on the modded MT32. I hope that wasn't to hard to understand.

Reply 3 of 4, by SirNickity

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Panning of each channel can be controlled by MIDI messages, as said above, but many of the instruments also have stereo programs with "width" regardless of panning position.

The MT-32 is an LA device, which essentially boils down to this: Instruments with any sustain are mostly sampled for the initial attack, and simple waveforms are used for the sustained portion. Multiple waveforms can be slightly different shapes, timed and looped differently, or detuned from each other to produce stereo width. (In theory, but I'm not really sure what all tricks are used in practice. I haven't studied the programs or the oscillator architecture that thoroughly.)

With an SC-55, stereo programs are more the result of layering multiple samples and/or choosing intentionally different loop points, detuning, or applying modulation effects to achieve stereo width. Panning, of course, is still possible.

So yes, you're losing stereo information when summing wet and dry outputs to mono. If that bothers you, I believe you can adjust the global wet/dry ratio from the control panel as well. (IIRC, it has been a while.)

Reply 4 of 4, by anonyme-x22

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Hi,

The MT-32 Rythm Section use panning by default. (cf manual)
The MT-32 Part are to the center by default but can be changed by games initialization.
The MT32 is able to have regarding the structure selection stereo patch hard fixed, that mean that you cannot pan them.
The MT32 is able to combine structure whith stereo timbre + mono timbre.

You need for games the standard output or if modded a 4 channel mixer to combine all in order to get the default behaviour.
The mod you've done is used to get more output in order to use the MT-32 with external effect for professional purpose, even if the polyphony, isn't able to handle a lot more than 4 channel with 4 partial without voice re-assignation.

Have a good day,
Rgds,

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