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[Quanta]

When playing back a MIDI file, corresponding MIDI samples are loaded only when the song reaches the points where individual samples are needed. Such behaviour can cause the skipping music playpack if the needed samples are used for the first time in a song, and the samples are not cached (by OS or storage devices), especially when a song uses a lot of unique samples or large SoundFont files (eg: Chorium Revision A, GeneralUser GS) are used. To avoid skipping, XMPlay MIDI plugin should offer an option to preload the necessary samples when a song is opened, and only allow playback of a song to start when all necessary samples are loaded.

[Jimmy Neutron]

Have you tried adding ReadAhead to the [XMPlay] section of the xmplay.ini file?

ReadAhead
[3.6.0.14 and later] For mp3 files, XMPlay scans the entire file and then maintains the file in a read-ahead buffer (unless NoScanMP3=1 is set).  XMPlay does not do this for other types of files, which may cause unwanted disc activity (repeated small reads).  ReadAhead=[max file size in MB] will enable the specified read-ahead buffer for non-mp3 files.

[Ian @ un4seen]

The "ReadAhead" option unfortunately won't make any difference in this case, as it only applies to the file that is being played, which is the MIDI file rather than the soundfont. I'll see if a soundfont/sample preloading option can be added to the MIDI plugin, but in the meantime you can increase the buffer length in the "Output" options to give the sample loading more time (before playback stalls).

[Jimmy Neutron]

The "ReadAhead" option unfortunately won't make any difference in this case, as it only applies to the file that is being played, which is the MIDI file rather than the soundfont.

Ah, thanks for the clarification.