next »

[Rich Nagel]

Very nice

Glad ya liked 'em -:) More (similar obscure ones) to come (when I get the time to upload them).

Note that you don't really have to unzip the files though, if you have the ZIP plugin

I've never used that ZIP plugin before. Just downloaded and installed it, works great (with the soundfonts as well) -:)

Anyway... another update is up now, which lists the markers in the "Message" info and the instruments/patches used in the "Samples" info.

:thumbsup: -:) Something that's rather cool is how the instrument/sample name is displayed right at the time that it's initially used/played... *yes*, I know that I'm easily amused <LOL>! -:)


@Lumina83

It worked fine for me. Do you have the latest version of the ZIP plugin?

[Rich Nagel]

@Ian (feature request):

Any chance of supporting the older SBK sound bank format (the predecessor of SF2 v2.0/2.1)? -:)

[Rich Nagel]

A few more rather interesting and obscure SoundFonts with demo MIDIs that I created eons ago <G>:

(Note: URLs are case-sensitive)

Coffee Can
http://www.cmoo.com/snor/weeds/SoundFonts/Coffee.txt
http://www.cmoo.com/snor/weeds/SoundFonts/Coffee.zip

Wine Goblet
http://www.cmoo.com/snor/weeds/SoundFonts/Goblet.txt
http://www.cmoo.com/snor/weeds/SoundFonts/Goblet.zip

The Jerky Boys Rap! (This thing started it's life in 1995 as a MOD Tracker format music file, and was reverse-engineered/converted/tracked a few years later to a MIDI and matching SF2 SoundFont format file <BG>. P.S. A tape of the original MOD file was played back in '96 on a local radio station (Y-100) when I used to live in Miami <LOL>!)
http://www.cmoo.com/snor/weeds/SoundFonts/JerkyBoy.txt
http://www.cmoo.com/snor/weeds/SoundFonts/JerkyBoy.zip

Primitive Instruments
http://www.cmoo.com/snor/weeds/SoundFonts/Primitiv.txt
http://www.cmoo.com/snor/weeds/SoundFonts/Primitiv.zip

Download, unzip (not needed when using the XMPlay ZIP archive plugin, although you'll need to unzip the text file to read it <G>), read the text files, and play the MIDIs (enable autoloading of matching MIDI/SF2 filenames within the plugin's configuration window).


More to come...

[Brian]

Shouldn't this now move to the General Discussion forum? There are various threads there about MIDIs.

[Zarggg]

Not really. It's still technically about a plugin. :p

[yosh64]

hey

I JUST WANTED TO SAY THIS IS THE BEST!!! <- sorry about the caps

But yea, MIDI's sound so good now. BIG BIG THX

I actually got into listening to MIDI's again, it's great listening to other peoples interpretations and perceptions of music found at http://www.vgmusic.com. Anyhows the winamp MIDI plugin I was previously using was quite anoying, crashing alot AND I decided just before to look for another MIDI plugin when I googled into this!

PLUS I was not very pleased with how the MIDI's were sounding on my computer, well I thought the microsoft software synch didn't seem to handle volume panning and such things very well, although I thought their .DLS wavetable was alright... ALSO I was using my onboard AC97 audio, but just recently I chucked my old Vibra128 soundcard back in (after reading an old review saying they are better than the onboard AC97), and also cause I seemed to think/remember it's software synch was better, well it was but the wavetable (.ECW) sounds were sucky. Right before I ran into this I was really thinking about getting a new sound card, as to get better quality playback of MIDI's.

So yea thx again!

cya

[Nichel]

I founded out that sometimes when I change the main soundfont I have to restart xmplay to have that effectively used. Is it intended?

[Zarggg]

The FluidR3 GS soundfont causes XMPlay to crash for me.

Is that the one I posted above, or a different version? If it's the one above, please let me know if there's a particular MIDI file that triggers the crash, as I was unable to get it to crash. A drwtsn32.log entry would be handy too.

It's the one you posted. I downloaded the new beta and it no longer crashes. However, I don't hear any sound with that specific soundbank, either.

[Ian @ un4seen]

Any chance of supporting the older SBK sound bank format (the predecessor of SF2 v2.0/2.1)? -:)

If you can provide the specs, then maybe

The chunks seem to be the same, but not the structures inside them.

I founded out that sometimes when I change the main soundfont I have to restart xmplay to have that effectively used. Is it intended?

You shouldn't have to restart XMPlay, but you will have to reload the current track.

The FluidR3 GS soundfont causes XMPlay to crash for me.

Is that the one I posted above, or a different version? If it's the one above, please let me know if there's a particular MIDI file that triggers the crash, as I was unable to get it to crash. A drwtsn32.log entry would be handy too.

It's the one you posted. I downloaded the new beta and it no longer crashes. However, I don't hear any sound with that specific soundbank, either.

That's strange. Have you un-sfArk'd the file? What's the size of your "FluidR3 GM.SF2" file?

Meanwhile... another update is up, with lyrics (for files that use the proper lyrics event) displayed in the Message info. No following along with the music, but it's something

[Rich Nagel]

If you can provide the specs, then maybe The chunks seem to be the same, but not the structures inside them.

I seem to recall having a document somewhere on one of my PCs with the tech specs for the SBK format (I don't really remember, though). I'll poke around on my PCs and see if I can find it -:)

In the meantime, dunno if this will help, but after searching the Internet I found a snippet of source code from Timidity (it mentions something about "convert from SBK to SF2") -> http://sbigraf.tamu.edu/bcscontra/timidity/sndfont.c ... I don't know if that will be of any use, though.

Meanwhile... another update is up, with lyrics (for files that use the proper lyrics event) displayed in the Message info. No following along with the music, but it's something

Cool :thumbsup: -:)

One problem though, I only tested it wih one MIDI (a compostion of mine from a commercial project that went belly up a few years back), uploaded to the FTP site -> starsing.zip. Although it has a MID extension, it indeed contains KAR format lyrics (they display fine in another old karaoke player that I have "Tune 1000"). I tried renaming it with a KAR extension as well, XMPlay still didn't display the lyrics.


(Edit) Just had a look at the MIDI file in question in my sequencer, it appears that the lyrics are tagged as text events, and not lyric events. Strange thing is, the words display properly in Tune 1000 (as well as another karaoke player that I used to use... don't remember the name offhand). Could this be why the MIDI plugin doesn't display the lyrics?


(Edit #2) Yep, that was the problem. The lyrics that I had embedded in the Starsing.mid file were not _true_ lyric events, but rather plain text events.

I remember years back (when I first composed the piece) thinking that the "Tune 1000" karaoke specs (for the lyrics) were how _all_ karaoke files were set up (using a few special text events, as well as specially formatted text events for the lyrics). I thought that I had remembered playing the MIDI file in question (as well as several other Tune 1000 karaoke albums/collections that I had at the time) using other karaoke players successfully as well (with them actually displaying the lyrics), guess not though... the 'ole brain/memory doesn't work as good as it used to <LOL>.


(Edit #3 - re: The "sndfont.c" source file mentioned/linked above) Here is the "sbkconv.c" source code file referenced by that other file -> http://www.csee.umbc.edu/help/sound/TiMidity++-2.13.2/timidity/sbkconv.c

[piovrauz]

Jan, U rock!

Thanks for the automatic loading on matching filenames I requested, and for the fix for bad bank management, pointed by another user: I was having the same thing, you corrected this in no time!

I'm enjoing my MIDI collection again! Now I can use sf2 in the easy way, without bloated players, and get a great sound! I'm listening non stop all my MIDI, that I kept for better days.. And the day is now!

But since I noticed your speed in fixing bug/errors, I have one report too: in a MIDI I got with my old AWE64G a sample in the sf2 is played at wrong speed and cutted after some time. Glitch is at time 01:38, I suppose it's track 07, the "extra melody".

I'll try to upload the MIDI and the sf2.

Edit: FTP doesn't like me... Sended email to admin (at) un4seen (dot) com.

[Ian @ un4seen]

(Edit) Just had a look at the MIDI file in question in my sequencer, it appears that the lyrics are tagged as text events, and not lyric events. Strange thing is, the words display properly in Tune 1000 (as well as another karaoke player that I used to use... don't remember the name offhand). Could this be why the MIDI plugin doesn't display the lyrics?

Yep, that's why I specifically mentioned "proper lyrics event"

I've added support for these general text lyrics things now too.

(Edit #3 - re: The "sndfont.c" source file mentioned/linked above) Here is the "sbkconv.c" source code file referenced by that other file -> http://www.csee.umbc.edu/help/sound/TiMidity++-2.13.2/timidity/sbkconv.c

Looks a bit messy. There was never an official SBK spec released, was there? Not sure I'll bother with it, who/why use SBK anyway?

...I have one report too: in a MIDI I got with my old AWE64G a sample in the sf2 is played at wrong speed and cutted after some time. Glitch is at time 01:38, I suppose it's track 07, the "extra melody".

This seems to be a problem with the MIDI file not playing the note long enough, or the soundfont not sustaining the sample. Either way, it sounds the same played on SB (Audigy2) hardware

Maybe the SF2 used to be an SBK, and wasn't converted properly?

[Rich Nagel]

I've added support for these general text lyrics things now too.

Works perfectly, many thanks! :thumbsup: -:)

Looks a bit messy. There was never an official SBK spec released, was there? Not sure I'll bother with it, who/why use SBK anyway?

Yeah, I don't think that there was any officially released specs for the SBK format. I searched all over my PCs (as well as the Internet) and came up with nothing.

As you said, there probably wouldn't be much of a demand for SBK support anyway. Hehe, the reason that I mentioned it was that I have a lot of (other composers) creations that use custom SBK files for specific MIDI songs (most of them are on almost all of the driver CDs that ship with the AWE32/AWE64 sound cards, one that comes to mind is "Mystic Dragon"... I think that was the name of the tune). Although quite dated (they all use SBKs), they sound rather nice.

Anyhow, one could always use the SF1TO2.EXE DOS command-line converter utility to convert the SBK files to SF2 format, after experimenting with it, it seems to work fine -:)


P.S. Gotta say it again, THANKS FOR THE ROCKIN' SF2 MIDI SUPPORT FOR XMPLAY! :thumbsup: -:)

I remember wishing for something like this *eons* ago, back when I wanted others to hear my MIDI music compositions... *exactly* the way that *I* heard them on *MY* PC <G>, but they didn't have any SF2 compatable hardware. Hehe, this was before the popularity of the MP3 format, so (on a miserably poor dialup connection) extremely low quality WAVs were the only solution <G>.

Years later Timidity came along, but I was never happy with the resulting sound of it (and some SF2s really sounded strange when used as the base sound bank).

[Zarggg]

The FluidR3 GS soundfont causes XMPlay to crash for me.

Is that the one I posted above, or a different version? If it's the one above, please let me know if there's a particular MIDI file that triggers the crash, as I was unable to get it to crash. A drwtsn32.log entry would be handy too.

It's the one you posted. I downloaded the new beta and it no longer crashes. However, I don't hear any sound with that specific soundbank, either.

That's strange. Have you un-sfArk'd the file? What's the size of your "FluidR3 GM.SF2" file?

"FluidR3 GM.SF2" is 148,358,590 bytes.
"FluidR3 GS.SF2" (the one I was talking about) is 3,200,570 bytes.

[Rich Nagel]

@Ian, (trivial) feature request: This is rather trivial (but I would use it quite a bit <G>), adding a (possibly configurable) hotkey to bring up the MIDI plugin's configuration window? 'Twould be handy for quickly changing the base SF2s (as well as any other features that may be added within that window, i.e. multiple stacked SF2s, etc...).

(Edit) Another small feature request (Sorry, Ian! I'm just quite excited by the capabilities of this plugin <G>!): Some SF2s contain pointers to onboard AWE32/AWE64 ROM samples (which, of course, are not actual samples contained in the SF2 file, but rather pointers to samples contained in the AWE32's/AWE64's onboard ROM chip).

Would it be possible when autoloading an SF2 with a matching MIDI filename (as well as stacked soundfont support, if you add that feature) for the plugin to use the samples contained in the base SF2 - if the custom SF2 contains a pointer to a ROM sample/preset? Maybe something similar to how the plugin already uses presets from the base SF2 if one is not already contained in the custom SF2 (but in the afore-mentioned example, the preset is actually there - a pointer to an AWE32/AWE64 onboard ROM sample, but the actual digital samples aren't contained in the SF2).

[Ian @ un4seen]

The FluidR3 GS soundfont causes XMPlay to crash for me.

Is that the one I posted above, or a different version? If it's the one above, please let me know if there's a particular MIDI file that triggers the crash, as I was unable to get it to crash. A drwtsn32.log entry would be handy too.

It's the one you posted. I downloaded the new beta and it no longer crashes. However, I don't hear any sound with that specific soundbank, either.

That's strange. Have you un-sfArk'd the file? What's the size of your "FluidR3 GM.SF2" file?

"FluidR3 GM.SF2" is 148,358,590 bytes.
"FluidR3 GS.SF2" (the one I was talking about) is 3,200,570 bytes.

Oh right. That soundfont only contains extra effects banks/patches, ie. there's no bank 0. I guess it's meant to be stacked on top of a GM soundfont.

@Ian, (trivial) feature request: This is rather trivial (but I would use it quite a bit <G>), adding a (possibly configurable) hotkey to bring up the MIDI plugin's configuration window? 'Twould be handy for quickly changing the base SF2s (as well as any other features that may be added within that window, i.e. multiple stacked SF2s, etc...).

I'm afraid that's not currently possible, as plugins can't register their own shortcuts.

Would it be possible when autoloading an SF2 with a matching MIDI filename (as well as stacked soundfont support, if you add that feature) for the plugin to use the samples contained in the base SF2 - if the custom SF2 contains a pointer to a ROM sample/preset? Maybe something similar to how the plugin already uses presets from the base SF2 if one is not already contained in the custom SF2 (but in the afore-mentioned example, the preset is actually there - a pointer to an AWE32/AWE64 onboard ROM sample, but the actual digital samples aren't contained in the SF2).

Please upload an example of this, and I'll have a look

[Rich Nagel]

I'm afraid that's not currently possible, as plugins can't register their own shortcuts.

That's what I figured, thanks for the info -:)

Please upload an example of this, and I'll have a look

I uploaded rom_samples_and_user_samples_test.zip (contains "ROM Samples and User Samples Test.sf2").

The SF2 contains all AWE32/AWE64 ROM samples for GM presets except for:

(Melodic Preset)
22 = Harmonica

(Percussive Preset)
16 = Power (Note: *NOT* a complete power drum set, only contains samples/instruments for kick, snare, and toms - *NO* pointers to AWE32/AWE64 ROM samples for the rest of the kit).

[Zarggg]

(snip cascade :p)

Oh right. That soundfont only contains extra effects banks/patches, ie. there's no bank 0. I guess it's meant to be stacked on top of a GM soundfont.

I'll accept that answer. I've settled on using the Chorium SF anyway.

[Rich Nagel]

@Ian, I think I may have found a small buglet with the way that the plugin handles the "Modulation LFO" envelope/parameter within any given soundfont (there's a strange badly distorted sound). I uploaded "xmplay_midi_plugin_modulation_lfo_bug.zip" to the FTP site (contains "XMPlay MIDI Plugin Modulation LFO Bug.sf2").

The SF2 has two presets in it, Tremelo Strings (44) and String Ensemble (48), and they both use the exact same samples and envelopes. The only difference between the two is the usage of the modulation LFO as configured/detailed below:

Tremelo Strings = 44
--------------------
Delay - 1 X (default)
Frequency - 10 X
To Pitch - 2 cents
To Filter Cutoff - 0 cents (default)
To Volume - 5 dB

String Ensemble = 48
--------------------
Delay - 1 X (default)
Frequency - 1 X (default)
To Pitch - 0 cents (default)
To Filter Cutoff - 0 cents (default)
To Volume - 0 dB (default)

The String Ensemble sounds correct, but the Tremelo Strings have the garbled distorted sound.

[Ian @ un4seen]

I uploaded rom_samples_and_user_samples_test.zip (contains "ROM Samples and User Samples Test.sf2").

Ok, I've added ROM detection, but I've not really tested it, so let me know if it's no good

@Ian, I think I may have found a small buglet with the way that the plugin handles the "Modulation LFO" envelope/parameter within any given soundfont (there's a strange badly distorted sound). I uploaded "xmplay_midi_plugin_modulation_lfo_bug.zip" to the FTP site (contains "XMPlay MIDI Plugin Modulation LFO Bug.sf2").

The SF2 has two presets in it, Tremelo Strings (44) and String Ensemble (48), and they both use the exact same samples and envelopes. The only difference between the two is the usage of the modulation LFO as configured/detailed below:

Tremelo Strings = 44
--------------------
Delay - 1 X (default)
Frequency - 10 X
To Pitch - 2 cents
To Filter Cutoff - 0 cents (default)
To Volume - 5 dB

String Ensemble = 48
--------------------
Delay - 1 X (default)
Frequency - 1 X (default)
To Pitch - 0 cents (default)
To Filter Cutoff - 0 cents (default)
To Volume - 0 dB (default)

The String Ensemble sounds correct, but the Tremelo Strings have the garbled distorted sound.

I guess you're comparing with SB hardware? The difference seems to be due to hardware limitations, as the Tremelo Strings should be modulating at 50hz (10x5), but it's only going at 12hz (on an Audigy2). The SF2 specs say the limit is 100hz.

I've now limited the LFO parameters to match the apparent SB hardware limits.