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Topic: What can I do with this SoundPack? (Read 3970 times) previous topic - next topic

What can I do with this SoundPack?

I downloaded the 27Mb Unison SoundPack this morning, and am trying to find a place to install it.

It's supposed to be GM, although enhanced in some way.

I would like to use it in NWC, but I've heard that NWC's sounds are picked up from the soundcard or the soft synth. Is this true?

It looks like my soundcard is a Riptide PCI Audio Device (never heard of it!) It came installed on an HP Pavilion. If the Unison SoundPack is compatible with my Riptide, where would I install it?

My goal is simply to get the best sound I can so that I can convert the .nwc files to .mid, then to .wav.

I can figure out most things, but .sf2 and .dls files are very confusing!

All help appreciated
Gordon

Re: What can I do with this SoundPack?

Reply #1 –
Hi. I don't think that your sound card will directly support sound fonts; but there's a way you can "render" midi files generated by NoteWorthy into wav files, that you can then listen to using any wav player, or convert to mp3 and listen to with mp3 players, etc.

I know of three such rendering programs:

TiMIDIty (free but a little tough to get the hang of. Windows GUI still under development)

Audio Compositor (easy to use, reasonably priced shareware)

Awave (some interesting options, slightly less reasonably priced shareware).

Re: What can I do with this SoundPack?

Reply #2 –
Hi Gordon,

I'm not familiar with your card, but I would guess that your sound card does not support soundfonts. I'm not familiar with the Unison Soundpack either, but I am familiar with the Unison GM Bank of Soundfonts, I will presume that's what you have (.sf2 is an extension for soundfonts).

(Soundfonts are akin to typeface fonts for printers -- you can 'add' them to your soundcard's synth bank and then the card will render the instrument sound according to the soundfont that is loaded. SoundBlaster Live cards use Soundfont technology.)

My guess is that you are limited to the sounds made by the synth on your card. Unless you want to buy and install an SBLive card and deactivate your synth (I'm pretty sure HP Pavillions ship with an onboard sound module on the motherboard, not a separate card you can remove).

Best best is to call HP Customer Support if you don't have product manual that describes your sound card.

HTH and Good Luck,

Sue Morton

Re: What can I do with this SoundPack?

Reply #3 –
1. Are there any non-soundblaster cards that support soundfonts?

2. TiMIDIty is an intriguing product, but when I tried it I was unhappy with the results. When it renders piano music it sounds like someone is continually mashing the pedal. After a few inquiries, I discovered that TiMIDIty is supposed to sound that way. If anyone has managed to make TiMIDIty sound good, I like to hear about it.

Re: What can I do with this SoundPack?

Reply #4 –
Offhand I can't think of any other cards that support soundfonts natively. But there is a software-soundfont manager available, I just cannot recall the name right now to save my life!

Fred, I think you use/have tried this software?

Re: What can I do with this SoundPack?

Reply #5 –
Yes, the three I know of are listed in reply 1. The only one I've used on occasion is Audio Compositor, to check how my work will sound on Creative systems. I find TiMIDIty a bit incomplete yet, and Awave is way more than I need for this particular use.

Re: What can I do with this SoundPack?

Reply #6 –
Sorry, Fred, I thought you listed those programs in reply 1 because they would convert midi to wav for Gordon. I didn't know they would also use soundfonts to render the MIDI sound when the card itself doesn't support soundfonts.