Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: Missing midi channels in NW Player but not Composer (Read 2787 times) previous topic - next topic

Missing midi channels in NW Player but not Composer

Here's the problem:  I have imported midi files into Noteworthy Player but on some of them not all of the voices will play.  The same thing happens with those files when I play them using Winamp and Windows Media Player.  However, when I import them into Noteworthy Composer everthing plays just fine.  Is there some way to get the Player to play back all the voices?

I am running Windows 2000 Professional, sp 3.  Midi playback is MS GS Wavetable SW Synth, "Featuring Roland Sound Canvas digital samples".

Thanks.

Re: Missing midi channels in NW Player but not Composer

Reply #1 –
Could be those MIDI files have system exclusive commands (exclusive to a certain brand of synth other than Roland)that the GS synth doesn't recognize and that NWC strips out on importing the file.  Or maybe the MIDI file has voices (patches) on higher banks that the GS synth does not have available.  Winamp and Windows Media Player will use whatever synth is loaded by default on your system, so they will give the same result as whatever the limitations of the GS synth are.  Try downloading the appropriate version of Yamaha's S-YXG 50 software synth for your computer at http://www.yamaha.co.uk/xg/html/midplug/m_mid8.htm and compare with the GS synth.  I think you'll switch!

Re: Missing midi channels in NW Player but not Composer

Reply #2 –
NWC isn't taking anything out.  It's playing bars that the others leave silent. If you mean that NWC might be removing midi codes from the input stream during the import process I do not know how to tell.

The Yamaha softsynth looks nice, but it's also $50 and this is an employer provided office machine and I don't want to make a personal investment in it, so I was looking for possible free tweaks to get things to work right.  Like downloading free .idf files or something.  There does not seem to be much in the way of options in the settings panel.

Re: Missing midi channels in NW Player but not Composer

Reply #3 –
Yes NWC does remove certain MIDI codes that are manufacturer specific, such as sysex (system exclusive) codes, though it usually imports patches that fall within general MIDIs 128 voices.  True, the Microsoft GS synth doesn't let you set any options or effects such as reverb, etc.  I tried the GS editors in Band-In-A-Box and in a couple of Roland GS editors I downloaded and they have no effect and at least in my new Windows XP/Intel computer there is no way that I know of to edit the settings, they seem to be embedded into the Windows Media Player.  The Yamaha 50 softsynth does have a free 30-day trial period during which it is fully functional.  You can change back and forth between the GS and the Yamaha in Windows Control Panel, Sounds and Multimedia, so when the trial period expires you can just go back to the GS synth painlessly (except for missing the fantastic sound, of course! : ) )  That is, if your employer isn't too picky about what programs you download onto company computers!  The "silent parts"  in Media Player may be parts that have non-GS sysex codes that the GS synth cannot handle.
 

Re: Missing midi channels in NW Player but not Composer

Reply #4 –
Quote:
The Microsoft GS synth doesn't let you set any options or effects such as reverb, etc.

-----

I've been using Microsoft GS ever since I upgraded my computer box (had to get rid of the old AWE 64 ATI), and I have absolutely no chorus or reverb. Reverberation, to me, is one of the most essential aspects of MIDI playback; I can settle for a second-grade FM Synth if I get high-quality reverberation.

I got a Sound Utility recently, Awave Studio, and this program can successfully play MIDI on Microsoft GS Synth with reverberation. I'm not sure if this is a feature that is built-in with the program, but leads me to think that Microsoft GS CAN emulate reverberations.

Does anyone have any idea how to activate this component?