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Topic: Still trying to convert MIDI to WAV (Read 19115 times) previous topic - next topic

Still trying to convert MIDI to WAV

Greetings, everyone. I've been tearing my hair out trying to find a way to convert MIDI to WAV using the Yamaha S-YXG100 SoftSynthesizer......I've tried many methods, among them using Sound Recorder and Windows Media Player together, as well as using Total Recorder, both without success.....

Anyone know of a solution?

Re: Still trying to convert MIDI to WAV

Reply #2 –
I tried your method, but it doesn't work.....The song can still be heard through the speakers, and I made sure that I switched the settings <i>before</i> I opened any of the programs I needed to record.

Thanks anyways..... =(

Re: Still trying to convert MIDI to WAV

Reply #3 –
I can't vouch for this solution, but I just read it in a magazine today. They recommend a product called "Total Recorder" from High Criteria ( http://www.highcriteria.com ). It's not free, but very cheap (the magazine says about £8 GB), and apparently it uses its own virtual sound driver that grabs things that other programs miss.

Alternatively, depending on your sound card, it might simply be a matter of fiddling with the mixer settings.

Robin

Re: Still trying to convert MIDI to WAV

Reply #4 –
Just did this yesterday. I used "SoundForge CD Architect" which came with my CD writer.

Start the recorder, then play back the MIDI file. I found the first few attempts weren't very good (levels too low and noise). The trick"was to make sure the recording settings are correct.

For Win95/98:

Open the Windows Volume control
From "Options" select "Properties"
Click "Recording" and ensure MIDI and/or WAV are selected
Click "OK"

The window title should change to "Recording Control"

Now adjust the recording levels. Make sure things you don't want are muted (like in my case a "live" microphone! - the source of the noise), and the things you do want are set at a reasonable level.

SoundForge has a neat level meter which retains peaks - this allowed me to play the track through to find an appropriate level.

Re: Still trying to convert MIDI to WAV

Reply #5 –
It's strange, the problem seems to be that my Wave Out channel is completely occupied by the wavetable emulator when I play MIDIs, therefore I only record silence. And here I thought Yamaha's SoftSynth supports DirectX.....

I tried the virtual audio cable program, it ended up crashing my sound card drivers instead.

There's gotta be a way......

Re: Still trying to convert MIDI to WAV

Reply #6 –
To add, my soundcard is an old SoundBlaster 16, but I know it supports full-duplexing.....Could that be the problem?

Re: Still trying to convert MIDI to WAV

Reply #7 –
The old Soundblaster 16 was not full duplex but there was an upgrade file from Creative that was supposed to make AWE cards and the Sb16 work in full duplex.
The file sbw9xup.exe is still available from the Creative site.

Re: Still trying to convert MIDI to WAV

Reply #8 –
Well, I've downloaded the drivers, and the method's still not working, although the Virtual Cable drivers no longer crash my system.

Wave out is completely occupied with playing the MIDI using the wavetable synth, whenever I try, I get these messages:

MMSYSTEM003 The driver was not enabled. (I get this when trying to play a MIDI file while a recording program is running.)

MMSYSTEM032 The specified format cannot be translated or supported. Use the Capabilities function to view supported formats. (I get this message when trying to record after playing a MIDI file.)

Ugh, maybe it is my sound card.....

Thanks for all the help everyone, nonetheless.

Re: Still trying to convert MIDI to WAV

Reply #9 –
For midi to WAV conversion I use an application called WINGROOVE. It is ideal for this, but it does tend to change the sound of some of the instrument as it appear to use its own synthesiser. It is very easy to use. It is very cheap (about $40 - I think) but worth every cent.
If you do a google search for wingroove you'll find it easily.

Drew

Re: Still trying to convert MIDI to WAV

Reply #10 –
Hmm, I already have Wingroove. In some circumstances, it's instrument set is superb in a few of the songs that I plan to convert. For others, it simply sounds horrible, as some instruments aren't supported by Wingroove. It then tries to substitute it for another (i.e. drum set replaced by a piano)

I just recently downloaded Audio Compositor.....any good soundfonts that anyone would like to mention?

Re: Still trying to convert MIDI to WAV

Reply #12 –
How about Midi2Wav? I bought it a couple weeks ago (about $15) and it seems to work very well. It's got decent instrument sounds, and converts things quickly and easily.
Check it out at http://www.midi2wav.com/index.html
(I have no financial or other interest in this program, it just seems to work well for me.)
Charlie

Re: Still trying to convert MIDI to WAV

Reply #13 –
Have you ever tried with Winamp? it can read a MIDI file and output it in a WAV file. The result is good with Quicktime's 'General MIDI' synthesizer.
Good luck.

Re: Still trying to convert MIDI to WAV

Reply #14 –
Quicktime has a GM synth? I didn't know that....

How do I get WinAmp to use Quicktime's GM synth?

Any ideas?

Re: Still trying to convert MIDI to WAV

Reply #15 –
Roland Virtual Sound Canvas -- costs about $89, but the results are incomparable, and it is as easy as clicking a button.

Re: Still trying to convert MIDI to WAV

Reply #16 –
Winamp easily converts MIDI to WAV. The link below will take you to a simple tutorial:

Winamp MIDI to WAV

-CC

Re: Still trying to convert MIDI to WAV

Reply #17 –
in Winamp is Very easy, only select the option cd writer and you have it, one wav file.

Re: Still trying to convert MIDI to WAV

Reply #18 –
Ok guys, here's the deal:

I'm using a fair setup, using TotalRecorder to convert MIDIs into WAVs, using SoundBlaster's WaveTable Synthesizer (8Mb samples, nice sound) and Yamaha's SXG SoftSynth (outstanding sound). Everything works fine until you move up to professional sounding WAVs...

What's the problem? Simple. TotalRecorder records sound from the soundcards Analog to Digital Converter, which means that both synths output first goes thru the soundcard's Digital to Analog Converter, then back thru the Analog to Digital Converter, so as to be converted back to a digital stream and saved to disk (a WAV file). All this internal flow causes a good -72dB noise level... with NO MUSIC sounding at all!!!! This is ok for in-home work, but not for professional CD recording. TotalRecorder's "Software" recording setting works beautifully, (as with Virtual Audio Cable) 'cause you get absolutely no noise (you get a "pure" digital stream), but TotalRecorder (VAC, too) uses an MME driver (bad performance) and, although you can redirect Yamaha's SXG's output to that driver, you can't with the SoundBlaster's synth. SO, if you, like me, are playing MIDIs with sounds playing across 2 or more softsynths, you're in trouble... The result? Only SXG's sound get's recorded (with gaps, glitches and all..). What did you expect with an MME driver?

The "pro", super noiseless solution? Get a software that can record or "grab" the digital data stream that reaches the Digital to Analog Converter input of your soundcard. Something like a logical Y splitter. One part goes to the DAC, the other to your disk.

What software does this? Beats me... Searched the net for over 3 months and no dice... Think we need to let Microsoft continue it's WDM drivers and HighCriteria (makers of TotalRecorder) pop up with this kind of software...

Anybody seen this kind of software, by the way?

Re: Still trying to convert MIDI to WAV

Reply #19 –
Well, other than purchasing the expensive software, none of the free stuff even remotely works on my machine. It's fairly new, and running a Creative Ensoniq AudioPCI and is full duplex, and software like midi2wav doesn't even "hear" the midi file let alone play the damn thing. Winamp, just makes a wav file that has no sound, other than a humming of background noise, when nothing is plugged into the audio input jacks. I'm very suprised to see that none of these software packages that are free work, because what is the program trying to do? Convert a midi WAVE table to a WAVE file??? This can't be that hard of software to write seeing that when you play the file, the hardware is already doing the job. I think I'm going to have to crack open a C++ book and write the software myself.

Re: Still trying to convert MIDI to WAV

Reply #20 –
This is to BushidoV:

I'm using just about the same soundcard. All you need to do is get a copy of TotalRecorder and start recording your MIDIs to WAV. It records EXACTLY as you hear them. That's right, EXACTLY. There's just one, itsy-bitsy problem: You get background noise. It's a measly -72dB more or less (caused by your soundcard picking up EM or RF noise from your 'puter's circuits); it probably can't be heard with your 'puter's speakers. You can clean it out with other wav editing software (CoolEdit) if you want to transfer it to CD (works good, but not good enough for super-pro, super noiseless work).

Re: Still trying to convert MIDI to WAV

Reply #21 –
well, I was totally on something else, but I found on http://www.cs.ruu.nl/pub/MIDI/PROGRAMS/MSWINDOWS/ some programs that may be of interest. Open there the INDEX file to have some details; I tried wmw24 (wmw24a and !link(http://www.cs.ruu.nl/pub/MIDI/PROGRAMS/MSWINDOWS/wmw24b.zip) files, to unzip both in a temp directory, then run the setup)
Try it, as it seems that it's worth the try to convert midi to wave. Here is the .diz file (dated 25Oct1996):
WAVmaker 2.4 for Windows 3.1 - Digital Audio system featuring CD quality MID -> WAV rendering & WAV recording, DSP (mix, offset/maximize, fade, gate, compress, expand, low-/high-/band-pass & notch filter, ring modulation, vocoder, reverse, echo, reverb, flange, chorus, extend, cut, gated cut) and MIDI analysis/manipulation.
386+, 3.6 MB disk minimum required. (Yes Fred, you could use it on your 386!)

HTH !!!

Re: Still trying to convert MIDI to WAV

Reply #22 –
Hi

I have somewhat same requirements as of yours but I want the source code also (or just the programming logic) to convert Midi to wave. it is very crucial to me as i m to submit this thing as my project in the semester. so please...

Re: Still trying to convert MIDI to WAV

Reply #23 –
Arun,
Why not asking the author of such softwares? Some of them can be kind to your request.
This being said, I would advise you to understand the contents of a program you're supposed to have written entirely... This kind of software is not so simple.
Why don't you rather try to write a piece of software to create sounds, using square,triangular or sinusoidal components? With a 3d interface to modify it where you want (attack, sustain, decay....)
There are many impressive applications to this (creating a sound out of nowhere is always funny. To be able to play with it and change it is much better)
And if you create it as open source or freeware including sources, maybe it could be inserted into NWC as a module, and then NWC could be used to make techno music more sounding Techno...

Though I'd prefer that it would allow to make a cello sound lie a cello ;)

Re: Still trying to convert MIDI to WAV

Reply #24 –
Does anybody know where i can find some C++ source code that will manipulate MIDI or use direct sound? I know nothing about C++ but need some simple code with an explaination of whats going on for a college assignment. Thanks.

Re: Still trying to convert MIDI to WAV

Reply #25 –
(...)(I know nothing about) C++ but need some simple code(...): notorious incompatibility there!!!
Go an see this interview.
The best way being to learn some C++ bases from your lessons.
Courage!

Re: Still trying to convert MIDI to WAV

Reply #26 –
'The best way being to learn some C++ bases from your lessons.'

Ive read the interview and now i know why its so hard! We've been 'studying' C++ for 18 months now and still dont know whats going on, but to be honest we dont care anymore because we finish in two weeks and just have this assignment to do by tuesday (!). Its too late to try and learn it now and i wont need to know it again, so i just want to use some already written code which i can then reference in the assignment write up. Thanks for the interview anyway, its quite funny.

Re: Still trying to convert MIDI to WAV

Reply #27 –
Whenever I want to create a WAV using the EXACT sound produced by my wave emulator I simply play the MIDI and record it on my stereo tape deck using and audio lead.  Then I play it back through MIDI in and use any of the free Sound Recorder utilities to record the WAV.  Is it CD quality?  No, but many ears listening through average PC speakers would never know the difference between a CD and a high quality cassette or VCR recorder.  The signal to noise ratio suffers a smidgeon, but I get the voices I really want.

Regards, John

Re: Still trying to convert MIDI to WAV

Reply #28 –
what can I say?

Get a good microphone and play the music loud while recording.

Re: Still trying to convert MIDI to WAV

Reply #29 –
i need help on i am trying to use a microphone in a game called counter-strike and when i go in the room i get the message mmsystem032- MMSYSTEM032 The specified format cannot be translated or supported. Use the Capabilities function to view supported formats. and i dont know how to fix it.
can any one help me

Re: Still trying to convert MIDI to WAV

Reply #31 –
I have MIDI to WAV Converter, works great.