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Topic: Midi Driver Problem (Read 2408 times) previous topic - next topic

Midi Driver Problem

Hullo.. I have been using Noteworthy for some time now... this question may not have anything to do with the main product.. but its to help me make my midi's sound better and more worthy to compose ~ ~ ~

My uncle had recently switched my sound card while he was upgrading my motherboard.. Problem with this sound card.. my midi files dont sound as good as they used to.. they sound more 1 toned and its driving me crazy... is there a way to get my midi's to sound better than they are now?

Re: Midi Driver Problem

Reply #1 –
Since your newer sound card actually functions, let me make a guess:

Your original MIDI file was created so that it sounded good using whatever instrument sounds were available at the time. Your new sound card may use different sounds. Even if the new card has "more accurate" instrument definitions, it may sound worse, if the original file was optimized for "worse sounding" instruments.

That's the case with a few of the MIDI files now in general circulation on the Internet. They were created using instruments, particularly saxophones, which sound OK using the heavily-synth (and un-sax-like) sounds of older sound cards. Play those MIDIs with higher quality sound definitions, and the total effect deteriorates.

This is particularly true if the MIDI file uses a lot of FX, such as pitch bending. These may not play the same with the newer card.

Possible solution: Re-define the instruments. That is, change which instrument is assigned to which MIDI channel.

Re: Midi Driver Problem

Reply #2 –
Another wild guess (since you didn't tell us what kind of card you now have) - you may have your soundcard set for the "legacy" SB16-compatible midi device, rather than the more sophisticated ones that it may be capable of. Look in Control Panel | Multimedia | Midi | Single Instrument. Your available midi devices will be listed there.

If it's set to something like "OPL3" or "FM midi" or "Legacy SB16" or something to that effect -- that'll be the cheesy SB16 device. Select another one and try it out using media player or whatever. (If there's one called "External Midi" or "MPU-401" or something like that, this is for an external synth and won't give you any sound through the sound card.)

Once you find the device that works best for you, NWC will use that device if you've set it to the "Midi Mapper" device in Tools | Options | Midi. Or you can select a different device, bypassing the "default" used by selecting the midi mapper.
 

Re: Midi Driver Problem

Reply #3 –
If your old mother board had a PCI sound card (i.e. not incorporated in the motherboard) you might want to move it to the new motherboard. Depending on the motherboard, you can (from noteworthy) select either of them, or you have to disable one.