XG Midi

[2Mourty]

I just picked up a db60xg that I attached to the wave blaster header on my old sb16.  FF7 to my ears sounds better than ever now that I have the music running in xg mode on a yamaha xg midi card.  To be fair it does sound different than the psx version.  I like the percussion, horns, and electric guitar sounds better in the setup I'm running now.  Some of the other sounds are better in the psx version however.  If anybody else has the equipment to run the xg midi data in the game I would like to know your opinions on how it sounds, what do you like or don't like, and do you think it is worth it for somebody else to pick up a db50xg or db60xg for cheap on ebay.  Sorry if I posted to the wrong forum, this is the one I automatically went to because I always look at this one.  =)

[Zack]

I think anyone can listen to XG midi using the Yamaha Softsynthesizer. If using Windows XP I think you need to obtain a copy of the S-YXG50 software sythesizor as the S-YXG70 which is included on the FFVII dics does not work in XP.

The XG midi is a lot nice than the standard midi in the PC version, but overall I think the PSX music is the best.

[2Mourty]

Thanks for your thoughts!  You can use the software synthesizer and get some decent results, but it doesn't sound as good as the actual hardware synthesizer.  The software synthesizer has more harsh treble sound in it and sounds more "synthie" than the actual hardware xg synthesizer does.  I don't just  use this board for ff7 I use it in other old games such as descent I or system shock 1.  Again thank you for your thoughts!   One track where the psx version is definitely better is "One Winged Angel" at the end of the game, they didn't get the custom sample which allows for the singing that you hear in the psx version, the track just doesn't have the same punch without it.  On the other hand I think "Tifa's theme" sounds better on the xg synthesizer the instruments sound more natural especially the bassoon, and the chorus and reverb effects are VERY nice.  (Yeah I know I am a music/sound geek.)  Anybody else's thoughts?  I could try and make some recordings, though I don't have the best recording equipment if somebody needed them.

[Aaron]

While I don't think you can use it and XG MIDI at the same time (without some custom work, anyway), there is a soundfont included with FF7 that includes the vocals in "One-Winged Angel" that can be loaded if you sound card supports it.

[Salk]

I am a MIDI freak and satisfied owner of a Yamaha SW1000XG.

With my equipment, I have nothing to complain about music-wise when I play FF7.

It is simply excellent.

[2Mourty]

I'm glad you have the equipment to enjoy it Salk!  I was really surprised by how good the results were the first time I fired it up with the db60xg!