Author Topic: The PCDLS...Project...Thingy. (Read 18567 times)

KojiroTakenashi · « **Reply #25 on:** 2003-01-02 19:47:59 »

I wouldn't know. I abandoned the M$ GS Synth long ago for the MS DLS Synth.

I think the GS synth really relies on the .idf file. Anyone know exactly what it does?

NetHead · « **Reply #26 on:** 2003-01-02 20:04:05 »

A quick guess at the acronym would be "Instrument Definition File", but I wouldn't know

.

Where's this file located?

EDIT: Upload is done

Another edit: You know, this gives me an idea. If someone could make a loopback device to send all MIDI data to the MS DLS synth, that'd be awesome

Goku7 · « **Reply #27 on:** 2003-01-02 23:34:57 »

Quote from: KojiroTakenashi

I think the GS synth really relies on the .idf file. Anyone know exactly what it does?

I have somewhat of an idea of its function. From what I know, Windows refers to that file when sending information to a MIDI device. Appearantly, back in the days when GM was totally new, and having 16 channels was hi-tech, there were other modes, called "Extended MIDI" and "Basic MIDI" (I'm foggy on whether or not "Basic MIDI" is the correct term), that determined what channels the synth had available. "Extended MIDI" used channels 1-10 only, and "Basic MIDI" used even fewer channels, like only 4 or 5.

Anyway, it is also used when clicking the "Add New Instrument..." button in the MIDI tab of Multimedia properties. After you tell windows what port the MIDI instrument (its really supposed to be for when you need to manually tell windows that you've got an electronic keyboard hooked up) is connected to, and then it asks you for the .idf file, and in that case, the General.idf should work fine unless the keyboard came with its own custom ".idf" file that windows should use.

KojiroTakenashi · « **Reply #28 on:** 2003-01-03 01:15:56 »

Ah. alright.
Nope, I have Awave full. It just keeps crashing...I usueally have to hope and pray it won't corrupt my work on it.

NetHead · « **Reply #29 on:** 2003-01-03 20:25:27 »

If we could get someone to program a MIDI loopback device that goes to DirectMusic, then we could use the Microsoft DLS Synth. We'd get more than the sucky 64 notes of polyphony that GS provides, and level 2 support! I couldn't find any loopback devices that supported output through DirectMusic. However, I've no idea how hard it'll be to create such a program/driver, though, with my great 6 months of TI-83 calculator programming experience.

Anyone?

KojiroTakenashi · « **Reply #30 on:** 2003-01-03 20:57:00 »

TI-83. Better than my early DOS BASIC or my TRS-80 beep-tone generation!

Ok, extra programmer will be added to roster.

Goku7 · « **Reply #31 on:** 2003-01-03 22:25:13 »

If you're just trying to casually listen to MIDI files thru DirectMusic in a normal Windows desktop environment (read: No in-game or DOS situations), then any recent version of Winamp (except Winamp3) should work.

Another perk of using Winamp to do that, is that the DirectMusic playback it does is a native function to the plugin, plus you can select which DLS file you want it to use for playback, in the plugin's configuration dialog box.

Also, be aware that the M$ DLS Synthesizer is only capable of doing Reverb effects. Why? My guess is M$ got lazy and decided not to code in the ability to do Chorus.

But.......the M$ DLS Synthesizer is the only one that can handle DLS-Level2 files, as of DirectX 8/8.1.

NetHead · « **Reply #32 on:** 2003-01-05 22:03:22 »

I believe the purpose is to allow any MIDI application to use the DLS synth, making MIDI playback in general (not for any specific application) better sounding. Don't care about chorus, nobody uses it

.

Lord Kane · « **Reply #33 on:** 2003-01-06 01:54:45 »

Interestingly, with DirectX 9 and the latest version of my Audigy drivers, I get a Hardware DLS compatible Synthesister (not the MS one), and it sounds good. Thus Winamp is agood choice for me to listen to Midi

Aaron · « **Reply #34 on:** 2003-01-06 02:31:34 »

Yeah, my SBLive! seems able to do hardware DLS. I've played FF8 with it, seems just about the same as using MS's synthesizer.

I still like Yamaha's the most for just listening to MIDI files, though.

KojiroTakenashi · « **Reply #35 on:** 2003-01-06 19:49:45 »

Good news, I may be getting some excellent drum samples soon. My old Physics teacher has a wicked home-made drum set that he does_not_move. I may be getting some samples from it.

NetHead · « **Reply #36 on:** 2003-01-06 20:48:44 »

Hmm... Shall I upload my Level 2 DLS?

Goku7 · « **Reply #37 on:** 2003-01-06 21:30:44 »

Sure, why not? I know for certain that (on my system at least), the M$ DLS Synthesizer can handle it, because of the support that was added in DX8 (and 9, I can surmise)

NetHead · « **Reply #38 on:** 2003-01-06 22:57:58 »

Uploading now... Will edit this post when it's done. (Yikes, even larger... 95MB... and that's without the GM2/GS/MT instruments

)

Edit: All done! http://www.digital-chaos.net/downloads/pcdls/pcdls.zip

KojiroTakenashi · « **Reply #39 on:** 2003-01-07 00:10:22 »

Hmm, I wonder if DX9 can add true-hardware level DLS to my system?

Goku7 · « **Reply #40 on:** 2003-01-07 00:17:29 »

I doubt it, unless you have updated drivers for your sound card as well.

The reason why the M$ DLS Synthesizer "acquires" the ability when you update to DX8 or later, is because its software, and its code ain't "written in stone"; its changable.

True "hardware DLS" may be impossible to add level2 support to if the hardware capability isn't already there. Of course there's always the chance that it is and the drivers don't use it, but that could be another story....

NetHead · « **Reply #41 on:** 2003-01-11 03:05:12 »

Has anyone done anything with the DLS I posted? I'm probably going to continue exporting the rest of the GM2/GS/MT instruments (the other half)...

BTW, if someone can find a Rhythm or Ethnic Kit (Roland), that'd be great. I've already found an Asian Kit, and it's included in the DLS, but I can't seem to find the Rhythm and Ethnic Kits.

KojiroTakenashi · « **Reply #42 on:** 2003-01-11 15:52:41 »

I did my uber-extensive testing, and I told you some of my results on AIM already. However, there were too many muted instruments to be conclusive. It sounds good though.

Smurgen · « **Reply #43 on:** 2003-01-11 16:28:22 »

the drums that are there are AWESOME...but
as stated most other instrumentes are way too low

NetHead · « **Reply #44 on:** 2003-01-11 18:57:37 »

I'm guessing you all mean that the volume level of the instruments is too low? Strange, it was causing distortion on my MS GS synth (which goes away when I switch to MS DLS)... Luckily that can be easily fixed.

BTW, you aren't using the default reverb, are you? That completely kills the DLS and makes it sound really bad.

Smurgen · « **Reply #45 on:** 2003-01-11 21:08:34 »

im using Winamp to load the DLS with its nifty plugin

NetHead · « **Reply #46 on:** 2003-01-11 21:41:50 »

Yeah, if I'm not mistaken that uses reverb by default (and makes it sound like the band's playing in a garage). Turn off reverb or go get DirectMusic Producer (free) and uses something like Concert Hall. I truly don't think it sounds as bad as described.

Smurgen · « **Reply #47 on:** 2003-01-12 00:56:37 »

i turned off the reverb
its not that necessiarly, its some instruments are too low