Music - Not using Midi

[odg_productions]

Hi guys, I'm new here, glad to join you!

Ok I've been reading through the forums and loving where these projects are going, I've looked at the music folder by will936 but haven't been able to download it at the moment (little problem with megaupload) - So as I understand, these are just the general midi files converted to mp3? or have they all been edited with professional VSTs/RTAS to improve the sound?

I was thinking it would be nice to revamp all the music - I'm a music producer myself and think that the FF7 music would definitly benefit from some industry standard VSTs, real life sampled drum kits and real sampled orchestra instruments to make it sound a lot more real life.

I've searched the forums but can't seem to find much about this so I hope I'm not treading on anyones toes by suggesting this - if someone has already undertaken this project then I'd love to help out.

Please let me know your thoughts!

Liam

[obesebear]

Are you planning to start a project?

[Kudistos Megistos]

I believe Final Fantim has resampled the OST, not just converted MIDIs to mp3.

But don't let that stop you; the more versions of the OST we have, the better. It means more choice for people who, for whatever reason, don't care for someone's interpretation of the songs. Just to check: you're making a proper, orchestral style remix, right? Imagining how it would sound if Uematsu had had the Vienna Philharmonic to work with? You're not going to make a load of techno/metal remixes, are you?

[Covarr]

Finalfantim's remastered soundtrack is definitely based on the midis, but it's also not just a straight up conversion, he used some good instrument sounds and all that. I don't recall if he said what DAW he was working with, but it's obvious he put a lot of effort into making it sound good and fairly realistic.

[odg_productions]

Are you planning to start a project?

Yes I would like to start a project for this.

[odg_productions]

I believe Final Fantim has resampled the OST, not just converted MIDIs to mp3.

But don't let that stop you; the more versions of the OST we have, the better. It means more choice for people who, for whatever reason, don't care for someone's interpretation of the songs. Just to check: you're making a proper, orchestral style remix, right? Imagining how it would sound if Uematsu had had the Vienna Philharmonic to work with? You're not going to make a load of techno/metal remixes, are you?

No don't worry - no techno/metal remixes! Was thinking of keeping the songs exactly the way they are but just improving the instrument sounds - yes precisely using philharmonic and various synths & drum kits to just improve the overall sound

[odg_productions]

What I do need is some way to rip the midi files straight from the discs, I know you can get fan midi files online (at ffshrine for e.g.), but I wanted the exact ones from the game (so I'd have the correct lengths and tempos) - Anyone have any advice on this?

[Timber]

I believe the midis are located in data\midi\midi.lgp
lgp files are archives, you need to use Aali's UnLGP to extract it.

I look forward to hearing what you come up with
Also please note, that if you plan on sharing your music here, please make them looping OGG files, so we may use them in the game.

[sithlord48]

iirc you can extract the midi files directly from the lgp's you will need unlgp (use aali's version)
you can find the sound files in  <ff7path>/data/midi/ (there are several versions. but they all need to be uncompressed first.)

if you are having problems getting aali's lgp i make this little installer for window and linux users (if by chance your on mac os i can compile you a copy if need be)

http://dopplereffect.shacknet.nu/data/lgp_tools_multipack_by_sithlord48-1.0.zip

[obesebear]

What I do need is some way to rip the midi files straight from the discs, I know you can get fan midi files online (at ffshrine for e.g.), but I wanted the exact ones from the game (so I'd have the correct lengths and tempos) - Anyone have any advice on this?

I dont know why, but I've decided I like you.   Therefore, I'll simply let you know that double/triple posting will normally get you warned, so please refrain from doing it in the future.   For the rest of the rules, check the top thread of any forum.

[syntax error]

The midis are supplied in 3 different forms,General MIDI,SB 32/AWE SF 2.0,and XG.
THe XG version is nice on a XG softsynth.
The soundfont depend on a AWE rom and there is a different loaded for the last battle.

Someone made a FFVII forSB LIve soundfont but he exchanged some of the instruments and
 added rearraged MIDI files that sound more like the psx version.not usable for normal midis

Would be nice to have a upgraded SF2 or DLS that could be of universal use and for ff7.
I have a aureal vortex with up to 8mb hardware synth here.

[odg_productions]

My apologies for the triple post - I'm fairly new to forums.

Thanks for the help with the midi files, it'll come in handy for dropping them straight into cubase. I was also reading about loopable OGGs, I didn't realise there was a slight delay with mp3, is this just a case of exporting the song to OGG? Or is there an option to make it loopable?

Would be nice to have a upgraded SF2 or DLS that could be of universal use and for ff7.
I have a aureal vortex with up to 8mb hardware synth here.

- Sorry don't really work with soundfonts in that way, I simply use midi to be used in a simple form through cubase and with different instruments.

Thanks for the help guys, I'll post some stuff up when i get a few songs done.

[sithlord48]

if you could make better sounding midi that would be the best. it would loop automagicly, and would require no extra software, (midi has come a long ways since 1997). as for the mp3/ogg debate, my vote is ogg for two reasons,

1. it can loop to places other then the start of a song (kinda required to make this loop correctly)
2. the codec is free as in beer.

[Timber]

I was also reading about loopable OGGs, I didn't realise there was a slight delay with mp3, is this just a case of exporting the song to OGG? Or is there an option to make it loopable?

Well like sithlord said, you don't always want to loop back to the start of the song, so you actually need to specifiy the loop points in the meta data of the OGG files.

See here for an examples: http://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=10294.0

[Covarr]

if you could make better sounding midi that would be the best. it would loop automagicly, and would require no extra software, (midi has come a long ways since 1997).

I don't care how well it is sequenced, midi will sound crap on Windows unless you have a kickass softsynth. Microsoft's built-in midi synthesizer is just awful. Decent sound would indeed require a soundfont, or extra software.

The music included with the game is about the best you're gonna be able to get with plain midi and nothing else.