MT-32 conversion question

[Zemus]

It would be possible to make such a soundfont if you recorded all the sounds from the MT-32 after you've loaded the game's sysex bank. Would take a lot of time though to get it right.

[achile464]

Ask me and I can easily give you a satisfactory GM tone list for a KQ% or SQ1 soundfont. Well, KQ5 easily anyway.

Except of course some conversions require different pitches, which means a soundfont won't cut it. Ah well Smile

I disagree! I find converting MT sequences fun! Though it can be tedious sometimes. (KQ5's introduction was a good example of that. Razz)

Ok I send you my e-mail adress in MP

and for the MT-32 sfx  well If that a sound who dosen't exist in GS, it simple to create, just search the wave file and you put it in the soundfont.

[Tom]

I disagree! I find converting MT sequences fun! Though it can be tedious sometimes. (KQ5's introduction was a good example of that

I don't think I've ever heard any of your own MT-32 to GM "conversions"; just arrangements based on Quest Studios files that have already been converted from the MT-32.  Actually, other than Ari, I've not heard of anybody else that does Sierra MT-32 conversions, but I'd sure like to.  I've heard several re-arrangements from different people over the years, but not any real conversions.  Highland Productions used to do some good LEC conversions; don't know if they're still doing it, though.

[Alistair]

Just because you haven't heard it, doesn't mean it hasn't happened.. almost all recordings done by me this year; in fact now that I think about it, all MIDI and digital works done by me this year (save 2 soundtracks submitted to this site) have been behind-the-scenes and heard by me only. (I'd have submitted more to here for example, but not only did I only pick up how easy SysEx actually was when I bought Digital Orch a couple months ago, I've been mainly working digital other than Willy Beamish since I learnt it. And only had a eorking 55 for a month.)

Talking about GS specifically, Laura Bow II is 60% done (haven't touched it for 2 weeks, been doing digital only, not MIDI soundtracking).
I'm sure if I looked through this year's MIDI archives I could find legions of GS stuff.

I'm certainly as competent as Ari, if not your excellent self, Tom. Well, Ari anyway. <grin>

I should submit some themes sometime. No reason why not to..

In fact, I have the perfect one for this weekend, a 'Chi Chi Bar Theme'. Number 1, for SC-55 GS. I liked my version better than the MT original, even. (Though I like it better mixed with the MT's drums..)

- Alistair

[Tom]

"SysEx is easy"?  It's been very difficult for me and I've often struggled with it over the past 15 years; the most cumbersome part of working with MIDI since day one; for me, anyway.  If it wasn't for checksum calculating software and cheat sheets, I'm sure I'd still be strugling with it today.  As more and more pre-made SysEx became available, I haven't had to deal with it as much.

Perhaps you meant, using somebody else's pre-made SysEx string or file is easy.  But, that doesn't make sense, either.  If the SysEx is already made, then there's nothing to do with it except ... use it ... and that's neither easy or hard ... it's already there and ready to use.

But I'm also curious as to how Orchestrator Plus makes SysEx "easy"?  Its' SysEx editor is very limited and no different than the one already used by Cakewalk for years.  There's no HEX editor included, and there's no way of knowing if the SysEx is correct since there's no checksum verifier included....at least not in Digital Orchestrator Professional or Cakewalk Pro Audio 7.  In both editors, as long as you begin and end a string with the proper HEX (doesn't matter what's in the middle of the string), the file will be created and sent to the MIDI device...whether it works or not.

[Alistair]

Well, my Sound Canvases have displays, which makes life much easier.

I should clarify- I now find SC-55 SysEx easier to understand. Not 'easy'. MT-32 SysEx (not patch banks) is difficult, and ED SysEx a nightmare.

Orchestrator Pro makes dealing with SysEx much easier than the methods I used before, and I also use this lovely program called 'VBSYX' or something which will tell you what any given SC/ED/XG SYX file does. What each byte represents as well..

- Alistair