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BassMIDI driver for Better MIDI sound

Started by Alestance , Aug 18 2011 04:17 PM

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58 replies to this topic

#1 Alestance

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Posted 18 August 2011 - 04:17 PM

After attempting for too long to write AZCEMS 2, I think maybe its just time to get this guide up and running instead.

QUOTE

The BASSMIDI MIDI synthesizer driver is a freeware SoundFont based Windows MIDI system driver (created by Kode54 and MudLord) for Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7. It uses the BASS and BASSMIDI audio libraries by Ian Luck (Un4seen Developments) as the SoundFont synthesizer, and includes a BASSMIDI Driver configuration utility.

The BASSMIDI SoundFont compatible MIDI synthesizer driver features:

Dynamic sample caching (so it's super efficient on RAM usage).
Unlimited polyphony.
SoundFont chaining and stacking (using a simple list file "BASSMIDI.SFList").
Global volume slider to set master BASSMIDI Driver MIDI playback volume.
Works on Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7, including 64-bit versions.
Extremely low latency (almost zero, depending on CPU speed and operating system, and BASSMIDI Driver version); perfect for real-time performance, as well as MIDI sequencing (with a MIDI sequencer such as Cakewalk Professional v3.01).
The best sounding SoundFont compatible software synthesizer, hands down... with the closest sounding MIDI playback to real E-mu SoundFont hardware available!

Support for the following MIDI controllers and events:
MIDI note events.
MIDI program events.
Master volume level.
Channel pressure.
Pitch wheel.
Bank change MSB (CC#0).
Modulation (CC#1).
Portamento (CC#65, CC#84, and CC#5).
Volume (CC#7).
Panning (CC#10).
Expression (CC#11).
Sustain pedal (CC#64).
Soft pedal (CC#67).
Low-pass filter resonance (CC#71 or NRPN 121h).
Release time (CC#72 or NRPN 166h).
Attack time (CC#73 or NRPN 163h).
Low-pass filter cut-off (CC#74 or NRPN 120h).
Reverb send level (CC#91).
Chorus send level (CC#93).
Stop all sounds (CC#120).
Reset all controllers (CC#121).
Release all keys (CC#123).
Mono/poly mode (CC#126 and CC#127, respectively).
Pitch wheel range (RPN 0).
Fine tuning (RPN 1).
Coarse tuning (RPN 2).

Support for the following MIDI events (if GS or GM2 mode is activated):
Drum key low-pass filter cut-off (NRPN 14knh).
Drum key low-pass filter resonance (NRPN 15knh).
Drum key coarse tune (NRPN 18knh).
Drum key fine tune (NRPN 19knh).
Drum key volume level (NRPN 1Aknh).
Drum key panning (NRPN 1Cknh).
Drum key reverb send level (NRPN 1Dknh).
Drum key chorus send level (NRPN 1Eknh).


Basically, this driver is a beast. It supports ALL of the features of General MIDI 2 and Yamaha XG. More Information Here

Download
You can find the complete installation guide here

EDIT: According to DarkMatt, VirtualMidiSynth may be a better choice. I haven't personally tested it, so use at your own risk.

For those of you who want to have sound thats close to the Yamaha XG soundset, you can download this soundfont . For those of you who prefer the original MIDI sounds, or want to use it for testing purposes, use this Soundfont.

If you have a powerful PC, you should use THIS SOUNDFONT.(Thank Sephiroth for hosting it.) It is massive, but it sounds REALLY REALLY nice!

Check back for AZCEMS 2, and a guide to using FL Studio to access the extra features of BASSMIDI.

Updated 1/11/2013

#2 Cukeman

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Posted 18 August 2011 - 04:24 PM

All I want to do is replace a MIDI instrument with one from the LttP soundfont.
I already have spc2midi and anvil studio, should I use one of them, or should
I install BassMIDI? I only want to change instruments, I would never need to
compose or remix music.

#3 Alestance

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Posted 18 August 2011 - 04:26 PM

You CAN'T change the instruments of MIDI with the normal Windows MIDI driver.

You CAN with BASSMIDI. If you want to change the instruments, you can take one of those soundfonts up there, and then layer the LTTP soundfont over that, replacing the instruments. The BassMIDI configuration program loads the soundfonts in order, from top to bottom. The lower the soundfont is, the more likely you'll hear that.

The LTTP soundfont is extremely incomplete though, so you NEED a base soundfont under it, or you won't hear much of anything.

#4 Zim Elite

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Posted 18 August 2011 - 04:33 PM

Pardon my stupidity, but I am SO CONFUSED.

#5 Alestance

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Posted 18 August 2011 - 04:36 PM

QUOTE(Zim Elite @ Aug 18 2011, 05:33 PM) View Post

Pardon my stupidity, but I am SO CONFUSED.


Let me correct that:

This is the MIDI your MIDI could sound like

In short, this is a MIDI driver to replace your own. It uses files called soundfonts as instrument sets. It has features that make your MIDI sound more organic and realistic.

#6 MoscowModder

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Posted 18 August 2011 - 05:09 PM

I already have Timidity installed from your AZCEMS 1.0 setup thread. How exactly will this improve on Timidity besides a better soundfont?

I just want to know what I'm installing before I replace what I already have.

#7 Alestance

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Posted 18 August 2011 - 05:17 PM

QUOTE(MoscowModder @ Aug 18 2011, 06:09 PM) View Post

I already have Timidity installed from your AZCEMS 1.0 setup thread. How exactly will this improve on Timidity besides a better soundfont?

I just want to know what I'm installing before I replace what I already have.


Well, for one, I am not required to write this:

Spoiler
to get Bank Selection working. Translation: Easier to set up multiple bank sets, for more than 128 different instruments

BassMIDI's Lowpass Filter works flawlessly without extensive trial and error. Translation: Your instruments have a wide range of variation making them sound more natural if used properly

You'll be able to hear many MIDIS(with XG and GS MIDI standards) the way they were meant to. Translation: Those MIDIs you like don't have to be encoded to MP3 for them to sound right anymore

Timidity hasn't been updated since 2008, and a lot of its features are buggy, and some of its features don't work correctly. It has crashed A LOT on me, and its also much slower and less efficient. Translation: BassMIDI won't Lag or Break as much.

Overall, the BassMIDI driver provides a wide range of features and controllers to make MIDI sound more realistic, which is why I'm begging everyone who has Timidity to remove it. This is better, period.

#8 Cukeman

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Posted 18 August 2011 - 05:30 PM

One question: If I send someone a .qst file featuring a MIDI which uses a soundfont instrument
(which is not one of the default MIDI instruments) will it play properly for them if they don't have
anything other than ZC installed?

Edited by Cukeman, 18 August 2011 - 05:31 PM.

#9 Twilight Knight

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Posted 18 August 2011 - 06:43 PM

No, I do not think so.

I will try this, seeing you are so hyped about it Alestance. Having better sound quality is always nice, right?

Edit: Holy crap, this is wonderful! Absolutely is... A midi song sounds like a .mp3 from now on.

Edited by Twilight_Knight, 18 August 2011 - 06:50 PM.

#10 Cukeman

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Posted 18 August 2011 - 06:51 PM

So what would be the simplest method of getting the instruments I choose to play on someone
else's computer if I send them a .qst file? Because the whole thing isn't much good if it only
works on my personal computer.

Anyways, I am pretty stoked that I got this up and running, but I can't figure out how to
add instruments to NoteWorthy Composer. When I set everything up I used the soundfont
you posted right after the Yamaha XG soundfont.

After I got it all set up, I added more soundfonts to the BassMIDI Driver Configuration Utility,
and I tried to refresh the "BASSMIDI Driver" in the "Devices Used By Playback" dialog box.
But when I go to select a new instrument the instrument list hasn't changed.

Edited by Cukeman, 18 August 2011 - 11:11 PM.

#11 Twilight Knight

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Posted 18 August 2011 - 07:22 PM

You can tell them to download the soundfont. You can also make use of MP3s instead of midis.

#12 Cukeman

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Posted 18 August 2011 - 07:39 PM

If I place an MP3 as my screen music, will it stop playing immediately when I leave the screen or DMap?
This is what I have been trying to do with a WAV file, and the reason I am trying to change the instrument on my MIDI.

Edited by Cukeman, 18 August 2011 - 07:39 PM.

#13 Alestance

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Posted 18 August 2011 - 07:45 PM

QUOTE(Twilight_Knight @ Aug 18 2011, 08:22 PM) View Post

You can also make use of MP3s instead of midis.


Which doesn't loop and sounds terrible. icon_wink.gif

#14 NoeL

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Posted 18 August 2011 - 07:53 PM

Sounds pretty good to me!

#15 Alestance

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Posted 19 August 2011 - 04:13 PM

I wrote a demo midi showcasing the sound variation that can be achieved using BassMIDI. Regretibly it doesn't sound quite as good on the yamaha soundfont than the roland one.
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