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Listening to MIDIs the way they sound in ZC/ZQ


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#1 Rinku7

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Posted 23 December 2021 - 08:25 AM

Hello there,

 

(Feel free to move the topic if the location is inappropriate)
 

I'm wondering how I can listen to MIDIs and having them sound the way they sound in Zelda Classic or in Zquest's playback feature?

I'm testing this with a few midi files from Lost Isle I like a lot, more specifically Sky Garden and Horgrus Summit - so far, I have not been able to find a setup that makes both of them sound good at the same time.

It's always either Horgrus Summit missing its jingles, or Sky Garden missing its drums.

 

I've tried it on VLC player and on VanBasko's Karaoke player (supplemented with VirtualMidiSynth) with different soundfonts, but none of them manages not to ruin at least one of these two songs.

 

I think it might help if I knew what kind of soundfont ZC/ZQ uses? If I use the same one, it should sound pretty similar, right? (Not a programmer or expert on music files or anything)

It'd be cool if I could listen to what feels to me like the "original" sound of those midis without having to open ZQ each time.

 

Thank you for the help! It's much appreciated.

 

UPDATE: I installed VirtualMidiSynth this morning but as soon as I did, ZC started using it as midi out device for some reason and the ingame music sounded terrible that way, so I uninstalled it again.

But yes, anyway, I need to find out what soundfont ZC uses and set that soundfont for VLC player (as far as I know, VanBasko's player doesn't let you change soundfonts, correct me if I'm wrong).


Edited by Rinku7, 23 December 2021 - 04:41 PM.


#2 BFeely

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Posted 24 December 2021 - 04:33 PM

ZC uses the default MIDI sequencer device.  Have you tried using Windows Media Player?


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#3 Evan20000

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Posted 25 December 2021 - 12:16 PM

Virtual Midi Synth has an option to emulate the (awful) old default windows midi soundfont if you're so inclined. That said, you can also use it to make ZC midis sound more pleasant than a suspiciously wet fart while waiting in traffic after making sure that the midi in question doesn't blast people's ears with its stupidly shrill flute or w/e after importing it by using custom defined soundfonts.



#4 Rinku7

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Posted 08 January 2022 - 06:44 AM

Thank you for your replies, BFeely and Evan!

 

ZC uses the default MIDI sequencer device.  Have you tried using Windows Media Player?

That's pretty much what I've been trying as well, yes. Most tracks sound the same in Windows Media Player as they do in ZC, but for some reason, Sky Garden is lacking its drums entirely when played in Windows Media Player.

I don't understand why and I'm at a loss.



#5 Moosh

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Posted 08 January 2022 - 07:34 PM

Thank you for your replies, BFeely and Evan!

 

That's pretty much what I've been trying as well, yes. Most tracks sound the same in Windows Media Player as they do in ZC, but for some reason, Sky Garden is lacking its drums entirely when played in Windows Media Player.

I don't understand why and I'm at a loss.

ZC is sometimes known to have issues with midi playback that can cause midis to play differently. This would be the first I've heard of WMP removing them though. What if you open it in Anvil Studio? You should be able to at least see the missing drum channel even if it doesn't play properly and it may be possible to figure out the issue from there.


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#6 Rinku7

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Posted 09 January 2022 - 04:16 PM

ZC is sometimes known to have issues with midi playback that can cause midis to play differently. This would be the first I've heard of WMP removing them though. What if you open it in Anvil Studio? You should be able to at least see the missing drum channel even if it doesn't play properly and it may be possible to figure out the issue from there.

Thank your for your reply, Moosh. I just downloaded Anvil Studio and wow, I can indeed see all of the channels that way, I've never done anything like that before.

 

And indeed, here it is, the missing drum channel. In fact, if you look at all those, errr, black dot thingies, it seems to be used quite much (or at least should), but even if I turn its volume up to the max, there's not much of said drumming besides the occasional lone drum sound if you listen very closely, so it doesn't seem like those "black dots" are actually all being played, if that makes sense (I apologise for the lacking terminology).

 

Which is completely unlike the way it is played in ZC/Zquest, where the drumming part is extremely prominent throughout the song and very rhythmic indeed.

 

anvil.JPG

 

Again, thank you for your help & time!

 

 

EDIT: For some reason, I can't upload the screenshot... after trying both PNG and JPG files and different picture hosting sites, I still get that "you are not allowed to use that image extension in this community". Any ideas?


Edited by Rinku7, 09 January 2022 - 04:35 PM.

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#7 Bagu

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Posted 09 January 2022 - 04:27 PM

EDIT: For some reason, I can't upload the screenshot... after trying both PNG and JPG files and different picture hosting sites, I still get that "you are not allowed to use that image extension in this community". Any ideas?

 


You have to provide it by an extern source (imgur, discord or even fb 'n stuff ;) ).
...then you just click on the image icon in the PureZC post editor, enter the link within the bar in the dialogue window and post it.

I got the same problems, when I tried to share images on PureZC, the first time.


Edited by Bagu, 09 January 2022 - 04:27 PM.


#8 Rinku7

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Posted 09 January 2022 - 04:30 PM

 

You have to provide it by an extern source (imgur, discord or even fb 'n stuff ;) ).
...then you just click on the image icon in the PureZC post editor, enter the link within the bar in the dialogue window and post it.

I got the same problems, when I tried to share images on PureZC, the first time.

 

 

Well, that's what I did (I used two image hosting sites, though I didn't use imgur, maybe I should have used that one) and it didn't work, however trying out discord was a good idea. Seems it works that way. Image added to my previous post. Thank you for your help!


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#9 Moosh

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Posted 09 January 2022 - 08:36 PM

Thank your for your reply, Moosh. I just downloaded Anvil Studio and wow, I can indeed see all of the channels that way, I've never done anything like that before.

 

And indeed, here it is, the missing drum channel. In fact, if you look at all those, errr, black dot thingies, it seems to be used quite much (or at least should), but even if I turn its volume up to the max, there's not much of said drumming besides the occasional lone drum sound if you listen very closely, so it doesn't seem like those "black dots" are actually all being played, if that makes sense (I apologise for the lacking terminology).

 

Which is completely unlike the way it is played in ZC/Zquest, where the drumming part is extremely prominent throughout the song and very rhythmic indeed.

 

anvil.JPG

 

Again, thank you for your help & time!

 

 

EDIT: For some reason, I can't upload the screenshot... after trying both PNG and JPG files and different picture hosting sites, I still get that "you are not allowed to use that image extension in this community". Any ideas?

I took a look at the midi in question and can confirm there's something up with that drum track that's making it silent. I think what may be going on is it has some kind of midi event that ZC is completely ignoring or misinterpreting. I was able to make it a little more audible by selecting the Snare track and going into View->Event List, then clicking Delete Events and checking both boxes. Then I was able to boost the volume of all the individual notes by going to Edit->Select All and then Edit->Change Volume or Pitch, Move, or Delete notes... 

 

I have no idea what's going on with this midi and this issue goes beyond my very limited understanding. Some notes are still inexplicably louder even after levelling their volumes, and which notes these are doesn't seem consistent even when I play the same section twice. As far as I understand midi should not be able to do this. There's gremlins afoot.




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