GM compitable vsti or dxi host

[_r2d2]

From a Hydrogenaudio forum post by "kode54":

For now, you must acquire a proper DXi synthesizer. Either Virtual Sound Canvas DXi, or Hyper Canvas. As far as I know, only the former supports GS MIDI, including SysEx messages for activating multiple drum channels.

I decided not to support the synthesizer properties dialog just yet, as each instance of the synthesizer would need its own dialog. I've also found that most of them don't remember preferences across sessions, unless I happen to support saving the performance data. I found that performance data is usually around 300KB, and includes a LOT of data specific to the synthesizer state for the current or most recently played sequence data, including current instruments, volume levels, reverb levels, (which can only be changed by standard SysEx with VSC DXi... damn you Hyper Canvas for not being GS.) possibly even lots of internal state variables such as the last used volume envelopes and whatnot. Too much song specific data to store just to remember a polyphony level higher than the default.

There's also the LiveSynth Pro DXi, but it has some annoying deficiencies:

1) It cannot load more than one SoundFont to each bank number. You cannot load a GM bank to bank 0 and then overlay a GS add-on bank starting at bank 0.
2) It cannot be configured to load a certain preset or bank at startup. It will always have to be reconfigured for every single instance. Modifying foo_midi to always keep one instance running and reset it between songs is too stupid for me to consider.

Maybe, with luck, someone will write a DXi interface into TiMidity++. That is, if TiMidity++ supports multiple instances in one process. Even though (I think I remember) it's C++, it might use static variables and such...

Writing a frontend to the TiMidity++ executable is not a good idea. For one, the process contains no mechanism for triggering a "clean" shutdown without modification, such as what zdoom requires. Terminating the task is probably not the cleanest way to shut it down.

Plus, each instance will then load its own copy of the current instrument bank. It will not be able to keep the bank resident for the session, with the option to unload it at any time. Start up, reload instrument bank, render until terminated, unload set, shut down. Every time.

I suppose the same problem of reloading exists for the current DXi's, but at least they share the instrument bank across instances. No, I am not modifying it to keep one instance running. Resetting it between songs would probably be flaky at best.


Sounds like a pretty sucky way to deal with midi files to me. I'm curious, why are you so set on playing midi through a program that doesn't really support it all that well

Maybe...but I like to have one program that handles all files, not one for midi, and another one for flac and mp3.

[C00kie]

I don't agree. I use a hammer for nails and a screwdriver for screws.

Now (\/)$ wanst us to use this Swiss Army Knife (media player). I don't like Swiss Army knifes, since they're so bulky you can't even properly cut an apple in two with it

[Sepheritoh]

I think this is getting too much "off topic", I need a vsti or dxi or whatever c00kie said I needed, not soundfonts. I already have lots of soundfonts.

I'm not sure how to put it mate, but the only FREE ones comes with some host or other. Powertools is pretty cheep at $49 and you get TC Helicon (the only reason why I got it).

If you don't want that your ONLY choice is sfz. If you don't know where to get it, try http://www.kvr-vst.com. If you don't know where to find any soundfonts (which you say have many already) you are lost. There are REAllY BAD ones for less than 1mb available. If you want good ones, try to search http://www.kvr-vst.com.

[_r2d2]

Then I will try to get a trial version of hypercanvas or whatever.