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QUESTION ABOUT MIDI SOUND QUALITY
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Dyluck
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CloseThis is kind of a noob question about midis. I've noticed that my midis sound somewhat different when played in say Winamp compared to when it is played within RMVX ACE. My question then is, does RMVX ACE have it's own "midi player" and therefore whatever I hear will sound exactly the same for everyone who plays the game? Or do midis sound different on every computer depending on other factors?
MIDIs use the software inside of a PC's soundcard to play. Do you know .MOD files? Where the file is just a package of sequenced-music information and sample information? A MIDI is a file that's the music information, and it uses the sample information inside of a person's soundcard. That's why their filesize is so small... there's no samples directly inside of them.
Because of this, MIDIs might sound different from computer to computer because soundcards might contain different MIDI samples, depending on what the soundcard manufacturer wanted to include.
If the MIDI sounds different when played between different applications on the same computer, it might be because the different applications have different means of reading the music information inside of the MIDI.
If you REALLY want the same sound, you can create an MP3 (no music or sample information... just raw sound data) out of your MIDI, and it will sound the same on every computer.
Because of this, MIDIs might sound different from computer to computer because soundcards might contain different MIDI samples, depending on what the soundcard manufacturer wanted to include.
If the MIDI sounds different when played between different applications on the same computer, it might be because the different applications have different means of reading the music information inside of the MIDI.
If you REALLY want the same sound, you can create an MP3 (no music or sample information... just raw sound data) out of your MIDI, and it will sound the same on every computer.
ubon
66
it's the big drawback of MIDI sound, although it tends to bother composers more than listeners. as for alternate formats, I'd recommend .ogg -- its compression is more efficient than .mp3, meaning it takes up less space without sacrificing sound quality, and unlike .mp3, most .ogg plugins recognize metadata tags like LOOPSTART and LOOPLENGTH, allowing you to customize the loop points. .mp3 files take some time to buffer before they begin to play, as well, while .ogg files don't have this delay.
basically, .ogg files are better than .mp3 files in every way when it comes to game stuff. the best part is that .ogg is a free format, so it's even quite popular with AAA developers.
you can make an .mp3 into an .ogg with most free sound editing programs, although I like Audacity best. WinVorbis is whatcha use to edit metadata! the exact method of setting loop points is a little bit complex, but it's quick once you've got it down. if there isn't already a tutorial on it here on rmn, I can make one.
basically, .ogg files are better than .mp3 files in every way when it comes to game stuff. the best part is that .ogg is a free format, so it's even quite popular with AAA developers.
you can make an .mp3 into an .ogg with most free sound editing programs, although I like Audacity best. WinVorbis is whatcha use to edit metadata! the exact method of setting loop points is a little bit complex, but it's quick once you've got it down. if there isn't already a tutorial on it here on rmn, I can make one.
turkeyDawg
195
This is from RMXP's help file:
Software-Based Audio Playback
Background music (BGM) is chiefly handled by DirectMusic Synthesizer MIDI playback. Software-based playback means you can't use external audio sources; on the other hand, composers of audio files don't have to worry about their creations supporting various kinds of MIDI sources. If a MIDI file plays properly in the environment where it was created, you can expect it to play in exactly the same way in any and all environments.
I think it would be safe to assume that ACE keeps this feature, so yes, MIDI files will play the same on every computer via DirectX. DirectX is probably also how RPG Maker applies reverb, chorus, and echo delay effects as well as loop points, which will also be the same on every computer.
Software-Based Audio Playback
Background music (BGM) is chiefly handled by DirectMusic Synthesizer MIDI playback. Software-based playback means you can't use external audio sources; on the other hand, composers of audio files don't have to worry about their creations supporting various kinds of MIDI sources. If a MIDI file plays properly in the environment where it was created, you can expect it to play in exactly the same way in any and all environments.
I think it would be safe to assume that ACE keeps this feature, so yes, MIDI files will play the same on every computer via DirectX. DirectX is probably also how RPG Maker applies reverb, chorus, and echo delay effects as well as loop points, which will also be the same on every computer.
gadesx
307
I don't know if vx is like xp, but rpg maker xp have a internal
system to play midis, so always sounds exactly the same.
That was a way to make better the problem of 2k3 that in every pc soundcard
the midi sound with other instruments style.
system to play midis, so always sounds exactly the same.
That was a way to make better the problem of 2k3 that in every pc soundcard
the midi sound with other instruments style.
MIDI is a pain in the ass, pardon my French. First, any sound you play queues from you're computer's soundcard, which is fine, because thankfully, a good sound card isn't a mega expensive purchase like a video card.
MIDI was a format intended for sound transfer and testing. This was never supposed to be a tool for major composition. Of course, we are a sound culture, and thus what was unintended nevertheless came to be. I could go into the whole history of digital sound, but that information is trivial.
You have options with MIDI these days. It is generally preferable to save your MIDI files as XMF, or Extensible Music Files. These get the full depth and sound out of your sound card. Unfortunately, YOU COULD HAVE THE BIGGEST, BADDEST, MONSTER SOUND CARD MONEY CAN BUY AND IT WOULDN'T MATTER! Why? Because RM plays everything, everything, EVERYTHING, as standard MIDI (either mid or smf ). The big problem with this is the way smf interprets your music.
It doesn't just sound different. Often it doesn't even sound like what you wrote. That's because MIDI doesn't see music in terms of instruments. It sees the individual sounds in terms of VALUES. Do your trumpets sound like a pipe organ? That's because RPG Maker got confused and is using its organ samples because it can't tell the difference between the organs and horns because your more advanced MIDI systems blend values to make the instruments sound more natural (because there really isn't a big real world difference between horns and organs). Seriously people, there HAS to be a way to get this thing to properly recognize .xmf. I mean, it's an app, right? It has to be subordinate to the computer its functions, right?
MIDI was a format intended for sound transfer and testing. This was never supposed to be a tool for major composition. Of course, we are a sound culture, and thus what was unintended nevertheless came to be. I could go into the whole history of digital sound, but that information is trivial.
You have options with MIDI these days. It is generally preferable to save your MIDI files as XMF, or Extensible Music Files. These get the full depth and sound out of your sound card. Unfortunately, YOU COULD HAVE THE BIGGEST, BADDEST, MONSTER SOUND CARD MONEY CAN BUY AND IT WOULDN'T MATTER! Why? Because RM plays everything, everything, EVERYTHING, as standard MIDI (either mid or smf ). The big problem with this is the way smf interprets your music.
It doesn't just sound different. Often it doesn't even sound like what you wrote. That's because MIDI doesn't see music in terms of instruments. It sees the individual sounds in terms of VALUES. Do your trumpets sound like a pipe organ? That's because RPG Maker got confused and is using its organ samples because it can't tell the difference between the organs and horns because your more advanced MIDI systems blend values to make the instruments sound more natural (because there really isn't a big real world difference between horns and organs). Seriously people, there HAS to be a way to get this thing to properly recognize .xmf. I mean, it's an app, right? It has to be subordinate to the computer its functions, right?
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