How to select soundfont by midi messages?

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Posts: 18
Joined: January 1, 2016 - 17:54
How to select soundfont by midi messages?

One question. Is it possible to select a soundfont via midi? Example:

In VirtualMidiSynth I have added

  • FluidR3_GM
  • SGM-V2.01 and
  • TimGM6mb

Now I want to play

Track 1 : "Coupled Harpsichord" = Patch 6 Bank 8 of FluidR3_GM
Track 2 : "Jazz Guitar" = Patch 26 Bank 0 of SGM-V2.01
Track 3 : "Jazz Guitar" = Patch 26 Bank 0 of TimGM6mb

Can I control this in the MIDI-Messsages (e.g. via SYSEX Commands?)

Regards

Posts: 1972
Joined: March 25, 2012 - 01:19
Re: How to select soundfont by midi messages?

Actually there's no way to control VMS through sysex messages, but that's a feature I already have on my to-do list.
It also shouldn't be so difficult to implement.

I only need to know which is the best way to "create" custom sysex messages to be used by VMS or, better, if a dedicated/well-known sysex message already exists...

Can you help me in this search?

Posts: 18
Joined: January 1, 2016 - 17:54
Re: How to select soundfont by midi messages?

Please take a look at http://www.midi.org/techspecs/ca18.pdf

I dont know if this is the best way to do it, as it reads very complicated.

For myself it would be sufficiant to have a Controller Change with a free controller number to select the n'th soundfile given in the config file. But this may be to simple and less portable.

Ready and willing to discuss this until we find a proper solution.

Regards

Posts: 1972
Joined: March 25, 2012 - 01:19
Re: How to select soundfont by midi messages?

That's really interesting, thanks.

This feature will be added to VMS2, which is going to enter its beta stage.
Will read it ASAP, just after releasing the beta.

Thanks again
Claudio

Posts: 19
Joined: February 24, 2016 - 21:35
Re: How to select soundfont by midi messages?

Hi:

My posting is an extension of the original question: I'm new to the very 'good-looking' VirtualMIDISynth Program - with still very liitle experience in using it so I'd like to ask anyone a couple of questions:

1) could I find somewhere at your Website some guidelines how to add/install the SoundFonts to the Program setting?

2) what directory of 'VirtualMIDISynth' I should store any SoundFonts so that they are readily available for adding to the Program?  I have experienced a problem with SoundFont I first did NOT realize by moving a SoundFont installed in 'VirtualMIDISynth' to another Directory and then any MIDI-Player was giving me No.2 Error about the specifc SoundFont - probably because it could NOT find/locate the SoundFont installed/added to the Program, am I correct...? Could you confirm to me that this is exactly what has happened...?!?

Many thanks.

Posts: 1972
Joined: March 25, 2012 - 01:19
Re: How to select soundfont by midi messages?

1) to add soundfonts to VirtualMIDISynth you simply must open its configurator (by right clicking on VMS icon in the system tray area or selecting its item into start menu), switch to Soundfonts tab, press the + button then select the .sf2 file you want to add

2) VMS won't force you to put your .sf2 files in a specific folder, you can store them almost everywhere BUT please avoid the following ones:

  • C:\Windows folder and subfolders, because it's protected and on 64bit systems a file-remapping will be done by the OS between special folders (like C:\Windows\System32 and C:\Windows\SysWOW64)
  • C:\ProgramData folder and subfolders, because it's protected

Every other place should be ok; I suggest you to create a subfolder into your Music or Documents folder.

Posts: 19
Joined: February 24, 2016 - 21:35
Re: How to select soundfont by midi messages?

Thanks for your advice.

I have one more question:  I recently added several fonts to VirtualMIDISynth (Timbres_of_Heaven, Arachno SoundFont, and 2 others) and I have noted that my MIDI-Player slowed down significantly BEFORE it started playback: is that because it always takes some time to load the fonts into the MIDI-Player/sequencer - if not, how to resolve this problem...?

Your earlier advice would be greatly appreciated...!

Thanks.

 

Posts: 1972
Joined: March 25, 2012 - 01:19
Re: How to select soundfont by midi messages?

In VMS1 you have the option to preload the soundfont in memory before playing starts.
If you have many (and huge) soundfonts) this could requires a lot of time.
You can disable preloading in configuration but beware that you could experience stuttering during play if your Drives IO are not blazing fast.

VMS2 has a fix for that, you can test a preview here.

NOTE: please start a new thread if you have other questions. The topic here is "How to select soundfont by midi messages?".

Posts: 19
Joined: February 24, 2016 - 21:35
Re: How to select soundfont by midi messages? (was: Re: Loading SoundFonts into VM1 before starting playback by MIDI-Player)

To follow up on my previous question re 'Loading SoundFonts into VM1 before starting playback by MIDI-Player' (see the copy of your reply below):  is there any known SIZE-limit of the SoundFonts and/or any other control within the VMS1 (and hopefully soon the VMS2) which I could set up and use to eliminate this issue, e.g. by SoundFonts pre-loading as you have mentioned below: can you explain how to exactly do it please?

Many thanks.

In VMS1 you have the option to preload the soundfont in memory before playing starts.
If you have many (and huge) soundfonts) this could requires a lot of time.
You can disable preloading in configuration but beware that you could experience stuttering during play if your Drives IO are not blazing fast.

VMS2 has a fix for that, you can test a preview here.

 

Posts: 1972
Joined: March 25, 2012 - 01:19
Re: How to select soundfont by midi messages?
thorsak wrote:
To follow up on my previous question re 'Loading SoundFonts into VM1 before starting playback by MIDI-Player'

Please DO START A NEW THREAD for this argument.
This thread topic is How to select soundfont by midi messages? and now we're going too much out of topic...

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