Version 2.2 Patch Changes Not Working

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Posts: 27
Joined: April 13, 2015 - 18:54
Version 2.2 Patch Changes Not Working

I am very pleased to see reverb working in the lastest version!

Anyhow, I don't think VirtualMIDISynth is responding to Patch Change events correctly.  I thought it was my MIDI software but recently bought a Roland SoundCanvas device.   It responds correctly when I connect my MIDI software to it.  So I think my MIDI software is OK.

These are the events I'm talking about (attached):

When using VirtualMIDISynth, the patch seems to change randomly.

Thanks,

Steve

Attachments (Only registered users)
events.png
Posts: 1972
Joined: March 25, 2012 - 01:19
Re: Version 2.2 Patch Changes Not Working

At first you should try to play that MIDI with another player that uses the same BASS libraries as VMS, like XMPlay (http://support.xmplay.com/) + its MIDI addon.
XMPlay author is the same as BASS libraries (http://un4seen.com), used by VMS to render MIDI streams.
Configure it to use the same soundfont and check if it has the same issue.

If yes, then you should post your MIDI file to un4seen.com forum to let them check it out.

Posts: 27
Joined: April 13, 2015 - 18:54
Re: Version 2.2 Patch Changes Not Working

It is a not problem with MIDI files.   They work fine.

I have a keyboard (piano/midi keyboard) connected to the PC.

When a Patch Change event is sent from the piano keyboard, the correct patch is not selected.

BTW: The "Start automatically at logon" setting on the options tab isn't remembered.

Posts: 1972
Joined: March 25, 2012 - 01:19
Re: Version 2.2 Patch Changes Not Working

You're right, sorry for the misunderstanding.

What I meant is that I, and possibly un4seen guys, don't have an hardware keyboard available to test it on my side.
So you should try to "serialize" your MIDI stream to a .mid file and check if playing that file will give the same issue.
If yes, it will be much more easier for me (and eventually un4seen) to reproduce it on my side.

I'm pretty sure MidiOX is able to save the MIDI stream passing through it to a file.

Posts: 27
Joined: April 13, 2015 - 18:54
Re: Version 2.2 Patch Changes Not Working

I cracked it!!

I installed MIDI Yoke and was able to route messages like this:

Composer--->MIDI Yoke ----> MIDI OX ----> Virtual MIDI Synth.

The compser was sending extra events with patch changes.   The Roland Hardware synth handled them.

MIDI OX allowed me to filter the events out and then patch changes worked.

So, it looks like it is the Bank Select events causing the problem.

Posts: 1972
Joined: March 25, 2012 - 01:19
Re: Version 2.2 Patch Changes Not Working

It seems that a Bank Set is sent at each Program (Patch) change.
I'm not really a MIDI guru, but that's the first time I've seen this "redundancy", and I'm not sure it's really required.

Anyway, this is not the only customization I've seen in a more than 30 years old protocol ;)

Thanks for reporting it.

Posts: 27
Joined: April 13, 2015 - 18:54
Re: Version 2.2 Patch Changes Not Working

A few other tidbits.

The Roland SC and a Creative SoundBlaster device both handle the extra messages OK.

My composer software seems to do a lot.  At the end of a song it sends "Zeroing events" for pitch bend, modulation, breath, pedal, portamento, on all 16 channels!   I'm guessing it wants to keep the synth in a known state.