Buying Roland MT-32 Sound Module

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haradan
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Re: Buying Roland MT-32 Sound Module

#126 Post by haradan » Sun Jun 13, 2010 2:50 am

I use the M-Audio UNO with my Mac, no hassles at all. I'm using a Mac DOSBox custom version with CoreMIDI integration which someone created and posted at Queststudios a while back, but I understand that the latest DOSBox version already integrated that same MIDI support, so you should have no problems.

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Re: Buying Roland MT-32 Sound Module

#127 Post by Spikey » Wed Jun 16, 2010 12:21 pm

pbpb33 wrote:
Spikey wrote:So....the cable arrived superfast and it WORKS! I'm so happy. BassPizzMS, am I glad to see you show up on my MT-32 screen instead of a random harpsi. It worked on my XP machine without installing drivers or anything, transferring SysEx now smoothly without errors.
Which games have you tried so far with the MT-32?
Uhm, KQ4, KQ5, KQ6, KQ7!
BTW, if anyone is interested, the KQ7 soundtrack for the MT-32 seems to suck enormously compared to the SC-55 / General MIDI. I think I'll start recording KQ7 through my SC-55 pretty near in the future.

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Re: Buying Roland MT-32 Sound Module

#128 Post by pbpb33 » Wed Jun 16, 2010 12:40 pm

Yeah, I think whenever "General MIDI" (with SC-55) is an option with Sierra games, that's probably the best option to choose. I think the MT-32 era (when they wrote the music specifically for the MT-32) for Sierra ended around 1992 or so when the games started supporting General MIDI.

I get a kick out of playing the EGA Sierra games that support the MT-32. With SQ3, for example, I like the dichotomy between the pixelated graphics and the rich sounds.

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Re: Buying Roland MT-32 Sound Module

#129 Post by MusicallyInspired » Wed Jun 16, 2010 2:54 pm

Usually, yes the General MIDI option is better. But sometimes an MT-32 version of the soundtrack can surprise you. And sometimes it's even better than General MIDI. But the only ones were during the transition period. After that they just slapped on a sub-par General MIDI mapped SysEx to each game for the bare minimal of MT-32 support. This way they wouldn't have to program alternate MIDI channels for other sound hardware and they could use the same MIDI channels for both sound devices.

SQ4 sounds better in MT-32, for instance. As does QFG1VGA. LB2, SQ5, PQ1VGA, and I think even Gabriel Knight 1 has a decent MT-32 track.

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Re: Buying Roland MT-32 Sound Module

#130 Post by pbpb33 » Thu Jun 17, 2010 11:27 am

MusicallyInspired wrote: SQ4 sounds better in MT-32, for instance. As does QFG1VGA. LB2, SQ5, PQ1VGA, and I think even Gabriel Knight 1 has a decent MT-32 track.
I actually installed QFG1VGA recently to try out the MT-32, and when I saw the General MIDI option in the setup I almost didn't even continue with the installation because I figured the MT-32 sounds would be very sub-par because I figured that the game was probably written to best use the General MIDI sounds... however, it sounded awesome and now I'm so glad I did continue with the install!!

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Re: Buying Roland MT-32 Sound Module

#131 Post by MusicallyInspired » Thu Jun 17, 2010 3:27 pm

Yes, in QFG1VGA's case, not only did they copy over the same MT-32 track that Mark Seibert wrote for the original, but he actually enhanced it by touching up existing tracks and even writing brand new material that wasn't in the original.

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Re: Buying Roland MT-32 Sound Module

#132 Post by Spikey » Fri Jun 18, 2010 7:15 am

It sounds like I'll be in Sierra Viewer a lot the coming months, to compare all these things. Since I now have two MIDI-USB cables anyway I'll have to look for a more permanent setup for easy switching between the the MT-32 and the SC-55.

By the way, I love it how the MT-32 hardcase design looks way more modern than the SC-55.

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Re: Buying Roland MT-32 Sound Module

#133 Post by eriqchang » Sat Jun 19, 2010 1:22 am

I love how it shows you the game you're playing - I always get a little rush when I load up a game and it flashes wildly and then shows the game title with the first Sierra logo notes... OOOOH! I am getting horny for my MT-32 right now I am going to have to turn it on and play with my Pestulon!

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Re: Buying Roland MT-32 Sound Module

#134 Post by MusicallyInspired » Sat Jun 19, 2010 3:44 am

That was probably the most scarily constructed sentence I've ever read.

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Re: Buying Roland MT-32 Sound Module

#135 Post by eriqchang » Sat Jun 19, 2010 1:06 pm

LOL. Any Bobbin Siebenbergen anyone? Oh wait! EEz Not Loomin'!

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Re: Buying Roland MT-32 Sound Module

#136 Post by Spikey » Fri Jun 25, 2010 11:51 pm

These things are hard work. I thought I would just be extracting music from organised libraries, and then recording it while I was playing it. :rollin

Complicating matters;
- Organised libraries, there are none
- A lot of sequences that sound like one song, are actually multiple sequences scattered throughout the libraries
- My god, so much unused material and untapped potential!
- Comparison of the SC-55 and MT-32 soundtracks when a game has both, is vital, essential, and a lot of work~!!

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Re: Buying Roland MT-32 Sound Module

#137 Post by MusicallyInspired » Fri Jun 25, 2010 11:52 pm

Indeed. This is why everybody gets their soundtracks from Quest Studios or Sierra Music Central. Though, those are enhanced with newer equipment (but still make use of the MT-32).

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Re: Buying Roland MT-32 Sound Module

#138 Post by Spikey » Fri Jun 25, 2010 11:58 pm

Oh, I'm actually talking about the 7th Guest, the 11th Hour & King's Quest 7. I cannot find complete soundtracks as recorded through the SC-55 of those games anywhere.

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Re: Buying Roland MT-32 Sound Module

#139 Post by MusicallyInspired » Sat Jun 26, 2010 1:30 am

I know that Sierra Music Central is working on a KQ7 soundtrack. But Alistair can take a while to get soundtracks out to make sure the quality is where it should be.

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Re: Buying Roland MT-32 Sound Module

#140 Post by Spikey » Sat Jun 26, 2010 1:42 am

That's great, I can't wait!

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Re: Buying Roland MT-32 Sound Module

#141 Post by haradan » Sat Jun 26, 2010 1:46 am

MusicallyInspired wrote:I know that Sierra Music Central is working on a KQ7 soundtrack. But Alistair can take a while to get soundtracks out to make sure the quality is where it should be.
Right now he's probably working full-hands on the Freddy Pharkas Soundtrack, so KQ7 is gonna take some time, (in the line of "some LONG time", actually) ;)

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Re: Buying Roland MT-32 Sound Module

#142 Post by Spikey » Sat Jun 26, 2010 9:32 am

Well.

Until that time, I will share my version, of course, better something subpar than nothing.

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Re: Buying Roland MT-32 Sound Module

#143 Post by Spikey » Mon Jul 19, 2010 12:02 pm

Oh no...the Willy Beamish CD version has no MT-32 support....

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Re: Buying Roland MT-32 Sound Module

#144 Post by MusicallyInspired » Mon Jul 19, 2010 2:30 pm

Yeah, that was a big bummer with it I remember. NewRisingSun said he was developing a patch to reenable the MT-32 soundtrack on the CD version, but he never did finish.

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Re: Buying Roland MT-32 Sound Module

#145 Post by pbpb33 » Tue Jul 20, 2010 1:50 am

You mentioned earlier that you were able to get Sound Blaster digitized effects working at the same time as MT-32 music in SQ3? How did you do this?

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Re: Buying Roland MT-32 Sound Module

#146 Post by MusicallyInspired » Tue Jul 20, 2010 2:45 am

There are drivers out there. I have one. You can find it in this ZIP. Just look for the file named MTBLAST.DRV and put it in your SQ3 directory (you don't need any other files included). Edit your RESOURCE.CFG file to read MTBLAST.DRV for the sound device line. Running INSTALL won't work because the MTBLAST.DRV driver does not have an entry in the installer's driver database and so will fail when you try to run it with MTBLAST.DRV in the directory (unless you edit INSTALL.TXT and add the entry manaully).

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Re: Buying Roland MT-32 Sound Module

#147 Post by Spikey » Wed Jul 21, 2010 5:52 pm

Do you happen to know which version of KQ5 has General Midi support??
- I want to like, try EVERYTHING until I'm tired of it. :).

Oh and Musically Inspired, thanks for all your info, help and everything.

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Re: Buying Roland MT-32 Sound Module

#148 Post by MusicallyInspired » Wed Jul 21, 2010 6:44 pm

Only the Windows version has General MIDI support. It doesn't exist in the DOS versions (disk, EGA, CD).

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