Re: MIDI files on IIgs?

[pubpc1@library.ucla.edu]

spec@vax2.concordia.ca (Mitchell Spector) wrote,
in response to my reply:
>>spec@vax2.concordia.ca (Mitchell Spector) wrote:
>>[wishing there was a MIDIsynth based program that could do more
>>than 7 voices by using only 2 oscillators each]
>>
>>Mitchell, I think that Music Composer can do this.  It supports
>>16 voices (if you look at the spreadsheet table).  It is probably
>>best to play MIDI files with Music Composer rather than trying
>>to convert to synthLAB format.
>
>    I think your referring the to tracks listing, MIDISurgeon displays
>16 as well (just convert a MIDI file and then tell it to display the
>track data by pressing Apple-T). So yes, you have control over the
>first 16 tracks (note I said first 16, MIDI files can frequently use
>many more) but it still uses _MIDIsynth_ to play those tracks back.
>Incidentally, synthLAB only displays 8 tracks, but all those programs
>are still limited by MIDIsynth's 7 voices. I suppose you could think
>of it like having sixteen sheets of music and only seven people to read
>those sheets and sing. Will you hear seven people singing or sixteen?
>;)
>
>    I vagely recall Music Composer supports Music Studio and Soundsmith
>formats, which the latter supports up to 14-15 voices, but still isn't
>used for MIDI playback nor very practical even if it could.
>
>Mitchell Spector
>spec@vax2.concordia.ca

Ok, Mitchell, I found the solution to playing up to 32 voices or
tracks of standard MIDI at once on the GS.  There is a program
called Music Modifier that converts MIDI to Diversi-Tune format.
It converts 32 tracks and the resulting Diversi-Tune file can be
played, with all 32 tracks, using Diversi-Tune.  Although I don't
own, Diversi-Tune, I've found a way to trick the Diversi-Tune
_demo_ program to play any Diversi-Tune file.  :)  It turns out
that the program is hardwired to play one song.  If you rename
your converted MIDI file to the same filename as that song, you
can select it, load it, and play it from the demo.

-Scott G.