Sound Canvas VA, Roland's Virtual MIDI Synthesizer

[schru]

Cross-posting from the Doom thread per Jack Of Owls suggestion, since this is no longer very relevant to that game.

Finally, some games have tracks that create problems for each other, because when instruments are modified or even a part has a certain instrument set, these may not be reset between tracks, which results in wrong instruments being used in subsequent tracks. This is especially noticeable in Duke Nukem 3D with certain tracks.

Interesting, I did not know this. I'm guessing this problem will also appear with one of the hardware modules. I'll have to try it out on the SC-55. Do you know which tracks specifically this happens with?

Slightly related fun fact: although Doom was composed on the SC-55, it doesn't use any of the GS tones that are specific to the device and sticks to the 128 standard General MIDI tones. I know this because doom.exe forces a GM reset on the Sound Canvas, and you can tell by starting World of Xeen afterwards, which does use the extra GS but does not initiate a GS reset (or any reset actually), hence the famous "opening a door does telephone ring sound" bug.

One of the more apparent instances is when going from the first to the second map of the third episode. When played after ‘In Hiding’, he track ‘Going after the Fat Commander’ is missing Synth Base 2 in the fourth part in Sound Canvas VA, which is the leading instrument. I don't know if this also happens on SC-55 or SC-55mkII.

There were lesser examples and some other tracks may also be affected by tracks which don't precede them immediately, so it's a little difficult to test it without replaying the whole game.

As for Doom's use of General MIDI, I did notice it. The tracks probably didn't need the special instructions contained in GS, but I haven't tested if selecting General MIDI instead of Sound Canvas in Setup.exe changes anything.

 

[Morenatsu.]

As for Doom's use of General MIDI, I did notice it. The tracks probably didn't need the special instructions contained in GS, but I haven't tested if selecting General MIDI instead of Sound Canvas in Setup.exe changes anything.

From what I remember, they're literally the same setting.

 

[Sceptic]

One of the more apparent instances is when going from the first to the second map of the third episode. When played after ‘In Hiding’, he track ‘Going after the Fat Commander’ is missing Synth Base 2 in the fourth part in Sound Canvas VA, which is the leading instrument. I don't know if this also happens on SC-55 or SC-55mkII.

I'm currently away from home and therefore my Sound Canvas but I will test this when I come back. If you don't hear from me by the end of the week feel free to ping me and remind me, I'm also very curious to see if this is a problem that happens on the original hardware.

From what I remember, they're literally the same setting.

I can't check right now but I believe you're right, my memory is that there is only the one option for General MIDI (and the Roland option is actually for MT-32), but again I will check when I get back. I hope I can find my original Doom 1.1 install files, could then check if this also changed between initial and final releases.