free GM windows device

kensuguro · Post by **kensuguro** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 11:15 pm

I'm doing some ear training with software recently, and was looking for a windows system device that did GM. So, basically, I'm looking for an alternative to the default soft GM that XP has, problem being, that it doesn't work, and is not configurable at all. I want to do away with having to host a VSTi, or launch an external app and use SFP to reroute MIDI.. all that's too complicated, I just want to launch the app and go.

I remember roland used to make a virtual sound canvas, but those weren't free, and I doubt they still make them.. but I guessed since GM was so obsolete, people would be posting free versions of them. Any suggestions? I wouldn't mind even if it was just a sound font player since there are a bunch of free (and crappy) GM soundfonts out there. Just that it would have to be a system device, so I can choose it in the control panel.

Darn, who would have thought such yester technology would come to haunt me!

Zer · Post by **Zer** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 1:55 am

hm... GNMIDI ?

nightscope · Post by **nightscope** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:16 am

ken,

Maybe, stick an old SoundBlaster in and use a decent enough soundfont as the default one that Windows uses. Then you don't have to employ any program, the sfont wll always be loaded up, ready to go.

ns

Nestor · Post by **Nestor** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:20 am

I've got a link here with many of those, maybe one of them is for you Ken, check it out:

http://www.filedudes.com/files/General_Midi_Player.html

valis · Post by **valis** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 9:58 pm

There are advantages to using GM style devices for doing ear training imo. Crappy GM sets using short sections of looped audio might sound awful in your musical production but they're usually better at revealing the fundamental tuning of chords and notes (ignoring the issues with the circle of 5ths that hermode tuning resolves of course).

For example, when trying to learn BASIC guitar it's far more useful to use a cleaner tone with an electric or even an acoustic than it is to play through 12 pedals and exotic amp/cab combinations. And when looking for a piano sound, most software romplers and midi synths tend to have presets that are so 'thick, warm, rich, lush' etc that using them for ear training is a pain in the ass. Or they focus on having the ultimate in realism which means setting up a spot for the gigs of storage they want, getting disk streaming configured, understanding how their damper configuration works etc..

That being said if you're a geeky computer music type I think the physical modelling softsynths do a fair job when it comes to ear training as well. Pianoteq and lounge lizard are great and it's relatively easy to find workable presets for acoustic & electric piano. The virtual String & Sax emulations available aren't going to win anyone an emmy for their keyboardist interpretation of Dizzy's greatest hits, but they're recognizeable enough for ear training (imo). And of course Scope has 6 string...

Zer · Post by **Zer** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 2:14 am

http://www.google.com/search?q=GNMIDI+d ... =firefox-a

moxi · Post by **moxi** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 4:44 am

http://www.native-instruments.com/index ... 3467502ede

is the one I use with Band In a Box. but it's not free

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 4:56 am

yes, Band-in-a-Box made me look for a quality GM-Set, too.
at first '...that's easy, a no-brainer...' me thinks, but wtf - there isn't any at all

at least not something to outperform the cheezy external $30 Yamaha thingy...

cheers, Tom

Nestor · Post by **Nestor** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 6:29 am

BandStand is the best, but of course it is quite expensive for just listening to some MIDI. If you do work building MIDI, it is a great option tho.

kensuguro · Post by **kensuguro** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 7:38 am

ya, I guess I can find a standalone and reroute the MIDI with scope. I was looking for something that'll just load into windows like the windows soft synth. Best would be something like that, that'll load in soundfonts. guess there really isn't a perfect shoe for this one. I mean, I wouldn't need it in any other context by this, so it's basically useless.

kensuguro · Post by **kensuguro** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 9:21 pm

again, let me clarify i'm not looking for a vsti, but a soft synth that I can use through the control panel. Microsoft soft wavetable synth (default one) is a good example of this. I'm still wondering if there is anything similar that will load in soundfonts.

Zer · Post by **Zer** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 2:58 am

virtual sound canvas is a tool wich rauns also as standalone synth.
You may als want to check Midi eddie
or

The MIDInight Express II is a real time, emulated wavetable MIDI jukebox and renderer. It runs with any Windows-compatible 16 bit sound card supporting a playback rate of 22050 Hz. No hardware wavetable support is required - even the simple sound circuits found on most laptops will do. The sound engine supports the extended PRG (patch) format used by the Mellosoftron III and WAVmaker III, allowing you to take full advantage of the Mellosoftron's patch editing capabilities for the creation of your own unique MIDI instruments. As always, the MIDInight Express is FREE!

http://www.musica.at/cgi-bin/shareware/jump.pl?ID=81