Microsoft GS Wavetable SW Synth......Question

Is there anything better than the Microsoft GS Wavetable SW Synth, that I can install in my computer??

Free or cheap??

thanks

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ViLo
HE'S COMING, MAKE MUSIC, GET READY!

If you have Band-In-A-Box Program there is a Free Roland VSC included which is very good.

No I don't have BIAB.....is there anything else?

Thanks

Hey ViLo,

I've been real happy with Yamaha's XG Softsynth wavetable...$50.

Unfortunately their website has been down so I'm not sure what's up.

http://www.yamaha-xg.com/

The UK site is down too.

http://www.yamaha.co.uk/xg/



-mike

http://www.edirol.com/products/info/vscmp1.html

I like the ROland sound set much more than the MicroSoft GS wave table. They're similar but the VSC has a definate edge. I don't like the XG drum sets, but the rest of the sounds are ok.

Hi,
unfortunately I think it's been discontinued.
best wishes
Rikki

there are .dls files floating around in the net, that contain some edited sounds, or comlete soundsets altogether.

I have downloaded some of them , one was 24 MB I think, and they surely sound better, but they seem to me as not that "polished" as the MS waveset which, of course, is based on the Sound Canvas.
Not sure who made it, Roland or MS but there is a little txt file somwhere in the win directories saying "Copyright Roland blah blah."

Do a search in goohle on free DLS files and you surely will stubmle to a couple.

Then you have to save the original MS dls file (GM.DLS, located in Windows\system32\Drivers) with another name (turning off the "system file overwrite protection" if you have XP), and name your file as GM.dls and put it in place in the same dir.
After that, you should be able to chose "MS sw synthsizer" as your MIDI synth and the new wavetable will sound.

In my opinion, Software synth by Yamaha was far better in sonic quality than the VSC, (it also includes effects) but it is now lost in oblivion, Rikki is right, they don't offer them any more.
On the other hand, search the net, or Kazaa, for yamaha soft synth, someone may have it.
Theodore

Thanks everybody

If you don't like messing with Windows system
files(as I don't), then it is much safer and
easier to download the free SFZ soundfont
player and load in some free GM soundfonts.
You will also need to download and install
MidiYoke.

Does anyone know what format this
yamaha xg wavetable is in? or are you talking about the full softsynth(latency
issues)that includes the wavetable?

Thanks

Do you have any links??



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ViLo
HE'S COMING, MAKE MUSIC, GET READY!

http://www.rgcaudio.com/sfz.htm

Use google for soundfonts.

anyone?

Hey Vquestor,

Sorry, I'm not 100% sure what you are asking. Do you mean, does it load on a Windows computer, a Mac, etc.? If so, I've got the Windows version. I don't remember seeing a Mac version but they'd have to port it to Mac, you would think. Problem is, it appears they've pulled the plug so I'm not sure how we'll find out.

If you were looking for something different as far as formats go, get back to us.

-mike

I just wanted to know if the XG wavetable itself,was in a proprietary format, or could it
be converted to soundfont.

Vilo,
With no particular data to back up my claim, I think it is in a proprietary format. A search on the net will probably clarify things.

On the other hand, if your soundcard supports daughterboard connection, it will be probably easy enough to find a used Yamaha DB50XG. they have a modest quality soundset. Plug it in and play

Hi Vilo,
what sort of soundcard do you have? some of the soundblaster cards load soundfonts directly.
Here's some info on soundfonts. http://www.soundfont.com/
best wishes
Rikki

[QUOTE]Originally posted by ViLo:
[B]

Vquestor, Yamaha has not made it easy for you to convert their module/software XG Wavetable to other formats. You would need to sample it and save it in the new format - not a very easy job at all. You may find some attempts of this on the internet. A search my lead to something, e.g., http://www.hammersound.net/

.... and there may be others. I am not certain if this site has XG converted wavetables. It has GS Wavetables.

In the end there are many soundfont wavetables that are quite good. You can always change out the voices you don't like to something better. I tend to use GM500 (a 500 mb Tascam GM Wavetable). There are others at 1GB that may be of interest. I tend to use these for my accompaniment wavetable so that I have minimal editing to do to play midi or style files.

For my lead and melody voices I will continue to use the top of the line samplers and voices.

The EMU 1820M....
Thanks

Hi Vilo,
found this on your card, but I didn't spot anything in the spec about direct soundfont compatibility like some of the soundblaster cards. I'm no expert on computers though.
http://www.samplecraze.com/audio-tutorials/emu1820m.htm

Haven't tried this, but this program apparently lets you use midifiles & soundfonts on most cards. http://www.synthfont.com/

best wishes
Rikki





[This message has been edited by rikkisbears (edited 01-12-2005).]

Thanks Rikki!

I'm learning all this stuff about MIDI and Soundfonts etc..



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ViLo
HE'S COMING, MAKE MUSIC, GET READY!

I suspect the GS softsynth provided by MS was written for them by Roland.

The Yamaha XG softsynth was pretty good but when you can still pick up XG hardware wavetable PC soundcards for not a lot of money whats the point (except for portable users, of course!)? If your souncard is described as using the YMF 724, 734 or 744 chipset you've got a 32 voice XG hardware wavetable synth.

I think I've seen this chipset on some IBM and Sony notebooks as well.

I already have a soundcard built in my MoBo, and the EMU1820M, so I don't want any conflicts @ this point
Thanks.



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ViLo
HE'S COMING, MAKE MUSIC, GET READY!

Hi Vilo,
you may be interested in checking out this thread

Look for Wazza's reply.
http://www.synthzone.com/ubbs/Forum37/HTML/009905.html

best wishes
Rikki

[QUOTE]Originally posted by ViLo:
[B]

Thanks....I got to learn a lot about this stuff!