Outputting MIDI songs in the Amiga without MIDI hardware

Starglider 2 · 30 September 2015, 08:06

I have some old songs in Music-X. The tracks with samples play great, but I've long since sold the MIDI keyboards that the other tracks triggered (I do everything on the Mac now and with software instruments).

Is there any way to route such MIDI tracks to play internally from the Amiga's sound chip rather than the tracks trying to play externally through a MIDI interface?

If not, what is the easiest solution to get the Music-X files to play somewhere?
- I'm happy to export them in MIDI File Format (MFF) but see no way to do that
- I'm prepared to buy a MIDI interface, but still don't have a standard MIDI device that could receive and play the sounds
- The original keyboards were Korg M-1 and Wavestation. I do have the Virtual versions of those as software instruments on the Mac, if there is some way an Amiga or Amiga file can play a Mac?

hooverphonique · 30 September 2015, 10:33

I had some software on my amiga back in the day that would play midi files, but can't remember what it was.. It requires a decent cpu, iirc, because it's basically a soft-synth.

robinsonb5 · 30 September 2015, 12:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by hooverphonique

I had some software on my amiga back in the day that would play midi files, but can't remember what it was.. It requires a decent cpu, iirc, because it's basically a soft-synth.

GMPlay, perhaps?

hooverphonique · 30 September 2015, 14:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by robinsonb5

GMPlay, perhaps?

that rings a bell.. could very well be..

Amiga1992 · 30 September 2015, 17:13

You need an Amiga more powerful than stock to run a MIDI softsynth. The Amiga hardware does NOT have a MIDI sound chip.

If you have a MIDI interface on your Mac, you can get a MIDI interface for your Amiga and send the data to your Mac through MIDI. I dunno about the MIDI mapping of the software versions of those instruments. there's a chance they are different, but you can only try and tweak as necessary. You can map the Amiga's MIDI data to any software synth you like in your DAW.

I would go for this option especially since the sounds of a MIDI softsynth will be nothing like your M1 or Wavestation sounds. It's gonna sound like shit and you need some spec'd up Amiga, whereas if you get a MIDI interface and send MIDI data you can use an A500 or whatever.

commodorejohn · 30 September 2015, 18:22

Get the real things - there's no substitute for hardware

grelbfarlk · 05 March 2017, 19:49

Resurrecting this thread since it was never answered properly. Amidi will do the job
http://aminet.net/package/mus/midi/AMidi

You can use Amidi to take the various quality instrument packs Low, Medium, High(High requires powerpc) and direct the output to AHI. Amidi has one application I know of that actually uses it and that's the Ultima 7 port Exult. But it includes a basic Midi file player as well.

There's also the GMPlay and Softsynth with 14-bit paula driver which uses camd.library which directs the camd.midi output to a softsynth instead of a real midi device.

You can also with camd.library output to a PC over null modem cable to use a high quality synth on a Windows machine including Munt which is an MT-32 emulator. This works in some Amiga Sierra games, Mac emulation, ScummVM, etc.

Starglider 2 · 05 March 2017, 20:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by grelbfarlk

Resurrecting this thread since it was never answered properly. Amidi will do the job
http://aminet.net/package/mus/midi/AMidi

You can use Amidi to take the various quality instrument packs Low, Medium, High(High requires powerpc) and direct the output to AHI. Amidi has one application I know of that actually uses it and that's the Ultima 7 port Exult. But it includes a basic Midi file player as well.

There's also the GMPlay and Softsynth with 14-bit paula driver which uses camd.library which directs the camd.midi output to a softsynth instead of a real midi device.

You can also with camd.library output to a PC over null modem cable to use a high quality synth on a Windows machine including Munt which is an MT-32 emulator. This works in some Amiga Sierra games, Mac emulation, ScummVM, etc.

Nice! Thanks for all the answers. I'll try Amidi to play the Music-X files. One question: What is AHI?

Thanks!!

Samurai_Crow · 05 March 2017, 21:48

AHI is audio hardware interface, a set of drivers for sound cards and software mixed audio.

Starglider 2 · 05 March 2017, 22:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samurai_Crow

AHI is audio hardware interface, a set of drivers for sound cards and software mixed audio.

Thank you. So, simply put, if I install Amidi then open Music-X, will I be able to select AHI or similar then play music?

Thanks!!

Samurai_Crow · 05 March 2017, 22:10

If you have the AHI package installed and configured properly, probably. Paula mixer eats up a lot of CPU time.

Starglider 2 · 05 March 2017, 22:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samurai_Crow

If you have the AHI package installed and configured properly, probably. Paula mixer eats up a lot of CPU time.

Ok, so with just Amidi not AHI could I get the Music-X songs to play from the Amiga audio out? That's the goal.

Thanks!!

Samurai_Crow · 05 March 2017, 22:14

What CPU do you have? Many MIDI players have to mix to 16 voices to work properly.

idrougge · 05 March 2017, 22:31

Starglider has plain 68000. Which makes MIDI softsynths rather unfeasible.

I'd rather look for a way to convert those Music-X tracks into some other format.

Starglider 2 · 05 March 2017, 22:50

Correct, just an A500+. Thanks guys. It was never an urgent project just a fun idea. I might leave it alone for now, at least until I buy a Korg keyboard again 😉

Thanks!!

grelbfarlk · 06 March 2017, 12:58

In that case if you just have a basic Amiga 500, you might consider outputting over serial or a Midi adapter to either a PC or a real Midi synth.

amigoun · 06 March 2017, 17:10

I once tested connecting Amiga over serial to PC for Midi (or Munt), but was not very succesful. Seems like PC needs special drivers to communicate at midi baud rate 31250 to work reliably.

Amiga1992 · 06 March 2017, 17:28

As said before softsynths will nor work on stock machines.
A MIDI interface is a really cheap thing to get for your Amiga and then you can connect it to any PC and use its hardware or software GM synth. PC USB MIDI devices are also dirt cheap if you just get a generic class-compliant one.

grelbfarlk · 06 March 2017, 22:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by amigoun

I once tested connecting Amiga over serial to PC for Midi (or Munt), but was not very succesful. Seems like PC needs special drivers to communicate at midi baud rate 31250 to work reliably.

The FTDI chipset on a PC USB to Serial adapter you can set to 31250 or any cheap-ish PC USB Midi adapter will work as Akira says. I have set up Munt on a PC in this way and it worked well enough. Also used the same setup to direct to a different Windows Softsynth and that worked ok for General-Midi.

I somewhat prefer the Null-modem since you don't have to find an Amiga Midi adapter, I don't see how it would necessarily be an advantage to use Midi on both ends. Maybe it's easier on the Windows side if some synths want to see some kind of Midi Input rather than a COM port. Don't know.

gunstarrhero · 21 June 2018, 01:16

how do i make the amiga output music to or just sound, complete, to an external midi device like the roland sc 55? what im looking for is something that will not use paula, rather just send all music "sound" mod or otherwise to a midi device? id rather much use a midi device to playback sound than paula. this also includes mp3's, perhaps through another external midi device like an fm synthesizer or so... the main point is id like music through roland, and sfx through paula, or an external fm synthesis......

30 September 2015, 08:06	#1
Starglider 2 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: California Posts: 1,146	Outputting MIDI songs in the Amiga without MIDI hardware I have some old songs in Music-X. The tracks with samples play great, but I've long since sold the MIDI keyboards that the other tracks triggered (I do everything on the Mac now and with software instruments). Is there any way to route such MIDI tracks to play internally from the Amiga's sound chip rather than the tracks trying to play externally through a MIDI interface? If not, what is the easiest solution to get the Music-X files to play somewhere? - I'm happy to export them in MIDI File Format (MFF) but see no way to do that - I'm prepared to buy a MIDI interface, but still don't have a standard MIDI device that could receive and play the sounds - The original keyboards were Korg M-1 and Wavestation. I do have the Virtual versions of those as software instruments on the Mac, if there is some way an Amiga or Amiga file can play a Mac?

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30 September 2015, 10:33	#2
hooverphonique ex. demoscener "Bigmama" Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Fyn / Denmark Posts: 1,624	I had some software on my amiga back in the day that would play midi files, but can't remember what it was.. It requires a decent cpu, iirc, because it's basically a soft-synth.

30 September 2015, 17:13	#5
Amiga1992 Registered User Join Date: May 2001 Location: ? Posts: 19,645	You need an Amiga more powerful than stock to run a MIDI softsynth. The Amiga hardware does NOT have a MIDI sound chip. If you have a MIDI interface on your Mac, you can get a MIDI interface for your Amiga and send the data to your Mac through MIDI. I dunno about the MIDI mapping of the software versions of those instruments. there's a chance they are different, but you can only try and tweak as necessary. You can map the Amiga's MIDI data to any software synth you like in your DAW. I would go for this option especially since the sounds of a MIDI softsynth will be nothing like your M1 or Wavestation sounds. It's gonna sound like shit and you need some spec'd up Amiga, whereas if you get a MIDI interface and send MIDI data you can use an A500 or whatever.

30 September 2015, 18:22	#6
commodorejohn Shameless recidivist Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Duluth, Minnesota (USA) Age: 38 Posts: 260	Get the real things - there's no substitute for hardware

05 March 2017, 19:49	#7
grelbfarlk Registered User Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: USA Posts: 2,902	Resurrecting this thread since it was never answered properly. Amidi will do the job http://aminet.net/package/mus/midi/AMidi You can use Amidi to take the various quality instrument packs Low, Medium, High(High requires powerpc) and direct the output to AHI. Amidi has one application I know of that actually uses it and that's the Ultima 7 port Exult. But it includes a basic Midi file player as well. There's also the GMPlay and Softsynth with 14-bit paula driver which uses camd.library which directs the camd.midi output to a softsynth instead of a real midi device. You can also with camd.library output to a PC over null modem cable to use a high quality synth on a Windows machine including Munt which is an MT-32 emulator. This works in some Amiga Sierra games, Mac emulation, ScummVM, etc.

05 March 2017, 21:48	#9
Samurai_Crow Total Chaos forever! Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Waterville, MN, USA Age: 49 Posts: 2,186	AHI is audio hardware interface, a set of drivers for sound cards and software mixed audio.

05 March 2017, 22:10	#11
Samurai_Crow Total Chaos forever! Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Waterville, MN, USA Age: 49 Posts: 2,186	If you have the AHI package installed and configured properly, probably. Paula mixer eats up a lot of CPU time.

05 March 2017, 22:14	#13
Samurai_Crow Total Chaos forever! Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Waterville, MN, USA Age: 49 Posts: 2,186	What CPU do you have? Many MIDI players have to mix to 16 voices to work properly.

05 March 2017, 22:31	#14
idrougge Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Stockholm Posts: 4,332	Starglider has plain 68000. Which makes MIDI softsynths rather unfeasible. I'd rather look for a way to convert those Music-X tracks into some other format.

05 March 2017, 22:50	#15
Starglider 2 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: California Posts: 1,146	Correct, just an A500+. Thanks guys. It was never an urgent project just a fun idea. I might leave it alone for now, at least until I buy a Korg keyboard again 😉 Thanks!!

06 March 2017, 12:58	#16
grelbfarlk Registered User Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: USA Posts: 2,902	In that case if you just have a basic Amiga 500, you might consider outputting over serial or a Midi adapter to either a PC or a real Midi synth.

06 March 2017, 17:10	#17
amigoun Registered User Join Date: May 2010 Location: Czech Rep Posts: 599	I once tested connecting Amiga over serial to PC for Midi (or Munt), but was not very succesful. Seems like PC needs special drivers to communicate at midi baud rate 31250 to work reliably.

06 March 2017, 17:28	#18
Amiga1992 Registered User Join Date: May 2001 Location: ? Posts: 19,645	As said before softsynths will nor work on stock machines. A MIDI interface is a really cheap thing to get for your Amiga and then you can connect it to any PC and use its hardware or software GM synth. PC USB MIDI devices are also dirt cheap if you just get a generic class-compliant one.

21 June 2018, 01:16	#20
gunstarrhero Registered User Join Date: May 2018 Location: North America Posts: 12	how do i make the amiga output music to or just sound, complete, to an external midi device like the roland sc 55? what im looking for is something that will not use paula, rather just send all music "sound" mod or otherwise to a midi device? id rather much use a midi device to playback sound than paula. this also includes mp3's, perhaps through another external midi device like an fm synthesizer or so... the main point is id like music through roland, and sfx through paula, or an external fm synthesis......

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