BASSMIDI MIDI driver for Windows Vista/7 (x64 incl.)

[mudlord]

info

kode54 should be thanked for making this possible. I wrote a installer and configuration app to make this somewhat more usable for end users.

Installer and full source code there, includes changelog.

[kode54]

Mirrored on my site's collection of stuff, for whatever reason.

[Maxime]

Thanks for this contribution!

Just two quick feedback notes:
- Setup went fine, but to run the configuration tool properly, I had to download Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Redistributable (vcredist) to install MSVCP100.dll and MSVCR100.dll, which were missing on my Win 7 x64 system. I installed 32-bit version first, then x64 version on top.
- No matter which MIDI synth I select, it always reverts back to the MS Synth. Don't know if it's a Win 7-related issue

Otherwise, I don't really understand how this driver is supposed to work.
I thought that I'd obtain an additional MIDI output driver on any Windows program (I currently have X-Fi Synth A, X-Fi Synth B, Microsoft GS...) but I don't see any new "BASSMIDI" entry there.
Is it supposed to work this way? Or from a specific player software like foobar or XMPlay?

If these questions aren''t related to your work on the setup and config tools, I'll try to reach the original author.

Many thanks!

Maxime

[mudlord]

I wrote the installer and the config app.
kode54 made the driver.

Its weird you are having that issue. Someone else is having a related issue, so as soon as thats looked into, hopefully yours will be fixed.

[Rocco]

I heard that the MSGS synth on Vista and Win7 is really crappy. Is that what this driver purports to fix?

[mudlord]

That's exactly its intent.

[Rocco]

Maybe this will expose me as an ignoramus, but is the polyphony limit governed by the driver? And if so, what is it?

[mudlord]

The BASSMIDI docs do not seem to show any limit.

So I suppose its only limited by your CPU.

[YeRvftyeByfcvyte]

I thought that I'd obtain an additional MIDI output driver on any Windows program

I've been looking for something that would do this for ages. VSTs and Midi Yoke and all that stuff is just beyond me. I just want to install a driver that'll show up when I'm looking for a midi-out device in my programs. Windows Vista and 7 (I'm using 7), for whatever reason, just have absolute crummy polyphony with the basic Microsoft synth-thingy. I never noticed any quality decline in the samples themselves since XP, though. Just a heck of a lot more dropped notes.

No new driver is popping up yet, though. I'm guessing that the top half lets you load a soundfont into the BASSMIDI driver, and the bottom part lets you select Windows' default midi output? And the two halves aren't related? 'Cos... I think I was trying to load a soundfont into Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth, and getting annoyed it wasn't working. XD

[mudlord]

Odd

[ex-driver]

could it be that this driver is tmidity??

[Maxime]

Odd

So, your screenshot confirms what I initially thought!
We should indeed obtain an additional MIDI driver after running the setup program.

But I don't have anything on my side:

MIDI output devices on Windows 7 x64

I may have some additional MIDI output devices that you might not have (MOTU UltraLite, Edirol UM-550, TerraTec MIDI Hubble), but even if I unplug them all (these are FireWire/USB interfaces), BASSMIDI Driver does not appear at all.

I had a similar problem on my previous XP computer, as XP is limited to 10 MIDI output devices (see http://www.cakewalk.com/Support/kb/reader.aspx/20090210)
But on Windows 7, all registry keys are linked to the same WDM audio driver, so I don't think I should have to change midi0 to reference a MIDI driver (eg. bassmididrv.dll) like I had to do on XP when a driver "disappeared".

MIDI device configuration in Registry Editor

I'm running Windows 7 x64 with the latest updates.
BASSMIDI DLLs have been installed on both Windows\system32 and Windows\SysWOW64 directories.
I've installed the driver with my account which has administrator rights, and UAC is disabled on my computer.

Any ideas?
I would really love to checkout this driver!

[YeRvftyeByfcvyte]

Windows 7 might have a limit, too! I uninstalled Midi Yoke's 8 or so entries, uninstalled BASSMIDI using CCleaner (which reset the computer), then re-installed it, and now it's showing up! It works!

Edit: It crashes my favourite midi editor! Dawww... Works in other programs, though! Now I just need decent soundfonts. XD

Thanks!

[Maxime]

Well, it seems that Windows Vista/7 carry the same nasty 10 MIDI devices limit as XP did!
Because I just applied the same trick as I used to do on XP: I linked one of the midi* entries in the Registry to the bassmididrv.dll:

SS-2011-03-17_00.05.39.png

Declaring a custom MIDI driver in Windows Registry, so it can appear on the MIDI output devices list

(19.26 KiB) Not downloaded yet

And it worked like a charm! The BASSMIDI driver now appears as a MIDI output device, without having to reboot or uninstall anything.

So, I could test this new driver with the same selection of SoundFonts I loaded on Creative's SoundFont manager (my own Arachno SoundFont, completed with some GS/XG instrument banks).

Here are my (very) first impressions:
- it seems that you've removed these damn dropping notes/polyphony issues we were suffering from years, CONGRATULATIONS! You succeeded where Creative still fails as of today... (see this thread: http://forums.creative.com/t5/Sound-Bla ... d-p/181199)
- I could test some MIDIs using XG effects, and the rendering is very interesting... I have to test some advanced XG files now!
- your driver seems to output much more reverb than Creative's driver. Not bad at all, but sometimes leads to sound clipping.
- some instruments using advanced SoundFont synthesis parameters (eg. presets based on raw waveforms like Square Wave, Bass & Lead, Saw Wave, Polysynth...) sound slighty different with your driver. With my Arachno SoundFont bank, it's particularly true with the PolySynth preset.
- most annoying bug: sometimes, the driver crashes when I play some random MIDI files with vanBasco's Karaoke Player. But I couldn't yet find the common factor between all the files which lead to crashes... I'll try to get more info ASAP.

Overall, a very nice and promising work!
Your work deserves to be known, so I'm ready to write some review on my SoundFont's documentation (which covers all the workarounds I'm aware of to circumvent Creative drivers' limitations) to mention BASSMIDI driver as a real alternative to those wanting to go on with SoundFonts, without having to wait for some Creative fixes that will never be available...
Please offer a dedicated website to this nice project!

[Solaphar]

First off: A big "thank you" to both kode54 and mudlord.

I've downloaded the exe file, but have not yet run it.

Now, I have Win7 64-bit, but Maxime seems to be indicating that there are some special, additional steps that need to be taken, however I don't quite understand them, since it's a bit technical. Is there anyone willing to break it down for me so I can successfully install this thing?