Query about DM2 music

Post by **Ameena** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 2:40 am

Just been wondering - the DM2 music files are in midi format. That's fine enough - I can listen to them on the computer no probs (well, actually there's only one that I listen to, but anyway...), but midi format can't be put onto a CD, and the music convertor program I have doesn't convert midi files. I suppose 'cause it's so old and basic and stuff. So I'm wondering - is there any way it would be possible to convert these files into some other format (.mp3, .wma, or whatever)? I don't really expect it to be possible, but I figure I might as well ask, just in case

.

ADDF_Toxic · Post by **ADDF_Toxic** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 3:25 am

There are programs that can convert music files (like you have), I'm not sure about midi files though...maybe try searching for something like:
"audio convertor" +midi
or something like that if you feel like getting a different convertor...

Another possibility might be to set your WavIn* to Stereo Mix and use a sound recorder to record the music and save it into a different format. Start recording, then start playing your midi files. Stop the recording when one file is done and save it. You might need to clip off a little leader because you can't press "Record" and "Play" at the same time...Windows Sound Recorder probably won't work for this, though, since it only allows you to record 60 minutes before it just stops...even if you do start recording quickly again, you'll probably get a small gap in the song, might sound like a skipping CD. Another problem with this method is it seems to like to degrade the quality a little bit when you record...

*To set your wavin on Windows XP, open Windows Volume Control, Press "Properties" under the Options menu. If you use a different device for recording, select that device from the dropdown box at the top...if not, well, skip that step. Select "Recording" if it's not already selected. In the checklist below, make sure "Stereo Mix" is checked (it might be called something different, I think it's Wav Mix on my laptop). Press OK. Press "Select" under the volume control for "Stereo Mix". The computer should now record whatever sounds your computer is making, like whatever program is playing your midi files.

Hope this helps

Post by **Gambit37** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 10:25 am

There is absolutely no point in "converting" MIDI to any other format. MIDI is just "note data" telling the synthesiser on your sound card what notes to play, when and how. Depending on what sound banks your sound card has, MIDIs can sound totally different from one machine to another.

As ADDF said, the best way to get the music from this format is to record it using the duplex facility of your sound card -- you can then save the resulting digital data as MP3 or whatever. I use Sound Forge to do this, but it ain't free....

Post by **linflas** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 10:33 am

but audacity is...

ADDF_Toxic · Post by **ADDF_Toxic** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 2:59 pm

I tried audacity and it drove me crazy

Then I tried Neosound and it ended up being the same thing :O But that's just me...and my old computer, I think

ADDF_Toxic · Post by **ADDF_Toxic** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 3:24 pm

If you have the full version of Melody Assistant, you can export into other types of files. Melody Assistat is an awesome score editor (for writing music). It can open midi files. It can also export the scores that are in the music file you have open into different formats, like .wav. That's the only one I can think of right now. The problem is you need the full version for this...the trial version only lets you export the first few seconds (I think it was 16 seconds, but I don't quite remember) of the music.

Tom Hatfield · Post by **Tom Hatfield** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 8:45 pm

Most MIDI sequencers I know (anything by Cakewalk, and maybe Cubase) can output a sequence to wave or whatever waveform format you like (MP3, OGG, etc.). There was also a nifty little utility I used to use called Awave that can convert a MIDI to wave using whatever GM SoundFont you specify. It cost like $80 to register, though, which is why I only used the demo. Nowadays I stick with Sonar.

ADDF_Toxic · Post by **ADDF_Toxic** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 11:36 pm

Awave sounds like a good program for this situation, Tom! Actually, that name sounds kind of familiar...maybe I ran across it when I was searching for audio programs just because that's what I felt like playing with...

but that doesn't really matter...Here seems to be the program that Tom is talkng about...Awave Audio didn't seem to have MID on the list of formats...unless I skipped right over it, but Awave Studio did have MID on the list...

Post by **Ameena** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 1:16 am

Woot

. Tox's method of changing the recording settings (mine's called "Mixed Output") in the volume control, then playing the file in Media Player with Goldwave recording, worked - file recorded, then I saved it as a .wav (what Goldwave automatically wanted to save it as), then just used the converter prog thingy to turn it into an .mp3 - tested that in Media Player and it works fine, so yaaaaay

. I just wanted that one file so I could bung it on a CD, and now I can - thanks Tox

.

ADDF_Toxic · Post by **ADDF_Toxic** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 3:03 pm

Ah, Mixed Output...I first learned it as "Stereo Mix" and i never thought that was a very descriptive name..."Mixed Output" is descriptive, my laptop calls it "Wave Out Mix" which also makes much more sense than "Stereo Mix"...but anyway, your welcome

Tom Hatfield · Post by **Tom Hatfield** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 6:20 pm

Oh, one other thing: I don't know about the newer versions of Winamp (as I'm still using 2.95), but the old one could write wave files if you changed the output plugin, and of course Winamp can play MIDI's. That's probably your cheapest, easiest method.

Technically it should be called "downmix" rather than simply "mix."