MSX MIDI for Dummies topic

Not a noob question . MIDI on MSX is a complex landscape, there were several interfaces, but unfortunately there was no standard until the turboR, so interface software support is scattered.

Some examples, not an exhaustive list by any means:

SFG MIDI: With Yamaha’s software you can transmit and record MIDI, also there’s DMS-II. See cx5m.net.

Philips MIDI: I think MoonBlaster has some support, and the Meridian tracker. MSXSynth as well.

TurboR MIDI: Some games support it (e.g. Illusion City). MoonBlaster, MSXSynth and Meridian as well iirc.

Also a few years back I worked on a synthesizer called Synthesix which is very very alpha and not seriously useful, but does support all these three MIDI interfaces so you might get some blips and bloops out of the SCC with it.

I don’t know if anyone ever made a MIDI-IN to OPL4 player (maybe msd?). There’s also a bunch of Japanese MIDI tools here, though I don’t think for the SFG or Philips.

Software needs to handle the data which comes in to the MIDI interface. Grauw mentioned his Synthesix for SCC. Then there's MID2OPL4 for OPL4. I find Grauw's mention of some trackers very interesting. I never tried this but in theory this should be possible since in the instrument menu of Moonblaster you can use the MSX keyboard, the keyboard that went with the Philips Music Module and a MIDI keyboard connected to the Philips Music Module to test a selected instrument. Just know that you'll only hear one instrument and no percussion if you go there.

Not any Moonsound (clone) has a MIDI interface. If you want the Moonsound to playback MIDI music from another source (computer, instrument, etc) have a MIDI interface receive the data and software to handle it (MID2OPL4). You can see this progam in action in this clip on the Panasonic FS-A1WX. The Turbo R is the source and the Sony is a throughput which plays SCC with Synthesix.

Existing MIDI players usually go the other way around, so from MSX to synthesizer or any other machine capable of handling MIDI data. So if you want to play a .MID file you need more plugged in to your power socket than only one MSX.

The world of MIDI is too big to cover and too complex for me to explain. I think it's better for you to ask and get answers in stead of overflowing you with answers to questions you weren't going to ask anyway ;)

I appreciate any info since i had interest in making music. I composed some music ages ago (i can post midis if anyone is curious) and i'm interested how things works on MSX. Midis is almost in classical-oriented style since for more modern tunes i used MODPlug tracker.

As MIDI is a scattered standard on MSX software that will support the MIDI interface in the Philips Music Mosule will not necessarily support the SFG-01. I don't know any software supporting the SFG-01 but Grauw's Synthesix. You'll probably be bound to the software Yamaha provided if you want to hear anything.

Cutting pin 49 of the music module will only cut off the audio from the music module to the computer. The noise from the computer to the music module gets severly lowered. If for some reason you decide to undo this fix, one drop of solder will do It does however not amplify its audio output. That has to be done by altering a resistor near an opamp.

Fun fact I overheard today, apparently Namco used the CX5M to compose music for their arcade games.

http://www.vgmonline.net/hiroyukikawadainterview/
http://www.vgmonline.net/hiroyukikawadainterview2/

…and Excel :D

I've caught a video recently Tiny Sound Module but unfortunately don't see anything on this on Tiny Yarou's site yet :) Looks very great and promising :)

EDIT: darn i always hesitated the twitter thing but it might be the case i'd create a profile in it to reach the Tiny Yarou ... uh-oh ... thinking about it just now ...