I want to use Timidity++ and Fluidsynth MIDI Synthesizers

[wtg62]

I can't install these two midi synthesizers and I don't know why. Could someone please give me careful and clear instructions on how to install? Also could have some help with installing the gus (gravis ultrasound) emulator too? I want these because I need better sound.

[Gez]

What isn't clear here?

[wtg62]

What isn't clear here?

I went on zdoom wiki to figure this out but the instructions didn't work.

[Gez]

I went on zdoom wiki to figure this out but the instructions didn't work.

Be more precise. What did you try, what did you do, what are the values of the relevant console variables, what is the content of your timidity.cfg, do you even have sound fonts or patches installed, etc.

[wtg62]

I went on zdoom wiki to figure this out but the instructions didn't work.

Be more precise. What did you try, what did you do, what are the values of the relevant console variables, what is the content of your timidity.cfg, do you even have sound fonts or patches installed, etc.

I did. I put in timidity where to find the exe and the part that was unclear was the "Direct zdoom toward it using timidity_exe cvar"
I don't understand that. I wrote the full file path and I got
"Timidity_Exe = C:\Documents"

Any help on this cvar?

[wtg62]

In my cfg file is this text

Code: Select all

##############################################################################
# These are the standard patches that come with the GUS, mapped into GM
# programs.
#

dir C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Desktop\doom\Gzdoom\timidity.exe

bank 0

	0 acpiano
	1 britepno
	2 synpiano
	3 honky
	4 epiano1
	5 epiano2
	6 hrpschrd
	7 clavinet
	8 celeste
	9 glocken
	10 musicbox
	11 vibes
	12 marimba
	13 xylophon amp=200
	14 tubebell
	15 santur
	16 homeorg
	17 percorg
	18 rockorg
	19 church
	20 reedorg
	21 accordn
	22 harmonca
	23 concrtna
	24 nyguitar
	25 acguitar
	26 jazzgtr
	27 cleangtr
	28 mutegtr
	29 odguitar
	30 distgtr
	31 gtrharm
	32 acbass
	33 fngrbass
	34 pickbass
	35 fretless
	36 slapbas1
	37 slapbas2
	38 synbass1
	39 synbass2
	40 violin
	41 viola
	42 cello
	43 contraba
	44 tremstr
	45 pizzcato
	46 harp
	47 timpani
	# This sounds pretty dumb with the default panning
	48 marcato pan=center
	49 slowstr
	50 synstr1
	51 synstr2
	52 choir
	53 doo
	54 voices
	55 orchhit
	56 trumpet
	57 trombone
	58 tuba
	59 mutetrum
	60 frenchrn
	61 hitbrass
	62 synbras1
	63 synbras2
	64 sprnosax
	65 altosax
	66 tenorsax
	67 barisax
	68 oboe
	69 englhorn
	70 bassoon
	71 clarinet
	72 piccolo
	73 flute
	74 recorder
	75 woodflut
	76 bottle
	77 shakazul
	78 whistle
	79 ocarina
	80 sqrwave
	81 sawwave
	82 calliope
	83 chiflead
	84 charang
	85 voxlead
	86 lead5th
	87 basslead
	88 fantasia
	89 warmpad
	90 polysyn
	91 ghostie
	92 bowglass
	93 metalpad
	94 halopad
	95 sweeper
	96 aurora
	97 soundtrk
	98 crystal
	99 atmosphr
	100 freshair
	101 unicorn
	102 echovox
	103 startrak
	104 sitar
	105 banjo
	106 shamisen
	107 koto
	108 kalimba
	109 bagpipes
	110 fiddle
	111 shannai
	112 carillon
	113 agogo
	114 steeldrm
	115 woodblk
	116 taiko
	117 toms
	118 syntom
	119 revcym
	120 fx-fret
	121 fx-blow
	122 seashore
	123 jungle
	124 telephon
	125 helicptr
	126 applause note=69
	127 pistol

##############################################################################
# The GUS drum patches

drumset 0

[Gez]

I don't understand that. I wrote the full file path and I got
"Timidity_Exe = C:\Documents"

If you've put timidity.exe in C:\Documents, then the full file path would be C:\Documents\timidity.exe...

[Salad Viking]

I don't understand that. I wrote the full file path and I got
"Timidity_Exe = C:\Documents"

If you're setting a CVAR to a string and it contains spaces, you must put it in quotation marks. I'm going to guess that you're running WinXP and you have it in the "My Documents" folder.

Open ZDoom, open the console, and type

Code: Select all

timidity_exe "C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\My Documents\<path to exe>"

where "<username>" is replaced by your OS username and "<path to exe>" is replaced by the path, from "My Documents", to the Timidity++ executable.

Example:

Code: Select all

timidity_exe "C:\Documents and Settings\Salad Viking\My Documents\Doom\timidity.exe"

If this isn't the problem, then you must be doing something really boneheaded.

[wtg62]

Well I type C:\Documents And Settings\Owner\Desktop\Doom\Gzdoom\Timidity.exe
in quotes using the command.
Still no music.
I'm not really sure what I'm doing but I know I'm following the directions.
Also even before I install it (Which I should've said earlier) I want to see what it sounds like.
Is it better than fmod or the microsoft wavetable GS synth

[NeuralStunner]

If this isn't the problem, then you must be doing something really boneheaded.

So let's be needlessly insulting to someone who actually doesn't know what they're doing. Way to go, giving that welcoming feeling. If you can't post without being an arsehole, don't post at all.

...

In ZDoom, open the console, put in:

Code: Select all

Timidity_EXE "C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Desktop\doom\Gzdoom\timidity.exe"
midi_config "TiMidity\TiMidity.cfg"

Now, there should be a "TiMidity" folder inside your ZDoom folder. Inside that should be TiMidity.cfg. This file should contain 2 lines:

Code: Select all

dir "<path to your soundfonts directory>"
soundfont "<filename of the soundfont>"

If you want a really good soundfont, I recommend this one: Clicky

[wtg62]

It changes the sfx but still no midi music

[wtg62]

If you want a really good soundfont, I recommend this one: Clicky

How do you install it?

[Gez]

Just put the .sf2 file in a directory somewhere. And then point to it. Easy-peasy.



Okay, as an example, here are the relevant lines from my own zdoom.ini file:

Code: Select all

midi_config=d:\games\doom\soundfonts\timidity\gus411.cfg
timidity_exe=d:\games\doom\soundfonts\timidity\timidity.exe
fluid_patchset=d:\games\doom\soundfonts\weedsgm3.sf2

Then, here's a little part of my soundfonts folder (I didn't put everything to keep it small).

See how I have three different config files for timidity? And I can change which one I use with the midi_config console variable. One of them uses .sf2 sound fonts, see how they can be commented out or uncommented.

For fluidsynth, the console variable is fluid_patchset and it has to point directly to a soundfont file.

[Salad Viking]

So let's be needlessly insulting to someone who actually doesn't know what they're doing. Way to go, giving that welcoming feeling. If you can't post without being an arsehole, don't post at all.

Hey, it was the problem, and he fixed it, so no one was needlessly insulted.

If you switch the MIDI player to Timidity++ and then look at the console, you can see the message "If your soundcard cannot play more than one wave at a time, you will hear no music." So it's possible that your souncard might just not work with Timidity (that's if it still doesn't work after all the config is set up).

I wouldn't recommend Timidity in the first place when you can use FluidSynth. FluidSynth is newer, still developed (as far as I know), doesn't require any external EXEs or configs to run with ZDoom, and you can change the soundfont from the ZDoom console. The two have somewhat different outputs, though, so you may prefer Timidity anyways.

[wtg62]

I got fluidsynth to work. I think I'll use it.