The games based on the DOOM engine (DOOM, DOOM2, Heretic, Hexen, and Strife) send a SYSEX message to enable GM mode when they start up, and send another message to disable GM mode when they quit back to DOS. Disabling GM mode results in MIDI channel 10 no longer being mapped as percussion instruments. Dunno why the games do that, but it is annoying. You can avoid the problem by shutting down DOSBox with Ctrl-F9 while the games are still running (i.e. don't quit back to the prompt) so they don't have a chance to send the disable message. If it's some other game that you're having the problem with, try the same thing anyway.

I sometimes get this "all piano" problem after playing certain MIDI songs. To me, my solution is resetting the MIDI device. However, I'm using Roland Virtual Sound Canvas, which has clear and big "reset all" button. I don't know how to reset Microsoft GS Wavetable though, anyone?

ripsaw8080 wrote:

The games based on the DOOM engine (DOOM, DOOM2, Heretic, Hexen, and Strife) send a SYSEX message to enable GM mode when they start up, and send another message to disable GM mode when they quit back to DOS. Disabling GM mode results in MIDI channel 10 no longer being mapped as percussion instruments. Dunno why the games do that, but it is annoying. You can avoid the problem by shutting down DOSBox with Ctrl-F9 while the games are still running (i.e. don't quit back to the prompt) so they don't have a chance to send the disable message. If it's some other game that you're having the problem with, try the same thing anyway.

Thanks that worked! In fact the game was...Doom. 😀

Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman wrote:

. I don't know how to reset Microsoft GS Wavetable though, anyone?

I don't know 😒 but I'm also interested just in case...

@SB,

Check this message thread -> Drums of midi files broken after DosBox usage& .

BTW, since you have a Live! and are using soundfonts (sorry, shameless plug follows), check this message thread -> Weeds General MIDI SoundFont v3.0 😀

(edit) P.S. Here's a little handy-dandy utility for ya -> http://www.cmoo.com/snor/weeds/SoundFonts/MIDI_Reset.zip . Simply run the included EXE and it will reset the active MIDI device in Windows.

If you unzip the files with directories (i.e. "C:\MIDI Reset") you can also use the included Windows start menu shortcut. Copy the shortcut to where ever your Windows start menu shortcuts are located (e.g. in Windows XP, "C:\Documents and Settings\User Name\Start Menu\Programs"), reboot, and then you can simply press SHIFT+ALT+G on your keyboard to do the General MIDI reset 😀

Also worked, thanks! I'll also check the soundfont later

(haha, I didn't remember I did another topic on "guest" format in the past, the search couldn't find that)

SpinalBlood wrote:

Also worked, thanks!

Yer welcome!

BTW, in actuality all the utility really is; simply a "NeoBook" publication that plays the included MID file ("MIDI Reset.mid") using your active Windows MIDI device. One can also simply load and play the MIDI file using WinAmp or the Windows Media Player, but I myself find it easier to use the included shortcut file with the hotkey SHIFT+ALT+G... boom... reset (with a cute little splash screen <grin>)!

Anyhow FYI, you can use your MIDI sequencer of choice (I myself use the old Cakewalk Pro v3.01) to edit the SYSEX dump embedded within the MIDI file to most any sort or type of MIDI reset that you wish.

Keep in mind: it only resets the active MIDI device. For an SBLive, if you were using "Synth B" when things got cobbled up, and then changed the Windows active MIDI device to "Synth A"; you'll have to change it back to "Synth B" (within the Windows "Sounds and Audio Devices" control panel applet) to do the reset.

The same holds true if you have more than one hardware MIDI device installed in your PC (not really sure if this thing will reset the Windows GS Wavetable softsynth, but it would be easy enough to test out).

SpinalBlood wrote:

I'll also check the soundfont later

[shameless_plug]
I think you'll like what you hear 😀
[/shameless_plug]

If you already have WinAmp, it has an option in its config to send a GM reset at the start of each MIDI file you play, and you can choose the MIDI device for playback as well. If you have WinAmp set as the default play application for MIDI files, it's then very easy to get a GM reset by just double-clicking one (and one that has percussion on channel 10 will give nice feedback that it has been restored.)

ripsaw8080 wrote:

(and one that has percussion on channel 10 will give nice feedback that it has been restored.)

Hehe, my MIDI has 16 channels, with the next preceding patch number set for the next higher instrument for each channel... which results in a nice audible "CLUNK!" or "CLANK!" 🤣!