Space Quest 1 VGA Music.

[Tawmis]

[Tawmis]

[Tawmis]

[Rath Darkblade]

Hmm. Is it my imagination, or does the "Space Quest" theme (present at the beginning of all these videos) a reference to the Star Wars theme music?

I think the composer threw in a quick reference to Darth Vader's March Theme, too.

[MusicallyInspired]

I took it moreso as a reference to Superman's theme. However, the credits music definitely just straight up rips off the jingle at the beginning of the theme of all Star Wars credits sequences and just replaces the Star Wars theme motif with Space Quest's. (see 32:02 of the first video Tawmis posted)

Also, Tawmis I'm not sure how you're recording your MT to MP3 tracks but they sound nothing like the MT-32 and the instruments are all wrong. Ya gotta use MUNT for MT-32 MIDI files. Also, the GM to MP3 track has all the drum portions playing on a piano instrument. I'm not sure why that's happening but that's not supposed to be that way either. It just sounds like a cacophony of muddy noise.

[goatmeal]

I took it moreso as a reference to Superman's theme. However, the credits music definitely just straight up rips off the jingle at the beginning of the theme of all Star Wars credits sequences and just replaces the Star Wars theme motif with Space Quest's. (see 32:02 of the first video Tawmis posted)

Yep, MI is definitely right on both accounts.

Here is the Star Wars "build-up" to the Main Title/Luke Skywalker leit motif from the end of Star Wars (1977):


And here is the one from SQ1VGA:

[Tawmis]

Also, Tawmis I'm not sure how you're recording your MT to MP3 tracks but they sound nothing like the MT-32 and the instruments are all wrong. Ya gotta use MUNT for MT-32 MIDI files. Also, the GM to MP3 track has all the drum portions playing on a piano instrument. I'm not sure why that's happening but that's not supposed to be that way either. It just sounds like a cacophony of muddy noise.

Yeah if you go to the video itself on Youtube I have this posted right at the start -

Note - Because I converted this to MP3 - there may be issue with some of the music not sounding correct due to it being lost in the conversion process.

I took the .MIDI files from the Quest Studios Archive site - and converted them to MP3 (using VLC) - which I figured was gonna make some of it wonky, since video editors can't import .MIDI files.

[MusicallyInspired]

If that's how you're doing all your MT-32 MIDIs then my advice is to just skip those altogether. Those MIDI files from QS were meant to be played back on a real MT-32. There's no reason to do it without one or MUNT. It's coming out completely wrong. The GM ones are passable because at least the instruments match up (except for the aforementioned percussion issues sometimes).

MUNT's GUI has a converter where you can just drag and drop MIDIs and it'll create WAVs/MP3s.

[Tawmis]

If that's how you're doing all your MT-32 MIDIs then my advice is to just skip those altogether. Those MIDI files from QS were meant to be played back on a real MT-32. There's no reason to do it without one or MUNT. It's coming out completely wrong. The GM ones are passable because at least the instruments match up (except for the aforementioned percussion issues sometimes).

MUNT's GUI has a converter where you can just drag and drop MIDIs and it'll create WAVs/MP3s.

Well, that's good to know NOW.

I've already uploaded them all (there's not many more soundtracks) that were just filler releases between my let's play releases.

But I may try the MUNT converter. I wasn't aware it had a built in converter.

[Tawmis]

OMG.

Just listened to some of them through the MUNT after converting... LOL... night and day difference.

Thanks MI. I'm going to want to redo all of these and reupload them all. Including the non MT32 ones.

[MusicallyInspired]

NP!

Don't put GM MIDIs through MUNT or you'll get the same issue in reverse, all wrong instruments.

[Tawmis]

Don't put GM MIDIs through MUNT or you'll get the same issue in reverse, all wrong instruments.

What would you recommend for converting GM MIDIs to WAV/MP3/OGG?

I tried one of the Colonel's Bequest - and the start (opening theme) sounded good - but listening further - there's a slight "whistle" sound that clearly shows it's off.

[MusicallyInspired]

To be honest I'm surprised it's not working right the way you've been doing it. GM is General MIDI. Which is the standard. A standard that Windows stock MIDI uses. That doesn't make much sense to me. Even GS MIDIs should play properly because Windows' MIDI wavetable synth is GS compatible and has been since Windows XP. Short of using Windows MIDI, the only other way to do it would be to get a Digital Audio Workstation program like Cakewalk or something and use a General MIDI VST plugin software synth to playback the MIDI files and record them.

[goatmeal]

MI -- I would be greatly interested in what GM SoundFont sounds "accurate" to you.

I'm partial to EmperorGrieferus's modification of Patch93's GM SC-55 SoundFont, because to me, it sounds most like the Betrayal At Krondor CD-Audio tracks when I play them side-by-side against the GM MIDIs.

However, Alistair Gillette of Sierra Music Central has recommended Deemster's SC-55 GM SoundFont as being most accurate for those without actual SC-55 hardware.

What would be your recommendation(s) for GM SoundFonts, if any? Thanks in advance.

========================================

Tawmis -- For a GM MIDI option that uses SoundFonts, I like this:

VirtualMIDISynth is a software MIDI synthesizer implemented as a Windows multimedia user driver, accessible as a standard MIDI Out device.

It works on Windows XP (SP3) / Vista (SP1) / 7 (SP1) / 8.x / 10 (both x86 and x64), and is based on the great BASS library from un4seen.

https://coolsoft.altervista.org/en/virtualmidisynth

Among its many functions is an option to convert MIDI to WAV/MP3/FLAC, but I haven't tried it.

[Tawmis]

Tawmis -- For a GM MIDI option that uses SoundFonts, I like this:

VirtualMIDISynth is a software MIDI synthesizer implemented as a Windows multimedia user driver, accessible as a standard MIDI Out device.
It works on Windows XP (SP3) / Vista (SP1) / 7 (SP1) / 8.x / 10 (both x86 and x64), and is based on the great BASS library from un4seen.
https://coolsoft.altervista.org/en/virtualmidisynth

Among its many functions is an option to convert MIDI to WAV/MP3/FLAC, but I haven't tried it.

Thank ye good sir!