MIDI files don't play in Windows Media Player

[Toddskins]

Hey guys,

I'ts been a few years since I tampered with all this stuff, and I've forgotten some things. Help please?


I want to start using Sonar III again, and have an Audiophile 2496 sitting side by side a Creative Labs Audigy in my Dell XPS tower. Back in 2004, I remember that I had to bounce back & forth between the two for convenience' sake.

So I went into Windows Control Panel and have all my audio settings now set to the Audiophile 2496. I can hear the difference. I've done likewise in Sonar, but I'm not ready to tackle this issue yet. For now, just Windows Media Player.

I can play my MP3's through Windows Media Player, but my MIDI files don't play any sound. What do I need to do to get WMP to play sounds through my Audiophile 2496 of MIDI files?

[Gidge]

the Audiophile doesnt have onboard midi sounds so if your motherboard doesnt have onboard midi you can you, you will have to use some type of softsynth to avoid using the Audigy..

[ido1957]

Double click on your volume control to bring up the volume controls. Make sure your Synth volume is not turned off. I had that exact problem several times when I was working with MIDI. Not sure but it might be due to when you change your drivers in Sonar...(like from ASIO to MME).... In any case check that....

[Toddskins]

Originally Posted by Gidge

the Audiophile doesnt have onboard midi sounds so if your motherboard doesnt have onboard midi you can you, you will have to use some type of softsynth to avoid using the Audigy..

Is there a way of setting up WMP with a soft synth? Where would such an option handled?

[Toddskins]

Originally Posted by ido1957

Double click on your volume control to bring up the volume controls. Make sure your Synth volume is not turned off. I had that exact problem several times when I was working with MIDI. Not sure but it might be due to when you change your drivers in Sonar...(like from ASIO to MME).... In any case check that....

I checked, and my synth is on and at full loudness in that control panel.

[M10K]

Is there any reason you're not just opening the midi files and using a softsynth within Sonar? Just curious.

[Toddskins]

Originally Posted by M10K

Is there any reason you're not just opening the midi files and using a softsynth within Sonar? Just curious.

A couple reasons.

1) Convenience - Lots of times, I just want to listen to a MIDI file quickly to ascertain something. I don't want open and then setup Sonar with additional tracks to get access to Dxi just to listen to a MIDI song.

2) Most of what I do is on piano. The soft synths from Sonar are analog, unless you use the samplers. So I would then have to open up one of the Samplers in Sonar, which requires the VST wrapper (registration which I don't remember how to gain access to since I reinstalled Sonar since registering), followed by a CD-ROM disk containing piano samples, and you can feel the tension already, not to mention that I have not got all that mess figured out at this point.

[Toddskins]

In the years since its introduction, has M-Audio ever upgraded the Audiophile 2496 card to include a GM soundset as part of its operation?

I guess I could just google and find out.

[Toddskins]

From another site, I found the answer, and it works.

"Choose Microsoft Wavetable SW Synth in Control Panel->Sounds and Audio Devices->Audio tab->MIDI music playback section? I think MS Wavetable SW Synth comes with Windows so you don't need to buy anything extra.

If you prefer to have much better sounding GM sounds for your midi files check out Roland Virtual Sound Canvas. There are probably other software solutions as well.

I don't have Audiophile card but I would think that you should still be able to play midi files in software mode if you set it correctly in the above panel."