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Meridian for Moonsound - first progress update

by snout on 07-01-2003, 19:28
Topic: Software
Tags: Utilities
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Source: MSX Mailinglist

In October 2002, Michiel de Vries started adjusting his MIDI editor Meridian to support the Moonsound OPL4 sound module. Meridian is a MIDI editor for MSX which can handle SMF, MID, MBM and MWM files. Sound playback is possible on MIDI devices using the MSX turboR MIDI or Philips Muziekmodule's MIDI interface. Now, the first steps have been made to enable playback on Moonsound as well. Here's the list of updates Michiel posted on the mailinglist:

  • Tone editor for editing 200 two-operator FM-tones
  • Tone editor for editing 200 four-operator FM-tones
  • Tone editor for editing 384 ROM and 128 RAM PCM-tones. Of course, the RAM PCM-tones can use samples from the ROM-memory
  • OPL4 program (=instrument in MIDI) editor for editing 256 programs, that is 2 banks each containing 128 programs. Each program can be built up out of several 2-FM, 4-FM and PCM tones and each tone has it's own volume (relative), fine tuning (=detune), coarse tuning (=transpose) and key window (=musical interval within the tone can be played, example: C3..B7). For FM tones the pan setting is limited to Left, Center or Right. For PCM tones, the pan setting can be set to Left 7.. Left 1, Center, Right 1..Right 7 or connected to the pan event in the song.
  • OPL4 drum editor for editing 128 drums, that is 2 drumkits each containing 64 drums. This must be implemented from scratch, but a lot of routines from the OPL4 program editor can be used.
  • OPL4 master settings. Is working for 50 %.

In each editor you can load and save separate tones or programs. Functions to copy and paste settings are available. Test tones by pressing F4. Testing tones by MIDI-IN data is not implemented yet, but will follow for sure. Online help for each editor must still be written.Michiel de Vries is looking forward to comments on Meridian to improve it even more to the needs of its future users. Check our forum topic on Meridian for your feedback.

There seem to be some troubles with the files hosted on the Meridian website. If you want to have a look at a version of Meridian which does not support the OPL4 yet, you can download it here

Comments (7)

By DarQ

Paragon (1038)

DarQ's picture

07-01-2003, 19:51

F***ING SWEET!

I hope so much for FULL moonsound support in a very good MSX emu.

since mbwave and opl4 could not give me inspiration anymore i quit making sounds. Sure, the emulator needs to be able to handle meridian as well and the emulator must be able to handle any type of harddisk and operating system so i can simply use parts of the HDD for MSX purposes.

Wouldn't that be amazing!?

By KNM

Master (172)

KNM's picture

07-01-2003, 21:36

I´m an amateur musician and one of the things I´ve allways wanted to see is a really serious musical application for MSX.Meridian is a good example,but in my opinion,is far from being the "definitive" MIDI program.My dream is to make my music using a program like CakeWalk on the MSX ( something like the 3.0 version will be enough ) even if i could programming,but i don´t know...

At least,we could use the moonsound on the Meridian.That´s an important new step and very good news...

Keep on Rockin,Dudes !

By MichieldeVries

Rookie (24)

MichieldeVries's picture

08-01-2003, 00:22

In the very beginning of Meridian I was thinking of implementing a MIDI editor with a GUI. Now I'm programming assembly on MSX for 12 years and I'm quit sure that the MSX (even Turbo-R) is too slow to handle an application in a decent way that uses a graphical screen (Multi Mente). That's why Meridian uses 'screen 0' and even on Z80 some windows in Meridian are so heavy that they are processed very slowly. Using a GFX9000 could be a solution.

In my opinion a program on MSX that looks and feels like Cakewalk is too much to ask.

By wolf_

Ambassador_ (10109)

wolf_'s picture

08-01-2003, 01:52

the idea is often better than the result..

If you want to compose cakewalk-style, use Cakewalk! typical scene-MSX'ers are used to using a tracker, a microsope-editor with FAST handy features. That's what makes composing fast.

For a while I souped around with the midi part of FST pro, again, the idea was better than the result. I can't imagine a keyboardplayer being faster than a trained tracker.

And that the MSX can't run such an (cakewalk/cubase/logic) app was clear from the beginning.

By KNM

Master (172)

KNM's picture

08-01-2003, 21:02

I´ve just read the reactions rigth now.Well,i don´t know about programming,and read that a cakewalk look like program for MSX it would be impossible to build up is a sad new.what a pity.even in turbo-r...but a great chance could be opened if Meridian will fully support of GM/GS7XG standard MIDI,becasue it would free us of a lot of work ( is my opinion )

By snout

Ascended (15187)

snout's picture

08-01-2003, 21:03

KNM - if you send Michiel de Vries information on your MIDI equipment, he'll add support for it. Although I think the OPL4 development has got all his priorities right now.

By Jorito

Mr. Ambassadors (1790)

Jorito's picture

09-01-2003, 19:47

all looking grrrrrreat! about the midi stuff; any way to make your own driver/instrument definitions? just to take the load off michiel's shoulders a bit, I think he has better things to do than to create driver stuff for everybody Tongue