megafont
Description
megafont is a program
created for dynamically managing, loading and unloading SoundFont files on
Creative SBLive! cards. I.e. it's a dynamic cache manager for SBLive!.
It uses SFMAN32.DLL services.
Look at "AudioHQ->SoundFont->Options->SoundFont
cache". There is only one choice here: "Static caching". Now there exists an
alternative way.
The main feature of megafont is an ability to
simultaneously use large collections of SoundFonts without (again and again)
making any changes in the SoundFont section of the AudioHQ program. And it's
especially useful when the size of collection and/or separate files (but not
presets!) is far above the half of total system memory (which is the maximal
configurable size of static cache with Creative drivers).
The second most usable feature of megafont is that it allows to qickly create SoundFont files from another existing SoundFont and .wav files.
Everything written here concerns not only SBLive! but the EMU APS cards too.
Why do you need it?
Example One
So, you have SBLive!, 40Mb GM/GS
SoundFont and 64Mb of RAM. Naturally, you can't use this bank with "Static
caching" ( 64/2=32, 32<40 :). But you can if you are using megafont.
Example Two
Well, you get some money and upgrade
to 96Mb of RAM. But still, you have 700Mb of your favorite SoundFonts on your
hard disk. You want to run your favorite sequencer and try 'em all in your new
song. With "Static caching" you should load/unload them thru the control
panel. Like a some sort of "SoundFont DJ" :). It's like working on a PC
without a HDD. Such a mess. But you can instantly choose any of your SFonts in
your sequencer and hear any of them without switching between applications if
you are using megafont.
Example Three
Suppose you have a Pentium II-300 and 64Mb of RAM with 30Mb GM/GS
SoundFont loaded. Thus your PII will has only ~30Mb free and sometimes it
feels like on 486. Therefore you forced to use a slightly imperfect 8Mb GM
bank when you work with some memory consuming programs. But there is a way to
store in memory only the currently used presets, i.e. if some of MIDI channels
are currently using them. And don't store anything when you are not
listening to anything. Automatically. Only if you are using megafont.
Example Four
So, you don't have SBLive! or you have no need for dynamic fonts caching but you would like to create SoundFont file from several sources, including .wav files. Or otherwise you want to quickly split existing SoundFont into separate presets. Thought of making it thru Vienna makes you sick since one have to make a thousand of mouse moves to finish such kind of task. With megafont you can handle those problems much faster and simplier.
Et cetera...
Features
- dynamic preset caching, i.e. "on demand" preset
loading and automatic unloading of oldest unused presets when they remains
unused too long, or it's necessary to free memory for another preset;
- presets can be mapped to bank number, program number and name which
are different from such parameters in the SoundFont file;
- 128 * 128 simultaneously loaded melodic presets + 128 drum presets (if they fit in
memory together), if they don't fit they're still avaliable for instant loading when needed;
- overriding of a maximal memory size stated with AudioHQ (1/2 of RAM maximum) up to the whole RAM size;
- SoundFont files v2.0, v2.1 and .wav files support;
- when using with sequencer latency after first one
Bank_Select/Program_change for average size preset - aprox. 0.1 .. 1 sec (if
SoundFont is on the hard drive); subsequent calls are faster, simultaneous
calls may be slower.
- Winamp support for playing MIDI files with pre-caching of needed presets for every song played;
- SoundFont Device interface support for exporting preset names;
- sequencer integration (patch list export):
Cubase ( Studio Module drivers (.DEV),
tested with Cubase Audio VST 3.553, compiled with DMaker v1.00; SoundFont Device interface in v3.7 and higher, works in real-time )
Cakewalk ( instrument definition files
(.INS) and SoundFont Device interface, tested with Cakewalk Pro Audio 8.0 )
Logic ( copying all names in bank thru clipboard, tested with Logic Audio Platinum v4.0 )
Massiva (.mxp files), tested with
version x0.49
Evolution (.pls files), tested with Evolution Sound Studio Gold 1.10
Encore (.ini files), tested with Passport Designs Encore v4.2.1
System requirements
- Windows'98, Windows 2000/NT
- SFEDT32.DLL for creating SoundFont files. This is not necessary for other megafont features
- SBLive!/LiveWare for stable work or SBLive!/APSLive drivers or true EMU APS card for not so stable work
- You need some MIDI loopback to redirect sequencer's MIDI OUTs to
megafont. This can be "Hubi's LoopBack device" (Windows 95/98) or MIDI Yoke Junction (Windows'95/98 and NT/2000)
or whatever you like. You can find them at the MAZ Sound Tools page in section
Tools/Misc.
The latter two of requirements are not necessary if the only thing you need is to create SoundFont or patch list for sequencer.
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