MIDI 64nicator (Doom 64 EX & etc... MIDI Compatibility)

[Immorpher]

MIDI 64nicator is a tool to format midis for Doom 64 Ports, particularly Doom 64 EX, but the midis will also work in the Doom 64 Remaster, Doom 64 Retribution, DZDoom (GEC Master Edition), and Doom 64 CE. The program runs on 64-bit Windows 10 and is programmed in MATLAB using its app designer. When installing it will require a 700 mb download, an unfortunate part of MATLAB compiled programs. After installation it can be found in the Start Menu or via the Search Bar as "MIDI64nicator".

Source Code: https://github.com/Immorpher/MIDI-64nicator
Installer: https://github.com/Immorpher/MIDI-64nicator/releases

Instructions:

Spoiler

First, you will need to compose a midi using the Doom 64 soundfont which can be generated with Doom 64 EX, or found in Doom 64 Retribution, DZDoom, and the Doom 64 Remaster (DLS format) program folders. Once your midi is ready, run MIDI 64nicator. The necessary processing options will be checked by default, and click on "Convert" to load your midi. Find and select your midi, the conversion process will happen automatically. When the process is over, it will open a dialog to save the file. That file should now be ready to go in your favorite Doom 64 port! Some of the optional processing options may help with compatibility.

Parameter Descriptions:

Spoiler

Swap Note Offs - Doom 64 EX does not properly execute note off events (128 to 143) and instead recognizes note on events with a velocity of 0 to silence notes. This option will convert these note off events appropriately.

Insert Loop Times - Doom 64 has a special event (127) which determines on how the music loops, without this the tracks won't play properly. This option will strip any existing loops for each track (if needed) and will these events at the beginning and end of tracks.

Strip Info Events - Extra info events (1 to 4) will cause tracks not to play in Doom 64 EX. This option will remove them.

Zero Run Mode - Midi events have two running modes, 0 and 1. Events with mode 1 wont be recognized in Doom 64 EX, thus this option will change them to 0.

Add Tempo - Doom 64 EX requires a tempo event (81) for tracks to be played. If it is not defined this option will add a default tempo.

Re-Channel - This option makes sure all notes are assigned to the proper channel and the channels are re-organized sequentially. This reduces many MIDI play back bugs.

Truncate End - This option moves the track end and also the Doom 64 loop point to the last midi event which can eliminate silence after a track.

Non-Looping - This option removes the ending Doom 64 loop point which prevents the track from looping in Doom 64 EX. This is important for the title track of the game.

Known Issues:

Spoiler

If you want to edit the original Doom 64 midis, use a program like Aria Maestosa to convert it to a standard midi format. Programs like Sekaiju seem to cause conversion issues in MIDI 64nicator. However once midis are in standard midi format, editing them with Sekaiju seems to be fine.
 

This applies to midi playback on Doom 64 EX. Tracks with very short note and controller events can have tracks which eventually go out of sync. Perhaps the resolution of the midi is too high. If you experience this, try using longer notes or have controller events with more space between them.

Helpful Software:

Spoiler

Midi Composition:
Aria Maestosa - http://ariamaestosa.sourceforge.net/

Sekaiju - https://openmidiproject.osdn.jp/index_en.html

SynthFont - http://www.synthfont.com/

 

Soundfont Handling:
Polyphone - https://www.polyphone-soundfonts.com/

Virtual MIDI Synth - https://coolsoft.altervista.org/en/virtualmidisynth

 

MIDI Decoding:
Ken Schutte's MATLAB Scripts - https://kenschutte.com/midi

MIDIopsy - https://jeffbourdier.github.io/midiopsy/

Credits:

Spoiler

Conversion Coding: Immorpher (https://www.youtube.com/c/Immorpher)
D64 MIDI Decoding: @Impboy4, @Neigh Winny
MIDI In/Out: Ken Schutte (https://kenschutte.com/midi)
Doom 64 Discord: https://discord.gg/Ktxz8nz

We have been using it a while behind-the-scenes to make Doom 64 EX compatible MIDIs. Many of these MIDIs can be found in this archive (with low-quality MP3 previews): https://www.dropbox.com/sh/b96qzg6r4sow4uz/AAArv5qzvMQIQxLXEzAJr40Fa

Edited December 15, 2021 by Immorpher

[P41R47]

now this is really cool!

A program that let us load new midis for D64 :D

 

Something tell me that you fabulous midis are finding a home at last ;)

 

Now we need more Doom64 mapsets and more love in general to use this non stop.

[Z0k]

Ok now this interest me. and will be also helpful gonna take a look on those previews, thanks for this!

[Kain D.]

It might be useful to me.

 

Are the mp3 files allowed to use?

[Immorpher]

5 hours ago, Kain D. said:

It might be useful to me.

 

Are the mp3 files allowed to use?

Yup as long as you credit the author! They are low quality renderings so if need I can re-render any of those.

[Kain D.]

57 minutes ago, Immorpher said:

Yup as long as you credit the author! They are low quality renderings so if need I can re-render any of those.

I might contact you in the future about that. I don't need them right now.

 

Although, when I'm thinking about this right now. You could, if you want to, it's up to you slightly upgrade(make them louder and loop properly) your midis you posted 3 years ago, because my project also uses these.

 

 

[Immorpher]

On 6/12/2021 at 11:50 AM, Kain D. said:

Although, when I'm thinking about this right now. You could, if you want to, it's up to you slightly upgrade(make them louder and loop properly) your midis you posted 3 years ago, because my project also uses these.

I oddly missed this message! But indeed I am in the process of doing exactly that. It's been slow as I get distracted by other things. But I may have already updated the midis you are using. Feel free to send me a DM and I can see what midis you currently use, which ones I already have fixed, and which ones I should working on fixing next.

[out_of_service]

Very cool! 

[Immorpher]

To honor the anniversary of "The Thing" I have converted a new midi using MIDI 64nicator. 39 years ago today, the classic horror film "The Thing" was released in theaters. For this occasion, I remixed the title theme composed by Ennio Morricone with the Doom 64 set of sounds assembled by Aubrey Hodges. This is a MIDI recorded straight from Doom 64 EX and will appear in episode 2 of Doom 64 Reloaded.
 

 

[Immorpher]

FYI to anyone following, M64nicator has been updated to 1.3! I found a few more common MIDI info events which cause EX to crash and got the program to clean those up as well. And for your 90's flashback enjoyment here are a few recent Doom 64 MIDI experiments!

X-Files Theme in Doom 64 sounds:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/zkt2v0215iccug4/IT'S NEW JACK %26 Immorpher - Demon Files.mp3?dl=1

 

Halloween Theme in Doom 64 sounds:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/wkz94dim771zrjv/John Carpenter %26 Immorpher - Hunted.mp3?dl=1