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Some bug reports!

Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2016 1:29 am
by Bkuuzin
I've been using Synthfont2 for a while and it's an amazing program! I have lots of fun using it.

The first bug I often encounter happens when I'm applying a soundfont to a midi file that I'm working with in Synthfont2. Even after I apply the soundfont to each channel, sometimes the soundfont will default back to the general MIDI soundfont. This usually happens when I select multiple channels at once when I attach a soundfont. Usually changing the soundfont one channel at a time solves the problem, but sometimes the soundfont remains at the General MIDI soundfont. This may be an issue with the soundfont .sf2 file itself, but this issue occurs with any soundfont I use.

Similarly, sometimes once I have the desired soundfont applied to the channels, the instruments will change once I hit play. Let's say there's three MIDI channels and they use pianos, guitars, and drums. When I select the pianos, guitars, and drums from the soundfont, usually I hear the pianos from the channels labeled as pianos, guitars from the guitar labeled ones, etc. But sometimes after I hit play, all the instruments get swapped out for different instruments (an organ instead of a drum, saxophones instead of pianos, etc). This bug isn't too bad with just a few MIDI channels, but it's worse with 10+ channels! One trick I've figured out is hitting play, then pausing a second or two after the music starts up. Sometimes this works, but often times doing this causes Synthfont2 to lock up.

When I hit play and pause the MIDI afterwards, Synthfont2 completely locks up and I need to shut down Synthfont2 via CTRL ALT DEL and boot it back up. These lock ups will happen regardless of which soundfont I use, how big or lengthy the MIDI is, or how many MIDI channels it has. This bug not only occurs when I click on pause right after hitting play, but sometimes even when I press pause a couple seconds after clicking play. This bug is very common and it forces me to start over completely with the MIDI I'm working with.

Re: Some bug reports!

Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2016 6:52 am
by Admin
Thanks!
1) The first issue is a known bug I have tried to correct many times, but it always makes itself back into the system in various forms. Very often the problem is that a track calls for a BANK that is not present in the SoundFont you have assigned to the track and in this case SynthFont2 asks the Bank Manager for another SoundFont in which this particular Bank:Preset appears (this is something the user can define), and finally if the Bank Manager comes up empty handed the last resort is to take what is available in the default SoundFont. Look at the BANK value (which is always 128 for the percussion channel, #9 - normal case).

2) This can and will happen if the tracks contain several Midi Program changes. The first program change may be very short-lived and it will look like the preset changes immediately when you start playback. Look for drop-down menus in the tracks list, like in this image:
Image

3) Yes, I have been able to reproduce it, but only randomly, and only with "more crowded" MIDI songs. For me it doesn't happen at all that often, though. Any additional piece of information is most welcome.