INTRODUCTION TO MidiSoundSynth

V. 1.000
Compiled by Kenneth Rundt / Synthfont.com, 2022

MidiSoundSynth is a program for playing MIDI files or MIDI data from an input port, using only the best SoundFonts available on the market. MidiSoundSynth is
the result of a collaboration between Alberto Galluzzo at "GoldMidiSF2.com" (long recognized producer of high quality SoundFont) and Kenneth Rundt on
"SynthFont.com" ("Viena", "SynthFont1 & 2" and "VSTSynthFont").
MidiSoundSynth has a very simple user interface, with only the features you really need, relying on the SynthFont2 synthesis engine (+10 years), which in turn is
based on the original SynthFont1 synthesis engine (+20 years). MSS is the first program on the market that can use the new proprietary SoundFont format “SFKR”
(“SoundFont KompRessd”) designed and developed by SynthFont in collaboration with GoldMidiSF2.
This new compression algorithm is optimized for compressing sampled SoundFont audio data at 44100Hz and 16-bit. Compression is almost lossless, only noise
and other irrelevant artifacts are removed. Thanks to a compressed size of about 25% compared to the original one, we have the possibility to create and distribute
large SoundFonts.
One of the main features of MidiSoundSynth is the ability to choose and assign any SoundFont / Preset separately to each of the 16 MIDI channels present in the
MIDI file. Additionally there are five built-in audio effects that can be assigned to each of the MIDI channels. All “MIDI arrangements or modifications” such as
Tempo change, Key, Effects, Preset, etc., will be saved for later use in a file called "Arrangement", which also contains the original MIDI. MidiSoundSynth can
generate audio files in various popular formats, such as WAV, MP3, MP4 and OGG.
For live playback and excellent performance, MidiSoundSynth supports low latency WASAPI technology.
MidiSoundSynth is the software of choice for the most demanding musicians, who wants to express their music reaching the highest quality with the minimum
investment and hassle, using MIDI and SoundFonts as the basis for their music.
Thanks to its simple and intuitive design and our high quality SoundFonts, great results can be achieved and a splendid time is guaranteed for all.
 Page 1 - the main window
Help – press Change Tempo =
Information to show this
and version change MIDI Beats
PDF file Per Minute (BPM)
check
Playback transport buttons. Jump to previous Here you can Press to toggle Change Pitch:
Press to display a file open dialogue file, rewind (keep CTRL down to go to beginning choose the Port options: Full Screen and transpose the
to search for a MIDI file (extension of song), forward 10 bars, next file, stop, pause, application audio out and normal view MIDI notes
“.mid” or “.kar”) play and start MIDI input playback (”live mode”) language MIDI in mode up/down

Press to save the current Arrangement (with MIDI

data). Press the 3-dots-button to display a file
save dialogue to choose where to save and the
name of the Arrangement

This is a “mini Piano Roll”, showing all notes in all tracks being played. A Press to display a file open dialogue to search for
red cursor line shows the position during playback. You can jump to a SoundFont to use as the Default. SoundFont
any position by clicking in the graph will be added to a list.

Use these two buttons to Press to display the Press to display the Press to show the Press to show the Press to show the Press to manage the
switch the VOLUME slider Files & Playlist page. MIDI Channels Main Effects page. Create audio file page where you list of SoundFonts. You
mode between Linear and “Files” containing a page. This page Main Effects page. On this page can find some can remove
Decibel mode simple Explorer view contains the MIDI contains four you can define more SoundFonts SoundFonts, choose
and “Playlist” gives channel tools and common audio audio format, file in SFKR format to the Standard GM SF2
Loudness is a basic low level effect access to your own effects (“Mixer”) effects for the name and path download and and uninstall or
to slightly increase the level of lists of MIDI files main route install reinstall SFKR files
sound without causing too much
clipping of peaks
 2 – Files & Playlist

Use this button to select Use these buttons

the top folder for the to navigate
“Explorer” tree view between folders

Double-click on a file to
open it. Check the
checkboxes to select
multiple files for playback
(see “Played checked
only” below) or to add
them to the Playlist to the
right.

Press to play all or Switch “Auto Play” Press to add the Move files
only checked files in on to play a file selected file or up/down in the
the current folder immediately when checked files to the Playlist
double-clicked Playlist
 3 – MIDI Channels

Press this button to choose the

SoundFont to be used by the
selected MIDI channel

Press this button to choose the

SoundFont Preset to be used by
the selected MIDI channel

“M” = Mute, “S” = Solo

Loudness and level

Press to display a window

with four audio effects

Use this slider to Press this button

change the Pan to reset the Pan
position position
 4 – Main Effects

MidiSoundSynth has five inbuilt audio effects: Loudness (see page 1 and page 3). Reverb, Chorus, Compressor and Equalizer. Of theses, only the Reverb is
equipped with some Presets (that cannot be edited). For the other three effects on this page you can create your own Presets.

For information only: this

window also contains
information on the MIDI
Continuous Controllers
(CC) for the selected MIDI
channel. Note that the
MIDI file may contain
multiple values for a
particular CC. In this case
Press the Effects button the Value will be updated
for a MIDI channel while playing
(page 3) to show the
effects window for a
channel
 5 – Create audio file

1: Select the file type

2: Depending on the file 3: Choose where to save 4: Switch on if you want to 5: Finally press either
type, you may be able to the file and optionally give skip the initial silence of “Current playback” or
select a Compression it a name other than the file – if it is present “New playback”.
mode and quality derived from the MIDI file
name
Choose “Current playback” if you
have played at least once through
the file and are happy with the
Arrangement.

Choose “New playback” if you have

not played at least once through the
file or have changed the
Arrangement since then (changed
SoundFont or Preset or any audio
effect).
 6 – Install SFKR files

MidiSoundSynth comes delivered with two free GM SoundFonts: the rather small and basic GMGSxV2.sf2 (in regular SoundFont format) and the larger
“MSSFreeSF2 GM” in the proprietary SFKR format. MidiSoundSynth can be used with any SoundFont in the regular SoundFont format you have (or can be
found on the Internet). Users of MidiSoundSynth have the option of purchasing any of three high quality SoundFonts using links on this page. More will be
added later.
7 – Port options 8 – Manage SoundFonts

MidiSoundSynth keeps a record of all SoundFonts you have used so

eventually the list may grow too long for a convenient use. Manage
SoundFonts lets you remove SoundFonts from the list – no file is deleted
from the disk!
The standard audio out port will be used
when playing a MIDI file. This is an MME
(Microsoft Multimedia Environment) port.
MME is a native Windows audio driver, with
rather high latency but minimum hardware
requirements

For live playback (“MIDI In”) a low latency

port should be used. MidiSoundSynth offers
use of Windows’ own WASAPI (Windows
Audio Session API), which is Microsoft's
recommended method for accessing WDM Alternative Default GM SoundFont: if the SoundFont you
(Windows Driver Model) Audio drivers have chosen for the Default of for a MIDI channel lacks a
particular preset, there is a chance that the preset can be
found in another SoundFont. Here you can select which
For live playback you need to choose a one to search in. (If the preset is not found in the
“MIDI Input” port. This can either be a Alternative SoundFont, MSS will look in GMGSxV2.sf2)
hardware port belonging to an external
keyboard, or a virtual MIDI port created by a
Virtual MIDI port driver program. LoopMIDI
is the preferred one

Additional options:
1) If playing from an external keyboard you
may choose to monitor only one MIDI
channel. If not checked, all 16 MIDI
channels will be monitored.
2) You may choose to minimize Compressed SFKR Compressed SFKR
MidiSoundSynth to an icon in Windows SoundFonts can be SoundFonts can be
notification area. reinstalled, meaning that uninstalled, meaning that
the audio data is anew both the original file and a
3) You can ask MidiSoundSynth to start up extracted from the the audio data is deleted
in Live playback mode compressed file