,megafontips2

              You are hearing "Chariots of fire.mid" (If your PC is rightly configured. The quality will depend on your GM bank).
Page 2      Page 1         Created december 2002 - Last updated february 2004
ONLY ONE (BIG) MAPPING
Use only a (big) one, considering my experience with megafont.     I have used successfully for years only one big mapping pointing to tons of soundfonts, and I don't think to change this... (A successful team nobody changes).
(When I was a megafont beginner, and megafont seemed a Loch Ness monster (repetitive freeze cause) for me, I was using several mappings).
I have made a lot of improvings and modifications in my big mapping, without any problem. (editing presets, adding some presets, deleting others) (not total substitutions).
Never I verified any unstability caused by these editions in my megafont daily work.
(But with several mappings...)         So I free you to edit a unique mapping so many times you want.      Beyond of the stability question, is easier to find presets in Cakewalk, with just one mapping. (in Cakewalk or executing searches in a txt).
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       32 MIDI CHANNELS
I thought megafont would support not 32 MIDI channels......(megafont "help" and other web people say nothing about this very important thing.....) But I discovered that beyond the standard route to LB1, I can add a second line in ROUTES to LB2....(Maybe a 3rd to LB3?...) The second line in megafont allows 32 MIDI channels, (as firm as Audio HQ with Cakewalk), Thanx to God's Mercy!
(It's a non-sense, work with only 16 channels in megafont).      (I remember that "hard days night" with Roland W-30 with only 16 channels...)      (16 channels it's a non-sense, mainly now with megafont, with tons of soundfonts available at once) (when we can make very complex and rich sequences...) (My dance sequences have up to 50 tracks!)(Including audio tracks).       (But for drum & bass with say...6 MB soundfont, (or for a beginner in sequence creation), for what 32 channels, or even megafont?)

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Avoid use only automated Patch Changes
(This isn't megafont tip; it's sequencing tip).
It's easier to make patch changes in a track, but it's not good work only to automated Patch Changes. Sometimes it's better to create new channels.
(having 32 MIDI channels available of course. With (only and) all 16 channels occupied, what remedy?) By the same reason, it's better to have all drums separate, each one in a channel. (It's not good more than one drum in a track and channel.   F.e., how could you (easily) change the snare in a messed channel with all drums??? Running CAL?    ah ah ah    : )

Beyond this reasons, when you play a sequence after the patch change point, the track sounds with the preset assigned in the track window, and it disturbs.
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REVERB SOUNDING in bass drum ???
You can't mute reverb in Cakewalk?...What to do?
Simply open and close Vienna, doing nothing more. (the unwanted reverb will desappear).
(Can't you figure out? Close Cakewalk, open in Vienna, hear the soundfont where the bass drum is located, close Vienna).
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"Is "SoundFont Device" boring you in Cake?
Is it misconfiguring your favorite mapping in Cake?
Is it occupying space and annoiyng you? Is it cluttering Cake?

Disable it in now megafont "preferences".
(preferences/misc/check "disable SoundFont Device").
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astrings35 (23- 27.sf21Oscillator down (0.SF2� Synths257 (0-44.SF27
   Sf2 Lost in soundfonts sea Sf2 /Tons49 & crash44.SF2jSteel guitar24.sf22French Horn75.sf2 6Juno106

Tons of soundfonts in a huge mapping? Dificulty to find presets in a soundfont mapping?
Do you waste time searching presets? (opening all soundfonts in Vienna, looking preset after preset).

NO PANIC. There's a app named NOTEPAD.     : )
You could also use megafont editor to find manually a preset (it shows all presets in a mapping), but DON'T FORGET a faster way= If you didn't know, there's a automatic soundfont preset finder= THE WINDOWS NOTEPAD, making a search in your mapping txt.
( If you haven't a (actual) exported txt of your mapping (s), make one (s). (If you don't know to create txt of a mapping, (presets list), click "export for a file" in the megafont editor menu. (loaded with the mapping with the preset you want). Then open the txt with Notepad and click "research" ("search", or somewhat) in the Notepad menu. Type the preset you want and ENTER. (So it will appear the place where the preset is, including folder name (s). No need for a dedicate software to find presets). (In this case, because unhappily this tip can't be also used to find instantly, presets in ALL our soundfonts sea in our CDs.     For this it would be necessary to create mappings of all of them, but it's dangerous to do mappings for soundfonts beyond the ones we use in our service routine mapping (s). Unhappily for this case it would be necessary a dedicate software to find presets.    while somebody doesn't create a dedicate software to find presets, a suggestion would be the following= A safe way to find presets in thousands of soundfonts in all our CDs, would be to have the habit (when we just download and test new soundfonts from Internet) to save presets as separate soundfont files of all presets in all our CDs with soundfonts (using megafont editor), and then, with CatFish, find them.
(If you don't know CatFish, it's a free finder of file names in data CDs. Download it from www.meta4.com )
( www.meta4.com ).      (Till today (2003 september) I haven't this habit. So in CatFish I can actually only to find soundfonts, not their presets).

We could to have the habit, after test a new soundfont, of save presets as separate soundfont files. I think we have useful presets hidden in our tons of CDs. (This habit would be good, except cases in which a lot of presets are made from the same samples. If we save these presets as separate soundfont files they would occupy a lot more of space in our CDs). Other problem would be that we would deform soundfonts as they were originally on Internet. We would lose their original names, except if we create a folder for each soundfont with saved presets as separate soundfont files, putting the name of the original soundfont in the matching folder. (Name, source URL, home page, etc).

In fact we must have also the habit to save URL sources of our Internet soundfonts. We never save pages from where we have downloaded them, who develop them, source instruments, etc.     Vienna must have a blank txt inside it (like Cakewalk has "File\info"), so soundfont creators could write information about their work.
So always save URLs and pages from where you download soundfonts.

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MEGAFONT DELAYS TO SOUND PRESETS IN SEQUENCER=
Megafont recognizes presets faster when we load a new sequence and play it from the begining. (Rather than from some point in the middle).

With limited RAM, with lots of presets in a complex sequence, megafont sometimes freezes computer. With computer freezed, press Ctl Alt Del once, close megafont and open again, run sequencer and click "SOLO" in the half of tracks. When this half of tracks sounds, finally play all tracks, without freezings.
Play some 4 measures, and if all presets are not sounding, stop and play again since the begining.
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WHEN YOU PLAY THE KEYBOARD IN CAKEWALK AND MEGAFONT
DOENS'T SOUND.
Change the patch to the next, then return to the desired instrument. (Your keyboard will sound). (Of course when all is running correctly) (operating system, megafont; keyboard correctly assigned as "MIDI IN" in Cakewalk "Options", etc).
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INSTRUMENT NAMES DESAPPEAR
IN CAKEWALK, AFTER EDIT A MAPPING?
(After edit a soundfont name and importing again the actualized mapping, you become startled, seeing your instrument names desappeared). (to assign patch names in a big soundfont spends a lot of time).

Always you re-import a edited mapping in Cake, you need re-select all "Port/channel" and re-select the mapping in "User instrument". (in "Assign instruments" box),
(Your instrument names will appear again in your sequence).
PRESET NAMES DESAPPEAR IN in megafont editor middle window AFTER EDIT A soundfont ? ( in Vienna)
Don't panic. Simply you have renamed a preset and so broken the preset mapping and it become unattached. It is at the bottom of the editor middle screen, under "unattached" title. Remember=
MAPPINGS ARE ONLY SHORTCUTS
If you rename a soundfont you'll break the mapping for that soundfont.
If you rename a soundfont preset you'll break the preset mapping.

If an preset doesn't sound, maybe you have renamed the matching soundfont, boy.
(So if you make renamings (in Vienna or in the megafont editor itself), you need to re-assign all orphan preset (or orphan soundfont) in the mapping).
(Because of this and other reasons, I recomend use Vienna always, to edit soundfonts.     If you rename presets in Vienna, you need not rename them again in the mapping. You need only delete the soundfont from the rightmost window and re-attach it. (if you renamed a lot of presets, re-attach the entire soundfont; it's that fast).
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VIENNA x megafont editor
To create soundfonts without edition, it's better the megafont editor because it's fast;
but when is needed editions, Vienna is the choice.
Compared to megafont editor, Vienna is a ful-featured soundfont creator/editor. The megafont editor, as soundfont creator/editor, is useful simply to make somethings that Vienna doesn't make, f.e., to create fastly soundfonts from a pre-existing mapping or to create soundfonts from presets of a soundfont without editing).
You must to create soundfonts from selected presets WITHOUT TO CREATE MAPPING, otherwise you will hang-up megafont. ( F.e. "Save selected presets as SoundFont file" or "Save selected presets as separate SoundFont files". The megafont editor is very poor, although is faster to create soundfonts= In Vienna you can adjust tune, pan, filter cuttoff, vibrato, sustain, create layers, and much more, but in the megafont editor not. Remember= The megafont editor is a creator of mappings. (That it is...)
Beyond of all, megafont editor always create annoying "fake" presets, that causes till conflicts...
Who likes perfection and peace, (no matter the wasting time, like me), the choice is use almost always Vienna to create soundfonts. (It's very good, edit carefully program numbers and bank numbers in a soundfont in Vienna, and then go to the megafont editor and drag the soundfont filename directly from leftmost window to rightmost window and see everything dropping clean, without conflicts..... : )
(I don't rename presets in megafont editor, but only in Vienna).

But it's very better to use the megafont editor to do some sure things like to change soundfont bank numbers in a flash. (Don't you know how-to change soundfont bank numbers in megafont editor? In megafont editor menu click "file/set bank in file" and type the number you want). (Of course the soundfont must fill my requirement of maximum presets limit, 127, otherwise you will make a mess with the preset numbers of your soundfont).

Other probable useful use for megafont editor= to create a exclusive soundfont with presets used in a sequence. (So at any time in the future you can easily run a sequence even you has changed all your soundfonts and mappings. Of course, to run fastly the sequence with its "proprietary" soundfont, it will be fast to use Audio HQ, if your sequence is not GM). (My most professional sequences are not GM compatible. I use a complex professional System Exclusive environment).

USING MEGAFONT EDITOR TO CREATE SOUNDFONTS, MERGING 2 SOUNDFONT FILES
You can do it securely, if you first EXPORT your mapping; then delete all presets at rightmost window; make the merging creating a temporary mapping, choose "save selected presets as a soundfont file"; delete that temporary mapping; and finally IMPORT your regular mapping.

Vienna X the megafont editor
(the actual version of) megafont editor replaces not Vienna. They complete one to another. Of course it would be a cool idea, if LasT NighT give to megafont editor all features of Vienna, File Info, sample creation, and more. (Or if LasT NighT isn't thinking great, at least give some new feature to megafont editor, every now and then, as he has time).
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Turn off megafont and close Cakewalk, to edit a soundfont in Vienna.
Vienna doesn't open with megafont turned on. (Otherwise you'll get messages from Vienna= "Unable to initialize the device driver. Quit the other aplication and try again" and disabling your keyboard MIDI IN in Vienna ). (it is not necessary quit megafont; it's enough just turn it "off").
Close Cakewalk or disable keyboard MIDI IN in Cake, even you willn't use the keyboard in Vienna. (Otherwise you will disconfigure the keyboard in the MIDI IN in Vienna). (Maybe try LB1 in Vienna, to use keyboard without disabling it in Cake. I tried and I found easier to close Cake everytime I need Vienna).

"UNEXPECTED ERROR"
LOADING SOUNDFONTS IN AUDIO HQ=
(when megafont is disturbing in a corrupted Windows).
Restart PC without autoload megafont in startup.

(Without megafont to disturb, Audio HQ probabilly returns to run normally. If not, likely your Windows is very corrupted. Follow my guide to reinstall Windows from scratch, in other place of this site).

In this case any supplied soundfont of Live Soundcard loads without problems, without "unexpected error".

IF YOU WANT TO HEAR A SEQUENCE IN WINAMP WITH A GM SOUNDFONT IN AUDIO HQ, turn off megafont.
(Otherwise you'll hear nothing... megafont allows not Winamp to play sequences).   (Except if a mapping megafont is configured for it, of course) (assign "A Synthesizer" in "Plugins / input / Winamp2 MIDI plugin IN MIDI dll" in Winamp).      (If you have the habit to play sequences in Winamp as soon as you turn on your computer, let megafont preferences "turn on start" unchecked, to facilitate this).
Neither Winamp (nor realtime arrangers nor any program) can play MIDI with Audio HQ, if megafont is on.
If the only thing you want is simply to hear fastly a GM sequence (to learn some melody), it's easier to hear a GM sequence in Cake through Creative Synth. So you don't need load a GM soundfont in Audio HQ, nor to modify megafont configuration.
A MAPPING WITH BOTH SUPER-SAMPLER SOUNDFONTS AND SUPERBANK GM NEY !
It would a funny idea to load a GM soundfont also in our big mapping, to play also GM sequences!    So besides the normal work with professional non-GM soundfonts, we could at any moment to play also GM sequences, without (fight to) change PC configurations and re-configurations!
(But keep on mind= For Winamp to play (fastly), GM must occupy the "0" mapping's bank and the first thing that will appear in Cake will be the GM bank, everytime you search a instrument... Doesn't it matter? Worths it the pity? It worths the pity, because it's interesting to hear suddenly sequences with my SUPERBANK GM NEY. So go ahead!) (You must change your mapping, setting other number for bank 0). It would facilitate my life, also because the GM presets would remain separate in soundfonts, what would improve the speed and security from PC freezings after editing presets...If needed, at any moment I can join these presets in a whole GM soundfont...After all, megafont editor does'nt repeat waves of duplicate presets.

Winamp= I made a page explaining how to configure megafont with Winamp. This page has image shots of each step. Click the following link to go= Winamp_with megafont.

Soundfonts negate to save
After edition in Vienna, when a soundfont negates to save, save the soundfont with another name and restart Win. (if you don't reboot, the soundfont with error negates to delete). After restart delete the old soundfont and rename the (edited and renamed) soundfont to the correct name in ratio to the mapping.

If somebody knows other way to avoid crashes, email it for me. Also if you know some tip, email me explaining it with 1 or 2 lines, asking if I know it. If I don't know it, I'll replay you saying I don't know, and you emailme again explain it detailedly. If you want, later I can post it here.

128 presets maximum
To deal clean and peaceful to megafont, each soundfont must have a maximum of 128 presets, otherwise you'll get conflicts and if you solve conflicts in mappings you'll confuse your mind with diferent configurations in target and mapping. (And every time you edit the soundfont preset name or preset number or bank number you'll need actualize those modifications also in the mapping. After edit a soundfont (without change soundfont name, nor bank number nor preset number), you can simply return to Cakewalk and keep working normally! (Megafont (mappings) is only shortcuts, like desktop shortcuts. If you rename (or delete, or move) the (source) target soundfont, megafont finds nothing, when you play the sequence).
So before attaching soundfonts in mappings, divide (in Vienna, for more perfection, despite the wasting time) all big soundfonts in standard 128 preset soundfonts, maximum.
(Beyond this 128 presets limitation, I recomend also avoid exceed 5 MB too, (for each soundont, if possible) to avoid slow savings and crashes in Vienna; I use soundfonts with 5 MB maximum. (I presently use 47 soundfonts in my Soundfonts folder in my HD. All with 128 presets maximum, of course).

other megafont experts don't speak about limit soundfonts to 128 presets maximum, like me. They speak only about to remedy something wrong since the begining...(I.e. solve conflicts with soundfonts (in the same mappping) with several banks with the same bank and number and program number).
: ( What a chaos! But despite of this you insist to use more than 128 presets maximum??? Go ahead. You need pay sins... : )

But if you use only 128 presets maximum, just drag soundfonts to the rightmost window and that's all... Pretty easy, peaceful, fast and clean !!!

Captured screen on my Explorer, showing my 35 service soundfonts in 2002 february........continuously updated) = soundfonts.gif (30586 bytes)

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For megafont sound all presets you need wait only once = After megafont loads the instruments in Cakewalk, always you press stop and then press play again, you'll need not wait "a few seconds" again to hear all instruments in your sequence. It plays always instantly, as usual in Audio HQ with Cakewalk or Winamp. You have the sensation you're not hearing the sequence through megafont, so normal it is!) (after solve all conflict problems of course). (Of course if you left the sequencer to edit a mapped soundfont, then you'll need to wait a few seconds again to hear all instruments in the sequence. Megafont clears instruments from RAM after the time assigned in "preferences"; Megafont also clears all instruments when you turn it off to open Vienna). (As usual in softwares, with the time megafont delays less and less to sound in Cake).

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IBM, Compaq and other hardware companies made a fault, offering not a card like SB Live as standard in computers; Creative made it. Creative made a fault, making not megafont; (LasT NighT did it). LasT NighT made a fault, making not a good (detailed like mine) manual. (I did it).
I think everybody completes one to other, like happened for the creation of Linux.     The union makes the power!
(The disunion makes the weakness).
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Other related subjects

False promise=
Is megafont a false promise? ? Oh nooooo !       Warning, beginner friends...... The last year you tried megafont and failed. Why to fail again? If you create a chaos in Registry with a lot of test mappings, (lost, despaired to run megafont), you certainly have created conflicting mappings (and INS files in Cake) confusing one to other and you damned Registry! (Remember= Megafont uses Registry extensively, and you know how sensitive the Registry is). (Remember LasT NighT= "if you make a mess with Registry, easily it will drive you to reinstal Windows!").   If you can't hear anything in your sequencer (nor hear wrong instruments) delete all wrong mappings in Megafont Manager and in Registry.
(Registry= HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\megafont\mappings) Maybe then megafont will run firmly.
(If not, reinstal Windows as I said).

Using Cakewalk Soundfont manager=
Without megafont, our patch names goes out in the sequencer, with Cakewalk Soundfont manager loading soundfonts in Audio HQ. We get blind. But with megafont turned on, with "Add bank names to preset names in SF device" in "preferences" checked, you see the names in Cakewalk.
(But the ideal is use megafont, to work among several soundfont files in realtime in a sequence...)
                MEGAFONT UNINSTALLATION=
As I told, when I begun to work with the megafont-like utility of Cakewalk, I got also terrible uninstability and I uninstalled megafont. But I kept geting freezes even after uninstal megafont only through "Add/Remove software" utility...    I suspected megafont was making that hell...
(Something nothing easy, uninstal megafont, for those who don't know my tips...) When somebody want uninstal a program, he simply goes to Windows "Add/Remove software" utility and that's all. But with megafont not !
If you do it only through "Add/Remove software" utility, you'll get freezings of actual screens and of black screens.. (You get startled, thinking you will need waste money in technical assistance!).

Well, to uninstal (correctly) megafont, it's necessary make it through "Add/Remove software" utility, then go manually to Regedit and delete "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\megafont" folder, then delete all INS files imported into Cake, then delete all traces of megafont in the folder you installed it.    (But the right way is reinstal Windows and use megafont, as I said before).
__________Goodbye________

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