Problems After Upgrade

[verisof]

Hi Nicholas,

I have a high end PC with great video card and high end USB audio interface. I have been using Synthesia with Virtual Midisynth.

After upgrading to 10.4, I can no longer see the falling notes (although do see the keys light on the virtual keyboard. I also no longer have an entry choice for Virtual Midisynth under my output. Audio works with Microsoft Wavetable, but it does suck (of course).

I tried to go back to 10.3, but that's not working. Any ideas?

--Andrew

[verisof]

LOL. Ignore the notes question. Somehow I managed to punch F5 during the process. STUPID!!!!

Still an issue with Virtual Midisynth, though. Sorry for not reading other posts.

I would suggest you put the F5 miss under FAQ's, though. Looks like at least one other person had the same problem.

Thanks!

--Andrew

[Nicholas]

VirtualMIDISynth not showing up in Windows 10 in Synthesia 10.4 is a known issue. (It's already fixed and will be released with the upcoming Synthesia 10.5 update.)

In the meantime, here is the workaround to get it to re-appear:
1. Hold your Shift key while launching Synthesia (to open the configuration window).
2. Find the "Midi.UseWinRTMidi" entry in the Setting drop-down box.
3. Remove the check mark from the "Value" box.

That should be it. After you close the configuration window and start Synthesia normally, it should be in the list again.

(Coincidentally, in the Synthesia 10.5 release, not only won't this workaround be necessary anymore, but neither will VirtualMIDISynth! The biggest new feature in 10.5 is the inclusion of a better synth built right into Synthesia based on the exact same technology that VirtualMIDISynth uses under the hood. We'll be including a nice ~16MB sound set with the app, but you'll also have the choice to choose your own SoundFonts, just like with VirtualMIDISynth.)

[verisof]

Nicholas,

Worked like a charm. Thank you so much! And kudos on the changes you are making to the software.

I want to also take the opportunity to thank you for truly making this piece of software a standout. I work in the software industry, and I've never seen such great and quick responses to issues as I have here. Just for your information, there isn't a single piece of software in this space that can hold a candle to your product. And you truly understand that support is part of what makes a really good piece of software.

I do User Experience Design for a living. Hit me up if you want to run some stuff past me, just for fun. But I gotta tell you that it's already user-friendly.

Feature request ideas:

1) Synthesia is wonderful. It got me into music. But it is also kind of a crutch because I'm not learning to sight read my music. (That's on me.) It'd be wonderful if you could enable a staff at the top of the screen with music that I could follow as well, to the MIDI track I'm playing. Kind of like the virtual instrument below.

2) EZ Keys recognizes chords as you play them (use it for quick soft synth). Any chance that could be included as an option? It would help me when I AM using it as a crutch and being lazy as the chords will soak in. (Cognitive psychology 101. Constant exposure to a pattern with the chord flashing will make that sink in.)

3) Lots of people use KAR files as ways to do karaoke with midi files. It would be VERY nice to be able to use Synthesia as a sight-reading tool in realtime with a performance. You could have an option to superimpose lyrics (semi-transparent?) over the waterfall notes. Just an idea.

4) If you really do get robust soundfont & audio driver support on this product? Then you really should consider making a performance version for musicians. It'd probably pay for itself. I'd pay for an upgrade if it wasn't totally out of this world.

Do not take these ideas as me saying this software is deficient. It isn't by a LONG shot. It's awesome. As are you, sir.

Thanks!

--Andrew

[Nicholas]

1. Wait... did you mean something that wasn't this?

2. Try playing some chords on the "Free Play" screen. Is that the kind of detection you meant? Or did you want it to appear somehow in the falling notes?

3. Adding lyrics to the sheet music is part of the plan for Synthesia 11. That will at least get them on the screen someplace correlated to the song's current position.

4. You mean "performance" as in "live performance, used in front of people in real time"? Being responsible for that is one of the scariest things I've heard in a long time. (There is a reason I've decided to work on music training software and not medical, military, or mission-critical stuff!)