Best free/inexpensive way to convert MIDI to WAV

[wg9agp]

(Sorry, I think I may have posted this in the wrong forum)

Hi everybody. I have a bunch of MIDI songs I'd like to convert to WAV, but my sound card's default MIDI sound isn't great so I'd like to use a sound library if possible.

I don't know a lot about soundfonts, so is there some general, low-cost/free library I can get that covers most MIDI instruments? Acoustic Grand, String Ensemble, all of that.

As for converting to WAV, I tried a few programs, such as MIDInight Express II, but it requires the maker's General MIDI and GS library, which comes in a combo PRG and WAV format. Do any of you know, can you convert soundfonts to that? Or is there some other program that converts MIDI to WAV using soundfonts directly?

[garww]

Do a search for SynthFont

[whomper]

you need some sort of synth somewhere
hardware - ??
soft font ??
softsynth ??

and you will need some software that can use the synth
and to record the wav output as the midi is played

[wg9agp]

Funny, I've used SynthFont before but I never noticed it could output to WAV.

Does using Play To File introduce line static due to use of soundcard channels? From what I've heard, Virtual Audio Cable, for example, avoids this problem by setting up its own digital channel, whereas recording directly from the sound stream generally will pick up some static. But if SynthFont is recording directly to the file maybe this won't happen.

The other thing is, I can do what I want with SynthFont but the awful default SYNTHGMS.SF2 sounds terrible. What free soundfont libraries are available, that cover all 128 General MIDI instruments? Where can I get them? I mean complete libraries, not scattered instruments.

[garww]

I used a old Merlin Pro40 sf2 on my first output run with two VSTi for Organ and VOX and it went very smooth. Actually that is the only render test I've done with it.

On the synthfont page there is a link to font sites and they list a few Merlin;
Composition Contest - MP3 & Midi Music Contest for Composers and Listeners

I would try the Merlin GM 3.03, maybe ??

Timidity++++++++.... is slightly more popular and can go deep, but don't have vst.

[wg9agp]

Originally Posted by garww

I used a old Merlin Pro40 sf2 on my first output run with two VSTi for Organ and VOX and it went very smooth. Actually that is the only render test I've done with it.

I'm clearly not nearly up on my stuff as you are -- basically you're saying, Play To File introduces no noise or line static?

[garww]

I can't remember for sure, but I think I did it both ways with no problem. A online friend made it his "..so gonna be my ringtone". Hows that for endorsement !!

I originally posted a short clip in;
Exploded MIDI Files
Animals_dntletm_2_crop.mp3
http://forum.recordingreview.com/att...etm_2_crop.mp3

[Villy]

If you need to convert many files in a short time, I would recommend MIDI Converter Studio. It is simple and intuitive: just drag and drop midi files into its window and click "Convert". It processes a single midi file in a couple of seconds. This program costs for about $24.95 but you can download a free trial version of it to appraise its work.