Microsoft MIDI format not showing up?

[bowserknight]

so I've tried the newest GZDoom for some weeks now and never had any problems. But today, it suddenly decided to not have the microsoft MIDI format anymore. You know, when you go into sound setting and can select "GUS, OPL Synth Emulation, Timidity++, Wildmidi, ..." and all that stuff. I've always used the one which was called something with microsoft, unfortunately I can't remember the full name of it.

What might be the cause and how do I get it back? Because the other ones sound pretty bad and I don't want to play with bad or no music. Does it have something to do with a Windows 10 update or something? It has never happened in my many years of Doom.

[Gez]

Does it have something to do with a Windows 10 update or something? It has never happened in my many years of Doom.

Possibly. Probably. ZDoom just detects any MIDI driver you have installed and lists them in addition to ZDoom's own options. The Microsoft GS wavetable synth is the one that's normally detected from a Windows system. If it's not there, after a Windows update, it means Microsoft either removed it or made it undetectable for some no-doubt completely stupid reason. Anyways, it's not ZDoom's fault.

[XxMiltenXx]

I can confirm that it's gone.

Since Windows 10 removed a way to select your MIDI device via the MIDI Mapper, I use the "Coolsoft MIDIMapper" and even there the Microsoft GS wavetable synth is not selectable.
Via Winamp I can still select the "DirectMusic / Microsoft Synthesizer", hence it hasn't been removed but hidden, for some obscure reason.

[Hellser]

The ability to select your midi device was removed since either Windows Vista or Windows 7 - it's considered a legacy device by the Windows team around that time. No surprise it's been removed. Regardless, with a bit of research one can find alternative means of getting a MIDI driver + synth combo that'll produce equal or better sound than Microsoft's built in solution.

It's a shame they removed it, but I honestly cannot blame them. Hardly any program today uses it outside of legacy games. Which, with Windows x64 becoming the primary version of Windows, 32-bit games often did not use MIDI playback, only 16-bit. We lost all ability to play those 16-bit games with x64. So again - it makes sense. It's a bloat that's being removed, something I agree with.

If you want a kick start for good midi playback, look at GZDoom and fluidsynth - note that fluidsynth isn't exactly bug free. Some soundfonts just go nuts with it. An alternative (and driver related option) would be the following:

VirtualMIDISynth

Just pick up a soundfont to use with it. GZDoom comes with one - gzdoom.sf2 - which is a SC-55 preset soundfont. Comparable to what Microsoft used (which was based on the Roland Sound Canvas). It should be usable for all types of music. As the SC-55/Sound Canvas is the defacto standard when it comes to MIDI playback.

[Gez]

The ability to select your midi device was removed since either Windows Vista or Windows 7 - it's considered a legacy device by the Windows team around that time.

Not exactly. It's just that people had to use a third-party program to change their default MIDI driver. However, ZDoom never had any issue selecting a MIDI driver on Windows Vista and 7. (I know, I'm still using 7.)

Now people report that on Win10, the MS synth doesn't work anymore, or even disappeared -- ZDoom (and other apps as well) simply do not see it anymore, and therefore cannot use it.

[Hellser]

They removed the ability to change it - but kept the MIDI driver around. I think Microsoft finally removed it entirely. Either way, it's gone now - and there's better alternatives.

[phantombeta]

I think Microsoft finally removed it entirely. Either way, it's gone now - and there's better alternatives. :)

Good riddance. The built-in Windows MIDI driver was always utter crap, and had been broken for a long time

[Blue Shadow]

Forr me it still shows up in GZDoom and I can select it. I'm running Windows 10 Home v1709 (build 16299.192).

[Korell]

Yep, I still see the midi device option for Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth too. Also on Windows 10 Home v1709 (build 16299.192). I'm using GZDoom g3.3pre-278.
However, I still use the Fluidsynth option with the provided gzdoom.sf2 (though I may try out some alternative sf2 soundfonts at some point if there are any that come highly recommended).