Playing on MIDI Keyboard Through Emulated MPU-401 Port Results in Dropped Notes (282978)



The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional
  • Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition

This article was previously published under Q282978

SYMPTOMS

In Windows 2000 and DirectX 8, when you try to play the Microsoft Synthesizer (in User-mode or Kernel-mode) directly from a MIDI keyboard through an Emulated MPU-401 port, some notes will be "dropped" occasionally and you will not hear them.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, do not play the Microsoft Synths directly through a port that has the word "Emulated" in the friendly name. Instead, switch to a non-emulated direct music port, or use a third-party API to record the performance. You can then be save and open the file in DirectMusic Producer for manipulation and playback.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

This problem does not occur with most third-party programs that do not use DirectMusic, but it does occur with DirectMusic APIs, such as DirectMusic Producer.

Emulated ports are just like other direct music ports, except that they use the Window's multimedia APIs to send the data to and from the hardware.

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:1/15/2006
Keywords:kbenv kbprb KB282978