Yamaha SOL

[GeirH]

I looked in the manual and didn't see any reference to the Smart Card at all.

Slightly off-topic, but the original MU2000 documentation has recently been translated into English, and the SmartMedia functionality is described in detail in the Owner's Manual. The new .pdf documents are available in the Guests are not allowed to view links. In order to access the links, please Register or Login's Files section. If you're not on FaceBook, PM me for a copy.

GeirH

[SOL2]

Hi all! I joined this forum because this was the only Sol modification/fixing talk I could find online.

1st off: I love this software. I won't even say it's a shame that it got discontinued though, because had it survived, by now it'd just be another bloated tedious DAW like all the other bloated tedious DAW's nowadays.

I ran into a pretty big snag with SOL2:

-Has anyone figured out how to add new patch definitions? I've been trying to add patch definitions for softsynths and my hardware MIDI modules, but there's no function I can find in SOL2 to do it.

I tried to edit new .ini based on the GM and GM2 .ini in the database folder, but there's a strange catch: the "Device ID" entry thing. I have no clue what that is. If I remove it from the .ini, my custom .ini doesn't show up in SOL2. But if I copy the Device ID line from the GM or GM2 .ini's, then my custom .ini's are 'linked' to the GM or GM2 in SOL2 (checkmarks on both at the same time in the track inspector). Moreover, my custom patch definitions are ignored, and show the GM or GM2 definitions instead. I have no idea how it's supposed to work.

I found a "DBmanager" dll in there, but it's apparently not one of the SOL modules/views/plugins whatever. I don't know what it is, or if it's relevant.

It is rather peculiar that software so squarely in the traditional MIDI sequencer world seems to have no user patch definition stuff built in... I must be overlooking something, somewhere.

[SOL2]

Here's some possibly useful things I found about audio in SOL2:

Issues:
-Lot's of modern ASIO audio interface drivers don't work in SOL2, or don't even show up.
-Most drivers that do work (WDM for example) do not allow 24-bit in the drop-down. It's always 16 bit.
-The drivers that do allow 24-bit in the drop-down, either crash SOL2, or record garbled audio at 24-bit.

On a whim, I tried the ASIO4all wrapper, and, lo and behold, pretty much every hardware works with SOL2 through ASIO4all, including recording at 24-bit!

Probably unfixable issue:
-SOL2 does not remember the 24-bit setting. It always reverts to 16-bit on program close, so it has to be re-enabled every time SOL2 is opened.

I cannot locate any sort of txt .ini file for SOL2 (a bit surprising, for the time period of the software), to force the settings.

It may be an unfixed bug in the original software. It's likely fixable via some advanced modding of the binary, but I wouldn't know how to do that.

Note: The 16/24 setting does in fact change the bit depth of the recorded audio... I double-checked, just to make sure.

[SOL2]

Hi all! I joined this forum because this was the only Sol modification/fixing talk I could find online.

1st off: I love this software. I won't even say it's a shame that it got discontinued though, because had it survived, by now it'd just be another bloated tedious DAW like all the other bloated tedious DAW's nowadays.

I ran into a pretty big snag with SOL2:

-Has anyone figured out how to add new patch definitions? I've been trying to add patch definitions for softsynths and my hardware MIDI modules, but there's no function I can find in SOL2 to do it.

I tried to edit new .ini based on the GM and GM2 .ini in the database folder, but there's a strange catch: the "Device ID" entry thing. I have no clue what that is. If I remove it from the .ini, my custom .ini doesn't show up in SOL2. But if I copy the Device ID line from the GM or GM2 .ini's, then my custom .ini's are 'linked' to the GM or GM2 in SOL2 (checkmarks on both at the same time in the track inspector). Moreover, my custom patch definitions are ignored, and show the GM or GM2 definitions instead. I have no idea how it's supposed to work.

I found a "DBmanager" dll in there, but it's apparently not one of the SOL modules/views/plugins whatever. I don't know what it is, or if it's relevant.

It is rather peculiar that software so squarely in the traditional MIDI sequencer world seems to have no user patch definition stuff built in... I must be overlooking something, somewhere.

Update to this: It looks like putting in an arbitrary number for "Device ID" in the patch.ini does the trick. Now, to figure out the layout and syntax of these .ini's the way SOL2 does it. Softsynths and hardware vary in how they handle banks etc, so it'll take some trial and error.

[GeirH]

Hi,

Update to this: It looks like putting in an arbitrary number for "Device ID" in the patch.ini does the trick.

You should be able find the correct Device ID value in your instrument/tone generator's MIDI documentation.

-Lot's of modern ASIO audio interface drivers don't work in SOL2, or don't even show up.
-Most drivers that do work (WDM for example) do not allow 24-bit in the drop-down. It's always 16 bit.
-The drivers that do allow 24-bit in the drop-down, either crash SOL2, or record garbled audio at 24-bit.

I didn't encounter these driver issues. Then again, I only really tested Yamaha's own DSP Factory (WDM mode) and RME's RayDAT (ASIO mode) audio cards. They always worked natively for me.

On a whim, I tried the ASIO4all wrapper, and, lo and behold, pretty much every hardware works with SOL2 through ASIO4all, including recording at 24-bit!

Good to know!

Probably unfixable issue:
-SOL2 does not remember the 24-bit setting. It always reverts to 16-bit on program close, so it has to be re-enabled every time SOL2 is opened.

This one I noticed. Haven't found a workaround for it, though.

- H -

[SOL2]

I didn't encounter these driver issues. Then again, I only really tested Yamaha's own DSP Factory (WDM mode) and RME's RayDAT (ASIO mode) audio cards. They always worked natively for me.

RME tends to be pretty bulletproof and backwards-compatible in general, driver-wise.

Woah, DSP factory... I remember seeing that in a recording magazine when I was a kid!

Problem devices I found:

-UAD drivers. Sol2 doesn't play nice with these in ASIO, though WDM works fine, but limited to 16-bit.
-Focusrite drivers with legacy devices are no-go with ASIO in SOL2. It drifts out of sync.

I should note that ASIO4all adds a verrrrrrrry slight extra bit of latency delay to anything run through it, but it's still plenty usable in SOL2 for softsynth playing.

I will look into the device ID thing you mentioned... my guinea pig is the Edirol Super Quartet.

BTW, have you seen this: Guests are not allowed to view links. In order to access the links, please Register or Login ?

[GeirH]

Hi,

I will look into the device ID thing you mentioned... my guinea pig is the Edirol Super Quartet.

Not sure you'll find much data on it; Plug-ins generally aren't as well documented as MIDI hardware.

BTW, have you seen this: Guests are not allowed to view links. In order to access the links, please Register or Login ?

Yes, I am aware of SysExJohn's work. We used to work on the Help file translations together. He also has a section of Guests are not allowed to view links. In order to access the links, please Register or Login dedicated to SOL/SOL2.

- H -

[SOL2]

Hi,

I will look into the device ID thing you mentioned... my guinea pig is the Edirol Super Quartet.

Not sure you'll find much data on it; Plug-ins generally aren't as well documented as MIDI hardware.

BTW, have you seen this: Guests are not allowed to view links. In order to access the links, please Register or Login ?

Yes, I am aware of SysExJohn's work. We used to work on the Help file translations together. He also has a section of Guests are not allowed to view links. In order to access the links, please Register or Login dedicated to SOL/SOL2.

- H -

After more testing, I don't think it'll matter. SOL apparently just wants to see different device ID data (of any sort) for different device patch lists. The lists have to be manually selected within SOL anyway, so it doesn't do anything useful that I can think of, to share a device ID between patch lists.

I will have a look over there, thanks for the link! Looks like both of you are over there too?

[GeirH]

I will have a look over there, thanks for the link! Looks like both of you are over there too?

Yes, of course! I'm also at the Yamaha Musicians forum.

[GeirH]

... and the old Guests are not allowed to view links. In order to access the links, please Register or Login forum. Not much activity there now, but it still holds a lot of useful information.

- H -

[SOL2]

I'm still trying to get those English .dll mods etc... any mirrors by any chance, aside from the attachments on the Midi Tutorial forum? (I haven't been succesful in registering there).

[GeirH]

No mirrors to my knowledge. Have you tried reaching out to SysExJohn himself?

You could also try contacting C-Clef, who has been taking part in this thread in the past; He might have a copy.

- H -

[SOL2]

Have you tried reaching out to SysExJohn himself?

Yes.

You could also try contacting C-Clef, who has been taking part in this thread in the past; He might have a copy.

This forum does not appear to have a messaging function, that I can find.

[GeirH]

This forum does not appear to have a messaging function, that I can find.

Sorry, I forgot. There used to be a PM system here before the forum moved. Hopefully, it will be back some day.

- H -