[Ravich]

I dont know much about mods, other than that the resulting file cant exceed the limitation of the original.

I was wondering if there's any way to alter music within the game on any level beyond changing the MIDI data (or in this case PSF files I guess).


I have no idea where to ask this but I may as well try: is there any way to convert PSF files to MIDI? I havent found anything talking about it other than a thread from 2006 that said nothing was available yet.



Thanks.

 

[Squall-Leonhart]

why would you replace the perfect sounding psf files with imperfect midi files.

 

[Ravich]

Because they're essentially the same thing except that I can actually do stuff with a MIDI file.

 

[Squall-Leonhart]

No they aren't......

 

[Ravich]

Generally PSF files contain a number of samples and a sequence player program. This takes far less space than the equivalent streamed format of the same song (WAV, MP3) while still sounding exactly like the original song (as opposed to formats such as MIDI which depend on the creator's accuracy and quality of the MIDI synthesizer it's played on).

It's the same data except played through a specific sequencer with specific samples.

 

[Squall-Leonhart]

did you even read the text you quoted?

 

[Ravich]

Were you planning on explaining yourself at any point, or just posting vague "I'm right you're wrong" one liners

 

[Squall-Leonhart]

psf is its own format, its not similar to midi at all, it can sound similar granted you have the correct sound fonts, however usually the cards that don't support SF2 natively also lack treble and bass quality of the cards that do and so you wont get 1:1 anyway.

For all intents, the PSF music is the better quality version. And usually its the other way around. people trying to inject the psf music into FF PC

 

[Ravich]

I see. There are 2 completely separate questions in my post.


The first is whether there is a way to improve the music through a mod, and in that case it would mean either streamed MP3 or altering the sound font in some way.



My question about converting PSF to MIDI is a completely separate issue. I just want the MIDI data so that I can load it into a sequencer, as then I have complete control over what samples are being used and I can modify it in any way I want. MIDI doesnt necessarily mean that it gets put through a crappy sound set, so perhaps the PC version has more potential in the above issue, since the samples could theoretically be much better than what PSF files get. All PSF files started out as MIDI, so there's something that resembles a MIDI file somewhere in there.

 

[Ravich]

Bump. Really wondering about PSF to MIDI. For games like FFT the accuracy for MIDI files is completely terrible.

 

[masta.g.86]

PSF is closer to the MOD or S3M formats than MIDI.

MODs contain their own set of audio samples that can be attenuated, phase shifted, reverbed, etc. just like MIDI. And yes, you are correct in stating that PSF and MOD files contain MIDI-like sequencer data. Unlike MIDI, however, the sequencer data points to the instrument samples located within the PSF/MOD file itself rather than sending the data to your sound card's sequencer.

As for PSF -> MIDI, I'm not sure if there is a direct conversion solution available. You may have to look for a PSF -> MOD converter and convert the MOD -> MIDI. Just be aware that you may have to remap the instruments in the resulting MIDI file to hear anything that remotely sounds like the original song.

 

[Hard core Rikki]

PSF to Midi wouldnt make sense in quality, even with highgrade sound cards (on wich PSFs would still sound nicer, as the same sound effects/reverb/etc are emulated all the same).

 

[Ravich]

The issue is that I can use a MIDI file and end up with something that sounds better than the PSF file. I cant do anything with a PSF file, though it's useful to find out more about the details.


In regards to remapping instruments, I end up doing that in logic anyway, so I dont mind. Just that the result would preferably still have separate tracks. Finding out which track to assign to what sample is easy from there.

How exactly might I go about with PSF -> MOD conversion and from there to MIDI?


Thanks for your help.





Edit: On a completely different note: someone told me a couple of days ago of a way to have an FFVII mod play specific MP3s instead of MIDI. I'm assuming this was only for the PC version, but I'm not positive. Is it remotely possible for PSX emulation?

 

[Hard core Rikki]

What about using midis directly? Their original source isnt in any better quality than PSFs.

VGMusic.com - Sony Playstation Music

 

[Ravich]

They are often completely inaccurate. I have found FFVII MIDI files that have very few or no mistakes, and I thought maybe that was because it has a PC version with MIDI files right there, but I havent been able to find consistently accurate FFVIII MIDI files. And FFT ones are even worse. I dont think I've found a single FFT MIDI file without mistakes.

Actually, I take it back. Requiem convinced me. But the thing is that most of those are fanmade and as a result have tons of mistakes. I've checked through that database before for certain tracks and havent been able to find ones that are any good.

 

[Ravich]

(bump)

 

[Hard core Rikki]

Midis wont for no reason sound better than the perfect quality PSFs, thats for sure. Better siund cards would make PSF sound even better.

 

[Ravich]

Yes... but I cant edit PSF files in a sequencer.

 

[lob31]

I've already found a way to convert PSF2 files to MIDI with its Soundbank file, but that's just for PSF2s. To do that, you really just drag and drop the PSF2 file into VGMTrans and save the sequencing data to MIDI and soundbank file to DLS. From what I've found, VGMTrans only works with Square (Enix) games.

There is a program that can allegedly convert PSF to MIDI, but it's a Japanese program. The program is called PGConv, but I've yet to find a way to download it. There's also PGConv2 which converts PSF2 files to MIDI, but again, I have not found a way to download it.

 

[Ravich]

Awesome. Any ideas on forums to start looking for pgconv?