Adding custom music

From DoomWiki.org

Revision as of 06:50, 9 May 2015 by 131.100.235.138 (talk) (Creating MIDI files)


PWADs can include music lumps for custom music when played. Originally, these lumps were encoded in the MUS format. WAD editors need to convert between that and a format used by music authoring tools, such as MIDI.

Since v1.5, Doom has been able to read standard format MIDI files for music, as long as they can be successfully converted. The Windows 95 version of Doom, Doom95, however does not have the ability to play MIDI files, nor do vanilla Heretic or Hexen.

Many modern ports will accept MIDI lumps without any limitation.

Requirements

To add music to a WAD you will need:

Importing

  1. If your map occupies the MAP01 slot, you will have to rename the MIDI file to D_RUNNIN for it to work properly. See music for a list of names used on other map slots.
  2. Open your map in SLADE 3. Drag and drop your MIDI file in the list of entries, but make sure not to insert it between map lumps or *_START/*_END markers.

Creating MIDI files

There are several programs that can be used to create MIDI files. Just search for "Digital Audio Workstation" or "MIDI sequencer" and you'll most likely find one that suites your needs.

When creating a MIDI file make sure that no notes stretch out beyond the end of the MIDI file, or else your song will end with a silent bar of music.

MUS format

  • A MUS file cannot be larger than 65535 bytes. Since MUS is more compact than MIDI, a MIDI file slightly larger than 64kb may still be successfully converted to MUS.
  • Doom MUS format uses 9 channels, using channel 1-8 for sounds and channel 9 for drums. General MIDI allows for 16 channels.
  • Each channel can only play 1 note at the time, so if you want to add a chord then you have to set 3 channels to the same patch and split the notes up that way.
  • MUS format uses the same MIDI patch layout as in General MIDI.
Under construction icon-yellow.svgThis article or section is a stub. Please help the Doom Wiki by adding to it.