ScummVM Music Enhancement Project

IMPORTANT NOTE: My ‘enhancements’ involve improving the quality of the original MIDI file, utilising modern MIDI equipment with additional editing and recording the resulting output. This process is not intended to enhance the work of the original composer, but rather to showcase the often wonderful creations they have made. It is a testimony to their talent and creativity.

What is ScummVM?

ScummVM is a program which allows you to run certain classic graphical point-and-click adventure games, provided you already have their data files. The clever part about this: ScummVM just replaces the executables shipped with the game, allowing you to play them on systems for which they were never designed!

ScummVM lets you run these adventures: Adventure Soft’s Simon the Sorcerer 1 and 2; Revolution’s Beneath A Steel Sky, Broken Sword 1 and Broken Sword 2; Flight of the Amazon Queen; Wyrmkeep’s Inherit the Earth; Coktel Vision’s Gobliiins and games based on LucasArts’ SCUMM (Script Creation Utility for Maniac Mansion) system. SCUMM is used for many games, including Monkey Island, Day of the Tentacle, Sam and Max and more. Compatibility with supported games is continually improving, so check back often.

Among the systems on which you can play those games are Windows, Linux, MacOS, Dreamcast, PocketPC, PalmOS, AmigaOS, BeOS, OS/2, PSP, PS2, SymbianOS/EPOC and many more…

http://www.scummvm.org

What is the Music Enhancement Project?

A lot of the point and click adventure games from the past used the MIDI format for presenting the music. While this format worked well at the time of release, it can now result in average performance for music reproduction due to varying MIDI hardware and modern standards.

To improve the quality of the music while staying true to the originals, I utilise pure digital recording methods and Yamaha workstations. My personal aim is to enhance the music’s quality, specifically targeted for use within the ScummVM software. With these enhancements, we can all enjoy the game music once again, hopefully with superior sound quality.

I am working on these enhancements without any commercial gain, dedicating my own free time to the project. If you would like to support this project financially, please consider using the donate option located near the top of the page. Additionally, please remember that the ScummVM team has its own donation system to help cover costs and support the development of their program.

Working closely with the ScummVM team, they were kind enough to help with this project by ensuring my fan-made soundtracks could be used within the actual game.

It is important to note that the original composers put a lot of effort into creating the original MIDI files, and we should acknowledge and appreciate their significant contribution. Additionally, I want to clarify that I am not a professional musician, and I am working on these soundtracks purely for my own personal enjoyment. However, I hope that others will also take an interest in my project and find it enjoyable as well.

Official Link: https://www.pixelrefresh.com/content/scummvm-music-enhancement-project/

Full game soundtrack downloads

Where are the games?

You can download a few games for free from the ScummVM website as they have obtained permission, however for most games you will need to either buy or own the original title.

Which audio format?

Due to the superior audio compression quality and compatibility with the ScummVM program, I will be using the OGG Vorbis Codec for all of the soundtracks. Lossless *.Flac will also be supported as a title’s soundtrack reaches a final version.

Enhancement process and hardware

I will and have used for the soundtracks Cakewalk Sonar 6 LE, XG Wizard and a Yamaha Tyros2, Tyros3 and Tyros4 Keyboard. Remaining faithful and where possible using the original MIDI information as a starting point, the files will be restored removing old MIDI commands, re-balanced, re-voiced from an assortment of a possible 1000 instruments, Edited using XG effects and finally recorded digitally for a pure final version for release (with permission).

Disclaimer

The ScummVM Music Enhancement project was created by James Woodcock to improve the MIDI music of certain titles compatible with the ScummVM program. It is important to note that any enhanced work by James Woodcock should not be used for profit or hosted elsewhere without explicit permission from James Woodcock.

Inherit the Earth copyright The Wyrmkeep Entertainment Co.