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DirectMusic Producer

DirectMusic Producer is a music authoring tool created by Microsoft as part of the DirectX SDK. It is the only tool that can create and edit the DirectMusic files (.SGT, .STY, .DLS) used by the Gothic engine's interactive music system.

warning

DirectMusic Producer is a legacy application from the early 2000s. It only runs on 32-bit Windows or in compatibility mode on modern systems. It can be tricky to set up, but it is the only way to author native Gothic music files.

How Gothic Uses DirectMusic​

Gothic's ZenGin engine uses Microsoft DirectMusic to play dynamic, interactive soundtracks. Instead of simply streaming audio files, the music is composed of modular building blocks that the engine combines and transitions between in real time based on gameplay context (exploration, combat, threat, etc.).

The music system is controlled via Daedalus scripts - the C_MUSICTHEME class defines which .sgt segment to play for each game zone and situation:

instance OWD_Day_Std(C_MUSICTHEME_DEF)
{
    file        = "OWD_DayStd.sgt";
    transType   = TRANSITION_TYPE_FILL;
    transSubType = TRANSITION_SUB_TYPE_MEASURE;
    reverbMix   = -8;
    reverbTime  = 9000;
};
info

Music files cannot be packed into .vdf or .mod archives. All music files must be placed directly in the _work/Data/Music/ directory.

File Types​

DirectMusic Producer works with three interconnected file types:

FileTypeDescription
.DLSDownloadable SoundsThe foundation of the music system. Contains collections of virtual instruments and their wave (audio sample) data.
.STYStyleDefines Bands (instrument configurations from .DLS) and Patterns (musical fragments/phrases that can be looped/combined).
.SGTSegmentThe final playable track. Connects patterns from styles into a complete piece. This is the file referenced in C_MUSICTHEME.file.

How They Relate​

.DLS (instruments/samples)
  └── referenced by .STY (patterns + band configurations)
        └── referenced by .SGT (final segment = playable track)
              └── referenced by C_MUSICTHEME.file in Daedalus scripts

Getting DirectMusic Producer​

DirectMusic Producer was included in older versions of the DirectX SDK. The recommended version is from the DirectX SDK (February 2010) or earlier releases (DirectX 8.x / 9.x era SDKs).

Installation Steps​

  1. Download the DirectX SDK (June 2010) - this is the last version available from Microsoft.
  2. Install the SDK. DirectMusic Producer is located in: 
    <SDK Install Path>\Utilities\Bin\x86\DMUSProd.exe
  3. On modern Windows (10/11), you may need to:
    • Run DMUSProd.exe in Windows XP SP3 compatibility mode.
    • Run as Administrator.
    • Install the DirectX 9.0c End-User Runtime if DirectMusic components are missing.
tip

Some modders report better compatibility running DirectMusic Producer inside a Windows XP virtual machine (e.g., using VirtualBox). This avoids most compatibility issues with modern Windows.

Basic Workflow​

Creating new music for Gothic involves these general steps:

  1. Create or obtain a .DLS file - this defines the instruments (sounds/samples) your music will use. You can use the default General MIDI DLS that ships with Windows, or create custom instruments.

  2. Create a .STY (Style) file - define a Band (which instruments from the DLS to use and how) and compose Patterns (musical phrases). Each pattern is a fragment that can be looped and layered.

  3. Create a .SGT (Segment) file - arrange patterns from your style into a complete piece. Set the tempo, time signature, and chord progression.

  4. Place the files in <Gothic>/Data/Music/ (all three files: .dls, .sty, .sgt).

  5. Reference the .sgt file in a C_MUSICTHEME instance in the music scripts (System/Music/musicinst.d).

tip

For new mods, consider using zBassMusic - a modern Union plugin that replaces DirectMusic with standard audio formats (.mp3, .ogg, .wav). It's much easier to work with than DirectMusic Producer.