Software:Professional Music Driver

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Professional Music Driver
Developer(s)Masahiro Kajihara (KAJA)
Initial releaseLate 1980s
PlatformNEC PC-9801
TypeMusic driver, Music Macro Language compiler

Professional Music Driver (PMD) is a music driver and Music Macro Language (MML) composition system developed for the NEC PC-9801 series of Japanese personal computers. It was created by Japanese programmer and composer Masahiro Kajihara, known by the handle KAJA, during the late 1980s.[1] [2]

PMD allows music to be written using a textual notation based on MML and compiled into compact data playable on PC-98 sound hardware.[3][1]

It became one of the most widely used music driver systems in the PC-98 ecosystem and was widely used in Japanese computer games during the late 1980s and early 1990s.[1]

Overview

Professional Music Driver consists of an MML compiler and a playback driver. Composers write music using a text-based macro language, which is compiled into binary music data that can be embedded in software and executed by the driver.[1][3]

The system was designed primarily for the Yamaha YM2608 (OPNA) sound chip, which was widely used in PC-98 sound boards.[1][3] PMD can control multiple FM synthesis channels and also supports ADPCM sample playback depending on hardware configuration.[3]

Because the compiled music data is compact and efficient, PMD was particularly suitable for computer games and other applications where memory capacity was limited.[1]

Features

Typical features of Professional Music Driver include:[3]

  • Composition using Music Macro Language[3]
  • Support for the Yamaha YM2608 FM synthesis chip[1][3]
  • Multi-channel music playback[1][3]
  • Macro definitions and reusable musical patterns[3]
  • Instrument parameter control[3]
  • Tempo and timing commands[3]
  • ADPCM sample playback[3]
  • FM channel 3 expansion through the #FM3Extend command[3]
  • SSGPCM sample playback through the K/R rhythm channels[3]
  • Compact compiled music data suitable for software distribution[1][3]

Development

PMD was created by Masahiro Kajihara (KAJA), who was active in the Japanese PC-98 programming and music community during the late 1980s.[1] At that time, software developers increasingly relied on music drivers to control FM synthesis sound hardware available for Japanese personal computers.[1]

Text-based music systems such as PMD enabled composers to create complex music using only textual notation without requiring external MIDI equipment.[1][3]

Use in PC-98 software

Masahiro Kajihara (KAJA) also used PMD in his own music-related work, including credited PMD dataling on the 1995 Princess Maker 2 arrangement CD.[4]

Variants of PMD were used in early PC-9801 entries of the Touhou Project series developed by ZUN.[5]

Composer Ryu Umemoto is also documented in connection with PMD-related work.[4]

Relationship to other music drivers

Professional Music Driver was one of several widely used music drivers developed for the PC-98 platform.[1] Other notable systems include:

  • MUCOM88
  • FMP

Together these systems formed the basis of music production for many PC-98 games before MIDI-based composition tools became widespread.[1]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 "Professional Music Driver (PMD)". https://battleofthebits.com/lyceum/View/Professional+Music+Driver+%28PMD%29. 
  2. ↑ "PMD English Documentation". https://pigu-a.github.io/pmddocs/. 
  3. ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 "PMDMML_EN.MAN". https://pigu-a.github.io/pmddocs/pmdmml.htm. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Princess Maker 2". https://vgmdb.net/album/956. 
  5. ↑ "ReC98: The Touhou PC-98 Restoration Project". https://github.com/nmlgc/ReC98. 



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