·( VGM Software & Instructions )·

This page contains the software you will need to create and play VGM music files. If you only want to listen to them then all you need is a player. Contact me if you have anything to add here.
-Maxim
[Players] - [VGM loggers] - [Tools] - [Documents/Instructions] - [Old versions]
Players
Software to play back VGM music files

Player Version Author Download Size Notes/description
Winamp VGM input plugin 0.35 Maxim Zipped 311KB Emulates PSG, YM2413, YM2612 and YM2151.
Input plugin for Winamp.
Self-installing 400KB
Source 219KB
Audio Overload 2.0b3 Richard Bannister External link 1.1MB Macintosh player for various emulated music formats.
Emulates PSG, YM2413 and YM2612 for VGM files.
Visit the Audio Overload page for more information, and bannister.org. A Win32 port is being worked on.
KbMedia Player (Japanese) Because I don't speak Japanese, I have no information on this. Visit the webpage here.

VGM loggers
Programs (emulators) that can create VGM music files

Program Author Systems supported (for VGM) Notes
Meka Bock SG-1000/SC-3000/Mark III/Master System/Game Gear/Coleco Vision Very complete and compatible emulator
Emukon Martin Konrad Master System/Game Gear Supports experimental automatic loop trimming and incorporates a VGM player
Dega Dave Master System/Game Gear The first creator of VGM files; but has timing errors and does not produce correct FM VGMs
Kega Steve Snake Mega Drive/Genesis/Master System/Game Gear The first (released) Mega Drive emulator to support VGM :)
Gens (unofficial modification) Stef/Maxim Mega Drive/Genesis The first Mega Drive emulator to support VGM, but only in this version Maxim made but never released until December 2003... see also the official Gens page

Tools
Programs which are useful for creating and working with VGM music files

Program Version Author Size Description
VGMTool 2 R5 Maxim 59KB A multi-purpose VGM tool which can:
  • Edit (trim) VGM files, including creating looped files
  • Optimise VGM files
  • Add/edit GD3 information tags
  • Edit the VGM header
  • Analyse VGM data
  • Selectively remove VGM data
    and more. See this page for instructions on how to use it and to see what it can do.
    Please note that it currently only (officially) supports YM2413 and PSG for trimming and optimising. Also, it currently does *not* support files with optimised YM2612 PCM; using it with these files will break them.
    		•
    vgm2mid 0.50 Paul Jensen 114KB Converts VGMs to MIDI files.
    Requires VB5 runtimes.
    See the vgm2mid/gym2mid website for source and downloads including the runtimes, sources, and the latest version.
    vgm2mid .NET 0.1.955 Paul Jensen 405KB Improved version rewritten from stratch. Still beta.
    Requires .NET runtimes.
    GYM, SSL & CYM to VGM 1.2 Dave & Maxim 18KB Converts GYM, SSL and CYM files to the VGM format.
    Based on Dave's gym2vgm.

    Documents/instructions
    Helpful documents for people making VGM files

    Please read and follow these documents carefully to produce VGM packages that meet SMS Power quality requirements.

    Document Description
    How to make VGM files and packs A (hopefully) complete guide to making VGMs and VGM packs.
    You should follow these instructions to learn to make good quality VGM packs to meet SMS Power standards.
    Pause button hack A hack for almost any SMS game to make it play the music without SFX
    Advanced VGM Ripping A guide to hacking roms so you can log otherwise inaccessible music
    Rom hacking from PAR codes A simple guide to hacking roms using the information contained in a PAR cheat code, so you can more easily complete a game to get all the music

    Old versions
    Old and outdated items which used to be listed above

    Item Description/old versions
    Winamp VGM input plugin 0.11 - zipped, self-installing, source
    0.12 - zipped, self-installing, source
    0.21 - zipped, self-installing, source
    0.22 - zipped, self-installing, source
    0.23 - zipped, self-installing, source
    0.24 - zipped, self-installing, source
    0.25 - zipped, self-installing, source
    0.26 - zipped, self-installing, source
    0.27 - zipped, self-installing, source
    0.28 - zipped, self-installing, source
    0.29 - zipped, self-installing, source
    0.30 - zipped, self-installing, source
    0.31 - zipped, self-installing, source
    0.32 - zipped, self-installing, source
    0.33 - zipped, self-installing, source
    VGMTool 0.11 (supports only PSG; less features)
    VGMTool 2 R1
    VGMTool 2 R2
    VGMTool 2 R3
    VGMTool 2 R4
    How to make VGM files and packs For VGMTool 1
    GZipper A program made specifically to compress VGM files to VGZ. VGMTool can be used instead.
    gzip by Jean-loup Gailly / Mark Adler; GNU zip software, available for a wide range of platforms and CPUs. Compressed VGMs are gzip compressed. VGMTool can be used instead.
    vgm2mid 0.50 - full, executable, source
    0.41 - full, executable, source
    0.40 - full, executable, source
    0.35 - full, executable, source
    0.30 - full, executable, source
    0.25 - full, executable, source
    0.20 - full, executable, source
    0.10 - full, executable, source
    See also the vgm2mid/gym2mid website.

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