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    Quick and easy guide for adding music to Emulatonstation on RetroPie. Noob friendly!

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved General Discussion and Gaming
    musicbgmsynackguide
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    • retroprogrammerR
      retroprogrammer
      last edited by

      This is a very good tutorial I have quiet a few tutorials to so check them out :)

      [TUTORIAL]How to add draStic ds emulator and configure it and add ROMS with RetroPie-Manager
      https://retropie.org.uk/forum/post/90803

      [TUTORIAL]How to install kodi and add to main menu
      https://retropie.org.uk/forum/post/90609

      [TUTORIAL]How to install and use RetroPi-Manager
      https://retropie.org.uk/forum/post/90596

      Here is me converting the original Xbox for a case:
      https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/15232/converting-original-xbox-into-case-for-raspberrypi/15
      Check out my GitHub: https://github.com/retro-programmer

      herb_fargusH 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
      • herb_fargusH
        herb_fargus administrators @retroprogrammer
        last edited by

        @retroprogrammer please don't spam. The official docs are there for a reason

        If you read the documentation it will answer 99% of your questions: https://retropie.org.uk/docs/

        Also if you want a solution to your problems read this first: https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/3/read-this-first

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
        • cyperghostC
          cyperghost @COOL_IRON
          last edited by cyperghost

          @cool_iron I think there is no problem to install mpg123 as background player just for in game music. This would be the easiest solution.... And if there are occouring problems you can easily remove it.
          As you use the python method the python code checks for process PID of a running emulator in background so it seems to be impossible without altering python code. But that's out of my class.


          EDIT:
          Maybe you can act like this!
          I think about a code like this ...

          Enable ingame BGM.sh

          #!/bin/bash
          # PSEUDOCODE!
          # DISABLE python check for running processes of emulators by pausing the python script!!!!
          # OMXPlayer will still run in background and will play music!
          pkill -STOP "python backgroundplayer"
          

          and by editing runcommand-onend.sh you always set the -CONT condition.


          But why don't you give the mpg123 no chance? Imho it is the easiest method for BGM but keep in mind that mpg123 is just a small player with a small bunch of command line arguments...

          @retroprogrammer Before spamming this thread you can ask @meleu if he want's to add your tuts into his Useful topics thread

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
          • retroprogrammerR
            retroprogrammer
            last edited by

            sorry for spamming guys just wanted to say that their are some other tutorials other sorry :(

            Here is me converting the original Xbox for a case:
            https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/15232/converting-original-xbox-into-case-for-raspberrypi/15
            Check out my GitHub: https://github.com/retro-programmer

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
            • S
              Skyfire
              last edited by

              Having some issues after getting music playing in the background via this tutorial. On launch of any ROM I am getting an audiomanger error stating the device or resource is in use. Once the game loads I have no game audio.

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • Z
                zerojay
                last edited by

                Created an alternative guide for using vgmplay instead of mpg123 to play directly emulated audio rips from game consoles and arcade machines. Much smaller file sizes than mp3s.

                https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/14682/quick-and-easy-guide-for-adding-emulated-music-to-emulationstation-on-retropie

                jonnykeshJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                • jonnykeshJ
                  jonnykesh @zerojay
                  last edited by

                  @zerojay How much room does it save? For example a track I use is 1:39 and 2.4MB. Would this really save a significant amount of space?

                  Z 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • Z
                    zerojay @jonnykesh
                    last edited by

                    @jonnykesh Well, put it this way, if you have a full NES game's soundtrack, let's say 20 songs in mp3 for about 3MB each song, that's 60MB. The emulated version is going to be a small part of the actual NES game's size so there's pretty much no NES game soundtrack in VGM format that will be bigger than 1MB total. Most NES games are about 200-300K for their full soundtrack in this format. Look around for VGM rips as they are a better indicator than anything I can say.

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • BobHarrisB
                      BobHarris
                      last edited by BobHarris

                      Could somebody tell me which file I have to edit (and what kind of text) to set a startsong which plays everytime when you boot up the Pi?

                      Pi 3B , 64 GB Sandisk ultra flashdrive, 19 systems, 872 hand picked classic gaming gems :-) Dual shock 4v2

                      mituM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • coldnpaleC
                        coldnpale
                        last edited by

                        Great guide! Anyway to choose what track plays first if we have many mp3's in the folder?

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • mituM
                          mitu Global Moderator @BobHarris
                          last edited by mitu

                          @bobharris Since the command line using mpg321 plays the songs at random, there's no configuration involved.
                          You could try replacing mpg321 -Z with mpg321 -l 0 (lowecase L, then zero) in the playing script and the playorder should be alphabetical - so you can place a 0_start.mpg3 to be always played first.

                          BobHarrisB 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 2
                          • BobHarrisB
                            BobHarris @mitu
                            last edited by BobHarris

                            @mitu Ok thanks. This is not an option for me, as I prefer a randomized playlist after the first song.
                            So I will just use the Python script instead (http://www.pretendo.online/2017/01/25/adding-background-music-to-emulation-station/).. so far it seems to work great (and it allows you to set a startsong). It has other perks too, like fade out (after starting a game) and it plays a new song after exiting a game, instead of resuming the previous song.
                            I wasn't sure which method to use as I read some people were having issues with the Python script. (Songs playing at half speed for example.)

                            (There is a workaround for anyone who uses mpg123 and wants the same song/sound at the start and a random playlist: Turn your song into an mp4 video file and set it as your splash screen.)

                            Pi 3B , 64 GB Sandisk ultra flashdrive, 19 systems, 872 hand picked classic gaming gems :-) Dual shock 4v2

                            coldnpaleC 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                            • coldnpaleC
                              coldnpale @BobHarris
                              last edited by coldnpale

                              @mitu
                              amazing! thanks alot!

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • coldnpaleC
                                coldnpale
                                last edited by

                                So, now with "mpg321 -l 0" I am able to arrange the songs in the order I want. Tha's great! However, isn't the playlist supposed to loop infinite times after it ends? Or am I missing a part?

                                mituM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • mituM
                                  mitu Global Moderator @coldnpale
                                  last edited by mitu

                                  @coldnpale Err', I guess it only loops through the 1st song, right ? So my suggestion doesn't work right off the bat :(.
                                  I don't have the RPI at hand at the moment, but you could create a .m3u with the files you want, in the specific order you need, then try to run

                                  mpg321 -l -0 playlist.m3u
                                  

                                  so it loops continuously. I'm sure there's a one liner to make the m3u on the fly, but just need a command line on the PI to have it right.

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                  • coldnpaleC
                                    coldnpale
                                    last edited by coldnpale

                                    @mitu
                                    Thanks!
                                    At the moment i am using 2 songs to test it, withou an .m3u. It plays them in alphabetical order, but once the second song finishes nothing starts again.
                                    But I could always try an .m3u ..i'll give it a shot

                                    mituM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                    • BobHarrisB
                                      BobHarris @mitu
                                      last edited by BobHarris

                                      @mitu This change in the script (-l 0 instead of -Z) is actually very helpful.
                                      I now have another build with no music in the bgm folder except for the Sony ps1 bootup sound. With this script you hear it only once when booting and then it's all quiet. :-)
                                      It might become my new main build if I get tired of my playlist.

                                      Pi 3B , 64 GB Sandisk ultra flashdrive, 19 systems, 872 hand picked classic gaming gems :-) Dual shock 4v2

                                      mituM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • mituM
                                        mitu Global Moderator @coldnpale
                                        last edited by

                                        @coldnpale Ok, I got to run a test and this is what seems to work:

                                        1. Make a .m3u file with the names/paths of the mp3 files:
                                        /home/pi/music/file_start.mp3
                                        /home/pi/music/file2.mp3
                                        /home/pi/music/file3.mp3
                                        ...
                                        
                                        1. Run mpg321 with:
                                        mpg321 -l 0 -@ path_to_m3u_file
                                        

                                        replacing path_to_m3u_filewith the actual path of the m3u file.

                                        coldnpaleC 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                        • mituM
                                          mitu Global Moderator @BobHarris
                                          last edited by

                                          @bobharris If you only have 1 file, then just running mpg321 /path/to/mp3file would be enough, i.e. no parameters would be needed.

                                          BobHarrisB 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                                          • BobHarrisB
                                            BobHarris @mitu
                                            last edited by

                                            @mitu Ok thanks!

                                            Pi 3B , 64 GB Sandisk ultra flashdrive, 19 systems, 872 hand picked classic gaming gems :-) Dual shock 4v2

                                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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