On Sun, 26 Aug 2012, k...@trixtar.org wrote:
> All of the above is chinese to me but I can follow step by
> step guides. I've never seen a more uncooperative
> application :-)
Perhaps the problems aren't "uncooperative application" but because of
"uncooperative distribution", or
"uncooperative setup/configuration", or
"uncooperative user" :-)
Most common Linux distros are not MIDI friendly. Getting Linux MIDI setup
involves many configuration steps, orders of apps to start, as well as "audio
connections", and "midi connections" properly in connected.
I don't use SUSE, nor KDE, nor GNOME for that mater. Different Linux distros
do things differently, so I can't tell you step-by-step how to do things under
SUSE, let alone some particular version of SUSE. Even with Debian, I use
Debian Unstable/Sid, which is a lot different than Debian Testing, or Debian
Stable.
I also read just enough to stay away as far as I can from PulseAudio.
especially with low-latency usage of MIDI. You can try to configure
"PulseAudio" daemon to not automatically start, as well as configure KDE to use
"Alsa" for audio. That's right, if the distribution won't uninstall it. just
tell it not to run PulseAudio. Although, you may have to reconfigure many apps
to use Jack, or Alsa, or default audio output.
Fastest way to see it all working on your particular computer is to download a
liveCD of one of these distro: Musix, Studio64, Dynebolic, "Ubuntu Studio" (not
"Ubuntu", or "Kubuntu"). Boot up with one of those liveCD to try it out, if
you like it, install it in a separate disk partition to have it run faster.
Once you see it running, you can inspect the configurations and settings to see
how they all fit together. The order of things I would look at are:
Get rid of PulseAudio (just my preference to use ALSA).
Get jackd/qjackctl running with low-latency configuration.
Get fluidsynth to start using "jack" audio output ("-a jack"), not Alsa
audio output ("-a alsa"). Make sure to connect fluidsynth audio output to jack
audio "system" input port. Or, use the "-j" option of fluidsynth to do this
automatically.
Optionally use "Alsa Midi through", by loading "snd_seq_midi" kernel module,
connect Alsa Midi output port "14:Midi through" to Alsa Midi input port of
"FLUID synth"
Use "aplaymidi -p 14 /path/to/some/midi-song.mid" to play via the "14:Midi
through".
Start Rosegarden, and connect rosegarden "Alsa midi" output port to
fluidsynth "Alsa midi" input port.
I know each of those step require quite a few things in place. Those thing may
change slightly from version to version of the kernel, and of each application.
So, most instructions out there are almost always outdated. But if you learn
and understand how they fit together, you can get it done in any Linux
distribution, given that you have the the proper kernel, as well as time to do
the full configuration.
Yes, you can install all of those liveCD's on the same hard drive, each in its
own separate logical disk partition, along with whatever else you are using
currently. That's the beauty of Linux, if you have the diskspace and know
enough not to mess up and wipe out your hard drive in the process.
If you are not comfortable and don't know yet what you are doing, I suggest you
use a spare computer, and a spare hard drive to learn, meanwhile unplug the
current hard drive from that computer so you don't accidentally wipe out your
data.
Personally, I recommend Musix liveCD because it use Debian, I learned much from
Musix LiveCD a full decade ago. Yes, I spent months and months trying to get
Linux MIDI to work until I tried Musix liveCD. Yes, after trying Musix liveCD,
it took me weeks, and months to fully understand how all the apps fit together
with jackd binding things together.
Don't try to use MIDI apps without jack in Linux, some of those older apps may
work directly with Alsa. But in the long run, you will more likely need
jackd/qjackctl.
Precompiled low-latency enabled kernel for Debian, with fairly up-to-date
kernel version is available in Debian-based distros like aptosid, sidux,
siduction.
Yeah, I know much of what are wrote are all "geek" for the Linux MIDI newbies.
But if you really want to get Linux MIDI to run, you have to learn it. I
already tell you where to start, hint: Musix liveCD. I'm not related, or
involved with the Musix liveCD folks, just learned alot, and much appreciated
their work in the early days. Good luck,
Jimmy
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