[RESOLVED] Sound servers, etc: How to get sound out of midi files...

[qu.dawei]

Ok. I installed Kubuntu, and have sound playing nicely (except that there is sometimes a glitch which requires a reboot to get it working again). I just let the installation do its default thing, and my sound card works, and so on. Then, I found I couldn't get any software that plays midi files to run, because the jack demon isn't working. I've tried a few things (installed "jackd" as far as I know, and so on), and still haven't got it working. So, can I ask someone to tell me in very simple words what I need to do to switch ocer to using jack to enable me to play midi files? I also do not want to lose any of the functionality I already have with respect to sound, if that is possible. I have seen some websites that give some information, but they assume a knowledge that is beyond me and I have no idea what to do.

Finally, I read a few discussions about this and was taken aback to see midi described as an file format that was not widespread so that there was little incentive to sort it out within the default installations: this surprised because there are quite a few websites out there that make various musical extracts (hymns, folk songs, etc) available only in midi format. It seems quite a restriction to me, and I do not think I will be such an oddity here.

[Feirefis]

Re: Sound servers, etc: How to get sound out of midi files by switching tgo jackd?

I also find midi files very useful. I did start on trying to get jack set up but Kubuntu seems to have sorted out all that is needed behind the scenes and it was not necessary. I do have jack installed but do not need to change any settings on it.

I installed the Timidity software midi sequencer package. With this it was easy to play a midi file - just type the command "timidity" followed by the file name at the command prompt in a terminal.

With midi playback working, I then installed Rosegarden as it offers everything I need in using midi. It did not require using jack controls to get this working - in Rosegarden just go to the menu option "Studio", and click Manage Midi Devices, and from the menu that appears for choosing the General Midi Device I selected Timidity from the drop down list.

That was all I needed - hope it works for you too.

[abalone]

Re: Sound servers, etc: How to get sound out of midi files by switching tgo jackd?

To configure and start/stop the jackd daemon, I recommend you install qjackctl. It's a graphical interface to JACK and makes life a whole lot easier. As has been pointed out, though, you shouldn't need JACK if all you want is play back or edit General MIDI files on your computer. (JACK becomes very useful when you're using your computer as a more sophisticated digital audio workstation with interconnected soft-/hardware sequencers, synthesizers, effects, etc.))

[qu.dawei]

Re: Sound servers, etc: How to get sound out of midi files by switching tgo jackd?

Sorry for the belated reply: shortly after I posted the message, I tried to sort out jackd myself, and found that I had no sound at all from that point on! I got messages stating that various hardware sound systems had shut down and was asked whether I wanted kubuntu to forget about them. Unfortunately, a real life crisis then prevented me devoting any time to this as I was called away to visit a very ill relative. On my return, I did the extreme step of reinstalling kubuntu as doing this allowed me to set up hard disk partitions in a way which made major upgrades and reinstallations more simple in the future (essentially mounting /home onto a separate partition). I got sound back, and the solution of using timidity, suggested above worked. I won't therefore tinker around with sound to solve this separately any more. It does however seem to me that the sound system is the most fragile of the typical facilities one would want to use Kubuntu for, and there isn't enough documentation written in simple layman's terms explaining what all the different sound systems are for, why one would want to use different ones, and how, it at all, they inetract and depend on each other. I have found it all a bit mystifying.