Hoping to stay a Linux user

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Battlecate
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Hoping to stay a Linux user

Post by Battlecate »

Hello:

I am from the north east of the United States. I am a long time Linux user. I have been using Linux as my primary OS since 2003.

I am hoping to continue to use Linux for audio/ Music production as much as I love to use it for video, photography, and illustration.

I am trying, in vain at the moment, to use my Akai MPK mini and Yamaha PSR e223. So far midi is just miserable. Yet I am doing my best to stick to Linux for now.
Basslint
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Re: Hoping to stay a Linux user

Post by Basslint »

Hello and welcome! What programs are you using for MIDI input?
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Re: Hoping to stay a Linux user

Post by Gps »

I do not know if all features are supported in LMMS, but this midi keyboard is listed as working in LMMS.

So at least recording the midi data from the Akai MPK mini works in LMMS.
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Re: Hoping to stay a Linux user

Post by Gps »

I do not know if all features are supported in LMMS, but this midi keyboard is listed as working in LMMS.

So at least recording the midi data works in LMMS.

A bit confusing topic:

https://lmms.io/forum/viewtopic.php?t=33545

This one seems less positive:
Now I am confused.

https://www.reddit.com/r/lmms/comments/ ... mini_pads/
Battlecate
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Re: Hoping to stay a Linux user

Post by Battlecate »

Hello GPS:

I found that the AKAI MPK2 midi controller seems to work fine. Not the best but what do you get for $100.00? LMMS 1.3+ detects the controller and lists it as AKAI MPK so it is easy to ID.

The Yamaha PSR-E223 says that it is a MIDI compliant keyboard in the Yamaha manual. I bought a $10.00 midi 5 pin to USB on eBay from a seller with a lot of positive feedback about the adapter. It did not seem to have any down sides. I admit that $10.00 is not much but why pay more if there was no obvious advantage.

I know that I have the Yamaha keyboard midi out to the USB Cable in and the Yamaha keyboard midi in to the USB Cable out. Seems counter intuitive but this is what the instructions say to do and it is the only way that the LEDs light up on the cable converter box.

When I am in LMMS 1.3+ and I select the only option for the Yamaha keyboard that is in place of the AKAI MPK2 I notice that the USB cables LEDs are flashing.

When I press a key on the Yamaha PSR-E223 LMMS will either do nothing or it will play 1 note and hold that note at a high volume. I did find a forum from 2015 where a Windows user seems to experience the exact same issue. At this moment I cannot find the link to that forum post but I thought well I am not alone!

I did find this page and noted that the PSR-e223 is not listed on it: https://lmms.io/wiki/index.php?title=Us ... _keyboards

I am going with the idea that LMMS / Linux is not compatible with the Yamaha PSR-e223. If anyone has a suggestion I am open to trying anything. At this time I am considering ordering a real audio workstation like the Yahama Motif ES7 or the Korg M1. This experience has me wondering if anything like the high end keyboard will work with midi interface of LMMS or JACK.

Thanks for reading.

BC
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Re: Hoping to stay a Linux user

Post by merlyn »

Hi Battlecate. Welcome to the forum.
Battlecate wrote: I know that I have the Yamaha keyboard midi out to the USB Cable in and the Yamaha keyboard midi in to the USB Cable out. Seems counter intuitive but this is what the instructions say to do and it is the only way that the LEDs light up on the cable converter box.
That doesn't make a whole lot of sense. USB is bi-directional, so there is no in or out.

5 pin MIDI uses a separate port and cable for in and out. I would expect a MIDI to USB interface or cable to have USB on one end and two 5 pin MIDI connectors on the other.

If you want to use this keyboard as a controller i.e. as an output that goes into and controls the computer then you want to use MIDI out on the keyboard.
Battlecate
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Re: Hoping to stay a Linux user

Post by Battlecate »

I am sorry I know I wrote that a bit confusing here is what I am using: https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/shop ... GJi6QJq0m5
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Re: Hoping to stay a Linux user

Post by merlyn »

Thanks. Yes, I recognise that type of thing.

First just try it with 'out' of the keyboard connected to 'in' of the cable. I don't think this is a Linux problem -- 5 pin MIDI is very basic and Linux can handle it fine.

If you've been using Linux since 2003 I would guess you're comfortable with the command line. :) You can see what MIDI devices are connected with :

Code: Select all

$ aseqdump -l
here is what I get :

Code: Select all

$ aseqdump -l
 Port    Client name                      Port name
  0:0    System                           Timer
  0:1    System                           Announce
 14:0    Midi Through                     Midi Through Port-0
 16:0    Virtual Raw MIDI 0-0             VirMIDI 0-0
 28:0    Hoontech SoundTrack Audio DSP24  MIDI-1 Hoontech/STA DSP24 3
 28:32   Hoontech SoundTrack Audio DSP24  MIDI-2 Hoontech/STA DSP24 3
 32:0    PhotonX25                        PhotonX25 MIDI 1
 32:1    PhotonX25                        PhotonX25 MIDI 2

Now use the port number to see if you're getting MIDI input. I'll use my Photon X25 which is on 32:0 :

Code: Select all

$ aseqdump -p32:0
Waiting for data. Press Ctrl+C to end.
Source  Event                  Ch  Data
  0:1   Port subscribed            128:0 -> 129:0
 32:0   Note on                 0, note 36, velocity 106
 32:0   Note off                0, note 36
 32:0   Note on                 0, note 36, velocity 106
 32:0   Note off                0, note 36
There you can see I was playing a C.
Basslint
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Re: Hoping to stay a Linux user

Post by Basslint »

MIDI is a standard, so if your keyboard and cable carry real MIDI messages, there shouldn't be any problem with it on GNU/Linux or any other platform supporting MIDI :wink:

You say you are using a MIDI cable. Unlike MIDI-via-USB, as far as I know devices plugged via a MIDI cable don't show up with their full names, like the AKG mini does. It makes sense: your PC does not actually know a keyboard is plugged, it only knows some MIDI messages are coming through. Via USB, your PC is also told that a device is connected and the name of that device. That's why you don't get the same behavior with the two keyboards.

What is probably happening is that MIDI is being sent to the alsa sequencer. Try connecting to the MIDI Through Port-0, if there is one; not sure how LMMS deals with this kind of stuff.
The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common. [Acts 4:32]

Please donate time (even bug reports) or money to libre software 🎁

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Re: Hoping to stay a Linux user

Post by Gps »

As a test start lmms with the Yamaha keyboard not connected.
Look at the list of midi devices.

Then stop lmms, connect yamaha keyboard, and start LMMS again.

Did the list of midi stuff grow ?

If not, I am afraid LMMS will not work with that Yamaha keyboard.

I am far from an expert about midi on Linux but I do know LMMS a bit.
kafka
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Re: Hoping to stay a Linux user

Post by kafka »

Battlecate wrote: Tue Feb 02, 2021 6:06 pm Hello GPS:

I found that the AKAI MPK2 midi controller seems to work fine. Not the best but what do you get for $100.00? LMMS 1.3+ detects the controller and lists it as AKAI MPK so it is easy to ID.

The Yamaha PSR-E223 says that it is a MIDI compliant keyboard in the Yamaha manual. I bought a $10.00 midi 5 pin to USB on eBay from a seller with a lot of positive feedback about the adapter. It did not seem to have any down sides. I admit that $10.00 is not much but why pay more if there was no obvious advantage.

I know that I have the Yamaha keyboard midi out to the USB Cable in and the Yamaha keyboard midi in to the USB Cable out. Seems counter intuitive but this is what the instructions say to do and it is the only way that the LEDs light up on the cable converter box.

When I am in LMMS 1.3+ and I select the only option for the Yamaha keyboard that is in place of the AKAI MPK2 I notice that the USB cables LEDs are flashing.

When I press a key on the Yamaha PSR-E223 LMMS will either best penny slots top-slotmachine.com/penny-slots/ do nothing or it will play 1 note and hold that note at a high volume. I did find a forum from 2015 where a Windows user seems to experience the exact same issue. At this moment I cannot find the link to that forum post but I thought well I am not alone!

I did find this page and noted that the PSR-e223 is not listed on it: https://lmms.io/wiki/index.php?title=Us ... _keyboards

I am going with the idea that LMMS / Linux is not compatible with the Yamaha PSR-e223. If anyone has a suggestion I am open to trying anything. At this time I am considering ordering a real audio workstation like the Yahama Motif ES7 or the Korg M1. This experience has me wondering if anything like the high end keyboard will work with midi interface of LMMS or JACK.

Thanks for reading.

BC
Great info, thanks!
Gps
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Re: Hoping to stay a Linux user

Post by Gps »

I just notice something. LMMS 1.3

That is a very old version, you should be using LMMS 1.2.2

https://lmms.io/download#linux

An appimage, that is confirmed to work on at least, Arch, Ubuntu, Mint, openSUSE and Fedora.

Allot of the package builders still only give the old 1.3 version, without windows vst support.

So if you want to do it the Linux way, complain to the package builders of your distro, or use the appimage version.

On openSUSE, you do get the latest LMMS, ( and Carla) , vst support, although there are some issues with windows vst in Carla in that version.
In vestige most work fine though.
I saw my (openSUSE) packagebuilder file a bug report at LMMS and Wine. :)

LMMS has improved allot from 1.3 to 1.2.2 also with MIDI. There is no reason to still use 1.3.

For openSUSE there is even another solution, make your opensuse into something like ubuntu studio.

I cant remember though right now what it is called. There was a topic about it on this forum though.

Edit:
Found it,
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=20493&sid=82e1ce76b ... 670afee9c1
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Re: Hoping to stay a Linux user

Post by ForrestH »

Battlecate wrote: Tue Feb 02, 2021 6:06 pmI bought a $10.00 midi 5 pin to USB on eBay from a seller with a lot of positive feedback about the adapter. It did not seem to have any down sides. I admit that $10.00 is not much but why pay more if there was no obvious advantage.
Connecting MIDI to USB is not simple, so this is probably the failure point. If your interface has a logo that looks like a G clef, it's a 99%+ certainty.
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