VMPK and sound
Moderators: MattKingUSA, khz
VMPK and sound
Hi,
I could really use your help now .
In a nutshell:
I have an older Yamaha keyboard, midi-usb cable and VMPK.
I've managed to set VMPK up and it shows pressed keys nicely. However, - and now I might want something that is not possible - I don't get any sound out of the program.
I haven't installed anything else (used terminal apt install so that it would take care of dependencies). - I haven't wrap my head around that Jack server thing it's way over my skills and knowledge. - so maybe I need it?
Is it even possible to get some sound of it? or am I trying a program which does not do that, although it lets me set the sound.
And what I want:
I'd like to record a tutorial for a friend and I like these gadgets and learning something more in Linux , so I thought I would do it with OBS as they do it on YT. Video camera to capture my fingers and this virtual keyboard on the top. I hope, I can record it without streaming it .
So, could anyone help me how to set it up? or even give me a link, I'll read up on it.
thank you
I could really use your help now .
In a nutshell:
I have an older Yamaha keyboard, midi-usb cable and VMPK.
I've managed to set VMPK up and it shows pressed keys nicely. However, - and now I might want something that is not possible - I don't get any sound out of the program.
I haven't installed anything else (used terminal apt install so that it would take care of dependencies). - I haven't wrap my head around that Jack server thing it's way over my skills and knowledge. - so maybe I need it?
Is it even possible to get some sound of it? or am I trying a program which does not do that, although it lets me set the sound.
And what I want:
I'd like to record a tutorial for a friend and I like these gadgets and learning something more in Linux , so I thought I would do it with OBS as they do it on YT. Video camera to capture my fingers and this virtual keyboard on the top. I hope, I can record it without streaming it .
So, could anyone help me how to set it up? or even give me a link, I'll read up on it.
thank you
Re: VMPK and sound
VMPK by itself does not make any sound, see https://vmpk.sourceforge.io/. If you want to make sound you need to send your midi data from you keyboard (or from VMPK) to a sampler or synth. There are many synths available:http://www.linuxsynths.com. For something that works easily with Alsa I might suggest Yoshimi or Pianoteq (non-free, $, but demo works for 20min). Youtube has lots of linux audio tutorials.
Re: VMPK and sound
Thank you Varpa,
I see I set myself quite a goal
I'll check the links and YT. I've watched some so I figured that I need OBS .. so I need to find a setting to more things than just VMPK.
I so don't want to give up
I see I set myself quite a goal
I'll check the links and YT. I've watched some so I figured that I need OBS .. so I need to find a setting to more things than just VMPK.
I so don't want to give up
Re: VMPK and sound
Well, I managed to do set it up
however, I've tried several different soundfonts and all the sounds are somewhat ugly. Nothing like the sample audio plays - could it be because of the programs? it shouldn't.. it all sounds like the cheapest keyboard
however, I've tried several different soundfonts and all the sounds are somewhat ugly. Nothing like the sample audio plays - could it be because of the programs? it shouldn't.. it all sounds like the cheapest keyboard
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Re: VMPK and sound
@sue What sounds are you looking to make? If you'd just like a nice piano, and you'd rather just load an SF2 into VMPK, search for "salamander piano sf2". Maybe this link? https://sites.google.com/view/hed-sound ... r-c5-light
Ubuntu, Mixbus32C; acoustic blues / country / jazz
Re: VMPK and sound
thank you tseaver for your tip.tseaver wrote: ↑Thu Feb 04, 2021 9:38 pm @sue What sounds are you looking to make? If you'd just like a nice piano, and you'd rather just load an SF2 into VMPK, search for "salamander piano sf2". Maybe this link? https://sites.google.com/view/hed-sound ... r-c5-light
Yes, I do look only for a nice sounding acoustic piano - the real one
However, I've tried tones of sf2, the one you sent, other Salamander, Yamahas...
and it all sounds the very same - I must be doing something wrong
this is a recording from my PC to a mobile voice recorder
https://voca.ro/17gLFRWUu9I6
it sounds super cheap, nothing like the demos.
I've seen a tutorial, the guy uploaded the file into both programs (the synth and the vmpk) .. so I've tried it, I've tried only into vmpk - which only seems to matter but I still can't get the proper sound.
Any thoughts?
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Re: VMPK and sound
I have the Salamander soundfont as SFZ loaded into Carla. No reverb, no EQ. Sounds ok for me.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/c3dz3awd15xd ... kytYa?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/c3dz3awd15xd ... kytYa?dl=0
Linux – MOTU UltraLite AVB – Qtractor – http://suedwestlicht.saar.de/
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Re: VMPK and sound
@sue FWIW, the piano I use for everyday work is Modartt's Pianoteq: https://www.modartt.com/pianoteq. It is proprietary software, but runs natively on Linux, and offers a wide range of choices of sampled/modeled instruments, including a number of "big" pianos as well as non-piano instruments.
The "base" price point ($149) gets you two of their "instrument packs." I consider it a steal at that price, but realize that not everybody has the same budget. (I don't shill for them, or get any commission, I just like the fact that a world-class virtual instrument has native Linux support).
You can download the player and try out any of the instrument packs in demo mode:
The "base" price point ($149) gets you two of their "instrument packs." I consider it a steal at that price, but realize that not everybody has the same budget. (I don't shill for them, or get any commission, I just like the fact that a world-class virtual instrument has native Linux support).
You can download the player and try out any of the instrument packs in demo mode:
- 8 notes are disabled (silent): F#1, G#1, A#1, C#5, D#5, F#5, G#5 and A#5.
- Must be restarted after 20 minutes.
Ubuntu, Mixbus32C; acoustic blues / country / jazz
- bluebell
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Re: VMPK and sound
I have both: Salamander and Pianoteq.tseaver wrote: ↑Sat Feb 06, 2021 1:39 am @sue FWIW, the piano I use for everyday work is Modartt's Pianoteq: https://www.modartt.com/pianoteq. It is proprietary software, but runs natively on Linux, and offers a wide range of choices of sampled/modeled instruments, including a number of "big" pianos as well as non-piano instruments.
The "base" price point ($149) gets you two of their "instrument packs." I consider it a steal at that price, but realize that not everybody has the same budget. (I don't shill for them, or get any commission, I just like the fact that a world-class virtual instrument has native Linux support).
You can download the player and try out any of the instrument packs in demo mode:
- 8 notes are disabled (silent): F#1, G#1, A#1, C#5, D#5, F#5, G#5 and A#5.
- Must be restarted after 20 minutes.
Pianoteq before v7 sounded kinda "dead" to me. Pianoteq v7 is great. But it's more CPU hungry than a soundfont player.
So I recommend Salamander for big projects with many tracks and effects. It sounds ok in a mix. For solo recordings Pianotec shows its flexibility.
Linux – MOTU UltraLite AVB – Qtractor – http://suedwestlicht.saar.de/
Re: VMPK and sound
So the software does matter.. ? - is it the synth or the virtual piano software?
Right now, I don't really feel like buying anything. It's just an experiment
Just so I know, should I upload the soundtrack into Qsynth and VMPK or only VMPK is enough?
Right now, I don't really feel like buying anything. It's just an experiment
Just so I know, should I upload the soundtrack into Qsynth and VMPK or only VMPK is enough?
Re: VMPK and sound
Since you mention you have a Yamaha keyboard I don't see that you need VMPK. Just connect your Yamaha keyboard via USB midi (if it has this) to whatever synth, sampler you have. I only use VMPK if I don't have a real keyboard set up, and I want to test a synth. Concerning Pianoteq it is downloadable as a free demo with few restrictions (few keys don't work, and times out after 20min, but you can restart it indefinitely). Pianoteq is a pure synthesis, so heavier on CPU, but light on memory. Sampled sounds like Salamander are light on CPU and (relatively) heavy on memory.
Re: VMPK and sound
Interesting.
Yes, I'm using midi-usb cable. However, what I need is the virtual keyboard - I want to make a tutorial for a friend and these virtual keys are much better.
I want to use OBS to create a combination of the virtual keyboard and my hands (to see the fingering).
Well, I'm also thinking connecting the real keyboard sound via basic audio cable. But I don't have it with me where I am now, so I can't test it
- with that I would use just VMPK
Yes, I'm using midi-usb cable. However, what I need is the virtual keyboard - I want to make a tutorial for a friend and these virtual keys are much better.
I want to use OBS to create a combination of the virtual keyboard and my hands (to see the fingering).
Well, I'm also thinking connecting the real keyboard sound via basic audio cable. But I don't have it with me where I am now, so I can't test it
- with that I would use just VMPK