ubuntu studio: sound works from browser but nothing else

[nigeldodd]

Sound works when I play a youtube video in Firefox but no other sound works it seems.

It has become a cliche to say that one is defeated by the complexity of Linux sound. However it would be so nice to get it working. Obviously some hardware is responding to some software (Firefox) but how does one proceed to get all the lovely sequencers, notators, virtual instruments etc. bundled with ubuntu studio to work?

For instance the virtual keyboard is silent. How does one proceed to debug it? Let's just start with that.

Another piece of information is that Musescore, which I have used on another machine, is also silent when you move the notes around. Does this all point to Midi not working? If so how do I test it?

It does not inspire confidence that the ubuntu studio forum is now unavailable for posting. Why stop people helping one another?

[sysrqer]

Sounds like you have not started JACK.
What is your virtual keyboard connected to? It won't make any sound by itself.
I don't know musescore but doesn't it need to be connected to some kind of instrument or sound source?

[nigeldodd]

In ubuntu studio there is a menu section with all the music related programs. Amongst these is QjackCtl which I think is a graphics front end to Jack (am I right?).

I launch this and the title bar reads Jack Audio Connection kit (default) stopped. But I can start it with the green arrow. When I click About I get JACK Audio Connection Kit - Qt GUI Interface Version: 0.4.2 Build: Apr 7 2016 21:23:34.

I can also start the jack keyboard. It gives channel, bank, program spin buttons and on the right hand side is a blank box labelled "Connected to:" which looks as if it is supposed to have something in it , but it is blank and nothing is revealed when I click the arrows (which are greyed out as well).

How do I connect the Jack keyboard to Jack?

thanks

[nigeldodd]

Screenshot_2017-10-06_13-39-36.png (33.46 KiB) Viewed 769 times

I see now that Jack is the switchboard for inputs and output devices. I would like the simplest possible test. So far I have the Jack Keyboard as an input. So far as I understand Jack Keyboard is a midi output device. It needs to feed to something that will turn midi into actual waveforms. I have assumed that synthv1 will do this.

When I start the Jack gui and then start the Jack Keyboard I can see the connections in the Connections window of the Jack gui:

Screenshot_2017-10-06_13-49-01.png (28.6 KiB) Viewed 769 times

This is in the midi tab of the connections window of the Jack gui. There is still silence when I press the keys of the Jack Keyboard. So something is missing. Do I need to connect the output of synthv1 to an audio output? If I look at the audo tab and open out the

Screenshot_2017-10-06_13-53-31.png (35.14 KiB) Viewed 769 times

synthv1 "readable clients/output ports" out_1 and out_2 to the system playback_1 and playback_2 the Jack Keyboard now makes a sound!!

Thank you for letting me flail about in the dark and report such flailing on this forum. Surely there is a resource on the internet for beginners like me that would save so much random trying things?

I now feel that ubuntu studio can deliver at least some sound through the Jack system. I will build on what I have done.

[sysrqer]

Surely there is a resource on the internet for beginners like me that would save so much random trying things?

There are a lot but sometimes you have a dig a bit to find them. This is a good place to start - http://libremusicproduction.com/