BackupBand

[GordonS]

I also tested BackupBand, and I think it is great program. However, I would like to use BB as 'engine' but can't forward midi from it to programs...

Yes, I'd very much like that, too. A MIDI port to Jack would allow BB's arranger 'guts' work to drive, say, fuildsynth or MIDIDings or external hardware.

I like to think that wouldn't be too hard to achieve, but then all I've done so far it make a headless spin-off of StyleEdit, and it's quite possible I'm being naive. First and foremost, though, I like the essential simplicity, the big buttons and surprisingly naturalistic styles.

[j_e_f_f_g]

BB's arranger 'guts' drive fuildsynth or external hardware

Ironically, the first version of BackupBand (which was written for MS Windows) worked that way. It had no internal sounds, so it sent midi notes to my Roland Fantom XR sound module to make the bass, drums, and guitar sounds.

Later, when I ported to Linux, I had collected waveforms that actually sounded better than the Fantom (as well as my Yamaha, Korg, and other pricey hardware). So I decided to add a built-in "sampler" engine to BackupBand. I no longer had to bring the Fantom to gigs, and it simplified my setup. I then got rid of the MIDI output code.

I don't know why you'd want it. It's less efficient, and could result in more "glitches" when changing a chord if you play the chord after the downbeat. Plus, BackupBand lets you add/replace instruments, so it already allows changing the sounds. What I plan to add is a "MIDI export" function, so you can get a
MIDI file of some Song Sheet, for use in other apps.

[GordonS]

BB's arranger 'guts' drive fuildsynth or external hardware

I don't know why you'd want it. It's less efficient, and could result in more "glitches" when changing a chord if you play the chord after the downbeat.

That's the kind of thing I was thinking about when I said I might be being naive.

I haven't yet learned about adding/replacing instruments. That should resolve my "I wish it had a.. [didgeridoo | psaltery | cannon for the 1812 overture] "

The other thing I was thinking about was using it to control other things, perhaps via MIDIDings, but very likely what's there already is just fine.

[tavasti]

BB's arranger 'guts' drive fuildsynth or external hardware

I don't know why you'd want it. It's less efficient, and could result in more "glitches" when changing a chord if you play the chord after the downbeat. Plus, BackupBand lets you add/replace instruments, so it already allows changing the sounds.

For me, sound of BackupBand is not really what I am looking for, and therefore connection to external synth-program would provide more options on selecting sound. At least when I tested, adding new sound to BB was not too simple, or I think it was undocumented.

For experimenting with different sounds, making set of static samples is not flexible enough. Takes too much work.

What I plan to add is a "MIDI export" function, so you can get a
MIDI file of some Song Sheet, for use in other apps.

[/quote]

That might be usable for me!

[GordonS]

For me, sound of BackupBand is not really what I am looking for, and therefore connection to external synth-program would provide more options on selecting sound. At least when I tested, adding new sound to BB was not too simple, or I think it was undocumented.

It's certainly true that there are some gaps in the documentation, but then I believe Jeff wrote BB primarily for himself and then said "if it might be of interest to others, give it a try". In that context, the documentation that exists is good. Almost all documentation could be better .. a major part of the philosophy of Open Source is "we all can help".

For experimenting with different sounds, making set of static samples is not flexible enough. Takes too much work.

What I plan to add is a "MIDI export" function, so you can get a
MIDI file of some Song Sheet, for use in other apps.

That might be usable for me!

If a MIDI export might be more suitable for you, have you tried MMA (http://www.mellowood.ca/mma/)? It's an excellent tool for producing auto-accompaniment type tracks, though it is not an Arranger like BackupBand in that it does not respond to live input.. It also has no inherent GUI, though Linuxband and LeMMA bridge both gaps a bit.

[tavasti]

If a MIDI export might be more suitable for you, have you tried MMA (http://www.mellowood.ca/mma/)? It's an excellent tool for producing auto-accompaniment type tracks, though it is not an Arranger like BackupBand in that it does not respond to live input.. It also has no inherent GUI, though Linuxband and LeMMA bridge both gaps a bit.

Yes, I've checked MMA. In fact, my dream system might be possibility to code 'songs' for BB with MMA

[GordonS]

The link I originally put on the first post in this thread is to the 'summary' page on sourceforge, which has the current released version, 1.0, for download. If you want to try the proposed 1.1 version, you'll need to download from the 'code' page on sourceforge, here:

https://sourceforge.net/p/backupband/co ... ster/tree/

[Aleks]

How do I install/start the software?

[j_e_f_f_g]

How do I install/start

No install needed. Just unzip to your Home folder. This will create one BackupBand folder with everything in it. Double-click on the file named BackupBand.

[j_e_f_f_g]

p.s. Arriving this week will be an update that allows you to supplement (or substitute) the internal audio engine with a combo of upto 4 midi softsynths and external sound modules. For example, you can have the drummer playing BackupBand's built-in drum kits, the bassist playing patches on yoshimi, and the guitarist playing patches on some midi sound module attached to your computer's usb. In other words, BackupBand now has 5 busses (one being hard-wired to the internal audio engine), and you can route the drummer, bassist, guitarist, and your own (human-playable) patches to any bus individually.

Also, I'm adding lots of conditional compile directives. So if you compile BackupBand yourself, you can quickly/easily remove those features you don't want. For example, if you always use JACK, you can remove all the alsa code/setup. If you use only the midi softsynth/external busses, you can dump the entire internal audio engine. If you don't use a midi controller to change chords (ie, you use the onscreen piano, or a songsheet), you can jettison the MIDI screen/setup. And lots more compile options are available, to streamline BackupBand and make its setup/features more fine-tuned to your needs.

[Aleks]

Well, I'm using Ubuntu 16.04, and since there is no extension on the BackupBand file, by default it tries to open it with gedit, a text editor. I really don't know how to run the file.

[j_e_f_f_g]

tries to open it with gedit, a text editor.

Ah, that happens sometimes with Linux executables. They have to be "set" to run as programs, otherwise Linux always assumes they are data files (ie, typically assumed to be text files). Unlike with Windows, the file extension (ie, .exe) is meaningless when it comes to Linux executables.

To set a file to run, move the mouse over the file's icon, and click the right-hand mouse button. This pops up a menu over the file icon. Select the "Properties" menu item. This presents a dialog box with several pages. Flip to the "Permissions" page. There you will find a box labeled "Allow executing file as program". Make sure it's checked, then click the OK button. If you want, you can also flip to the "Emblems" page, and pick out a new icon for the program.

[Aleks]

Yes, I've done that, but it still asks for a program that will run it.

[Aleks]

I found a way. I added .sh and then ran in terminal

[tavasti]

p.s. Arriving this week will be an update that allows you to supplement (or substitute) the internal audio engine with a combo of upto 4 midi softsynths and external sound modules. For example, you can have the drummer playing BackupBand's built-in drum kits, the bassist playing patches on yoshimi, and the guitarist playing patches on some midi sound module attached to your computer's usb. In other words, BackupBand now has 5 busses (one being hard-wired to the internal audio engine), and you can route the drummer, bassist, guitarist, and your own (human-playable) patches to any bus individually.

This sounds great!