Hi from Torino (Italy)

[Overhill]

Hi everybody!

My actual name is Mario and I'm writing from Torino, Italy, where I was born in 1963.
For this I'm 39 year old.
Don't waste time to calculate this, I swear that is correct...

Normally I work as Computer Consultant on IBM minisystem like iSeries, but one time a week I play keyboards in a musical group, the Global Live Band (http://www.globalliveband.it, I'm the webmaster: it is nice, isn't it?).
I've discovered Linux almost five year ago, tanks to Ubuntu (I know: Ubuntu is an African word that mean "I'm not able to compile my kernel"... ) and now I use Tux for 99% of time, reserving Windows only for those program that are only in tah environment and that are not usable under wine.

I've a set-up of two keyboards, a Roland Fantom F76 for every sound I need, and a Thecnics P50 (Uhm, P50? I don't remember well, but it seem... bah! Ok for P50) for all the sound of piano, grandpiano, spinetta, violins, choir and so on. Some times I use a third keyboard, an old Farfisa with nice vintage sound (actually it IS vintage!!) and some good sound of percussions.

I want to use my PC with linux with three target:

1) Send MIDI command to set-up my keyboards according to the sound I need
2) Use MIDI to play some sound in background
3) Record the result, receiving data from an external sound Card (Terratec phase 26 usb)

In this moment I use an EeePc 1000H, with an internal disk with 160 Gb. Probably next week I will receive a disk with 250 Gb that I want ti divide in several logical disk: I want to dedicate one of them only for music, installing a specific distro... I'm not sure by now, but I've saw that in you (our) forum there are many topic about those arguments.

Well, as normally I've wroted a lot, I hope that someone is still reading

Hi to everybody!

[etienne]

I really don't think I understood all that, but welcome to the forum! There are a lot of people on this forum who also use keyboards and effects, so I'm sure you will feel right at home here. Welcome@

[kaimerra]

Hey Mario! Glad to have you on board.

It sounds like you want to use one of your keyboards as a MIDI controller to trigger samples, and record the sound of the samples and your other keyboards?

I would start with getting the MIDI sampler working, as that shouldn't be took difficult. I have the same setup using a Thinkpad T22 and a M-Audio Ozone USB/MIDI controller. The ozone is nice because it is a controller and audio interface in one, so its one thing on my keyboard rack to trigger MIDI and get the sound out of the laptop and out to the PA/Speakers. I use 64 Studio as my OS and run Specimen sampler through Jack. I can provide you with more setup details if you like. Another option I have been looking at for sampling is the LinuxSamplerproject, which is worth checking out. Also, 64 Studio has a version of their OS called Transimission which is oriented for Netbooks, which may work better for your EeePC.
I took a quick glance at your Terratec sound card and it looks like it has MIDI, and Audio I/O, so it can take the MIDI from your keyboard and output the sampler sound, and take audio inputs from your other keyboards to record. Being that your are running a Netbook you probaly don't have the CPU power to run the sampler and Arourd multi-track recording, but it should handle recording a stereo feed with Audacity or something similar. I would just get everything hooked up, test the I/O, and make your connections with QJackCtl.
As this can become a complicated and time consuming to setup, it would be good to look at the Jack Patchbay or LASH session handler to save your rig's setup for each use. I haven't done the patchbay or Lash yet, but I need to, so let me know what you find out about the two. I just connect everything on mine with QJackCtl's Connect panel on start.

Laterz,
Brian

[Overhill]

Hi Etienne,
I think that my English is not enough for explain clearly what I want to communicate, I'm sorry

Hi Kaimerra,
one of my target is to use some sampling software, but I think that a little EeePc is absolutely a underconfigured machine for this, don't you think?
By now my target is to use the PC only ofr create some environment (normally one ofr every song I have to play) and use MIDI to send to all my instruments the correct setup (you know: reset, bank select, sound select, change parameters, and so on...)
Second target is the use of some pieces of MIDI song played on a keyboard (in this way I don't stress the hardware of my PC: it must only send MIDI information to the target keyboard - or other appareil, of course)
A good software can be something that let me see the words of a song, like in a karaoke player, but it is not "a must", 'cause I've a good memory (but I'm going to became an old man!)

Yesterday I've "killed" an old laptop that is defintively dead, and I've inserted the HD, 120 Gb PATA, in a chassis for an USB use.
Now I want to try to install a distro (maybe 64studio, or Jad) in this unity, for leave my EeePc clean (I use it for my job...) and try to use with some software like Rosegarden, that I know is a good MIDI player and editor.

[Overhill]

I really don't think I understood all that, but welcome to the forum! There are a lot of people on this forum who also use keyboards and effects, so I'm sure you will feel right at home here. Welcome@

Etienne, I hope you don't feel hurt for my quote: it was just a joke!
I didn't see that you write from South Africa.
If you feel yourself offended , please forgive me.

I try to explaine: many people know that "UBUNTU" is an afrikaan word, that mean something like "umanity to the people". Many Linux geek say that Ubuntu is a too much simple distro, and for that those guys say that Ubuntu mean "I'm not able to compile my kernel, but I WANT linux anyway"

[etienne]

Why would I feel offended? You didn't offend any African people whatsoever!

Ubuntu is a concept that comes from the Zulu phrase "umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu" which means "a person is a person through (other) persons" (I don't speak Zulu, I got it from Wikipedia!)

Basically, it means that you get your human worth from your friends, family, or group to which you belong.

Mark Shuttleworth (a South African) used the word to start the Ubuntu distribution because Ubuntu is the distribution "for human beings" ... I use it because I'm not a programmer, and I'm not that good with computers! I've broken my computer about 20 times!

Don't worry about offending me, you didn't! I don't understand the joke, because I have no idea how to compile a kernel! And I didn't understand your post because I use MuseScore and Rosegarden and Lilypond to write sheet music, and know basically nothing about midi and midi devices...

[Overhill]

Ah, ok, i feel better

It is interesting that you are able to write music, 'cause I've try some program (musesdcore, nted and rosegarden) but I've don't found the "perfect" program: every one of them have some problem, for me of course, and I don't want to spend my time to read help, I want to write music!
The best one, for my use, is Rosegarden: it is very simple to learn. The only problem is that you must start the rosegarden full program. In this aspect I think that is really better MuseScore.

What is the software you prefer to write music?
And why?

[etienne]

The perfect program for me is Lilypond... Do you know what it is? It is a command line program that converts Lilypond files into sheet music. A Lilypond file can be written in any text editor, using the Lilypond syntax to indicate what the sheet music should look like.

However, I need the playback capabilities of Rosegarden and MuseScore. My personal favourite is MuseScore because it is creates really good-looking sheet music.

However, it is slow on Ubuntu Linux for some reason, and I use it on my old computer which runs Windows XP. There, it is very quick and effective. If you join Rehearsal Room on this site, you can see some music I created in it.

I use Rosegarden for writing original music because of its multitrack Midi capabilities... But otherwise, I like MuseScore

[Overhill]

I'm absolutely agree with you: MuseScore can create very professional-like sheets.
I had some problem with it, cause normally I use two connected staff (like piano) and sometimes the impagination makes some graphic errors.
I didn't know that MuseScore runs in Windows environment! I'll try!

Of course I know what Lilypond is... but I don't know how to use it: I've to learn the syntax.
Many people sayd to me that is the better way, 'cuase, after the initial learning problem, it can be used with a normal editor, like you say.
It can be a good idea learn it
Do you know about some good site to learn the syntax?

Bye, and thanks for you hints

[studio32]

However, I need the playback capabilities of Rosegarden and MuseScore. My personal favourite is MuseScore because it is creates really good-looking sheet music.

Frescobaldi also has an play midi option after running 'lilypond', check the log