TD-50 Roland E-Drums and Ubuntu Studio

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lesleejk
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TD-50 Roland E-Drums and Ubuntu Studio

Post by lesleejk »

Hi All... I haven't been able to find one article or post anywhere regarding doing pro audio on Linux with Roland e-drums. Where's all the drummers??? I despise Windows 7-11 for inumerable reasons and have successfully switched all of my computers to Linux (Mint-Cinnamon-Vera), except the one that needs it most--my recording studio computer. (I've been plugging the TD-50 drum module USB midi into the computer with a Focusrite 18i20 (Gen 1) interface on Windows 10 with Reaper as a DAW without a problem (except I hate Microsoft products)).

Yesterday, I installed Mint on my recording studio Dell XPS8900 without a problem. While Linux recognized the Focusrite as an output device (and input), there are KNOWN issues that nobody I am aware of has ever made that interface work with any Linux flavor.

Crux of the Biscuit: I did some digging and found Ubuntu Studio 22.04 LTS which looks pretty promising because it has a full suite of audio applications built in. I installed it over my current Linux Mint release without a problem and purchased a Behringer U-Phoria UMC22 USB Audio Interface that should arrive by Saturday (based on threads I've seen that that interface should work with this version of Linux).

I hope someone can answer the following questions in a Linux newbie way!:

  1. I am wondering why Linux sees my USB-Midi TD-50 connection as "Analog Output" in Sound Settings. Does anyone know why and does it matter? I can at least hear the drums through headphones at this point for practicing.

  2. Will the Behringer U-Phoria magically create a Midi connection to a DAW for me? In other words, can anybody point me to how to configure my drums to record through Ardour or Reaper or other DAW in Linux?

I LOVE being a pro drummer but suck at recording tech. I would truly appreciate some gentle help.

tseaver
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Re: TD-50 Roland E-Drums and Ubuntu Studio

Post by tseaver »

@lesleejk

While Linux recognized the Focusrite as an output device (and input), there are KNOWN issues that nobody I am aware of has ever made that interface work with any Linux flavor.

FWIW, I've been using a Gen1 Focusrite 18i20 on Linux for several years now: the issues I've had have been minor, mostly seeing the device reset its internal routing back to some factory default (very rarely). I can restore the settings I care about manualling using qasmixer, and I even wrote a script to dump and load the ALSA settings from the interface:

https://github.com/tseaver/scarlett_yaml

I have some hopes of being able to use @geoffrey's fantastic GUI for configuring the routing:

https://github.com/geoffreybennett/alsa-scarlett-gui

Unfortunately, I can't build that app on AVLinux-MX, because it relies on Gtk4, which isn't present on Debian Bullseye.

With regard to your questions:

I am wondering why Linux sees my USB-Midi TD-50 connection as "Analog Output" in Sound Settings. Does anyone know why and does it matter? I can at least hear the drums through headphones at this point for practicing.

Looking at the TD50 specs, the device appears to do both Audio and MIDI over its USB connection: perhaps it has some facility for monitoring the drums while also playing a guide track from the DAW?

Will the Behringer U-Phoria magically create a Midi connection to a DAW for me? In other words, can anybody point me to how to configure my drums to record through Ardour or Reaper or other DAW in Linux?

AFAICT, you should be able to record MIDI from the TD50, even without any other audio interface, just as you would from a MIDI controller keyboard. If you want to record audio from the TD50, then you'll need to work out how to route that into your DAW: the specs I linked above seem to indicate that you could plug XLR or TS cables into the "Master Out" ports of the TD50, and plug them into your Focusrite / U-Phoria interface to record audio.

Hope that helps!

Tres.

Ubuntu, Mixbus32C; acoustic blues / country / jazz
lesleejk
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Re: TD-50 Roland E-Drums and Ubuntu Studio

Post by lesleejk »

Thank you for the quick and concise reply, Tres...

FWIW, I've been using a Gen1 Focusrite 18i20 on Linux for several years now: the issues I've had have been minor, mostly seeing the device reset its internal routing back to some factory default (very rarely). I can restore the settings I care about manualling using qasmixer, and I even wrote a script to dump and load the ALSA settings from the interface:

https://github.com/tseaver/scarlett_yaml

I'd love to try this script but I do not understand the steps given in the link. I don't yet know even two Terminal commands, nor do I know qasmixer or even how to find a folder that I am supposed to create or edit a file in. I want to get deep into the OS but after I get my equipment working so I can get back to session work. If you have the exact steps, I'd be happy to try this. Otherwise I'll have to wait for the Behringer on Saturday.

I have some hopes of being able to use @geoffrey's fantastic GUI for configuring the routing:

https://github.com/geoffreybennett/alsa-scarlett-gui

It looks to me like his GUI is for GEN2 and GEN3 Focusrite interfaces. I have seen numbers of posts that say those are semi-compatible.

AFAICT, you should be able to record MIDI from the TD50, even without any other audio interface, just as you would from a MIDI controller keyboard. If you want to record audio from the TD50, then you'll need to work out how to route that into your DAW: the specs I linked above seem to indicate that you could plug XLR or TS cables into the "Master Out" ports of the TD50, and plug them into your Focusrite / U-Phoria interface to record audio.

I tried both kinds of cables but it was too complex for me to figure out how to do that direct from the TD-50 module. Also, cables of any type from the focusrite go into a DAW analog. I had to install Addictive Drums 2 to convert analog to midi in Reaper. I think I need to read the TD-50 manual yet again, hoping to understand a lot of it more. Having the interface inbetween the computer and the drums has allowed me to both record and also run my PA, even both at the same time. The Focusrite is the heart of my audio on the Windows system. I'll admit, I don't know squat about music tech or Linux. I just do the best I can to make things work so I can play professionally on tunes. My good friend is an amazing producer/engineer who doesn't know anything about Linux and doesn't want to touch it with a 10-foot pole. He actually remoted onto my Windows box and helped me get everything going in the first place! I welcome any more feedback.

Thank you very much for your time and info...

lesleejk
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Re: TD-50 Roland E-Drums and Ubuntu Studio

Post by lesleejk »

UPDATE: Installing Ubuntu Studio over Mint was not a good idea due to configuration conflicts. AskUbuntu alerted me to the fact that Mint is not recommended for what I did. So I did a full, clean install of Ubuntu Studio which is updating at present. Tseaver inspired me to grow a set and dig into the tech aspects of my craft. Subsequently, I found out how to run the TD-50 drums as MIDI directly into a DAW and also how to run it through an interface to run through my PA at the same time. The Behrenger interface will be much easier to plug and play so I don't regret the purchase. All is Good now, so thanks!

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Re: TD-50 Roland E-Drums and Ubuntu Studio

Post by tseaver »

@lesleejk

All is Good now, so thanks!

Glad you are up and making music!

Ubuntu, Mixbus32C; acoustic blues / country / jazz
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Re: TD-50 Roland E-Drums and Ubuntu Studio

Post by steevc »

I found this thread whilst trying to get my new TD-07 working over USB. MIDI worked fine with Hydrogen, but I was not getting any audio despite it showing up in aplay and arecord. The fix was to change the module USB mode from GENERIC to VENDOR. Now I see it in Jack and some other apps.

I had run the drums over an audio lead to my interface, but USB may be easier for recording. What I would like to be able to is hear the drums on the PC speakers when using USB. I assume it needs the right routing setting in Pulseaudio, but I am not sure what I am looking for. Using Ubuntu Studio.

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Re: TD-50 Roland E-Drums and Ubuntu Studio

Post by Impostor »

lesleejk wrote: Thu Jan 05, 2023 6:17 pm
  1. I am wondering why Linux sees my USB-Midi TD-50 connection as "Analog Output" in Sound Settings. Does anyone know why and does it matter?

In "system reports", under "audio devices" I have this entry:

Device-3: M-Audio Keystation 49 MK3 type: USB driver: snd-usb-audio ..

which is in fact my midi keyboard without any audio functionality whatsoever. Don't know why that is so, but it doesn't seem to matter anyway.

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Re: TD-50 Roland E-Drums and Ubuntu Studio

Post by j_e_f_f_g »

Impostor wrote:

Device-3: M-Audio Keystation 49 MK3 type: USB driver: snd-usb-audio ..
which is in fact my midi keyboard without any audio functionality whatsoever.

The alsa USB Audio driver handles both USB standard audio devices, as well as USB MIDI devices. Don't pay any attention to the name. It's both an audio and midi driver.

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Re: TD-50 Roland E-Drums and Ubuntu Studio

Post by steevc »

I had run the drums over an audio lead to my interface, but USB may be easier for recording. What I would like to be able to is hear the drums on the PC speakers when using USB. I assume it needs the right routing setting in Pulseaudio, but I am not sure what I am looking for. Using Ubuntu Studio.

To answer my own question I found this. I can use the loopback module to hear a specific input over the speakers. There ought to be a way to do that via a GUI rather than console commands.

https://askubuntu.com/questions/355082/ ... ut-devices

On some of the Roland drum modules you can play audio from a mobile device over Bluetooth, but that does not go over the USB connection to the PC. I tend to record videos of me playing to backing tracks, but I shall have to do that via other means

I've learnt a few things today. I try to keep notes on how I make things work and may well add them to my blog.

Steve
Sounds - http://soundcloud.com/steevc
Debut Album - https://steevcmusic.bandcamp.com/
Blog - https://peakd.com/@steevc/posts
Recording via M-Audio FastTrack Pro and Zoom H4. Got Korg nanoKONTROL and Zoom G3X plus Roland TD-07 drums

lesleejk
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Re: TD-50 Roland E-Drums and Ubuntu Studio

Post by lesleejk »

steevc wrote: Sat Feb 04, 2023 5:59 pm

I had run the drums over an audio lead to my interface, but USB may be easier for recording. What I would like to be able to is hear the drums on the PC speakers when using USB. I assume it needs the right routing setting in Pulseaudio, but I am not sure what I am looking for. Using Ubuntu Studio.

To answer my own question I found this. I can use the loopback module to hear a specific input over the speakers. There ought to be a way to do that via a GUI rather than console commands.

https://askubuntu.com/questions/355082/ ... ut-devices

On some of the Roland drum modules you can play audio from a mobile device over Bluetooth, but that does not go over the USB connection to the PC. I tend to record videos of me playing to backing tracks, but I shall have to do that via other means

I've learnt a few things today. I try to keep notes on how I make things work and may well add them to my blog.

Big Update: Ubuntu Studio would not install on my new System76 Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS computer, though it is supposed to fit on any computer that runs offical Ubuntu. I was able to Try Ubuntu Studio on the computer only by choosing the Limited Graphics option; but when I tried to install, the computer just hung forever. I would imagine there are all kinds of command line parameters to get it working, but I am clueless and documentation is non-existent.

So I reinstalled Ubuntu 22.04.01 LTS which does recognize the TD-50s out of the box. I plugged a couple of guitar cables into the MASTER OUT L and R of the TD-50 module into a preamp I have. Subsequently, I can play the drums through PA speakers. I removed the interface that I had as an intermediary between computer and drums because several people including you suggested that an interface gets in the way of a USB connection. It seems cleaner now.

My next issue is getting the TD-50s working in my DAW, Reaper for Linux. I tried installing Wine and Yabridge on the last Ubuntu build, to get the extensive Windows-based Addictive Drums 2 VSTs I purchased working for Midi, to no avail. I couldn't find the path to bridge at that time and was getting all kinds of system crash errors. I couldn't find any VST files using a systemwide search. What a pain in the butt this Windows to Linux conversion has been. I'm looking for a full-blown computer imaging program to fully backup this system prior to making these intense changes in the future. Now I see how having all those technical-minded and manned road crews and engineers taking care of me in the past definitely stunted my skills beyond drumming. And every engineer and producer I know knows zero about Linux. To be continued...

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