Tiny Core Linux

Off-Topic => Off-Topic - Tiny Core Lounge => Topic started by: hitsware on July 19, 2012, 09:45:07 PM

Title: does alsa have a built in midi-synth ?
Post by: hitsware on July 19, 2012, 09:45:07 PM

What I want to do is use some dialect of BASIC
(similar to QBasic) to output raw midi-bytes to
a midi-synth. NOT play a midi-file.
In Dos with QBasic I could write to the MPU-401
with :

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OUT 816, data-byte I've tried DOSBox with TLC to no avail
No avail with XP either, so I may just
not have it set up right.
In both cases the SOUND command works
(pc speaker) but the supposed SB emulator
does not. (no mpu-401 or opl-3)
I'd like to trash the DOSBox and use something
more native to Linux.
Any insights appreciated ...........   

Title: Re: does alsa have a built in midi-synth ?
Post by: Rich on July 19, 2012, 10:51:41 PM

Hi hitsware
The  alsa.tcz  extension includes the  amidi  command which may be of some use:
http://linux.die.net/man/1/amidi
Alsa-modules includes:
/usr/local/lib/modules/3.0.21-tinycore/kernel/sound/core/snd-rawmidi.ko.gz
/usr/local/lib/modules/3.0.21-tinycore/kernel/sound/drivers/mpu401/snd-mpu401-uart.ko.gz
/usr/local/lib/modules/3.0.21-tinycore/kernel/sound/drivers/opl3/snd-opl3-synth.ko.gz
Modprobing one of those might provide the interface you are looking for.

Title: Re: does alsa have a built in midi-synth ?
Post by: hitsware on July 20, 2012, 10:45:00 AM

THANK YOU ! Rich  :)
That'll give me a start.

Title: Re: does alsa have a built in midi-synth ?
Post by: hitsware on July 20, 2012, 06:38:28 PM

OK......
Got alsa

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speaker-test  # produces noisegives me sound.....     

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cat /proc/asound/cards  # '0' is default channel I think ? returns:
0[Intel  ]: HDA-Intel - HDA-Intel                                       
                HDA Intel at 0xe280000  irq 45

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amidi -S "90 3C 7F"  # midi message for C notereturns :
cannot open port "default": inappropriate ioctl for device

Any Insights Wellcome (This is sort of fun, reminds me of my first OPL-3 attempts)  :)

Title: Re: does alsa have a built in midi-synth ?
Post by: Rich on July 21, 2012, 03:51:25 AM

Hi hitsware

Quote

cannot open port "default": inappropriate ioctl for device

I'm guessing that if you execute   amidi -l   you get the same error. You may have to modprobe one of
the midi drivers.

Title: Re: does alsa have a built in midi-synth ?
Post by: curaga on July 22, 2012, 12:28:07 PM

Alsa does not have built-in midi emulation. If your sound card does not do midi, you need to install a soft synth like timidity.