[linux-audio-user] MIDI and Linux

[Daniel Klein]

Hello all,

I am completely certain that what I am about to ask has been asked a million 
times. But I am also rather tired of searching for answers for these things, 
and I've been looking around on and off for something like a year. This list 
is my best shot so far, so please excuse my ignorance and my laziness to keep 
looking all by myself. Next to this mail I have another question, but I 
decided to put that into its own mail to reduce confusion.

Quick description of what I WANT to do:
Compose music on my Linux system, playback MIDI files.

What I HAVE done in the past:
I've composed midis in windows for pretty much as long as I can remember. 
Starting on an AdLib card, I have never bought myself any other hardware than 
soundcards. I composed in MIDI only, using JazzWare (www.jazzware.com), which 
I would be able to get for Linux as well of course.

What I HAVE in my computer right now is a Terratec DMXFire 1024. I assume I 
will not be able to use the samples on that card according to what I've read 
so far. I would *like* to keep composing in MIDI format, since I know that 
pretty well by now. I realize I will probably need a software synth or 
something like that and need to get myself patches from somewhere, and I have 
found a number of pages online, but have been totally unable to find some 
sort of VERY basic FAQ. 

So exactly what do I need.. is MIDI the way to go at all still or should I 
consider learning some other format (probably using some tracker like 
software.. a finnish friend of mine exclusively uses Impulse Tracker on his 
win box)? What Software Synth (if that is the name of the thing I will need) 
will I need, what can you recommend? It would of course be best for all if 
someone could just point me to a general FAQ and tell me to read the fabulous 
manual. 

Right now I'm also running ALSA 0.5.. there is some version of esound on my 
computer as well. Things are rather confused, but my other mail will be on 
that topic. 

Thank you in advance for your patience and more importantly, your answers.

Daniel