[linux-audio-dev] System Exclusive question

[chris.wareham at btopenworld.com]

Jay Vaughan <seclorum at mac.com> wrote:
> 
> >I'm trying to write a patch editor and librarian for Roland's CM-32L
> >synth module. This was a repackaged version of the popular MT-32 with 8
> >part multimbral support, separate drums and a basic reverb facility. The
> >only controls on the front panel are a power switch and master volume
> >knob - everything else has to be done via MIDI.
> 
> I don't understand why you're re-inventing the wheel ... why don't 
> you try to write your app using one of the MIDI libs out there which 
> already work, such as MidiShare for example?
> 
> I can't see any obvious glaring problems with your code, but I'd 
> recommend you try to write your app using an already-working MIDI 
> library... there's just no point re-inventing a MIDI API for Linux, 
> the ones that are there already work perfectly well.
> 

Hi Jay,

I took a look at MidiShare, but unfortunately it wont work on NetBSD as
it depends on a kernel module. I have tried using Linux, but gave up
when I couldn't get ALSA or OSS to recognise my USB MIDI interface, (a
Yamaha UX96). Under NetBSD it's recognised as soon as I plug it in.

I did Google around expecting there to be lots of convenient MIDI
libraries, but I couldn't find any. Is ALSA that good that no one uses
anything else? It seems to be overkill for System Exclusive stuff to
use a high level library though, especially as the details differ on
virtually every MIDI device.

Chris