[LAD] automation on Linux

[Ralf Mardorf]

rosea grammostola wrote:
> Hi,
>
>
> How to do automation on Linux when you work the 'modular way' and how is 
> the quality of those features on Linux at the moment? That question came 
> up and was followed by a quick research. There are things possible or 
> promising in the area, but we got some weak areas here also.
>
> Non-daw and non-mixer seems to be very promising. You can make 'cv 
> tracks'  or automation tracks in  non-daw (when you add controls), draw 
> an automation line  and connect that to an strip to automation for gain 
> (and LADSPA). DSSI is lacking here, but it is 'planned'. LV2 is not very 
> popular in the non project, so it seems it will not be possible to 
> automate LV2 plugin parameters, unless I miss something or an developers 
> step in and build LV2 support into non-mixer. (It would be a missed 
> chance imo if LV2 isn't supported here...)
>   

Rui's next step for Qtractor is automation.

> But what to do when the softsynth is not an plugin, but an standalone 
> application, like phasex and zynaddsubfx/yoshimi? You can use an midi 
> sequencer to control the synth via sending midi cc messages.
>
> Let me quote some quick (!) test results:
>
> "My quick test shows that *Muse* can display cc's on the piano roll, but 
> only seems to allow me to edit them in the event list. Not very pratical.
> *Non-sequencer* only offers the event list.
> *Non-Daw* allows me to add lots of controls, and edit them happily on 
> the timeline, but it only outputs them as "CV", which means I'd need a 
> pd patch or similar to convert them into midi cc's.
> I'll have a look at Rosegarden, once it's finished installing."
>   

Qtractor has got an event window and it's possible to edit "and edit by 
drawing" in another window. This are features Rui programmed a short 
while ago.

> "*Rosegarden *could work, but apart from being bloated, it is also 
> rather complicated to add automation:
> Draw event
> Open in Martrix editor
> Then under "View" I can add a controller, but for some reason only a 
> select few.
> This controller can then be edited by right-clicking and adding 
> controller line.
>
> I tried *Seq24*, but it keeps crashing on me. At least it allowed me to 
> choose a midi CC by number.
>
> Damn, this should be a lot easier. Even the ancient Cakewalk was 
> lightyears better.
> _I think we have a great opportunity here for some developer to make the 
> world a better place. Simply make *non-daw's* timeline controllers 
> output midi CCs"_
>
>
> "*QTractor* actually works very well, only problem is it doesn't have a 
> curve-drawing feature, so you need to write lots of little automation 
> points.

This isn't true, see above. If you need help to compile Qtractor from 
svn, ask me off-list. I'll help you.

> But it lets you select from all possible midi CCs. Just select 
> "controller" in the midi clip editor, where it normally says "note" (or 
> similar)
>
> Then of course connect the midi output to your softsynth, and remember 
> to define what synth knob is controlled by what CC (the midi mapping) in 
> the synth."
>
> "it looks like *Dino *has a nice curve editor."
>
> "Midi mapping in *Phasex* and *AMS* seems to be  ok.
> And here is the *Zynaddsubfx *Midi implementation (seriously lacking, if 
> you ask me):
> http://zynaddsubfx.sourceforge.net/doc_3.html
> "
>
>     * So it looks like Qtractor is pretty good to do the job, all though
>       it misses the nice curve editor like Dino has, for automation with
>       external synths.
>   

Please subscribe to the Qtractor devel mailing list. More people are 
needed on that list.

>     * Zynaddsubfx needs improvements when it comes to midi mapping.
>     * A big improvement would be to make *non-daw's* timeline
>       controllers output midi CCs
>
>
> Other questions are: "Is it possible atm to automate LV2 plugins in a 
> host (lv2rack) and DSSI (ghostess)?"
>
>
> See this post as sort of feedback from some Linux audio users. Maybe it 
> can bring us to some improvements...
>
> Thanks,
>
> \r
>
>
>
> ps. see also thread here: http://linuxmusicians.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=2535
>   

I've got no time to read it.

Ralf