[linux-audio-user] midi and ecasound

[Pedro Lopez-Cabanillas]

> $ aseqdump -p 80:1
> Waiting for data. Press Ctrl+C to end.
> Source_ Event_________________ Ch _Data__
>  80:1   Control change          0   1  69
>  80:1   Control change          0   1  70
>
> but this information is useless to set up ecasound so I have tested with
> gmidimon. 

Wait a minute, aseqdump shows almost all the information you need to fill the  
ecasound parameters properly.  After the "Control change" text, you find 
three columns:
* First column (under "Ch") is the channel number, starting from 0. MIDI 
channels are usually numbered from 1 thru 16, but this program shows it 
starting from 0, and up to 15, so you need to add 1 to the channel number  
when using it on Ecasound.
* Next one, under "_Data_", is the controller number. MIDI controllers range  
goes from 0 to 127. Each controller number means something, where 1 means  
"modulation", 7="volume",... 
* Last column, also under "_Data_", is the controller value, or amount. This 
value changes while you move the fader, stick, or button on your MIDI device.

[...] (talking about gmidimon...)
> it gives me this information :
>
> Status          Chan  Data1  Data2      time
> Control(176)      0     1     54     1123881037
>
> I suspect I can use this information in ecasound so when I run ecasound
> like that :
>
> # ecasound \
>
> > -G:jack,ecasound,notransport \
> > -Md:rawmidi,/dev/snd/midiC2D0 \
> > -a:6 -i:jack \
> > -ea:1000 -km:1,0,1000,176,0 -o:jack

Ecasound syntax for MIDI continuous controllers is:
       -km:fx-param,start-value,end-value,controller,channel

The number(176) displayed by gmidimon is the decimal value of the status byte 
for the controller message (0xB0 in hex) and means that it is just a 
controller message on channel 0. This program also displays MIDI channels 
starting from 0 instead of 1. The 'Data1' column shows the controller number  
(1), and 'Data2' shows the controller amount (54).  Your command line could 
be: "-km:1,0,1000,1,1"

> What am I doing wrong ? And why the midi monitoring is so erratic ?

Yes, you are being a bit erratic switching from one program to another  
without stopping to learn what means the output of each one.

Regards,
Pedro