[linux-audio-user] Midi recording

[Bob van der Poel]

Thanks for the respose, Dave. Appreciated.

Dave Phillips wrote:
> Bob van der Poel wrote:
> 
>> ...  I see a need to be able to split the MMA track into several audio 
>> tracks ... one for each MIDI track. So, question 1: what linux 
>> software will act as a synth which will split the midi out into 
>> separate audio tracks? I looked at timidity, and it doesn't appear to 
>> have that feature. If I've missed something there, I still have a 
>> problem with the quite awful default sounds it has ... so if I need to 
>> use timidity, where would I get better sounds. Or would I be better 
>> off to play/record the background multiple times though the hardware 
>> synth ... But I don't see how I'd ever get that synchronized.
> 
> I sometimes record exactly as you've described. I use QSynth set up for 
> separate engines per instrument, that way each engine can be assigned a  
> different audio connection in QJackCtl. I also use midirgui, a nice MIDI 
> channelizer/router that lets me set up discrete channel assignments so 
> that, for example, the engine playing the drums receives *only* messages 
> sent to channel 10 (and no other channels). Anyway, I route the audio 
> output to separate tracks in Ardour or ecasound, and voila, multitrack 
> recording from QSynth.

Okay. Worked awhile today and got it going. Ending up playing a file to 
my external synth and then sending one track to qsynth. The operation of 
all this is not the intuitive ... but, I got it running. Gotta say it's 
neat ... but gotta say it sounds awful as well. To my ear the tracks 
going to qsynth are out of pitch and time with the external keyboard. 
But, I suspect that is to be expected?

Now, I suppose I could bank up a bunch of software synths and get it 
running.

> 
> Btw, TiMidity uses soundfonts too, its sounds are only as good as the 
> font it renders.

Yes. I've just installed the eaw font and it sounds much better than the 
default. Anyone know where I can grab anything better than that? I did 
get something called FLuidR3 GM.sf2. It runs fine with fluidsynth, but I 
don't see anyway to use it with timidity. I can't find the program to 
create the config files.

>  
>> Question 2: Assuming that I have recorded a decent multi-track 
>> background, can I use audacity to record my sax playing off a mixer 
>> board? I've got a ICE1712 - M Audio Audiophile 24/96 audio card.
> 
> Sure, just route the mixer output into into one of your card inputs. 
> Make sure you check and test the output level.

Yes, that part I understand. Guess what I was meaning to ask was what 
quality I could expect compared to an external flash-card based recorder 
I'm using now. Same/worse/better?

Oh, if anyone is interested I have put a few recordings I'm made with 
MMA, etc. on http://www.mellowood.ca/music/recordings

Best,

-- 
Bob van der Poel ** Wynndel, British Columbia, CANADA **
EMAIL: bob at mellowood.ca
WWW:   http://www.mellowood.ca