15 Apr
2004
15 Apr
'04
11:48 a.m.
On 04/15/04 08:22:41, Ariel Sommeria wrote:
Hi Everybody!
I have some old pc hardware that I want to use for live music performance.
To start with it would be an effects box, then if all goes well an expander,
a sampler, and/or whatever other ideas I come up with. I was thinking of
using a footswitch controller, with a few buttons and a wah-wah like pedal
as a knob. I have yet to buy the controller so I'm open to suggestions. It
would work with USB or MIDI, or better both. If MIDI, then I also need a
MIDI input card. Ultimately I would like the software to be as compact as
possible, so I can run it off a flash card instead of a hard drive. It would
probably be without GUI, though I'm leaving this open.
Now to the linux bit:
There is all this cool stuff already programmed for linux that I could be
able to tailor to my needs, so its worth looking at, it seems. And I am sure
I am not the first one to come up with this idea. So would you have any
suggestions on where to start?
As you have probably gathered, I'm a newbie to Linux. But I'm not to
programming, and I'm ok with doing some coding.
bye,
Ariel
Definitely go MIDI. You just can't go wrong with MIDI, it's always going to
work with everything forever.
As long as whatever controller (conventional or completely insane) you have is
MIDI, you're set. Most all linux audio apps support MIDI control to some
extent, many support MIDI control of almost every possible parameter.
The ones that don't need too anyway, and it shouldn't be too hard a feature to
add.
For a MIDI controlled FX box, you probably want to check out jack-rack (for
simpler chains) or AMS (for arbitrarily complex networks of effects). Both
allow mapping MIDI to most any control (AMS in a really nice easy way too, no
remembering controller numbers etc.)
AMS can supposedly run without a GUI (there's a command line option for it
anyway) even though at a code level the two aren't separated. Not sure about
jack-rack, but I have a feeling it can't.
-Dave