Hey all, I just joined this mailing list as a new Linux convert :). I'm using Ubuntu Feisty and I've downloaded tons of stuff. I'm still trying to figure out how to get my music production under way. I make 8-Bit Metal music (www.myspace.com/8bitmetal), formerly using Windows. My process was the following: 1) Compose the song in MIDI (using Guitar Pro) 2) Transform the MIDI output in NES sounds using a VSTI (Triforce from Tweakbench) and record them (I used Fruity Loops to host the VSTI, imported my MIDI in it, and exported in WAV track-by-track) 3) Mix down the tracks and record electric guitar and vocals using a standard multitrack audio software (I was using Cool Edit Pro/Adobe Audition, but tried out Audacity in the end) I'm trying to do the same in Linux. So far step 3 is pretty much done. I've downloaded and installed the following: Tuxguitar (as Guitar Pro replacement) Rosegarden (for Fruity Loops) Audacity So far I have managed to set things up for composing MIDI in Tuxguitar and Rosegarden, and I can also record and edit audio without problem. The only thing I'm having a hard time with is passing my MIDI into a VSTI to get the NES sound output. I've got JACK properly set up and running, I've got Timidity++ for MIDI, my VSTI plugin, and I installed FreeST (FST) which can run the plugin properly, along with Lash. The only thing left is how to put all these things together to make them do what I want! Do I have to start my Jack server, launch the Timidity MIDI server, then run FST to open my VST plugin, then Rosegarden with my MIDI file? And then how should I set up the connections in Jack? I don't need to map my vsti to some "live" input (I don't want to hit notes on my keyboard and have them produce the VST sound), I just want to "export" a MIDI file through the VST's sound. Am I going the proper way about this, or is there something simpler I could do? Thanks a lot for reading this long post. :) Dominic