Hi Jeanette, I actually own and enjoy a Yamaha Motif ES8 <https://usa.yamaha.com/files/download/other_assets/9/333989/motifese1.pdf>, which is quite versatile. It has a lot of features, except very limited memory (somewhat expandable but I am chicken to take it apart and install more), the USB connector only takes very old devices, and it has a tiny LCD screen which does a lot, but any good computer monitor would put to shame. So, my dream is to be able to use a very basic weighted keyboard, connected to free software that is at least as capable as the Yamaha. Mainly, I use it as a conventional keyboard instrument with many voices, but also playback midi files for accompaniment, so I feel like i am with a small jazz group. Many individual components exist in free software, the problem is to put them together in a well designed manner. I think Musescore would be a good start. Bob PS: I have done a little development that you can see at https://sourceforge.net/projects/gmorgan/, <https://sourceforge.net/projects/gmorgan/> For some unknown reason Debian would not update to an improved version .79, so people shouldn't use the Debian version. It can easily be compiled from Sourceforge. On 3/7/20 9:28 AM, Jeanette C. wrote:

Mar 7 2020, Robert Vogel has written: ... ... I'm thinking of plugin hosts, application launchers and automatic MIDI connections. There is Claudia and Katia (not sure about the spelling of the latter), with those you can create a "studio", which will automatically connect and route a lot of MIDI. I don't know if they can also start applications for you. But then there is something like Carla, which can host plugins and possibly start a few standalone applications. I've seen those working to connect several keyboards to several software synthesizers. As for synthesizers - both standalone and in plugin format - there are many with varying features. LinuxSampler and fluidsynth for classic sample-based libraries, Hydrogen or drumgizmo for acoustic and electronic drums, there are more virtual analogue synths than you might possibly know and then a few other quite particular things. If you're not particular about opensource, you can also load a few commercial softsynths as well, which might open up another palette of choice. Will all that "be as good as the Motif"? It depends. :) In some ways definitely, in others maybe not really. Sample libraries are an issue. The really nice ones with lots of articulations, round-robins and all the other tricks to make a sampled instrument sound realistic, take time and effort to make. I haven't found any such library for LinuxSampler, when it comes to orchestral instruments, guitars or vocals. I'm not a member of the graphical world in Linux, I'm sure other users might suggest a few newer more comfortable synthesizers and other hosts and connection managers. ... ... Caveat: no GUI user. Last thing I knew MuseScore was particularly the scoring/composition part of the whole Muse project. Though, I might be years out of date. Muse itself had its own plugin format and a few plugins. Not sure how much this has developed nor how well maintained the plugins are. HTH. Best wishes, Jeanette -- * Website: http://juliencoder.de - for summer is a state of sound * Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMS4rfGrTwz8W7jhC1Jnv7g * SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/jeanette_c * Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeanette_c_s * Audiobombs: https://www.audiobombs.com/users/jeanette_c * GitHub: https://github.com/jeanette-c Say hello to the girl that I am! <3 (Britney Spears)