newbie: getting started and jack...

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2008
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newbie: getting started and jack...

Post by 2008 » Mon Mar 10, 2008 11:36 am

Hi,

I'd like to try linuxsampler. Where can I find a good tutorial to get started?

Is it possible to use a virtual keyboard instead of a real one?

How should I set up the jackconnections in that case? I really don't understand a lot of those jackconnections... audio/midi/alsa :?

I'd like to see some screenshots of jackconnections with for example linuxsampler,qsampler, rosegarden and a virtual keyboard...

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dahnielson
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Re: newbie: getting started and jack...

Post by dahnielson » Mon Mar 10, 2008 12:10 pm

You'll find the existing bits and pieces of documentation here:

http://linuxsampler.org/documentation.html

Also read through this forum, it doesn't have a million posts yet, but they are usually high quality (of course, because I've posted 30% or so of them :D )

A quick rundown:

* Get jack running and use QJackCtl to configure and start/stop (there's an option hidden in the preferences to put QJackCtl in the taskbar so it wont clutter your desktop)

* Start LinuxSampler in a console, remember it's more of a "server" and don't have its own GUI.

* Use the JSampler "Fantasia" GUI front-end, it's nice looking an incorporates all or most of LS features.

* Use the device panel in Fantasia to create a MIDI device and a JACK output audio device. In the same panel you can also optionally hook up the inputs/outputs so that the configuration will be saved when you save your set up to an LSCP file. Or use QJackCtl to hook up the connections.

* Add a sample channel and load an instrument from a GIG file.

* Test if it works. Use "Export" to save your set up to an LSCP script that you can run in Fantasia next time you start Fantasia/LS so you don't have to re-create the devices each time.

* Post in this forum if you hit a problem or don't grok something.

And yes, you can use a virtual keyboard. Just start the vkeyboard app and connect it to LS MIDI in using QJackCtl or the device panel in Fantasia.

On Rosegarden: Start all applicatons, jack, LS, vKeybd and Rosegarden. Select the vKeybd as current recording device in Rosegarden. Rosegarden has probably already automatically connected to LS, select the software MIDI device representing LS in Rosegarden for the track you want to record.

There's plenty of ways to hook things up. So the best thing to do is to experiment.
Anders Dahnielson

Ardour2, Qtractor, Linuxsampler, M-AUDIO Delta 1010, Axiom 61, Korg D12, AKAI S2000, E-MU Proteus 2k, Roland R-5, Roland HP 1300e, Zoom RFX-1000, 4GB RAM x86_64 Intel Pentium Dual 1.80GHz Gentoo Linux

2008
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Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2008 11:30 am

Re: newbie: getting started and jack...

Post by 2008 » Mon Mar 10, 2008 1:05 pm

Aha, thanks. I post this right after I heard some sound from the virtual keyboard, using LS and Rosegarden...

Now the experimenting can start cause I don't understand quiet well what 'sampling' is... :oops:

Is it comparable with working with midi (which I started experimenting last weekend with it), but with other sounds? E.g. sound samples instead of soundfont files?

What is the advantage or specific nice things about using samples eg LS?

What is a sample? A recording of an instrument or can it also be a tune or melody?

For what do you guys use LS for? Do you have some examples?

You see, I just need some basic info to be able to place sampling and LS in its right place.... also in my head ;)

Thanks in advance.

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dahnielson
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Re: newbie: getting started and jack...

Post by dahnielson » Mon Mar 10, 2008 7:48 pm

2008 wrote:Aha, thanks. I post this right after I heard some sound from the virtual keyboard, using LS and Rosegarden...

Now the experimenting can start cause I don't understand quiet well what 'sampling' is... :oops:

Is it comparable with working with midi (which I started experimenting last weekend with it), but with other sounds? E.g. sound samples instead of soundfont files?

What is the advantage or specific nice things about using samples eg LS?

What is a sample? A recording of an instrument or can it also be a tune or melody?
Both the SoundFont and the GIG format contain samples of instruments, like recorded hits on a drum or each tone on a pitched instrument or simply a phrase or loop. The big difference is that SoundFonts are loaded into RAM for playback while all samples in a GIG file are streamed from disk, meaning that the size of your hard drive (more or less) decide the size of a sampled instrument and not what fits into RAM.

The big advantage of LinuxSample is that there still are quite a number of sample libraries in the GIG format. And with the gigedit application you can create you own instruments. Note that LS is a sample playback application, not a true sampler like my old and trusty (rusty?) hardware sampler, so you need something like Audacity if you want to record your own samples.
Anders Dahnielson

Ardour2, Qtractor, Linuxsampler, M-AUDIO Delta 1010, Axiom 61, Korg D12, AKAI S2000, E-MU Proteus 2k, Roland R-5, Roland HP 1300e, Zoom RFX-1000, 4GB RAM x86_64 Intel Pentium Dual 1.80GHz Gentoo Linux

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davephillips
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Re: newbie: getting started and jack...

Post by davephillips » Tue Mar 11, 2008 10:05 am

2008 wrote:... I just need some basic info to be able to place sampling and LS in its right place....
Perhaps this article will help a little:

http://www.linuxjournal.com/content/lin ... er-project

Best,

dp

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