[LAU] Live setup question with Carla

[Jeanette C.]

Hey hey,
I am helping a friend to set up a live performance system. The general
requirements are: one master keyboard connected to a notebook, which
hosts several plugins (VST through wine and Pianoteq in some form). The
challenge: switch the sound engine which the master keyboard is
controlling via MIDI (from the keyboard) or through another cheap
controller.

The current state: use Carla to host the instruments and try to map
certain MIDI controllers to switch the internal routing. To that end I
found one thread on Linux Musicians, where FalkTX suggested using some
MIDI filtering plugin (like pizmidi-plugins or x42) or a standalone app
like mididings. No final solution was posted/described.

Does anyone have a working solution to that kind of setup? It doesn't
necessarily have to use Carla at the core, as long as it can host the
instruments involved. Namely, these would be vb3 version 2 and M-Tron
Pro (VSTs through wine) and Pianoteq, in which ever format.

As far as I am aware, no layering or splitting setups are intended.

Best wishes and thanks for any hints,

Jeanette
--
* Website: http://juliencoder.de - for summer is a state of sound
* SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/jeanette_c
* Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMS4rfGrTwz8W7jhC1Jnv7g
* GitHub: https://github.com/jeanette-c
* Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeanette_c_s

Do you even know what I like
Just what I'm living for,
What I adore <3
(Britney Spears)

[Jeanette C.]

OK, now I'm starting to be in a bad mood. :) Let's not talk about Korg and
stage pianos in one sentence, lest it be something like: "Korg is a nice
company, but if you want a stagepiano try ..." :) Too expensive or too basic.

I think I need another cup of tea - when don't I - and clear out the dish
washer. I sitll feel a bit like I might get a cold. I hope this feeling will
pass without anything much happening.

Best wishes,

Jeanette
--
* Website: http://juliencoder.de - for summer is a state of sound
* SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/jeanette_c
* Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMS4rfGrTwz8W7jhC1Jnv7g
* GitHub: https://github.com/jeanette-c
* Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeanette_c_s

Do you even know what I like
Just what I'm living for,
What I adore <3
(Britney Spears)

[jonetsu]

On Tue, 25 Sep 2018 14:47:58 +0200 (CEST)

Post by Jeanette C.
I sitll feel a bit like I might get a cold. I hope this
feeling will pass without anything much happening.

Best thing at that stage is yin qiao 银翘解毒片. 'Open Source' public
herbal recipe that works since a few hundreds years based around
honeysuckle and forsythia. Millions of teachers take it to not miss a
day at school. That's about 4-5 years now that I spend winters without
a cold/flu. Yin qiao should be in tablets, not expensive, and should
not contain acetaminophen or caffeine nor chlorpheniramine. Available
at any Chinese market/store (and perhaps other Asian). Safe for
everyone including children. Take 4 to 7 tablets, by a person's weight,
twice a day at the first signs that a cold/flu is coming (not later !).

Cheers.

[Jeanette C.]

Very many apologies, the mail below was not supposed to reach this list, it
went very much astray and may thus have read rather off-topic. Many apologies!

Best wishes,

Jeanette

Post by Jeanette C.
OK, now I'm starting to be in a bad mood. :) Let's not talk about Korg and
stage pianos in one sentence, lest it be something like: "Korg is a nice
company, but if you want a stagepiano try ..." :) Too expensive or too basic.
I think I need another cup of tea - when don't I - and clear out the dish
washer. I sitll feel a bit like I might get a cold. I hope this feeling will
pass without anything much happening.
Best wishes,
Jeanette
--
* Website: http://juliencoder.de - for summer is a state of sound
* SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/jeanette_c
* Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMS4rfGrTwz8W7jhC1Jnv7g
* GitHub: https://github.com/jeanette-c
* Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeanette_c_s
Do you even know what I like
Just what I'm living for,
What I adore <3
(Britney Spears)

[David Adler]

Post by Jeanette C.
Hey hey,
I am helping a friend to set up a live performance system. The general
requirements are: one master keyboard connected to a notebook, which
hosts several plugins (VST through wine and Pianoteq in some form). The
challenge: switch the sound engine which the master keyboard is
controlling via MIDI (from the keyboard) or through another cheap
controller.
The current state: use Carla to host the instruments and try to map
certain MIDI controllers to switch the internal routing. To that end I
found one thread on Linux Musicians, where FalkTX suggested using some
MIDI filtering plugin (like pizmidi-plugins or x42) or a standalone app
like mididings. No final solution was posted/described.

Hi Jeanette

I'm using a mididings router for exactly that purpose.

It has 2 inputs and 8 outputs, all either Jack or Alsa,
depending on the backend selected.

One input ('data') receives the MIDI data to be routed
and a second one ('ctl') listens for certain CC numbers
that will switch the routing to one of the outputs.

I don't fully understand every aspect of it (e.g. why the
scene numbers are magically tied to the CC numbers
by a +1 relation), copy-pasted and adapted it years ago.
Since then it serves the purpose.

Run it with
$ mididings -f <filename>

with <filename> containing the following:


from mididings import *

# setup backend, names and ports

config(

# select alsa backend, alsa or jack
backend = 'alsa',

# alsa/jack client name
client_name = 'adingsroute',

# two inputs, one to control scenes, one for the
in_ports = ['data', 'ctl'],

# 16 output ports
out_ports = [
'CH-1',
'CH-2',
'CH-3',
'CH-4',
'CH-5',
'CH-6',
'CH-7',
'CH-8',
],
)


run(
scenes = {
32: Scene('input -> CH-1',
Port('CH-1')
),
33: Scene('input -> CH-2',
Port('CH-2')
),
34: Scene('input -> CH-3',
Port('CH-3')
),
35: Scene('input -> CH-4',
Port('CH-4')
),
36: Scene('input -> CH-5',
Port('CH-5')
),
37: Scene('input -> CH-6',
Port('CH-6')
),
38: Scene('input -> CH-7',
Port('CH-7')
),
39: Scene('input -> CH-8',
Port('CH-8')
),
},
# ctl data: filter by port and stuff,
# use number of EVENT_* for scene selection
control = PortFilter('ctl') >> CtrlFilter(31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38) >>
CtrlValueFilter(0) >> SceneSwitch(EVENT_CTRL),

# input data: filter by port
pre = PortFilter('data'),
)

[Jeanette C.]

Sep 25 2018, David Adler has written:
...

Post by David Adler
I'm using a mididings router for exactly that purpose.
It has 2 inputs and 8 outputs, all either Jack or Alsa,
depending on the backend selected.

...
Thanks David, this looks seems to fit the bill exactly!

Best wishes,

Jeanette

Post by David Adler
Run it with
$ mididings -f <filename>
from mididings import *
# setup backend, names and ports
config(
# select alsa backend, alsa or jack
backend = 'alsa',
# alsa/jack client name
client_name = 'adingsroute',
# two inputs, one to control scenes, one for the
in_ports = ['data', 'ctl'],
# 16 output ports
out_ports = [
'CH-1',
'CH-2',
'CH-3',
'CH-4',
'CH-5',
'CH-6',
'CH-7',
'CH-8',
],
)
run(
scenes = {
32: Scene('input -> CH-1',
Port('CH-1')
),
33: Scene('input -> CH-2',
Port('CH-2')
),
34: Scene('input -> CH-3',
Port('CH-3')
),
35: Scene('input -> CH-4',
Port('CH-4')
),
36: Scene('input -> CH-5',
Port('CH-5')
),
37: Scene('input -> CH-6',
Port('CH-6')
),
38: Scene('input -> CH-7',
Port('CH-7')
),
39: Scene('input -> CH-8',
Port('CH-8')
),
},
# ctl data: filter by port and stuff,
# use number of EVENT_* for scene selection
control = PortFilter('ctl') >> CtrlFilter(31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38) >>
CtrlValueFilter(0) >> SceneSwitch(EVENT_CTRL),
# input data: filter by port
pre = PortFilter('data'),
)

...
--
* Website: http://juliencoder.de - for summer is a state of sound
* SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/jeanette_c
* Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMS4rfGrTwz8W7jhC1Jnv7g
* GitHub: https://github.com/jeanette-c
* Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeanette_c_s

Do you even know what I like
Just what I'm living for,
What I adore <3
(Britney Spears)

[Gideon van der Kolf]

Hello. Uhm.. let's hope this goes to the right place, I've never replied to
a mailing list before. Am I doing it right?

Mididings does work for what you want, given that you don't need to quickly
be able to change the configuration just before / during the performance.

I use Konfyt for keyboard setups: http://www.noedig.co.za/konfyt/
It allows you to quickly and easily create patches and switch between them
with a cool feature that when you hold notes while switching patches, they
will continue to be held down until you release them.
In your case you would probably ignore the Soundfont and SFZ functionalilty
and just use MIDI output ports for each VST plugin and app (Pianoteq).
You'll still need something to host the VSTs, like Carla or Ardour. I
usually opt for Ardour since I feel comfortable with organising the
different instruments/effects in mixer strips.

Another option is MIDI Layer: https://sourceforge.net/projects/midi-layer/

Cheers
Gideon

Post by Jeanette C.
Hey hey,
I am helping a friend to set up a live performance system. The general
requirements are: one master keyboard connected to a notebook, which
hosts several plugins (VST through wine and Pianoteq in some form). The
challenge: switch the sound engine which the master keyboard is
controlling via MIDI (from the keyboard) or through another cheap
controller.
The current state: use Carla to host the instruments and try to map
certain MIDI controllers to switch the internal routing. To that end I
found one thread on Linux Musicians, where FalkTX suggested using some
MIDI filtering plugin (like pizmidi-plugins or x42) or a standalone app
like mididings. No final solution was posted/described.
Does anyone have a working solution to that kind of setup? It doesn't
necessarily have to use Carla at the core, as long as it can host the
instruments involved. Namely, these would be vb3 version 2 and M-Tron
Pro (VSTs through wine) and Pianoteq, in which ever format.
As far as I am aware, no layering or splitting setups are intended.
Best wishes and thanks for any hints,
Jeanette

[o***@ammd.net]

Hi!

Post by Jeanette C.
Hey hey,
I am helping a friend to set up a live performance system. The general
requirements are: one master keyboard connected to a notebook, which
hosts several plugins (VST through wine and Pianoteq in some form). The
challenge: switch the sound engine which the master keyboard is
controlling via MIDI (from the keyboard) or through another cheap
controller.

If you want to control different engines with the same controller, there
are two ways:
- you can setup the different engines so that they only receive a
certain MIDI channel, and then you just have to choose the channel on
your controller. This implies that you can change the channel on your
controller quickly and easily,
- you can use any midi filtering tool (mididings is a really fine one,
that I woul recommend, but you also can do it with qmidiroute or
whatever) and create a patch (or route or filter) that will route the
MIDI signal to the engines in a way that would be controlled by a knob
or a button on your controller. You can check an example with mididings
here:
https://github.com/PlagiatBros/PlagiatSetup/blob/master/Controls/Mididings/cmeKeyboard.py
(you can omit the zyntrebleGMandela thing and the gateCancel):
basically, the mididings patch routes the MIDI signal to a different
pair of Output/Channel for each Scene, and the SceneSwitch is controlled
by ProgramChange.

Hope this helps.

(btw Plagiat is a band, born on the ashes of Sebkha-Chott, running a
live setup using synths, loopers, samplers, mixer, FX, routing,
monitoring, lights management and VJ-ing using Debian GNU/Linux and free
softwares only, as Sebkha-Chott did before)

[Jeanette C.]

Sep 26 2018, ***@ammd.net has written:
...

Post by o***@ammd.net
- you can use any midi filtering tool (mididings is a really fine one,
that I woul recommend, but you also can do it with qmidiroute or
whatever) and create a patch (or route or filter) that will route the
MIDI signal to the engines in a way that would be controlled by a knob
or a button on your controller.

...

Post by o***@ammd.net
https://github.com/PlagiatBros/PlagiatSetup/blob/master/Controls/Mididings/cmeKeyboard.py

...
Thanks for your reply, I've passed on the example and the advice. I know
Sebkha-Chott and I have heard their stage performances, if only online.

Best wishes,

Jeanette
--
* Website: http://juliencoder.de - for summer is a state of sound
* SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/jeanette_c
* Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMS4rfGrTwz8W7jhC1Jnv7g
* GitHub: https://github.com/jeanette-c
* Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeanette_c_s

It's not complicated
We just syncopated
We can read each others' minds <3
(Britney Spears)

[Jeanette C.]

Sep 26 2018, Gideon van der Kolf has written:
...

Post by Gideon van der Kolf
I use Konfyt for keyboard setups: http://www.noedig.co.za/konfyt/

...
thanks Gideon, I've also passed on your tip. Konfyt sounds like a useful
tool. And no worries: your mail got through perfectly well.

Best wishes,

Jeanette
--
* Website: http://juliencoder.de - for summer is a state of sound
* SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/jeanette_c
* Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMS4rfGrTwz8W7jhC1Jnv7g
* GitHub: https://github.com/jeanette-c
* Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeanette_c_s

It's not complicated
We just syncopated
We can read each others' minds <3
(Britney Spears)

[Anders Hellquist]

I have been using Carla for stage performances for at least a couple of
years..

I set up my Carla session to include a internal Midi-filter
and route the 16 midi channels to different plugins.

My standard session includes SetBfree, Pianoteq, various U-He synths and
some sfz libraries. I usually use keyboards where changing midi channel is
easy to do.

Last gig I had, an additional keyboard player was plaing with us and I
hocked his master keyboard to an empty usb-slot and connected him to one of
my plugins. Everything worked so well.

My problem is more that Carla is super flexible, the plugins are too and my
very configurable midi keyboard (one of them) Nectar Panorama P6 is too.
This gives me way too many options and ways to improve the setup.

/Anders

Post by Jeanette C.
...

Post by Gideon van der Kolf
I use Konfyt for keyboard setups: http://www.noedig.co.za/konfyt/

...
thanks Gideon, I've also passed on your tip. Konfyt sounds like a useful
tool. And no worries: your mail got through perfectly well.
Best wishes,
Jeanette
--
* Website: http://juliencoder.de - for summer is a state of sound
* SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/jeanette_c
* Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMS4rfGrTwz8W7jhC1Jnv7g
* GitHub: https://github.com/jeanette-c
* Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeanette_c_s
It's not complicated
We just syncopated
We can read each others' minds <3
(Britney Spears)
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Linux-audio-user mailing list
https://lists.linuxaudio.org/listinfo/linux-audio-user

[Jeanette C.]

Sep 26 2018, Anders Hellquist has written:
...

Post by Anders Hellquist
I usually use keyboards where changing midi channel is
easy to do.

...
Ah and this is the challenge here. The keyboards available don't have
that. But it seems there are more than enough routs to overcome that
challenge. :)

It's good to know that people are gigging with Carla and satisfied with
the performance. That eases the mind.

Best wishes,

Jeanette
--
* Website: http://juliencoder.de - for summer is a state of sound
* SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/jeanette_c
* Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMS4rfGrTwz8W7jhC1Jnv7g
* GitHub: https://github.com/jeanette-c
* Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeanette_c_s

It's not complicated
We just syncopated
We can read each others' minds <3
(Britney Spears)