Re: [timidity-talk] how to turn a midi keyboard into an electronic piano

[Zhang W. <zha...@re...>]

Bob van der Poel wrote:
> I didn't know you could do this ... but you can. Easy.
>
> 1. Startup timidity as a sequencer client.
>
>          timidity -iA &
>
> 2. Determine what ports you have. Use aplaymidi -l (aconnect -l
> doesn't work on my box). I have a number of timidity ports 128:0,
> 128:1, etc and a port for my keyboard 16:0
>
> 3. Connect the keyboard and timidity ports (this is probably the step
> you missed). In my case:
>
>     aconnect 16:0 128:0
Now I am sure my timidity output port is 128:0 to 128:3 but how do I
know for sure my input device ID? I have /dev/midi that pops up
character when I press the keyboard so I know it is the input device,
but aconnect recognize only numeric device number.

Here is my system:

zhangweiwu@zobeide:~$ aconnect -i
client 0: 'System' [type=kernel]
    0 'Timer           '
    1 'Announce        '
client 14: 'Midi Through' [type=kernel]
    0 'Midi Through Port-0'
client 16: 'Yamaha OPL3-SA23' [type=kernel]
    0 'Yamaha OPL3-SA23 MIDI'
zhangweiwu@zobeide:~$ aconnect -o
client 14: 'Midi Through' [type=kernel]
    0 'Midi Through Port-0'
client 16: 'Yamaha OPL3-SA23' [type=kernel]
    0 'Yamaha OPL3-SA23 MIDI'
client 17: 'OPL3 FM synth' [type=kernel]
    0 'OPL3 FM Port    '
client 128: 'TiMidity' [type=user]
    0 'TiMidity port 0 '
    1 'TiMidity port 1 '
    2 'TiMidity port 2 '
    3 'TiMidity port 3 '


I thought 14:0 is my output device and tested doing aconnect on it, result: no sound output.


By the way, what does the port "Yamaha OPL3-SA23" and "OPL3 FM synth"
mean? Does that mean I can play midi without using timidity? I tried to
pmidi with both device and can hear nothing.