Beta Seq24 Midi Sequencer

[gruso]

Seq24 is a minimal, loop-based MIDI sequencer written by Rob C.Buse.


(PC screenshots)

Notes / known issues:

• Seq24 loads module 'snd-seq' on startup. It will prompt you for your password on first run, and again after a reboot. I need to tweak the launch script so that it the module loads permanently, and only asks for the password on first run. Not sure how yet.
• Best used with a mouse, as it requires simultaneous left/right clicks.
• Not ideal for running in Minimenu, as it's a multi-windowed app. Depends how much you like alt-tabbing.
• There is a minor GUI glitch when you maximise the main window. It is fixed by minimising, then maximising again. It's a very minor issue and probably won't be looked into.

To do:

• Re-PND it using squashfs to reduce file size fixed for next release
• Get the readme to appear in the Documentation menu (help?) fixed for next release
• snd-seq module loading as described above

Download: http://repo.openpandora.org/?page=detail&app=seq24-0.8.7-pandora (14MB)

(This is my first port and first PND. Massive thanks to Stuckie, Sebt3 and SteveM for helping me make this happen!)

 

[Unfathomable Depths]

Congrats on this G.

Great work

 

[xopher]

This looks cool. Now I can try out some MIDI interfaces with the Pandora. Hope I have time later. Thanks Gruso!

 

[Farox]

Nice work Gruso
Sorry but i can't test it for now...unless you make a GP2X version (LOL)

 

[Tashi]

Thank you Gruso! My pandora is on the way to me. I`m now much more excited!!

Which soundgenerator do you use with seq24? I plan to use fluidsynth (Soundfont Support). I hope its easy to compile.

 

[peelie]

hi

can't get it to output sound after creating a sequence?

i am on HF4 and have installed timidity
cheers

 

[gruso]

Hmm I've only ever tested with USB devices. I'll look into it and get back to you.

[edit] Ok, this page (although it's on an Arch wiki, I'm just reading it as general info) tells me that Timidity needs to be run in ALSA daemon mode to show up as a device in Seq24. But this thread tells me that the Timidity PND installer we have only works for games.

I'll ask more about this in sebt3's release thread: http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?/topic/58173-midi-installer/

 

[sebt3]

hi

can't get it to output sound after creating a sequence?

i am on HF4 and have installed timidity
cheers

From seq24 sources it use alsa/seq_midi_event.h, so yes it expect to have some kind of midi hardware support.
And as the article Gruso linkd say, you can simulate that using timidity-deamon but my pack dont contain that (only the sound-samples required to play midi files).
One could build that (I'm looking at Gruso right now )

 

[gruso]

Loud and clear. See you in the yactfeau thread when when it doesn't go to plan.

 

[gruso]

For peelie. And anyone else who likes sounds.

TiMidity Daemon Loader (link removed, go here)

Inside is the full version of TiMidity++, but the sole purpose of this PND is to launch TiMidity in ALSA daemon mode. This makes it visible to other MIDI software as a device. For now, it needs to be run once per session. It may prompt for your password to load snd-seq, but apart from that will appear to do nothing. After running it, you can launch Seq24 and start playing. (To confirm it's loaded, right click a sequence and you should see TiMidity ports under Midi Bus).

It currently stutters heavily under not so heavy load... more work to be done.

Thanks to - you guessed it - sebt3, also Farox and mash-system for the pointers.

Note: This relies on sounds & config from sebt3's MIDI Installer, so install it first if you haven't already.

 

[Esn]

Would I need non-Pandora MIDI equipment to make use of this?

Sorry, this is just all a bit confusing. A video tutorial or something would be great.

Are there programs out there that would allow me to record something by playing "piano notes" on Pandora's keyboard?

 

[gruso]

There are two releases in the thread now, so I'll walk you through them separately.

1. Seq24. It's a MIDI sequencer, which allows you to create create music and play it back. But it doesn't actually make sounds; what you're writing and playing back is merely a set of instructions: digital sheet music. You can write the music by actually drawing the notes onto a piano roll onscreen, or 'record' music with a MIDI instrument like a keyboard (via a USB MIDI interface). Being 'digital sheet music', it needs to be played by 'digital musicians'. The 'musicians' in this scenario could be a synthesizer or other sound module connected via USB, and until now that's what we were limited to. Now there's...

2. Timidity. Timidity can do many things, but in this context it becomes a software synthesizer - a digital orchestra, playing the digital sheet music that Seq24 is feeding it.

So to answer your question directly, no you don't need any external gear. It's a bit patchy for the moment though, I've got more work to do.

There are some far more interesting soft synths in the pipeline too, like Kazuki's http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?/topic/59011-porting-qsynth-fluidsynth-with-yactfeau/ and some stuff Torpor has on his Pandora that I wish he would get around to PNDing. h34r: I've got no doubt there's something out there that would let you use the Pandora keys as piano keys too. Just has to be found and ported.

 

[torpor]

I'm going to PND my stuff tonight, Gruso. I've got the time this evening, I'll do it. Announcement soon.

 

[gruso]

You rock. I've had some nice progress with Timidity too, hopefully a new thread shortly.

edit: http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?/topic/59041-timidity-2-13-2-port/

 

[torpor]

We really need aconnectgui in order to make further progress with connecting MIDI-based apps .. I'll see about finishing that tonight as well.

 

[Esn]

I'm going to PND my stuff tonight, Gruso. I've got the time this evening, I'll do it. Announcement soon.

Neat!

And Gruso, thanks for the explanation. I still say that once you guys have got all of this figured out, some sort of tutorial (perhaps video) would be nice.

My main experience with MIDI sequencers up to now has been Reason. I haven't ventured much beyond that, technically. I've tried out the music tracker programs that have been ported to Pandora, but I've just felt rather lost.

In general, I feel most comfortable with score-writing programs such as Finale.

 

[peelie]

anyone know how do you delete notes in pattern editor?

cheers

 

[Silent-Hunter]

For peelie. And anyone else who likes sounds.

TiMidity Daemon Loader (link removed, go here)

Inside is the full version of TiMidity++, but the sole purpose of this PND is to launch TiMidity in ALSA daemon mode. This makes it visible to other MIDI software as a device. For now, it needs to be run once per session. It may prompt for your password to load snd-seq, but apart from that will appear to do nothing. After running it, you can launch Seq24 and start playing. (To confirm it's loaded, right click a sequence and you should see TiMidity ports under Midi Bus).

It currently stutters heavily under not so heavy load... more work to be done.

Thanks to - you guessed it - sebt3, also Farox and mash-system for the pointers.

Note: This relies on sounds & config from sebt3's MIDI Installer, so install it first if you haven't already.

This doesn't work for me. It won't play any sounds. The MIDI bus thing shows up though.

EDIT: Never mind, I wasn't using it right. You should mention that one has to select the tracks to hear them.