Help MIDI OUT

Installation & Configuration Linux
#1

Hi,

I have found TOO MUCH help so far on this topic to the point it is confusing and I am getting nowhere fast.

Simple question. I have a PC with Ubuntu Studio 14.04.1 and a M-Audio 24/96 card. I have Ardour 3.5.308.

How to I specifically set QjackCtl and Ardour to control my external MIDI Drum machine (start and stop) and be able to add a MIDI track and drag .mid drum loops to play.

As I said there is too much info out there and I have tried and failed many times so far. I can get it to work in Tracktion and Bitwig but not Ardour so I know my system can do it. I am just overwhelmed with the options and would like some clear to the point setup intructions if someone has that.

Thank you.

#2

You’ve actually asked to do 1 trivial thing (add a MIDI track) and 2 more complex things (control external drum machine via MIDI “song start” and “song stop” messages) and loop MIDI phrases from .mid files. Ardour is not designed for the third task although it could be done. Traktion and Bitwig target that sort of music production - at this time, Ardour really does not.

Controlling your external drum machine is 1 part setting up your MIDI data flow, described in the Ardour manual under “Setting up your system”, and 1 part turning on sending of “MIDI Clock” messages from Edit > Preferences > MIDI.

Ardour is not currently targetting contemporary loop-based music production. It is focused on scenarios that involve recording (and potentially editing) performers on instruments. People do use it to create music in the same general style as much of the stuff made with e.g. Ableton Live, but there are obstacles in the workflow for such things, and it would not be completely inaccurate to say that they are almost intentional. This might change over time.

#3

Hi Paul,

Thank you for the reply. Sorry for the compounded request for info. First, I am glad you pointed me back to the manual, I will give that a shot later tonight.

Next, I don’t want to loop like your thinking. I was using Pro Tools and had Superior Drummer on Win XP. I left all that behind and decided I would set up camp on Ubuntu. So that left me with a hole for drums. I have midi loop clips to build songs, like verse, bridge, fills etc. from Smart Loops and a few others. So the goal is to have a midi track routed out to my Alexis SR18 via midi cable. Drag the loops into the midi track to build the song until I have what I like, and then hit record to record the audio output to its own audio track.

I was not trying to do the Ableton like loop production stuff.

I’m still working on it. I may have a few more questions. I want this to work and hope it will then I will join your subcriber. I know you put a ton of work into this and jack (I assume your “that Paul”). And I appreciate your efforts. Thank you.

#4

Ok,

I did what is on this page: http://manual.ardour.org/setting-up-your-system/setting-up-midi/midi-on-linux/

In terminal I get this:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx:~$ a2jmidid -e
JACK MIDI <-> ALSA sequencer MIDI bridge, version 8 (7383d268c4bfe85df9f10df6351677659211d1ca) built on Wed Dec 31 19:00:00 1969
Copyright 2006,2007 Dmitry S. Baikov
Copyright 2007,2008,2009,2011,2012 Nedko Arnaudov

Bridge starting…
Using JACK server ‘default’
Hardware ports will be exported.
Bridge started
Press ctrl-c to stop the bridge
port created: Midi Through [14] (capture): Midi Through Port-0
port created: Midi Through [14] (playback): Midi Through Port-0
port created: M Audio Audiophile 24/96 [16] (capture): M Audio Audiophile 24/96 MIDI
port created: M Audio Audiophile 24/96 [16] (playback): M Audio Audiophile 24/96 MIDI

When I go back to QJackCtl and click on Connect (this is what was meant by "Check available MIDI ports

If you have correctly configured JACK for MIDI, then your MIDI ports should appear in qjackctl under Connections > MIDI . ") I am showing no MIDI ports. What did I do wrong?

So Before I hit save here on this post I just tried something. I changed my setting in QJackCtl to hw:M2496,0 that was in the drop down list, restarted and now I have a2j connections showing up in Connections for MIDI in QJackCtl. Breaking new ground here. This is most likey why I was having issues in Bitwig with the onboard M-Audio 24/96 ports. Ok before I post this I will fire up Ardour and see if I’m good to go.
Before I do here is another question. Ardour runs Jack on its own? Do I need to have Jack running first? Or should I close it? I’m not sure so I will do the script thing as described for a2j and close it then start Ardour.

It may be stupid but I am going to detail what I am doing in hope you can see what I am doing wrong (or right) here.

Ok did the script and now Jack is locking up. In terminal it is saying ERROR: a2j_destroy: Cannot close jack client (-1) after a few tries things seem to have normalized and QjackCtl started the the a2j midi conenctions are there. Now to close QJackCtl and start Ardour.

Started Ardour. I am selecting the MIDI option for “alsa jack 2 1.9.8 and later” Also the audio defalts (Jack, ALSA, M-Audiophile 24/96)
Added a MIDI track and selcted none as the synth.
Opened WIndow then MIDI Connections, then on the left clicked on Ardour Tracks, and on the bottom selected Hardware and the only option showing was “system” so I connected them.
CLicking on the Piano Roll keys I get the sound of a toy synth, no drums. :frowning: somehting is worng.
Is jack running in the background? I will click on QJackCtl and see. It appears it was not. Guess I answer my earlier question. CLosing Ardour and restarting with a clean slate.
Ah! Now in MIDI connection manager ther is some extra stuff! But just in the Ardour Misc. So I again connected as descripbed above, fingers crossed…
Still the toy synth sound, no drums :frowning:
Wait!! It was suppose to be set to playback to ALL Channels However for grins I selected Channel 10- the channel I have my drum machine set to WE HAVE DRUMS!!!

Well on to Phase 2 now. For most people here I am sure all this seems stupid. However, if your a guitar player moving from the comfort of Pro Tools and WIndows, were using A drum Plug in and now you have to use some outboard gear and have not much idea about MIDI maybe it will help?

I will see how I do with getting the clock start stop going, and the loops.

Peace

#5

Ok,

In MIDI Connection Manager selected Ardour Misc. on the left and conencted to “System” on the bottom. Does not appear to do anything with the drum machine.

So now I am at a standstill again. How to I get the clock to work? Should it drive the temp of the drum machine and start and stop it with the transport?

Again I appreciate anyone taking the time to try and help. Thank you.

#6

I’m learning. Read the manual right. http://manual.ardour.org/synchronization/overview-of-timecode-related-settings/
Edit > Preferences > MIDI I check the Send MIDI Clock option. Not sure if my drum machine can use time code but I will look into it.

Now start and stop and temp are working!! :slight_smile:

No to drum loop .mid files!!

#7

Ok I have the Midi drum loops dragging and dropping. I think this will be my last questions. I looked in the manual and did find what I was after.

In Ardour Preferences for MIDI Audition is there a way to have the MIDI file play out to the conencted MIDI port verses the LV2 plug ins? Mayber there is another way to do it?

Also every time I drag and drop a MIDI file it I get a pop up window for Ardour Log stating:
NFO]: LV2: Discovering 247 plugins
[INFO]: Loading menus from /opt/Ardour-3.5.380-dbg/etc/ardour.menus
[INFO]: Loaded mixer bindings from /opt/Ardour-3.5.380-dbg/etc/mixer.bindings
[INFO]: Loading bindings from /opt/Ardour-3.5.380-dbg/etc/mnemonic-us.bindings
Loading 84 MIDI patches from /home/marauder/.config/ardour3/patchfiles:/opt/Ardour-3.5.380-dbg/share/patchfiles
[INFO]: Loading history from /home/marauder/a2j test/a2j test.history
[WARNING]: Track 1 of /home/marauder/Desktop/Smart Loops Midi/Vol. 1/MIDI loops/Dry Studio Kit/Midi Groove Clips/Triples Fill 2.mid contained no usable MIDI data
[WARNING]: Track 1 of /home/marauder/Desktop/Smart Loops Midi/Vol. 1/MIDI loops/Dry Studio Kit/Midi Groove Clips/Bangin 1.mid contained no usable MIDI data
[WARNING]: Track 1 of /home/marauder/Desktop/Smart Loops Midi/Vol. 1/MIDI loops/Dry Studio Kit/Midi Groove Clips/Bangin 1.mid contained no usable MIDI data
[WARNING]: Track 1 of /home/marauder/Desktop/Smart Loops Midi/Vol. 1/MIDI loops/Dry Studio Kit/Midi Groove Clips/Jerry 5.mid contained no usable MIDI data
[WARNING]: Track 1 of /home/marauder/Desktop/Smart Loops Midi/Vol. 1/MIDI loops/Dry Studio Kit/Midi Groove Clips/Straight 10.mid contained no usable MIDI data
[WARNING]: Track 1 of /home/marauder/Desktop/Smart Loops Midi/Vol. 1/MIDI loops/Dry Studio Kit/Midi Groove Clips/Straight 11.mid contained no usable MIDI data

The file does have midi data and it does play fine. Is there a way to turn that log file off?

Thanks!