Bitwig

Kubouch · Post by **Kubouch** » Sun Apr 12, 2015 4:24 pm

SOLVED
A solution I found is on page 2. It's not perfect but enough for me.

Hi,
I can't get my MIDI keyboard (Novation Launchkey 25) working with Bitwig and Jack.
Here is how I configured it:
Preferences -> Audio -> Audio system -> JACK connection kit
Preferences -> Controllers -> Generic MIDI Keyboard -> Launchkey 25 MIDI 1

When I fire up polysynth and click notes in the piano-roll view I hear the sound. Nothing happens when I play the keyboard. When I switch from JACK to ALSA and choose my soundcard as an output device I hear notes when playing the keyboard. All other applications work fine with my controller (I tested amsynth, phasex, Hydrogen). I use JACK with a2jmidid to route them all. I'd like to continue using JACK to connect various software together.

Here are my specs:
Novation Launchkey 25
Lexicon Alpha
Arch linux 64-bit
linux-rt kernel 3.14
BWS 1.1.7
qjackctl with "a2jmidid -e&" at startup

I'm pretty sure it worked when I tried the demo. I have a feeling I'm missing something obvious.

Thanks for any response!

nonameyet · Post by **nonameyet** » Sun Apr 12, 2015 7:34 pm

This is no real help. But I've had the same problem when I used Ubuntu Studio. It just wouldn't connect properly, it recognized them though. Now in Xubuntu 14.10 simply installing qjackctl worked fine, no routing no setting up. In pure ALSA it worked as well.

In Bitwig I set the devices to "system", maybe that helps.

psycha0s · Post by **psycha0s** » Sun Apr 12, 2015 9:17 pm

This issue appeared after the last kernel update in the Arch Linux (https://bugs.archlinux.org/task/44286). Do you have the snd_seq_midi kernel module loaded?
You can check this with command:

Code: Select all

lsmod | grep snd_seq_midi

If this module isn't loaded, just load it:

Code: Select all

sudo modprobe snd_seq_midi

and then reconnect (physically) your midi controller.

Kubouch · Post by **Kubouch** » Sun Apr 12, 2015 10:03 pm

nonameyet wrote: In Bitwig I set the devices to "system", maybe that helps.

Already got this. Thanks, though.

phantom-one wrote:This issue appeared after the last kernel update in the Arch Linux (https://bugs.archlinux.org/task/44286). Do you have the snd_seq_midi kernel module loaded?

I didn't have the module loaded but after loading it as you suggested it had no effect. "aconnect -i" lists my keyboard fine. Every other software reads the keyboard well as before. Thanks for the answer!

psycha0s · Post by **psycha0s** » Sun Apr 12, 2015 10:37 pm

Did you reconnect your controller's USB cable after loading the kernel module?

Kubouch · Post by **Kubouch** » Mon Apr 13, 2015 4:53 am

Sure, I did.

StudioDave · Post by **StudioDave** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 12:43 am

Greetings,

If you don't need the a2jmidid daemon try your setup without it.

I assume your input device is set correctly in BW ? Just thinking out loud here...

Best,

dp

mikoatkvr · Post by **mikoatkvr** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 10:47 pm

1a.png

As the OP said it could be something simple......

This reminds Me I have recently reinstalled my OS and need to setup my midi system properly again. IIrc I was using snd-virmidi module running at startup ( saved having to manually run modprobe every boot )... and used a permanent patchbay in qjackctl to remember the connection from my controller to the virtual midi ports.

hihu · Post by **hihu** » Wed Apr 15, 2015 8:12 am

Like mikoatkvr said check the input there on the right. You can choose midi 1 or 2.
I had to change it ( own the launchkey 49).
I don't think it has something to do which Jack when it works for other applications.

mikoatkvr · Post by **mikoatkvr** » Wed Apr 15, 2015 9:14 am

Ok for me personally I seem to have to use virtual midi ports ( running Bitwig on Ubuntu-14.04 )

I am using the Launchkey mini, but the Launchkey 49 script works for the basic MIDI controls, i.e knobs, keys and pads.

This is achieved by running command " sudo modprobe snd-virmidi " .To make this permanent on boot add snd-virmidi to file /etc/modprobe .
This will seem like overkill as it opens more MIDI connections than needed, there is possibly a way to limit the number of ports tho.
Jack patchbay will need to be configured/saved with the connections to save having to manually reconnect each time.

Follow my settings in the attached pic, this way it is then possible to have separate outputs for both keys and pads of the Launchkey controllers.

Bit1.png

StudioDave · Post by **StudioDave** » Wed Apr 15, 2015 11:11 am

mikoatkvr wrote: ...This is achieved by running command " sudo modprobe snd-virmidi " .To make this permanent on boot add snd-virmidi to file /etc/modprobe . This will seem like overkill as it opens more MIDI connections than needed, there is possibly a way to limit the number of ports tho.

Try this instead:

Code: Select all

sudo modprobe snd-virmidi midi_devs=1

That gives you one device with four ports.

Best,

dp

mikoatkvr · Post by **mikoatkvr** » Wed Apr 15, 2015 11:14 am

Nice1 @StudioDave

Kubouch · Post by **Kubouch** » Sat Apr 18, 2015 12:57 pm

I removed "a2jmidid -e &" from my JACK startup commands and the keyboard now works with Bitwig. This is not the ideal solution, though, since I use it to connect stuff together. I'll try the virmidis and let you know. How do you get the ALSA tab in JACK? I have only Audio and MIDI.

Thank you guys for helping!

mikoatkvr · Post by **mikoatkvr** » Sat Apr 18, 2015 1:18 pm

Kubouch wrote: How do you get the ALSA tab in JACK? I have only Audio and MIDI.

Thank you guys for helping!

I always believed that alsa was a dependency of jack .. I'm unsure but check if you have libasound development files installed, most likely librtmidi-dev too . Someone with a lot more knowledge is sure to point you in the right direction

psycha0s · Post by **psycha0s** » Sat Apr 18, 2015 4:01 pm

JACK uses ALSA as backend and thus it cannot give a lesser delay.

Bitwig

KVR Audio

(Linux) Bitwig + MIDI aware software together (i.e. softsynth)