ZynAddSubFX 3.0.3 midi connection with ALSA

[Zebbe]

I just bought the ZynAddSubFX 3.0.3 package and I'm trying to get it to work with a midi synth and nowhere I can find how to connect to a Keystation 49. My JACK Audio Connection Kit has crashed now and Pulseaudio stops working from time to time. When I I try to use Catia or Claudia, ZynAddSubFX only shows up with an osc input. How is it possible to make music with ZynAddSubFX at all?

[fundamental]

There should be three primary options for getting MIDI to ZynAddSubFX: ALSA MIDI, JACK MIDI, or plugin host MIDI.

Zyn should default to using ALSA MIDI when you're running it as a standalone. I would recommend using qjackctl to find both your physical keyboard and zyn's port. They should be in the ALSA tab.

To get Zyn to use jack a flag needs to be specified to the program "zynaddsubfx -I jack" (capital i) will get zyn to use JACK MIDI. Then you should be able to find Zyn's port in the MIDI tab of qjackctl.

Lastly you can use your favorite LV2/VST plugin host to run Zyn at which point the host is responsible for routing MIDI events to Zyn.

[Zebbe]

I can get sound when I play on the keys on the laptop, but no sound when I play on my midi synth, even though it shows on Zynaddsubfx that a signal is coming in. I start Jack and then Zynaddsubfx with /opt/zyn-fusion/zynaddsubfx -I jack.
I installed all the dependencies mentioned in the read me file:
- ALSA
- JACK
- a recent version of liblo
- libz
- libfftw3
- libmxml

I also installed a2jmidid.

I get sound playing on my midi synth in LMMS and even in Rosegarden with qsynth. So what's the trick for getting the newest version of Zynaddsubfx (which I paid for) to work with a midi synth?

[Zebbe]

This is my screenshot from the LADI Session Handler.

[fundamental]

So, based upon what you have said: you get audio output with the above setup and if you replace zyn with another application the other program responds to MIDI events.

Given this the only thing that strikes me as likely is that your MIDI controller is sending events on a MIDI channel that isn't the first channel. Try changing the MIDI channel in the part settings view as seen in the screenshot.

[Zebbe]

I'm sorry, I found out that the midi synth wasn't sending via Channel 1 at all and actually had to start that. You were absolutely right. Anyway thanks for' the 'zynaddsubfx -I jack' input.

This is my setup to have sound out from Zynaddsubfx at the same time I record in Rosegarden. The trick is also to set the parameter to General Midi unit and not use an external synth module.

[Zebbe]

I'm sorry, Sound works fine, but this setup didn't sound right when I did a recording. I get a sound, but it's not from Zynaddsubfx 3.

[fundamental]

I'm sorry, Sound works fine, but this setup didn't sound right when I did a recording. I get a sound, but it's not from Zynaddsubfx 3.

I don't understand what you mean. Is there a problem with the output of ZynAddSubFX or is it working correctly currently?

[Zebbe]

I can play the correct sound from Zyn and I also managed to save an xmz file with my own settings, mixing sounds. The trick was to just copy a random xmz file and write over it. Otherwise Zyn crashes.

I couldn't get that setting I showed before to work with Rosegarden, but I managed to setup LMMS with the LMMS version of Zynaddsubfx and have midi through (in LMMS) while recording to midi in LMMS. I just wonder if have to go for a lot of external tools like using Hydrogen and Audacity to mix it all down. Can you understand the dilemma?

How do you use Zyn?

[fundamental]

I can play the correct sound from Zyn and I also managed to save an xmz file with my own settings, mixing sounds. The trick was to just copy a random xmz file and write over it. Otherwise Zyn crashes.

Odd, I cannot replicate this issue on my system.

I just wonder if have to go for a lot of external tools like using Hydrogen and Audacity to mix it all down.

It depends upon your overall workflow. I personally don't spend much time in the mastering phase, so I can not provide advice here.

How do you use Zyn?

Most frequently I just play it via a physical MIDI keyboard. Otherwise I tend to hook up an old version of seq24 over ALSA and connect a simple recording app via JACK.

If you're looking for production tips in the open source/linux area I would recommend taking a look at the work of 'unfa'. He's currently planning on expanding his tutorial video series.

[Zebbe]

Thank you for the tip about unfa. I actually saw one of his videos before. To learn Zynaddsubfx isn't an easy project, but a fun one.

I ran Zynaddsubfx via the terminal and got this message (below) and therefore found out that I had put the xmz files outside the zyn-fusion and by moving them inside was the solution.

Unknown address<BACKEND:online> '/file_list_dirs:'
Unknown path '/file_list_dirs:'
Unknown address<BACKEND:online> '/file_list_files:'
Unknown path '/file_list_files:'
Unknown address<BACKEND:online> '/file_list_dirs:'
Unknown path '/file_list_dirs:'
Unknown address<BACKEND:online> '/file_list_files:'
Unknown path '/file_list_files:'
trace:
[0] /home/mark/code/zyn-fusion-build/mruby-zest-build/src/mruby-widget-lib/mrblib/fcache.rb:12649:in Qml::TextField.onKey
[1] /home/mark/code/zyn-fusion-build/mruby-zest-build/src/mruby-widget-lib/mrblib/script.rb:336:in ZRunner.key
/home/mark/code/zyn-fusion-build/mruby-zest-build/src/mruby-widget-lib/mrblib/fcache.rb:12649: expected Array (TypeError)
[FATAL ERROR] Mruby Is Unable To Continue
Deactivating and closing JACK client

[fundamental]

Oh that bug. That was fixed back in december (Dec 7th according to the logs) and a more recent patch version hasn't been released for linux. This is in part because that bug has a trivial workaround. Just don't click the text box containing the path in the file browser. All the keyboard handling is handled properly before clicking on the text field, but with the version you have key handling gets glitched after clicking on the textbox containing the path.

Whenever the next version is uploaded (patch/full-release) that particular bug will be completely fixed.