120Proof

Idiosyncratic music making system.

Designed to run on a Raspberry Pi using a Pisound card

Two Approaches.

1. Process Audio
2. Route MIDI

Processing Audio

Use JACK Audio Connection Kit to route audio from a sound card through an effects chain.

The effects chain is made from LV2 simulators. Uses Modep to build the virtual pedal boards and effect chains

The programme bin/run reads the Modep configuration files and loads the simulators into memory. The Jack connections are made between the simulators, but not the connections to the input and output. In the directory 120Proof/pedal/PEDALS/ it leaves a file for each pedal described in Modep that describes the input and output Jack connections to make to enable that "pedal board". These description files are named for the names assigned the "pedal boards" in Modep.

The programme in Pedal/midi_driver/ acts as a driver for a MIDI pedal (currently only one MIDI pedal SINCO is supported). Depressing a key on the SINCO pedal (there are four) reads the Jack connections from one of four files in 120Proof/pedal/PEDALS/ (120Proof/pedal/PEDALS/A to 120Proof/pedal/PEDALS/D) that are symbolic links to one of the files created by 120Proof/bin/run.

Creating links in 120Proof/pedal/PEDALS/ is how each MIDI pedal is assigned to a "pedal board"

The Guitar Tuner

120Proof/bin/run starts gxtuner and connects it to the Jack inputs. When started using the Pisound button (see below) it is the only window open.

Integration with Pisound

The Pisound card has a physical button. It can be assigned various functions for single, double, and more, "clicks".

Press the button once starts 120Proof in audio routing (guitar pedal) mode.

Press the button twice and Modep is started

To set up the button edit /usr/local/patchbox-modules/modep/pisound-btn.conf and edit the two lines:

CLICK_1	<path to start script>
CLICK_2	<path to stop script>

The script to start 120Proof in audio processing mode calls the button common script, sets up the Home120Proof environment variable, and calls 120Proof/bin/run

(In this case the default user is left as Patchbox-OS set it).

. /usr/local/pisound/scripts/common/common.sh
export Home120Proof=/home/patch/120Proof
${Home120Proof}/bin/run

The script to stop the 120Proof (and start Modep) is:

. /usr/local/pisound/scripts/common/common.sh
/home/patch/120Proof/bin/stop

Routing MIDI

Process MIDI signals using ALSA MIDI from input devices and use them to controll Yoshimi or Pure Data.

This is still a work in progress and is not being used

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Below here is incomplete and probably confusing

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General Setup for All Instrumets/Configurations

The LV2 pedal boards are initialised using modep-mod-host and modep-mod-ui. The simulators are initialised and the Jack pipes between them set up.

The Jack conections that connect audio input and output into particular pedal boards are placed in files in "pedal/PEDALS/". Here they are read by the pedal driver (driver.c) or other software as yet unwritten to swap pedal boards in real time.

1. Use mod-panel to run mod-ui and set up pedal boards.

2. Run bin/InitialiseModHost that sets up mod-host simulators, Jack pipes and the files (in pedal/PEDALS) to be read by the pedal driver. It reads modep_commands.txt.

   • It runs ExtractModep to create a file (modep_commands.txt) that lists the mod-host commands to set up the LV2 simulations, the JACK connections between them, and the JACK connections (TODO: and MIDI connections) to activate that pedal board

   • In the file modep_commands.txt each pedal board definition starts with a NAME line

3. Each line that starts with a mh is a command for mod-host

4. Each line that starts with a jack defines a Jack connection

5. In the Instruments/ directory create a file for an instrument. It will be an executable so after it is run the instrument is set up

* It then starts a local version or `mod-host`  (at `~/mod-host/mod-host`)

3. InitialiseModHost then runs ModhostSimulators. Its job is to set up the LV2 simulators using mod-host, Jack pipes between them, and the files in pedal/PEDALS that the pedal driver will read to change the effects in use.

4. Start lpx_control. This monitors the MIDI control signals from the LPX and runs programmes in response that set up the system for use. lpx_control monitors control signals: 19, 29,...,89. When one of thos buttons s pressed, say 39, the scipt subs/ON-CTL.39 is run. Whe another button, say 59 is pressed, subs/OFF-CTL.39 is run then subs/ON-CTL.59. In this way configurations can be put up and torn down, and there can be up to eight configurations ready to use, live.

The sorts of jobs that subs/ON-CTL.N do are:

• Set up lpx_manager to process NIDI from the LPX.

• Set up links in peal/PEDALS to establish what effects the pedal controls.

• Set up yoshimi (or another synthesiser) to with controls and Jack for audio generation

This completes the general set up

Setting up a Particular Configuration

Currently there are two MIDI inputs in use and a stereo audio input.

The stereo input/outputs are to be separated into two separate channels, not done yet.

Requirements

The MIDI interfaces must be defined. Currently there are two input instruments in use, and two possible sinks for MIDI to use to create initial audio. The connections are definied in a file that is read by InitialiseMidi after the audio generators set up.

The two MIDI controllers are:

1. Lanchpad X. 64 velocity sensitive LED pads. It appears in the MIDI config file as: Launchpad X:Launchpad X MIDI 2.

2. Nektar 88 key keyboard. It appears in the MIDI config file as: Impact LX88+:Impact LX88+ MIDI 1 and Impact LX88+:Impact LX88+ MIDI 2

The two MIDI sinks (that produce audio output into Jack) are:

1. Pure Data. Started with bin/InitialisePd <instrunent>.pd where "instrument" defined and is in the file: pd_patches/instruments/<instrument>.pd. For example: bin/InitialisePd poly_harp_cello.pd. There are two MIDI inputs to Pure Data, and the instrument can use one or both. For example pd_patches/instruments/poly_harp_cello.pd has two simulated instruments:

2. A harp on input 1

3. A cello on input 2 (17 in Pure Data)

The inputs appear in the MIDI configuration file as: Pure Data:Pure Data Midi-In 1 and Pure Data:Pure Data Midi-In 1

2. Yoshimi. Started with bin/InitialiseYos <name> <path to instrument>. Where "name" is an identifier that will be used to connect from MIDI and "path to instrument" is the path to an instrument definition file. For examle: bin/InitialiseYos Midi01 "/usr/share/yoshimi/banks/Choir_and_Voice/0037-Voiced Synth.xiz". In this case the MIDI input connection appears in the configuration file as: yoshimi-Midi01:input. The Jack output will be (in this case) yoshimi-Midi01.

Contents

archive

Old stuff

bin

Various programmes.

Instruments

Finished MIDI controlled synthesisers

Pedal

Software for running pedals.

driver.c is a not simple enough driver for a foot opeerated USB keyboard with three keys.

Pedal/midi_driver is a similar driver for a MIDI pedal

They both operate by changing jack pipes

Pedal/midi_driver is a simpler driver for a SINCO specific pedal, and it translates the four switches to four MIDI signals. By default the pedal can switch between banks. It gets quite confusng when a bank is accidebtally selected. This fixes that

Driver

The pedal this was developed with is: ID 4353:4b4d Jieli Technology SINCO

• The driver in in pedal/midi_pedal
• Converts the four buttons into 'A',...,'D'
• Looks for a configuration file in: $Home120Proof/pedal/PEDALS/
• Named 'A', 'B', 'C', or 'D'

Setup

• Set environment variable Home120Proof to point at the root of the repository
• Make links from $Home120Proof/bin 120Proofpd -> /home/patch/120Proof/pedal/120Proofpd lpx_blank_screen -> /home/patch/120Proof/novation_lpx/target/release/lpx_blank_screen lpx_colour -> /home/patch/120Proof/novation_lpx/target/release/lpx_colour lpx_controll -> /home/patch/120Proof/novation_lpx/target/release/lpx_controll lpx_manager -> /home/patch/120Proof/novation_lpx/target/release/lpx_manager lpx_mode -> /home/patch/120Proof/novation_lpx/target/release/lpx_mode lpx_scale -> /home/patch/120Proof/novation_lpx/target/release/lpx_scale lpx_drum -> /home/patch/120Proof/novation_lpx/target/release/lpx_drum

Configuration

MIDI

Two classes of hardware device

1. Musician Interface

   The device the musician uses. It requires three connections:

   1. MIDI note out
   2. MIDI control out
   3. MIDI control in

   The two outputs can be the same MIDI device.

   Examples

   • a keyboard
   • Novation LPX

2. Audience Interface.

   The device that the audience listens to. It requires two connections:

   1. MIDI note in
   2. MIDI control in

   The two inputs can be the same MIDI device.

Configuration Files

For each instrument there is a midi.cfg file that

Instruments

• Launchpad LPX

  Made by Novation. A nice grid of LED buttons. 120Proof has custom programmes to control this instrument.

• Pedal

  Essentially a three key USB-keyboard configured as a pedal

  • Look into using a Behringer FCB1010 A MIDI foot pedal

• Berringer XR18

  Can only be controlled by software

  ~/X-Air-LiveToolbox-132-source/X-AIR-Edit_RASPI_1.5/X-AIR-Edit

InitialiseMidi

Reads a configuration file, the midi_Connections section. The string /^MIDI_Connections$/ defines the start of the section.

Each non-cmment line is a tab seperated list of two MIDI devices. Connection from first to second.

Use aconnect to ensure that these connections are made and all other cnnections broken

Invocation

bin/InitialiseMidi <Config file>

lpx_mode

Sets the mode of the lpx. Most useful mode is 127 "Programmer Mode".

lpx_control

Runs programmes based on the control pad pressed on the LPX

Programmes (executable files) are placed in the sub directrory subs/. Each control signal can trigger execution of two programmes in subs/. When a control signal is received (say 29) programme subs/ON-CTL.29 is run. When any other control is received, say 39, subs/OFF-CTL.29 is run then subs/ON-39.

lpx_colour

Sets the colour of a pad on the LPX.

bin/lpx_colour <Pad> <red> <green> <blue> where Pad in 11..98 and red, green, and blue are in 1..127.

lpx_manager

Sets up LPX buttons for melodic use. Colouring them with three colours: One for root notes, one for notes on scale, and one for all other notes.

Assign the pads to MIDI notes so that they are aligned in five columns.  This leads to duplication where pads in three leftmost and rightmost columns, in adjacent rows, play the same notes.

When a pad is pressed change its colour (to a fourth colour).  Also change the colour of the other pad that can play this note.

Invocation

bin/lpx_manager <Path to MIDI configuration> <Root note MIDI> <root colour> <scale colour> other colour> <[1-12]>

Where `<Root note MIDI>` is the MIDI value for the note the center pad (r4, c5) is assigned to.

`<root colour>`, `<scale colour>`, and `<other colour>` are the colours (from the LPX palette) that are assigned to root notes, scale notes, and other notes respectively.

`<[1-12]>` is the scale defined as one to twelve integers in the range 1 - 12 inclusive, and ordered, that define the notes of the scale.  Always starts with `1`

• Example

  bin/lpx_manager 60 1 4 6 8 11

LPX Setup

• Set mode with: bin/lpx_mode 127

• bin/lpx_manager needs to know three things:

1. What MIDI devices to send controls to, to receive controls from, and send notes to

2. What the root note is

3. What the scale is

MIDI devices are specified in a file the path to which is the first argument, The root note (in MIDI, middle C is 60) and a list of integers between 1 and 12, starting with 1, in ascending order, unique as the remaining arguments defines the scale.

mod-host

InitialiseModHost starts a local copy of mod-host build from Git in ~/mod-host/ running on port 9116. This means that MODEP/mod-host does not need to be stopped.

/usr/local/bin/pd -jack -path /home/patch/120Proof/pd_patches/ -send "; pd dsp 1" -stdpath -nogui pd_patches/instruments/HarpPoly.pd & sleep 2 bin/bin/InitialiseMidi

Source

novation_lpx

Collection of parts for controlling the Novation Launchpad X

The tools are:

• lpx_mode
• lpx_control
• lpx_colour
• lpx_manager

Links

https://blokas.io/pisound/docs/specs/#pinout-of-pisound-header/ <-  GPIO pins on Pisound

LV2 Looper Pedal

https://github.com/stevie67/loopor/tree/master/loopor-lv2

Curated List of LV2 Plugins

Links to other repositories. No actual useful list, yet

https://github.com/sadko4u/lsp-plugins

Rust LV2 Library

https://github.com/sadko4u/lsp-plugins