madox

Nice job that. Thanks for the post.

Hi, thanks for the reply. I'll check these out. Cheers

Forgot to say my shipment arrived safely. Nicely packed, thanks.

Hi folks, I'm looking for a new Linux distribution for my home computer; I know there is a number of Linux users here, so thought I would ask for some advice. I had been using Ubuntu for a while, then tried Ubuntu Studio, as I wanted to play with some music software. I found the studio edition very buggy, though it was mostly able to run soft synths well enough. I didn't manage to use my GM5 with it. I am using Xubuntu atm, which seems OK. I was just wondering what distributions people use for computer music with Linux? I like to use Linux for my daily computing needs, and appreciate it's robustness. If I could successfully use the same distro for music too, that would be really nice. Although I have done some programming in Linux environments, I am still really a noob. I am also looking to further develop my programming skills this year, focussing on C and C++. Any suggestions or comments would be well received. Cheers, madox

Welcome, Do you know about the two web shops for kits? These don't cover everything, and various kind people also organise bulk orders as you seem to have noticed. Cheers

That reminds me, I'd better go sign up for that. I had been meaning to build my own on strip-board, but didn't get around to it...

Hi, Sounds like you're pretty well sorted. I'm still not sure what the non-linear editing refers to, but I'll take your word for it. :aww: I also think the Sonar web site is poorly designed. It could benefit from liberal application of the KISS principle. Basic logical structure goes a long way towards presenting one's information. I just tried the kind of MIDI echo I think you were referring to. I think it's easy and convenient with Sonar, using the MIDI settings for each track. I can set each track to have MIDI data echoed from a particular port/channel. However, I'm not sure if there is an easy way to merge MIDI data from multiple sources. So if you want to concurrently echo data from your master keyboard, and a control box, each on different MIDI port and or channel, to a particular destination, I'm not sure how that can be handled. Can Live handle this scenario well? By the way, I'm pretty new to Sonar. Anyway, this probably doesn't matter to you any more. Hope you enjoy your purchase. Cheers, Oli

Hi, Sounds like you are settled on Live, but just wondered if you had given Sonar a try? I tried the demo, and then have been using it more at a friend's place. So far I have found it pretty decent. I was switching from EnergyXT, which I thought was a nice idea, but disappointing in a few ways. I found Sonar to run quite adequately on my old 1.8MHz P4, which is a plus for me, until I get a new machine. I think Sonar will handle the kind of MIDI routing you are wanting, though I haven't tried. For each track, there is an option for MIDI input, and MIDI output, as well as automated echo. I may have to check it out next time I use it. I haven't looked into it in detail, so I'm not sure if it is a convenient option. When I tried Live, I think it was an older version, and seem to recall have some MIDI timing issues with it (maybe problems with MIDI clock?). How do you find it for working with MIDI sequencing? I thought the design seems to have emphasized working with audio parts, though I haven't really done enough with it to make good assessment. Have you found it lacking at all compared to Cubase? I also couldn't be bothered with Cubase, without access to a demo. For the price, and the higher system requirements, it was just less attractive. I also worked with Reaper a bit. I think it is really a great value for money product, specially for non commercial users. Also runs well on slow hardware. I did find it a little clunky in some ways. Cheers, madox

Shall be interesting to see how this affects things. Hopefully there will be some good, value for money type products for low budget hobby folks such as myself.

One thing that bothered me, is that I never did that before, when I was a complete noob. Thanks for the discog link. I'll probably look into it, though I am a bit hesitant to buy records again. It was a very pleasant addiction, though. I had one friend's drunk wife getting upset that I refused to play R&B. I just couldn't explain it to her. That's cool. It's nice to have a target audience. Anyway, as for my mix, I got shutdown for noise complaints after three tracks. The organisers of the evening schedule didn't realise that the restaurant was only zoned for noise production till 10:30. Oh well. Hope your mix went a lot better than mine. Cheers, madox

Yeah, I would kind of like to get something recorded, since I don't have any of my mixes at all. I'm playing after a wedding dinner, so I suspect a fair few people will be a bit drunk by then. That will probably help. Kind of like beat lubricant in the brain of the beholder.* I had a bad moment this evening though. I was mixing Nations by Edge (Edge #14). I had it sitting in the mix, but it was a little fast. I was nudging it back a little, about every two bars or so. I went to trim the speed a tad, feeling all in the groove, and in control ... then I bumped the stylus as I brought my hand back from the pitch slide. Ahhhh :-[ I scratched Nations! The first quarter of the record is fubar. I loved that track. It's quite pumping, a little funky, a little old school, with classic house/rave tie ins. Errrhhh. Deflated. Anyway, I think I can play well enough for a couple of hours. That's probably enough. I'm not sure how much techno, old school hard trance, and banging acid my friend's will be willing to swallow anyway. As far as I know, there are only two people at the reception who have even heard these tunes before. There are quite a few churchy choir folk, some R&B drones, and love song saps (note my unbridled prejudice; it wasn't an accident :P). Should be fun. Cheers, madox * does mixing metaphors make me a better DJ?

Hi, I bought a shiny new pair of Concords, in a flight case; ooooh, flight case ... Buying new styli made me feel young again. Heh. Just managed to fit in some mix sessions over the past couple of days. First couple of sessions, I didn't really manage to get a single mix in. Hmm, anxious moments. Just then, I think I had the best session that I've done in years. Felt good. Still had a lot of trouble with some tracks, and I really don't know my records well at all any more. That makes things a little difficult. Anyway, should be good enough to get by. I think there will be a few end-to-end fades, and the odd cut mix here and there, though I'm confident I can pull out some good mixes too. I kept a couple of mixes in for about 32 bars each, and was pretty happy with that. I was looking for a recording medium at that point, but didn't have anything handy.

Cool, look forward to it. 8) Hope it works out. Yeah, trying to get around to it. I think I will be in for some surprises. I'm trying to fit in a couple of marathon sessions before the gig. Feels a bit like scheduling cram sessions for impending exams. ATM I'm attempting to finish of my projects for the week. Then I have to dig up my records, and hopefully bring in some CDs for more current material. Thanks for the advice, btw. I know you're right. Heh. That makes two of us. I'll see what I can do, though if it's too shoddy, I may have to pass. Cheers, madox

Listening to the mix now. What a nostalgia trip. Sweet. Some of the transitions grind a bit, and others are rather smooth. I like the tunes. I think it's not such a bad thing to leave these tunes in the mix for a short time, these days, as it feels a bit more in step with recent tech this way. I think for some tracks though, it can detract a little from the effect if the track doesn't play out. I think I'll put this mix in my car, if you don't mind. Cheers

DUDE! I've got a gig on Oct 10, and I really suck! I haven't mixed records for 10 years. My records are old too. Also, I haven't had a chance to practice yet. Probably tomorrow, though. You've inspired me. I'm doing sound production for a friend's wedding, and having a mix (hopefully with actual mixing involved) at the end. Kind of feels funny to see read the title of your thread. Cheers, madox

Thanks. Good stuff. Unfortunately, I think a fair few laptop components are not economical to replace, or even available/accessible quite often. For all the simple faults, that's a great resource, though.

I've not used Proteus. Is it good? I have enough difficulty getting valid results from PSPICE as it is. I usually run into problems with limitations of the models. I think if you are simulating a well specified IC process, it may be fine, but trying to work with unknown models of a wide range of discrete parts is problematic as system complexity increases. The only simulator I've used for micro code is MPSIM. I think test driven design is also popular.

Hi, I suggest you have a look at the MIDI merger design on the uCapps page. Actually, almost any MIDI interface uses very similar hardware, which is very simple. MIDI output ports are transistors which sink current to indicate an on bit. The current source is a +5VDC rail, with a current limiting resistor (pull up resistor). MIDI input ports are optoisolators, with protection diode, and another current limit resistor. The optoisolator (also opto couplers, or photo transistors, etc) can be thought of as an LED input, driving an optical receiver. When the MIDI output port switches on, it sinks current through the LED (via the MIDI cable), which is sourced from the +5VDC pullup of the output port. The isolator provides circuit protection for the input. You can see all this on the schematic of the MIDI merger. If look up DIY MIDI interfaces, you will find all this information. Current sink (open collector, or open drain) outputs are very common in digital electronics. Another common type is CMOS. I believe the PIC actually has a CMOS output driver, but it is the current sink which is relevant here. I'm pretty sure the PIC UART can handle full duplex MIDI I/O. One hardware UART can handle the MIDI in port, and the MIDI out port, simultaneously. A software UART (I/O pins and RAM buffers programmed to perform as a UART) can also handle full duplex serial I/O (with the computer, for example). A PIC can run at much higher clock rate than the serial Baud demands, so there is no real problem to keep up (the processor will be just looping, waiting for things to happen, most of the time). I suggest you look at the merger design, as you should be able to change the PIC code to perform Baud conversion. I think you will also have to implement an additional UART output. There are other designs within the MIDIBox project domain which have multiple bidirectional serial coms, which may have more of the features you want, though are likely to be more complex programatically. I haven't had much to do with any of this, so I can't help you further. However, I have found the code here to be well structured, and readible. I hope you don't mind me suggesting that you first buy a cheapo interface, to use for your music, and to accompany your synth, while you figure out the electronics and and coding? I expect you will end up spending a fair bit of time and money (for tools, etc) before you are able to make music with an interface of your own design. Sorry if this seems unwelcome advice, but you are re-inventing the wheel, as a learning exercise (all well and good, of course), which is a goal that needn't conflict with you putting together a working studio settup.

Hi, Just had a second glance over the maxmidi page. His interface/driver use handshaking for flow control. I seem to recall that the MBMerger uses buffers the streams in internal RAM, rather than halting I/O. It may be worth finding out how some other drivers work, or perhaps writing your own.

Awesome. Both really nice looking CNC mills. Twin-x, is that also a kit, or complete DIY? It's a really good size table. Can you tell us how much it has cost so far?

Funny how things go in technology, isn't it. At my work, we have a number of unused Cerfboard embedded modules, with Intel XScale processors. My next project will be trying to put these to good use. I'm rather looking forward to it, and hoping to learn something about developing for ARM processors. I think ARM processors/cores offer great value for money.

Hi, An RS232 MIDI interface is a little different from a USB interface. Many people prefer USB these days, as the old com ports are becoming less common, particularly on laptops. I think current Windows versions don't have such good timing performance for com port transfers though, due to the OS arbitrating the port. I haven't looked into this in detail though. I think for my com port chip programmer, I had to install a hack to allow direct read/write access to the hardware. You can have a look at this Max MIDI interface design. It uses an older Atmel or 8051 based micro. I think this uses a custom driver, which is not compatible with current Windows versions though. I'm sure you could do a very similar serial rate conversion based on the MIDIBox platform. PIC would certainly be fine for this. You would probably be using one hardware UART, and one software UART, similar to the MIDIMerger, or MIDIFilter (from memory). I'm guessing you would not have to wrap the data with additional framing, but can only guess here. I think the driver would be capable of reading the MIDI stream in its raw form. From memory, I think I actually tried to do this many years ago, but never tested my design. Decent quality used commercial com port MIDI interfaces are dirt cheap now. I'm not sure about driver support though. I think there have been a few DIY com port interfaces which use the Yamaha CBX driver. I think this is just a really basic serial pass through driver, with some hooks for applications to access the streams. Again, not sure about operation in current Windows versions. Let us know how you go.

I think the best answer is to use your ears, and judge for yourself, what a sound engine is capable of. This can be tricky without owning the synth, but usually there will be enough sample material online to get a reasonable sense of a synth. You may also like to try Vintage Synth or Gear Slutz, which are more general synth fora. Cheers, madox edit - message changed; probably sounded a bit harsh

oh, my bad

Pity. I would quite a like a mill for 19" rack panels. Do you think it would be feasible to mill a panel as two separate jobs, so as to fit within the 12" limit? The 2.5" z range is better than I had expected. It seems a nice mill, with good value for money. Cheers