configuring VMPK and Qsynth

[virtdave@mcn.org]

I installed VMPK (Virtual MIDI Piano Keyboard), and am trying to play notes from it thru my USB earphones--the earphones are working (at least, with Skype). When I click on a piano key in VMPK, the small green pilot light at the lower left corner in Qsynth flashes, but there's no sound via the earphones. Any hints?

[cchhrriiss121212]

Qsynth requires a soundfont in order to make sounds, there are plenty free ones out there on google. Anything in .sf2 format will work.
If you already have loaded a soundfont, please post what settings you are using.

[virtdave@mcn.org]

In Qsynth:
MIDI tab: Enable MIDI Input box checked
ALSA Sequencer Client ID: Qsynth1
Audio tab: Audio driver: alsa
Soundfonts tab: SFID 1; Name /usr/share/sounds/sf2/FluidR3_GM.sf2; Offset 0

In VMPK: -->Edit -->Connections: "Enable Thru on MIDI Output" checked
Input MIDI Connection <blank>
Output MIDI Connection FLUID Synth (Qsynth1):0

[cchhrriiss121212]

I usually use qsynth with jack, but I have just had success with these settings using ALSA only:

VMPK:
In Connections unchecked both boxes, fluid synth as output

Qsynth:
In setup>MIDI, use alsa_seq driver, client ID:pid

Use channels to select the soundfont, some only have a limited range of a few notes.

[virtdave@mcn.org]

Tried what you suggest, but still no sound via headphones. Perhaps if I use jack? What settings should I try with jack, perhaps that will do it.....

[cchhrriiss121212]

I don't think jack will help as it can only use one sound device at a time, and I think your USB phones will count as a separate device. Could you post the result of aplay -l from a terminal?

[virtdave@mcn.org]

card 0: ICH7 [Intel ICH7], device 0: Intel ICH [Intel ICH7]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: ICH7 [Intel ICH7], device 4: Intel ICH - IEC958 [Intel ICH7 - IEC958]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: Headset [Logitech USB Headset], device 0: USB Audio [USB Audio]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

[cchhrriiss121212]

Under qsynth setup>audio, try typing in hw:1 as the audio device.

[virtdave@mcn.org]

Thanks for your patience.....here's what I get:

p, li { white-space: pre-wrap; } Qsynth1: Failed to create the audio driver (alsa).

Cannot continue without it.


and in the Qsynth log:



p, li { white-space: pre-wrap; } 13:59:23.289 Qsynth1: Failed to create the audio driver (alsa). Cannot continue without it.
fluidsynth: warning: Failed to pin the sample data to RAM; swapping is possible.
fluidsynth: error: The "hw:1" audio device is used by another application

[cchhrriiss121212]

fluidsynth: error: The "hw:1" audio device is used by another application

Did you have anything else open when trying this out? Shut down anything using sound.

If this still doesn't work try using hw:1,1 instead of hw:1.