[CM] fun with CM + Linux

[Larry Troxler]

On Fri, 6 Dec 2002, Dave Phillips wrote:

> Rick Taube wrote:
>
> > I think your Timidity hook is what I should use as the default on linux.
>
> Maybe not. Playmidi is straightforward and included on every mainstream
> Linux distribution, but I'm not sure about TiMidity's distro status.
> Also, TiMidity requires either a set of PAT or SF2 patches and a
> configuration file. And if you want a GUI you have to build it for your
> resources. Fortunately the GUI can be based on Gtk, Motif, Tk, curses,
> and other kits, and you can assume their existence in all the mainstream
> distros.

I'm glad you agree. But I feel like I've been just been transported into
an alternate universe, because isn't Timidity a soft-synth? Even if it can
redirect its output to a MIDI port instead of generating a sound file, why
not use "playmidi" and if  you want to use a soft-synth instead of a
hardware MIDI port, then do what ever ALSA
or Timidity magic is needed for that (I've never used MIDI soft-synths so
I don't know the details).

I'm just not sure why in this case the default shouldn't be to play the
MIDI to a MIDI device.

Larry Troxler