Questions, Answers, and Tips

Chapter 4. Questions, Answers, and Tips

Frequently Asked Questions

4.1 How can I output midi events to an external midi device?
4.2 How can I use aRts synthesis?
4.3 How do I write a Brahms plugin?
4.4 If I start Brahms, it just crashes?
4.5 If I start Brahms and try to edit the score, it crashes?
4.6 I am running Brahms and get no midi/sound output at all?

4.1 How can I output midi events to an external midi device?

Use artscontrol, go to the midi manager, choose add OSS midi output, type /dev/midi00 (or something else), and connect the Brahms entry to the newly created midi port.

4.2 How can I use aRts synthesis?

The easiest way is: use artscontrol, go to the midi manager, choose add aRts synthesis output, and choose arts_all. Connect the Brahms entry to the newly created synthesis instrument. You can change the instrument using the midi instrument selection in Brahms then.

4.3 How do I write a Brahms plugin?

Just look at existing plugins. Extending Brahms is really easy. (Read the Brahms API as well).

4.4 If I start Brahms, it just crashes?

This has been replaced by proper error reporting after Brahms-1.01. If you experience this crash, check that the following things are all right:

  • ensure that the aRts sound server is running (you can check whether it is running by starting artscontrol - if that works, artsd is running). Refer to the aRts FAQ for more information on aRts.
  • ensure that the kdemultimedia package is installed
  • ensure that Brahms is installed in the same prefix KDE resides in, for instance if KDE is installed in /opt/kde2, Brahms should be installed there, too (use ./configure --prefix=/opt/kde2 during compiling)

4.5 If I start Brahms and try to edit the score, it crashes?

This crash is a known bug of Brahms-1.01. You need to create a part first, by double-clicking inside the empty track area. Then, right-click on the part, and choose "edit score" or "edit part" to edit it.

4.6 I am running Brahms and get no midi/sound output at all?

For all versions of Brahms that base on KDE2, you will need to run both, artscontrol and Brahms side-by-side. You will find the required information how to perform the necessary steps to enable Brahms to produce sound in the midi section of the aRts Handbook. Reading the whole midi section won't take long, and you will be able to get sound out of Brahms after doing so.

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