NAME

       vkeybd - virtual keyboard on X

SYNOPSIS

       vkeybd [-options]

DESCRIPTION

       vkeybd  is  a virtual keyboard for AWE/OSS, MIDI/OSS and ALSA drivers.  It's a simple fake
       of a MIDI keyboard on X-windows system.  Enjoy  a  music  with  your  mouse  and  computer
       keyboard :-)

OPTIONS

   Common Options
       --device mode
              Use  the specified mode for output device.  The argument are awe, midi or alsa, for
              AWE/OSS, MIDI/OSS and ALSA devices, respectively.  Default is alsa.

       --config file
              Use the specified file as config file (see section "KEYBOARD").

       --preset file
              Use the specified file as preset list file (see section "PRESET LIST FILE").

       --channel num
              Specify the channel to be played for normal instruments.  Valid only for  MIDI  and
              ALSA devices. Default is 0.

       --drum num
              Specify  the  channel  to  be played for drum instruments.  Valid only for MIDI and
              ALSA devices. Default is 9.

       --octave num
              Specify the number of octaves to display keys.  Default is 3.

   ALSA Device Option
       --addr destination
              Set ALSA client and port numbers to be connected.  If argument begins with  's'  or
              'S',  the port is opened as subscription port, and events are sent to all connected
              subscribers.  The port can be connected to other ports via aconnect(1).  Otherwise,
              vkeybd  connects  directly to the specified port.  The argument must be a form like
              client:port or client.port, where client and  port  are  index  numbers  listed  in
              /proc/asound/seq/clients.  Default is 's'.

       --name string
              Specify   the  name  of  client/port.   Some  applications  like  tk707  check  the
              client/port name whether it is a valid MIDI device port.  This options makes vkeybd
              possible to "fake" as a real MIDI device.

   OSS Sequencer Device Options
       --seqdev file
              Specify  the  device  file path for sequencer access.  As default /dev/sequencer is
              used.

       --seqidx num
              Specify the synth device index for AWE32/64 WaveTable.  If negative value is given,
              the device is auto-probed.  Default value is -1.

   MIDI Device Option
       --mididev num
              Speicfy the file path of MIDI device.  Default value is /dev/midi.

FILE MENU

       Connection  shows  whether  the  vkeybd  connects  to the device.  On OSS system, only one
       application is allowed to access sequencer device.  Thus, if one  wants  to  play  another
       program  even  using  another  device, he needs to disconnect vkeybd once.  On ALSA or OSS
       emulation on ALSA, you don't have to switch vkeybd off, since multiple access is allowed.

       With Save Config , the current keymap and view  configuration  are  saved  on  ~/.vkeybdrc
       config file.  This file will be read at the next invoke.

VIEW MENU

       The menu shows the check buttons to toggle the display of control buttons.

       With  Key/Velocity  button,  a  key  and  a  velocity scale bars are shown.  The key scale
       indicates the lowest note value of the  visible  keyboard  (as  default  48  =  C4).   The
       velocity scale bar is used to change the velocity of each note-on.

       With  Control button, controls for the current channel and for the MIDI continous-controls
       are enabled.  The channel number is increased or decreased by clicking the right  or  left
       button  around  the  shown  channel  number.   The bank and preset are remembered for each
       channel.  You may choose the CC to be adjusted by pull-down menu, which indicates ModWheel
       as default.  Then change the parameter value with the scale bar at the right side.

       With Pitch button, you may adjust pitch wheel.  The pitch goes back to the center position
       when you click the Pitch Clear button at the left.

       With Program button, the selection list of  playing  instrument  is  toggled.   The  shown
       presets are read from preset list file.

KEYBOARD

       Each visible key is mapped on your computer keyboard from 'z' to '\'.  To use the computer
       keyboard, you should turn off auto repeat on your X display via xset(1) :

           % xset -r

       The key assignment can be changed by editing the config file ~/.vkeybdrc.  Once  save  the
       current  configuration  via File/Save Config menu.  The config file is the Tcl source, and
       you may change the list of keymap as you wish.

       The keymap is a list of elements consisting on the key symbol and the  corresponding  note
       offset.   The  key  symbol  is  the  X key symbol for assigned key, and note offset is the
       shifted note number from note key of beginning  of  keyboard,  which  is  changed  by  Key
       scalebar.   For  example, when a pair of {a 8} is defined and the lowest MIDI key is 48, a
       MIDI note 56 will be turned on by pressing the key 'a'.

PRESET LIST FILE

       The preset list file is used to describe the list of MIDI preset names.   If  the  command
       line  option  is  omitted,  the default preset list file ~/vkeybd.list, ~/.vkeybd.list and
       $vkblib/vkeybd.list are searched sequentially.  The preset list will appear  when  Program
       toggle button is on, and you can select a tone to be played from the list.

       The preset list file can be converted from SoundFont(tm) file via sftovkb(1) utility.  For
       example,

           % sftovkb synthgm.sbk > vkeybd.list

SEE ALSO

       sftovkb(1), X(1), xset(1), aconnect(1)

AUTHOR

       Takashi Iwai <tiwai@suse.de>

                                         January 1, 2000                                vkeybd(1)