xenial (1) vkeybd.1.gz

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

       Thie 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)