vkeybd (1)

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,  respec-
              tively.  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
              Specify the synth device index for AWE32/64 WaveTable.  If nega-
              tive  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 but-
       tons.

       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  Mod-
       Wheel  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  tog-
       gled.  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 editting the config file ~/.vkeyb-
       drc.  Once save the current configuration via  File/Save  Config  menu.
       The  config  file  is  the  Tcl  source, and you may change the list of

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)