Datasheet

15
Sound in Linux
Figure 15.11: vkeybd -– Virtual MIDI Keyboard
15.9.2 vkeybd — Virtual MIDI Keyboard
If you do not have an external MIDI keyboard connected to your sound card, use
the virtual keyboard vkeybd. For this purpose, the internal port numbers listed
with pmidi -l as described above are important. To start the program from
the command line, enter vkeybd --addr 73:0 &. The port address must be
adapted to your system. Specify the first WaveTable port from the list. If an ex-
ternal sound generator is connected, alternatively specify the port number of the
external MIDI port.
vkeybd supports a number of additional options. For example, enter vkeybd
--addr 73:0 --octave 5 & to increase the number of displayed octaves to
five. An overview of the command line options can be accessed with vkeybd
--help or in vkeybd.
The instrument designation in the preset list can be configured by specifying a
preset file with the --preset option. Extract the instrument names of a sound
font file with the command sftovkb. Change to the respective directory with
cd /usr/share/sounds/sf2 and enter the command sftovkb Vintage_-
Dreams_Waves_v2.sf2 > /vintage.vkb to save the names in your home
195SUSE LINUX