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)