jammr Forum

Hi, not exactly a jammr related question, but maybe someone here can give me a suggestion (in the meanwhile I'll do my homework and search the net, I promise )

I have a couple of old MIDI instruments and I'd like to dump (and restore) their configuration data via the MIDI SySex feature on my computer running Linux, but I'm not sure what's the best hardware and software tool for the job.

For hw: I guess I need a MIDI interface (with 5-pin DIN MIDI connectors on one side and USB on the other side), but I don't know which interface is best supported by Linux.

For sw: I know some Linux MIDI programs (sequencers etc) but I don't know if they are capable of reading/writing MIDI SySex data dumps. I don't need the program to interpret the data, just read them and write them to a local file (to be used as a backup medium).

Any suggestions?

Hi Cri,

Linux has a wide variety of generic usb drivers that should be able to handle the input, the trick may be how to dump and restore the data. I have never used MIDI SySex, but I have used these cables for general use and they work well for my purposes.

http://www.amazon.com/SANOXY-USB-MIDI-Converter-Keyboard/dp/B003KXEDVQ

It can be used for input, output, or both and its about $5 so its hard to go wrong here. I have never had any trouble with them, but these types of cables are known to have some some poor production runs where some do not work. So just be aware of where you buy them from if you decide to go with these.

Also, these cables are NOT desirable for performing live. They work fine for general use, but in certain setups their latency can be high, and some more complex solutions can lead to strange glitches. The only way I have found to avoid these issues is to go for a more expensive cable. The midi controllers I use have a direct usb line without using the midi, so I am not sure of good cables for live work.

Best of luck! Hope this helps!

P.S. I am a very experienced Linux user so should you have any trouble with drivers, I may be able to help

-Forte

The standard amidi(1) utility is good for MIDI dumps and snooping. The man page documents all the options.

Step 1. List MIDI devices so you can select the right one

# amidi --list-devices

# amidi --receive dump.syx --port hw:1,2

Wow, thank you very much! I'm now investigating some midi-usb cables available in nearby stores to check for Linux support, but I'm quite confident that most are supported, I've seen there are ALSA modules for midi-usb stuff. I'll let you know…

Most MIDI cables will be class-compliant USB MIDI devices. The USB MIDI driver in Linux can handle them.