I am trying to get Yoshimi Synth as an input for MIDI tracks in Ardour. I set up a MIDI bus with the Yoshimi-Multi plugin, and then I set up two MIDI tracks with The Yoshimi-multi bus as their outputs. In the Yoshimi app, I set channel 1 to bass and channel 2 to guitar. I set the MIDI track channels accordingly (MIDI bass channel 1, MIDI guitar Channel 2).
Now for the odd behavior: changing the patch in Yoshimi does not change the patch for the MIDI tracks. Furthermore, when either track is set to MIDI channel 2, there is no sound at all, and when set to channel 1, the sound does not correspond to the patch set in the Yoshimi app. The only way to change the sound of the tracks is to open the patch selector for the Yoshimi-multi bus and make a selection there. The patch bank displayed within Ardour uses generic names, but does correspond in position/number to the patch bank in Yoshimi (33 is 33, 2 is 2, etc.), but it also has many patches listed that do not have a corresponding patch in Yoshimi (8 in Ardour has no matching 8 in Yoshimi).
So, it seems like Ardour and Yoshimi are not actually talking to each other? I have tried this setup with Jackctl running and without it. With Jackctl running, I can the Yoshimi app to connect to an audio track in Ardour (it takes a bit of patience), and I can record whatever patch I am currently using on the Yoshimi virtual keyboard in Ardour.
This seems to be a problem only with MIDI, or perhaps a problem with Jack. In Jack, I cannot get Yoshimi to show up as a MIDI output, only as a MIDI input (and this input only shows up in the ALSA tab).
I see, thanks for explaining that. I’m new to this, so I must have misunderstood. If I am wanting to use the Yoshimi-multi bus to control the patches used for midi tracks, how should I change the set up above? If I change the patches of the MIDI tracks directly, I currently only have patches from Ardour available. The patches for the Yoshimi plugin only show up on the Yoshimi-MIDI bus. Perhaps I should set the instrument for the MIDI track to Yoshimi instead of “generic” since it seems like using the Yoshimi external app was a misunderstanding on my part. However, if I am setting the patches directly on each MIDI track, what is the point of having the MIDI bus? Would I then just output from the MIDI tracks directly to main?
A synth (whether standalone, or a plugin) reacts to patch changes. It’s a consumer of them, not a producer.
What I think you are trying to do is to make a change to the Yoshimi synth (plugin?) in the middle of a track?
I suspect you are trying to do this by changing the patch on the Yoshimi GUI? As I understand it, this will not work. This patch change is internal to Yoshimi and isn’t seen or recorded by Ardour.
You need something that is external to Yoshimi that sends a MIDI bank/program change to Yoshimi. Ardour can then record this MIDI data.
Options include:
A MIDI controller (physical or virtual) connected to the track as you record, then use the MIDI controller to send bank/program change MIDI commands to Yoshimi