intro.txt (2500B)
1 Getting Started 2 --------------- 3 4 ZynAddSubFX is a fairly complex software synthesizer with a very large number of 5 controls. 6 As such, it is not always obvious how to use ZynAddSubFX. 7 8 Many applications under Linux transport MIDI over ALSA and transmit audio over 9 JACK. 10 ZynAddSubFX can be run in this configuration by running: 11 12 ------------------------------ 13 zynaddsubfx -I alsa -O jack -a 14 ------------------------------ 15 16 This sets the input driver to be alsa and the output driver to be jack, which 17 should attempt to autoconnect to your soundcard as per the '-a' flag. For more 18 details, see the <<Output engines>> chapter. 19 20 If this is your first time running ZynAddSubFX, you will see a screen that lets 21 you choose between the advanced and beginner interface. 22 Currently the beginner interface is deprecated, so the advanced one is 23 recommended. 24 25 Now you should be able to see ZynAddSubFX's main window, from which you can 26 setup patches, effects, and general configurations, but more importantly it 27 provides links into the parameters of the patches. 28 ZynAddSubFX is a powerful tool with a number of base patches, but its true power 29 lies in the ability to make your own patches. 30 31 .Main Window 32 image::./images/uimain.png[] 33 34 For basic usage, you will want to use the button to the right of the enabled 35 label. 36 This button will allow for one to select the desired instrument from the banks 37 that ZynAddSubFX has available. 38 To play notes in ZynAddSubFX, either utilize the builtin virtual keyboard 39 (accessible via the vK button) or connect your keyboard to the system and use 40 *aconnect* to connect it to ZynAddSubFX (assuming that ALSA was used). 41 42 This main window provides access to a number of more advanced features. 43 Some of these features are: 44 45 * System Effects 46 * Insertion Effects 47 * Recording 48 * Part Settings (instrument level settings) 49 * Master Settings 50 * Microtonal Settings 51 52 For instance to use the recording feature, a wave file must be selected from the 53 recording menu and then the recording can be started with the record button and 54 stopped with the stop button. 55 This is a simple and quick way of recording some samples from ZynAddSubFX, 56 though there are more full featured options available via JACK recording tools. 57 58 NOTE: After hitting record, the wave file will not start recording until a new 59 key has been pressed via either an external midi source or the virtual keyboard 60 Both system and insertion effects can be accessed, the properties are available as well as properties of each 61 instrument.