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https://github.com/jpetazzo/griode

Griode + Novation Launchpad + Raspberry Pi = a music instrument!
https://github.com/jpetazzo/griode

daw fluidsynth instrument launchpad music raspberry raspberry-pi raspberrypi

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Griode + Novation Launchpad + Raspberry Pi = a music instrument!

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README 

        
# Griode



Griode lets you play music using a LaunchPad or a similar controller.



For short demos and tutorials, check this [YouTube playlist](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBAFXs0YjviK9PzKnr3MDsRU6YAJgeH1K).



I gave a few talks about Griode:

- Berlin Hack&Tell at C-Base (May 2018) [🔗](https://berlinhackandtell.rocks/2018-05-29-no61-revolutionary-may-hacks)

- Linux Technologies Berlin (July 2018) [🔗](https://www.meetup.com/linux-technologies-berlin/events/252302070/)

- Python Users Berlin (April 2019) [🔗](https://www.meetup.com/Python-Users-Berlin-PUB/events/258989401/)



[Here are the slides](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1G0bdcSyqqoCiD4dK7tq6PZsoMaM_VVexx_n8m4kSYYE/edit#slide=id.p) that I use when presenting Griode.



This [poster](https://drive.google.com/file/d/16wTihPzhnTIVcAFDvHevtFG-0K0qXPPB)

explains how to switch instruments and modes.

The original version of the poster was made by Jérôme Petazzoni to

present at PyCon in 2019; and it was then much improved

by [Elodie Trinh](https://twitter.com/mintismycolor) (thanks Elodie!♥).



There is also a basic (and incomplete) [user manual](MANUAL.md) that

you may (or not) find helpful.



## Quick start



Here are some quick instructions to get you started, assuming that you

have a LaunchPad connected to an Debian/Ubuntu system.



```

git clone git://github.com/jpetazzo/griode

cd griode

sudo apt-get install python3-pip python3-dev libasound2-dev libjack-dev fluidsynth

pip3 install --user -r requirements.txt

( cd soundfonts; ./download-soundfonts.sh; )

./griode.py

```



Your LaunchPad should light up with a red and white pattern, and pressing

pads should make piano sounds.



### Installing on a Raspberry Pi



If you want to setup Griode on a Raspberry Pi, you can use the

instructions above, but **make sure that you run them as the `pi` user.**



You can use the "lite" (text only) or the "desktop" version, it

doesn't matter for Griode.



If you want Griode to start automatically when the Pi is powered on,

see [this paragraph](#Starting-automatically-on-boot).



## Detailed setup instructions



You need:



- Python 3

- FluidSynth (to generate sounds)

- at least one SoundFont (instrument bank used by FluidSynth)

- a LaunchPad or similar MIDI controller



### Installing Python dependencies



On Debian/Ubuntu systems, you will need the following system packages,

so that the `python-rtmidi` Python package can be installed correctly:



```bash

apt-get install python3-dev libasound2-dev libjack-dev

```



You can then install Griode's requirements with `pip`:



```bash

pip install --user -r requirements.txt

```



Of course, you are welcome to use `virtualenv` or anything like that

if you want.



If you get compilation errors, you might need extra packages (libraries or headers).



Note: if you have problems related to the installation of `python-rtmidi`,

you might be tempted to try to install `rtmidi` instead. DO NOT! The two

packages are slightly incompatible; so after installing `rtmidi`, perhaps

Griode will start, but you will get another bizarre error at a later point.



### Installing FluidSynth



Fluidsynth is a software synthesizer. On Debian/Ubuntu systems, you

can install it with:



```

apt-get install fluidsynth

```



### Installing SoundFonts



Griode requires at least one "SoundFont" so that FluidSynth can make

sounds. The easiest way to get started is to go to the `soundfonts/`

subdirectory, and run the script `download-soundfonts.sh`.



Griode will load SoundFonts called `?.sf2` in alphabetical order.

The `download-soundfonts.sh` script will create a symlink `0.sf2`

pointing to the "GeneralUser GS" SoundFont, which contains the

128 instruments of the General MIDI standard, as well as a few

variations, and a few drum kits.



You are welcome to download your own soundfonts, place them in

the `soundfonts/` subdirectory, and create symlinks to these files:

they will be loaded when you start Griode.



#### What are soundfonts?



SoundFonts are instrument banks used by some audio hardware and by FluidSynth

to generate notes of music. The typical extension for SoundFont files is `.sf2`.



There are many SoundFonts available out there.

Some of them are tiny: the Sound Blaster AWE32 (a sound card from the mid-90s)

had 512 KB of RAM to load SoundFonts, and there are SoundFonts of that size

that offer the 100+ instruments of the General Midi standard! And some

SoundFonts are huge: I saw some 1 GB SoundFonts out there with just a couple

of piano instruments in them, but in very high quality (i.e. using different

samples for each note and for different velocity levels.)



Here are a few links to some SF2 files:

- [GeneralUser](http://www.schristiancollins.com/generaluser.php)

- [Fluid SoundFont](https://packages.debian.org/source/sid/fluid-soundfont)

- [Soundfonts4U](https://sites.google.com/site/soundfonts4u/)

- [8bitsf](https://musical-artifacts.com/artifacts/23/8bitsf.SF2)

- [BASSMIDI](https://kode54.net/bassmididrv/BASSMIDI_Driver_Installation_and_Configuration.htm)



### LaunchPad



Griode currently supports the Launchpad Pro, the Launchpad MK2 (aka "RGB"),

and has partial support for the Launchpad S. You can plug multiple

controllers and use them simultaneously.



Griode relies on the name of the MIDI port reported by the `mido` library

to detect your Launchpad(s). This has been tested on Linux, but the port

names might be different on macOS or Windows.



## Debugging



You can set the `LOG_LEVEL` environment variable to any valid `logging`

level, e.g. `DEBUG` or `INFO`:



```

export LOG_LEVEL=DEBUG

./griode.py

```



Note:

- `DEBUG` level is (and will always be) very verbose.

- You can put the log level in lowercase if you want.

- The default log level is `INFO`.



### Persistence



Griode saves all persistent information to the `state/` subdirectory.

If you want to reset Griode (or some of its subsystems) to factory defaults,

you can wipe out this directory (or some of the files therein).



### Starting automatically on boot



If you are using a Raspberry Pi running the Raspbian distribution,

and want to automatically start Griode on boot, you can use the provided

systemd unit (`griode.service`).



After checking out the code in `/home/pi/griode`, and confirming that

it runs correctly, just run:



```

sudo systemctl enable /home/pi/griode/griode.service

sudo systemctl start griode

```



Griode will start, and it will be automatically restarted when the

Pi reboots.



If it doesn't start, or if you want to see what's going on:



```

sudo systemctl status griode

sudo journalctl -u griode

```



## Bugs



- If you keep a note pressed while switching to another gridget,

  the note will continue to play. This is almost by design.

- If you keep a note pressed while stopping recording, it might

  record a zero-length notes.

- If a sync is triggered while notes are pressed, it might result

  in zero-length notes.