Simple MIDI DAW

Quick and easy way to make sounds with a MIDI keyboard and a Linux computer in CLI. Headless, no GUI needed.

Features

• Play notes using a MIDI keyboard and a software synthesizer
• Record and replay a MIDI clip (once or looped)
• Record MIDI to a file
• Metronome
• Customizable key mapping (config file)
• Support for various MIDI keyboards out-of-the-box
• Split keyboard for multiple instruments

Install

python -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate
python -m pip install -r requirements.txt

Copy or symlink some soundfont to ./default.sf2.

Usage

Connect your MIDI keyboard and run:

./simple-midi-daw

The app spawns a synthesizer with a sound font (default.sf2), connects any known MIDI keyboard to it and starts listening for MIDI commands (e.g. Record).

Known issues

• Plugging in a MIDI keyboard at runtime doesn't work

Dependencies

• Python3
• MIDO MIDI Objects python library, defaulting to the RtMidi backend
• FluidSynth software synthesizer
• some SoundFont2 file of your choice