Re: [fluid-dev] Re: What is the best way start fluidsynth with zero/low latency? (Louis B.)

[Louis B.]

Thanks for the info. I have just update the wiki with information on
how to run fluid on a netbook. see
http://fluidsynth.resonance.org/trac/wiki/LowLatency. Please correct
it if it is wrong or you want to add anything else.

It actually works very well running on my NetBook, running both
PianoBooster and fluidsynth together. I think there is still a very
slight latency delay though. The desktop volume controls now don't
work. but hey I can't have everything .

On Sat, May 23, 2009 at 7:11 PM, jimmy <> wrote:
>
>
>> Date: Sat, 23 May 2009 13:50:49 +0100
>> From: "Louis B." <>
>>
>> The point I was trying to make was that fluidsynth can be
>> rather
>> difficult for non techie users to get running correctly
>> especially
>> with low latency.
>
> I still suggest they use qsynth to start fluidsynth.  Do mention that if they 
> have a problem with qsynth,  they can try to start fluidsynth manually.  Once 
> they use qsynth to start fluidsynth, they can use:
>
>   ps -ef | grep fluidsynth
>
> to get the commandline that qsynth uses to start fluidsynth.  With that info, 
> they can start fluidsynth themselves from the commandline, or from a script.  
> They can learn more about fluidsynth commandline options after that if they 
> want.
>
>
>
>
>> The more I think about it a fluid-start and fluid-stop
>> script might
>> make it very easy for non techie users to startup
>> fluidsynth with low
>> latency. It could do a "cat /proc/cpuinfo | grep MHz" to
>> determine if
>> users had a low, medium or high powered machine. Now that
>> FluidR3_GM.sf2 is pretty good this script could
>> automatically start
>> fluid with that sound font (Is FluidR3_GM.sf2 available to
>> most Linux
>> distribution? are there any licensing restrictions with
>> FluidR3_GM.sf2?). It is just an idea anyway.
>
> I may have read somewhere, or have the impression that Intel Atom is just a 
> new release of the i386 core (or i486), probably with socket (pins) change.  
> Remember the netbooks are for web browsing, not a speed daemon.  Basically 
> they have the same CPU speed as 7-10 year old laptop.
>
> I have qsynth, qjackctl running OK on a 700MHz, 256MB RAM notebook.  The 
> problem may also be lack of memory when using a large soundfont file, which 
> does require memory swapping, affecting response time.  On that machine, I 
> have to use a small soundfont.  Do note proper IRQ, and process priority 
> settings may improve response time, as mention in one of the links of my last 
> message on this thread.
>
>
>
>> There is always the problem with underruns,  My atom
>> baised NetBook is
>> probably a good example of the absolutely the lowest spec
>> machine that
>> could run with low latency. Hopefully the main stream
>> Linux
>> distributions will improve to guarantee a quality of
>> service to
>> fluidsynth.
>
> You may get underruns if you try to use too low a response time settings.  
> Bump it up 2-4 times the minimum should get rid of most underruns with just a 
> slight compromise on real-time playing, which may be no worse than playing 
> "strings", or "synthesized voice" instruments.
>
> Jimmy
>
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> fluid-dev mailing list
> address@hidden
> http://lists.nongnu.org/mailman/listinfo/fluid-dev
>