virtual-playing-orchstra with Ardour on Ubuntu Studio 19.10

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MaNa1977
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virtual-playing-orchstra with Ardour on Ubuntu Studio 19.10

Post by MaNa1977 »

Hi everyone,
i'm really new in making music with Linux and i am looking to solve the problem as descripted in the following:

System: Ubuntu Studio 19.10
DAW: Ardour 5.12

Ardour works fine and so i decided to try the "virtual-playing-orchstra-template" as described here:
https://github.com/michaelwillis/virtua ... r-template

I've done every thing step by step and the "Dragonfly Reverb" for example works really fine.
The only thing not working is "SFizz". I've folowed the steps writen here https://github.com/michaelwillis/virtua ... r-template, but all i get i the messega from Ardour "Unable to find SFizz the PI will be replaced by a dummy".
This is not the 100% original Error Message, but form me it is not so easy to translate it into good english.
I've trid and tried again, but nothing changes. I've found some second source here https://sfz.tools/sfizz/, but this dosn't work too.
The only thing i've found is that "git checkout develop" and "sudo make install" are not working at the first source of SFizz.

Has anybody a tip, what i should try to make the template work? That would be great!
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Re: virtual-playing-orchstra with Ardour on Ubuntu Studio 19.10

Post by tavasti »

Linux veteran & Novice musician

Latest track: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycVrgGtrBmM

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Re: virtual-playing-orchstra with Ardour on Ubuntu Studio 19.10

Post by Michael Willis »

There is a bug in the template, it uses an absolute path. Replace the following with an absolute path to your template:

template-dir="/Users/michaelwillis/Library/Preferences/Ardour5/templates/Virtual Playing Orchestra"

Be sure to do a global replace, that path appears multiple times in the template file. I have reported this problem, but so far I haven't found a good solution:

https://discourse.ardour.org/t/template ... -dir/89283

Also, please ensure that you are compiling the "develop" branch of sfizz, and then copy the sfizz.lv2 dir to $HOME/.lv2

You can use LinuxSampler like tavasti suggested, but it will take a lot of work to adapt the template to use LinuxSampler, and sfizz now supports some sfz features that don't work in LinuxSampler. Specifically, the dynamic cross-fade feature in Virtual Playing Orchestra didn't work with LinuxSampler, but it does work with sfizz.

There will hopefully be a binary release of sfizz soon. I have been corresponding with the sfizz developers. They have a lot of ambitions, but are taking about merging the "develop" branch and making a v0.2 release soon.
Last edited by Michael Willis on Fri Jan 24, 2020 10:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: virtual-playing-orchstra with Ardour on Ubuntu Studio 19.10

Post by tavasti »

Michael Willis wrote: You can use LinuxSampler like tavasti suggested, but it will take a lot of work to adapt the template to use LinuxSampler, and sfizz now supports some sfz features that don't work in Linux. Specifically, the dynamic cross-fade feature in Virtual Playing Orchestra didn't work with LinuxSampler, but it does work with sfizz.
Ok, maybe I should give try to sfizz! I am not great fan of linuxsampler, but haven't found other suitable options yet.

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Re: virtual-playing-orchstra with Ardour on Ubuntu Studio 19.10

Post by MaNa1977 »

Hello Michael and Tavasti,

well this seems not to be corrected within one evening :?
Here my current status:
I've tried to test both, but none of it works. I've downloaded sfizz-develop from https://github.com/sfztools/sfizz/tree/develop, and then tried to follow the steps described, but i get an error at cmake:
-- The CXX compiler identification is GNU 9.2.1
-- The C compiler identification is GNU 9.2.1
-- Check for working CXX compiler: /usr/bin/c++
-- Check for working CXX compiler: /usr/bin/c++ -- works
-- Detecting CXX compiler ABI info
-- Detecting CXX compiler ABI info - done
-- Detecting CXX compile features
-- Detecting CXX compile features - done
-- Check for working C compiler: /usr/bin/cc
-- Check for working C compiler: /usr/bin/cc -- works
-- Detecting C compiler ABI info
-- Detecting C compiler ABI info - done
-- Detecting C compile features
-- Detecting C compile features - done
-- Looking for pthread.h
-- Looking for pthread.h - found
-- Performing Test CMAKE_HAVE_LIBC_PTHREAD
-- Performing Test CMAKE_HAVE_LIBC_PTHREAD - Failed
-- Looking for pthread_create in pthreads
-- Looking for pthread_create in pthreads - not found
-- Looking for pthread_create in pthread
-- Looking for pthread_create in pthread - found
-- Found Threads: TRUE
--
LTO enabled.
CMake Error at CMakeLists.txt:34 (add_subdirectory):
The source directory

/home/markus/Downloads/sfizz-develop/external/abseil-cpp

does not contain a CMakeLists.txt file.


-- Looking for include file x86intrin.h
-- Looking for include file x86intrin.h - found
-- Looking for include file intrin.h
-- Looking for include file intrin.h - not found
-- Enabling LTO on sfizz_shared
-- Enabling LTO on sfizz_jack
-- Enabling LTO on sfizz_lv2
--
Project name: sfizz
Build type: Release
Build using LTO: ON
Build as shared library: ON
Build JACK stand-alone client: ON
Build LV2 plug-in: ON
Build benchmarks: OFF
Build tests: OFF

Install prefix: /usr/local
LV2 destination directory: /usr/local/lib/lv2

Compiler CXX debug flags: -g
Compiler CXX release flags: -O3 -DNDEBUG
Compiler CXX min size flags: -Os -DNDEBUG

-- Configuring incomplete, errors occurred!

And if i try to go on as writen in the readme there are new errors like: no rule to make install (in german)

So i think i'll try it again tomorrow :wink:

Oh, i've changed the path in ~/usr/.confic/ardour5/templates/...Virtual Playing Orchestra.template ... hope this was correct. As i sad im really a newbie at Linux since 2 days and so i hope understand everything right
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Re: virtual-playing-orchstra with Ardour on Ubuntu Studio 19.10

Post by Michael Willis »

MaNa1977 wrote:well this seems not to be corrected within one evening :?
Well, for being a Linux newbie, you're doing the right things and asking the right kind of questions. I think you're really close to getting this working.
MaNa1977 wrote: CMake Error at CMakeLists.txt:34 (add_subdirectory):
The source directory

/home/markus/Downloads/sfizz-develop/external/abseil-cpp

does not contain a CMakeLists.txt file.
This identifies the problem. Sfizz uses a git submodule for this dependency. It looks like the way you downloaded sfizz did not include the submodule. Follow the instructions from the readme to clone the repo:

Code: Select all

git clone --recursive https://github.com/sfztools/sfizz.git
git checkout develop
Then follow the rest of the steps to build it:

Code: Select all

cd sfizz
mkdir build && cd build
cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release ..
make
sudo make install
If this works, you should find a sfizz.lv2 directory, copy it to your /home/markus/.lv2/ directory, and Ardour should be able to find it next time it restarts.
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Re: virtual-playing-orchstra with Ardour on Ubuntu Studio 19.10

Post by MaNa1977 »

Ok, i've tried it again and found another error.

git clone --recursive https://github.com/sfztools/sfizz.git ==> works fine
git checkout develop ==> error-message "no git-repository (or any parentdirectory): .git

Do you think it might work by downloading via browser?

Thanks a lot
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Re: virtual-playing-orchstra with Ardour on Ubuntu Studio 19.10

Post by Michael Willis »

MaNa1977 wrote:Ok, i've tried it again and found another error.

git checkout develop ==> error-message "no git-repository (or any parentdirectory): .git
Oh, right! You have to cd into the project directory before checking out the develop branch.

Code: Select all

git clone --recursive https://github.com/sfztools/sfizz.git
cd sfizz
git checkout develop
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Re: virtual-playing-orchstra with Ardour on Ubuntu Studio 19.10

Post by MaNa1977 »

Hello Michael,
so i think i'm not far from getting it working. No the sfizz-PI is loading without any error. Thanks for the tips.
Now i think and hope there is only one thing left. The dragonfly reverb is also loaded without any error, the sfizz-PI has been loaded without any error too. But if i have understood everything correctly, there should be the correct file to the SFZ-File included in the PI? If if i double click the sfizz-PI der directory to the SFZ-File is linked only to the HOME-Directory?
Is this correct? Do i have to edit this path in each Instrument?
If not, i think i have to modifie a additional path? I've followed your instructions to unzip the wave-files and templates and i have also modified the path in the file "Virtual Playing Orchestra.template".
For today i will end testing but tomorrow i will start the next try ;-)
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Re: virtual-playing-orchstra with Ardour on Ubuntu Studio 19.10

Post by Michael Willis »

MaNa1977 wrote:But if i have understood everything correctly, there should be the correct file to the SFZ-File included in the PI? If if i double click the sfizz-PI der directory to the SFZ-File is linked only to the HOME-Directory?
Is this correct? Do i have to edit this path in each Instrument?
Hmm. Yes, the sfizz plugins should already refer to the correct files. I have two guesses: either you have not correctly replaced all of the "template-dir" entries in the template file, or virtual playing orchestra isn't extracted to the /opt/ directory.
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Re: virtual-playing-orchstra with Ardour on Ubuntu Studio 19.10

Post by MaNa1977 »

Good morning,
i've checked the following:

'/opt/Virtual-Playing-Orchestra3': exists and i have made a second one '/opt/Virtual-Playing-Orchestra' just to try

in '/home/markus/.config/ardour5/templates/Virtual Playing Orchestra/Virtual Playing Orchestra.template' i have changed the path to 'template-dir="/Users/markus/Library/Preferences/Ardour5/templates/Virtual Playing Orchestra"'

Then i have starded Adrour5 with showing me the terminal so i could see the following message a few times (after loading the plugin):
Set cursor set to default
Unknown header: http: @prefix lv2: <http: @prefix pset: <http: @prefix rdf: <http: @prefix rdfs: <http: @prefix state: <http: @prefix xsd: <http: <Unknown header: http: state:state [ <http: <http: <http: <http: ] .
What do you think about writing 'Virtual-Playing-Orchestra' and 'Virtual Playing Orchestra', could this be the point?
In the Template it is written without any dash ...
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Re: virtual-playing-orchstra with Ardour on Ubuntu Studio 19.10

Post by Michael Willis »

MaNa1977 wrote:Good morning...
Let's double check your files to make sure they are in the correct locations.

Here are two example files where you should find them:
/opt/Virtual-Playing-Orchestra3/Woodwinds/flute-SOLO-PERF.sfz
/opt/Virtual-Playing-Orchestra3/libs/VSCO2-CE/Woodwinds/Flute/susvib-PB/LDFlute_susvib_A3_v1_1-PB-loop.wav

If you find both of those files in the corresponding paths, then you likely have Virtual Playing Orchestra in the right place.

You also need the template and all of its plugin configurations. Check for these files:
/home/markus/.config/ardour5/templates/Virtual Playing Orchestra/Virtual Playing Orchestra.template
/home/markus/.config/ardour5/templates/Virtual Playing Orchestra/8045/state3/state.ttl
/home/markus/.config/ardour5/templates/Virtual Playing Orchestra/8045/state3/manifest.ttl

If all of those files are in the correct locations (and you have read access to all of them), then the flute track should work. Open up Ardour, expand the flute track, and click the piano keys to check. If it isn't working, try opening the sfizz plugin on the flute track, set it up to use /opt/Virtual-Playing-Orchestra3/Woodwinds/flute-SOLO-PERF.sfz and try it again.
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Re: virtual-playing-orchstra with Ardour on Ubuntu Studio 19.10

Post by MaNa1977 »

Well, if checked all your paths and everythings seems to be correct.

This evening i have started an new Project wherin i use both VPO and sfizz without the template and everything seems to work correct. Ok, i'm at the beginning of the song, but i can understand what you meen with "a lot of work" in other discussions. You have exactly to know which instrument (sfz) you should use making a good sound. There are a lot of clicks :wink: but i think for the moment this could be one way to sucess for my idea of a song.
No matter i will try it in a few days again and i think i'll find the cause why the template is not working on my system, maybe as soon as i get a little bit familiar with linux and all the things we don't have as windows users :wink: .
And I'm confident that we will write again ...
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Re: virtual-playing-orchstra with Ardour on Ubuntu Studio 19.10

Post by sprock »

Michael Willis wrote: Fri Jan 24, 2020 3:53 pm There is a bug in the template, it uses an absolute path. Replace the following with an absolute path to your template:

template-dir="/Users/michaelwillis/Library/Preferences/Ardour5/templates/Virtual Playing Orchestra"
So, would I have to replace it with (in my case):

template-dir="/home/sprock/.config/Ardour5/templates/Virtual Playing Orchestra" ?

I'm asking because your path looks so different than what I know from Ubuntu. But maybe I didn't understand correctly.

A second thing: When I unzipped the VPO performance scripts to /opt/ I got asked in the terminal what I wanted to do with several sfz (replace yes, no, all etc.). I replaced all. Was that correct?

By the way: Thanks for the template!
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Re: virtual-playing-orchstra with Ardour on Ubuntu Studio 19.10

Post by Michael Willis »

sprock wrote: Thu Feb 27, 2020 11:03 pmI'm asking because your path looks so different than what I know from Ubuntu. But maybe I didn't understand correctly.
Yes. The template was created on a MacBook (I know, heresy...)

Unzipping to /opt should only give you such prompts if you have previously installed VPO there. Replace all is fine.
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