Linux MIDI: A Brief Survey, Part 4

In this installment of our tour of Linux MIDI software, we look at some experimental MIDI music-making environments. I've divided this class of software into command-line and GUI-based applications. Regardless of interface, the user is expected to employ a more than average amount of brainpower to get the best results from this software. With that warning in mind, let's first look at some language-based environments designed for the experimental MIDI musician.

Craig Stuart Sapp's Improv is designed for an interactive performance-oriented environment for experimentally minded MIDI musicians. The system currently is available as a package that includes a library of C++ classes optimized for MIDI I/O and a set of examples demonstrating the functions and capabilities of those classes.

Improv controls real-time MIDI communication between a host computer and an external synthesizer. In a typical program, the computer receives MIDI input from the synthesizer, immediately alters that input in some preprogrammed manner and sends the altered data stream to the specified MIDI output port. Some Improv examples have the computer produce a MIDI output stream that can be altered by the external keyboard, creating interesting possibilities for a musical "dialog" with the program.