PL2Edit

PL2Edit is a GNU/Linux editor for the Ploytec πλ² (PL2) synthesizer.

It is based on the Windows official software from Ploytec, offers a very similar interface, while adding some features.

Since there is no editor for Linux and it doesn't look to work with WINE, I decided to write my own.

The PL2 is completely controlled via MIDI, so, every aspect of it can be easily edited using MIDI Control messages.

Features

• Control every parameter of the synthesizer
• Create custom templates with user programs and controller mappings, with user program names
• Create custom MIDI mappings from external controllers, expecially useful if you can't/don't want to change controller parameters or you need a common automation interface in your DAW.
• Load/save PL2 programs (exported/imported with the official software)

Requirements

• Python 2.7
• PyQt4 at least version 4.11.1
• pyalsa

Installation

WARNING: this is still experimental. While it shouldn't break anything, there's no guarantee that it will work properly.

Run this command within the package directory:

$ python setup.py install

If you want to install PL2Edit locally (without root permissions), use this:

$ python setup.py install --user

To keep track of installed files, use this command:

$ python setup.py install --record files.txt

Then you will be able to uninstall it by launching

$ cat files.txt | xargs rm -rf

Usage

If you installed PL2Edit as descripted above, just launch pl2edit, otherwise run this command from the main program directory:

$ ./pl2edit

Midi connections

Select "MIDI setup" from the menu "Settings", double click a MIDI port to connect/disconnect it to PL2Edit. There are 2 inputs, right now doesn't matter which one you connect to. The 2 output ports are useful if you have 2 PL2 devices, so you can select to which port MIDI messages are sent using the "Output port" combo box in the upper right of the main window.

Mapping

Right click on a controller and select "Set MIDI map", then manually input the selected input data, or just move the controllers on your controller MIDI device. Some controllers have multiple choices, use the small bolt button to apply the detection to that single action.

##Known issues Even if PL2Edit right now offers almost any base function the official editor does, some things are missing. Also, keep in mind that there are still some bugs, and I cannot guarantee anything. You're using this software at your own risk.

These are the most important bugs/issues/missing features.

• Firmware uploading is not available. I'm discussing this with the people at Ploytec and might be possible in the future.
• The MIDI clock function doesn't work yet (that's why it's disabled).
• There is no support for JACK (yet). In the meantime you can use a2jmidi.
• If you use an external keyboard connected to PL2Edit, the note range is limited to the 5 central octaves shown.
• If you use NoteOn/Off as triggers for controllers, those notes won't be sent to the output. This might change in the future.
• MIDI support could still have some bugs (I created a custom interface to pyALSA).

##Aknowledgments Some small portions of code come from (or are "based" on) mididings, a powerful MIDI router and processor. At first PL2Edit used it, but I realized that there was no need for that and then I switched to pure ALSA-python. Still, some concepts behind it were useful and I used them.