PentatonicHero

GuitarHero controller to MIDI pentatonic scale

https://github.com/calaldees/PentatonicHero

git clone https://github.com/calaldees/PentatonicHero.git

Me and some friends play in a geeky band. We always want to have some kind of visual hook, geeky gimmick or audience participation when we play live.

We wanted to encourage people to pick up musical instruments and get rocking. You don't need years of training to play your first few notes and play with others. With a pentatonic scale, you can bash the keys in any order like a deranged gorilla and still have some semblance of music that sounds in key.

Pentatonic Hero was created so a live band could back two participating audience members, armed with familar Guitar Hero controllers, that solo against each other while the crowds cheer their favourite participant.

Features

• Multiple guitars (outputing to differnt midi channels)
• Hammer-on's and pull-off's (the velocity of the hit decreases each time)
• Pitch bending
• Scale transposing (using start select buttons). Keeps in key but allows the performer to reach a greater range of notes.
• Root note (key) selection (hold down all the note buttons and use start/select to shift root note)
• Display information can be sent via a TCP socket. This could allow for a separate peice of software to perform visulisations

Setup

Requirements

• MIDI Synth installed

  • Preferably with a good guitar sound.
  • Free software synths
    • FluidSynth
      • linux apt-get install qsynth
      • osx brew install fluidsynth
      • windows
    • Komplete Player (windows and osx)
      • I use Native Instruments 'Rock Guitar' bundled with their basic 'Kontact 5 Player' as this has simulated fret noise.

• Recommended Guitar Hero Controller connected to your PC

  • With Playstation 2 USB adaptor and Playstation 2 wired guitars
    • Pitch bend may not be supported. (If possible, put the controler into analog mode)
  • Directly with USB (Xbox 360 wired Guitar hero controller)
  • Other guitar controllers? wireless?

Install

Clone the repository with git

• git clone https://github.com/calaldees/PentatonicHero.git

Windows

• Install
  • Python3
  • Pygame
• Setup Virtual Midi port
  • ???
    • VirtualMidiSynth
    • loobe1
  • Add a new port PentatonicHero (the name is important for auto selecting the correct port)

Osx

• Install homebrew package manager

  • You may need to brew install git and other basic dev tools

• make install This will install python3 and pygame. Reference

• Setup Virtual Midi port

  • Open Audio MIDI Setup
  • Window -> Show MIDI Window
  • ICA Driver -> Show Info
  • Add a new port PentatonicHero (the name is important for auto selecting the correct port)

Linux (Ubuntu 13.10)

• make install
• ???

Midi Synth Setup

####Linux

I found LMMS to give the best results in Linux so far, so here are instuctions on setting it up:

Setup soundfont

1. Download a decent distorted electric guitar sound font (an .*sf2* file)
2. Open LMMS
3. Click *Edit* > *Settings* > *Folder icon*
4. Choose the *.sf2* file for "DEFAULT SOUNDFONT FILE"
5. Exit settings

Set a soundfont instument

1. You should see a *Song-Editor* window in LMMS, if not the grey icon under the "New Project" icon
2. Remove all instruments from the *Song-Editor* window, right-click > remove
3. From the *Instrument plugins* panel on the left, drag a drop the *Sf2 Player* into the *Song-Editor* window
4. Click on the instrument and in the text area at the top enter "PentatonicHero"
5. Click on the *midi* tab
6. Click *ENABLE MIDI INPUT*

Now you should be set, make sure to keep LMMS open for the duration of using PentatonicHero.

Controller Setup

Default keyboard keys

• Notes (q,w,e,r,t) [hold note button and strum to play note]
• Strum (spacebar)
• Transpose in scale (o,p)
• (Hold all notes and then transpose+/- to change root_note on the fly)
• (Pitch bend not supported on keyboard)

With controler

• Run Pentatonic Hero with controller debugging enabled
  • python3 pentatonic_hero.py --log_level 0
  • Observe the button numbers and axis for the pitch bend
• Edit controlers.py to make to your correct joystick and button setup
  • Add a new my_joy = _hero_control_factory(...)
  • Run pentatonic_hero.py --input_profile my_joy

Run

• Load your synth software and listen to the PentatonicHero midi port and select your rockin guitar sound
• python3 pentatonic_hero.py
• Rock the **** out!

More Options

python3 pentatonic_hero.py --help

Network Display

Controler and note data cant be sent over a TCP socket. This is designed so that separate software can provide visulisations. See display-trigger