Bome Network for Raspberry PI

I’ll look into this on my RPI.

-Steve Caldwell
Bome Customer Care


Also available for paid consulting services: bome@sniz.biz

Hello @FlorianBome and @SteveC ,

I tried the following procedure today.
I prepared a simple project for BomeBox, see attachment.
One input from the controller, processing via preset (just copying messages), output to synthesizer. I uploaded the project to DomeBox and started it. I connected the Arturia BeatStep Pro to the input of the controller, the output to the E-Mu Virtuoso synthesizer is via a USB connector with the long name ICON MIDIPORT2 V1.00 [1].
That made the BomexBox ready, now let’s move on to the Raspberry pi.

1st round - BomeBox connection via Bome Network - without licenses. Enabling Remote Direct Midi for Arturia BeatStep Pro [1] and Icon MIDIPORT2 V1.00 [1] ports. That is, the same step as when setting up BomeBox via webconfig.
Furthermore, connection of midi ports via aconnect or Alsa Sequencer. Virtual keyboard directed to MIDIPORT2 V1.00 [1], Arturia BeatStep Pro [1] then to sound card and other hardware synth and also to aseqdump. Running BeatStep and Virtuoso is playing, not receiving or sending any signal in the raspberry pi. I turned off the translate project in BomeBox and the ports in the raspberry pi came to life, reception and transmission started to work. OK its time to deploy Unlimited Named MIDI Ports license.
2 round. - I inserted the key and activated the Unlimited Named MIDI Ports license. I then documented the next steps with print screens. I created two virtual ports BeatStep and Virtuoso. I connected them again with aseqdump and output them to the sound card in the case of Arturia BeatStep Pro. For Virtuoso, I used the sequencer seq194 as an input (it is not in the pictures, it has many outputs and stretches the output to the windows of the ALSA sequencer) and also a virtual keyboard. The Translate project was running in BomeBox. The result is that the output to the EMU Virtuoso synthesizer worked without a problem from both sources. Unfortunately, the signal from BeatStep Pro did not reach the raspberry pi, but the Virtuoso synthesizer received signals processed via BomeBox. So only half success.
Virtual-test.bmtp (985 Bytes)





Hi,

I think it might be a mistake to both use aconnect and the Bome Network MIDI router at the same time. I think they essentially do the same thing with the difference that BomeNet exposes remote MIDI ports and has more advance routing. Did you try with just BomeNet routing instead of using aconnect?

Steve Caldwell
Bome Customer Care


Also available for paid consulting services: bome@sniz.biz

Hi,

I think that from the logic of working with alsa midi ports in Linux, the BomeBox and aconnect applications should be on the same level. Or rather, Bome Network will probably use the same command library as aconnect.

So I added the connection via Midi Router in Bome Network, see pictures.


But still nothing comes from the port connected to the Arturia BeatStep Pro. At the same time, the midi signal output from the raspberry pi via BomeBox to the synthesizer works even when the Translate project is running. When I turn off the Translate project in BomeBox, the input from the Arturia BeatStep Pro comes to life and works.

Summary - I have a working Translate project in Bomebox, I have an Unlimited license and midi data flows in the direction from RPi to BomeBox, but not from BomeBox to RPi. Which I see as a mistake.

I will explain my motivation regarding the functionality of BomeBox on raspberry pi. I like hardware synths. I have a project in progress (for a long time) where there will be two synthesizers of the Zynthian open project and a third raspberry pi for recording and playing the midi signal in one rack box. It is for him that I solve the connection with BomeBox and other devices. I can dynamically control the Midi translate project on the BomeBox with the help of the Open Stage Control server, which is primarily for the OSC protocol, but also knows midi. For the first phase of the project, when I switch controllers to individual synthesizers in the matrix, I have already mastered it. See picture.

Switching is handled via sysex messages, when the OSC server and BomeBox communicate bidirectionally. The OSC server is running on the raspberry pi, but control is available via a web browser, so the routing in BomeBox can be controlled via mobile, tablet, PC. I am ready to share my experience, what approach I took to create it. The translator project has more than 40 presets currently. For each controller - synth combination, it is possible to influence which channel is used, transposition by octaves, plus the addition of signals from ‘auxiliary’ midi controllers.Mainly for combinations of wind controller and synth, there are internal solutions for filtering and changes in CC signals.
In the second phase, I would like the mentioned raspberry to record midi signals from the controllers in pre-prepared sequences/loops within the songs. And then send it to the synth plus live performance. Something in the sense of looping music, but in pre-prepared controls, more linear and without dancing through floor or other controllers.
Therefore, I would like to thank you for solving this minor matter from the users’ point of view.

Hi,

I’m afraid free support does not usually include troubleshooting issues with a project file other than if you can focus on one or two functions that do not work within the project. The same is true for Bome Network.

Can you simplify the configuration, to something that can be quickly tested an reproduced?

The way I tested was with a RPI attached USB controller sending and receiving MIDI messages between it and BomeBox and I have not been able to see a problem in doing this. I have a LaunchPad Pro at the RPI end and I’m routing my routing my signal through BomeBox back to my computer and monitoring and sending from SendSX there.

Steve Caldwell
Bome Customer Care


Also available for paid consulting services: bome@sniz.biz

Yes, the Remote Direct MIDI Ports should always work in both directions. I’ll record it as a bug report and will get back here with any findings.

Don’t take my posts as demanding an immediate solution. More like pointing out that not everything is 100%. And preferably as an example of using your product.

That’s the difference. My raspberry pi has no controllers attached to it. It’s just a simple box hungry for midi signals from the outside.

I will try other controllers. I chose BeatStep because it is automatic, just press the play button and it goes and broadcasts and broadcasts.

I still tried it.
I know that when the controller is guided to the port processed in the MIDI translator project in BomeBox, it stops working as a Remote Direct port in the raspberry pi. I tried CME UF-50 keys, connected via Remote Direct Midi they worked. The moment I connected them to a running project, they stopped sending data to the raspberry pi.

Here is the simple testing translator file which I used.
Virtual-test.bmtp (985 Bytes)

Thanks for your support.

Tomas

Hi Tomas,

What do you have selected for an output alias?
What does your routing look like on Raspberry PI

I just tested this configuration and it works.



Screenshot from 2023-03-08 15-18-48

Hi @SteveC ,

MIdi Translator project was routed in my case:
MIDI input: alias From Controller → keys or BeatStep Pro
Midi Output: alias To Synth 1 → over usb cable to E-MU synth
All Networks were closed. In the Translator project I don’t need to process the streaming data and direct it directly to the RPi.
This setup is for playing on hardware synt. So select by your choice.
And listening by raspberry pi on the same port of input midi controller which is playing. On the RPi in your case switch to on Remote Direct Port with APC MINI and route it.

I’m not quite sure I understand. You want the Beatstep Pro to

  1. Sent out to your local USB E-MU Synth
    and
  2. Send the same copy out to your RPi?

On your RPi, you want to just grab a copy of your Beatstep Pro output from your BomeBox using Remote Direct MIDI?

This should be fairly easy to test this configuration but I think you already said it didn’t work and Florian said he would note it as a bug that needs fixing.

In the meantime, you can just set up another route in your project file to send a copy over to your RPi and then in your RPi direct the input from your BomeBox to the output of your choice.

Steve Caldwell
Bome Customer Care


Also available for paid consulting services: bome@sniz.biz

Yes, this is exactly the idea that I wanted to implement at the moment when I got the information about the possibility of having a Bome Network on the raspberry pi and that there is an Unlimited Named MIDI Ports with the possibility of Remote Direct MIDI access. And it does not only apply to BeatStep, but to all controllers that produce a midi signal for processing in hardware synths.

Yes, I will use this solution to complete the project I mentioned above. The part of the description of this project that concerns the BomeBox Translator is well documented, or perhaps it is not completely in English, but in Czech, and you would not get much information from it. And I also miss a nice picture of the interconnection of individual devices like @Peter.Ostry does.

So thank you again for your kindness.

Have a nice day.

Tomas

Hi, we’ve just released Bome Network version 1.6.0, which is now available for Windows, macOS, iOS, Linux (64-bit), and Raspberry Pi 32-bit and 64-bit:

We’ve found a way so that you should be able to just double-click ‘Bome Network’ from Nautilus.

Hi @FlorianBome,

thanks for the new version. I’ve been trying the new version Bome Network since Tuesday, when the email about Update Day arrived. I also upgraded the BomeBox.

A few experiences:

  • 5 different midi controllers and 7 synthesizers are directly connected to the BomeBox. I am not currently using any Translator Project on BomeBox.

  • On raspberry pi 4 with PatchBox Os I am able to start Bome Network automatically at startup and route midi sinal using mididings. Here I am a little sorry that Bome Network requires a graphical environment and cannot be run from the console in the background. It would save some computing resources. On the other hand, it remembers which ports have been enabled, so there is no need to set them up after each startup, which is an advantage. This raspberry is running in displayless mode and I haven’t found a bug yet.

  • At the same time, I have another computer running with dual boot to windows or linux. I’m using AV Linux MX Edition where Bome Network runs without major problems. I found programs using a2j for jack server to be fine. The only problem I ran into was using the Bespoke program, but that would obviously be a fault on Bespoke’s part. This combination works under windows OS.

  • I like the log area, it’s nice to see what’s going on. I appreciate this as the right step.

  • Overall, I’d say it’s very stable right now. I run BomeBox with two computers, one of them serves primarily as a router for midi signals to hardware synths and the other for more detailed work with software synths. And that without me shuffling cables according to the immediate need. So I am very satisfied.

Hi Tomas, thank you for the fantastic report! Great that everything works and is stable now.