Audio success: running Windows VST plugins with DSSI-VST!

[toddyjoe]

After a few months of work, I have finally found a way to run Windows-based VSTi instrument plug-ins and VST effects plug-ins on Puppy Linux. Considering this was my sole quest in first getting into Linux and my primary reason for starting with smaller distros like Puppy, I am very happy!

Originally, I recompiled the Puppy 1.0.8rc1 kernel to include the low-latency patch of Andrew Morton. Given that Puppy 1.0.8rc1 already had ALSA, I used MU's Wine 0.9.9 squash file to run Windows VST plug-ins using Windows VST host programs. The latency was worse than my Windows 98 SE setup, likely because the ASIO drivers would not work with Linux and Wine.

So then after playing around with Nathan F's multimedia squash file for Grafpup which includes JACK, I decided to compile my own version of JACK and Wine 0.9.9 and make my own squash file. I decided to add the graphical interface for JACK -- qjackctl -- which requires the QT libraries to be installed. Now I had a neat Wine and JACK setup, but no fix for how to play Windows VSTs on Linux.

I tried the FST program I asked about on this board a few weeks back. It requires an old version of Wine and some weird memory allocation adjustments. No matter what I did, I could not get it to work. Then I tried Vstserver, which also requires old versions of Wine. I got it to work after having to fix errors in certain header files, but it not load and work as smoothly as I wanted. Then I tried DSSI and DSSI-VST, which required installations of "Lite OSC" and Python. Again, I had to go find a header file off the Internet (lapsda.h) and correct a few errors in header files and make files.

After much tinkering, I got DSSI-VST to load Windows VSTs but realized I needed a virtual keyboard to make any noise. Enter vkeybd, or Virtual MIDI Keyboard. This time I had to find the header file tk.h off the Internet before I could get up and running. Finally, after much work and swearing, I got the whole system to play some music on Puppy 1.0.8rc1! I route the Virtual MIDI Keyboard through DSSI-VST and then use ALSA as an output, all connected using the graphical qjackctl panel of JACK on a Puppy with a low-latency kernel. What a mouthful!

Right now, I have a squash file that has all of the necessary libraries, headers and programs installed and ready to load. I also have a low-latency "vmlinuz" available. I hope to clean them up a little, trim the fat off of squash file, and pass either one along if anyone is interested. I will also try to come up with a list of dependent packages and necessary header corrections in case folks like Nathan F are trying to create multimedia packages for Puppy. I will keep the world posted... after I stop playing my Linux MIDI setup!