Originally Posted by earl00

sounds interesting- but someone would have to build usb-midi drivers for the n800 so that your desktop/laptop can recognize it as a midi device aswell as create a program to run on the n800 to trigger midi notes so that the n800 turns into a instrument. I bet someone who knows alot about MAX/MSP programming could play around with this.

Originally Posted by ArnimS

The posts in this thread have not been very descriptive about desired features or the basic category of music software desired. Where Lion did get specific, the app mentioned was Cubase VST, which is, like, moonbat territory, man.

In the early days, the rough order of appearance of computer music software was:

• Algorithmic/Scripted software synthesis (Csound et al)
• Notation / Layout Software (Encore)
• MIDI sequencers (Steinberg, Cakewalk)
• Sound editors (Goldwave, Sound Forge)
• Multitrack Recorders (Protools, Samplitude, SAW)
• CD Mastering Software (Sonic Solutions)
• GUI Software Synthesizers (VAZ, Generator, RetroAS1)
• Software Samplers (Gigasampler, Mellosoftron)
• Drum Machines (Drumstation)

In the mid to late 90s we began to see programs combine those categories:

• Multitrack recorders + midi sequencers (Cubase, Logic)
• Pattern-based groove boxes (Rubber Duck, Rebirth)
• Loop-based composition tools (fruityloops, SF Acid)

After this stage, production suites appeared that combined all of the above functionality into one vast package (Cubase VST etc) .

In the open-source world, available music software is generally at 1994-1996 levels of commercial mac/windows software. Audacity for example, has just recently become usable for serious wave editing after seven years of development. So you've pretty much got an ice-cube's chance in hell of someone writing something like Cubase VST just for the internet tablets.

The past of least resistance to getting some sound/music software on the tablet would be to

1. identify what category of app you want
2. find a linux app that does what you want
3. find someone to port it to the Internet Tablet OS

A linux app that's a good candidate for the tablets must firstly work within the hardware constraints (800x480 screen, pentium-2 level cpu, 64 to 128MB RAM and very slow flash read/write speed. Secondly, the user-interface should preferably be GTK 2.0-based and the sound backend alsa or esd.

Somewhat frustrated by the vagueness of this thread, I just spent a few hours casting about to see what's available within those contstraints. I compiled freebirth (a Rebirth clone) for ITOS, but the UI won't fit in 800x480 and the core needs an alsa/esd backend instead of a fifo to /dev/dsp. It does however compile to a small size and could be a nice pattern-based groove machine. The basic sample playback/mixer engine is there and takes up little cpu time. To be a useful pattern-based tool, it needs to get multi-pattern sequencing, variable bar lengths, a virtual keyboard, completely reworked UI, a few more effects and some sample looping/ADSR controls.

Even if you're not a developer, there is a lot you can do to contribute to bringing music software to the tablets. This thread can be a discussion of what (precisely) you'd like to have. It can be a place to post and discuss potential linux software to be ported. You can even use your photoshop/gimp skills to suggest and discuss user-interface ideas for your dream tablet music app.

Lets engage those 'little grey cells' and get the ball rolling...

Originally Posted by ArnimS

I compiled freebirth (a Rebirth clone) for ITOS, but the UI won't fit in 800x480 and the core needs an alsa/esd backend instead of a fifo to /dev/dsp.