Release 0.3 is all about MIDI Recording. I've been hard at work on this release since mid-July. I've learned a lot, written a heck of a lot of code, and I still have much to do. The end is definitely in sight, though.

When I began working on Fripp, I looked for a cross-platform, Python-based MIDI library that could handle recording and playback. Several libraries existed, but none seemed quite ready for prime time. So I started my initial MIDI playback implementation writing a wrapper around the standalone KeyKit executable. The wrapper communicates with KeyKit over TCP/IP. Versions 0.1 and 0.2 used this for playback and import/export of standard MIDI files.

Earlier this year, Tim Thompson, the creator of KeyKit, mentioned on the KeyKit mailing list that he has been using Python as part of his performance setup. He has taken over as maintainer of the PyPortMidi project, which had gone dormant for several years. He has fixed some Windows-specific issues, and has added several classes that make it easier to implement a sequencer without groveling in the low-level MIDI code that PyPortMidi exposes.

I began working with Tim's library in July, and started by implementing a sequencer library that I intend to contribute back to Tim's project (if he wants it). I also implemented two identical, simple GUI front ends for it in tkinter and wxPython, which I'll contribute as well. The tkinter development was quite a detour for me, because I've never used that library before. But I wanted to contribute something that could work with the standard Python library, and I hope that someone else will eventually find that code useful.

What I'm working on now is a MIDI History feature. This borrows from one of my favorite features of KeyKit: the "always-on" recorder. I really like the idea of Fripp capturing ad-hoc music that the user makes, without requiring the formality of turning the recorder on. Of course, the formal method will be there too, but it will be possible to get music into scores without ever explicitly starting and stopping the recorder.

All of the above is exactly what KeyKit does. I'm enhancing it for Fripp in two ways:

1. Each discrete snippet of ad-hoc recording will be saved in a history file, timestamped and preserved between sessions.
2. You'll be able to browse the history to search for, listen to, and import any of those flashes of brilliance.

I'm using SQLObject to create the history data, and I'll also be able to use this exact mechanism to provide unlimited undo in release 0.5!

The new release features MIDI file export, new standard and music-related spreadsheet functions, a greatly enhanced formula editor, support and instructions for user-defined spreadsheet functions, and many bug fixes.

Release notes: http://sourceforge.net/project/shownotes.php?group_id=195811&release_id=523401

Download: http://sourceforge.net/project/platformdownload.php?group_id=195811

Web site: http://fripp.netcipia.net

The version 0.1 release includes features for creating scores, organizing them in workbooks, playing them back via MIDI, and user extensibility.

Release notes: http://sourceforge.net/project/shownotes.php?group_id=195811&release_id=508847

Download: http://sourceforge.net/project/platformdownload.php?group_id=195811

Web site: http://fripp.netcipia.net

I've been working my way through some items that seemed necessary before making my first source release of Fripp:

• Document all modules, classes, and public class members.
• Fix egregious errors and warnings flagged by pylint.
• Create a website (this one!)
• Expose a plausible scripting interface, used by the main UI access points (menus and toolbars).
• Provide a plausible mechanism to invoke user scripts from the main UI.
• Create a source distribution that installs with the standard Python mechanism.
• Choose an open-source license (BSD).

Remaining tasks:

• Document the dependencies for running the source release.
• Create a basic user manual for the implemented features.
• Create a site on sourceforge.

Not even. The tree's still right there, and Fripp is still my private little toy. So I'm my only reader and my only source of news.

This wiki has some RSS feeds which allows you to keep up to date with modifications. See right panel.

If you use a private place, you must have a RSS reader able to read private RSS feeds.