timidity needs to be added to pulseaudio groups

[bonzo]

timidity gave an error during the install (actually post install steps) when it tried to start the daemon. Gives the same error when running /etc/init.d/timidity start. Could not get sound to work with noteedit (which wants to use timidity). By adding timidity to the pulse groups I still got the error, but could now see and add timidity devices to noteedit.

Turns out adding timidity to the audio group is not enough. It also needs to be added to "pulse" and/or "pulse-access"

# lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu 9.10
Release: 9.10

timidity gave an error during the install (actually post install steps) when it tried to start the daemon.

# apt-get install timidity
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
...
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  timidity timidity-daemon
0 upgraded, 2 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 639kB of archives.
After this operation, 1,659kB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? y
Get:1 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic/universe timidity 2.13.2-36 [620kB]
Get:2 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic/universe timidity-daemon 2.13.2-36 [18.6kB]
Fetched 639kB in 2s (260kB/s)
Selecting previously deselected package timidity.
(Reading database ... 239543 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking timidity (from .../timidity_2.13.2-36_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package timidity-daemon.
Unpacking timidity-daemon (from .../timidity-daemon_2.13.2-36_all.deb) ...
Processing triggers for menu ...
Processing triggers for man-db ...
Processing triggers for ureadahead ...
Setting up timidity (2.13.2-36) ...

Setting up timidity-daemon (2.13.2-36) ...
Adding group timidity....done
Adding system user timidity....done
Adding user `timidity' to group `audio' ...
Adding user timidity to group audio
Done.
 * Stopping TiMidity++ ALSA midi emulation... [ OK ]
 * Starting TiMidity++ ALSA midi emulation... [ OK ]

Processing triggers for menu ...
No protocol specified
XOpenDisplay() failed
Home directory /etc/timidity not ours.

# /etc/init.d/timidity start
 * Starting TiMidity++ ALSA midi emulation... [ OK ]
root@bubba:/root/bin# No protocol specified
XOpenDisplay() failed
Home directory /etc/timidity not ours.

After adding timidity to the pulse groups in /etc/group I got the same error, but sound would now work (with noteedit).

# /etc/init.d/timidity start
 * Starting TiMidity++ ALSA midi emulation... [ OK ]
root@bubba:/root/bin# No protocol specified
XOpenDisplay() failed
Home directory /etc/timidity not ours.

# apt-cache policy timidity
timidity:
  Installed: 2.13.2-36
  Candidate: 2.13.2-36
  Version table:
 *** 2.13.2-36 0
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic/universe Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
---
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.21.
AplayDevices:
 **** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: STAC92xx Analog [STAC92xx Analog]
   Subdevices: 1/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
Architecture: i386
ArecordDevices:
 **** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: STAC92xx Analog [STAC92xx Analog]
   Subdevices: 1/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: ubuntu 2814 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/seq: timidity 4215 F.... timidity
CRDA: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'Intel'/'HDA Intel at 0xfebfc000 irq 16'
   Mixer name : 'SigmaTel STAC9200'
   Components : 'HDA:83847690,102801a8,00102201'
   Controls : 9
   Simple ctrls : 6
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.04
IwConfig:
 lo no wireless extensions.

 eth0 no wireless extensions.
LiveMediaBuild: Ubuntu 10.04 LTS "Lucid Lynx" - Release i386 (20100429)
MachineType: Dell Inc. Precision WorkStation 380
Package: linux (not installed)
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/casper/vmlinuz file=/cdrom/preseed/hostname.seed boot=casper initrd=/casper/initrd.lz quiet splash --
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.32-21.32-generic 2.6.32.11+drm33.2
Regression: No
RelatedPackageVersions: linux-firmware 1.34
Reproducible: Yes
RfKill:

Tags: lucid audio needs-upstream-testing
Uname: Linux 2.6.32-21-generic i686
UserGroups:

dmi.bios.date: 01/09/2006
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: A06
dmi.board.name: 0CJ774
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.chassis.type: 7
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvrA06:bd01/09/2006:svnDellInc.:pnPrecisionWorkStation380:pvr:rvnDellInc.:rn0CJ774:rvr:cvnDellInc.:ct7:cvr:
dmi.product.name: Precision WorkStation 380
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.

[Jeremy Foshee (jeremyfoshee)]

Hi bonzo,

This bug was reported a while ago and there hasn't been any activity in it recently. We were wondering if this is still an issue? Can you try with the latest development release of Ubuntu? ISO CD images are available from http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/releases/ .

If it remains an issue, could you run the following command from a Terminal (Applications->Accessories->Terminal). It will automatically gather and attach updated debug information to this report.

apport-collect -p linux 531733

Also, if you could test the latest upstream kernel available that would be great. It will allow additional upstream developers to examine the issue. Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Once you've tested the upstream kernel, please remove the 'needs-upstream-testing' tag. This can be done by clicking on the yellow pencil icon next to the tag located at the bottom of the bug description and deleting the 'needs-upstream-testing' text. Please let us know your results.

Thanks in advance.

    [This is an automated message. Apologies if it has reached you inappropriately; please just reply to this message indicating so.]

[bonzo (bonzo)]

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[bonzo (bonzo)]

Tried this using Ubuntu 10.4. The problem still exists. The difference is that I no longer get error messages on post-install of timidity nor when restarting timidity, but the problem still exists. It appears timidity still needs to be part of the pulse and/or pulse-access groups.

Used the install DVD as a Live DVD.
1. Install noteedit
root@ubuntu:~# apt-get install noteedit

2. Check /etc/group
root@ubuntu:~# grep pulse /etc/group
audio:x:29:pulse
pulse:x:115:
pulse-access:x:116:

3. Install timidity
root@ubuntu:~# apt-get install timidity
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following extra packages will be installed:
  freepats timidity-daemon
Suggested packages:
  pmidi fluid-soundfont-gm fluid-soundfont-gs
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  freepats timidity timidity-daemon
...
Setting up timidity-daemon (2.13.2-37) ...
Adding group timidity....done
Adding system user timidity....done
Adding user `timidity' to group `audio' ...
Adding user timidity to group audio
Done.

4. You should now be able to run noteedit, then
Settings -> Configure NoteEdit -> Sound -> select "TiMidity port 0 128:0"
Enter some notes and try to play back the notes - there is no sound

5. /etc/group contains:
root@ubuntu:~# grep pulse /etc/group
audio:x:29:pulse,timidity
pulse:x:115:
pulse-access:x:116:

6. Edit /etc/group and add timidity to pulse and pulse-access
root@ubuntu:~# grep timidity /etc/group
audio:x:29:pulse,timidity
pulse:x:115:timidity
pulse-access:x:116:timidity
timidity:x:123:

7. Restart timidity
root@ubuntu:~# /etc/init.d/timidity stop
root@ubuntu:~# /etc/init.d/timidity start

8. NOW when you run noteedit and play back notes - you get sound.

[Cefn (6-launchpad-net-cefn-com)]

I can also confirm this bug still exists in Lucid, and the same fix applies.

[Jan Kaláb (pitel)]

I'm having probably similar issue, but editing /etc/group and restarting TiMidity does not help me.

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1534259

[David Henningsson (diwic)]

There is unfortunately not a best way of how to make timidity, when run as a system-wide daemon, to talk to pulseaudio, which should be userwide.

[Kevin Krumwiede (kjkrum)]

Just ran into this in Xubuntu 10.04. User timidity needs to be added to group pulse-access. The reason is described very well here:

http://blog.flameeyes.eu/2007/11/24/problems-running-timidity-with-pulseaudio

[Kevin Krumwiede (kjkrum)]

Adding timidity to group pulse is unnecessary, as is restarting the timidity daemon. Just 'usermod -a -G pulse-access timidity' on your running system, and it works.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for timidity (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]