I've installed Alsa with partial success - sound quality is much better, but there seem to be some problems. My card is an ESS maestro 2e; i definately used the correct module (snd-es1968) & I used alsaconf to write /etc/modules.conf - this gives same result as suggestions on the alsa page, but with some options.

1)Main problem - still no direct midi playback, although programs like Noteedit and KMid now show a midi devices is available.

2)cat: /dev/sndstat: No such device

3)Boot error messages insmod warnings and error messages,
modprobe error messages - I will post these if anyone thinks they can work with them

Any ideas

please post the warnings and error messages.

The boot error message that obviosly relates to sound says that
insmod fails for maestro.o.gz
The file path is correct, so I suppose the hint given about incorrect parameters such as IQ and IRC must apply

lsmod shows that some sound related stuff is loaded

I probably need a modprobe line in some start script
Output from a manual
modprobe snd-mixer-oss;modprobe snd-seq-oss1968;modprobe snd-pcm-oss;
seems to be variable from session to session. I'm sure in executes without complaint sometimes, but today says
Can't locate module snd-seq-oss1968
Here is my /etc/modules.conf
# --- BEGIN: Generated by ALSACONF, do not edit. ---
# --- ALSACONF verion 0.4.3b ---
alias char-major-116 snd
alias snd-card-0 snd-card-es1968
alias char-major-14 soundcore
alias sound-slot-0 snd-card-0
alias sound-service-0-0 snd-mixer-oss
alias sound-service-0-1 snd-seq-oss
alias sound-service-0-3 snd-pcm-oss
alias sound-service-0-8 snd-seq-oss
alias sound-service-0-12 snd-pcm-oss
options snd-card-es1968 snd_index=0 snd_id=CARD_0 snd_midi_enable=1 snd_pcm_channels_p=2 snd_pcm_channels_c=0
# --- END: Generated by ALSACONF, do not edit. ---
#removed these options which caused errors
#options snd snd_major=116 snd_cards_limit=1 snd_device_mode=0666 snd_device_gid=0 snd_device_uid=0

"alias snd-card-0 snd-card-es1968"

This part of modules.conf is wrong. If you use alsa 0.9.1 or higher, proper module name is snd-es1968 (without "card"). You have to also add the name of your kernel's es1968 driver (I don't remember proper module's name, but it is "maestro" in it) to hotplug "black list" to prevent from loading instead of alsa module.

Thanks for your reply
Yes, I realized that I used an outdated alsaconf; the one in the current alsa drivers distribution generates the correct line without "card"
Also, as you say, blacklisting the OSS module gets rid of the boot error message.
Still no direct midi playback, but I think perhaps this is not supported anyway.
Can you confirm this?

Sorry, I don't know that, as I never played with midi.

me neither; though i can get midi files; i do not have
the foggiest about how to play them.. i tried installing
an xmms-midi plugin, but that did not seem to show
up in xmms..

some soundcards, especially onboard soundcards don't support midi. So you find all devices in /dev and ALSA was configured right, but ALSA don't work with midi and you see (on console) the message "no playback device found"

Now I have installed the programm timidity + timidity-patches in Debian Woody (apt-get ...) and all midi's are sounds well. For info: timidity convert from midi to wave and play it.