yoshimi(1)

💖 yoshimi(1) — General Commands Manual 💖

okay bestie, sit DOWN, because we're about to talk about yoshimi, and she's a whole icon. this is the manual page for the yoshimi(1) command, and yes, we're doing this together, hand in hand, no cap. 🫶

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✨ NAME ✨

yoshimi — a software music synthesiser 🎹💅

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🌈 SYNOPSIS 🌈

yoshimi [-option] [cmd]

that's it. that's the whole vibe. short, sweet, devastating. 👑

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🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

Yoshimi is a polyphonic multi-part sound synthesiser, and she is NOT playing around. she utilises three distinct 'engines' that can be used separately or together. and the way that they can also be stacked into 'kits', typically for percussion?? obsessed. it fully supports both JACK and ALSA for MIDI input and audio output. periodt.

Yoshimi can be run in a graphical interface, a command line interface, or with control from both — yes, both, she's flexible like that. a number of controls can also be accessed via MIDI. the CLI has its own Readline parser and a built-in help system that you access by entering the commands ? or help. it's giving self-sufficient. 😌

the CLI help system is context sensitive, and apart from reminders of common essential commands, it only shows the relevant commands. however (and this is the slay part), it is possible to specifically call for help from other contexts.

e.g. within the 'part' context, ? config will show the commands for configuration settings. see? iconic.

Yoshimi has a very extensive MIDI learn capability, exposing the majority of controls. the same MIDI CC and Channel pair can be linked to multiple independent controls. there is also considerable post-learn editing capability. she's thorough, your honour. 💀

other extensions are the ability to import and export entire instrument banks in a safe and obvious manner. it is now also possible to swap any instrument or bank with any other, in any bank root, without disrupting the rest of the structure. no chaos, only structure. 🧚

another addition is the ability to load a list of MIDI-learned settings from the command line at startup. yes ma'am.

recent improvements are key and channel aftertouch, fully resizable windows, MIDI sync for LFOs and Panning extensions. also, inclusion of MIDI-sync for all LFOs, and all relevant Effects. 🌸

another recent development was a comprehensive revision of the PadSynth engine, with additional morphing of the wavetables. there is also support for Undo/Redo. we LOVE an undo. 😭

further developments are backward compatible high resolving controls for significant areas and a comprehensive theme management system enabling user defined GUI colour choices. we also have improved handling of microtonal scales, and added ability to export .scl and 'kbd files. it is now possible to set different left/right Echo repeat rates. the range? immaculate. 💅

part level MIDI 'Omni' is now available. there is now a warning message if action is taken that could overwrite an instrument that has unsaved edits made. she's looking out for you fr fr. the SubSynth engine now has a set of LFOs.

LFOs have been added to the SUBsynth engine matching those in the other engine types.

part kit mode now has crossfade Volume as well as Crossfade Velocity. double the crossfade, double the drama. ✨

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🎀 COMMANDS 🎀

• -?, --help — shows command syntax. your little map, bestie. 🗺️
• -a, --alsa-midi[=<device>] — use ALSA MIDI input.
• -A, --alsa-audio[=<device>] — use ALSA audio output.
• -b, --buffersize=<size> — set the internal buffer size.
• -c, --no-cmdline — disable the command line interface.
• -C, --cmdline — enable the command line interface.
• -D, --define-root — define path to a new bank root dir.
• -i, --no-gui — disable the graphical interface.
• -I, --gui — enable the graphical interface.

⚠️ attempting 'c' and 'i' will produce a warning, and although it is possible to run with both disabled (accepting only MIDI) it is not recommended. like, she'll survive but she won't be happy. 😭

• -j, --jack-midi[=<device>] — use JACK MIDI input.
• -J, --jack-audio[=<device>] — connect to JACK server.
• -k, --autostart-jack — auto start JACK server.
• -K, --auto-connect — auto connect to jack server.
• -l, --load=<file> — load .xmz patch set.
• -L, --load-instrument=<file>[@part] — load .xiz instrument file (no space)@n to given part.
• -M, --load-midilearn=<file> — load .xly learned list file.
• -N, --name-tag=<tag> — add a tag to the client name.
• -o, --oscilsize=<size> — set the AddSynth oscillator size.
• -R, --samplerate=<rate> — set the ALSA audio sample rate.
• -S, --state[=<file>] — load previously saved state. defaults to "HOME/.config/yoshimi/yoshimi.state"
• -u, --jack-session-file=<file> — load named JACK session file.
• -U, --jack-session-uuid=<uuid> — use JACK session uuid.

regardless of their position on the command line, file loads will always be in the order: <b>session (or state), patch set, instrument, midi-learn</b> — she has a system and she's sticking to it. 🔥

• -V, --version — print Yoshimi version. show off a little. 💅

"Mandatory or optional arguments for long options are also mandatory or optional for any corresponding short options."

(the original really said it like that and honestly? respect. it's just saying the short options inherit the same mandatory/optional energy as their long-option besties. 🫶)

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💜 and that's the page 💜

this was yoshimi 2.3.6, from 2026, page yoshimi(1). go make something gorgeous with her, bestie. mwah. 🎀✨🦋💖