Very Computer

I'm new to linux, and wonder if anybody out there can give me
some pointers to making a (moderately complex?) sound setup work.

I have experience writing programs that exercise MIDI from DOS
and Windows, and now I want to forsake the Microsoft-based world
if I can, without turning my back on my installed hardware.

The hardware is dated, but not obsolete I hope:
  (1)  SoundBlaster 16 soundcard
  (1)  Voyetra (Roland-compatible) MPU-401 Midi card
  (1)  Mitsumi 4X CD drive
  (1)  Toshiba 6X CD drive

Both midi cards are routed to a midi patch bay so that the outboard
synths, samplers, and midi input devices can be used for input and
output in any combination.

I used sndconfig to configure the SB.  Midi files drive the SB's
on-board synth, and can be heard, but the midi signal doesn't get
routed out through the card's external midi lines.  The KDE CD
player toy seems to drive a music CD, but no sound signal comes out.
Kpmg loads .wav and .au files, but again no sound.  I tried to
cat a .wav file to /dev/dsp, with bizarre (noisy, anyway) result.

What I'd like to do is get both CD's so they'll play music, be able
to direct Midi output to channels on any of three destinations, and
create/edit/play sound files in as many formats as possible.  Once
the hardware basics are working, the plan is to port my synth driver
programs and "fractal music workbench" out of the Windows/Microsoft
compiler environment.

Any pointers, tips, criticism, insults, jokes, or other material
related to programming linux for music purposes would be deeply
appreciated.

thanks bunches,
-Richard R-