Configuring MPD for Headphones

First start by copying the configuration for mpd to one that will be dedicated for previewing music.

sudo cp /etc/mpd.conf /etc/mpd_hp.conf

Now edit it and make the following changes:

sudo gedit /etc/mpd_hp.conf

Change this line in accordance with your root music folder.

music_directory           "/music"

Make separate folders for this MPD instance to store it's data.

playlist_directory "/var/lib/mpd_hp/playlists"  #Add "_hp"
db_file            "/var/lib/mpd_hp/tag_cache"  #Add "_hp"
log_file           "/var/log/mpd_hp/mpd.log"    #Add "_hp"
error_file         "/var/log/mpd_hp/errors.log" #Add "_hp"
pid_file           "/var/run/mpd_hp/pid"        #Add "_hp"

state_file         "/var/lib/mpd_hp/state"

Give this MPD instance a unique port to listen for commands on.

port               "6660"

Make sure audio is going to the right place.

audio_output {
        type                    "alsa"
        name                    "sound"
        device                  "hw:0,0"
        format                  "44100:16:2" # optional
}

OR it may be the software mixer that you setup.

audio_output {
        type                    "alsa"
        name                    "dmixer"
        device                  "plug:dmixer"
}

Now create the folders that you specified in the configuration file.

sudo mkdir --parents /var/log/mpd_hp
sudo mkdir --parents /var/lib/mpd_hp/playlists
sudo chown -R mpd.audio /var/log/mpd_hp
sudo chown -R mpd.audio /var/lib/mpd_hp

Now we need a startup script to launch this instance of MPD and use the configuration file we created

sudo cp /etc/init.d/mpd /etc/init.d/mpd_hp
sudo gedit /etc/init.d/mpd_hp

MPDCONF=/etc/mpd_hp.conf

Set it to startup with the laptop

sudo update-rc.d mpd_hp defaults

Start it manually just for right now.

sudo /etc/init.d/mpd_hp start

MpDJ