Subject: Re: [linux-audio-user] Experience of Linux sound apps, was: Introduction
From: Robert Jonsson (robert.jonsson_AT_dataductus.se)
Date: Mon Jan 14 2002 - 13:34:33 EET
Hi,
Okay here goes another experience based lists from an (almost) non practicing
hobby musican....
First, the platform I use right now....(talk about moving target)...
Athlon 600 256MB, Delta 44 and SBLive
PII 450 256MB, SBLive
I don't use them together, not yet anyway...
Mandrake 8.1, kernel 2.4.16 ll running KDE, alsa 0.9b10, think it works quite well.
First: I have to admit, though I really try to use Linux, most of the audio
stuff I do is still confined to Windows, I just can't figure out how to do it in
Linux in the same timeframe. But times they are a changin', I'm sure.
And now some software experiences:
- Ecasound, the little audio related things I do today is mostly related to
ecasound. Eca is such a great application suite. I do some recording with it.
Mainly I do mixing and mastring though. It's design BEGS for making frontends. I
would dearly like a good front end for it, haven't found any good(as in working)
ones yet though, I think there are some nice ones in the works. Ye old command
line does pretty well anyway.
- Muse, though still an extremely unstable program, it is THE linux sequencer
that most resembles a commercial, integrated audio/midi, sequencer. It has both
style and heaps of functions.
Development has however been directed at making it complete, rather than making
it stable. I do however agree with this strategy, we should be able to help each
other to make it stable once it's mostly feature complete.
- As for sound editors I think I've tried them all, though only scratched the
surface on most of them... think I used snd most. But it takes getting used to.
Audacity, as an example, is very easy to get going in if you, for instance, just
want to cut out a sequence graphically and save it to disk.
- As for software synths I have tried a lot but I lack experience how to get
them working well for me.
Examples being, pd/csound/spiralsynth-modular/arts
The modular and completely programmable synths are to complex for my
needs/brain. Atleast that is the feeling I get when trying them out. The
examples sure sound interesting but I haven't a clue how to proceed and get them
sound "different".
Mostly I'm pretty happy with using soundfonts, either through the emu10k h/w
synth or the iiwu softsynth, which for now is the better choice.
I do however keep hearing good things about PD, I'll have to check it out again,
but I still think you need a degree in synth design to use it...
- As for modular synths, I seldom see ARTS being mentioned, maybe for good
reason, the project hasn't been focusing on the synth parts for quite a while
now. I think it has very good potential though.
- Ardour is a very nice project, which should deliver some remarkable software,
real soon now (tm). If you are working in the domain of recording live
instruments, Ardour could very well be the answer to everything. Myself, being a
hobby musican whom tries to do as much as possible inside the computer, I find I
lack the possibility to edit/play atleast a sequenced drumtrack along with the
other tracks.
I'm used to programs like VST where you get it all integrated, someday Ardour
will get midi editing also, but it will probably not happen this year. Until
then I don't think Ardour is my cup of tea. But my limited knowledge on Ardours
inner workings might stop me from realising ways to circumvent this...
Triggering a sequencing app on the side is something I've never tried, don't
know if the apps to do it exists? It should be a way to have both worlds though...
- Lastly, lots of linux audio programs today support LADSPA plugins. Most plugs
are supplied by the honorable Steve Harris, whom has made a great job providing
us with some excellent plugins. But still there are some areas where it would be
nice to have really high quality plugs. I'm thinking mainly of Reverb (existing
ones are good, but not great), compressors (and for me, auto tuners 8-).
Personally I've got a pet project trying to provide the glue to run Windows-VST
plugins in a Linux environment by using Wine. I would guesstimate that
performance might drop quite a bit. Perhaps 50%. But as long as we lack the
functionality provided by commercial VST plugs it doesn't matter that much, to
me anyway.
But...progress is extremely slow, so if anyone wishes to help out, would be great.
Regards,
Robert
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