Brad Fuller wrote:
> It's not using the plugins you're used to ... it's a matter of
> finding the right tool for the job. I'm happy to switch and I switch
> around all the time. The plugins available on Mac and Windows (or just
> mac, or just windows) are just not as extensive, or as deep on Linux.
> The Wave Gold package alone has probably more plugins than all of
> LADSPA combined (ok, don't quote me... I didn't count them -- just
> making a point) and they are very good.
I've also noted that many of the freely available VST plugins are nice
but not especially nicer than some of the LADSPA plugins or some of the
native Linux standalone synths. The commercial stuff tends to be better
for all the obvious reasons. Quantity is of course no very useful
criterion here.
Me, I'm happy to be able to use LADSPA, VST/VSTi, and DSSI plugins on
the same system. Can't do that elsewheres, I think.
As Chris Cannam said, now all we need is for more people to write more
DSSI plugins. :)
> There are no apps like Acid, Reason, Kontakt, Absynth, etc. on linux.
> I'm not suggesting that there be Linux clones. I'm just trying to say
> that Linux just doesn't have the application breadth of the other two
> OSs.
From my POV it's just the opposite, but that's because I use sound and
music software with which you may have little or no familiarity (I'll be
happy if I'm wrong). Every piece of software you've mentioned so far has
been a commercial package, but some of the most powerful software I use
has no commercial counterparts. Much as the progams you've mentioned are
nice and all, none has the depth of Csound5 or the compositional
flexibility of Common Music, and I note that the Windows versions of
those programs are not nearly so well-developed as their Linux versions.
> What we need is for NI or Waves or <fill in here> to produce their
> wares for Linux. (please don't throw anything at me.)
> I don't think the competition will hurt FOSS but only encourage better
> and better linux audio software -- free or for cost.
>
It's likely to happen, but it'll be a slow transition. And of course all
the disadvantages that come with commercial software will arrive here
too, e.g., odious licenses, closed-sources, proprietary attitudes
towards development, insensitivity to users, updates only at the
company's leisure, and of the complete disappearance of support and even
product when the company decides to terminate. Well, you do get what you
pay for, and what you pay for includes all that crap.
Weird, isn't it ? You don't actually own the stuff you pay for, but you
do own the free stuff.
> leonard "paniq" ritter wrote:
>
>> to support your point, paul (which i find amusing), i wonder why
>> someone would insist on using VST binaries. most of them are unstable
>> and each one has its own interpretation of what the standard looks
>> like. the result is a lot of hacked win32 hosts that most of the time
>> only run 80% of all available plugins.
>>
> They fool around with WINE/etc because the VSTs get the job done. I'm
> sure if they found a tool on Linux that could do the job, they'd use
> it... or at least, I would.
Frankly, this ought to be anyone's bottom line (unless you're RMS of
course). I happen to like the Crystal VSTi synth and I'm quite pleased
to be able to use it under Linux. As many of you know, my favorite MIDI
sequencer is Voyetra's Sequencer Plus, which runs beautifully under
DOSemu. I also love the JACK Rack, Holborn's midirgui, QJackCtl, Ardour,
Hydrogen, and many other native Linux soundapps. So the environment here
at Studio Dave is somewhat hybrid, because that's how I can get my work
done to best effect.
> I'm with Dave:
> "I find it more astonishing than amusing" that the windows VSTs work
> at all!
Indeed. Sometimes I think that Kjetil, Paul, and Torben were all just
having a lark at making such a thing possible, *because in Linux you can
do that sort of thing*. They may have even been a bit surprised at the
reactions prompted by their little utilities, but the cat is definitely
out of the bag now. Personally, I look forward to continued development
of the VST -> Linux bridge, it's certainly of value to me in my own
music production.
Btw, I only recently got around to testing the dssi-vst software. It
worked perfectly under Demudi 1.2.1, kudos to Chris C and all the RG crew.
Best,
dp
Received on Sat Aug 6 20:15:07 2005
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