Linux Audio

I've used Mixxx extensively in clubs and live events, feel free to ask any questions

PipeWire 0.3.76 (2023-07-28) This is a quick bugfix release that is API and ABI compatible with previous 0.3.x releases.

Highlights

Fix a regression that would cause the MPV pipewire backend to fail because of a spurious thread-loop signal. Fix a crash when DBus is not found. ALSA hires timestamps are now disabled by default. Some more fixes and improvements.

PipeWire

A new option was added to pw-thread-loop to signal when the thread starts. This is only used in module-rt to avoid regressions in mpv. (#3374) Fix a compilation problem. Stream flags now only set the properties when not already set. This fixes a regression with node autoconnect. (#3382)

Tools

pw-cat will now stop when the stream is disconnected. (#2731) Improve the pw-cat man page, mention that stdin/stdout handling is only on raw data.

modules

module-rt will now not crash when dbus is not available but error out as before. A new VBAN (vb-audio.com) sender and receiver was added. (#3380)

SPA

Add an option in audioconvert to disable volume updates. (#3361) ALSA hires timestamps are disabled by default because many drivers seem to give wrong timestamps and cause extra delay.

bluetooth

LE Audio support is now enabled by default when liblc3 is available now that bluez has support for detecting the hardware features.

Title says it all: what have you produced using our beloved FOSS tools?

Hey i am considering switchibg to Linux. I learned that it might be possible to use all my vsts theough yabridge. My main Problem is that maschine mk3 is not officially supported. Is there a solution for this?

Sorry I don't know if cross posting is a faux pas.

Highlights

-Fix a critical bug where audio to bluetooth devices would cut out randomly. (#3316) -Improve RAOP compatibility. -Avoid crashes after an update. -Small fixes and improvements.

PipeWire

-Mix info on port is now created explicitly. -Remove the node as a driver peer when stopping. This caused some problem with playback on and other remote bluetooth devices. (#3316) -Work on avoiding crashes when loading new modules that use internal API with old libpipewire. This is typical after an update where the old library is still loaded by an application but when a new stream is created, updated modules are loaded. (#3243)

Modules

-The RTP source module now has an option to ignore the SSRC, which is useful to continue to receive the stream when the sender is restarted. -The native protocol will refuse to load twice now instead of silently ignoring the error. -module-raop is compatible with more devices. (#3247)

SPA

-plugins will now warn when running out of buffers. This is always a bad thing. -Merge scope based cleanup macros. -Add ratelimit function.

I've been struggling to get Superior Drummer working with Ardour through yabridge. (It seems to work but I get no window to view SD in so I'm not sure?) However, even if I launch SD through Bottles, I have no drum sounds installed since I had trouble getting the Sound Libraries installed.

That is besides the point, though, as I don't necessarily need Superior Drummer specifically... My goal is to be able to pick from a list of drum riffs, set a tempo, and drop them into Ardour some how to then record guitar over. Bonus if there are any good metal drum tracks to use, and bigger bonus if there are options outside of 4/4.

I really know nothing in this space and can only use Ardour enough to record my guitar input. Is there any software out there that can make this simple for me?

(I prefer free software but am willing to torrent and try any Windows stuff if need be).

I've dabbled a bit with using Ardour and FOSS synthesizer plugins lately. I'm no expert, have only ever been in the dabble stage (played around with FL studio 6 when I was a kid). But I have gotten the urge to try to use a hardware synthesizer after watching a youtube video of using an old DAW on an Atari to control a budget 80s synth. (Video for those interrested).

I like the idea of being limited to a certain set of hardware, as it can get the creative juices flowing, when I have a limited set of knobs to turn for example, to get the most out of it. So I've impulse-ordered a second hand Roland SH-32 desktop synth (still waiting for it to arrive), that I should in theory be able to have 4 instruments at the same time from what I've understood.

Does anyone here have experience setting up hardware synths with a DAW on linux? I have an audio interface with MIDI in and out, so I should be able to connect it to a DAW in theory. Wondering if it is possible for the DAW to set up the correct settings on the synth through MIDI, when I open the project in the DAW.

I know I'm a bit early to ask since I haven't even gotten the hardware yet 😅. But I'm exited to try something new 🙂

What is your software/hardware set up?

I'm currently running Ubuntu, but the way things are going with snap et Al I'm looking to move to something else soon.

My software setup has barely changed in a long time. Ardour is the core of all my production, I use qjackctl for handling Jack, Hydrogen for drums and then occasionally throw in a bit of Renoise or Bitwig for extra synth/sampler needs. I like to keep it simple and this really works for me.

What do you use?

I'm running Ubuntu Studio and Ardour on my aging HP laptop, and I'm considering getting something better.

When I bought the laptop I wasn't doing anything with audio production and was on a tight budget. Now that I do more with audio (and a bit with video) I'd like something more powerful.

I travel a lot for my job so a laptop is much preferred. Any tips for good, midrange machines or specs I should look out for?

I'm a professional instrumentalist and I've begun tinkering with digital audio production , hoping to start a side career composing digital music.

I've been working with Linux in general for over 15 years, and I'd like to stick with it, but I'm wondering if its actually viable in the professional world. It seems like most professionals are working with Ableton or other commercial software. I'm learning and working with Ardour, which seems great, but I wonder if I shouldn't be investing my time in software that will be more useful longterm.

Anyone here have thoughts/experience with this?

Short version: Please tell me your favourit distro(s) for making music and why.

Long version/my use case: I've actually recently decided to migrate to a laptop setup from desktop. I've already decided on the laptop and will be running a dual boot setup. I think between SuperCollider, Pd, and Reaper, Linux could have me mostly (maybe completely) covered.

It's tempting to just go for Ubuntu Studio or AV Linux, as they seems to have plenty of stuff ready to go. But at the same time I kind of know the apps I want to use, and (I assume) I can just get them myself for just about any other distro. I don't want to pick a distro just because it comes with a bunch of semi-relevant stuff. But maybe it's worth doing just that?

If it helps, my background is DAWs (Cubase and Reaper mainly) with softsynth, a little bit of eurorack and a chunk of VCV Rack, and a sprinkling of MaxMSP. I also have a monome Norns shield, for which I am attempting to learn Lua. I have no background in programming but I am drawn to learning SuperCollider as well. I have both 5 pin and usb midi controllers, and a Steinberg UR22 mkII.

When I fire up a vid to watch on my netbook there is often no sound. If I play an audio file the sound works correctly. If I then go back to the vid and play it again the sound works just fine. I have a desktop machine with the same setup and this is never a issue. Has anyone else come across this?

Software:

KDE neon

VLC (but the problem is the same with any vid player)

Qmmp

ETA: A recent update appears to have fixed this problem.

Hello - I decided to start a community for all things audio on Linux based operating systems. Linux may not be the obvious choice for pro audio, but it's customisability lends itself to a plethora of workflows that aren't possible on other systems.

Let's start this off! Comment with some music that you have made on Linux!