The linux DAW thread

[glokraw]

@ codec_spurt, and audiojunkie: you guys have some seriously
good resume creds You are more like ship captains, while I'm a guy clinging to a life-raft.

Still, I'm having great fun, and appreciate and rely on the many linux users in many forums who share their experience and passion, some of which can be passed around here.

Would be cool if a bunch of linux musicians could have a booth
and perhaps performances at

https://www.socallinuxexpo.org/scale/19x

Cheers

[audiojunkie]

OK, here's something fun for all Linux users that may help new users:

If you were were putting together an "Essentials Set" of LV2/VST instrument and effect plugins that you would recommend for new users to Linux, what would you suggest, and why?

I'll start:

For instruments:

* Linux Sampler (LinuxSampler / QSampler Front End / GigEdit)
* Sfizz
* Vee One Suite (Samplv1, Synthv1, Drumkv1, Padthv1)
* Surge
* Vitalium
* ZynAddSubFX
* Helm
* Dexed
* DrumGizmo
* Odin 2
* AVL Drums
* Xhip
* Tunefish v4

Misc Instrument and Plugin-host/wrapper:

* Carla

For effects:

* MDA-LV2 Suite
* AirWindows Suite
* LSP Suite
* Tal-Software Free Plugins Suite
* DragonFly Reverb Suite
* Xhip Effects Suite
* Ardour-LV2 Plugins Suite
* GVST Plugins Suite

Why? First, because almost all of these are high-quality open source programs that are either already in default repos, or very easily available on the developer sites (The exception being Vital's open source equivalent, Vitalium, which is too new, yet too cool to leave out). Second, nearly every base of an essential music-making tools set is here: Samplers, Synths, Drums, and various effects covering all bases. Third, because each of these plugins have a great track record for working well, being well supported and sounding great.

What Are your favorites?

* Edit: I'm getting ready to add a new criteria to my list. I'm about to go through these plugins and prune out those that don't scale well for modern HiDPI systems. I'm trying to stay away from the outdated and stick with the modern. That's one of the reasons I left out Calf tools and why I didn't mention anything that uses JACK.

[audiojunkie]

@ codec_spurt, and audiojunkie: you guys have some seriously
good resume creds You are more like ship captains, while I'm a guy clinging to a life-raft.

Still, I'm having great fun, and appreciate and rely on the many linux users in many forums who share their experience and passion, some of which can be passed around here.

Would be cool if a bunch of linux musicians could have a booth
and perhaps performances at

https://www.socallinuxexpo.org/scale/19x

Cheers

This would be a really cool way to represent what is available for Linux users of all types!

[farlukar]

in default repos, or very easily available on the developer sites (The exception being Vital's open source equivalent, Vitalium, which is too new, yet too cool to leave out).

On Debian-based distros you can add the KXStudio repository, or just download the vitalium .deb

[audiojunkie]

in default repos, or very easily available on the developer sites (The exception being Vital's open source equivalent, Vitalium, which is too new, yet too cool to leave out).

On Debian-based distros you can add the KXStudio repository, or just download the vitalium .deb

Very true! It's also in the Arch AUR. I just didn't count it because It wasn't something that you can easily find a dedicated webpage/download site for, aside from source code.

[glokraw]

If you were were putting together an "Essentials Set" of LV2/VST instrument and effect plugins that you would recommend for new users to Linux, what would you suggest, and why?
What Are your favorites?

Aside from jackd connections being a must for me, for sheer fun and versatility, I would add these to your list, because they are really good:

decentsampler (linux version uses a custom and now well documented sample format)

yoshimi (many different capabilites, is based on old zynaddsubfx code, and the old zyn sounds are compatible with new yoshimi's.

amsynth (19 banks?!)

nils K1 synth

phasex

hydrogen (pattern-kit-based drums + sundry sample playing machine

Vital (prefer to use it based on proximity to stockpiles of wavetables and presets pouring in to the discord page, from around the world. And Mr Tytel, the author, is a nice guy.

rakarrack multi-effects (and jalv hosting individual rkr plugins) and now there are rkr lv2 ports

surge effects rack

guitarix (and gx plugins)

timemachine jackd enabled recorder

audacity editor recorder

Patroneo (sequencing with ez gui)

Reaper adding solid lv2 support is awesome.

Competing Linvst and Yabridge plugin wrappers is olympic-size awesome...

[Passing Bye]

Don't miss out on Linux:
Oxe FM Synth
MVerb2020
LoudMax
ChowTape
TbT Plugins

[audiojunkie]

Hehe!! I started out mentioning just open source, easily accessible LV2/VST plugins...... but why not open things up?

Mention everything that you find essential that you think a new Linux user might enjoy—even freeware and commercial standout items!

[audiojunkie]

As far as commercial stuff goes, there are lots and lots to choose from, but I’ll mention two companies that stand out well in my mind:

Uhe and TAL-Software

Great products from great developers!

[audiojunkie]

DiscoDSP is another developer with great products!

[lunardigs]

I've come to really like the Audio Assault stuff. They specialize in guitar amp emulations. Many of which are the heavy metal sort. Which, of course is a particular taste. Yet, their general mixing tools are quite good and unique. For instance, they have multiband transient tool. Plus, they have a multiband saturation tool. Both are very useful!

Auburn Sounds is another commercial brand that makes good stuff. Harrison offers their AVA suite of plugins for Linux. Tracktion offers some good stuff too.

On the free side, you have the LSP suite; GVST; Decent Sampler; Flos Audio; Calf Audio; Guitarix ... loads of other stuff, more than I can recall--just search KVR with the Linux filter if you already haven't.
https://www.kvraudio.com/plugins/the-ne ... gins/linux

[glokraw]

discoDSP Bliss Sampler is great when you get locked into some Vital or Diva sound that wants your cpu as a special guest for lunch

For those on a budget, U-he have several fine free linux synths,
referred to as 'betas', ( like a BMW, Benz, or Porsche is a beta )

viewtopic.php?f=292&t=564393

ZebraCM
Zebralette (part of the Zebra2-demo install)
TyrellN6 (follow their link to amazona.de)
TripleCheese (just got a new preset browser)
Podolski
BazilleCM (magazineware, but also downloadable)
Beatzille (similar, but from Beat Magazine instead of
ComputerMusicMagazine )
Protoverb (a reverb randomizer created to allow users to aid in
finding cool verbs for later U-he productions (I think that was the story)
Cheers

[Passing Bye]

...

[Guenon]

Really good stuff. I'll add, as Jack has been mentioned, my favorite way of managing Jack configuration and connections (with the included toolset): Cadence https://kx.studio/Applications:Cadence

If you go that route and all-in Jack, consider also experimenting with the Pulseaudio Jack sink (pulseaudio-module-jack in Debian based distributions) if it's not around already, and then you can also have everyday applications like the browser and media players etc. consumer stuff output audio at the same time you are doing audio/music in actual DAWs and whatnot, and you can route those sources, too, in a Cadence toolset wire patcher display and interconnect all such software as well, just like that.

[audiojunkie]

Here's a tip that "MAY" be even easier and better than DrumGizmo for powerful Pro-audio, commercial-style drum setups:

Use sfizz and make each individual kit piece a separate SFZ file (pointing to the GM midi note assignment, samples mapped to velocity, and any round robins mapped. That way, the SFZ files can be shared and people only need to buy the pro samples. You'd just have to load an sfizz instance for each kit piece used, set Midi channel to 10, and point each instance to the midi file. You would be able to individually set per track (automation, volume, panning, fx, etc. Also, there would be no limit to the number of kit pieces in a kit (ie Drums, cymbals, snare, etc). Also, if you have multiple sfz kits with different kit pieces (as separate SFZ patches), you could swap out kit pieces from other kits.

As icing on the cake, there are multiple tools for mapping SFZ files easily, including a GUI based method, using DiscoDSP's Bliss sampler.

Pros:

* People can buy commercial kits (like Drumdrops.com for instance), and share SFZ mappings legally
* Lots of available high quality drums kits are currently and freely available
* sfizz is a Direct from Disk (DFD) sample player, so HUGE drum kits can be used
* Much cheaper than commercial, Pro-audio products, with almost the same feature set
* Will work with almost any SFZ player (no obsolescence)
* Multiple easy ways to map SFZ files
* Fully Linux Native

Cons:

* SFZ kits have to be made at least once by someone before being able to be shared