Linux builds overview (2024-02-16)

[Subarumannen]

Hello, are there any plans on releasing builds for Uhbik 2 for linux ? It's been like years since the other platforms got Uhbik 2 stuff to evaluate and give feedback on. There seems to be a lot of good things happening with 2.0 but I am just guessing.

Ok, thanks for the update.
I have not been monitoring theses threads lately so I was not certain.

[oddy.o.lynx]

I am going to once again urge u-he developers to add MTS-ESP support for their Linux builds (hopefully sooner than later) and wondering why it has not being implemented, as this feature has already been added to the MAC and WIN builds. Could you give us an explanation as to why the Linux versions are being held back?

Currently the following open source synths; Dexed, Surge XT, OB-XD, and Monique register as clients with MTS-ESP using Entonal Studio (in Linux ). As well, I've tested TAL-BassLine-101, TAL-J-8, TAL-MOD, TAL-Sampler, and TAL-U-No-LX as well as Audio Damage's Continua, Phosphor and Quanta... all successfully register as MTS-ESP clients.

Thanks

[tasmaniandevil]

wondering why it has not being implemented, as this feature has already been added to the MAC and WIN builds. Could you give us an explanation as to why the Linux versions are being held back?

We implemented MTS-ESP right around its introduction.
At the time it was introduced, there was no Linux version available (I still don't see any mention of Linux support on their homepage).

The developer who implemented it at that time isn't working here anymore, so one of the other developers needs to find the time to dive into the code and implement it.
MTS-ESP support for Linux is just one of many, many things on our to-do list, and it's not the highest priority right now.

[oddy.o.lynx]

I totally understand. Having TUN support is still there and much appreciated.

It's true OddSound hadn't released a Linux client but they do have a Linux build of 'libMTS.so' available at github, which is used by Entonal Studio (and now Surge XT) to be MTS-ESP Master which both work in Linux. It's new I'll agree, and there was an issue with memory leaking in Linux and apparently also OSX. It appears to be nipped in the bud as the latest nightly of Surge can act as the MTS-ESP source... with the issue in Linux if not resolved no longer an eyesore.

At least it's something that can work now (in LInux). If it isn't too much hassle it will be greatly appreciated.

[gwahorton]

I can also totally understand it's not a priority, but MTS-ESP support on Linux would be OVERWHELMINGLY WONDERFUL for me too

[oddy.o.lynx]

Any movement on this?

Entonal Studio and Surge XT can act as MTS-ESP master/source. There's no need for Oddsound to create a Linux build (although that would be wonderful too).

I can't imagine integration into the Linux u-he builds would be that difficult or time consuming.

Here is a list of Linux synths that have MTS-ESP support included.

Dexed, Ob-Xd, Surge XT, Monique, Quanta, Phosphor, Continua, TAL-BassLine-101, TAL-J-8, TAL-MOD,
TAL-Sampler, TAL-U-No-LX, Chow Kick, Piantoeq, VCVRack MTS-ESP modules, Shortcircuit XT (in development)

All of them work flawlessly.

As it stands any of those synths that I do not have licenses for are on the top of my next to own list.

I have a license for ACE and Diva. I was very interested in getting Hive, Bazille and Zebra. However, purchasing any u-he synths are not the highest priority for me right now.

[tasmaniandevil]

I can't imagine integration into the Linux u-he builds would be that difficult or time consuming.

Then you probably never dealt with software development.
The first time we tried to get it working on Linux, our Linux builds didn't work anymore.

We are currently trying it again, but one hurdle is to actually test it.
Got both the Entonal Studio demo and Surge XT installed on a Ubuntu Studio Linux, but cannot even get those two to recognize each other. Something must be missing, still investigating this.

[glokraw]

I think an AVLinux distro install covers the Debian base, without the extra content typical of Ubuntu releases. (I've used the Ubuntu Studio recently, without issues) An advantage of AVLinux is that it comes with wine and wineasio set up, as well as linux reaper, and the yabridge plugin wrapper, so you can use the windows versions of plugins as well as your linux builds, and might glean some lucky test results from the diversity. (I still have the original V8.06 cover dvd of Ubuntu Studio, almost as old as my cars Glad you have an in-house test setup!
Cheers

[ahanysz]

I would think that testing on a fairly mainstream distro would make a lot of sense, rather than making things depend on some special setup. In any case, I'm grateful that U-he are developing on Linux at all. Keep up the good work :-)

[glokraw]

I think the majority of linux based musicians are using custom media distros, or their own paired-down setups, as the do-it-all distros that are fine and great for soho users, introduce myriad complexities that can muddy the waters for coders producing things as highly focussed as audio plugins. Avlinux has the MX-Linux debian repositories set up, to access the full range of debian packages. The U-he plugins great gui's, from what I've read, were not easy to port, with conflicts appearing between various gui toolkits needed to create a popular all-encompassing distro. The mac/win systems don't ship with their own multi-purpose software repositories that are typical in debian and rpm based distros. We're fortunate with the abundance of both OS and plugin choices!
(I'm not a coder, so I hope I'm not just blowing smoke )
Cheers

[oddy.o.lynx]

Got both the Entonal Studio demo and Surge XT installed on a Ubuntu Studio Linux, but cannot even get those two to recognize each other. Something must be missing, still investigating this.

You would need to put libMTS.so in /usr/local/lib
and MTS-ESP.conf in /usr/local/etc for IPC to work
(a reboot may be necessary)

you can get them here -> https://github.com/ODDSound/MTS-ESP/tree/main/libMTS

IPC support is enabled by default -> ipc_support = 1

I have been involved with the Surge Synth Team as a tester and general Linux gadfly since we were on Slack, well before VST3 was even a thing in Linux and way before we ported to JUCE. I am not a developer just a Linux gearhead and power user. I can help with testing and provide insights.

Adding MTS-ESP to u-he synths for Linux builds would be a huge 'development'.

[glokraw]

Adding MTS-ESP to u-he synths for Linux builds would be a huge 'development'.

Hi, could you post or link to some music example(s) made possible by the MTS-ESP implementation in Surge, or other instruments you're familiar with? I've read that microtonality can be good to freshen up film scores, where there are quite a few instrumental cliches that even scoring mavens rely on, to meet typical producer and audience expectations.

I found this example of (I think) microtonality mentioned regarding the film
'There Will Be Blood', the song is Jonny Greenwood's 'Henry Plainview'.

https://open.spotify.com/track/3rifd83YtOOoygIld2vTqD

Maybe U-he team or devotees recall microtonal examples from Hans Zimmer's efforts in recent years? Or?
Cheers

[oddy.o.lynx]

@tasmaniandevil

Apologies for being a PIA. If this could get done I'd obviously be ecstatic. Thanks for even considering it.

[tasmaniandevil]

You would need to put libMTS.so in /usr/local/lib
and MTS-ESP.conf in /usr/local/etc for IPC to work
(a reboot may be necessary)

Apologies for being a PIA. If this could get done I'd obviously be ecstatic. Thanks for even considering it.

Thanks a lot for those tips.
I already had the libMTS.so in place, and after your post here also added the MTS-ESP.conf file.
Still didn't work. After some hints from Oddsound's Oli, I noticed that, for some weird reason, I had named the file libmts.so, instead of libMTS.so.
Fixed that, now I can use Surge XT as the master to test our plugins. First check looks really good.
So the next Linux builds (whenever those will arrive - don't hold your breath yet) will most likely contain MTS-ESP support, if no unexpected issues arise.

[oddy.o.lynx]

Thanks a lot for those tips.
I already had the libMTS.so in place, and after your post here also added the MTS-ESP.conf file.
Still didn't work. After some hints from Oddsound's Oli, I noticed that, for some weird reason, I had named the file libmts.so, instead of libMTS.so.

Pesky Linux with its case sensitivity

Fixed that, now I can use Surge XT as the master to test our plugins. First check looks really good.
So the next Linux builds (whenever those will arrive - don't hold your breath yet) will most likely contain MTS-ESP support, if no unexpected issues arise.

Excellent news. Thanks for putting time and effort into this. Looking forward to trying this out once ready for test runs.