A Good Linux Distro For Music Production?

[skijumptoes]

If you're struggling with Windows then Linux will be next level headaches unless you feel at home within that environment, and know the architecture.

And I think Studio One 6.5 requires Ubuntu and Wayland, so you need to be aware of that when asking for distros. The Presonus knowledgebase article is worth reading to see what's involved:
https://support.presonus.com/hc/en-us/a ... ng-Started

[FrettedSynth]

What do you mean by control panel? Do you mean those control panels that comes with an interface for setups?

Yep that would be the one! Many control panels only set sample rate and buffer size (some allow setting the number of periods). The sample rate, buffer and # of periods are set within the host DAW on Linux. So what that means is any audio interface that has onboard DSP or routing in the control panel will have no access to them controls (kinda). There have been some interfaces that were so popular a control panel was written, have read of control panels being created for newer interfaces.
So if the interface is class compliant, no onboard DSP, and has a switch\button on the device for routing it should work.

Have a few old Maudio delta cards 2496, 4x4 and 1010 that a control panel was written called Mudita24 (yep strange names in Linux). All have been tested and still work although 20 year old cards they sound great.

Not trying to persuade anyone to use Linux! Use what works best for you. For me that would be Linux. And please don't think your experience with Linux explains the whole picture.

[chk071]

If you're struggling with Windows then Linux will be next level headaches unless you feel at home within that environment, and know the architecture.

Especially when you want to fiddle with audio...

[BBFG#]

Regardless of the reasons to switch, the on topic question to answer is which Linux distro are people using for music production.

Windows trolling is irrelevant at this point.

[dellboy]

Regardless of the reasons to switch, the on topic question to answer is which Linux distro are people using for music production.

Windows trolling is irrelevant at this point.

It used to really matter what distro you used for music making, because setting up audio and low latency kernels was difficult and not for beginners, but in recent times that has all changed and just about any distro is ok to use. So its subjective. But in my subjective opinion, for people moving from Windows it does not get any easier than Linux mint.

[BBFG#]

Regardless of the reasons to switch, the on topic question to answer is which Linux distro are people using for music production.

Windows trolling is irrelevant at this point.

It used to really matter what distro you used for music making, because setting up audio and low latency kernels was difficult and not for beginners, but in recent times that has all changed and just about any distro is ok to use. So its subjective. But in my subjective opinion, for people moving from Windows it does not get any easier than Linux mint.

Will be checking it out today. Thanks!

[dellboy]

Regardless of the reasons to switch, the on topic question to answer is which Linux distro are people using for music production.

Windows trolling is irrelevant at this point.

It used to really matter what distro you used for music making, because setting up audio and low latency kernels was difficult and not for beginners, but in recent times that has all changed and just about any distro is ok to use. So its subjective. But in my subjective opinion, for people moving from Windows it does not get any easier than Linux mint.

Will be checking it out today. Thanks!

i should have said that Linux Mint is the easiest to use if you just want to install Bitwig and only use its internal plugins. Getting external VSTs into Mint requires installing something like "yabridge", and I am not sure if that has got easier to install in recent months, I always struggle getting it working. Apparently, Arch Linux and Manjaro have it in their repositories and it can be downloaded from there, but I have no experience of this.

[THE INTRANCER]

If you're struggling with Windows then Linux will be next level headaches unless you feel at home within that environment, and know the architecture.

And I think Studio One 6.5 requires Ubuntu and Wayland, so you need to be aware of that when asking for distros. The Presonus knowledgebase article is worth reading to see what's involved:
https://support.presonus.com/hc/en-us/a ... ng-Started

Thanks, I assumed it wasn't specific to a certain distro. I used Linux Mint as a backup OS (tested out a few others) whilst I continued with Windows 7 64 Bit on my main I7 desktop system for over 4 years. Sure it was a learning process but I got stuff to work. The pivoting thing that pushed me to upgrade to Windows 10 was that Studio One eventually required it and that it unlocked all the RAM I have in my system, 20 Gigs worth. I had to install third-party utilities and design my own graphics to make Windows 10 look half-decent, whilst Windows 11 is worse than Windows 8 in getting basic functionality right even after two years. Amiga Workbench has to be the most reliable OS I've ever used.

---

My understanding was that Linux Mint was based on Ubuntu's foundations, so compatibility was more likely to provide the core compatibility as Ubuntu was developed. I'm just recalling how I percieved Mints development cycle. So I'm curious about how strict it is when it comes to distro's and having Studio One work. I experimented in trying to get Studio One 2.6 to work via WINE in the past which was interesting but even in a limited capacity it would be interesting to see how easier it is now to get Studio One 6.5 to work in Linux.

[BBFG#]

My goal setup is Bitwig/Waveform with native Linux plugins from Pianoteq, u-he and the four Tracktion synths to start.

[? ? ?]

What do you mean by control panel? Do you mean those control panels that comes with an interface for setups?

Yep that would be the one!

Got it. Thanks for the detailed Information!

And please don't think your experience with Linux explains the whole picture.

Truth. That could be said for computing in general. Cheers!

[rlared]

There are a lot of factors thay have to be considered to decide what distro is best for your use case. For me, Fedora works fantastic with Bitwig Flatpak. I use Fedora because it checks all my boxes... works with secure boot, Pipewire and Wayland work perfectly and are set up by default, I like their philosophy and community, they push innovation and work closely with upstream projects, supported by Red Hat. If you want to use Pipewire, which I really like, then I would suggest using a distro that has newer packages like non-LTS Ubuntu, Fedora, Arch, etc. Need to know exactly what you want to use and what hardware you have to really give more info.

Edit: I just saw the note that Studio One is adding Linux support, that's amazing! Most software developers seem to be targeting Ubuntu LTS so that is probably your most headache free option if you want just plug and play. For me I'd prefer to not use Ubuntu for other reasons. But if I were you I'd start there. Studio One is using Ubuntu 23.04 (which is not LTS) with Jack for audio for the beta FYI. But I'd bet they will add Pipewire support at some point.

[dan_flash]

In my opinion, try AV Linux just for simplicity. It's like an all-in-one just-switch-on-and-go distro and I've heard nothing but good stuff about it.

Next best option - Linux Mint 21.x then download the Ubuntu Studio Installer then add the low latency kernel / audio packages / anything else you need from there. It's very easy and Mint is a fantastic distro.

I also used the Debian version of Mint in the past and it was grand but nowadays I just use the normal version (have a bunch of software installed but only really use Ardour and some plugs like Redux and Speedrum these days, along with amp/cab sims, sometimes use Renoise or Reaper, etc). It's all a whole lot better and easier than it used to be.

Also, check out the ACMT Linux ugins if you want some world class bread and butter plugs.

[audiojunkie]

There is no such thing, Good and Linux are diametrically opposed.
You should find out the cause, if it was the updates or Windows everyone would be screaming.
I'll go for hardware, have you run (Good)tests on your RAM and hard drives, if they pass the standard tests go for the advanced/long tests. I forget the names of the tools but . .

I remember going to Linux many years ago for a few years, it felt good, you were together with a group of 'believers', you were sticking it to the man (Microsoft), yeah life was good, except for the actual computing experience, but you kept on. One day you actually escaped and went back to Microsoft/Windows and it hit you like a brick in the face, how easy things were, they weren't convoluted procedures to achieve the same thing, you were no longer limited to what Software and Hardware you could use, you weren't presented with these dinky little replacement apps, you could use the real thing, and all you can think is 'never again, never again'.

I'd seriously think twice and try and find the issue on your end, but if you choose to go it will certainly be an adventure, and if you are lucky enough to escape its clutches (It's like a Cult or a Clan or something) don't look back.

Your comments just lost you ALL credibility. "...many years ago...", huh........ That tells me all that I need to know about your current Linux knowledge. Things are nowhere near the way things were years ago. Things are nowhere near where they were even 5 years ago. We are now in the process of making a giant leap from where we were just two years ago. Things are as easy as Windows and Mac these days, and those days of "many years ago" are long, long past. If I were you, for credibility's sake, I'd get some updated knowledge about the state of Linux before spouting off out of date BS that makes you look uneducated. Sorry if that sounds offensive, but someone had to say it.

[audiojunkie]

Many things have changed in the past couple of years. More DAWs and plugins now support Linux. AV Linux 21.1 has been the most stable system I have ever used for audio. YMMV?

The issue is finding audio interfaces that work with Linux out of the box. Last I checked there is only one by Focusrite iirc.
Things do change fairly rapidly in computerl land so if at least Zoom would support Linux Id be tempted to switch from Windows.

This is no issue at all. Linux fully supports Class Compliant audio. Everything that runs on iOS automatically runs, plug-n-play, on Linux as well. Many MacOS devices work perfectly as well. The only thing you have to worry about is to make sure your sound card has access to all of its functionality through the interface of the device, and not through software. Because any software managed DSP is custom coded through the OS, and is not part of Class Compliant audio. Aside from that, everything simply works--without even bothering with drivers.

[audiojunkie]

I have have a first generation NI K6, behringer UMC204HD, old Lexicon alpha and Maudio Mtrack. All work perfect using alsa both audio and MIDI. Any class compliant interface that does not need the control panel for setup should work.

Forgot to mention, can run them all at lower latencies while pushed then on Windows without xruns. Again YMMV

This ^^