A Good Linux Distro For Music Production?

[dellboy]

And Reaper just seems to work (mostly...)

Have you had a crash or something? The one thing that makes Reaper just about the best DAW out there for me is its stability. I really can't ever remember it crashing on Windows. ( Not sure about its stability on Linux)

[EnGee]

The reason I installed Linux is trying to restrict myself!

Is it working?

Yes! I'm writing from it as to speak. You need to try till you find the best distribution that works with your hardware. For me, it is Linux Mint Cinamon Edition (not Edge, which didn't load properly). The thing is I needed to boot the UFI partition from the usb stick then install it (on a separate external SSD) then it added Windows to the boot menu (third option).
https://www.linuxmint.com/download.php

I have been using it for the third or fourth day and it is very stable I don't miss my Mac or Windows really as I can do most of everything comfortably here, but of course there are things in Windows and Mac that I need access to, but they are not my go to OS now. This version of Linux Mint is simple and easy to use. I highly recommend it, but watch a video or two about installing it and some tips and tricks like this one:

I hear you... Just built a new desktop and thought it could be an adventure to try something different seriously (not just the annual boot from a USB stick for an hour or two...) I'm no professional (don't have hundreds invested in more expensive software etc) and my needs are modest so thought using a different toolset, limiting myself to linux native and a couple of essential vsts bridged could actually be inspiring. Not getting distracted by every freebie that gets released. I'm thinking like a guitarist putting his electric away for a while and just writing on acoustic for a change.

And Reaper just seems to work (mostly...) on AVLinux, two of my workhorse synths are pre-installed (surge and odin) so... happy days.

My setup is (for now, and mostly I will stick with it):
Bitwig Studio 5, Hive, Vital and Surge XT. No wine or bridge of anything as this can cover about 90% of what I need really.
I have my hardware also when I need it (DeepMind D12 and MODX). But till now I am only with software as Bitwig has really good synths.

If I went with Reaper (I have a license), I would probably use my hardware synths in addition to above synths because I need good drums, FM synth and instruments (covered by MODX) and analog synth (covered by DeepMind). I still wish if I have Diva, but it is ok, not a biggie!

[Artie Fichelle]

After using many debian based distros, I decided to use Debian itself. Rock solid. Everything working well, reaper, bitwig, I even did compile ardour 8. The only problem I
have is with studio one. Wonder why they need Pipewire.

[GaryG]

And Reaper just seems to work (mostly...)

Have you had a crash or something? The one thing that makes Reaper just about the best DAW out there for me is its stability. I really can't ever remember it crashing on Windows. ( Not sure about its stability on Linux)

No, it's been solid so far (as it is on Windows for me).

I just had one little niggle that I've actually solved this morning; using ALT and a mouse action wouldn't work (eg. alt + click an effect to delete it from the TCP list or alt dragging to change the curve of an envelope). The Windows Manager has accessibility options, by default in xcfe you can alt drag anywhere on a window to move it. I disabled that and now all good in Reaper.

[dellboy]

After using many debian based distros, I decided to use Debian itself. Rock solid. Everything working well, reaper, bitwig, I even did compile ardour 8. The only problem I
have is with studio one. Wonder why they need Pipewire.

For the moment, Studio One is no go for me - too many crackles. I tried it on Ubuntu and Fedora and its the same on both. A bit of a crash fest as well. I didn't know it was using Pipewire, it just says something like "Linux Audio Architecture". I can't even get Qjackctl to work with it either. Plain old Alsa works just great on Linux so why they have gone a different route is odd.

[edrickblade]

If you want a stable 100% compatibility with the standard DAWs, STAY ON WINDOWS 10, I had many problems with any linux distro with Waveform that some functions doesn't work in the linux version, ej. the external audio editor function simply doesn't appear in Wavefor 12 linux version, the latency and xruns in linux version is crazy, in windows version I don't have such issues.
My opinion, linux is good as a base for a developing workstation or as a server, but for a standard or audio production use is not, for that go to Windows 10(not 11) or Mac OS.

[Largos]

If you want a stable 100% compatibility with the standard DAWs, STAY ON WINDOWS 10, I had many problems with any linux distro with Waveform that some functions doesn't work in the linux version, ej. the external audio editor function simply doesn't appear in Wavefor 12 linux version, the latency and xruns in linux version is crazy, in windows version I don't have such issues.
My opinion, linux is good as a base for a developing workstation or as a server, but for a standard or audio production use is not, for that go to Windows 10(not 11) or Mac OS.

Reads like you had problems with one DAW rather than the operating system per se.

[GaryG]

I still have issues in Waveform on Windows that I had as a Tracktion user pushing twenty years ago. I wouldn't judge an OS on that codebase imo.

[audiojunkie]

If you want a stable 100% compatibility with the standard DAWs, STAY ON WINDOWS 10, I had many problems with any linux distro with Waveform that some functions doesn't work in the linux version, ej. the external audio editor function simply doesn't appear in Wavefor 12 linux version, the latency and xruns in linux version is crazy, in windows version I don't have such issues.
My opinion, linux is good as a base for a developing workstation or as a server, but for a standard or audio production use is not, for that go to Windows 10(not 11) or Mac OS.

You are giving advice about Linux and DAWs based on your personal experience with Waveform and an unmentioned Linux distro? It sounds like your problem is with Waveform and your personal configurations, yet you are offering out of scope advice encompassing all Linux distros and all DAWs.

Nice. Sounds like you are an expert on the subject.

I might as well advise everyone to take the train, because my preferred radio station doesn't work in my particular car I purchased. Never mind that I tried to make my car's radio pick up extra signals by messing with the wiring, which I know little about. Nevertheless, I don't have to worry about trains breaking down on me and the radio on the train plays the channel I like. So, in my opinion, cars serve as a good base for scientists driving for business or commercial purposes, but just because I can't get my car out of gear, everyone should not drive cars or use car radios.

Oh yeah, your experience proves you are well versed in the subject matter you are advising others on.

To those who are interested in Linux, but haven't used it yet, be aware that there are hundreds of Linux distros to choose from, and several very well regarded DAWs. I personally use Reaper. Many use Bitwig or Ardour or Mixbus -- standard DAWs. Many, many of us are successful and can happily advise that Linux works very well, with very low latency, when everything is set up and configured properly. There will be new users that try things without bothering to learn what configurations are required for Linux Audio, and without trying to resolve problems. These people ARE NOT AUTHORITIES on the subject matter. Please use caution when reading the advise they offer.

[Atlatnesiti]

I’m puzzled, not sure what make of it…
Definitely better option than win pc but what about Mac?
macOS is Unix

[Saffran]

My clean install of AVLinux on an HP machine is no more.
I couldn't get the scan of vst's recognized. Linux plugins seems to come as .so files. I got the impression that i had to use paths and commands in the terminal. That is a no go for me. One of them was a debian package and installed fine with doubleclick. Would be nice if more plugins come as a debian package.
Ardour daw workflow is absurd. You start with a display of the tracks and the master bus is already there. Fine. You ad a track with an instrument and it shows up besides the master bus. Fine. You play two notes to hear if you get a tone. Fine. Then you want to change the preset in the instrument. You have to see the instrument to do that. You can't. You have to do that on another page and you don't get any hints where that page are. Unless you read the manual.
It handled my second monitor badly. It was recognized and i could change, after lot of tries, the resolution and left and right placement. However i could not get it to use 60 Hz for the 17". The 25" used 60 Hz fine. I got different Hz for every try to change. From 50 to 120. The result was a constant flickering irritating the hell out of me.

I had a win10 license so i used that for a clean install of windows. There was no problems using double monitors.
Maybe i check out Linux again in about 5 years time.

[dellboy]

Many, many of us are successful and can happily advise that Linux works very well, with very low latency, when everything is set up and configured properly.

I think the point that @cupcakemusic was making is that there is generally no need to do anything with regards "set up" in either windows or OSX, they just work superbly out of the box. "Xruns" are non-existent in both Operating systems.

[edrickblade]

If you want a stable 100% compatibility with the standard DAWs, STAY ON WINDOWS 10, I had many problems with any linux distro with Waveform that some functions doesn't work in the linux version, ej. the external audio editor function simply doesn't appear in Wavefor 12 linux version, the latency and xruns in linux version is crazy, in windows version I don't have such issues.
My opinion, linux is good as a base for a developing workstation or as a server, but for a standard or audio production use is not, for that go to Windows 10(not 11) or Mac OS.

Reads like you had problems with one DAW rather than the operating system per se.

I had problems with all DAWs, Ardour, Qtractor, Muse, even Ardour work better in Windows than in Linux, in many distros I always have plugin crashing the DAWs, Xruns etc. I invest my time been in forums, configurations, patching kernels, realtime configurations and my music is stuck because I'm wasting too much time trying to configure a system to work as Windows works out of the box, I had problems even with Ubuntu Studio and AVL, is so hard(to not say is almost impossible) to find a substitute of the DAWs, plugins I use in Windows, Why there's not Cubase Linux version? plugins in yabridge works like virtual machine with graphic problems, there's no universal libraries in Linux, if something works in Ubuntu 22.04 it wont work in 22.10 because the libraries were updated, on the other side Windows is 99.9% compatible with every software in the Earth but it spy you.
Lets talk clear, it is hard to make contemporary music in Linux.

[markp]

None of them. I went back to Windows after trying Linux for music production.

[EnGee]

I'm still not giving up! I haven't installed wine or any bridge. Just using Bitwig with several 3rd party synths and effects. I'm even playing games on Steam daily not a single problem!