The linux DAW thread

[farlukar]

Very Linux beginner's question: is there a way to put a Linux distro on an old macbook and run a DAW in that? I'm just wondering if even researching that is worth the hassle.

If it's an Intel mac, yes.
You can run linux on Apple silicon, but I don't think there are many linux/ARM plugins.

[jules99]

Oh definitely worth looking into

This guys whole channel is pretty much running things on things you shouldnt so...

If it's an Intel mac, yes.
You can run linux on Apple silicon, but I don't think there are many linux/ARM plugins.

Thank you, both! Seems like my 2016 Macbook Pro will have a new purpose!

[ampetrosillo]

Linux on the consumer desktop is a meme. Linux on the professionals' desktop might happen sooner than later.

I am of the opinion that Linux for mundane tasks is more than ready. A "basic" user needs a browser, an office suite, an audio and video player, Spotify maybe? And a very limited number of other applications. It is set and forget for this kind of stuff, as long as your hardware is well-supported (which it is if it's at least a couple of years old, and probably new hardware is also well supported these days).

The missing applications tend to be the very specialised ones.

[ruralaudio]

Thank you, both! Seems like my 2016 Macbook Pro will have a new purpose!

I would suggest you try a couple of Distros to see which works best with your mac. I have had succes with Ubuntu, Zorin and more. Zorin even installed the network driver automatically.

You have a lot of good power in that machine still.

[avid_d]

I have been trying out various distros on my retired 2012 Macbook Pro over the last few weeks. (Linux Mint, Ubuntu, Zorin, Pop!_OS, AntiX, MXLinux KDE, MXLinux XFCE, Elementary OS, CachyOS).

MXLinux caused me the biggest headache in getting installed (it wouldn't instal from my Ventoy USB, whereas all the others would), but worked from a dedicated installation USB. That said, I settled on MXLInux XFCE - it worked immediately (even the Broadcom wifi) and is low on resource and very quick. My use case is simply to have a laptop I can take away when travelling for internet, email, local music files etc.

[ksandvik]

Linux on the consumer desktop is a meme. Linux on the professionals' desktop might happen sooner than later.

I am of the opinion that Linux for mundane tasks is more than ready. A "basic" user needs a browser, an office suite, an audio and video player, Spotify maybe? And a very limited number of other applications. It is set and forget for this kind of stuff, as long as your hardware is well-supported (which it is if it's at least a couple of years old, and probably new hardware is also well supported these days).

The missing applications tend to be the very specialised ones.

This could indeed be the case as MSoft with it's AI agents running amok inside Windows 11 and France, and now Denmark, trying to move governmental work to Linux open source office systems. Gamers are also abandoning Windows 11 if they know how to set up a working Linux distro environment -- lots of steam games work fine with Linux. So it's a start.

[NWSM]

Do not install Flatpak Bitwig on Debian System yet - use the DEB installer (called "Ubuntu" on Bitwig Website, even if you have not Ubuntu, its kinda miss-named).
Flatpak has issues using some Libraries.

[kaamos]

I'm running REAPER on Linux as my primary DAW. Not as an experiment, as a production environment for a real project.
The setup is not plug-and-play but it is not mysterious either. JACK or PipeWire for low-latency audio, a realtime kernel helps, and REAPER's Linux port is genuinely good. The VST3 ecosystem on Linux is smaller than Windows but it is growing. Most of what I need runs.
What I have learned: the Linux audio stack rewards people who want to understand what their system is actually doing. If that sounds like you, the friction pays off.
I'm building a VST3 FM synthesizer in this environment: Kaiku, free, open. Linux first.

github.com/jmcgill-public/kaiku

Työkalut ovat kunnossa. Musiikki on tehtävä itse.
The tools are fine. The music you have to make yourself.