Good DAW for teaching on Linux / under Wine?

[elementalist]

Hi all

I'm in charge of choosing software for a youth music project at a community arts centre. Funding is limited, and also the computers are running linux.

I've already installed and used FL Studio under Wine for a course over the summer. Its a good one to teach with but I'd like to look into other options. I would love to use Ableton but a) its expensive and b) does not seem to run under Wine.

The IT guy wants to use native free/open source linux software but everything I've looked at looks a bit flaky, or is unstable on other platforms. I want these young people to learn something solid and transferable, so they can go home and use it, or their mates house, or even a music studio - I want to be teaching transferable skills/knowledge.


Current contenders are:

• Reaper - highly respected, cheap, runs well under Wine - steep learning curve
  
  FL Studio - well known, easy to learn, runs under Wine - not as "pro" and fiddly with complex arrangements and recording
  
  Renoise - native linux, intuitive tracker interface, strong following - tracker interface might put some people off
  
  Studio One - runs under Wine, intuitive workflow, all in one -
  
  Tracktion - native linux also, looking into this one ...

Any tips, suggestions, experience, much appreciated!

[Debby747]

Check out Ardour (http://ardour.org/), a native Linux DAW

Greetings
D.

[pc999]

I can use Reaper under Wine, well enough, only the 32 bits version, FLStudio also runs well enough it but both will easly bring your latency way too way for recording complex stuff with VST enabled, at least in a onboard soundcard.


Renoise (native Linux) runs very, very well, way better than on Windows.

The same can be said for Tracktion4 (it had some minor bugs but I think it is ok now).


But give a try at the native and open source LMMS, Ardour 3 or Qtraction, are a bit harder to use but very nice stuff.

You have a Ubuntu studio package and a KXstudio too, they will do much of the hard work.


Edit: just a minor correction

[elementalist]

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Thanks, however was put off by reading that sidechaining is either impossible or complicated in Ardour...

Check out Ardour (http://ardour.org/ (http://ardour.org/)), a native Linux DAW

Greetings
D.

[pljones]

I want these young people to learn something solid and transferable, so they can go home and use it, or their mates house, or even a music studio - I want to be teaching transferable skills/knowledge.

In which case explain what the techniques are and what they are for. The skills should be transferable to any toolset. Indeed, if you can demonstrate on several different studios, this will emphasise the point that the tool isn't what's important, it's the person using it.

I can't add to the list, though.

[chk071]

Won't you need licenses for every single computer then? Just wondering...

[elementalist]

Yes but there are educational / multi-user discounts for a lot of them, and we do have budget, not sure about up to £400 I think, max 6-7 computers.

Won't you need licenses for every single computer then? Just wondering...

[chk071]

Alright.

[jeffh]

Depending on exactly what you are teaching, PyDAW might suit your needs. It's solely aimed at dance music, and does lack some features that would be essential for recording a rock band or composing classical music.

If that doesn't turn you off, I dare say that it's the most stable open source DAW in all of Linux. It comes with a complete set of synth/sampler/effects plugins, so you won't need install anything else to use it...

Screenshots:

http://www.kvraudio.com/product/pydaw-by-pydaw
http://sourceforge.net/projects/libmodsynth/

Downloads:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/libmods ... es/pydaw4/

[killmaster]

I vote Tracktion.

[killmaster]

Tracktion! I've used the others. You really can't beat it for ease of use without sacrificing too much depth. I would think this is ideal
Software for teaching

[pc999]

Screenshots:

http://www.kvraudio.com/product/pydaw-by-pydaw
http://sourceforge.net/projects/libmodsynth/

Downloads:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/libmods ... es/pydaw4/

I forgot about PyDaw (probably the most Live like in some matters, as far as possible in others too)

BTW about Live on wine
http://appdb.winehq.org/objectManager.p ... ngId=76385

[jeffh]

I forgot about PyDaw (probably the most Live like in some matters, as far as possible in others too)

Shame on you for not mentioning PyDAW

I had to come in and promote myself like nobody else likes it enough to mention it

In all seriousness though, the brand-new PyDAWv4 release added a ton of nice stuff... It's still very much a tracker-like beat-machine, but it's getting very refined and mature, especially the built-in plugins.

[tooneba]

FL Studio
-easy to learn
-fiddly with complex arrangements

Hmmm I'd rather think it's opposite. For instance, it's not as easy as traditional linear daw because it won't baby sitter the linking between lane-channel-mixer-automations. On the other hand this brings benefits in complex arrangements. Several channel synth's riff in a clip, cut, mute & preserve it on the time line, reuse, etc.

[dformd]

I looooove Renoise, HOWEVER, I've run music workshops using it, and know it can sometimes be perceived as bafflingly computer-programmer oriented or antiquated looking; BUT I believe it can be introduced as an EXTREMELY progressive, wildly versatile, user-friendly, well-designed, and cost-effective alternative to many of the big-hitters on the market.

NEVERTHELESS, I suggest also playing with (if you haven't) and considering the multi-platform (Linux, Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Windows Mobile, PalmOS, and MeeGo) Sunvox, as I would describe it in a similar fashion to how I described Renoise (above), though the two programs are in fact VERY different in many, pronounced ways.

Actually, as much as I love Renoise, I suspect Sunvox's flexible modular interface may come across to many people as more intuitive than the interface of Renoise, and I dare say, many other DAWs; FLStudio included.

http://www.warmplace.ru/soft/sunvox/