KVR Audio

ZiggDubstep · Post by **ZiggDubstep** » Wed Mar 19, 2014 3:06 pm

Next week, Bitwig is being released, and it is going to be cross-platform. As an avid Linux fan, I have high hopes for being able to switch to Linux for music production, since a quality DAW is finally being released for Linux.

However, my only setback is that my favorite plugin developers, such as NI, SugarBytes, and Ohmforce leave Linux completely out.

My question is: are there any plugins that have Linux native compatibility that can compete with commercially available plugins on Mac and Windows?

dsan@mail.com · Post by **dsan@mail.com** » Wed Mar 19, 2014 3:17 pm

I can appreciate you wanting to be a step ahead; however, I recommend waiting to see what the plug-ins in BWS will be. You may be pleasantly surprised.

I guess I'm saying, I wouldn't count out the included plug-ins just yet.

Happy Musiking!
dsan

stimresp · Post by **stimresp** » Wed Mar 19, 2014 3:42 pm

I've been looking into this recently, as I've been wanting to make the same move.

As far as I found, for best performance, VST would need to be compiled specifically for Linux. There are a few oldies that have been recompiled (mda, for example) and there is at least one commercial developer doing it.

The alternative is to use Wine with a VST bridge. There are some floating about the Renoise forums - probably a good place to look first. I tried it and wasn't working (plus you will need the VST 2.4 SDK from Steinberg, which is no longer available).

There are other Linux plugin formats (LADSPA), but I haven't explored them.

The good news is that Bitwig will come with it's own plugins - one of which is Surge, a really superb synth. It's the knowledge that the developer of Surge is part of the Bitwig team that has me interested.

If they can find a way to use windows VST in Linux without the hassles then I will likely buy it immediately. Maybe some other devs will see the possible market here. and provide Linux VST versions.

Here's hoping...

thyraios · Post by **thyraios** » Wed Mar 19, 2014 4:07 pm

You can also test/buy the Loomer instruments and effects and the linuxdsp effects

ras.s · Post by **ras.s** » Wed Mar 19, 2014 8:27 pm

Here is the KVR plugin search for Linux VST-plugins: http://www.kvraudio.com/q.php?search=1& ... 2&f1[]=vst

Not many commercial ones, yet 56 in total.

Delfinoverde · Post by **Delfinoverde** » Wed Mar 19, 2014 8:53 pm

linux DSP - audio software
http://www.linuxdsp.co.uk/download/lv2/index.html
http://www.linuxdsp.co.uk/archive/archi ... index.html

What a pity they did not port them to MAC yet!

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Wed Mar 19, 2014 9:16 pm

stimresp wrote: The good news is that Bitwig will come with it's own plugins - one of which is Surge, a really superb synth. It's the knowledge that the developer of Surge is part of the Bitwig team that has me interested.

Hm, that's pretty cool, and good news for the Linux guys. Should be a great option there already. ZynAddSubXf would be another option, if that is available as LADSPA, or LV2 (?).

fedexnman · Post by **fedexnman** » Wed Mar 19, 2014 9:41 pm

I kind of hope BWS will be a hit on the Linux side , I dual boot Windows 7 and whatever flavor of Linux , so be it av/linux , ubuntu or mint . Is Bitwig gonna be free or discounted for Linux users ? I know Tracktion is free on Linux ? anyone ?

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Wed Mar 19, 2014 9:43 pm

It will cost the same as the Windows and Mac version, afaik.

DuX · Post by **DuX** » Wed Mar 19, 2014 10:01 pm

That's a shame , but one could also say - fair.

I'm one of those who's just waiting for the right time [lots of good plugins available] to jump ship.

I'm fantasising about the day when Microsoft OS will be just a bitter, oh so longing past for me.

My hope is that Bitwig will finally break the ice and more commercial developers start developing for Linux, too.

fedexnman · Post by **fedexnman** » Wed Mar 19, 2014 10:07 pm

Well BWS is supposd to compete with the big boyz , so Im not surprised . I will definitley demo it .

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Thu Mar 20, 2014 7:10 pm

DuX wrote: My hope is that Bitwig will finally break the ice and more commercial developers start developing for Linux, too.

Actually, what audio under Linux lacks, is some good plugins for the native plugin formats, like LV2 or LADSPA. There are so many plugins for VST, while there are so few for the native Linux formats, and that's a shame. I also have my doubts, that the "ice will be broken" anywhere soon, it's a small market, and the audio market is even smaller. I'm browsing a german Linux Mint user forum quite frequently (i use Mint and Ubuntu), and there had been an announcement, that Bitwig is coming for Linux. The reaction was, nada. Noone even responded on his post. It's a niche unfortunately.

ras.s · Post by **ras.s** » Thu Mar 20, 2014 7:49 pm

I hope they release a ARM build of Bitwig too.

I think there's a massive opportunity for computers that do nothing else than just run a purpose-built Linux for a single purpose -- for example, running Bitwig. Imagine having a computer that boots really fast because of it's stripped down/optimized nature, and when it boots, it 'logs in' straight to a DAW. It'd feel more like an instrument. Like a Receptor or a digital recorder, except with touch screen and latest hardware (plus careful software/hardware optimisation). That'd really be a digital audio workstation.

After years and years (I used to use exclusively Linux for audio 05-09, and I've been nostalgic about it ever since, checking developments periodically) my main gripe is still project management. Obviously, for a host software that does pretty much everything, it isn't an issue, but that then loses on the modularity aspect of it all.

Looking forward to Bitwig over here, as well..

2DaT · Post by **2DaT** » Thu Mar 20, 2014 7:54 pm

Probably, obxd will be ported on linux. (or it is)
http://linuxmusicians.com/viewtopic.php ... 3&start=60

DuX · Post by **DuX** » Thu Mar 20, 2014 9:34 pm

We need people who "break the ice" like 2DaT!

And Bitwig. It's easy to say "there's not enough people using Linux for audio", but we arrive at the "chicken/egg" problem. People are not using Linux for audio because there are not many applications and plugins for it. People will *only* use Linux for audio once there are enough applications and plugins for it. You can't force people to use Linux for audio unless there are many developers making applications and plugins for it!

So the only solution is to make developers realise that Linux is a viable option for their applications and plugins. And it is. Linux has the best support for real time processing of all the OSes available right now. In my mind only Linux can be used for real time processing of all these oh so popular OSes that rely solely on looks and honga-bonga [ads] but they lack so much in terms of reliable and efficient real time processing [latency].

Not to mention that I simply cannot *trust* anything closed-source... if you get my drift.

People are using closed-source software on a massive scale, not wondering about the backdoors and similar "not so important" things, or simply beyond their comprehension. Just by starting an OS that is closed-source I feel somewhat uncomfortable already knowing that.

And Linux is the only OS that I know makes *real progress* in every update. Starting from the kernel up. Windows is just mambo-jumbo in every way. Just to sell different looking bananas to the monkeys and it works every time because people these days are addicted to better/fancy looks like from the movies. Take silicon breasts as an example... Sad!

Linux plugins?