This guide is for all you Music dudes out there. Im looking at you @Logan.
First off, let us throw out the idea of starting with stock Ubuntu or Debian. While this can be done, it is best to just use an Audio-Oriented Linux distro like KXStudio.
Why? Audio-oriented distros are VERY stable platforms. They also have Audio centric Kernels. Another advantage they have is additional repositories and software. This also adds the latest software libraries that are important to Linux audio that get updated more often.
The stability is made possible by updating their software while remaining on stable base releases. In the case of distros like KXStudio, AVLinux, Fedora Jam, Musix, and Dynebolic, software is made available soon after official releases for that software are made public. This allows you to have a stable Ubuntu LTS or Debian Stable distro with new audio software which is a win-win scenario.
Another feature I mentioned is the Realtime Kernel. Realtime audio performance is important. Basically this means having the recorded signal played back through the playback system without any audible delay. Latency is inherent in computers but can be minimized. The end result is that audio processes are prioritized by the OS which provides stable and low latency audio.
Another reason to use a specialized distro is that most distros use PulseAudio which is all fine and dandy for regular desktop users but for professional users, PulseAudio is not suited for professional work. It is also not very friendly towards JACK. Specialized distros use JACK for all their audio needs.
Specialized distros use JACK for everything audio related and are setup to make JACK run in the background with very little user setup or interference necessary. It allows you to enjoy normal desktop audio from browsers, media players and so on.
In the case of KXStudio, JACK automatically runs upon login.You may have to initially setup JACK with your audio interface but once that is done, you can practically forget it is there.
They also use very lightweight desktop environments. Example: AVLinux uses XFCE and KXStudio uses a stripped down version of KDE (no effects etc). This removes all the overhead of modern environments which can affect audio performance and stability.
These advantages dont just work for audio. They can also be helpful for multimedia production like video editing and image editing.
You have read me mention JACK a lot. But what is JACK and why should you care?
JACK or Jack Audio Connection Kit provides a backend that supports arbitrary paths for audio and MIDI to and from any supported programs. Utilizing JACK, a synthesizer output can go into a reverb plugin and then on to a recording program while a separate drum program plays.
JACK can start and stop all the playback from multiple programs with any one set to be the master timekeeper.
The UNIX approach to software is that you have multiple small programs that do one or a couple things well instead of having one huge, monolithic all-in-one program. JACK does exactly that. With KXStudio, you get the Cadence suite of GUI tools. Most JACK focused, Unix styled tools are from Jon Liles who is the author of the Non Series which reinvents the DAW which is fast and light enough to run on a eeePC or Raspberry Pi.
The tool-set provided includes a separate mixer tool, recording tool, sequencer, and a session manager. The session manager records all the different settings and connections in JACK and saves them as a set for later, automatic use. Simliar to how most modern, high-end mixer boards work.
This is an example of setting up JACK connections with Cadence tools:
The following is a list of programs that specifically support JACK. Im only going to list a few. The rest you can find here since the list is HUGE.
- MuseScore
- Audacity
- Hydrogen drum machine
- Ardour
- Guitarix
- LMMS
- Mixxx
- BitWig Studio
- Cadence (KXStudio)
- Catarina (KXStudio)
- Claudia (KXStudio)
- Carla (KXStudio)
- JAMin
- Blender
- SooperLooper
- Audacious
- MusE
- Qtractor
- Rosegarden
- The Non DAW
- The Non Sequencer
- Denemo
- WINE
- Internet DJ Console
- MPlayer
- OBS
- VLC
What programs you use is up to you but the software I recommend and what is usually provided with the audio-centric distros are the following:
KXStudio and Fedora Jam:
- Cadence Suite
- Catarina
- Catia
- Claudia
- Carla
- Ardour
- LMMS
- Luppp
- Non Suite
- ProTrekkr
- QSampler
- QTractor
- Rosegarden
- Hydrogen
- MuseScore
- TuxGuitar
- Guitarix
- SooperLooper
- Calf
I also recommend BitWig Studio. @Logan, Bitwig Studio supports you VST(i) plugins. VST effects and instuments are supported in 32 and 64-bit versions. Bitwig Studio runs VSTs in a separate process to prevent BitWig Studio from crashing when a plugin misbehaves.
The following is a basic Mixing course for Ardour 3. Ardour 4 is out now but this should still be relevant: