Difference Between QJackCtl, Gladish, etc and how to configure? (total noob)

What other apps and distros do you use to round out your studio?

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mikey187210
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Difference Between QJackCtl, Gladish, etc and how to configure? (total noob)

Post by mikey187210 »

Hey all,

Sorry for being such a n00b, but I can't seem to figure this out on my own despite several days of research. I'm trying to get a handle on how to properly configure Jack Audio and what certain things are for.

QJackCtl /Jack Audio Connection Kit is the app that my DAW (reaper, using wineasio) opens up when I ask to configure my audio. It seems to have two buttons that basically do the same thing: The "Connections" button, and the "Patchbay". The only difference I can see is that the Patchbay can save configurations? Also, do I actually need to click that play button to "start transport" to hear my audio, or is that for something else?

Also - the Gladish/Ladish apps, where you're able to configure a "Studio" and "Rooms". Do these do the same thing as the QJackCtl, but in a more elegant way? If not, what is the difference, and should I be using both? I get the impression there are many front ends for the same final purpose of configuring Jack.

Also ... say I use Gladish to configure a Studio ... does doing so automatically deactivate the QJackCtl patchbay, or should I do that myself, and should I expect to see changes reflected in it?

Also, is there a way to properly name hardware inputs/outputs? The names/numbers are so confusing, and I'd prefer to be able to see stuff like "Scarlett 2i2 Input L / Scarlett 2i2 Input R" and other devices just for my own piece of mind.

Also, am I correct in assuming that the inputs that allow ALSA to send audio to jack are limited to 2 channels total? I was originally hoping I could create more "also to jack" type devices such that I could say, route skype to one set of inputs, and firefox to another, and be able to record each individually inside my daw.

I'm sorry if this sounds like I haven't tried anything I'm asking about. I actually have ... I just can't figure out what I'm observing lol.

Thank you for your time, everyone!
dave
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Re: Difference Between QJackCtl, Gladish, etc and how to configure? (total noob)

Post by dave »

I'm no expert, but your observations seem to be about right. Sorry nobody else answered. Hopefully you've already figured most of this out, but I'll take a crack at it.

Connections you make in the 'Connections' dialog will not be there next time you open QJackCtl; 'Patchbay' is used to save connection profiles.
Check out: QjackCtl and the Patchbay

The ►(play) button beneath the faux-LCD starts JACK Transport; JACK's MIDI clock.
I get the impression there are many front ends for the same final purpose of configuring JACK.
Exactly. For example, aside from the configuration features, QJackCtl is only one of several programs capable of controlling JACK's clock and although it can display speed/tempo/bpm, I don't think it can set or modify it; only Start/Pause, Stop, Rewind, etc..

If you hit ► in a program like Qtractor, you will see that the clock is also running in QJackCtl. Qtractor is also an example of a program that needs the timer, because it is (among other things) a sequencer. QMidiArp is an example of a program that can run its own internal clock, or connect to JACK Transport for a timer.

Not sure exactly how Reaper handles JACK Transport. I think wineasio interfaces with JACK Transport how and when it needs to. It definitely must work with it at this point, but I don't know how much it requires it. Generally, when you're talking sequencers, JACK Transport is at least an option, if not a requirement. The Reaper folks will definitely have better answers.

There are many ways to configure and control JACK. Redundancy is sometimes a choice but often unavoidable. Many programs will automatically start the JACK session if they need it, but it's often easier to end the session through good ol' QJackCtl. However, it's mostly a preference/habit-thing.
say I use Gladish to configure a Studio ... does doing so automatically deactivate the QJackCtl patchbay, or should I do that myself, and should I expect to see changes reflected in it?
I think it kinda depends on the program(s), but to some degree, you should be able to pull off many sessions without jumping between the various config programs. That said, the 'Refresh' button in QJackCtl's patchbay is for updating after making changes elsewhere and I have encountered a few cases where something will show up in Program-A but not Program-B, or where something fails to disconnect.

Sometimes it's good to have various patchbays just for troubleshooting. ;)
Also, is there a way to properly name hardware inputs/outputs? The names/numbers are so confusing, and I'd prefer to be able to see stuff like "Scarlett 2i2 Input L / Scarlett 2i2 Input R" and other devices just for my own piece of mind.
In QJackCtl 0.41, hit the 'Setup' button, then go to the 'Display' tab. (QJackCtl > Setup > Display)

There are checkboxes on the bottom of the window for "Enable client/port aliases", ".. alias editing (rename)" and "Enable JACK client/port pretty-names (metadata)" I haven't really experimented with this very much, so I don't know how well it remembers aliases between sessions.
Also, am I correct in assuming that the inputs that allow ALSA to send audio to jack are limited to 2 channels total? I was originally hoping I could create more "also to jack" type devices such that I could say, route skype to one set of inputs, and firefox to another, and be able to record each individually inside my daw.
I probably shouldn't try to answer this one, because I've never done it, but I am almost certain that you can accomplish this. I'm guessing it's not the most elegant thing in the world, but I don't see why it would be any different than plugging any other outputs in to a DAW, once you had everything bridged and functioning. You need a JACK pro to chime in here and I'm interested to know the details for future reference.

Good luck JACKing it, bro. 8)
gimmeapill
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Re: Difference Between QJackCtl, Gladish, etc and how to configure? (total noob)

Post by gimmeapill »

Also, am I correct in assuming that the inputs that allow ALSA to send audio to jack are limited to 2 channels total? I was originally hoping I could create more "also to jack" type devices such that I could say, route skype to one set of inputs, and firefox to another, and be able to record each individually inside my daw.

I probably shouldn't try to answer this one, because I've never done it, but I am almost certain that you can accomplish this. I'm guessing it's not the most elegant thing in the world, but I don't see why it would be any different than plugging any other outputs in to a DAW, once you had everything bridged and functioning. You need a JACK pro to chime in here and I'm interested to know the details for future reference.
What you want is an Alsa-to-Jack bridge.
I was trying to do something like that over the weekend and it a royal pain, here's the best tutorial I found around:
http://alsa.opensrc.org/Jack_and_Loopba ... ack_bridge

Shorter answer: use Cadence to create the jack bridges automatically
http://kxstudio.linuxaudio.org/Applications:Cadence

Cheers,

LX
Minisie
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Re: Difference Between QJackCtl, Gladish, etc and how to configure? (total noob)

Post by Minisie »

gimmeapill wrote:
Also, am I correct in assuming that the inputs that allow ALSA to send audio to jack are limited to 2 channels total? I was originally hoping I could create more "also to jack" type devices such that I could say, route skype to one set of inputs, and firefox to another, and be able to record each individually inside my daw.

I probably shouldn't try to answer this one, because I've never done it, but I am almost certain that you can accomplish this. I'm guessing it's not the most elegant thing in the world, but I don't see why it would be any different than plugging any other outputs in to a DAW, once you had everything bridged and functioning. You need a JACK pro to chime in here and I'm interested to know the details for future reference.
What you want is an Alsa-to-Jack bridge.
I was trying to do something like that over the weekend and it a royal pain, here's the best tutorial I found around:
http://alsa.opensrc.org/Jack_and_Loopba ... ack_bridge

Shorter answer: use Cadence to create the jack bridges automatically
http://kxstudio.linuxaudio.org/Applications:Cadence

Cheers,

LX
Was gonna post something similar but seeing someone has already posted this I'm thankful. Also a total newbie in this and wanted to do some tweaking myself. Looked over the links, very helpful. Thanks. mikey187210 how's the progress so far? I'll be doing stuff on my own too and hope to get back and post something here too.
mikey187210
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Re: Difference Between QJackCtl, Gladish, etc and how to configure? (total noob)

Post by mikey187210 »

Hey you guys! Thanks to everyone who replied. Sorry I haven't come back in awhile; I not only thought nobody replied, but I kept forgetting the name of this forum. I think it's time to add a bookmark, lol.

I've made some steady progress and may even be able to help others now. I've become fond of qjackctl and don't really mess with the others now. I finally realized that the "system inputs" were just referring to whichever interface you specified in qjackctl preferences (lol). I'm now even running Reaper under wine as a different user via a script I wrote, such that if I end up contracting a virus (albeit a miraculous one that can screw up linux also), the damage will be limited to that other user account and not my own.

Admittedly, I believe one problem I was having was that Wine may have been using PulseAudio until I explicitly set it back to alsa with "WINEPREFIX=blabla winetricks sound=alsa" (PulseAudio was refusing to run, when I tried to run a wine app under a different user via command line).

Also totally great is that with WASAPI for audio, I get decently low latency without any setup at all; I only have to use WineAsio/Jack when I need live monitoring.

I still haven't looked into adding more "jack sinks" so I can route multiple applications to their own dedicated lines, but that hasn't been an urgent requirement for me anyway.

I'm also still trying to figure out how to make an "aggregate device" in alsa such that I can combine both my little audio interfaces (m-audio/focusrite, 2 in 2 out each) into one larger virtual interface for jack. I just now realized I haven't tried this since fixing the pulseaudio/alsa wine issue though, lol.

All seems pretty well so far, with hope for the future! Woot!
Pablo
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Re: Difference Between QJackCtl, Gladish, etc and how to configure? (total noob)

Post by Pablo »

I'm also still trying to figure out how to make an "aggregate device" in alsa such that I can combine both my little audio interfaces (m-audio/focusrite, 2 in 2 out each) into one larger virtual interface for jack.
You can make jack see both interfaces at the same time by using zita-aj2bridge. See:
http://kokkinizita.linuxaudio.org/linux ... guide.html
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