Please share your gnu/linux music production setup

Discuss your workplace, instruments, amps, and any other gear.

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darsu
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Re: Please share your gnu/linux music production setup

Post by darsu »

Usage: home studio
Hardware:
(1) 1,6 GHz AMD64 system, 1,5 GB RAM, M-Audio 1010LT audio interface, Roland A880 MIDI patchbay, Millenium headphone amp, Yamaha MSP-5 monitors, Yamaha MG10/2 mixer, Behringer Ultrapatch
(2=mobile setup) 1,6 GHz netbook, 1 GB RAM, Roland UA-25EX audio interface
Software:
(1) Ubuntu 9.10, Openbox, Ardour, QTractor, QJACKCtl, envy24control, Rezound, Pure data
(2) Arch Linux, Xmonad, Ardour, QJACKCtl, Pure data
Issues: impossibility of upgrading or installing certain programs/libraries on system 1 because of operating system obsolescence; channel mutes and analog volumes in envy24control aren't MIDI controllable; repeated failure to compile Rezound on system 2; the only Kurzweil PC3 software editor does not run in WINE and the SYSEX implementation is not public.
Overall rating: unergonomic, frustrating, tolerable.
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Irwin J. Cespedes
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Re: Please share your gnu/linux music production setup

Post by Irwin J. Cespedes »

Hi to all, let me share mine.

Name: copenhagen
Usage: Home Studio, DJ Mixing box.
Hardware used: Intel Core 2 Duo 6320@1.86GHz, 1.5 Gb RAM, 1GB nVidia GT218 (GeForce 210) Graphic Card and a cheap CMI8738 sound card, looking for a new one though.
Software Used: Ardour3 beta, Qsynth, ZynAddSubFX, ALSA Modular Synth, hydrogen, AMSynth, Mixxx, Audacity, Linux Mint 13 Cinnamon Edit.
Issues: Soundcard doesn't have the correct levels so when I mixdown a project it magically sounds lower than I think. Not a huge issue but HDD are slow (Using pATA, I'll change them to SSD sATA in few more months)
Overall Rating: A 8.5 for Music Production, a 9.7 for DJ Mixing box. This is my second computer so far, and I feel comfortable working on it. Of course I want to modify it as much as I can, but nowadays I'm interested in finishing my career than something else...
I am also known as altiplΛne, this is my music

¡Pura Vida! Image
mk1967
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Re: Please share your gnu/linux music production setup

Post by mk1967 »

Name: Michael

Usage: private recording studio for professional broadcasting (non commercial ARD radio stations in Germany)

Hardware used: Fujitsu Siemens Notebook C1320 (for recording). 8 years old :wink: no name Pentium 4 Desktop PC for mixing. Microphone Neumann TLM49, mic amp Siemens V276 (1967) and soon TAB/Telefunken V76 tube amp (1964). Monitors: Spendor BC I with BASF D-6275 amplifier, (hopefully) soon Spendor M100 active monitor.

Software, interfaces etc. used: Ubuntu Studio 12.04 with Ardour 3 beta 5, Mackie MCU Pro, sound card Terratec DMX 6fire 24/96 (on Desktop PC). Linux Mint 9 with Ardour 2.8.12, Edirol USB interface (on Notebook)

Issues with the system: Most of it works pretty well - especially Ardour 3 with Mackie MCU automation is pure fun :D . Sometimes there are problems with Ardour 3's WAV export (dropouts). File transfer between Ardour systems on both computers might sometimes be tricky (because of sampling rates I suppose), I guess I have to work a bit more on my personal skills with JACK :oops: :wink:.

Overall rating: This equipment works as good as some expensive professional software, automation is sometimes even better. As for sound quality, currently I just let an experienced engineer check it out. So far there have been no problems with it, all my stuff was aired without complaints. Generally I'm looking forward to Ardour 3. Congratulations to Paul and his Ardour/JACK development colleagues :) .

Michael
Snap
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Re: Please share your gnu/linux music production setup

Post by Snap »

Maybe it's too early for this but here we go anyway....

Name: Paco
Usage: Location recording mobile studio
Hardware used: HP XW8400 2x Xeon 5150 dual 2,66 GHz - 16GB - Nvidia FX1500 256MB, Fireface 800, Alesis HD24XR + Fireport + Vipower bays, Soundcraft K1 16/4/2 and Soundcraft Series 2 24/8/2, Sytek preamps and assorted outboard gear.
Software used: Planning a dual boot AVLinux 6 and KXStudio build.
Issues with the system: None yet... Currently switching from Win to Linux.
Overall rating: Big hope!
CrocoDuck
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Re: Please share your gnu/linux music production setup

Post by CrocoDuck »

Hi. I recently changed the computer for the home studio:

Usage: Home studio
Hardware used: Assembled penguin: Asus P5B motherboard, Intel Core 2 Duo E6420 2.13GHz, 2 Gb of RAM, Behringher Uca 202, M-Audio keystation 88es, M-Audio Uno, M-Audio Keystation Mini 32
Software used: Ubuntu Studio 12.04
Issues with the system: No one, just had to disable the wired network card in the BIOS (I don't need it), then I tuned a little the system using the QuickScan script you find here: http://wiki.linuxmusicians.com/doku.php ... imits.conf
Overall rating: Just perfect!
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dednikko
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Re: Please share your gnu/linux music production setup

Post by dednikko »

Name: Nick Delavega

Usage: home studio, live performance. Soon integrating my studio desktop into a professional recording studio to be the EDM/hip hop beats producer.

Hardware used:
- Home studio laptop is an Acer 5947z. (Not impressive.Intel® Pentium(R) CPU B950 @ 2.10GHz × 2, but I put 8gig of RAM in, and a boot SSD, so it FLIES). Going to be ordering a Zareason Verix 530 with an i7 once my tax return gets back. Audio/MIDI interface is a Focusrite Scarlett 2i4. I chose this for its abilty to be powered exclusively by the bus. This is incredibly important for my live use. I also have an external monitor attached (it's where my mixer window lives).
- Pro Studio desktop is a self built Frankenputer. Antec Performance One Series P280 case, AMD FX 8350 4GHz AM3+ Black Edition processor with a MASSIVE quiet cooler, m-audio delta44 and m-audio profire 610 (which surprisingly has an amazing mic preamp. Sounds great for voice).
- Shared hardware for both studios is my m-audio Axiom49, keystation49, korg nanopad, Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro headphones, KRK Rokit 8x2 and matching sub (sub is in studio only. My GF would murder me otherwise, haha).Oh, and a Roland Fantom X6, Korg OSW/W, and an Alesis drum module.

Software used:
- OS is Dreamstudio 64bit with Kernel Linux 3.5.0-18-lowlatency, DAWs are Ardour3 and 2, Harrison Mixbus, LMMS,Hydrogen, and Audacity (for loudness mastering)
- Plugins are now EVERYTHING but the vintage compressor from LinuxDSP, Manifold and Aspect from Loomer, loads of Calf, that newish Mverb (sounds great, btw), Triceratops, DrMrSampler, Autotalent (whaaat? I suck at notes!) Guitarix, Noisifier, Smooth Decimator, Invada pugins and just about whatever sounds good at the time.

Overall rating: I come from the world of Windows. using Sonar 5 through x1. I completely demolished those partitions and have been doing all Linux for a year now, having transitioned over the last 5 years. I would say I'm not satisfied, but having to learn HOW things work has made me a more creative engineer, to be sure. I think with A3 out now I would be rather satisfied, so long as I could get a Battery style sampler to run as a plugin within it. Everything from audio quality to the amount of killer software is great, but is primarily aimed at recorded audio, not producing sound from scratch within the DAW. Once there are more LV2 and lxVSTs available to generate great sounds with, I will be extremely pleased with the abilities I have.
Think like a gun.
Havoc
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Re: Please share your gnu/linux music production setup

Post by Havoc »

Usage: live recording (laptop) and editing (desktop)

laptop:
hardware: Dell Vostro 1700, Edirol FA-66, couple of Oktava's MC12
software: Gentoo, kde 4.xx, jack, qjackctl, rezound, mhwaveedit, cinelerra

desktop:
hardware: homebuild Opteron 2x280, RME digi9652, RME ADI-8AE, PMC-DB1
software: Gentoo, kde 4.7.3, jack, qjackctl, rezound, mhwaveedit, audacity, jamin, traverso (and a lot of non-audio stuff)

issues: took too long to get the FA-66 working without xruns. Now it works it is flawless but the new laptop doesn't have firewire anymore. Couldn't miss Jack, the possibilities it gives are awesome. What I'm really missing is something like a simple audio-only Ardour and good audio-restoration plug-ins. Big question mark what will work after an upgrade, (ladspa)plug-ins are a mess (unergonomic, interface/parameters that means nothing, unexciting).

rating: excellent and dependable when it works but unexciting to work with.
Shadow_7
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Re: Please share your gnu/linux music production setup

Post by Shadow_7 »

Name: Shadow_7 (or wwwShadow7 for non *nix's that don't allow _ and stuff)

Usage: Home Studio (with some non-profit event recording)

Hardware used: Mostly AMD based laptops and desktops, with a Delta 44 or MobilePre. Korg MR-1000, 2x Sound Devices MM-1 mic preamps, Avenson STO-2 stereo pair, ATM 75 headset mic, AT3035, Sanyo FH1 camcorder, Keystation 49e midi input device.

Software used: ffmpeg, sox, libsndfile, audacity, jackd, fluidsynth, gimp, imagemagick, and other stuff of course.


I've been playing various noise making things since I was 11 years old. And I even made a living as an MOS trombonist in the U.S. Army for a short period. At some point after 30 years old I realized that I didn't have the hardware to record myself or others after some 20-ish years of playing musical instruments. So an interest started in the other side of the field. Along came one year where the weather wasn't so pretty and the usual someone else always records us also didn't come out so pretty. So a sort of passion ignited if only to understand why an outdoor recording outfit couldn't record outdoors in less than perfect conditions.

So here I am an avid linux user with studio type gear and basic understandings of production editing (within the confines of free software). At some point I should probably spend less time trying to improve already recorded content and do more production / productive type things. But piping video as images through the gimp and some relatively simple scripting can be a bit fun with interesting results. Plus various nyquist like things to compensate for the weakened high end on aging mics covered in DIY fake fur windscreens. So many possibilities.
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Re: Please share your gnu/linux music production setup

Post by lazyklimm »

Here is mine:

Usage: home studio

Hw: homebuild pc (sempron 145/8Gb/etc), M-Audio 1010LT(call it Cthulhu for tentacles :)/MiaMidi(great, but has only 2/2 IOs), Korg NanoKontrol2 (perfect device for the price), M-audio prokeys88sx, Behringer V-amp pro (distortions aren't perfect, but time/modulations effects are ok, also it has midi support and digital out). Guitars, Bass, misc analog effects.

Soft: Debian Sid+KxStudio repos, ardour for recording/mixing (successfully switched to A3), catia, hydrogen (draft) and muse (it has the best percussion editor available for linux) for drum parts played by linuxsampler(use some commercial banks). Occasionally se rosegarden as notation(far from perfect)/midiseq software. Effects (try to use them as little as possible), synths (setBfree, yoshimi etc) and minor stuff like that.

Issues: Everything is ok

Overall rating: satisfied, but I'd like to have a notation/drum editor compared to ancient Cakewalk Pro Audio. Converters from misc proprietary stuff would be welcome too.
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Re: Please share your gnu/linux music production setup

Post by chaocrator »

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bjboyd
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Re: Please share your gnu/linux music production setup

Post by bjboyd »

Hi there
Name: Brendan (bj boyd)
Usage: home studio
Hardware used: late 2011 macbook pro running Linux Mint 18 (ditched the Mac OS altogether), Steinberg UR22 (MkII) audio interface. Guitar effects pedals: Zoom A3 (acoustic), Zoom CDR, Zoom MS-50G, various delay and reverb pedals (as I mainly make ambient music). Novation Launchkey 25
Software used: Linux Mint 18, Ardour, Calf Studio plug-ins.
I've come from a background of using Ableton Live and Logic Pro X and software that has included Guitar Rig and a cast of 1000's (plug-ins, loops, synths etc.)
I've become continually disenchanted with Apple and their operating system over the years. Last year many major software companies advised to hold off doing the upgrade to OS X El Capitan, this varied from a few weeks to a few months depending on the company. As I've become more proficient with recording and software I've realised that I don't need bloated DAW's to produce music. I was chuffed when I realised I could successfully use my UR22 in Ardour. I've also found that multi-effects guitar pedals are a better investment than guitar plug-in software. So I simply go from my guitar to the pedal(s), then straight into the audio interface. Works a treat. Calf plug-ins work great as well, so I can't currently see the need for extra plug-ins.
Issues with the system: For recording guitar, none so far. Had some problems trying to run Ardour with some other distros, but no problems running in Mint.
Overall rating: for guitar recording I rate my current set-up as 5/5. I now have a minimalist, uncluttered set-up. Much easier now to plug in, play and record than ever before. Ardour hasn't crashed (can't say the same about Logic Pro X).
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Re: Please share your gnu/linux music production setup

Post by magicalex »

usage
Home Recording

hardware
Self built PC with an ASRock q1900dc-itx motherboard and 4GB of ram.
Alesis io2 express
Behringer C1
Squier Strat, Fender Jazz master bass, Fender and Crafter acoustics, Tanglewood 12 string
M-audio Key station 49e

software
Debian Unstable with kxstudio repositories
Tracktion7
Cadence
Guitarix
Various linux VST and lv2 plugins
Kdenlive
Gimp

issues
Very few. Finally have a good balance between stability and latency. Althoigh, I would love to have a simple vst sample player.

rating
Fantastic. Not only does it work virtually flawlessly on a practical level, I love the feeling of being part of a community full of such creative, dedicated and generous people.

P.S.
Here's an example of what I do with it. http://sandysingssongs.com/index.php?id=TkpjjLGeeok
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Re: Please share your gnu/linux music production setup

Post by folderol »

Me too /AOL

Name: Will Godfrey
Usage: Home studio
Hardware: AMD quadcore, 4G memory, 2x 180G SSD, Maudio 2496 sound card, OS debian testing with RT kernel.
External: Yamaha SY35, Yamaha QS300, Mk1 Roland Sound Canvas, Midisport 2x2 Midi/usb interface, Small no-name mixer for occasional guitar and mic recording. Audio out 60W x2 home build amp into either Alesis nearfields or Sennheiser phones (via matching circuit).

Software: Qjackctl, Rosegarden, Yoshimi, Audacity, Hydrogen (rarely used). Lots of other stuff, but only there for testing.

I use Rosegarden & Yoshimi almost exclusively. Keyboards are really only used for real time playing and sending in MIDI. Sound canvas is occasionally used for percussion.

No issues.

P.S. Mostly run at 48k 5.33mS latency, but sometimes 2.67... because I can :)
The Yoshimi guy {apparently now an 'elderly'}
realBigPete
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Re: Please share your gnu/linux music production setup

Post by realBigPete »

Name: Peter
Usage: Home recording
Hardware used: MacBook Air with Linux Mint installed, Oxygen 49 MIDI controller, Yamaha PSR-E433 Digital Keyboard, Korg Volca Bass, Alesis SR-16 Drum Machine, Alesis MultiMix 4, Blue microphone, Stylophone, Casio CTK-1000 Keyboard
Software used (software you use the most - DAW, synths, sequencers.. also with distro you use): Linux Mint with Ardour, Qtractor, Mixxx, LMMS, Hydrogen, CALF Plugins, Zynaddsubfx, Qsynth
Issues with the system (problems, complaints): Issues with getting Ardour started with JACK, need help configuring some soft synths such as the ones including with Bristol
Overall rating (satisfied, works like a charm, has stability issues.. add what you feel fits your feelings the most): Good enough for recording and making music but definitely could be a lot better
Frank Carvalho
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Re: Please share your gnu/linux music production setup

Post by Frank Carvalho »

Name: Frank

Setup 1 Usage: home studio
Hardware used: Self-assembled PC based on AMD FX 8320 Eight-Core Processor and M-Audio 1010 card
Software used: Xubuntu 14.04 with Kxstudio repositories. Main DAW program Ardour4, Carla, Fluidsynth and Swami, Audacity, Rosegarden, Seq24, NetJack, Guitarix and much more.
This is a very stable setup, giving me very little trouble, and lots of processing headroom.

Setup 2 Usage: home studio sattelite PC (for remote sound card in other room)
Hardware used: HP Pavilion 6110 with AMD Athlon 64 bit CPU. SS drive and M-Audio 2496 card.
Software used: Xubuntu 14.04 with Kxstudio repositories, running headless over Gigabit network cable and using NetJack to connect to main DAW.
Very stable, and very fast boot time. Great way to reuse otherwise deprecated machine.

Setup 3 Usage: Live performance
Hardware used: eMachines E640 laptop, Athlon II processor, external M-Audio Quattro card in 48kHz, 24bit mode.
Software used: Xubuntu 14.04 with Kxstudio repositories. Carla software synth hosting and routing configuration, MidiLayer patch manager, NON Mixer, Synths: Bristol Solina stringer, ObX, SetBfree GNU Hammond emulator (superb!!), Mda-ePiano, fluidsynth with my own custom mellotron samples,
Very stable. However, loading the kernel module for the Quattro card is not always reliable, and may require alsa reload. System currently used with a Roland PK-5A MIDI bass pedal for patch selection and... well, bass pedals.

I built a similar setup for one of my band members, based on an i686 processor. So we run dual Linux live setups for keyboards.

Setup 4 Usage: Hobby live performance
Hardware used: Raspberry Pi2, 4-core ARMv7 and official Raspberry Touch screen. Used with M-Audio Quattro card in 48kHz, 24 bit mode.
Software used: Raspbian (Jessie), with autostatics repositories, Carla, Guitarix and some of Tramps coolest new fuzz pedal implementations.
Currently not reliable - as expected. This is a hobby/fun project and I tweak parameters all the time, to see if I can make a fast and portable guitar setup with my favourite amps and pedals.

/Frank
Vox, Selmer, Yamaha and Leslie amplifiers. Rickenbacker, Epiphone, Ibanez, Washburn, Segovia, Yamaha and Fender guitars. Hammond, Moog, Roland, Korg, Yamaha, Crumar, Ensoniq and Mellotron keyboards. Xubuntu+KXStudio recording setup.
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