I made some of my best music using Ubuntu Studio. That's what really got me into making my own tutorials, especially learning about other musicians that made successful projects using open source. Thank you for this video!
Logic is amazing, and I have yet to have any success in Linux making any sort of music. I gave up over a decade ago and got a Mac. If it's less fussy these days, I'm willing to check it out, but I'm not looking to configure drivers when the muse strikes!
Discovered it in the Ubuntu Studio PPA. Alas I find it very awkward. I'd prefer a separate piano roll editor alongside the inline one. Probably not going to supplant Reaper for me.
I'm getting into Linux for audio production, please help me understand what cptr systems and specs to go after, including distro choices. Coming from a mac, I'm already familiar with Ardour because of Harrison Mixbus software. But please keep this going! Thanks!
First of all, sorry for the very long post ;-) I'm just here to talk about my experience with Linux in the pro audio environment. Not specifically in audio production, but more broadly in a large multi-track recording and mixing setup in a more acoustic jazz or classical field. In this area, there are several elements that are essential when we talk about equipment. (Microphones and preamps, that have nothing to do with Linux!) AD-DA converters and interfaces, Computers & OS, DAW. When you have 60 musicians from a classical orchestra, paid a fortune per hour, in the room, you must be able to have an ultra stable setup that ensures flawless recording. When you record 32 (minimum) or more tracks, a crash or computer problem of any kind is not an option. In this area, the safest systems is, whether you like it or not, Mac OSX. My latest experience with Windows 10 and 11 did not make me want to continue with this OS. (back in the old days, Windows7 was OK for the majority of the time. Windows8 is the worst in my experience). I started using Linux, first as a desktop computer, in 2017. Firstly out of curiosity, and also out of anger towards the sales policies of the 2 big IT players. (Apple is the worst company in the world at this level. “Think different” my ass!!!) Don't dream...! It took me hundreds of hours to achieve a stable and usable system in my professional work environment. If the software is easily functional, the biggest problem remains compatibility with the hardware, mainly AD-DA converters, all because of the lack of driver development. To simplify, I managed not to be worried as soon as I press Record with: Computer: _64Bits PC hardware with Intel processor. Of curse CPU & RAM is important, but not that much! (AMD is ok most of the time, but unfortunately some bad surprises happens from time to time. _Intel Macs are mostly ok. (Don't think about doing this with a previous 2010 Mac, you will quickly be disappointed). M1, M2 work relatively well, I had incomprehensible problems with the M3, and I have not yet tested the M4 which have just been released. BONE: _"Arch" Linux, in the KDE Plasma environment! The best for me even if it's not the easiest to set up. (Manjaro or Garuda are more accessible versions of the same kernel for beginners). I don't know why, but the Gnome environment seems to create problems following updates, even though it's my favorite distro, by far, for anything other than pro audio on a computer. Or maybe it's just me doing shit, I still recommend it. XFCE is not a success for me, one day ok, the next day out. I haven't tested other distributions. "Ubuntu" is also ok but it happens that suddenly nothing works without me being able to debug the problem. AD-DA Hardware: The best part ;-) _I remind you that these are large setups with a minimum of 32 converter inputs!) Impossible to test everything that exists. _My best friends in the field are: RME Audio, LynxStudio... and that's it! _Universal Audio, AVID/ProTools, Antelope, DAD, BlaBlaBla... no path to glory ;-/ Of course nothing is possible without "JACK", which bridges the gap between the Linux kernel and pro audio hardware, the biggest problem in Linux to date. “PulseAudio” is also an option but I ended up turning away from it due to lack of time to certify its stability. (certainly a very valid option!) "ASLA" is also possible but I have never tested this solution. DAW 1_Reaper 2_Ardor 3_Harrison-MixBus 3-Bitwig _Without the slightest doubt... "Reaper"! Integration, setup and above all stability!!! The few times I had crashes with Reaper, the Logs always confirmed a problem with the hardware drivers. _"Ardor" is also superbly integrated and there isn't really a big difference with Reaper but it's just that I prefer the Reaper environment. Keep in mind that as soon as you integrate VST plugins into these setups (natively or otherwise), it is more complicated to guarantee pure stability. _Harrison-MixBus is also very good but I only quickly tested their product and especially for mixing. _Bitwig seems ok too but I still had more unexplained crashes with it. As for SSD disk formatting, which remains one of the very important elements: For pure performance, I leave you with the “EXT4” format. "BTRFS" is also very good but especially when an SSD has to process a very large number of very small files. For long-term backup on linux, "ZFS" seems to be best! Used on Linux servers for a long, long time. Don't ask me more about that... I don't know... ;-P Never mind all that. It is possible to do lots of things under Linux. Of course it requires a little more effort than just having an account with Apple or Windows and believing that everything will be done by magic. If I can help, I will. Best regards.
I'm have problems with the latency, I couldn't make it work with a low latency. Every time I set a low latency, it goes back to 1024 that it's too much for me.
Joe, I have a few questions for you. Is there ANY internal Sound Cards that actually work with Linux? I had to go back to Windows because the sound that comes out of my home PC sounds like shit with Linux. Even my mp3's sound like shit with the onboard sound. I really want to go back to Linux, but the sound quality is a deal breaker. I hate external sound cards because I prefer the most direct connection to the actual source. My recording always sound 10 times better when I mix my recordings in Windows. I also would like to ask if there's any drop and drag abilities when using a Linux DAW? Mixcraft works great and EZ-drummer works great with it. I need drums on my recordings and I have no idea if there's any programs like EZ-drummer for Linux? Are there any good VST's for amp tones Available for Linux? Sorry for all these questions, but I would love to go back to Linux. So much easier to clean, takes up so much less power to run, and opens up my processor power so much better than Windows. In ever way I've loved Linux, until I hit that Studio nightmare several years ago when my internal sound card stopped working the day I installed it, because drivers weren't supported..
Many questions. Not easy to answer. It always depends on the hardware you use. EZ-Drummer is not available for Linux as far as I know. Same for Guitar Rigs.
What? An actual review, not just some stupid listing of features and stupid music soundtrack, showing installation of the system? Brilliant!
I made some of my best music using Ubuntu Studio. That's what really got me into making my own tutorials, especially learning about other musicians that made successful projects using open source. Thank you for this video!
Need more videos.... Complete song production video from start to finish.... mixing and mastering plugins etc... please🙏
More to come soon. Had some serious problems with my throat. Was not able to make videos. Especially not about Music.
really helpful video to get up and running. thank you. now i have to figure out how to get hydrogen working in ardour and guitar plugins lol
Logic is amazing, and I have yet to have any success in Linux making any sort of music. I gave up over a decade ago and got a Mac. If it's less fussy these days, I'm willing to check it out, but I'm not looking to configure drivers when the muse strikes!
I would like to see the rest of this series!
I had some problems with my throat. So there was need for a break. More to come soon!
@@joeloveslinux I hope you are feeling better.
Nice to see more people using and benefiting from Free Software.
Is this really free tho? how about silent mode?
another video would be great, this one helped me a bit thanks
I am just starting as a beginner and this video was great introduction "Let there be more Please"
More to come soon!
I mainly use Reaper (under Kubuntu, a while back Ubuntu Studio was my regular distro), but when Ardour 7 appears in Ubuntu repos I'll give it a go.
Discovered it in the Ubuntu Studio PPA. Alas I find it very awkward. I'd prefer a separate piano roll editor alongside the inline one. Probably not going to supplant Reaper for me.
I'm getting into Linux for audio production, please help me understand what cptr systems and specs to go after, including distro choices.
Coming from a mac, I'm already familiar with Ardour because of Harrison Mixbus software. But please keep this going! Thanks!
Unfortunately I got some throat problems and was unable to make videos. But now I am back.
First of all, sorry for the very long post ;-)
I'm just here to talk about my experience with Linux in the pro audio environment. Not specifically in audio production, but more broadly in a large multi-track recording and mixing setup in a more acoustic jazz or classical field.
In this area, there are several elements that are essential when we talk about equipment. (Microphones and preamps, that have nothing to do with Linux!) AD-DA converters and interfaces, Computers & OS, DAW.
When you have 60 musicians from a classical orchestra, paid a fortune per hour, in the room, you must be able to have an ultra stable setup that ensures flawless recording. When you record 32 (minimum) or more tracks, a crash or computer problem of any kind is not an option.
In this area, the safest systems is, whether you like it or not, Mac OSX. My latest experience with Windows 10 and 11 did not make me want to continue with this OS. (back in the old days, Windows7 was OK for the majority of the time. Windows8 is the worst in my experience).
I started using Linux, first as a desktop computer, in 2017. Firstly out of curiosity, and also out of anger towards the sales policies of the 2 big IT players. (Apple is the worst company in the world at this level. “Think different” my ass!!!)
Don't dream...! It took me hundreds of hours to achieve a stable and usable system in my professional work environment. If the software is easily functional, the biggest problem remains compatibility with the hardware, mainly AD-DA converters, all because of the lack of driver development.
To simplify, I managed not to be worried as soon as I press Record with:
Computer:
_64Bits PC hardware with Intel processor. Of curse CPU & RAM is important, but not that much! (AMD is ok most of the time, but unfortunately some bad surprises happens from time to time.
_Intel Macs are mostly ok. (Don't think about doing this with a previous 2010 Mac, you will quickly be disappointed). M1, M2 work relatively well, I had incomprehensible problems with the M3, and I have not yet tested the M4 which have just been released.
BONE:
_"Arch" Linux, in the KDE Plasma environment! The best for me even if it's not the easiest to set up. (Manjaro or Garuda are more accessible versions of the same kernel for beginners). I don't know why, but the Gnome environment seems to create problems following updates, even though it's my favorite distro, by far, for anything other than pro audio on a computer. Or maybe it's just me doing shit, I still recommend it. XFCE is not a success for me, one day ok, the next day out. I haven't tested other distributions.
"Ubuntu" is also ok but it happens that suddenly nothing works without me being able to debug the problem.
AD-DA Hardware:
The best part ;-)
_I remind you that these are large setups with a minimum of 32 converter inputs!) Impossible to test everything that exists.
_My best friends in the field are: RME Audio, LynxStudio... and that's it!
_Universal Audio, AVID/ProTools, Antelope, DAD, BlaBlaBla... no path to glory ;-/
Of course nothing is possible without "JACK", which bridges the gap between the Linux kernel and pro audio hardware, the biggest problem in Linux to date.
“PulseAudio” is also an option but I ended up turning away from it due to lack of time to certify its stability. (certainly a very valid option!)
"ASLA" is also possible but I have never tested this solution.
DAW
1_Reaper
2_Ardor
3_Harrison-MixBus
3-Bitwig
_Without the slightest doubt... "Reaper"! Integration, setup and above all stability!!! The few times I had crashes with Reaper, the Logs always confirmed a problem with the hardware drivers.
_"Ardor" is also superbly integrated and there isn't really a big difference with Reaper but it's just that I prefer the Reaper environment.
Keep in mind that as soon as you integrate VST plugins into these setups (natively or otherwise), it is more complicated to guarantee pure stability.
_Harrison-MixBus is also very good but I only quickly tested their product and especially for mixing.
_Bitwig seems ok too but I still had more unexplained crashes with it.
As for SSD disk formatting, which remains one of the very important elements:
For pure performance, I leave you with the “EXT4” format.
"BTRFS" is also very good but especially when an SSD has to process a very large number of very small files.
For long-term backup on linux, "ZFS" seems to be best! Used on Linux servers for a long, long time. Don't ask me more about that... I don't know... ;-P
Never mind all that. It is possible to do lots of things under Linux. Of course it requires a little more effort than just having an account with Apple or Windows and believing that everything will be done by magic.
If I can help, I will.
Best regards.
Thank you for your detailed information!
I'm have problems with the latency, I couldn't make it work with a low latency. Every time I set a low latency, it goes back to 1024 that it's too much for me.
Hi any tips for usb interface set up please? Ubuntu22.04
Great video!
Joe, I have a few questions for you. Is there ANY internal Sound Cards that actually work with Linux? I had to go back to Windows because the sound that comes out of my home PC sounds like shit with Linux. Even my mp3's sound like shit with the onboard sound.
I really want to go back to Linux, but the sound quality is a deal breaker. I hate external sound cards because I prefer the most direct connection to the actual source. My recording always sound 10 times better when I mix my recordings in Windows.
I also would like to ask if there's any drop and drag abilities when using a Linux DAW?
Mixcraft works great and EZ-drummer works great with it. I need drums on my recordings and I have no idea if there's any programs like EZ-drummer for Linux?
Are there any good VST's for amp tones Available for Linux?
Sorry for all these questions, but I would love to go back to Linux. So much easier to clean, takes up so much less power to run, and opens up my processor power so much better than Windows. In ever way I've loved Linux, until I hit that Studio nightmare several years ago when my internal sound card stopped working the day I installed it, because drivers weren't supported..
Many questions. Not easy to answer. It always depends on the hardware you use. EZ-Drummer is not available for Linux as far as I know. Same for Guitar Rigs.
@@joeloveslinux I hate windows with a passion but that's what I'm forced to use right now. Thank you for the reply. Peace. Joe
I have been using Logic on MacOS for a very long time. Not because I like MacOS, but because I love Logic. Cubase is also very good.
Installed from 'add/remove' software in Garuda Linux and got version 7.3 by default.
Yeah, rolling release is always newer.