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Thread: Ubuntu/DeMudi as an Audio Workstation?

  1. #1
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    Lightbulb Ubuntu/DeMudi as an Audio Workstation?

    Hi,
    I haven't switched to Linux yet. But I will switch.
    There is a mass of information to trawl through before choosing a distro and I only know the little i've picked up in the process.
    I primarily want to use my computer for Audio work, and the best option I;ve heard of so far is the DeMudi distro put out by the AGNULA Project This is Debian and has a tuned kernel and applications which optimise the computer for audio work. However I'm no computer expert, I'm switching from windows and i'd like the interface and the desktop functionality of Ubuntu or Mandrake Linux.

    Is there some simple way to combine Ubuntu with the DeMudi distro?

    I haven't played with Linux yet but from what i gather Debian can be quite a learning curve.

    If DeMudi and Ubuntu could be combined it may be a boon for Musicians and other creatives who wish to switch to linux and increase the Ubuntu user community

    Any advice/feedback is appreciated

    peace

  2. #2
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    Re: Ubuntu/DeMudi as an Audio Workstation?

    I'd suggest finding out the packages in DeMuDi and seeing if they're available for Ubuntu. Or maybe find out what the repositories for apt are and put them in your sources.list. It may be completely compatible. I'd like to get some audio editing going on my system too!

  3. #3
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    Re: Ubuntu/DeMudi as an Audio Workstation?

    DeMudi is the Debian distro of Agnula , they also have RehMudi - a distro based on Red Hat.

    DeMudi is not just a package of audio applications, it's also a Linux Kernel especially tuned for low-latency audio production. That's the important part.

    The audio apps in DeMudi are:
    Alsa Modular Synth
    Cecilia
    Jack
    jMax
    LADCCA
    Nyquist
    TkECA
    which will support high-end native linux apps
    like Rosegarden, Ardour etc...

    For Mandrake there is a patch available to make the kernel low-latency,
    but apparently this compromises network security. (according to this site)
    But this may not be the case with Demudi/Ubuntu.

    If the Ubuntu could run on the tuned Agnula kernel, with the same apps, it could be the basis for a Ubuntu/Agnula distro.

    Using Linux as a Digital Audio Workstation is now only now becoming a truely viable alternative to Windows/Mac platforms. Applications like Ardour, Rosegarden , and Hydrogen in their own right, are approaching the functionality of successful proprietary applications.

    here are some good articles on the Linux as a digital Audio Workstation>>>>

    Using Linux for Recording and Mastering
    An established studio in the USA is planning to rely on software
    that can be freely downloaded from the Internet. Are they crazy, or do
    Linux-based recording applications offer a real alternative to the
    established Windows and Mac packages?

    Digital Audio Workstations on the Revolutionary Edge
    Intel's Richard Winterton explains why Digital Audio Workstations
    (DAWs) are changing the way music is being created, both by
    professionals and by audio enthusiasts. Yet you can get a powerful DAW
    computer for less money than you think. In this paper, Winterton
    discusses a few things to look for in the hardware when choosing a
    computer on which to base your DAW, and gives you tips on how to choose
    the right software. He also explains why he thinks you should take a
    serious look at Linux as the ideal platform base.

    >>>>An Introduction to Linux Audio

    Build it: Digital Audio Workstation

    peace

  4. #4
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    Re: Ubuntu/DeMudi as an Audio Workstation?

    This is what Agnula has going for it so far, could this be combined with Ubuntu?

    [from http://www.agnula.org/documentation/dp_tutorials/]

    Underneath It All

    At the kernel level only the soundcore object is retained. AGNULA's audio driver system is the latest package from ALSA (the Advanced Linux Sound Architecture), a project designed to replace the ageing OSS/Free kernel sound driver modules. ALSA provides users with support for a modern sound system and provides developers with a modern audio applications programming interface (API). The project supports a wide variety of consumer-grade soundcards and audio chipsets, but it also includes support for some excellent professional and semi-pro audio interfaces. ISA, Plug-and-Play, PCI, USB, and serial port devices are all supported under ALSA. For developers the ALSA API has resulted in a high degree of interoperability between applications, giving the user the ability to freely connect ALSA-aware applications in creative and productive configurations.

    AGNULA's Linux kernel has been optimized for low-latency. The patches that have been applied can dramatically reduce latency in multimedia systems to well within professionally acceptable ranges, demonstrating another powerful aspect of the GNU/Linux system. In addition to the low-latency patches we have applied the preemptive kernel patch to ensure low-latency over extended periods of time (e.g., more than 24 hours continuous performance). The realtime clock driver has been compiled into the kernel to provide high-accuracy timing for RTC-aware applications. Finally, kernel support for optimized hard-disk usage has been enabled and the hdparm utility is invoked during system start-up to ensure peak disk I/O.

    The Middle Ground


    AGNULA's middle tier software includes the various ALSA utilities (such as the alsamixer and aconnect programs) and the JACK audio connection kit, a low-latency sound server for a network of JACK-aware clients. We have included as many such clients as could be found, and we have encouraged all GNU/Linux audio developers to provide JACK support in future versions of their software. AGNULA also includes support for the LADSPA plugins from Richard Furse's Computer Music Toolkit (CMT) and Steve Harris's collection. LADSPA is the GNU/Linux Audio Developers' Simple Plugin Architecture, an API that has engendered some excellent plugins that are available for use by any LADSPA-aware application.

    The distribution strives to make the low- and middle-level software layers as transparent as possible to the new user. Utilities such as alsamixer or aconnect are always available from the master menu or the command line. We have also provided versions of those (and other) utilities with GUIs for users working in the X window system, such as the alsamixergui, ALSA MIDI Patch Bay, and QJackConnect software. Sox is another such piece of middle level utility software. SoX has been called "an audio Swiss Army knife" in recognition of its variety of uses. SoX is best known for its file format conversion utility, but it also provides a simple player and recorder along with a respectable selection of special effects such as reverb and chorus. AGNULA includes the standard-issue command-line version of Sox and a version with GUI for X.

    At The Top

    At last we arrive at the level of most interest to the normal user: applications ! GNU/Linux has long enjoyed a large number of useful audio and MIDI applications, and AGNULA has combed such listings as Freshmeat and the Linux Sound & Music Applications sites for the best of free audio software. So what will you actually find here ? Well, let's take a quick look at the kinds of software included with AGNULA :

    * soundfile editors (software for editing audio files in various formats)
    * MIDI sequencers (MIDI data recording systems)
    * hard-disk recording systems (multichannel/multitrack record-to-disk systems)
    * MOD trackers (module composition programs)
    * OGG encoders/decoders (file compression/decompression utilities)
    * sound synthesis software (programs and environments for creating and modifying audio data; includes the subcategory of realtime sound synthesizers, i.e., softsynths)
    * music notation apps (software for preparing and printing sheet music)
    * network audio apps (software for serving audio over a network)
    * media players (players for sound and video files in various formats such as OGG, MIDI, WAV, DVD, etc.)

    Thanks to the power of the lower and middle layers many of these application types can work together in an integrated environment with very low latency and excellent realtime performance, all running under the exceptionally stable and secure GNU/Linux operating system. This is AGNULA: an environment rich in powerful applications for the creation, modification, storage, transmission, recording and playback of sound and music, an environment built entirely from truly free software and freely available for composers, musicians, and everyone everywhere.

  5. #5
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    Re: Ubuntu/DeMudi as an Audio Workstation?

    You could add the DeMudi repositories to your sources.list file and try to install the important packages through apt/synaptic but that's iffy. It sounds great though, and I'd DEFINITELY like to have audio apps on my install (setting up a pseudo-studio for the band) and I'd like to install this in a chroot environment if that's possible, but these are GREAT great apps for linux. I wish they had more specifics, I'd like to try installing some of these (or hell, maybe all of them) and seeing if I can get it running myself. It's late and I'm kinda rambling here...

  6. #6
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    Re: Ubuntu/DeMudi as an Audio Workstation?

    Hey
    There's a wealth of information here if you're not signed up already,

    The Linux Audio User Archives

    and with the Agnula apps, these people should be able to help

    The AGNULA Mailing Lists

    I hope it works, could be the basis for a Ubuntu/Agnula Multimedia Distro.

    At present I'm weighing up Mandrake, (have learnt the security concerns don't apply to the 2.6 kernel), the Agnula Demudi distro or a Ubuntu/Agnula combination.

    peace

  7. #7
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    Re: Ubuntu/DeMudi as an Audio Workstation?

    Hi forum

    Going to to install Ubuntu Linux myself and try to put some Demudi on top of it. Have Demudi now, and it is really great, exsept I can not mount my firewire drive.I have tried really hard to get it up, and even with a lot of help I've had no luck. That is the main reason, and, ofcourse, Ubuntu got the better name

    Best regards
    Last edited by halus; November 26th, 2004 at 12:44 AM.

  8. #8
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    Re: Ubuntu/DeMudi as an Audio Workstation?

    I know Demudi is compatible with Debian Sarge (testing). Anyone knows if Ubuntu is compatible with Debian Sarge?


    Halusa

  9. #9
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    Re: Ubuntu/DeMudi as an Audio Workstation?

    Isn't low latency only required by audio pro's ?

    I mean if you're making music on consumer/amateur equipment would you notice the difference between a low latency OS and ubuntu ?

    Maybe you can install some of agnula's app's on ubuntu and be happy with it. If you don't like it you could switch to agnula.

  10. #10
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    Re: Ubuntu/DeMudi as an Audio Workstation?

    Low-latency is important for anyone making music.
    Even 10ms can be the difference between something sound right or sounding wrong. It's essential. I've read you can get sub 5ms latency with Demudi, depending on your system.

    Halus let us know how it goes.

    Peace

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