What HW/SW do people have working?

[Larry David]

Thanks Scott.  I've gotten the impression that using audio/MIDI  
hardware on a Linux machine is sort of the opposite of plug-and-play;  
and if your experience is typical, then that is an understatement.   
So is this kind of sleuthing and experimenting typical to get a Linux  
machine to do music?  I'm not a programmer and don't have time to  
figure all this stuff out - I like the FOSS philosophy, and really  
hope Linux keeps growing - but it sounds like it may be a bit early  
for the humble user to try doing music with it.  Am I wrong?

Thanks again,
ld


On Jan 25, 2009, at 4:34 PM, Scott wrote:

> Larry David wrote:
>> Hi - I'm a Mac user and musician.  I'm thinking of switching to Linux
>> with my next laptop, and am wondering what people are using for  
>> audio/
>> MIDI interfaces, and what software - DAW, plugins, softsynths, etc.?
>
> I have a little Dell XPS 1210 which I recently got working for my  
> modest little music
> studio.  All the details were in this post to the FFADO list:
>
> http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/forum.php?thread_name=496C1F6E. 
> 9080701%40troutpocket.org&forum_name=ffado-user
>
> Here it is in all its posterity:
>
> Well, I got it all working.  I wanted to share my progress with  
> everyone by editing
> the wiki but I don't have access to that.  Here's what I did (in a  
> nutshell):
>
> My Kit:
>     Dell XPS M1210 laptop
> 	1GB RAM
> 	Intel T5600 1.8GHz Core2Duo
> 	Intel 945GM Video controller
> 	Sigmatel 9220 internal audio controller
> 	Internal Ricoh Co Ltd R5C832 IEEE 1394 Controller
> 	http://tinyurl.com/clr43l
>
>     EchoAudio Audiofire12
> 	http://www.echoaudio.com/Products/FireWire/AudioFire12/index.php
>
>     Ubuntu Studio 8.10 with RT (realtime) kernel
>
> Steps:
>     1. Install UbuntuStudio 8.10.
>
>     2. Install all updates via update manager
>
>     3. Install RT kernel
> 	~$ sudo apt-get install linux-rt
>
>     4. Install ffado drivers and accompanying libraries
> 	In Synaptic Package Manager choose Settings/Repositories.  In the  
> Software
> 	Sources window choose the Third-Party Software tab.  Add the  
> following:
> 		deb http://www.ffado.org/apt gutsy contrib
> 	Reload your package manager and install the following:
> 		ffado-dbus-server
> 		ffado-mixer-qt4
> 		ffado-tools
> 		jackd-firewire-driver
> 		libffado2
> 		libffado2-dev (just in case)
>
>     5. Configure grub to boot RT kernel by default
> 	~$ sudo vim /boot/grub/menu.lst
> 	edit the line:
> 		default	0
> 	to say
> 		default 4
> 	or whatever number (counting from 0) is your rt entry in the  
> file.  If you
> 	don't do this you have to manually choose it at boot every time.
>
>     6. Add yourself to the disk and audio groups.  If the audio  
> group doesn't already
>        exist you can create it with the optional first command.
> 	~$ sudo groupadd audio (optional step if audio group doesn't exist)
> 	~$ sudo adduser <username> disk
> 	~$ sudo adduser <username> audio
>
>     7. Adjust limits.conf to accommodate your RT kernel.
> 	~$ sudo su -c 'echo @audio - rtprio 99 >> /etc/security/limits.conf'
> 	~$ sudo su -c 'echo @audio - nice -19 >> /etc/security/limits.conf'
> 	~$ sudo su -c 'echo @audio - memlock unlimited >> /etc/security/ 
> limits.conf'
>
>     8. Reboot to your RT kernel!
>
> After you system is up and running you'll have to start jackd.  I  
> recommend using
> qjackctl to do this as it has a patchbay manager.  Make sure  
> everything is plugged in
> and running then start qjackctl (found in Sound & Video/Audio  
> Production/JACK Control)
>
>     9. You must install the raw1394 kernel module. Unfortunately my  
> ability to get this
>        to stick hasn't worked.  No problem, just run the following  
> short command after
>        each boot:
> 	~$ sudo modprobe raw1394
>
>     10. Here are the changes I made to the default jackd config by  
> clicking Setup:
> 	Driver = firewire
> 	Realtime (checked)
> 	Priority = 70
> 	Frames/Period = 64
> 	Sample Rate = 48000
> 	Periods/Buffer = 3
> 	Port Maximum = 128
> 	Interface = hw:0
> 	Start Delay = 2
>
>     11. Click the Patchbay button.  Click the New button and let it  
> discover your
>         port configurations itself.  Mine showed System with 12  
> capture ports listed
>         under Output and it showed System with 12 playback ports  
> under Input.  Select
>         System in both windows and choose Connect.  You may have to  
> click the Activate
>         though I don't really know exactly what that does.
>
> Click the start button and pray for no xruns.  Following these  
> exact steps I've been
> able to successfully record in Ardour for 30ish minutes without  
> xruns or program
> errors.  It may go longer but I haven't bothered trying yet.
>
> The big hurdle I encountered was outdated information on many  
> websites.  First of all,
> the Ricoh 1394 controller does not work with 8.04.1 RT kernel.  It  
> is working
> wonderfully with my 8.10 RT kernel.  I hope someone can update the  
> page at:
>
> 	http://subversion.ffado.org/wiki/HostControllers
>
> to show that success has been had with the Ricoh R5C832 1394  
> controller and perhaps
> reference this guide.
>
> Guides from which I shamelessly ripped off information:
>     https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UbuntuStudioPreparation
>     http://www.ffado.org/?q=release/apt
>
> -Scott
>
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