Linux for Audio Pro
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Why Linux for Audio Pro?
The classic DAW concept and virtual soundgeneration: This is standard in todays studios, starting with the old C64 followed by Atari, Mac and todays PC. It is widespread in the amateur and semiprofessional music-production. On every operating system audio is high developed, you can buy low-price hardware with limits that were state of the art in professional High Tech studios not so long ago.
ASIO - the DAW of the common musician
With ASIO Steinberg set a propietary quasi-standard in 1997, which is common for most musicians. It became possible to make sophisticated real-time audio-calculations on PC's and Power PC's, away from highly professional special-solutions like ProToools. The better hardware promoted this development. Steinberg ingeniously gave away for free VST-SDK, which is needed for the development of VST-instruments (synthesizers,samplers) and VST-effects ( reverb, compressor..). So, today, there is a huge amount of plug- ins and you don't have to spend a fortune for good hosts, e.g. the famous audiocompany "Mackie" made know the sequenzer "Tracktion",by giving it away for free in a promoaction. With a couple of free-ware plug-ins you could create a sufficient surrounding for the pre-production of music.
Market-leader
Up to now market-leaders are Cubase SX/Nuendo of Steinberg and Logic, by now of Apple. Steinberg offers his product fot MacOS X and XP, while Apple after the purchase of made "emagic" Logic an i-product, which is exclusively running on MacOs.
Both the "giants" are almost the same, differences result in continual new features because of competition, but at the end of the story the user pays the price for this competition, he pays with nerves, bugs and real money.
But there is different and new software apart from the big one's: Ableton Live is suggestive of an completely new use of audio as something elastic, Propellerhead's Reason brought the classic Hardware-rack to the screen and connects via Rewire to other host-programmes. But even small solutions like "Fruity Loops" or Orion Pro are by now stable tools with many features, which can even be used by pro's. By now there are VST plug-ins which are almost a self-playing band (groove Agent, Virtual Guitarist, Virtual Bassist, Hypersonic). The Berlin company Native Instruments meanwhile has lead guitarists to midi and computers by the perfect ampsimulation GuitarRig.
Cracked Software
The shady side for the software companies is the common using of cracks. Many small studios and musicians start first productions by using cracked software, sometimes because of permanent lack of money, quite normal for musicians, sometimes because they don't know that there are legal options. It is popular too, to say that you can't make music with Linux software, then start Windows using cracked programms worth 5000 bucks, without paying for it. But then everybody is doing it.....
I don't want to judge morally, that is not the point. But isn't it stupid not to look for other, free possibilities? The more people are using free software, the more motivated are the developers- the more feedback, the more features. With the using of cracked commercial software, you don't only harm the commercial software companies, you are harming free software too. And: In future software companies will more and more prosecute licence violation, better registration systems will register what you have paid ( DRM), user's rights will be administrated in a better way and finally restricted, if money is lacking. Doesn't that sound funny?
Lack of money ist not only a problem of poor musicians, you could understand their motives. Free arts and educational institutions often do not have , because lack of money, the possibility to offer a modern teaching and researching environment, especially for young people. Sometimes they are submittet attractive offers with advertizing character looking only superficialy like charity.
Jack -Audio with Linux getting alive
Mostly unnoted by musicians, at the same time with the development of ASIO and CoreAudio, Linux developed with JACK an audio interface, which is a notch away from CoreAudio and ASIO, concerning the features. And that even if Linux Thorwald said a couple of years ago. "if you want to make music with Unix, take MacOs( which has an excellent native LawLatency ), Linux isn't quite suitable."
Anyway JACK is running quite stable with Linux, other audio-programms were improved ore developed in the last years. Without being disrespectful..., Linus isn't always right ;-), but with Ardour, MusE, ZynAddSubFX and the promising new project LinuxSampler and wired, Linux is closing the gap between Windows, MacOS X and Linux. And offers more...
AudioLinux, the Meta-Sequenzer
If someone asks me: Has Linux Cubasa or Logic?", I have to negate. Sure, there are programms which are to some extent similar, but they are by no means mature. But all together they can be used and syncronised with the multi-audio interface JACK. Yes, Ardour is not able to do Midi, but rosegarden can. And both go together like a sequencer. Everything can be hooked up as you like, no frontiers but your mind. And with this, today Audio Linux is offering more than Cubase or Logic. An environment where your wildest software dreams can come true, but working pragmatic and user-friendly.
Development goes on in rapid strides. Each update means more dependability or new features. There are new audio programms continually. You even can hear some people rumouring " They should pool their energies and create an audioMidi giant which sweeps away Cubase", instead of single tools. Well, that is some point of view.
I think that if QJackCtrl had a Total-Recall button, which opens, saves and closes all programms taking part at a session, then the nagging would stop. Then the smallest programm working with JACK would be a feature in a LinuxMetaSequenzer.(well, it is by now, but unfortunately without this Total-Recall button). Of course, a Linux Audiosystem can't replace a MS/Apple production machine, but surely is completing and has the potential of being used professionally in near future.
But as I said before, this will only work by using our potential. This is true for the common user, who can try to work with Linux instead of Windows, the developer being annoyed of the restrictions of VST SDK taking a glance on the development of JACK and LADSPA. Evolving potential, by using what is abounding.
