Introduction to music creation in Linux

Linux is modern and stable operating system, suitable for music creation. Kernel and sound system offer typical modern experience with low-latency audio and built-in support for many devices.

Biggest problem in Linux environment is software selection, which is getting better all the time, but still restricted when compared to commercial platforms as Windows or OS X.

USB, PCI as well as Firewire sound cards work with Linux. Support for PCI and USB cards is built in to Linux kernels ALSA soundsystem. Firewire cards are supported via Ffado project.

• More info on Hardware support
• http://tinyurl.com/2dyen7n Cards supported by Ffado project
• http://www.alsa-project.org/main/index.php/Matrix:Main Alsa Soundcard Matrix

All class-compliant midi devices work with Linux out-of-the box. Midi keyboards as well as USB-midi interfaces work without problems. All midi devices use Alsa drivers, except midi connections in Firewire devices, which use Ffado drivers. Currently there are two different midi frameworks: older Alsa framework and newer Jack Midi specification.

Midi connections can be easily made with routing programs as QJackCtl.

Most multimedia creators use ready-made multimedia systems, so-called Linux Distributions. Best distributions can be found on separate article.

Heart of the Linux audio system is Jack. It's system offering both hardware interface and software patchbay. With Jack you can connect any applications and hardware devices to each other. Jack is very flexible as it doesn't make any difference between hardware and software device.

Jack is background process that can be started with separate program as QJackCtl.

• More info about Jack

Because of Jack, many Linux users are used to work in 'modular environment'. That means running separate programs for separate tasks, not one program with multiple plugins. Programs are connected together with Jack and connections can be saved using Session management. Those techniques are currently under construction and there are several rivalling standards.

• More info about Session management

Altough Linux is strong as a modular environment, there are many plugins that can be loaded to host programs – and many plugin standards as well.

• Effect and instrument plugins

There are few commercial software titles available on Linux. Most of them are closed source.

• Commercial software

TODO: beginner tutorials here!

Linux Audio community is lively and it is organized through mailing lists, IRC and Linux Musicians forum. There are also many blogs and regional community sites.

• Community