This week I’m your straight reporter bringing you news of of updates, upgrades, and new releases in the world of Linux audio software. Development in this world is continuously productive, so I’ll present only a selection of the Linux sound and music applications and utilities announced in the month of November in the year 2008.

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This week I’m your straight reporter bringing you news of of updates, upgrades, and new releases in the world of Linux audio software. Development in this world is continuously productive, so I’ll present only a selection of the Linux sound and music applications and utilities announced in the month of November in the year 2008.

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A few months ago I started sensing the need for a replacement for my aging and ailing HP Omnibook 4150. That machine’s audio capabilities were negligible even with external hardware, but it had been serviceable for writing articles and as a portable MIDI composition environment. Alas, after years of travel and abuse the Omnibook’s hard drive gasped its last breath of life. I had no fear for my data, the drive had been backed up, but clearly the time had come to buy a new portable computer.

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A few months ago I started sensing the need for a replacement for my aging and ailing HP Omnibook 4150. That machine’s audio capabilities were negligible even with external hardware, but it had been serviceable for writing articles and as a portable MIDI composition environment. Alas, after years of travel and abuse the Omnibook’s hard drive gasped its last breath of life. I had no fear for my data, the drive had been backed up, but clearly the time had come to buy a new portable computer.

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At the end of my profile of AlgoScore I stated that my one wished-for addition to that program would be support for OpenSound Control (OSC). Well, my wish has been granted, the latest AlgoScore supports OSC, and I’m a happy guy. This article introduces OSC and explains why it makes me a more pleasant fellow.

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At the end of my profile of AlgoScore I stated that my one wished-for addition to that program would be support for OpenSound Control (OSC). Well, my wish has been granted, the latest AlgoScore supports OSC, and I’m a happy guy. This article introduces OSC and explains why it makes me a more pleasant fellow.

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Earlier this year I discovered Jonatan Liljedahl’s AlgoScore, a Csound-based program for sound and music composition. Alas, at that time I was unable to run AlgoScore on the machines here at Studio Dave. My builds of Csound use double-precision numerics, and AlgoScore was not compatible with that build option. However, Jonatan recently took another look at the problem, resolved it (with a little help from Victor Lazzarini and other friends on the Csound Developers mail-list), and I can now compile and run AlgoScore with double-precision Csound.

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Years ago one of Linux’s finest audio software developers suggested that I should keep a watchful eye on the Windows/Mac music software scene. I took that suggestion to heart and joined a variety of Windows/Mac-centric lists and forums. I’ve been able to run many Windows/Mac music programs under the Wine emulator, so my participation has gone beyond mere lurking.

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Years ago one of Linux’s finest audio software developers suggested that I should keep a watchful eye on the Windows/Mac music software scene. I took that suggestion to heart and joined a variety of Windows/Mac-centric lists and forums. I’ve been able to run many Windows/Mac music programs under the Wine emulator, so my participation has gone beyond mere lurking.

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With this installment I complete my survey of Java-based sound and music applications that run under Linux. Again I’ve focused mainly on production software.

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With this installment I complete my survey of Java-based sound and music applications that run under Linux. Again I’ve focused mainly on production software.

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In this second part of my survey I list and briefly describe some of the Java sound and music applications known to work under Linux. Java applications show up in almost every category found atlinux-sound.org and theApplications Database at linuxaudio.org. The scalability of the language is well-demonstrated throughout those pages where one can find everything from highly specialized mini-applications to full-size production environments. Of course I can’t cover or even present the entire range of Java soundapps, but this survey should give readers a good idea of Java’s potential in the sound and music software domain. Again the presentation is in no special order.

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In this second part of my survey I list and briefly describe some of the Java sound and music applications known to work under Linux. Java applications show up in almost every category found at linux-sound.org and the Applications Database at linuxaudio.org. The scalability of the language is well-demonstrated throughout those pages where one can find everything from highly specialized mini-applications to full-size production environments. Of course I can’t cover or even present the entire range of Java soundapps, but this survey should give readers a good idea of Java’s potential in the sound and music software domain. Again the presentation is in no special order.

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I’ve wanted to write this article for quite a while. Over the years I’ve noted thatJava-based music and sound applications have increased in number and quality, yet no comprehensive list or summaries have covered these advances. And so at long last I present this survey of music and sound applications that require Java. The presentation follows no particular order, but in this first part I’ll begin by questioning the use of Java in sound and music applications development, followed by a brief look at Java’s internal audio and MIDI capabilities.

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I’ve wanted to write this article for quite a while. Over the years I’ve noted that Java-based music and sound applications have increased in number and quality, yet no comprehensive list or summaries have covered these advances. And so at long last I present this survey of music and sound applications that require Java. The presentation follows no particular order, but in this first part I’ll begin by questioning the use of Java in sound and music applications development, followed by a brief look at Java’s internal audio and MIDI capabilities.

continue reading.....

I’ve wanted to write this article for quite a while. Over the years I’ve noted that Java-based music and sound applications have increased in number and quality, yet no comprehensive list or summaries have covered these advances. And so at long last I present this survey of music and sound applications that require Java. The presentation follows no particular order, but in this first part I’ll begin by questioning the use of Java in sound and music applications development, followed by a brief look at Java’s internal audio and MIDI capabilities.

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Four years ago I wrote an article for the Linux Journal about my use of Linux software for music instruction. A lot has changed since then, so I thought I should update that article to reflect my current use of Linux in my work as a music teacher. I’ll follow the presentation of materials as I organized it in the original article, but first I’ll share some observations about the changing nature of my trade. I’m interested in how and where my younger students hear new music. Some of the old channels still work for them, especially live shows, but television and radio have little appeal. On-line music services such as iTunes and Magnatunes are very popular, many students have directed me to music tracks and performances on YouTube and MySpace sites, and the Guitar Hero games have inspired some students to learn tunes they may not have heard elsewhere. Surprisingly, very few have ever tuned in to an Internet radio station. Students still share mix CDs, but of course the iPod is now the preferred portable media player.

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Four years ago I wrote an article for the Linux Journal about my use of Linux software for music instruction. A lot has changed since then, so I thought I should update that article to reflect my current use of Linux in my work as a music teacher. I’ll follow the presentation of materials as I organized it in the original article, but first I’ll share some observations about the changing nature of my trade.

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In this second part of my survey I focus on the tools that achieve this new synthesis of arts. Alas, due to space constraints I am unable to include all the software I would like to have reviewed, but perhaps a future article will deal with those programs. Meanwhile, I present to my readers these brief profiles of Pd, Fluxus, and AVSynthesis. Each of these programs takes a different approach to the practical concerns of blending images (moving or still) with sound (realtime or recorded).

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In this second part of my survey I focus on the tools that achieve this new synthesis of arts. Alas, due to space constraints I am unable to include all the software I would like to have reviewed, but perhaps a future article will deal with those programs. Meanwhile, I present to my readers these brief profiles of Pd, Fluxus, and AVSynthesis. Each of these programs takes a different approach to the practical concerns of blending images (moving or still) with sound (realtime or recorded).

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The Linux Journal recently published an article I wrote on Jean-Pierre Lemoine’s AVSynthesis, a program designed for artists working with the computer as a medium for the synthesis of image and sound. I’m fascinated by that program, so I decided to research the existence of similar software. This article presents the current findings from that research.

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Linux-based guitar effects processors haven’t exactly been flourishing recently. Until recently, the guitar FX processors page at linux-sound.org listed twelve projects, of which the most recent maintenance date is 2006. Clearly, not a flourishing domain for Linux audio developers. Not that Linux lacks realtime effects processing capabilities: Pd can be pressed into any audio service imaginable, the JACK Rack can be configured for LADSPA-based effects, but they are not organized and optimized specifically for guitarists. However, a thirteenth entry has joined the collection at linux-sound.org, and this entry is most definitely organized, optimized, and intended for guitarists.

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Linux-based guitar effects processors haven’t exactly been flourishing recently. Until recently, the guitar FX processors page at linux-sound.org listed twelve projects, of which the most recent maintenance date is 2006. Clearly, not a flourishing domain for Linux audio developers. Not that Linux lacks realtime effects processing capabilities: Pd can be pressed into any audio service imaginable, the JACK Rack can be configured for LADSPA-based effects, but they are not organized and optimized specifically for guitarists. However, a thirteenth entry has joined the collection at linux-sound.org, and this entry is most definitely organized, optimized, and intended for guitarists.

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In this final installment to the series I’ll double your reading pleasure by presenting two new Linux softsynths. Such a deal, two reviews for the price of one! When I wrote my article on the LinuxSampler Project I noted the distinction between a performance sampler and a studio sampler. It occurs to me now that the same distinction should be made with regards to synthesizers. The synthesizers profiled in this review are best considered as performance synths, so let’s see what makes the difference.

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In this final installment to the series I’ll double your reading pleasure by presenting two new Linux softsynths. Such a deal, two reviews for the price of one!

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In this second installment I’ll profile Minicomputer, a subtractive synthesizer with some familiar aspects, unique characteristics, and terrific sounds. Let’s take a look under its hood and see what makes the Minicomputer run.

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In my next three articles I’ll profile three native Linux software synthesizers (a.k.a. softsynths). I’ll introduce their basic synthesis architectures and program operations, then I’ll guide my readers briefly through the process of creating a new sound for each synth profiled. Our voyage begins with Nick Dowell’s Analogue Modeling SYNTHesizer, better known as amSynth.

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In my next three articles I’ll profile three native Linux software synthesizers (a.k.a. softsynths). I’ll introduce their basic synthesis architectures and program operations, then I’ll guide my readers briefly through the process of creating a new sound for each synth profiled. Our voyage begins with Nick Dowell’s Analogue Modeling SYNTHesizer, better known as amSynth.

continue reading.....

In my next three articles I’ll profile three native Linux software synthesizers (a.k.a. softsynths). I’ll introduce their basic synthesis architectures and program operations, then I’ll guide my readers briefly through the process of creating a new sound for each synth profiled. Our voyage begins with Nick Dowell’s Analogue Modeling SYNTHesizer, better known as amSynth.

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Looking at the software listed at Kokkini Zita it’s easy to see where developer Fons Adriaensen’s interests lie. He has written one of the best organ synthesizers for Linux, he has contributed to the LADSPA collection of processing plugins, and he has provided Linux sound researchers with some excellent tools for measuring and representing audio signals. He is also involved in improving Linux support for the Ambisonics technology of encoding and decoding multichannel audio.

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