Tags: myEquipment:bar, cga::studio, iPlay::foo, iStream:foo, iNstruments::foo, iMIDI:foo, iLinux::rox
My Equipment:bar (aka cga::studio)
I mainly use Linux as my operating system and I must say that I felt both pleased and surprised when I discovered that there are so many softwares to make multimedia, especially music, with it.
Leaving the many advantages of using Linux aside for a moment, even if they do matter here too as you’ll read later on, I really think (for what I do at least) that this wonderful OS is production ready if you are not a pro musician (which I’m not and don’t think I’ll ever be).
There are many Linux distributions (and many are dead already) dedicated to multimedia purposes but I prefer to use (at the moment) Kubuntu; since I love KDE4, a solid Debian base and the vast software repository it offers. Not to mention that installing all the needed software (including a much needed real time kernel) it’s a breeze.
You might wonder why I’m not using Windows or OSX and all the wonderful software developed for these OSes. If you are asking yourself, yes I’m completely crazy; but not for this reason.
I use Linux since December 2003 and I’m proud of it. I’m Free from software piracy. I’m Free from vendors’ lock in. I’m Free to choose and Free to use. I’m Free and that’s enough. The most important thing to me.
So, why shouldn’t I apply this to the music I make? why should I fall prisoner? I already made that mistake once with software and once with hardware; the result of vendor’s lock-in? I lost my songs. Forever.
If you use closed software and closed formats, you are trapped and bonded to them forever. Not to mention that if that format gets changed by the vendor, or if the software is discontinued, you are fucked up unless you keep using an old version of the software. What if you change OS? platform? What if they decide to erase your data files?
Hardware is no different: I bought the groovebox when I was living in London, I wanted something to play, else I could die. Well, now I find myself trying to Free my music from it. In MIDI you need to have both sounds and scores out of the hardware, and vendors don’t like you to get them out of there. So now, I have no space left on MC303 for new music and still can’t extract the good one I already made, that leaves me with no chance than to hack to Free the music and sell the MC303. (or I might keep it for drum and very basic loops for live sessions).
These are the main reasons why I use Linux and MIDI now.
See, who’s crazy? Not me, really.
Here’s a list of some of the software I use:
- My distro of choice (at the moment) is Kubuntu. One day I want to try 64Studio.
- The JACK Audio Connection Kit server. Here’s a list of software that uses JACK.
- I love tracking with the best tracker ever: Renoise.
- Let me introduce you to the best Linux software Synth: ZynAddSubFx
- There also are so many effects for Linux: LADSPA and DSSI for example.
- You can rack so many effects together with JACK Rack
- You can save a complete session of instruments, patches and effects with LASH
- I work on my samples and prepare my loops with Audacity
My hardware so far:
Hardware with Linux can be troublesome, yes I’m talking about compatibility issues. Not everything works out of the box and some items won’t work even after lot of hacking. Of course it goes without saying that is not entirely Linux’s fault; we all know that software houses prefer to support the main OSes and love to denigrate our little minority. But things are changing even if at a slow pace. I’m confident enough that Linux is The Way, so I keep ready for the future ;) . Here’s a list of my hardware, not everything works at its 100% potential and features, but we know the reason, don’t we?
- My main PC, assembled by myself. I want to get a new horse power in 2010 but this will suffice for now.
- My Master Keyboard is a Korg microKontrol. I like to prepetuate its sound with a M-Audio SP1.
- My Effects Controller (at least I bought to use it so) is a Behringer BCR2000. I just happen to love knobs.
- I also own a Roland GrooveBox mc-303. I don’t really like the all in one solution like the Groovebox series, I bought it when I was living in London since I had no PC or else to make music. It was a cheap choice and good enough not to starve of music.
- I’m not a DJ but I like to play around with my Behringer BCD3000 even if my DJing skills are not adequate. Maybe one day I can haz a cheeseburger.
- My current headphones are the Beyerdynamic MMX 300.
- I connect my MIDI devices to my PC with an M-Audio MIDISport 4x4 Anniversary Edition. Luckily enough it is fully Linux compatible thanks to the efforts of some hacker.
My hardware wishlist:
- I’d like to get a new horse power assembled PC in the near future, it is so much needed. I assure you that they will be pretty neat and powerful components. That day seems far for now…. but when it’ll comes… bye bye Xruns!!!
- I’d also like to buy an AKG headphone in the near future. I have to make my mind up for either a K702 or a K701. Honestly, MMX 300 currently have wider range of Hz, but AKG is soooooo……
- I’d also like to build some hardware myself with the instructions of this great sites: uCApps and midibox. In the past, back to the Mi.S.Fu era, Gabo was building what we called “The Smanettator”. I also built some smaller ones when I was living in London, unfortunately I fried them. It is so much fun building your own gears, not to mention if it comes from the rubbish and can make a lot of noise ;)
This page was written by cga on Sat Nov 21 2009.