Audio setup old
Specific notes on my Linux audio workflow.
Hardware
- MIDI hardware
- Yamaha DJX
- Korg Nanokontrol 2
- Numark DJ2GO
- MIDI to USB adapter for DJX
Software
- Session management
- Cadence
- Non Session Manager
- JACKPatch - NSM tool to save JACK patch connections
- i3 - dynamic tiling window manager with i3 layout saving features, automatic session save with i3session
- Audio systems, routing and hosts
- ALSA
- JACK - jackd 2, multiprocess, gui config via dbus. to try jackd 1 for speed later.
- alsa_in/alsa_out - for adding to JACK additional input and output devices beyond the primary sound device.
- Patchage - JACK/ALSA patchbay.
- Carla - plugin host (LV2, LASDSPA, DSSI, Linux/Windows VST). MIDI automation CC per parameter.
- (Ingen - plugin host (LV2) and patcher. MIDI learn.)
- MIDI routing
- a2jmidid - via Cadence, as jackd 2 doesn't do the Metadata API yet.
- mididings - filtering, scripting, switching via 'scenes' and MIDI program change messages. m_mididings.py
- jack_midi_dump - MIDI monitor, prints to terminal stdout.
- midifilter.lv2: ScaleCC - scale CC range sent to delay down for easier time sync length selection
- midifilter.lv2: MIDI Note to CC - note to CC
- midifilter.lv2: MIDI Duplicate Blocker - for live vs. seq64 notes
- Piz: midiProgramChange - from the above to mididings for scene changes
- Piz: midiCCToggle - momentary to toggle
- MIDI sequencing
- sequencer64 - no MIDI record control (in dev) or MIDI learn. use wip branch where these are/will be implemented.
- harmonySEQ - no recording. sequences and LFOs with multiple patterns, MIDI learn for: sequence toggle/one-shot, note/chord/octave change, pattern change, tempo and sequence sync.
- CCStepper - 64 steps max, no recording. Windows VST.
Session
To do
- update this page
- currently I'm testing DAWs for easier signal routing, Ardour seems to be winning so far
- mapping computer keyboard to MIDI keyboard for more than just seq64 use - midikb
- MIDI generator, bpm and fractions of - either momentary or toggleled, passing beats to parts
- harmonyseq?
- MIDI controlled MIDI routing/switching using mididings scenes
- find a better workflow
- use cc toggle more? (overtone nanokontrol 2 config?)
- need "if note held, this, else"?
- scenes for
- nano control of seq64 horizontal column level selection?
- delay sends - function key select scene, nano buttons to send, nano rotary for feedback? nano cycle to toggle momentary or toggled send
- gate/lfo sends - function key select scene, nano buttons to send, nano rotary for level, nano cycle to toggle momentary or toggled send
- drum midi receive select, allows one/some/all.
- mididings outputs for ersdrums, drum kit sf, drmr - scenes: ersdrums, kit, drmr, ersdrums+drmr, ersdrums+kit, ersdrums+kit+drmr
- harmonic control
- set the key - kick/bass/synth
- play various kinds of chord progressions - synth
- part/pattern progression switching - seq64 vertical columns and sets, with mute groups
- part/channel preset switching - set play? move up/down in column feature request? manual.
- pick an fx plugin rack
- delay - cc range filter/alter for fine synced delay time control - tal dub
- pick reverb plugin - use/make nice presets - mverb?
- pick gate -
- pick eq - dj hi/low pass? - dj2go three faders for low mid hi
- pick filter -
- pick autopanner -
- pick fuck shit up - anarchy rhythms?
- pick a metronome -
- audio level fade change cc buffer?
- sequence64 CC patterns - bottom 2 rows of a column/set 2 columns
Setup commands
cadence # start jack with #todo - non-gui start # cadence-pulse2jack # pacmd set-default-source jack_in && pacmd set-default-sink jack_out
non-session-manager -- --session-root path_to/NSM_projects_root # i.e. non-session-manager -- --session-root ~/audio/NSM # same session root for all projects # i alias the command "nsm" for this, starting in a terminal for output/error messages
NSM entries:
jackpatch # nsm specific util to save and restore jack connections nsm-proxy a2jmidid -eu # because cadence never managed to autostart this and misses -u arg anyway nsm-proxy patchage -A # connection manager gui. ctrl-g, ctrl-f to sort connections # via nsm-proxy for the -A argument to not load ALSA carla # plugin host nsm-proxy mididings -f path/to/m_control.py [1] # MIDI routing nsm-proxy livedings -l 56801 -p 56800 -T -f "Sans 22 bold" -F "Sans 22 bold" -w 50 -n "control" nsm-proxy mididings -f path/to/m_drums.py [2] # drum selection. to redo. nsm-proxy livedings -T -f "Sans 22 bold" -F "Sans 22 bold" nsm-proxy xterm -e jack_midi_dump # MIDI monitoring nsm-proxy nsm-sequencer64 # via nsm-proxy, requires an empty midi file # make sure set to jack transport master radium_compressor ( optional nsm-proxy nsm-ingen # via nsm-proxy, hack of sequencer64 script above, copies in a blank project, starts ingen modular host engine and gui # ingen -eg project.ingen ) ( optional nsm-proxy alsa_out -j "USB Out 1" -d hw:5 -q 1 2>&1 1> /dev/null & nsm-proxy alsa_out -j "USB Out 2" -d hw:6 -q 1 2>&1 1> /dev/null & # additional 2 stereo outputs, USB soundcards for DJ main and headphone )
aj-snapshot projectname.aj.bak # backup JACK connection snapshot, as JACKPatch loses it's memory on a bad crash or accidental NSM entry removal
Synthesis
- Metronome
- Bleep - synth, seq64 clicktrack
- Single drum synth
- KickMaker - kick drum, 4 osc+envelope plus output envelope - Win VST
- TW-Opkicker - kick drum, Win VST
- TW-Percussion1 - 2.5 osc, various presets - Win VST
- Mixed drum synth
- ErsDrums - drum machine, phat, track mono/stereo and stereo out options - Win VST
- KMT2 - 8 voices, individual outs, sensitive controls - Win VST
- Stegosaurus - hard to use, kick: c4, snare: d4, closed hat: e4, open hat: f4 - LV2
- Drum soundfont
- avldrums.lv2 - self-contained soundfont - LV2
- DrMr - Hydrogen kit based sampler, 16 voices - LV2
- Synths
- ZynAddSubFX - good, no host temp sync yet - LV2
- 0bxd - nice. Oberheim OB-X
- dexed - Yamaha DX7
- Wollo Drone - pad - Win VST
- Synths w/ host tempo sync
- TAL Noizemak3r - nice - LV2
- basic65 - chip tune - Win VST
- Crystal - pad - Win VST
- Diodow - atmospheric - Win VST
- dlM entropy - Win VST
- TheBlooo, TheScrooo, Infamous Cellular Automaton Synth
- Samples
- drumkv1 - file based sampler
- shuriken - file based beat slicer. no MP3.
- freeycle - file based beat slicer
Effects
- Reverb
- mverb - lv2
- Tal-Reverb-III - all plate reverbs
Effects w/ host tempo sync:
- Gates
- SuperCutSequencer - carla doesn't load? - LV2
- dfx skidder - fun but tempo sync doesn't work properly - Win VST
- dlM moot - Win VST
- StormGate1 - Win VST
- dlM gator - meh? - Win VST
- gate3 - meh? - Win VST
- Delays
- TAL-Dub-3 - LV2
- Anarchy Rhythms - Win VST
- Calf Vintage Delay, Calf Reverse Delay, ZamDelay (mono), Della (mono), Leet Delay 2 (Win VST), TigerDelay (Win VST), Spaceship Delay (Win VST), PPD Echobox (Win VST), Tapatiki (Win VST), Delazi (Win VST), Rubbadub (Win VST), KR-Delay FS, SoundHack +delay (Win VST)
- Filters
- Channelswap, MAutopan, MFlanger, MFreqShifter, Ducka (side-chain envelope), TAL-Filter-2 (filter), ndcTrem+ (tremelo), dlM bent (desync), Masha (beat grinder), dfx buffer override (stutter), dlM thrummaschine (distortion) Kitchen Sync (complex LFO), The Modulator 2 (amplitude/ring/frequency modulation), dlM sfilter (sequenced filter), dlM pfilter (probabalistic filter), dlM manic (glitch sampler), Livecut (glitch), Muchacho (stutter), Phase Seq (glitch), dlM truc/2 (multi), Frakture (multi), Hysteresis (multi)
- Granular
- Argotlunar
- grANALiser
- 23_words
- Muchacha
- Looping
- SuperBeatRepeater - carla doesn't see?
- beatslash-lv2
- InstaLooper - vst
- Tempo Sync Reverser
- SooperLooper - larger, proper
Routing
- Audio mixing
- m_mixer_S4toS32 [3] - lv2, 4 stereo to 8 stereo sends each - for fx sends
- AMS Stereo Mixer 8 channels (alsa modular) - 8 mono to l/r stereo - for fx returns
- Audio routing
- dj2go master vol - master vol out
- Visualisation
- x42 Stereo/Frequency Scope
Sequencing
Sequencer64
- seq64 - MIDI control config - keyboard mapping - see Audio#sequencer64
- start -
- stop - nano stop - cc42
- pause (stop/start toggle) - nano play - cc41
- screen-set up - nano marker > - cc 62
- screen-set down - nano marker < - cc 61
- screen-set play - nano marker set - cc 60
- bpm page down - dj2go left jog - cc#25 - value 127
- bpm page up - dj2go left jog - cc#25 - value 1
- mod thru toggle/on/off -
- mod record -
- mod queue - b4
- mod solo toggle/on/off
- mod replace - c5
- mod snapshot - c#5
- mod group learn - d5
- mod group mute select - d#5
- pattern toggle - 0-31 in sequencer64 - c2 (32)-g4
- toggle between sequencer64 controls and playing notes/chords - e5?
- mididings scene mod between toggle and on and off?
[OPR INV STAT D1 D2min D2max] (toggle / enable / disable), where;
- OPR=on/off
- INV=inverse
- STAT=MIDI status byte(channel ignored)
- D1=data1
- D2min=data2 min
- D2max=data2 max
to redo:
# bpm up: 64 [0 0 0 0 0 0] [1 0 176 24 0 2] [0 0 0 0 0 0] # bpm down: 65 [0 0 0 0 0 0] [1 0 176 24 3 127] [0 0 0 0 0 0] # screen set up: 66 [0 0 0 0 0 0] [1 0 176 62 1 127] [0 0 0 0 0 0] # screen set down: 67 [0 0 0 0 0 0] [1 0 176 61 1 127] [0 0 0 0 0 0] # mod replace: 68 [0 0 0 0 0 0] [0 0 0 0 0 0] [0 0 0 0 0 0] # mod snapshot: 69 [0 0 0 0 0 0] [0 0 0 0 0 0] [0 0 0 0 0 0] # mod queue: 70 [0 0 0 0 0 0] [0 0 0 0 0 0] [0 0 0 0 0 0] # mod gmute: 71 [0 0 0 0 0 0] [0 0 0 0 0 0] [0 0 0 0 0 0] # mod glearn: 72 [0 0 0 0 0 0] [0 0 0 0 0 0] [0 0 0 0 0 0] # screen set play: 73 [0 0 0 0 0 0] [1 0 176 60 1 127] [0 0 0 0 0 0] # Extended MIDI controls: # start playback (pause, start, stop): 74 [1 0 176 41 1 127] [0 0 0 0 0 0] [0 0 0 0 0 0] # performance record: 75 [1 0 176 45 1 127] [0 0 0 0 0 0] [0 0 0 0 0 0] # solo (toggle, on, off): 76 [0 0 0 0 0 0] [0 0 0 0 0 0] [0 0 0 0 0 0] # MIDI THRU (toggle, on, off): 77 [1 0 176 44 1 127] [0 0 0 0 0 0] [0 0 0 0 0 0] # bpm page up: 78 [0 0 0 0 0 0] [1 0 176 25 0 2] [0 0 0 0 0 0] # bpm page down: 79 [0 0 0 0 0 0] [1 0 176 25 3 127] [0 0 0 0 0 0] # reserved for expansion: 80 [0 0 0 0 0 0] [0 0 0 0 0 0] [0 0 0 0 0 0] # reserved for expansion: 81 [0 0 0 0 0 0] [0 0 0 0 0 0] [0 0 0 0 0 0] # reserved for expansion: 82 [0 0 0 0 0 0] [0 0 0 0 0 0] [0 0 0 0 0 0] # reserved for expansion: 83 [0 0 0 0 0 0] [0 0 0 0 0 0] [0 0 0 0 0 0]
- MIDI generation
- Eckel - euclidean
- Hyperion/HyperCube
- Skunk
- Populus
- Machina
- S-Midi-Random
- Midiball
- BoxySeq
- Políssonos
- https://github.com/x37v/pdlv2
- MIDI automation
- arpage
- QMidiArp
- Hypercyclic
- BlueARP - Win VST
- RandARP - Win VST
- arp4midi - Win VST
- Malt
- MIDI Shape Shifter
- MIDI key/scale/tonic alteration
- midiForceToKey - no GUI
- midiTranspose - no GUI
- MIDI Chromatic Transpose
- MIDI Keys Transpose
- MIDI Enforce Scale
- Cales - need to apply changes and use presets
- AutoTonic Player - Windows app not VST. no.
- midiScaleChanger - no GUI
- midiBlackKeyFilter
- tonespace
- MIDI chords
- MIDI Chord
- tonespace
- Chordz
- Chordit
- MIDI groove
- Circuit
- Phase Seq
- MIDI other
- MIDI Velocity Adjust
- midiAlias
- midiDelay
- midiNoteGroups
- midiProbability
- midiSimpleLFO
- midiStrum
- midiSwing
- midiVelocityScaler
- AuioToCC
Arrangement
- MIDI parts
- Kick - channel 11 - KickMaker
- Snare - channel 10 - ErsDrums/DrMr/SF Kit
- Other percussion - channel 10 - ErsDrums/DrMr/SF Kit
- Hi-hat / crash - channel 10 - ErsDrums/DrMr/SF Kit
- Bass - channel 1 - zynsubfx
- Phrase A - channel 2
- Phrase B - channel 3
- Phrase C - channel 16 - metronome atm
| Kick 1 | Snare 1 | Hi-hat 1 | Perc. 1 | Bass 1 | Phrase A 1 | Phrase B 1 | Phrase C 1 |
| Kick 2 | Snare 2 | Hi-hat 2 | Perc. 2 | Bass 2 | Phrase A 2 | Phrase B 2 | Phrase C 2 |
| Kick FX 1 | Snare FX 1 | Hi-hat FX 1 | Perc. FX 1 | Bass FX 1 | Phrase A FX 1 | Phrase B FX 1 | Phrase C FX 1 |
| Kick FX 2 | Snare FX 2 | Hi-hat FX 2 | Perc. FX 2 | Bass FX 2 | Phrase A FX 2 | Phrase B FX 2 | Phrase C FX 2 |
Structures
ABAC, etc. with length and intensity as a varying state.
AB either harmonic relation or on/off.
Kick
- 4/4 - variations of
- Swung / offbeat
- Matching bass
Bass
- 8 beats one tone, 8 another
- 64 beats one tone, 64 another
Bugs
(and nitpicks)
- Cannot yet do/use/is annoying
- Session management
- NSM - undeveloped UI, can't delete/move/rename sessions, no delete confirmation, new session/client button confusion, nsm-proxy doesn't save label first time. no jackpatch connection state file save/argument, loses states on bad crash. mostly does its job though..
- i3 - working towards a sound layout save and restore process..
- Carla - plugin state has to be manually loaded, plugin windows need to be manually opened (nsm?) [4]
- Carla - takes a while to close [5]
- Carla - no NSM portability yet [6]
- Routing
- jack2 - lacks Metadata API so no pretty device port names [7]
- Patchage - doesn't auto-refresh when a client changes input/output ports.
- Carla - crashes after a plugin is renamed [8]
- Carla - has a max plugin instantiation limit of 10s, ErsDrums loads only 50% of the time depending on load
- Carla - cannot reorder/group plugins in rack [9]
- MIDI
- MIDI controlled MIDI looping - no software good enough enough yet, would allow live loop of mute and effect changes. seq64 is closest.
- sequencer64 - no MIDI start/stop/arm just yet [10].
- sequencer64 - can't change BPM whilst running yet [11].
- sequencer64 - can't see if text field is active or button is selected (accidental space) in editor window
- Giada - audio/midi looping - problems between nanoKONTROL2s no button off note off CC and parameter scales [12]. fiddly midi control; learn but no 'mod' like sequencer64, i.e., no MIDI 'channel' (sample/sequence) select or channel groups - every item requires unique MIDI CCs and learns for each of it's functions.
- External interactive tempo changes
- klick doesn't do JACK transport and OSC mode (from gtklick) at same time [13]
- Jack Director only has set bpm presets triggerable by midi
- InConcert doesn't take external input or display bpm, crashes often
- DAW
- LMMS - no LinuxVST or LV2 [14]
- Qtractor - doesn't see some VSTs linked by Airwave..
- Qtractor - plugin MIDI ports are exposed through jack "system" block?! name is unuseful "midi_playback_13"
- Qtractor - clicking on a bus option bus not changing it, then clicking another bus prompts to save (no) change
- Qtractor - ERSDrums - on a MIDI track and no audio outs, on a Audio track and no MIDI ins?
- Ardour - can't undo various tasks
- Ardour - "Add New Subgroup Buss" doesn't work
- Ardour - can't create busses in routing page
- Ardour - plugin output channel numbering reversed/whack! (ERSDrums at least)?
- Ardour - no virtual piano to plugin MIDI input for testing
- Ardour - metronome is a fixed pattern, faster would enable quicker beatmatching with external source [15]
- Ardour - no VST tempo sync? :( [16]
- Ardour - no Jack tempo sync! [17] also no MIDI Clock sync [18]
- Ardour or sequencer64 - with seq64 as Jack Transport Masteer, Ardour starts but doesn't use the correct tempo
- Synthesis
- Samples
- petri-foo - broken, always starts from 0 :(
- Specimin - no mp3 at least until the end of 2017 due to patents
- Session management