[LAU] New to list

[Julien Claassen]

Hi Kevin!
  For the distro: I think Ubuntu and Ubuntu Studio are quite popular and easy 
to use/install. I personally would put my bet on Debian Etch or Lenny.
  For the Kernels: If you are used to build them yourself, then it's good to 
build an rt-patched kernel. Or find one for the Distro you choose. If you 
build them from source:
www.kernel.org
  Project -> RT and then get the correct patch-version for the kernel you 
choose. You'll have a few more options mainly under processor/general.
  Software to use and try:
Audacity is a rather simple start point from what I hear. (I use only 
text-based software myself. If you're interested in that, I'll tag a list on 
at the end.)
  Ardour and muse are the big ones. Ardour is rather complex but offers 
probably more than you will need. Ardour comes from the audio world. Muse 
comes from the MIDI world, but also has both MIDI and audio support. Also muse 
has its own softsynth API with a few synths already in place.
  Normally we use either DSSI synths (disposable soft synth interface) or one 
of those:
ZynAddSubFX - subtractive and additive synthesis (nice 80s sounds and very 
warm synth pads and more)
Fluidsynth and its GUI qsynth - samplebased synthesis (sound in the .SF2 
soundfont format) - see www.hammersound.net for free sounds to download
LinuxSampler and its GUIs jsampler or qsampler - for samples in 
GigaSampler/GigaStudio format
  If you like programming there's csound and its partial GUIs (csound is a 
programming language for sounds and synthesis, powerful and complex but 
feature-rich) and there's CLM (common lisp music another lisp-based 
programming language) and there's PD (PureData a graphical synthesis 
(language?). Youget nice visual modules on your screen and can do nice things 
with it.
  For Effects: There is LADSPA - Linux Audio Developer's Simple Plugin API and 
its successor LV2. Both currently in use. A lot of linux audio tools accept 
LADSPA and fewer (but still enough) can use LV2. If some synth doesn't support 
LAXDSPA directly, there are some simple apps, that just load effects and let 
you wire some other audio-app (i.e. softsynth or hardsynth) to it.
  For URLS see
http://linux-sound.org
and
http://apps.linuxaudio.org
  One thing you should take a quick look at, for it is CENTRAL to linux audio 
today is JACKD (Jack Audio connection Kit) a lowlatency soundserver. It lets 
you wire applications among themselves and connect apps to the soundcard I/Os.
http://www.jackaudio.org
  For the text-based world:
Still Linuxsampler (via telnet), ZynAddSubFX (only load and play), fluidsynth 
(shell interface)
  For recording/processing of audio:
ecasound (shell interface) - record/process/mix
midish  (shell interface) - MIDI sequencing (no alsaseq alas)
csound/clm - they can be done with any editor, clm best with emacs of course
  TiMidity - for simple MIDI playback/synthesis (it too uses soundFonts and 
GUS patches, you get a set when downloading or installing from your distro)
  A lot of all the mentioned packages should be available with debian/Ubuntu 
(maybe all of them).
  There's of course more, but nothing too basic. You'll get to those left in 
time.
  HTH.
  Kindest regards
          Julien

--------
Music was my first love and it will be my last (John Miles)

======== FIND MY WEB-PROJECT AT: ========
http://ltsb.sourceforge.net
the Linux TextBased Studio guide
======= AND MY PERSONAL PAGES AT: =======
http://www.juliencoder.de