[LAU] Linux synths used on commercial Rock/Pop CD

[Justin Smith]

On Mon, Apr 27, 2009 at 5:27 PM, Ken Restivo <ken at restivo.org> wrote:
> On Sun, Apr 26, 2009 at 11:21:41PM +0100, Folderol wrote:
>> On Fri, 24 Apr 2009 12:20:17 -0700
>> Ken Restivo <ken at restivo.org> wrote:
>>
>> > I'm happy to report that Linux softsynths have been used on a commercial pop/rock CD called "Lawler Rules".
>> >
>> > I did some studio work for them over the last year, and the CD is finally out. They produced it on a Mac with ProTools. I played keyboards on it and used exclusively Linux and Linux softsynths.
>> >
>> > http://www.myspace.com/lawlerrulesvol1
>> >
>> > I used AMS for the Moog and ZynAddSubFX for the synthy-string pad on "Cocaine Cowboys", and PHASEX for the ARP-y plinks on "Death".  AZR3 is Hammond organ and Fluidsynth for piano on most of the songs, and Fluidsynth is also the bass  on "Big Groove".
>> >
>> > If you like commercial classic rock, enjoy. Higher-resolution versions might end up for sale on Last.fm, Virb, CDBaby, or elsewhere.
>> >
>> > -ken
>>
>> Very nice!
>>
>> BTW how did you get on with your eeepc as a DAW?
>>
>
> Actually, I'm using the EEE as a softsynth, not a DAW.
>
> It's working out rather well so far. I can run a couple Fluidsynths, an ecasound with a couple LADSPA plugins, and some other utilities, with no problems. Exactly what I wanted.
>
> I also experimented with ecasound on it for doing some scratch ideas, and it works.
>
> I also loaded Ardour on it, but Ardour is DOA on the EEE: the dialog boxes so frickin big that they don't fit in the EEE's small screen.
>
> But the EEE is perfect as a low-power, light, highly portable softsynth. I've used it for some outdoor street music, and it's fantastic for that. Also very convenient for rehearsals and should be helpful for casual gigs too.
>
> -ken
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regarding ardour on the EEEpc, I have mine at 800x600, and there are
some tricks to make it work, but it does work:

1) use the -ardourino flag on the command line to get a smaller profile
2) detach the transport toolbar  (I put that at the top of my screen
and all it does is hide a couple of the less used buttons on the right
side)
3) size the remaining ardour window to fit under the detached
transport toolbar (if the transport remains attached the ardour window
is too wide and won't get any narrower).
4) for the mixer window and load external file dialogue, use alt-click
to move the window up and down as needed (since they are too tall and
won't resize short enough). For the mixer, it is not too hard to leave
the buttons that are actually used regularly on screen, and drag it
around to get at the less commonly used ones toward the bottom (unless
you spend lots of time adding comments to your tracks or changing
their output bus).
5) also
This may not work with a window manager that puts title bars at the
top of windows, but with evilwm or a decent tiling wm it definitely
works, I have worked on a number of tracks this way.