[LAU] Laptop as portable synth/effects box?

[Dan S]

Yes, why not. You get much nicer results if you use an external sound
card rather than trying to hook up to the small jacks on most laptops
(because of impedance matching but also balanced sockets help
eliminate hum etc), which adds to cost if you don't already have that.

It's unlikely that you need a machine with a particuarly fast
processor, if you're doing straightforward effects and maybe a
softsynth too. The main concern is to use a system that can give
low-latency audio I/O, since the guitarist/violinist/whoever will
*very* quickly notice the latency and feel very uncomfortable with it,
if it's more than (say) one or two dozen milliseconds. So do use a
linux distro with a real-time kernel (e.g. ubuntu studio, pure:dyne).

HTH
Dan


2009/4/29, david <gnome at hawaii.rr.com>:
> The guitarist in my church band has been using a hefty effects box for
>  years (of course). Our violinist just bought a small one for chorus
>  effects. I should figure out to use my laptop as a synthesizer and
>  effects box and start bringing it along. Or maybe I should set up my
>  wife's old laptop for that - it's got a faster processor in it. Anyway,
>  suggestions/thoughts?
>
>
>  --
>  David
>  gnome at hawaii.rr.com
>  authenticity, honesty, community
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