[LAU] [RFC] A “poor man’s”, yet professional level studio setup

[Sam Kuper]

On Sun, Feb 21, 2021 at 05:15:23PM +0100, Francesco Napoleoni wrote:
> Basically, what I am trying to achieve is a network mainly made of
> Ethernet cables (while minimising audio cables), with the following
> nodes:

A nice idea indeed.

I have been aiming to achieve something similar in the long run.
Ideally with entirely libre hard- and software, eventually.  It will be
a while before I achieve libre hardware and do away with audio cables,
though!


> * a master (or maybe better, a “conductor” ;-) ) machine controlling
>   and transmitting the transport information, ideally a tablet or a
>   minipc with a touchscreen showing the “big clock” and the “big
>   buttons” (transport controls)
> * another machine (the router) with audio h/w and a DAW, receiving
>   audio data from the network. The same machine could also host a
>   notation software, perhaps

Here, I would do things differently.

I think the primary machine should host the sequencer (or DAW, depending
on features needed).

If you want a peripheral device for transport controls and time display,
fair enough.  But this machine need not (and for simplicity/reliability,
probably *should* not) run a sequencer or DAW itself.  Instead, it could
be something like a Mackie Control, or a hardware or software clone
thereof: https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/mackie-control-universal
(Maybe an Arduino or Teensy-based clock with 7-segment LED displays and
transport buttons; maybe a tablet running Replicant and some suitable
app from F-Droid, if such exists.)  It should only need to communicate
to/from the primary machine via MIDI: traditional MIDI cables, or
MIDI-over-USB, or some kind of MIDI-over-IP, but still just MIDI.

This is a much more maintainable approach, IMO.

> * N >= 1 hosts running synths, virtual instruments

As per my message in the other thread :)

All best,

Sam

P.S. I am writing this offline.  Perhaps someone else has already made
the observations above.  Sorry if so and I seem to be duplicating their
effort.  I'll only find out once I am back online and sync emails.

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