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

[David W. Jones]

On February 21, 2021 3:51:05 PM HST, Sam Kuper <sampablokuper at posteo.net> wrote:
> 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.

Linux Laptop Orchestra

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---
David W. Jones
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