Linux-audio-user July 2010

linux-audio-user@lists.linuxaudio.org

129 participants
113 discussions

by Arve Barsnes

Not a showcase of linux or musicianship in particular, but it's completely recorded and "mixed" in ardour, and it sounded good enough for punk, so we put it out there. Currently available at that bastion of quality webdesign, myspace: http://www.myspace.com/shtatenerenjaevlakoedd The best part being that I was not involved in the design of the page and the guy who did it probably have no idea it was recorded in linux... If anyone is intrigued by our simplistic punk rock, there was a total of six songs made in this session, and I could upload it somewhere in better quality if there's interest. Arve

14 years, 11 months

Paper on new methods of notation

by David Collins

Hi, I've written a short paper on different methods of notation which have evolved recently, and thought that some readers here might be interested. The paper is available at http://indigo.uk.to/~david/notes/music/notation.pdf . The primary languages discussed are Mondrian, Abc notation, Csound, and Lilypond. The paper wasn't by any means intended to be comprehensive, so I haven't discussed other tools such as Philip's Music Writer, or the various audio programming environments such as SuperCollider, Chuck and others. It's not necessarily Linux-specific, but the software discussed is all FLOSS and available on Linux - and the information might be of interest to people who use Linux to compose music. Feedback and corrections are welcome. david

14 years, 11 months

Re: [LAU] ASCAP Assails Free-Culture, Digital-Rights Groups

by drew Roberts

On Thursday 01 July 2010 17:51:18 Joep L. Blom wrote: > drew Roberts wrote: > > Someone else having some thoughts on jazz and copyright: > > > > Are Bad Copyright Laws Killing Jazz And Harming Jazz Musicians? > > http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20100615/0255059823.shtml > > > >> Joep > > > > all the best, > > > > drew > > Drew, > Thanks for your reaction but I disagree with the author of the reference > you gave me. I don't know enough about jazz to agree with you or the author, it is just something I cam across the other day andthen when you posted, I went back and searched for it to let you see it. > I think that if you use the original product as such, i.e. in samples, > borrows, remixes etc. you don't make original music, you use the skills > of others to make something and I am of the opinion that you have to > acknowledge, perhaps with money, perhaps otherwise, that you use the > product of someone else. In my opinion that is in the same vein as > plagiarism, I think you and I had a different read on the article then. Likely one of us or perhaps both have a misunderstanding. I took the article to be speaking (at least partly) to the case (at least in the US) of statutory or compulsory licenses which allow for covers to be done of published sheet music and / or of recorded songs. You can force a songwriter to give you a license at a set price even if they do not want to. *But* and here is where I think it hits jazz, you have to stick closely to the melody and the wording (I think that's how it goes, could someone who knows speak to this?) Since jazz (often?) involves improvisations on the melody you can't get a license unless the songwriter *wants* to give you one you are at a disadvantage legally. (This may make for more creativity due to the extra effort needed but I think this is what I got from the piece.) > A musician is a creator of sounds with his personal > characteristics. On piano e.g typical Oscar Peterson sound, originating > in his personal touch, technique (and musicality), cannot be copied by > another pianists, although most jazz-pianists (myself included) use > typical Peterson 'inventions' in our solos. That however is completely > different from using some sound-bites of Peterson's recordings and > mixing it, eventually with other sound-bites, and call it your own > music. That has - in my humble opinion - nothing to do with making > music. Every kid with some computer knowledge can do that nowadays but > no skills whatsoever is needed (other than understanding the manual of > the programs). > Luckily, as I wrote earlier, I ( and many of my colleagues and friends) > master our instruments and can create music, inventing new chords and > melodies. We use only the creative minds of composers (e.g. Gershwin, > Ellington, Bennie Green, Brad Meldow, to name a few younger > composers/performers) as basis to play and improvise upon. This is what I think the article was talking about and was saying is considered illegal. (if the works are still covered by copyright.) > But, as I said in my former mail, I'm of a different generation where > the acquisition of skills is most important for the production of music > and these skills have to be maintained every day again. > Sorry if this sounds a little as a rant. > Joep (Posted back to LAU due to the questions.) all the best, drew

14 years, 11 months

"discovery" on db50xg clones (NEC XR385); example/demos w/ analog modification

by Niels Mayer

I've discovered something interesting about the db50xg clones from ebay (NEC XR-385 http://cgi.ebay.com/XR385-YAMAHA-DB60XG-DB50XG-MIDI-Synth-Daughter-Board-/2… ). You know, the rock-solid $10-$20.00 XG synths that work great with http://qtractor.sourceforge.net/ (due to ability to reuse people's cakewalk instrument defs for XG), also graphical parameter editing via http://qxgedit.sourceforge.net/ . This discovery is the result of a simple analog modification of the output of the synth-card and the input of its host soundcard, a $1.00 Dynex dx-sc51. The results can be heard by listening to the OGG encodings of some example songs, see links below.... I heard somewhere that the NEC clones of these synthcards were used in Karaoke boxes, especially for their built-in DSP-based vocal-removal, and ability to mix in beat-sync'd (to the current midi track) vocal effects and reverb ( http://www.studio4all.de/htmle/main96.html ) .... Probably for such purposes, I guess they didn't have the sound on the synth turned up to "11" but left some dynamic range for the drunken vocalist; Or it was connected to an analog amplifier and not a soundcard's A/D section that clips over 1vrms. As I mentioned before ( http://linuxaudio.org/mailarchive/lau/2010/6/28/170833 ), my analog modification of the NEC XR-385 removed the output opamps and tap directly into http://electro-music.com/forum/phpbb-files/ak4510_codec_683.pdf -- producing zero-2.80V(full scale) into 10Kohm from its "on chip output buffer with single-ended output" and "on chip post filter". That output is fed directly via large electrolytic coupling capacitor to a vt1616 codec input whose full-scale input is reached with 1 volt * 2 * sqr(2) = 2.82842712 volts peak to peak -- same as the DAC's full-scale. Prior to my analog modification, MIDI tracks had to be turned down via "master volume" ; they now play correctly at full volume. I assume other's complaints (read on the internets) about these cards clipping&distortion can be attributed to this property of the NEC XR385. But the reality is that the clipping may have been happening because of the extra gain (2x?) provided by the buffer opamp driving the waveblaster 26 pin connector analog out. It certainly wasn't observed on any full-scale waveforms I sent through it, visualized in 'yass' ( http://www.kokkinizita.net/linuxaudio/downloads/yass-0.0.2.tar.bz2 ). The bottom line is the extra output gain nor its buffering is needed, given the AK4510 DAC's builtin buffer. The original circtuitry probably served its purpose for karaoke mixing, but for its reincarnation as a synth card, it's best to give the synth, not the drunken karaoke vocalist, the full, limited dynamic range of the 16 bit DAC. Below are some example renderings of public MIDI using no volume adjustment at the MIDI level. http://nielsmayer.com/npm/Intelligent-Summer-on-analog-modded-dynex+6db.ogg http://nielsmayer.com/npm/Is_god_-_Free_demo_Copyright_Yamaha_-on-analog-mo… http://nielsmayer.com/npm/chpn_op53-on-analog-modded-dynex+15db.ogg ... http://nielsmayer.com/npm/Skyline_Herbie_Hancock_on_analog-modded-dynex+13.… Note I didn't re-do the Herbie Hancock track because it needed the volume increase at the midi level (via Kmid's volume control [ http://kmid2.sourceforge.net/ ] ). However, now, turning up the analog level on "classical" tracks, such as the Chopin above, is necessary. The downside, for quieter tracks, is that with turning up the "capture gain" amplification on the soundcard (via vt1723 and vt1616 codec) you get more noise: At +3db capture gain jnoisemeter ( http://www.kokkinizita.net/linuxaudio/downloads/jnoisemeter-0.1.0.tar.bz2 ) gives: w/ DC filter, flat response, RMS L = -83.4 R= -83.4 At +4.5db capture gain jnoisemeter gives: w/ DC filter, flat response, RMS L = -82.0 R= -81.9 At +6db capture gain jnoisemeter gives: w/ DC filter, flat response, RMS L = -80.5 R= -80.4 But that's not bad given that the synth-card's DAC has an -84db min. S/N ratio (-89dB nominal)... and the whole bricolage I constructed sits unshielded in a micro-tower case. Given those noise figures, there's no point in taking my "next step before going all digital" approach which was to make a balanced output for hookup to external DAC ( http://www.dancetech.com/article.cfm?threadid=59&lang=0 ). Without even anything connected, I measured -80db into the prospective circuitry I was considering using: an external "active transformer" (aka differential op-amps in a box) driving 20ft of Canare balanced microphone cable, into a switcher/router (passive, balanced) and into an external a/d converter. I'm better A/Ding at the source and not having to worry about converting any ground noise/loops and other hum.... other than the massive DC bias present on the signal.... As best example of my analog modification approach, I believe the above sound examples best match the full 16 bit 44.1K dynamic range of this synth-card. I hear a significant difference between the latest "on-analog-modded-dynex" versus the original non-modified ones recorded on a Terratec DMX6Fire 24/96. For comparison, here are the old ones, and original MIDI sources: http://nielsmayer.com/npm/Intelligent_Summer.ogg (orig http://www.megatrade.ru/Midi/Isummer.zip -> Intelligent Summer.mid) http://nielsmayer.com/npm/Is_god_-_Free_demo_Copyright_Yamaha_-_XG.ogg (orig http://www.blueman.name/Jazz.php -> Is god - Free demo Copyright Yamaha - XG.mid NOTE: demo of the guitar sound capabilities extolled in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaha_XG ) http://nielsmayer.com/npm/Skyline_Herbie_Hancock_TG300B.ogg (orig from http://www.blueman.name/Jazz.php -> "Skyline\ -\ Herbie\ Hancock\ -\ TG300B.mid" ) http://nielsmayer.com/npm/chpn_op53_coggie.ogg (orig http://www.piano-midi.de/midis/chopin/chpn_op53.mid ) -- Niels. http://nielsmayer.com

14 years, 11 months

ladspa plugin: echo with feedback and filter

by Atte André Jensen

Hi I'm looking for an effect that would look like this: ----> Filter ----> Delay --------> /|\ | |__________________| So an echo where each delay is filtered before fed back into the delayline. Is such a thing outthere as ladspa? If no, is there an native linux vst that would do this? Thanks in advance for any pointers! -- Atte http://atte.dk http://modlys.dk

14 years, 11 months

A weak link in the license chain: Releasing on false assumptions?

by Nils Hammerfest

Hello list, any opinion or experience for this case? The main question is: Who is responsible? A free, copylefted work is taken to build a derived work. This is realistic for GPL but much more realistic for a Creative Commons work, maybe a music piece. The derived work is released properly and 100% according to the original license, so there is no problem in that. (Imagine here a phase in which the derived works becomes popular, but that is not strictly necessarry) Later it turns out that the original work itself was a copyright break because music was stolen or the code was taken from a closed program where the initial releaser had access to (@ work or however). Now what happens? Of course the intial release was wrong and there will be legal consequences, no question. But what about the derived works and their derived works? Greetings, Nils

14 years, 11 months

ASCAP Assails Free-Culture, Digital-Rights Groups

by Gwenhwyfaer

On 01/07/2010, Paul Davis <paul(a)linuxaudiosystems.com> wrote: > Who has the right to control its expression? Nobody? Yep, that sounds about right to me. Now, if anyone wants to make money off it, I think Steve has a right to expect to be given some of that money. (Indeed, one could argue that if Steve's music helps someone pass the time as they tend their crops, they have a moral duty to feed him should he turn up on their doorstep.) But by and large we all agree that freedom of expression is a basic human right - and freedom and control are necessarily antonyms. So no, nobody has the right to control the expression of Steve's composition.

14 years, 11 months

rakarrack-0.5.8_Equinox is released

by Josep Andreu

Hi We are pleased to announce the release of rakarrack 0.5.8 Equinox, a summer gift. This is a major feature release, but we have also fixed many old bugs. We know that today is a Solstice, but we think that Equinox is a better definition for this version because we have worked diligently since release of 0.4.2, and 0.5.8 for us is like the start of a new cycle in the development of Rakarrack. Releasing on a Solstice is simply because this is a good reason to celebrate if you're a musician with preference for free open source software. http://rakarrack.sourceforge.net NEWS New Bank File format, we include a utility "rakconvert" to convert Bank files to the new format. New Effects: Valve, Dual Flange, Ring, Exciter, Expander, DistBand, Arpie, Shuffle, Synthfilter, VaryBand, Convolotron, Looper, MuTroMojo, Echoverse, CoilCrafter, ShelfBoost, Vocoder, Sustainer, Sequence, Shifter, StompBox, Reverbtron, Echotron. New Features: Tap Tempo. Upsampling using libsamplerate by Erik de Castro Lopo. Downsample intesive CPU effects. Upsample Waveshapper. ACI Analog Control Interface. Waveshappers: M.Saw, Compress, Overdrive, Soft, Super Soft, Gard Compress, Lmt-NoGain, Hard Compress, FET, DynoFET, Valve1, Valve2, Diode clipper. LFO Modulation: M.Saw, L.Fractal. Improvements: GUI DC Offset Filter at the input. Tuner Callibration Auto Connect jack input ports. GUI and bug fixes. The rakarrack team: Josep Andreu - Ryan Billing - Douglas McClendon - Arnout Engelen -- Josep Andreu <holborn(a)telefonica.net> -- Josep Andreu <holborn(a)telefonica.net>

14 years, 11 months

Music made on (with?) linux (and windows and mac!).

by Andrew C

Hey list, I recently discovered Ninjam, a non-realtime (non realtime in the sense you play over the previous bar that someone else played and vice versa) internet jamming app available for linux, windows and mac. Software is Open-source and licensed under the GPL (which version, I'll have to check the sources) and the audio generated from licenced under the " Attribution, Noncommercial, Share Alike Creative Commons License v2.5<http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/>". Inb4 license flamewars. Anyway, I find it absolutely great fun jamming with all sorts of people with all sorts of instruments (trumpet, anyone?). A JACK-ified version was also hacked together by a kind soul on the forums (absolute god-send!). Now back to the topic. Basically, all the jams are automatically recorded, cut up and placed onto the website and can be streamed here: http://autosong.ninjam.com/ I had this absolutely hilarious solo duel with a guitarist who went by the name Will. Then a bass player, a second guitarist, trumpet player and drum machine joined in and it escalated from there. I was lucky enough to have recorded all 2 hours and 25 minutes of it or so, but it's probably already on the site (search a day or three back!). Ok, I'll shut up now! Andrew.

14 years, 11 months

opinions from (potential) user perspectives wanted

by James Morris

Hi, I'm working on a new MIDI app which shares some features with a sequencer, but in other ways is more like an arpeggiator, but also somewhat different to both. It's like a sequencer in that the user will be able to create rhythmic patterns which lack pitch and velocity data, and almost like an arpeggiator in that it will automatically generate the pitch and velocity data from an algorithm - and unlike either a sequencer or arpegiattor, it uses a 2d window-placement like algorithm to generate pitch/velocity (mapping these to x/y). Basically, I am after opinions from a potential users on the following: 1) a basic 'timebase master' implementation which lacks tempo maps, signature changes, etc, just enough to fire the app up and play around with ideas (currently it does this). 2) no timebase master at all, (just like arpage), you must have some other sequencer running. 3) a full feature time base master with tempo/meter changes etc. The case for 1 is just as it says, ease of use for playing around with, and only for playing around with. The user would be expected to run a fully featured sequencer/daw for features such as tempo and meter changes. Would having 1) just confuse users? (but if they're confused by that...) The case against 3 is other apps like ardour, rosegarden, already do this, and probably better than I can get my app to. Cheers, James.

14 years, 11 months

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Linux-audio-user July 2010