12 Dec
2011
12 Dec
'11
4:31 a.m.
Hi there,
Nowadays, I use Debian Squeeze to play my keyboard, which is an
M-Audio midi controlled connected to my PC through USB. The software I
am using is jack to connect all the stuff, mididings to control my
keyboard on real time (keyboard partitions on different outputs
channels, octaves configuration, etc), and QSynth to synthesize the
sounds. This works really nice by the way.
Now, I would like to practise with my band, using my computer and
headphones to not annoy my neighbours. At the beginning we would be
three: a bass, a guitar and the keyboards. I am thinking in using
guitarix to control the bass and the guitar. So, what I am searching
is a good audio interface, that works on GNU/Linux out of the box,
with some instrument inputs, and some headphones outputs. I was
thinking in something like
http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/FastTrackUltra.html, but I have
read that it does not work out of the box in GNU/Linux. Besides, it
has only two headphones outputs, and we would need at least three at
the beginning, and I don't really know if those headphones outputs
could be used as system outputs.
In the future, we would like to add and electric drum too. I think
that this would not be a problem for the instrument inputs of the
audio interface, as it could be connected directly to USB sending MIDI
signals, but the problem would be that we would need another pair of
headphones.
To sum up, the questions are:
1- Do you know any good audio interface that works out of the box in
GNU/Linux, with at least two instrument inputs?
2- Could we use the same interface to connect 4 headphones?. Or should
we think in another hardware to make this?
Any help is really appreciated. Thanks very much,
tizo
12 Dec
12 Dec
4:54 a.m.
Hi there,
Nowadays, I use Debian Squeeze to play my keyboard, which is an
M-Audio midi controlled connected to my PC through USB. The software I
am using is jack to connect all the stuff, mididings to control my
keyboard on real time (keyboard partitions on different outputs
channels, octaves configuration, etc), and QSynth to synthesize the
sounds. This works really nice by the way.
Now, I would like to practise with my band, using my computer and
headphones to not annoy my neighbours. At the beginning we would be
three: a bass, a guitar and the keyboards. I am thinking in using
guitarix to control the bass and the guitar. So, what I am searching
is a good audio interface, that works on GNU/Linux out of the box,
with some instrument inputs, and some headphones outputs. I was
thinking in something like
http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/FastTrackUltra.html, but I have
read that it does not work out of the box in GNU/Linux. Besides, it
has only two headphones outputs, and we would need at least three at
the beginning, and I don't really know if those headphones outputs
could be used as system outputs.
In the future, we would like to add and electric drum too. I think
that this would not be a problem for the instrument inputs of the
audio interface, as it could be connected directly to USB sending MIDI
signals, but the problem would be that we would need another pair of
headphones.
To sum up, the questions are:
1- Do you know any good audio interface that works out of the box in
GNU/Linux, with at least two instrument inputs?
2- Could we use the same interface to connect 4 headphones?. Or should
we think in another hardware to make this?
Any help is really appreciated. Thanks very much,
You can do 6 channel output over usb but multi input and output gets
constrained pretty quick. Not many people have taken the plunge and bought
untested usb-2.0 hardware specifically for Linux recently.
You might find it better to use multiple laptops synced via netjack.
You can also use multiple soundcards but that is not so easy to work with
over usb and you won't get sample accurate sync. It would probably be fine
for basic recording and playback if you sent the input through different
usb busses. It would depend on how may usb busses are available on your
computer. You could get an additional usb->pci card to extend the amount
of busses.
Otherwise get a hammerfall or delta10/10 and be done with it. They are
well tested and have proven stability. You may be able to pick one up
cheaply second hand.
Cheers
--
Patrick Shirkey
Boost Hardware Ltd
5:02 a.m.
On 12/11/2011 10:54 PM, Patrick Shirkey wrote:
Otherwise get a hammerfall or delta10/10 and be done with it. They are
well tested and have proven stability. You may be able to pick one up
cheaply second hand.
I'd feel fairly comfortable with multiple in/outs with an LT1010. I'd
be more concerned with his apparent need to have multiple, independent
chains of guitar/bass effects/modelling with some attempt at low
latency. I think the odds of having low enough latency for simultaneous
drum processing is pretty slim.
I think a better solution would be three PCs, each running their own
instances of guitar effects programs, and running the outputs of those
PCs through a multiple headphone amp such as a Rolls or similar.
6:04 a.m.
On Mon, Dec 12, 2011 at 2:02 AM, Al Thompson <althompson58(a)gmail.com> wrote:
On 12/11/2011 10:54 PM, Patrick Shirkey wrote:
Patrick, Al, thanks for your help.
If we choose the headphone amp solution, we would still need an
instrument input for each laptop/PC (for bass and guitar). Would you
recommend using a PCI one for this or an USB one should be enough?.
Which one?. Would it be possible to use the mic input of our cheap
sound cards from our laptops to connect those instruments?
Thanks again.
Otherwise get a hammerfall or delta10/10 and be done with it. They are
well tested and have proven stability. You may be able to pick one up
cheaply second hand.
I'd feel fairly comfortable with multiple in/outs with an LT1010. I'd
be more concerned with his apparent need to have multiple, independent
chains of guitar/bass effects/modelling with some attempt at low
latency. I think the odds of having low enough latency for simultaneous
drum processing is pretty slim.
I think a better solution would be three PCs, each running their own
instances of guitar effects programs, and running the outputs of those
PCs through a multiple headphone amp such as a Rolls or similar.
6:16 a.m.
On Mon, Dec 12, 2011 at 2:02 AM, Al Thompson
<althompson58(a)gmail.com>
wrote:
Recording with usb will not be as efficient or low latency as pci.
On 12/11/2011 10:54 PM, Patrick Shirkey wrote:
Patrick, Al, thanks for your help.
If we choose the headphone amp solution, we would still need an
instrument input for each laptop/PC (for bass and guitar). Would you
recommend using a PCI one for this or an USB one should be enough?.
Otherwise get a hammerfall or delta10/10 and be done with it. They are
well tested and have proven stability. You may be able to pick one up
cheaply second hand.
I'd feel fairly comfortable with multiple in/outs with an LT1010. Â I'd
be more concerned with his apparent need to have multiple, independent
chains of guitar/bass effects/modelling with some attempt at low
latency. Â I think the odds of having low enough latency for
simultaneous
drum processing is pretty slim.
I think a better solution would be three PCs, each running their own
instances of guitar effects programs, and running the outputs of those
PCs through a multiple headphone amp such as a Rolls or similar.
Which one?. Would it be possible to use the mic input
of our cheap
sound cards from our laptops to connect those instruments?
You can record your instruments via you pc sound card mic in but you will
need to amplify the source before it gets to the sound card or once it is
in the machine. Your results will sound much better with a preamp.
You might find that it saves a lot of hassle to buy a mixing desk that has
all the i/o you need and run that though a 10/10 or hammerfall.
It depends on your budget really.
--
Patrick Shirkey
Boost Hardware Ltd
13 Dec
13 Dec
12:44 a.m.
On Mon, Dec 12, 2011 at 3:16 AM, Patrick Shirkey
<pshirkey(a)boosthardware.com> wrote:
Thanks very much for your responses. They are all really important to
me because I do not know much about the topic.
As at the beginning all the configuration is only to practise, we
don't need a perfect sound. So we will try with our mic inputs, and a
headphone amp, and see what happens. If that isn't enough for us, we
will try with a more pro audio card.
I will post our advances here, just in case anyone is interested in
the solution.
On Mon, Dec 12, 2011 at 2:02 AM, Al Thompson
<althompson58(a)gmail.com>
wrote:
Recording with usb will not be as efficient or low latency as pci.
On 12/11/2011 10:54 PM, Patrick Shirkey wrote:
Patrick, Al, thanks for your help.
If we choose the headphone amp solution, we would still need an
instrument input for each laptop/PC (for bass and guitar). Would you
recommend using a PCI one for this or an USB one should be enough?.
Otherwise get a hammerfall or delta10/10 and be done with it. They are
well tested and have proven stability. You may be able to pick one up
cheaply second hand.
I'd feel fairly comfortable with multiple in/outs with an LT1010. I'd
be more concerned with his apparent need to have multiple, independent
chains of guitar/bass effects/modelling with some attempt at low
latency. I think the odds of having low enough latency for
simultaneous
drum processing is pretty slim.
I think a better solution would be three PCs, each running their own
instances of guitar effects programs, and running the outputs of those
PCs through a multiple headphone amp such as a Rolls or similar.
Which one?. Would it be possible to use the mic
input of our cheap
sound cards from our laptops to connect those instruments?
You can record your instruments via you pc sound card mic in but you will
need to amplify the source before it gets to the sound card or once it is
in the machine. Your results will sound much better with a preamp.
You might find that it saves a lot of hassle to buy a mixing desk that has
all the i/o you need and run that though a 10/10 or hammerfall.
It depends on your budget really.
4:49 a.m.
On 12/12/2011 12:04 AM, tizo wrote:
Patrick, Al, thanks for your help.
If we choose the headphone amp solution, we would still need an
instrument input for each laptop/PC (for bass and guitar). Would you
recommend using a PCI one for this or an USB one should be enough?.
Which one?. Would it be possible to use the mic input of our cheap
sound cards from our laptops to connect those instruments?
Thanks again.
I'm not sure I understand the need for PCs at all in this situation.
My suggestion would be for each guitarist and the bassist to use their
normal signal processing chain, and, instead of plugging each into an
amp, plug instead into a DI and run it into your mixer. Most mixers
have at least two monitor sends and one or two effects sends. Use each
of those for an independent headphone mix for each person.
Instant infinitively-variable, zero-latency multi-mix monitoring
solution, with zero added complexity, and no added equipment. Each
person also has instant access to their effects pedals, and not have to
line up for their turn in front of the monitor/mouse to add a bit of
treble to their guitar.
I just hate adding so much unnecessary complexity to things. When I
want to practice, I want to be able to concentrate on playing, not
struggle with equipment all night.
2:32 p.m.
On Tue, Dec 13, 2011 at 1:49 AM, Al Thompson <althompson58(a)gmail.com> wrote:
On 12/12/2011 12:04 AM, tizo wrote:
Two reasons:
1- We don't have DIs, and by now, we still don't have a mixer (yes, I
know we need one if we connect the instruments to different computers
too).
2- We are confident that guitarix amp will sound much better that our
real guitar amp and distortion pedal.
In any way, connecting the bass directly to the mixer with a DI, can
be really helpful to reduce all the complexity of the solution. It had
not come to my mind, because I simply didn't know what a DI was, so
thanks again Al!.
Patrick, Al, thanks for your help.
If we choose the headphone amp solution, we would still need an
instrument input for each laptop/PC (for bass and guitar). Would you
recommend using a PCI one for this or an USB one should be enough?.
Which one?. Would it be possible to use the mic input of our cheap
sound cards from our laptops to connect those instruments?
Thanks again.
I'm not sure I understand the need for PCs at all in this situation.
My suggestion would be for each guitarist and the bassist to use their
normal signal processing chain, and, instead of plugging each into an
amp, plug instead into a DI and run it into your mixer. Most mixers
have at least two monitor sends and one or two effects sends. Use each
of those for an independent headphone mix for each person.
Instant infinitively-variable, zero-latency multi-mix monitoring
solution, with zero added complexity, and no added equipment. Each
person also has instant access to their effects pedals, and not have to
line up for their turn in front of the monitor/mouse to add a bit of
treble to their guitar.
I just hate adding so much unnecessary complexity to things. When I
want to practice, I want to be able to concentrate on playing, not
struggle with equipment all night.
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7 comments
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participants (3)
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tizo