after see my friends struggle with weird windows problems, anti-virus software killing windows etc. I've given up dealing with that stuff when I went to linux years ago. I don't even download software any more. I'm much lazier - if it's not in a repositry I re-evaluate my need for that software.

windows people won't even know what I'm talking about.

well, to install a piece of software I just open the terminal (under applications -> accessories -> terminal) and say

>sudo apt-get install [X]

where [X] is the name of the new software... there is a GUI program to do this, but I find it easier and faster to use the command line.

people think linux is just for mega-nerds, but thats no longer the case. plain old nerds can use it now. it's just about as slick as mac, and doesn't even need anti-virus software.

why don't my friends use ubuntu?

usually thier reason is "yeah, but there is no good music authoring software for it".

fair enough. but is that the case?

today I'm going to try and see what music software is available, and how good it is. without going to great extremes:
    1. I'm only going to spend 3 hours max looking around
    2. I'll only install stuff available through apt-get install (i.e. no compiling from source!)

lets go...

google: linux music sequencer
get RoseGarden... it's a midi sequencer... but the ubuntu repositry is only up to 1.7 when the project is at version 10. so, scratch that for now. but it leads me to Ubuntu Studio.

it's a Ubuntu Flavor optomised for graphics and audio.... sounds very good, but I don't want to reinstall everything. browsing the site I learn about this thing called 'jack'. http://jackaudio.org/

it's an audio server which allows to to connect in the input and output of different audio applications. sounds important so I install it.
>sudo apt-get install jackd

the jack website has a list of applications which use jack. for some instance gratification i want something I can program which makes noise. I install hydrogen drum machine because I heard it mentioned in on the unbuntu studio website

>sudo apt-get install hydrogen

that worked. so lets start it.

>hydrogen
there where some angry looking red error messages in the terminal (I think because I hadn't started jack.

but it worked anyway!

well, it's definately a drum machine. it has a good interface and does it stuff...
so, what about a synthesizer?

just something simple:

amSynth http://amsynthe.sourceforge.net...
>sudo apt-get install amsynth

that works so run it:
>amsynth
(a dialogue box pops up and tells me something about running jack might help...)

alright. it works, but I it doesn't include a sequencer, so I need something to drive it.

okay,
installed seq24
>sudo apt-get install seq24
and run
>seq24
It's a simple midi sequencer, which drives your other applications. I had no trouble getting it to control amsynth. the paino roll sequencer was a little bit tricky to use, but it works.

I think it expects you to be using it to record live playing on a midi controller.

what about effects? i want reverb and compression.
there is something called jack-rack which sounds promising
lets see if it has a ubuntu package
>sudo apt-get install jack-rack
...it installs...
>jack-rack
...cannot connect to server...
okay, i'll need to figure out how to run jack.

all linux commands have a manual which you can access with the 'man' command
>man jackd
okay. too much information. I just want a simple example.
ask google:
okay. on the ubuntu studio wiki I found example commands

>jackd -R -P4 -dalsa -r44100 -p512 -n4 -D -Chw:0 -Phw:0

that made a warning message:

JACK is running in realtime mode, but you are not allowed to use realtime scheduling.
Please check your /etc/security/limits.conf for the following lines
and correct/add them:

  @audio          -       rtprio          100
  @audio          -       nice            -10

After applying these changes, please re-login in order for them to take effect.

You don't appear to have a sane system configuration. It is very likely that you
encounter xruns. Please apply all the above mentioned changes and start jack again!

okay. it's probably right lets give it those premissions:
stop jack by pressing Ctrl-C in the terminal.
open the file in gedit
>sudo gedit /etc/security/limits.conf
c&p in those two lines to /etc/security/limits.conf
start jack again.

another message:

JACK is running in realtime mode, but you are not allowed to use realtime scheduling.

Your system has an audio group, but you are not a member of it.
Please add yourself to the audio group by executing (as root):
  usermod -a -G audio dominic

After applying these changes, please re-login in order for them to take effect.

You don't appear to have a sane system configuration. It is very likely that you
encounter xruns. Please apply all the above mentioned changes and start jack again!

it's all these permissions and groups and stuff which keep linux safe from viruses.
Ctrl-C
then
>sudo usermod -a -G audio dominic
no I have to log out and log in again.

okay, now, start jackd, hydrogen, and jack-rack. jack-rack can connect software together.

totally got effects working in jack-rack. it's easy to disconnect hydrogen from the main output (system), connect it to jack-rack, and then connect jack rack.

I didn't need to read any documentation. it was just obvious.

okay it's been two hours now, which includes the time I spent writing this blog post. and I spent most of the time making music. and only needed minimal nerding. I don't remember it ever being this painless on windows. I am very impressed. This is much more than I expected!

you'll probably be hearing more about this in the future!