Audio creation spin development

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Goals

• Create a Fedora spin configured with software and optimizations designed for audio creation work.

Contributors

• David Timms
• Christopher Antila
• Bernardo Barros
• William Blackburn
• Brendan Jones
• Karsten 'quaid' Wade
• Nikos Roussos
• Jørn Lomax

Status

• 2010-07-22: Creation of the Spin Development page.
• 2010-07-18: There has been renewed interest on the music list in developing a Fedora Music Creation spin.
• 2012-02-19: Renewed interest here

Timeline

The aim is to release with the next mainstream Fedora release, Fedora 18

Tasks

If any of these areas interest you, please put your name next to an item, and indicate when you think you might be able to complete the task, etc.

• Develop the list of primary audio packages. (collab)
• Develop the list of other audio packages. (collab)
• Develop a list of system tweaks to improve the user experience (bsjones: currently looking at the kxstudio suite of tools. It provides jack / pulseaudio / ALSA midi integration. Needs some work to be packaged for Fedora)
• Build initial kickstart file based on primary audio packages. done. see Spin Page.
• Publish the first cut via torrent/site for SIG feedback. (crantila: this should be done via fedorahosted?) (dtimms: not sure, but time is of essence - so I have tried publishing both the torrent and ks so that people can further test the spin).
• Make a cool name for the spin.
• Prioritize tasks; assign them to people.
• Team up with Artwork for themes and CDs/DVDs.
• Document "primary" software (Christopher).
• Get space at fedorahosted to store development materials (git done).
• Write information on this page.
• Get a beat written for the Release Notes (Christopher).
• Contact the Spins SIG to notify them of our project, and ask for help done, review of late spin submission requested. The Spins Meeting voted on a nogo for F14. Unfortunately a request for someone representing the music spin to be present at the meeting wasn't forwarded, so we had no voice there, although it sounds like it would have been welcomed.
• Convert this page to the format suggested by the Spins SIG. done, see standard spin page. standard Spin Page
• GSoC submission of the spin for 2012. (bsjones: 06/03/2012)

Primary Packages

The spin developers consider this group of packages to cover key audio creation areas.

Written Music / Sheet Music

• crantila: Do we need these at all? We're looking to create a spin targeted for audio creation. People using LilyPond might be better off doing it in the standard distribution, unless they want other audio creation programs. The point is that we don't need to include it as essential software, so let's cut it out and reduce the size of the installation media.
• dtimms: This highlights a few things: who is our target audience ? I'm thinking someone who can't afford a hardware IO box, and just wants to mess around with an instrument / computer to get started. You need to get them hooked on digaudio: cool fx, easy recording, faultless playback, reading of guitar tabs, playback of published music as backing...
• crantila: We should sort out the target audience first, to make it easier to agree on later decisions.

• LilyPond
  • LilyPond-mode for Emacs
  • Frescobaldi
  • InkScape
  • LilyPondTools for jEdit

Recording and DAWs

• Audacity
• Ardour
• Qtractor
• Rosegarden
• Traverso

Sound Analysis

• Praat
• Friture

Synthesis

• Keyboard:
  • zynaddsubfx
• Effects:
  • rakarrack
  • guitarix
• Sampling:
  • SooperLooper
  • FluidSynth & Qsynth
  • Specimen Sampler
  • (LinuxSampler and Qsampler were on this list but do not meet licensing restrictions)
• Processing/Languages:
  • SuperCollider 3.4 (needs to be moved from CCRMA)
  • PD-extended (needs to be moved from CCRMA)
  • CSound 5

For Music Scholars

• crantila: These are obviously not required for an "audio creation spin," but it's a big part of what I do, so I added them here. They're not packaged anywhere, as far as I know.

• music21 (from [1])
  • Something to link it with LilyPond better... maybe just an additional script
• humdrum (see [2])
  • maybe some music from KernScores ([3])
  • maybe PerlHumdrum

Sound Server and Configuration

• qjackctl
• jack2
• a2jmidid
• kxstudio (still being evaluated)
• ladish (still being evaluated)
• patchage (still being evaluated, currently in CCRMA)

Kernel and Drivers

• Real-time kernel
• FFADO: FireWire audio capture/output

crantila: aren't USB & MIDI already included by default? sunset: since I don't have either, I don't know if there are boxes that need firmware packages or specific drivers, if not, then great.

Tertl3: I have heard that the spin must use a normal Fedora kernel or it will have to be classified as a remix as opposed to a spin. It is not a big deal, but I just thought it was worth noting. I, personally, would really like the spin to have a real-time kernel.

jcwillia: I'd like to have a realtime kernel as well. I currently record using Ubuntu Studio and I replace that kernel with my own RT kernel. I'm also interested in getting the FFADO->Jack->Ardour stack into working condition (wasn't when I tried back in the 13/14 timeframe).

Default Desktop Environment(s)

• crantila: If we end up with a DVD, it may be possible to include GNOME and KDE, and maybe even others. Probably only one would fit on a CD. They all have their advantages, so I suggest voting by FAS username. That way, we can pick what would please the greatest number of existing audio creation users.
• dtimms: I would suggest including a single desktop e. that most existing documentation refers to. I would think we want as much as possible for it to be light weight, since we most likely won't have a specialised kernel. We could write some tools to 1. disable all the stuff that can mess up your real-time-d-ness (updatedb), with an option to say - do your maintenance now. A web browser and internet connection stuff should be included.
• crantila: We also want people to use it. I don't know about you, but I don't want to be switching between two installations of the same OS just so that I can do audio creation work in one of them. Of course, including a light-weight installation by default doesn't mean that users won't later be able to install something else.
• jcwillia

Other Packages

These packages would be nice to have, but shouldn't be necessary for release.

these packages are not in the repos, but can be downloaded from the linux rtwiki and linux audio creation sites.

rtirq- this script, (if I understand it correctly), determines which IRQ numbers are used for soundcards and sets them for realtime audio priority.

realtimeconfigquickscan-this script performs a number of checks and with every check also provides the method of fixing the corresponding settings.

rtirq actually changes setting whereas the realtimeconfigquickscan merely checks for real time optimization and offers suggestions.

I would like to write a tutorial for these in the fedora musicians guide. Let me know if you think this is a good/bad idea.(William Backburn)

Spin Issues and Bugs for F13 alpha CD Lite Spin

• please add yours here:
• Spins Sig Guideslines / meeting comments:
• can't disable standard services: but then you can on some spins ;-)
• shouldn't delete wireless networking drivers: these can fit after removing locale stuff
• the spin should be installable to disk: not tested

kickstart issues

• attempt at setting the default group for all users is not recognised: you still have to mess with users and groups to add the user to jackuser. this is probably one of the key things that is needed for the spin to be instantly usable by beginners.

• existing package bugs:

We want to keep track of new and existing bugs. Maybe some cached BugZilla queries?

Links to Further Information

• Audio Software Packaging (crantila: what does this mean?)
• Packages Requiring Testing (koji and bodhi)
• The Music Creation Lite spin standard page
• AudioCreationWebResources