[PlanetCCRMA] Linux for Mastering

[Steve Harris]

On Wed, Jan 05, 2005 at 06:48:12 -0800, Mark Knecht wrote:
> On Wed, 5 Jan 2005 19:59:01 -0600, Jason Milo <jason.milo at gmail.com> wrote:
> > I'm completely new to this list and Linux audio...so please be gentle...
> > 
> > First off......Planet CCRMA kicks much butt!
> > 
> > Secondly...
> > 
> > I'm in the process of setting up a FC2 based mastering rig centered
> > around jack, jamin, ardour, and I  am very please with my current
> > systems capabilities.
> > 
> > I have a bunch general Linux audio questions that I have researched,
> > but have not found simple solutions....
> > 
> > 1.  Metering - I have found some VU "round analog" looking
> > meters....but I would like a unified metering  window that would fit a
> > mastering environment (VU, PPM, Jellyfish, Freq analysis, etc...) any
> > ideas?
> 
> meterbridge 

meterbrdige doesnt do freq analysis, but jamin has a decent freq analysis
panel visible by default. meterbridge pretty much has to be run from the
command line, which is a Bug.

For some reason it never occured to me that there was any other way of
starting apps.
 
> > 2.  I want to be able to easily start mastering sessions using a
> > common template that would include my jack/alsa "patchbay" settings,
> > ardour and jamin session templates...I was thinking of writing a
> > script to do this, but I don't want to re-invent the wheel....is there
> > a session manager that works with all of the jack applications and the
> > jack patchbay?
> 
> Not really, or at least II've not seen it work. There was a
> 'technology' (not an application) named ladcca (I think possibly
> renamed) that was supposed to help with this but not many apps support
> it. (Jamin may be one...)

No, jamin doesnt support LASH (nee ladcca), it should though. There is
some session mangement stuff built into qjackctl, but I've never tried it.
There is a version of meterbridge that has LASH support, but its not
available I think.

> > 3.  Are there any other mastering engineers on this list that are
> > willing to explain their current hardware/software setups used for
> > mastering?

Have you read the docs by Ron Parker on the jamin website?
http://jamin.sourceforge.net/Loudness/loudness.html

Ron has also explained his hardware setup at least once online, but I can
remeber where, on a mailing list perhaps?

> > 4.  Any tips on how to get involved with open-source audio projects
> > even though I'm not a true programmer.  I have great ideas related to
> > audio apps, but I don't have the programming skills to execute these
> > ideas.
> 
> Test, test, test. Also, wirite docs if you're good at that.

Definatly. JAMin is in the final beta stages before a point release, so
any testing on the current beta (mail me or look in the mailing list
archives if you want a URL) is very welcome. Feature requests are often
welcome too, but you cant always expect a rapturous reception, especially
if they involve big changes :)

- Steve