Performing Live with Jack,Qsynth, and Bristol Organ

Purpose of This Resource

To Demonstrate how Ubuntu Studio can be used for live keyboard performances...

Background

There is a lot of posting on the Internet that "struggle" with performing live with Linux. The answer is that it can be done, it just takes some knowledge of commands to launch/start Jack audio server, and detect and make connections via Jack.

Over the next few months, I will be posting on this page how to use Linux Ubuntu Studio for live performances. Contrary to other Internet postings, you don't have to use an application such as Reaper (although that approach would make it more user-friendly for non-Linux users or "Newbies". Instead, a well-written Bash shell script can be used to launch Jack and necessary keyboard applications such as Qsynth (Piano, and other sound-font voices), as well as Bristol Organ Emulator (Hammond B3, Vox, Rhodes Piano, Phophet5, Juno, Moog, etc). Therefore, you can switch to different voices by switching to different transmitting MIDI channels (which may be more convenient than pointing a clicking on instrument on the Netbook / Notebook while using the Reaper or Cubase applications.

I have used MS Windows OS with Native Instruments Hammond B4, and other Native Instruments applications,
so I have some experience with comparing open-source software against proprietary software (pros vs cons).

Setting up the Netbook

Here is a step-by-step guide to installing and configuring my netbook computer to run Ubuntu Studio:

Hardware / Software Setup

I'm "pulling-out all the stops". I have decided to test the power of the Acer Aspireone netbook for live performances. It would have the advantage of small size and weight.

Here is my Hardware/Software Information:

Hardware (Acer Aspireone netbook) and Peripherals:

• Model 715h Wireless (ZA3)
• 11.6 inch screen
• 1 GB RAM (expandable to max of 2 GB - I will upgrade to 2 GB in the future)
• 160 GB Hard Drive (80 GB dedicated to Linux Ubuntu Studio - Dual boot Linux,MS Windows XP)
• Tascam US122 USB interface

Software (Ubuntu 10.10 Netbook Remix) Ubuntu Studio applications include:

• Realtime Kernel
• Jack Audio Server
• Qsynth (Graphical Frontend for Fluid Synth)
• Bristol Organ Emulator
• Sound Font Editor

Note: The sound-font editor allows me to build or modify sound fonts. I must admit that I'm not an expert on sound-fonts. One way that I have solved the "annoying" problem if Qsynth playing while playing Bristol organ at the same time, is to modify the sound font with no instrument available for a certain default midi channel. Perhaps this method is "brute-force", but it does seem to work to meet my needs...

Setup / Configuration

I obtained the Ubuntu Netbook version for Ubuntu: [ http://www.ubuntu.com/netbook/get-ubuntu/download ]
I didn't worry about Ubuntu Studio or loading updates - I would recommend to follow "MY SEQUENCE" (listed below):

• I need to setup my 11.6 inch screen Acer Aspireone after install. I have noticed that the video card chipset is different than the older 10 inch screen model (ZA3). Although a "pain", I followed some of the steps from the Ubuntu resource for the Intel GMA500 "Poulsbo" video driver: [ https://wiki.ubuntu.com/HardwareSupportComponentsVideoCardsPoulsbo#karmic ]
  
  From with resource, I performed the following:

• Opened terminal and ran the command:
  sudo add-apt-repository ppa:gma500/ppa && sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install poulsbo-driver-2d poulsbo-driver-3d poulsbo-config
• Rebooted the computer.
• After reboot, then installed updates (ie. Ran "update manager" from Admin).
• Rebooted the computer.
• Ran Synaptic Package Manager (from Admin), and installed Ubuntu Studio Desktop (I pretty well selected ALL packages associated with Ubuntu Studio).
• Followed instructions to make my Tascam US122 device work with my netbook: [ https://help.ubuntu.com/community/TASCAM_US-122 ]
  
  

• I did some additional cosmetics of the appearance of my Gnome Desktop like running the Avant Window Navigator (docking panel appearance like Mac OSX), and remove the "old-style" gnome-panels. Here is a resource that I created to help: [ Replacing Panels with Docking Station (awn) ]
  
  
• Now you have Ubuntu Studio on your machine. Here are some guides that I have written to help you get started (even performing some basic recording sessions). This is assuming that you are using the Tascam US122 usb interface:

• [ Quick & Simple - Setting up Jack Server and Q-synth ]
• [ Quick & Simple - Recording With Audacity ]
• [ Quick & Simple - Recording With Ardour ]

FYI, the Maudio Fasttrack Pro is a good usb interface and "works out of the box" (after a couple of Jack server settings)... There is also a cheaper version for approx $87 CDN, but lacks MIDI connection (which may not be a problem since newer MIDI musical keyboards are USB anyways...)

"Putting it All Together" with a Bash Shell Script

To be completed...

Sound Font Editing in Linux

To be completed...

Results

Tips, Pros & Cons

To be completed...

What I Love About Open-Source Applications

To be completed...