Soft Synths 47 13.1

Qtractor User Manual Seth Kenlon Klaatu la Terible Qtractor Qtractor User Manual Edition 0.5.x Author Seth Kenlon [email protected] Author Klaatu la Terible [email protected] Copyright © 2012 Seth Kenlon Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled Appendix A, GNU Free Documentation License A Guide for audio producers both new and experienced. Dedication GNU Linux users often cite the "community" as one of the greatest appeals of using their OS. There must be a lot of truth to that, because this book would not exist without the collaboration, hours of troubleshooting, and tech support from everyone in the freenode channels #opensourcemusicians and #oggcastplanet And obviously without Qtractor this manual would not exist, so the greatest thanks goes to Rui Nuno Capela, for the application that has enabled and inspired me and many other musicians all over the world to get those pesky tunes that pop into our heads down into actual sound waves that other people can hear, too. i ii 0. Installing Qtractor 1 1. Introduction to Qtractor 3 1.1. System Requirements .......................................................................................... 3 1.2. Get Involved ........................................................................................................ 4 2. Installation 5 2.1. Easy Install .......................................................................................................... 5 2.2. Expert Install ........................................................................................................ 5 2.2.1. Download the Qtractor Code ...................................................................... 6 2.2.2. Compiling and Installing Qtractor ................................................................ 7 3. Post-Installation Optimizations 9 3.1. Real-Time Kernel ................................................................................................. 9 3.2. QJackCtl ............................................................................................................ 10 3.2.1. Troubleshooting ....................................................................................... 10 1. Quick Start 13 4. Getting Sound Into Qtractor 15 5. Effects and Filters 19 6. Automation in Qtractor 21 7. Bouncing the Project 23 2. Advanced Qtractor 25 8. The Qtractor Interface 27 9. Starting a new session 29 10. Managing Audio Tracks 31 10.1. Importing Audio Files ........................................................................................ 31 10.2. Recording Audio ............................................................................................... 31 10.2.1. Analogue vs USB Inputs ........................................................................ 32 10.2.2. Recording from Line-In ........................................................................... 32 10.2.3. Recording from USB Audio .................................................................... 33 11. Managing MIDI Tracks 37 11.1. Importing MIDI Data ......................................................................................... 37 11.2. Creating MIDI data with a MIDI controller ........................................................... 38 11.3. Creating MIDI data with the matrix editor ........................................................... 40 11.3.1. Additional MIDI Editor Features .............................................................. 42 11.3.2. Customizing the MIDI Editor View ........................................................... 43 12. Qtractor Options and Preferences 45 13. Soft Synths 47 13.1. Installing Soft Synths ........................................................................................ 47 13.2. Using Soft Synths as Plugins ............................................................................ 48 13.3. Using Stand-Alone Synths ................................................................................ 49 13.4. A Bit about MIDI .............................................................................................. 51 13.4.1. Using Multiple Sequencers ..................................................................... 52 14. Working in Qtractor 53 14.1. (Not) Editing Waveforms ................................................................................... 53 14.2. Audio Clip Tools ............................................................................................... 53 14.2.1. Moving Clips and Controlling Snapping ................................................... 53 iii Qtractor 14.2.2. Truncating (Splitting) and Extending Clips ............................................... 53 14.2.3. Range and Rectangle Selection .............................................................. 54 14.2.4. Using Range Markers ............................................................................ 55 14.2.5. Paste Repeat, or "Looping" .................................................................... 55 14.2.6. Punch In/Out ......................................................................................... 56 14.2.7. Looping Playback .................................................................................. 56 14.2.8. Simple Fades ........................................................................................ 56 14.2.9. Merging Clips ........................................................................................ 57 14.3. Track Edits ....................................................................................................... 57 14.3.1. Track Order, Height, and Properties ........................................................ 57 15. Mixing 59 15.1. Mixer ............................................................................................................... 59 15.1.1. Setting Levels ........................................................................................ 60 15.1.2. Stereo Separation .................................................................................. 60 16. Plugins 63 16.1. Send and Returns ............................................................................................ 64 17. Effect Processors and Filters 67 17.1. Compressors .................................................................................................... 67 17.1.1. CALF .................................................................................................... 67 17.1.2. Steve Harris LADSPA Dyson Compressor ............................................... 70 17.1.3. Jamin .................................................................................................... 70 17.2. Limiters ............................................................................................................ 71 17.3. Normalization ................................................................................................... 71 17.4. EQ ................................................................................................................... 72 17.4.1. Jamin .................................................................................................... 72 17.4.2. Calf ....................................................................................................... 74 17.4.3. Steve Harris LADSPA Multiband EQ ....................................................... 76 17.4.4. Steve Harris LADSPA DJ EQ ................................................................. 76 17.5. Noise Removal ................................................................................................. 77 17.6. Reverb ............................................................................................................. 77 17.6.1. Calf ....................................................................................................... 77 17.6.2. Steve Harris LADSPA GVerb .................................................................. 78 17.7. Echos, Delays, Distortion, and More .................................................................. 78 18. Automation 79 18.1. Recording Automation ....................................................................................... 81 19. Delivery 83 A. GNU Free Documentation License 85 B. Various and Sundry 93 C. General MIDI Instrumentation 95 Index 101 iv Part 0. Installing Qtractor The different ways to install Qtractor and ensure your audio production environment is ready to make serious sounds. Chapter 1, Introduction to Qtractor Chapter 2, Installation Chapter 3, Post-Installation Optimizations Chapter 1. Introduction to Qtractor Qtractor is a full-featured Digital Audio Workstation (DAW); a multi-track audio and MIDI recorder, editor, and mixer. Qtractor is free open-source software, licensed under the GPL, being developed by reknowned programmer Rui Nuno Capela. The functionality of Qtractor is contained within a graphical desktop environment that will be familiar to users of other popular multi-track recording/editing applications on any computer operating system, and follows the same design principles with many of the same or similar elements. In addition to recording digital audio and MIDI, Qtractor provides an environment for multi-track clip- oriented composing techniques common

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