Managing Band-Related Tasks Using Only Free Software and GNU/Linux - a Personal Experience Peter B

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience Peter B. Managing band-related tasks using only free Introduction Audio recording software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience Tools Multitrack audio interface Audio formats Graphics / Peter B. Artwork / Printing Tools Preparing for The band XBloome print Website April 17th, 2010 Licensing

Conclusion

1 / 56 Overview

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience What is this presentation about? Peter B. The life and adventures of the band XBloome - which happened to Introduction have a GNU/Linux user as their drummer Audio recording Tools Multitrack audio interface Audio formats Today’s topics Graphics / Audio recording Artwork / Printing Tools Graphics / Artwork / Printing Preparing for print Website Website Licensing Licensing

Conclusion

2 / 56 Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience

Peter B.

Introduction Things to be aware of: Audio recording I am not a trained audio engineer Tools Multitrack audio interface I am not a trained graphic designer Audio formats Graphics / We did not record in a studio, and we used “aﬀordable” Artwork / Printing equipment Tools Preparing for print Website

Licensing

Conclusion

3 / 56 Oh: And me!

At the beginning there was...

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience

Peter B.

Introduction

Audio recording Tools Multitrack audio interface Audio formats Graphics / Artwork / Printing Tools Preparing for print Website

Licensing

Conclusion

From left to right: Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt.

4 / 56 At the beginning there was...

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience

Peter B.

Introduction

Audio recording Tools Multitrack audio interface Audio formats Graphics / Artwork / Printing Tools Preparing for print Website

Licensing

Conclusion

From left to right: Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt. Oh: And me!

5 / 56 ...maybe even requiring only a free operating system? ...and even record, mix and master that music in excellent sound-quality with Free Software? ...AND go even further and create graphics, artwork, banner and a CMS-driven website - also, exclusively using Free Software?

The dream / plan

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience

Peter B. The wishlist:

Introduction Making electronic music without requiring tons of cracked Audio recording versions. Tools Multitrack audio interface Audio formats Graphics / Artwork / Printing Tools Preparing for print Website

Licensing

Conclusion

6 / 56 ...and even record, mix and master that music in excellent sound-quality with Free Software? ...AND go even further and create graphics, artwork, banner and a CMS-driven website - also, exclusively using Free Software?

The dream / plan

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience

Peter B. The wishlist:

Licensing

Conclusion

7 / 56 ...AND go even further and create graphics, artwork, banner and a CMS-driven website - also, exclusively using Free Software?

The dream / plan

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience

Peter B. The wishlist:

Introduction Making electronic music without requiring tons of cracked Audio recording versions. Tools Multitrack audio ...maybe even requiring only a free operating system? interface Audio formats ...and even record, mix and master that music in excellent Graphics / Artwork / sound-quality with Free Software? Printing Tools Preparing for print Website

Licensing

Conclusion

8 / 56 The dream / plan

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience

Peter B. The wishlist:

Licensing

Conclusion

9 / 56 The dream / plan

Managing band-related “I think it’s possible. Geek to the rescue!” tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience

Peter B.

Introduction

Audio recording Tools Multitrack audio interface Audio formats Graphics / Artwork / Printing Tools Preparing for print Website

Licensing

Conclusion

10 / 56 The goal: Let’s rock!

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience

Peter B.

Introduction

Audio recording Tools Multitrack audio interface Audio formats Graphics / Artwork / Printing Tools Preparing for print Website

Licensing

Conclusion

11 / 56 Audio recording: Overview

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal Tools experience

Peter B. JACK / qjackctl Ardour Introduction Plugins Audio recording Tools JAMin Multitrack audio interface FMIT Audio formats Multitrack Audio interface Graphics / Artwork / Printing Audio formats Tools Recording Preparing for print Archive / Remix Website Listening Licensing Audio example Conclusion

12 / 56 Tools: JACK

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience Peter B. About JACK:

Introduction

Audio recording “JACK is a system for sending audio between applications Tools Multitrack audio as well as allowing them to all share an audio interface. interface Audio formats Graphics / Each application is run in exact sample sync with each Artwork / Printing other, and the entire system is designed to run at very low Tools 1 Preparing for latencies (as low as your hardware will allow)” print Website

Licensing

Conclusion

1http://jackaudio.org/faq 13 / 56 Tools: JACK

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience

Peter B. Required for multichannel recording/playback.

Introduction Latency: How low can you go? Audio recording Tools Realtime kernel Multitrack audio interface a Audio formats Realtime for non-root user: Conﬁgure /etc/security/limits.conf Graphics / Even without a non-realtime kernel, I’ve managed 6ms latency Artwork / Printing on my studio setup Tools Preparing for a print http://jackaudio.org/faq Website

Licensing

Conclusion

14 / 56 Tools: qjackctl

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal “Provides a simple GUI dialog for setting several JACK experience daemon parameters, which are properly saved between Peter B. sessions, and a way control of the status of the audio server Introduction daemon. With time, this primordial interface has become Audio recording richer by including a enhanced patchbay and connection Tools 2 Multitrack audio control features.” interface Audio formats Graphics / Artwork / Printing Tools Preparing for print Website

Licensing

Conclusion Not necessary, but comfortable.

2http://qjackctl.sourceforge.net/ 15 / 56 Tools: qjackctl

Managing band-related Conﬁgure parameters of jackd: tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience

Peter B.

Introduction

Audio recording Tools Multitrack audio interface Audio formats Graphics / Artwork / Printing Tools Preparing for print Website

Licensing

Conclusion

16 / 56 Tools: qjackctl

Managing band-related Manage connections of jack clients: tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience

Peter B.

Introduction

Audio recording Tools Multitrack audio interface Audio formats Graphics / Artwork / Printing Tools Preparing for print Website

Licensing

Conclusion

17 / 56 Tools: Ardour

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience

Peter B.

Introduction

Audio recording Tools Multitrack audio interface Audio formats Graphics / Artwork / Printing Tools Preparing for print Website

Licensing

Conclusion

18 / 56 Tools: Ardour

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a Feature overview personal experience Unlimited number of channels Peter B. Non-destructive editing ((cross)fades, duration, ...) Introduction Channel send/inserts Audio recording Tools Mixbusses Multitrack audio interface Audio formats Audio plugin support Graphics / Artwork / Control surface support (e.g. Behringer BCF2000) Printing Tools Click Preparing for print Automation (volume, pan, eﬀect parameter, ...) Website Mixer groups Licensing Conclusion And countless more... Everything a modern DAW has to oﬀer!

19 / 56 Tools: Ardour

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience Peter B. Everyday recording/mixing usage

Introduction Multitrack recording Audio recording Tools Eﬀect handling (per channel/mixbus) Multitrack audio interface Input/output mapping Audio formats Graphics / (Cross)fades Artwork / Printing Tools Oh, by the way: XBloome is paying for most of the Free Software Preparing for print we’re using. Website And it’s still cheaper than using proprietary stuﬀ! Licensing

Conclusion

20 / 56 Tools: Plugins

Managing band-related tasks using only LADSPA free software and GNU/Linux - a “LADSPA is a standard that allows software audio personal experience processors and eﬀects to be plugged into a wide range of Peter B. audio synthesis and recording packages.” a

Introduction a Audio recording http://www.ladspa.org/ Tools Multitrack audio interface Audio formats LV2 Graphics / Artwork / “LV2 is a standard for plugins and matching host Printing Tools applications, mainly targeted at audio processing and Preparing for print generation. Website LV2 is a simple but extensible successor of LADSPA, Licensing intended to address the limitations of LADSPA which many Conclusion applications have outgrown.” a

ahttp://lv2plug.in/

21 / 56 Tools: Plugins

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience

Peter B. VST, Audio Units Introduction Audio recording Technically possible, but non-free... Tools Multitrack audio interface Audio formats DirectX Graphics / Artwork / Not sure if even technically possible... Printing Tools Preparing for print But you don’t really need them, anyway. :) Website

Licensing

Conclusion

22 / 56 Tools: Plugins / LADSPA

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and Classical ones, out-of-the-box GNU/Linux - a personal experience Compressor: SC Peter B. Equalizer: TAP, Multiband EQ Introduction Reverb: Freeverb, GVerb Audio recording Tools Limiter: Fast Lookahead Limiter Multitrack audio interface Audio formats Nice to have Graphics / Artwork / a Printing Calf audio plugin pack Tools b Preparing for Autotalent print c Website Invada plugins

Licensing ahttp://calf.sourceforge.net/ Conclusion bhttp://web.mit.edu/tbaran/www/autotalent.html chttp://www.invadarecords.com/Downloads.php?ID=00000263

23 / 56 Tools: Plugins / LADSPA

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience Peter B. The most important plugin sets come in the default distro

Introduction repositories: Audio recording swh-plugins Tools Multitrack audio interface tap-plugins Audio formats Graphics / For a list of plugins included in those default packages, see: Artwork / Printing http://plugin.org.uk/ladspa-swh/docs/ladspa-swh.html Tools Preparing for print http://tap-plugins.sourceforge.net/ Website

Licensing

Conclusion

24 / 56 Tools: JAMin

Managing band-related “JAMin is the JACK Audio Connection Kit (JACK) Audio tasks using only free software and Mastering interface. JAMin is an open source application GNU/Linux - a personal designed to perform professional audio mastering of stereo experience input streams.” 3 Peter B.

Introduction

Audio recording Tools Multitrack audio interface Audio formats Graphics / Artwork / Printing Tools Preparing for print Website

Licensing

Conclusion

25 / 56

3http://jamin.sourceforge.net/en/about.html Tools: Free Music Instrument Tuner (FMIT)

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience

Peter B.

Introduction

Audio recording Tools Multitrack audio interface Audio formats Graphics / Artwork / Printing Tools Preparing for print Website

Licensing

Conclusion

26 / 56 Tools: Free Music Instrument Tuner (FMIT)

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal Features experience

Peter B. Tuning scales

Introduction Microtonal tuning Audio recording Harmonic ratios Tools Multitrack audio interface Wave shape Audio formats Graphics / Discrete Fourier Transform view Artwork / Printing Volume history Tools Preparing for ... print Website a

Licensing a Conclusion http://home.gna.org/fmit/

27 / 56 Multitrack audio interface

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a I’m using a Terratec Producer Phase88 for example: personal experience

Peter B.

Introduction

Audio recording Tools Multitrack audio ...and FFADO to use it with JACK: interface Audio formats FFADO Graphics / Artwork / “The FFADO project aims to provide a generic, Printing Tools open-source solution for the support of FireWire based Preparing for print audio devices for the Linux platform. It is the successor of Website the FreeBoB project.” a Licensing Conclusion ahttp://www.ﬀado.org/

28 / 56 Audio formats

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience

Peter B.

Introduction Recording: WAV (min. 48kHz/24bit) Audio recording Tools Archive / Remix tracks: FLAC, WavPack Multitrack audio interface Audio formats Listening: Ogg/Vorbis, MP3 Graphics / Artwork / Note: FLAC is more widespread than WavPack, but it can’t handle Printing 32bit ﬂoat, so you have to use WavPack for this. Tools Preparing for print Website

Licensing

Conclusion

29 / 56 Audio example

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience

Peter B.

Introduction

Audio recording Tools I hope I can play sound in here. . . Multitrack audio interface . . . and I hope it sounds good! Audio formats Graphics / Artwork / Printing Tools Preparing for print Website

Licensing

Conclusion

30 / 56 Graphics / Artwork / Printing: Overview

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience Peter B. Tools

Introduction GIMP Audio recording Inkscape Tools Multitrack audio Scribus interface Krita Audio formats Graphics / OpenOﬃce.org Draw Artwork / Printing Preparing for print Tools Preparing for Templates and ﬁnal format print CMYK & ICC Website

Licensing

Conclusion

31 / 56 Tools: GIMP

Managing band-related “GIMP is the GNU Image Manipulation Program. It is a tasks using only free software and freely distributed piece of software for such tasks as photo GNU/Linux - a 4 personal retouching, image composition and image authoring.” experience

Peter B.

Introduction

Audio recording Tools Multitrack audio interface Audio formats Graphics / Artwork / Printing Tools Preparing for print Website

Licensing

Conclusion

32 / 56

4http://www.gimp.org/ Tools: Inkscape

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a “An Open Source vector graphics editor, with capabilities personal experience similar to Illustrator, CorelDraw, or Xara X, using the W3C Peter B. standard Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) ﬁle format.” 5

Introduction

Audio recording Tools Multitrack audio interface Audio formats Graphics / Artwork / Printing Tools Preparing for print Website

Licensing

Conclusion

5http://www.inkscape.org/?lang=en 33 / 56 Tools: Scribus

Managing band-related tasks using only “Scribus is an Open Source program that brings free software and GNU/Linux - a award-winning professional page layout to Linux/UNIX, personal experience Mac OS X, OS/2 Warp 4/eComStation and Windows

Peter B. desktops with a combination of ’press-ready’ output and new approaches to page layout.” 6 Introduction

Audio recording Tools Multitrack audio interface Audio formats Graphics / Artwork / Printing Tools Preparing for print Website

Licensing

Conclusion

6http://www.scribus.net/ 34 / 56 Tools: Scribus

Managing band-related Screenshot of designing our new CD inlay with Scribus: tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience

Peter B.

Introduction

Audio recording Tools Multitrack audio interface Audio formats Graphics / Artwork / Printing Tools Preparing for print Website

Licensing

Conclusion

35 / 56 Tools: Krita

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and “Krita is a creative sketching and painting application GNU/Linux - a 7 personal based on KOﬃce technology.” experience

Peter B.

Introduction

Audio recording Tools Multitrack audio interface Audio formats Graphics / Artwork / Printing Tools Preparing for print Website

Licensing

Conclusion

7http://www.koﬃce.org/krita/ 36 / 56 Tools: OpenOﬃce.org Draw

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal Part of the Oﬃce suite OpenOﬃce.org. experience Earlier XBloome layouts were made using it, but it is not the best Peter B. choice for professional layout, and lacks CMYK support. Introduction

Audio recording Tools Multitrack audio interface Audio formats Graphics / Artwork / Printing Tools Preparing for print Website

Licensing

Conclusion

37 / 56 Templates and ﬁnal formats

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience

Peter B. Print shops often provide layout templates for download, but in proprietary formats (Indesign, CoreDraw, . . . ). :( Introduction

Audio recording Tools Not really a problem, since it’s often only necessary to know the Multitrack audio interface correct measurements. Audio formats They can then easily be entered in Scribus, in order to create a free Graphics / Artwork / template. Printing Tools Preparing for print Upload the “patch” upstream, if possible. If not, just put it Website somewhere on the web. Licensing

Conclusion

38 / 56 Templates and ﬁnal formats

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience

Peter B.

Introduction Which formats to send to a print shop? Audio recording Tools Multitrack audio interface For text-focused documents: PDF Audio formats Graphics / For images, use TIFF Artwork / Printing Tools Preparing for print Website

Licensing

Conclusion

39 / 56 CMYK

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience

Peter B.

Introduction Challenges Audio recording Tools Multitrack audio GIMP still can’t handle CMYK, yet interface Audio formats Inkscape also can’t handle CMYK, yet Graphics / Artwork / ICC proﬁles Printing Tools Preparing for print Website

Licensing

Conclusion

40 / 56 CMYK: Convert using Krita

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal Krita is quite handy for converting to/from diﬀerent colorspaces (e.g. experience RGB to CMYK): Peter B.

Introduction

Audio recording Tools Multitrack audio interface Audio formats Graphics / Artwork / Printing Tools Preparing for print Website

Licensing

Conclusion

41 / 56 ICC proﬁles

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience

Peter B. Downloadable proﬁles a Introduction European Color Initiative (ECI) Audio recording License unclear. Tools b Multitrack audio Adobe interface Audio formats Warning: License is non-free (as in “free speech”)! Graphics / Artwork / a Printing http://www.eci.org/doku.php?id=de:downloads b Tools http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=3680 Preparing for print 8 Website For more information, take a look at “OpenICC” Licensing

Conclusion

8http://freedesktop.org/wiki/OpenIcc/ 42 / 56 Printing example: Banner

Managing band-related Design and drawing: Vector graphic in Inkscape tasks using only free software and Export as raster image with proper resolution (≥ 300 dpi) GNU/Linux - a personal Using Krita to convert to CMYK experience Save as CMYK-TIFF Peter B. Send to print shop Introduction

Audio recording Tools Multitrack audio interface Audio formats Graphics / Artwork / Printing Tools Preparing for print Website

Licensing

Conclusion

43 / 56 Website: Overview

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience

Peter B.

Introduction

Audio recording Tools Artwork & examples Multitrack audio interface Audio formats Ogg/Vorbis vs. MP3 Graphics / Artwork / Printing Tools Preparing for print Website

Licensing

Conclusion

44 / 56 Website: Artwork

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience

Peter B.

Introduction

Audio recording Tools Multitrack audio interface Audio formats Graphics / Artwork / Printing Tools Preparing for print Website

Licensing

Conclusion

45 / 56 3rd party artwork

Managing band-related 3rd party artwork used, requires a credit page: tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience

Peter B.

Introduction

Audio recording Tools Multitrack audio interface Audio formats Graphics / Artwork / Printing Tools Preparing for print Website

Licensing

Conclusion

46 / 56 Artwork examples

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience

Peter B.

Introduction + + =

Audio recording Tools Multitrack audio interface Audio formats Graphics / Artwork / Printing Tools Preparing for print Website

Licensing

Conclusion

47 / 56 Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience

Peter B.

Introduction

Audio recording + = Tools Multitrack audio interface Audio formats Graphics / Artwork / Printing Tools Preparing for print Website

Licensing

Conclusion

48 / 56 Ogg/Vorbis vs. MP3

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience

Peter B. Difficult issue! Introduction Audio recording How to deal with it? Tools Multitrack audio interface Offer both formats for download Audio formats Graphics / Provide information about “what’s wrong with MP3” Artwork / Printing Offer links/HowTos about playing Open Standards Tools Preparing for print Website

Licensing

Conclusion

49 / 56 Licensing

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience Peter B. In order to oﬀer work under a free license, you must... Introduction

Audio recording ...declare your licensing Tools Multitrack audio Just putting it on the web for download ain’t enough interface Audio formats Lack of license information defaults to: “no touchy!” Graphics / Artwork / Printing Properly tag all material somehow: e.g. ID3 tags, note on prints Tools or download page Preparing for print Website

Licensing

Conclusion

50 / 56 To be honest: I’m just not sure if the audio world is ready for CC-BY-SA, yet.

Licensing: Creative Commons

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal 9 experience Creative Commons license :

Peter B.

Introduction Audio recording Diﬃcult issue for music: Tools Multitrack audio interface CC-BY-SA vs. CC-BY-SA-NC? Audio formats Graphics / We’re currently using “CC-BY-SA-NC” for our work. Artwork / Printing Why non-commercial? Why not just CC-BY-SA? Tools Preparing for print Website

Licensing

Conclusion

9http://creativecommons.org/ 51 / 56 Licensing: Creative Commons

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal 9 experience Creative Commons license :

Peter B.

Licensing CC-BY-SA, yet.

Conclusion

9http://creativecommons.org/ 52 / 56 Free licensing: Experiences

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience Peter B. “What? Are you crazy? You can’t give your stuﬀ away for free!” Introduction But in fact: we gained more by doing so! Audio recording Tools CD sales: We’re informing everyone when they ask us for a CD, Multitrack audio interface that they have the option of freely downloading it on the web - Audio formats and that they are allowed to make copies of the CD. Graphics / Artwork / Noone (!) ever refused to buy a CD, because of that. Printing Tools Being open also inspires others to work together with you Preparing for print Free licenses = Less hassle Website

Licensing

Conclusion

53 / 56 Free licensing: Beneﬁts

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience

Peter B.

Introduction Free licenses = less hassle Audio recording No work with preventing “illegal” downloads. Tools Multitrack audio No work with preventing “illegal” sharing. interface Audio formats No artiﬁcial barriers for people to share and spread your work. Graphics / Artwork / They’re promoting you! Printing Tools ... Preparing for print Website

Licensing

Conclusion

54 / 56 Conclusion

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and What did we learn? GNU/Linux - a personal We have not lost a single cent due to free licensing, but gained a experience wider audience and our work was used in more 3rd party projects Peter B. (video, remix, sampler CDs, ...) than that of most other “local Introduction and rather unknown” bands in our area. Audio recording Tools We’ve successfully produced high-quality albums, artwork, etc. Multitrack audio interface with Free Software Audio formats Graphics / If I was able to create stuﬀ with that quality, think about what a Artwork / Printing skilled person could do! Tools Preparing for Sharing know-how and experience without forcing others to use print Website (usually cracked) proprietary software is good. Licensing Free Software does the job already, but not many people dare to Conclusion give it a try So YES, it’s already possible to live a band’s life and be free!

55 / 56 Thank you, and goodbye!

Managing band-related tasks using only free software and GNU/Linux - a personal experience

Peter B.

Introduction

Audio recording Tools Multitrack audio interface Audio formats Graphics / Artwork / Printing Tools Preparing for print Website

Licensing

Conclusion Additional information: www.xbloome.com www.fsfe.org This presentation is available under a CC-BY-SA license. 56 / 56