Running commercial audio software on linux

[audiojunkie]

Great posts!!! BTW, have you guys heard of WinePak? It's a repository where people Flatpak Windows apps along with Wine (and the needed configurations) in a totally sandboxed environment. It might be useful someday if they ever start packaging Audio apps.

https://www.winepak.org/

[glokraw]

Thanks for sharing this, it's all news to me!
My first thought, is can multiple apps be added to an existing flatpak...
If so, picking one of the graphics and net intensive games
might include the internals needed by Native Instruments
and other intrusive/over-protected, but sometimes delightful
audio applications. Found some related links

https://blogs.gnome.org/mclasen/2019/01/

https://blogs.gnome.org/mclasen/2018/12 ... ne-design/

(and to think I was going pruning in my mini-amazon today...

Cheers

[audiojunkie]

Thanks for sharing this, it's all news to me!
My first thought, is can multiple apps be added to an existing flatpak...
If so, picking one of the graphics and net intensive games
might include the internals needed by Native Instruments
and other intrusive/over-protected, but sometimes delightful
audio applications. Found some related links

https://blogs.gnome.org/mclasen/2019/01/

https://blogs.gnome.org/mclasen/2018/12 ... ne-design/

(and to think I was going pruning in my mini-amazon today...

Cheers

Hehe!! Let us know how it goes!

[audiojunkie]

Thanks for sharing this, it's all news to me!
My first thought, is can multiple apps be added to an existing flatpak...
If so, picking one of the graphics and net intensive games
might include the internals needed by Native Instruments
and other intrusive/over-protected, but sometimes delightful
audio applications. Found some related links

https://blogs.gnome.org/mclasen/2019/01/

https://blogs.gnome.org/mclasen/2018/12 ... ne-design/

(and to think I was going pruning in my mini-amazon today...

Cheers

Those blogs look interesting. I'd sure love to learn how to make Flatpaks. It would be really cool to set up a default Windows Audio flatpak that you can just install Reaper (or whatever) into and everything would just work properly with Windows apps.

[audiojunkie]

I've learned how to set up the real-time (Debian) and low-latency (Ubuntu) kernels, so I'm able to use whatever desktop environment I want to with the Debian/Ubuntu families of distros. All I would need is a nice WinePak Windows Audio environment and I'd be able to easily load a ton of software that I already own.

[glokraw]

Here is a ruff skitch of how I installed
Kontakt 6 and Reaktor 6 in linux Mint 18, in a fresh empty
wine-staging 4.12-1. Not as easy as in windoze, but they
are two flagships of audio production, and a welcome addition
to my linux systems. Links and steps below, hope someone uses them
in part, to enjoy whats on offer, both commercial, and free,
keep in mind there may be better ways possible, but this is
'How I Got To Memphis'

wine-staging https://www.winehq.org/

https://www.native-instruments.com/en/p ... 6/pricing/

https://www.native-instruments.com/en/p ... 6/library/

https://www.native-instruments.com/en/s ... ve-access/

There are free Kontakt, Reaktor, Guitar Rig player versions
at the link below, to test the process, along with Native Access,
which is always free:

https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/free/

Some of you may not even need these steps, but in my case,
when Native Access is used in linux-wine to download an iso as part
of an installation process, it fails, and closes with some error. BUT...
the download actually completed, and the iso is safely waiting
for manual actions to comlete the desired installation.

The steps, while tedious, are simple commands,
and basic copy/paste, and there is no race, beyond
ones anticipation of using some new software.

I Started with a fresh empty wine, and 200 gig of disk space.
(a fresh modern linux installed on a new
512 gig ssd would be even better)

There are seven K6 sound libraries as part of the purchase,
and when the iso dust settles,
there can be almost 50 gig of disk space occupied. So lots of extra
'scratchpad' disk space is lucky, contiguous space to be preferred.

I installed the following items in wine, to get the ball rolling
for Kontakt and Native Access

vcredist2010_x64.exe

vcredist2013_x64.exe

vcredist2015_2017_2019_x86.exe

vcredist2015_2017_2019_x64.exe

the above from: https://www.techpowerup.com/download/operating-system/

Then installed an offline dotnet framework from

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/downloa ... x?id=55167

Then I made a wine over-ride for gdiplus.dll

(It looks to me like most dlls that I might have made over-rides for,
in the past, have now been integrated in wine-staging, based on
only the size comparisons between 'full' versions,
and those now part of wine. Not scientific,
not based on any real knowledge)

I make a dir to hold and mount the various iso files:

sudo mkdir /media/cdrom

For example, to install the main Kontakt sound library,
run Native Access from a terminal,

wine /home/you/.wine/drive_c/"Program Files/Native Instruments/Native Access/Native Access.exe"

cd /home/you/.wine/drive_c/users/you/Downloads

here you find Kontakt_Factory_Library.iso

Now, you need to mount the iso, so you can access and run the installer it contains, so this (all on one command line)

sudo mount -t udf /home/you/.wine/drive_c/users/you/Downloads/Kontakt_Factory_Library.iso -o unhide /media/cdrom

now, cd /media/cdrom and then ls to see installer executable
inside, and then

wine "Kontakt Factory Library 1.3.0 Setup PC.exe"

When the installer completes, restart Native Access,
and supply the serial number,
and begin the process again if there is more to install.

When the terminal command prompt is in the mounted /media/cdrom
type cd .. to back up one folder in the path to /media
then mount the next iso file, type cd cdrom and ls
agin to see the new installer file to use.

Native Access displays the status of your NI products, so a newly installed item
moves off the 'not installed' list. The gui presents an icon holding info for each
software that is available. Here's a video:

https://youtu.be/LH1oUUn5-VY

---------------------------------------------------------------------

The full version of Reaktor comes with several sets of 'blocks',
and it's own excellent library of instrument and effect ensembles
(blocks are modules for building synths and effects)

The same iso steps will get a Reaktor setup in your linux, and there is the reaktor 'user library' actually a parallel universe of free ready-to-use 'ensembles', which are like a plugin to be hosted in Reaktor.
Many of these are fabulous, amazing feats of creativity,
and will run for 30 minutes in the free Reaktor player
before needing a reload, The library can be sorted by rating, downloads,
all-time status, age etc many with useful descriptions and
user comments to peruse.

The free Reaktor player comes with several instruments to get things started.
There are also many quality commercial Reaktor instruments at good prices,
and there is often a black friday/holiday sale where people might stockpile
a few bargains for the new year, and hopefully have saved up something
for a high-end product.

Good luck, and feel free to post tips, corrections and experiences.



Woahhh!!! Looked outside, and it's already the weekend!

Cheers

[glokraw]

I almost forgot to roll the credits

Jack Winter and osxmidi at the reaper linux forum,

https://forum.cockos.com/forumdisplay.php?f=52

are often the roots, branches and fruits of things I pass along here,
regarding wine and vsts, many thanks for their research
and contributions!

And another poster over there, Glennbo, makes some fine music
with Kontakt in linux as part of his setup, heres a link from his sig

https://www.soundclick.com/html5/v4/pla ... andID=5672

Cheers

[audiojunkie]

Nice!!!

[glokraw]

Here's a 6 minute Mod-Duo system video using the guitarix
valve-caster plugin, posted by the guitarix dev.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTiUe1wKj1M

a 39 minute overview of Mod-Duo, showing the great
guitar connections gui (and at 26 min, an Arturia Keystep
and synths are used along with the guitar setup, both
at once in the Mod-Duo):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbI5u4e ... 0oXOdk8UP2

another Mod-Duo video, some pitch-shifting
at 9:45

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnlTt-eaBlI

[glokraw]

Fathom V232 has been released, a very substantial upgrade,
and the basics seem to be working fine in Mint 18/linux Reaper, when
wrapped by LinVst. Much to explore later, for now, the sound is great,
but hard to say it sounds like x, y or z competing products. Maybe just that
it sounds like you'd hope a great expensive hardware synth would sound,
and with it's great effects, and ease of use, such a high level
has been achieved, even with a clock ticking ominously,
it's hard to move on to more mundane pursuits.

Having each module edited in the main window, without
a full page of clutter surrounding it, makes it easy to focus
and learn step by step. So expert sound designers should have
a field day with their knowledge so easy to implement in a
friendly environment.
Cheers

[audiojunkie]

Awesome! I bought Fathom a while back and haven't really used it much. Great to know that it works with Linux!

[glokraw]

You'll likely need a fresh password, as Fathom now uses
a password for each purchaser,
that is requested when you attempt to open your
downloaded archive. On major updates, like V2.32
the dev will change the password:

"Unzip password has changed. Hit me up on the support email to get your new password. Please be sure to email your Pro receipt not the Upgrade receipt otherwise I have to look up your email which takes time."

Most upgrades are free, and users can also buy them
( $5.00 each ) to support interim developement. These 'donation purchases' will be applied as a discount later in life,
when a major major paid version is presented.

"The next release 2.33 will be the Intel AVX Parallel Processing release." (that sounds pretty major major to me, and
it's in the testing phase already!)
Even sampling is in the cards
Cheers

[audiojunkie]

Nice!

[glokraw]

17 minute walkthru of new Mod Duo X hardware

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0i_ZXLFjTA

1.4 ghz quadcore ARM Cortex cpu, gui on Chrome
or other browser, discreet hardware inputs for multiple
sound source control, usb and bluetooth

Focus on synth control with Teenage Engineering OP-1,
and Mod's computer interface, rather than guitars this time.
next,

Mod Duo X effects with OP-1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nuh7MgCtfu8

next,

Mod Duo X generators with Arturia Keystep,
with TAL Noisemaker at 6 min, part of a complex patch explained.
(at 14:25, he disconnects computer, but keeps the
patch generated performance)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIOW4YWki4k

[glokraw]

https://www.kvraudio.com/news/auburn-so ... port-46302

https://www.auburnsounds.com/products/Couture.html

Saw this kvr announcement, that linux support
has been added to Auburn Sounds plugins. Nice website,
with audio examples and free versions to demo. The plugins
themselves look to be full-featured, and of good use
for crafting high quality output. The gui's are very nice,
with background variations just rich enough to distinguish
one function from another, but without slapping one in
the sensibilities. Should be great additions to a
linux-based musicians toolbox