Fanks! ?
oh my word, how cool is a freedom toaster?? had no idea something like that existed! and oh look, just round the corner at MTN science centre in canal walk! ?

Thanks Norio!

I'LL BE BAK

Hehehehe ? Glad you found one!

Enjoy and get back soon with questions and recordings ?

I'm thinking of putting this all together into an eBook and then splitting it into articles once I'm done. Of course, biggest problem is time. So bear with me ?

So its 4 months later...

I installed ubuntu studio! Haven't played around to much yet, but I did manage to create a drum loop in Hydrogen and record it on a track in Ardour. My next step was adding some synth, which I battled with. I tried to use Rosegarden, but got no sound. Found out I have to load SoundFonts or something like that? And you need to have something like FluidSynth running while using Rosegarden as it generates the actual sound? ??? I'm hopefully gonna have another go tonight.

Then I'll try some accoustic guitar.

Interesting stuff, I can see myself using plenty of hours... ?

Are you using JACK ?
Timidity is also a rather nice softsynth, but FluidSynth may be easier to use (at first ?) they both rely on sondfonts for their sounds.

HTH
if not let us know where you get stuck.

Gareth, I didn't know you were a Linux geek too! Awesomeness. I don't feel so alone ?

Kay, like Gareth said, you'll normally need JACK running. I use ZynAddSubFx for synth. Works fine. Not particularly convincing but good for making simple backing tracks and things.

Right now Linux is still a bit challenging to set up initially for recording but once it's set up, it works really well (read: low latency). I'm hoping that with initiative like UbuntuStudio out there, it will soon get REALLY easy.

Well done on making the drum track. Hydrogen is pretty powerful. You can control the force of each hit and do a few other things that can make your tracks a little more realistic. I think Linux recording software is comparable to some professional stuff out there. Especially Ardour - it's kickass!

Thanks guys.

Yeah, I have JACK running.

Managed to get some random notes from ZynAddSubFx recorded into Ardour last night.
What I am looking for is a program where I can see the piano keys on the left of the screen and kinda plot the notes along a time line on the right. (like fruityloops piano roll editor) I want to select an instrument (bass, piano, strings, etc) and then record it into a track in Ardour.

Any suggestions? Timidity? I can't seem to find this on my system?
Rosegarden seems to be what I am looking for, but I can't seem to get it to play sound.

So SoundFonts are basically voicings for midi notes?

I'm afraid I can't help with Rosegarden, never really paid it much attention. Didn't seem to work unless you have an actual midi soundcard goodie thingie.

Norio wrote: I'm afraid I can't help with Rosegarden, never really paid it much attention. Didn't seem to work unless you have an actual midi soundcard goodie thingie.

Well that could be my problem! ?

Any suggestions? Timidity? I can't seem to find this on my system?
Rosegarden seems to be what I am looking for, but I can't seem to get it to play sound.

Yep if you install timidity, then you can use it as an output midi port in Rosegarden, yes soundfonts are the voicings, but timidity can do a lot of stuff, and if you're using ubuntu the default install should include the General Midi pat (patterns) sounds which it can use as well and should get you up and running. NB this is a command line prog so man timidity.

Timidity is a bit of a CPU hog but it will work on any soundcard, so Norio give it another go.

Ah ha! That makes sense. kinda. ?

I'll have a go tonight.

Woo hoo, good for you,
glad you're able to make a noise and record it ...

Here's something else to sink your teeth into if you're interested.

http://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=16786&highlight=wine+asio

NB. Reaper is not OSS but it is under active development. It's also a bit off the JACK route and goes with wine and ASIO but with Reaper you get to have the VST plugins.