Configuring a new setup, JACK and stuff

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MC3PO
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Configuring a new setup, JACK and stuff

Post by MC3PO »

Hey Guys, I'm trying to setup Reaper with my LX25 but I'm not really sure what I'm doing.

I've got the keyboard to run with OB-XD as a stand alone, so I know it works, but I can't get Reaper to recognise it. If I'm totally honest I don't really understand what's going on in the QJackctl connections. I can see the keyboard name and make connections but whatever combination I try I can't then select it as an input option on a track in Reaper.

I also just installed Carla, somebody suggested it would make it easier to see whats going on but I'm a bit lost there too and the LX25 isn't in the patchbay like everything else.

Any ideas?

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Re: Configuring a new setup, JACK and stuff

Post by Kott »

Hi,

Maybe you already know it, but I have to mention some basic:

It's important to understand and decide what is your workflow will be: in jack domain or pure alsa. Maybe somewhere there are pictures showing both concepts, you can find them, if need.

When you run OB-Xd, and use ALSA device directly you acquire that audio device (audio only, not midi), and no other audio apps can use it until you free it by closing the synth.
So, if we want to "share" our audio in/out then jackd comes. It acts like commutation server between audio apps and audio device, and you can connect apps to other apps, and all these apps to your audio device (and it provides transport(playback control) also).

First jack setup may be tricky. You can show here what is your setup of qjackctl and jackd, and maybe people will help you.
The most stupid thing with jack - is requiring of midi-to-jack bridge https://github.com/jackaudio/jackaudio. ... iki#bridge
Many users use jack just for audio i/o and pure alsa for midi.

For opensource DAWs such Qtractor, Muse, Ardour you have to use jack, because these apps are jack-domain in mind, and some of these apps can control jackd server. And there is true jackd workflow possible with complex routing, NSM, Carla, etc...

Ok,
Personally I don't use jackd with commercial apps like Reaper or Waveform. Though these DAWs can use jack for audio in/out there no much reasons to use it, it's just another audio device type gives no benefits like transport or advanced routing.

I have separate audio device for DAW stuff using it with alsa directly, and all other multimedia stuff goes thru other sound card mixed by pulseaudio, and then outputs of both cards are hardware mixed. And this works perfect for me.
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Re: Configuring a new setup, JACK and stuff

Post by bhilmers »

MC3PO, I recently started using the native Linux builds of Reaper on Linux Mint 20 and I found it extremely helpful to install Ubuntu Studio Controls (now forked and stupidly renamed to Studio Controls, which is super hard to search for). This tool was created by Len Ovens and it takes care of all the behind the scenes JACK/Pulse/ALSA routing that musicians don't want to deal with. The control panel had a checkbox for bridging ALSA to Jack MIDI. After installing this I have no problems with audio and MIDI in Reaper. My devices are discoverable and I can record MIDI from and send MIDI to external devices. I hope you have the same luck!

EDIT: More about Len's "Studio Controls"
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Re: Configuring a new setup, JACK and stuff

Post by sunrat »

Kott wrote: Tue Feb 16, 2021 2:16 amThe most stupid thing with jack - is requiring of midi-to-jack bridge https://github.com/jackaudio/jackaudio. ... iki#bridge
Many users use jack just for audio i/o and pure alsa for midi.
a2jmidid is easy to set up, just put it's start command in Qjackctl options. A midi keyboard should then show up in Graph or Patchbay and you can connect it to your application input. You may also need to select its input in the DAW channel.
For opensource DAWs such Qtractor, Muse, Ardour you have to use jack,
Ardour doesn't need JACK, it can run with ALSA. Qtractor does need JACK I think, I don't know Muse.
Basically you don't need JACK, until you do. :)
I have separate audio device for DAW stuff using it with alsa directly, and all other multimedia stuff goes thru other sound card mixed by pulseaudio, and then outputs of both cards are hardware mixed. And this works perfect for me.
PulseAudio is pretty easy to set up through JACK. Can start with another command in Qjackctl options or automatically with Dbus. Just need pulseaudio-module-jack installed.

I use Mixbus and the main reason I use JACK is to run room correction EQ with EQ6Q through jalv which is patched in immediately before system out so all audio runs through it. Sometimes use Qtractor too.

I don't use Ubuntu so no Studio Controls, but it appears Qjackctl can do most of the same things and maybe some extra and is certainly prettier than Studio Controls. :wink: I really like the Patchbay and Graph in Qjackctl.
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Re: Configuring a new setup, JACK and stuff

Post by Kott »

Yes, you're right. Though I'm not sure will a2jmidid pickup midi controller automatically or it has to do manually.
I just shared my experience. Good thing which is worth to mention is the profiles in qjackctl, for example I use dummy driver preset for quick testing plugins with carla-single or jalv host.
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Re: Configuring a new setup, JACK and stuff

Post by sunrat »

Kott wrote: Tue Feb 16, 2021 9:22 am Yes, you're right. Though I'm not sure will a2jmidid pickup midi controller automatically or it has to do manually.
I have an old Novation Nocturn 49. It shows almost instantly in Qjackctl when I plug it in. a2jmidid is loaded by Qjackctl after JACK start.
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Re: Configuring a new setup, JACK and stuff

Post by MC3PO »

Dudes, I love this place. Thank you all massively. Fingers crossed one of these suggestions works.
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Re: Configuring a new setup, JACK and stuff

Post by MC3PO »

Ok so I got some MIDI noises in Reaper after installing studio controls (thanks for the tip) but now I have no Audio input from my microphone :-(

My SSL2+ isn't showing up in the audio tab of QJACKctl. I've attached some screens of my setup. Its in the ALSA tab but only seems to register MIDI? Am I right in thinking that?
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Re: Configuring a new setup, JACK and stuff

Post by sunrat »

MC3PO wrote: Tue Feb 16, 2021 7:56 pm Ok so I got some MIDI noises in Reaper after installing studio controls (thanks for the tip) but now I have no Audio input from my microphone :-(

My SSL2+ isn't showing up in the audio tab of QJACKctl. I've attached some screens of my setup. Its in the ALSA tab but only seems to register MIDI? Am I right in thinking that?
You have an SSL2+, I'm envious. You haven't mentioned what distro or kernel you have. I recall reading somewhere that SSL2+ full support was only added in a very recent kernel, maybe 5.9 or 5.10. It should show up in the Audio tab. Does it show in lsusb or aplay -l as an audio card?

I don't think it's a good idea to use both Qjackctl and Studio Controls together. They may try to set conflicting parameters. I had Cadence and Qjackctl together a while back and had issues so ditched Cadence as I found Qjackctl to be more useful.
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MC3PO
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Re: Configuring a new setup, JACK and stuff

Post by MC3PO »

Yeah I'm excited to start using it. Ever since my youthful days I've dreamed about using some SSL analogue desks now I've got my own little slice in my bedroom, if only I could make it work now.. :wink:

I was using Ubuntu with kernel version 5.4.7, and I updated (took a while, ended up disabling secure boot), now I'm on 5.7.1. Still nothing in the audio tab of QJACKctl though. :(

The SSL2+ shows up in both lsusb and aplay.

Also it works with no configuring when I run waveform free, I've successfully recorded audio although it occasionally needs a reset after becoming glitchy, but not Reaper or Mixbus (which I've also just installed) YET.

I'll try to get the kernel to 5.10 but I ran into some problems which is why I stuck to 5.7.1.

I'm not running studio controls and QJACKctl at the same time so I assume there shouldn't be an issue (?) but I can't get any MIDI working in Reaper without QJACKctl which actually only started working when I installed studio controls... go figure... :?
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Re: Configuring a new setup, JACK and stuff

Post by sunrat »

MC3PO wrote: Wed Feb 17, 2021 3:09 pmI'm not running studio controls and QJACKctl at the same time so I assume there shouldn't be an issue (?) but I can't get any MIDI working in Reaper without QJACKctl which actually only started working when I installed studio controls... go figure... :?
You probably needed the alsa-jack midi bridge which might have been enabled by studio controls. A purely Qjackctl setup to do the same can be achieved by installing a2jmidid and putting "a2jmidid &" in Options> Scripts to run after JACK starts.

Found that thread about the kernel with SSL2. Reported to be fixed from 5.4 so that may be a red herring. :(
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MC3PO
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Re: Configuring a new setup, JACK and stuff

Post by MC3PO »

I gave up and installed Ubuntu studio. Everything works fine now, few too many xruns but that's for a post in another forum ;-).

Thanks again for your suggestions everyone.
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