Which Linux Distro should i choose for Music production 2021

What other apps and distros do you use to round out your studio?

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JamesPeters
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Re: Which Linux Distro should i choose for Music production 2021

Post by JamesPeters »

Lowlatency kernel in Ubuntu variants seems to perform approximately the same as the realtime kernel in Manjaro for my tests anyway (at the lowest latency my audio devices can handle, and around 90% CPU load without causing xruns or becoming unstable/sluggish). Maybe the realtime kernel in Manjaro is a little better, right at the breaking point of high CPU load.

Normally I do tests with the generic kernel (using a test project in Reaper designed to push the system to the limit), then switch kernels and run the tests again. Perhaps this time, after installing Manjaro for the first time, I skipped those first tests, assuming the generic kernel wasn't good enough. I don't recall how it performed. But I just switched back to the generic kernel for Manjaro now (5.9.16 at the moment), and...yeah, it performs approximately as well for my tests as the realtime kernel does. That's a first, and I've tried a fair number of distros. I'm impressed.

Again, my tests are only using Reaper and its own plugins with ALSA directly (not using Jack). If I can get an actual round-trip latency of about 6 ms at 44.1 KHz (measured and confirmed, not relying on reported latency in Reaper) with my USB audio device and it's stable until the CPU load is 90%, I'm happy. That latency figure factors in the "hidden" buffer of the USB system itself, apparently. Using PCIe audio devices, I can run at around 4 ms latency round trip. I can get a bit lower latency with these devices too, but not when I push the CPU that much.

I haven't had problems with performance of the system while using a lowlatency or realtime kernel, other than the graphics issue (not having a realtime module for the Nvidia proprietary driver installed). Then again I don't try to run current high-end games. But at this point I'll probably just keep using the "generic" Manjaro kernel, since it performs better than I expected.

I can see how realtime kernels can get a bad reputation, if people don't know about the realtime modules for the Nvidia proprietary driver. Ubuntu variants tend to pull those in automatically and that's why I was caught off guard in Manjaro when they didn't (and I had to troubleshoot to find out why the Nvidia proprietary driver "wasn't compatible" with the realtime kernel). But once you're aware of that solution, it's easy enough to fix. Be sure to find the right realtime module for the Nvidia driver, which will be a metapackage that has the kernel version number. (This module will update along with the Nvidia proprietary driver, if you use the metapackage.)
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kamiluni
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Re: Which Linux Distro should i choose for Music production 2021

Post by kamiluni »

I use Manjaro...for everything.
I use the standard kernel without any issue making music, If I need more power I switch the CPU to performance.
In this way I can have nvidia drivers installed for my professional graphic board, used for video editing with DaVinci Resolve, without any issue.
I tried many Linux distribution in 17 years of full time Linux usage and, I found that Manjaro, for now, is the best compromise between reliability, upgrade and availability of software/driver.

Linux OS: Manjaro
Intruments: Yamaha MODX8; Korg Nautilus; Yamaha Tyros 3, Akai Force, Korg ModWave, Upright bass, Electric bass
Audio Card: MOTU M4
Monitors: Yamaha HS8, Auratone, M-Audio BX5, PreSonus Eris E3.5
Engineer and Musician

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Re: Which Linux Distro should i choose for Music production 2021

Post by GMaq »

artix_linux_user wrote: Tue Feb 07, 2023 7:47 pm

1) Artix Linux
2) Devuan
3) Gentoo
4) Arch Linux

Wow, not even one of the actual intentional music production distros... :shock:

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Re: Which Linux Distro should i choose for Music production 2021

Post by thetotalchaos »

If you want a stable and reliable system, your choice should be Debian. Good specialized Debian based distos are:

If you want customizable, lightweight and cutting edge system, your choice should be Archlinux.

    1. You can build it from scratch (that is how you make your OS lightweight and well configured) https://archlinux.org/
    2. You can choose a preconfigured, specialized distro as well. Like Tux'n'Mix https://tuxnmix.org/

If you stick to pure, vanilla Ubuntu Studio LTS (don't add KXStudio on top, for heaven's sake! It is like building a truck with both diesel and petrol engines simultaneously), it will be a wise choice as well. I recommend it for new users and for migration from Windows / Mac. And it is the most out-of-the-box, old and well-supported of them all. https://ubuntustudio.org/

You can listen to my music at: https://totalchaos-music.bandcamp.com/

Take a journey to wonderland with The Butterfly Effect 2016
https://totalchaos-music.bandcamp.com/a ... fly-effect
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Re: Which Linux Distro should i choose for Music production 2021

Post by GuntherT »

artix_linux_user wrote: Wed Feb 08, 2023 7:44 am

okay, girls and boys and loving creatures,
lets get back to reality.
Linux Kernel is quite fast, as long as you dont need lowest possible latencies, debian based distributions should be okay for y'all.

I am not sure where you think this thread derailed from reality, nor do I understand your reasoning why a Debian system would be any less capable of the lowest possible latencies compared to the other distributions you listed. AVLinux is specifically tuned for low latency audio and is based on Debian. GRUB does not affect low latency audio whatsoever.

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Re: Which Linux Distro should i choose for Music production 2021

Post by GuntherT »

artix_linux_user wrote: Thu Feb 09, 2023 7:03 am

jesus I explained to you and I do it again , especially for youuuhuuuu:
install kernel, forget to tell grub and your system is totally bricked, you will need another live boot media to be able to repair the system.

I have never had this happen to me on a Debian system, but ok.
However, this has nothing to do with low latency audio capabilities.

artix_linux_user wrote: Thu Feb 09, 2023 7:03 am

and yes, I think you wont get the same realtime performance with ubuntu and avlinux like with artix:

Let me be more direct since you didn't understand my last post: Why do you think this?

artix_linux_user wrote: Thu Feb 09, 2023 7:03 am

come back if you get faster latencies with AVlinux : for example -n1 -p8.

Rather than explain why you think Artix is capable of lower latencies, you are putting it on me to prove that isn't the case? No thanks. I don't care if it is or isn't. I was curious what your reasoning was, but now I don't believe you have any.

artix_linux_user wrote: Thu Feb 09, 2023 7:03 am

i never said debian based distributions cant do realtime.
you are trying hard to not und4erstand me. try harder and you will get what you are hardly seeking.

I never said that you did. The issue of one of us not understanding the other is not on my end.

artix_linux_user wrote: Thu Feb 09, 2023 7:03 am

love

Nope.

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Re: Which Linux Distro should i choose for Music production 2021

Post by runoff23 »

My choice was archlinux and all i needed was in this page. https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Professional_audio

and no pipewire

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Re: Which Linux Distro should i choose for Music production 2021

Post by Impostor »

runoff23 wrote: Fri Feb 10, 2023 1:30 pm

My choice was archlinux and all i needed was in this page. https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Professional_audio

Most everything on that page is distro agnostic. I did most of the same tweaks on my linux mint system. (But I don't have an audio interface so that probably makes my life much easier than if I did have one.)

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Re: Which Linux Distro should i choose for Music production 2021

Post by robisme »

After xruns issues, I finally managed to have an efficient system.
Manjaro, but without any mentioned tricks. Just install manjaro-pipewire and pipewire-jack. Add myself to audio group (not the realtime script) and set limit.conf with @audio rtprio.
I also installed wine (the distro package) and Yabridge for windows plugins (essentially Kontakt and Melda stuff). That's all.
I had troubles with the realtime config and other grub file rtqs or whatever.
Now it just works.

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Re: Which Linux Distro should i choose for Music production 2021

Post by j_e_f_f_g »

Impostor wrote:

I don't have an audio interface

You have a couple hundred music plugins, but no audio interface??

Your priorities are... odd.

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Re: Which Linux Distro should i choose for Music production 2021

Post by Impostor »

j_e_f_f_g wrote: Wed Feb 22, 2023 5:02 pm
Impostor wrote:

I don't have an audio interface

You have a couple hundred music plugins, but no audio interface??

Your priorities are... odd.

No no, I think that's plugin_slut you confuse me with! My plugin folders are quite manageable: A dozen lv2, vst2, and vst3 each maybe, with some plugins twice. Not counting the LSP and Calf collections, that is.

Why would I need an audio interface? All sound is generated onboard, my cpu does all the processing, and my onboard audio chip does the DA converting.

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Re: Which Linux Distro should i choose for Music production 2021

Post by j_e_f_f_g »

Impostor wrote:

Why would I need an audio interface? All sound is generated on my onboard audio chip

Heresy! Witch!

Begone foul demon of the blasphemers!

And to think I trusted you with my LV2 instruments. What did you do to my precious children, you barbaric monster?

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Re: Which Linux Distro should i choose for Music production 2021

Post by Impostor »

j_e_f_f_g wrote: Wed Feb 22, 2023 9:31 pm
Impostor wrote:

Why would I need an audio interface? All sound is generated on my onboard audio chip

Heresy! Witch!

Begone foul demon of the blasphemers!

And to think I trusted you with my LV2 instruments. What did you do to my precious children, you barbaric monster?

I'll make sure to credit you on my bandcamp page, when and if!

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Re: Which Linux Distro should i choose for Music production 2021

Post by Gps »

j_e_f_f_g wrote: Wed Feb 22, 2023 9:31 pm
Impostor wrote:

Why would I need an audio interface? All sound is generated on my onboard audio chip

Heresy! Witch!

Begone foul demon of the blasphemers!

And to think I trusted you with my LV2 instruments. What did you do to my precious children, you barbaric monster?

ROFL :lol:

My two cents:
I went from that chip on my motherboard (BM450pro4 ), to a Scarlett solo.

Even on my Sennheiser gaming headset GSP300 (80 euros), the sound has improved. Its not that much but still.
At the moment looking for a better headphone, and a Dutch computer site/forum advised me a Beyerdynamic DT770.

I asked for a headphone 150 euro max, and this is why I like this site Tweakers.
Also budget questions get a serious answer, all though sometimes the advice is to spend more money. (or don't bother)

That happened when I asked about studio monitors and a dac from the brand Devine.
I was told to put in more money, or keep using the onboard sound from the motherboard.
That's how I ended up with a scarlett solo and two Adam TV5.
The solo is now the DAC, the onboard chip is not used anymore.
(this forum helped me too, and when this forum and Tweakers mentioned the Adam TV5, I knew it was a good choice)

I always thought I could hear that LMMS is free, from the drumsamples included.
I was not a little bit wrong, those samples through the solo on my Adam TV5. OMG.

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Re: Which Linux Distro should i choose for Music production 2021

Post by Impostor »

Gps wrote: Wed Feb 22, 2023 10:46 pm

At the moment looking for a better headphone, and a Dutch computer site/forum advised me a Beyerdynamic DT770.

DT770 is good if you need the isolation of closed-back cans, but an open-backed DT990 sounds much better, i.m.o. I have both (250 Ohm versions), but use the DT770 only for gaming.

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