Professional Linux Audio Users, How Did You Do It?

[IRVNG]

Hello everyone! I've been doing music production as a freelance, part time job for artists in my city for around 5 years. I switched to Linux about 4 months ago and the last piece of the puzzle is settling my music production workflow.

I recently started a project with an artist and I decided to use Linux to work on it. I'm using like 65% Linux native plug-ins and the rest are windows plug-ins running through Wine 9 stable and the latest version of yabrdige on Arch Linux with Pipewire (Including Pipewire JACK).

In the sessions I've had with the artist, some Windows plug-ins have given me trouble (Arturia Analog Lab Pro). Mostly crackling when the plugin gets heavy in resource usage, which doesn't happen in windows.

Then, when I'm working alone, sometimes REAPER, my DAW of choice, freezes out of nowhere and I have to force quit the program. That has happened like 8 times. Luckily not with the artist.

Also REAPER has this weird bug with typing in the text fields of the plug-ins where it just doesn't type anything. And dragging and dropping in the plug-ins also doesn't work.

I'm determined to make Linux and music production work. That's why I'm asking here for advice, hopefully some of you are in a situation where your Linux system works wonderfully for your professional audio work.

I know probably some of you will say that I should stick to Linux native plug-ins only. But there are some that don't have a replacement, like plug-ins to simulate studio environments for mixing, like dSoniq realphones (my choice), Waves Nx, Steven Slate VSX, etc.

Any tips are welcome!

[Linuxmusician01]

Concerning Reaper freezing up: I take it that you use the Linux native version of it, not Reaper via Wine. Maybe they can offer support via the Reaper forum (it is paid software so you may expect some form of support from 'm).

Concerning the use of software from one operating system (Windows) in another (Linux): I understand that you want to use them. Win VST's are pretty darn nice. However, it is a heavy burden for an OS to "emulate" another. And if the software (VST) for that system is resource heavy (or if you use a lot of 'm) then there's no proper solution other than buying a faster computer (if that even helps, that is) or - as a last resort - running the OS for which it was meant. Sorry man.

[tavasti]

Concerning Reaper freezing up: I take it that you use the Linux native version of it, not Reaper via Wine. Maybe they can offer support via the Reaper forum (it is paid software so you may expect some form of support from 'm).

Concerning the use of software from one operating system (Windows) in another (Linux): I understand that you want to use them. Win VST's are pretty darn nice. However, it is a heavy burden for an OS to "emulate" another. And if the software (VST) for that system is resource heavy (or if you use a lot of 'm) then there's no proper solution other than buying a faster computer (if that even helps, that is) or - as a last resort - running the OS for which it was meant. Sorry man.

Wine is not really emulator, but api which provides those win apis to linux/mac. Calling it emulator gives wrong idea about complexity and load.

Another thing is that it is very common to say that your windows plugins may break any day. That is true, specially complex ones. On the other hand, my worst experiences are related to native linux plugins:

• linux native F'em, will crash whole computer, need reset/power button. Not even ping from net working.
• after upgrading my system, zynaddsubfx was not somehow identifying as same plugin. So needed to remove it, and add again, and then make sounds again. Not sure if I've had same thing happening with other plugins also
• Geonkick version between my system upgrades had changed so much that drum sounds I made with it to project which was in freezer for 2 years could not work. Playing that geonkick sound resulted crash of DAW. And not having anymore idea how I did make those nice sounds I can listen from export.

I would say most reliable plugins are old free windows plugins (32 or 64 bit) which are plain dll without installer. They identify themselves same, and they continue to work.

[Linuxmusician01]

[...]
I would say most reliable plugins are old free windows plugins (32 or 64 bit) which are plain dll without installer. They identify themselves same, and they continue to work.

Funny you should mention that. I've got some of those antique VST 2.4 Windows plugins too (i.e. plain dll's). Most of 'm (that don't wanna show a nag screen/serial) work fine and don't eat a lot of sys resources. Maybe they're so lightweight because of their age. Unfortunately, VST 2.4 is no more. Steinberg wants you to not develop 'm anymore (SDK deprecated/not distributed anymore).

[glowrak guy]

I switched to Linux about 4 months ago and the last piece of the puzzle is settling my music production workflow.

Any tips are welcome!

EDIT, I'm really enjoying your music!
Audio production is not a good religion, or a popular team sport. Those using it in those ways will miss much of the joy in creating music.

Recording, mixing, and mastering other people's music for pay, is a whole other world of it's own. Your allegiance is to those paying,
your obligation is to provide them with the best result you can. If that means using mac or windows software, or hardware alone,
so be it. The more you learn about linux tools and products, the less you will rely on the competition.

In my case, over the years, I recognize people who are smarter and/or more experienced than I am, who also don't post partisan BS,
just the facts, specs, and honest opinions. I can rely on learning something when I see them post, even in topics not (yet) of direct interest.
I find my interests expand as my knowledge does

I suggest dividing your linux audio experience into sections that can be focussed on for a season, and integrated into 'the whole' of your work
when stability and some mastery have been achieved. These can be prioritized based on current needs, your current knowledge, and what your customers need. Some possibilities (all of which I need to learn far more of

EQ/Filtering
Modulation
Distortion/Saturation/compression
Room acoustics/Reverb
Microphones
Sequencing/arpeggiation
Samples
Live acoustic instruments
Software instruments and effects.
etc

Also, when you post, be specific about your OS, computer and studio hardware, music software, and recording setup,
so those who can speak from similar circumstances are well aware.
Cheers

[unknown2374]

I feel your pain. I have the exact same issue, arturia lab completely chugs my system to its knees. Having to constantly play with jack configuration, restarting the DAW, to switch between recording live instruments and virtual instruments is a huge time sink. Even with high latency settings, my simple productions with < 10 tracks gets to its knees from using a few plugins (mostly brainworx from plugin alliance). I am very tempted to run a hackintosh build instead and just give in, because frankly I am doing this as a hobby, and my time is worth more than anything else.