Calum where you at!?!? You need Ardour!

[Void Main]

I just installed Ardour 2 and threw together a bunch of tracks. I didn't even read the manual as it's so much like Cool Edit Pro I was able to figure everything out with no problem. This is the multitrack recording program you've been searching for. I am very impressed so far! Here's the site:

http://ardour.org/

Screenshot (obviously from a dual head setup):
http://ardour.org/files/main-screenshot-big.png

[Void Main]

And a cool Linux drum machine:

http://www.hydrogen-music.org/

And a sequencer:

http://www.rosegardenmusic.com/

[Calum]

i've heard of ardour and rosegarden already and even read a promising review of rosegarden a couple of years ago but i have never tried them, and the reasons are several-fold. Mainly, my computer is rapidly approaching the age where word processing becomes its most ambitious function, and i've precious little money to replace it. Audio processing takes some time for me, and it tends to involve a fair amount of running out of disk space too, when using audacity.

In short, i'm actually a luddite, disguised as a geek, but i will take those recommendations on the inevitable day that we replace our computer with a fast and flashy newer model. i am looking forward to ardour now you have said that, because i want to get more into loop based music. I do have a "real" digital multitracker (a Boss BR-1180) but it still seems that i am recording mainly live music, that i play myself, but i think a multitracker on the computer will lend itself more to loops and beats, which is great.

thanks, void, though it may be a while before i get to try them fully.

[Void Main]

Ardour is a multitrack recorder (for recording live). It's like Audacity on steroids. You could of course use it to record loops from synth programs such as Rosegarden or Hydrogen drum machine but I like it because I can record my guitar tracks onto my hard drive and continue to add tracks to the mix and edit the tracks individually. Then you can add your vocal tracks and mix everything down to an MP3 or WAV track for a CD. It's very professional.

[Calum]

sounds great, what i need for that i think is a flashy laptop, of course then i have to think about how to get a decent linux compatible sound card! in fact one main concern of mine is the fact that most (all?) sound cards appear to take those horrible little mini-jack inputs. i really need something that can take quarter inch jacks and femals XLR plugs, and preferably something that can handle two (three? four?) inputs at a time. i am fully confident that ardour supports all this, but do you think i can find a (reasonably inexpensive) sound card and/or adaptor? It gets into the realm of professional audio equipment, with associated costs.

Anyway, yes, i am champing at the bit to try those programs out, but i'll need to get a better PC first i think.

by the way void, i like the way you occasionally title a topic by appending my name, rather than just sending me an email!

[Void Main]

I have an Echo Layla system (the original version) with 8 1/4 inch inputs and 10 1/4 inch outputs that I used for recording my band. At the time I was running CoolEdit Pro on a Windows 95 machine:



Here's the newer version:



To be honest Ardour works perfectly with my laptop, not at all with the built in card on my desktop and only somewhat with my Layla card. I think the newer version of the Layla should work perfectly though. I think it's also possible that my Layla card may just have hardware issues.

Also, the higher resolution and larger monitors you can get the better for this app. I wish I had 2 large flat panels and a new Layla card. I might get back into recording.

[JoeDude]

What style of music? If you need a bass player, give me a buzz!

[Void Main]

I assume that question is for Calum right? UK and all. :)

[JoeDude]

Sure, I'll fly to St Louis for week end gigs!

[Calum]

i was drooling over those pictures!

Joe Dude, i play a lot of kinds of music, surely you must have heard some of it, well, if not zip over to calumsmusic.netfirms.com and also manurodriguez.iscool.net for a listen.

That's not a real indication of my music though, it's about half of what i do, or would like to be doing. for some past recordings look here: http://www.hhcforum.com/calum/

and by the way, i haven't ever posted that link so some of that music won't have been heard by anybody i know on the internet, this is a world exclusive! again, it's not representative, the calum carlyle and calum + jimmy folders will be the most recent, while the others are more electric (which i wouldn't mind doing again actually) but they are quite old, and only the radio orkney set (and maybe the Why? tracks) is decently recorded, really.

So Joe, i suspect Edinburgh's a bit out of your way but you're welcome to come for a jam and/or a pint whenever!

PS - and many thanks to doogee as always for providing the hosting space!

[Void Main]

I just picked one of these up about 30 minutes ago:

http://www.digitech.com/products/gnx3.htm

[Calum]

void, that looks great! depends on how good it is in practice of course, let me know what like it is to use, if you don't mind.

[Void Main]

Well, I had a Digitech RP-10 before this and I wasn't all that impressed with it. In fact it broke once and I had to send it in to get fixed. I pulled it out and dusted it off and it doesn't work now either. I'm not sure why I bought another Digitech but I did like all the functionality. I'm reading through the book now....