JackLab/3 Steps to JAD for Beginners

From openSUSE

Turn openSUSE 10.2 into a Digital Audio Workstation

( Update 22. Dec 06 ) JackLab Audio Distribution 0.5.0 beta preview (JAD powered by openSUSE Linux)

This tutorial is aimed towards the creative computer user, who wishes to check out professional audio on the linux platform, especially low-latency performance, realtime audio synthesis and processing for performance or production environments. This tutorial is also designed for those who wish to migrate to an openSUSE 10.2 based music production system in a quick and relatively simple way.

Note: If you are using the older SUSE 10.1 or 10.0, please use the JackLab/3 Steps to JAD for Nerds tutorial

In brief, you need to install openSUSE, extend the software sources in YAST and then install the RT Kernel and PAM update.

For those who do not wish to change their kernel, a decent realtime performance can be achieved with a standard openSUSE kernel by installing only the Jacklab PAM update or by editing /etc/security/limits.conf yourself (see the HowTo in the "enhanced tutorials" section at the bottom of this page), but for true high-performance low-latency audio, realtime audio synthesis and processing it is recommended to install the Jacklab RT kernel from Oliver Bengs.

Install openSUSE Linux 10.2

Recommended Hardware for Professional Audio

   * CPU ->1.5GHz
   * RAM ->512MB
   * Audio ->24bit/96khz
   * Mass storage ->40GB
   * Audio monitoring,  preamplifier, microphone
   * Midi Controller / Master Keyboard
   * Broadband internet access
   * DualScreen (Xinerama) (Matrox G550 recommended)

Get your openSUSE 10.2 copy

Download the 5 CD/DVD openSUSE Linux 10.2 32bit, even if you have a 64bit cpu. We recommend this because Microsoft Windows VST plugins, if needed, will only work on a 32bit operating system.

International Mirrors - please use a mirror in your local area

Here some examples:

openSUSE 10.2 GM DVD 32bit ISO:

->USA mirror

->German mirror

Burn the ISO(s) with any CD/DVD-writer software onto a blank DVD/CDs and restart your computer with the DVD or the first CD in the DVD/CD drive. Note: you may need to alter your BIOS settings to set your DVD/CD drive to be the first boot device. See your motherboard manual for more details.

Some installation tips:

An excellent source of information for installation and setting up your openSUSE computer is the official Novell openSUSE 10.2 Start Up Guide. Note: The Start Up Guide is a 2.8mb PDF file.

Other official Novell documentation on various topics of openSUSE computing can be found here.

When you install, make sure that you have at least 20GB free on your harddisk. Ten gigabytes for the operating system and ten gigabytes for your home directory. Install your /home directory on a separate partition. Your /home directory stores all your program settings, preferences, email, documents and, of course, your audio files. Keeping your /home directory on a separate partition makes it possible to upgrade your system in the future without having to lose all your documents, files and settings.

Simply make a "KDE" or "Gnome" install, whatever you prefer. Gnome and KDE are desktop environments that allow you to communicate with your computer and perform many tasks graphically. Although they both do the same job, they do it in a different ways using different tools. There are many discussions/arguments on which is the best desktop environment. We say 'choose whichever works well for you'. Ultimately, we have found that Gnome is good for simplicity and KDE is good for flexibility.

You can find more Gnome information here and screenshots here. For KDE you can find information here and screenshots here.

To save time and hassle later on, add your username to the group "audio" in the post-installation step. This gives you the security clearance for real-time audio. Please see 'Boot into JAD' below for more details and a screenshot on how to add your user to the 'audio' group.

Don't install Beagle and Kerry, the desktop search tools (default for the openSUSE KDE installation). If you install them we suggest to remove them later on. We suggest this because the beagle service is constantly working in the background looking for changes you have made to the files on your computer. The service can interrupt the flow of data when recording or playing back audio. This results in audio glitches or dropouts which is very undesirable in a professional Digital Audio Workstation. ->screenshot

After the YAST Setup your system will be an optimal openSUSE Linux 10.2 great for everyday desktop work. Follow the next two steps to and then we will transform the office girl SUSE into a rock queen named SUSI!! ;)

Add YaST installation sources

This step adds additional internet resources (called repositories) to install additional system updates and audio software.

For openSUSE 10.2 you can simply use the additional YaST install sources. Simply copy each link shown in the box below and paste into the URL field in YaST by clicking on 'Installation Source', then the 'Add' button as shown in the screenshot below:

Click on the 'Add' button to create a new source

After clicking 'Add', select the 'Specify URL' option and then click 'Next'. You will be presented with an empty text field where you can paste the copied URL.

Additional YaST Sources

JackLab       - ftp://ftp.gwdg.de/linux/misc/jacklab/SUSE-10.2/RPMS
Packman       - ftp://ftp.gwdg.de/pub/linux/packman/suse/10.2
Main          - ftp://ftp.gwdg.de/pub/opensuse/distribution/10.2/repo/oss
Non-OSS       - ftp://ftp.gwdg.de/pub/opensuse/distribution/10.2/repo/non-oss

JackLab The JackLab repository is used for audio realtime kernel and other updates/enhancements from the JackLab Team.

Packman The Packman repository has additional professional audio software, multimedia codecs, ALSA updates and a lot more for openSUSE linux. Please use a mirror if possible as traffic can become quite high.

openSUSE 10.2 installation source Contains additional software to the 5 installation CDs or DVD

openSUSE 10.2 Non-OSS Contains additional software not open-source, flash for example

See also the official openSUSE package repositories page for more information on further official repositories or the openSUSE non-official repositories for third party repositories.

If you have any suggestions for professional audio software which isn't in any of the repositories, please post in the Jacklab wishlist section of the Jacklab Forum here

Install the Realtime kernel and applications

Open YaST and click on 'Software Management' Do a search for and mark for installation the following:

Essential Software

 Kernel-rt        -This is the JAD realtime kernel
 PAM              -This is the PAM update to allow realtime usage
 jack             -This is the JACK sound server
 qjackctl         -This is the graphical interface for controlling JACK

After you have marked the software for installation, click 'Accept' for the packages to be downloaded and installed.

List of recommended software

ToDo: Selections of recommended software

(proAudio) Ardour, MusE, Rosegarden-4, qjackctl etc.

(Consumer) Various multimedia apps/codecs.

(Accessibility) Slim Windowmanagers like e17, fluxbox, wmaker, xfce4. Iconsets, wallpapers, themes, menus

Boot into JAD

Make sure your username is a member of the group "audio" with YaST (user administration).

Add your user to the 'audio' group within YaST

Start QJackCTL, make your settings. See JackLab/JACK first steps for a tutorial on how to tune the JACK server using QJackCTL

If you have installed the PAM package from the jacklab repository using YaST, and your audio system is properly configured, starting JACK by pressing [start] in QJacktCTL should be successful. If not, check your limits.conf like described here.

If you use a NVIDIA graphic card, you might want to install the proprietary NVIDIA driver if you wish to use 3D capability. See this HowTo.

Have a lot of fun ;)

If you have any questions or comments about this tutorial, please leave a message on our forum, or you can join in a chat with the friendly gang on the IRC channel #jacklab.

Enhanced tutorials

• User-submitted how-tos for giving real-time priorities to audio applications:
  • JackLab/Assigning real-time priorities with PAM : a low-effort approach to turning your SuSE 10.2 (and later?) workstation into a low-latency sound synthesis machine.
  • JackLab/PAM for rtprios
  • JackLab/Rt-lsm

• JackLab/JACK first steps

• JackLab/Rosegarden system timer resolution too low error in SuSE 10.2 (and possibly other versions) and what to do about it.

• JACK perfomance measurement

• VST on openSUSE JAD with DSSI-VST | XFST | Ardour2 | LMMS | energyXT2 | Recommended plugins/links

• Recording basics

• MIDI basics

• Soundfont basics

• Soundsynthesis basics

• Studio basics

• Postpro basics

• Hardware HowTo's / Recommendations

• ProAudio Software Tutorial Collection/Links

TODO

• remarks for RT kernel, PAM

• some screenshots

• collect some free documentation for enhanced tutorials