Introduction

Welcome to Tom's Definitive Linux Software Roundup: Audio Production. In this article, we're looking at Linux applications for audio content creation. Our previous segment covered general end-user audio consumption apps like media managers, audio players, and CD rippers. This segment is for the audio professional, hobbyist, and musician.

This article is the sixth installment in Tom's Definitive Linux Software Roundup, and the eighth part of our continuing guide to Linux for Windows user's. Links to all of the previous articles are listed below:

Part 1: Ubuntu Linux Installation GuidePart 2:

Run Windows XP In Ubuntu Setup GuidePart 3:

Internet Application RoundupPart 4:

Communications Application RoundupPart 5:

Office Application RoundupPart 6:

Image Application RoundupPart 7:

Audio Application Roundup

Today will cover all aspects of audio production--everything from metronomes to fully-fledged digital audio workstations (DAWs). Whether you need to replace FLStudio or ProTools, we've put together a list of the best Linux alternatives for DAWs, audio editors, studios, sequencers, synthesizers, loopers, trackers, mixers, software instruments, notation/score/tablature editors, effects, and other miscellaneous tools.

In addition to all of the applications, this article also includes two special sections. First, there's a spotlight on Ubuntu Studio, a spin of the most popular desktop Linux distribution re-tooled for Audio/Video production. Next, we have a primer on JACK, an essential framework for audio production in Linux.

This segment of Tom's Definitive Linux Application Roundup is a little different than the previous installments because it contains apps that require a good amount of audio production knowledge to use. While some of these applications are highly technical, the required knowledge is in the realm of audio production, and not Linux. In other words, readers looking into audio production using Linux are expected to have a certain level of audio know-how. But as a result of our strict standards for featured applications, little, if any, Linux experience is needed.