WorkflowsBrainstorming
Abstract
The purpose of this page is to begin identifying common audio/video tasks and develop workflows for those tasks.
Not only will this improve and qualify the quality of application selection set included in Ubuntu Studio, but it will also help develop documentation framework for users to understand how to accomplish these tasks.
Please feel free to use whatever form you wish to add ideas. This page is purely for development work.
Audio Tasks
Recording Live Instruments with Hydrogen Drums
Explanation - Typically this workflow would be used to record common instruments such as electric guitars, basses, and vocals with drum accompaniment provided by Hydrogen.
Requirements - All instruments would require a way to bring their signal to line level (e.g. effects pedal for guitar, pre-amp for vocals) and any effects would need to be provided by dedicated hardware (e.g. effects pedal) for this example.
Applications Used - JACK, qjackctl, Ardour, Hydrogen
Workflow
- start JACK with qjackctl
- start Ardour
- start Hydrogen
- using qjackctl route line level signal from computer input to Ardour
- using qjackctl route Hydrogen drums to Ardour
- record live instrument and Hydrogen with Ardour
Record Live Instruments with Effects
Explanation -
Requirements -
Applications Used - JACK, qjackctl, Ardour, Rakarrack, Guitarix, LADSPA, LV2, CALF, JackRack, LV2rack
Workflow
- to do
Create a Song with Hydrogen Drums
Explanation -
Requirements -
Applications Used - JACK, qjackctl, Hydrogen
Workflow
- to do
Mix a Song
Explanation -
Requirements -
Applications Used - JACK, qjackctl, Ardour, Rakarrack, Guitarix, LADSPA, LV2, CALF, JackRack, LV2rack
Workflow
- to do
Master a Song
Explanation -
Requirements -
Applications Used - JACK, qjackctl, Ardour, JAMin
Workflow
- to do
Sequencing music using MIDI
Explanation - This workflow is used to produce music using MIDI sequencing, using either software synths, or external MIDI hardware. MIDI sequencing is used in a wide range of music styles.
Requirements - For a software-only setup, the only requirement is a JACK-compatible sound card. With external MIDI equipment, a compatible MIDI interface is required, unless using USB-based MIDI equipment. MIDI input devices, such as keyboards, are not required, but may be very useful for recording MIDI parts live.
Applications Used - JACK, qjackctl, Qtractor, Ardour (optional), software synths (ie: FluidSynth/Qsynth, LinuxSampler, XSynth, WhySynth, PHASEX, ZynAddSubFX/Yoshimi, Specimen, Hydrogen)
Workflow
- start JACK with qjackctl
- start any external JACK synths used
- start Qtractor
- if using an external MIDI input device, connect it to Qtractor's MIDI input using either Qtractor's internal UI, or qjackctl
- within Qtractor, create MIDI buses for any external synths (JACK or harware MIDI) used, and connect each to the relevant synth
- within Qtractor, create new MIDI tracks and either set their outputs to your various MIDI buses, or add DSSI instrument plugins to them
- record/create/edit MIDI parts, using external MIDI input device and the Qtractor piano-roll editor
- (optionally) bounce the completed parts in to an Ardour session for mixing
Video Tasks
Make a Music Video
Explanation -
Requirements -
Applications Used - Blender
Workflow
- to do
Edit Home Movies
Explanation -
Requirements -
Applications Used - Blender or PiTiVi/OpenShot/LiVeS
Workflow
- to do
Create and Add Sound Effects to Home Movies/Videos
Explanation -
Requirements -
Applications Used - Audacity and Blender or PiTiVi/OpenShot/LiVeS
Workflow
- to do
Create Green Screen Video
Explanation -
Requirements -
Applications Used - Blender
Workflow
- to do
Create Picture in Picture Video
Explanation -
Requirements -
Applications Used - Blender
Workflow
- to do
Graphics Tasks
Make a Flyer
Explanation -
Requirements -
Applications Used - Inkscape
Workflow
- to do
Resize/Trim Image
Explanation -
Requirements -
Applications Used - GIMP
Workflow
- to do
Miscellaneous Tasks
Podcasting
Record an Interview
Explanation -
Requirements -
Applications Used - mumble (?)
Workflow
- to do
Stream a Podcast
Explanation -
Requirements -
Applications Used - JACK, DarkIce
Workflow
- to do
Edit Audio
Explanation -
Requirements -
Applications Used - Audacity
Workflow
- to do
Live VJ
Whatever VJ's Do
Explanation -
Requirements -
Applications Used - LiVeS (?)
Workflow
- to do
User workflows
holstein
i have a presonus firepod. i like this device because it has 8 preamps and can be used easily with a desktop box, or in the field with a laptop. firewire support is key for my workflow. ALSO, in the field sometimes i use the firepod with JACK and ardour running in OSX on a macbook. i think its important to mention here how convenient it is to my workflow that i can pull the files created on OSX over to my linux desktop when i get back to the studio. i do mostly analog recording, although i have a USB MIDI keyboard and dabble a bit. i usually track in ardour using JACK for the routing, and mix with whatever plugins i need from the ones in the ubuntustudio meta-package or these http://www.linuxdsp.co.uk/download/index.html . i usually add a final mastering step using JAMin that i can undo if i want to have the tracks professionally mastered by someone else (not that JAMin is not up to the task, i just like to have someone else master when possible). when WIFI allows, i like to stream live shows. i have an icecast server. i have it running on a separate ubuntuserver box, but you can run the server and client on the same machine. there are several client options. darkice is a good one, and has JACK support now. i find http://butt.sourceforge.net/ to be easy ( see http://www.deadbeatguitarist.com/cgi-bin/blosxom.cgi/2010/04/10 ). i had a little trouble getting darkice JACK support using my firewire interface for some reason, so i started using netjack and jacktrip: i use 2 boxes, one with my firepod running jacktrip, and the other with just the dummy driver selected in JACK, also running jacktrip and darkice. i can imagine slaving plugins or softsynths off to a 2nd machine with the setup, and tests to this effect have been promising. there have been some other applications i have been fiddling with such as sooperlooper for a loop station rig, and something like rakarrack for a live effects processing rig.