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 - Users can record live instruments with effects. There are several possible workflows.
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, Rakarrack, Guitarix, LADSPA, LV2, CALF, CALF plugin rack, JackRack, LV2rack
Workflow
Workflow #1 - plugins in Ardour
- start JACK with qjackctl
- start Ardour
- using qjackctl route line level signal from computer input to Ardour
- add LADSPA/LV2 effect in the mixer pre-channel or post-channel plugin regions in Ardour
- record live instrument with applied effects in Ardour
Workflow #2 - plugins in JackRack/LV2Rack/CALF plugin rack
- start JACK with qjackctl
- start Ardour
start JackRack or LV2rack or CALF plugin rack
using qjackctl route line level signal from computer input to JackRack or LV2rack or CALF plugin rack
using qjackctl route signal from JackRack or LV2rack or CALF plugin rack to Ardour
- record live instrument with applied effects in Ardour
Coding and realtime use of Pure Data for Audio
Explanation - Pure Data (also known as Pd) is a real-time graphical programming environment for audio and graphics processing. Pd's audio functions are built-in; graphical computations require separate packages such as gem (Graphics Environment for Multimedia) or pd-pdp (Pd Packet). With Pd you can create you own effect, arpeggiator, algorithm music, interface with hardware like arduino, use OSC and MIDI or even TCP/IP as communications interface. Pd its a powerful tool for everyone wanting to "dig" into the ins and outs of digital audio. Video example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pq0vSBT-fbc
Requirements - Depending on what you want to do, you will need a powerful set of hardware if you want to do live effects in concert if you use intensive CPU on Pd. It can run on any machine "almost".
Applications Used - Pd aka Pure Data (or Pd Extended from puredata.info), JACK, QJackctl/patchage
Workflow - TODO
*pd can run in RT
Create a Song with Hydrogen Drums
Explanation - Users can program drums for a song with this workflow. This might be a subset of recording live instruments with hydrogen drums.
Requirements - N/A
Applications Used - JACK, qjackctl, Hydrogen
Workflow
- start JACK with qjackctl
- start Hydrogen (Hydrogen L/R outputs should automatically connect to system outs)
- select preferred drum kit using drumkit manager
- create first drum pattern in drum pattern editor
- create additional drum patterns as necessary
- create song structure in song editor by selecting drum patterns in the song editor matrix
Mix a Song
Explanation - Users can prepare a song mix by adjusting levels, panning, and adding effects before exporting the song with this workflow.
Requirements - N/A
Applications Used - JACK, qjackctl, Ardour, Rakarrack, Guitarix, LADSPA, LV2, CALF, JackRack, LV2rack
Workflow
- start JACK with qjackctl
- start Ardour
- load song to be mixed in Ardour
- open mixer in Ardour
- adjust stereo panning and levels while song is playing back (automation is available for both)
- effects can be added into Ardour's mixer pre-channel or post-channel effects region
effects can be added by routing out of Ardour to JackRack, LV2rack or CALF plugin rack and back into Ardour
- export song as stereo file
Master a Album
Explanation - Users can master an album using EQ, limiters, compression and adjusting levels with this workflow.
Requirements - CD burner
Applications Used - JACK, qjackctl, Ardour, JAMin, GCDMaster
Workflow
- start JACK with qjackctl
- start Ardour
- start JAMin
- create a new project in Ardour
- load pre-mixed songs (separate songs should go sequentially on different tracks)
- route Ardour out to JAMin and back into Ardour
- play all songs through Ardour and JAMin adjusting EQ, limiting, and compression as necessary on a per song basis
- levels can also be adjusted for an inter-song consistency on a per song basis
- create two "final master" tracks in Ardour
- play all songs through JAMin and record on "final master" tracks
- add CD markers
- export "final master" tracks to stereo file with CD markers
- start GCDMaster
- load "final master" export stereo file
- burn CD master
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 - Users can import, trim, and arrange video clips to make a home video, additionally transitions can be added. Several workflows are available.
Requirements - Hardware to import video to computer from camcorder/video recorder
Applications Used - Blender or PiTiVi/OpenShot/LiVeS, Kino to import DV video(?)
Workflow
- import video to computer (many camcorders can be accessed as mass storage devices and files can simply be copied to computer)
- Kino might be needed to import DV video (this needs qualifying)
- start Blender
- select Sequence layout from layout menu
- make sure frames per second is set to match your camcorder/video recorder
- add video clip and anchor it in desired track
- add additional video clips and anchor as required to other tracks
- trim tracks as required
- reposition tracks as required
- add transitions
- playback video and make any revision as needed
- select export format
- moderate export settings
- select video and audio codecs
- moderate video and audio settings
- select "Do Sequence"
- change export name (unless you like the default)
- adjust "start" and "end" frame range
- pick the "Animate" button to export (render) the movie
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
Sketching Images
Explanation - To make art through use of a graphics tablet.
Requirements - Graphics Tablet
Applications Used - Inkscape or Gimp
Workflow
- Open Inkscape
- Enable presure sensitivity
- Zoom in to acceptable level
- Select the caligraphy tool
- Select your desired preset option (i.e. brush)
- Draw using your graphics tablet
- Select the document properties and resize to fit to your art's size.
- Save the svg of your finished drawing.
- Export as a png for upload into online galleries.
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 Music/Video
VJ
Explanation -
Requirements -
Applications Used - LiVeS (?)
Workflow
- to do
DJ
Explanation -
Requirements -
Applications Used - Mixxx (?)
Workflow
- to do
Effects Box
Explanation -
Requirements -
Applications Used - JACK, qjackctl, Rakarrack
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.