Documentation Musicians Beat

Move to jack2

Fedora 14 moves from jack to jack2, formerly called jackdmp. jack2 offers many improvements over previous versions available in Fedora. Current jack-capable programs can take advantage of these improvements without modification.

• jack2 takes advantage of multi-processor or multi-core systems. The result is fewer audio glitches when more than one jack-enabled program is run.
• You can now modify connections without interrupting the audio stream. This means that you do not need to stop recording or playback in order to change how your programs connect to each other.
• "Asynchronous" activation prevents audible audio glitches. If a program does not provide a sample in time, jack2 automatically repeats the previous sample. The old jack server would have produced an audible glitch, but with jack2, you may not even hear the missing sample.
• You can use jack2 and PulseAudio on the same computer. When the jack server starts, it automatically takes control of your audio hardware from PulseAudio. When the jack server stops, it automatically returns control of your audio hardware to PulseAudio. There is no longer a benefit to removing PulseAudio.

The move to jack2 is another example of the behind-the-scenes improvements that are a part of Fedora 14.

gtick

New to Fedora14, gtick is a metronome application supporting different meters and speeds up to 1000 bpm. Review the details at http://www.antcom.de/gtick/.

Qsynth

Qsynth is a graphical front-end for the FluidSynth software-based MIDI synthesizer. Qsynth lets you take advantage of the full capabilities of FluidSynth more easily. You can change all aspects of a FluidSynth setup, and even run multiple instances of the FluidSynth synthesizer, from within one Qsynth window.

Qsynth is explained in Chapter 10, "FluidSynth" of the new Musicians' Guide.

Musicians' Guide

Created as a Fedora Summer Coding project, the Fedora Musicians' Guide is released for the first time with Fedora 14. The Musicians' Guide shows you how to use several popular audio and music applications available in Fedora, and it explains some basic concepts you need to know when using audio software on any computer.

Each application has a tutorial, designed to show a typical use of the application by creating an actual musical project. In the Ardour tutorial, for example, you learn how to mix and master a recording of a real song. In the Qtractor tutorial, you learn how to create a MIDI-based accompaniment for a recording of a Beethoven piano sonata.

More advanced users - especially programmers who wish to create music - will appreciate the detailed coverage of SuperCollider, a programming language designed for audio synthesis. The tutorial shows you how to create a piece of music, from inspiration to completion. There is also a section explaining the syntax and usage of many language features, designed to be used as an introduction to SuperCollider, and as a reference while you program. Combined with the extensive documentation available from the developers, the Musicians' Guide chapter help to make SuperCollider on Fedora easier than ever!

Highly-trained musicians, and those still in training, will want to use the ear-training application Solfege. Solfege offers a wide variety of exercises, from hearing and singing intervals and chords, to taking dictation of a series of chords, or even detecting a tuning discrepancy between pitches. Whether you want to build your aural skills for the first time or just want help in maintaining them, Solfege can help you.