.deb to optimize Linux Mint (Debian) for Audio Pro

[basstrombone]

Hi everyone,

Just a quick note to let you guys know that a Friend of mine and I have been working on a .deb file that we kindly named it as "musicdaw" that makes all adjustments recommended by the LinuxMusicians/WikiLinux.org system configuration advises us to do in order to run audio apps on a Linux Debian (in my case Linux Mint)

I use to do all the steps manually. But my friend João Almeida (Professor of the Computer Sciences School at Federal Institute of Pernambuco-Belo Jardim Campus-BR) wrapped all the scripts in this single *.deb file .
What it Does?

It installs the low latency kernel
Changes the swapiness level from 60 to 10
install jack and its dependencies
Installs the CPU performance Governor
install the Realtimequickconfigscan among many other things
Adds the user to the AUDIO GROUP
Installs the KXStudio Repos (you cam remove them later)

Let me know if you want to try it out ok?

If someone gets interested on it João Will make a place to download and I'll put instructional video installation for those (like me some years ago) who are not very familiar with using bash commands

Great Hug from Brazil
Alexandre Magno
Trombone Professor at Federal University of Paraiba-BR

[madmaxmiller]

If someone gets interested on it João Will make a place to download and I'll put instructional video installation for those (like me some years ago) who are not very familiar with using bash commands

That sounds great, Alexandro. Since I have a computer business I have enough machines and a number of Debian and Debian based distros to try it out on - I would like to test it here.
Kind regards,
Max

[Frank]

Hi everyone,

Let me know if you want to try it out ok?

If someone gets interested on it João Will make a place to download and I'll put instructional video installation for those (like me some years ago) who are not very familiar with using bash commands

Great Hug from Brazil
Alexandre Magno
Trombone Professor at Federal University of Paraiba-BR

Lovely initiative !!

May i suggest mega.nz as a place to download ! It is free of charge, has a lot of facilities and never has let me down the last 5 years. Full privacy, no adds. easy to understand : even for musicians.

Regards

Frank

I have a love hate relationship with the basstrombone. Was sitting behind me (Lead soprano/tenor sax) in a big band : years ago. A threatening slide over my shoulders on small stages, and a continious FFF in my ear. we found a solution: swapped places.

[khz]

@musicdaw.deb Very good idea, thank you basstrombone!
Please post this on linuxmusicians, maybe some users can help you to optimize the .deb package if needed.
cheers khz

[Jostein]

Hi everyone,

Just a quick note to let you guys know that a Friend of mine and I have been working on a .deb file that we kindly named it as "musicdaw" that makes all adjustments recommended by the LinuxMusicians/WikiLinux.org system configuration advises us to do in order to run audio apps on a Linux Debian (in my case Linux Mint)
...
It installs the low latency kernel

Good idea! I planned to offer s script that did the same job, but now I skip it; this is more or less the same as I do manually. May I suggest that you also compile and include a RT-kernel while you're at it?

And as khz says: You should post this on linuxmusicians (IMO).

[basstrombone]

If someone gets interested on it João Will make a place to download and I'll put instructional video installation for those (like me some years ago) who are not very familiar with using bash commands

That sounds great, Alexandro. Since I have a computer business I have enough machines and a number of Debian and Debian based distros to try it out on - I would like to test it here.
Kind regards,
Max

Our Pleasure! I use MixBus a lot! and I want make sure everyone has the same level of satisfaction that I am having

I am translating the scritp procedures to American English as well as the
Document explaining all that have been done

After this well try to put it on GIT HUB. If doesn't work, we'll put on a drive such as MEGA or something alike
Thank you for your quick response!

---

Hi everyone,

Let me know if you want to try it out ok?

If someone gets interested on it João Will make a place to download and I'll put instructional video installation for those (like me some years ago) who are not very familiar with using bash commands

Great Hug from Brazil
Alexandre Magno
Trombone Professor at Federal University of Paraiba-BR

Lovely initiative !!

May i suggest mega.nz as a place to download ! It is free of charge, has a lot of facilities and never has let me down the last 5 years. Full privacy, no adds. easy to understand : even for musicians.

Regards

Frank

I have a love hate relationship with the basstrombone. Was sitting behind me (Lead soprano/tenor sax) in a big band : years ago. A threatening slide over my shoulders on small stages, and a continious FFF in my ear. we found a solution: swapped places.

Hahahahah, I've been playing bass trombone in many Jazz Ensembles and always take care of my saxophone buddies you just didn't have a good look ahahahahah.

I’ll post all the implementations that have been done in the script
I am translating them (the comments in the scripts and in the document as well) from Brazilian Portuguese to American English
I’ll post a link here with the .deb as well as instructions
We are trying to put it on Git Hub. If it doens't work MEGA will be indeed the next step!

Thanks for the comments!
I'll keep you guys posted

Alexandre Magno

[basstrombone]

Hi everyone,

Just a quick note to let you guys know that a Friend of mine and I have been working on a .deb file that we kindly named it as "musicdaw" that makes all adjustments recommended by the LinuxMusicians/WikiLinux.org system configuration advises us to do in order to run audio apps on a Linux Debian (in my case Linux Mint)
...
It installs the low latency kernel

Good idea! I planned to offer s script that did the same job, but now I skip it; this is more or less the same as I do manually. May I suggest that you also compile and include a RT-kernel while you're at it?

And as khz says: You should post this on linuxmusicians (IMO).

Hey Thanks!

We do have them all what is included on the Wiki Linux Audio. org page suggests
and RT is one of them ! thank you so much for remind us of that!!

I has been already done since the very first .deb

[basstrombone]

Hi again,

This is a complete list of things we have been doing. I'm just waiting for João to include all the Debian scripts so Debian and Linux Mint Machines will be able to run the scritp.

The music-daw package version 1.0

Written and maintained by:

João Almeida (joao4linux@gmail.com) e Alexandre Ferreira (amfe223@g.uky.edu)

The purpose of this package is to facilitate the process of configuring Ubuntu or Mint operating systems to use low latency and real time kernel, thus transforming your computer into a digital audio workstation (DAW).
Obs.: The installation of the package must be performed with the "sudo" command as listed bellow:

$ sudo dpkg -i music-daw.1.0.deb

This package contains four scripts:

a- /usr/bin/music-daw - Executed only once, this script installs packages, including the low latency kernel. These changes are based on the recommendations written by the authors of the linux.org web page (link bellow), in the section which discusses how to optimize your computer for professional audio usage (i.e., DAW usage):

https://wiki.linuxaudio.org/wiki/system_configuration.

b- /usr/local/modify-rtc-max-user – This script performs the following tasks:

set permissions to the audio group to /dev/hpet e /dev/rtc;
adjusts CPU frequency to function as “performance” mode;
checks if the RT variables have been activated. If not, adjustments will take place.

c- /etc/systemd/system/set-max-user-freq.service – This is a standard systemd scritpt that is intended to run the modify-rtc-max-user script during boot.

d- /etc/cron.hourly/test-kernel.sh - This script checks for any updates in the low latency kernel and, indeed, verifies if the RT variables have been modified.







The “music-daw” Script

It must me executed right after running the “$ sudo dpkg -i music-daw.1.0.deb” command as a regular user in the same terminal ex:. $ music-daw

1- The The first part of the script includes the user in the audio group,in a way that the user has access to the permissions of this group

2- The script reduces /etc/sysctl.conf the parameter vm.swappiness value, which determines the moment when the system starts using its swap partition. This ensures that audio processes will preferably use RAM.

3- Another alteration takes place on the max_user_watches, which defines the maximum amount of files that the system can monitor with the inotify (which is part of the kernel), altering the command listed bellow:

sed -i '$afs.inotify.max_user_watches = 524288' /etc/sysctl.conf

4- The script checks if there is a low latency kernel installed. If it does, it alters the /boot/config-`uname -r` in order to ad the RT mode. This is achieved by modifying the following parameters:

CONFIG_HZ_1000=y
CONFIG_HZ=1000
CONFIG_PREEMPT_RT_FULL=y
CONFIG_PREEMPT=y
If no low latency kernel has not been located, the script proceeds with its installation.

5-Then the script includes the KX Studio’s repositories in your system. This procedure will allow the user to install both software and plugins available at the repository. This portion of the installation does not alter any function of the OS. If at any moment, errors occur due to any modification in the KX Studio’s repository, the script will inform the user but continues the remaining portion of the installation normally.

6- In turn, the cpufrequtils indicator-cpufreq package is installed. This will allow the user to make use of the CPU at its maximum performance.

7- One of the last tasks performed is the download and installation of the realtimeconfigquickscan Pearl script that allows the user to check if all the parameters are ready to work in RT mode.

sudo git clone git://github.com/raboof/realtimeconfigquickscan.git

8- The installation of the jackd qjacktl packages are the last steps of the whole process. During this time, it is given the user the choice to warrant priority access and access to memory for the audio group.

[sunrat]

4- The script checks if there is a low latency kernel installed. If it does, it alters the /boot/config-`uname -r` in order to ad the RT mode. This is achieved by modifying the following parameters:

CONFIG_HZ_1000=y
CONFIG_HZ=1000
CONFIG_PREEMPT_RT_FULL=y
CONFIG_PREEMPT=y
If no low latency kernel has not been located, the script proceeds with its installation.

I'm no expert, but doesn't the kernel need to be recompiled after you change its config?

The rest of the scripts are basically what I do to set up an audio workstation, using Debian Buster atm.

[khz]

@basstrombone I mentioned it once on LM: music-daw.1.0.deb.