Audio Production With Free Software Freeing your ears without compromising on audio quality By Dan Lynch - http://danlynch.org Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike 2.0 UK:England & Wales

Agenda – what I want to cover Introduction Who I am / What I do / Podcasting background Audio Production 101 Principals / techniques My Production Tools Software and hardware I use Software Freedom Law Show How it came about / Background Hardware & Software Used Quick Demo / Example

Introduction

Who I am / What I do / Podcasting background

Audio Production 101

Principals / techniques

My Production Tools

Software and hardware I use

Software Freedom Law Show

How it came about / Background

Hardware & Software Used

Quick Demo / Example

Agenda – continued Linux Outlaws How we record the show Editing and post production Publication Music Production on Linux & The Future A confession Current problems and shortcomings How do we address them Discussion & Questions

Linux Outlaws

How we record the show

Editing and post production

Publication

Music Production on Linux & The Future

A confession

Current problems and shortcomings

How do we address them

Discussion & Questions

Who Am I? From the other end of the M62...

...where we all look like this!

Background & Podcasting Musician, Sound Engineer & Big Geek :) Host of Linux Outlaws – linuxoutlaws.com Producer of the Software Freedom Law Show for the SFLC FLOSS advocate, web developer/host and Linux/FOSS writer Have a small production company called Half Baked Media

A Podcast Is... A piece of pre-recorded media delivered to subscribers for download via the web. On demand, not broadcast live Can be audio or video Nothing to do with the Apple iPod Emerging media format, still young Subscription based, fans subscribe to an RSS feed and are notified of new episodes as they hit the feed.

On demand, not broadcast live

Can be audio or video

Nothing to do with the Apple iPod

Emerging media format, still young

Subscription based, fans subscribe to an RSS feed and are notified of new episodes as they hit the feed.

Audio Production 101 – Pre Fix the basics before worrying about technology background noise / environment The better the source recording the easier your job editing Use the best microphone for the job and place it well Experience will help you here You don't need to be pushing the recorder. Especially with digital No technology can substitute for your ears, the best tools you'll ever have

Fix the basics before worrying about technology

background noise / environment

The better the source recording the easier your job editing

Use the best microphone for the job and place it well

Experience will help you here

You don't need to be pushing the recorder. Especially with digital

No technology can substitute for your ears, the best tools you'll ever have

Audio Production 101 - Post Compression is king How does it work? Why do you need it? Noise Removal / Gates Can be really useful in a noisy environment Limiters – Getting the volume right

Compression is king

How does it work? Why do you need it?

Noise Removal / Gates

Can be really useful in a noisy environment

Limiters – Getting the volume right

My Studio - Hardware Soundcraft 328 digital mixer RME HDSP 9652 audio card Standard PC tower: AMD X2 4200 CPU, 2gb RAM, various hard disks Behringher Composer Pro Comp/Gate/Limiter ADK A51 studio condenser mic (shock mounted) Spirit Absolute Zero monitors

Soundcraft 328 digital mixer

RME HDSP 9652 audio card

Standard PC tower:

AMD X2 4200 CPU, 2gb RAM, various hard disks

Behringher Composer Pro Comp/Gate/Limiter

ADK A51 studio condenser mic (shock mounted)

Spirit Absolute Zero monitors

My Studio - Software For podcast and other audio production I use Ubuntu Studio 64bit at the moment. Have used 64 Studio in the past. Have JACK & Ardour set up... But use Audacity most by far

For podcast and other audio production I use Ubuntu Studio 64bit at the moment. Have used 64 Studio in the past.

Have JACK & Ardour set up...

But use Audacity most by far

My Studio – Mobile The latest addition to my audio kit is the Zoom H4 handy recorder Very versatile. Costs about £200 new. Balanced XLR inputs, full 96/24 recording, takes standard SD cards and AA batteries. Works like any normal removable storage drive Zoom H4 Product Page Zoom H4 Product Page >>

The latest addition to my audio kit is the Zoom H4 handy recorder

Very versatile. Costs about £200 new. Balanced XLR inputs, full 96/24 recording, takes standard SD cards and AA batteries.

Works like any normal removable storage drive

Software Freedom Law Show Fortnightly podcast from the SFLC about legal matters in the Free Software world. SFLC enforces the GNU GPL Began about a year ago How did I get involved? Free Software Only!!! What I do as producer: Advise on equipment and recording techniques Edit the show together from recordings Encode to Ogg and Mp3 for release

Fortnightly podcast from the SFLC about legal matters in the Free Software world.

SFLC enforces the GNU GPL

Began about a year ago

How did I get involved? Free Software Only!!!

What I do as producer:

Advise on equipment and recording techniques

Edit the show together from recordings

Encode to Ogg and Mp3 for release

The Fun Bit... I hope ;) Recorded in the SFLC office by Bradley, using Arecord terminal utility (he's hardcore) Equipment: AKG C1000 mic, USB audio interface Let's put together a Software Freedom Law Show right now and look at what tips and techniques it involves....

Recorded in the SFLC office by Bradley, using Arecord terminal utility (he's hardcore)

Equipment: AKG C1000 mic, USB audio interface

Let's put together a Software Freedom Law Show right now and look at what tips and techniques it involves....

Linux Outlaws Production We each record locally, UK & Germany Recordings loaded to a private area on our webserver. Where I download. I combine, compress and normalise levels on both files Create a stereo file, keeping the tracks separate We edit in Audacity and export to Ogg Vorbis & Mp3

We each record locally, UK & Germany

Recordings loaded to a private area on our webserver. Where I download.

Music Production on Linux A dirty confession – I dual-boot XP still on one machine for music production only Pro Tools, Reason, Ableton Live and many proprietary VST plugins standard in commercial studio production. Example: Drums I use Groove Agent a lot

A dirty confession – I dual-boot XP still on one machine for music production only

Pro Tools, Reason, Ableton Live and many proprietary VST plugins standard in commercial studio production.

The future? I think audio production on Linux is more than ready for widespread use. Music production is still very proprietary and presents problems. How do we address this as Free Software advocates? Are we duplicating effort with the likes of Pulse Audio, JACK and now Phonon all trying to do the similar things? What about hardware support?

I think audio production on Linux is more than ready for widespread use. Music production is still very proprietary and presents problems.

How do we address this as Free Software advocates?

Are we duplicating effort with the likes of Pulse Audio, JACK and now Phonon all trying to do the similar things?

What about hardware support?

Any Questions? If you'd like to discuss audio production, music or anything else please contact me any time: [email_address] Check out LinuxOutlaws.com and SoftwareFreedom.org Any questions?

If you'd like to discuss audio production, music or anything else please contact me any time: [email_address]

Check out LinuxOutlaws.com and SoftwareFreedom.org

Any questions?