I am the founder of JackLab. Now I’ve made a resumee of using and developing AudioLinux for a half year. (only in german at present, english translation in preparation - but most of the JackLab content is available in english) http://www.jacklab.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=273&Itemid=42&lang=en_EN
Here my resumee in very short:
I think it is time for a commercial AudioMidiSequenzer for AudioLinux. With a fullpreemt realtime kernel and Jack, Linux giving a stable and highperformant base for DAW applications. But MusE and Rosegarden4 are far behind Tracktion on OS X or Windows. Ardour is OK, but an audiosequenzer only.
Also H2, zynaddsubfx, AMS, sooperlooper, aso. are very nice apps - but the connect is allways like in a big rewire system - To make complexe setups like with eg Tracktion or Cubase, I need to open, initialise and connect many standalone apps (via jack connect and sync) and this can kill creativity. A better solution will be a full featured hosting software sequenzer with its total recall feature.
Also the VST item is a “be or not to be” for AudioLinux. VST ist supported partialy on linux and only very rough and basic. Sometimes it works. But it is possible to tune existing VSTwrapper for better support.
The promising all-in-one sequenzer rosegarden4 and MusE are in very slow development. Because there is no commercial background. Their useing different plugin extensions.
So I find the option of juce -
A kind of Tracktion on Linux?
-with full jack support (connect and sync master/slave)
-with support for linux native plugins
-with a very good VST wrapper
-with a very good AU wrapper
-with OSC Support
And I think I’am not the only one who will pay more than 100 bucks to use this sequenzer on an audio distribution like demudi for debian, planet ccrma for fedora and newly JAD for SuSE.
I am very happy to see a active community behind juce.
I am not a developer, just a musican exploring Audiolinux.
i have realised, the great companies like Steinberg or Applemagic will never give an option for Linux. But I think it is stupid to ignore it. So Jules are the only one thinking about Linux from the “great 5” - and thats very promising from my point of view as a user of applications.
So dear developers specialy Jules: What do you think about this?
Will there ever be a chance for a “kind of Tracktion” for Linux?
CU Michael Metasymbol