Ubuntu Studio is a recognized flavor of the

Ubuntu Ubuntu ( ) is a Linux distribution based on Debian and composed primarily of free and open-source software. Developed by the British company Canonical (company), Canonical and a community of contributors under a Meritocracy, meritocratic gover ...

Linux distribution A Linux distribution, often abbreviated as distro, is an operating system that includes the Linux kernel for its kernel functionality. Although the name does not imply product distribution per se, a distro—if distributed on its own—is oft ...

, which is geared to general

multimedia Multimedia is a form of communication that uses a combination of different content forms, such as Text (literary theory), writing, Sound, audio, images, animations, or video, into a single presentation. T ...

production. The original version, based on Ubuntu 7.04, was released on 10 May 2007.

Features

Real-time kernel

The real-time kernel, first included with Ubuntu Studio 8.04, was modified for intensive audio, video or graphics work. The 8.10 Ubuntu Studio release lacks this real-time kernel. It has been reimplemented in the 9.04 Ubuntu Studio release and stabilized with the release of 9.10. 10.04 Ubuntu Studio, in contrast, does not include the real-time kernel by default. As of version 10.10 of the Ubuntu Studio, the real-time kernel is no longer available in the repositories.

Low-latency kernel

As of Ubuntu Studio 12.04, the default kernel is linux-lowlatency, which in essence is a generic Ubuntu Linux kernel, with a tweaked configuration to allow for stable operation for audio applications at lower latencies. Since much of the real-time patch has now been implemented into the

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kernel, and considering the difficulties in maintaining linux-rt, Ubuntu Studio decided on using linux-lowlatency in its place. The scheduler allows applications to request immediate CPU time, which can drastically reduce audio latency. In 9.10, the "Ubuntu Studio Controls" provided under System>Administration permit the user to "Enable Nice", allowing the use of wireless networking and proprietary graphics cards drivers while maintaining low audio latency free of XRUNs (audio drop-outs) in JACK. A more negative value entered for

nice Nice ( ; ) is a city in and the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative city limits, with a population of nearly one millionaccelerated graphics card and appropriate driver are used, the advanced desktop effects can be enabled. More advanced Compiz effects are available in the Synaptic Package Manager (i.e., Ubuntu repositories). In Karmic 9.10, a fresh sound theme replaces the default Ubuntu theme, with a reverberating melody at startup, and an occasional knock or ping from a button or prompt.

Xfce Xfce or XFCE (pronounced as four individual letters, ) is a Free and open-source software, free and open-source desktop environment for Linux and other Unix-like operating systems. Xfce aims to be fast and Lightweight software, lightweight whil ...

(instead of GNOME) was the default user interface until v20.04. From Ubuntu Studio 20.10, the default user interface became KDE.

Access to Ubuntu repositories

An important advantage of Ubuntu Studio over most other Linux distributions employing the real-time kernel is access to the same repositories available to the main Ubuntu distributions through the Update Manager, Synaptic Package Manager, as well as through the Add/Remove Applications prompt. This allows for much more frequent operating system updates, and access to a much wider range of software.

Installation

In the past there has been no

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version available of Ubuntu Studio, and no graphical installer. Since the 12.04 release, Ubuntu Studio has been available as a Live DVD. The disk image is about 1.8 GB, too large to fit on a standard CD, and as a result the recommended installation medium for Ubuntu Studio is a DVD or

USB flash drive A flash drive (also thumb drive, memory stick, and pen drive/pendrive) is a data storage device that includes flash memory with an integrated USB interface. A typical USB drive is removable, rewritable, and smaller than an optical disc, and u ...

. Ubuntu Studio can also be installed on a pre-existing Ubuntu installation by installing the "ubuntustudio-desktop" package from Advanced Packaging Tool. In 9.10, the package "ubuntustudio-audio," shown during installation (and also available in the Synaptic Package Manager), cannot be installed without a working Internet connection. An Internet connection is required after installation to maintain system components.

Software included

Audio

* a2jmidid – a2jmidid is a

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for exposing legacy ALSA sequencer applications in JACK MIDI system. * Ardour – version 4 of the hard disk recorder and digital audio workstation application (Works with JACK). * Audacious – a lightweight audio player. * Audacity – a digital audio editor application. * BEAST – music composition and modular synthesis application. * Creox – A real-time guitar effects program (works with JACK). *

FluidSynth FluidSynth, formerly named iiwusynth, is a free open source software synthesizer which converts MIDI note data into an audio signal using SoundFont technology without need for a SoundFont-compatible soundcard. FluidSynth can act as a virtual MIDI ...

with GUI QSynth – Software Wavetable Synthesizer (Works with JACK). *

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– an advanced drum machine (Works with JACK). * JACK Audio Connection Kit – a sound server daemon that provides low latency connections between applications for both audio and MIDI data. * Jack Rack – Virtual rackmount of LADSPA DSP effects plugins (Works with JACK). * JAMin – the JACK Audio Connection Kit Audio Mastering interface (Works with JACK). *

LilyPond LilyPond is a computer program and file format for music engraving. One of LilyPond's major goals is to produce scores that are engraved with traditional layout rules, reflecting the era when scores were engraved by hand. LilyPond is cross-pla ...

– a program for engraving sheet music *

MusE In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, the Muses (, ) were the Artistic inspiration, inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the poetry, lyric p ...

– a MIDI/Audio sequencer using JACK and ALSA *

MuseScore MuseScore Studio (branded as MuseScore before 2024) is a Free and open-source software, free and open-source music notation program for Microsoft Windows, Windows, macOS, and Linux under the Muse Group, which owns the associated online score-s ...

– a music scorewriter for Linux,

Microsoft Windows Windows is a Product lining, product line of Proprietary software, proprietary graphical user interface, graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sec ...

, and Mac * Patchage – GUI access to patch MIDI and Audio software together for JACK. * Pure Data – a programming environment for multimedia (Works with Jack). * Tapiir – a software multitap delay with realtime audio I/O. (works with JACK). * Timemachine – Records the last 30 seconds of sound to the hard drive, so a 'one off' sound can be captured (Works with JACK). * TiMidity++ – a software synthesizer that is able to convert from MIDI to various formats. *

Xwax xwax is an open-source vinyl emulation software. It was initially developed in 2006 as proprietary software. In May 2007 xwax was licensed under the GPL-2.0-only, making it the first open source software of this kind. Unlike the software supp ...

– a vinyl record emulator. * Yoshimi – based on ZynAddSubFX but improves audio and MIDI capabilities. JACK performance is also improved. ;Installable from the Software-Center: * Mixxx – a digital DJ - style mixing program. * Rosegarden – a digital audio workstation program (works with JACK). Not included since release 12. * ZynAddSubFX – a complex yet easy to use subtractive, additive, FM synthesizer with DSP effects, and exceptional software synthesizer. Works with JACK.

Video

* Pitivi – a video editing program * Kino – a non-linear digital video editor * OpenShot - a simple, linear video editing program * Kdenlive - non-linear video editor by KDE (not referenced on website) * Stopmotion – a stop-motion animation movie creator *

VLC media player VLC media player (previously the VideoLAN Client) is a free and open-source software, free and open-source, software portability, portable, cross-platform media player software and streaming media Server (computing), server developed by the Vide ...

– a media player, was removed before 7.04 Feisty * Xjadeo – a simple video player that gets sync from JACK transport

Graphics

* Agave – a color scheme generator * Blender – a 3D animation program * Enblend – an image compositing program *

FontForge FontForge is a FOSS font editor which supports many common font formats. Developed primarily by George Williams until 2012, FontForge is free software and is distributed under a mix of the GNU General Public License Version 3 and the 3-clause ...

– a typeface (font) editor program *

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– a raster graphics editor * Hugin – photo stitching and HDR merging program *

Inkscape Inkscape is a vector graphics editor. It is used for both artistic and technical illustrations such as cartoons, clip art, logos, typography, diagrams, and flowcharts. It uses vector graphics to allow for sharp printouts and renderings at ...

– a vector graphics editor *

Krita Krita ( ) is a free and open-source software, free and open-source raster graphics editor designed primarily for digital art and 2D animation. Originally created for Linux, the software also runs on Windows, macOS, Haiku (operating system), Hai ...

– a free and open-source painting application * Scribus – a desktop publishing application * Synfig – a 2D

vector graphics Vector graphics are a form of computer graphics in which visual images are created directly from geometric shapes defined on a Cartesian plane, such as points, lines, curves and polygons. The associated mechanisms may include vector displ ...

and timeline-based animation program

References

External links

Ubuntu Studio homepage

Ubuntu Studio applications

Ubuntu Wiki

(21 July 2007) * {{FOSS Linux media creation distributions Ubuntu derivatives Linux distributions de:Ubuntu#Ubuntu Studio