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One of Linux's chief attractions always has been the wealth of fun toys that are available to its users. For people who like to play with shaky software that's emerging from some hacker's brain, the open-source operating system has no peer.
The Book of Linux Music & Sound explores one of Linux's rougher facets and the software that's emerged to enable audiophiles to combine their interests in sound and Linux. The book is primarily a survey of what's out there, and one might conclude that a careful scan of Linux software archives and some attention to documentation files would reveal most of what Dave Phillips covers in these pages. That's probably true, but Phillips (who includes most of the software he talks about in the book on the companion CD-ROM) has done a service to readers by saving them the trouble of tracking down the information themselves, and providing also informed criticism of the software.
Coverage of a given software package--and Phillips documents several score of them--typically begins with a data capsule that explains where to go for the latest version, and some instructions on how to install it. From there, he explains how to use the program. The form of this coverage varies, for obvious reasons, among the packages that he covers. However, it's rather deep universally, and reflects his honest understanding of what each program is good for and how it fits with other software. Taken in concert with his instructions on how to set up and configure (in both hardware and software) Linux machines for audio work, this book is a fine resource for Linux users who have an interest in sound. --David Wall
Topics covered: The state of the art in Linux audio, including the native capabilities of the operating system, and (especially) Linux software for sound and music work. The book has a well-annotated catalog of Linux software, including WAV file recorders and editors, MIDI editors, MP3 utilities, synthesizers (both real-time and otherwise), and music notation programs. A special section deals with software for DJs who are interested in using Linux to generate techno, hip-hop, and house music.
Book Description
As a free operating system with tons of free software, Linux offers electronic musicians an affordable and stable way to manipulate music. Linux Music & Sound looks at recording storing, playing, and editing music and sound. The author explains the basics of digital sound and tackles Linux-specific software and hardware issues such as audio set-up; basic and advanced use of the system; and the broad range of Linux music and sound applications. The CD-ROM includes over 100 MIDI applications, including digital audio and music notation software, games, and utilities.
