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FEDORA + ELECTRIC GUITAR

Getting your guitar rigged up to your Linux PC is not difficult, but there are a few key applications that you want to ensure are installed and correctly configured. Below, are a simple method to get up and rocking in the shortest timeframe. You will need JACK installed and properly configured for most useful pro-audio tools, including the big one Guitarix.

JACK INSTALLATION

As you may have noticed, I am a Red Hat guy, and thus prefer EL and Fedora. I will detail the packages here from that perspective for Fedora 29.

    $ sudo dnf install jack-audio-connection-kit qjackctl alsa-plugins-jack pulseaudio-module-jack jack_capture

This will get the packages installed. Next we need to get some permissions handled for RealTime (RT) support. We need to first create a usergroup for RT operation, set the permissions for it to be RT capable, and then assign our user(s) to it. I used the guide (linked at end of this guide) nearly to the letter, and thus used the group "realtime", and will here as well. If you prefer something else change it appropriately.

    $ sudo groupadd realtime
    $ sudo usermod -aG realtime yourUserName(s)

    $ sudo echo @realtime   -  rtprio     99 > /etc/security/limits.d/99-realtime.conf
    $ sudo echo @realtime   -  memlock    unlimited > /etc/security/limits.d/99-realtime.conf

At this point you at least need to relog in, since thats when permissions are reset. I recommend since we did add in some software to reboot actually.

APPLICATION INSTALLATION

The following applications are what I enjoy using

  • Guitarix - virtual guitar amp and pedals

    $ sudo dnf install guitarix

  • Audacity - simple audio recorder

    $ sudo dnf install audacity

  • Ardour - the most complicated and powerful DAW on Linux. Worth learning.

    $ sudo dnf install ardour5 ardour5-audiobackend-jack

  • Tuxguitar - Tablature tool

    $ sudo dnf install tuxguitar

  • FreScobaldi - Score editor tool

    $ sudo dnf install frescobaldi

  • GNOME Scale - Shows any scale you can think of

    $ sudo dnf install gnome-guitar

GUITARIX SETUP

Guitarix requires JACK, so that needs to be installed and ready to use. As a JACK based application, there are a few steps we need to take prior to launch of any application that uses it, as is the case with Guitarix.

  1. Connect up your instrument(s) to your audio interface.
  2. Load qjackctl and click start if needed (jack may already be started)
  3. Load Guitarix
  4. Click on "Connect" in JackCTL window. You will see a patchbay open up. Jack names ALL inputs and outputs as ports, which are intended to be treated as an equipment rack jack. The lines we will make are digital patch cables.

  5. We need to connect up the ports appropriately now to feed the audio from your interface thru Guitarix to your speakers. Click on the tab "Audio", then the "Expand All button at the bottom off-center. Then for each of the following ports we need to click the output port and then the input port and click the "Connect" button to create the connection.

    gx_head_amp out_0 -> gx_head_fx in_0 gx_head_fx out_0 -> system playback_1 system capture_1 -> gx_head_amp in_0

Although this SHOULD take the audio from your audio interface and pipe it thru Guitarix to your speakers, I went the extra mile and connected all gx_head_fx outs to all the system playbacks and both my system capture ports to gx_head_amp in_0. This can be quickly troubleshot later on if there is an issue with the port connections. You can close out of the connections window if you would like, but may be quicker to leave it open until we have sound verified.

  1. In guitarix, you

AUDACITY SETUP

Nothing written yet, but this is a tool worth noting here nonetheless.

ARDOUR SETUP

Nothing written yet, but this is a tool worth noting here nonetheless.

REFERENCES

Great Guitarix Guide Jack Setup