[#]: collector: (lujun9972) [#]: translator: ( ) [#]: reviewer: ( ) [#]: publisher: ( ) [#]: url: ( ) [#]: subject: (LMMS: A Free & Open Source Digital Audio Workstation (DAW)) [#]: via: (https://itsfoss.com/lmms/) [#]: author: (Ankush Das https://itsfoss.com/author/ankush/) LMMS: A Free & Open Source Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) ====== _**In this week’s Linux application highlight, we take a look at a free and open-source DAW that helps make music with most of the essential features offered.**_ ### LMMS: A Free & Open Source Software To Help Make Music [LMMS][1] is a cross-platform open source [DAW][2] hosted on [GitHub][3]. It is completely free to use and you do not need to purchase any kind of license to use it. If you’re curious, there’s no specific full-form for “LMMS” acronym but you can consider it along the lines of “**Let’s Make Music**” or formerly known as “**Linux MultiMedia Studio**” as stated in one of their [official forum post][4] years back. So, with the help of LMMS, you should be able to work on making music on Linux. Of course, you should not expect a free DAW to replace a full-fledged professional DAW bundled with proprietary plugins – but for starters, it isn’t a bad one. ![][5] If you’re used to other DAWs, it might take a while to get comfortable with the user interface. For instance, I’ve used [Studio One][6] and [Mixcraft][7] as a beginner – so the UI of LMMS looked different. But, the good news is – you get a [detailed official documentation][8] of LMMS. So, if you have trouble learning how it works, simply refer to the official documentation available on their [website][1]. **Recommended Read:** ![][9] #### [Best Audio Editors For Linux][10] These awesome free and open source audio editors let you create awesome music in Linux. Check out the list of top Linux audio editors. ### Features of LMMS ![][11] Just like any other DAW, you will find plugins, samples to use, instruments, and MIDI support. However, it is indeed a long list of features. So, instead of taking a whole day explaining it, let me highlight all the necessary features that LMMS provides. * Ability to add notes within the project without needing a separate note-taking app * Bundled free plugins to use * Note playback via MIDI or typing keyboard * MIDI Editor * Separate editor for instruments * Track Automation support * 64-bit VST instrument support (for wine-based VSTs) * Built-in synthesizers that include some popular emulators for Yamaha and Roland * Feature-rich audio plugins built-in * Demo projects to easily get started * Several samples included * Native multisample support for SoundFont (SF2), Giga (GIG) and Gravis UltraSound (GUS) formats for high-quality instrument patches and banks (only if it’s relevant for your work) * [LADSPA][12] plugin support * You will also find the essential delay/reverb/compressor/limiter and distortion tools built-in * Spectrum analyzer You can find some extensive [documentation on using LMMS][8]. If you face any difficulties, LMMS also has its [own forum][13] where you can ask for help. ### Installing LMMS on Linux ![][14] You can also find LMMS listed in the software center of your distribution- however, it might not feature the latest version. To get the latest LMMS version, you can download the .**AppImage** file from the [official download page][15]. If you want to take a look at the latest or previous releases on GitHub, you can find those in their [releases][16] section. If you want to use the AppImage file, you can refer to our guide on [using AppImage file][17]. You may also try [installing the Flatpak package][18] available on [Flathub][19]. [Download LMMS][15] ### My Thoughts On LMMS ![][20] Even though this is a feature-rich free and open-source DAW – personally, I found the UX a little dull. Of course, technically, it offers quite a lot of features and this could be useful for anyone who does not want to break their wallet to produce music. And, after all, it is an open-source solution. If you want a full-fledged professional DAW using the VST plugins, you might just hold on to Windows/Mac (if you’re used to it) because you still need to utilize Wine on Linux in order to make sure that the 64-bit VSTs work. **Wrapping Up** That being said, I’m not a professional music producer – so feel free to explore LMMS on Linux and make the most out of it without spending a penny. If you’ve used LMMS (or any similar DAW), let me know your thoughts in the comments below. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- via: https://itsfoss.com/lmms/ 作者：[Ankush Das][a] 选题：[lujun9972][b] 译者：[译者ID](https://github.com/译者ID) 校对：[校对者ID](https://github.com/校对者ID) 本文由 [LCTT](https://github.com/LCTT/TranslateProject) 原创编译，[Linux中国](https://linux.cn/) 荣誉推出 [a]: https://itsfoss.com/author/ankush/ [b]: https://github.com/lujun9972 [1]: https://lmms.io/ [2]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_audio_workstation [3]: https://github.com/LMMS/lmms [4]: https://lmms.io/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5908 [5]: https://i0.wp.com/itsfoss.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/lmms-screenshot.png?ssl=1 [6]: https://www.presonus.com/products/studio-one/ [7]: https://acoustica.com/mixcraft [8]: https://docs.lmms.io/user-manual/ [9]: https://i2.wp.com/itsfoss.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/linux-audio-editors.jpeg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1 [10]: https://itsfoss.com/best-audio-editors-linux/ [11]: https://i1.wp.com/itsfoss.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/lmms-project.png?ssl=1 [12]: https://www.ladspa.org/ [13]: https://lmms.io/forum/ [14]: https://i1.wp.com/itsfoss.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/lmms-setup.jpg?ssl=1 [15]: https://lmms.io/download#linux [16]: https://github.com/LMMS/lmms/releases [17]: https://itsfoss.com/use-appimage-linux/ [18]: https://itsfoss.com/flatpak-guide/ [19]: https://flathub.org/apps/details/io.lmms.LMMS [20]: https://i0.wp.com/itsfoss.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/lmms-midi-editor.png?ssl=1