I know there have been many forums about this, but I want to share an idea about the plugins in Ardour. Lots of people have requested that Ardour provides some basic plugins (equalizer, reverb and compressor). The problem that Linux users face is one of these two: when they install Ardour they have no plugins at all; or the distro they use provides hundreds of plugins (then the user needs to spend hours trying them all, learning which are useful, and ending with a list of 200 plugins, of which they maybe use 10).
I think it would not be very difficult to create one single package, something like “ardour-favorite-plugins”. Then, users who just need a basic set of stable and efficient plugins, could simply install this package. We could use the feedback of experienced users (which already exists in these forums) to make a nice selection. I would like to share the plugins I use, most recommended in these forums:
OTHER
LADSPA: Fast Lookahead Limiter (swh-plugins); TAP Limiter (tap-plugins).
LV2: Calf Filter (calf); Gate (swh-lv2-plugins).
I don’t know who should start this project, I don’t have the knowledge to make it myself, but shouldn’t be too difficult to make a compilation of the favorite plugins in one package. What do you think? Maybe could be included in the download page (of course, as a separate package, and without support from the ardour development team); or at least have the link in the plugin page. I think this would help a lot to new users, as they would have a “ready to use” DAW with a basic set of plugins (as it happens with other professional DAW). Most people are not willing to spend hours and hours looking for a decent EQ, compressor and reverb.
I’m not saying Ardour should include plugins, I’m saying it could link to a separate project which has a selection of them. Somebody can help starting this project? Would it be so difficult/time consuming?
@88keys: at the top of this and every page on the website, in the blue “navigation bar”, is a tab marked “Plugins”. I’d suggest you click on it, because its not clear that you’ve seen it. This doesn’t negate your post at all, I’m just want to make sure that you’ve seen what we already say about plugins …
Yes, I check the Plugin section quite often to see if there are any updates (for example, Invada LV2 still not in the list, only as LADSPA). I also refer to it in the fifth line from the bottom of my post. I hope I didn’t miss anything, as you suggest me to check it. The objective of my idea is that users don’t need to install separately each of the plugin packages listed there, and/or try them all. If there was one package at the top of the list called “ardour-recommended-plugins”, or something like that, with a nice selection of basic plugins, I think would help a lot of people. I’m not asking the ardour team to create that package. My question is: would it be interesting for the Ardour community to have a “recommended-plugins-single-package”?
I’d really welcome this idea. A package for these plugins - easily installable. Some plugins are really in a bad state (e.g. I always have problems with Steve Harris gate plugin) and so it would help to find the diamond in the rough.
I have a Scully 280 tape recorder and have been playing music all my life. I will input some experience here. I was looking for a package of the basics myself. Compressor, limited, gate, reverb, delay, sonic maximiser.
While Im here: What do I use for a preamp for Ardour, if I want take all eight channels out of the tape machine and into Ardour? Then mix and master it. Sounds like fun.
If you’re using Ubuntu, search the Ardour forum for info on installing the Dream repository. Once you’re done that, you can install a package I made called “dream-audio-plugins”, which will pull in calf, invada, swh, caps, tap and more, all in one go.
interesting idea, it’s best that there was a good team of developers to develop for LV2 ardor, that ardor sviluppase plugin …
so that ardor has its own characteristics and peculiarities also in terms of plugins, both audio and midi …
would be provided with libraries of sounds (such as batteries etc. etc.) ladspa audio, midi, and syntetizzatori own for a good impact as the user would get a sense of professionalism, and even then giiusto cart ardor that a personality of its plug, which does not mean forcing people to use them but only provide it:)