Can anyone give me a step by step process for setting up a m-audio fast track pro usb audio/midi interface to do midi and audio ? Jack settings and connections and such. Windows drivers for this device are crap and the pro tools se software generates random noise and static. Trying to help a friend convert to linux and ardour 3 so he can actually use this device.
Did you already tried to just plug it in? 
SCNR
I do audio only. I’ve never worked with midi in linux before. My friend owns the device. We haven’t tried it out yet, I’m just trying to find out if anyone has gotten this to work already.
I think the ALSA (linux sound card driver) supports it and you are facing no issues with device and its working fine for you. Now you can plug-in your MIDI device in the MIDI-In. If you are using the Ardour 3, just add a new MIDI track and select the input device. now engage the RECORD button and see if you are getting any signals in that track.
Thanks,we will give that a try.
All my early recordings were on one of those.
Nice device, used to use it a lot until the output got noisy - and I just fixed it, actually, so I can use it again! 
For me, it was totally plug-and-play, even back in the Ardour 2.x days. I got mine in… 2008? Something like that. If it doesn’t work that way, something is srsly wrong. Also if it’s noisy on the analogue side in particular, but the digital side is okay, the D/A chips have like 10uF (I think - check to make sure) electrolytic capacitors next to them (and also next to a surface-mount component, so be careful) and those went bad on mine. Manufacture date was 2005, which is right in the middle of that outbreak of bad capacitors, so it makes sense. Anyway, replace those, your life might get better.
Oh, I didn’t know any of that and I’m not sure if my friend does either. Thanks for the info that may help a lot.