lmms

Cross-platform music production software

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Quick Overview

LMMS (Linux MultiMedia Studio) is a free, open-source digital audio workstation (DAW) for music production. It allows users to create music, arrange sounds, mix tracks, and produce complete songs on various operating systems, including Linux, Windows, and macOS.

Pros

Cross-platform compatibility (Linux, Windows, macOS)
Free and open-source
Extensive built-in instrument and effect plugins
Active community and regular updates

Cons

Steeper learning curve compared to some commercial DAWs
Limited audio recording capabilities
User interface can feel dated compared to modern DAWs
Some users report occasional stability issues

Getting Started

Download LMMS from the official website: https://lmms.io/download/
Install the application following the instructions for your operating system
Launch LMMS and familiarize yourself with the interface
Start a new project by clicking "File" > "New"
Add instruments and effects by dragging them from the sidebar into your project
Use the Piano Roll to create melodies and the Beat+Bassline Editor for rhythms
Arrange your tracks in the Song Editor
Export your finished project as an audio file using "File" > "Export"

For more detailed instructions and tutorials, visit the LMMS documentation: https://docs.lmms.io/

Competitor Comparisons

godot

99,500

Godot Engine – Multi-platform 2D and 3D game engine

Pros of Godot

More versatile, supporting 2D and 3D game development
Larger and more active community, with frequent updates
Comprehensive documentation and learning resources

Cons of Godot

Steeper learning curve for beginners
Less specialized for audio production compared to LMMS
Larger project size and resource requirements

Code Comparison

LMMS (C++):

void InstrumentTrack::processAudioBuffer( sampleFrame * _buf, const fpp_t _frames, NotePlayHandle * _n )
{
    if( !_n && !m_notes.empty() )
    {
        _n = m_notes.front();
    }
    // ... (additional code)
}

Godot (GDScript):

func _process(delta):
    if Input.is_action_pressed("ui_right"):
        position.x += speed * delta
    if Input.is_action_pressed("ui_left"):
        position.x -= speed * delta
    # ... (additional code)

While LMMS focuses on audio processing and instrument tracks, Godot's code example demonstrates game object movement, highlighting their different primary purposes.

audacity

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Audio Editor

Pros of Audacity

More mature and widely-used project with a larger user base
Extensive audio editing and processing capabilities
Cross-platform compatibility (Windows, macOS, Linux)

Cons of Audacity

Primarily focused on audio editing rather than music production
Less intuitive for creating original music compositions
Limited MIDI support compared to LMMS

Code Comparison

Audacity (C++):

void EffectNoiseReduction::Cleanup()
{
   mNoiseReductionDialog.reset();
   mSettings.reset();
   mStatistics.reset();
}

LMMS (C++):

void InstrumentTrack::saveTrackSpecificSettings(QDomDocument & doc, QDomElement & parent)
{
   parent.setAttribute("instrumentname", instrumentName());
   m_instrument->saveState(doc, parent);
}

Both projects use C++ as their primary language. Audacity's codebase focuses on audio processing and effects, while LMMS emphasizes instrument and track management for music production. Audacity's code structure reflects its audio editing capabilities, whereas LMMS's code is geared towards managing musical instruments and compositions.

csound

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Main repository for Csound

Pros of Csound

More powerful and flexible audio programming language
Extensive library of sound generation and processing opcodes
Better suited for complex algorithmic composition and sound design

Cons of Csound

Steeper learning curve due to text-based programming approach
Less intuitive for beginners compared to LMMS's GUI-based workflow
Requires more manual setup and configuration for basic tasks

Code Comparison

LMMS (XML-based project file):

<lmmsproject version="1.0">
  <head>
    <bpm value="140"/>
    <masterpitch value="0"/>
  </head>
  <song>
    <trackcontainer width="600" x="5" y="5" maximized="0" height="300" visible="1" type="song" minimized="0">

Csound (.csd file):

<CsoundSynthesizer>
<CsOptions>
-odac
</CsOptions>
<CsInstruments>
sr = 44100
ksmps = 32
nchnls = 2
0dbfs = 1

Both LMMS and Csound are open-source music creation tools, but they cater to different user needs. LMMS provides a more accessible, GUI-driven environment for music production, while Csound offers a powerful text-based audio programming language for advanced sound synthesis and composition.

supercollider

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An audio server, programming language, and IDE for sound synthesis and algorithmic composition.

Pros of SuperCollider

More powerful and flexible audio synthesis capabilities
Supports live coding and real-time audio manipulation
Extensive library of user-contributed extensions (Quarks)

Cons of SuperCollider

Steeper learning curve due to text-based programming interface
Less intuitive for traditional DAW users
Limited built-in GUI elements for music production

Code Comparison

SuperCollider:

SynthDef("sine", { |freq = 440, amp = 0.1, gate = 1|
    var sig = SinOsc.ar(freq) * amp * EnvGen.kr(Env.asr, gate, doneAction: 2);
    Out.ar(0, sig ! 2);
}).add;

LMMS:

float_sample_t osc_sin(float_sample_t phase)
{
    return sinf(phase * F_2PI);
}

SuperCollider uses a more abstract, functional approach to define synthesizers, while LMMS implements lower-level DSP functions in C++. SuperCollider's code is more concise for complex audio tasks, but LMMS's approach may be more familiar to traditional programmers.

JUCE

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JUCE is an open-source cross-platform C++ application framework for desktop and mobile applications, including VST, VST3, AU, AUv3, LV2 and AAX audio plug-ins.

Pros of JUCE

Cross-platform framework for audio applications and plugins
Extensive audio processing capabilities and GUI toolkit
Large community and commercial support

Cons of JUCE

Steeper learning curve for beginners
More complex setup and configuration
Licensing costs for commercial use

Code Comparison

JUCE example (audio processing):

void processBlock (AudioBuffer<float>& buffer, MidiBuffer& midiMessages)
{
    for (int channel = 0; channel < buffer.getNumChannels(); ++channel)
    {
        float* channelData = buffer.getWritePointer(channel);
        for (int sample = 0; sample < buffer.getNumSamples(); ++sample)
        {
            channelData[sample] *= gain;
        }
    }
}

LMMS example (instrument plugin):

bool InstrumentTrack::play( const MidiEvent& event, const f_cnt_t _start_frame, const fpab_t _frames, const f_cnt_t _frame_base )
{
    if( !event.isNoteOn() || !m_instrument )
    {
        return false;
    }
    const f_cnt_t offset = event.pos() - _frame_base;
    const f_cnt_t frames = _frames - offset;
    m_instrument->playNote( event.key(), event.volume(), _start_frame + offset, frames );
    return true;
}

JUCE offers more flexibility for audio processing and plugin development, while LMMS provides a simpler approach focused on music production and composition. JUCE is better suited for professional audio software development, whereas LMMS is more accessible for hobbyists and music producers.

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README

LMMS

Cross-platform music production software

Website â¦ï¸ Releases â¦ï¸ Developer wiki â¦ï¸ User manual â¦ï¸ Showcase â¦ï¸ Sharing platform

What is LMMS?

LMMS is an open-source cross-platform digital audio workstation designed for music production. It includes an advanced Piano Roll, Beat Sequencer, Song Editor, and Mixer for composing, arranging, and mixing music. It comes with 15+ synthesizer plugins by default, along with VST(i) and SoundFont2 support.

Features

Song-Editor for arranging melodies, samples, patterns, and automation
Pattern-Editor for creating beats and patterns
An easy-to-use Piano-Roll for editing patterns and melodies
A Mixer with unlimited mixer channels and arbitrary number of effects
Many powerful instrument and effect-plugins out of the box
Full user-defined track-based automation and computer-controlled automation sources
Compatible with many standards such as SoundFont2, VST(i), LADSPA, GUS Patches, and full MIDI support
MIDI file importing and exporting

Building

See Compiling LMMS

Join LMMS-development

If you are interested in LMMS, its programming, artwork, testing, writing demo songs, (and improving this README...) or something like that, you're welcome to participate in the development of LMMS!

Information about what you can do and how can be found in the wiki.

Before coding a new big feature, please always file an issue for your idea and suggestions about your feature and about the intended implementation on GitHub, or ask in one of the tech channels on Discord and wait for replies! Maybe there are different ideas, improvements, or hints, or maybe your feature is not welcome/needed at the moment.

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