Short version: Please tell me your favourit distro(s) for making music and why.
Long version/my use case: I’ve actually recently decided to migrate to a laptop setup from desktop. I’ve already decided on the laptop and will be running a dual boot setup. I think between SuperCollider, Pd, and Reaper, Linux could have me mostly (maybe completely) covered.
It’s tempting to just go for Ubuntu Studio or AV Linux, as they seems to have plenty of stuff ready to go. But at the same time I kind of know the apps I want to use, and (I assume) I can just get them myself for just about any other distro. I don’t want to pick a distro just because it comes with a bunch of semi-relevant stuff. But maybe it’s worth doing just that?
If it helps, my background is DAWs (Cubase and Reaper mainly) with softsynth, a little bit of eurorack and a chunk of VCV Rack, and a sprinkling of MaxMSP. I also have a monome Norns shield, for which I am attempting to learn Lua. I have no background in programming but I am drawn to learning SuperCollider as well. I have both 5 pin and usb midi controllers, and a Steinberg UR22 mkII.
I’ll be getting a Lenovo too. I hadn’t even considered support for hardware. I guess the same goes for midi gear?
i would search “Linux on lenovo (model#) laptop” to see if you can find out anything before hand about compatibility… I think lenovo continues to be well supported. MIDI will work, though if your external hardware MIDI gear has its own config programs, they are prob only for win and mac. i have an akai usb midi controller and i have to boot windows to change its on-board config then reboot to linux to continue using it… i know its prob hackable but i havent.
also, my distro pic was based on the fact i do a little of everything on my laptop… but these multimedia-specific distros seem really cool and worth looking into, i just havent yet.
Awesome, thank you. Thanks to everyone else too.