/ 
Audio-Nama-0.9986
/ Audio::Nama

NAME

Nama - Ecasound-based recorder, mixer and mastering system

SYNOPSIS

nama [options] [project_name]

DESCRIPTION

Nama is a recorder/mixer application using Ecasound in the back end to provide multitrack recording, effects processing, and mastering. Nama includes aux sends, inserts, buses, regions and time-shifting functions. Full help is provided, including commands by category, search for commands or effects by name or by arbitrary string.

By default, Nama starts up a GUI interface with a command line interface running in the terminal window. The -t option provides a text-only interface for console users.

OPTIONS

--gui, -g

Start Nama in GUI mode

--text, -t

Start Nama in text mode

--config, -f config_file

Use config_file instead of the default configuration file ~/.namarc

--project-root, -d project_root

use project_root as Nama's top-level directory

--create-project, -c

Create project if it doesn't exist

--net-eci, -n

Use Ecasound's Net-ECI interface

--libecasoundc, -l

Use Ecasound's libecasoundc interface (default, if Audio::Ecasound is installed)

--save-alsa, -a

Save/restore alsa state with project data

--help, -h

This help display

Debugging options:

--no-static-effects-data, -s

Don't load effects data

--no-state, -m

Don't load project state

--no-static-effects-cache, -e

Bypass effects data cache

--regenerate-effects-cache, -r

Regenerate the effects data cache

--no-reconfigure-engine, -R

Don't automatically configure engine (manually use 'generate' and 'connect' commands)

--debugging-output, -D

Emit debugging information

CONTROLLING NAMA/ECASOUND

Ecasound is configured through use of chain setups. Nama serves as intermediary generating appropriate chain setups for recording, playback, mixing, etc. and running the audio processing engine according to user commands.

Commands for audio processing with Nama/Ecasound fall into two categories: static commands that influence the chain setup and dynamic commands that influence the realtime behavior of the audio processing engine.

STATIC COMMANDS

Static commands affect future runs of the audio processing engine. For example, rec, mon and off determine whether the current track will get its audio stream from a live source or whether an existing WAV file will be played back. Nama responds to static commands by reconfiguring the engine and displaying the updated track status in text and GUI form.

DYNAMIC COMMANDS

Once a chain setup is loaded and the engine is launched, another subset of commands controls the realtime behavior of the audio processing engine. Commonly used dynamic commands include transport start and stop; playback head repositioning commands such forward, rewind and setpos. Effects may be added, modified or removed while the engine is running.

CONFIGURATION

General configuration of sound devices and program options is performed by editing the .namarc file. On Nama's first run, a default version of .namarc is usually placed in the user's home directory.

Tk GRAPHICAL UI

Invoked by default if Tk is installed, this interface provides a large subset of Nama's functionality on two panels, one for general control, the second for effects.

The general panel has buttons for project create, load and save, for adding tracks and effects, and for setting the vol, pan and record status of each track.

The GUI project name bar and time display change color to indicate whether the upcoming operation will include live recording (red), mixdown only (yellow) or playback only (green). Live recording and mixdown can take place simultaneously.

The effects window provides sliders for each effect parameters. Parameter range, defaults, and log/linear scaling hints are automatically detects. Text-entry widgets are used to enter parameters values for plugins without hinted ranges.

The text command prompt appears in the terminal window during GUI operation. Text commands may be issued at any time.

TEXT UI

Press the Enter key if necessary to get the following command prompt.

nama ('h' for help)>

You can enter Nama and Ecasound commands directly, Perl code preceded by eval or shell code preceded by !.

Multiple commands on a single line are allowed if delimited by semicolons. Usually the lines are split on semicolons and the parts are executed sequentially, however if the line begins with eval or ! the entire line will be given to the corresponding interpreter.

You can access command history using up-arrow/down-arrow.

Type help for general help, help command for help with command, help foo for help with commands containing the string foo. help_effect foo bar lists all plugins/presets/controller containing both foo and bar. Tab-completion is provided for Nama commands, Ecasound-iam commands, plugin/preset/controller names, and project names.

TRACKS

Ecasound deals with audio processing at the level audio and loop devices, files, and signal-processing chains. Nama provides tracks, buses, marks and other high-level abstractions. Chief among these are tracks.

Each track has a descriptive name (i.e. vocal) and an integer track-number assigned when the track is created. The following paragraphs describes track fields and their settings.

VERSION NUMBER

Multiple WAV files can be recorded for each track. These are identified by a version number that increments with each recording run, i.e. sax_1.wav, sax_2.wav, etc. All files recorded at the same time have the same version numbers.

The version numbers of files for playback can be selected at the group or track level. By setting the group version number to 5, you can play back the fifth take of a song, or perhaps the fifth song of a live recording session.

The track version setting, if present, overrides the group setting. Setting the track version to zero restores control of the version number to the group setting.

REC/MON/OFF

Track REC/MON/OFF status guides audio processing.

Each track, including Master and Mixdown, has its own REC/MON/OFF setting and displays its own REC/MON/OFF status. The Main group, which includes all user tracks, also has REC, MON and OFF settings that influence the behavior of all user tracks.

As the name suggests, REC status indicates that a track is ready to record a WAV file. You need to set both track and group to REC to source an audio stream from JACK or the soundcard.

MON status indicates an audio stream available from disk. It requires a MON setting for the track or group as well as the presence of a file with the selected version number. A track set to REC with no live input will default to MON status.

OFF status means that no audio is available for the track from any source. A track with no recorded WAV files will show OFF status, even if set to MON.

An OFF setting for a track or group always results in OFF status, causing the track to be excluded from the chain setup. Note: This setting is distinct from the action of the mute command, which sets the volume of the track to zero.

Newly created user tracks belong to the Main group, which goes through a mixer and Master fader track to the soundcard for monitoring.

REGIONS

The region command allows you to define endpoints for a portion of an audio file. Use the shift command to specify a delay for starting playback.

Only one region may be specified per track. Use the link_track command to clone a track in order to make use of multiple regions or versions of a single track.

link_track can clone tracks from other projects. Thus you could create the sections of a song in separate projects, pull them into one project using link_track commands, and sequence them using shift commands.

EFFECTS

Each track gets volume and pan effects by default. New effects added using add_effect are applied after pan and before volume. You can position effects anywhere you choose using insert_effect and append_effect.

SENDS AND INSERTS

The send command can routes a track's post-fader output to a soundcard channel or JACK client in addition to the normal mixer input. Nama currently allows one aux send per track.

The add_insert_cooked command configures a post-fader send-and-return to soundcard channels or JACK clients. Wet and dry signal paths are provided, with a default setting of 100% wet.

GROUPS

Track groups are used internally. The Main group corresponds to a mixer. It has its own REC/MON/OFF setting that influences the rec-status of individual tracks.

Setting a group to OFF forces all of the group's tracks to OFF. When the group is set to MON, track REC settings are forced to MON. When the group is set to REC, track status can be REC, MON or OFF.

The group MON mode triggers automatically after a successful recording run.

The mixplay command sets the Mixdown track to MON and the Main group to OFF.

BUNCHES

A bunch is just a list of track names. Bunch names are used with the keyword for to apply one or more commands to to several tracks at once. A group name can also be treated as a bunch name.

BUSES

Nama uses buses internally, and provides two kinds of user-defined buses.

Send buses can be used as instrument monitors, or to send pre- or post-fader signals from multiple user tracks to an external program such as jconv.

Sub buses (currently broken) enable multiple tracks to be routed through a single track for vol/pan/effects processing before reaching the mixer.

add_sub_bus Strings
add_tracks violin cello bass
for violin cello bass; set bus Strings
Strings vol - 10  # adjust bus output volume

ROUTING

Nama commands can address tracks by both a name and a number. In Ecasound chain setups, only the track number is used.

Loop devices

Nama uses Ecasound loop devices to join two tracks, or to allow one track to have multiple inputs or outputs.

Flow diagrams

Let's examine the signal flow from track 3, the first available user track. Assume track 3 is named "sax".

We will divide the signal flow into track and mixer sections. Parentheses indicate chain identifiers or the corresponding track name.

The stereo outputs of each user track terminate at Master_in, a loop device at the mixer input.

Track, REC status

Sound device   --+---(3)----> Master_in
  /JACK client   |
                 +---(R3)---> sax_1.wav

REC status indicates that the source of the signal is the soundcard or JACK client. The input signal will be written directly to a file except in the special preview and doodle modes.

Track, MON status

sax_1.wav ------(3)----> Master_in

Mixer, with mixdown enabled

In the second part of the flow graph, the mixed signal is delivered to an output device through the Master chain, which can host effects. Usually the Master track provides final control before audio output or mixdown.

Master_in --(1/Master)--> Master_out -> Sound device
                             |
                             +----->(2/Mixdown)--> Mixdown_1.wav

During mastering, the mastering network is inserted between the Master track, and the audio/mixdown output.

Mastering Mode

In mastering mode (invoked by master_on and released master_off) the following network is used:

                      +-(Low)-+ 
                      |       |
Eq-in -(Eq)-> Eq_out -+-(Mid)-+- Boost_in -(Boost)-> soundcard/wav_out
                      |       |
                      +-(High)+

The Eq track hosts an equalizer.

The Low, Mid and High tracks each apply a bandpass filter, a compressor and a spatialiser.

The Boost track applies gain and a limiter.

These effects and their default parameters are defined in the configuration file .namarc.

Preview and Doodle Modes

These non-recording modes, invoked by preview and doodle commands tweak the routing rules for special purposes. Preview mode disables recording of WAV files to disk. Doodle mode disables MON inputs while enabling only one REC track per signal source. The arm command releases both preview and doodle modes.

TEXT COMMANDS

testq - Test

testq

Help commands

help (h) - Display help

help [ <i_help_topic_index> | <s_help_topic_name> | <s_command_name> ]

help_effect (hfx he) - Display analyseplugin output if available or one-line help

help_effect <s_label> | <i_unique_id>

find_effect (ffx fe) - Display one-line help for effects matching search strings

find_effect <s_keyword1> [ <s_keyword2>... ]

General commands

exit (quit q) - Exit program, saving settings

exit

memoize - Enable WAV dir cache

memoize

unmemoize - Disable WAV dir cache

unmemoize

Transport commands

stop (s) - Stop transport

stop

start (t) - Start transport

start

getpos (gp) - Get current playhead position (seconds)

getpos

setpos (sp) - Set current playhead position

setpos <f_position_seconds>

setpos 65 (set play position to 65 seconds from start)

forward (fw) - Move playback position forward

forward <f_increment_seconds>

rewind (rw) - Move transport position backward

rewind <f_increment_seconds>

to_start (beg) - Set playback head to start

to_start

to_end (end) - Set playback head to end minus 10 seconds

to_end

ecasound_start (T) - Ecasound-only start

ecasound_start

ecasound_stop (S) - Ecasound-only stop

ecasound_stop

preview - Start engine with rec_file disabled (for mic test, etc.)

preview

doodle - Start engine while monitoring REC-enabled inputs

doodle

Mix commands

mixdown (mxd) - Enable mixdown for subsequent engine runs

mixdown

mixplay (mxp) - Enable mixdown file playback, setting user tracks to OFF

mixplay

mixoff (mxo) - Set Mixdown track to OFF, user tracks to MON

mixoff

automix - Normalize track vol levels, then mixdown

automix

master_on (mr) - Enter mastering mode. Add tracks Eq, Low, Mid, High and Boost if necessary

master_on

master_off (mro) - Leave mastering mode

master_off

General commands

main_off - Turn off main output

main_off

main_on - Turn on main output

main_on

Track commands

add_track (add new) - Create a new track

add_track <s_name> [ <s_key1> <s_val1> <s_key2> <s_val2>... ]

add_track clarinet group woodwinds

add_tracks (add new) - Create one or more new tracks

add_tracks <s_name1> [ <s_name2>... ]

add_track sax violin tuba

link_track <s_name> <s_target> [ <s_project> ]

link_track intro Mixdown song_intro creates a track 'intro' using all .WAV versions from the Mixdown track of 'song_intro' project

import_audio (import) - Import a WAV file to the current track, resampling if necessary

import_audio <s_wav_file_path> [i_frequency]

set_track (set) - Directly set current track parameters (use with care!)

set_track <s_track_field> value

rec - REC-enable current track

rec

mon - Set current track to MON

mon

off (z) - Set current track to OFF (exclude from chain setup)

off

rec_defeat (rd) - Toggle rec-defeat

rec_defeat

source (src r) - Set track source

source <i_soundcard_channel> | <s_jack_client_name>

send (out aux m) - Set auxilary track destination

send <i_soundcard_channel> (3 or above) | <s_jack_client_name>

stereo - Record two channels for current track

stereo

mono - Record one channel for current track

mono

set_version (version n ver) - Set track version number for monitoring (overrides group version setting)

set_version <i_version_number>

sax; version 5; sh

destroy_current_wav

list_versions (lver lv) - List version numbers of current track

list_versions

vol (v) - Set, modify or show current track volume

vol [ [ + | - | * | / ] <f_value> ]

vol * 1.5 (multiply current volume setting by 1.5)

mute (c cut) - Mute current track volume

mute

unmute (C uncut) - Restore previous volume level

unmute

unity - Set current track volume to unity

unity

solo - Mute all but current track

solo

all (nosolo) - Unmute tracks after solo

all

pan (p) - Get/set current track pan position

pan [ <f_value> ]

pan_right (pr) - Pan current track fully right

pan_right

pan_left (pl) - Pan current track fully left

pan_left

pan_center (pc) - Set pan center

pan_center

pan_back (pb) - Restore current track pan setting prior to pan_left, pan_right or pan_center

pan_back

show_tracks (show tracks list_tracks lt) - Show status of all tracks

show_tracks

show_track (sh) - Show current track status

show_track

set_region (srg) - Specify a playback region for the current track using marks. Use 'new_region' for multiple regions.

set_region <s_start_mark_name> <s_end_mark_name>

new_region (nrg) - Create a region for the current track using an auxiliary track

new_region <s_start_mark_name> <s_end_mark_name> [<s_region_name>]

remove_region (rrg) - Remove region (including associated auxiliary track)

remove_region

shift_track (shift) - Set playback delay for track or region

shift_track <s_start_mark_name> | <i_start_mark_index | <f_start_seconds>

unshift_track (unshift) - Remove playback delay for track or region

unshift_track

modifiers (mods mod) - Set/show modifiers for current track (man ecasound for details)

modifiers [ Audio file sequencing parameters ]

modifiers select 5 15.2

nomodifiers (nomods nomod) - Remove modifiers from current track

nomodifiers

normalize (norm ecanormalize) - Apply ecanormalize to current track version

normalize

fixdc (ecafixdc) - Apply ecafixdc to current track version

fixdc

autofix_tracks (autofix) - Fixdc and normalize selected versions of all MON tracks

autofix_tracks

remove_track (HASH(0x9f9c630)) -

remove_track

cache_track (cache ct) - Record the post-fader signal as a new version

cache_track

Group commands

group_rec (grec R) - Rec-enable user tracks

group_rec

group_mon (gmon M) - Rec-disable user tracks

group_mon

group_version (gn gver gv) - Set group version for monitoring (overridden by track-version settings)

group_version

group_off (goff Z) - Group OFF mode, exclude all user tracks from chain setup

group_off

new_bunch (nb) - Define a bunch of tracks

new_bunch <s_group_name> [<s_track1> <s_track2>...]

list_bunches (lb) - List track bunches

list_bunches

remove_bunches (rb) - Remove the definition of a track bunch

remove_bunches <s_bunch_name> [<s_bunch_name>...]

add_to_bunch (ab) - Add track(s) to a bunch

add_to_bunch <s_bunch_name> <s_track1> [<s_track2>...]

Project commands

save_state (keep save) - Save project settings to disk

save_state [ <s_settings_file> ]

get_state (recall restore retrieve) - Retrieve project settings

get_state [ <s_settings_file> ]

list_projects (lp) - List projects

list_projects

create_project (create) - Create a new project

create_project <s_new_project_name>

load_project (load) - Load an existing project using last saved state

load_project <s_project_name>

project_name (project name) - Show current project name

project_name

Setup commands

generate (gen) - Generate chain setup for audio processing

generate

arm - Generate and connect chain setup

arm

connect (con) - Connect chain setup

connect

disconnect (dcon) - Disconnect chain setup

disconnect

show_chain_setup (chains) - Show current Ecasound chain setup

show_chain_setup

loop_enable (loop) - Loop playback between two points

loop_enable <start> <end> (start, end: mark names, mark indices, decimal seconds)

loop_enable 1.5 10.0 (loop between 1.5 and 10.0 seconds)

loop_enable 1 5 (loop between mark indices 1 and 5)

loop_enable start end (loop between mark ids 'start' and 'end')

loop_disable (noloop nl) - Disable automatic looping

loop_disable

Effect commands

add_controller (acl) - Add a controller to an operator (use mfx to modify, rfx to remove)

add_controller <s_parent_id> <s_effect_code> [ <f_param1> <f_param2>...]

add_effect (afx) - Add effect to current track (placed before volume control)

add_effect <s_effect_code> [ <f_param1> <f_param2>... ]

add_effect amp 6 (LADSPA Simple amp 6dB gain)

add_effect var_dali (preset var_dali) Note: no el: or pn: prefix is required

append_effect - Add effect to the end of current track (mainly legacy use)

append_effect <s_effect_code> [ <f_param1> <f_param2>... ]

insert_effect (ifx) - Place effect before specified effect (engine stopped, prior to arm only)

insert_effect <s_insert_point_id> <s_effect_code> [ <f_param1> <f_param2>... ]

modify_effect (mfx modify_controller mcl) - Modify an effect parameter

modify_effect <s_effect_id> <i_parameter> [ + | - | * | / ] <f_value>

modify_effect V 1 -1 (set effect_id V, parameter 1 to -1)

modify_effect V 1 - 10 (reduce effect_id V, parameter 1 by 10)

set multiple effects/parameters: mfx V 1,2,3 + 0.5 ; mfx V,AC,AD 1,2 3.14

remove_effect (rfx remove_controller rcl) - Remove effects from selected track

remove_effect <s_effect_id1> [ <s_effect_id2>...]

add_insert_cooked (ainc) - Add a post-fader send/return to a track

add_insert_cooked <s_send_id> [<s_return_id>]

set_insert_wetness (wet) - Set wet/dry balance for track insert: 100 = all wet, 0 = all dry

set_insert_wetness <n_wetness>

remove_insert (rin) - Remove a track's insert

remove_insert

ctrl_register (crg) - List Ecasound controllers

ctrl_register

preset_register (prg) - List Ecasound presets

preset_register

ladspa_register (lrg) - List LADSPA plugins

ladspa_register

Mark commands

list_marks (lmk lm) - List all marks

list_marks

to_mark (tmk tom) - Move playhead to named mark or mark index

to_mark <s_mark_id> | <i_mark_index>

to_mark start (go to mark named 'start')

new_mark (mark k) - Drop mark at current playback position

new_mark [ <s_mark_id> ]

remove_mark (rmk rom) - Remove mark, default to current mark

remove_mark [ <s_mark_id> | <i_mark_index> ]

remove_mark start (remove mark named 'start')

next_mark (nmk nm) - Move playback head to next mark

next_mark

previous_mark (pmk pm) - Move playback head to previous mark

previous_mark

name_mark (nmk nom) - Give a name to the current mark

name_mark <s_mark_id>

name_mark start

modify_mark (move_mark mmk mm) - Change the time setting of current mark

modify_mark [ + | - ] <f_seconds>

Diagnostics commands

engine_status (egs) - Display Ecasound audio processing engine status

engine_status

dump_track (dumpt dump) - Dump current track data

dump_track

dump_group (dumpgroup dumpg) - Dump group settings for user tracks

dump_group

dump_all (dumpall dumpa) - Dump most internal state

dump_all

show_io (showio) - Show chain inputs and outputs

show_io

Help commands

list_history (lh) - List command history

list_history

Bus commands

add_send_bus_cooked (asbc) - Add a send bus that copies all user tracks' processed signals

add_send_bus_cooked <s_name> <destination>

asbc jconv

add_send_bus_raw (asbr) - Add a send bus that copies all user tracks' raw signals

add_send_bus_raw <s_name> <destination>

asbr The_new_bus jconv

add_sub_bus (asub) - Add a sub bus (default destination: to mixer via eponymous track)

add_sub_bus <s_name> [destination: s_track_name|s_jack_client|n_soundcard channel]

asub Strings_bus

asub Strings_bus some_jack_client

update_send_bus (usb) - Include tracks added since send bus was created

update_send_bus <s_name>

usb Some_bus

remove_bus (HASH(0x9fab218)) -

remove_bus

list_buses (lbs) - List buses and their parameters TODO

list_buses

set_bus (sbs) - Set bus parameters TODO

set_bus

Effect commands

new_effect_chain (nec) - Define a reusable sequence of effects (effect chain) with current parameters

new_effect_chain <s_name> [<op1>, <op2>,...]

add_effect_chain (aec) - Add an effect chain to the current track

add_effect_chain <s_name>

overwrite_effect_chain (oec) - Add an effect chain overwriting current effects (which are pushed onto stack)

overwrite_effect_chain <s_name>

delete_effect_chain (dec) - Remove an effect chain definition from the list

delete_effect_chain <s_name>

list_effect_chains (lec) - List effect chains, matching any strings provided

list_effect_chains [<s_frag1> <s_frag2>... ]

bypass_effects (bypass bye) - Bypass track effects (pushing them onto stack) except vol/pan

bypass_effects

replace_effects (replace rep) - Restore bypassed track effects

replace_effects

uncache_track (uncache unc) - Set uncached track version, restoring effects (if current version is cached)

uncache_track

DIAGNOSTICS

Nama has excellent diagnostic functions. In most situations, the GUI display or the output of the show_tracks command (executed automatically on any change in setup) shows what to expect the next time the engine is started.

Advanced users or those already experienced with Ecasound can use the chains command to inspect the current chain setup and determine if Ecasound is properly configured for the task at hand. (It is much easier to read these setups than to write them!)

Other commands are available to help programmers and support the occasional troubleshooting episode. showio displays the data structure used to generate the chain setup. dump displays data for the current track. In correspondence, you may be asked to include the State.yml file created by the save command, which shows the state of all important program objects and variables. You can inspect this same information using the dumpall command.

BUGS AND LIMITATIONS

No waveform or signal level displays are provided. No latency compensation across signal paths is provided at present, although this feature is planned.

SECURITY CONCERNS

If you are using Nama with the NetECI interface (i.e. if Audio::Ecasound is not installed) you should block TCP port 2868 if you computer is exposed to the Internet.

INSTALLATION

The following command, available on Unixlike systems with Perl installed, will pull in Nama and other Perl libraries required for text mode operation:

PERL_MM_USE_DEFAULT=1 cpan Audio::Nama

To use the GUI, you will need to install Tk:

cpan Tk

You may want to install Audio::Ecasound if you prefer not to run Ecasound in server mode:

cpan Audio::Ecasound

You can pull the source code as follows:

git clone git://github.com/bolangi/nama.git

Consult the BUILD file for build instructions.

SUPPORT

The Ecasound mailing list is a suitable forum for questions regarding Nama installation, usage, feature requests, etc., as well as questions relating to Ecasound itself.

https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/ecasound-list

PATCHES

The main module, Nama.pm, its sister modules are concatenations of several source files. Patches against the source files are preferred.

AUTHOR

Joel Roth, <joelz@pobox.com>