The Ubuntu Studio team is pleased to announce the release of Ubuntu Studio 21.04, code-named “Hirsute Hippo”. This marks Ubuntu Studio’s 29th release. This release is a regular release, and as such it is supported for nine months until January 2022.

Since it’s just out, you may experience some issues, so you might want to wait a bit before upgrading. Please see the release notes for a complete list of changes and known issues.

You can download Ubuntu Studio 21.04 from our download page.

If you find Ubuntu Studio useful, please consider making a contribution.

Upgrading

Due to the change in desktop environment this release, direct upgrades from release prior to 20.10 are not supported.

In the coming weeks, you should see a prompt to upgrade from 20.10 during your regular updates. If you wish to update at that time, click “Install Upgrade”.

New This Release

This release includes Plasma 5.21.4, the full-featured desktop environment made by KDE. The theming uses the Materia theme and icons are Papirus icons.

Audio

Studio Controls has seen further development as its own independent project and has been updated to verison 2.1.4.

Ardour 6.6+ (Future 6.7 Snapshot)

Ardour has been updated to version 6.6+, meaning this is a git snapshot of what will eventually be Ardour 6.7. This had to be done because Ardour 6.5 started to fail to build with a newer library introduced into the Ubuntu archives, and could only be resolved with this snapshot. We hope to have Ardour 6.7 in via official updates once released.

New Application: Agordejo

Agordejo is new to Ubuntu Studio this release. It was brought-in for those unsatisfied with RaySession’s audio session management but found New Session Manager’s interface to be too old and clunky. Agordejo comes in and provides the best of both worlds: Legacy NSM compatibility and advanced session management for your audio sessions.

Other Notable Updates

Carla has been upgraded to version 2.3. Full release announcement at kx.studio.

Video

OBS Studio

Included this cycle is OBS Studio 26.1.2, which includes the ability to use OBS as a virtual webcam in another application! (requires administrative access to machine to create loopback device)

For those that would like to use the advanced audio processing power of JACK with OBS Studio, OBS Studio is JACK-aware!

More Updates

There are many more updates not covered here but are mentioned in the Release Notes. We highly recommend reading those release notes so you know what has been updated and know any known issues that you may encounter.

Get Involved!

A great way to contribute is to get involved with the project directly! We’re always looking for new volunteers to help with packaging, documentation, tutorials, user support, and MORE! Check out all the ways you can contribute!

Special Thanks

Huge special thanks for this release go to:

• Len Ovens: Studio Controls, Ubuntu Studio Installer, Coding
• Thomas Ward: Packaging, Ubuntu Core Developer for Ubuntu Studio
• Eylul Dogruel: Artwork, Graphics Design, Website Lead
• Ross Gammon: Upstream Debian Developer, Guidance, Testing
• Dennis Braun: Debian Package Maintainer
• Rik Mills: Kubuntu Council Member, help with Plasma desktop
• Mauro Gaspari: Tutorials, Promotion, and Documentation, Testing
• Krytarik Raido: IRC Moderator, Mailing List Moderator
• Erich Eickmeyer: Project Leader, Packaging, Direction, Treasurer

The Ubuntu Studio team is pleased to announce the release of Ubuntu Studio 20.10, code-named “Groovy Gorilla”. This marks Ubuntu Studio’s 28th release. This release is a regular release, and as such it is supported for nine months until July 2021.

Since it’s just out, you may experience some issues, so you might want to wait a bit before upgrading. Please see the release notes for a complete list of changes and known issues.

You can download Ubuntu Studio 20.10 from our download page.

If you find Ubuntu Studio useful, please consider making a contribution.

Upgrading

Due to the change in desktop environment this release, direct upgrades to Ubuntu Studio 20.10 are not supported. We recommend a clean install for this release:

1. Backup your home directory (/home/{username})
2. Install Ubuntu Studio 20.10
3. Copy the contents of your backed-up home directory to your new home directory.

New This Release

The biggest new feature is the switch of desktop environment to KDE Plasma. We believe this will provide a more cohesive and integrated experience for many of the applications that we include by default. We have previously outlined our reasoning for this switch as part of our 20.04 LTS release announcement.

This release includes Plasma 5.19.5. If you would like a newer version, the Kubuntu Backports PPA may include a newer version of Plasma when ready.

We are excited to be a part of the KDE community with this change, and have embraced the warm welcome we have received.

Audio

Studio Controls replaces Ubuntu Studio Controls

Ubuntu Studio Controls has been spun-off into an independent project called Studio Controls. It contains much of the same functionality but also is available in many more projects than Ubuntu Studio. Studio Controls remains the easiest and most straightforward way to configure the Jack Audio Connection Kit and provide easy access to tools to help you with using it.

Ardour 6.3

We are including the latest version of Ardour, version 6.3. This version has plenty of new features outlined at the Ardour website, but contains one caviat:

Projects imported from Ardour 5.x are permanently changed to the new format. As such, plugins, if they are not installed, will not be detected and will result in a “stub” plugin. Additionally, Ardour 6 includes a new Digital Signal Processor, meaning projects may not sound the same. If you do not need the new functionality of Ardour 6, do not upgrade to Ubuntu Studio 20.10.

Other Notable Updates

We’ve added several new audio plugins this cycle, most notably:

• Add64
• Geonkick
• Dragonfly Reverb
• Bsequencer
• Bslizr
• Bchoppr

Carla has been upgraded to version 2.2. Full release announcement at kx.studio.

Video

OBS Studio

Our inclusion of OBS Studio has been praised by many. Our goal is to become the #1 choice for live streaming and recording, and we hope that including OBS Studio out of the box helps usher this in. With the game availability on Steam, which runs native on Ubuntu Studio and is easily installed, and with Steam’s development of Proton for Windows games, we believe game streamers and other streamers on Youtube, Facebook, and Twitch would benefit from such an all-inclusive operating system that would save them both money and time.

Included this cycle is OBS Studio 26.0.2, which includes several new features and additions, too numerous to list here.

For those that would like to use the advanced audio processing power of JACK with OBS Studio, OBS Studio is JACK-aware!

Kdenlive

We have chosen Kdenlive to be our default video editor for several reasons. The largest of which is that it is the most professional video editor included in the Ubuntu repositories, but also it integrates very well with the Plasma desktop.

This release brings version 20.08.1, which includes several new features that have been outlined at their website.

Graphics and Photography

Krita

Artists will be glad to see Krita upgraded to version 4.3. While this may not be the latest release, it does include a number of new features over that included with Ubuntu Studio 20.04.

For a full list of new features, check out the Krita website.

Darktable

For photographers, you’ll be glad to see Darktable 3.2.1 included by default. Additionally, Darktable has been chosen as our default RAW Image Processing Platform.

With Darktable 3.2 comes some major changes, such as an overhaul to the Lighttable, A new snapshot comparison line, improved tooltips, and more! For a complete list, check out the Darktable website.

Introducing Digikam

For the first time in Ubuntu Studio, we are including the KDE application Digikam by default. Digikam is the most-advanced photo editing and cataloging tool in Open Source and includes a number of major features that integrate well into the Plasma desktop.

The version we have by default is version 6.4.0. For more information about Digikam 6.4.0, read the release announcement.

We realize that the version we include, 6.4.0, is not the most recent version, which is why we include Digikam 7.1.0 in the Ubuntu Studio Backports PPA.

For more information about Digikam 7.1.0, read the release announcement.

More Updates

There are many more updates not covered here but are mentioned in the Release Notes. We highly recommend reading those release notes so you know what has been updated and know any known issues that you may encounter.

Introducing the Ubuntu Studio Marketplace

Have you ever wanted to buy some gear to show off your love for Ubuntu Studio? Now you can! We just launched the Ubuntu Studio Marketplace. From now until October 27th, you can get our special launch discount of 15% off.

We have items like backpacks, coffee mugs, buttons, and more! Items for men, women, and children, even babies! Get your gear today!

Proceeds from commissions go toward supporting further Ubuntu Studio development.

Now Accepting Donations!

If you find Ubuntu Studio useful, we highly encourage you to donate toward its prolonged development. We would be grateful for any donations given!

Three ways to donate!

Patreon

Become a Patron!

The official launch date of our Patreon campaign is TODAY! We have many goals, including being able to pay one or more developers at least a part-time wage for their work on Ubuntu Studio. However, we do have some benefits we would like to offer our patrons. We are still hammering-out the benefits to patrons, and we would love to hear some feedback about what those benefits might be. Become a patron, and we can have that conversation together!

Liberapay

Liberapay is a great way to donate to Ubuntu Studio. It is built around projects, like ours, that are made of and using free and open source software. Their system is designed to provide stable crowdfunded income to creators.

PayPal

You can also donate directly via PayPal. You can establish either monthly recurring donations or make one-time donations. Whatever you decide is appreciated!

Get Involved!

Another great way to contribute is to get involved with the project directly! We’re always looking for new volunteers to help with packaging, documentation, tutorials, user support, and MORE! Check out all the ways you can contribute!

Special Thanks

Huge special thanks for this release go to:

• Len Ovens: Studio Controls, Ubuntu Studio Installer, Coding
• Thomas Ward: Packaging, Ubuntu Core Developer for Ubuntu Studio
• Eylul Dogruel: Artwork, Graphics Design, Website Lead
• Ross Gammon: Upstream Debian Developer, Guidance
• Rik Mills: Kubuntu Council Member, help with Plasma desktop
• Mauro Gaspari: Tutorials, promotion, and documentation
• Krytarik Raido: IRC Moderator, Mailing List Moderator
• Erich Eickmeyer: Project Leader, Packaging, Direction, Treasurer, KDE Plasma Transition

The Ubuntu Studio team is pleased to announce the release of Ubuntu Studio 20.04, code-named “Focal Fossa”. This marks Ubuntu Studio’s 27th release. This release is a Long-Term Support release and as such, it is supported for 3 years (until April 2023).

Since it’s just out, you may experience some issues, so you might want to wait a bit before upgrading. Please see the release notes for a complete list of changes and known issues.

You can download Ubuntu Studio 20.04 LTS from our download page.

Upgrading

Please note that those running Ubuntu Studio 19.10 will likely not receive an upgrade notification right away. This may take anywhere from a few days to a couple weeks. Since 19.10 reaches End Of Life in July, please upgrade as soon as possible.

Those running Ubuntu Studio 18.04 can also upgrade, but will likely not receive any upgrade notification until 20.04.1 is released in July. Please note that you should purge the Ubuntu Studio Backports PPA prior to upgrade. Since 18.04 was not an LTS release, please upgrade as soon as possible.

Full upgrade instructions are found on the Ubuntu Wiki.

New This Release

MyPaint Returns!

With the release of version 2.0 of MyPaint, the library conflict with GIMP no longer exists. As such, MyPaint has retruned to our default installation. This is a welcome re-inclusion for our graphics design community, and has been a long-requested feature. MyPaint, welcome back!

AVLDrums

Available as an LV2 plugin, AVLDrums is now included with the default installation of Ubuntu Studio. AVLDrums is a drumkit plugin which can be used in conjunction with MIDI in any DAW that supports LV2 plugins, such as Ardour.

Ubuntu Studio Controls

Our flagship audio control application, Ubuntu Studio Controls, got a large update this release. Among the new changes:

• Audio setup tab is split into three tabs: Jack Master Settings, Extra Devices, Pulse Bridging
• Firewire devices are no longer available under Ubuntu Studio Controls unless they work with ALSA. Consider upgrading to a modern USB or PCIe audio interface to take advantage of everything Ubuntu Studio Controls has to offer.
• PulseAudio bridges can now be named by the user

Libreoffice Impress

One item that has been requested is the inclusion of Libreoffice Impress, which was missing in releases past. We now include it by default to help those who need it for making presentations.

Other Changes

Most of this release is evolutionary on top of 19.10 rather than revolutionary. As such, most of the applications contained are simply upgraded versions. Details on key packages can be found in the release notes.

We have followed Xubuntu’s lead on a few desktop packages and replaced them. GNOME Calculator has been replaced with MATE Calculator, FileRoller has been replaced with Engrampa, and Evince has been replaced with Atril.

Unfortunately, we did have to say goodbye to some applications that people rely on due to library incompatibilities. Most notably, Python 2 has reached End-Of-Life, and many packages that depend on Python 2 simply have not been upgraded to Python 3. Those packages are as follows:

• DisplayCAL
  • The author needs to upgrade this package to Python 3. Once it’s upgraded, we will include it in the Ubuntu Studio Backports PPA.
• Patchage
  • The author has already patched this for Python 3, but relies on a newer version of another library not yet included in Ubuntu. We may be able to add this package and its library to the Ubuntu Studio Backports PPA at a later date.
  • In the meantime, use the Patchbay functionality in Carla.
• GMidiMonitor
  • This project appears to be dead upstream and relies on Python 2.
  • We have replaced it with midisnoop, which is functionally equivallent.

For a more complete list of changes, please see the release notes.

Backports PPA

Packages already exist in the Ubuntu Studio Backports PPA for 20.04 for items that could not make it into the official Ubuntu repositories in time for release. These items include:

• dragonfly-reverb 3.0.0
• lsp-plugins 1.1.19

The above have also been backported to 19.10 and 18.04, along with many packages that did make it to the official Ubuntu repositories. However, as of today, the packages for 18.04 in the backports PPA will be frozen. If 18.04 users wish to receive further updates, please upgrade to 20.04 as soon as possible.

Instructions for enabling the Ubuntu Studio Backports PPA

• Automatic method:
  • Open Ubuntu Studio Installer
  • Click “Enable Backports”
• Manual method:
  • Follow these instructions

The Future of Ubuntu Studio

Desktop Environment

Unlike other flavors of Ubuntu, Ubuntu Studio isn’t based on its desktop environment. We strive to look for the best experience for all of our users, which includes more than just audio.

About two years ago, we decided to try to release a second version of Ubuntu Studio with the KDE Plasma desktop environment. Unfortunately, that proved to be too time-consuming as we’d essentially have to be introducing a new flavor of Ubuntu, subject to the same application process as other new flavors. Knowing it would be too much for our small team, we decided to drop that idea and, with Ubuntu Studio Installer, make it so that other flavors could have Ubuntu Studio as a bolt-on, which enabled users to choose their desktop environment themselves.

Ubuntu Studio Installer isn’t going away, but we did reach a decision that does affect the future of Ubuntu Studio.

Ubuntu Studio 20.04 LTS will be the final release of Ubuntu Studio using the Xfce Desktop Environment. As such, upgrades from Ubuntu Studio 20.04 to later releases may result in breakage.

Future versions of Ubuntu Studio, beginning with 20.10, will be using the KDE Plasma Desktop Environment by default. Plasma has proven to have better tools for graphics artists and photographers, as can be seen in Gwenview, Krita, and even the file manager Dolphin. Additionally, it has Wacom tablet support better than any other desktop environment.

It has become so good that the majority of the Ubuntu Studio team is now using Kubuntu with Ubuntu Studio added-on via Ubuntu Studio Installer as their daily driver. With so many of us using Plasma, the timing just seems right to focus on a transition to Plasma with our next release.

For audio production, nothing in terms of resource usage changes. If the display compositor proves to be problematic, a simple alt-shift-F12 disables the display compositor. It can also be disabled from starting at login. A known resource hog from KDE, the Akonadi server in the KDE Personal Information manager, will not be included by default (Kubuntu currently does not use KDE PIM, but Thunderbird as do we). The Plasma desktop environment has, without Akonadi, become just as light in resource usage as Xfce, perhaps even lighter. Other audio-focused Linux distributions, such as Fedora Jam and KXStudio, have historically used the KDE Plasma desktop environment and done well with audio.

Here is a recent article highlighting some of the resource usage comparisons with Plasma, showing how light it is on resources.

We will be working with the Kubuntu project on these changes, and the Lubuntu project as they have already cut the path ahead of us in changing desktop environments.

We look forward to working with the Kubuntu and KDE teams on this transition, and are excited to be joining the KDE community.

Evaluation of Included Applications

During this transition to Plasma, we will be evaluating our included applications to see if there is any duplication going on. Some have pointed out that there is duplication of application purpose. For example, we include 3 video editors by default: Pitivi, OpenShot, and Kdenlive, and each may have features the other does not have. We will be doing a lot of evaluation like that over the course of the next release cycle.

More details on all of this will emerge in the coming months. Please stay tuned to our website, our Twitter feed, and Mastodon for updates.

A Personal message from the Project Leader

The rest of this announcement is a personal message from our project leader, Erich Eickmeyer

This release represents the culmination of two years of hard work by the Ubuntu Studio team. This release is much more revolutionary than was released for 18.04 when I first started leading this project. We have come a long way since then, when a group of burnt-out developers were rallied into making a great product.

I would very much like to thank the following volunteers who made this release happen:

• Len Ovens: Ubuntu Studio Controls, Ubuntu Studio Installer, Coding
  • Len has become my right-hand with this, and though we have disagreements about things, we have a common goal: making audio production on Linux easy, affordable, and ready for everyone with little to configure.
• Thomas Ward: Packaging, Ubuntu Core Developer for Ubuntu Studio, Code Cleanup
  • I’d say Thomas is my other right-hand, but I don’t have two right hands, so Thomas gets to be my left hand. When I have questions about Ubuntu policy, or need a new package sponsored and uploaded, Thomas is my guy. He has been absolutely instrumental with Ubuntu Studio, and is someone I can genuinely call a friend.
• Eylul Dogruel: Artwork, Graphics Design, Website Lead
  • Eylul has been amazing to work with. She had a bit of a hiatus over the past couple years, but that was completely understandable. We have many VOIP discussions about the future of the project, and it’s great having her perspective as a graphics designer. She has become a great friend, even though she lives halfway across the globe from me.
• Ross Gammon: Upstream Debian Developer, Guidance, Sage Wisdom
  • Ross does most of his work upstream with Debian project, making sure our upstream has functioning code for us to use. He always keeps Ubuntu Studio in mind when working on packages in Debian, even taking some of my packaging in Ubuntu to use. He is someone I have historically gone to when I have questions about packages, and, when there’s a huge update in Debian, is my go-to for getting that package synced to Ubuntu.
• Steven Jay Cohen: Reddit moderator, perhaps more soon!
  • Steven is a recent example of someone who uses Ubuntu Studio actively in a recording studio. He came wanting to get involved with the project and proved to be very engaging on Reddit. I have already seen plenty of potential in Steven when it comes to community and communication, so I’m looking forward to working with him more.
• Krytarik Raido: IRC Moderator, Mailing List Moderator
  • Although we share some of these responsibilities now, Krytarik has been very instrumental in keeping the IRC room and mailing lists clean of spam. I’m very thankful for his help over the years.
• Set Hallstrom: Previous Ubuntu Studio Leader
  • Shortly after taking a lead role for Ubuntu Studio back in 2016, Set had to step back. However, even though he was unable to lead the project, the transition to handing the project over was smooth and accomplished in the course of the past two years. Without Set’s guidance, I wouldn’t have known where to begin.
• Other help along the way, including some key players:
  • Steve Langasek
  • Adam Conrad
  • Simon Quigley
  • Chris Cooper
  • Matthias Klassen
  • Filipe Coelho
  • Robin Gareus
  • David Runge
  • Olivier Humbert
  • Mattieu Trudel-LaPierre
  • Ian Lane
  • Łukasz Zemczak
  • Colin Watson
  • William Grant
  • Rik Mills
  • Valorie Zimmerman
  • Sean Davis
  • Unit193
  • And anyone else I missed!

Success Stories

Over the past two years I have come in contact with many people who have used Ubuntu Studio as part of their professional environments. I’d like to highlight a few here.

I mentioned Steven Jay Cohen above, who recently converted all of his recording studio machines over to Ubuntu Studio and uses them for his professional audio production.

Another person I’d like to point out is Mike Holstein, who uses Ubuntu Studio for his production environment. Here’s a track from him produced entirely with Ubuntu Studio:

Last but not least we have the band Lorenzo’s Music, who uses Ubuntu Studio to record and produce their music, develop their artwork, and even produce their music videos. They recently released a new EP entitled Spaghetti Mid-Western. I highly recommend checking-out their music.

Conclusion

Finally, I want to thank the entire Ubuntu Studio community for being with us through the past two years. It hasn’t been easy, especially since we couldn’t release 18.04 as a long-term support release. I’m humbled to be leading this project, and I believe it has a bright future.

Erich Eickmeyer
Project Leader
Ubuntu Studio

The Ubuntu Studio team is pleased to announce the release of Ubuntu Studio 19.10, code-named “Eoan Ermine”. This marks Ubuntu Studio’s 26th release. This release is a regular release and as such, it is supported for 9 months.

For those requiring longer-term support, we encourage you to install Ubuntu Studio 18.04 “Bionic Beaver” and add the Ubuntu Studio Backports PPA, which will keep 18.04 supported through April 2021.

Since it’s just out, you may experience some issues, so you might want to wait a bit before upgrading. Please see the release notes for a complete list of changes and known issues.

Download Here

New This Release

OBS Studio

OBS Studio is now included by default, making Ubuntu Studio the first-ever operating system ready for live streaming and video recording out-of-the-box.

We realize that OBS Studio 24 has already been released, however we only include version 23 since by the time version 24 was released, the deadlines for inclusion in the Ubuntu repositories had already passed. As such, if you require a newer version, the OBS Project does have a PPA. If you choose to add this PPA, please note that neither the Ubuntu Studio nor any other Ubuntu team can support it.

Additional Audio Plugins

Adding nearly 100 audio plugins to Ubuntu Studio, we now include plugins from the Linux Studio Plugins project and the Distrho Plugins Framework. You will find these plugins in LADSPA, LV2, and VST formats.

RaySession

To replace the abandoned LADI Session Handler, we opted to adopt RaySession, a Qt-based audio application session handler API-compatible with Non Session Manager. This already supports a large number of applications that are already installed by default, and, per user feedback, provides superior session handling than the old LADI tools when paired with Carla.

New Ubuntu Studio Controls

Ubuntu Studio Controls version 1.11.3 is included in this release, and provides numerous improvements:

• Now includes an indicator to show whether or not Jack is running
• Added Jack backend selections: Firewire, ALSA, or Dummy (used for testing configurations)
• Added multiple PulseAudio bridges
• Added convenient buttons for starting other configuration tools

Other Changes

Ufraw has been removed from the repositories as development ceased in 2015, and it is incompatible with the current version of Gimp. For those affected, we suggest you find a new workflow for working with RAW images. Applications we suggest include RawTherapee and DarkTable.

Want to help out?

Ubuntu Studio is maintained by a very small team and we are actively seeking new contributors. We are looking for developers, packagers and testers. Even if you are interested in contributing outside these areas, please do not hesitate to reach out. Your contribution is precious regardless of your field of activity. We are open to volunteers with all expertise levels. Just head over to our contribute page to find out how to get started.

Found a bug?

Taking the time to report bugs makes a huge difference; it’s the first step towards improvement! Clear and specific bug reports is the best way to get attention to a problem that needs fixing. The easiest way to create a bug report is with the terminal.

Open one up and type: ubuntu-bug <package>

Read more about this at https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs

Special Thanks for This Release

• Erich Eickmeyer: Project Leader, Communications, Ubuntu Studio Installer contributions, Social Media, Packaging, Documentation, Artwork, Vision
• Len Ovens: Ubuntu Studio Controls, Ubuntu Studio Installer, Coding
• Brian Hechinger: Ubuntu Studio Controls contributions and testing
• Thomas Ward: Packaging, Ubuntu Core Developer for Ubuntu Studio, Code Cleanup
• Ross Gammon: Upstream Debian Developer, Guidance, Sage Wisdom
• Our many testers and help along the way