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How to get started with Audio in Linux
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How to get started with Audio in Linux
Dear Forum,
I run Debian Bullseye.
I am quite lost when it comes to audio. I suspect that my system is not working somehow but since I know so little of how it should work, I find it hard to ask good questions.
So I really do not know where to begin, educate myself to be able to ask good questions or submit a random inquiry about things that do not work?
For example I get a perpetual “Establishing connection to PulseAudio. Please wait …” when I start Pulse Audio Volume Control, can this be fixed? Does it need to be fixed, what does it even mean? It sounds like something is wrong for sure and I bet that I would like to be able to runs Pulse Audio Volume Control.
I have been able to get my headphones working with “amixer set ‘Headphone’ ‘unmute’” and then “amixer set ‘Headphone’ ‘unmute’” so amixer seems to be a useful tool. But then, how does that tool fit into a bigger picture? How can I learn about the bigger picture?
So can someone help me making a sort of diagnosis of my system and also point me to some sort of tutorial on sound, I have of course googled but I seem to be unable to find something that takes things from the ground up. Most tutorials are too advanced for me at this point.
Kindest regards
Johnny
I run Debian Bullseye.
I am quite lost when it comes to audio. I suspect that my system is not working somehow but since I know so little of how it should work, I find it hard to ask good questions.
So I really do not know where to begin, educate myself to be able to ask good questions or submit a random inquiry about things that do not work?
For example I get a perpetual “Establishing connection to PulseAudio. Please wait …” when I start Pulse Audio Volume Control, can this be fixed? Does it need to be fixed, what does it even mean? It sounds like something is wrong for sure and I bet that I would like to be able to runs Pulse Audio Volume Control.
I have been able to get my headphones working with “amixer set ‘Headphone’ ‘unmute’” and then “amixer set ‘Headphone’ ‘unmute’” so amixer seems to be a useful tool. But then, how does that tool fit into a bigger picture? How can I learn about the bigger picture?
So can someone help me making a sort of diagnosis of my system and also point me to some sort of tutorial on sound, I have of course googled but I seem to be unable to find something that takes things from the ground up. Most tutorials are too advanced for me at this point.
Kindest regards
Johnny
- Head_on_a_Stick
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Re: How to get started with Audio in Linux
The usual suspects for audio problems are
Or
Both provide the same information (ish).
From your description it sounds like PulseAudio isn't working, check with
And as you claim to be running Debian stable but it has problems I think we need to see the output of
See also https://wiki.debian.org/DontBreakDebian
In respect of asking questions see http://catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
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cat /proc/asound/cards
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aplay -l
From your description it sounds like PulseAudio isn't working, check with
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pgrep -a pulse
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apt policy
In respect of asking questions see http://catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
deadbang
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Re: How to get started with Audio in Linux
Thank you very much for your response.
Indeed it seems that pulse is not running, the output of
is empty. However, in my ignorance I unfortunately do not know how to use that information. The result of
is
and the output of
is
I have installed some packages / applications from outside of Debian's repository, but not so many. (One for wifi and two others for downloading videos from youtube) but other that I believe I otherwise always have gone with
whenever I needed something. I have also recently done a full reinstall from scratch so I hope that if I have introduced inconsistencies that this will be fairly easy to rectify.
Kindest regards
Johnny
Indeed it seems that pulse is not running, the output of
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pgrep -a pulse
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aplay -l
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**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 0: ALC3254 Analog [ALC3254 Analog]
Subdevices: 0/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 7: HDMI 1 [HDMI 1]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 8: HDMI 2 [HDMI 2]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 9: HDMI 3 [HDMI 3]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 10: HDMI 4 [HDMI 4]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
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apt policy
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Package files:
100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
release a=now
500 http://ftp.se.debian.org/debian bullseye-updates/main amd64 Packages
release v=11-updates,o=Debian,a=stable-updates,n=bullseye-updates,l=Debian,c=main,b=amd64
origin ftp.se.debian.org
500 http://security.debian.org/debian-security bullseye-security/non-free amd64 Packages
release v=11,o=Debian,a=stable-security,n=bullseye-security,l=Debian-Security,c=non-free,b=amd64
origin security.debian.org
500 http://security.debian.org/debian-security bullseye-security/main amd64 Packages
release v=11,o=Debian,a=stable-security,n=bullseye-security,l=Debian-Security,c=main,b=amd64
origin security.debian.org
500 http://ftp.se.debian.org/debian bullseye/contrib amd64 Packages
release v=11.5,o=Debian,a=stable,n=bullseye,l=Debian,c=contrib,b=amd64
origin ftp.se.debian.org
500 http://ftp.se.debian.org/debian bullseye/non-free amd64 Packages
release v=11.5,o=Debian,a=stable,n=bullseye,l=Debian,c=non-free,b=amd64
origin ftp.se.debian.org
500 http://ftp.se.debian.org/debian bullseye/main amd64 Packages
release v=11.5,o=Debian,a=stable,n=bullseye,l=Debian,c=main,b=amd64
origin ftp.se.debian.org
Pinned packages:
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sudo apt-get install
Kindest regards
Johnny
- Head_on_a_Stick
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Re: How to get started with Audio in Linux
So which desktop is this?
Can we see the output of
These commands should get your headphones working without having to use amixer every time:
And this might get PA working:
If it doesn't work post the full error message. Thanks.
EDIT: and which non-Debian software did you install, exactly? How did you install it?
Can we see the output of
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cat /proc/1/comm
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$ amixer set 'Headphone' 'unmute'
$ amixer set 'Auto-Mute Mode' 'Enabled'
# alsactl store
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start-pulseaudio-x11
EDIT: and which non-Debian software did you install, exactly? How did you install it?
deadbang
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Re: How to get started with Audio in Linux
Thanks again, certainly, here are the reponses:
I run lxde as a desktop.
yields
I found the amixer commands for setting the Headphone volume and it seems to be persistent between boots so I think that bit is ok. However I got a
when trying to run alsactl. I searched for what to install to get it, but I did not find it.
got the error message
I slapped on a sudo there, but still the same error.
I have installed youtube-dl I believe it is a statically linked executable and it is located at /usr/local/bin. Similarly yt-dlp which is an improvement of youtube-dl. I have also added the non-free drivers to get wifi working, I installed that with sudo apt-get install though, I believe the name of the package is lwlwifi.
I run lxde as a desktop.
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cat /proc/1/comm
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systemd
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bash: alsactl: command not found
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start-pulseaudio-x11
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Connection failure: Connection refused
pa_context_connect() failed: Connection refused
I have installed youtube-dl I believe it is a statically linked executable and it is located at /usr/local/bin. Similarly yt-dlp which is an improvement of youtube-dl. I have also added the non-free drivers to get wifi working, I installed that with sudo apt-get install though, I believe the name of the package is lwlwifi.
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Re: How to get started with Audio in Linux
This actually got the Pulseaudio running:
I can now also run PulseAudio Volume Control !
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mv ~/.config/pulse ~/.config/pulse.old
pulseaudio --start
Re: How to get started with Audio in Linux
johnnypanrike wrote:
alsactl is in the alsa-utils package. If you know the filename you can find the package it resides in at: https://www.debian.org/distrib/packageswhen trying to run alsactl. I searched for what to install to get it, but I did not find it.
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Re: How to get started with Audio in Linux
Thank you for your reply. I think then that there must some misunderstanding, this is from a prompt this evening:
Is there really some sort of deeper trouble with my system?
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johnny@aramies:~$ sudo apt-get install alsa-utils
[sudo] password for johnny:
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
alsa-utils is already the newest version (1.2.4-1).
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
python3-pyxattr rtmpdump
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove them.
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 85 not upgraded.
johnny@aramies:~$ alsactl
bash: alsactl: command not found
johnny@aramies:~$
Is there really some sort of deeper trouble with my system?
Re: How to get started with Audio in Linux
Doesn't look like deeper trouble on the matter of alsactl.
alsactl is indeed in the alsa-utils package:
It resides in the /usr/sbin directory which is likely not in the PATH of the user (you) on your system, which would be why the user can't run it. You can check the path that the user has available with:
To run alsactl, you can do so as root, or use the full path on the command line as user, e.g.:
alsactl is indeed in the alsa-utils package:
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[tom@owl ]$ apt-file show alsa-utils
<snip>
alsa-utils: /usr/sbin/alsactl
<snip>
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echo $PATH
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/usr/sbin/alsactl info
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Re: How to get started with Audio in Linux
Ah, yes, thank you this makes sense. I *do* have alsactl as root so I'll have to sudo the times I need run alsactl.
I think there is only one minor issue left now, and that is that to start and successfully run pavucontrol I need to manually invoke
and directly after that start pavucontrol becuase it also seems that pavucontrol only shows "Dummy Device" if it is started later on in the session. This is manageable albeit I bet this is not how it is supposed to work. I'll let it settle for a while before asking questions about it.
Thank you for all your help.
Kindest regards
Johnny
I think there is only one minor issue left now, and that is that to start and successfully run pavucontrol I need to manually invoke
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pulseaudio --start
Thank you for all your help.
Kindest regards
Johnny
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Re: How to get started with Audio in Linux
Update: I have found some things that appear to work, I write
to start pulseaudio. After that I can issue
to be able to set volumes. But I also am occasionally writing
and
and
to be able to set volumes and toggle the microphone on or off. It seems that these maneuvers are working. My original plan was to start working with Pulseeffects, I have installed it and I am trying to run it, however, there seems to be some kind of problem with the user interface (buttons are greyed out). My current idea is to install another desktop, I get the impression that the issue lies with the interface. What I now wish to do is to install say XFCE, I am thinking that a more sophisticated desktop perhaps will be able to run the GUI of Pulseeffects better.
Could you tell me how to install XFCE in a reversible fashion? That is I want to be able to remove it and possible try another desktop (or windowmanager or what it is called).
Kindest regards
Johnny
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pulseaudio --start
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pavucontrol
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amixer set Capture toggle
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amixer set Capture 40% - 40%
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amixer set Master 45%
Could you tell me how to install XFCE in a reversible fashion? That is I want to be able to remove it and possible try another desktop (or windowmanager or what it is called).
Kindest regards
Johnny
- sunrat
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Re: How to get started with Audio in Linux
Does PulseEffects have all buttons missing or just some? Could be a missing dependency. I recall some time ago in MX it failed to install lsp-plugins but that was because MX does not install Recommends by default whereas Debian does.
“ computer users can be divided into 2 categories:
Those who have lost data
...and those who have not lost data YET ” Remember to BACKUP!
Those who have lost data
...and those who have not lost data YET ” Remember to BACKUP!
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Re: How to get started with Audio in Linux
Thank you for your reply. It lacks the checkboxes to the left, a checkbox has to be clicked to be able to enable an effect, since no checkboxes work, I cannot enable any effect at all. Other buttons on Pulseeffects do work. I have installed lsp-plugins.
Kindest regards
Johnny
Kindest regards
Johnny
- sunrat
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Re: How to get started with Audio in Linux
Did you install PulseEffects from the Debian repository? It should have pulled in all the dependencies and recommends you need.
All I can think to suggest is start pulseeffects from a terminal and see if any error messages are shown.
I gave up using it as most of the effects are not useful for me when all I needed was EQ. Currently using PulseAudioParametricEQ for PA although it's harder to set up and one needs to know how to use a parametric EQ for decent results. https://t-5.eu/hp/Software/Pulseaudio%2 ... Equalizer/
My main system uses JACK with an LSP PEQ inserted over system out via a startup script. But that's even more complicated; you don't want to do that.
All I can think to suggest is start pulseeffects from a terminal and see if any error messages are shown.
I gave up using it as most of the effects are not useful for me when all I needed was EQ. Currently using PulseAudioParametricEQ for PA although it's harder to set up and one needs to know how to use a parametric EQ for decent results. https://t-5.eu/hp/Software/Pulseaudio%2 ... Equalizer/
My main system uses JACK with an LSP PEQ inserted over system out via a startup script. But that's even more complicated; you don't want to do that.
“ computer users can be divided into 2 categories:
Those who have lost data
...and those who have not lost data YET ” Remember to BACKUP!
Those who have lost data
...and those who have not lost data YET ” Remember to BACKUP!
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Re: How to get started with Audio in Linux
Thank you for yet a another fast reponse.
Yes, I went with sudo apt-get install pulseeffects. My original suspicion is that I am running lxde which is very light weight, is there any chance that Pulseeffects cannot work properly with lxde? I google around on "pulseeffects dbus" based on the error message below and I do see references to Pulseeffects needing some gnome tings:
I started Pulseeffects at a terminal and got a whole slew of warnings saying
I am just copying one of the messages here. There are several hundred of lines like this interspersed with this line
which I googled on but I could not really find anything I could use given that I do not really understand the lingo.
Kindest regards
Johnny
Yes, I went with sudo apt-get install pulseeffects. My original suspicion is that I am running lxde which is very light weight, is there any chance that Pulseeffects cannot work properly with lxde? I google around on "pulseeffects dbus" based on the error message below and I do see references to Pulseeffects needing some gnome tings:
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pulseeffects requires gnome3-dconf #54341 - NixOS/nixpkgs
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(pulseeffects:11612): dconf-WARNING **: 16:02:11.044: failed to commit changes to dconf: Failed to execute child process “dbus-launch” (No such file or directory)
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pulseeffects-WARNING **: 16:08:42.055: rnnoise plugin was not found!
Kindest regards
Johnny
- sunrat
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Re: How to get started with Audio in Linux
Looks like you don't have D-Bus running and PE requires it. I don't know how to set it up as it runs by default on my KDE system. As a wild guess try installing dbus and dconf-service packages. Could end up down a deep rabbit hole though.
That plugin error likely would only stop that effect from working.
That plugin error likely would only stop that effect from working.
“ computer users can be divided into 2 categories:
Those who have lost data
...and those who have not lost data YET ” Remember to BACKUP!
Those who have lost data
...and those who have not lost data YET ” Remember to BACKUP!
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Re: How to get started with Audio in Linux
Hmmm, I do have dbus on the system, however I have tried to start it before starting Pulseeffects and it still did not work (same problem with greyed out check boxes). I then tried to restart dbus and my system crashed so I rebooted and was back to square one. Better not fiddle with it, it seems.
I have googled on this issue with greyed out checkboxes in Pulseeffects and it seems to be a known problem, and I found one solution to that problem however I am unable to use that solution because I am uncertain about how to apply it (I keep thinking in terms of installing things from outside the Debian repo but that is of course not good, we want this to work with Debian packages in this forum), maybe you can draw some conclusions from that post?
https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=244157
Kindest regards
Johnny
I have googled on this issue with greyed out checkboxes in Pulseeffects and it seems to be a known problem, and I found one solution to that problem however I am unable to use that solution because I am uncertain about how to apply it (I keep thinking in terms of installing things from outside the Debian repo but that is of course not good, we want this to work with Debian packages in this forum), maybe you can draw some conclusions from that post?
https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=244157
Kindest regards
Johnny
- sunrat
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Re: How to get started with Audio in Linux
That's the same solution we discussed above - lsp-plugins missing, so not the same issue as yours.johnnypanrike wrote: ↑2022-10-09 21:16... maybe you can draw some conclusions from that post?
https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=244157
Sorry, I'm out of ideas.
“ computer users can be divided into 2 categories:
Those who have lost data
...and those who have not lost data YET ” Remember to BACKUP!
Those who have lost data
...and those who have not lost data YET ” Remember to BACKUP!
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- sunrat
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Re: How to get started with Audio in Linux
There's a suggestion the issue may be with the current version in Stable - 4.8.4 - https://github.com/wwmm/easyeffects/issues/1848
You could try building your own backport of 4.8.7 from Testing. https://wiki.debian.org/SimpleBackportCreation
You could try building your own backport of 4.8.7 from Testing. https://wiki.debian.org/SimpleBackportCreation
“ computer users can be divided into 2 categories:
Those who have lost data
...and those who have not lost data YET ” Remember to BACKUP!
Those who have lost data
...and those who have not lost data YET ” Remember to BACKUP!