Pianist

42 Best Free Linux Audio Software

Last Updated on March 19, 2022

This article is retired and scheduled for deletion. We cover all types of audio software here.


There is a huge range of open source free audio software available for Linux which is both mature and feature-laden. Linux has all the tools needed to be a serious contender in music production without a user having to venture into the commercial software world. Linux is a superior platform for professional audio production: rock solid, efficient, and you don’t get fleeced for software licenses. Software that creates music can often be expensive. The heavyweight Cubase, Apple LogicPro, FL Studio, Adobe Audition, and Sony ACID Pro are all impressive software music production environments. Unfortunately, they cost hundreds of dollars and are released under a proprietary software license. Fortunately, there is a good range of open source software that lets you produce professional quality recordings.

The Linux platform has also matured into a great way of listening to streaming music services. There are clients available for most of the music streaming services. There are also lots of useful audio tools.

To provide an insight into the quality of software that is available, we have compiled a list of 42 high quality Linux audio applications, covering a broad range of different uses. Please note that Spotify is proprietary software. Spotify is a fantastic music streaming service, so we had to include its client which is free to download. All the other applications featured here are released under an open source license.

Now, let’s explore the 42 audio applications at hand. For each title we have compiled its own portal page, providing a screenshot of the software in action, a full description with an in-depth analysis of its features, together with links to relevant resources and reviews. This software collection transforms your PC into the ultimate music machine.

Audio Software
AmarokKDE audio player offering a wealth of features, yet intuitive to use
AudaciousSemi-lightweight audio player
BansheeMusic management and playback software for GNOME
TomahawkA new kind of player
MusiqueSmall but sophisticated graphical music player
Sayonara PlayerSmall, clear and fast Qt audio player
DeaDBeefBilled as the ultimate music player
CmusLightweight ncurses audio player
musikcubeTerminal-based audio player and streaming server
AudacityDigital audio editor
ArdourDigital audio workstation program
Rosegarden Sophisticated MIDI (and audio) sequencer and notation editor
ClementineModern music player and library organiser
SpotifyClient for proprietary peer-to-peer music streaming service
PithosLightweight client that integrates with desktop features
gPodderDownloads and manages free audio and video content
LilyPondProduce high quality musical scores
Frescobaldi LilyPond sheet music text editor for KDE4
MuseScoreGraphical WYSIWYG music score typesetter
MixxxDigital DJ system, for wave, ogg and mp3 files
MusEQt-based MIDI/audio sequencer
xwaxDigital Vinyl System
QtractorAudio/MIDI multi-track sequencer
LMMSAlternative to FL Studio, Cubase and Logic
HydrogenAdvanced drum machine
FluidsynthReal-time software synthesizer
LinuxSamplerProfessional grade software audio sampler
samplv1Polyphonic sampler synthesizer with stereo fx
Sonic VisualiserInspect and analyse the contents of music audio files
Kid3Edit ID3v1 and ID3v2 tags in MP3 files efficiently
MusicBrainz PicardCross-platform MusicBrainz tag editor written in Python
BeetsMedia library management system for music geeks
CeciliaCSound-based graphical environment for music
guitarixVirtual guitar amplifier
fre:acAudio converter and CD ripper
Pure DataReal-time computer music software package resembling Max
SuperColliderReal time audio synthesis programming language
Calf Studio GearAudio plug-in pack for LV2 and JACK environments
JACKLow-latency audio server daemon
MPDAllows remote access for playing music and managing playlists
PulseAudioNetworked sound server project
IcecastOgg Vorbis and MP3 streaming media server
Best Free and Open Source SoftwareRead our complete collection of recommended free and open source software. Our curated compilation covers all categories of software.

The software collection forms part of our series of informative articles for Linux enthusiasts. There are hundreds of in-depth reviews, open source alternatives to proprietary software from large corporations like Google, Microsoft, Apple, Adobe, IBM, Cisco, Oracle, and Autodesk.

There are also fun things to try, hardware, free programming books and tutorials, and much more.
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drew alexander
drew alexander
5 years ago

very good article on identifying and analysing linux audio software; including the “date” for this article as a point of reference would make this an excellent article. fegards, drew