137 lines
5.2 KiB
Markdown
137 lines
5.2 KiB
Markdown
# FAQ for the ALSA Scarlett Control Panel (`alsa-scarlett-gui`)
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## What is this?
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The ALSA Scarlett Control Panel (`alsa-scarlett-gui`) is an
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easy-to-use application for adjusting the ALSA controls provided by
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three Linux kernel drivers for Focusrite USB interfaces:
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1. The Scarlett 1st Gen Mixer Driver (for 1st Gen 6i6, 8i6, 18i6, 18i8, 18i20)
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2. The Scarlett2 Protocol Driver (for 2nd/3rd Gen interfaces, small 4th Gen, Clarett, and Vocaster)
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3. The FCP (Focusrite Control Protocol) Driver (for big 4th Gen interfaces: 16i16, 18i16, 18i20)
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To check if your kernel is already up-to-date, and how to upgrade if
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not, see the [Control Panel Installation Prerequisites — Linux
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Kernel](docs/INSTALL.md).
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## Do I need these drivers for my Focusrite interface?
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For basic audio functionality? No. Focusrite USB interfaces are
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“plug-and-play” — they are USB Audio Class Compliant, meaning they
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work out-of-the-box with the standard ALSA USB audio driver (to get
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full functionality on Scarlett 3rd/4th Gen/Vocaster interfaces, first
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deactivate MSD mode by holding down the 48V button while powering it
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on).
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However, to access the mixer, routing, and hardware-specific features,
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you’ll need the appropriate driver for your interface model.
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## MSD Mode?
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"MSD Mode" is the "Mass Storage Device Mode" that the Scarlett 3rd and
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4th Gen interfaces ship in.
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If MSD Mode is enabled, you need to disable it and restart your
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interface to get access to its full functionality.
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When you plug the interface in, there’ll be a tiny read-only virtual
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disk that has a link to the Focusrite product registration page; until
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you turn off MSD Mode not all features of the interface will be
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available.
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You can turn off MSD Mode by holding down the 48V button while
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powering on the interface, or by clicking the button in
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`alsa-scarlett-gui` and rebooting it.
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If you do the recommended/required (depending on the model) firmware
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update, MSD Mode will automatically be turned off.
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## What is the purpose of these drivers if they’re not needed for basic audio?
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These drivers are for users who want more control over their
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interface. They allow for detailed manipulation of:
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- Internal audio routing
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- Hardware-specific settings
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- Mixer functionality
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- Level monitoring
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- Input/output configuration
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These controls go beyond the basic audio I/O functionality provided by
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the generic ALSA USB audio driver.
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## What interfaces are supported?
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The ALSA Scarlett Control Panel supports:
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- **Scarlett 1st Gen**: 6i6, 8i6, 18i6, 18i8, 18i20
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- **Scarlett 2nd Gen**: 6i6, 18i8, 18i20
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- **Scarlett 3rd Gen**: Solo, 2i2, 4i4, 8i6, 18i8, 18i20
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- **Scarlett 4th Gen**: Solo, 2i2, 4i4, 16i16, 18i16, 18i20
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- **Clarett USB and Clarett+**: 2Pre, 4Pre, 8Pre
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- **Vocaster**: One, Two
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Note: The Scarlett 1st and 2nd Gen small interfaces (Solo, 2i2, 2i4)
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don’t have any software controls. All the controls are available from
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the front panel, so they don’t require the specialised drivers or this
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GUI.
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## Where are the options to set the sample rate and buffer size?
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The ALSA Scarlett Control Panel doesn’t handle audio input/output
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settings like sample rate and buffer size. These settings are managed
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by the application using the soundcard, typically a sound server such
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as PulseAudio, JACK, or PipeWire.
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The sample rate shown in the control panel is informative only and
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displays the current rate being used by applications. If it shows
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“N/A” then no application is using the interface.
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Note that not all features are available at higher sample rates; refer
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to the user manual of your interface for more information.
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## Why do my settings keep resetting?
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The settings in the ALSA Scarlett Control Panel are automatically
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saved in the interface itself (all series except 1st Gen), so they
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“should” persist across reboots and even across different computers.
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If you find that the opposite is happening — that every time you plug
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your interface in, the settings get reverted, try disabling the
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`alsa-state` and `alsa-restore` systemd services:
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```sh
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sudo systemctl mask alsa-state
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sudo systemctl mask alsa-restore
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```
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These services save the state of ALSA controls on system shutdown to
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`/var/lib/alsa/asound.state` and then restore it each time the device
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is plugged in. It can be rather annoying, wondering why your device is
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unusable every time you plug it in, only to find that it’s because you
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once shut down your computer with the Clock Source set to “ADAT” or
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some such thing.
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## Help?!
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Have you read the User Guide for your interface? It’s available
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online: https://downloads.focusrite.com/focusrite and contains a lot
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of helpful/useful/important information about your device.
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You can skip the “Easy Start” and “Setting up your DAW” sections, but
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the rest is well worth reading. Even the information about Focusrite
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Control is useful, although not directly applicable, because it will
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help you understand more about the possibilities of what you can do
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with your device.
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For help with the Scarlett2 and FCP kernel drivers:
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https://github.com/geoffreybennett/linux-fcp/issues
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For help with the FCP user-space side:
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https://github.com/geoffreybennett/fcp-support/issues
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For help with `alsa-scarlett-gui`:
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https://github.com/geoffreybennett/alsa-scarlett-gui/issues
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For general Linux audio help: https://linuxmusicians.com
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