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