This website is dedicated to the New Jersey Gay Men's Chorus
v006.8 modified 2022 December 30 00:15 Prevailing Eastern Time (to use an old version, go to the version history)
You can use the URL Customizer (or menu at right) to switch among instructions for Soundjack, SonoBus, FarPlay, and Jamulus. This website is NOT an official document for any of these applications. Documents that are official and/or more original are listed in the table below. Dr. Howell's Embodied Music Lab is an ideal place to pay for consulting for online musical collaboration.
Soundjack references | SonoBus references | FarPlay references | Jamulus references | JackTrip references |
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FarPlay (Runov & Tepfer) is a p2p descendant of JackTrip (Chafe & Cáceres). |
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JackTrip Virtual Studio is conceptually similar to Jamulus. |
Connectivity | Computer and USB Audio Interface | Microphone, headphones, & audio cables |
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Broadband, low-jitter internet connectionYou have fiber-optic internet.You have cable internet. Note: DSL might also work, but will likely require contacting the phone company to disable interleaving; a technician might be dispatched to move copper wiring around to reduce line noise. Home networking(A) Main router that can be reached by Ethernet cable from computer without repeater/extenderIf you prefer to run a single cable for most of the length between the router and computer, use an Ethernet switch: Linksys SE3005 ($35) and an Ethernet cable that connects switch → router: 8' ($15) 14' ($20) 25' ($25) 50' ($38) 100' ($45) 150' ($55) |
(C) Computer on.COMPBoth audio and video will be on the computer. ≳ 4-core vintage 2015 laptop Core i7 (processor requirements can vary among applications)The processor need not carry the i7 moniker. For example a desktop quad-core Core i3-8100 @ 3.60 GHz and a laptop quad-core Core i7-8650U @ 1.90 GHz have comparable benchmarks. If a CPU has at least 4 cores and a benchmark at least in the 6200ish range, I think the CPU is fast enough for, for example, Soundjack (assuming some other process isn't hogging CPU). If your computer does not have an Ethernet port, use an Ethernet-to-USB adapter . Please pay attention to which type of connector, USB-C or USB-A, you'd like to use, and please check that you are happy with the number of USB expansion ports provided by the Ethernet-to-USB adapter you select. uni USB-C to Ethernet, 3 USB-A ($21) vilcome USB-C to ports including Ethernet, 3 USB-A ports, and a USB-C port with power delivery ($32) j5create JCA374 USB-C to Ethernet, 2 USB-A, HDMI ($50) j5create JUH470 USB-A to Ethernet, 3 USB-A ($35) (B) Ethernet cable to connect computer → router (or Ethernet switch): 8' ($15) 14' ($20) 25' ($25) 50' ($38) 100' ($45) 150' ($55) on.FMBSoundjack will run on a fastmusic box (FMB). The computer will be used for video. (D) Ethernet cable to connect FMB → router (or Ethernet switch):8' ($15) 14' ($20) 25' ($25) 50' ($38) 100' ($45) 150' ($55) (E) Fastmusic Box (FMB) Prebuilt ($268) Buy parts & assemble (~$190) on.JBSonoBus or Jamulus will run on a jambox. The computer will be used for video. (D) Ethernet cable to connect FMB → router (or Ethernet switch):8' ($15) 14' ($20) 25' ($25) 50' ($38) 100' ($45) 150' ($55) (Q) jambox For instructions and microSD card image, go to Kevin Doren's Jambox Github Project at https://github.com/kdoren/jambox-pi-gen. Prebuilt FMB + one additional microSD card for jambox disk image ($268 + $10)Buy and assemble physical parts for FMB (but don't buy fastmusic OS) (~$93)
(F,G) USB cable & Audio interface
Latency data are found at the Symonics website. For a mic, and possibly a monaural connection to a digital piano:Behringer UM2 ($45, MSRP $74) Scarlett Solo ($120, MSRP $150) For a mic, a stereo connection to a digital piano, and stereo connection to an iPhone's line-out: Yamaha AG03 Mk2 ($190, MSRP $216) Yamaha AG06 Mk2 ($230, MSRP $265) For 2 condenser mics in stereo (e.g. accompanist with acoustic piano): Scarlett 2i2 ($170, MSRP $210) Other: |
(G.X) XLR-to-3.5 mm Adaptor
Røde VXLR+ XLR-to-3.5 mm & Voltage Adaptor ($25) See Dr. Ian Howell's microphone advice.
(S) 3.5-mm plug mic /
(N) Open-back headphones As part of a chintzy headset ($24) Other (maybe a desktop mic from the 1990s?): See Dr. Howell's Soundjack guide pp. 60-62. ⚠ Do NOT check the checkbox immediately below if the checkbox for the same cheap headset is already checked in the microphone section of this shopping list. Headset so chintzy as to seem to be open-back ($24)If you plan to use a chintzy headset, you'll probably need a separate (G.Q) 1/4"-to-3.5 mm adaptor. Hosa GHP-105 1/4" to 3.5 mm Adaptor ($4)Actual open-back headphones (should come with 1/4"-to-3.5 mm adaptor, if needed) Philips SHP9500 ($75)Grado SR80e ($94) Grado SR60x ($99) Yamaha HPH-150B ($100) Grado SR80x ($125) Roland RH-A7 ($150) Other: |
Some FMBs are configured to power on upon connecting to wall power. If your FMB does not automatically power on upon connecting to wall power, click your FMB 's Power Button to turn your FMB ON.
Some Jamboxes are configured to power on upon connecting to wall power. If your Jambox does not automatically power on upon connecting to wall power, click your Jambox 's Power Button to turn your Jambox ON.
These instructions are for changing a Windows registry entry so that Soundjack can use Focusrite Scarlett USB audio interfaces with lower buffer settings (otherwise rhythmic interaction is not possible). The instructions are lightly adapted from Jörg Spix's post at Soundjack Support Form Post # 4780.
Home users will often be able to skip this section of settings, at least for their first test connection. Using the button below to reveal instructions for router settings can be useful if you are told to set up port-forwarding and/or quality of service (QoS).
Type of application | Example | Comment |
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File system indexer | macOS: Spotlight indexing (look for mds in Activity Monitor) Windows: Windows Search Indexer | macOS: You can wait until an index being built is built. Another option is to disable indexing. Windows: Kill search indexer (you can also permanently disable indexing). |
Cloud file storage synchronization | DropBox background synchronization and software updates | Quit DropBox |
Productivity/creativity suite maintenance | Adobe Creative Cloud background software updates | Quit Adobe Creative Cloud (might need to force quit) |
Malicious software scanner/remover | Malware Bytes | Quit Malware Bytes for duration of rehearsal |
Anti-virus package | Real-time scanning macOS 11 Big Sur: Bug related to camera/microphone monitoring in Sophos Anti-Virus package that causes excessive CPU usage |
Disable real-time scanning for duration of rehearsal macOS 11 Big Sur: (I think the Sophos bug is resolved now). |
If something gets messed up with the update process, you might be asked to leave the FMB on overnight (time zones of the Americas) so that an update can be attempted during the morning in Germany. In some situations, Christian Hoene at Symonics GmbH may try to arrange a time with you to work on your FMB remotely.
During the earliest phase of boot-up, the Ethernet indicator lights might not flicker very much.
Adapted from SJTG Preview image from Dr. Alex Carôt (permalink)
The rehearsal manager might request changes to this setting during rehearsal.
If Soundjack gives an "Audio not ready" error, you might try setting the sample buffer to "sample buffer: 256" and then back again to "sample buffer: 64".
The rehearsal manager might request changes to this setting during rehearsal.
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For each site to which you are connected, you can use any of the following strategies to choose an initial configuration for the jitter buffer. If you hear a lot of garbled audio, you can experiment further.
Remote user's network buffer (displayed in the "canister" in their row on the stage) | Suggested number of buffered packets for audio received from remote user |
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128 samples | 4 buffered packets |
256 samples | 2 buffered packets |
512 samples | 1 buffered packets |
This strategy is easy to use and prevents a runaway ratchet-like increase of the jitter buffer size, but this strategy will not automatically adjust the jitter buffer to accommodate mid-session variation in jitter.
Jitter buffer strategy B (also not necessarily optimal, but easy)
The automatic jitter buffer size will dynamically adjust based on network conditions.
As of 2022 January, the automatic jitter buffer adjustment can be tricked in certain situations into a runaway condition in which the jitter buffer size increases in a somewhat ratchet-like fashion leading to lower performance than achieved by the other options.
Remote user's network buffer (displayed in the "canister" in their row on the stage) | Suggested number of buffered packets for audio received from remote user |
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128 samples | 4 buffered packets |
256 samples | 2 buffered packets |
512 samples | 1 buffered packets |