This is just an inspiration thread of what's possible with the latest armv7l build of REAPER:


This is REAPER running inside IceWM, lightweight desktop environment directed through VNCserver.
Installed distro is Ubuntu - this was done using Linux Deploy app on Android.
This REAPER session is taking 1.2% of my phone's 3.5GB RAM.
Phone - rooted and unlocked Redmi 4 Note with custom rom

Sound is still not working well (Android is on priority for alsa devices), but that's only matter of time...

To run REAPER as above, you might need latest qt libraries installed.

 

Hopefully one day Android solve the sound and latency questions...

 

Simple workaround is to plug in UAC1/UAC2 compatible audio interface and disable Android autodetection (auto routing)
Then it could be accessed from chrooted environment directly with no latency

Actually the above example is accessing msm8953 audio device directly, I have to test the latency, but it's running fine with 512s

 

Last edited: Jul 31, 2018

Like this one? Zoom UAC 2 Interface ?
512 is a lot for recording. But this solution is ok for editing.

 

Yes, this one might work, although in this context I meant Universal Audio Controller which generally doesn't need proprietary drivers.
Just a quick test revealed that even 128 samples is possible.
Bear in mind there's no kernel streaming as with Win, so 512 here is in effect (much) lower latency than on Win.

Problem with armv7l for audio is very limited selection of plugins. But still, some LV2 could be compiled, but REAPER doesn't support LV2 yet.
With VST 2.4 SDK discontinued by steinberg, unofficial ports to arm might become reality.

 

I've got some decent results with audio evolution on Android. I've only used it with MIDI keyboard, no soundcard. Fruity loops is the worst in latency. I hope they port native version of reaper to Android. I know Steinberg gave up on Android due to latency, which sucks.

http://www.extreamsd.com/index.php/products/audio-evolution-mobile-for-android

 

Yes I remember I tried this one on my older tablet.That was ok for sketching.

Which MIDI Keyboard?

 

Samson graphite 25 with Huawei mediapad T3

 

Inherent audio latency issues on Android could be rectified by alternative initialization (jackrc, RT alsa), but that would require rooted device. And as majority of manufacturers and devs are against rooting (dubious reasons sometimes), progress is slow.

But it's very clear that Android Audio System seriously need a huge overhaul, with support for loopback.

 

Last edited: Jul 31, 2018

And that's the point why musicians rather use iPads or Intel-based tablets, if any.
Audio latency on Android has been an issue since its first days, and after so many years of promises and waiting, I gave up and went iOS, mostly for quick sketching, groovebox-style composition and synth experiments. If you really want your DAW on a tablet, there are much better Intel-based tablets available too.

Anyway, I found this Reaper proof of concept quite exciting!

 

Shit I didn't even realize...they make phones with that much ram =P

I feel like I should know how much mine has. I'm content with it though.

I always thought that It be cool to be able to use my phone to control DVS on Traktor. Maybe there's a way I just haven't been bored enough to figure it out.

I remember years ago seeing a proof of concept Windows phone online somewhere connected to peripheral devices (monitor mouse and keyboard) and it had 8gb of ram and thought that was the future where everyone just puts their phone on some kind of docking station to use it in "PC" mode.

 

Just did a quick DAW benchmark on my phone. My Snapdragon 625 (8 cores A53, 2.0GHz each) could manage 25 instances of ReaVerb convolution reverb on 2048 samples latency (non-RT) reliably with 85% load.
Have to check how many instances I can run on my PCs...

ReaVerb settings below:

 

It is now 2023 and I have been experimenting with Linux (Manjaro) on Proot/Termux on a samsung S8+ tablet with Reaper. Things have moved a bit since these earlier posts and I wanted to restart the dialog as these more powerful Android tablets seem to offer the possibility of Reaper on the move (albeit via Linix on Android).

I have sound working perfectly and latency no issue yet. Except I can't get MIDI working at all (USB novation Launchpad mini). The Launchpad is recognised in Android, but on FL Mobile it works as an input, but the midi recorded doesn't play back any sound. On Audio Evolution Mobile its recognised in the settings but no output is heard when its the input. Works on Caustic.

So getting back to Reaper on Linux on Android; does anyone with clevers any suggestion to get MIDI working in the Linux Proot environment. This would be my Holy Grail if I could just get the Launchpad to be recognised (and work of course!).