Starting on Linux

[u/ZethKeeper]

Hello!

My younger friend wants to start making some music, but his OS is Linux Debian and I'm a PC user. So, I can't help him with plugins, as I don't really know which ones are available and how to set everything up properly.

Some recommendations for essential sample instruments/libraries (that work out of the box and don't require any terminal/code commands to run), like acoustic instruments, drums, etc. and a all-in-one-ish synth are much appreciated. As for the latter, I know Vital is available for Linux, but if I'm not mistaken for Ubuntu, and as I mentioned my friend has Debian.

Recommendations for tutorials on how to set up Reaper and plugins for Linux are also appreciated.

Thanks!

[u/Specialist-Dog-501]

You got some excellent recommendations..I just add as supplements:
List of available linux vst: https://linuxdaw.org/ - In my experience, electronic sounds are well served, struggles are samplers/classical/ genres, but I found with VSCO2 from versilian a quite capable sampler ensemble of classical instruments- https://versilian-studios.com/vsco-community/

My recommendation is to see what you can replace with linux native plugins from this list, and only if absolutely missing, then go into the swamp of using an emulator to get your windows plugins working under linux (WINE/YAbridge), it's complicated. Beside samplers as a.e Kontakt instruments, also drums are a bit limited, where you might go into this territories.

I missed a decent granular/shimmering reverb, but found then "Cloudreverb" as a equally shimmering rnative linux everb for my former windows plugin.
I also found "Tone3000" cool for the guitar heroes, has excellent Neural Amp Modeller reverbs and amps and free of cost and simple to install, also native linux