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Qtractor
Qtractor · founded 2005
What it is
Qtractor is a Linux desktop application for recording and sequencing audio and MIDI, with personal home studios as its stated focus. It supports non-destructive, non-linear editing, unlimited tracks and overlapping clips, and unlimited undo and redo. Audio tools include fades, cross-fades, gain adjustment, normalization, export, time-stretching, and pitch-shifting. For MIDI, it includes a clip editor and piano roll, with support for Standard MIDI files in formats 0 and 1, controller mapping, and SysEx setups. Supported audio formats include OGG, MP3 playback, WAV, FLAC, and AIFF; plugins include LADSPA, DSSI, VST2, VST3, LV2, and CLAP. Qtractor uses JACK for audio and ALSA for MIDI and includes connection patchbay controls. It can mix down, render, and merge audio and MIDI tracks, with project descriptions stored in XML files. The software is free and open source under the GNU General Public License version 2 or later. The listed latest release is version 1.6.4, dated 2026-09-06. The project says bugs remain while describing Qtractor as production/stable.
For and against
For
- Unlimited tracks and overlapping clips
- Unlimited undo and redo
- Supports VST3 and CLAP plugins
- Includes time-stretching and pitch-shifting
- Free, open-source software under GPL version 2 or later
Against
- Linux platform only
- The project says bugs remain
- Build requirements include Qt, JACK, ALSA, libsndfile, and LADSPA
The verdict
Qtractor brings audio and MIDI sequencing, recording, editing, and export tools together in a free Linux application. Its broad plugin and connection support comes with Linux-specific requirements, and the project acknowledges that bugs remain.
Who it suits
Qtractor suits Linux users building a personal home studio who need audio and MIDI recording, sequencing, and editing. Its plugin support and JACK/ALSA connections may also suit users integrating it into an existing Linux audio setup.
Plans and prices
Qtractor
Free, open-source software · GPL version 2 or later
Read 11 Oct 2026 · qtractor.org
On the record
- Additional capabilities
- Features include a MIDI piano-roll editor, automation, clip fades, audio time-stretching and pitch-shifting, and track export.qtractor.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Audio and MIDI connections
- It uses JACK for audio and ALSA for MIDI, and includes connection patchbay controls.qtractor.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Audio formats
- Supported audio formats include OGG, MP3 playback, WAV, FLAC, and AIFF.qtractor.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Audio tools
- Audio clips support fades, cross-fades, gain, normalization, export, time-stretching, and pitch-shifting.qtractor.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Current release
- The site lists version 1.6.4, released 2026-09-06 as a Late-Summer'26 Hotfix Release.qtractor.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Downloads
- The site lists version 1.6.4, dated 2026-09-06, as its latest release and links to downloadable binary packages on SourceForge.qtractor.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Editing
- It supports non-destructive, non-linear editing, unlimited tracks and overlapping clips, and unlimited undo and redo.qtractor.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Exports and sessions
- It supports audio and MIDI track mix-down, rendering, and merging, and stores session or project descriptions in XML files.qtractor.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Installation
- The site provides instructions to build from source with CMake and install the result.qtractor.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- Qtractor uses JACK for audio and ALSA for MIDI, and supports JACK transport synchronization and sessions, NSM, MMC, and MIDI Clock/SPP.qtractor.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Known limits
- The maker says bugs remain, while considering Qtractor to be in a production/stable phase.qtractor.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Known status
- The site says bugs remain but considers Qtractor to be in a production/stable phase.qtractor.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- License
- It is free, open-source software distributed under the GNU General Public License version 2 or later.qtractor.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Linux requirements
- The listed mandatory build/runtime requirements include Qt, JACK, ALSA, libsndfile, and LADSPA.qtractor.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- MIDI tools
- It includes a MIDI clip editor, supports Standard MIDI file formats 0 and 1, and provides MIDI controller mapping and SysEx setups.qtractor.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Plugins
- It supports LADSPA, DSSI, VST2, VST3, LV2, and CLAP plugins.qtractor.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Product
- Qtractor is a Linux desktop application for multitrack audio and MIDI sequencing and recording, aimed at personal home studios.qtractor.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Recording and editing
- It supports multi-track audio and MIDI sequencing and recording, with non-destructive, non-linear editing.qtractor.org · read 11 Oct 2026
