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SPECIFICTION
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Qtractor

qtractor.org

Free plan Linux
Visit qtractor.org
Spec score 8.4 #24 of 131 in Audio Editing Software

What it is

Qtractor is a Linux desktop application for multitrack audio and MIDI sequencing and recording, aimed especially at personal home studios. Its non-destructive, non-linear editing supports unlimited tracks, overlapping clips, and unlimited undo and redo. Audio clips can use fades, cross-fades, gain, normalization, export, time-stretching, and pitch-shifting. MIDI work includes a piano-roll editor, Standard MIDI file formats 0 and 1, controller mapping, and SysEx setups. Qtractor supports OGG, MP3 playback, WAV, FLAC, and AIFF, as well as LADSPA, DSSI, VST2, VST3, LV2, and CLAP plugins. It uses JACK for audio and ALSA for MIDI and includes connection patchbay controls. Tracks can be mixed down, rendered, and merged; session and project descriptions are stored in XML files. Qtractor is free, open-source software under the GNU General Public License version 2 or later. The site lists version 1.6.4, released 2026-09-06, and provides binary downloads and CMake build instructions. The project says bugs remain while describing the software as production/stable.

Spec sheet

What it does
Qtractor is a Linux desktop audio and MIDI multi-track sequencer aimed especially at personal home studios.Read 11 Oct 2026 · qtractor.org
Product
Qtractor is a Linux desktop application for multitrack audio and MIDI sequencing and recording, aimed at personal home studios.Read 11 Oct 2026 · qtractor.org
Free plan
YesRead 21 Sep 2026 · qtractor.org
Integrations
Qtractor uses JACK for audio and ALSA for MIDI, and supports JACK transport synchronization and sessions, NSM, MMC, and MIDI Clock/SPP.Read 11 Oct 2026 · qtractor.org
Support
The project directs users to its SourceForge project page for bug reports, feature requests, forums, mailing lists, and development matters.Read 11 Oct 2026 · qtractor.org
License
It is free, open-source software distributed under the GNU General Public License version 2 or later.Read 11 Oct 2026 · qtractor.org
Founded
2005Read 28 Sep 2026 · qtractor.org
Additional capabilities
Features include a MIDI piano-roll editor, automation, clip fades, audio time-stretching and pitch-shifting, and track export.Read 11 Oct 2026 · qtractor.org
Audio and MIDI connections
It uses JACK for audio and ALSA for MIDI, and includes connection patchbay controls.Read 11 Oct 2026 · qtractor.org
Audio formats
Supported audio formats include OGG, MP3 playback, WAV, FLAC, and AIFF.Read 11 Oct 2026 · qtractor.org
Audio tools
Audio clips support fades, cross-fades, gain, normalization, export, time-stretching, and pitch-shifting.Read 11 Oct 2026 · qtractor.org
Current release
The site lists version 1.6.4, released 2026-09-06 as a Late-Summer'26 Hotfix Release.Read 11 Oct 2026 · qtractor.org
Downloads
The site lists version 1.6.4, dated 2026-09-06, as its latest release and links to downloadable binary packages on SourceForge.Read 11 Oct 2026 · qtractor.org
Editing
It supports non-destructive, non-linear editing, unlimited tracks and overlapping clips, and unlimited undo and redo.Read 11 Oct 2026 · qtractor.org
Exports and sessions
It supports audio and MIDI track mix-down, rendering, and merging, and stores session or project descriptions in XML files.Read 11 Oct 2026 · qtractor.org
Installation
The site provides instructions to build from source with CMake and install the result.Read 11 Oct 2026 · qtractor.org
Known limits
The maker says bugs remain, while considering Qtractor to be in a production/stable phase.Read 11 Oct 2026 · qtractor.org
Known status
The site says bugs remain but considers Qtractor to be in a production/stable phase.Read 11 Oct 2026 · qtractor.org
Linux requirements
The listed mandatory build/runtime requirements include Qt, JACK, ALSA, libsndfile, and LADSPA.Read 11 Oct 2026 · qtractor.org
MIDI tools
It includes a MIDI clip editor, supports Standard MIDI file formats 0 and 1, and provides MIDI controller mapping and SysEx setups.Read 11 Oct 2026 · qtractor.org
Plugins
It supports LADSPA, DSSI, VST2, VST3, LV2, and CLAP plugins.Read 11 Oct 2026 · qtractor.org
Recording and editing
It supports multi-track audio and MIDI sequencing and recording, with non-destructive, non-linear editing.Read 11 Oct 2026 · qtractor.org
Track limits
The feature list states that sessions can have unlimited tracks and tracks can have unlimited overlapping clips.Read 11 Oct 2026 · qtractor.org

Plans and prices

Qtractor Free Free, open-source software · GPL version 2 or later Read 11 Oct 2026 · qtractor.org

Every Qtractor plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Supports unlimited tracks and overlapping clips.
  • Includes audio time-stretching and pitch-shifting.
  • Supports LADSPA, DSSI, VST2, VST3, LV2, and CLAP plugins.
  • Free and open source under GPL version 2 or later.

Limits

  • Runs on Linux.
  • The project says bugs remain.
  • Build and runtime requirements include Qt, JACK, and ALSA.

Who it suits

Qtractor suits Linux users recording and arranging audio and MIDI, particularly in personal home studios. Its plugin support and JACK and ALSA connections may also suit users working with those formats and systems.

Verdict

Qtractor provides extensive audio and MIDI editing, plugin support, and track handling for Linux studios. The project describes it as production/stable while acknowledging that bugs remain.

Where Specifiction places it

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