Linux Multimedia Hacks

Manage Your Audio with XMMS

XMMS is a classic Linux audio player you can use to easily play a number of different audio file types.

A number of audio players are available under Linux, but XMMS is a classic that you are likely to find available no matter which Linux distribution you use. XMMShas an interface similar to Winamp under Windows and can play most popular audio formats, including MP3, WAV, Ogg Vorbis, and audio CDs, along with many other formats, if you install the proper input plug-in.

The default XMMS interface has controls to play, pause, stop, and skip forward and backward in your playlist—believe me, they’re all there, just very tiny. To open the playlist editor, click the button labeled PL on the interface, right-click on XMMS, and select Playlist Editor, or type Ctrl-E. Within the playlist editor, you can add, delete, arrange, and sort tracks. To add tracks, select the add button and browse to the directory, or simply drag and drop files from your file manager onto the playlist. You can also save playlists you have created so that you can refer to them later. All playlist options that are available via buttons on the bottom of the interface can also be accessed if you right-click on the playlist. The audio settings are adjusted with the equalizer. To display the equalizer, click the EQ button next to the PL button on the interface, right-click, and select Graphical EQ, or type the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-G.

Tip

XMMS supports streaming audio. To add a streaming audio ...