aumix Command in Linux

Introduction to aumix on Ubuntu 22.04

This tutorial delves into the practical application of the aumix command-line tool on a Ubuntu 22.04 system. aumix empowers systemadmin users to fine-tune audio configurations, including volume modulation and toggling audio channel muting. We will begin with the installation of the aumix package, followed by manipulating the master volume and silencing or activating specific audio channels utilizing the aumix command.

Installing the aumix Package on Ubuntu 22.04

This section covers the installation procedure for the aumix package on an Ubuntu 22.04 operating system. The aumix command-line utility provides the capability to modify various audio parameters, such as adjusting sound levels and muting individual channels.

First, refresh the package index:

sudo apt-get update

Example output:

Hit:1 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu jammy InRelease
Get:2 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu jammy-security InRelease [110 kB]
Get:3 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu jammy-updates InRelease [114 kB]
Get:4 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu jammy-backports InRelease [99.8 kB]
Fetched 324 kB in 1s (324 kB/s)
Reading package lists... Done

Next, proceed with installing the aumix package:

sudo apt update
sudo apt-get install -y aumix

Example output:

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
The following additional packages will be installed:
  libgtk2.0-0 libgtk2.0-common
Suggested packages:
  aumix-gtk
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  aumix libgtk2.0-0 libgtk2.0-common
0 upgraded, 3 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 1,112 kB of archives.
After this operation, 3,394 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] Y
Get:1 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu jammy/main amd64 libgtk2.0-common all 2.24.33-1ubuntu1 [156 kB]
Get:2 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu jammy/main amd64 libgtk2.0-0 amd64 2.24.33-1ubuntu1 [519 kB]
Get:3 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu jammy/main amd64 aumix amd64 2.9.1-6 [437 kB]
Fetched 1,112 kB in 1s (1,112 kB/s)
Selecting previously unselected package libgtk2.0-common.
(Reading database ... 14550 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../libgtk2.0-common_2.24.33-1ubuntu1_all.deb ...
Unpacking libgtk2.0-common (2.24.33-1ubuntu1) ...
Selecting previously unselected package libgtk2.0-0:amd64.
Preparing to unpack .../libgtk2.0-0_2.24.33-1ubuntu1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libgtk2.0-0:amd64 (2.24.33-1ubuntu1) ...
Selecting previously unselected package aumix.
Preparing to unpack .../aumix_2.9.1-6_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking aumix (2.9.1-6) ...
Setting up libgtk2.0-common (2.24.33-1ubuntu1) ...
Setting up libgtk2.0-0:amd64 (2.24.33-1ubuntu1) ...
Setting up aumix (2.9.1-6) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.10.2-1) ...
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.35-0ubuntu3) ...

The aumix package is now successfully installed on your Ubuntu 22.04 system.

Adjusting the Master Volume Level Using aumix

This section demonstrates how to leverage the aumix command to control the master volume level on your Ubuntu 22.04 machine.

First, ascertain the current master volume setting:

aumix -v

Example output:

Master volume: 100%

To modify the master volume, employ the -v option in conjunction with the desired volume percentage (ranging from 0 to 100):

sudo aumix -v 50

Example output:

Master volume: 50%

Alternatively, utilize the + and - operators to incrementally raise or lower the volume:

sudo aumix -v +10

Example output:

Master volume: 60%
sudo aumix -v -20

Example output:

Master volume: 40%

Experiment with different volume settings to identify the ideal level for your listening experience.

Muting and Unmuting Audio Channels with aumix

This section provides instructions on muting and unmuting individual audio channels using the aumix command within a Linux environment.

First, list all available audio channels within the system:

aumix -c

Example output:

Channels:
  Master  (volume:  50%)
  PCM     (volume: 100%)
  CD      (volume: 100%)
  Line    (volume: 100%)
  Mic     (volume: 100%)
  PC Speaker (volume: 100%)

To silence a particular channel, invoke the -m option followed by the channel's name. You may need root privileges:

sudo aumix -m PCM

Example output:

PCM     (volume:   0%)

To reinstate the channel's audio output, utilize the -u option:

sudo aumix -u PCM

Example output:

PCM     (volume: 100%)

aumix is capable of toggling the mute status of multiple channels simultaneously:

sudo aumix -m "Mic PC Speaker" -u "CD Line"

Example output:

Mic     (volume:   0%)
PC Speaker (volume:   0%)
CD      (volume: 100%)
Line    (volume: 100%)

Explore the functionality of muting and unmuting different audio channels to configure your sound environment as needed.

Summary

In this lab exercise, we successfully installed the aumix package on Ubuntu 22.04, providing a versatile command-line interface for managing audio settings. We also demonstrated how to use aumix to modify the master volume and independently mute or unmute specific audio channels. These procedures provide system users and administrators with a simple means to control the system's sound output, especially helpful when a graphical user interface is not available or desired. A systemadmin familiar with aumix can quickly adjust volume and mute settings on a Linux server.

400+ Linux Commands