Shamusworld >> Repos - ardour-manual/blob - include/about-ardours-interface.html

   1 ---
   2 title: Ardour's Interface
   3 ---
   4
   5 <p>
   6   In Ardour, work is done in two main windows: the <dfn>Editor</dfn> and the
   7   <dfn>Mixer</dfn>.
   8 </p>
   9
  10 <figure style="width:100%;">
  11
  12   <div class="container" style="float:left; width: 600px; height: 347px; background-image: url('/images/Split_Backgroundeditor.png');">
  13                         <a href="/ardours-interface/main-menu/" alt="Main Menu"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 0px; top: 11px; width: 297px; height: 13px; background-image: url('/images/Split_MainMenu.png');"></div></a>
  14                         <a href="/ardours-interface/status-bar/" alt="Status Bar"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 297px; top: 11px; width: 303px; height: 13px; background-image: url('/images/Split_StatusBar.png');"></div></a>
  15                         <a href="/ardours-interface/the-transport-bar/" alt="Transport"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 0px; top: 24px; width: 86px; height: 24px; background-image: url('/images/Split_Transport.png');"></div></a>
  16                         <a href="/ardours-interface/selection-and-punch-clocks/" alt="Record and Punch Options"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 86px; top: 24px; width: 50px; height: 24px; background-image: url('/images/Split_RecordandPunchOptions.png');"></div></a>
  17                         <a href="/ardours-interface/status-indicators/#monitor-options" alt="Monitor Options"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 136px; top: 24px; width: 46px; height: 24px; background-image: url('/images/Split_MonitorOptions.png');"></div></a>
  18                         <a href="/ardours-interface/status-indicators/#playhead_options" alt="Playhead Options"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 182px; top: 24px; width: 43px; height: 24px; background-image: url('/images/Split_PlayheadOptions.png');"></div></a>
  19                         <a href="/ardours-interface/transport-clocks/" alt="Clocks"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 225px; top: 24px; width: 154px; height: 24px; background-image: url('/images/Split_Clocks.png');"></div></a>
  20                         <a href="/ardours-interface/status-indicators/#status_indicators" alt="Status Indicators"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 379px; top: 24px; width: 23px; height: 24px; background-image: url('/images/Split_StatusIndicators.png');"></div></a>
  21                         <a href="/ardours-interface/selection-and-punch-clocks/" alt="Selection Clock"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 402px; top: 24px; width: 55px; height: 24px; background-image: url('/images/Split_SelectionClock.png');"></div></a>
  22                         <a href="/ardours-interface/mini-timeline/" alt="Navigation Timeline"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 457px; top: 24px; width: 90px; height: 24px; background-image: url('/images/Split_NavigationTimeline.png');"></div></a>
  23                         <a href="/ardours-interface/status-indicators/#mode_selector" alt="Level, Mode, Scripts"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 547px; top: 24px; width: 53px; height: 24px; background-image: url('/images/Split_LevelModeScripts.png');"></div></a>
  24                         <a href="/ardours-interface/audio-midi-mixer-strips/" alt="a Mixer Strip"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 0px; top: 48px; width: 43px; height: 299px; background-image: url('/images/Split_aMixerStrip.png');"></div></a>
  25                         <a href="/ardours-interface/the-toolbox/" alt="Toolbox"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 43px; top: 48px; width: 112px; height: 14px; background-image: url('/images/Split_Toolbox.png');"></div></a>
  26                         <a href="/ardours-interface/the-zoom-controls/" alt="Zoom Controls"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 155px; top: 48px; width: 111px; height: 14px; background-image: url('/images/Split_ZoomControls.png');"></div></a>
  27                         <a href="/ardours-interface/the-grid-controls/" alt="Grid Controls"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 266px; top: 48px; width: 90px; height: 14px; background-image: url('/images/Split_GridControls.png');"></div></a>
  28                         <a href="/ardours-interface/the-edit-point-control/" alt="Edit Point"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 356px; top: 48px; width: 40px; height: 14px; background-image: url('/images/Split_EditPoint.png');"></div></a>
  29                         <a href="/ardours-interface/the-nudge-controls/" alt="Nudge Controls"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 396px; top: 48px; width: 61px; height: 14px; background-image: url('/images/Split_NudgeControls.png');"></div></a>
  30                         <a href="/ardours-interface/selection-and-punch-clocks/" alt="Selection and Punch Clocks"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 498px; top: 62px; width: 102px; height: 26px; background-image: url('/images/Split_SelectionandPunchClocks.png');"></div></a>
  31                         <a href="/ardours-interface/editor-lists/" alt="Editor Lists"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 498px; top: 88px; width: 102px; height: 259px; background-image: url('/images/Split_EditorLists.png');"></div></a>
  32                         <a href="/ardours-interface/the-ruler/" alt="Ruler"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 43px; top: 62px; width: 455px; height: 49px; background-image: url('/images/Split_Ruler.png');"></div></a>
  33                         <a href="/ardours-interface/the-summary/" alt="Summary"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 43px; top: 295px; width: 455px; height: 52px; background-image: url('/images/Split_Summary.png');"></div></a>
  34                         <div class="hoverimg" style="left: 43px; top: 110px; width: 7px; height: 185px; background-image: url('/images/Split_GroupTabs.png');"></div>
  35                         <div class="hoverimg" style="left: 50px; top: 110px; width: 448px; height: 26px; background-image: url('/images/Split_MasterBus.png');"></div>
  36                         <div class="hoverimg" style="left: 50px; top: 136px; width: 448px; height: 27px; background-image: url('/images/Split_anAudioTrack.png');"></div>
  37                         <div class="hoverimg" style="left: 50px; top: 163px; width: 448px; height: 26px; background-image: url('/images/Split_someAutomation.png');"></div>
  38                         <div class="hoverimg" style="left: 50px; top: 189px; width: 448px; height: 27px; background-image: url('/images/Split_anotherAudioTrack.png');"></div>
  39                         <div class="hoverimg" style="left: 50px; top: 215px; width: 448px; height: 26px; background-image: url('/images/Split_aMIDITrack.png');"></div>
  40                         <div class="hoverimg" style="left: 50px; top: 242px; width: 448px; height: 54px; background-image: url('/images/Split_anotherMIDITrack.png');"></div>
  41                 </div>
  42
  43   <div class="container" style="margin-left:10px; float:left; width: 600px; height: 347px; background-image: url('/images/Split_Background.png');">
  44                         <a href="/ardours-interface/main-menu/" alt="Main Menu"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 0px; top: 11px; width: 297px; height: 13px; background-image: url('/images/Split_MainMenu.png');"></div></a>
  45                         <a href="/ardours-interface/status-bar/" alt="Status Bar"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 297px; top: 11px; width: 303px; height: 13px; background-image: url('/images/Split_StatusBar.png');"></div></a>
  46                         <a href="/ardours-interface/the-transport-bar/" alt="Transport"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 0px; top: 24px; width: 86px; height: 24px; background-image: url('/images/Split_Transport.png');"></div></a>
  47                         <a href="/ardours-interface/selection-and-punch-clocks/" alt="Record and Punch Options"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 86px; top: 24px; width: 50px; height: 24px; background-image: url('/images/Split_RecordandPunchOptions.png');"></div></a>
  48                         <a href="/ardours-interface/status-indicators/#monitor-options" alt="Monitor Options"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 136px; top: 24px; width: 46px; height: 24px; background-image: url('/images/Split_MonitorOptions.png');"></div></a>
  49                         <a href="/ardours-interface/status-indicators/#playhead_options" alt="Playhead Options"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 182px; top: 24px; width: 43px; height: 24px; background-image: url('/images/Split_PlayheadOptions.png');"></div></a>
  50                         <a href="/ardours-interface/transport-clocks/" alt="Clocks"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 225px; top: 24px; width: 154px; height: 24px; background-image: url('/images/Split_Clocks.png');"></div></a>
  51                         <a href="/ardours-interface/status-indicators/#status_indicators" alt="Status Indicators"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 379px; top: 24px; width: 23px; height: 24px; background-image: url('/images/Split_StatusIndicators.png');"></div></a>
  52                         <a href="/ardours-interface/selection-and-punch-clocks/" alt="Selection Clock"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 402px; top: 24px; width: 55px; height: 24px; background-image: url('/images/Split_SelectionClock.png');"></div></a>
  53                         <a href="/ardours-interface/mini-timeline/" alt="Navigation Timeline"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 457px; top: 24px; width: 90px; height: 24px; background-image: url('/images/Split_NavigationTimeline.png');"></div></a>
  54                         <a href="/ardours-interface/status-indicators/#mode_selector" alt="Level, Mode, Scripts"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 547px; top: 24px; width: 53px; height: 24px; background-image: url('/images/Split_LevelModeScripts.png');"></div></a>
  55                         <a href="/ardours-interface/favorite-plugins-window/" alt="Favorite Plugins"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 0px; top: 48px; width: 66px; height: 122px; background-image: url('/images/Split_FavoritePlugins.png');"></div></a>
  56                         <a href="/ardours-interface/the-strips-list/" alt="Strips List"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 0px; top: 170px; width: 66px; height: 88px; background-image: url('/images/Split_StripsList.png');"></div></a>
  57                         <a href="/ardours-interface/the-groups-list/" alt="Groups List"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 0px; top: 257px; width: 66px; height: 90px; background-image: url('/images/Split_GroupsList.png');"></div></a>
  58                         <div class="hoverimg" style="left: 66px; top: 48px; width: 363px; height: 9px; background-image: url('/images/Split_GroupsTabs.png');"></div>
  59                         <a href="/ardours-interface/the-master-bus-strip/" alt="Master Strip"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 490px; top: 48px; width: 46px; height: 299px; background-image: url('/images/Split_MasterStrip.png');"></div></a>
  60                         <a href="/ardours-interface/the-monitor-section/" alt="Monitor Section"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 536px; top: 48px; width: 64px; height: 299px; background-image: url('/images/Split_MonitorSection.png');"></div></a>
  61                         <a href="/ardours-interface/control-masters/" alt="Control Masters Strips"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 429px; top: 48px; width: 61px; height: 299px; background-image: url('/images/Split_ControlMastersStrips.png');"></div></a>
  62                         <a href="/ardours-interface/busses-mixer-strips/" alt="a Bus Strip"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 373px; top: 57px; width: 43px; height: 290px; background-image: url('/images/Split_aBusStrip.png');"></div></a>
  63                         <a href="/ardours-interface/audio-midi-mixer-strips/" alt="an Audio Strip"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 66px; top: 57px; width: 45px; height: 290px; background-image: url('/images/Split_anAudioStrip.png');"></div></a>
  64                         <a href="/ardours-interface/audio-midi-mixer-strips/" alt="a MIDI Strip"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 155px; top: 57px; width: 43px; height: 290px; background-image: url('/images/Split_aMIDIStrip.png');"></div></a>
  65                 </div>
  66
  67   <!--<figcaption>
  68                 <ol class="multicol3">
  69                         <li>Main menu</li>
  70                         <li>Status bar</li>
  71     </ol><ol class="multicol3" start="3">
  72                         <li>Transport bar and Times</li>
  73                         <li>Mode switch</li>
  74     </ol><ol class="multicol3" start="5">
  75                         <li>The <dfn>Mixer</dfn> window</li>
  76                         <li>The <dfn>Editor</dfn> window</li>
  77                 </ol>
  78         </figcaption>-->
  79   <figcaption>
  80                 The Editor and Mixer windows. Click on a section to access its description.
  81         </figcaption>
  82 </figure>
  83
  84 <p>
  85   The Editor and the Mixer share the same toolbar (the top of the window). The sections displayed
  86   in this toolbar can be customized to the user's workflow, by checking options in
  87   <kbd class="menu">Preferences &gt; Appearance &gt; Toolbar</kbd>.
  88 </p>
  89
  90 <p>
  91   Switching between the Editor and the Mixer windows is done :
  92 </p>
  93 <ul>
  94         <li>with the <a href="/ardours-interface/status-indicators/#mode_selector">Mode Selector buttons</a> in the upper right</li>
  95         <li>with the <kbd class="mod2">M</kbd> shortcut</li>
  96         <li>with the menu <kbd class="menu">Window &gt; Editor <em>(or Mixer)</em> &gt; Show</kbd>.</li>
  97 </ul>
  98
  99 <p>
 100   Both windows can be visible at the same time (eg. for a multi-monitor
 101   setup) using <kbd class="menu">Window &gt; Editor <em>(or Mixer)</em> &gt; Detach</kbd> option in the same submenu.
 102 </p>
 103
 104 <h2>The Editor</h2>
 105
 106 <p>
 107   The <dfn>Editor</dfn> window includes the editor track <dfn>canvas</dfn>
 108   where audio and MIDI data can be arranged along a timeline. This is the
 109   window where editing and arranging a project is done. The window
 110   has a general "horizontal" sense to it: the timeline flows from left to
 111   right, the playhead showing the current position in the session moves
 112   from left to right &mdash; the window really represents <dfn>time</dfn>
 113   in a fairly literal way.
 114 </p>
 115 <p>
 116   It is possible to show a single channel strip in the editor window, and
 117   some people find this enough to work on mixing without actually opening
 118   the mixer window. Most of the time though, both of these windows will be
 119   needed at various stages of a session's lifetime.
 120 </p>
 121
 122 <h2>The Mixer</h2>
 123
 124 <p>
 125   The <dfn>Mixer</dfn> window represents signal flow and is the window that will
 126   probably be used most when mixing a session. It
 127   includes <dfn>channel strips</dfn> for each track and bus in the session.
 128   It has a general "vertical" sense to it: signals flow from the top of each
 129   channel strip through the processing elements in the strip to reach the
 130   output listed at the bottom.
 131 </p>
 132 <p>
 133   To learn more about the process of mixing, see <a href="/mixing/">Mixing<a>.
 134 </p>
 135
 136
 137 {% children %}