3 In Ardour, work is done in two main windows: the <dfn>Editor</dfn> and the
4 <dfn>Mixer</dfn>. A third view, the <dfn>Recorder</dfn>, is dedicated to
8 <figure style="width:100%;">
9 <img src="/images/editor_map.png" alt="The Editor window" usemap="#editor_map" width="600" height="325">
10 <map name="editor_map">
11 <area shape="rect" coords="0,0,336,8" href="@@main-menu" />
12 <area shape="rect" coords="336,0,600,8" href="@@status-bar" />
13 <area shape="rect" coords="0,8,68,28" href="@@transport-bar" />
14 <area shape="rect" coords="68,8,108,28" href="@@selection-and-punch-clocks" />
15 <area shape="rect" coords="108,8,196,28" href="@@other-toolbar-items#latency-compensation-info" />
16 <area shape="rect" coords="196,8,228,28" href="@@other-toolbar-items#playhead_options" />
17 <area shape="rect" coords="228,8,348,28" href="@@transport-clocks" />
18 <area shape="rect" coords="348,8,368,28" href="@@other-toolbar-items#status_indicators" />
19 <area shape="rect" coords="368,8,384,28" href="@@other-toolbar-items#monitor_section_info" />
20 <area shape="rect" coords="384,8,428,28" href="@@selection-and-punch-clocks" />
21 <area shape="rect" coords="428,8,552,28" href="@@mini-timeline" />
22 <area shape="rect" coords="552,8,600,28" href="@@other-toolbar-items#mode_selector" />
23 <area shape="rect" coords="0,28,36,324" href="@@audiomidi-mixer-strips" />
24 <area shape="rect" coords="36,28,144,36" href="@@toolbox" />
25 <area shape="rect" coords="144,28,188,36" href="@@grid-controls" />
26 <area shape="rect" coords="188,28,240,36" href="@@nudge-controls" />
27 <area shape="rect" coords="516,28,600,36" href="@@zoom-controls" />
28 <area shape="rect" coords="476,36,600,60" href="@@selection-and-punch-clocks" />
29 <area shape="rect" coords="476,60,600,324" href="@@editor-lists" />
30 <area shape="rect" coords="36,36,476,76" href="@@ruler" />
31 <area shape="rect" coords="36,296,476,324" href="@@summary" />
32 <area shape="rect" coords="36,76,44,296" href="@@track-and-bus-groups" />
33 <area shape="rect" coords="44,136,476,156" href="@@audio-track-controls" />
34 <area shape="rect" coords="44,96,476,136" href="@@midi-track-controls" />
35 <area shape="rect" coords="44,156,476,176" href="@@automation" />
36 <area shape="rect" coords="44,176,476,196" href="@@audio-track-controls" />
37 <area shape="rect" coords="44,196,476,236" href="@@bus-controls" />
38 <area shape="rect" coords="44,236,476,296" href="@@control-masters-mixer-strips" />
41 <img src="/images/mixer_map.png" alt="The Mixer window" usemap="#mixer_map" width="600" height="325">
42 <map name="mixer_map">
43 <area shape="rect" coords="0,0,336,8" href="@@main-menu" />
44 <area shape="rect" coords="336,0,600,8" href="@@status-bar" />
45 <area shape="rect" coords="0,8,68,28" href="@@transport-bar" />
46 <area shape="rect" coords="68,8,108,28" href="@@selection-and-punch-clocks" />
47 <area shape="rect" coords="108,8,196,28" href="@@other-toolbar-items#latency-compensation-info" />
48 <area shape="rect" coords="196,8,228,28" href="@@other-toolbar-items#playhead_options" />
49 <area shape="rect" coords="228,8,348,28" href="@@transport-clocks" />
50 <area shape="rect" coords="348,8,368,28" href="@@other-toolbar-items#status_indicators" />
51 <area shape="rect" coords="368,8,384,28" href="@@other-toolbar-items#monitor_section_info" />
52 <area shape="rect" coords="384,8,428,28" href="@@selection-and-punch-clocks" />
53 <area shape="rect" coords="428,8,552,28" href="@@mini-timeline" />
54 <area shape="rect" coords="552,8,600,28" href="@@other-toolbar-items#mode_selector" />
55 <area shape="rect" coords="0,28,121,154" href="@@favorite-plugins-window" />
56 <area shape="rect" coords="0,154,121,237" href="@@strips-list" />
57 <area shape="rect" coords="0,237,121,324" href="@@groups-list" />
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64 <area shape="rect" coords="474,28,514,324" href="@@foldback-strip" />
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69 The Editor and Mixer windows. Clicking on a section accesses its
75 The Editor, Mixer and Recorder share the same toolbar (the top of the
76 window). The sections displayed in this toolbar can be customized to
77 the user's workflow, by checking options in <kbd class="menu">Preferences
78 > Appearance > Toolbar</kbd>.
82 Switching between the Editor and the Mixer windows is done:
85 <li>with the <a href="@@other-toolbar-items#mode_selector">Mode Selector
86 buttons</a> in the upper right</li>
87 <li>with the <kbd class="mod2">M</kbd> shortcut</li>
88 <li>with the menu <kbd class="menu">Window > Editor <em>(or Mixer)</em>
93 Both windows can be visible at the same time (e.g. for a multi-monitor
94 setup) using <kbd class="menu">Window > Editor <em>(or Mixer)</em>
95 > Detach</kbd> option in the same submenu.
101 The <dfn>Editor</dfn> window includes the editor track <dfn>canvas</dfn>
102 where audio and MIDI data can be arranged along a timeline. This is the
103 window where editing and arranging a project is done. The window
104 has a general "horizontal" sense to it: the timeline flows from left to
105 right, the playhead showing the current position in the session moves
106 from left to right—the window really represents <dfn>time</dfn>
107 in a fairly literal way.
110 It is possible to show a single channel strip in the editor window, and
111 some people find this enough to work on mixing without actually opening
112 the mixer window. Most of the time though, both of these windows will be
113 needed at various stages of a session's lifetime.
119 The <dfn>Mixer</dfn> window represents signal flow and is the window that will
120 probably be used most when mixing a session. It
121 includes <dfn>channel strips</dfn> for each track and bus in the session.
122 It has a general "vertical" sense to it: signals flow from the top of each
123 channel strip through the processing elements in the strip to reach the
124 output listed at the bottom.
127 To learn more about the process of mixing, see <a href="@@basic-mixing">Mixing</a>.
130 <h2>The Recorder</h2>
133 The <dfn>Recorder</dfn> window is a very specialized view that provides
134 a compact view of all track's record and monitor status, and a simplified
135 timeline that keeps everything in view at once. Most of the information
136 that is shown in this mode is already available in Mixer or Editor mode,
137 but the Recorder aims at having everything in sight and under control
138 while tracking a performance.
141 The Recorder is covered in great detail in <a href="@@recorder">its own