3 Ardour can be used in many different ways, from extremely simple to
4 extremely complex. Many projects will be handled using the following
5 kind of <dfn>workflow</dfn>.
8 <h2>Stage 1: Creating Your Project</h2>
10 The first step is to create a new <dfn>session</dfn>, or open an
11 existing one. A session consists of a folder containing a session file
12 that defines all the information about the session. All media files used
13 by the session can be stored within the session folder.
16 More details on sessions can be found in
17 <a href="/working-with-sessions/">Working With Sessions</a>.
20 <h2>Stage 2: Creating and Importing Audio and MIDI data</h2>
22 Once you have a session, you will want to add some audio and/or MIDI
23 material to it, which can be done in one of 3 ways:
26 <li><dfn>Record</dfn> incoming audio or MIDI data, either via audio or MIDI hardware
27 connected to your computer, or from other applications.</li>
28 <li><dfn>Create</dfn> new MIDI data using the mouse and/or various dialogs</li>
29 <li><dfn>Import</dfn> existing media files into the session</li>
32 <dfn>MIDI recordings</dfn> consist of performance data ("play note X at
33 time T") rather than actual sound. As a result, they are more flexible
34 than actual audio, since the precise sound that they will generate when
35 played depends on where you send the MIDI to.<br>
36 Two different synthesizers may produce very different sound in response
37 to the same incoming MIDI data.
40 <dfn>Audio recordings</dfn> can be made from external instruments with
41 electrical outputs (keyboards, guitars etc.) or via microphones from
45 Ardour uses the <dfn>JACK Audio Connection Kit</dfn> for all audio and
46 MIDI I/O, which means that recording audio/MIDI from other applications
47 is fundamentally identical to recording audio/MIDI from your audio/MIDI
51 <h2>Stage 3: Editing and Arranging</h2>
53 Once you have some material within the session, you can start to arrange
54 it in time. This is done in one of the two main windows of Ardour, the
55 <dfn>Editor</dfn> window.
58 Your audio/MIDI data appears in chunks called <dfn>regions</dfn>, which
59 are arranged into horizontal lanes called <dfn>tracks</dfn>. Tracks are
60 stacked vertically in the Editor window. You can copy, shorten, move,
61 and delete regions without changing the actual data stored in the session
62 at all—Ardour is a <dfn>non-destructive</dfn> editor. (Almost)
63 nothing that you do while editing will ever modify the files stored on
64 disk (except the session file itself).
67 You can also carry out many <dfn>transformations</dfn> to the contents
68 of regions, again without altering anything on disk. You can alter,
69 move, and delete MIDI notes, and remove silence from audio regions, for
73 <h2>Stage 4: Mixing and Adding Effects</h2>
75 Once you have the arrangement of your session mostly complete, you will
76 typically move on to the <dfn>mixing</dfn> phase. Mixing is a broad term
77 to cover the way the audio signals that your session generates during
78 playback and processed and added together into a final result that you
79 actually hear. It can involve altering the relative levels of various
80 parts of the session, adding effects that improve or transform certain
81 elements, and others that bring the sound of the whole session to a new
85 Ardour will allow you to <dfn>automate</dfn> changes to any mixing
86 parameters (such as volume, panning, and effects controls)—it will
87 record the changes you make over time, using a mouse or keyboard or some
88 external control device, and can play back those changes later. This is
89 very useful because often the settings you need will vary in one part of
90 a session compared to another—rather than using a single setting
91 for the volume, you may need increases followed by decreases (for example,
92 to track the changing volume of a singer). Using automation can make all
93 of this relatively simple.
96 <h2>Stage 5: Export</h2>
98 Once you are really satisfied with the arrangement and mix of your
99 session, you will typically want to produce a single audio file that
100 contains a ready-to-listen to version of the work. Ardour will allow you to
101 <dfn>export</dfn> audio files in a variety of formats (simultaneously in
102 some cases). This exported file would typically be used in creating a CD,
103 or be the basis for digital distribution of the work.
106 Of course sometimes you will want to do export material that isn't finished
107 yet, for example to give a copy to someone else to try to mix on their own
108 system. Ardour will allow you to export as much of a session as you want, at
109 any time, in any supported format.