2 <img src="/images/session_properties.png" alt="The Session Properties window">
4 The Session Properties window
9 <dfn>Session properties</dfn> control aspects of the workflow or
10 configuration that pertain to the current session only; these settings are
11 initially set from the template used to create the session. They can be found
12 in <kbd class="menu">Session > Properties</kbd>, and are stored in the
17 Preferences are grouped by category:
21 <li><a href="#properties-timecode">Timecode</a></li>
22 <li><a href="#properties-sync">Sync</a></li>
23 <li><a href="#properties-fade">Fades</a></li>
24 <li><a href="#properties-media">Media</a></li>
25 <li><a href="#properties-locations">Locations</a></li>
26 <li><a href="#properties-filenames">Filenames</a></li>
27 <li><a href="#properties-monitoring">Monitoring</a></li>
28 <li><a href="#properties-meterbridge">Meterbridge</a></li>
29 <li><a href="#properties-misc">Misc</a></li>
35 <h2 id="properties-timecode">Timecode</h2>
39 <dfn>Timecode Settings</dfn>
42 <dfn>Timecode frames-per-second:</dfn> defines how many frames of
43 timecode are in one second. This can differ from the actual frame rate
44 depending on the standard used.
47 <dfn>Pull-up / pull-down:</dfn> sets the speed correction to match one
48 actual second, e.g. a 4.1667 pull-up matches a 24fps cinema movie to a
49 25 fps PAL TV broadcast format.
54 <dfn>Ext Timecode Offsets</dfn>
57 <dfn>Slave Timecode offset:</dfn> when an external timecode source is used,
58 adds or substracts the specified offset to the received timecode (MTC or LTC).
61 <dfn>Timecode Generator offset:</dfn> adds the specified offset to
62 the timecode generated by Ardour (so far only LTC) before sending it to
63 the external synchronized system.
68 <dfn>JACK Transport/Time Settings</dfn>
71 <dfn>Ardour is JACK Time Master (provides Bar|Beat|Tick and other information
72 to JACK)</dfn> Aside from synchronizing any JACK slave, Ardour can also
73 provide musical time information (Bar/Beat/Tick) for the current absolute
74 position for all the JACK-aware clients (N.B. the first jack client that
81 <h2 id="properties-sync">Sync</h2>
85 <dfn>A/V Synchronization</dfn>
88 <dfn>Use Video File's FPS Instead of Timecode Value for Timeline and Video
89 Monitor</dfn> when checked, uses the timecode FPS value of the standard
90 used by the video file instead of forcing the FPS set in the <a href="#properties-timecode">
94 <dfn>Apply Pull-Up/Down to Video Timeline and Video Monitor (Unless using
95 JACK-sync)</dfn> allows to apply the pull-up/down as set in the <a href="#properties-timecode">
96 Timecode tab</a> to the <a href="@@video-timeline-and-monitoring">video
97 timeline</a> as displayed in the editor and to the Video Monitor, resulting
98 in a shorter/longer video in the editor and a speed-up/down in the Video
105 <h2 id="properties-fade">Fades</h2>
109 <dfn>Audio Fades</dfn>
112 <dfn>Destructive crossfade length:</dfn> sets the duration of the crossfade
113 Ardour automatically creates when an operation on a region is destructive,
114 such as when recording in a track in tape mode.<br>
115 This does not change the length of the crossfade Ardour automatically creates
116 at regions boundaries on non-destructive operations (recording, slicing etc...)
117 which is set to 1 ms.
120 <dfn>Declick when transport starts and stops</dfn> creates an artificial
121 fade in/out when starting or stopping playback, to avoid the 'click' sound
122 resulting in starting it at a non zero value.
125 <dfn>Declick when monitor state changes</dfn> also creates an artificial
126 fade in/out to avoid clicks when a parameter in the monitor changes.
129 <dfn>Region fades active</dfn> when checked, Ardour applies the region
130 <a href="@@create-region-fades-and-crossfades">crossfades</a> to each
131 region's start and end. When unchecked, no fades are applied, and clicks
132 may be heard at regions boundaries.
135 <dfn>Region fades visible</dfn> when checked, the region fades are visible
136 in the the Editor. Unchecking may increase readability for sessions made
137 of a lot of tiny regions.
143 <h2 id="properties-media">Media</h2>
146 Change how sound is stored on disk. These options do not change how sound is handled
152 <dfn>Audio File Format</dfn>
155 <dfn>Sample format:</dfn> defaults to 32-bit floating point, the same as
156 the internal representation. 24 and 16-bit integer representation are
157 also available, for more lightweight sessions at the cost of a reduced
161 <dfn>File type:</dfn> defines what format is used to store the audio
162 files. The default is WAVE, and can be changed to Broadcast Wave to
163 store metadata and timecodes, <abbr title="Core Audio
164 Format">CAF</abbr> to overcome WAVE's limitation to 4Gb in size, RF64
165 to add more channels, etc. The chosen format is usually very
172 <h2 id="properties-locations">Locations</h2>
175 These options add file locations that will be searched to find the audio and
176 midi files used by the session. This is useful when the files have been
177 imported into the session but not copied into the session.
182 <dfn>File Locations</dfn>
185 <dfn>Search for audio files in:</dfn> allows to add a location to look
186 for audio files. Adding a location is done by navigating to the
187 directory where the files are stored, selecting it and clicking <kbd
188 class="menu">Open</kbd>. The directory will show up in the dialog. The
189 <kbd class="menu">Remove</kbd> button next to the added directory can
190 be used to remove it from the search path. Multiple paths can be added
194 <dfn>Search for MIDI files in:</dfn> is exactly the same, but for MIDI files.
200 <h2 id="properties-filenames">Filenames</h2>
203 This tab is used to change how Ardour names recorded regions.
208 <dfn>File Naming</dfn>
211 <dfn>Prefix Track number</dfn> when checked, a unique number will
212 appear on each track in the Editor window and will prefix the region
213 name. If the track number is <samp>2</samp> and the region would have
214 been named <samp>Gtr-1.1</samp>, with track number prefix turned on the
215 region will be named <samp>2_Gtr-1.1</samp> instead. See <a
216 href="@@region-naming">Region Naming</a>.
219 <dfn>Prefix Take Name</dfn> when enabled, the first time a track is
220 recorded it will have the specified take name. When recording is
221 stopped, any trailing number on the end of the take name will be
222 incremented by 1. If the specified track name doesn't have a number on
223 the end, the number <samp>1</samp> will be suffixed.
226 <dfn>Take name</dfn> specifies what name is prefixed if <kbd
227 class="option">Prefix Take Name</kbd> is checked.
234 <h2 id="properties-monitoring">Monitoring</h2>
237 Provides options affecting monitoring.
242 <dfn>Monitoring</dfn>
245 <dfn>Track Input Monitoring automatically follows transport state
246 ("auto-input")</dfn> affects how input monitoring is handling. See <a
247 href="@@monitor-setup-in-ardour">Monitor Setup in Ardour</a>
250 <dfn>Use monitor section in this session</dfn> when enabled, displays
251 an extra section in the Mixer window that is modelled on the similarly
252 named section on large analog consoles. More information can be found
253 on the <a href="@@monitor-section">Monitor Section</a> page.
260 <h2 id="properties-meterbridge">Meterbridge</h2>
263 This tab changes what controls are displayed in the Meterbridge that is
264 available in the <kbd class="menu">Window > Meterbridge</kbd> menu.
269 <dfn>Route Display</dfn>
272 <dfn>Show Midi Tracks</dfn> displays/hides MIDI tracks (even when no
273 synth, hence no audio output exists)
276 <dfn>Show Busses</dfn> displays/hides <a
277 href="@@track-types">Busses</a> tracks
280 <dfn>Include Master Bus</dfn> displays/hides the <a
281 href="@@master-bus-strip">Master Bus</a>
286 <dfn>Button Area</dfn>
289 <dfn>Rec-enable Button</dfn> displays/hides the record arm button (for audio
290 and MIDI tracks only)
293 <dfn>Mute Button</dfn> displays/hides the mute button (for all
297 <dfn>Solo Button</dfn> same for solo
300 <dfn>Monitor Buttons</dfn> displays/hides the two (input and playback)<a
301 href="@@monitoring">monitoring</a> buttons, selecting what is played at
302 record and playback time.
307 <dfn>Name Labels</dfn>
310 <dfn>Track Name</dfn> adds the tracks' names bellow the buttons.
316 <h2 id="properties-misc">Misc</h2>
319 This tab has several things that don't fit on the other tabs.
324 <dfn>MIDI Options</dfn>
327 <dfn>MIDI region copies are independent</dfn> if selected, when a MIDI
328 region is copied or duplicated, the new region is not linked to the
329 region it was copied from. If it is not selected, the copied regions
330 are linked and any editing done on one of the linked regions changes
331 all of the linked regions.
334 <dfn>Policy for handling overlapping notes on the same MIDI channel:</dfn>
335 Selects how Ardour reacts to possibly conflicting MIDI notes:
337 <li>never allow them</li>
338 <li>don't do anything in particular</li>
339 <li>replace any overlapped existing notes</li>
340 <li>shorten the overlapped existing note</li>
341 <li>shorten the overlapping new note</li>
342 <li>replace both overlapping notes with a single note</li>
348 <dfn>Glue to Bars and Beats</dfn>
351 <dfn>Glue new markers to bars and beats</dfn> if checked, a newly
352 created marker will always be placed at the nearest musical time
353 instead of right where the mouse pointer is.
356 <dfn>Glue new regions to bars and beats</dfn> same as above, for regions.
364 <dfn>Always count-in when recording</dfn> when checked, waits for two
365 bars before the actual recording begins. The Metronome will tick (even if
366 disabled) during the count-in. Same as recording with <kbd
367 class="menu">Transport > Record w/Count-In</kbd>.
375 <dfn>Use these settings as defaults</dfn> clicking this buttons makes all
376 the present Session Properties default, by recording them in the
377 default session template.