---
layout: default
title: Signal Routing
---                        

<p>
  Ardour does most of its internal <dfn>signal routing</dfn> via JACK: 
  all track and bus inputs and outputs are JACK ports, as are sends and
  inserts&mdash;which means they can be tapped into by other JACK clients.
  Only the signal flow inside a track or bus (i.e. from <a
  href="/working-with-plugins/processor-box/">processor to processor</a>) is
  handled internally.
</p>

<p>
  By default, Ardour will create the following connections:
</p>

<ul>
  <li>
    <dfn>Track inputs</dfn> are optionally auto-connected to hardware inputs, in round robin order, depending on the setting you chose in the 
    <a href="/working-with-sessions/new-session-dialog"><kbd
    class="menu">Session &gt; New Session</kbd> dialog</a>.
  </li>
  <li>
    <dfn>Bus inputs</dfn> are left disconnected.
  </li>
  <li>
    The number of <dfn>track and bus outputs</dfn> are equal to the number
    of inputs of the master bus.
  </li>
  <li>
    Track and bus outputs are always auto-connected to the master bus inputs.
  </li>
  <li>
    Master bus outputs are connected to hardware outputs.
  </li>
</ul>

<p>
  This configuration is normally sufficient to do basic tracking and playback of sessions without any adjustments. When changing these connections, be certain that there is good reason for doing so&mdash;it is generally not necessary and can often lead to problems.
</p>

<p>
  However, for many workflows during mixing, more complicated signal routing is required. Fortunately, Ardour is very flexible in the ways it offers to connect things to each other.
</p>

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