----
-layout: default
-title: What's in a Session?
----
-
-<p>
- The <dfn>Session</dfn> is the fundamental document type that is created and
- modified by the Ardour workstation. A Session is a folder on your computer
- filesystem that contains all the items that pertain to a particular project
- or "recording/editing/mixing session".
-</p>
-<p>
- The Session folder includes these files and folders:
-</p>
-<ul>
- <li><code><em>session_name</em>.ardour</code> the main session snapshot</li>
- <li><code>*.ardour</code>, any additional snapshots </li>
- <li><code><em>session_name</em>.ardour.bak</code>, the auto-backup snapshot</li>
- <li><code><em>session_name</em>.history</code>, the undo history for the session </li>
- <li><code>instant.xml</code>, which records the last-used zoom scale and other metadata</li>
- <li><code>interchange/</code>, a folder which holds your raw audio and MIDI
- files (whether imported or recorded)</li>
- <li><code>export/</code>, a folder which contains any files created by the
- <kbd class="menu">Session > Export</kbd> function</li>
- <li><code>peaks/</code>, a folder which contains waveform renderings of
- all audio files in the session</li>
- <li><code>analysis/</code>, a folder which contains transient and pitch
- information of each audio file that has been analysed</li>
- <li><code>dead sounds/</code>, a folder which contains sound files which
- Ardour has detected are no longer used in the session (during a <kbd
- class="menu">Session > Clean-up > Clean-up Unused Sources</kbd>
- operation, will be purged by <kbd class="menu">Flush Waste Basket</kbd>)</li>
-</ul>
-<p>
- A session combines some setup information (such as audio and MIDI routing,
- musical tempo & meter, timecode synchronization, etc.) with one or more
- Tracks and Buses, and all the Regions and Plug-Ins they contain.
-</p>
-