title: MIDI Learn
---
-<h3>Philosophy<h3>
+<h2>Philosophy</h2>
<p>
There are no "best" ways to map an arbitrary MIDI controller for
controlling Ardour. There may be very legitimate reasons for different
-users to prefer quite different mappings. So, Ardour does not come
-with any pre-defined mapping - we believe that users know what is best
-for them.
+users to prefer quite different mappings.
</p>
<p>
On every platform that Ardour runs on, there are excellent
QJackctl, aconnect, Patchage, and more.
</p>
-<h3>Basics<h3>
+<h2>Basics</h2>
<ol>
- <li> Enable Generic MIDI control: Options -> Control Surfaces -> Generic MIDI</li>
- <li>Connect Ardour's MIDI port named "control" to whatever hardware or software you want (using a MIDI patchbay app)</li>
- <li>Ctrl-middleclick on whatever on-screen fader, plugin parameter control, button etc. that you want to control</li>
+ <li>Enable Generic MIDI control: <kbd class="menu">Edit > Preferences
+ > Control Surfaces > Generic MIDI</kbd></li>
+ <li>Connect Ardour's MIDI port named <samp>control</samp> to whatever
+ hardware or software you want (using a MIDI patchbay app)</li>
+ <li><kbd class="mod1 mouse">Middle</kbd>-click on whatever on-screen
+ fader, plugin parameter control, button etc. you want to control</li>
<li>A small window appears that says "Operate Controller now"</li>
<li>Move the hardware knob or fader, or press the note/key.</li>
<li>The binding is complete. Moving the hardware should control the Ardour fader etc. </li>
</ol>
-<h3>Avoiding work in the future<h3>
-
+<h2>Avoiding work in the future</h2>
<p>
If you want the bindings you set up to be used automatically in every
-session, the simplest thing to do is to use Session -> Save
-Template. Then, when creating new sessions, select that template and
+session, the simplest thing to do is to use <kbd class="menu">Session > Save
+Template</kbd>. Then, when creating new sessions, select that template and
all the bindings will be automatically set up for you. You can also
save a specific track/bus configuration as a template, and use that
when adding new tracks or busses. Click on the track name at the top
-of a mixer strip and select "Save as Template".
+of a mixer strip and select <kbd class="menu">Save as Template</kbd>.
</p>