-<img class="right" src="/images/add-track-or-bus.png" alt="the add-track dialog" />
-<p>A track, bus or VCA can be added to a session in various ways:</p>
+<figure class="right">
+ <img class="mini" src="/images/add-track-or-bus.png" alt="the add-track dialog">
+ <figcaption>
+ The Add Track/Bus/VCA dialog.
+ </figcaption>
+</figure>
+
+<p>
+ A track, bus or VCA can be added to a session by either:
+</p>
+
<ul>
- <li>Choose <kbd class="menu">Track > Add Track, Bus or VCA…</kbd>.</li>
- <li><kbd class="mouse">Right</kbd>-click in an empty part of the track controls area.</li>
- <li>Click the <kbd class="menu">Plus (+)</kbd> button underneath the list of tracks in the mixer.</li>
+ <li>Choosing <kbd class="menu">Track > Add Track, Bus or VCA…</kbd></li>
+ <li><kbd class="mouse">Right</kbd>-clicking in an empty part of the track controls area</li>
+ <li>Clicking the <kbd class="menu">Plus (+)</kbd> button underneath the list of tracks in the mixer</li>
</ul>
<p>
Any of these actions will open the Add Track/Bus/VCA dialog.
</p>
-<dl>
- <dt>Add</dt>
- <dd>Here you can select the number of tracks, busses or VCAs you wish to create, and
- their <a href="@@track-types">types</a>.</dd>
- <dt>Name</dt>
- <dd>Defines the name of the new track(s). If multiple tracks are created, or if a track with the same name already exists, a space and number will be happened at the end (e.g.: Audio 1, Audio 2…)</dd>
- <dt>Configuration</dt>
- <dd>This menu lets you choose from a number of route templates, which determine the number of input ports and optionally contain plugins and other mixer strip configuration. The most common choices here are <em>mono</em> and <em>stereo</em>.</dd>
- <dt>Record mode</dt>
- <dd>This option is only available for audio tracks and affects how it behaves when recording. See <a href="@@track-types#trackmodes">Track Modes</a> for details.</dd>
- <dt>Instrument</dt>
- <dd>This option is only available for MIDI tracks and busses and lets you select a
- default instrument from the list of available plugins.</dd>
- <dt>Group</dt>
- <dd>Tracks and busses can be assigned groups so that a selected range of
- operations are applied to all members of a group at the same time (selecting
- record enable, or editing, for example). This option lets you assign to an
- existing group, or create a new group.</dd>
- <dt>Insert</dt>
- <dd>Defines where in the track list is the track created. The default is <em>Last</em>, i.e. after all the tracks and busses, and can also be <em>First</em>, <em>Before Selection</em> (to place it just above the selected track) or <em>After selection</em>.</dd>
- <dt>Output Ports</dt>
- <dd>Defines how the number of output responds to adding a plugin with a different number of outputs than the track itself. in <em>Strict I/O</em> mode, the track will only use a few of the plugins I/O and will keep its own number of output fixed, while in <em>lexible I/O</em> mode, it will automatically adapt to the I/O of its plugins. See <a href="@@trackbus-signal-flow">Signal flow</a> to learn more about those options.</dd>
-</dl>
<p>
- New tracks appear in both the editor and mixer windows. The editor window
- shows the timeline, with any recorded data, and the mixer shows just the
- processing elements of the track (its plugins, fader and so on).
+ The list of available track templates (both factory and user-created ones)
+ in the left panel allows for choosing the <a href="@@track-types">track's type</a>
+ (e.g. Audio, MIDI, bus, VCA, etc.). Some templates can do even more, like the
+ factory-provided <kbd class="menu">Live Band</kbd> that automatically creates
+ a typical number of tracks for a common band setup. See <a
+ href="@@newopen-session-dialog">New Session</a> for more information about
+ templates.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+ Any template can be fine-tuned using the controls in the dialog:
+</p>
+
+<table class="dl">
+<tr>
+ <th>Add</th>
+ <td>Selects the number of tracks, busses or VCAs to create.</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+ <th>Name</th>
+ <td>Defines the name of the new track. If multiple tracks are to be created,
+ or if a track with the same name already exists, a space and number will be
+ appended to the end (e.g.: Audio 1, Audio 2…).</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+ <th>Configuration</th>
+ <td>This menu allows choosing from a number of routing templates, which
+ determines the number of input ports and optionally contains plugins and
+ other mixer strip configurations. The most common choices here are
+ <em>mono</em> and <em>stereo</em>.</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+ <th>Instrument</th>
+ <td>This option is only available for MIDI tracks and busses and allows the
+ selection of a default instrument from the list of available plugins.</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+ <th>Group</th>
+ <td>Tracks and busses can be assigned to groups so that a selected range of
+ operations are applied to all members of the group at the same time
+ (selecting record enable, or editing, for example). This option assigns the
+ new track/bus to an existing group, or creates a new group.</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+ <th>Pin Mode</th>
+ <td>Defines how the number of output responds to adding a plugin with a
+ different number of outputs than the track itself. In <em>Strict I/O</em>
+ mode, plugins cannot alter the track's channel count, while in <em>Flexible
+ I/O</em> mode, it will automatically adapt to the I/O of its plugins. See <a
+ href="@@trackbus-signal-flow">Signal flow</a> for details.</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+ <th>Position</th>
+ <td>Defines where in the track list is the track created. The default is
+ <em>Last</em>, i.e. after all the tracks and busses, and can also be
+ <em>First</em>, <em>Before Selection</em> (to place it just above the
+ selected track) or <em>After selection</em>.</td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+
+<p>
+ Multiple tracks of different types can be created by using the <kbd
+ class="menu">Add selected items (and leave dialog open)</kbd> button, which,
+ when used in conjunction with the <kbd class="menu">Add</kbd> field, allows
+ for a very fast and efficient way to create an initial track setup.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+ New tracks appear in both the editor and mixer windows. The editor window
+ shows the timeline, with any recorded data, and the mixer shows just the
+ processor elements of the track (its plugins, fader, etc).
</p>
<h2>Removing Tracks and Busses</h2>
+
<p>
- To <dfn>remove</dfn> tracks and busses, select them, <kbd
- class="mouse">right</kbd>-click and choose <kbd
- class="menu">Remove</kbd>
- from the menu. A warning dialog will pop up, as track removal cannot be undone;
- use this option with care!
+ <dfn>Removing</dfn> tracks and busses is done by selecting them, <kbd
+ class="mouse">right</kbd>-clicking and choosing <kbd class="menu">Remove</kbd>
+ from the menu. A warning dialog will ask for confirmation as track removal
+ cannot be undone; this option should be used with care!
</p>
projects / ardour-manual / blobdiff