in both Ardour and other similar software.
</p>
-<p class="well">
- Ardour uses the FaderPort 8 in what PreSonus calls "Studio One" or
- "native" mode.
- (If you would like to change the mode at any point, power on the unit while
- holding down the first two Select buttons, see the FaderPort 8 manual
- for further details, also note that at least Firmware version 1.01 is
- required.)
+<p class="warning">
+ Ardour uses the FaderPort 8 in what PreSonus calls "Studio One" or "native"
+ mode. To use the FaderPort8 with Ardour's FP8 Control Surface, make sure that
+ the device is in "Studio One" mode. (If you would like to change the mode at
+ any point, power on the unit while holding down the two leftmost Select
+ buttons, see the FaderPort 8 manual for further details. Also note that at
+ least firmware version 1.01 is required. NB. "factory default" resets the
+ firmware, see the PreSonus FaderPort8 Owner's manual chapter 9.4.)
<br/>
- While the FaderPort provides a Mackie Control Universal (MCU) mode,
- MCU does not support various elements available on the FP8.
- e.g. colored buttons, and the custom mode scribble strips.
+ While the FaderPort provides a Mackie Control Universal (MCU) mode, which
+ works with Ardour's Mackie Control Surface, MCU does not support various
+ elements available on the FP8 (e.g. colored buttons, and the custom mode
+ scribble strips).
</p>
<p>
</p>
<p class="note">
- All buttons act on release (not press), exceptions are mentioned below.
+ Buttons generlaly act on release (not press), with exception
+ of transport-control (since 6.0pre) and individual exceptions mentioned below.
</p>
<h3>Transport Buttons</h3>
<p>
Session Navigation allows quick navigation and provides access to
session-wide controls. Each of the eight buttons alters the function
- of the push-button encoder and the "Prev", "Next" buttons.
+ of the push-button encoder and the <kbd>Prev</kbd>, <kbd>Next</kbd> buttons.
With exception of <kbd>Click</kbd> the seven modes are exclusive (radio buttons).
</p>
<figure class="left">
src="/images/fp8_navigation.png"/>
</figure>
<ol class="inside">
- <li><kbd class="def">Channel</kbd>: The <kbd>Prev</kbd>/<kbd>Next</kbd>
+ <li><kbd class="def">Channel</kbd>: The <kbd>Prev</kbd> / <kbd>Next</kbd>
buttons select the previous/next mixer-strip. If no strip is selected,
<kbd>Next</kbd> selects the first, <kbd>Prev</kbd> the last mixer-strip in
- the session. Pressing the <kbd>encoder</kbd> moves the most recently selected
- mixer-strip into view on the FP8. The encoder scrolls the editor-canvas
-up/down.</li>
+ the session. Pressing the encoder knob moves the most recently selected
+ mixer-strip into view on the FP8. The encoder scrolls the editor-canvas
+ up/down.</li>
<li><kbd class="def">Master</kbd>: The encoder controls the master-bus level.
If a session includes a monitor-section, the encoder controls monitor-out by
default. Hold the button to control the master-bus level. Press the
- <kbd>encoder</kbd> to reset the gain to 0dB. The
- <kbd>Prev</kbd>/<kbd>Next</kbd> navigation buttons bank the visible strips on
- the FP8 by one track left/right.</li>
+ encoder knob to reset the gain to 0dB. The <kbd>Prev</kbd> / <kbd>Next</kbd>
+ navigation buttons bank the visible strips on the FP8 by one track
+ left/right.</li>
<li><kbd class="def">Zoom</kbd>: The encoder controls horizontal zoom of the
- editor. Press the <kbd>encoder</kbd> to <em>zoom to fit</em> the session.
- <kbd>Prev</kbd>/<kbd>Next</kbd> navigation buttons zoom selected track(s)
+ editor. Press the encoder to <em>zoom to fit</em> the session.
+ <kbd>Prev</kbd> / <kbd>Next</kbd> navigation buttons zoom selected track(s)
vertically (or all tracks if none are selected).</li>
<li><kbd class="def">Click</kbd>: Toggle the metronome on/off. While holding
the <kbd>Click</kbd> button, the encoder modifies the volume of the
- metronome click (press the <kbd>encoder</kbd> while holding <kbd>Click</kbd>
- to reset the metronome level to 0dBFS).</li>
+ metronome click (press the encoder while holding <kbd>Click</kbd> to reset
+ the metronome level to 0dBFS).</li>
<li><kbd class="def">Scroll</kbd>: The encoder scrolls the timeline (hold
- <kbd>Shift</kbd> for finer steps). Pressing the <kbd>encoder</kbd> <em>zooms
- to fit</em> the session. The <kbd>Prev</kbd>/<kbd>Next</kbd> navigation
+ <kbd>Shift</kbd> for finer steps). Pressing the encoder <em>zooms to
+ fit</em> the session. The <kbd>Prev</kbd> / <kbd>Next</kbd> navigation
buttons bank the visible strips on the FP8 by one track left/right.</li>
- <li><kbd class="def">Section</kbd>: The <kbd>Prev</kbd>/<kbd>Next</kbd>
+ <li><kbd class="def">Section</kbd>: The <kbd>Prev</kbd> / <kbd>Next</kbd>
navigation buttons nudge the selected region by the time configured in the
nudge-clock. If no region is selected the playhead position is nudged. The
encoder always nudges the playhead position.</li>
<li><kbd class="def">Bank</kbd>: Encoder and navigation buttons scroll through
- mixer-strips in banks of eight. Pressing the <kbd>encoder</kbd> moves the
- most recently selected mixer-strip into view on the FP8.</li>
+ mixer-strips in banks of eight. Pressing the encoder moves the most recently
+ selected mixer-strip into view on the FP8.</li>
<li><kbd class="def">Marker</kbd>: The encoder scrolls the timeline (hold
- <kbd>Shift</kbd> for finer steps). The <kbd>Prev</kbd>/<kbd>Next</kbd>
- navigation buttons jump to prev/next markers. Press the <kbd>encoder</kbd>
- to drop a new marker.</li>
+ <kbd>Shift</kbd> for finer steps). The <kbd>Prev</kbd> / <kbd>Next</kbd>
+ navigation buttons jump to prev/next markers. Press the encoder to drop a
+ new marker.</li>
</ol>
<p>
When combined with <kbd>Shift</kbd>, the eight buttons will access custom
The following tables shows a condensed overview of the session-navigation modes:
</p>
<table>
- <tr><th></th><th><kbd>Prev</kbd> / <kbd>Next</kbd></th><th>Encoder knob</th><th><kbd>Encoder</kbd> Press</th></tr>
+ <tr><th></th><th><kbd>Prev</kbd> / <kbd>Next</kbd></th><th>Encoder knob</th><th>Encoder Press</th></tr>
<tr><th>Channel</th><td>Select prev/next mixer-strip</td><td>Scroll Editor up/down</td><td>Bank to show selected strip on FP8</td></tr>
<tr><th>Master</th><td>Bank visible strips on FP8 by 1</td><td>Adjust master/monitor level</td><td>Reset master/monitor to 0dB</td></tr>
<tr><th>Zoom</th><td>Vertical zoom (editor track-height)</td><td>Horizontal timeline zoom (time)</td><td>Horizontal zoom to session</td></tr>
track's panner supports it). <kbd>Mute</kbd> and <kbd>Solo</kbd> affect the
respective mixer-strip.</li>
<li><kbd class="def">Edit Plugins</kbd>: When Edit Plug-ins mode is active, the
- motorized faders will control the parameter settings. Press the <kbd>Edit
- Plugins</kbd> button to view all available plugin-inserts on a strip. If
- no plugins are available, <kbd>Edit Plugins</kbd> will not engage and the
- FP8 automatically switches back to Track-mode. Use the <kbd>Select</kbd>
- buttons under the scribble strip to pick a plugin to edit. The faders and
- <kbd>Select</kbd> buttons will respectively control the parameters and toggles
- of the selected plugin. Press the <kbd>Edit Plugins</kbd> button again to return
- to the insert select view. (Once a plugin has been selected, it stays in edit
- mode regardless of selection). If there are more than eight, the Pan/Param
- encoder allows to scroll through available control-parameters.</li>
+ motorized faders will control the parameter settings of a given
+ plugin-insert.<br/>
+ Press the <kbd>Edit Plugins</kbd> button to view all available
+ plugin-inserts on a strip. If no plugins are available, <kbd>Edit
+ Plugins</kbd> will not engage and the FP8 automatically switches back to
+ Track-mode.<br/>
+ <strong>Select Plugin Mode</strong>:
+ Use the <kbd>Select</kbd> buttons under the scribble strip to pick a plugin
+ to edit.<br/>
+ The <kbd>Select</kbd> button color indicates the bypass/enable state of
+ the plugin (red: bypassed, green: enabled). Use <kbd>Shift</kbd> +
+ <kbd>Select</kbd> to toggle the bypass state.<br/>
+ Selecting a plugin enters <strong>Parameter Edit Mode</strong>: The faders
+ and the <kbd>Select</kbd> buttons will respectively control the parameters
+ and toggle controls of the selected plugin (once a plugin has been selected,
+ it stays in edit mode regardless of track selection). If there are more than
+ eight parameters, the Pan/Param encoder allows to scroll through available
+ control-parameters (hold <kbd>Shift</kbd> to bank by 8).<br/>
+ If the plugin has any presets, pressing the Pan/Param encoder switches to
+ the <strong>plugin-preset display</strong>: Plugin preset names are
+ displayed on the scribble-displays, the <kbd>Select</kbd> button below each
+ loads the preset. The "Pan/Param" encoder can be used to scroll through
+ presets if there are more than seven (right-most, 8th, slot is reserved to
+ unload/clear a loaded preset, hold <kbd>Shift</kbd> to bank by 7). The
+ <kbd>Select</kbd> button color is used to indicate the currently loaded
+ preset (if any) and blinks if a parameter has been modified since loading
+ the preset. Loading a preset or pressing the Pan/Param encoder again
+ switches back to the Plugin Parameter Edit Mode.<br/>
+ In Parameter Edit Mode, the "Open" (<kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd>Macro</kbd>)
+ allows to toggle the Plugin GUI visibility.<br/>
+ Press the <kbd>Edit Plugins</kbd> button again to return to the Select
+ Plugin Mode.
+ </li>
<li><kbd class="def">Sends</kbd>: In Sends mode, each of the faders is mapped
to the send-level of aux-sends of the selected track. If there are more than
eight sends on a given track, the Pan/Param encoder can scroll through them.
</ol>
<p>
<kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd>Track</kbd> toggles timecode display on/off (middle
- row of the scribble-strip).
+ row of the scribble-strip). The timecode format can be configured in the
+ Control Surface Preference Dialog (Timecode, musical-time: bar/beat/tick).
</p>
<div class="clearer"></div>
the fader-mode (see above).</li>
<li><strong>Pan/Param</strong>: The encoder controls panning in Track and Pan
mode. In Plugin and Send fader-modes, the encoder banks parameters. See
- Fader modes above for details.</li>
+ Fader modes above for details. When "Link" is engaged, the encoder can
+ control any automatable parameter (see Miscellaneous below).</li>
<li><kbd class="def">Mute</kbd>: Toggle the mute-control of the corresponding
mixer-strip. Mute engages on press, and disengages on release. Press and
hold the button for at least 0.5sec for momentary.</li>
of the corresponding mixer-strip. Solo engages on press, and disengages on
release. Press and hold the button for at least 500ms for momentary.</li>
<li><kbd class="def">Select</kbd>: In Track and Sends and Pan mode the Select
- button select/de-select a given mixer-strip. Since selection is not limited
- to a single mixer-strip, the button acts in tri-state. A mixer-strip light
- indicates selection:
+ button select/de-select a given mixer-strip.
+ <br/>
+ Since selection is not limited to a single mixer-strip, the button acts in
+ tri-state. A mixer-strip light indicates selection:
<ul class="inside">
<li><strong>Any Selected Track</strong>: The select button is lit with the
track's color.</li>
<li><strong>Any Not Selected Track</strong>: The select button is off
(dimly showing the track's color).</li>
<li><strong>Most Recently Selected Track</strong>: Only one track at a
- time. The select button is blinks width the track's color.</li>
+ time. The select button blinks with the track's color.</li>
</ul>
Operations such as <kbd>Edit Plugins</kbd> or <kbd>Sends</kbd> use the
- most-recently-selected track. To modify the selection, the button's action
- depends on the current selection:
+ most-recently-selected (focused) track. To modify the selection, the
+ button's action depends on the current selection:
<ol class="inside">
- <li><strong><kbd>Select</kbd> any unselected track</strong>: The track is
- added to the selection and becomes the most-recently selected.</li>
- <li><strong><kbd>Select</kbd> the most-recently-selected
- (blinking)</strong>: Removes the track from selection (most-recent
- falls back).</li>
- <li><strong><kbd>Select</kbd> any other selected track</strong>: Make it
- most-recently-selected track.</li>
+ <li><strong><kbd>Select</kbd></strong>: The track is exclusively selected
+ and also becomes the most-recently selected.</li>
<li><strong><kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd>Select</kbd> any selected
track</strong>: Deselect the track.</li>
<li><strong><kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd>Select</kbd> any unselected
- track</strong>: Exclusively select the given track (and make it
+ track</strong>: Adds the given track to the selection and make it
most-recently selected).</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ul>
<p>
- While holding the <kbd>ARM</kbd> button the Select button light changes to red
- and the <kbd>Select</kbd> buttons controls the record-arm of the given track.
- Mixer-strips that cannot be record-armed have a dim white light.
+ In Track-mode, pressing the <kbd>Select</kbd> button of the most recently
+ selected track (blinking <kbd>Select</kbd> button) will reset the fader-gain
+ to unity (0dB). (since Ardour 5.11-207, Mixbus 4.2-66)
+</p>
+<p>
+ While holding the <kbd>ARM</kbd> button the <kbd>Select</kbd> button lights
+ change to red and the <kbd>Select</kbd> buttons controls the record-arm of
+ the given track. Mixer-strips that cannot be record-armed have a dim white
+ light.
+</p>
+<p>
<kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd>ARM</kbd> record-arms all tracks in the session.
</p>
<div class="clearer"></div>
</figure>
<ul class="inside">
<li><kbd class="def">Solo Clear</kbd>: Reset all solo controls in the
- session.</li>
+ session. If the FP8 was used to clear solo-state, pressing the button again
+ will restore the previous state (unless solo state was modified manually
+ since).</li>
<li><kbd class="def">Mute Clear</kbd>: Unmute all mixer-strips in the
- session.</li>
- <li><kbd class="def">Bypass</kbd>: A/B bypass toggle any plugins on all
- selected mixer-strips.</li>
+ session. If the FP8 was used to clear mute-state, pressing the button again
+ will restore the previous mute state (unless mute-state was changed manually
+ since).</li>
+ <li><kbd class="def">Bypass</kbd>: The behavior depends on the edit-mode:
+ <ul class="inside">
+ <li><strong>Track + Pan Mode</strong>: A/B bypass toggle any plugins on
+ all selected mixer-strips.</li>
+ <li><strong>Edit Plugin Parameter</strong>: Toggle bypass of of the plugin
+ that is currently being edited. Bypass state is indicated by color: red
+ for bypassed, green for enabled (not bypassed).</li>
+ </ul>
+ </li>
<li><kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd class="def">Bypass</kbd> <strong>Bypass
- All</strong>: currently the same as "Bypass".</li>
+ All</strong>: A/B bypass toggle any plugins on all selected mixer-strips.</li>
</ul>
-<p>
- The labels of the following buttons have no direct corresponding action in
- Ardour and are currently mapped to convenient functions:
-</p>
<ul class="inside">
- <li><kbd class="def">Macro</kbd>: Show the Editor Window.</li>
- <li><kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd class="def">Macro</kbd> <strong>Open</strong>:
- Show the Import Audio Dialog.</li>
- <li><kbd class="def">Link</kbd>: Switch to the Mixer Window.</li>
+ <li><kbd class="def">Macro</kbd>: Toggle Editor and Mixer Windows/Tabs.</li>
+ <li><kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd class="def">Macro</kbd> <strong>Open</strong>: The
+ behavior depends on the edit-mode:
+ <ul class="inside">
+ <li><strong>Edit Plugin Parameter</strong>: Toggle Plugin GUI visibility
+ (if it has a GUI) of the plugin that is currently being edited.</li>
+ <li><strong>all other modes</strong>: Show the Import Audio Dialog.</li>
+ </ul>
+ <li><kbd class="def">Link</kbd>: Activate Control-Link Mode (only available in
+ Track and Pan modes).<br/>
+ The Pan/Param encoder controls the element over which the mouse-cursor
+ hovers in the GUI. One can access any parameter which can be automated.<br/>
+ Pressing the Pan/Param encoder resets the control-parameter to the default
+ value.<br/>
+ The buttons color is used to indicate the link-state:
+ <ul class="inside">
+ <li><strong>orange</strong>: Link is enabled, but the mouse-cursor is not
+ over an element which can be controlled.</li>
+ <li><strong>yellow</strong>: Link is enabled, and the cursor is hovering
+ over a controllable element.</li>
+ <li><strong>green</strong>: Link is locked to a given element (see
+ below).</li>
+ <li><strong>turquoise</strong>: Link lock is possible (when pressing
+ <kbd>Shift</kbd> while link-mode is enabled).</li>
+ <li><strong>red</strong>: Link-lock is not possible (only when pressing
+ <kbd>Shift</kbd> while link-mode is enabled without a valid element to
+ control.</li>
+ </ul>
+ </li>
<li><kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd class="def">Link</kbd> <strong>Lock</strong>:
- Lock the GUI (alike Session > Lock) to prevent accidental changes.</li>
+ When in Link-mode (see above), this allows to lock the current control to
+ the Pan/Param encoder. Link will no longer follow the GUI mouse-cursor.<br/>
+ If Link-mode is not enabled, Lock, locks the GUI (alike Session > Lock)
+ to prevent accidental changes.</li>
</ul>
+<p>
+Link and Link-Lock mode will automatically disengage when entering
+<kbd>Sends</kbd> or <kbd>Edit Plugins</kbd> mode.
+</p>
<div class="clearer"></div>
+
+<h3>Harrison Mixbus</h3>
+<p>
+The above also applies to Ardour-derivatives Harrison-Mixbus and Mixbus 32C with a few subtle differences:
+</p>
+<ul>
+ <li>
+ Mix Management <strong>Bus</strong> shows Mixbusses only, while <strong>FX</strong> spills Aux-busses.
+ </li>
+ <li>
+ The Mixbus built-in EQ and Compressor are present on every track and bus and always available. They are displayed as special plugins on right-side in <strong>Select Plugin Mode</strong>.
+ When editing those processors, the parameters follows track selection (for other plugins this is not possible since they may not be present).
+ </li>
+ <li>
+ Fader mode <strong>Sends</strong> shows mixbus-assigns first (before any optional aux-sends). The master-bus-assign is available on the "S"olo button of the right-most strip.
+ </li>
+</ul>