<dfn>
encloses a newly introduced term that is being explained. Use for the first
occurrence of the main concept of every manual page, or the first occurrence
-of a new concept after a sub-heading if necessary. Renders in bold face.
-Keep in mind that <dfn> tags might be used to generate an index of keywords
-- don't pollute it too much.
+of a new concept after a sub-heading if necessary. Renders in bold face. Keep
+in mind that <dfn> tags might be used to generate an index of keywords--don't
+pollute it too much.
<abbr>
is used to explain an abbreviation such as <abbr title="Linux Audio
definition when the user hovers over the word. Renders as dotted underlined
in most browsers.
On each page, use only for the first occurrence of every abbreviation. Avoid
-a redundant explanation in the text - the expansion can easily be extracted
+a redundant explanation in the text--the expansion can easily be extracted
via CSS for printing.
Use only in the text body, not in headings.
See above for usage.
<br />
+Most of the time, these should be avoided, and used very infrequently.
A line-break can sometimes be used to structure a paragraph, or to split a
longish heading. Never use spurious <br/>s at the end of paragraphs or to
control the spacing of sections. If you're unhappy with those, fix the CSS
class="mod1">N</kbd>. It will render as "Ctrl N" for you, and as "Cmd N" for
your Mac-using friend. Nice, uh?
+N.B.: If you want to have just the name of the modifier key by itself, use
+<kbd class="mod1>‌</kbd> (zero-width non-joiner).
+
For anything you want the user to type, use <kbd> as a block-level element.
See above for other <kbd> classes to denote menu items, selections, mouse
events and controller actions.
element.
Images are usually placed as block-level elements, i.e. outside of a
paragraph, unless they are no higher than one row and make sense in the text
-flow.
+flow. Aside from this exception, they should *always* be wrapped inside of a
+<p></p> block.
5. Other conventions
====================
kind of subtle inflection, use semantic markup instead.
* The hyphen is used to for compound words such as this well-advised example.
* Do not hyphenate words at line breaks.
-* For breaks in thought — such as this splendid example — use
- the long em-dash.
-* For ranges of values, use the en-dash: Monday – Friday, 0 –
- 11.
+* For breaks in thought—such as this splendid example—use
+ the long em-dash. Note that the em-dash is snugged up against the text on both
+ sides--this is the proper way to use them.
+* For ranges of values, use the en-dash: Monday–Friday, 0–11. Note
+ again, the en-dash is snugged up to its surrounding elements.
* Use a non-breaking space (" ") between a number and its unit.
5.2 Language
------------
-* The Ardour manual is written in Americal English spelling.
+* The Ardour manual is written in American English spelling.
* Use SI units with standard abbreviations. Give imperial units only as
additional information, if at all.
* Do not use contractions like "you'll", always write full forms.
-* Do not over-use "You", write about the program, not the user.
+* Do not over-use "You", write about the program, not the user. Avoid it if at
+ all possible, it makes for tighter and better reading text.
+* Always write out numbers less than 11. E.g., "One or two ..." instead of
+ "1 or 2 ...".
5.3 Chapter Headline Capitalization
* If pages grow long, consider splitting them into sub-chapters at their
headings.
* Nobody needs "the next paragraph is about the following" paragraphs.
+* When creating a <p class="note">NOTE</p>, *do not* put the word NOTE into
+ the note, the styling tells the user that it is a note.
5.6. Encoding
-------------
HTML character entities instead, for example for cursor arrows: →
← ↑ ↓. Diacriticals on vowels and other special letters are
probably ok by now, so don't bother with é and friends, just type é.
+
title: Using External MIDI Devices
---
+<p class="fixme">Add content</p>
title: Connecting Audio and MIDI Devices
---
+<p class="fixme">Add content</p>
in the <kbd class="menu">Setup > Options</kbd> tab of QJackCtl, so
that it is started automatically whenever you start JACK.
</p>
+
+<p class="fixme">Is this true anymore in Ardour 5? This section may have been relevant in Ardour 3, but it might not be relevant anymore.</p>
--- /dev/null
+---
+layout: default
+title: KDE Plasma 5
+---
+
+<p>
+ Under <dfn>KDE Plasma 5</dfn>, plugin and various other windows will not stay
+ on top of any main window; therefore a workaround is required.
+</p>
+
+<h2>Workaround for ancillary windows not staying on top in KDE Plasma 5</h2>
+<p>
+ In order to force ancillary windows in Ardour to stay on top, the following
+ steps are necessary:
+</p>
+<ol>
+ <li>Launch the <kbd class="menu">System Settings</kbd> application.</li>
+ <li>Open <kbd class="menu">Workspace > Window Managment</kbd>.</li>
+ <li>Select <kbd class="menu">Window Rules</kbd> in the left-hand sidebar. It
+ should default to the <kbd class="menu">Window matching</kbd> tab.</li>
+ <li>Click on the <kbd class="button">New...</kbd> button.</li>
+ <li>On the line that says <kbd class="menu">Window class (application)</kbd>,
+ set the combo box to <kbd class="menu">Substring Match</kbd> and type <kbd
+ class="user">ardour</kbd> in the text entry field.</li>
+ <li>In the list box that is labeled <kbd class="menu">Window types:</kbd>,
+ click on the option <kbd class="menu">Dialog Window</kbd>, then press and
+ hold <kbd>Ctrl</kbd> while clicking on the second option <kbd
+ class="menu">Utility Window</kbd>.</li>
+ <li>Select the <kbd class="menu">Arrangement & Access</kbd> tab.</li>
+ <li>Check the box next to the <kbd class="menu">Keep above</kbd> option. On
+ the same line, select <kbd class="menu">Force</kbd> from the combo box, then
+ click on the <kbd class="menu">Yes</kbd> radio button for that line.</li>
+ <li>Click on the <kbd class="button">OK</kbd> button to dismiss the dialog.
+ </li>
+</ol>
+<p>
+ At this point you can close the <kbd class="menu">System Settings</kbd>
+ application.
+</p>
+
+<h3>Background Info</h3>
+<p>
+ <a href="https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=172615#c26">According to one of
+ the lead KDE developers</a>, they are not willing to follow the <abbr
+ title="Inter-Client Communication Conventions Manual">ICCCM</abbr> standard
+ for utility windows. Apparently they are alone in this understanding, as
+ plugin windows on Ardour under Linux work out of the box on every other <abbr
+ title="Window Manager">WM</abbr> out there.
+</p>
+<p>
+ Under KDE 4, there was a workaround in Ardour (<kbd class="menu">Preferences
+ > Theme > All floating windows are dialogs</kbd>) that would "trick"
+ KDE into forcing certain window types to be on top of their parent windows,
+ but this no longer works under KDE Plasma 5.
+</p>
+
---
<p>
- In Ardour, you work in two main windows: the <dfn>Editor</dfn> and the
+ In Ardour, work is done in two main windows: the <dfn>Editor</dfn> and the
<dfn>Mixer</dfn>.
</p>
-<img class="right" src="/ardour/manual/html/diagrams/editor-summary.png"
-alt="Ardour's editor window" />
+
+<p><img class="right" src="/images/editor-summary.png"
+alt="Ardour's editor window" /></p>
+
<p>
- The <dfn>Editor</dfn> window includes the editor track <dfn>canvas</dfn>
- where you can arrange audio and MIDI data along a timeline. This is the
- window you will be in while editing and arranging a project. The window
- has a general "horizontal" sense to it: the timeline flows from left to
- right, the playhead showing the current position in the session moves
- from left to right — the window really represents <dfn>time</dfn>
- in a fairly literal way.
+ The <dfn>Editor</dfn> window includes the editor track <dfn>canvas</dfn> where audio and MIDI data can be arranged along a timeline. This is the window used while <a href="/editing-and-arranging/">editing and arranging</a> a session. This window has a general <em>horizontal</em> sense to it: the timeline flows from left to right, and the playhead showing the current position in the session moves from left to right—the window represents <dfn>time</dfn> in a fairly literal way.
</p>
-<img class="right" src="/ardour/manual/html/diagrams/mixer-summary.png"
-alt="ardour's mixer window" />
+
+<p><img class="right" src="/images/mixer-summary.png"
+alt="ardour's mixer window" /></p>
+
<p>
- The <dfn>Mixer</dfn> window on the other hand represents signal flow and
- is the window you will probably be using most when mixing a session. It
- includes <dfn>channel strips</dfn> for each track and bus in your session.
- It has a general "vertical" sense to it: signals flow from the top of each
- channel strip through the processing elements in the strip to reach the
- output listed at the bottom.
+ The <dfn>Mixer</dfn> window on the other hand represents signal flow and is the window likely used most when mixing a session. It includes <dfn>channel strips</dfn> for each track and bus in the session. It has a general <em>vertical</em> sense to it: signals flow from the top of each channel strip through the processing elements in the strip to reach the output listed at the bottom.
</p>
+
<p>
- It is possible to show a single channel strip in the editor window, and
- some people find this enough to work on mixing without actually opening
- the mixer window. Most of the time though, you will want both of these
- windows at various stages of a session's lifetime — sometimes
- you'll be focused on editing, sometimes on mixing and possibly some of
- the time on both.
+ It is possible to show a single channel strip in the editor window, and this can be enough to work on mixing without actually opening the mixer window. Most of the time though, both of these windows will be needed at various stages of a session's lifetime—sometimes the focus is on editing, other times the focus is on mixing.
</p>
{% children %}
+
There are several ways of <dfn>starting Ardour</dfn>, which may vary
depending on which platform you are using it.
</p>
+
<ul>
<li>double-click the Ardour icon in your platform's file manager (e.g.
Nautilus on Linux, Finder on OS X)</li>
<li>double click on an Ardour session file in your platform's file manager</li>
<li>on Linux, you can also start Ardour <a
- href="/ardours-interface/starting-ardour/starting-ardour-from-the-command-line">on
- the command line</a></li>
+ href="/ardours-interface/starting-ardour/starting-ardour-from-the-command-line">on the command line</a></li>
</ul>
+
<p>
When Ardour is run for the very first time, a special dialog is displayed
that will ask you several questions about your setup. You will not be asked
these questions again, but you can always modify your choices via the
<kbd class="menu">Edit > Preferences</kbd> dialog.
</p>
+
+<p class="fixme">This may have been true in the past, but now, considering that the startup dialog lets one tune JACK parameters up front, this is prety much bollocks. The rest is wrong as well</p>
<p>
In general, it is sensible to start JACK before you run Ardour. This is not
necessary, but will provide you with more control and options over JACK's
operation.
</p>
+
<p>
If you open Ardour without specifying an existing session it will display
the <kbd class="menu">Session > New...</kbd> dialog. If JACK is not already
running, there will be an extra <kbd class="menu">Audio Engine</kbd> tab in
that dialog to configure JACK, which Ardour will then start automatically.
</p>
+
<p>
If you did specify an existing session but JACK is not already running, the
<kbd class="menu">New Session</kbd> dialog will contain just the Audio Engine tab.
</p>
-
{% children %}
+
Like (almost) any other program on Linux, Ardour can be started on the
command line. Type the following command in a terminal window:
</p>
-<kbd class="cmd lin">ardour3</kbd>
+<kbd class="cmd lin">ardour5</kbd>
<p>
To start Ardour with an existing session:
</p>
-<kbd class="cmd lin">ardour3 <em>/path/to/session</em></kbd>
+<kbd class="cmd lin">ardour5 <em>/path/to/session</em></kbd>
<p>
replacing /path/to/session with the actual path to your session. You can
specify either the session folder or any session file inside the folder,
<p>
To start Ardour with a new, named session:
</p>
-<kbd class="cmd lin">ardour3 -N <em>/path/to/session</em></kbd>
+<kbd class="cmd lin">ardour5 -N <em>/path/to/session</em></kbd>
<h3>Other Command Line Options</h3>
<h2>Context Menus</h2>
<h2>Browsers</h2>
+<p class="fixme">Add content</p>
+
undo/redo stack.
This stack is cleared each time the content of the timeline changes.
If you have built up a complex selection and then accidentally cleared it,
- choosing <kbd class="menu">Edit > Undo Selection Change</kbd> will restore your
- previous selection.
+ choosing <kbd class="menu">Edit > Undo Selection Change</kbd> will restore your previous selection.
If you then decide that you had in fact made the correct change, choosing
<kbd class="menu">Edit > Redo Selection Change</kbd> will take you back
to where you were before you chose <kbd class="menu">Edit > Undo Selection Change</kbd>.
</p>
+
There is also an undo for selection. See
<a href="/ardours-interface/basic-gui-operations/selection-techniques/">Selection Techniques</a> for more information.
</p>
+
+<p class="warning">
+ Note that changes made to mixer strips, such as turning knobs or changing faders, cannot be undone.
+</p>
+
vertically or horizontally inside a window.
</p>
+<p class="fixme">Should add some mention of drag & drop operations; the "Dragging" section above doesn't mention it at all.</p>
+
title: Introducing the Editor Window
---
+<p class="fixme">Add content</p>
+
{% children %}
---
layout: default
title: Snapshot List
----
+---
+<p>
+ This list gives the snapshots that exist of this session. Clicking on a snapshot
+ name will load that snapshot.
+</p>
+<p>
+ See <a href="/working-with-sessions">Working with Sessions</a> for more
+ information on snapshots.
+</p>
-
-
-<p>This list gives the snapshots that exist of this session. Clicking on a snapshot name will load that snapshot. </p>
-<p>See <a href="/working-with-sessions">Working with Sessions</a> for more information on snapshots.</p>
-
title: The Editing Toolbar
---
+<p class="fixme">Need toolbar image</p>
+
<h2>Mouse Modes</h2>
<dl class="wide-table">
<dt id="object">Object Mode</dt>
mode in the lower half.
</p>
+<p class="fixme">Add missing content</p>
title: The Transport Bar
---
+<p class="fixme">Add content</p>
title: Introducing the Mixer Window
---
+<p class="fixme">Add content</p>
transport clock and the right one is the secondary transport clock.
They look like this:
</p>
-<img src="/files/manual/a3/images/new_main_clocks.png" alt="An image of the transport clocks in Ardour 3" />
+<img src="/images/a3_new_main_clocks.png" alt="An image of the transport clocks in Ardour 3" />
<p>
Editing the time in the transport clocks will reposition the playhead in the same
way that various other editing operations will.
large big clock window filling a good part of the display, and on the right,
the same clock during active recording.
</p>
-<a href="/files/bigclock.png"><img src="/files/bigclock.png" height="100" alt="an image of the big clock filling a screen" /></a> <a href="/files/bigclock-recording.png"><img src="/files/bigclock-recording.png" height="100" alt="an image of the big clock while recording"
+<a href="/images/bigclock.png"><img src="/images/bigclock.png" height="100" alt="an image of the big clock filling a screen" /></a> <a href="/images/bigclock-recording.png"><img src="/images/bigclock-recording.png" height="100" alt="an image of the big clock while recording"
/></a>
<h3>The Special Role of the Secondary Transport Clock</h3>
selection range, so the selection clocks show an "off" state.
</p>
-<img src="/files/selectionpunchclocks.png" alt="An image of the the selection and punch clocks in Ardour 3" />
+<img src="/images/selectionpunchclocks.png" alt="An image of the the selection and punch clocks in Ardour 3" />
<h2>Clock Modes</h2>
<p>
appear in a different color, from right to left, overwriting the existing value.
Mid-edit, after typing <kbd class="input">3 2 2 2</kbd> the clock might look like this:
</p>
-<img src="/files/clockedit.png" alt="An image of a clock being edited in Ardour 3" />
+<img src="/images/clockedit.png" alt="An image of a clock being edited in Ardour 3" />
<p>
To finish the edit, press <kbd>↵</kbd> or <kbd>Tab</kbd>. To exit an
edit without changing the clock press <kbd>ESC</kbd>. If you mis-type an entry
decreases it, again with a step size equal to the unit of the field you
began the drag on.
</p>
-
+
---
<h2>Introduction</h2>
+
<p>
An engineer reading and using audio level meters compares to a musician
reading or writing sheet-music. Just like there are virtuoso musicians
go by their ears and produce great mixes and masters without ever looking
at a single meter.
</p>
+
<p>
Yet, if you want to work in or with the broadcast industry, it is
usually unavoidable to use meters.
</p>
+
<p>
Audio level meters are very powerful tools that are useful in every
part of the entire production chain:
</p>
+
<ul>
<li>When tracking, meters are used to ensure that the input
signal does not <dfn>overload</dfn> and maintains reasonable
</ul>
<h2>Meter Types</h2>
+
<p>
A general treatise on metering is beyond the scope of this
manual. It is a complex subject with a history...
For background information and further reading we recommend:
</p>
+
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.digido.com/how-to-make-better-recordings-part-2.html">How To Make Better Recordings in the 21st Century - An Integrated Approach to Metering, Monitoring, and Leveling Practices</a> by Bob Katz. Has a good historic overview of meters and motivates the K-meter</li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peak_programme_meter#Table_of_characteristics">Wikipedia: Peak programme meter</a> - overview of meter types.</li>
<h2>Ardour Specifics</h2>
-<img class="right" src="/ardour/manual/html/screenshots/mixer-meter-context-menu.png" alt="mixer strip meter context menu" />
+<img class="right" src="/images/mixer-meter-context-menu.png" alt="mixer strip meter context menu" />
+
<p>
Meters are available in various places in ardour:
</p>
+
<ul>
<li>The mixer window features fixed height meters for each <dfn>channel strip</dfn>.</li>
<li>There are small (narrow) meters on each <dfn>track-header</dfn> in the editor window.</li>
<li>Optionally, a fixed-size <dfn>master meter</dfn> can be displayed in the main toolbar.</li>
<li>Various other locations (<dfn>file import</dfn>, <dfn>sends</dfn>) have level-meters.</li>
</ul>
+
<p>
They all share the same configuration and color-theme which is available in
preferences and the theme-manager. Settings for the Peak and RMS+Peak meters
as well as VU meter standards are found in
<kbd class="menu">Edit > Preferences > GUI > Metering</kbd>.
</p>
+
<p>
The type of meter and the <dfn>metering point</dfn> (the place in the signal chain
where the meter taps the signal) are configurable in the context menu of each meter.
Strip</kbd> settings, the metering point is also accessible via a button in
each Mixer strip.
</p>
-<img class="right" src="/ardour/manual/html/screenshots/meter-preferences.png" alt="" />
+
+<img class="right" src="/images/meter-preferences.png" alt="" />
+
<p>
Regardless of meter type and standard the meter display will highlight red if
the signal on the given channel exceeds the configured peak threshold.
</p>
+
<p>
<kbd class="mouse">Left</kbd> on the peak-indicator button resets the
<dfn>peak-hold indicator</dfn> of a single channel.<br />
<h2>Overview of meter types</h2>
<p>
- The figure on the left shows all available meter-types in Ardour 3.4 when fed with a
- -18 dBFS 1 kHz sine wave.
+ The figure on the left below shows all available meter-types in Ardour 3.4 when fed with a -18 dBFS 1 kHz sine wave.
</p>
-<img class="right" style="max-width:45%;height:400px;" src="/ardour/manual/html/screenshots/needle-meters-18.png"
+<img class="right" style="max-width:45%;height:400px;" src="/images/needle-meters-18.png"
alt="Needle-style meters as external LV2 plugins" />
-<img style="max-width:45%; height:400px" src="/ardour/manual/html/screenshots/meter-types-18.png"
+<img style="max-width:45%; height:400px" src="/images/meter-types-18.png"
alt="Bar-graph meters in Ardour" />
+<br /><br />
<p>
- Due to layout concerns and consistent look&feel all meters available in
- Ardour itself are bar-graph type meters. Corresponding needle-style meters
- — which take up more visual screen space — are available as
- LV2 plugins (see image on the right):
- <a href="https://github.com/x42/meters.lv2/">meters.lv2</a>.
+ Due to layout concerns and consistent look & feel, all meters available in
+ Ardour itself are bar-graph type meters. Corresponding needle-style meters—which take up more visual screen space—are available as
+ <a href="https://github.com/x42/meters.lv2/">LV2 plugins</a> (see image on the upper right).
</p>
+
layout: default
title: Controlling Playback
---
-
+
+<p class="fixme">There is no discussion of starting playback anywhere in here. Starting/stopping needs to be explained</p>
+
<p>
- Ardour offers many ways to <dfn>control playback</dfn> of your session,
- including the transport bar, key bindings and remote controls.
- You can also use markers to define locations or ranges within
- the session and rapidly move around between them.
+ Ardour offers many ways to <dfn>control playback</dfn> of the session, including the transport bar, key bindings and remote controls. Markers can also be used to define locations or ranges within the session and rapidly move around between them.
</p>
+
<p class="note">
- If you synchronize Ardour with other devices then some or
- all of these control methods may be unavailable — depending on
- the synchronization protocol, Ardour may respond only to commands
- sent from its master device(s).
+ If Ardour is synchronized with other devices, then some or all of these control methods may be unavailable—depending on the synchronization protocol, Ardour may respond only to commands sent from its master device(s).
</p>
{% children %}
+
<a href="/working-with-markers/the-loop-range">Loop Range Markers</a>.
</p>
+<p class="fixme">Broken link</p>
here</kbd>.
</p>
<p>
- Alternatively, place the pointer on the marker and press
- <kbd>P</kbd> to set the playhead.
+ The playhead can also be moved backward and forward through the markers by
+ respectively pressing the <kbd>Q</kbd> and <kbd>W</kbd> keys. Pressing
+ <kbd>Home</kbd> and <kbd>End</kbd> will move the playhead to the special
+ markers <dfn>start</dfn> and <dfn>end</dfn>, respectively.
</p>
-
<p>Commands without default bindings include:</p>
+<p class="fixme">Add content</p>
layout: default
title: Using the Nudge Controls
---
-
+
+<p class="fixme">Add image of Nudge Controls</a>
+
<p>
If there are no selected objects, the <dfn>nudge controls</dfn> can be
used to move the playhead backward or forward by a fixed amount. The left
title: Using the Transport Bar
---
-
+<p class="fixme">Add content</p>
<p>
<dfn>Location Markers</dfn> appear in the <dfn>Locations ruler</dfn> at the top
- of the timeline. The <dfn>begin</dfn> and <dfn>end</dfn> markers appear
+ of the timeline. The <dfn>start</dfn> and <dfn>end</dfn> markers appear
automatically, but you can create custom markers at any position in a
session.
</p>
layout: default
title: Creating Range Markers
---
+
+<p class="fixme">Add images</a>
<p>
<dfn>Range markers</dfn> are essentially two location markers the are grouped
title: The Loop Range
---
+<p class="fixme">Missing content</a>
+
<p>
The <dfn>loop range</dfn> is a special range that defines the start and end points
for loop play, which can be enabled in the transport bar.
list</a>.
</p>
+<p class="fixme">Broken links</a>
title: Punch Range
---
+<p class="fixme">Missing content</a>
+
<p>
The <dfn>punch range</dfn> is a special range used to define where
recording will start and/or stop during a <dfn>punch</dfn>.
list.
</p>
+<p class="fixme">Broken links</a>
title: Working With Sessions
---
+<p class="fixme">Need a brief description or a link to it from the intro</a>
+
{% children %}
title: New/Open Session Dialog
---
+<p class="fixme">Info is out of date, image needs updating</p>
+
<p>
The initial <dfn>Session</dfn> dialog consists of several consecutive pages:
</p>
ALSA drivers or the (preferred) new JACK+ALSA implementation.</dd>
</dl>
-{% children %}
<h2>Moving an Ardour session to another DAW</h2>
<p>To move an Ardour session to another DAW, you have 3 basic choices:</p>
<ul>
- <li>Stem exports</li>
<li>Copy the interchange folder</li>
+ <li>Stem exports</li>
<li>Use AATranslator</li>
</ul>
<h3>Moving another DAW session to Ardour</h3>
layout: default
title: Using AATranslator
---
-
+
<p>
<dfn>AATranslator</dfn> is a Windows
application that can convert sessions/projects from many diffferent DAWs
- into other formats. At the present time (December 2012), it can read and
+ into other formats. At the present time (December 2016), it can read and
write Ardour 2.X sessions, and can read Ardour 3 sessions.
</p>
<p>
has full details on supported formats and DAWs. The list includes
ProTools, Live, Reaper, OMF, AAF and many more.
</p>
-<img src="/images/No problem.gif" alt="AATranslator Demo Animation"/>
-
-
+<p class="warning">
+ AATranslator is closed-source, non-free software (as of this writing, Dec. 2016, the cost is 60 USD for the "Standard" version, and 200 USD for the "Enhanced" version).
+</p>
on templates for individual tracks or busses.
</p>
+<p class="fixme">Broken link</p>
+
</p>
<h2>Edit Session Metadata Dialog</h2>
-<img src="/ardour/manual/html/screenshots/edit-session-metadata.png" />
+<img src="/images/edit-session-metadata.png" />
drum kit to multiple tracks. You have created a track group, added all the
drum tracks, enabled the group and enabled the Select property for the group.
When you select a region in one of the drum tracks, Ardour will select the
- corresponding region in every other drum track, which in turn means that a
- subsequent edit operation will affect all the drum tracks together.
+ corresponding region in every other drum track in the group, which in turn
+ means that a subsequent edit operation will affect all the grouped drum
+ tracks together.
</p>
<h2>How Ardour Decides Which Regions are "Corresponding"</h2>
title: Region Context Menu
---
+<p class="fixme">Need to add detail to the context menu table to describe what the options do</p>
+
<p>
In the editor window, right clicking (context clicking) on a region
displays a menu with <dfn>track and region operations</dfn>. The menu begins with the
<p>
If you want to create a composite edit from multiple takes, create a new
track to assemble the final version, and "cherry pick" from the playlists
- in the original track by copying regions over as required.<br />
+ in the original track by copying regions over as required.
+</p>
+<p>
Alternatively, record each successive take on top of the
others in "layers" and then edit them using the layer tools, explained
later.
</p>
<h2>Track types</h2>
+
<p>
An Ardour track can be of type <dfn>audio</dfn> or <dfn>MIDI</dfn>,
depending on the <dfn>data</dfn> that the track will primarily record
MIDI data from disk but would produce audio, since the instrument plugin
would turn MIDI data into audio data.
</p>
+
<p>
Nevertheless, when adding tracks to a session, you typically have an idea
of what you need to use the new tracks for, and Ardour offers you three
choices:
</p>
+
<dl class="narrower-table">
<dt>Audio</dt>
<dd>An <dfn>Audio Track</dfn> is created with a user-specified number of
<dt>Audio/MIDI</dt>
<dd>There are a few notable plugins that can usefully accept both <dfn>Audio
and MIDI</dfn> data (Reaktor is one, and various "auto-tune" like plugins
- are another). It can be tricky to configure this type of track manually,
+ are another). It can be tricky to configure this type of track manually,
so Ardour allows you to select this type specifically for use with such
plugins. It is <em>not</em> generally the right choice when working normal
MIDI tracks, and a dialog will warn you of this.</dd>
</dl>
<h2 id="trackmodes">Track Modes</h2>
+
<p>
Audio tracks in Ardour have a <dfn>mode</dfn> which affects how they behave
when recording:
</p>
+
<dl class="narrower-table">
<dt>Normal</dt>
- <dd>Tracks in <dfn>normal mode</dfn> will record non-destructively —
- new data is written to new files, and when overdubbing, new regions will be
- layered on top of existing ones. This is the recommended mode for most workflows.
+ <dd>Tracks in <dfn>normal mode</dfn> will record non-destructively—new
+ data is written to new files, and when overdubbing, new regions will be
+ layered on top of existing ones. This is the recommended mode for most
+ workflows.
</dd>
<dt>Non-Layered</dt>
- <dd>Tracks using <dfn>non-layered mode</dfn> will record non-destructively
- — new data is written to new files, but when overdubbing, the existing
+ <dd>Tracks using <dfn>non-layered mode</dfn> will record non-destructively—new data is written to new files, but when overdubbing,
+ the existing
regions are trimmed so that there are no overlaps. This does not affect
the previously recorded audio data, and trimmed regions can be expanded
again at will. Non-layered mode can be very useful for spoken word material,
- especially in combination with <a href="/missing">push/pull trimming</a>.
+ especially in combination with <a href="/editing-and-arranging/change-region-lengths/pushpull-trimming">push/pull trimming</a>.
+
+ <p class="fixme">Broken link</p>
+
</dd>
<dt>Tape</dt>
<dd><dfn>Tape-mode</dfn> tracks do <strong>destructive</strong> recording:
all data is recorded to a single file and if you overdub a section of existing
- data, the existing data is destroyed irrevocably — there is no undo.
+ data, the existing data is destroyed irrevocably—there is no undo.
Fixed crossfades are added at every punch in and out point. This mode can be
useful for certain kinds of re-recording workflows, but it not suggested for normal
use.</dd>
</dl>
-<img class="right" src="/files/a3/a3_nonlayered_example.png" alt="normal and non-layered overdubbing comparision"
+
+<img class="right" src="/images/a3_nonlayered_example.png" alt="normal and non-layered overdubbing comparision"
/>
+
<p>
The screenshot on the right shows the subtle difference between an overdub
in <dfn>normal mode</dfn> (upper track) and one in <dfn>non-layered mode</dfn>
- (lower track). Both tracks were created using identical audio data. <br />
+ (lower track). Both tracks were created using identical audio data.
+</p>
+
+<p>
The upper track shows a new region which has been <dfn>layered on
top</dfn> of the the existing (longer) region. You can see this if you look
- carefully at the region name strips.<br />
- The lower track has split the existing region in two, trimmed each new
- region to create space for the new overdub, and inserted the overdub region
- in between.
+ carefully at the region name strips. The lower track has split the existing
+ region in two, trimmed each new region to create space for the new overdub,
+ and inserted the overdub region in between.
</p>
<h2 id="channelconfiguration">Channel Configuration</h2>
+
<p>
- Ardour tracks can have any number of inputs and any number of outputs, and the
- number of either can be changed at any time (subject to restrictions caused by
- any plugins in a track). However it is useful to not have to configure this sort
- of thing for the most common cases, and so the
- <a href="/working-with-tracks/adding-tracks">Add Tracks</a> dialog allows you to
- select "Mono", "Stereo" and few other typical multichannel presets<br />
+ Ardour tracks can have any number of inputs and any number of outputs, and
+ the number of either can be changed at any time (subject to restrictions
+ caused by any plugins in a track). However it is useful to not have to
+ configure this sort of thing for the most common cases, and so the
+ <a href="/working-with-tracks/adding-tracks">Add Tracks</a> dialog allows you
+ to select "Mono", "Stereo" and few other typical multichannel presets.
The name of the preset describes the number of <dfn>input channels</dfn>
of the track or bus.
</p>
+
<p>
If you have configured Ardour to automatically connect new tracks and
busses for you, the number of outputs will be determined by the number of
inputs of the <dfn>master <a
href="/introducing-ardour/understanding-basic-concepts-and-terminology/#busses">bus</a></dfn>,
- to which the track outputs will be connected.<br />
+ to which the track outputs will be connected.
+</p>
+
+<p>
For example, if you have a two-channel master bus, then a Mono track has one
input and two outputs; a Stereo track has two inputs and two outputs.
</p>
+
<p class="note">
- If you you set <kbd class="menu">Edit > Preferences > Audio
+ Setting <kbd class="menu">Edit > Preferences > Audio
> Connection of Tracks and Busses</kbd> to <kbd
- class="menu">manual</kbd>, then tracks will be left disconnected by default
- and there will be as many outputs as there are inputs. It is up to you to connect
- them as you wish. This is not a particularly useful way to work unless you are doing
- something fairly unusual with signal routing and processing. It is almost always
- preferable to leave Ardour to make connections automatically, even if you later
- change some of them manually.
+ class="menu">manual</kbd> will leave tracks disconnected by default
+ and there will be as many outputs as there are inputs. It is up to you to
+ connect them as you wish. This is not a particularly useful way to work
+ unless you are doing something fairly unusual with signal routing and
+ processing. It is almost always preferable to allow Ardour to make
+ connections automatically, even if some of them have to be changed manually
+ at some point.
</p>
-
-
+
title: Adding Tracks and Busses
---
-<img class="right" src="/ardour/manual/html/screenshots/add-track-or-bus.png" alt="the add-track dialog" />
+<img class="right" src="/images/add-track-or-bus.png" alt="the add-track dialog" />
+
<p>A track or bus can be added to a session in various ways:</p>
+
<ul>
<li>Choose <kbd class="menu">Track > Add Track or Bus</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>
</ul>
+
<p>
Any of these actions will open the Add Track or Bus dialog. Note that any
new tracks from this dialog will appear after the last currently selected
track, or at the end if no track is selected.
</p>
+
<dl>
<dt>Add</dt>
<dd>Here you can select the number of tracks or busses you wish to create, and
<dt>Configuration</dt>
<dd>This menu lets you choose from a number of <dfn><a href="/missing">route
templates</a></dfn>, which determine the number of input ports and optionally
- contain plugins and other mixer strip configuration.</dd>
+ contain plugins and other mixer strip configuration.
+ <p class="fixme">Broken link</p>
+ </dd>
<dt>Track mode</dt>
<dd>This option is only available for audio tracks. See <a href="/working-with-tracks/track-types/#trackmodes">Track Modes</a> for details.</dd>
<dt>Instrument</dt>
record enable, or editing, for example). This option lets you assign to an
existing group, or create a new group.</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
</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
<img class="right" style="clear:both" src="/images/track-layer-dialog.png"
alt="Track layering menu" />
+
<p>
Ardour allows arbitrary <dfn>layering</dfn> of regions — you can
have as many regions you wish at a given position. By default, the regions are
<dfn>overlaid</dfn> in the editor window, to save vertical space.
</p>
+
<p>
However, this display mode can be confusing for tracks with many overdubs,
because its not obvious in which order the overdubs are layered. Although
there are times when being able to clearly see all regions in a track without
any overlaps is reassuring and useful.
</p>
+
<p>
Here is an image of a track with a rather drastic overdub situation,
viewed in normal <dfn>overlaid mode</dfn>:
</p>
-<img src="/files/a3/a3_overlaps_layered.png" alt="overlapping regions in overlaid mode" />
+
+<img src="/images/a3_overlaps_layered.png" alt="overlapping regions in overlaid mode" />
+
<p>
To change this display, right click on the track header, and you'll see
the menu displayed above. There are two choices for layers. <kbd
class="menu">overlaid</kbd> is currently selected. Click on <kbd
class="menu">stacked</kbd> and the track display changes to this:
</p>
-<img src="/files/a3/a3_layers_stacked.png" alt="overlapping regions in stacked mode" />
+
+<img src="/images/a3_layers_stacked.png" alt="overlapping regions in stacked mode" />
+
<p>
You can still move regions around as usual, and in fact you can
even drag them so that they overlay each again, but when you
<kbd class="menu">Color</kbd> and pick a hue to your taste in the
<a href="/missing">color dialog</a>. Every selected track will be
re-colored.
+ <p class="fixme">Broken link</p>
</p>
<p>
Note that if you are only changing one track, context-clicking on
Choose <kbd class="menu">Track > Height > Fit Selected Tracks</kbd>
or use the keyboard shortcut, <kbd>f</kbd>. Ardour adjusts the track
heights and view so that the selected tracks completely fill the vertical
- space available, unless the tracks cannot be fitted even at the smallest
+ space available, unless the tracks cannot be made to fit even at the smallest
possible size.
</p>
<p class="note">
</dd>
</dl>
-
-{% children %}
in the editor window via the keyboard shortcuts after adding them (see above).
</p>
-
-{% children %}
---
<p>A typical control area or <dfn>bus header<dfn> is shown below:</p>
-<img src="/ardour/manual/html/screenshots/typical-bus-controls.png" alt="bus controls" />
+<img src="/images/typical-bus-controls.png" alt="bus controls" />
<p>
At the top-left of the controls is the name of the bus, which can be
</p>
<dl>
<dt id="mute">m</dt>
- <dd><dfn>Mute</dfn> — click to mute the bus. Right-click to display
+ <dd><dfn>Mute</dfn>—click to mute the bus. Right-click to display
a menu which dictates what particular parts of the bus should be muted.</dd>
<dt id="solo">s</dt>
- <dd><dfn>Solo</dfn> — solo the bus. The behaviour of the solo system
+ <dd><dfn>Solo</dfn>—solo the bus. The behaviour of the solo system
is described in detail in the section <a
href="/mixing/muting-and-soloing/">Muting and Soloing</a>.</dd>
<dt id="automation">a</dt>
- <dd><dfn>Automation</dfn> — opens the automation menu for the
+ <dd><dfn>Automation</dfn>—opens the automation menu for the
bus. For details see <a href="/automation/">Automation</a>.</dd>
<dt id="group">g</dt>
- <dd><dfn>Group</dfn> — lets you assign the bus to an existing or a
+ <dd><dfn>Group</dfn>—lets you assign the bus to an existing or a
new group. For details see <a href="/working-with-tracks/track-and-bus-groups/">Track and bus groups</a>. </dd>
</dl>
A typical control area or <dfn>track header</dfn> for an audio track is
shown below:
</p>
-<img src="/ardour/manual/html/screenshots/typical-audio-track-controls.png" alt="audio track controls"
+<img src="/images/typical-audio-track-controls.png" alt="audio track controls"
/>
<p>
An audio track has the same
</p>
<dl>
<dt id="record" style="color:red;font-weight:bold;">[•]</dt>
- <dd><dfn>Record</dfn> — The button with the pink circle arms the track
+ <dd><dfn>Record</dfn>—The button with the pink circle arms the track
for recording. When armed, the entire button will turn pink, and change to
bright red as soon as the transport is rolling and the track is recording.</dd>
<dt id="playlist">p</dt>
- <dd><dfn>Playlist</dfn> — Opens a playlist menu when clicked. The menu
+ <dd><dfn>Playlist</dfn>—Opens a playlist menu when clicked. The menu
offers various operations related to the track's <a
href="/working-with-playlists/">playlist</a>.
</dd>
---
<p>A typical <dfn>MIDI track header</dfn> looks like this:</p>
-<img src="/ardour/manual/html/diagrams/typical-midi-track-controls.png" alt="midi track controls"
+<img src="/images/typical-midi-track-controls.png" alt="midi track controls"
/>
<p>
</p>
<p>
To the right of the MIDI track controls is a representation of a piano keyboard
- called the <dfn>scroomer</dfn>. This performs a couple of functions.
- The scrollbar controls the range of pitches that are visible on the
- track, as visualized by the piano keyboard.<br />
- Drag the body of the scrollbar up and down to display higher or lower
- pitches.<br />
- Drag the scrollbar handles to zooms in and out and increase and decrease the
- range of visible pitches.<br />
- clicking on the piano plays the corresponding MIDI note for reference.
+ called the <dfn>scroomer</dfn> (a portmanteau of scrollbar and zoomer). This performs several functions:
</p>
+<ul>
+ <li>The scrollbar controls the range of pitches that are visible on the
+ track, as visualized by the piano keyboard.</li>
+ <li>Dragging the body of the scrollbar up and down displays higher or lower
+ pitches.</li>
+ <li>Dragging the scrollbar handles zooms in and out and increases and decreases the range of visible pitches.</li>
+ <li>Clicking on the piano plays the corresponding MIDI note for reference.</li>
+</ul>
<p>
To edit the contents of a MIDI track see <a href="/editing-and-arranging/edit-midi/">Edit
MIDI</a>.
the next item in the menu is <kbd class="menu">Choose Top</kbd>. If selected,
you will see a dialog that allows you to change the vertical order of layers
at that point. See <a href="/missing">Controlling Region Layering</a> for more details.
+ <p class="fixme">Broken link</p>
</p>
<p>
The rest of the track context menu is structured as follows:
<dt>Play</dt>
<dd>
<dl class="narrower-table">
- <dt>Play from Edit Point</dt>
- <dd>Play from the location of the current <a href="/editing-and-arranging/the-edit-point">edit point</a>.</dd>
+ <dt>Play from Edit Point</dt>
+ <dd>Play from the location of the current <a href="/editing-and-arranging/edit-point">edit point</a>.</dd>
<dt>Play from Start </dt>
<dd>Play from the start of the session</dd>
<dt>Play Region(s)</dt>
<dd>
<dl class="narrower-table">
<dt>Select All in Track</dt>
- <dt>Select All</dt>
+ <dd>Selects all regions in a track</dd>
+ <dt>Select All Objects</dt>
+ <dd>Selects all regions in the session</dd>
<dt>Invert Selection in Track</dt>
+ <dd></dd>
<dt>Invert Selection</dt>
+ <dd></dd>
<dt>Set Range to Loop Range</dt>
+ <dd></dd>
<dt>Set Range to Punch Range</dt>
+ <dd></dd>
<dt>Select All After Edit Point</dt>
+ <dd></dd>
<dt>Select All Before Edit Point</dt>
+ <dd></dd>
<dt>Select All After Playhead</dt>
+ <dd></dd>
<dt>Select All Before Playhead</dt>
+ <dd></dd>
<dt>Select All Between Playhead and Edit Point</dt>
+ <dd></dd>
<dt>Select All Within Playhead and Edit Point</dt>
+ <dd></dd>
<dt>Select Range Between Playhead and Edit Point</dt>
+ <dd></dd>
</dl>
</dd>
<dt>Edit</dt>
<dd>
<dl class="narrower-table">
-<dt>Cut</dt>
-<dt>Copy</dt>
-<dt>Paste</dt>
-<dt>Align</dt>
-<dt>Align Relative</dt>
-</dl>
-</dd>
-<dt>Insert Selected Region</dt>
-<dt>Insert Existing Media</dt>
-<dt>Nudge</dt>
-<dd>
-<dl class="narrower-table">
-<dt>Nudge Entire Track Later</dt>
-<dt>Nudge Track After Edit Point Later</dt>
-<dt>Nudge Entire Track Earlier</dt>
-<dt>Nudge Track After Edit Point Earlier</dt>
-</dl>
-</dd>
-<dt>Freeze</dt>
+ <dt>Cut</dt>
+ <dd></dd>
+ <dt>Copy</dt>
+ <dd></dd>
+ <dt>Paste</dt>
+ <dd></dd>
+ <dt>Align</dt>
+ <dd></dd>
+ <dt>Align Relative</dt>
+ <dd></dd>
+ </dl>
+ </dd>
+ <dt>Insert Selected Region</dt>
+ <dd></dd>
+ <dt>Insert Existing Media</dt>
+ <dd></dd>
+ <dt>Nudge</dt>
+ <dd>
+ <dl class="narrower-table">
+ <dt>Nudge Entire Track Later</dt>
+ <dd></dd>
+ <dt>Nudge Track After Edit Point Later</dt>
+ <dd></dd>
+ <dt>Nudge Entire Track Earlier</dt>
+ <dd></dd>
+ <dt>Nudge Track After Edit Point Earlier</dt>
+ <dd></dd>
+ </dl>
+ </dd>
+ <dt>Freeze</dt>
+ <dd></dd>
</dl>
+
+<p>
+<i>This text here to prevent following FIXME from corrupting the above table</i>
+</p>
+<p class="fixme">Add missing content</p>
+
<p>
Tracks and busses can be put into <dfn>groups</dfn>. Members of a group
- can share various settings — useful for managing tracks that are closely
+ can share various settings—useful for managing tracks that are closely
related to each other. Examples might include tracks that contain
multiple-microphone recordings of a single source (an acoustic guitar,
perhaps, or a drum-kit).
</p>
+
<p>
You can group tracks and busses in various ways. In the editor window,
a track's controls might look like these:
</p>
-<img class="left" src="/ardour/manual/html/screenshots/track-in-group.png" alt="track headers for a group" />
+
+<img class="left" src="/images/track-in-group.png" alt="track headers for a group" />
+
<p>
The green tab to the left of the track header indicates that this track
is in a group called <samp>Fred</samp>. You can drag these tabs to add
</p>
<h2>Create New Groups</h2>
+
<p>
There are several ways to <dfn>create groups</dfn> for tracks and bussess:
</p>
+
<ul>
<li>Context-click on the group tab and use one of the <kbd
class="menu">Create...</kbd> options there. You can create a group with
</ul>
<h2>Remove Groups</h2>
+
<p>
Context-click on a <dfn>group tab</dfn> and select <kbd class="menu">Remove
Group</kbd> from the menu. Removing a group does <em>not</em> remove
the members of a group.
</p>
+
<p>
You can also remove groups by selecting them in the Groups tab of the
<a href="/ardours-interface/introducing-the-editor-window/editor-lists">Editor Lists</a>
</p>
<h2>Add/Remove Tracks and Busses From a Group</h2>
+
<p>
Click the <kbd class="menu">g</kbd> button to display a menu with a list
of the available groups. Select one of these groups to add the track or bus
to that group. Select <kbd class="menu">No Group</kbd> to remove it.
</p>
+
<p>
Alternatively, you can also drag a group tab to add or remove tracks from
the group.
</p>
<h2>Activate/Deactivate Groups via the Group Tab</h2>
+
<p>
Clicking on a group tab toggles the group between being active and inactive.
An inactive group has no effect when editing its members. An active group
groups are coloured grey.</p>
<h2>Modify Group Properties</h2>
+
<p>
To edit the properties of a group, context-click on its tab and choose
<kbd class="menu">Edit Group…</kbd>. This opens the track/bus group dialog,
which is also used when creating new groups:
</p>
-<img class="right" src="/ardour/manual/html/screenshots/route-group-dialogue.png" alt="the track/bus group dialog" />
+<img class="right" src="/images/route-group-dialogue.png" alt="the track/bus group dialog" />
<h3>Group Color</h3>
+
<p>
Click on the color selector button to change a group's colour. This affects
the colour of the group's tab in the editor and mixer windows. The color does
</p>
<h3>Shared Properties</h3>
+
<p>
<kbd class="option">Gain</kbd> means that the track faders will be synced to
always have the same value; <kbd class="option">Relative</kbd> means that the
gain of -6 dB will result in the second track having a gain of
-4 dB (the <em>difference</em> of the gains remains the same).
</p>
+
<p>
<a href="/working-with-tracks/bus-controls/#mute"><kbd class="option">Muting</kbd></a>,
<a href="/working-with-tracks/bus-controls/#solo"><kbd class="option">Soloing</kbd></a>,
are all straightforward. They simply mean that all member tracks or busses will
share the same settings in these respects.
</p>
+
<p>
<kbd class="option">Selection</kbd> means that if a region is selected or
deselected on one member track, <a
href="/working-with-regions/corresponding-region-selection/">corresponding
regions</a> on other member tracks
will be similarly selected. Since region editing operations are applied to all
- currently selected regions, this is the way to make edits apply across all tracks
- in the group.
+ currently selected regions, this is the way to make edits apply across all tracks in the group.
</p>
+<p class="fixme">Broken link</p>
+
<h3>Group Tab Context Menu</h3>
+
<p>Context-clicking on the group tab offers a further menu of group-related actions. </p>
+
<dl class="wide-table">
-<dt>Create a New Group</dt>
-<dd>create a new group</dd>
-<dt>Create New Group from...</dt>
-<dd> create a new group and automatically add ...
-<dl class="narrower-table">
-<dt>Selected</dt>
-<dd>all currently selected tracks and busses</dd>
-<dt>Rec-enabled</dt>
-<dd>all currently record-enabled tracks</dd>
-<dt>Soloed</dt>
-<dd>all currently soloed tracks and busses</dd>
-</dl>
-</dd>
-<dt>Collect Group</dt>
-<dd>moves all the member tracks so that they are together in the editor window</dd>
-<dt>Remove Group</dt>
-<dd>removes the group (and only the group, not its members).</dd>
-<dt>Add New Subgroup Bus</dt>
-<dd> creates a bus (giving it the name of the group) and connects the output of each member to the new bus.
-</dd>
-<dt>Add New Aux Bus</dt>
-<dd>adds a bus and gives each member a send to that bus. There are two options for this, specifying whether the sends should be placed pre- or post-fader.</dd>
-<dt>Fit to Window</dt>
-<dd> will zoom the member tracks so that they fill the editor window.</dd>
-<dt>Enable All Groups</dt>
-<dd>makes all group active, including any hidden groups.</dd>
-<dt>Disable All Groups</dt>
-<dd>makes all groups inactive, including any hidden groups.</dd>
+ <dt>Create a New Group</dt>
+ <dd>create a new group</dd>
+ <dt>Create New Group from...</dt>
+ <dd> create a new group and automatically add ...
+
<dl class="narrower-table">
+ <dt>Selected</dt>
+ <dd>all currently selected tracks and busses</dd>
+ <dt>Rec-enabled</dt>
+ <dd>all currently record-enabled tracks</dd>
+ <dt>Soloed</dt>
+ <dd>all currently soloed tracks and busses</dd>
+ </dl>
+ </dd>
+ <dt>Collect Group</dt>
+ <dd>moves all the member tracks so that they are together in the editor window</dd>
+ <dt>Remove Group</dt>
+ <dd>removes the group (and only the group, not its members).</dd>
+ <dt>Add New Subgroup Bus</dt>
+ <dd> creates a bus (giving it the name of the group) and connects the output of each member to the new bus.
+ </dd>
+ <dt>Add New Aux Bus</dt>
+ <dd>adds a bus and gives each member a send to that bus. There are two options for this, specifying whether the sends should be placed pre- or post-fader.</dd>
+ <dt>Fit to Window</dt>
+ <dd> will zoom the member tracks so that they fill the editor window.</dd>
+ <dt>Enable All Groups</dt>
+ <dd>makes all group active, including any hidden groups.</dd>
+ <dt>Disable All Groups</dt>
+ <dd>makes all groups inactive, including any hidden groups.</dd>
</dl>
+
title: Working With Plugins
---
-
-
-<p><dfn>Plugins</dfn> are bits of software that get loaded by Ardour in order to:</p>
-<ul>
- <li>Create various audio or MIDI effects
- </li>
- <li>Generate audio by functioning as "software instruments"
- </li>
-</ul>
-
-<p>Ardour does not come with any built-in signal processors of its own
-(other than volume faders) and it also generally doesn't ship with any
-plugins. They are written by 3rd parties, though we do provide <a href="/working-with-plugins/getting-plugins/">some
- information on how to get them</a>.
+<p>
+ <dfn>Plugins</dfn> are bits of software that get loaded by Ardour in order to create various audio or MIDI effects, or generate audio by functioning as "software instruments".
</p>
<p>
-Ardour supports a variety of different plugin standards:
+ Ardour supports a variety of different plugin standards:
</p>
-<dl class="narrower-table">
+<dl class="narrower-table">
<dt><abbr title="Linux Audio Developers' Simple Plugin API">LADSPA</abbr></dt>
<dd>An early, simple, lightweight plugin <abbr title="Application
Programming Interface">API</abbr>, audio effects only,
<dt><abbr title="LADSPA Version 2">LV2</abbr></dt>
<dd>An extensible, full-featured plugin API, audio and <abbr
title="Musical Instrument Digital Interface">MIDI</abbr>, plugins can provide their
- own <abbr title="Graphical User Interface">GUI</abbr>s</dd>
+ own <abbr title="Graphical User Interface">GUI</abbr>s; the successor to LADSPA</dd>
<dt><abbr title="Audio Unit">AU</abbr></dt>
<dd>OS X only, full featured, audio and MIDI, plugins can provide their own GUI</dd>
<dl>
<dt>on Linux</dt><dd>(native) Linux VST plugins fully supported (VST2.4)</dd>
<dt>on Windows</dt><dd>(native) Windows VST plugins fully supported (VST2.4)</dd>
- <dt>on OS X</dt><dd>Not supported, unless you use a VST<>AU
+ <dt>on OS X</dt><dd>Not supported, unless you use a VST-to-AU
bridge plugin. Similar to Apple's Logic DAW.</dd>
</dl>
</dd>
<dt>Windows VST Plugins on Linux</dt>
- <dd>VST plugins for Windows, but being used on Linux. <em>Not
- supported by normal builds of Ardour. <a href="/working-with-plugins/windows-vst-support">Read
- more...</a></em>
+ <dd>VST plugins for Windows, but being used on Linux. <strong>Normally not supported.</strong> See <a href="/working-with-plugins/windows-vst-support">Windows VST Plugins on Linux</a> for details.
</dd>
</dl>
-<h2>Adding/Removing/Copying Plugins</h2>
-
-<p>Within Ardour, plugins are just another type
-of <dfn>Processor</dfn> and so the techniques for
-adding/removing/copying/moving processors apply to plugins as
-well. These techniques are covered on
-the <a href="/working-with-plugins/processor-box">Processor
-Box</a> page.</p>
-
{% children %}
+
--- /dev/null
+---
+layout: default
+title: Processor Box
+---
+
+<p><img class="right" src="/images/processor-box.png" alt="the Processor Box" /></p>
+
+<p>
+ In Ardour terminology, a <dfn>processor</dfn> is anything which treats the signal in some way and gets plugged into a mixer strip. Ardour provides several builtin processors such as the fader or panners. Processors can also be <dfn>plugins</dfn> used for effects or as instruments, as well as sends or inserts which affect <a href="/signal-routing">signal routing</a>.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+ The arrangement of processors is arbitrary, and there is no limit to how
+ many there can be. The Processor Box will automagically add a scrollbar to
+ itself if there are more processors in it than can be shown in the given space.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+ The main box in the top half of a mixer strip shows the <dfn>processor
+ box</dfn>. Processors are shown as colored rectangles, with a small "LED" beside
+ them that lights up when the processor is enabled. The color of the
+ processor depends on its location in the sequence; processors that are <dfn>pre-fader</dfn> are colored in red, and <dfn>post-fader</dfn> processors are colored green (in the default theme).
+</p>
+
+<p>
+ The <dfn>processor box</dfn> will always contain a blue <dfn>Fader</dfn> processor. This indicates where in the processor chain the main channel fader is located; this is the fader shown in the lower half of the strip. It can be enabled and disabled like any other processor.
+</p>
+
+<h2>Adding Processors</h2>
+<p>
+ Processors can be added to the chain by <kbd class="mouse">Right</kbd>-clicking in the processor list, This does three things:
+</p>
+
+<ul>
+ <li>A gap is opened up to indicate the location of the click. The gap shows where any new processors will be inserted.</li>
+ <li>The processor under the click is selected.</li>
+ <li>An options menu is presented.</li>
+</ul>
+
+<p>
+ From the menu, new processors can be inserted.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+ Processors can also be dragged and dropped from the <a href="/working-with-plugins/plugin-sidebar/"><dfn>Favorite Plugins</dfn> window</a> to an appropriate spot in the Processor Box.
+</p>
+
+<p class="note">
+ The <dfn>Favorite Plugins</dfn> window can be populated via the <a href="/working-with-plugins/plugin-manager/">Plugin Manager</a>, or by dragging and dropping an existing processor from the <dfn>processor box</dfn> to the <dfn>Favorite Plugins</dfn> window.
+</p>
+
+<h2>To Reorder (Move) Processors</h2>
+<p>
+ Processors can be re-ordered using drag & drop. Dragging a processor
+ allows it to be moved around within the chain, or copied to another
+ processor list on another track or bus.
+</p>
+
+<h2>To Enable/Disable a Processor</h2>
+
+<p><img class="right" src="/images/processor.png" alt="a typical processor" /></p>
+
+<p>
+ To the left of the name of each processor is a small LED symbol; if this
+ is lit-up, the processor is active. Clicking on it will deactivate the
+ processor and effectively bypass it.
+</p>
+
+<p class="note">
+ Some processors have their own bypass controls that are independent of the one that Ardour provides; this can make it appear that the plugin is non-responsive when its independent bypass control is active.
+</p>
+
+<h2>Selecting Processors</h2>
+<p>
+ A processor in the <dfn>processor box</dfn> can be selected with a <kbd class="mouse">Left</kbd>-click on it; it will be highlighed in red. Other processors can be selected at the same time by <kbd class="mouse">Left</kbd>-clicking on them while holding down the <kbd class="mod1">‌</kbd> key, and ranges can be selected by <kbd class="mouse">Left</kbd>-clicking on them while holding down the <kbd>Shift</kbd> key
+</p>
+
+<h2>Removing Processors</h2>
+<p>
+ Context-click on the processor to be removed, and select <kbd
+ class="menu">Delete</kbd>; or <kbd class="mod3 mouse">Right</kbd>-click on it; or <kbd class="mouse">Left</kbd>-click on it and press the <kbd>Delete</kbd> key. If multiple processors are selected, they will all be deleted at the same time.
+</p>
+
title: Plugin Manager
---
+<p class="fixme">This needs updating; it was written for v3 or v4, and it's out of date</p>
+
<p>
- The <dfn>Plugin Manager</dfn> serves two purposes. Primarily it is used to
- control the display status of plugins. It can also be used to find and insert
- plugins into the
- <a href="/working-with-plugins/processor-box/">Processor Box</a>. It is
- displayed either by a double-click in the <dfn>Processor Box</dfn> or by
- choosing <kbd class="menu">New Plugin > Plugin Manager...</kbd> from the
- <dfn>Processor Box</dfn> context menu.
+ The <dfn>Plugin Manager</dfn> serves two purposes. Primarily it is used to control the display status of plugins. It can also be used to find and insert plugins into the <a href="/working-with-plugins/processor-box/">Processor Box</a>. It is displayed either by a double-click in the <dfn>Processor Box</dfn> or by choosing <kbd class="menu">New Plugin > Plugin Manager...</kbd> from the <dfn>Processor Box</dfn> context menu.
</p>
+<p class="center"><img src="/images/plugin-manager.png" alt="Plugin Manager window"/></p>
+
<p>
Displayed for each plugin is the status (normal, favorite, hidden),
name, type, category, creator (author), and the number of audio and MIDI
connections. The plugins can be sorted by clicking on a column header.
</p>
-<img src="/files/a4/a4_plugin_manager.png" alt="Plugin Manager window"/>
-
<h2>Plugin Display Status</h2>
<p>
- Click on a Fav(orite) or Hide radio button to change a plugin's display status.
- Clicking on an already selected radio button will cancel it, returning the
- plugin to the normal display status. Plugins marked as a favorite show up in
- the <dfn>Processor Box</dfn> context menu under
- <kbd class="menu">New Plugin > Favorites</kbd>. Setting the hide
- radio button on a plugin will keep the plugin from showing in the
- <dfn>Processor Box</dfn> context menus
- <kbd class="menu">New Plugin > By Creator</kbd> or
- <kbd class="menu">New Plugin > By Category</kbd>.
+ Click on a Fav(orite) or Hide radio button to change a plugin's display status. Clicking on an already selected radio button will cancel it, returning the plugin to the normal display status. Plugins marked as a favorite show up in the <dfn>Processor Box</dfn> context menu under <kbd class="menu">New Plugin > Favorites</kbd> and in <dfn>Favorite Plugins</dfn> pane in the Mixer window. Setting the hide radio button on a plugin will keep the plugin from showing in the <dfn>Processor Box</dfn> context menus <kbd class="menu">New Plugin > By Creator</kbd> or <kbd class="menu">New Plugin > By Category</kbd>.
</p>
<h2>Filtering Listed Plugins</h2>
<p>
- The middle of the <dfn>Plugin Manager</dfn> is used to filter the listed
- plugins. Typing into the text-box will filter the plugins based on the filter
- mode selected by drop-down box. Clicking <kbd class="button">Clear</kbd>
- empties the text-box.
+ The middle of the <dfn>Plugin Manager</dfn> is used to filter the listed plugins. Typing into the text-box will filter the plugins based on the filter mode selected by drop-down box. Clicking <kbd class="button">Clear</kbd> empties the text-box.
</p>
<h2>Inserting Plugins in the Processor Box</h2>
Plugins can be removed from the bottom half with a double click, or, if
already selected, by clicking <kbd class="button">Remove</kbd>.
</p>
+
--- /dev/null
+---
+layout: default
+title: Favorite Plugins Window
+---
+
+<p><img class="right" src="/images/favorite-plugins.png" alt="Favorite Plugins window"/></p>
+
+<p>
+ The <dfn>Favorite Plugins</dfn> window is on the top-left side of the <dfn>Mixer Window</dfn>. Like other elements in that window it has variable height and can be hidden by dragging it to zero-height. If it is not visible, the top-handle can be grabbed and dragged down to reveal it.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+ Plugin names that have a right facing triangle next to them have presets associated with them; clicking on the triangle will cause all presets associated with the plugin to show in the list.
+</p>
+
+<h2 style="clear:both;">Features</h2>
+
+<p>
+ The Favorite Plugins window provides easy access to frequently used plugins:
+</p>
+
+<ul>
+ <li>Plugins can be dragged from the window to any track or bus <a href="/working-with-plugins/processor-box/"><dfn>processor box</dfn></a>, which will add the plugin to that track or bus at the given position.</li>
+ <li>The list includes user-presets for the plugins. Dragging a preset to a given track or bus will load that preset after adding the plugin.</li>
+ <li>Double-clicking on a plugin or preset adds the given plugin to all selected tracks/busses pre-fader. Other insert positions are available from the context menu (right click).</li>
+ <li>
+ <p><img class="right" src="/images/mixer-to-fav-dnd.png" alt="Dragging plugin to Favorites window"/></p>
+ Dragging a plugin from a track into the window will add it to the list and optionally create a new preset from the current settings. The horizontal line in the list shows the spot where the plugin will land.
+ </li>
+ <li>The context-menu allows the deletion of presets or removal of the plugin from the list.</li>
+ <li>Plugins in the list can be re-ordered using drag & drop. The custom order is saved.</li>
+</ul>
+
+<p style="clear:both;" class="note">
+ When favorites are added with the <a href="/working-with-plugins/plugin-manager">Plugin Manager</a>, they are appended to the bottom of the list.
+</p>
+
+++ /dev/null
----
-layout: default
-title: Processor Box
----
-
-<p>
- In Ardour terminology, a <dfn>processor</dfn> is anything which treats the
- signal in some way and gets plugged into a mixer strip.
- Ardour provides several builtin processors such as the fader or panners.
- Processors can also be <dfn>plugins</dfn> used for effects or as instruments, as well
- as sends or inserts which are affect <a href="/signal-routing">signal
- routing</a>.<br />
- The arrangement of processors is arbitrary, and there is no limit to how
- many there can be.
-</p>
-<p>
- The main box in the top half of a mixer strip shows the <dfn>processor
- box</dfn>.
- Processors are shown as coloured rectangles, with a small "LED" beside
- them that lights up when the processor is enabled. The colour of the
- processor depends on its location in the sequence; processors that are <dfn>pre-fader</dfn> are
- coloured in red, and <dfn>post-fader</dfn> processors are coloured green
- (in the default theme).</p>
-<p>
- The processor box will always contain a blue <dfn>Fader</dfn> processor.
- This indicates where in the processor chain the main channel fader is
- located — this is the fader shown in the lower half of the strip.
-</p>
-<h2>Adding Processors</h2>
-<p>
- Processors can be added to the chain by
- <kbd class="mouse">Right</kbd>-clicking in the processor list, This does three things:
-</p>
-<ul>
- <li>A gap is opened up to indicate the location of the click. The gap
- shows where any new processors will be inserted.</li>
- <li>The processor under the click is selected.</li>
- <li>An options menu is presented.</li>
-</ul>
-<p>
- From the menu, new processors can be inserted.
-</p>
-
-<h2>To Reorder (Move) Processors</h2>
-<p>
- Processors can be re-ordered using drag-and-drop. Dragging a processor
- allows it to be moved around within the chain, or copied to another
- processor list on another track or bus.
-</p>
-
-<h2>To Enable/Disable a Processor</h2>
-<p>
- To the left of the name of each processor is a small LED symbol; if this
- is lit-up, the processor is active. Clicking on it will deactivate the
- processor and effectively bypass it.</p>
-
-<h2>Removing Processors</h2>
-<p>
- Context-click on the processor you want to remove, and select <kbd
- class="menu">Delete</kbd>, or <kbd class="mod3 mouse">Right</kbd>-click on it.
-</p>
-
layout: default
title: Managing Plugin Presets
---
-
+
+<p class="fixme">Add images</p>
+
<p>
All plugin control widgets, whether they are created by Ardour or
by the plugin, have a common set of controls at the top of the window.
</p>
<h2>What Is a Plugin Preset?</h2>
+
<p>
A <dfn>preset</dfn> for a plugin is simply a saved set of values for
all of a plugin's parameters. If you load a preset, you are restoring
</p>
<h2>The Preset Selector</h2>
+
<p>
The <dfn>preset selector</dfn> is a regular selector that can be
clicked to display a list of all known presets for this plugin. This
</p>
<h2>Load a New Preset</h2>
+
<p>
Click on the preset selector to pop up a menu showing the names of
all available presets. Click on the name of the preset you wish to load.
- The preset will be loaded — you may see various controls in the
+ The preset will be loaded—you may see various controls in the
plugin editor change to reflect the new value of some or all parameters.
</p>
<h2>Create a Preset</h2>
+
<p>
To save the current plugin settings as a new preset, click on the
<kbd class="menu">Add</kbd> button at the top of the window. A dialog
</p>
<h2>Save a Preset</h2>
+
<p>
If you wish to modify the settings in an existing preset, first use
the preset selector to load the preset, then adjust the settings as
</p>
<h2>Delete a preset</h2>
+
<p>
To delete an existing preset, use the preset selector to load the preset.
Click the <kbd class="menu">Delete</kbd> button, and the preset will be
removed. The preset selector turn blank, showing that no preset is
currently loaded (although the settings will stay as they were).
</p>
-
+
+++ /dev/null
----
-layout: default
-title: Plugin Sidebar
----
-
-<p>
- Since Version 4.5, Ardour has a plugin-sidebar on the top-left side of the
- Mixer Window.
- Like other elements in that sidebar it has variable height and can be hidden
- by dragging it to zero-height. If it is not visible, grab the top-handle
- and drag it down.
-</p>
-
-<img src="/files/a4/a4_plugin_sidebar.png" alt="Plugin Sidebar"/>
-
-<h2>Features</h2>
-<p>
- The Plugin sidebar provides easy access to common operations.
- All interaction is done with the mouse and Drag/Drop.
-</p>
-<ul>
- <li>The sidebar lists "favorite" plugins only.</li>
- <li>Plugins can be dragged from the sidebar to any track or bus, which will add the plugin to that track/bus at the given position.</li>
- <li>The list includes user-presets for the plugins. Dragging a preset to a given track/bus will load that preset after adding the plugin.</li>
- <li>Double-click on a plugin or preset adds the given plugin to all selected tracks/busses pre-fader. Other insert positions are available from the context menu (right click).</li>
-</ul>
-<p>
- The sidebar also allows to manage presets and favorites.
-</p>
-<ul>
- <li>Dragging a plugin from a track into the sidebar will add it to the "favorites" and optionally create a new preset from the current settings.</li>
- <li>The context-menu allows to delete presets or remove the plugin from the "favorite" list.</li>
- <li>Plugins in the list can be re-ordered using drag/drop. The custom order is saved.</li>
-</ul>
-
-<p>
- Note, when favorites are added with the <a href="/working-with-plugins/plugin-manager">plugin-manager</a>, they are appended at the bottom of the list.
-</p>
+++ /dev/null
----
-layout: default
-title: Using Windows VST Plugins on Linux
----
-
-<p>
- Thanks to the combined work of Torben Hohn, Kjetil Mattheusen, Paul
- Davis and a few other developers, it is possible to use Windows
- <dfn><abbr title="Virtual Studio Technology">VST</abbr>
- plugins</dfn> (that is, plugins in VST format built and distributed
- for the Windows platforms) on Ardour running on Linux. (Note: there
- is no VST support of any kind on OS X).
-</p>
-
-<p>However, doing so has three substantial downsides:</p>
-<ul>
- <li>It requires a special build of Ardour that is fundamentally
- very different from normal builds.</li>
- <li>Support depends on <a href="http://winehq.org/">Wine</a>,
- a Windows "emulator".</li>
- <li>As usual with plugins, a crashing plugin will take Ardour down
- with it. And crashes in Windows VST plugins are more likely when
- used in this way.</li>
-</ul>
-
-<p>The dependence on Wine makes it almost impossible for the Ardour
-project to support this feature. Wine's functionality generally
-improves over time, but any given release of Wine may behave worse
-with some or all Windows VST plugins. It may even just crash Ardour
-completely.</p>
-
-<p>Step back and think about what "using Windows VSTs" really means:
-taking bits of software written with only one idea in mind - running
-on the Windows platform - and then trying to use them on an entirely
-different platform. It is a bit of a miracle (largely thanks to the
-incredible work done by the Wine project) that it works at all. But is
-this the basis of a stable, reliable DAW for a non-Windows platform?
-Getting Ardour on Linux to pretend that its really a Windows
-application running on Windows?</p>
-
-<p>We understand that there are many outstanding plugins available as
-Windows VSTs and that in many cases, no equivalent is available for
-Ardour's Linux-based users. If your workflow is so dependent on those
-plugins, then remain on Windows (or potentially consider using an
-actual Windows VST host running inside of Wine). If you can make the
-effort, you will get a better environment by using a normal build of
-Ardour and exploring the world of plugins built to run on Linux
-natively. This covers LADSPA, LV2 and Linux VST formats, and even some
-outstanding proprietary plugins such as those
-from <a href="http://www.linuxdsp.co.uk/">LinuxDSP</a>
-and <a href="http://www.loomer.co.uk/">Loomer</a>.
-</p>
-
-<h2>A Plea To Plugin Manufacturers</h2>
-<p>
- Please consider porting your plugins so that users can enjoy them on
- Linux too. Several other commercial plugin developers have already
- done this. You can choose between using "Linux VST" (which is what
- Loomer and others have done) - you will find toolkits like JUCE that
- help to make this fairly easy - or using LV2 format which is
- ultimately more flexible but probably more work. We have users -
- thousands of users - on Linux who would like to use your plugins.
-</p>
title: Working with Ardour-built Plugin Editors
---
+<p class="fixme">This section needs expansion, and at least one image</p>
+
<p>
To view a plugin editor, double-click on the plugin within the
<a href="/working-with-plugins/processor-box">processor box</a>.
A new window will appear showing the editor/GUI for the plugin.
</p>
+
<p>
If a plugin does not have its own GUI, Ardour will construct a
<dfn>generic plugin editor</dfn> from a small set of common control
elements. Ardour will do this even for plugins that have their
- own, if you disable <kbd class="menu">Edit > Preferences >
- GUI > Use Plugins' own interface instead of Ardour's</kbd>
+ own, if <kbd class="menu">Edit > Preferences >
+ GUI > Use Plugins' own interface instead of Ardour's</kbd> is disabled.
</p>
+
<p>
- You can temporarily switch to the generic UI by context-clicking on
+ The generic UI can be temporarily switched to by context-clicking on
a processor and selecting <kbd
class="menu">Edit with generic controls</kbd>. This will be necessary to
access the <a href="/automation">plugin automation controls</a>.
</p>
+
<p>
- In the generic UI, you can re-set any controller to its default by
+ In the generic UI, any controller can be reset to its default by
<kbd class="mod3 mouse">Left</kbd>-clicking on it.
</p>
-
--- /dev/null
+---
+layout: default
+title: Plugins Bundled With Ardour
+---
+
+<p>
+ Ardour now comes with the following plugins as part of a standard installation:
+</p>
+
+<dl class="narrower-table">
+ <dt>a-Amplifier</dt>
+ <dd>A versatile ±20dB multichannel amplifier</dd>
+ <dt>a-Compressor</dt>
+ <dd>A side-chain enabled compressor with the usual controls. Comes in stereo and mono versions</dd>
+ <dt>a-Delay</dt>
+ <dd>A basic single-tap delay line, with tempo sync</dd>
+ <dt>a-EQ</dt>
+ <dd>A nice sounding 4-band parametric EQ with shelves</dd>
+ <dt>a-Fluid Synth</dt>
+ <dd>Wraps the Fluidsynth SoundFont2 synthesis engine as a new sample player</dd>
+ <dt>a-High/Low Pass Filter</dt>
+ <dd>Independent high and low pass filters with steepness up to 48dB/octave</dd>
+ <dt>a-Inline Scope</dt>
+ <dd>A mixer strip inline waveform display</dd>
+ <dt>a-Inline Spectrogram</dt>
+ <dd>A mixer strip inline specturm display</dd>
+ <dt>a-MIDI Monitor</dt>
+ <dd>A mixer strip inline display to show recent <abbr title="Musical Instrument Digital Interface">MIDI</abbr> events</dd>
+ <dt>a-Reverb</dt>
+ <dd>A reverb that finds a balance between sounding good, using a lot of CPU and having too many controls</dd>
+</dl>
+
---
layout: default
-title: Getting Plugins
+title: Getting More Plugins
---
<p>
- The following list shows <dfn>plugin packages</dfn>. In some cases,
- a package contains just 1 or 2 plugins; in other cases, dozens.
+ The following list shows <dfn>plugin packages</dfn>. In some cases, a package contains just one or two plugins; in other cases, dozens.
</p>
<h2>Plugins by Standard</h2>
<h3 id="LADSPA">LADSPA</h3>
<ul>
-<li>AMB <a href="http://kokkinizita.linuxaudio.org/linuxaudio/">http://kokkinizita.linuxaudio.org/linuxaudio/</a>
-</li>
-<li>Blepvco <a href="http://www.smbolton.com/linux.html">http://www.smbolton.com/linux.html</a>
-</li>
-<li>Blop <a href="http://blop.sf.net">http://blop.sf.net</a>
-</li>
-<li>CAPS <a href="http://quitte.de/dsp/caps.html">http://quitte.de/dsp/caps.html</a>
-</li>
-<li>CMT <a href="http://www.ladspa.org/cmt/">http://www.ladspa.org/cmt/</a>
-</li>
-<li>FIL <a href="http://kokkinizita.linuxaudio.org/linuxaudio/">http://kokkinizita.linuxaudio.org/linuxaudio/</a>
-</li>
-<li>FOO <a href="http://code.google.com/p/foo-plugins/">http://code.google.com/p/foo-plugins/</a>
-</li>
-<li>MCP <a href="http://kokkinizita.linuxaudio.org/linuxaudio/">http://kokkinizita.linuxaudio.org/linuxaudio/</a>
-</li>
-<li>NJL <a href="https://github.com/tialaramex/njl-plugins">https://github.com/tialaramex/njl-plugins</a>
-</li>
-<li>Omins <a href="http://www.nongnu.org/om-synth/omins.html">http://www.nongnu.org/om-synth/omins.html</a>
-</li>
-<li>REV <a href="http://kokkinizita.linuxaudio.org/linuxaudio/">http://kokkinizita.linuxaudio.org/linuxaudio/</a>
-</li>
-<li>SWH <a href="http://plugin.org.uk/">http://plugin.org.uk/</a>
-</li>
-<li>TAP <a href="http://tap-plugins.sourceforge.net/">http://tap-plugins.sourceforge.net/</a>
-</li>
-<li>VCF <a href="http://www.suse.de/~mana/ladspa.html">http://www.suse.de/~mana/ladspa.html</a>
-</li>
-<li>VCO <a href="http://kokkinizita.linuxaudio.org/linuxaudio/">http://kokkinizita.linuxaudio.org/linuxaudio/</a>
-</li>
-<li>VLevel <a href="http://vlevel.sourceforge.net/">http://vlevel.sourceforge.net/</a>
-</li>
-<li>Vocoder <a href="http://www.sirlab.de/linux/download_vocoder.html">http://www.sirlab.de/linux/download_vocoder.html</a>
-</li>
-<li>WASP <a href="http://linux01.gwdg.de/~nlissne/wasp/index.html">http://linux01.gwdg.de/~nlissne/wasp/index.html</a> (mar wanted!)
-</li>
-<li>Nova <a href="http://klingt.org/~tim/nova-filters/">http://klingt.org/~tim/nova-filters/</a>
-</li>
-<li>Calf <a href="http://calf.sourceforge.net/">http://calf.sourceforge.net/</a>
-</li>
-<li>Socal’s LEET Plugins <a href="http://code.google.com/p/leetplugins/">http://code.google.com/p/leetplugins/</a>
-</li>
-<!--<li>Holap synthesizer and DSP effects <a href="http://holap.berlios.de/">http://holap.berlios.de/</a>
-</li>-->
+ <li>AMB <a href="http://kokkinizita.linuxaudio.org/linuxaudio/">http://kokkinizita.linuxaudio.org/linuxaudio/</a></li>
+ <li>Blepvco <a href="http://www.smbolton.com/linux.html">http://www.smbolton.com/linux.html</a></li>
+ <li>Blop <a href="http://blop.sf.net">http://blop.sf.net</a></li>
+ <li>CAPS <a href="http://quitte.de/dsp/caps.html">http://quitte.de/dsp/caps.html</a></li>
+ <li>CMT <a href="http://www.ladspa.org/cmt/">http://www.ladspa.org/cmt/</a></li>
+ <li>FIL <a href="http://kokkinizita.linuxaudio.org/linuxaudio/">http://kokkinizita.linuxaudio.org/linuxaudio/</a></li>
+ <li>FOO <a href="http://code.google.com/p/foo-plugins/">http://code.google.com/p/foo-plugins/</a></li>
+ <li>MCP <a href="http://kokkinizita.linuxaudio.org/linuxaudio/">http://kokkinizita.linuxaudio.org/linuxaudio/</a></li>
+ <li>NJL <a href="https://github.com/tialaramex/njl-plugins">https://github.com/tialaramex/njl-plugins</a></li>
+ <li>Omins <a href="http://www.nongnu.org/om-synth/omins.html">http://www.nongnu.org/om-synth/omins.html</a></li>
+ <li>REV <a href="http://kokkinizita.linuxaudio.org/linuxaudio/">http://kokkinizita.linuxaudio.org/linuxaudio/</a></li>
+ <li>SWH <a href="http://plugin.org.uk/">http://plugin.org.uk/</a></li>
+ <li>TAP <a href="http://tap-plugins.sourceforge.net/">http://tap-plugins.sourceforge.net/</a></li>
+ <li>VCF <a href="http://www.suse.de/~mana/ladspa.html">http://www.suse.de/~mana/ladspa.html</a></li>
+ <li>VCO <a href="http://kokkinizita.linuxaudio.org/linuxaudio/">http://kokkinizita.linuxaudio.org/linuxaudio/</a></li>
+ <li>VLevel <a href="http://vlevel.sourceforge.net/">http://vlevel.sourceforge.net/</a></li>
+ <li>Vocoder <a href="http://www.sirlab.de/linux/download_vocoder.html">http://www.sirlab.de/linux/download_vocoder.html</a></li>
+ <li>WASP <a href="http://linux01.gwdg.de/~nlissne/wasp/index.html">http://linux01.gwdg.de/~nlissne/wasp/index.html</a> (mar wanted!)</li>
+ <li>Nova <a href="http://klingt.org/~tim/nova-filters/">http://klingt.org/~tim/nova-filters/</a></li>
+ <li>Calf <a href="http://calf.sourceforge.net/">http://calf.sourceforge.net/</a></li>
+ <li>Socal’s LEET Plugins <a href="http://code.google.com/p/leetplugins/">http://code.google.com/p/leetplugins/</a></li>
+ <!--<li>Holap synthesizer and DSP effects <a href="http://holap.berlios.de/">http://holap.berlios.de/</a></li>-->
</ul>
<h3 id="LV2">LV2</h3>
<ul>
-<li>SWH <a href="http://plugin.org.uk/lv2/">http://plugin.org.uk/lv2/</a>
-</li>
-<li>ll-plugins <a href="http://ll-plugins.nongnu.org/">http://ll-plugins.nongnu.org/</a>
-</li>
-<li>zynadd <a href="http://home.gna.org/zyn/">http://home.gna.org/zyn/</a>
-</li>
-<li>Calf <a href="http://calf.sourceforge.net/">http://calf.sourceforge.net/</a>
-</li>
-<li>LinuxDSP <a href="http://www.overtonedsp.co.uk/download/linuxdsp-archive/">http://www.overtonedsp.co.uk/download/linuxdsp-archive/</a>
-</li>
+ <li>SWH <a href="http://plugin.org.uk/lv2/">http://plugin.org.uk/lv2/</a></li>
+ <li>ll-plugins <a href="http://ll-plugins.nongnu.org/">http://ll-plugins.nongnu.org/</a></li>
+ <li>zynadd <a href="http://home.gna.org/zyn/">http://home.gna.org/zyn/</a></li>
+ <li>Calf <a href="http://calf.sourceforge.net/">http://calf.sourceforge.net/</a></li>
+ <li>LinuxDSP <a href="http://www.overtonedsp.co.uk/download/linuxdsp-archive/">http://www.overtonedsp.co.uk/download/linuxdsp-archive/</a></li>
<li>Invada Studio <a href="https://launchpad.net/invada-studio/">https://launchpad.net/invada-studio/</a></li>
</ul>
<li>Loomer <a href="http://loomer.co.uk/">http://loomer.co.uk/</a></li>
<li>Distrho <a href="http://distrho.sourceforge.net/ports.php">http://distrho.sourceforge.net/ports.php</a></li>
<li>Argotlunar <a href="http://argotlunar.info/">http://argotlunar.info/</a></li>
- <li>MDA plugins (a collection ported from Windows
- VST) <a href="http://www.linux-vst.com/download/mda_linux.tar.gz">http://www.linux-vst.com/download/mda_linux.tar.gz</a></li>
+ <li>MDA plugins (a collection ported from Windows VST) <a href="http://www.linux-vst.com/download/mda_linux.tar.gz">http://www.linux-vst.com/download/mda_linux.tar.gz</a></li>
</ul>
<h2>How do I install plugins?</h2>
<h3>Linux</h3>
<p>
- <dfn>Installation</dfn> will vary a little depending on how you get plugins. If
- your repository has a particular plugin package, just install it using
- the normal software package management tool for your system. Most
- Linux distributions that are good for audio work will have most of
- the LADSPA and LV2 plugins mentioned above available in ready-to-use
- forms.
+ <dfn>Installation</dfn> will vary a little depending on how you get plugins. If your repository has a particular plugin package, just install it using the normal software package management tool for your system. Most Linux distributions that are good for audio work will have most of the LADSPA and LV2 plugins mentioned above available in ready-to-use forms.
</p>
+
<p>
- Finding them will typically require <em>searching</em> your
- distribution's repository to find the name of the package. The tools
- for doing this vary from distribution to distribution. A good place
- to start searching is with the name of the package (e.g. "caps" or
- "calf"). There are no fixed rules about what different Linux
- distributions call their packages for a given set of plugins.
+ Finding them will typically require <em>searching</em> your distribution's repository to find the name of the package. The tools for doing this vary from distribution to distribution. A good place to start searching is with the name of the package (e.g. "caps" or "calf"). There are no fixed rules about what different Linux distributions call their packages for a given set of plugins.
</p>
+
<p>
- If the package isn't available, then you can build the plugins from
- source (plugins are generally fairly easy to compile if you've ever
- done this sort of thing before).
+ If the package isn't available, then you can build the plugins from source (plugins are generally fairly easy to compile if you've ever done this sort of thing before).
</p>
+
<p>
- LADSPA plugins are shared library files. They need to be installed
- in either /usr/lib/ladspa, /usr/local/lib/ladspa or in a directory
- mentioned in your LADSPA_PATH environment variable.
+ LADSPA plugins are shared library files. They need to be installed in either /usr/lib/ladspa, /usr/local/lib/ladspa or in a directory mentioned in your LADSPA_PATH environment variable.
</p>
+
<p>
- LV2 plugins are folders/directories. They need to
- installed in either /usr/lib/lv2, /usr/local/lib/lv2 or a directory
- mentioned in your LV2_PATH environment variable.
+ LV2 plugins are folders/directories. They need to installed in either /usr/lib/lv2, /usr/local/lib/lv2 or a directory mentioned in your LV2_PATH environment variable.
</p>
+
<p>
- Linux VST (LXVST) plugins are distributed as shared library
- files. They are typically installed in /usr/lib/lxvst,
- /usr/local/lib/lxvst or a directory mentioned in your LXVST_PATH
- environment variable.
+ Linux VST (LXVST) plugins are distributed as shared library files. They are typically installed in /usr/lib/lxvst, /usr/local/lib/lxvst or a directory mentioned in your LXVST_PATH environment variable.
</p>
<h3>OS X</h3>
+
<p>
- Unless you're a particularly technical computer user, building and
- installing plugins in the LV2 (or LADSPA) format is probably not
- something worth planning on.
+ Unless you're a particularly technical computer user, building and installing plugins in the LV2 (or LADSPA) format is probably not something worth planning on.
</p>
+
<p>
- Most of the plugins you are likely to use on OS X will be in Apple's
- AudioUnit format. These have their own installation process that tends to
- just work.
+ Most of the plugins you are likely to use on OS X will be in Apple's AudioUnit format. These have their own installation process that tends to just work.
</p>
--- /dev/null
+---
+layout: default
+title: Using Windows VST Plugins on Linux
+---
+
+<p>
+ Thanks to the combined work of Torben Hohn, Kjetil Mattheusen, Paul
+ Davis and a few other developers, it is possible to use Windows
+ <dfn><abbr title="Virtual Studio Technology">VST</abbr>
+ plugins</dfn> (that is, plugins in VST format built and distributed
+ for the Windows platforms) on Ardour running on Linux. (Note: there
+ is no VST support of any kind on OS X).
+</p>
+
+<p>However, doing so has three <em>substantial</em> downsides:</p>
+
+<ul>
+ <li>It requires a special build of Ardour that is fundamentally
+ very different from normal builds</li>
+ <li>Support depends on <a href="http://winehq.org/">Wine</a>,
+ a Windows "emulator"</li>
+ <li>As usual with plugins, a crashing plugin will take Ardour down
+ with it—and crashes in Windows VST plugins are more likely when
+ used in this way</li>
+</ul>
+
+<p>
+ The dependence on Wine makes it almost impossible for the Ardour
+ project to support this feature. Wine's functionality generally
+ improves over time, but any given release of Wine may behave worse
+ with some or all Windows VST plugins. It may even just crash Ardour
+ completely.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+ Step back and think about what "using Windows VSTs" really means:
+ taking bits of software written with only one idea in mind—running
+ on the Windows platform—and then trying to use them on an entirely
+ different platform. It is a bit of a miracle (largely thanks to the
+ incredible work done by the Wine project) that it works at all. But is
+ this the basis of a stable, reliable DAW for a non-Windows platform?
+ Getting Ardour on Linux to pretend that its really a Windows
+ application running on Windows?
+</p>
+
+<p>
+ We understand that there are many outstanding plugins available as
+ Windows VSTs and that in many cases, no equivalent is available for
+ Ardour's Linux-based users. If your workflow is so dependent on those
+ plugins, then remain on Windows (or potentially consider using an
+ actual Windows VST host running inside of Wine). If you can make the
+ effort, you will get a better environment by using a normal build of
+ Ardour and exploring the world of plugins built to run on Linux
+ natively. This covers LADSPA, LV2 and Linux VST formats, and even some
+ outstanding proprietary plugins such as those
+ from <a href="http://www.loomer.co.uk/">Loomer</a>.
+</p>
+
+<h2>A Plea To Plugin Manufacturers</h2>
+
+<p>
+ Please consider porting your plugins so that users can enjoy them on
+ Linux too. Several other commercial plugin developers have already
+ done this. You can choose between using "Linux VST" (which is what
+ Loomer and others have done)—you will find toolkits like JUCE that
+ help to make this fairly easy—or using LV2 format which is
+ ultimately more flexible but probably more work. We have users—thousands of users—on Linux who would like to use your plugins.
+</p>
+
a new session, or a way to deepen and improve one that is already
underway.
</p>
+
<p>
You can import audio and MIDI data into your session with the
<dfn>Add Existing Media</dfn> dialog.
</p>
-<img src="/files/reference/images/209-ARDOUR_1_2_1.png" />
+
+<p class="fixme">Update image, possibly update content if out of date</p>
+<img src="/images/209-ARDOUR_1_2_1.png" />
<h2>The Soundfile Information Box</h2>
+
<p>
This box will display information about the currently selected file:
</p>
+
<ul>
<li>number of channels,</li>
<li>sample rate,</li>
Broadcast WAVE), and</li>
<li>tags (attached metadata to help categorize files in a library).</li>
</ul>
+
<p>
If the sample rate differs from the current session rate, it is displayed
in red, which indicates that the file must be resampled before
- importing.<br />
- Resampling is controlled by the <kbd class="menu">Conversion quality</kbd>
- option described below.
+ importing. Resampling is controlled by the <kbd class="menu">Conversion quality</kbd> option described below.
</p>
<h2>Auditioner</h2>
+
<p>
Files can be auditioned before importing. The slider under the play and
stop buttons allows you to scrub around, a fader on the right side allows
</p>
<h2>Importing options</h2>
+
<p>
You can import files into new, automatically created tracks, to the region
list (from where you can manually drag them into a track), or as new
<a href="/working-with-tracks/track-types/">Tape tracks</a> with the
<kbd class="menu">Add new files as...</kbd> option.
</p>
+
<p>
New files will be inserted at either the file timestamp (if available,
zero by default), at the <a href="/missing">edit point</a>, at the
playhead, or at the start of the session, as specified in <kbd
class="menu">Insert at...</kbd>.
</p>
+
<p>
The Channel <kbd class="menu">mapping</kbd> is either "one track/region per
file", or "one track/region per channel". The latter splits multichannel
- source files into mono regions.<br />
- If you have selected multiple files and are importing them into a track,
+ source files into mono regions. If you have selected multiple files and are importing them into a track,
you can also choose whether to sequence all files into a single track in
the order of selection, or to create as many tracks as there are files to
import.
</p>
+
<p>
The <kbd class="menu">Conversion quality</kbd> drop-down controls the
quality of the resampling process, if the sampling rate of the source file
differs from the session rate.
</p>
+
<p>
Finally, and most importantly, you can decide whether to <kbd
class="option">Copy files to session</kbd>, or to link them. Please read
</p>
{% children %}
+
</p>
<h2>Copying</h2>
+
<p>
An existing media file is copied to the session's audio folder, and
- if necessary converted into the session's native format.<br />
+ if necessary converted into the session's native format.
+</p>
+
+<p>
For audio files, you can control the choice of this format (eg. WAVE
or Broadcast WAVE). Audio files will also be converted to the session
sample rate if necessary (which can take several minutes for larger
files).
</p>
+
<p>
MIDI files will already be in SMF format, and are simply copied into
the session's MIDI folder.
</p>
<h2>Linking</h2>
+
<p>
A link to an existing media file somewhere on the disk is used as a the
source for a region, but the data is <strong>not copied or modified</strong>
in any way.
</p>
+
<p class="warning">
While linking is handy to conserve disk space, it means that your session
is <dfn>no longer self-contained</dfn>. If the external file moves, it
will become unavailable, and any changes to it from elsewhere will affect
the session. A backup of the session directory will miss linked files.
</p>
+
<p>
You can choose to copy or link files into your session with the
<kbd class="option">Copy file to session</kbd> option in the Import
dialog window.
</p>
+
<p>
- <img class="left" src="/files/reference/images/225-ARDOUR_1_2_1.png" />
+ <img class="left" src="/images/225-ARDOUR_1_2_1.png" />
← This file will be imported in the audio/MIDI folder of your session.
</p>
+
<p>
- <img class="left" src="/files/reference/images/226-ARDOUR_1_2_1.png" />
+ <img class="left" src="/images/226-ARDOUR_1_2_1.png" />
← This file won't be copied.
</p>
+
<p class="note">
- There is a global preference <kbd class="menu">Edit > Preferences > Misc >
- Session Management > Always copy imported files</kbd>. If it is
- enabled, you will not be able to link a file.
+ There is a global preference <kbd class="menu">Edit > Preferences > Misc > Session Management > Always copy imported files</kbd>. If it is enabled, you will not be able to link a file.
</p>
-
+
menu_title: Freesound Search/Import
---
+<p class="fixme">This section is irrelevant now, as the Freesound import function has been removed due to changes done on Freesound's end</p>
<p>
<a href="http://www.freesound.org"
title="http://www.freesound.org"><dfn>Freesound</dfn></a>
A <dfn>tag</dfn> is bit of information, or metadata, that is associated
with a data file. Specifically, tags are keywords or terms that you feel
have some relevance to a particular soundfile. Ardour can store these tags
- in a searchable <dfn>database</dfn> so that you can quickly search for sounds based
- on the tags that you have assigned to them.
+ in a searchable <dfn>database</dfn> so that you can quickly search for sounds
+ based on the tags that you have assigned to them.
</p>
<p>
For example you can assign the term <kbd class="input">120bpm</kbd> to a
stored in a file called <samp>sfdb</samp> in your Ardour user folder.
</p>
<p>
- To <dfn>add tags</dfn> to a given file, open the <kbd class="menu">Session > Import</kbd>
- dialog, select the file in the browser, and type new tags into tag area in
- the soundfile information box on the right.<br/>
- Tags are stored when the input box loses focus, there is no need to
- explicitly save them.
+ To <dfn>add tags</dfn> to a given file, open the <kbd class="menu">Session >
+ Import</kbd> dialog, select the file in the browser, and type new tags into tag
+ area in the soundfile information box on the right. Tags are stored when the
+ input box loses focus, there is no need to explicitly save them.
</p>
<p>
You can <dfn>search</dfn> for specific tags in the <kbd
required.
</p>
-
-{% children %}
title: Recording
---
+<p class="fixme">Add content (possibly: punch in/out, record modes, etc)</p>
+
{% children %}
through an external mixing console while recording, an approach taken by
most if not all professional recording studios. Many computer I/O devices
have a hardware mixer built in which can route the monitor signal "around"
- the computer, avoiding the systemlatency.<br />
+ the computer, avoiding the system latency.
+</p>
+<p>
In either case, the monitoring hardware may be digital or analog. And in
the digital case you will still have the A-D-A conversion latency of
1–2 ms.
</p>
-{% children %}
\ No newline at end of file
menu_title: Signal Flow
---
-<p>There are three basic ways to approach monitoring: </p>
-
-<h3>External Monitoring</h3>
-<img class="right"
-src="/ardour/manual/html/diagrams/external-monitoring.png" />
-<p>When using <dfn>external monitoring</dfn>, Ardour plays no role in
- monitoring at all. Perhaps the recording set-up has an external mixer which
- can be used to set up monitor mixes, or perhaps the sound-card being used
- has a "listen to the input" feature. This approach yields zero or near-zero
- latency. On the other hand it requires external hardware, and the monitoring
- settings are less flexible and not saved with the session.</p>
-
-<h3>JACK-Based Hardware Monitoring</h3>
-<img class="right" src="/ardour/manual/html/diagrams/jack-monitoring.png" />
-<p>Some sound cards have the ability
- to mix signals from their inputs to their outputs with very low or even zero
- latency, a feature called <dfn>hardware monitoring</dfn>.
- Furthermore, on some cards this function can be controlled by <a
- href="/signal-routing/role-of-jack/">JACK</a>. This is a nice arrangement,
- if the sound card supports it, as it combines the convenience of having the
- monitoring controlled by Ardour with the low latency operation of doing it
- externally.
-</p>
-
-<h3>Software Monitoring</h3>
-<img class="right" src="/ardour/manual/html/diagrams/ardour-monitoring.png" />
-<p>With the <dfn>software monitoring</dfn> approach, all monitoring is
- performed by Ardour — it makes track inputs available at track
- outputs, governed by various controls. This approach will almost always have
- more routing flexibility than JACK-based monitoring. The disadvantage is
- that there will be some latency between the input and the output, which
- depends for the most part on the JACK buffer size that is being used.
-</p>
-
-{% children %}
\ No newline at end of file
+<p>
+ There are three basic ways to approach monitoring:
+</p>
+
+<h3>External Monitoring</h3>
+
+<p><img class="right" src="/images/external-monitoring.png" /></p>
+
+<p>
+ When using <dfn>external monitoring</dfn>, Ardour plays no role in monitoring at all. Perhaps the recording set-up has an external mixer which can be used to set up monitor mixes, or perhaps the sound-card being used has a "listen to the input" feature. This approach yields zero or near-zero latency. On the other hand it requires external hardware, and the monitoring settings are less flexible and not saved with the session.
+</p>
+
+<h3>JACK-Based Hardware Monitoring</h3>
+
+<p><img class="right" src="/images/jack-monitoring.png" /></p>
+
+<p>
+ Some sound cards have the ability to mix signals from their inputs to their outputs with very low or even zero latency, a feature called <dfn>hardware monitoring</dfn>. Furthermore, on some cards this function can be controlled by <a href="/signal-routing/role-of-jack/">JACK</a>. This is a nice arrangement, if the sound card supports it, as it combines the convenience of having the monitoring controlled by Ardour with the low latency operation of doing it externally.
+</p>
+
+<p class="fixme">Broken link</p>
+
+<h3>Software Monitoring</h3>
+
+<p><img class="right" src="/images/ardour-monitoring.png" /></p>
+
+<p>
+ With the <dfn>software monitoring</dfn> approach, all monitoring is performed by Ardour—it makes track inputs available at track outputs, governed by various controls. This approach will almost always have more routing flexibility than JACK-based monitoring. The disadvantage is that there will be some latency between the input and the output, which depends for the most part on the JACK buffer size that is being used.
+</p>
+
</p>
<p>
Monitoring also depends on the state of the track's record-enable button,
-the session record-enable button, and on whether or not the transport is
-rolling.
+ the session record-enable button, and on whether or not the transport is
+ rolling.
</p>
-<h3>Software or Hardware Monitoring Modes</h3>
+<h2>Software or Hardware Monitoring Modes</h2>
<p>
-If Ardour is set to <dfn>external monitoring</dfn>, the explanation of
-Ardour's monitoring behaviour is simple: it does not do any.
+ If Ardour is set to <dfn>external monitoring</dfn>, the explanation of
+ Ardour's monitoring behaviour is simple: it does not do any.
</p>
<h2>Monitoring in Non-Tape-Machine Mode</h2>
Unarmed tracks however will always just play back their contents from
disk; the live input will never be monitored.
</p>
-
-{% children %}
+
for a detailed explanation.
</p>
-{% children %}
\ No newline at end of file
<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, which means they can be tapped into by other JACK clients.
+ inserts—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.<br />
- By default, Ardour will create the following connections for you:
+ 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
+ <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 > New Session</kbd> dialog</a>.
</li>
Master bus outputs are connected to hardware outputs.
</li>
</ul>
+
<p>
- This configuration is sufficient to do basic tracking and playback of many
- sessions without any adjustment by the user. If you are using Ardour and
- start to change these connections, be certain that you have a good reason
- to do so — it is generally not necessary and often leads to problems.
+ 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—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. Ardour offers many possibilties for connecting things in the
- way you may need or want them.
+ 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>
{% children %}
+
and send a copy of that signal somewhere else, without affecting the
normal signal flow downwards to the channel fader.
</p>
+
<p>
Usually, aux sends from several tracks are collectively sent to a
dedicated <dfn>Aux bus</dfn> in Ardour, to create a monitor mix for a
musician, or to feed an effect unit. The output of such a bus might
be routed to separate hardware outputs (in the case of headphone or monitor
- wedge mixes), or returned to the main mix (in the case of an effect).<br
- />
+ wedge mixes), or returned to the main mix (in the case of an effect).
+</p>
+
+<p>
Since sends are JACK ports, it is also possible to send the tapped signal
somewhere else directly, which is not usually possible on hardware mixers
- (see <a href="external-sends/">External Sends</a>).
+ (see <a href="/signal-routing/external-sends/">External Sends</a>).
</p>
-
+
<p>
It may be useful to
<a href="/signal-routing/comparing-aux-sends-and-subgroups">compare and contrast</a>
</p>
<h2>Adding a new aux bus</h2>
+
<p>
Choose <kbd class="menu">Session > Add New Track or Bus</kbd>. In the
<kbd class="menu">New Track & Bus</kbd> dialog, select "Busses" in the Track/Bus
</p>
<h2>Adding a send to an aux bus</h2>
+
<p>
Context-click on the processor box for the track you want to send to the bus, and
choose <kbd class="menu">New Aux Send</kbd>. From the submenu, choose the bus you
</p>
<h3>Pre-fader and Post-fader Aux Sends</h3>
+
<p>
Depending on whether you context-click above or below the fader in the processor box,
the new aux send can be placed before or after the fader in the channel strip.
<dfn>Post-fader</dfn> aux sends are typically used when using an aux for shared signal
processing (FX), so that the amount of effect is always proportional to
the main mix fader. <dfn>Pre-fader</dfn> sends ensure that the level sent to the bus
- is controlled <em>only</em> by the send, not the main fader — this is typical
+ is controlled <em>only</em> by the send, not the main fader—this is typical
when constructing headphone and monitor wedge mixes.
</p>
<h2>Adding a new aux bus and sending a Track Group to it</h2>
+
<p>
You can add aux sends to all members of a group and connect them to a new aux bus
with a single click. After creating the track group (and adding tracks to it),
this aux bus.
</p>
+<p class="fixme">Add images, fix factual inaccuracies</p>
<h2>Altering Send Levels</h2>
+
<p>
You can alter the amount of the signal received by a send that it delivers to the bus
it connects to. There are three approaches to this:
</p>
+
<h3>Use the Send Fader</h3>
+
<p>
Every send processor has a small horizontal fader that can be adjusted in the usual way. It is
not very big and so this can be a little unsatisfactory if you want very fine control
over the send level.
</p>
+
<h3>Mapping the Main Fader</h3>
+
<p>
Double-clicking on the send in the processor box will allow you to use the
big fader of the mixer strip to control the send. The visual appearance of
the mixer strip will change to reflect this. Double-click the send again to
revert back to normal function for the strip.
</p>
+
<h3>Map Aux Sends To Main Faders</h3>
+
<p>
Pressing the button marked <kbd class="menu">Aux Sends</kbd> on a aux bus will
alter the channel strip for every track or bus that feeds the aux bus. Many
<kbd class="menu">Aux Sends</kbd> button of the aux bus again to revert the
channel strips to their normal use.
</p>
+
<h2>Disabling Sends</h2>
+
<p>
Clicking on the small "LED" in the send display in the processor box of the
channel strip will enable/disable the send. When disabled, only silence will
be delivered to the aux bus by this track. When enabled, the signal arriving
at the send will be delivered to the aux bus.
</p>
+
<h2>Send Panning</h2>
+
<p>
Send panners can be configured to either be independent of the main
panner, or to follow it. The latter could be useful for Reverb effects, or
for in-ear monitor mixes delivered in stereo.
</p>
-
+
---
<p>
- Auxes and Subgroups share a common concept — they both provide a way
+ Auxes and Subgroups share a common concept—they both provide a way
for one or more tracks (or busses) to send their signal to a single bus so
that common signal processing can be applied to the mix of their signals.
</p>
+
<p>
<dfn>Aux sends</dfn> leave the existing signal routing to the main mix in place,
and are typically used to create a separate mix to send to (for example)
monitors or headphones (for performer monitor mixes):
</p>
-<img width="300px" src="/files/manual/a3/images/aux_routing.png" alt="aux signal routing" />
+
+<img width="300px" src="/images/a3_aux_routing.png" alt="aux signal routing" />
+
<p>
- <dfn>Subgroups</dfn> usually remove the original signal routing to the main mix and
- replace it with a new one that delivers the output of the subgroup bus to
- the main mix instead.
+ <dfn>Subgroups</dfn> usually remove the original signal routing to the main mix and replace it with a new one that delivers the output of the subgroup bus to the main mix instead.
</p>
-<img width="300px" src="/files/manual/a3/images/subgroup_routes.png" alt="sub group signal routing" />
+
+<img width="300px" src="/images/a3_subgroup_routes.png" alt="sub group signal routing" />
Like a normal aux send, an <dfn>external send</dfn> taps the signal at a
specific within a channel strip, but delivers it to an external application
or piece of hardware rather than an Ardour bus. By itself, an external
- send has no effect whatsoever on the audio signals within Ardour —
- it is a one-way signal routing that leaves all existing signal processing
+ send has no effect whatsoever on the audio signals within Ardour—it is a one-way signal routing that leaves all existing signal processing
just as it was.
</p>
<p>
<a href="/signal-routing/the-patchbay"><dfn>patchbay</dfn></a> to allow
you to connect the send to the desired destination.
</p>
+<p class="fixme">Broken links</p>
<h2>Removing an External Send</h2>
<p>You can remove an external send in several ways:</p>
it on and off. When turned off, silence will be delivered to the send. When
turned on, the signal within the channel strip will be delivered.
</p>
+
<h2>Editing Send Routing</h2>
<p>
Double-clicking or Edit-clicking on the send in the processor box will
feeding the signal from before the insert point to its <dfn>Insert
send(s)</dfn>, and connecting the remainder of the channel strip to the
<dfn>Insert return(s)</dfn>, both of which are JACK ports which are
- visible to other JACK applications.<br />
+ visible to other JACK applications.
+</p>
+<p>
Inserts are the JACK equivalents of normalized switching jacks on an
analog console.
</p>
To remove a subgroup (bus), context-click on the track group tab, and select
<kbd class="menu">Remove subgroup bus</kbd>. You can also simply delete the
bus itself. Note that this operation will <strong>not</strong> restore signal
- routing to the way it was before the addition of the subgroup bus — tracks
+ routing to the way it was before the addition of the subgroup bus—tracks
that had been subgrouped will be left with their main outputs disconncted.
</p>
The <dfn>patchbay</dfn> is the main way to make connections to, from and
within Ardour's mixer.
</p>
+
<p class="note">
Notable exceptions are internal aux sends and connections to the monitor bus (if
you are using one): these cannot be controlled from a patchbay, and are
basically not under manual control at all.
</p>
-<img class="right" src="/ardour/manual/html/screenshots/connection-manager.png" alt="an example patchbay" />
+
+<img class="right" src="/images/connection-manager.png" alt="an example patchbay" />
+
<p>
- The patchbay presents two groups of ports; one set of <dfn>sources</dfn>
- (which produce data), and one of <dfn>destinations</dfn> (which consume
- data). Depending
- on the relative number of each, the sources will be placed on the left
- or the top of the dialogue, and the destinations on the right or the
- bottom. Thus, in general, signal flow is from top or left to right or
- bottom.
+ The patchbay presents two groups of ports; one set of <dfn>sources</dfn> (which produce data), and one of <dfn>destinations</dfn> (which consume data). Depending on the relative number of each, the sources will be placed on the left or the top of the dialogue, and the destinations on the right or the bottom. Thus, in general, signal flow is from top or left to right or bottom.
</p>
+
<p>
- Both sources and destinations are divided up into groups, with each
- group being given a tab:
+ Both sources and destinations are divided up into groups, with each group being given a tab:
</p>
+
<dl class="narrower-table">
<dt>Hardware</dt>
<dd>
- These are ports which are connected to a physical piece of hardware
- (a sound card or MIDI interface).</dd>
+ These are ports which are connected to a physical piece of hardware (a sound card or MIDI interface).</dd>
<dt>Ardour Busses</dt>
<dd>All ports belonging to busses.</dd>
<dt>Ardour Tracks</dt>
<dd>All ports belonging to tracks.</dd>
<dt>Ardour Misc</dt>
<dd>
- These are other ports that do not fit into the previous two
- categories; for example, the ports on which the metronome click
- is output, and MIDI ports for things like control surfaces and
- timecode.
+ These are other ports that do not fit into the previous two categories; for example, the ports on which the metronome click is output, and MIDI ports for things like control surfaces and timecode.
</dd>
<dt>Other</dt>
<dd>
- If you have other JACK clients running, their ports will be found
- here. If there are no such ports, the tab will not exist (on one or
- both axes of the grid).</dd>
+ If you have other JACK clients running, their ports will be found here. If there are no such ports, the tab will not exist (on one or both axes of the grid).</dd>
</dl>
+
<p>
- The main part of the patchbay is a <dfn>matrix grid</dfn>. Within this
- grid, green dots represent connections, and you can click in any of the
- squares to make or break connections. You can also click and drag to
- draw a line of connections, which is sometimes useful for making many
- connections at once.
+ The main part of the patchbay is a <dfn>matrix grid</dfn>. Within this grid, green dots represent connections, and you can click in any of the squares to make or break connections. You can also click and drag to draw a line of connections, which is sometimes useful for making many connections at once.
</p>
+
<p>
- In the example patchbay shown above we can note various things. We are
- using the <kbd class="menu">Ardour Tracks</kbd> sources tab, so we see
- the output ports of the three tracks in our session: Fred, Jim and Foo.
- Our destinations are from the <kbd class="menu">Ardour Busses</kbd> tab,
- so we have the inputs of a session bus, Sheila, and the inputs of the
- master bus. Fred and Jim have stereo outputs, so have L and R connections.
- Foo is a MIDI track, so it only has one connection, and its squares in
- the grid are coloured light grey to indicate that no connection can be
- made between Foo (a MIDI output) and our busses (which are all audio-input).
+ In the example patchbay shown above we can note various things. We are using the <kbd class="menu">Ardour Tracks</kbd> sources tab, so we see the output ports of the three tracks in our session: Fred, Jim and Foo. Our destinations are from the <kbd class="menu">Ardour Busses</kbd> tab, so we have the inputs of a session bus, Sheila, and the inputs of the master bus. Fred and Jim have stereo outputs, so have L and R connections. Foo is a MIDI track, so it only has one connection, and its squares in the grid are coloured light grey to indicate that no connection can be made between Foo (a MIDI output) and our busses (which are all audio-input).
</p>
+
<p>
- The green dots in the example show that both Foo and Bar are connected
- to the master bus, left to left and right to right.
+ The green dots in the example show that both Foo and Bar are connected to the master bus, left to left and right to right.
</p>
<h2>Variants on the Patchbay</h2>
+
<p>
- Slightly different versions of the patchbay are available from different
- places in Ardour. For a global view of all JACK audio connections, use
- <kbd class="menu">Window > Audio Patchbay</kbd>, or press
- <kbd class="mod2">P</kbd>. A corresponding MIDI Connection Manager can
- be opened using <kbd class="mod23">P</kbd>.</p>
+ Slightly different versions of the patchbay are available from different places in Ardour. For a global view of all JACK audio connections, use <kbd class="menu">Window > Audio Patchbay</kbd>, or press <kbd class="mod2">P</kbd>. A corresponding MIDI Connection Manager can be opened using <kbd class="mod23">P</kbd>.
+</p>
+
<p>
- There is also a patchbay available when connecting individual tracks;
- clicking on the input or output buttons of a mixer strip will open a
- connection manager which has the corresponding track input or output as
- the only destination or source, with all other ports available for
- connection to it.
+ There is also a patchbay available when connecting individual tracks; clicking on the input or output buttons of a mixer strip will open a connection manager which has the corresponding track input or output as the only destination or source, with all other ports available for connection to it.
</p>
<h2>Other patchbay features</h2>
+
<p>
- Context-clicking on a port name in the connection manager opens a menu
- which provides a few handy options:
+ Context-clicking on a port name in the connection manager opens a menu which provides a few handy options:
</p>
+
<dl class="wide-table">
<dt><kbd class="menu">Add audio port</kbd> and <kbd class="menu">Add MIDI port</kbd></dt>
<dd>
- These options add audio or MIDI ports to the thing that you opened
- the menu over, if this is possible. In this way, for example, tracks
- and busses can be extended to have more inputs or outputs.
+ These options add audio or MIDI ports to the thing that you opened the menu over, if this is possible. In this way, for example, tracks and busses can be extended to have more inputs or outputs.
</dd>
<dt><kbd class="menu">Remove</dt>
<dd>
- Removes the given port, if possible. <kbd class="mouse mod3">Right</kbd>-clicking
- a port will do the same.
+ Removes the given port, if possible. <kbd class="mouse mod3">Right</kbd>-clicking a port will do the same.
</dd>
<dt><kbd class="menu">Disconnect all from…</kbd></dt>
<dd>Disconnects everything from the given port.</dd>
<dt><kbd class="menu">Rescan</kbd></dt>
<dd>
- Ardour will try to keep abreast of any changes to the JACK ports on
- your system, and reflect them in any connection managers which are open.
- If for some reason this fails, use this to re-scan the list of ports and
- update the manager.
+ Ardour will try to keep abreast of any changes to the JACK ports on your system, and reflect them in any connection managers which are open. If for some reason this fails, use this to re-scan the list of ports and update the manager.
</dd>
<dt><kbd class="menu">Show individual ports</kbd></dt>
<dd>
- If you have a session which has lots of multi-channel tracks or busses,
- it may be an unnecessary detail that you have to connect left to left and
- right to right every time you make a connection. This obviously gets worse
- with higher channel counts (such as for 5.1 or Ambisonics). To make life
- easier with such sessions, you can untick Show individual ports. After that,
- the channels of tracks and busses will be hidden, and any green dots you add
- in the connection manager will automatically connect each channel of the source
- to the corresponding channel of the destination (left to left, right to right
- and so on). In this mode, a half-circle in the connection grid indicates that
- some (but not all) of the source's ports are connected to the destination.
+ If you have a session which has lots of multi-channel tracks or busses, it may be an unnecessary detail that you have to connect left to left and right to right every time you make a connection. This obviously gets worse with higher channel counts (such as for 5.1 or Ambisonics). To make life easier with such sessions, you can untick Show individual ports. After that, the channels of tracks and busses will be hidden, and any green dots you add in the connection manager will automatically connect each channel of the source to the corresponding channel of the destination (left to left, right to right and so on). In this mode, a half-circle in the connection grid indicates that some (but not all) of the source's ports are connected to the destination.
</dd>
<dt><kbd class="menu">Flip</kbd></dt>
<dd>
- This will flip the visible ports on the vertical axis with those on the
- horizontal. If, for example, the top of the connection manager is showing
- <kbd class="menu">Ardour Busses</kbd> and the right is showing
- <kbd class="menu">Hardware</kbd>, flip will swap the view to the
- opposite. You can also flip by pressing <kbd>f</kbd>. Note that if there are
- no matching tabs on both axes, flipping will be impossible.
+ This will flip the visible ports on the vertical axis with those on the horizontal. If, for example, the top of the connection manager is showing <kbd class="menu">Ardour Busses</kbd> and the right is showing <kbd class="menu">Hardware</kbd>, flip will swap the view to the opposite. You can also flip by pressing <kbd>f</kbd>. Note that if there are no matching tabs on both axes, flipping will be impossible.
</dd>
</dl>
+
<p class="center"><img width="360px" src="/images/track_signal_routing.png" alt="track signal routing" /></p>
<p>
-Trim, Fader and Panner are provided by Ardour. The Processor-Box can hold 3rd Party Plugins or host-provided redirects (insert, aux-send,..).
+ Trim, Fader and Panner are provided by Ardour. The Processor-Box can hold 3rd Party Plugins or host-provided redirects (insert, aux-send,..).
</p>
+<p class="fixme">Where is the processor box in that image?</p>
<p>
-An important aspect is that the signal flow is multi-channel and not fixed throughout the track. For example, a Track can have a mono input, a mono to stereo plugin (e.g. reverb) flowing into a surround panner with 6 outputs. The design of Ardour is that width of the signal flow is defined by the passage through plugins in the processor box, followed by panning.
-The number of inputs to the panner is defined by the number outputs of the last plugin in the chain. The number of panner outputs is equal to the track's outputs ports, which can be added and remove dynamically. This schema called <em>Flexible I/O</em>. It's very powerful and a distinct feature of Ardour.
+ An important aspect is that the signal flow is multi-channel and not fixed throughout the track. For example, a Track can have a mono input, a mono to stereo plugin (e.g. reverb) flowing into a surround panner with 6 outputs. The design of Ardour is that width of the signal flow is defined by the passage through plugins in the processor box, followed by panning.
+ The number of inputs to the panner is defined by the number outputs of the last plugin in the chain. The number of panner outputs is equal to the track's outputs ports, which can be added and remove dynamically. This schema called <em>Flexible I/O</em>. It's very powerful and a distinct feature of Ardour.
</p>
<p class="note">
-The golden rule of processor signal flow:<br/>The number of outputs of one link of the process chain defines the number inputs of the next, until the panner.
+ The golden rule of processor signal flow:<br/>The number of outputs of one link of the process chain defines the number inputs of the next, until the panner.
</p>
<p>
-Due to this rule there is one very common case that is hard to achieve: Keep a mono track mono. With <em>Flexible I/O</em>, if a stereo plugin is added on a mono track, the signal flow after that plugin becomes stereo.
+ Due to this rule there is one very common case that is hard to achieve: Keep a mono track mono. With <em>Flexible I/O</em>, if a stereo plugin is added on a mono track, the signal flow after that plugin becomes stereo.
</p>
<h2>Strict I/O</h2>
-<p>Strict I/O enforces a simple rule: Plugins have the same number of inputs as they have outputs. By induction the track will have as many output-ports as there are input ports.</p>
+<p>
+ Strict I/O enforces a simple rule: Plugins have the same number of inputs as they have outputs. By induction the track will have as many output-ports as there are input ports.
+</p>
<ol>
<li>Adding a Plugin will not modify the signal-flow. The number of plugin outputs is forced to the number of inputs present at the point of insertion.
If a plugin-pin is missing, it is ignored. If Plugin-pin is unconnected, it is fed with silence. Unconnected plugin outputs are ignored).</li>
</ol>
<p>
-Strict I/O is set when creating the track and can later be en/disabled dynamically in the context menu of every mixer strip.
+ Strict I/O is set when creating the track and can later be en/disabled dynamically in the context menu of every mixer strip.
</p>
<p class="center"><img src="/images/strict_io_routing.png" alt="strict i/o routing" /></p>
-<p>There are two exceptions to the above rule 1.</p>
+<p>
+ There are two exceptions to the above rule 1.
+</p>
<ul>
<li>Midi Synths. When adding a synth at a point where there is a Midi port only, the synthesizer plugin will add audio-output ports,
- which trickle down the processor chain to all follow up plugins as inputs and in turn force their outputs to match.</li>
-<li>Side chain inputs are not affected by strict i/o</li>
+ which trickle down the processor chain to all follow up plugins as inputs and in turn force their outputs to match.</li>
+<li>Side chain inputs are not affected by strict I/O</li>
</ul>
<h2>Customizing the Signal Flow</h2>
<p>
-The signal flow though the mixer can be customized at every processor node via "Pin Configuration" in the context menu of every processor.
-User customization override all automatic (flexible/strict i/o mode) inferred output port settings for the given processor.
-Non-customized plugins downstream will follow suit depending on the selected route mode. e.g. adding an additional output to a plugin on a track set to strict-i/o will trickle down the process chain until the output and result in the addition of an output port. This is useful for example in case of a mono to stereo reverb.
+ The signal flow though the mixer can be customized at every processor node via "Pin Configuration" in the context menu of every processor.
+ User customization override all automatic (flexible/strict I/O mode) inferred output port settings for the given processor.
+ Non-customized plugins downstream will follow suit depending on the selected route mode, e.g. adding an additional output to a plugin on a track set to strict I/O will trickle down the process chain until the output and result in the addition of an output port. This is useful for example in case of a mono to stereo reverb.
</p>
<p>
-One can also bypass plugin instances with a 'trhu' connection. This connection is latency compensated. One example is separate Left/Right channel Equalization using two mono plugins on a stereo track:
+ One can also bypass plugin instances with a 'thru' connection. This connection is latency compensated. One example is separate Left/Right channel Equalization using two mono plugins on a stereo track:
</p>
<p class="center"><img src="/images/left_right_eq.png" alt="separate left/right Eq" /></p>
+
title: Editing and Arranging
---
+<p class="fixme">Add content FFS; also see lots relating to editing but NONE related to arranging</p>
{% children %}
also switch the edit point using a combo-selector just right of the snap/grid
unit selector.
</p>
+<p class="fixme">Add images</p>
title: Select Regions
---
+<p class="fixme">Remove all "you" references FFS</p>
<p>
Many editing operations in Ardour require you to first <dfn>select one or more
regions</dfn> that you want to change in some way. You can select a single region,
<a href="/working-with-tracks/selecting-tracks/region-and-track-selection">Region & Track Selection</a>
for more information on how selecting regions and selecting tracks interact.
</p>
+<p class="fixme">Broken link</p>
<h2>Select a Region</h2>
<p>
See the <a href="/working-with-tracks/the-track-context-menu">Track Context Menu</a>
for more information on other per-track selection operations that are available.
</p>
+<p class="fixme">Broken link</p>
<h2>Select Multiple Regions Across Different Tracks</h2>
<p>
<p>
This section explains the rules used to decide which regions are affected
- by editing operations. You don't really have to understand them — hopefully
- things will Just Work — but it may be useful eventually to understand the rules.
+ by editing operations. You don't really have to understand them—hopefully
+ things will Just Work™—but it may be useful eventually to understand the rules.
</p>
<p>
Editing operations in Ardour either operate on a single point in time
(<kbd class="menu">Split</kbd> being the obvious example) or on two
- points (which can also be considered to be a range of sorts), <kbd
+ points (which can also be considered to be a range of sorts); <kbd
class="menu">Separate</kbd> is a good example of this.
</p>
<p>
use based on the following rules:
</p>
<ul>
- <li> If the edit point is `mouse', then
+ <li> If the edit point is 'mouse', then
<ul>
<li>if the mouse is over a selected region, or no region, use all selected
regions, or</li>
<p>
The rationale here for the two different rules is that the mouse edit point
is special in that its position indicates both a time and a track; the other
- edit points (Playhead,Marker) indicate a time only.
+ edit points (Playhead, Marker) indicate a time only.
</p>
-
+
menu_title: Snap to Grid
---
+<p class="fixme">Get rid of all the <br>s, they look like shit</p>
+
<p>
Ardour's editor utilizes a <dfn>grid</dfn> to assist in the placement
of regions on the timeline, or with editing functions that need to happen
various objects to snap to this grid, and how you want the snapping to
behave. You can modify the grid units to fit your needs.
</p>
+
<h2>About Snapping</h2>
<p>There are two ways to think about aligning material to a grid.
The first and most obvious one is where an object\'s position is clamped
</p>.
<h2>Snap Modes</h2>
-<p>Using the above modifications, Ardour supports three different modes of snapping to the grid:</p>
+<p>
+ Using the above modifications, Ardour supports three different modes of snapping to the grid:
+</p>
+
<dl class="wide-table">
<dt><kbd class="menu">No Grid</kbd></dt>
<dd>disables the grid. All objects move freely in this mode.</br>
to change the grid). If you try to move an object in "Grid"-mode, it
does not change its position until you move the mouse far enough for the
object to reach the next grid line.</br>
- Sometimes you may wish to maintain an objects\' position relative to the grid line.
+ Sometimes you may wish to maintain an objects' position relative to the grid line.
In order to do this, use the "snap relative" modifier.
When holding down this modifier during a drag, the dragged object will jump
while maintaining its original distance from the line.</br>
To use Region starts/ends/syncs/bounds as snap choices, you must have
either
</p>
+
<ul>
<li><em>No</em> tracks selected, which means that Ardour snaps to regions on any track, or </li>
<li>Several tracks selected, which means that Ardour only snaps to regions on those selected tracks.</li>
</ul>
+
<p>
If you are moving items on a track, and only the current track is selected,
then you will only be able to snap to other regions on the same track.
Tracks</kbd> will make the "Region" grid unit unusable. Avoid the use of this option if
you are going to use any of the Region grid units.
</p>
+
</p>
<p>
You may want to review your understanding of
- <a href="/editing-and-arranging/the-edit-point">the edit point/range</a> and
+ <a href="/editing-and-arranging/edit-point">the edit point/range</a> and
<a href="/editing-and-arranging/which-regions-are-affected">which regions will be affected by region operations</a>.
</p>
<dl class="wide-table">
title: Trimming Regions
---
+<p class="fixme">Add images, description of mouse cursor changes that signal this type of editing</p>
<p>
Changing the <dfn>length</dfn> of a region is a very common editing
operation, often known as <dfn>trimming</dfn>. There are several ways
<h2>Keyboard Shortcuts for Trimming</h2>
<p>
There are several commands for region trimming. Some use the
- <a href="/editing-and-arranging/the-edit-point">edit point</a> to determine where
+ <a href="/editing-and-arranging/edit-point">edit point</a> to determine where
to trim to. Some are not bound to any keys by default (but could be via the
Keybindings Editor).
</p>
only the selected regions. Their lengths are directly affected by the
trim operation, but nothing else is. Sometimes though, you might like
to trim a region that directly adjoins another, and keep this relationship
- the same — you are not trying to make one of the regions extend
- over the other — you would like the junction to move in one
+ the same—you are not trying to make one of the regions extend
+ over the other—you would like the junction to move in one
direction or the other as part of the trim. This requires trimming both
regions on either side of the junction, in opposite directions.
<dfn>Push/Pull trim</dfn>, activated by pressing shift key before
difference in the results of a normal trim and push/pull trim. First,
the initial situation:
</p>
-<img src="/files/a3/a3_before_trim.png" alt="region arrangement before trim" />
+
+<p class="center"><img src="/images/a3_before_trim.png" alt="region arrangement before trim" /></p>
+
<p>
Here is what happens after we trim the right hand (selected) region by
dragging its starting position earlier:
</p>
-<img src="/files/a3/a3_after_trim.png" alt="region arrangement after a trim" />
+
+<p class="center"><img src="/images/a3_after_trim.png" alt="region arrangement after a trim" /></p>
+
<p>
You can see that it now overlaps the earlier region and a crossfade has
been created between them.
</p>
+
<p>
Lets look now at what happens if we do the same trim, but <kbd
class="mouse mod3">Left</kbd>-dragging to turn it into a push-pull trim instead:
</p>
-<img src="/files/a3/a3_after_push_trim.png" alt="region arrangement after a push trim" />
+
+<p class="center"><img src="/images/a3_after_push_trim.png" alt="region arrangement after a push trim" /></p>
+
<p>
There is no overlap, and the end of the earlier region has been moved
along with the start of the later region, so that they still directly
adjoin each other.
</p>
-
+
title: Move Regions
---
+<p class="fixme">Add images</p>
<p>
Ardour has a global <dfn>edit mode</dfn> selector at the left of the
Editing toolbar, which affect how regions are moved or copied:</p>
for details.
</p>
-
-
{% children %}
+
layout: default
title: Create Region Fades and Crossfades
---
-<p>Every Region has a fade-in and fade-out. By default, the region fade
-is very short, and serves to de-click the transitions at the start and
-end of the region. By adjusting the regions fade length, a more
-gradual transition can be accomplished.<br></p>
+
+<p class="fixme">Add images--an image is worth more than 1,000 words</p>
+<p>
+ Every Region has a fade-in and fade-out. By default, the region fade
+ is very short, and serves to de-click the transitions at the start and
+ end of the region. By adjusting the regions fade length, a more
+ gradual transition can be accomplished.
+</p>
<h2>Region Fades</h2>
-<p> <dfn>Region fades</dfn> are possible at the beginning and end of
-all audio regions. In object mode, a grip appears at the top left and
-top right of an audio region when the cursor hovers over it. Placing
-the cursor over the top of the grip displays the region fade cursor
-tip. Click and drag the grip left or right in the timeline to
-adjust the length of the fade.<br>
+<p>
+ <dfn>Region fades</dfn> are possible at the beginning and end of
+ all audio regions. In object mode, a grip appears at the top left and
+ top right of an audio region when the cursor hovers over it. Placing
+ the cursor over the top of the grip displays the region fade cursor
+ tip. Click and drag the grip left or right in the timeline to
+ adjust the length of the fade.
</p>
+
<h2>Crossfades</h2>
-<p> <dfn>Crossfades</dfn> refer to the behavior when you want to make
-a smooth transition (mix) from one audio region to another on the same
-track. Historically, this was done by splicing 2 pieces of analog
-tape together, and this concept was carried forward into digital
-editing. Each track is a sequence of sound files (regions). If
-two regions are butted against each other, there needs to be a method
-to splice them smoothly together. The crossfade allows one region
-to fade smoothly out, while the next region fades smoothly in, like 2
-pieces of tape that have been cut at and angle, and overlapped.<br>
+<p>
+ <dfn>Crossfades</dfn> refer to the behavior when you want to make
+ a smooth transition (mix) from one audio region to another on the same
+ track. Historically, this was done by splicing 2 pieces of analog
+ tape together, and this concept was carried forward into digital
+ editing. Each track is a sequence of sound files (regions). If
+ two regions are butted against each other, there needs to be a method
+ to splice them smoothly together. The crossfade allows one region
+ to fade smoothly out, while the next region fades smoothly in, like 2
+ pieces of tape that have been cut at and angle, and overlapped.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+ But Ardour uses a more refined "layered" editing model, and
+ therefore it is possible for multiple regions to be stacked on a single
+ location with arbitrary overlaps between different layers. For
+ this reason, crossfades must be implemented differently. We can't
+ assume that a crossfade is an entitry that exists between 2 regions;
+ instead each region must have its own associated crossfades at each
+ end, and the topmost region must always crossfade down to the
+ underlying region(s), if any.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+ Ardour solves this problem by putting a crossfade at the beginning
+ and end of every region. The fades of the bottom-most region are
+ first rendered, and then each region is rendered on top of the one
+ below it, with fades at the end of each region providing a crossfade to
+ the region(s) beneath it.
</p>
-<p>But Ardour uses a more refined "layered" editing model, and
-therefore it is possible for multiple regions to be stacked on a single
-location with arbitrary overlaps between different layers. For
-this reason, crossfades must be implemented differently. We can't
-assume that a crossfade is an entitry that exists between 2 regions;
-instead each region must have its own associated crossfades at each
-end, and the topmost region must always crossfade down to the
-underlying region(s), if any.<br>
+
+<p>
+ It is important to understand that region fades <em>are</em> crossfades. When one region has
+ another region or multiple regions beneath its fade area, then you will
+ hear the topmost region fade-out be mirrored as a fade-in on the
+ underlying region(s). The grip for the topmost region will allow
+ changing the length and type of the crossfade into the underlying
+ region(s). In this way you can create a complicated series of
+ crossfades, and then layer another region atop the others, and fade
+ into <em>that</em> complicated series.
</p>
-<p>Ardour solves this problem by putting a crossfade at the beginning
-and end of every region. The fades of the bottom-most region are
-first rendered, and then each region is rendered on top of the one
-below it, with fades at the end of each region providing a crossfade to
-the region(s) beneath it. <br>
+<p class="fixme">An image here would probably help.</p>
+
+<p>
+ If a region doesn't have any region(s) under it, then the region is
+ crossfaded to silence; for convenience we call this a "fade"
+ rather than a crossfade.
</p>
-<p>It is important to understand that region fades <em>are</em> crossfades. When one region has
-another region or multiple regions beneath its fade area, then you will
-hear the topmost region fade-out be mirrored as a fade-in on the
-underlying region(s). The grip for the topmost region will allow
-changing the length and type of the crossfade into the underlying
-region(s). In this way you can create a complicated series of
-crossfades, and then layer another region atop the others, and fade
-into _that_ complicated series. <em>An image here would
-probably help.</em><br>
+
+<h2>Fade Shapes</h2>
+<p>
+ To activate/deactivate or change the shape of a region's fade-in or
+ fade-out, hover the cursor over the region fade grip till the cursor tip
+ indicates region fade editing and context-click to bring up a context
+ menu. In the context menu there is a list of options for the
+ region fade. <kbd class="menu">Activate/Deactivate</kbd> enables and
+ disables the region fade.
</p>
-<p>If a region doesn't have any region(s) under it, then the region is
-crossfaded to silence; for convenience we call this a "fade"
-rather than a crossfade.<br>
+
+<p>
+ Because each fade is also a crossfade, it has an inverse fade shape
+ for the audio beneath the fade. It is important to know how the
+ shapes differ, and which are most suitable for various editing tasks.
</p>
-<h2>Fade Shapes<br>
-</h2>
-<p>To activate/deactivate or change the shape of a region's fadein or
-fade-out, hover the cursor over the regionfade grip till the cursor tip
-indicates region fade editing and context-click to bring up a context
-menu. In the context menu there is a list of options for the
-regionfade. <kbd class="menu">Activate/Deactivate</kbd> enables and
-disables the regionfade.<br>
+
+<p>
+ The different types of fades are:
</p>
-<p>Because each fade is also a crossfade, it has an inverse fade shape
-for the audio beneath the fade. It is important to know how the
-shapes differ, and which are most suitable for various editing tasks.<br>
+
+<dl class="narrower-table">
+ <dt><kbd class="menu">Linear</kbd></dt>
+ <dd>A simple linear coefficient decrease, and its mathematical inverse. A Linear fade starts attentuating quickly and then cuts off even more abruptly at lower levels. When used as a crossfade, the signals are each -6dB attenuated at the midpoint. This is the correct crossfade to use with highly-correlated signals for a smooth transition.</dd>
+ <dt><kbd class="menu">Constant Power</kbd></dt>
+ <dd>The constant power curve starts fading slowly and then cuts off abruptly. When used as a crossfade between 2 audio regions, the signals are symetrically attenuated, and they each reach -3dB at the midpoint. This is the correct crossfade to use when you want to splice audio in the general (uncorrelated) case.</dd>
+ <dt><kbd class="menu">Symmetric</kbd></dt>
+ <dd>The Symmetric fade starts slowly, then attenuates significantly before transitioning to a slower fade-out near the end of the fade. When used as a crossfade, the Symmetric curve is not mathematically correct like the Equal Power or Linear curves, but it provides a slower fade-out at low volumes. This is sometimes useful when editing two entire works of music together so that the transition is more gradual.</dd>
+ <dt><kbd class="menu">Fast</kbd></dt>
+ <dd>The Fast curve is a linear decibel fade; It sounds like a perfectly smooth fader or knob moved to silence. This shape is excellent as a general-purpose fade-in. When used as a crossfade, the inverse fade curve maintains constant power but is therefore non-symmetric; so its use is limited to those cases where the user finds it appropriate.</dd>
+ <dt><kbd class="menu">Slow</kbd></dt>
+ <dd>The Slow curve is a modified linear decibel fade. The initial curve starts more gradually so that it has a less abrupt transition near unity. After that, it sounds like a perfectly smooth fader or knob moved to silence. This shape is excellent as a general-purpose fade-out. When used as a crossfade, the inverse fade curve maintains constant power but is therefore non-symmetric; so its use is limited to those cases where the user finds it appropriate.</dd>
+</dl>
+
+<p>
+ Although these fade shapes serve specific purposes, any of the shapes is usable in certain situations. The final decision is an artistic choice rather than a rigidly prescribed one.
</p>
-<p>The different types of fades are:<br>
+
+<p>
+ These fade curves are developed to provide a range of common uses, and
+ are developed with the least possible amount of changes in the "slope"
+ of the line. This provides artifact-free crossfades. Some
+ DAWs provide complicated fade editors with parametric "spline" controls
+ of the fade curves. While it might be interesting to develop a
+ fade curve with a faster cutoff, the mathematical difference between
+ this and simply shortening the fade is vanishingly small; the
+ amount of effort to shorten the fade is much easier than fooling around with a
+ crossfade editor dialog.
</p>
-<ul>
- <li><kbd class="menu">Linear</kbd> : A simple linear coefficient decrease, and its
-mathematical inverse. A Linear fade starts attentuating quickly
-and then cuts off even more abruptly at lower levels. When used
-as a crossfade, the signals are each -6dB attenuated at the midpoint.
-This is the correct crossfade to use with highly-correlated signals for
-a smooth transition.<br>
- </li>
- <li><kbd class="menu">Constant Power</kbd> : The constant power curve starts fading
-slowly and then cuts off abruptly. When used as a crossfade
-between 2 audio regions, the signals are symetrically attenuated, and
-they each reach -3dB at the midpoint. This is the correct crossfade to
-use when you want to splice audio in the general ( uncorrelated ) case.<br>
- </li>
- <li><kbd class="menu">Symmetric</kbd> : The Symmetric fade starts slowly, then
-attenuates significantly before transitioning to a slower fade-out near
-the end of the fade. When used as a crossfade, the Symmetric
-curve is not mathematically correct like the Equal Power or Linear
-curves, but it provides a slower fade-out at low volumes. This is
-sometimes useful when editing 2 entire music works together so that the
-transition is more gradual.<br>
- </li>
- <li><kbd class="menu">Fast</kbd> : The Fast curve is a linear decibel fade; It sounds
-like a perfectly smooth fader or knob moved to silence. This shape is
-excellent as a general-purpose fade-in. When used as a
-crossfade, the inverse fade curve maintains constant power but is
-therefore non-symmetric; so its use is limited to those cases where the
-user finds it appropriate.</li>
- <li><kbd class="menu">Slow</kbd> : The Slow curve is a modified linear decibel fade.
-The initial curve starts more gradually so that it has a less
-abrupt transition near unity. After that, it sounds like a
-perfectly smooth fader or knob moved to silence. This shape is excellent as
-a general-purpose fade-out. When used as a crossfade, the
-inverse fade curve maintains constant power but is therefore
-non-symmetric; so its use is limited to those cases where the user
-finds it appropriate.<br>
- </li>
-</ul>
-<p>Although these fade shapes serve specific purposes, you might find that
-any of the shapes is usable in your situation. The final decision
-is an artistic choice rather than a <br></p>
-<br>
-<p>These fade curves are developed to provide a range of common uses, and
-are developed with the least possible amount of changes in the "slope"
-of the line. This provides artifact-free crossfades. Some
-DAWs provide complicated fade editors with parametric "spline" controls
-of the fade curves. While it might be interesting to develop a
-fade curve with a faster cutoff, the mathematical difference between
-this and simply shortening the fade is vanishingly small; and the
-amount of effort to shorten the fade is much easier than messing with a
-crossfade editor dialog.<br></p>
+
title: Separation
---
+<p class="fixme">ADD CONTENT</p>
{% children %}
ends of the overlapping one, with no overlaps. To do this, select the upper
region, then choose <kbd class="menu">Edit > Separate > Separate
Under</kbd>. This will split the lower region so that it no longer overlaps
- the upper region at all. <br />
+ the upper region at all.
+</p>
+
+<p>
Here is an example where we start with a short region placed so that it
overlaps a longer region:
</p>
-<img src="/files/a3/a3_before_separate_under.png" alt="region arrangement before separate under" />
+
+<p class="center"><img src="/images/a3_before_separate_under.png" alt="region arrangement before separate under" /></p>
+
<p>
When we perform the <dfn>Separate Under</dfn> edit, the lower region splits
in two, with boundaries exactly positioned at the edges of the upper region:
</p>
-<img src="/files/a3/a3_after_separate_under.png" alt="region arrangement after separate under" />
+
+<p class="center"><img src="/images/a3_after_separate_under.png" alt="region arrangement after separate under" /></p>
+
<p>
If the upper region covers only one end of the lower region, then this
operation is equivalent to
- <a href="/editing-and-arranging/change-region-lengths/#trimtonextprevious">Trim to Next or Trim to Previous</a>,
- depending on which end is covered.
+ <a href="/editing-and-arranging/change-region-lengths/#trimtonextprevious">Trim to Next/Previous Region</a>, depending on which end is covered.
</p>
-
+
title: Separate Range
---
+<p class="fixme">Add example with images; 1p ≥ 1,000w</p>
<p>
A final new editing feature is an operation in the context menu of a
- range labelled <kbd class="menu">Separate Regions Under Range</kbd>.
+ range labeled <kbd class="menu">Separate Regions Under Range</kbd>.
This splits any selected regions that are covered by the range at both
ends of the range (or just one, if the range only covers part of the
region). This makes it easy to generate regions that correspond
Silence</kbd> to detect silence (based on a user-chosen threshold in
<abbr title="Decibels relative to Full Scale">dBFS</abbr>), split a
region based on the boundaries of the silent segments, and remove the
- silence. You can also specify a minimum length for silence —
- useful when editing very percussive material and just needing to
- automatically trim the ends of a region. The dialog looks like this:
+ silence. You can also specify a minimum length for silence—useful
+ when editing very percussive material and just needing to automatically trim
+ the ends of a region. The dialog looks like this:
</p>
-<img src="/files/a3/a3_strip_silence.png" alt="strip silence dialog" />
+
+<p class="center">
+ <img src="/images/a3_strip_silence.png" alt="strip silence dialog" />
+</p>
+
<p>
The edit applies to all selected regions, allowing batch processing.
You can also see in the screenshot how the main editor window is used
to show silent segments and report the number and durations of the
shortest segments.
</p>
-
+
---
<p>
- Ardour's handling of <dfn>MIDI editing</dfn> differs from most other DAWs
- and MIDI sequencers.
+ Ardour's handling of <dfn><abbr title="Musical Instrument Digital Interface">MIDI</abbr> editing</dfn> differs from most other <abbr title="Digital Audio Workstation">DAW</abbr>s and MIDI sequencers.
</p>
<h2>Key features of Ardour MIDI handling</h2>
+
<ul>
<li>
- All editing is done in-place, in-window. There is no separate piano roll
- window or pane. Edit notes right where you see them.
+ All editing is done in-place, in-window. There is no separate piano roll window or pane. Edit notes right where you see them.
</li>
<li>
- All MIDI I/O is done via JACK for sample accurate timing and maximal
- efficiency when communicating with external software synthesizers.
+ All MIDI I/O is done via <abbr title="Jack Audio Connection Kit">JACK</abbr> for sample accurate timing and maximal efficiency when communicating with external software synthesizers.
</li>
<li>
- Every MIDI track has its own JACK MIDI port for input; it may have an
- arbitrary combination of audio and MIDI outputs, depending on the signal
- processing in the track; the full flexibility of JACK connectivity is
- present for MIDI just as it is for audio.
+ Every MIDI track has its own JACK MIDI port for input; it may have an arbitrary combination of audio and MIDI outputs, depending on the signal processing in the track; the full flexibility of JACK connectivity is present for MIDI just as it is for audio.
</li>
<li>
- Full automation for MIDI tracks, integrated with the handling of all MIDI
- CC data for each track.
+ Full automation for MIDI tracks, integrated with the handling of all MIDI <abbr title="Continuous Controller">CC</abbr> data for each track.
</li>
<li>
- Controllers (CC data) can be set to discrete or continuous modes (the
- latter will interpolate between control points and send additional
- data).
+ Controllers (CC data) can be set to discrete or continuous modes (the latter will interpolate between control points and send additional data).
</li>
<li>
- There is a Normal and a Percussive mode for note data editing.
+ There is a <em>Normal</em> and a <em>Percussive</em> mode for note data editing.
</li>
<li>
The <dfn>scroomer</dfn> is a combination scroll/zoom tool for altering
</ul>
<h2>Notable Differences</h2>
+
<ul>
<li>
- Fader (volume) control currently operates on transmitted MIDI data, not by sending CC
- #7.
+ Fader (volume) control currently operates on transmitted MIDI data, not by sending CC #7.
</li>
<li>
- All note/data editing is per-region. There are no cross-region operations at this
- time.
+ All note/data editing is per-region. There are no cross-region operations at this time.
</li>
<li>
- By default, copying a MIDI region creates a <dfn>deep link</dfn>
- — both regions share the same data source, and edits to the contents of
- one will affect the other. To break this link, select
- <kbd class="menu">MIDI > Unlink from other copies</kbd> from the region
- context menu, after which the selected region(s) will have their own copies
- of <em>only</em> the data that they visually display on screen. You will not
- be able to trim the region back its original length after an Unlink operation,
- and the operation cannot be undone.
+ By default, copying a MIDI region creates a <dfn>deep link</dfn>—both regions share the same data source, and edits to the contents of one will affect the other. To break this link, select <kbd class="menu">MIDI > Unlink from other copies</kbd> from the region context menu, after which the selected region(s) will have their own copies of <em>only</em> the data that they visually display on screen. You will not be able to trim the region back its original length after an Unlink operation, and the operation cannot be undone.
</li>
</ul>
{% children %}
+
title: Fundamental Concepts
---
+<p class="fixme">Check to see if this is still true for v5</p>
+
<p>Ardour's MIDI editing is based on two basic principles:</p>
+
<ol>
<li>Editing should be done without having to enter a new window</li>
<li>
or completely with the mouse, or with any combination of the two.
</li>
</ol>
+
<p>
Currently, MIDI editing is primarily restricted to note data. Other
kinds of data (controller events, sysex data) are present and can be
<kbd>e</kbd> key (by default) toggles between <dfn>region level</dfn>
and <dfn>note level</dfn> editing, as will double-clicking on a MIDI region.
</p>
+
<p class="note">
One very important thing to note: editing note information in Ardour
occurs in only a single region. There is no way currently to edit in note
Add Track/Bus</kbd>. In the Add Track/Bus dialog, pick <kbd class="menu">MIDI
Track</kbd> from the combo selector at the upper right.
</p>
+
<p>
You may decide to use a <a href="/missing">track template</a> if you have one.
You may also know the instrument (a plugin that will generate audio in response
generate audio output.
</p>
+<p class="fixme">Broken link, remove "you"s</p>
+
Although recording MIDI is a common way to create new MIDI regions, it is
often desirable to do so as part of editing/arranging.
</p>
+
<p>
To create a new MIDI region, simply <kbd class="mouse">Left</kbd>-click in
- a MIDI track. A region will be created that is one bar long. You can
- <a href="/editing-and-arranging/changing-region-lengths">trim</a> it to any
- length you want.
+ a MIDI track. A region will be created that is one bar long. It can
+ <a href="/editing-and-arranging/changing-region-lengths">trimmed</a> to any
+ length desired.
</p>
+<p class="fixme">Broken link</p>
+
<p>
- Once you have created a region, you will probably want to
- <a href="/editing-and-arranging/edit-midi/add-new-notes">Add some notes to it</a>.
+ Once a region has been created, <a href="/editing-and-arranging/edit-midi/add-new-notes">notes can be added</a> to it.
</p>
<h2>Adding new notes</h2>
<p>
- In general, you will probably do most MIDI editing with the mouse in object
- mode. This allows you to select notes, copy, move or delete them and alter
- their properties (see below). But at some point, you're going to want to
- <em>add</em> notes to a MIDI region using the mouse, and if they are to be
- anything other than a fixed length, this means dragging with the mouse.
- Since this would normally be a selection operation if the mouse is in object
- mode, there needs to be some way for you to tell Ardour that you are trying
- to <dfn>draw</dfn> new notes within a MIDI region. Ardour provides two ways
- do this. One is to leave the mouse in object mode and
- <kbd class="mouse mod1">Left</kbd>-drag. The other, useful if you plan to
- enter a lot of notes for a while, is to switch the mouse into
- <kbd class="menu">Draw Notes</kbd> mode, which will now interpret any drags
- and clicks as requests to add a new note. For obvious reasons, you cannot
- use Draw Notes mode while using region-level editing.
+ In general, most MIDI editing will be done with the mouse in object mode. This allows selecting notes, copying, moving or deleting them and altering their properties (see below). <em>Adding</em> notes to a MIDI region using the mouse requires dragging with the mouse if they are to be anything other than a fixed length. Since this would normally be a selection operation if the mouse is in object mode, there needs to be some way to tell Ardour to <dfn>draw</dfn> new notes within a MIDI region. Ardour provides two ways do this: one is to leave the mouse in object mode and <kbd class="mouse mod1">Left</kbd>-drag; the other, useful if entering a lot of notes for a while, is to switch the mouse into <kbd class="menu">Draw Notes</kbd> mode, which will now interpret any drags and clicks as requests to add a new note. For obvious reasons, Draw Notes mode cannot be used while using region-level editing.
</p>
<p>So, to summarize:</p>
+
<dl class="wide-table">
<dt>Selecting, moving, copying, trimming, deleting <em>regions</em></dt>
<dd>
</ul>
</dd>
</dl>
-<p>
- Note that is also a
- <a href="/editing-and-arranging/edit-midi/step-entry">a step entry editor</a>
- allowing you to enter notes from a virtual keyboard and lots more besides.
+
+<!-- FIXME: This is needed to keep the table from sucking up the following note's styling. Probably need a fix in the CSS. -->
+<p> </p>
+
+<p class="note">
+ It is also a <a href="/editing-and-arranging/edit-midi/step-entry">a step entry editor</a> allowing entry of notes from a virtual keyboard, and lots more besides.
</p>
-
+
---
<p>
- You can view all the details about a selected note by context-clicking on
- it. The dialog that pops up will also allow you to modify all the properties
- of the selected note(s). You can modify individual properties more efficiently
- using the techniques described below.
+ Details about a selected note can be viewed by context-clicking on it. The
+ dialog that pops up will also allow modification of all the properties of the
+ selected note(s). Individual properties can be modified more efficiently using
+ the techniques described below:
</p>
<dl>
<kbd>↓</kbd> reduces the pitch of the selected notes.<br />
If any of the selected notes are already at the maximum or minimum value,
no changes will be made to any of the notes, to preserve relative pitches.
- You can override this with <kbd class="mod2"> </kbd>. The default shift
- distance is one semitone. Use <kbd class="mod3"> </kbd> to alter this to
+ This can be overridden with <kbd class="mod2">‌</kbd>. The default shift
+ distance is one semitone. Use <kbd class="mod3">‌</kbd> to alter this to
one octave.
</dd>
<dt>Changing velocity values</dt>
notes.<br />
If any of the selected notes are already at the maximum or minumum value,
no changes will be made to any of the notes, to preserve relative velocities.
- You can override this with <kbd class="mod2"> </kbd>.
- You can also press <kbd>v</kbd> to popup a dialog that will allow you to set
+ This can be overridden with <kbd class="mod2">‌</kbd>.
+ Presssing <kbd>v</kbd> will popup a dialog that will allow the setting of
the absolute velocity value of each selected note. Finally, the scroll wheel
<kbd class="mouse">⇑</kbd> <kbd class="mouse">⇓</kbd> will also
- adjust notes in the same way as the arrow keys (note that like the arrow keys
- it only affects selected notes, not the note the pointer is over).
+ adjust notes in the same way as the arrow keys.
+ <p class="note">Like the arrow keys, it only affects selected notes, not the note the pointer is over.</p>
</dd>
<dt>Changing channel</dt>
<dd>
- Press <kbd>c</kbd> to bring up a dialog that allow you to see and alter the
+ Press <kbd>c</kbd> to bring up a dialog that allows viewing and altering the
MIDI channel of the selected notes. If the selected notes use different
channels, they will all be forced to the newly selected channel.
</dd>
later). For the opposite effect, use <kbd class="mod1">,</kbd>/<kbd
class="mod1">.</kbd>. The note will be altered by the current grid setting.
To change the start/end positions by 1/128th of a beat, use the <kbd
- class="mod2"> </kbd> modifier in addition to these shortcuts.
+ class="mod2">‌</kbd> modifier in addition to these shortcuts.
</dd>
<dt>Quantization</dt>
<dd>
<kbd>q</kbd> will quantize the selected notes using the current quantize
settings. If the quantize settings have not been set for this session yet,
the quantize dialog will appear. <kbd class="mod2">q</kbd> will display the
- quantize dialog to allow you to reset the quantize settings, and then
- quantizes the selected notes. The default quantize settings are: quantize
+ quantize dialog to allow resetting of the quantize settings, and then
+ quantize the selected notes. The default quantize settings are: quantize
note starts to the current grid setting, no swing, no threshold, full
strength.
</dd>
<dt>Step Entry, Quantize etc.</dt>
- <dd></dd>
+ <dd><em>missing</em></dd>
</dl>
+
+<p class="fixme">Add missing content</p>
+
for the same note number on the same channel before a NoteOff for the first
NoteOn. It is more or less impossible to do this with a physical MIDI
controller such as a keyboard, but remarkably easy to trigger when editing
- in a DAW - simply overlapping two instances of the same note will do it.
+ in a DAW—simply overlapping two instances of the same note will do it.
</p>
<p>
Ardour offers many options for how to deal with instances where you overlap
<dt>never allow them</dt>
<dd>Edits that would create note overlaps are not allowed</dd>
<dt>don't do anything in particular</dt>
- <dd>Ardour leaves overlapping notes alone — the behaviour of a MIDI receiver (plugin or hardware) is undefined</dd>
+ <dd>Ardour leaves overlapping notes alone—the behaviour of a MIDI receiver (plugin or hardware) is undefined</dd>
<dt>replace any overlapped existing note</dt>
<dd>When one note is moved to overlap another, remove the one that wasn't being moved</dd>
<dt>shorten the overlapped existing note</dt>
<dd>When one note is moved to overlap another, merge them both to form one (longer) note</dd>
</dl>
<p>
- Changing the option in use will not retroactively make changes — it will
+ Changing the option in use will not retroactively make changes—it will
only affect new note overlaps created while the option remains chosen.
</p>
<p class="warning">
spanned note range.
</li>
<li>
- Clicks on the piano header of the track (if visible — the track must
+ Clicks on the piano header of the track (if visible—the track must
be tall enough to display it) will select all occurences of that note.
</li>
<li>
title: Quantize MIDI
---
-
-<p><img src="/files/a3/a3_quantize.png" alt="quantize dialog" /></p>
+<p class="fixme">Needs fleshing out; this is a bit thin at the moment</p>
+
+<p><img class="right" src="/images/a3_quantize.png" alt="quantize dialog" /></p>
+
<p>Accessed via <kbd>q</kbd>, the dialog includes:</p>
+
<ul>
- <li>Options for grid, legato amd groove quantize</li>
+ <li>Options for grid, legato and groove quantize</li>
<li>Snap note start, or end</li>
<li>Snap to current grid, or many beat subdivisions</li>
<li>Quantize threshold (how far away from a chosen position a note must be in order to be quantized)</li>
<li>Strength (how close to move a note to its new position, as a percentage of the nominal distance)</li>
<li>Swing</li>
</ul>
+
---
<p>
- Sometimes you will want to edit MIDI data directly from a connected
- MIDI device like a music keyboard or pad controller. Sometimes you will
- want to use the mouse. Sometimes you'll want the fine-grain control,
- precision and speed of entry that comes from using a custom note entry
- dialog.
+ Sometimes editing MIDI data directly from a connected MIDI device like a musical
+ keyboard or pad controller is desired; sometimes using the mouse is. Sometimes
+ the fine-grained control, precision and speed of entry that comes from using a
+ custom note entry dialog is; the <dfn>Step Entry</dfn> dialog aims to be the
+ latter.
</p>
+
<p>
- The step entry dialog is accessed via a right click context menu on the
- rec-enable button, because step entry is related to <em>recording</em>
- MIDI data. You cannot simultaneously step edit and record MIDI via the
- track's MIDI port.
+ The step entry dialog is accessed via a right click context menu on the
+ rec-enable button, because step entry is related to <em>recording</em> MIDI
+ data—step editing and recording MIDI via the track's MIDI port cannot be
+ done simultaneously.
</p>
-<img src="/files/a3/a3_step_entry.png" />
-<p>The dialog (quite closely modelled on Logic's) contains:</p>
+
+<p class="center"><img src="/images/a3_step_entry.png" /></p>
+
+<p>The dialog (closely modeled after Logic's) contains:</p>
+
<ul>
<li>
Chord entry switch (successive notes are stacked in a chord until
<li>Buttons to add bank or program change events</li>
<li>a full 10 octave virtual keyboard</li>
</ul>
+
<p>
- More or less all actions in the step entry dialog can be driven
- directly from the keyboard, so you do not need to keep moving back
- and forth from keyboard to mouse to do complex data insertion.
+ More or less all actions in the step entry dialog can be driven directly from
+ the keyboard, so moving back and forth from keyboard to mouse to do complex data
+ insertion is unnecessary.
</p>
+
<dfn>flags</dfn>, as shown below:
</p>
+<p class="fixme">Add missing images</p>
+
<h2>Inserting Patch Changes</h2>
<p>
Ensure that the
- <a href="/editing-and-arranging/the-edit-point">edit point</a> is
- located where you want the patch change to be (within an existing
+ <a href="/editing-and-arranging/edit-point">edit point</a> is
+ located where the patch change should be (within an existing
MIDI region). Context click, and from the MIDI region's context menu,
select <kbd class="menu">MIDI > Insert Patch Change</kbd>. A
- dialog will appear allowing you to set the bank and program values.
+ dialog will appear allowing the setting of the bank and program values.
</p>
<h2>Modifying Patch Changes</h2>
<p>
Context-clicking on a patch change will bring up the same dialog that
- was used to create it, allowing you to modify the program and/or bank
+ was used to create it, allowing the modification of the program and/or bank
numbers.
</p>
<p>
- You can also use the mouse wheel: <kbd class="mouse">⇑</kbd>/<kbd
+ The mouse wheel can also be used: <kbd class="mouse">⇑</kbd>/<kbd
class="mouse">⇓</kbd> on the patch change will alter the program
number, <kbd class="mouse mod1">⇑</kbd>/<kbd
class="mouse mod1">⇓</kbd> will modify the bank number.
<h2>Names for Patch Numbers: MIDNAM files</h2>
<p>
- ...
+ …mising…
</p>
+
+<p class="fixme">Add missing content</p>
+
<h2>Making an existing copy of a MIDI region independent</h2>
<p>
- Context-click on the MIDI region you want to be
- independent. From the context menu, select <kbd class="menu">MIDI > Unlink From
- Other Copies</kbd>. The copy is now using an independent version of
- the data, and edits to the copy will affect only the copy. Other
- copies will continue to share data.
+ Context-click on the MIDI region to be made independent. From the context menu, select <kbd class="menu">MIDI > Unlink From Other Copies</kbd>. The copy is now using an independent version of the data, and edits to the copy will affect only the copy. Other linked copies will continue to share data.
</p>
<p class="note">
- Note that the copied data only covers the extent of the region when
- the copy is made. If the region was already trimmed and then a copy
- is made, an independent copy will have no access to data that is
- earlier or later than the bounds of the region it was copied
- from. Put differently, if you make an independent copy of a trimmed
- MIDI region, you cannot "untrim" it to a larger size.
+ The copied data only covers the extent of the region when the copy is made. If the region was already trimmed and then a copy is made, an independent copy will have no access to data that is earlier or later than the bounds of the region it was copied from. Put differently, if an independent copy of a trimmed MIDI region is made, it cannot be "untrimmed" to a larger size.
</p>
+
title: Automation
---
+<p class="fixme">ADD MISSING CONTENT<ul><li>All automation related to mixing, such as gain, pan</li><li>Plugin automation</li><li>Et cetera</li></ul></p>
+
{% children %}
</p>
<p>
Technically, scene changes are delivered as a combination of bank and
-program change MIDI messages. MIDI allows for 16384 banks, each with
+program change MIDI messages. MIDI allows for 16,384 banks, each with
128 programs.
</p>
change message received via the "Scene In" port.
</p>
<p>
-If 2 different scene changes are received within a certain time
+If two different scene changes are received within a certain time
period, only the later one will be recorded as a new marker. The
-default threshold for this is 1 millisecond.
+default threshold for this is one millisecond.
</p>
<p>
If a scene change message is received while the playhead is close to
an existing marker with an associated scene change, the recording
process will alter the scene change in the existing marker rather than
-adding a new one. The default threshold for this "proximity" test is 1
+adding a new one. The default threshold for this "proximity" test is one
millisecond.
</p>
This feature is not currently implemented.
</p>
-{% children %}
+
title: Mixing
---
+<p class="fixme">ADD CONTENT FFS</p>
+
{% children %}
<p>
The solo-mute arrangement with a monitor bus is shown below:
</p>
-<img src="/ardour/manual/html/diagrams/solo-mute.png" alt="mute/solo signal flow" />
+<img src="/images/solo-mute.png" alt="mute/solo signal flow" />
<p>
Here we have a number of tracks or busses (in orange). Each one has an
output which feeds the master bus. In addition, each has PFL and AFL
<dt><kbd class="mod1 mouse">⇓</kbd> or <kbd class="mod1 mouse">⇒</kbd></dt>
<dd>move position to the right by 5°</dd>
</dl>
+
behaviour is controlled by two parameters, <dfn>width</dfn> and
<dfn>position</dfn>. By default, the panner is centered at full width.
</p>
+
<p>
The stereo panner assumes that the signals
you wish to distribute are either uncorrelated (i.e. totally
<dfn>mono-compatible</dfn>, such as a co-incident microphone recording, or a
sound stage that has been created with pan pots.<sup><a href="#caveat">*</a></sup>
</p>
+
<p class="note">
With the default values it is not possible to alter the position,
since the width is already spread entirely across both outputs. To
<h2>Stereo Panner User Interface</h2>
<img src="/images/stereo-panner-annotated.png" alt=""/>
+
<p>
The <dfn>panner user interface</dfn> consists of three elements, divided between
the top and bottom half. Click and/or drag in the top half to
control position; click and/or drag in the bottom half to control
width (see below for details).
</p>
+
<p>
In the top half is the position indicator, which shows where the
center of the stereo image is relative to the left and right
centered between the left and right outputs. When it all the way to
the left, the stereo image collapses to just the left speaker.
</p>
+
<p>
In the bottom half are two signal indicators, one marked "L" and the
other "R". The distance between these two shows the width of the
single signal indicator marked "M" (for mono), whose color will
change to indicate the special state.
</p>
+
<p>
It is possible to invert the outputs (see below) so that whatever
would have gone to the right channel goes to the left and vice
<h2><a name="caveat"></a>Stereo panning caveats</h2>
<p class="warning">
-The stereo panner will introduce unwanted side effects on
-material that includes a time difference between the channels, such
-as A/B, ORTF or NOS microphone recordings, or delay-panned mixes.<br />
-When you reduce the with, you are effectively summing two highly
-correlated signals with a delay, which will cause <dfn>comb filtering</dfn>.
+ The stereo panner will introduce unwanted side effects on
+ material that includes a time difference between the channels, such
+ as A/B, ORTF or NOS microphone recordings, or delay-panned mixes.<br />
+ When you reduce the width, you are effectively summing two highly
+ correlated signals with a delay, which will cause <dfn>comb filtering</dfn>.
</p>
+
<p>
-Let's take a closer look at what happens when you record a source at 45° to the
-right side with an ORTF stereo microphone array and then manipulate the width.
+ Let's take a closer look at what happens when you record a source at 45° to the
+ right side with an ORTF stereo microphone array and then manipulate the width.
</p>
+
<p>
-For testing, we apply a <dfn>pink noise</dfn> signal to both inputs of an Ardour stereo
-bus with the stereo panner, and feed the bus output to a two-channel analyser.
-Since pink noise contains equal energy per octave, the expected readout is a
-straight line, which would indicate that our signal chain does not color the
-sound:
+ For testing, we apply a <dfn>pink noise</dfn> signal to both inputs of an Ardour stereo
+ bus with the stereo panner, and feed the bus output to a two-channel analyser.
+ Since pink noise contains equal energy per octave, the expected readout is a
+ straight line, which would indicate that our signal chain does not color the
+ sound:
</p>
+
<img src="/images/stereo-panner-with-ORTF-fullwidth.png" />
+
<p>
-To simulate an ORTF, we use Robin Gareus' stereo balance
-control LV2 to set the level difference and time delay. Ignore the Trim/Gain
-— its purpose is just to align the test signal with the 0dB line of the
-analyser.
+ To simulate an ORTF, we use Robin Gareus' stereo balance
+ control LV2 to set the level difference and time delay. Ignore the Trim/Gain—its purpose is just to align the test signal with the 0dB line of the
+ analyser.
</p>
-<p>
-Recall that an <dfn>ORTF</dfn> microphone pair consists of two cardioids spaced 17 cm
-apart, with an opening angle of 110°.
-For a far source at 45° to the right, the time difference between the capsules
-is 350 μs or approximately 15 samples at 44.1 kHz. The level difference
-due to the directivity of the microphones is about 7.5 dB (indicated by the
-distance between the blue and red lines in the analyser).
+
+<p>
+ Recall that an <dfn>ORTF</dfn> microphone pair consists of two cardioids
+ spaced 17 cm apart, with an opening angle of 110°. For a far source at
+ 45° to the right, the time difference between the capsules is 350 μs
+ or approximately 15 samples at 44.1 kHz. The level difference due to the
+ directivity of the microphones is about 7.5 dB (indicated by the
+ distance between the blue and red lines in the analyser).
</p>
+
<p>
-Now for the interesting part: if we reduce the width of the signal to 50%,
-the time-delayed signals will be combined in the panner. Observe what
-happens to the frequency response of the left and right outputs:
+ Now for the interesting part: if we reduce the width of the signal to 50%,
+ the time-delayed signals will be combined in the panner. Observe what
+ happens to the frequency response of the left and right outputs:
</p>
+
<img src="/images/stereo-panner-with-ORTF-halfwidth.png" />
+
<p>
-You may argue that all spaced microphone recordings will undergo comb
-filtering later, when the two channels recombine in the air between the speakers.
-Perceptually however, there is a huge of difference: our hearing system is
-very good at eliminating comb filters in the real world, where their component
-signals are spatially separated. But once you combine them
-inside your signal chain, this spatial separation is lost and the brain will
-no longer be able to sort out the timbral mess. As usual, you
-get to keep the pieces.
+ You may argue that all spaced microphone recordings will undergo comb
+ filtering later, when the two channels recombine in the air between the speakers.
+ Perceptually however, there is a huge of difference: our hearing system is
+ very good at eliminating comb filters in the real world, where their component
+ signals are spatially separated. But once you combine them
+ inside your signal chain, this spatial separation is lost and the brain will
+ no longer be able to sort out the timbral mess. As usual, you
+ get to keep the pieces.
</p>
+
<p class="note">
-Depending on your material and on how much you need to manipulate the width,
-some degree of comb filtering may be acceptable. Then again, it may not. Listen
-carefully for artefacts if you manipulate unknown stereo signals — many
-orchestra sample libraries for example do contain time-delay components.
+ Depending on your material and on how much you need to manipulate the width,
+ some degree of comb filtering may be acceptable. Then again, it may not. Listen
+ carefully for artefacts if you manipulate unknown stereo signals—many
+ orchestra sample libraries for example do contain time-delay components.
</p>
-
change in the near future, possibly affecting your mixes. Please do not
rely on it for important production work while the dust settles.
</p>
+
<p>
<dfn><abbr title="Vector-base Amplitude Panning">VBAP</abbr></dfn>
is a versatile and straightforward method to pan a source around over an
</p>
<h2>Basic concepts</h2>
+
<p>
VBAP was developed by Ville Pulkki at Aalto University, Helsinki, in 2001.
It works by distributing the signal to the speakers nearest to the desired
direction with appropriate weightings, aiming to create a maximally sharp
phantom source by using as few speakers as possible:
</p>
+
<ul>
<li>one speaker, if the desired direction coincides with a speaker
location,</li>
speakers,</li>
<li>and three speakers in the general 3D case.</li>
</ul>
+
<p>
Thus, if you move the panner onto a speaker, you can be sure that only
this speaker will get any signal. This is handy when you need precise
- 1:1 routing.<br />
+ 1:1 routing.
+</p>
+
+<p>
The drawback of VBAP is that a moving source will constantly change its
apparent sharpness, as it transitions between the three states mentioned
above.
</p>
+
<p>
A <dfn>horizontal</dfn> VBAP panner has one parameter, the <dfn>azimuth
angle</dfn>. A <dfn>full-sphere</dfn> panner offers an additional
<dfn>elevation angle</dfn> control.
</p>
+
<p class="note">
More elaborate implementations of VBAP also include a
<dfn>spread</dfn> parameter, which will distribute the signal over a
</p>
<h2>Speaker layout</h2>
+
<p>
Each VBAP panner is specific to its <dfn>speaker layout</dfn>
— the panner has
implementation must therefore include the possibility to define this
layout.
</p>
+
<img src="/images/VBAP-panner-5.png" class="small right" alt="The VBAP
panner with 5 outputs"/>
+
<p>
Ardour currently uses a simplified approach: if a track or bus has more
than two output channels (which implies stereo), it assumes that you
differ a bit from the actual auditory result, but you can still achieve
any desired spatialisation.
</p>
+
<h3>Experimental 3D VBAP</h3>
+
<img src="/images/VBAP-panner-10.png" class="small right" alt="The VBAP
panner with 10 outputs, in experimental 3D mode"/>
+
<p>
For tracks with 10 outputs, Ardour will currently assume a 3-dimensional
speaker layout corresponding to Auro-3D 10.1, which is a horizontal 5.1
</p>
<h2>N:M panning</h2>
+
<img src="/images/VBAP-panner-4in5.png" class="small right" alt="The VBAP
panner in 4 in, 5 out mode"/>
+
<p>
For tracks and busses with more than one input, Ardour will (for now) assume that
you wish to distribute the inputs symmetrically along the latitude around
the panner direction. The width parameter controls the opening angle of
the distribution sector.
</p>
+
---
<p>
-When you have finished mixing your session, you probably want to export it to a sound
-file to burn to a CD, upload to the web, or whatever. <kbd class="menu">Session > Export > Export to Audio file(s)...</kbd>
-shows the Export Dialog to do this.
-
+ When you have finished mixing your session, you probably want to export it to a sound file to burn to a CD, upload to the web, or whatever. <kbd class="menu">Session > Export > Export to Audio file(s)...</kbd> shows the Export Dialog to do this.
</p>
+
<p>
-You can also export the outputs of multiple tracks & busses all at once via
-<kbd class="menu">Session > Export > Stem Export...</kbd>.
+ You can also export the outputs of multiple tracks & busses all at once via
+ <kbd class="menu">Session > Export > Stem Export...</kbd>.
</p>
<h2>File Format</h2>
-<img src="/ardour/manual/html/screenshots/export-dialog-file-format.png" />
+
+<img src="/images/export-dialog-file-format.png" />
+
<p>
-This tab contains controls for the format of the exported audio file.
-You can enable more than one format here, in which case each will be exported in turn.
-Ardour is supplied with a list of export formats, including:
-<ul>
-<li>CD (Red Book)</li>
-<li>DVD-A</li>
-<li>FLAC 24 bit </li>
-<li>FLAC 24 bit (tagged)</li>
-<li>Ogg_Vorbis</li>
-<li>Ogg_Vorbis (tagged)</li>
-<li>Ring Tone</li>
-</ul>
-You can edit these formats, or create your own, with the <a href="/exporting/edit-export-format-profile/">"Edit Export Format Profile"</a> dialog, which
-appears when you click the "Edit" or "New" button to the right of the drop-down list of formats.
+ This tab contains controls for the format of the exported audio file. You can enable more than one format here, in which case each will be exported in turn. Ardour is supplied with a list of export formats, including:
+ <ul>
+ <li>CD (Red Book)</li>
+ <li>DVD-A</li>
+ <li>FLAC 24 bit </li>
+ <li>FLAC 24 bit (tagged)</li>
+ <li>Ogg_Vorbis</li>
+ <li>Ogg_Vorbis (tagged)</li>
+ <li>Ring Tone</li>
+ </ul>
+ You can edit these formats, or create your own, with the <a href="/exporting/edit-export-format-profile/">"Edit Export Format Profile"</a> dialog, which appears when you click the "Edit" or "New" button to the right of the drop-down list of formats.
</p>
<p>
-You can also create a 'Preset' consisting of one or more formats. Ardour provides some ready-made presets, too:
-
-<ul>
-<li>CD + DVD-A</li>
-<li>CD + FLAC</li>
-<li>CD + FLAC (tagged)</li>
-<li>CD + Ogg_Vorbis + FLAC (tagged)</li>
-<li>CD + Ogg_Vorbis</li>
-<li>CD + Ogg_Vorbis (tagged)</li>
-<li>CD only</li>
-<li>DVD-A only</li>
-<li>FLAC</li>
-<li>FLAC (tagged)</li>
-<li>Ogg_Vorbis + FLAC</li>
-<li>Ogg_Vorbis + FLAC (tagged)</li>
-<li>Ogg_Vorbis </li>
-<li>Ogg_Vorbis (tagged)</li>
-</ul>
+ You can also create a 'Preset' consisting of one or more formats. Ardour provides some ready-made presets, too:
+ <ul>
+ <li>CD + DVD-A</li>
+ <li>CD + FLAC</li>
+ <li>CD + FLAC (tagged)</li>
+ <li>CD + Ogg_Vorbis + FLAC (tagged)</li>
+ <li>CD + Ogg_Vorbis</li>
+ <li>CD + Ogg_Vorbis (tagged)</li>
+ <li>CD only</li>
+ <li>DVD-A only</li>
+ <li>FLAC</li>
+ <li>FLAC (tagged)</li>
+ <li>Ogg_Vorbis + FLAC</li>
+ <li>Ogg_Vorbis + FLAC (tagged)</li>
+ <li>Ogg_Vorbis </li>
+ <li>Ogg_Vorbis (tagged)</li>
+ </ul>
</p>
<h3>Soundcloud upload</h3>
+
<p>
-When 'Upload to Soundcloud' is ticked on in any format's tab, a pane containing fields
-to enter in Soundcloud account details (email and password), and what should happen
-to the uploaded files will become visible.
+ When 'Upload to Soundcloud' is ticked on in any format's tab, a pane containing fields to enter in Soundcloud account details (email and password), and what should happen to the uploaded files will become visible.
</p>
-<img src="/ardour/manual/html/screenshots/soundcloud-upload.png" />
+
+<img src="/images/soundcloud-upload.png" />
+
<p>
<dl>
<dt>Make files public</dt><dd>Choose whether to make uploaded files available to anyone via the Soundcloud web site.</dd>
-<dt>Open uploaded files in browser</dt><dd>Open each file on soundcloud in your browser after upload.
-If you don't enable this, you can still see the URLs in the <a href="">Log window</a>.</dd>
+<dt>Open uploaded files in browser</dt><dd>Open each file on soundcloud in your browser after upload. If you don't enable this, you can still see the URLs in the <a href="">Log window</a>.</dd>
<dt>Make files downloadable</dt><dd>Choose whether to allow downloading of files uploaded to Soundcloud.</dd>
</dl>
</p>
+<h2>Time Span</h2>
+<img src="/images/export-dialog-timespan.png" />
-
-<h2>Time Span</h2>
-<img src="/ardour/manual/html/screenshots/export-dialog-timespan.png" />
<p>
-This tab allows you to select the range (or ranges) of the timeline to export. By default, "session" is
-enabled - this will export the whole session from the start marker to the end marker.
+ This tab allows you to select the range (or ranges) of the timeline to export. By default, "session" is enabled—this will export the whole session from the start marker to the end marker.
</p>
<h2>Channels</h2>
-<img src="/ardour/manual/html/screenshots/export-dialog-channels.png" />
+
+<img src="/images/export-dialog-channels.png" />
+
<p>
-Here you can choose which outputs (tracks or busses) should be sent to the exported file.
+ Here you can choose which outputs (tracks or busses) should be sent to the exported file.
</p>
<h2>Stem Export</h2>
-<img src="/ardour/manual/html/screenshots/export-dialog-stem-export.png" />
+
+<img src="/images/export-dialog-stem-export.png" />
+
<p>
-If you chose 'Stem Export', the 'Channels' tab appears slightly differently:
-in this case each chosen channel (track or bus) is exported to its own file,
-instead of all channels being mixed together into a single file. You can
-choose to export either the region contents or the track output here in this
-case.
+ If you chose 'Stem Export', the 'Channels' tab appears slightly differently:
+ in this case each chosen channel (track or bus) is exported to its own file,
+ instead of all channels being mixed together into a single file. You can
+ choose to export either the region contents or the track output here in this
+ case.
</p>
{% children %}
-
<h2>Export Format Profiles</h2>
<p>
-An Export Format Profile specifies the file format in which Ardour will export
-audio files, and also other audio file export options.
+ An Export Format Profile specifies the file format in which Ardour will export
+ audio files, and also other audio file export options.
</p>
<p>
-Export Format Profiles are edited via the 'Edit Export Format Profile' dialog.
+ Export Format Profiles are edited via the 'Edit Export Format Profile' dialog.
</p>
-<img src="/ardour/manual/html/screenshots/edit-export-format-profile.png" />
-<p>
+<img src="/images/edit-export-format-profile.png" />
+
<h3>Normalize</h3>
+
<p>
-If enabled, peak levels of exported files will be normalized to the level chosen here.
+ If enabled, peak levels of exported files will be normalized to the level chosen here.
</p>
<h3>Trim/Add silence at start/end</h3>
-<p>
+<p>
</p>
<h3>Compatibility/Quality/File format/Sample rate</h3>
+
<h4>Compatibility</h4>
+
<p>
-Selecting an item in the 'Compatibility' column will display options in the
-other columns that are incompatible with that item in red.
+ Selecting an item in the 'Compatibility' column will display options in the
+ other columns that are incompatible with that item in red.
</p>
<h4>Quality</h4>
+
<p>
-The appropriate item in the 'Quality' column will be highlighted when you
-choose a file format. Clicking on items in the 'Quality' column currently
-doesn't seem to do anything useful.
+ The appropriate item in the 'Quality' column will be highlighted when you
+ choose a file format. Clicking on items in the 'Quality' column currently
+ doesn't seem to do anything useful.
</p>
<h4>File format</h4>
+
<p>
-This column contains a list of Ardour's supported export file types. Click on
-the format you want to use.
+ This column contains a list of Ardour's supported export file types. Click on
+ the format you want to use.
</p>
<h4>Sample rate</h4>
+
<p>
-You can explicitly choose the sample rate of your exported files here, or
-choose 'Session rate' to export in the current session's sample rate, without
-sample rate conversion.
+ You can explicitly choose the sample rate of your exported files here, or
+ choose 'Session rate' to export in the current session's sample rate, without
+ sample rate conversion.
</p>
<h4>Sample rate conversion quality</h4>
+
<p>
-If your chosen sample rate does not match the current session's sample rate,
-choose the sample rate conversion quality here. Better quality options are
-slower.
+ If your chosen sample rate does not match the current session's sample rate,
+ choose the sample rate conversion quality here. Better quality options are
+ slower.
</p>
<h3>Options</h3>
+
<p>
-Options relevant to the chosen file format will appear here.
-Categories of audio file format are:
-<ul>
-<li>Linear encoding</li>
-<li>Broadcast Wave</li>
-<li>Ogg Vorbis</li>
-<li>FLAC</li>
-</ul>
+ Options relevant to the chosen file format will appear here.
+ Categories of audio file format are:
+ <ul>
+ <li>Linear encoding</li>
+ <li>Broadcast Wave</li>
+ <li>Ogg Vorbis</li>
+ <li>FLAC</li>
+ </ul>
+</p>
<p>
-Available options include a selection of the following:</p>
+ Available options include a selection of the following:
+</p>
<h4>Sample Format</h4>
+
<p>
-Choose the bit depth of exported files.
+ Choose the bit depth of exported files.
</p>
<h4>Dithering</h4>
+
<p>
-If the exported files bit depth is less than Ardour's native bit depth,
-choose the dithering algorithm to use.
+ If the exported files bit depth is less than Ardour's native bit depth,
+ choose the dithering algorithm to use.
</p>
<h4>Create CUE file/Create TOC file</h4>
-<p>
-As well as exporting an audio file, create a file (in CUE or TOC format
-respectively) containg CD track information, as defined in the
-<a href="/working-with-markers/rangesmarks-list/">Ranges & Marks List</a>.
+<p>
+ As well as exporting an audio file, create a file (in CUE or TOC format
+ respectively) containg CD track information, as defined in the
+ <a href="/working-with-markers/rangesmarks-list/">Ranges & Marks List</a>.
+</p>
<h4>Tag with session's metadata</h4>
+
<p>
-If the exported file format supports metadata, use data entered in the
-<a href="/working-with-sessions/metadata/">Session Metadata</a>
-window to tag the exported files.
+ If the exported file format supports metadata, use data entered in the
+
<a href="/working-with-sessions/metadata/">Session Metadata</a>
+ window to tag the exported files.
</p>
-
<h3>Label</h3>
+
<p>
-The 'Label' field lets you choose the name which will be shown for this format
-in the drop-down list of export formats in the 'File Formats' tab of the
-<a href="/exporting/export-dialog/">Export dialog</a>.
+ The 'Label' field lets you choose the name which will be shown for this format
+ in the drop-down list of export formats in the 'File Formats' tab of the
+ <a href="/exporting/export-dialog/">Export dialog</a>.
+</p>
<h3>Command to run post-export</h3>
+
<p>
-If this is not blank, it is considered as a command to be run after the export
-of each file. Either the command must exist in $PATH, or you can specify an
-absolute path to an executable file here.
+ If this is not blank, it is considered as a command to be run after the export
+ of each file. Either the command must exist in $PATH, or you can specify an
+ absolute path to an executable file here.
</p>
<p>
-Certain sequences are allowed here to stand for the exported file name and the
-like. Currently these are:
-<dl>
-<dt><code>%f</code></dt>
-<dd>Full path & filename of the exported audio file</dd>
-<dt><code>%d</code></dt>
-<dd>Directory containing the exported audio file (including trailing directory separator)</dd>
-<dt><code>%b</code></dt>
-<dd>Basename of the exported audio file (without extension)</dd>
-<dt><code>%s</code></dt>
-<dd>Path to the current session file</dd>
-<dt><code>%n</code></dt>
-<dd>Name of the current session file</dd>
-<dt><code>%%</code></dt>
-<dd>A literal percent sign</dd>
-</dl>
+ Certain sequences are allowed here to stand for the exported file name and the
+ like. Currently these are:
+ <dl>
+ <dt><code>%f</code></dt>
+ <dd>Full path & filename of the exported audio file</dd>
+ <dt><code>%d</code></dt>
+ <dd>Directory containing the exported audio file (including trailing directory separator)</dd>
+ <dt><code>%b</code></dt>
+ <dd>Basename of the exported audio file (without extension)</dd>
+ <dt><code>%s</code></dt>
+ <dd>Path to the current session file</dd>
+ <dt><code>%n</code></dt>
+ <dd>Name of the current session file</dd>
+ <dt><code>%%</code></dt>
+ <dd>A literal percent sign</dd>
+ </dl>
+</p>
+
<p>
-Any part of the command-line enclosed in double-quotes (") will be used as-is.
+ Any part of the command-line enclosed in double-quotes (") will be used as-is.
+</p>
{% children %}
-
<h2>The Latency chain</h2>
-<img src="/ardour/manual/html/diagrams/latency-chain.png" title="Latency chain" alt="Latency chain" />
+<img src="/images/latency-chain.png" title="Latency chain" alt="Latency chain" />
<p>
<em>Figure: Latency chain.</em>
The numbers are an example for a typical PC. With professional gear and an
to the audio-signal that you hear on the speakers (and is not where Ardour
reads files from disk).
</p>
+
<p>
As a side note, this is also one of the reasons why many projects start at
timecode <samp>01:00:00:00</samp>. When compensating for output latency the
To achieve sample accurate timecode synchronization, the latency introduced
by the audio setup needs to be known and compensated for.
</p>
+
<p>
In order to compensate for latency, JACK or JACK applications need to know
exactly how long a certain signal needs to be read-ahead or delayed:
</p>
-<img src="/ardour/manual/html/diagrams/jack-latency-excerpt.png" title="Jack Latency Compensation" alt="Jack Latency Compensation" />
+
+<img src="/images/jack-latency-excerpt.png" title="Jack Latency Compensation" alt="Jack Latency Compensation" />
+
<p>
<em>Figure: Jack Latency Compensation.</em>
</p>
+
<p>
In the figure above, clients A and B need to be able to answer the following
two questions:
title: Timecode Generators and Slaves
---
-
<p>
Ardour supports three common timecode formats:
<abbr title="Linear/Longitudinal Time Code"><dfn>LTC</dfn></abbr>,
<dfn>MIDI Clock</dfn>, as well as
<dfn>JACK-transport</dfn>, a JACK-specific timecode implementation.
</p>
+
<p>
Ardour can generate timecode and thus act as timecode <dfn>master</dfn>,
providing timecode information to other applications. Ardour can also be
<dfn>slaved</dfn> to some external source in which case the playhead
- follows the incoming timecode.<br />
+ follows the incoming timecode.
+</p>
+
+<p>
Combining the timecode slave and generator modes, Ardour can also
<dfn>translate</dfn> timecode. e.g create LTC timecode from incoming MTC.
</p>
-
<h2>Ardour Timecode Configuration</h2>
<p>
This is pretty straightforward: simply turn it on. The MTC and MIDI-Clock
generator do not have any options. The LTC generator has a configurable
output level. JACK-transport cannot be <em>generated</em>. Jack itself is
- always synced to its own cycle and cannot do varispeed — it will
+ always synced to its own cycle and cannot do varispeed—it will
always be synced to a hardware clock or another JACK master.
</p>
</p>
<h3>MTC Generator</h3>
+
<p>
The <dfn>MTC generator</dfn> has no options. Ardour sends full MTC
frames whenever the transport is relocated or changes state (start/stop).
</p>
<h3>LTC Generator</h3>
+
<p>
The level of the <dfn>LTC generator</dfn> output signal can be configured
in in the <kbd class="menu">Preferences > Transport</kbd> dialog. By
default it is set to -18 dBFS, which corresponds to 0dBu in an EBU
calibrated system.
</p>
+
<p>
The LTC generator has an additional option to keep sending timecode even
when the transport is stopped. This mode is intended to drive analog tape
machines which unspool the tape if no LTC timecode is received.
</p>
+
<p>
LTC is send regardless of Ardour's transport speed. It is accurately
generated even for very slow speeds (<5%) and only limited by the
for high speeds.
</p>
-
<h2>Ardour Slave Configuration</h2>
+
<p>
The timecode source can be switched with the button just right of
Ardour's main clock. By default it is set to <kbd
timecode source which is chosen in <kbd class="menu">Edit > Preferences
> Transport</kbd>.
</p>
+
<p>
When Ardour is <dfn>chasing</dfn> (synchronizing to) an external timecode
source, the following cases need to be distinguished:
</p>
+
<ol>
<li>the timecode source shares the clock</li>
<li>the timecode source is independent (no wordclock sync)</li>
</ol>
+
<p>and</p>
+
<ol>
<li>the timecode source uses the same FPS setting as Ardour</li>
<li>the timecode source runs at different frames-per-second</li>
</ol>
+
<p>
In both cases the first option is preferred: clock sync + same FPS setting.
</p>
<h3>Frames-per-second</h3>
+
<p>
If the frames-per-second do not match, Ardour can either re-calculate
and map the frames, or the configured FPS (<kbd class="menu">Session >
> Preferences > Transport > Match session video frame rate to
external timecode</kbd>.
</p>
+
<p>
When enabled, the session video frame rate will be changed to match that
of the selected external timecode source. When disabled, the session video
flash red, and Ardour will convert between the external timecode standard
and the session standard.
</p>
+
<p class="warning">
29.97 drop-frame timecode is another corner case. While the SMPTE 12M-1999
specifies 29.97df as 30000/1001 frames per second, not all hardware devices
follow that standard. The checkbox
<kbd class="option">Lock to 29.9700 fps instead of 30000/1001</kbd> allows
- to use a compatibility mode for those devices.<br />
+ to use a compatibility mode for those devices.
+</p>
+
+<p>
When enabled, the external timecode source is assumed to use 29.970000 fps
instead of 30000/1001. SMPTE 12M-1999 specifies 29.97df as 30000/1001. The
<abbr title="specification">spec</abbr> further mentions that drop-frame
timecode has an accumulated error of -86 ms over a 24-hour period.
Drop-frame timecode would compensate exactly for a NTSC color frame rate
of 30 * 0.9990 (ie 29.970000). That is <em>not</em> the actual rate. However,
- some vendors use that rate — despite it being against the specs
- — because the variant of using exactly 29.97 fps yields zero timecode
+ some vendors use that rate—despite it being against the specs—because the variant of using exactly 29.97 fps yields zero timecode
drift.
</p>
<h3>Clock Sync Lock</h3>
+
<p>
As described in the
<a href="http://manual.ardour.org/synchronization/on-clock-and-time/">On Clock and Time</a>
source is not in sample-sync with the audio hardware (and JACK), Ardour
needs to run at varispeed to adjust for the discrepancy.
</p>
+
<p>
The checkbox <kbd class="option">External timecode is sync locked</kbd>
allows to select the behavior according to your setup. When enabled, it
indicates that the selected external timecode source shares sync (Black
& Burst, Wordclock, etc) with the audio interface.
</p>
+
<p>
In other words: if enabled, Ardour will only perform initial
synchronization and keep playing at speed 1.0 instead of vari-speed
adjusting to compensate for drift.
</p>
+
<p class="note">
Note that vari-speed is unavailable when recording in Ardour, and all
tracking happens at speed 1.0. So if you want to record in sync with
</p>
<h3>MIDI Clock</h3>
+
<p>
<dfn>MIDI Clock</dfn> is not a timecode format but tempo-based time. The
absolute reference point is expressed as beats-per-minute and Bar, Beat
and Tick. There is no concept of sample-locking for MIDI clock signals.
Ardour will vari-speed if necessary to chase the incoming signal.
</p>
+
<p>
Note that the MIDI Clock source must be connected to the
<code>ardour:MIDI clock in</code> port.
</p>
<h3>LTC - Linear Timecode</h3>
+
<p>
The <dfn>LTC</dfn> slave decodes an incoming LTC signal on a JACK audio
port. It will auto-detect the frame rate and start locking to the signal
once two consecutive LTC frames have been received.
</p>
+
<p>
The incoming timecode signal needs to arrive at the
<code>ardour:LTC-in</code> port. Port-connections are restored for each
session and the preference dialog offers an option to select it for all
sessions.
</p>
+
<p>
Ardour's transport is aligned to LTC-frame start/end positions according
to the SMPTE 12M-1999 specification, which means that the first bit of an
the video Frame boundaries.
</p>
-<img src="/ardour/manual/html/diagrams/ltc-transport-alignment.png" title="LTC frame alignment" alt="LTC frame alignment"/>
+<img src="/images/ltc-transport-alignment.png" title="LTC frame alignment" alt="LTC frame alignment"/>
<p><em>Figure: LTC frame alignment for the 525/60 TV standard</em></p>
<p>
speed changes if the <kbd class="optoff">sync locked</kbd> option is
disabled.
</p>
+
<p>
While Ardour is chasing LTC, the main transport clock will display the
received Timecode as well as the delta between the incoming signal and
Ardour's transport position.
</p>
+
<p>
A global offset between incoming timecode and Ardour's transport can be
configured in <kbd class="menu">Session > Properties</kbd>.
</p>
+
<p>
The user-bits in the received LTC frame are ignored.
</p>
<h3>MTC - MIDI Timecode</h3>
+
<p>
Ardour's MTC slave parses <dfn>full timecode messages</dfn> as well as
MTC <dfn>quarter-frame messages</dfn> arriving on the
<code>ardour:MTC in</code> port. The transport will only start rolling
once a complete sequence of 8 quarter frames has been received.
</p>
+
<p>
Ardour supports vari-speed and backwards playback but will only follow
MTC speed changes if the <kbd class="optoff">sync locked</kbd> option
is disabled.
</p>
+
<p>
When Ardour is chasing MTC, the main transport clock will display the
received Timecode as well as the delta between the incoming signal and
</p>
<h3>JACK Transport</h3>
+
<p>
When slaved to jack, Ardour's transport will be identical to
JACK-transport. As opposed to other slaves, Ardour can be used to control
the JACK transport states (stopped/rolling). No port connections need to
be made for jack-transport to work.
</p>
+
<p>
JACK-transport does not support vari-speed, nor offsets. Ardour does not
chase the timecode but is always in perfect sample-sync with it.
</p>
+
<p>
JACK-transport also includes temp-based-time information in Bar:Beats:Ticks
and beats-per-minute. However, only one JACK application can provide this
<p>
Almost every available function in Ardour can be bound to a keyboard
shortcut (and those few that cannot will usually respond to an <a
- href="/
/using-control-surfaces/controlling-ardour-with-osc/"><abbr
+ href="/using-control-surfaces/controlling-ardour-with-osc/"><abbr
title="Open Sound Control">OSC</abbr> command</a>). Ardour comes with a
rich set of default <dfn>key bindings</dfn> for the most commonly used
functions.
</p>
+
<p>These bindings strive to be <dfn>mnemonic</dfn>, that is, easy and intuitive
to remember, and follow widely accepted conventions. As a general rule,
the first letter of an operation will be used for as a shortcut, if
useful ones, for example<br />
<kbd>S</kbd> for <kbd class="menu">Region > Edit > Split"</kbd>
or<br />
- <kbd>P</kbd> for <kbd class="menu">Transport > Playhead > Playhead to Mouse</kbd>.
+ <kbd>P</kbd> for <kbd class="menu">Transport > Playhead > Playhead to Mouse</kbd>.
</p>
+
<p>
- Almost every key binding in Ardour can be changed in
- <kbd class="menu">Window > Key Bindings</kbd>.
+ Almost every key binding in Ardour can be changed in <kbd class="menu">Window > Key Bindings</kbd>.
</p>
+
<p>
- The conventions for using modifier keys (<kbd class="mod1"> </kbd>, <kbd
- class="mod2"> </kbd>, <kbd class="mod3"> </kbd> etc.) differ among platforms, so we
- provide different default bindings for each.
+ The conventions for using modifier keys (<kbd class="mod1">‌</kbd>, <kbd
+ class="mod2">‌</kbd>, <kbd class="mod3">‌</kbd> etc.) differ among platforms, so we provide different default bindings for each.
</p>
{% children %}
+
These preferences apply to all Ardour sessions.
</p>
-<img src="/files/a4/a4_preferences_misc.png" alt="ardour preferences
+<img src="/images/a4_preferences_misc.png" alt="ardour preferences
dialog"/>
-
+
{% children %}
+
This tab contains settings that do not belong on the other tabs.
</p>
-<img src="/files/a4/a4_preferences_misc.png" alt="preferences
+<img src="/images/a4_preferences_misc.png" alt="preferences
misc tab"/>
<ul>
and <a href="/synchronization/">Synchronization</a>.
</p>
-<img src="/files/a4/a4_preferences_transport.png" alt="preferences
+<img src="/images/a4_preferences_transport.png" alt="preferences
transport tab"/>
<ul>
window when <a href="/editing-and-arranging">Editing and Arranging</a>.
</p>
-<img src="/files/a4/a4_preferences_editor.png" alt="preferences
+<img src="/images/a4_preferences_editor.png" alt="preferences
editor tab"/>
<ul>
This tab contains settings for handling audio.
</p>
-<img src="/files/a4/a4_preferences_audio.png" alt="preferences
+<img src="/images/a4_preferences_audio.png" alt="preferences
audio tab"/>
<ul>
<a href="/mixing/panning/">panning</a>.
</p>
-<img src="/files/a4/a4_preferences_solomute.png" alt="preferences
+<img src="/images/a4_preferences_solomute.png" alt="preferences
solo/mute tab"/>
<ul>
This tab contains settings related to the use of MIDI inside Ardour.
</p>
-<img src="/files/a4/a4_preferences_midi.png" alt="preferences
+<img src="/images/a4_preferences_midi.png" alt="preferences
MIDI tab"/>
<ul>
<a href="/ardours-interface">Ardours interface</a>.
</p>
-<img src="/files/a4/a4_preferences_interaction.png" alt="preferences
+<img src="/images/a4_preferences_interaction.png" alt="preferences
user interaction tab"/>
<ul>
<a href="/using-control-surfaces/">Using Control Surfaces</a>.
</p>
-<img src="/files/a4/a4_preferences_control_surfaces.png" alt="preferences
+<img src="/images/a4_preferences_control_surfaces.png" alt="preferences
control surfaces tab"/>
<p>
This tab contains settings related to handling of Video.
</p>
-<img src="/files/a4/a4_preferences_video.png" alt="preferences
+<img src="/images/a4_preferences_video.png" alt="preferences
video tab"/>
<ul>
plugins.
</p>
-<img src="/files/a4/a4_preferences_plugins.png" alt="preferences
+<img src="/images/a4_preferences_plugins.png" alt="preferences
plugins tab"/>
<ul>
<a href="/ardours-interface/">Ardour's Interface</a>.
</p>
-<img src="/files/a4/a4_preferences_gui.png" alt="preferences
+<img src="/images/a4_preferences_gui.png" alt="preferences
gui tab"/>
<ul>
Metering</a> in Ardour.
</p>
-<img src="/files/a4/a4_preferences_metering.png" alt="preferences
+<img src="/images/a4_preferences_metering.png" alt="preferences
metering tab"/>
<ul>
This tab contains settings that change the visual appearence of Ardour.
</p>
-<img src="/files/a4/a4_preferences_theme.png" alt="preferences
+<img src="/images/a4_preferences_theme.png" alt="preferences
theme tab"/>
<ul>
menu_title: Session Properties
---
-<img src="/files/a4/a4_session_properties_timecode.png" alt="session properties dialog"/>
+<img src="/images/a4_session_properties_timecode.png" alt="session properties dialog"/>
<p>
- This dialog allows you to change settings for the current session. These settings
- are initially set from the template used to create the session. To open the dialog
- use <kbd class="menu">Session > Properties</kbd>
+ This dialog allows you to change settings for the current session. These
+ settings are initially set from the template used to create the session. To
+ open the dialog use <kbd class="menu">Session > Properties</kbd>
</p>
{% children %}
-
-
-
menu_title: Timecode Tab
---
-<img src="/files/a4/a4_session_properties_timecode.png" alt="session properties timecode tab"/>
+<img src="/images/a4_session_properties_timecode.png" alt="session properties timecode tab"/>
<p>
This tab is used to change how Ardour interprets and manipulates timecode.
menu_title: Sync Tab
---
-<img src="/files/a4/a4_session_properties_sync.png" alt="session properties sync tab"/>
+<img src="/images/a4_session_properties_sync.png" alt="session properties sync tab"/>
<p>
This tab is used to modify the timecode settings when working with video to
menu_title: Fades Tab
---
-<img src="/files/a4/a4_session_properties_fades.png" alt="session properties fades tab"/>
+<img src="/images/a4_session_properties_fades.png" alt="session properties fades tab"/>
<p>
Change how Ardour works with region crossfades.
menu_title: Media Tab
---
-<img src="/files/a4/a4_session_properties_media.png" alt="session properties media tab"/>
+<img src="/images/a4_session_properties_media.png" alt="session properties media tab"/>
<p>
Change how sound is stored on disk. These options do not change how sound is handled
menu_title: Locations Tab
---
-<img src="/files/a4/a4_session_properties_locations.png" alt="session properties locations tab"/>
+<img src="/images/a4_session_properties_locations.png" alt="session properties locations tab"/>
<p>
These options add file locations that will be searched to find the audio and
menu_title: Filenames Tab
---
-<img src="/files/a4/a4_session_properties_filenames.png" alt="session properties filenames tab"/>
+<img src="/images/a4_session_properties_filenames.png" alt="session properties filenames tab"/>
<p>
This tab is used to change how Ardour names recorded regions.
Provides options affecting monitoring.
</p>
-<img src="/files/a4/a4_session_properties_monitoring.png" alt="session properties monitoring tab"/>
+<img src="/images/a4_session_properties_monitoring.png" alt="session properties monitoring tab"/>
<p>
The <strong>Track Input Monitoring automatically follows transport state</strong>
<a href="/recording/monitoring/monitor-setup-in-ardour/">Monitor Setup in Ardour</a>.
</p>
-<img class="left" src="/files/a4/a4_monitoring_section.png" alt="monitoring section"/>
+<img class="left" src="/images/a4_monitoring_section.png" alt="monitoring section"/>
<p>
The 'Use monitor section' displays an extra section in the <strong>Mixer</strong>
This tab changes what additional controls are also displayed.
</p>
-<img src="/files/a4/a4_session_properties_meterbridge.png" alt="session properties meterbridge tab"/>
+<img src="/images/a4_session_properties_meterbridge.png" alt="session properties meterbridge tab"/>
<ul>
<li>
</li>
</ul>
-<img src="/files/a4/a4_meterbridge_full.png" alt="image of meterbidge with all options on"/>
+<img src="/images/a4_meterbridge_full.png" alt="image of meterbidge with all options on"/>
+
This tab has several things that don't fit on the other tabs.
</p>
-<img src="/files/a4/a4_session_properties_misc.png" alt="session properties misc tab"/>
+<img src="/images/a4_session_properties_misc.png" alt="session properties misc tab"/>
<ul>
<li>
<li>
If <dfn>MIDI region copies are independent</dfn> is selected, when a
MIDI region is copied or duplicated, the new region is not linked to
- the region it was copied from. If it is not selected, the copied regions
+ the region it was copied from. If it is not selected, the copied regions
are linked and any editing of one of the linked regions changes all
of the linked regions.
</li>
</p>
<h2>Enabling Mackie Control in Ardour</h2>
+
<p>
Navigate to <kbd class="menu">Edit > Preferences > Control Surfaces</kbd>.
Double-click on <kbd class="menu">Mackie Control</kbd> to see the setup dialog:
</p>
-<img src="" alt="Mackie Control Setup Dialog" />
+
+<img src="/images/missing.png" alt="Mackie Control Setup Dialog" />
+
<p>
From the selector at the top, choose the type of device you are using.
(<a
href="/using-control-surfaces/devices-using-mackielogic-control-protocol/devices-not-listed/">
What to do if your device is not listed</a>).
</p>
+
<p>
Once your setup is complete, click "OK" to close the dialog. Now click
on the enable checkbox for "Mackie Control".
</p>
<h2>Connecting control surface and Ardour MIDI ports</h2>
+
<p>
If you are using a device that uses ipMIDI, such as the SSL Nucleus, no
- MIDI port connections are required — Ardour and your control
+ MIDI port connections are required—Ardour and your control
surface will be able to talk to each other automatically.
</p>
+
<p>
If you are using a device that uses normal MIDI (via a standard MIDI or
USB cable), you need to connect Ardour's Mackie Control in and out ports
to the MIDI ports leading to and coming from the control surface.
</p>
+
<p>
When you have made these connections once, Ardour will recreate them
for you in the future, as long as you leave Mackie Control enabled.
</p>
<h2>Customizing your control surface</h2>
+
<p>
Every possible Mackie Control button can be bound to any action present
in Ardour's GUI. Please check your control surface page for suggestions.
</p>
<h2>Preparing your device for use with Ardour</h2>
+
<p>
Most interfaces will require some configuration to send and respond to
MCP.
mode. Pro Tools is the only DAW that still requires HUI. The rest of
world uses Mackie Control Protocol. Ardour does not support HUI.
</p>
-
+
{% children %}
+
<dd>Mark audio region(s) to be moved along with the video.</dd>
</dl>
-
<h2>Adding Video</h2>
+
<p>
Adding video is a two-step process: select a video file, and choose
import mode and optionally select an audio track to extract.
</p>
+
<p>
The first step is rather straight-forward. The panel on the right side
allows to seek through the video and displays basic file information.
It is also useful to check if the video format/codec is supported:
</p>
-<img src="/files/a3/a3_video_open.png" alt="video-open-dialog" width="300" />
+
+<img src="/images/a3_video_open.png" alt="video-open-dialog" width="300" />
+
<p>
The second step analyzes the video file in more detail and offers import options:
</p>
+
<dl>
<dt><kbd class="menu">Import/Transcode to Session</kbd></dt>
<dd>This is the default. The video will be imported in a suitable
<dd>Useful for extracting audio only.</dd>
</dl>
-<img src="/files/a3/a3_video_import.png" alt="Video Import Dialog" width="300" />
+<img src="/images/a3_video_import.png" alt="Video Import Dialog" width="300" />
<p>
By default the video is imported using the original width/height.
for editing soundtracks. The default bitrate in kbit/sec is set to use
0.7 bits per pixel. (Compare: the average DVD medium uses 5000 kbit/s;
at PAL resolution this is about 0.5 bits per pixel. But the DVD is
- using the <dfn>mpeg2</dfn> — a denser compression algorithm than the
+ using the <dfn>mpeg2</dfn>—a denser compression algorithm than the
<dfn>mjpeg</dfn> codec used by Ardour.)
</p>
<p>
Well now,..
</p>
-<img src="/files/a3/a3_videotimeline.png" alt="Video Timeline" width="600" />
+
+<img src="/images/a3_videotimeline.png" alt="Video Timeline" width="600" />
<h2 id="export">Exporting Video</h2>
+
<p>
The video export will take audio from the current Ardour session and
multiplex it with a video file. The soundtrack of the video is taken from
an audio export of Ardour's master bus.
</p>
+
<p>
An arbitrary video file can be chosen. For high quality exports, the
original file (before it was imported into the timeline) should be used.
will fall back to the imported proxy-video which is currently in use
on the timeline. Any existing audio tracks on this video file are stripped.
</p>
+
<p>
The range selection allows to cut or extend the video. If the session is
longer than the video duration, black frames are prefixed or appended to
presets.
</p>
-<img src="/files/a3/a3_video_export.png" alt="Video Export Dialog" width="300" />
+<img src="/images/a3_video_export.png" alt="Video Export Dialog" width="300" />
<p>
Ardour video export is not recommended for mastering! While ffmpeg
devede or dvdauthor to mux & master. Nevertheless this video-export c
omes in handy to do quick snapshots, intermediates, dailies or online videos.
</p>
+
menu_title: Tempo and Meter
---
-<p>Tempo and meter belong together. without both, there is no way to know where a beat lies in time.</p>
+<p>
+ Tempo and meter belong together. without both, there is no way to know where a beat lies in time.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+ Tempo provides a musical pulse, which is divided into beats and bars by a meter. When you change tempo or move an audio-locked meter, all objects on the timeline that are glued to bars and beats (locations, regions) will move in sympathy.
+</p>
-<p>Tempo provides a musical pulse, which is divided into beats and bars by a meter.
- When you change tempo or move an audio-locked meter, all objects on the timeline that are glued to bars and beats (locations, regions) will move in sympathy.
+<p class="note">
+ When performing meter or tempo operations, it is advised that you show the BBT ruler (available by right-clicking an existing marker or ruler name), and ensure that the constraint modifier is set (in Preferences->User Interaction) so that no other modifiers share its key combination.
</p>
-<p class="note">When performing meter or tempo operations, it is advised that you show the BBT ruler (available by right-clicking an existing marker or ruler name),
- and ensure that the constraint modifier is set (in Preferences->User Interaction) so that no other modifiers share its key combination.<br>
+<p>
The constraint modifier is the "Constrain drags using : " setting under the "When Beginning a Drag" heading. One viable setting is control-shift.
</p>
<h3>Tempo</h3>
+
<p>Tempo can be adjusted in several ways:
+ <ul>
+ <li>by double clicking on a tempo marker. This opens the tempo dialog which will allow you to enter the tempo directly into an entry box.</li>
+ <li>by using the constraint modifier (which is set in Preferences->User Interaction) to drag the beat/bars in the BBT ruler or the tempo/meter lines.
+ This is the preferred way to match the tempo to previously recorded material.</li>
-<ul><li>by double clicking on a tempo marker.
-This opens the tempo dialog which will allow you to enter the tempo directly into an entry box.
-</li>
+ <p class ="note">
+ When dragging the BBT ruler, musical snap has no effect, however be warned that non-musical snap is in effect if enabled.
+ Snapping to a minute while dragging a beat may result in some verly slow tempos.
+ Snapping a beat to a video frame however is an incredibly useful way to ensure your soundtrack is punchy and synchronised to the sample.
+ </p>
-<li> by using the constraint modifier (which is set in Preferences->User Interaction) to drag the beat/bars in the BBT ruler or the tempo/meter lines.
-This is the preferred way to match the tempo to previously recorded material.</li>
-<p class ="note">
- NOTE - When dragging the BBT ruler, musical snap has no effect, however be warned that non-musical snap is in effect if enabled.
- Snapping to a minute while dragging a beat may result in some verly slow tempos.
- Snapping a beat to a video frame however is an incredibly useful way to ensure your soundtrack is punchy and synchronised to the sample.
-</p>
-<li>by holding down the constaint modifier while dragging a tempo vertically.
-This is used for more complex tempo solving, as it allows you to change the position and tempo of a tempo marker in the same drag,
-it is, however, a useful way to adjust the first tempo for a quick result.
-</li></ul>
+ <li>by holding down the constaint modifier while dragging a tempo vertically. This is used for more complex tempo solving, as it allows you to change the position and tempo of a tempo marker in the same drag, it is, however, a useful way to adjust the first tempo for a quick result.</li>
+ </ul>
</p>
-<p>A tempo may be locked to audio or musical time. You may change this by right-clicking on a tempo.
-If a tempo is locked to music, an entry will be available to lock it to audio.
-Similarly an audio-locked tempo may be locked to music by right clicking it an selecting the "Lock to Music" entry.
+
+<p>
+ A tempo may be locked to audio or musical time. You may change this by right-clicking on a tempo.
+ If a tempo is locked to music, an entry will be available to lock it to audio.
+ Similarly an audio-locked tempo may be locked to music by right clicking it an selecting the "Lock to Music" entry.
</p>
-<p>Audio locked tempo marks stay in their frame position as their neigbours positions are altered. Their pulse (musical) position will change as their neighbours move.
-Music locked tempo marks move their frame position as their neighbours are moved, but keep their pulse position (they will move as the music is moved).
+
+<p>
+ Audio locked tempo marks stay in their frame position as their neigbours positions are altered. Their pulse (musical) position will change as their neighbours move.
+ Music locked tempo marks move their frame position as their neighbours are moved, but keep their pulse position (they will move as the music is moved).
</p>
-<br>
-<p>A tempo may be remped or constant.
+<p>
+ A tempo may be ramped or constant.
<ul>
<li>A constant tempo will keep the sesion tempo constant until the next tempo section, at which time it will jump instantly to the next tempo.
These are mostly useful abrupt changes, and is the way in which traditional DAWs deal with tempo changes (abrupt jumps in tempo).
- <br>
- </li>
-
+ </li>
<li>A ramped tempo increases its tempo over time so that when the next tempo section has arrived, the sesion tempo is the same as the second one.
This is useful for matching the session tempo to music which has been recorded without a metronome.
Ramps may also be used as a compositional tool, but more on this later.
-Note that a ramp requires two points - a start and an end tempo. The first tempo in a new session is ramped, but appears to be constant as it has no tempo to ramp to. It is only when you add a new tempo and adjust one of them that you will hear a ramp.
- The same applies to the last tempo in the session - it will always appear to be constant until a new last tempo is added and changed.
+Note that a ramp requires two points—a start and an end tempo. The first tempo in a new session is ramped, but appears to be constant as it has no tempo to ramp to. It is only when you add a new tempo and adjust one of them that you will hear a ramp.
+ The same applies to the last tempo in the session—it will always appear to be constant until a new last tempo is added and changed.
</li>
</ul>
</p>
-<br>
+
<p>
<img src="/images/constant-tempo.png" alt="A constant tempo displaying the tempo at the playhead in the audio clock">
<br>
A series of constant tempo markers. The tempo at the playhead position is the same as the previous tempo.
</p>
-<br>
+
<p>
<img src="/images/ramped-tempo.png" alt="A ramped tempo displaying the tempo at the playhead in the audio clock">
<br>
A ramped tempo marker. The tempo at the playhead position is approaching the second tempo. Because the playhead is equidistant (in beats) between the
two markers, the tempo at the playhead is the average of the two.
</p>
-<br>
-<p>To add a new tempo, use the primary modifier and click on the tempo line at the desired position.
-The new tempo will be the same as the tempo at the position of the mouse click (it will not change the shape of the ramp).
+
+<p>
+ To add a new tempo, use the primary modifier and click on the tempo line at the desired position.
+ The new tempo will be the same as the tempo at the position of the mouse click (it will not change the shape of the ramp).
+</p>
+
+<p>
+ To copy a tempo, hold down the primary modifier and drag the tempo you wish to copy.
</p>
-<p>To copy a tempo, hold down the primary modifier and drag the tempo you wish to copy.</p>
<h3>Meter</h3>
-<p>Meter positions beats using the musical pulse of a tempo, and groups them into bars using its number of divisions per bar.
+
+<p>
+ Meter positions beats using the musical pulse of a tempo, and groups them into bars using its number of divisions per bar.
</p>
-<p>The first meter in a new session may be moved freely. It has an associated tempo which cannot be dragged by itself (although all others can).
-It can be moved freely and is locked to audio.
+
+<p>
+ The first meter in a new session may be moved freely. It has an associated tempo which cannot be dragged by itself (although all others can).
+ It can be moved freely and is locked to audio.
</p>
-<p>New meters are locked to music.
-They may only occur on a bar line if music locked.
+
+<p>
+ New meters are locked to music.
+ They may only occur on a bar line if music locked.
</p>
+
<p>
-An audio locked meter provides a way to cope with musical passages which have no meter (rubato, pause), or to allow a film composer to insert
-a break in music which cannot be counted in beats.
+ An audio locked meter provides a way to cope with musical passages which have no meter (rubato, pause), or to allow a film composer to insert
+ a break in music which cannot be counted in beats.
</p>
-<p>If a meter is audio-locked, its bar number is fixed from the point at which it left the main score.
-That bar number cannot be changed, nor can tempo motion allow the previous bar to overlap.
-If you need another bar, lock the meter to music again (right click->"Lock to Music"), drag the meter to the desired bar and re-lock to audio.
+
+<p>
+ If a meter is audio-locked, its bar number is fixed from the point at which it left the main score.
+ That bar number cannot be changed, nor can tempo motion allow the previous bar to overlap.
+ If you need another bar, lock the meter to music again (right click->"Lock to Music"), drag the meter to the desired bar and re-lock to audio.
You may now drag your new bar freely again.
- </p>
-<br>
+</p>
+
<li>To change a meter, double click it. A dialog will appear.</li>
-<br>
<li>To copy a meter, hold down control and drag it.</li>
<h3>Techniques </h3>
-<p>As a general approach, the best way to control tempo ramps is to use them in pairs.
+
+<p>
+ As a general approach, the best way to control tempo ramps is to use them in pairs.
</p>
-<p>Lets imagine we want to match the click to a drum performance recorded in 'free time'.<br>
-The first thing we need to do is determine where the first beat is. Drag the first meter to that position.
+
+<p>
+ Lets imagine we want to match the click to a drum performance recorded in 'free time'.
</p>
-<p>Now the first click will be in time with the first beat. To get all the other beats to align, we listen to the drums
-and visually locate the position of bar 4. You may wish to place the playhead here.
+
+<p>
+ The first thing we need to do is determine where the first beat is. Drag the first meter to that position.
</p>
-<p>We then locate bar 4 in the bbt ruler and while holding the constraint modifier, drag it to bar 4 in the drum performance.
+
+<p>
+ Now the first click will be in time with the first beat. To get all the other beats to align, we listen to the drums and visually locate the position of bar 4. You may wish to place the playhead here.
</p>
-<p>We notice that the click now matches the first 4 bars, but after that it wanders off.
-You will see this reflected in the tempo lines.. they won't quite match the drum hits.
-We now locate the earliest position where the click doesn't match, and place a new tempo just before this.
-Two bars later, place another new tempo.
+
+<p>
+ We then locate bar 4 in the bbt ruler and while holding the constraint modifier, drag it to bar 4 in the drum performance.
</p>
+
+<p>
+ We notice that the click now matches the first 4 bars, but after that it wanders off. You will see this reflected in the tempo lines.. they won't quite match the drum hits. We now locate the earliest position where the click doesn't match, and place a new tempo just before this. Two bars later, place another new tempo.
+</p>
+
Now while dragging any beat <strong>after</strong> the second new tempo, watch the drum audio and tempo lines until they align.
+
<p class="note">
-Notice what is happeneing here: the tempo previous to your mouse pointer is being changed so that the beat you grabbed
-aligns with the pointer.
-Notice that the tempo lines previous to the changed one also move. This is because the previous tempo is ramping <strong>to</strong> the tempo you are changing.
-Look further to the left. The tempo lines in the first four bars do not move.
+ Notice what is happeneing here: the tempo previous to your mouse pointer is being changed so that the beat you grabbed aligns with the pointer. Notice that the tempo lines previous to the changed one also move. This is because the previous tempo is ramping <strong>to</strong> the tempo you are changing. Look further to the left. The tempo lines in the first four bars do not move.
</p>
-<p>Again, some time later the click will not align. I didn't say this was easy.
+
+<p>
+ Again, some time later the click will not align. I didn't say this was easy.
</p>
-<p>Repeat the same technique : add two new tempos and drag the BBT ruler <strong>after</strong> the newest tempo so that the beats align with the audio again.
+<p>
+ Repeat the same technique : add two new tempos and drag the BBT ruler <strong>after</strong> the newest tempo so that the beats align with the audio again.
</p>
-<p>In a general sense, adding tempo markers in pairs allows you to 'pin' your previous work while you move further to the right.
+<p>
+ In a general sense, adding tempo markers in pairs allows you to 'pin' your previous work while you move further to the right.
</p>
+
<h3>Another use case : matching accelerando</h3>
-<p>Imagine you have some video and have located where your music cue begins. Move the first meter to that frame
-(you may snap to TC frames, but not music with an audio locked meter).
+
+<p>
+ Imagine you have some video and have located where your music cue begins. Move the first meter to that frame (you may snap to TC frames, but not music with an audio locked meter).
</p>
+
<p>
Find a starting tempo by listening to the click while you drag the meter's tempo vertically using teh constraint modifier.
- </p>
+</p>
-<p>You have the playhead at point where the dude slams the phone down, and your idea was that 4|1|0
-would be good for this, but you want an accelerando to that point.
+<p>
+ You have the playhead at point where the dude slams the phone down, and your idea was that 4|1|0 would be good for this, but you want an accelerando to that point.
</p>
+
<p>
Add a tempo ar bar 4.
</p>
-<p>Holding down the constraint modifier, and with snap set to 'TC Frames', grab the BBT ruler just <strong>after</strong> 4|1|0.
-Drag the ruler so that 4|1|0 snaps to the 'phone' frame.
+
+<p>
+ Holding down the constraint modifier, and with snap set to 'TC Frames', grab the BBT ruler just <strong>after</strong> 4|1|0. Drag the ruler so that 4|1|0 snaps to the 'phone' frame.
</p>
-<p class="note">Notice what happened : The second tempo was changed.<br>
-You had set a musical position for the second tempo marker. It was not aligned with the frame you wanted, so
-you dragged the BBT ruler, making the second tempo provide enough pulses over the ramp for 4|1|0 to align with the desired frame.
+
+<p class="note">
+ Notice what happened : The second tempo was changed.<br />
+ You had set a musical position for the second tempo marker. It was not aligned with the frame you wanted, so you dragged the BBT ruler, making the second tempo provide enough pulses over the ramp for 4|1|0 to align with the desired frame.
</p>
-<p>If your ramp doesn't feel correct, you may add more points within it and keep adjusting beat positions in a similar manner.
+
+<p>
+ If your ramp doesn't feel correct, you may add more points within it and keep adjusting beat positions in a similar manner.
</p>
+
<h3>General</h3>
-<p>Audio locked meters can be useful when composing, as they allow a continuous piece of music to be worked on in
-isolated segments, preventing the listening fatigue of a fixed form.
-Reassembly is left as an excercise for the reader.
+<p>
+ Audio locked meters can be useful when composing, as they allow a continuous piece of music to be worked on in isolated segments, preventing the listening fatigue of a fixed form. Reassembly is left as an excercise for the reader.
</p>
+
projects / ardour-manual-diverged / commitdiff
