3 In Ardour, work is done in one of four windows: the <dfn>Editor</dfn>, the
4 <dfn>Mixer</dfn>, the <dfn>Recorder</dfn>, or the <dfn>Cue Grid</dfn>.
7 <figure class="imagemap" style="width:100%;">
8 <img src="/images/editor_map.png" alt="The Editor window" width="900" height="502">
10 <a href="@@main-menu" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 0px; width: 168px; height: 13px;"></a>
11 <a href="@@status-bar" class="area" style="left: 746px; top: 0px; width: 154px; height: 13px;"></a>
12 <a href="@@transport-bar" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 13px; width: 99px; height: 29px;"></a>
13 <a href="@@selection-and-punch-clocks" class="area" style="left: 99px; top: 13px; width: 69px; height: 29px;"></a>
14 <a href="@@other-toolbar-items#latency-compensation-info" class="area" style="left: 168px; top: 13px; width: 69px; height: 29px;"></a>
15 <a href="@@other-toolbar-items#playhead_options" class="area" style="left: 237px; top: 13px; width: 51px; height: 29px;"></a>
16 <a href="@@transport-clocks" class="area" style="left: 288px; top: 13px; width: 183px; height: 29px;"></a>
17 <a href="@@other-toolbar-items#status_indicators" class="area" style="left: 471px; top: 13px; width: 28px; height: 29px;"></a>
18 <a href="@@other-toolbar-items#monitor_section_info" class="area" style="left: 499px; top: 13px; width: 26px; height: 29px;"></a>
19 <a href="@@mixing-linear-nonlinear-workflows" class="area" style="left: 525px; top: 13px; width: 42px; height: 29px;"></a>
20 <a href="@@selection-and-punch-clocks" class="area" style="left: 567px; top: 13px; width: 65px; height: 29px;"></a>
21 <a href="@@mini-timeline" class="area" style="left: 632px; top: 13px; width: 187px; height: 29px;"></a>
22 <a href="@@other-toolbar-items#mode_selector" class="area" style="left: 819px; top: 13px; width: 81px; height: 29px;"></a>
24 <a href="@@toolbox" class="area" style="left: 53px; top: 42px; width: 171px; height: 17px;"></a>
25 <a href="@@grid-controls" class="area" style="left: 224px; top: 42px; width: 64px; height: 17px;"></a>
26 <a href="@@nudge-controls" class="area" style="left: 288px; top: 42px; width: 73px; height: 17px;"></a>
27 <a href="@@zoom-controls" class="area" style="left: 746px; top: 42px; width: 154px; height: 17px;"></a>
28 <a href="@@ruler" class="area" style="left: 53px; top: 59px; width: 647px; height: 65px;"></a>
29 <a href="@@editor-lists" class="area" style="left: 746px; top: 59px; width: 154px; height: 442px;"></a>
30 <a href="@@summary" class="area" style="left: 53px; top: 458px; width: 693px; height: 43px;"></a>
31 <a href="@@track-and-bus-groups" class="area" style="left: 53px; top: 124px; width: 10px; height: 334px;"></a>
32 <a href="@@automation" class="area" style="left: 63px; top: 174px; width: 683px; height: 51px;"></a>
33 <a href="@@control-masters-mixer-strips" class="area" style="left: 63px; top: 410px; width: 683px; height: 48px;"></a>
34 <a href="@@audio-track-controls" class="area" style="left: 63px; top: 139px; width: 683px; height: 35px;"></a>
35 <a href="@@midi-track-controls" class="area" style="left: 63px; top: 225px; width: 683px; height: 102px;"></a>
36 <a href="@@bus-controls" class="area" style="left: 63px; top: 346px; width: 683px; height: 64px;"></a>
37 <a href="@@bus-controls" class="area" style="left: 63px; top: 124px; width: 683px; height: 15px;"></a>
38 <a href="@@audio-track-controls" class="area" style="left: 63px; top: 327px; width: 683px; height: 19px;"></a>
39 <a href="@@audiomidi-mixer-strips" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 42px; width: 53px; height: 460px;"></a>
42 The Editor window. Clicking on a section accesses its description.
46 <figure class="imagemap" style="width:100%;">
47 <img src="/images/mixer_map.png" alt="The Mixer window" width="900" height="502">
49 <a href="@@main-menu" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 0px; width: 168px; height: 13px;"></a>
50 <a href="@@status-bar" class="area" style="left: 746px; top: 0px; width: 154px; height: 13px;"></a>
51 <a href="@@transport-bar" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 13px; width: 99px; height: 29px;"></a>
52 <a href="@@selection-and-punch-clocks" class="area" style="left: 99px; top: 13px; width: 69px; height: 29px;"></a>
53 <a href="@@other-toolbar-items#latency-compensation-info" class="area" style="left: 168px; top: 13px; width: 69px; height: 29px;"></a>
54 <a href="@@other-toolbar-items#playhead_options" class="area" style="left: 237px; top: 13px; width: 51px; height: 29px;"></a>
55 <a href="@@transport-clocks" class="area" style="left: 288px; top: 13px; width: 183px; height: 29px;"></a>
56 <a href="@@other-toolbar-items#status_indicators" class="area" style="left: 471px; top: 13px; width: 28px; height: 29px;"></a>
57 <a href="@@other-toolbar-items#monitor_section_info" class="area" style="left: 499px; top: 13px; width: 26px; height: 29px;"></a>
58 <a href="@@mixing-linear-nonlinear-workflows" class="area" style="left: 525px; top: 13px; width: 42px; height: 29px;"></a>
59 <a href="@@selection-and-punch-clocks" class="area" style="left: 567px; top: 13px; width: 65px; height: 29px;"></a>
60 <a href="@@mini-timeline" class="area" style="left: 632px; top: 13px; width: 187px; height: 29px;"></a>
61 <a href="@@other-toolbar-items#mode_selector" class="area" style="left: 819px; top: 13px; width: 81px; height: 29px;"></a>
63 <a href="@@favorite-plugins-window" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 42px; width: 118px; height: 149px;"></a>
64 <a href="@@strips-list" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 191px; width: 118px; height: 99px;"></a>
65 <a href="@@groups-list" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 290px; width: 118px; height: 104px;"></a>
66 <a href="@@mixer-scenes" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 394px; width: 118px; height: 107px;"></a>
67 <a href="@@track-and-bus-groups" class="area" style="left: 118px; top: 42px; width: 521px; height: 11px;"></a>
68 <a href="@@monitor-section" class="area" style="left: 821px; top: 42px; width: 79px; height: 459px;"></a>
69 <a href="@@master-bus-strip" class="area" style="left: 769px; top: 42px; width: 52px; height: 459px;"></a>
70 <a href="@@foldback-strip" class="area" style="left: 711px; top: 42px; width: 58px; height: 459px;"></a>
71 <a href="@@adding-tracks-busses-and-vcas" class="area" style="left: 691px; top: 42px; width: 20px; height: 459px;"></a>
72 <a href="@@control-masters-mixer-strips" class="area" style="left: 639px; top: 42px; width: 52px; height: 459px;"></a>
73 <a href="@@audiomidi-busses-mixer-strips" class="area" style="left: 531px; top: 53px; width: 108px; height: 448px;"></a>
74 <a href="@@audiomidi-mixer-strips" class="area" style="left: 118px; top: 53px; width: 413px; height: 448px;"></a>
77 The Mixer window. Clicking on a section accesses its description.
81 <figure class="imagemap" style="width:100%;">
82 <img src="/images/recorder_map.png" alt="The Recorder window" width="900" height="502">
84 <a href="@@main-menu" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 0px; width: 168px; height: 13px;"></a>
85 <a href="@@status-bar" class="area" style="left: 746px; top: 0px; width: 154px; height: 13px;"></a>
86 <a href="@@transport-bar" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 13px; width: 99px; height: 29px;"></a>
87 <a href="@@selection-and-punch-clocks" class="area" style="left: 99px; top: 13px; width: 69px; height: 29px;"></a>
88 <a href="@@other-toolbar-items#latency-compensation-info" class="area" style="left: 168px; top: 13px; width: 69px; height: 29px;"></a>
89 <a href="@@other-toolbar-items#playhead_options" class="area" style="left: 237px; top: 13px; width: 51px; height: 29px;"></a>
90 <a href="@@transport-clocks" class="area" style="left: 288px; top: 13px; width: 183px; height: 29px;"></a>
91 <a href="@@other-toolbar-items#status_indicators" class="area" style="left: 471px; top: 13px; width: 28px; height: 29px;"></a>
92 <a href="@@other-toolbar-items#monitor_section_info" class="area" style="left: 499px; top: 13px; width: 26px; height: 29px;"></a>
93 <a href="@@mixing-linear-nonlinear-workflows" class="area" style="left: 525px; top: 13px; width: 42px; height: 29px;"></a>
94 <a href="@@selection-and-punch-clocks" class="area" style="left: 567px; top: 13px; width: 65px; height: 29px;"></a>
95 <a href="@@mini-timeline" class="area" style="left: 632px; top: 13px; width: 187px; height: 29px;"></a>
96 <a href="@@other-toolbar-items#mode_selector" class="area" style="left: 819px; top: 13px; width: 81px; height: 29px;"></a>
98 <a href="@@recorder#recorder_last_take_manager" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 42px; width: 72px; height: 24px;"></a>
99 <a href="@@recorder#recorder_global_arm" class="area" style="left: 72px; top: 42px; width: 45px; height: 24px;"></a>
100 <a href="@@recorder#recorder_monitoring_options" class="area" style="left: 117px; top: 42px; width: 53px; height: 24px;"></a>
101 <a href="@@recorder#recorder_new_playlist" class="area" style="left: 170px; top: 42px; width: 75px; height: 24px;"></a>
102 <a href="@@recorder#recorder_disk_space" class="area" style="left: 810px; top: 42px; width: 90px; height: 24px;"></a>
103 <a href="@@recorder#recorder_simplified_session" class="area" style="left: 9px; top: 66px; width: 891px; height: 331px;"></a>
104 <a href="@@recorder#recorder_global_input_channel" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 397px; width: 396px; height: 40px;"></a>
105 <a href="@@track-and-bus-groups" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 76px; width: 9px; height: 321px;"></a>
108 The Recorder window. Clicking on a section accesses its description.
112 <figure class="imagemap" style="width:100%;">
113 <img src="/images/cue_map.png" alt="The Cue Grid" width="900" height="502">
115 <a href="@@main-menu" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 0px; width: 168px; height: 13px;"></a>
116 <a href="@@status-bar" class="area" style="left: 746px; top: 0px; width: 154px; height: 13px;"></a>
117 <a href="@@transport-bar" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 13px; width: 99px; height: 29px;"></a>
118 <a href="@@selection-and-punch-clocks" class="area" style="left: 99px; top: 13px; width: 69px; height: 29px;"></a>
119 <a href="@@other-toolbar-items#latency-compensation-info" class="area" style="left: 168px; top: 13px; width: 69px; height: 29px;"></a>
120 <a href="@@other-toolbar-items#playhead_options" class="area" style="left: 237px; top: 13px; width: 51px; height: 29px;"></a>
121 <a href="@@transport-clocks" class="area" style="left: 288px; top: 13px; width: 183px; height: 29px;"></a>
122 <a href="@@other-toolbar-items#status_indicators" class="area" style="left: 471px; top: 13px; width: 28px; height: 29px;"></a>
123 <a href="@@other-toolbar-items#monitor_section_info" class="area" style="left: 499px; top: 13px; width: 26px; height: 29px;"></a>
124 <a href="@@mixing-linear-nonlinear-workflows" class="area" style="left: 525px; top: 13px; width: 42px; height: 29px;"></a>
125 <a href="@@selection-and-punch-clocks" class="area" style="left: 567px; top: 13px; width: 65px; height: 29px;"></a>
126 <a href="@@mini-timeline" class="area" style="left: 632px; top: 13px; width: 187px; height: 29px;"></a>
127 <a href="@@other-toolbar-items#mode_selector" class="area" style="left: 819px; top: 13px; width: 81px; height: 29px;"></a>
129 <a href="@@cue-window-elements#cue_window_grid" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 42px; width: 274px; height: 146px;"></a>
130 <a href="@@cue-window-elements#cue_window_sidebar" class="area" style="left: 622px; top: 42px; width: 278px; height: 380px;"></a>
131 <a href="@@cue-window-elements#cue_window_clip_options" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 422px; width: 316px; height: 80px;"></a>
132 <a href="@@cue-window-elements#cue_window_mixer_channels" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 188px; width: 274px; height: 234px;"></a>
135 The Cue Grid window. Clicking on a section accesses its description.
141 The Editor, Mixer, Recorder and Clip Launcher share the same toolbar
142 (the top of the window). The sections displayed in this toolbar can
143 be customized to the user's workflow, by checking options in <kbd
144 class="menu">Preferences > Appearance > Toolbar</kbd>.
148 Switching between these 4 different modes is done:
151 <li>with the <a href="@@other-toolbar-items#mode_selector">Mode Selector
152 buttons</a> in the upper right</li>
153 <li>with the menu <kbd class="menu">Window > Editor <em>(or Mixer / Recorder / Cue Grid)</em>
154 > Show</kbd>.</li>
158 Additionnaly, the <kbd class="mod2">M</kbd> shortcut</li> allows swithing
159 between the Editor and Mixer.
163 Multiple windows can be visible at the same time (e.g. for a multi-monitor
164 setup) using <kbd class="menu">Window > Editor <em>(or Mixer / Recorder / Cue Grid)</em>
165 > Detach</kbd> option in the same submenu.
171 The <dfn>Editor</dfn> window includes the editor track <dfn>canvas</dfn>
172 where audio and MIDI data can be arranged along a timeline. This is the
173 window where editing and arranging a project is done. The window
174 has a general "horizontal" sense to it: the timeline flows from left to
175 right, the playhead showing the current position in the session moves
176 from left to right—the window really represents <dfn>time</dfn>
177 in a fairly literal way.
180 It is possible to show a single channel strip in the editor window, and
181 some people find this enough to work on mixing without actually opening
182 the mixer window. Most of the time though, both of these windows will be
183 needed at various stages of a session's lifetime.
189 The <dfn>Mixer</dfn> window represents signal flow and is the window that will
190 probably be used most when mixing a session. It
191 includes <dfn>channel strips</dfn> for each track and bus in the session.
192 It has a general "vertical" sense to it: signals flow from the top of each
193 channel strip through the processing elements in the strip to reach the
194 output listed at the bottom.
197 To learn more about the process of mixing, see <a href="@@basic-mixing">Mixing</a>.
200 <h2>The Recorder</h2>
203 The <dfn>Recorder</dfn> window is a very specialized view that provides
204 a compact view of all track's record and monitor status, and a simplified
205 timeline that keeps everything in view at once. Most of the information
206 that is shown in this mode is already available in Mixer or Editor mode,
207 but the Recorder aims at having everything in sight and under control
208 while tracking a performance.
211 The Recorder is covered in great detail in <a href="@@recorder">its own
215 <h2>The Cue Grid</h2>
218 The <dfn>Cue Grid</dfn> window, unlike the rest of Ardour, allows for
219 a non-linear workflow. It is a clip launcher, that allows to chain and
220 combine various loops and samples, and program events.
224 Instead of anchoring these samples or loops on a timeline, the Cue Grid
225 gives them instruction on when they are triggered, how they are played,
226 what happens at the end of the clip, etc…
230 The <a href="@@cue">Cue</a> section of this manual describes this worfkow.