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<spanid=toc-menutitle="Table of Contents"><iclass="fas fa-list-alt fa-fw"></i></span><olclass=linksitemscopeitemtype=http://schema.org/BreadcrumbList><metaitemprop=itemListOrdercontent="Descending"><liitemscopeitemtype=https://schema.org/ListItemitemprop=itemListElement><metaitemprop=positioncontent="3"><aitemprop=itemhref=/ardour-tutorial/en/><spanitemprop=name>Home</span></a> ></li><liitemscopeitemtype=https://schema.org/ListItemitemprop=itemListElement><metaitemprop=positioncontent="2"><aitemprop=itemhref=/ardour-tutorial/en/editing-sessions/><spanitemprop=name>Editing sessions</span></a> ></li><liitemscopeitemtype=https://schema.org/ListItemitemprop=itemListElement><metaitemprop=positioncontent="1"><aitemprop=itemhref=/ardour-tutorial/en/editing-sessions/changing-edit-modes/aria-disabled=true><spanitemprop=name>Changing edit modes</span></a></li></ol></div><divclass="default-animation progress"><divclass=wrapper><navid=TableOfContents><ul><li><ahref=#edit-modes>Edit Modes</a></li><li><ahref=#cursor-modes>Cursor Modes</a><ul><li><ahref=#grab-mode>Grab Mode</a></li><li><ahref=#range-mode>Range Mode</a></li><li><ahref=#cut-mode>Cut Mode</a></li><li><ahref=#audition-mode>Audition Mode</a></li><li><ahref=#stretchshrink-region>Stretch/Shrink Region</a></li><li><ahref=#draw-mode>Draw Mode</a></li><li><ahref=#internal-edit-mode>Internal Edit Mode</a></li></ul></li><li><ahref=#continuing>Continuing</a></li></ul></nav></div></div></div></nav><mainid=body-innerclass=highlightable><divclass=flex-block-wrapper><divid=head-tags></div><article><h1>Changing edit modes</h1><p>We have already learned a bit about the <em>Grab</em> mode (select/move objects) and
<em>Range</em> mode. In this chapter we will get an overview of all the <em>edit modes</em>
and <em>cursor modes</em> available on that part of the <em>Editor</em> window.</p><figure><imgsrc=en/Ardour6_Edit_Modes_Cursor_Modes.pngalt="Ardour Edit Modes"></figure><h2id=edit-modes>Edit Modes</h2><p>These controls define the behavior of the main canvas and the different
functions of the cursor.</p><p>The drop-down <em>Edit</em> mode menu contains three options:</p><dl><dt><strong>Slide mode</strong></dt><dd>This is the standard mode. It allows you to freely drag regions around
horizontally (within the same track) and vertically (between tracks).</dd><dt><strong>Ripple mode</strong></dt><dd>Automatically moves regions when you cut or shift one of the regions. E.g. if
you cut a portion of an audio interview that isn’t interesting, Ardour will
shift all regions in all tracks to the left so that there would be no silence
where content used to be.</dd><dt><strong>Lock mode</strong></dt><dd>However you edit a region with this mode on, the content of the region will
always be where it is. You can only move the region up or down between tracks,
but not left or right.</dd></dl><p>We will only use the <em>Slide</em> edit mode in this tutorial.</p><h2id=cursor-modes>Cursor Modes</h2><h3id=grab-mode>Grab Mode</h3><figure><imgsrc=en/ardour7-grab-edit-mode.pngalt=G></figure><p>This cursor mode (<strong>G</strong> shortcut) allows you to select or move objects such as
selected, your cursor pointer will look like a little hand icon.</p><h3id=range-mode>Range Mode</h3><figure><imgsrc=en/ardour7-range-edit-mode.pngalt=R></figure><p>This cursor mode (<strong>R</strong> shortcut) allows you to click and drag to define or
tracks, depending on the selection of your tracks.</p><h3id=cut-mode>Cut Mode</h3><figure><imgsrc=en/ardour7-cut-edit-mode.pngalt=C></figure><p>Use this cursor mode (<strong>C</strong> shortcut) to split regions into smaller regions. The
region to split it at the cursor.</p><divclass="box notices tip"><divclass=box-label><iclass="fas fa-lightbulb fa-fw"></i> Tip</div><divclass=box-content><p>You can cut regions directly from the <em>Grab</em> mode too (sometimes this method can
be set to <em>Mouse</em>.</p></div></div><h3id=audition-mode>Audition Mode</h3><figure><imgsrc=en/ardour7-audition-edit-mode.pngalt=Audition></figure><p>This cursor mode allows you to click on any existing region on any track and
loudspeaker icon.</p><divclass="box notices tip"><divclass=box-label><iclass="fas fa-lightbulb fa-fw"></i> Tip</div><divclass=box-content><p>You can also quickly audition a selected region without leaving the <em>Grab</em> mode.
Simply select a region and hit the shortcut key <strong>H</strong>.</p></div></div><h3id=stretchshrink-region>Stretch/Shrink Region</h3><figure><imgsrc=en/ardour7-stretch-shrink-edit-mode.pngalt=T></figure><p>This cursor mode (<strong>T</strong> shortcut) allows you to drag and resize the duration of
selected, your cursor pointer will look like a diagonal arrow.</p><h3id=draw-mode>Draw Mode</h3><figure><imgsrc=en/ardour7-draw-edit-mode.pngalt=D></figure><p>This mode (<strong>D</strong> shortcut) has 4 use cases:</p><ol><li>Drawing new automation points (automation will be discussed in detail in the
<ahref=../../mixing-sessions/using-automation/>Using Automation</a> chapter).</li><li>Drawing new MIDI regions.</li><li>Drawing new MIDI notes in MIDI regions.</li><li>Editing existing MIDI notes and automation points when a region is
length, MIDI channel, and velocity.</p><h3id=internal-edit-mode>Internal Edit Mode</h3><figure><imgsrc=en/ardour7-internal-edit-mode.pngalt=E></figure><p>Use this mode (<strong>E</strong> shortcut) to edit existing automation points or MIDI notes.</p><p>For automation points, the cursor looks like a hand and turns into a small cross
when you are on top of an existing point. Click, hold, and drag in order to move
points.</p><p>For MIDI notes, the cursor looks like a hand with a quarter note above it when
you hover the middle of note, that’s for selecting a note and moving it around.
Hovering either the left or the right border of a note will change the cursor
and allow adjusting start/end position (and thus duration) of a note.</p><p>For both automation points and MIDI notes, you can press <strong>Ctrl</strong> and click on
multiple items to add them to a selection of items, then move multiple notes or
points altogether.</p><figure><imgsrc=en/ardour7-internal-edit-mode-multiple-points.pngalt="Moving multiple automation points"></figure><p>For MIDI notes specifically, you can also use rubberband selection: place the
cursor anywhere outside existing notes (the cursor will lose the quarter note
symbol), then press left mouse button and start dragging. A selection frame will
appear. All notes it touches will be selected.</p><figure><imgsrc=en/ardour7-internal-edit-mode-rubberband-selection.pngalt="Rubberband selection of notes"></figure><h2id=continuing>Continuing</h2><p>In the following chapter, we will see how to take the regions we have
<scriptsrc=/ardour-tutorial/js/search.js?1652723066></script></div><divid=homelinksclass=default-animation><ul><li><aclass=paddinghref=/ardour-tutorial/en/><iclass="fas fa-home"></i> Home</a></li></ul></div><divid=content-wrapperclass=highlightable><ulclass=topics><lidata-nav-id=/ardour-tutorial/en/introduction/title=Introductionclass=dd-item><inputtype=checkboxid=section-9278c07c1c4f7473c66529d5a0c6e688class=toggle><labelfor=section-9278c07c1c4f7473c66529d5a0c6e688></label><ahref=/ardour-tutorial/en/introduction/><b>1. </b>Introduction</a><ul><lidata-nav-id=/ardour-tutorial/en/introduction/conventions/title=Conventionsclass=dd-item><ahref=/ardour-tutorial/en/introduction/conventions/>Conventions</a></li><lidata-nav-id=/ardour-tutorial/en/introduction/what-is-digital-audio/title="What is digital audio?"class=dd-item><ahref=/ardour-tutorial/en/introduction/what-is-digital-audio/>What is digital audio?</a></li></ul></li><lidata-nav-id=/ardour-tutorial/en/getting-started/title="Getting started"class=dd-item><inputtype=checkboxid=section-6ba418844f4e8ce868bfa62d1bf5b9b1class=toggle><labelfor=section-6ba418844f4e8ce868bfa62d1bf5b9b1></label><ahref=/ardour-tutorial/en/getting-started/><b>2. </b>Getting started</a><ul><lidata-nav-id=/ardour-tutorial/en/getting-started/starting-ardour/title="Starting Ardour"class=dd-item><ahref=/ardour-tutorial/en/getting-started/starting-ardour/>Starting Ardour</a></li><lidata-nav-id=/ardour-tutorial/en/getting-started/overview-of-the-interface/title="Overview of the Interface"class="dd-item alwaysopen"><inputtype=checkboxid=section-65fa48091b8ede8e5c409cc42ad6af14class=togglechecked><labelfor=section-65fa48091b8ede8e5c409cc42ad6af14></label><ahref=/ardour-tutorial/en/getting-started/overview-of-the-interface/>Overview of the Interface</a><ul><lidata-nav-id=/ardour-tutorial/en/getting-started/overview-of-the-interface/editor-window/title="Editor window"class=dd-item><ahref=/ardour-tutorial/en/getting-started/overview-of-the-interface/editor-window/>Editor window</a></li><lidata-nav-id=/ardour-tutorial/en/getting-started/overview-of-the-interface/mixer-window/title="Mixer window"class=dd-item><ahref=/ardour-tutorial/en/getting-started/overview-of-the-interface/mixer-window/>Mixer window</a></li><lidata-nav-id=/ardour-tutorial/en/getting-started/overview-of-the-interface/recorder-window/title="Recorder window"class=dd-item><ahref=/ardour-tutorial/en/getting-started/overview-of-the-interface/recorder-window/>Recorder window</a></li><lidata-nav-id=/ardour-tutorial/en/getting-started/overview-of-the-interface/cue-window/title="Cue window"class=dd-item><ahref=/ardour-tutorial/en/getting-started/overview-of-the-interface/cue-window/>Cue window</a></li></ul></li><lidata-nav-id=/ardour-tutorial/en/getting-started/creating-tracks-and-busses/title="Creating tracks and busses"class=dd-item><ahref=/ardour-tutorial/en/getting-started/creating-tracks-and-busses/>Creating tracks and busses</a></li><lidata-nav-id=/ardour-tutorial/en/getting-started/importing-audio/title="Importing audio"class=dd-item><ahref=/ardour-tutorial/en/getting-started/importing-audio/>Importing audio</a></li><lidata-nav-id=/ardour-tutorial/en/getting-started/setting-up-the-timeline/title="Setting up the timeline"class=dd-item><ahref=/ardour-tutorial/en/getting-started/setting-up-the-timeline/>Setting up the timeline</a></li></ul></li><lidata-nav-id=/ardour-tutorial/en/recording-audio/title=Recordingclass=dd-item><inputtype=checkboxid=section-f34c0a5099ecaf52ba2ddf859ecf8564class=toggle><labelfor=section-f34c0a5099ecaf52ba2ddf859ecf8564></label><ahref=/ardour-tutorial/en/recording-audio/><b>3. </b>Recording</a><ul><lidata-nav-id=/ardour-tutorial/en/recording-audio/recording-audio/title="Recording audio"class=dd-item><ahref=/ardour-tutorial/en/recording-audio/recording-audio/>Recording audio</a></li><lidata-nav-id=/ardour-tutorial/en/recording-audio/understanding-routing/title="Understanding routing"class=dd-item><ahref=/ardour-tutorial/en/recording