<scripttype=text/javascript>varbaseurl="https://prokoudine.github.io/ardour-tutorial/en"</script><scripttype=text/javascriptsrc=/ardour-tutorial/js/search.js?1650571321></script></div><sectionid=homelinks><ul><li><aclass=paddinghref=/ardour-tutorial/en/><iclass="fas fa-home"></i> Home</a></li></ul></section><divclass=highlightable><ulclass=topics><lidata-nav-id=/ardour-tutorial/en/introduction/title=Introductionclass=dd-item><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><ahref=/ardour-tutorial/en/getting-started/><b>2. </b>Getting started</a><ul><lidata-nav-id=/ardour-tutorial/en/getting-started/starting-ardour-on-ubuntu/title="Starting Ardour"class=dd-item><ahref=/ardour-tutorial/en/getting-started/starting-ardour-on-ubuntu/>Starting Ardour</a></li><lidata-nav-id=/ardour-tutorial/en/getting-started/overview-of-the-interface/title="Overview of the Interface"class=dd-item><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><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-audio/understanding-routing/>Understanding routing</a></li><lidata-nav-id=/ardour-tutorial/en/recording-audio/routing-between-applications/title="Routing between applications"class=dd-item><ahref=/ardour-tutorial/en/recording-audio/routing-between-applications/>Routing between applications</a></li></ul></li><lidata-nav-id=/ardour-tutorial/en/editing-sessions/title="Editing sessions"class=dd-item><ahref=/ardour-tutorial/en/editing-sessions/><b>4. </b>Editi
<spanclass=links><ahref=/ardour-tutorial/en/>Home</a> > <ahref=/ardour-tutorial/en/mixing-sessions/>Mixing sessions</a> > Using plugins</span></div><divclass=progress><divclass=wrapper><navid=TableOfContents><ul><li><ahref=#processor-box>Processor Box</a></li><li><ahref=#adding-a-plugin-to-a-track-or-a-bus>Adding a Plugin to a Track or a Bus</a></li><li><ahref=#editing-plugin-parameters>Editing Plugin Parameters</a></li><li><ahref=#bypassing-plugins>Bypassing Plugins</a></li><li><ahref=#pre-fader-vs-post-fader>Pre-Fader vs Post-Fader</a></li><li><ahref=#plugin-formats>Plugin Formats</a></li><li><ahref=#continuing>Continuing</a></li></ul></nav></div></div></div></div><divid=head-tags></div><divid=body-inner><h1>Using plugins</h1><p><em>Plugins</em> can be used to enhance or transform the sound of individual tracks.</p><p>They can be applied directly to a single track, or to a group of tracks using
a <em>send</em>. Later in this tutorial, we will discuss some plugins specific to the
Mixing process, such as <em>Compressors</em>, <em>Limiters</em>, <em>Parametric Equalizers</em>,
<em>Reverbs</em> and others.</p><h2id=processor-box>Processor Box</h2><p>In Ardour terminology, a <em>processor</em> is anything that gets plugged into a mixer
strip and treats the signal in some way. Ardour provides several built-in
processors such as the fader or panners. Processors can also be plugins used for
effects or as instruments, as well as sends or inserts which affect signal
routing. The arrangement of processors is arbitrary, and there is no limit to
how many there can be.</p><p><imgsrc=en/ardour7-default-processor-box.pngalt="mixer strip 2"></p><p>The main space shown in the screenshot above is the <em>processor box</em>. The blue
and post-fader processors are colored in green.</p><h2id=adding-a-plugin-to-a-track-or-a-bus>Adding a Plugin to a Track or a Bus</h2><p>Plugins can be added by right-clicking in the processor box of the track or
inserted.</p><p><imgsrc=en/ardour7-plugin-selector-in-menu.pngalt=plugins1></p><p>The <em>Plugin Selector</em> is a convenient way to browse and choose plugins:</p><p><imgsrc=en/ardour7-plugin-selector.pngalt=plugins2></p><p>From the <em>Plugin Selector</em>, you can search them by name, type, or other criteria
available from the drop-down menu. Let’s add the reverb plugin called <em>ACE
Reverb</em>:</p><p><imgsrc=en/ardour7-select-ace-reverb.pngalt="Selecting ACE Reverb"></p><p>Once selected, click <strong>Add</strong> and the plugin will show up in the bottom list of
“Plugins to be connected”. Then click <strong>Insert Plugin(s)</strong>, and they will show
up in the processor box.</p><p><imgsrc=en/ardour7-ace-reverb-added-to-processor-box.pngalt="plugins reverb"></p><h2id=editing-plugin-parameters>Editing Plugin Parameters</h2><p>Double-click a plugin to edit its parameters. In this example, we double click
the “ACE Reverb” red box and get this window:</p><p><imgsrc=en/ardour7-ace-reverb-settings.pngalt="ACE Reverb"></p><p>Here you can control reverb parameters such as <em>Blend</em> and <em>Room Size</em>. The
effect will apply to all sounds contained in the track.</p><divclass="notices tip"><p>Double-click on a slider to switch to numeric input mode, type the new value in,
then press <strong>Enter</strong> to confirm the change or <strong>Esc</strong> to abort.</p></div><h2id=bypassing-plugins>Bypassing Plugins</h2><p>To bypass the plugin, press the <strong>Bypass</strong> button in the plugin settings window,
or simply click the LED of the plugin in the processor box. This turns the
plugin off and allows the signal to pass by it unaffected. This is useful when
you want to compare how a track sounds with and without the plugin.</p><p><imgsrc=en/ardour7-ace-reverb-bypass-in-mixer-strip.pngalt=bypass></p><p>Bypassed plugins are shown with the LED turned off.</p><p>Right-clicking the plugins will give a menu with several options, including
<em>Delete</em>.</p><h2id=pre-fader-vs-post-fader>Pre-Fader vs Post-Fader</h2><p>You have a choice whether you would like to add your plugin before or after the
fader rectangle in the <em>processor box</em>. Pre-fader plugins are inserted in the
signal path <em>before</em> the fader, so that the fader controls the level of the
signal coming out of the plugin. Post-Fader Plugins are inserted <em>after</em> the
fader: the fader controls the level of the signal going into the plugin.</p><p>For some plugins, Pre- or Post-fader placement does not matter. For others, the
difference is subtle. For others still, inserting them in the right place is
absolutely essential (for more details, see for example <ahref=https://discourse.ardour.org/t/fader-before-or-after-plugins/100666>this
thread</a> at
the Ardour discussion forum).</p><h2id=plugin-formats>Plugin Formats</h2><p>For those interested in learning more about plugin formats, here’s a quick
overview:</p><p><strong>LADSPA plugins</strong> are a somewhat obsolete plugin format mainly used on Linux.</p><p><strong>LV2</strong> is an extensible successor to LADSPA. LV2 plugins are available on
Linux, Windows, and macOS, should respective developers choose to build them
for these systems.</p><p><strong>AU plugins</strong> are the native plugin format for macOS and will only work in
<ahref=http://manual.ardour.org/working-with-plugins/>in the user manual</a>.</p><h2id=continuing>Continuing</h2><p>In this chapter, we learned how to add a plugin to a single track. This is
useful if that track needs a specific plugin, but if you have a plugin which is
used for many tracks at the same time, you should continue to the next chapter
about using sends. You can also continue to the various, plugin-specific
chapters such as <em>Dynamics</em> and <em>Equalizing</em>.</p><p>Next: <ahref=../using-sends>USING SENDS</a></p><footerclass=footline></footer></div></div><divid=navigation></div></section><divstyle=left:-1000px;overflow:scroll;position:absolute;top:-1000px;border:none;box-sizing:content-box;height:200px;margin:0;padding:0;width:200px><divstyle=border:none;box-sizing:content-box;height:200px;margin:0;padding:0;width:200px></div></div><scriptsrc=/ardour-tutorial/js/clipboard.min.js?1650571321></script>
