+++
title = "Importing audio and MIDI"
description = "Importing audio and MIDI files to Ardour tracks"
chapter = false
weight = 4
+++

You can reuse existing audio and MIDI files by adding them as regions on
existing or new tracks. To do so, press the **Ctrl+I** shortcut or go to the
`Session > Import` menu to open the _Add Existing Media_ dialog, pick a file
of interest, and import it.

{{< figure alt="Add Media" src="en/ardour7-import-as-new-tracks.png" >}} 

Some settings are the same for audio and MIDI, some are format-specific.

## Playing existing files

Before you import a file, it's a good idea to make sure it's the right one. On
the right side of the _Add Existing Media_ dialog you will see a section
allowing you to inspect the properties of the file you selected. Here you will
see the name, number of channels, sample rate, format and length of the sound
file, along with any tags you have chosen to add to the file.

The **Play** button allows you to preview the file. You can also select
**Auto-play** if you would like to hear a sound file immediately as soon as
you click on it in the file browser (without having to push the **Play**
button).

For MIDI files, you can select a virtual instrument that will be used to play
the selected MIDI file, although you won't be able to select a particular
synth patch.

## Choosing Tracks and Insertion Point

There are some common scenarios for importing media files: importing multiple
audio files as new tracks and inserting them into the session start, importing
multiple audio files to the list of of available sources for later use,
importing one MIDI file into an existing track at the playhead position, etc.
So there are two important options here: where to insert a region generally
(which track, if at all), and which point of the timeline to insert to.

The _Add files …_ drop-down list if where you choose the former, and the
_Insert at_ drop-down list is where you choose the latter.

## Inserting to Sources list

Let's start with the scenario where you import some audio files into the list of sources.

{{% notice tip %}}
If you do not have any suitable audio files on your hard drive to follow these
steps, visit [freesound.org](http://www.freesound.org/)), where you can find a
large collection of Public Domain and Creative Commons–licensed samples in a
variety of sample rates and formats.
{{% /notice %}}

Select some files and in the _Add files…_ drop-down list choose _to source
list_. Make sure the _Mapping_ options says _one region per file_.

{{< figure alt="Add to source list" src="en/ardour7-to-source-list.png" >}} 

You will notice that the option _Copy files to session_ is checked by default.
This will make a copy of the imported file(s) into the folder of the current
session. This is safer, but it uses more disk space. If you uncheck this option
(not recommended!), Ardour will use the sound file from its current location on
the hard drive. In this case, if the file is moved to a new location on the hard
drive, you will run into trouble, because Ardour won't be able to find it the
next time you open this session. **It is highly recommended that you leave this
box checked (_Copy files to session_)**. 

Click **OK** to proceed.

The file(s) you have imported will appear listed in your _Sources_ list. This
list is located at the far right of the editor window. If you don't see it,
make sure _Show Editor List_ is checked under the _View_ menu.

![Editor List](en/ardour7-audio-imported-to-sources-list.png?height=50vh)

By dragging and dropping an audio file listed on the _Sources_ list onto the
main canvas, you can insert it in an existing or new track. If you drag it into
an existing track, it will be added there. If you drag onto the empty space
beneath existing tracks, a new track will be automatically created to
accommodate it.

Release the mouse button to complete the drag-and-drop operation. A new region
will be inserted at the exact time point where you dropped it.

{{% notice tip %}}
If a sound file is selected in the Editor List (i.e., if it is highlighted in
blue), the next time you click on that file name, Ardour will think you are
trying to rename the region (the name will become editable). More likely you
were just trying to click to drag and drop the file onto a track. In order to
click and drag a previously _highlighted_ region from the list, you need to
point and click in the empty space right before or after the name.
{{% /notice %}}

Important: always make sure you are placing stereo regions on stereo tracks. If
you drag a stereo file onto a mono audio track, only the left channel will be
used. In the screenshot below, a stereo file with very distinct left and right
channels was dragged onto a stereo track and a nono track. Notice that in the
mono track only the left channel is displayed (and played back).  

{{< figure alt="Stereo Mono" src="en/Ardour4_Stereo_Mono_Comparison.png" >}} 

## Importing Directly to a Track

As mentioned earlier, the _Add existing media_ dialog also allows you to import
audio files directly onto tracks.

Choose _Add files… as new tracks_ to automatically create a new track and add
the selected file to it. The track will be named after the sound file name.

{{< figure alt="Add as New Tracks" src="en/ardour7-import-as-new-tracks.png" >}} 

If you have previously selected one or more tracks, the menu will display the
additional option _Add files… to selected tracks_ to add a sound file into the
already existing selected track.

Note that if you import a multitrack MIDI file, Ardour will always create one new track per one existing track in the MIDI file and map them accordingly.

When adding files as new tracks, note that the _Mapping_ options lets you
choose between _one track per channel_ and _one track per file_. For the
purpose of this tutorial, choose _one track per file_, otherwise the left and
right channels of a stereo file will be split into two separate tracks.

## Choose Insert Point

When using either one of the options above (_Add as new track_ or _Add to
selected tracks_), you should also specify where in the track you want the new
region to be placed. In the screenshot below, we are choosing _session start_.

{{< figure alt="Insert At" src="en/ardour7-insert-point-list.png" >}} 

The region appears in a new track in the session. The new track automatically
receives the name of the imported sound file.

The sound file will also appear in the _Regions_ list so that it can be
inserted into other tracks as well by dragging and dropping it.

## Remove Regions from Tracks

To remove a region from a track, you can select it with the mouse and use the
*Cut* function from the menu, the **Control** (or **Apple**) key and the **X**
key, the **Delete** key or the key combination of **Fn + Backspace** (which is
used, for example, on a laptop keyboard that does not have a proper **Delete**
key).

{{% notice warning %}}
**Save your work often!** The shortcut **Control + S** is your friend. Use it
a lot, all the time.
{{% /notice %}}

## Continuing

Now that you have some material in your session, you might want customizing the
timeline to better suit your needs or jump to recording new material live.

Next: [SETTING UP THE TIMELINE](../setting-up-the-timeline) or
[RECORDING AUDIO](../../recording-audio)