Overview of the Interface

This section will give you a basic overview of Ardour’s user interface.

We will take a look at shared elements of the interface, main windows, and focus on the Editor window and the Mixer window. Later chapters will give more detailed information on each feature listed here.

TODO PARTS OF UI ANNOTATED SCREENSHOT

Transport Menu

Transport Menu

The Transport Menu controls include the following buttons:

  • MIDI Panic
  • Enable/Disable audio click (metronome)
  • Rewind
  • Fast forward
  • Loop playback
  • Play range/selection
  • Play from playhead
  • Stop
  • Record-enable 
  • Jog/shuttle controls

Clocks

Clocks   The main Clocks are located next to the transport controls. Clocks in Ardour can display time in 4 different formats: Time Code, Bars:Beats, Minutes:Seconds, and Samples. Right-click on the clock to select a format. You can also turn the clock off. The reason for having two transport clocks is that it allows you to see the playhead position in two different time units without having to change any settings.

Please see the Setting Up the Timeline chapter for more details on the Clocks.

Switching Between Windows

You can use the key combination Alt + M (Control + M on a Mac) in order to toggle which window is on top: Editor or Mixer.

Continuing

The next sections will explain basics of main Ardour’s windows:

  • Editor
  • Mixer
  • Recorder
  • Cue