manual/include/midi-scene-automation.html

<p>
  Ardour is capable of being used to both record and deliver MIDI "scene"
  automation. These are MIDI messages typically used to switch presets or
  "scenes" on a variety of external equipment (or software), including lighting
  and other audio/video tools. A common use case is to automatically change
  presets between songs or to change lighting conditions based on a specific
  position on the timeline.
</p>
<p>
  Each change from one scene to another is represented by a marker in
  the "Marker" bar.
</p>
<p>
  Technically, scene changes are delivered as a combination of bank and
  program change MIDI messages. MIDI allows for 16384 banks, each with
  128 programs.
</p>

<h2>Recording Scene Changes</h2>

<p>
  Ardour has a dedicated MIDI port named "Scene In". Recording scene changes can
  be done by connecting this port to whatever source(s) of MIDI scene (bank/program
  change) messages should be recorded.
</p>
<p>
  Whenever the global record enable button is engaged and Ardour's
  transport is rolling, a new marker will be created for each scene
  change message received via the "Scene In" port.
</p>
<p>
  If two different scene changes are received within a certain time
  period, only the later one will be recorded as a new marker. The
  default threshold for this is 1 millisecond.
</p>
<p>
  If a scene change message is received while the playhead is close to
  an existing marker with an associated scene change, the recording
  process will alter the scene change in the existing marker rather than
  adding a new one. The default threshold for this "proximity" test is 1
  millisecond.
</p>

<h2>Manually Creating Scene Changes</h2>

<p>
  This feature is not currently implemented.
</p>

<h2>Playing back Scene Changes</h2>

<p>
  Ardour has a dedicated MIDI port named "Scene Out". Playing back scene
  changes can be done by connecting this port to whatever target(s) of MIDI
  scene (bank/program change) messages should be sent to.
</p>
<p>
  When the global record enable button is <em>not</em> enabled, the relevant
  message(s) will be sent via the "Scene Out" port as the playhead rolls past
  each marker with a scene change associated with it.
</p>

<h2>Editing Scene Changes</h2>

<p>
  This feature is not currently implemented.
</p>

<h2>Disabling Scene Changes</h2>

<p>
  This feature is not currently implemented.
</p>