manual/include/about-ardours-interface.html

---
title: Ardour's Interface
---

<p>
  In Ardour, work is done in two main windows: the <dfn>Editor</dfn> and the
  <dfn>Mixer</dfn>.
</p>

<figure style="width:100%;">

  <div class="container" style="float:left; width: 600px; height: 347px; background-image: url('/images/Split_Backgroundeditor.png');">
			<a href="/ardours-interface/main-menu/" alt="Main Menu"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 0px; top: 11px; width: 297px; height: 13px; background-image: url('/images/Split_MainMenu.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/status-bar/" alt="Status Bar"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 297px; top: 11px; width: 303px; height: 13px; background-image: url('/images/Split_StatusBar.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/the-transport-bar/" alt="Transport"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 0px; top: 24px; width: 86px; height: 24px; background-image: url('/images/Split_Transport.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/selection-and-punch-clocks/" alt="Record and Punch Options"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 86px; top: 24px; width: 50px; height: 24px; background-image: url('/images/Split_RecordandPunchOptions.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/status-indicators/#monitor-options" alt="Monitor Options"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 136px; top: 24px; width: 46px; height: 24px; background-image: url('/images/Split_MonitorOptions.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/status-indicators/#playhead_options" alt="Playhead Options"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 182px; top: 24px; width: 43px; height: 24px; background-image: url('/images/Split_PlayheadOptions.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/transport-clocks/" alt="Clocks"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 225px; top: 24px; width: 154px; height: 24px; background-image: url('/images/Split_Clocks.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/status-indicators/#status_indicators" alt="Status Indicators"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 379px; top: 24px; width: 23px; height: 24px; background-image: url('/images/Split_StatusIndicators.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/selection-and-punch-clocks/" alt="Selection Clock"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 402px; top: 24px; width: 55px; height: 24px; background-image: url('/images/Split_SelectionClock.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/mini-timeline/" alt="Navigation Timeline"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 457px; top: 24px; width: 90px; height: 24px; background-image: url('/images/Split_NavigationTimeline.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/status-indicators/#mode_selector" alt="Level, Mode, Scripts"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 547px; top: 24px; width: 53px; height: 24px; background-image: url('/images/Split_LevelModeScripts.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/audio-midi-mixer-strips/" alt="a Mixer Strip"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 0px; top: 48px; width: 43px; height: 299px; background-image: url('/images/Split_aMixerStrip.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/the-toolbox/" alt="Toolbox"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 43px; top: 48px; width: 112px; height: 14px; background-image: url('/images/Split_Toolbox.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/the-zoom-controls/" alt="Zoom Controls"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 155px; top: 48px; width: 111px; height: 14px; background-image: url('/images/Split_ZoomControls.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/the-grid-controls/" alt="Grid Controls"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 266px; top: 48px; width: 90px; height: 14px; background-image: url('/images/Split_GridControls.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/the-edit-point-control/" alt="Edit Point"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 356px; top: 48px; width: 40px; height: 14px; background-image: url('/images/Split_EditPoint.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/the-nudge-controls/" alt="Nudge Controls"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 396px; top: 48px; width: 61px; height: 14px; background-image: url('/images/Split_NudgeControls.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/selection-and-punch-clocks/" alt="Selection and Punch Clocks"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 498px; top: 62px; width: 102px; height: 26px; background-image: url('/images/Split_SelectionandPunchClocks.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/editor-lists/" alt="Editor Lists"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 498px; top: 88px; width: 102px; height: 259px; background-image: url('/images/Split_EditorLists.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/the-ruler/" alt="Ruler"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 43px; top: 62px; width: 455px; height: 49px; background-image: url('/images/Split_Ruler.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/the-summary/" alt="Summary"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 43px; top: 295px; width: 455px; height: 52px; background-image: url('/images/Split_Summary.png');"></div></a>
			<div class="hoverimg" style="left: 43px; top: 110px; width: 7px; height: 185px; background-image: url('/images/Split_GroupTabs.png');"></div>
			<div class="hoverimg" style="left: 50px; top: 110px; width: 448px; height: 26px; background-image: url('/images/Split_MasterBus.png');"></div>
			<div class="hoverimg" style="left: 50px; top: 136px; width: 448px; height: 27px; background-image: url('/images/Split_anAudioTrack.png');"></div>
			<div class="hoverimg" style="left: 50px; top: 163px; width: 448px; height: 26px; background-image: url('/images/Split_someAutomation.png');"></div>
			<div class="hoverimg" style="left: 50px; top: 189px; width: 448px; height: 27px; background-image: url('/images/Split_anotherAudioTrack.png');"></div>
			<div class="hoverimg" style="left: 50px; top: 215px; width: 448px; height: 26px; background-image: url('/images/Split_aMIDITrack.png');"></div>
			<div class="hoverimg" style="left: 50px; top: 242px; width: 448px; height: 54px; background-image: url('/images/Split_anotherMIDITrack.png');"></div>
		</div>

  <div class="container" style="margin-left:10px; float:left; width: 600px; height: 347px; background-image: url('/images/Split_Background.png');">
			<a href="/ardours-interface/main-menu/" alt="Main Menu"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 0px; top: 11px; width: 297px; height: 13px; background-image: url('/images/Split_MainMenu.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/status-bar/" alt="Status Bar"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 297px; top: 11px; width: 303px; height: 13px; background-image: url('/images/Split_StatusBar.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/the-transport-bar/" alt="Transport"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 0px; top: 24px; width: 86px; height: 24px; background-image: url('/images/Split_Transport.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/selection-and-punch-clocks/" alt="Record and Punch Options"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 86px; top: 24px; width: 50px; height: 24px; background-image: url('/images/Split_RecordandPunchOptions.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/status-indicators/#monitor-options" alt="Monitor Options"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 136px; top: 24px; width: 46px; height: 24px; background-image: url('/images/Split_MonitorOptions.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/status-indicators/#playhead_options" alt="Playhead Options"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 182px; top: 24px; width: 43px; height: 24px; background-image: url('/images/Split_PlayheadOptions.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/transport-clocks/" alt="Clocks"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 225px; top: 24px; width: 154px; height: 24px; background-image: url('/images/Split_Clocks.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/status-indicators/#status_indicators" alt="Status Indicators"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 379px; top: 24px; width: 23px; height: 24px; background-image: url('/images/Split_StatusIndicators.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/selection-and-punch-clocks/" alt="Selection Clock"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 402px; top: 24px; width: 55px; height: 24px; background-image: url('/images/Split_SelectionClock.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/mini-timeline/" alt="Navigation Timeline"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 457px; top: 24px; width: 90px; height: 24px; background-image: url('/images/Split_NavigationTimeline.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/status-indicators/#mode_selector" alt="Level, Mode, Scripts"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 547px; top: 24px; width: 53px; height: 24px; background-image: url('/images/Split_LevelModeScripts.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/favorite-plugins-window/" alt="Favorite Plugins"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 0px; top: 48px; width: 66px; height: 122px; background-image: url('/images/Split_FavoritePlugins.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/the-strips-list/" alt="Strips List"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 0px; top: 170px; width: 66px; height: 88px; background-image: url('/images/Split_StripsList.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/the-groups-list/" alt="Groups List"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 0px; top: 257px; width: 66px; height: 90px; background-image: url('/images/Split_GroupsList.png');"></div></a>
			<div class="hoverimg" style="left: 66px; top: 48px; width: 363px; height: 9px; background-image: url('/images/Split_GroupsTabs.png');"></div>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/the-master-bus-strip/" alt="Master Strip"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 490px; top: 48px; width: 46px; height: 299px; background-image: url('/images/Split_MasterStrip.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/the-monitor-section/" alt="Monitor Section"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 536px; top: 48px; width: 64px; height: 299px; background-image: url('/images/Split_MonitorSection.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/control-masters/" alt="Control Masters Strips"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 429px; top: 48px; width: 61px; height: 299px; background-image: url('/images/Split_ControlMastersStrips.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/busses-mixer-strips/" alt="a Bus Strip"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 373px; top: 57px; width: 43px; height: 290px; background-image: url('/images/Split_aBusStrip.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/audio-midi-mixer-strips/" alt="an Audio Strip"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 66px; top: 57px; width: 45px; height: 290px; background-image: url('/images/Split_anAudioStrip.png');"></div></a>
			<a href="/ardours-interface/audio-midi-mixer-strips/" alt="a MIDI Strip"><div class="hoverimg" style="left: 155px; top: 57px; width: 43px; height: 290px; background-image: url('/images/Split_aMIDIStrip.png');"></div></a>
		</div>

  <!--<figcaption>
		<ol class="multicol3">
			<li>Main menu</li>
			<li>Status bar</li>
    </ol><ol class="multicol3" start="3">
			<li>Transport bar and Times</li>
			<li>Mode switch</li>
    </ol><ol class="multicol3" start="5">
			<li>The <dfn>Mixer</dfn> window</li>
			<li>The <dfn>Editor</dfn> window</li>
		</ol>
	</figcaption>-->
  <figcaption>
		The Editor and Mixer windows. Click on a section to access its description.
	</figcaption>
</figure>

<p>
  The Editor and the Mixer share the same toolbar (the top of the window). The sections displayed
  in this toolbar can be customized to the user's workflow, by checking options in
  <kbd class="menu">Preferences &gt; Appearance &gt; Toolbar</kbd>.
</p>

<p>
  Switching between the Editor and the Mixer windows is done :
</p>
<ul>
	<li>with the <a href="/ardours-interface/status-indicators/#mode_selector">Mode Selector buttons</a> in the upper right</li>
	<li>with the <kbd class="mod2">M</kbd> shortcut</li>
	<li>with the menu <kbd class="menu">Window &gt; Editor <em>(or Mixer)</em> &gt; Show</kbd>.</li>
</ul>

<p>
  Both windows can be visible at the same time (eg. for a multi-monitor
  setup) using <kbd class="menu">Window &gt; Editor <em>(or Mixer)</em> &gt; Detach</kbd> option in the same submenu.
</p>

<h2>The Editor</h2>

<p>
  The <dfn>Editor</dfn> window includes the editor track <dfn>canvas</dfn>
  where audio and MIDI data can be arranged along a timeline. This is the
  window where editing and arranging a project is done. The window
  has a general "horizontal" sense to it: the timeline flows from left to
  right, the playhead showing the current position in the session moves
  from left to right &mdash; the window really represents <dfn>time</dfn>
  in a fairly literal way.
</p>
<p>
  It is possible to show a single channel strip in the editor window, and
  some people find this enough to work on mixing without actually opening
  the mixer window. Most of the time though, both of these windows will be
  needed at various stages of a session's lifetime.
</p>

<h2>The Mixer</h2>

<p>
  The <dfn>Mixer</dfn> window represents signal flow and is the window that will
  probably be used most when mixing a session. It
  includes <dfn>channel strips</dfn> for each track and bus in the session.
  It has a general "vertical" sense to it: signals flow from the top of each
  channel strip through the processing elements in the strip to reach the
  output listed at the bottom.
</p>
<p>
  To learn more about the process of mixing, see <a href="/mixing/">Mixing<a>.
</p>


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