Reorganising the Tracks subchapter. Adding Bus and VCA in the Track Type page

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Ed Ward 2019-06-21 12:14:41 +02:00
parent a113d1eda6
commit 8e3323a323
4 changed files with 161 additions and 134 deletions

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<p>
Ardour tracks can have any number of inputs and any number of outputs, and the
number of either can be changed at any time (subject to restrictions caused by
any plugins in a track). However it is useful to not have to configure this sort
of thing for the most common cases, and so the
<a href="@@adding-tracks-busses-and-vcas">Add Tracks</a> dialog allows to
select "Mono", "Stereo" and few other typical multichannel presets
</p>
<p>
The name of the preset describes the number of <dfn>input channels</dfn>
of the track or bus.
</p>
<p>
If Ardour is configured to automatically connect new tracks and
busses, the number of outputs will be determined by the number of
inputs of the <dfn>master <a
href="@@understanding-basic-concepts-and-terminology#busses">bus</a></dfn>,
to which the track outputs will be connected.
</p>
<p>
For example, with a two-channel master bus, a Mono track has one
input and two outputs; a Stereo track has two inputs and two outputs.
</p>
<p class="note">
If <kbd class="menu">Edit &gt; Preferences &gt; Signal Flow
&gt; Track and Bus Connections</kbd> is set to <kbd
class="menu">manual</kbd>, then tracks will be left disconnected by default
and there will be as many outputs as there are inputs. It is up to the user to connect
them as desired. This is not a particularly useful way to work unless something
fairly unusual is done with signal routing and processing. It is almost always
preferable to leave Ardour make connections automatically, even if some changes
are manually done later.
</p>

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include/track-modes.html Normal file
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<p>
Audio tracks in Ardour have a <dfn>mode</dfn> which affects how they behave
when recording:
</p>
<table class="dl">
<tr><th>Normal</th>
<td>Tracks in <dfn>normal mode</dfn> will record non-destructively&mdash;new
data is written to new files, and when overdubbing, new regions will be
layered on top of existing ones. This is the recommended mode for most
workflows.
</td></tr>
<tr><th>Non-Layered</th>
<td>Tracks using <dfn>non-layered mode</dfn> will record
non-destructively&mdash;new data is written to new files, but when
overdubbing, the existing regions are trimmed so that there are no overlaps.
This does not affect the previously recorded audio data, and trimmed regions
can be expanded again at will. Non-layered mode can be very useful for spoken
word material, especially in combination with
<a href="@@pushpull-trimming">push/pull trimming</a>.
</td></tr>
<tr><th>Tape</th>
<td><dfn>Tape-mode</dfn> tracks do <strong>destructive</strong> recording:
all data is recorded to a single file and if a section of
existing data is overdub, the existing data is destroyed irrevocably&mdash;there is no
undo. Fixed crossfades are added at every punch in and out point. This mode
can be useful for certain kinds of re-recording workflows, but is not
suggested for normal
use.</td></tr>
</table>
<figure class="right">
<img src="/images/a3_nonlayered_example.png" alt="Normal and non-layered overdubbing comparision">
<figcaption>
Normal and non-layered overdubbing comparision
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>
The screenshot on the right shows the subtle difference between an overdub
in <dfn>normal mode</dfn> (upper track) and one in <dfn>non-layered mode</dfn>
(lower track). Both tracks were created using identical audio data.
</p>
<p>
The upper track shows a new region which has been <dfn>layered on
top</dfn> of the the existing (longer) region. It can be seen by the region
name strips.
</p>
<p>
The lower track has split the existing region in two, trimmed each new
region to create space for the new overdub, and inserted the overdub region
in between.
</p>

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@ -43,94 +43,28 @@
so Ardour allows to select this type specifically for use with such
plugins. It is <em>not</em> generally the right choice when working normal
MIDI tracks, and a dialog will warn of this.</td></tr>
<tr><th>Audio or MIDI Bus</th>
<td>A bus is a pseudo-track where multiple audio tracks can be mixed together
for some common processing before being routed to the Master Bus (which itself
is a bus). A bus doesn't contain any regions or audio/MIDI data, it is fed a
signal by <a href="@@aux-sends">sends</a> from one or multiple other tracks, or
by <a href="@@audiomidi-busses-mixer-strips">connecting tracks outputs</a> to
the bus' input. Busses are often used to apply one effect on multiple tracks,
with the benefits of having the same parameters and less computer processing
required as only one instance of the plugin is used.<br>
Ardour can differentiate Audio busses from MIDI busses, allowing e.g. one
instrument plugin to be used for several MIDI tracks.<br>
A bus output can also be routed to another bus.
</td></tr>
<tr><th>VCA</th>
<td>A <abbr title="Voltage-Controlled Amplifier">VCA</abbr> is a way to group
together tracks or busses to enable grouped-control over gain, solo and mute.
Like the Bus, it does not contain regions, but unlike it, it does not contain
effects. VCAs are commonly used to group together related tracks (e.g. "drums"
or "vocals") to allow controlling the gain of all those tracks at once in the
mix while retaining their relative gain.<br>
VCAs are fed audio by <a href="@@control-masters-mixer-strips">assigning them</a>
to one or multiple track(s) or bus(ses).
</td></tr>
</table>
<h2 id="trackmodes">Track Modes</h2>
<p>
Audio tracks in Ardour have a <dfn>mode</dfn> which affects how they behave
when recording:
</p>
<table class="dl">
<tr><th>Normal</th>
<td>Tracks in <dfn>normal mode</dfn> will record non-destructively&mdash;new
data is written to new files, and when overdubbing, new regions will be
layered on top of existing ones. This is the recommended mode for most
workflows.
</td></tr>
<tr><th>Non-Layered</th>
<td>Tracks using <dfn>non-layered mode</dfn> will record
non-destructively&mdash;new data is written to new files, but when
overdubbing, the existing regions are trimmed so that there are no overlaps.
This does not affect the previously recorded audio data, and trimmed regions
can be expanded again at will. Non-layered mode can be very useful for spoken
word material, especially in combination with
<a href="@@pushpull-trimming">push/pull trimming</a>.
</td></tr>
<tr><th>Tape</th>
<td><dfn>Tape-mode</dfn> tracks do <strong>destructive</strong> recording:
all data is recorded to a single file and if a section of
existing data is overdub, the existing data is destroyed irrevocably&mdash;there is no
undo. Fixed crossfades are added at every punch in and out point. This mode
can be useful for certain kinds of re-recording workflows, but is not
suggested for normal
use.</td></tr>
</table>
<figure class="right">
<img src="/images/a3_nonlayered_example.png" alt="Normal and non-layered overdubbing comparision">
<figcaption>
Normal and non-layered overdubbing comparision
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>
The screenshot on the right shows the subtle difference between an overdub
in <dfn>normal mode</dfn> (upper track) and one in <dfn>non-layered mode</dfn>
(lower track). Both tracks were created using identical audio data.
</p>
<p>
The upper track shows a new region which has been <dfn>layered on
top</dfn> of the the existing (longer) region. It can be seen by the region
name strips.
</p>
<p>
The lower track has split the existing region in two, trimmed each new
region to create space for the new overdub, and inserted the overdub region
in between.
</p>
<h2 id="channelconfiguration">Channel Configuration</h2>
<p>
Ardour tracks can have any number of inputs and any number of outputs, and the
number of either can be changed at any time (subject to restrictions caused by
any plugins in a track). However it is useful to not have to configure this sort
of thing for the most common cases, and so the
<a href="@@adding-tracks-busses-and-vcas">Add Tracks</a> dialog allows to
select "Mono", "Stereo" and few other typical multichannel presets
</p>
<p>
The name of the preset describes the number of <dfn>input channels</dfn>
of the track or bus.
</p>
<p>
If Ardour is configured to automatically connect new tracks and
busses, the number of outputs will be determined by the number of
inputs of the <dfn>master <a
href="@@understanding-basic-concepts-and-terminology#busses">bus</a></dfn>,
to which the track outputs will be connected.
</p>
<p>
For example, with a two-channel master bus, a Mono track has one
input and two outputs; a Stereo track has two inputs and two outputs.
</p>
<p class="note">
If <kbd class="menu">Edit &gt; Preferences &gt; Signal Flow
&gt; Track and Bus Connections</kbd> is set to <kbd
class="menu">manual</kbd>, then tracks will be left disconnected by default
and there will be as many outputs as there are inputs. It is up to the user to connect
them as desired. This is not a particularly useful way to work unless something
fairly unusual is done with signal routing and processing. It is almost always
preferable to leave Ardour make connections automatically, even if some changes
are manually done later.
</p>

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@ -816,14 +816,6 @@ uri: working-with-tracks
part: chapter
---
---
title: Track Types
include: track-types.html
link: track-types
uri: working-with-tracks/track-types
part: subchapter
---
---
title: Adding Tracks, Busses and VCAs
include: adding-tracks-busses-and-vcas.html
@ -833,37 +825,44 @@ part: subchapter
---
---
title: Controlling Track Ordering
include: controlling-track-ordering.html
link: controlling-track-ordering
uri: working-with-tracks/controlling-track-ordering
title: Track Types
include: track-types.html
link: track-types
uri: working-with-tracks/track-types
part: subchapter
---
---
title: Track Context Menu
include: track-context-menu.html
link: track-context-menu
uri: working-with-tracks/track-context-menu
title: Track Modes
include: track-modes.html
link: track-modes
uri: working-with-tracks/track-modes
part: subchapter
---
---
title: Controlling Track Appearance
include: controlling-track-appearance.html
link: controlling-track-appearance
uri: working-with-tracks/controlling-track-appearance
part: chapter
---
---
title: Layering Display
title: Track Layering
include: layering-display.html
link: layering-display
uri: working-with-tracks/controlling-track-appearance/layering-display
part: subchapter
---
---
title: Channel Configuration
include: channel-configuration.html
link: channel-configuration
part: subchapter
---
---
title: Track Ordering
include: controlling-track-ordering.html
link: controlling-track-ordering
uri: working-with-tracks/controlling-track-ordering
part: subchapter
---
---
title: Track Color
include: track-color.html
@ -888,6 +887,14 @@ uri: working-with-tracks/controlling-track-appearance/waveform-display
part: subchapter
---
---
title: Track Context Menu
include: track-context-menu.html
link: track-context-menu
uri: working-with-tracks/track-context-menu
part: subchapter
---
---
title: Importing and Exporting Session Data
menu_title: Import/Export Session Data