manual/include/about-ardours-interface.html

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<p>
In Ardour, work is done in one of four windows: the <dfn>Editor</dfn>, the
<dfn>Mixer</dfn>, the <dfn>Recorder</dfn>, or the <dfn>Cue Grid</dfn>.
</p>
<figure class="imagemap" style="width:100%;">
<img src="/images/editor_map.png" alt="The Editor window" width="900" height="502">
<!-- common -->
<a href="@@main-menu" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 0px; width: 168px; height: 13px;"></a>
<a href="@@status-bar" class="area" style="left: 746px; top: 0px; width: 154px; height: 13px;"></a>
<a href="@@transport-bar" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 13px; width: 99px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@selection-and-punch-clocks" class="area" style="left: 99px; top: 13px; width: 69px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@other-toolbar-items#latency-compensation-info" class="area" style="left: 168px; top: 13px; width: 69px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@other-toolbar-items#playhead_options" class="area" style="left: 237px; top: 13px; width: 51px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@transport-clocks" class="area" style="left: 288px; top: 13px; width: 183px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@other-toolbar-items#status_indicators" class="area" style="left: 471px; top: 13px; width: 28px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@other-toolbar-items#monitor_section_info" class="area" style="left: 499px; top: 13px; width: 26px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@mixing-linear-nonlinear-workflows" class="area" style="left: 525px; top: 13px; width: 42px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@selection-and-punch-clocks" class="area" style="left: 567px; top: 13px; width: 65px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@mini-timeline" class="area" style="left: 632px; top: 13px; width: 187px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@other-toolbar-items#mode_selector" class="area" style="left: 819px; top: 13px; width: 81px; height: 29px;"></a>
<!-- editor -->
<a href="@@toolbox" class="area" style="left: 53px; top: 42px; width: 171px; height: 17px;"></a>
<a href="@@grid-controls" class="area" style="left: 224px; top: 42px; width: 64px; height: 17px;"></a>
<a href="@@nudge-controls" class="area" style="left: 288px; top: 42px; width: 73px; height: 17px;"></a>
<a href="@@zoom-controls" class="area" style="left: 746px; top: 42px; width: 154px; height: 17px;"></a>
<a href="@@ruler" class="area" style="left: 53px; top: 59px; width: 693px; height: 65px;"></a>
<a href="@@editor-lists" class="area" style="left: 746px; top: 59px; width: 154px; height: 442px;"></a>
<a href="@@summary" class="area" style="left: 53px; top: 458px; width: 693px; height: 43px;"></a>
<a href="@@track-and-bus-groups" class="area" style="left: 53px; top: 124px; width: 10px; height: 334px;"></a>
<a href="@@automation" class="area" style="left: 63px; top: 174px; width: 683px; height: 51px;"></a>
<a href="@@control-masters-mixer-strips" class="area" style="left: 63px; top: 410px; width: 683px; height: 48px;"></a>
<a href="@@audio-track-controls" class="area" style="left: 63px; top: 139px; width: 683px; height: 35px;"></a>
<a href="@@midi-track-controls" class="area" style="left: 63px; top: 225px; width: 683px; height: 102px;"></a>
<a href="@@bus-controls" class="area" style="left: 63px; top: 346px; width: 683px; height: 64px;"></a>
<a href="@@bus-controls" class="area" style="left: 63px; top: 124px; width: 683px; height: 15px;"></a>
<a href="@@audio-track-controls" class="area" style="left: 63px; top: 327px; width: 683px; height: 19px;"></a>
<a href="@@audiomidi-mixer-strips" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 42px; width: 53px; height: 460px;"></a>
<figcaption>
The Editor window. Clicking on a section accesses its description.
</figcaption>
</figure>
<figure class="imagemap" style="width:100%;">
<img src="/images/mixer_map.png" alt="The Mixer window" width="900" height="502">
<!-- common -->
<a href="@@main-menu" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 0px; width: 168px; height: 13px;"></a>
<a href="@@status-bar" class="area" style="left: 746px; top: 0px; width: 154px; height: 13px;"></a>
<a href="@@transport-bar" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 13px; width: 99px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@selection-and-punch-clocks" class="area" style="left: 99px; top: 13px; width: 69px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@other-toolbar-items#latency-compensation-info" class="area" style="left: 168px; top: 13px; width: 69px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@other-toolbar-items#playhead_options" class="area" style="left: 237px; top: 13px; width: 51px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@transport-clocks" class="area" style="left: 288px; top: 13px; width: 183px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@other-toolbar-items#status_indicators" class="area" style="left: 471px; top: 13px; width: 28px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@other-toolbar-items#monitor_section_info" class="area" style="left: 499px; top: 13px; width: 26px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@mixing-linear-nonlinear-workflows" class="area" style="left: 525px; top: 13px; width: 42px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@selection-and-punch-clocks" class="area" style="left: 567px; top: 13px; width: 65px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@mini-timeline" class="area" style="left: 632px; top: 13px; width: 187px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@other-toolbar-items#mode_selector" class="area" style="left: 819px; top: 13px; width: 81px; height: 29px;"></a>
<!-- mixer -->
<a href="@@favorite-plugins-window" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 42px; width: 118px; height: 149px;"></a>
<a href="@@strips-list" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 191px; width: 118px; height: 99px;"></a>
<a href="@@groups-list" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 290px; width: 118px; height: 104px;"></a>
<a href="@@mixer-scenes" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 394px; width: 118px; height: 107px;"></a>
<a href="@@track-and-bus-groups" class="area" style="left: 118px; top: 42px; width: 521px; height: 11px;"></a>
<a href="@@monitor-section" class="area" style="left: 821px; top: 42px; width: 79px; height: 459px;"></a>
<a href="@@master-bus-strip" class="area" style="left: 769px; top: 42px; width: 52px; height: 459px;"></a>
<a href="@@foldback-strip" class="area" style="left: 711px; top: 42px; width: 58px; height: 459px;"></a>
<a href="@@adding-tracks-busses-and-vcas" class="area" style="left: 691px; top: 42px; width: 20px; height: 459px;"></a>
<a href="@@control-masters-mixer-strips" class="area" style="left: 639px; top: 42px; width: 52px; height: 459px;"></a>
<a href="@@audiomidi-busses-mixer-strips" class="area" style="left: 531px; top: 53px; width: 108px; height: 448px;"></a>
<a href="@@audiomidi-mixer-strips" class="area" style="left: 118px; top: 53px; width: 413px; height: 448px;"></a>
<figcaption>
The Mixer window. Clicking on a section accesses its description.
</figcaption>
</figure>
<figure class="imagemap" style="width:100%;">
<img src="/images/recorder_map.png" alt="The Recorder window" width="900" height="502">
<!-- common -->
<a href="@@main-menu" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 0px; width: 168px; height: 13px;"></a>
<a href="@@status-bar" class="area" style="left: 746px; top: 0px; width: 154px; height: 13px;"></a>
<a href="@@transport-bar" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 13px; width: 99px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@selection-and-punch-clocks" class="area" style="left: 99px; top: 13px; width: 69px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@other-toolbar-items#latency-compensation-info" class="area" style="left: 168px; top: 13px; width: 69px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@other-toolbar-items#playhead_options" class="area" style="left: 237px; top: 13px; width: 51px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@transport-clocks" class="area" style="left: 288px; top: 13px; width: 183px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@other-toolbar-items#status_indicators" class="area" style="left: 471px; top: 13px; width: 28px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@other-toolbar-items#monitor_section_info" class="area" style="left: 499px; top: 13px; width: 26px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@mixing-linear-nonlinear-workflows" class="area" style="left: 525px; top: 13px; width: 42px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@selection-and-punch-clocks" class="area" style="left: 567px; top: 13px; width: 65px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@mini-timeline" class="area" style="left: 632px; top: 13px; width: 187px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@other-toolbar-items#mode_selector" class="area" style="left: 819px; top: 13px; width: 81px; height: 29px;"></a>
<!-- recorder -->
<a href="@@recorder#recorder_last_take_manager" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 42px; width: 72px; height: 24px;"></a>
<a href="@@recorder#recorder_global_arm" class="area" style="left: 72px; top: 42px; width: 45px; height: 24px;"></a>
<a href="@@recorder#recorder_monitoring_options" class="area" style="left: 117px; top: 42px; width: 53px; height: 24px;"></a>
<a href="@@recorder#recorder_new_playlist" class="area" style="left: 170px; top: 42px; width: 75px; height: 24px;"></a>
<a href="@@recorder#recorder_disk_space" class="area" style="left: 810px; top: 42px; width: 90px; height: 24px;"></a>
<a href="@@recorder#recorder_simplified_session" class="area" style="left: 9px; top: 66px; width: 891px; height: 331px;"></a>
<a href="@@recorder#recorder_global_input_channel" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 397px; width: 396px; height: 40px;"></a>
<a href="@@track-and-bus-groups" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 76px; width: 9px; height: 321px;"></a>
<figcaption>
The Recorder window. Clicking on a section accesses its description.
</figcaption>
</figure>
<figure class="imagemap" style="width:100%;">
<img src="/images/cue_map.png" alt="The Cue Grid" width="900" height="502">
<!-- common -->
<a href="@@main-menu" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 0px; width: 168px; height: 13px;"></a>
<a href="@@status-bar" class="area" style="left: 746px; top: 0px; width: 154px; height: 13px;"></a>
<a href="@@transport-bar" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 13px; width: 99px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@selection-and-punch-clocks" class="area" style="left: 99px; top: 13px; width: 69px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@other-toolbar-items#latency-compensation-info" class="area" style="left: 168px; top: 13px; width: 69px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@other-toolbar-items#playhead_options" class="area" style="left: 237px; top: 13px; width: 51px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@transport-clocks" class="area" style="left: 288px; top: 13px; width: 183px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@other-toolbar-items#status_indicators" class="area" style="left: 471px; top: 13px; width: 28px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@other-toolbar-items#monitor_section_info" class="area" style="left: 499px; top: 13px; width: 26px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@mixing-linear-nonlinear-workflows" class="area" style="left: 525px; top: 13px; width: 42px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@selection-and-punch-clocks" class="area" style="left: 567px; top: 13px; width: 65px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@mini-timeline" class="area" style="left: 632px; top: 13px; width: 187px; height: 29px;"></a>
<a href="@@other-toolbar-items#mode_selector" class="area" style="left: 819px; top: 13px; width: 81px; height: 29px;"></a>
<!-- cue -->
<a href="@@cue-window-elements#cue_window_grid" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 42px; width: 274px; height: 146px;"></a>
<a href="@@cue-window-elements#cue_window_sidebar" class="area" style="left: 622px; top: 42px; width: 278px; height: 380px;"></a>
<a href="@@cue-window-elements#cue_window_clip_options" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 422px; width: 316px; height: 80px;"></a>
<a href="@@cue-window-elements#cue_window_mixer_channels" class="area" style="left: 0px; top: 188px; width: 274px; height: 234px;"></a>
<figcaption>
The Cue Grid window. Clicking on a section accesses its description.
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>
The Editor, Mixer, Recorder and Clip Launcher 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 these 4 different modes is done:
</p>
<ul>
<li>with the <a href="@@other-toolbar-items#mode_selector">Mode Selector
buttons</a> in the upper right</li>
<li>with the menu <kbd class="menu">Window &gt; Editor <em>(or Mixer / Recorder / Cue Grid)</em>
&gt; Show</kbd>.</li>
</ul>
<p>
Additionally, the <kbd class="mod2">M</kbd> shortcut</li> allows switching
between the Editor and Mixer.
</p>
<p>
Multiple windows can be visible at the same time (e.g. for a multi-monitor
setup) using <kbd class="menu">Window &gt; Editor <em>(or Mixer / Recorder / Cue Grid)</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="@@basic-mixing">Mixing</a>.
</p>
<h2>The Recorder</h2>
<p>
The <dfn>Recorder</dfn> window is a very specialized view that provides
a compact view of all track's record and monitor status, and a simplified
timeline that keeps everything in view at once. Most of the information
that is shown in this mode is already available in Mixer or Editor mode,
but the Recorder aims at having everything in sight and under control
while tracking a performance.
</p>
<p>
The Recorder is covered in great detail in <a href="@@recorder">its own
page</a>.
</p>
<h2>The Cue Grid</h2>
<p>
The <dfn>Cue Grid</dfn> window, unlike the rest of Ardour, allows for
a non-linear workflow. It is a clip launcher, that allows to chain and
combine various loops and samples, and program events.
</p>
<p>
Instead of anchoring these samples or loops on a timeline, the Cue Grid
gives them instruction on when they are triggered, how they are played,
what happens at the end of the clip, etc&hellip;
</p>
<p>
The <a href="@@cue">Cue</a> section of this manual describes this worfkow.
</p>