112 lines
4.7 KiB
HTML
112 lines
4.7 KiB
HTML
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<p>
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Ardour can be used in many different ways, from extremely simple to
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extremely complex. Many projects will be handled using the following
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kind of <dfn>workflow</dfn>.
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</p>
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<h2>Stage 1: Creating Your Project</h2>
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<p>
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The first step is to create a new <dfn>session</dfn>, or open an
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existing one. A session consists of a folder containing a session file
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that defines all the information about the session. All media files used
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by the session can be stored within the session folder.
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</p>
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<p>
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More details on sessions can be found in
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<a href="@@sessions">Working With Sessions</a>.
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</p>
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<h2>Stage 2: Creating and Importing Audio and MIDI data</h2>
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<p>
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Once you have a session, you will want to add some audio and/or MIDI
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material to it, which can be done in one of 3 ways:
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</p>
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<ul>
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<li><dfn>Record</dfn> incoming audio or MIDI data, either via audio or MIDI hardware
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connected to your computer, or from other applications.</li>
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<li><dfn>Create</dfn> new MIDI data using the mouse and/or various dialogs</li>
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<li><dfn>Import</dfn> existing media files into the session</li>
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</ul>
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<p>
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<dfn>MIDI recordings</dfn> consist of performance data ("play note X at
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time T") rather than actual sound. As a result, they are more flexible
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than actual audio, since the precise sound that they will generate when
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played depends on where you send the MIDI to.<br>
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Two different synthesizers may produce very different sound in response
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to the same incoming MIDI data.
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</p>
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<p>
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<dfn>Audio recordings</dfn> can be made from external instruments with
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electrical outputs (keyboards, guitars etc.) or via microphones from
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acoustic instruments.
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</p>
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<p>
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Ardour uses the <dfn>JACK Audio Connection Kit</dfn> for all audio and
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MIDI I/O, which means that recording audio/MIDI from other applications
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is fundamentally identical to recording audio/MIDI from your audio/MIDI
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hardware.
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</p>
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<h2>Stage 3: Editing and Arranging</h2>
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<p>
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Once you have some material within the session, you can start to arrange
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it in time. This is done in one of the two main windows of Ardour, the
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<dfn>Editor</dfn> window.
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</p>
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<p>
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Your audio/MIDI data appears in chunks called <dfn>regions</dfn>, which
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are arranged into horizontal lanes called <dfn>tracks</dfn>. Tracks are
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stacked vertically in the Editor window. You can copy, shorten, move,
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and delete regions without changing the actual data stored in the session
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at all—Ardour is a <dfn>non-destructive</dfn> editor. (Almost)
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nothing that you do while editing will ever modify the files stored on
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disk (except the session file itself).
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</p>
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<p>
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You can also carry out many <dfn>transformations</dfn> to the contents
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of regions, again without altering anything on disk. You can alter,
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move, and delete MIDI notes, and remove silence from audio regions, for
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example.
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</p>
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<h2>Stage 4: Mixing and Adding Effects</h2>
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<p>
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Once you have the arrangement of your session mostly complete, you will
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typically move on to the <dfn>mixing</dfn> phase. Mixing is a broad term
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to cover the way the audio signals that your session generates during
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playback and processed and added together into a final result that you
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actually hear. It can involve altering the relative levels of various
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parts of the session, adding effects that improve or transform certain
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elements, and others that bring the sound of the whole session to a new
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level.
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</p>
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<p>
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Ardour will allow you to <dfn>automate</dfn> changes to any mixing
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parameters (such as volume, panning, and effects controls)—it will
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record the changes you make over time, using a mouse or keyboard or some
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external control device, and can play back those changes later. This is
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very useful because often the settings you need will vary in one part of
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a session compared to another—rather than using a single setting
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for the volume, you may need increases followed by decreases (for example,
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to track the changing volume of a singer). Using automation can make all
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of this relatively simple.
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</p>
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<h2>Stage 5: Export</h2>
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<p>
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Once you are really satisfied with the arrangement and mix of your
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session, you will typically want to produce a single audio file that
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contains a ready-to-listen to version of the work. Ardour will allow you to
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<dfn>export</dfn> audio files in a variety of formats (simultaneously in
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some cases). This exported file would typically be used in creating a CD,
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or be the basis for digital distribution of the work.
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</p>
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<p>
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Of course sometimes you will want to do export material that isn't finished
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yet, for example to give a copy to someone else to try to mix on their own
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system. Ardour will allow you to export as much of a session as you want, at
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any time, in any supported format.
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</p>
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