375 lines
12 KiB
HTML
375 lines
12 KiB
HTML
|
|
<figure class="center">
|
|
<img style="width:50%;" src="/images/record_window.png" alt="The Recorder window">
|
|
<figcaption>
|
|
The Recorder window. <i>(<a href="/images/record_window.png">full-size image</a>)</i>
|
|
</figcaption>
|
|
</figure>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Although all the process of recording an audio or MIDI performance can
|
|
be done in any mode, the <dfn>Recorder</dfn> provides a synoptic view of
|
|
most parameters and actions related to capturing this performance, hence
|
|
giving more confidence in the final result.
|
|
</p>
|
|
<p class="note">
|
|
The Recorder is another view on settings, parameters, and actions
|
|
that can be set or called in other modes. Any change done in the Recorder
|
|
is instantly reflected in e.g. the Editor, and vice versa.
|
|
</p>
|
|
<p>
|
|
The Recorder, being a mode, sports the same <a href="@@main-menu">main
|
|
menu</a>, <a href="@@status-bar">status bar</a>, and <a href="@@transport-bar">
|
|
toolbar</a> as the Editor and Mixer. It adds a secondary toolbar, a
|
|
simplified session view, reminiscent of the Editor, and a global input
|
|
panel.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<h2>The Secondary Toolbar</h2>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
The subsections below describe the secondary toolbar from left to right.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<h3>Last Take Manager</h3>
|
|
|
|
<figure class="left">
|
|
<img alt="The Last Take Manager" src="/images/recorder_last-take.png">
|
|
<figcaption>
|
|
The Last Take Manager
|
|
</figcaption>
|
|
</figure>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
This manager displays information about the last (or current) take :
|
|
</p>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
A <em>duration display</em>, that shows the duration of the last (or
|
|
current) recording. It is always displayed as <samp>hours:minutes:seconds:tenths</samp>,
|
|
regardless of the <a href="@@transport-clocks">Transport clocks</a>
|
|
display settings.
|
|
</li>
|
|
<li>
|
|
An x-run counter, an x-run being a buffer under(or over)flow. Each
|
|
time such an x-run occurs, an artifact is recording, that can be
|
|
audible or not, but is a red flag for the recording quality.
|
|
</li>
|
|
<li>
|
|
A <kbd>Discard Last Take</kbd> button, that deletes the last
|
|
finished recording(s), effectively removing the audio file(s) from
|
|
the hard drive, hence destructive.
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<p>
|
|
This last button cannot be used while recording, the transport must be
|
|
stopped. It also has no concept of history, and repeatedly
|
|
clicking it wont discard previous takes from last to first, in order to
|
|
prevent destroying good takes. Lastly, it does not reset the playhead
|
|
position, as the <kbd class="menu">Transport > Stop and Forget
|
|
Capture</kbd> menu would.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<h3>Global Arm</h3>
|
|
|
|
<figure class="left">
|
|
<img alt="The Global Arm options" src="/images/recorder_global-arm.png">
|
|
<figcaption>
|
|
The Global Arm options
|
|
</figcaption>
|
|
</figure>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Like the <em>Monitor Options</em> below, these buttons apply to all
|
|
the tracks at once.
|
|
</p>
|
|
<p>
|
|
It is a convenient shortcut to arm (<kbd>All</kbd>)/disarm (<kbd>None</kbd>)
|
|
all the tracks for recording.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<h3 class="clear">Monitoring Options</h3>
|
|
|
|
<figure class="left">
|
|
<img alt="The Monitoring options" src="/images/input-mode-buttons.png">
|
|
<figcaption>
|
|
The Monitoring options
|
|
</figcaption>
|
|
</figure>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
These buttons allow switching the monitoring mode globally, for all the
|
|
tracks at once. The monitoring mode allows to decide what the user wants
|
|
to be listening to, between:
|
|
</p>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<dfn>All In</dfn>: all the tracks play what is on their <em>In</em>puts,
|
|
</li>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<dfn>All Disk</dfn>: all the tracks play the actual content of the
|
|
playlist on <em>Disk</em>,
|
|
</li>
|
|
<li>
|
|
or <dfn>both</dfn>: also called "cue monitoring" if both buttons are
|
|
engaged, a combination of the two modes above, where all the tracks
|
|
play existing data from disk while also listening to the input
|
|
signal. This is particularly useful for MIDI tracks, where one can
|
|
hear a performance/new material while listening to the playback of
|
|
existing material in the track.
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<p>
|
|
The <kbd class="menu">Auto Input</kbd> switch allows Ardour to auto-select
|
|
what is played, which is:
|
|
</p>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>When not playing: all tracks are on <em>In</em> (to listen to any connected source)</li>
|
|
<li>When playing, all tracks are on <em>Disk</em> (to play whatever was recorded on those tracks)</li>
|
|
<li>When recording, on rec-enabled tracks: <em>In</em> and on non rec-enabled ones: <em>Disk</em></li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
If Auto Input is disabled, then you will hear the Input being
|
|
monitored whenever a track is armed, even if you aren't actually
|
|
recording. If Auto Input is _enabled_, then you will hear playback
|
|
when the transport is rolling, and the tracks will only switch to
|
|
Input when the master-record arm is engaged (so you are actually
|
|
recording).
|
|
|
|
<h3>'New Playlist' buttons</h3>
|
|
|
|
<figure class="left">
|
|
<img alt="The 'New Playlist' buttons" src="/images/recorder_new-playlist.png">
|
|
<figcaption>
|
|
The 'New Playlist' buttons
|
|
</figcaption>
|
|
</figure>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Recording multiple takes can easily be done in Ardour by using
|
|
<a href="@@understanding-playlists">playlists</a>, as a track can have
|
|
multiple playlists and it is easy to <a href="@@playlist-operations">switch</a>
|
|
from one to another.
|
|
</p>
|
|
<p>
|
|
The two buttons create new, "blank", playlists to record on:
|
|
</p>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li><kbd class="menu">New Playlist for All Tracks</kbd> creates a
|
|
new playlist for each visible track, while</li>
|
|
<li><kbd class="menu">New Playlist for Rec-Armed</kbd> uses the
|
|
<kbd style="color:red;">●</kbd> recording
|
|
status of each track to generate new playlists.</kbd></li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Creating new playlists is both cheap in terms of CPU and memory, and easy
|
|
to revert by changing the track's playlist back to its previous one. Playlists
|
|
on different tracks can also share the same name, allowing for a better
|
|
workflow when recording: Ardour suggests <em>Take.<i>#n</i></em> as the
|
|
name for each playlist, so that they stay somewhat correlated.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<h3>Disk space and Reset Peaks</h3>
|
|
|
|
<figure class="left">
|
|
<img alt="Disk space & Reset Peaks" src="/images/recorder_disk-and-reset.png">
|
|
<figcaption>
|
|
Disk space & Reset Peaks
|
|
</figcaption>
|
|
</figure>
|
|
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<em>Disk space</em> shows how many time or recoding is available on
|
|
the current hard drive (i.e. the hard drive where the session is
|
|
located), by accounting the bit depth, sampling rate, and number of
|
|
armed tracks. The result is either an duration, or
|
|
<samp>>24h</samp> if it exceeds 24 hours.
|
|
</li>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<em>Reset Peak Hold</em> clears the memory of the highest recording level
|
|
in the meters located in the bottom input panel, and displayed with a
|
|
green line.
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<h2>Tracks</h2>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
The Simplified Session View is a view of the session, specifically
|
|
tailored for the purpose of recording, that is similar to the Editor
|
|
(or the <a href="@@summary">Summary</a>) with notable differences,
|
|
among which:
|
|
</p>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
it always encompasses the whole session in the time axis,
|
|
</li>
|
|
<li>
|
|
the regions are displayed as blocks, not waveforms,
|
|
</li>
|
|
<li>
|
|
no editing, like moving or resizing regions, is possible
|
|
</li>
|
|
<li>
|
|
each track (or lane) has a fixed and narrow height
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<p>
|
|
All those differences are consequences of the aim of this view, which
|
|
is to keep thing not too busy and clear in a recording context. The
|
|
most important settings related to the recording process are easily
|
|
available and to facilitate the work of the operator.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<h3>Simplified Session View</h3>
|
|
|
|
<figure>
|
|
<img alt="A track in the Recorder" src="/images/recorder_lane.png">
|
|
<figcaption>
|
|
A track in the Recorder
|
|
</figcaption>
|
|
</figure>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Each lane is made of (from left to right):
|
|
</p>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
A zone showing <a href="@@track-and-bus-groups">grouping</a>, as in the
|
|
Editor, with the same functions and menus.
|
|
</li>
|
|
<li>
|
|
A <kbd style="color:red;">●</kbd> rec-arm button. When armed,
|
|
the entire button will turn pink, and change to bright red as soon
|
|
as the transport is rolling and the track is recording. <kbd
|
|
class="mouse">Right</kbd>-clicking will allow to en/disable
|
|
<em>Rec-safe</em>, protecting the track against accidental
|
|
recording.
|
|
</li>
|
|
<li>
|
|
An <kbd>Input</kbd> button displaying the connected input(s) of the
|
|
track. It is the same button as the <em>Input</em> button shown in
|
|
the <a href="@@audiomidi-mixer-strips">Mixer strip</a>, and behaves
|
|
exactly the same way (<kbd class="mouse">Left</kbd>-clicking to
|
|
show the input menu, <kbd class="mouse">Right</kbd>-clicking shows
|
|
the input connection matrix).
|
|
</li>
|
|
<li>
|
|
A <kbd>P</kbd> playlist button displaying the connected input(s) of
|
|
the track. Again, it is the same button as the one shown in the <a
|
|
href="@@audio-track-controls">Editor's track header</a>, and
|
|
behaves exactly the same way (<kbd
|
|
class="mouse">Left</kbd>-clicking to show the playlist menu).
|
|
</li>
|
|
<li>
|
|
A <kbd>Track Name</kbd> label, displaying the track's name.<kbd
|
|
class="mouse">Double</kbd>-clicking allows to edit (rename) the
|
|
track.
|
|
</li>
|
|
<li>
|
|
Two <kbd>In</kbd> and <kbd>Disk</kbd> buttons allowing to set this
|
|
particular track's monitoring option, as described above.
|
|
</li>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<em>N</em> level meters showing the input level of the track, as in
|
|
the <a href="@@audio-track-controls">Editor's track header</a>,
|
|
<em>N</em> being the number of input channels of the track.
|
|
</li>
|
|
<li>
|
|
A <kbd style="background:yellow;"><em>n</em></kbd> numbered
|
|
button, using the <a href="@@track-color">track's color</a> as
|
|
background color. Numbering can be useful when using OSC, a MIDI
|
|
controller, or when recording multiple performances at once.
|
|
</li>
|
|
<li>
|
|
An overview of the track's content, with solid blocks representing
|
|
regions. The region's color is the track color, except while
|
|
recording where the recorded regions are displayed in red.
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Like in the Editor or Mixer, a <a
|
|
href="@@adding-tracks-busses-and-vcas">new track, bus or VCA</a> can
|
|
be created by either <kbd class="mouse">double</kbd> or <kbd
|
|
class="mouse">right</kbd>-clicking on an empty place in the track
|
|
list.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<h3>The Global Input Panel</h3>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
This panel lists all the audio and MIDI system inputs.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<figure>
|
|
<img alt="An audio input" src="/images/recorder_input-panel.png">
|
|
<figcaption>
|
|
An audio input
|
|
</figcaption>
|
|
</figure>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
The inputs are displayed either vertically or horizontally based on the
|
|
<a href="@@preferences#preferences-appearance-recorder">Preferences</a>.
|
|
</p>
|
|
<p>
|
|
If an input is used by a track that is armed for recording, it sports
|
|
a red frame.
|
|
</p>
|
|
<p>
|
|
The controls on each input are:
|
|
</p>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
a <kbd>(1)</kbd> button indicating how many tracks are fed by this
|
|
input. Clicking this button will show only those tracks.
|
|
</li>
|
|
<li>
|
|
a <kbd>+</kbd> button, allowing to create a track that will be
|
|
automatically connected to this input. The type of track (MIDI or
|
|
aurio) depends on the input type.
|
|
</li>
|
|
<li>
|
|
a <kbd>PFL</kbd> button, or <em>Pre-Fader Listen</em>, active only
|
|
if <kbd class="option">Use monitor section in this session</kbd> is
|
|
checked in the <a
|
|
href="@@session-properties#properties-monitoring">Session
|
|
Properties</a>. When active, sends the soloed signal to the <a
|
|
href="@@monitor-section">Monitor</a>.
|
|
</li>
|
|
<li>
|
|
a <kbd>Input's Name</kbd> button. Inputs can be named or renamed at
|
|
will, to ease the recognition of e.g. one microphone in a
|
|
multi-track recording, like a multi-instrumentalist performance, by
|
|
clicking the button. Ardour stores this name for the device, so any
|
|
later session using this input will show this label.
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
The right hand side of the input depends on the kind of input, either
|
|
audio or MIDI. For an audio track:
|
|
</p>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
a live level-meter for this input that shows the current level of
|
|
the audio signal. A green line marks the <em>Peak Hold</em>, i.e.
|
|
the maximum level reached on this input.
|
|
</li>
|
|
<li>
|
|
a continuous waveform, showing the input state during the last 5 seconds.
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul><p>
|
|
For an MIDI track:
|
|
</p>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
a channel indicator, the channel numbers lighting up as events come
|
|
in to show channel activity.
|
|
</li>
|
|
<li>
|
|
a MIDI monitor, showing the last four MIDI events.
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|