Understanding the mixer window. Contents
Mouse over the relevant part for a brief explanation. Click for more in depth information.

 Strips

On the left hand side are two boxes called Strips and Mix Groups. In the Strips box, the names of the available mixer Strips are displayed. You can toggle these by clicking on them to make space on the mixer gui.

 Ganging or using groups

In the Mix Groups box, the names of the available groups are displayed.

Ganging or locking two or more mixer strips together is possible to do from the Mix Groups menu. Click on Mix Groups on the left side of the window and type in a relevant name. Make sure the group is active by clicking on it until it is blue and has a check mark. To add a mixer strip to the group, click on the button second down from the top of the mixer strip named no group on the route/diskstream you want to link and select the newly created group.

This will link the faders, but not the plugin settings.

note: the group list has two functions at present:

  • controlling group visibility
  • controlling group active/not-active status
Clicking on the left of the groups name controls active/not-active, and is indicated by the check-mark. Visibility of the group's routes/diskstreams is controlled by clicking on the name. These are independent of each other unless you use the options editor to set the making groups invisible deactivates them option.

 Name button

Use this button to rename, activate/deactivate, and delete the mixer strip. Note that diskstreams are not currently deleted so will show in the connections window.

 Groups button

Use this button to add/remove the mixer strips to/from a Mix Group.(see above)

 Input button

Use this button to add/remove/change the input/s of the mixer strips by clicking here. This is depending on whether the mixer strip is a diskstream, a route with a diskstream, or just a route. If it has a diskstream then it will not playback streams from other routes. It will if it is just a route. This is useful for applying FX to multiple outboard streams (vocals, guitars, pianos...) or (in the future) midi. If you want to apply FX to diskstreams then see the explanations for the pre and post fader boxes.

 Polarity button

Inverts the signal, ie. a 180 phase shift. Used when two microphones are canceling each other out.

On many mixing consoles it is named "phase". However Phase shift is time shift; polarity is inversion of the signal (multiplying by -1). It's mathematically similar, and engineers have referred to them as phase problems for a long time, so its logical (if not right) to label the control "phase". However, in keeping with the philosophy of not spreading misinformation, in ardour it's polarity.

 Record and Monitor buttons

Toggle the record and monitor status by clicking here. Affects the editor, mixer and recorder windows.

The record button enables/disables recording capabilities for the route/diskstream. When on it will flash red. The monitor button enables/disables monitoring of the route/diskstream so that you can hear it through the speakers while recording.

 Solo and Mute buttons

Toggle the solo and mute status. Affects the editor and mixer windows.

Enabling the solo button effectively mutes all other routes/diskstreams. If multiple routes/diskstreams are soloed they will be played together. Enabling the mute button silences the route/diskstream which it belongs to.

 Automated Play and Record buttons

Toggle the automation record and playback status. Affects the editor and mixer windows.

Using the automated play and automated record buttons allows to do (among other things) hands free punch in/out. They are intrinsically linked to the locations window. Click here to find out how to do this.

 Pre and Post redirects

These are the two black boxes above and below the fader on the mixer strip. Right clicking in the box will bring up a menu where you can choose from redirects, sends and inserts. To remove an item in the box just shift+click on it.

To use a plugin.

  1. Choose plugin from the menu. The plugins window will popup where you can choose the plugin you would like to use. Click on the plugin and then the add button. Then click on the OK button and the plugin window will close.
  2. Ctrl+click on the plugin name in the mixer to popup the plugin control window.
  3. Adjust the settings and close the window from the titlebar.
To use an insert or send.
  1. Choose insert/send from the menu
  2. Ctrl+click on the insert/send and a connections box will appear.
  3. To insert, add the name of the route/diskstream the insert comes from to the input port and the name of the route/diskstream the insert belongs to to the output port.
  4. To send add the name of the route/diskstream the send belongs to to the input port and the name of the route/diskstream the send comes from to the output port.
  5. Make sure the output for the route/diskstream is set and...
 Faders

Adjust the volume levels here. Shift+click in the number box to set to min. Ctrl+click to set to max.

 Panning control

Use the puck to specify how the signal is panned when using multiple outputs.

 Output button

Use this button to add/remove/change the output/s of the route/diskstream attached to the mixer strip. You can specify hardware pcm channels, other JACK aware programs or depending on whether the mixer strip is a diskstream, a route with a diskstream, or just a route you can direct the output internally. If it has a diskstream then it will not allow connections internally (hint - use a send/insert). It will if it is just a route.

Eventually if you want to hear anything you will need to connect to a hardware pcm AKA "out1, out2".

To set up stereo output you have two options.

Either specify two hardware pcm outputs in the connections window.

  1. Click the button and choose edit.
  2. In the connections window click add to add a port if there isn't one already.
  3. Click on the titlebar of the port and a box will appear for the available connections.
  4. Click the connection you want to use as the output and it will be added to the top of the ports menu.
  5. Repeat this process for every connection you want to add. You can add as many outputs as you want. (To delete an output shift+click).
  6. Click the OK button to close the window.
Or use the Mix groups box to gang two mixer strips together and give them each seperate outputs.

 Notes boxes

Use these boxes for notes. Useful for remembering what you haven't done or needs fixing.



Back to Top    Contents



Document prepared and written by Patrick Shirkey <pshirkey_at_boosthardware.com>
with help from many people on the ardour-devel list. Thanks to everyone who contributes, wittingly or not...