Ardour (software)

{{Infobox software

| name = Ardour

| logo = Ardour-icon.png

| screenshot = File:Ardour 6.7 Recorder Editor Mixer.png

| caption = Screenshot of Ardour 6.7

| author = Paul Davis

| developer = David Robillard, Robin Gareus, Nick Mainsbridge, Colin Fletcher, Ben Loftis, Tim Mayberry.

| released = {{Start date and age|2005|9|23|df=yes}}

| latest release version = {{wikidata|property|edit|reference|P348}}

| latest release date = {{start date and age|{{wikidata|qualifier|P348|P577}}}}

| latest preview version =

| latest preview date =

| programming_language = C++ (GTK 2)

| operating_system = FreeBSD, Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows

| language = English

| genre = Digital audio workstation

| license = GPL-2.0-or-later

| website = {{Official URL}}

}}

Ardour is a free and open-source digital audio workstation and hard disk recorder that runs on Linux, macOS, FreeBSD and Microsoft Windows. Its primary author is Paul Davis, who is also responsible for the JACK Audio Connection Kit. Released under the GNU General Public License,{{Cite web |url=https://ardour.org/copying.html |title=Ardour is licensed under the GNU Public License v2 |access-date=2019-03-06 |archive-date=2020-02-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200216174123/https://ardour.org/copying.html |url-status=live }} it is intended to be suitable for professional use.{{Cite web |url=https://dl.acm.org/doi/fullHtml/10.5555/1053490.1053494 |title=Introducing Ardour |author=Dave Phillips |access-date=2024-07-06 |archive-date=2024-07-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240706142950/https://dl.acm.org/doi/fullHtml/10.5555/1053490.1053494 |url-status=live }}

Features

= Recording =

Ardour's recording abilities are limited by only the hardware it is run on; there are no built-in limits on the number of tracks the user can record to. When recording on top of existing media, it can perform latency compensation, positioning recorded material where it was intended to be when recording it. Monitoring options include self-monitoring, external hardware support (dependent on sound card support), and specialized hardware support (e.g. JACK Audio Connection Kit). Self-monitoring makes it possible to apply plug-in effects while recording. Using the JACK audio, Ardour can record concurrently from both the audio card and compatible software.{{cite web|url=https://prokoudine.github.io/ardour-tutorial/en/getting-started/starting-ardour/|title=Starting Ardour :: Ardour Tutorial}}

= Mixing =

Ardour supports an arbitrary number of tracks and buses through an "anything to anywhere" routing system. All gain, panning and plug-in parameters can be automated. All sample data is mixed and maintained internally in 32-bit floating point format.{{cite web|url=http://www.macworld.co.uk/review/audio-music/ardour-review-3297941/|title=Ardour review|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200216174136/https://www.macworld.co.uk/review/audio-music/ardour-review-3297941/|archive-date=2020-02-16|url-status=dead}}

= Editing =

Ardour supports dragging, trimming, splitting and time-stretching recorded regions with sample-level resolution, and supports layer regions. It includes a crossfade editor and beat detection, unlimited undo/redo, and a "snapshot" feature for saving the current state of a session to a file.{{cite web|url=https://manual.ardour.org/working-with-sessions/snapshots/|title=The Ardour Manual - Snapshots|access-date=2025-01-06|archive-date=2024-06-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240603062337/https://manual.ardour.org/working-with-sessions/snapshots/|url-status=live}}

= Mastering =

Ardour can be used as an audio mastering environment. Its integration with the JACK Audio Connection Kit makes it possible to use mastering tools such as JAMin. Its mixer's output can be sent to third-party audio processing software for processing and/or recording. It can also export TOC and CUE files for creating audio CDs.{{cite web|url=https://manual.ardour.org/exporting/edit-export-format-profile/#create-toc-cue-chapter-mark-file|title=The Ardour Manual - Export Format Profiles|access-date=2025-01-06|archive-date=2024-11-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241114160425/https://manual.ardour.org/exporting/edit-export-format-profile/#create-toc-cue-chapter-mark-file|url-status=live}}

Compatibility

Ardour attempts to adhere to industry standards, such as SMPTE/MTC, Broadcast Wave Format, MIDI Machine Control and XML.{{cite web|url=https://manual.ardour.org/preferences-and-session-properties/preferences-dialog/|title=The Ardour Manual - Preferences|access-date=2025-01-06|archive-date=2025-01-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250116084728/https://manual.ardour.org/preferences-and-session-properties/preferences-dialog/|url-status=live}}

It has been tested on Linux, x86-64, x86, PowerPC and ARM (for at least version 3) architectures; Solaris, macOS on Intel and PowerPC, Windows on Intel architectures and FreeBSD. It takes advantage of all of these systems' multiprocessor, multicore SMP and real-time features.{{cite web|url=https://manual.ardour.org/lua-scripting/#Overview|title=The Ardour Manual - Lua Scripting}}

Pre-built binaries of Ardour are available for purchase for Linux, macOS and Windows.{{cite web|url=https://community.ardour.org/download|title=Ardour Downloads|date=3 November 2023 }} It is also possible to build Ardour yourself for free from the freely available source code.{{cite web|url=https://community.ardour.org/download|title=Ardour Downloads|date=3 November 2023 }}

= Plug-ins =

Ardour relies on plug-ins for many features, from audio effects processing to dynamic control. It supports the following plugin format and platform combinations:{{cite web|url=https://github.com/Ardour/ardour/blob/master/libs/ardour/ardour/plugin_types.h#L24|title=plugin_types.h|website=GitHub }} LV2 on Linux, FreeBSD, macOS and Windows; Audio Units on macOS; Steinberg's VST2 on Linux, macOS and Windows; LADSPA on Linux, FreeBSD, macOS and Windows. It is theoretically possible to use plugins created for Windows in the VST2 format on Linux with the help of Wine, but the project team does not recommend it.{{cite web|url=https://manual.ardour.org/working-with-plugins/windows-vst-support/|title=Using Windows VST Plugins on Linux|access-date=2020-10-11|archive-date=2021-01-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210111101222/https://manual.ardour.org/working-with-plugins/windows-vst-support/|url-status=dead}}

Since version 6.5, it also supports VST3 plugins on all supported platforms.{{cite web|url=https://discourse.ardour.org/t/ardour-6-5-is-released/105023|title=Ardour 6.5 release notes|date=23 November 2020|access-date=15 January 2021|archive-date=21 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121054853/https://discourse.ardour.org/t/ardour-6-5-is-released/105023|url-status=live}} Unlike most modern 64-bit DAW's, Ardour does not run 32bit VST's natively.{{cite web | url=https://discourse.ardour.org/t/32-bit-vst-plugins-are-not-recognised-on-a-64-bit-windows-build-of-ardour-6-2/104469 | title=32 bit VST plugins are not recognised on a 64 bit Windows build of Ardour 6.2 | date=25 July 2020 | access-date=24 July 2022 | archive-date=24 July 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220724105449/https://discourse.ardour.org/t/32-bit-vst-plugins-are-not-recognised-on-a-64-bit-windows-build-of-ardour-6-2/104469 | url-status=live }}

= Import and export =

Ardour can import audio clips into sessions from many common audio file formats, including WAV, FLAC, Vorbis, AIFF, CAF, W64, BWF and MP3; SMF files are supported for MIDI import.{{cite web|url=https://manual.ardour.org/adding-pre-existing-material/supported-file-formats/|title=Ardour Manual - Importing - Supported File Formats|date=3 November 2023 }}

Ardour can export whole sessions or parts of sessions, and import audio clips into sessions,{{cite web|url=https://manual.ardour.org/adding-pre-existing-material/import-dialog/|title=The Ardour Manual - Import Dialog|access-date=2025-01-06|archive-date=2024-11-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241114123547/https://manual.ardour.org/adding-pre-existing-material/import-dialog/|url-status=live}} using its built-in audio file database manager, or directly from an ordinary file browser.{{cite web|url=https://prokoudine.github.io/ardour-tutorial/en/getting-started/importing-audio-and-midi/#importing-directly-to-a-track|title=Importing audio and MIDI :: Ardour Tutorial|access-date=2025-01-06|archive-date=2025-02-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250207114158/https://prokoudine.github.io/ardour-tutorial/en/getting-started/importing-audio-and-midi/#importing-directly-to-a-track|url-status=live}}

Supporting companies and future

The SAE Institute provided corporate support for Ardour until February 2009, an initiative for providing a more integrated experience on Mac OS X and the development of a simpler version for students and others new to audio processing.{{cite web|url=https://discourse.ardour.org/t/sae-institute-sponsors-ardour-open-source-daw-project/78215|title=SAE Institute sponsors Ardour open source DAW project|access-date=2025-01-06|archive-date=2025-01-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250126063627/https://discourse.ardour.org/t/sae-institute-sponsors-ardour-open-source-daw-project/78215|url-status=live}}

Solid State Logic employed Paul Davis to work full-time on Ardour during the development of version 2, until the end of 2006.{{cite web|url=https://discourse.ardour.org/t/solid-state-logic-announces-support-for-the-ardour-project/78164|title=Solid State Logic announces support for the Ardour project|date=6 October 2006|access-date=6 January 2025|archive-date=23 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220523102607/https://discourse.ardour.org/t/solid-state-logic-announces-support-for-the-ardour-project/78164|url-status=live}}

Harrison Audio has supported the Ardour project since early 2005. Harrison's Mixbus DAW, LiveTrax{{citation needed|date=March 2025}} front-of-house multi-track recorder, and their destructive film dubber, the Xdubber, are based on Ardour. Mixbus extends Ardour to add Harrison's own proprietary DSP and a more console-like workflow. The Xdubber was a customizable platform for enterprise-class digital audio workstation (DAW) users.{{cite web|url=https://forum.harrisonconsoles.com/thread-1628-post-10868.html#pid10868|title=Mixbus support forum|date=18 September 2015}}

Waves Audio privately supported Ardour development in 2009.{{cite web|url=https://discourse.ardour.org/t/development-update-whats-going-on-with-ardour/110168|title=Development update - what's going on with Ardour|date=20 April 2024|access-date=6 January 2025|archive-date=15 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250115093445/https://discourse.ardour.org/t/development-update-whats-going-on-with-ardour/110168|url-status=live}} It also developed the Waves Track Live software{{cite web|url=https://www.waves.com/mixers-racks/tracks-live#presenting-tracks-live|title=Introducing Waves Tracks Live}} in collaboration with Ardour developers,{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-tools-expert.com/home-page/2015/3/18/waves-tracks-live-review|title=Waves Tracks Live Review|date=15 March 2015 }} with most of the source code changes becoming part of Ardour's codebase.

References

Articles

{{cite web|last=Hinkle-Turner|first=Elizabeth|title=Ardour et al., or Free and Easy Laptop Pro Audio: An Essay Perspective from a desperate working mother composer|url=http://cec.sonus.ca/econtact/11_3/hinkle_turner_ardour.html|work=eContact! 11.3 — Open Source for Audio Application|date=September 2009|publisher=Canadian Electroacoustic Community}}
{{cite web|last=Nettingsmeier|first=Jörn|title=Ardour and Ambisonics: A FLOSS approach to the next generation of sound spatialisation|url=http://cec.sonus.ca/econtact/11_3/nettingsmeier_ambisonics.html|work=eContact! 11.3 - Jörn Nettingsmeier - Ardour and Ambisonics|date=September 2009|publisher=Canadian Electroacoustic Community}}
{{cite thesis |last=Gareus|first=Robin|title=The Ardour DAW - Latency Compensation and Anywhere-to-Anywhere Signal Routing Systems|url=http://www.theses.fr/2017PA080116|work=PhD Thesis|date=December 2017|publisher=Université Paris 8|type=These de doctorat }}