Ardour, a prominent open-source digital audio workstation (DAW), has recently released a significant update, version 8.8. This update follows closely on the heels of version 8.7, which itself was released just two weeks prior. The developers explain that version 8.7 encountered a couple of major issues that required immediate attention, leading to the rapid release of 8.8 as a hot-fix. However, this rapid patch also included a number of welcome improvements.
The most notable changes since version 8.6, which forms the foundation for both 8.7 and 8.8, include a new ability to reorder tracks and busses by dragging with the mouse in both the editor and mixer views. The rulers have been streamlined to just three: locations, ranges, and arrangements. Initial support for parallelized disk I/O has been added, enabling smoother and faster handling of large audio files. Users now have the option to name new MIDI tracks using the track name from the Standard MIDI File (SMF), streamlining the workflow for importing MIDI data.
Ardour 8.8 also introduces support for MIDI scene markers, allowing for more intricate and efficient project organization. Two new themes have been added – ‘Captain Light’ and an improved ‘Boxy Buttons’ option – offering users more visual customization options. The software now supports querying disk space for drives larger than 16 TB, accommodating the increasing storage capacities of modern systems. A "Clear" operation for ranges has been implemented, which now removes punch and loop ranges for a cleaner and more focused workflow. The "New Session" dialog is now always centered, offering a more consistent and intuitive user experience.
Ardour 8.8 makes a notable change to its interface on Linux systems, renaming "JACK" to "JACK/Pipewire" to reflect the increasingly popular Pipewire audio server. The double-click functionality on the mixer strip name button now allows for quick and easy renaming. Two new Lua scripts have been added, one to select regions under the playhead and another to map DM10-mkII Studio HiHat MIDI messages.
Control surfaces have also received an upgrade in Ardour 8.8. The latest Novation LaunchKey mk4 series is now supported, alongside numerous other improved control surfaces, including enhanced MIDI mappings for the Kong X50, Kurzweil K2700, and Akai MPK mini mk3.
Beyond these key features, Ardour 8.8 boasts a wealth of bug fixes, translation tweaks, and general refinements across macOS, Windows, and Linux systems, ensuring smoother and more efficient operation.
Ardour, as an open-source software, is available for free download from the Ardour website. However, pre-built binaries from the official website require a small one-off or ongoing payment to support the development and maintenance of the software. Alternatively, users can compile the source code themselves, which is also available for free.
For those who prefer a more streamlined installation experience, Ardour is also available on Flathub. Additionally, older versions of Ardour can be found in the package repositories of many Linux distributions. For example, Ubuntu 24.10 offers Ardour 8.6, while Ubuntu 24.04 LTS includes Ardour 8.4.
Source:
0 comments:
Post a Comment