[linux-audio-user] Usability vs Intuitability in Ardour

[Iain Duncan]

> ardour was written primarily with capture, not arrangement of existing
> samples in mind (mostly because that's how most good music gets made,
> even today). as it evolves towards the kinds of audio manipulation that
> are centered on pre-existing samples, this is an example of the kind of
> issue we need to address.

Ardour is great but, but the good music records live generalization is 
wrong. I use csound 5 and it allows me to render at a ridiculously high 
sample and control rate if I choose to do so, with scoring accuracy 
beyond any live midi input. So I start with pre-rendered lines that I 
will import in to ardour on a channel by channel basis. I can think of 
tons and tons of situations where in serious music you will start with 
individual lines recorded somewhere else. Remixing, taping of live shows 
on portable multitracks, etc. Right now that is a weak area, I had way 
too much trouble importing simple audio files including a total crash 
when I accidentally clicked a .sfk instead of a .wav. ( had to kill jack 
and ardour ).

> i don't agree that automatic resampling is a desirable goal anyway. i
> agree that it should be an option for the user, but again, if you are
> concerned about audio quality, then applying per-region resampling is
> aburdly expensive. i don't see it harkening back to the old days - i see
> it as an indication that people don't have their sample libraries set up
> to match their studio configuration. switching back and forth between
> SR's is an indication to me that you don't believe in whatever
> configuration you have.

I agree there, the user should choose explicitly what happens in that 
situation.

My biggest beef with aroud is that there are no obvious hot keys, and no 
obvious pull down menu or section for making them. My favourite part 
about Sonar ( IMHO the best user interface for a daw ever ) is how easy 
it is to change how you control the app.

However, these are all meant to improve a fantastic project.
Iain