[Ardour-Dev] Port flagging
Len Ovens
len at ovenwerks.net
Thu Jul 21 08:58:07 PDT 2016
There was some talk on IRC about MIDI and audio port use and workflows. It
got me thinking.
There was the idea that with MIDI it is quite common to have one midi
controller for performance only and want to switch it from track to track
vs. more than one controller (kb plus drum or two kb). I am in the first
group as even though I do have both a kb and drum controller, I have only
one input port.
The thought was that Audio was different and really one would want to use
all audio inputs (not true).
I think it would be nice to have some sort of Ardour setup for both audio
and MIDI that allows the user to tell Ardour which inputs to use for what.
(not for 5.0 any of this)
MIDI:
- this is a performing port
- This is port 0 and channel 4 only. (filtered)
- this is a surface port
- this is the through that shows up automatically that I don't use ever.
The third and forth two should not ever get auto connected to a midi track
input.
The first should should show up in Ardours "Inputs" even if it is not
tagged as HW or Terminal. The second should show up in surface connection
dialogs even if it is not tagged HW/Terminal as well.
Audio:
- System input that is in use
- System input that goes through zita_a2j
- system input that is not in use
The first two should show up in Inputs. In fact, I feel any port (output
of a synth or even pulse for example) should be able to be designated as
an input. (without having to search through other)
The second should not be in other. (these are those horrible USB mics)
The third should be able to be hidden or moved to other. (ice1712 inputs
ports that are not accessable in a D44/66 for example or adat/spdif
channels provided that the user has no AI to plug in) Think black list.
In both cases it would also be nice to not just turn auto connect off, but
to be able to designate a Master input that gets auto connected to any new
track. Lots of people have one nice Mic they use for "everything" even if
they have two or more inputs. This is in addition to a Master midi KB. An
extra button in track creation for use master input would allow someone
who is micing drums to create 8 tracks with all different inputs or three
vocal tracks all with the master easily. (Having start with input_3 would
be a bonus)
A midi filter that can take one input and provide two kinds of ports
(surface and performance similar to push2 stuff) is another use for this
stuff.
Some of this stuff may not be possible and that is ok. Also this is my
personal opinion. I have been wrong enough times already to have someone
say "no thats wrong".
--
Len Ovens
www.ovenwerks.net
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