manual/xml/working_with_layers.xml

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   5 ]>
   6
   7 <section id="sn-working-with-layers">
   8         <title>Working with layers</title>
   9         <para>
  10                 It is possible to arrange regions in a playlist (track) so that they overlap
  11                 - one starts before another finishes, for example. Because of this, its
  12                 important that there is a clear and understandable rule for what you will
  13                 hear when playing back these kinds of region arrangements.
  14         </para>
  15
  16         <para>
  17                 Every region in a playlist is assigned to a layer. There can only ever be
  18                 one region on a given layer, although rearranging the playlist (track) may
  19                 change which region is on which layer. At any given point along the
  20                 timeline, you will hear the uppermost region at that point.
  21         </para>
  22
  23         <para>
  24                 Of course, nothing in digital audio is ever quite that simple, and so of
  25                 course there are some complications:
  26         </para>
  27
  28         <section id="layers-crossfades">
  29                 <title> Crossfades </title>
  30                 <para>
  31                         Whenever two regions overlap, there is the potential for a
  32                         <link linkend="sn-working-with-crossfades">crossfade</link> between them.
  33                         If the crossfade is not muted, then you will hear the contents of the
  34                         crossfade during the overlap, not just the uppermost region.
  35                 </para>
  36         </section>
  37
  38         <section id="region-opacity">
  39                 <title> Region Opacity </title>
  40                 <para>
  41                         In a perverse nod to image manipulation programs, Ardour allows you to make
  42                         regions transparent. By default, all regions are created opaque, which
  43                         means that when they are playing, no region below them are audible.
  44                         However, if you change the region to be transparent, the region will be
  45                         audible together with any regions below it. This capability should probably
  46                         not be abused - if you really want to mix sounds together in this way, they
  47                         should probably live in their own tracks. Occasionally though, this can be
  48                         useful trick.
  49                 </para>
  50
  51                 <para>
  52                         To change the opacity of a region, popup the region's editor, accessible by
  53                         context clicking on the region. Then click on the "opaque" button, turning
  54                         it on or off as desired.
  55                 </para>
  56         </section>
  57
  58         <section id="layering-styles">
  59                 <title> Layering Styles </title>
  60                 <para>
  61                         When you are recording new material for a track, its typical to want to new
  62                         material recorded "over" existing material in the track to be what you hear
  63                         on playback. For example, if you overdub part of a guitar solo, you
  64                         normally want the overdub to be audible, not hidden by the old version that
  65                         was already there. By contrast, when editing using
  66                         splitting/trimming/moving of regions to create a particular arrangement
  67                         along the timeline, many people find that they want regions that start
  68                         later on the timeline to be the ones that are audible.
  69                 </para>
  70
  71                 <para>
  72                         To facilitate these two contradictory desires, Ardour features three
  73                         different styles for assigning regions to layers.
  74                 </para>
  75
  76                 <variablelist>
  77                         <title></title>
  78                         <varlistentry>
  79                                 <term>Most recently added regions are higher</term>
  80                                 <listitem>
  81                                         <para>
  82                                                 Use this style when recording/overdubbing new material. Edits of any
  83                                                 kind do not modify the layering.
  84                                         </para>
  85                                 </listitem>
  86                         </varlistentry>
  87
  88                         <varlistentry>
  89                                 <term>Most recently added/moved/trimmed regions are higher</term>
  90                                 <listitem>
  91                                         <para>
  92                                                 Use this style when recording/overdubbing new material, but you want
  93                                                 basic edits to cause regions to rise to the top.
  94                                         </para>
  95                                 </listitem>
  96                         </varlistentry>
  97
  98                         <varlistentry>
  99                                 <term>Later regions are higher</term>
 100                                 <listitem>
 101                                         <para>
 102                                                 Use this style when rearranging and editing regions.
 103                                         </para>
 104                                 </listitem>
 105                         </varlistentry>
 106                 </variablelist>
 107
 108                 <para>
 109                         A new session has the layering style set to "Most recently
 110                         added/moved/trimmed regions are higher". To change the layering style, open
 111                         the <emphasis>options editor</emphasis> and select the "Layers&amp;Fades"
 112                         page. There is an option there to select the style you want. Layering style
 113                         may be changed at any time. The existing layering of all playlists is not
 114                         changed when changing the layering model.
 115                 </para>
 116         </section>
 117
 118         <section id="modifying-layering-by-hand">
 119                 <title> Modifying Layering By Hand </title>
 120                 <para>
 121                         If you want a particular region to be the uppermost when the current
 122                         layering style has put it on a lower layer, context click on the region.
 123                         Select the region from the menu that pops up, and in the submenu that
 124                         appears, choose one of "Move region to lowest layer" or "Move region to
 125                         upper layer". The layering for the playlist will be recalculated to ensure
 126                         that the region is on the layer you chose. Note: these operations only have
 127                         any effect if using one of the "Most recently .." layer models.
 128                 </para>
 129
 130                 <para>
 131                         You can see the precise layer a region is assigned in the popup region
 132                         editor, accessible by context clicking on the region.
 133                 </para>
 134
 135                 <note>
 136                         <para>
 137                                 At one time, Ardour offered more explicit control over the layering,
 138                                 allowing you to move regions up or down to specific layers. This was found
 139                                 to be problematic, confusing, and generally rendered unnecessary by both
 140                                 of the layering styles the program now offers.
 141                         </para>
 142                 </note>
 143         </section>
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