is there a browser section for Ardour as it is in most DAW’s? by example Mix section, track/playlist section and browser for auditioning wav or midi file. Import is not what I’m looking for because it doesn’t allow me to play a drum loop in the track and audition other instruments against it while it plays. I hope I’m not really that dumb that I missed it, but hey you never know. thanks in advance.
Ardour isn’t currently designed for that kind of workflow. On Linux, you will need to use Bitwig or LMMS. On other platforms, tools like Bitwig, Live, Fruity Loops Studio etc. That may change in the future, but at present, Ardour still targets a workflow that primarily consists of recording musicians performing on instruments. People are doing “in the box” composition on it, but it frankly isn’t well designed for that at this time.
There are ways to get roughly the kind of behavior you’re thinking of, but they are non-obvious, rather hacky and not smoothly integrated, because as mentioned this isn’t really part of the workflow the program has been designed around.
Having used many DAW’s for more than 15 years, I personally like them to be as agnostic as possible when it comes to style of music created.
This is not something I see happening in the DAW industry, as most ship with huge libraries, auto-generators, loops etc. This directly influences the style of music created with them.
What I like about Ardour is its remarkably uncluttered interface- and large, spacious tracking area, which gets out of the way of the creative process.
I feel that there should be a way to integrate features that are able to better empower creative ‘in the box’ composition, but at the same time not divert Ardour from its current direction, and allow users to find the voice of the material being created- whatever that is. (I hope that doesn’t sound like a contradiction.)
If I understand correctly, that’s exactly the direction where Ardour is supposed to go. A tiny bit more suited towards « in the box » music and Ableton-like composition, but not betraying its roots. Not short-term though, currently more core foundational work is ongoing.