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How to Connect a USB Audio Interface to Ardour

Ardour is a free digital audio workstation for Mac OS X and Linux that provides many of the same multitracking and mixing features as professional music production programs like Logic and Pro-Tools, but at a price that anybody can afford. Ardour allows you to record using external music hardware, including any USB audio interface, which serves as a connection port for instruments, microphones and other devices to transfer sound to your computer. In order for your interface to work with Ardour, you will need to set up the software to interact with the device.

Things You'll Need

  • Computer
  • Audio interface installation CD
  • Musical instruments
  • Instrument cables
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Instructions

    • 1

      Connect your interface to your home computer by plugging the attached cable into an available USB port. If the interface includes an installation CD, insert the CD into your computer and click the installer. This installation will place the necessary drivers into your system.

    • 2

      Download the Ardour software if you do not already have it. To install the program, double-click the installer after the download completes. Open the software by clicking the Ardour icon.

    • 3

      Click "Window" in the menu bar at the top of your screen. Select "Session Control" from the drop-down menu.

    • 4

      Click the "Device" tab at the top of the pop-up window.

    • 5

      Click the bubble that appears beside the word "Interface." Select your audio interface from the pop-up list. Click the "X" in the upper left corner to close the window.

    • 6

      Plug your instruments and microphones into your interface using the appropriate audio cables. Press the "Record" button on the Ardour main window to begin recording from your interface to your computer.

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Digital Music

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