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--- doc:creating_a_mixdown [2025/07/10 18:40]
tedfelix [JACK Transport Sync]
+++ doc:creating_a_mixdown [2025/07/14 16:20] (current)
tedfelix
@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 To make another recording, you will need to run jack_capture again.
-If you need to include an external physical MIDI synthesizer (e.g. a Yamaha DX-7) in your mix, you will need to connect the output of the synthesizer to an audio interface, then include that input in the mixdown.  qjackctl's graph is probably the easiest way to patch the input to the system outputs.  But you will likely want to have more control over the mix.  In that case you'll probably want to send everything to a DAW like Ardour and do a final mixdown from there.
+If you need to also record external physical MIDI synths (e.g. a Yamaha DX-7) see the "[[doc:creating_a_mixdown#Physical Synths|Physical Synths]]" section below.
 ===== Ardour 8.12 =====
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 In Ardour go to Session > Add Track... to create an audio track.  Give it the name "rg mix" and set the Configuration to Stereo.  Click "Add and Close".
-At this point the Ardour "audio_in" ports will appear for the "rg mix" track, "rg mix/audio_in 1" and "rg mix/audio_in 2".  Use qjackctl to patch Rosegarden's master outs to those ins, and fluidsynth's outs to those ins as well.  Your qjackctl Graph should look something like this:
+At this point the Ardour "audio_in" ports will appear for the "rg mix" track, "rg mix/audio_in 1" and "rg mix/audio_in 2".  Use qjackctl to patch Rosegarden's master outs to those ins, and fluidsynth's outs to those ins as well.  Press qjackctl's Graph button to see the Graph.  (If you do not see a Graph button, see "[[doc:creating_a_mixdown#qjackctl Graph Button|qjackctl Graph Button]]
+" below.)  Your qjackctl Graph should look something like this:
 {{:doc:mix-ardour.png|}}
@@ Line 44: / Line 45: @@
 You can also create multiple audio tracks in Ardour and patch each synth along with Rosegarden to individual Ardour tracks.  This is the preferred approach as it will let you do further tweaks to the final mix within Ardour.
+If you need to also record external physical MIDI synths (e.g. a Yamaha DX-7) see the "[[doc:creating_a_mixdown#Physical Synths|Physical Synths]]" section below.
 ==== JACK Transport Sync ===
@@ Line 58: / Line 61: @@
 If you find yourself configuring Ardour the same way over and over, check out Ardour's [[https://manual.ardour.org/working-with-sessions/session-templates/|Session Templates]] feature.  It will save you some time.
 ===== Bounce =====
-You can do a mixdown to an audio track within Rosegarden.  This is commonly called a "bounce".  To set this up, use the qjackctl Graph to patch all the outputs back into Rosegarden's "record in".  Like this:
+You can do a mixdown to an audio track within Rosegarden.  This is commonly called a "bounce".  To set this up, press the "Graph" button in qjackctl and use the graph to patch all the outputs back into Rosegarden's "record in".  Like this:
 {{:doc:mix-bounce.png|}}
+(If you do not see a "Graph" button in qjackctl, see "[[doc:creating_a_mixdown#qjackctl Graph Button|qjackctl Graph Button]]" below.)
 **IMPORTANT:** To avoid speaker damage, //**DO NOT**// connect the record monitor outs back around to the record ins.
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 It's possible to do a mixdown with audacity but it is a bit awkward.  Audacity does not offer a fixed set of JACK inputs that you can connect to.  Instead, Audacity creates a "PortAudio" device and connects it to a single port you specify when you start recording and it disconnects from that port and destroys the "PortAudio" device when you stop the recording.
-Make sure you have qjackctl up because we need to use its Graph to make all the connections.  Launch the graph by pressing the "Graph" button.
+Make sure you have qjackctl up because we need to use its Graph to make all the connections.  Launch the graph by pressing the "Graph" button.  (If you do not see a "Graph" button in qjackctl, see "[[doc:creating_a_mixdown#qjackctl Graph Button|qjackctl Graph Button]]" below.)
 Launch Audacity and go to Audio Setup (or Edit > Preferences > Audio Settings) and select JACK for the "Host".  Under Recording Device, select one of the apps you want to record.  You can only select one here, so pick one.  We'll connect all the others in a moment.  If you are using audio tracks or synth plugins, select rosegarden.  If you aren't, select one of your synth apps, e.g. fluidsynth or yoshimi.
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 While Rosegarden does offer an "Export WAV File" feature, it is currently (June 2025) limited to recording audio and synth plugin tracks only.  If that's all you are using, give it a try.  If parts of the mix are missing, then try jack_capture.
+===== Physical Synths =====
+If you need to include an external physical MIDI synthesizer (e.g. a Yamaha DX-7) in your mix, you will need to connect the audio output of the synthesizer to an audio interface, then include that input in the mixdown.  qjackctl's Graph is probably the easiest way to patch the input to your preferred recording app.  But you will likely want to have more control over the mix.  In that case you'll probably want to send everything to a DAW like Ardour and do a final mixdown from there.
+When working with external synths, make sure Rosegarden's "sync out" port isn't connected to them.  It is usually harmless, but some synths cannot handle it.
+===== qjackctl Graph Button =====
+If you cannot see qjackctl's Graph button, it might instead be a "Connect" button.
+{{:doc:mix-qjackctl-connect.png|}}
+qjackctl offers two UIs for making connections.  You can switch between them via the settings: Setup... > Misc > Replace Connections with Graph button.  You can also quickly launch either of them by right-clicking on the Graph or Connect button and selecting Graph or Connections.
+When working with qjackctl's Connections dialog, you will see three tabs: Audio, MIDI, ALSA.  As of July 2025, Rosegarden only supports ALSA MIDI.  Be sure to make MIDI connections in the ALSA tab.  The "MIDI" tab is for JACK MIDI which Rosegarden does not support.