If you want to get your Hydrogen drum tracks into Ardour, one way of doing it is to record the Hydrogen outputs. You can use either the stereo output or the track specific outputs. This example uses a stereo sampled drum kit that is exported into Ardour as mono track(s). This is done by using the left outputs and panning the channels fully to the left.

Recording individual outputs to separate tracks

Ardour inputs are connected to track specific outputs (track_out_1_kick, track_out_2_snare, track_out_8_crash). Each output is recorded on a separate mono track.

Recording several outputs to one track

Ardour input is connected to track specific outputs (track_out_2_snare, track _out_4_snare, track _out_5_snare). Each output is recorded on the same mono track.

Recording master output allowing volume adjustment

Ardour input is connected to master output (out_1). Output is recorded on the same mono track. By using the master output it’s possible to adjust the output volume. You can use solo (s) to export a single track or mute (m) for several.

I was at the point when I wanted to master a recording made with Ardour so I connected the master_outputs from Ardour to the audio mastering interface JAMin. When I had achieved the desired sound I wanted to export it to be the final master. With sound quality in mind I thought… I don’t want to process it further by recording the output then exporting and so on. To keep the quality i wanted to just grab the output from JAMin and record it and get a stereo track. In my mind I recalled Ardour splitting the stereo track into mono files L and R. I started to look if there was some program working as a taperecorder. I thought about Audacity but it won’t offer any inputs with JACK. Finally I decided to route the signal back to Ardour and record it. And as I recalled, when looking in the project/sound folder the recorded stereo track where split. Well no other choice than making an export of the track. I “soloed” the track and made the export. But what about the sound quality, how does all this processing affect it? I brought the issue to IRC. Look at the conversation and your thoughts will be brought into clarity.

Here’s the chatlog from the conversation I had at:

#ardour at irc.freenode.net

<neitcho> I use ardour and passing the signal to Jamin then back to ardour to record it on a stereo track. This track would be my final master. When I go to the project folder and browsing the soundfiles the track are splitted into two files L and R. Is there any way to set it to bee one stereofile instead?

<PipeManMusic> neitcho: Why not export them as a Stereo wav?

<neitcho> than I have to export the maser track and process it once again.

<PipeManMusic> No you can select specific tracks to export.
<PipeManMusic> It’s selectablel in the export dialog.

<neitcho> but is’nt export processing the track?

<PipeManMusic> Whay do you mean by processing?
<PipeManMusic> You would just have to turn off any plugins.

<neitcho> i mean play back and record

<PipeManMusic> Another option would be to use a command line utility to combine the two tracks. or import those into a new project and export them from there.

<neitcho> doing that that severat times I’m not sure about the sound quality

<nick_m> neitcho, with the master fader & track fader @ unity gain (shift-click) there is no processing on export. so once you have recorded, export the session. another way would be to connect jamin as an insert on the master buss.
<nick_m> neitcho, ..and the expor if everything sounds good

<PipeManMusic> There is no loss in quality unless you are transcoding the track.

<neitcho> thanks