Ardour 9.0 launches Region FX, Pianoroll editing, and Multi Touch support

The open-source cross-platform digital audio workstation Ardour 9.0 has been released with several user requested workflow upgrades, including region based effects, dedicated pianoroll MIDI editing, and expanded touch support. Region FX lets users apply plugins and automation to a specific audio region, with processing applied offline as the region is read from disk to reduce real time load compared to mixer based inserts.

For MIDI work, Ardour 9.0 adds a floating or docked pianoroll window for focused note and automation editing, including overlays for velocity and control change data. The Cue page also gains clip style MIDI editing through the same pianoroll, and cue recording allows capturing audio or MIDI directly into cue slots using either a fixed bar length or an open ended take.

The update also introduces a realtime perceptual analyzer that can overlay spectrum views from multiple tracks or buses. Multi touch is supported on Windows and Linux, with macOS support still under consideration, and additional workflow updates include note brushing, keyboard driven automation editing, and mixer strip import and export. The application bar and panels were reorganized, alongside improvements to session navigation, marker controls, and clip library management.