PART II — USER INTERFACE & DAILY OPERATION
Chapter 4 — Main Window Architecture
The Workspace Philosophy
The Qtractor interface revolves around a single principle:
everything eventually exists somewhere on the timeline.
Whether recording audio, programming MIDI, arranging a song, mixing stems, or exporting a final master, all operations ultimately relate to a position in time.
The interface therefore prioritizes visibility of:
- timeline position
- track organization
- clip placement
- transport status
- signal routing
Unlike DAWs that separate composition, mixing, and editing into radically different workspaces, Qtractor keeps most production activities inside a unified session view.
Main Window Overview
The main window consists of several major regions:
+--------------------------------------------------+
| Menu Bar |
+--------------------------------------------------+
| Toolbars / Transport Controls |
+--------------------------------------------------+
| Timeline Ruler |
+--------------------------------------------------+
| Track List | Track Timeline Area |
| | |
| | |
| | |
+--------------------------------------------------+
| Status Bar |
+--------------------------------------------------+
Optional panels may appear around the workspace:
- Files
- Mixer
- Connections
- Messages
- Markers
- Tempo maps
- Patchbay
The exact arrangement depends upon workspace preferences.
Menu Bar
The menu bar provides access to all functionality.
Important menus include:
File
Session operations:
- New
- Open
- Save
- Save As
- Import
- Export
Edit
Timeline editing operations:
- Cut
- Copy
- Paste
- Delete
- Select
- Split
- Merge
Track
Track creation and management.
Examples:
- Add Track
- Remove Track
- Duplicate Track
- Move Track
View
Visibility and workspace layout.
Examples:
- Mixer
- Files
- Connections
- Markers
- Toolbars
Transport
Playback control.
Examples:
- Play
- Stop
- Record
- Loop
- Locate
Clip
Clip-level editing.
Examples:
- Normalize
- Split
- Merge
- Properties
Track
Track-specific operations.
Plugins
Plugin management.
Options
Session behavior and editing preferences.
Toolbars
Toolbars expose frequently used functions.
Common controls include:
- New Session
- Open Session
- Save Session
- Undo
- Redo
as well as transport controls.
Toolbars may be shown or hidden independently.
Large monitors often benefit from expanded toolbars.
Smaller displays often benefit from a minimal layout.
Transport Section
Transport controls govern movement through the timeline.
The transport area typically contains:
- Play
- Stop
- Record
- Rewind
- Fast Forward
- Loop Toggle
and position indicators.
Playhead Position
The playhead represents the current time location.
Everything references this location:
- playback
- recording
- insertion
- paste operations
Many editing actions occur at the playhead.
Developing awareness of playhead position becomes one of the most important editing habits.
Timeline Ruler
The ruler forms the backbone of the session.
It displays either:
Time
00:00:00
00:01:00
00:02:00
or
Musical Time
1|1|000
2|1|000
3|1|000
depending upon project requirements.
Track List
The left side contains track headers.
Each track header contains:
- Name
- Mute
- Solo
- Record
- Monitor
- Input Assignment
- Output Assignment
Track headers control entire tracks rather than individual clips.
This distinction becomes important during editing.
Track Timeline Area
The largest region of the screen contains clips.
Audio clips appear as waveforms.
MIDI clips appear as blocks.
This area supports:
- selection
- movement
- trimming
- splitting
- arranging
Most production work occurs here.
Files Panel
One of the most important panels in Qtractor.
Many beginners overlook it.
The Files panel acts as a project asset manager.
It contains references to:
Audio Files
Examples:
- vocals.wav
- guitar.wav
- ambience.wav
MIDI Files
Examples:
- drums.mid
- strings.mid
The Files panel allows rapid insertion of assets into the session.
It also provides visibility into project resources.
Mixer Window
The mixer presents tracks as channel strips.
The mixer emphasizes:
- levels
- panning
- sends
- plugins
while the timeline emphasizes arrangement.
Both views represent the same session from different perspectives.
Status Bar
The status bar communicates:
- current operation
- selection information
- cursor position
- editing context
Important messages often appear here before becoming visible elsewhere.
Chapter 5 — Navigation & Timeline Control
Moving Through Time
Efficient navigation becomes increasingly important as projects grow.
Small projects may contain:
- several tracks
- a few minutes of audio
Large projects may contain:
- dozens of tracks
- hundreds of clips
- multiple movements
Without effective navigation, editing speed collapses.
The Playhead
The playhead represents the current position.
Clicking inside the ruler typically relocates it.
Playback begins from the playhead.
Paste operations frequently occur at the playhead.
Recording often begins at the playhead.
Understanding where the playhead sits prevents countless editing mistakes.
Locating Positions
Several methods exist:
Direct Click
Fastest method.
Click the ruler.
Playhead jumps immediately.
Transport Controls
Move sequentially.
Useful during playback.
Marker Navigation
Jump between important positions.
Often the fastest approach in large projects.
Zooming
Two dimensions exist:
Horizontal Zoom
Controls time visibility.
Useful for:
- detailed editing
- waveform inspection
- precision cuts
Vertical Zoom
Controls track visibility.
Useful for:
- large track counts
- waveform inspection
- MIDI editing
Editing efficiency depends heavily on selecting the appropriate zoom level.
Markers
Markers identify important locations.
Examples:
- Intro
- Verse
- Chorus
- Bridge
- Solo
- Outro
Markers transform navigation from time-based thinking into structure-based thinking.
Creating Markers
Common methods include:
- Marker menu commands
- Context menu operations
- Dedicated marker panels
A marker is created at the current playhead location.
Naming Markers
Meaningful names provide substantial benefits.
Good:
Verse 1
Poor:
Marker 17
Large sessions often contain dozens of markers.
Meaningful naming prevents confusion.
Removing Markers
Markers may be removed through:
- Marker panel
- Context menu
- Marker editing dialog
Removing a marker affects navigation only.
Media remains unchanged.
Locators
Locators define regions.
Two locator points exist:
Left Locator
Region start.
Right Locator
Region end.
Together they define:
|<------Region------>|
Practical Uses of Locators
Loop Playback
Repeated playback of a section.
Useful for:
- mixing
- practicing
- editing
Punch Recording
Record only inside a region.
Export Regions
Render selected sections.
Focused Editing
Concentrate on a specific passage.
Preventing Endless Playback Beyond the Song
One common annoyance occurs when playback continues far beyond meaningful content.
The transport proceeds through empty space.
This wastes time and disrupts workflow.
Several approaches solve this.
Method 1 — Loop Region
Place locators around the song.
Enable looping.
Playback returns automatically.
Method 2 — Session-End Marker
Place a clearly named marker:
END
at the final musical event.
Navigation remains predictable.
Method 3 — Export-Oriented Locators
Maintain permanent start and end locators matching the intended song length.
Many engineers adopt this as standard practice.
Timeline Selection
Selections determine what editing commands affect.
Selection context is one of the most important concepts in Qtractor.
Chapter 6 Part 1 — Editing Fundamentals, Selections, Clips, and Everyday Audio Operations
Understanding What Actually Gets Edited
One of the most common sources of confusion in Qtractor is determining what exactly is being edited at any given moment.
A session contains several different kinds of objects:
Session
├── Tracks
│ ├── Clips
│ ├── Plugins
│ └── Automation
└── Busses
Most editing operations occur on one of three levels:
- Track level
- Clip level
- Time-range (region) level
Understanding which level is currently active determines what happens when moving, deleting, copying, trimming, or processing material.
Understanding Tracks
A track is a container.
A track itself does not contain audio data.
Instead, it provides:
- recording destination
- playback lane
- plugin chain
- mixer controls
- routing information
- automation
For example:
Vocal Track
├── Clip 1
├── Clip 2
├── Compressor
├── EQ
└── Volume Automation
The track acts like a channel strip combined with a timeline lane.
What Happens When A Track Is Selected
A selected track becomes the current target for track-level operations.
Typical operations include:
- renaming
- deleting
- duplicating
- changing routing
- assigning plugins
- enabling recording
Track selection does not automatically select clips.
Visual Clues For Track Selection
A selected track usually displays:
- highlighted track header
- highlighted track name area
- visual emphasis compared to other tracks
The exact appearance varies slightly depending upon theme.
The easiest indicator is usually the highlighted track header on the left side.
Why Select A Track?
Track selection is useful when working with:
Routing
Changing inputs.
Changing outputs.
Changing bus assignments.
Plugin Management
Adding:
- EQ
- Compressor
- Reverb
- Synthesizer
Recording
Arming tracks.
Changing monitoring.
Changing recording behavior.
Automation
Creating automation lanes.
Why Track Selection Is Not Enough For Editing
Suppose a vocal track contains:
Track
├── Verse
├── Chorus
├── Outro
Selecting the track alone does not indicate which clip should move.
Moving requires clip selection.
Understanding Clips
A clip is the actual object placed on the timeline.
A clip references content.
Audio clip:
Verse.wav
MIDI clip:
Notes + Controllers
A clip occupies:
Start Time
Duration
Track Position
A track can contain many clips.
Clip Versus Recording
A clip is not necessarily a recording.
Examples:
Recorded Clip
vocal_take01.wav
Imported Clip
drum_loop.wav
Copied Clip
Multiple clips may reference the same source file.
Verse.wav
Clip A
Clip B
Clip C
Only one actual audio file exists.
Visual Clues For Clip Selection
A selected clip normally displays:
- highlighted border
- highlighted fill
- resize handles
- visual emphasis
Exact appearance depends upon theme.
A selected clip always stands out from surrounding clips.
Single Clip Selection
Click once on the clip.
The clip becomes selected.
Operations now affect:
- that clip
- only that clip
Multiple Clip Selection
Multiple clips may be selected.
Common methods:
Ctrl-click
Add clips one by one.
Drag Selection Box
Draw around clips.
Useful for large arrangements.
Select Entire Region
Select many clips spanning time.
Why Select A Clip?
Clip selection enables:
Moving
Before
| Clip |
After
| Clip |
Copying
Original
| Clip |
Copy
| Clip | | Clip |
Splitting
Before
|----------|
After
|----|----|
Trimming
Before
|----------|
After
|----|
Fading
Fade In
/-------
Fade Out
-------\
Clip Properties
Adjust:
- gain
- pan
- pitch
- stretch
without affecting the track itself.
Clip Selection Versus Track Selection
This distinction is extremely important.
Suppose:
Track A
Clip 1
Clip 2
Track B
Clip 3
Selecting Track A means:
Track A selected
Editing commands target the track.
Selecting Clip 2 means:
Clip 2 selected
Editing commands target Clip 2.
Many accidental edits occur because:
Track intended.
Clip selected.
or
Clip intended.
Track selected.
Understanding Regions
A region is a time selection.
Not a clip.
Not a track.
A region defines:
Start Time
End Time
Example:
00:10
to
00:20
Regions are useful for:
- copying song sections
- deleting sections
- loop playback
- focused editing
Recording Audio
Preparing A Track For Recording
The normal workflow:
Step 1
Create an audio track.
Step 2
Assign input.
Example:
Input 1
from interface.
Step 3
Arm recording.
Record button becomes active.
Step 4
Enable monitoring if required.
Step 5
Start recording.
Mono Versus Stereo Recording
Many beginners accidentally record stereo when mono is desired.
Mono Recording
Typical sources:
- microphone
- guitar
- bass
Single channel:
Input 1
Result:
Mono Clip
Smaller file.
Correct source representation.
Stereo Recording
Typical sources:
- keyboards
- stereo synths
- stereo mixers
Two channels:
Input 1 + Input 2
Result:
Stereo Clip
Why Mono Often Makes More Sense
A vocal microphone is inherently mono.
Recording:
Left = Voice
Right = Silence
creates waste.
Mono is cleaner.
More flexible.
Consumes less storage.
Recording Levels
Recording quality depends heavily upon level management.
Too Quiet
Problems:
- poor signal-to-noise ratio
- increased noise after amplification
Too Loud
Problems:
- clipping
- distortion
- unrecoverable damage
Good Recording Range
Modern digital recording benefits from leaving headroom.
Peak values roughly around:
-18 dBFS
to
-6 dBFS
are usually comfortable.
There is rarely a need to record near 0 dBFS.
Understanding Clipping
Clipping occurs when signal exceeds maximum digital level.
0 dBFS
The waveform becomes flattened.
Visual Appearance
Healthy waveform:
/\ /\
/ \ / \
Clipped waveform:
____ ____
| |____| |
The tops become squared.
Why Clipping Is Bad
Information is destroyed.
Not merely hidden.
Destroyed.
Once severe clipping occurs, perfect restoration is impossible.
Fixing Clipping During Recording
Best solution:
Prevent it.
Lower:
- interface gain
- microphone preamp gain
- source level
before recording.
Fixing Existing Clipping
Severity determines outcome.
Mild Clipping
May be improved using:
- declippers
- restoration tools
- waveform repair
Usually external tools.
Severe Clipping
Recovery becomes limited.
Often re-recording is preferable.
What If Only One Section Is Too Loud?
Suppose:
Verse = good
Chorus = too loud
Several options exist.
Clip Gain
Split the clip.
Verse | Chorus
Reduce gain only on chorus section.
Automation
Create volume automation.
Reduce problematic region.
Compression
Control peaks.
Useful when clipping occurred after recording but before mixing.
Important Distinction
Reducing gain after recording does NOT repair clipped recording.
It only lowers playback volume.
If clipping already exists inside the recorded waveform, the damage remains.
Clip Gain
Clip gain affects one clip only.
Example:
Clip A = +3 dB
Clip B = -6 dB
Same track.
Different levels.
This differs from track volume.
Track Volume
Track volume affects everything on the track.
Clip A
Clip B
Clip C
all become louder or quieter.
When To Use Clip Gain
Use clip gain when:
One clip differs from surrounding clips.
Example:
Interview
One speaker much louder.
Adjust clip.
Leave track alone.
When To Use Track Volume
Use track volume when:
Entire track is too loud.
Example:
Whole vocal track
needs reduction.
Clip Normalization
Normalization is frequently misunderstood.
What Normalization Does
Normalization scans the clip.
Finds the loudest sample.
Then amplifies entire clip so that sample reaches target level.
Example:
Peak = -12 dBFS
Normalize to:
-1 dBFS
Entire clip gains:
+11 dB
What Normalization Does Not Do
It does not:
- improve performance
- improve tone
- repair clipping
- compress dynamics
Example
Original:
Peak = -20 dBFS
Normalize.
Result:
Peak = -1 dBFS
Everything becomes louder.
Dynamics remain identical.
When Normalization Helps
Useful when:
- recordings are excessively quiet
- preparing spoken-word clips
- imported files have inconsistent levels
When Normalization Should Be Avoided
If mixing is already underway.
If levels are already appropriate.
If clipping exists.
Normalization is not a repair tool.
Everyday Editing Workflow
A typical editing pass often follows this order:
1
Create markers.
2
Select clips.
3
Split mistakes.
4
Delete unwanted sections.
5
Trim boundaries.
6
Create fades.
7
Adjust clip gain.
8
Move clips into position.
9
Verify locator boundaries.
10
Begin mixing.
This workflow forms the foundation of most practical Qtractor editing sessions, regardless of whether the material consists of vocals, instruments, podcasts, audiobooks, or MIDI-based productions.
Chapter 6 Part 2 — Editing Tools & Selection Mechanics
Understanding Selection Context
Qtractor always operates on a current selection.
A command affects:
- selected clips
- selected tracks
- selected regions
depending upon what is currently active.
Most editing mistakes originate from misunderstanding the current selection.
Clip Selection
Selecting a clip activates clip-level editing.
Operations include:
- move
- copy
- cut
- delete
- trim
- split
Only selected clips are affected.
Multiple Clip Selection
Multiple clips may be selected simultaneously.
Useful for:
- moving arrangements
- copying sections
- deleting phrases
Large arrangement edits often rely heavily upon multi-selection.
Track Selection
Selecting a track activates track-level operations.
Examples:
- track deletion
- track duplication
- routing changes
Track selection differs fundamentally from clip selection.
Region Selection
Some operations affect a time range rather than individual clips.
Examples:
- copy a chorus
- remove silence
- duplicate a section
Region-based editing becomes increasingly important in arrangement work.
Moving Clips
The most common editing operation.
A selected clip may be dragged:
- left
- right
- between tracks
depending upon workflow requirements.
Timing Preservation
Careful movement preserves rhythmic alignment.
Grid snapping often assists.
Copying Clips
Copy creates additional references.
Original material remains.
Copied clips may be:
- moved
- edited
- rearranged
without affecting source recordings.
Cutting Clips
Cut performs:
- copy
- remove
The removed material enters the clipboard.
Pasting Clips
Paste inserts clipboard contents.
The insertion point typically follows:
- playhead position
- current selection
depending upon context.
Awareness of insertion location prevents accidental duplication.
Deleting Clips
Delete removes clip references.
Source media remains intact.
This distinction is critical.
Deleting a clip does not delete the recording itself.
Splitting Clips
Splitting divides a clip into independent segments.
Example:
Before:
[-----------]
After:
[-----][-----]
Common uses:
- removing mistakes
- creating edits
- rearranging phrases
Trimming Clips
Trimming adjusts visible boundaries.
The underlying recording remains available.
This permits:
- recovery of trimmed material
- experimentation
- non-destructive editing
Arranging Song Sections
Large edits often occur at the arrangement level.
Examples:
Duplicate Chorus
Select chorus clips.
Copy.
Paste later.
Remove Verse
Select verse region.
Delete.
Close resulting gap if desired.
Extend Outro
Copy final phrase.
Paste repeatedly.
Track Operations
Entire tracks may be:
- renamed
- duplicated
- reordered
- deleted
These operations affect organization rather than media content.
Reordering Tracks
Track order affects:
- visual organization
- mixer organization
- workflow efficiency
Track order does not inherently alter audio timing.
Practical Arrangement Workflow
A common arrangement process:
- Record material.
- Create markers.
- Define song sections.
- Duplicate useful sections.
- Remove weak sections.
- Refine transitions.
- Verify locator boundaries.
Markers and locators dramatically accelerate this process.
Chapter 7 — Workspace Customization
(Continued in Volume 3)
