Ardour 9.7 has been released as the latest bugfix update to the open-source digital audio workstation, following Ardour 9.5. According to the project, version 9.6 was skipped due to issues noticed at the last moment.
The main change is the arrival of the MIDI Tools sidebar in the main Editor, expanding functionality previously added to the pianoroll interfaces. In Ardour 9.7, it can now be used directly from the Editor by enabling the Editor List with Shift+L and selecting MIDI Tools from the drop-down list.
In addition, as part of this change, Ardour removed the older Quantize dialog. Quantization in the inline editor now uses settings from the Quantize section of the MIDI Tools sidebar. The cross cursor for MIDI and automation editing is now available in the inline editor and enabled by default, with an option to disable it in the Appearance and Editor section of Preferences.
Control surface handling has also been reworked, as in Ardour 9.7, supported devices are grouped by vendor, making the list clearer. Moreover, each active surface now has its own Settings button, removing the need to select the protocol before accessing configuration options.
For generic MIDI controllers, Ardour now provides an empty binding map, while Mackie-compatible hardware gets a generic device file. On the UI side, the app now uses natural sorting in more places, so numbered elements appear in a more logical order.
Another addition is the new vertical summary view in the editor. It complements the recently updated horizontal summary pane and is disabled by default. Like the horizontal version, it uses track colors to represent session content and includes a draggable semi-transparent area for vertical navigation. However, it does not resize the view.
The release improves restoration of miscellaneous port connections when switching between audio and MIDI backends or devices. Plus, LTC synchronization has been enhanced as well, with Ardour now continuing recording when LTC sync is lost, or the FPS value changes.
It’s also worth noting that Pianoroll interfaces receive additional polish, including better HiDPI handling for automation lanes and more accurate note-visibility detection during view scaling.
Lastly, the bugfix list includes a crash fix when expanding MIDI tools in an empty pianoroll, MP3 export cleanup, a Windows fix for MP3 re-export after audition, improved logging for failed downloads, fixes for MIDI parameter automation resets on locate, translation fixes in distributed bundles, and PipeWire startup checks for older versions on Linux.
For additional details, see the announcement. Ardour 9.7 is now available on the project’s official website.
