Dawesome

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2 Installing and first launch ​

2-1 Installing ​

There are no Dawesome installers yet. To use Dawesome today you build it from its source code, as described under "Development environment" in the project's README.md.

2-2 First launch ​

When Dawesome starts, it opens one window with the Playlist, Mixer and Pattern Sequencer tabs, and the sidebar open on the samples browser. The window's title bar shows Untitled — Dawesome until you save the project. See Names and functions of parts.

Dawesome plays through your system's default output device at that device's own sample rate. If you hear sound, you don't need to change anything. To choose another device, or to record, set up the audio first (2-3).

2-3 Audio settings ​

To open the audio settings, choose Preferences ▸ Audio Settings…. They open in a tab named Audio.

The Audio tab

  1. Output — The device Dawesome plays through. System default follows your system's choice. A device you chose that is unplugged stays in the list as "name (not connected)".
  2. Buffer size — How much audio the output works on at a time: Device default, or 64, 128, 256, 512 or 1024 frames (the time each takes is shown next to it). Only sizes your device accepts are listed. Smaller buffers mean less delay but more work for the computer. If playback crackles, choose a bigger one.
  3. Input — The device Dawesome records from. System default follows your system's choice.
  4. Input meter — A level bar for each input channel, while the tab is showing. Use it to check that your input is arriving.
  5. Input details — The input's latency and sample rate. When the input can't run at the output's rate, a note says that takes are converted.
  6. Recording offset (ms) — Moves recordings earlier by this many milliseconds, from −1000 to 1000. If recordings land late, raise it by how much. Bluetooth headphones often need 150 to 250. A negative value moves them later.
  7. Playback Status — The output device in use, its sample rate, its buffer and its output latency. If the device refused the buffer size you chose, a note says what it used instead.

Press the key beside Refresh devices to list the devices again, for example after you plug in an interface.

Changes apply as soon as you make them. Switching… shows while the audio restarts.

CAUTION

Changing any audio setting stops any recording in progress and pauses playback.

2-3-1 Sample rate ​

There is no sample-rate setting. Dawesome runs at the output device's default sample rate, shown under Playback Status. To change it, change the device's rate in your system's audio settings (on a Mac, Audio MIDI Setup), then restart Dawesome.

2-3-2 To set up an audio interface ​

  1. Connect the interface and turn its outputs down.
  2. Choose Preferences ▸ Audio Settings….
  3. Choose the interface under Output, and again under Input.
  4. Watch the input meter while you make a sound into the input.
  5. If playback crackles, choose a bigger Buffer size.

CAUTION

Turn your monitors or headphones down before changing the output device. The new device may play at a different level.

2-4 Preferences ​

To open the preferences, choose Dawesome ▸ Preferences… (⌘, (Ctrl+,)) or Preferences ▸ Appearance…. Both open the Preferences tab. Changes apply as you make them.

The Preferences tab

  1. Appearance — System follows your system's light or dark mode. Light and Dark keep Dawesome in one mode.
  2. Light theme — The colours used in light mode. Stock themes: Slate Light (default) and Charcoal Light.
  3. Dark theme — The colours used in dark mode. Stock themes: Charcoal (default) and Slate Dark. You can choose both themes ahead of time, whichever mode is in use.

For more about themes, see Themes.

Controls ​

Choose Preferences ▸ Controls… to open the Controls tab.

  1. Plugins open — Where a plugin's own interface opens: In a window of their own (default) or In a tab. See Instruments and effects.
  2. Command bar — Off by default. When it's on, type : (outside a text field) to open a vim-style command line in the info bar along the bottom of the window. See Command bar for the commands.

2-5 Where settings are kept ​

Dawesome keeps its settings in a dawesome folder inside your system's settings folder. They are kept between launches and are not part of any project.

FileHolds
audio-settings.jsonOutput, input, buffer size and recording offset
preferences.jsonAppearance, themes and where plugins open
recent-projects.jsonThe File ▸ Open Recent list
plugins.jsonThe plugins found by the last scan

The settings folder is:

  • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/dawesome/
  • Windows: %APPDATA%\dawesome\
  • Linux: ~/.config/dawesome/

Recordings made before a project is first saved are kept in a dawesome/unsaved folder inside your system's application data folder (on macOS, the same ~/Library/Application Support/dawesome/). See Projects.

NOTE

A missing or damaged settings file is replaced by the defaults. To reset a setting, quit Dawesome and delete its file.