> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://itsfoss.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Ardour 8.0 is an Apple-Friendly Update With Novation Launchpad Pro Support - URL: https://itsfoss.com/news/ardour-8-0-release/ - Published: 2023-10-11T10:49:51.000Z - Updated: 2023-10-11T10:49:51.000Z - Description: Ardour 8.0 is a big upgrade with new hardware support, improved automation creation, and more. - Author: Sourav Rudra - Tags: Application Releases, News, #Import 2025-11-08 21:15 Ardour is one of the [best Digital Audio Workstations (DAW) for Linux](https://itsfoss.com/best-daw-linux/) out there, audio professionals can use it for various use cases such as creating, recording, and mixing music or other types of audio. We now have a major upgrade for the DAW. **Ardour 8.0** release comes almost a year after its [7.0 release](https://itsfoss.com/ardour-7-0-release/) as a significant evolution in its development lifecycle. Let's see what it has to offer. **Suggested Read** 📖 [Finally! The Popular DAW “Studio One” Adds Linux Support 🥰Music producers, this is the news you have been waiting for!![](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/size/w256h256/2022/08/android-chrome-192x192.png)It's FOSS NewsSourav Rudra![](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/10/daw-studio-one-linux-support.png)](https://itsfoss.com/studio-one-linux/) ## 🆕 Ardour 8.0: What's New? ![a screenshot of ardour 8.0](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/10/Ardour_8.0_1.png) Ardour 8.0 promises a plethora of new features and big fixes. And, with this release, the developers have also stressed that there are **no changes to Ardour's session file format**, so sessions created in the older versions of Ardour, from the 7.x series, should load without any issues. Some key highlights include: - **Support for Novation Launchpad Pro** - **Redesigned MIDI Track Header** - **MIDI Velocity Improvements** - **Region Grouping Support** - **Notarization for macOS** ### Support for Novation Launchpad Pro ![a screenshot of ardour 8.0 novation launchpad pro support](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/10/Ardour_8.0_2.png) Ardour 8.0 features support for Novation's [Launchpad Pro,](https://novationmusic.com/products/launchpad-pro?ref=itsfoss.com) which is an electronic music instrument that consists of an 8×8 grid of RGB, velocity-sensitivity pads that can be used to accomplish various tasks. With Ardour, it can be used to **trigger clips and clues**, **control gain levels**, **panning**, and even **send levels for tracks/busses**. ### Redesigned MIDI Track Header ![a screenshot of ardour 8.0 redesigned midi track header](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/10/Ardour_8.0_3.png) A **completely resigned MIDI track header** is here that features a couple of interesting changes. The most notable ones include: - Octave numbers like C3, C4 are now shown at all times. - It is now possible to record MIDI using the piano roll. - A more intuitive design approach for the scroomer (scroll+zoom). - Note names can now be displayed in the scroomer, it can either use MIDNAM data, generic note numbers or 12TET names. ### MIDI Velocity Improvements After receiving many requests by users over time, the devs of Ardour have finally added **a traditional velocity lollipop interface**. This interface consists of vertical bars with a dot on top that can be used to change the note velocity. I suggest you go through the video above to know more about its implementation in Ardour 8.0. ### Region Grouping Support ![a screenshot of ardour 8.0 region grouping support](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/10/Ardour_8.0_4.png) Similarly, this was also a long-time requested feature by users. '**Region Grouping**', gives you the ability to select multiple [Regions](https://manual.ardour.org/working-with-regions/?ref=itsfoss.com) and group them into a single element. These can then be moved/trimmed together to decrease the repetitive task of doing that for each element in the Region. ### Notarization for macOS When you install third-party software on Apple computers, it warns you that it can damage your system or include malware. Of course, for users unaware, this could be a bad user experience, and they may not proceed trying it out. Ardour decided to join and pay for an Apple Developer account to utilize its [Notarization](https://developer.apple.com/documentation/security/notarizing%5Fmacos%5Fsoftware%5Fbefore%5Fdistribution?ref=itsfoss.com) system. So, next time you install Ardour on macOS, it will indicate that it has been verified/checked by Apple for malware, giving users more confidence in it. ### 🛠️ Other Changes Here are a few other changes with this release: - Support for freehand automation drawing. - Inclusion of three new MIDI arpeggiator plugins. - A dedicated ruler feature to arrange a composition. - Various improvements for BBT markers. You can go through the [official release notes](https://ardour.org/whatsnew.html?ref=itsfoss.com) to learn more about this release. ## 📥 Download Ardour 8.0 As Ardour is a cross-platform app, you can find packages for **Linux**, **Windows**, and **macOS** on its [official website](https://community.ardour.org/download?ref=itsfoss.com). [Ardour](https://community.ardour.org/download?ref=itsfoss.com) You can also check out its [GitHub repo](https://github.com/Ardour/ardour?ref=itsfoss.com) if you want to dive into the source code.