Ardour 9.0 lands new MIDI tools

Ardour 9.0 arrived as a major release on February 5, 2026, according to the project’s official announcement. (ardour.org/news/9.0.html) (ardour.org) The release adds dedicated pianoroll windows that open by double‑clicking a MIDI region (or as a bottom pane) and can overlay MIDI automation such as velocity and CC parameters. (ardour.org/news/9.0.html) (ardour.org) Ardour’s cue page now supports direct cue‑slot recording with pre‑specified durations (for example “Record 4 bars”) and launches whatever is recorded at the next quantization point. (ardour.org/news/9.0.html) (ardour.org) Region FX attach plugins to individual audio regions, keep effect settings and automation with the region when it’s moved, and are processed offline when the region is read so they do not add extra real‑time DSP load. (ardour.org/news/9.0.html) (ardour.org) Platform and controller support was expanded in 9.x: Ardour gained multi‑touch interaction on Windows and Linux and faster GUI/Retina scaling on macOS, while the team shipped new MIDI binding maps and updated MIDNAM files for contemporary controllers and gear; a 9.2 hotfix issued on February 23, 2026 addressed MIDI note chasing and duplication bugs. (phoronix.com/news/Ardour-9.0-DAW) (phoronix.com) (noizefield.com/news/ardour-9-0-daw-update-new-midi-workflow-tools) (ubos.tech) (ardour.org/a3_features_midi_binding_maps) (ardour.org) Gearnews’ roundup named DuskVerb, Voltus FX and Echo1 among free reverb/delay plugins to try; DuskVerb is a cross‑platform algorithmic reverb that uses a 16‑channel Hadamard feedback delay network, offers five algorithms and about 25 presets, and ships VST3/AU/LV2 builds. (gearnews.com) (dusk-audio.github.io/plugins/duskverb/) (dusk-audio.github.io) Voltus FX is a free hybrid saturation + vintage BBD‑style delay released by Electronik Sound Lab (VST3 for Windows, with macOS “coming soon” noted by the developer), and Echo1 is a free stereo delay from voidDSP built around two independent delay lines with tempo‑sync, modulation (phaser/chorus), an auto‑panner and integrated reverb, available as VST3/AU. (electroniksoundlab.com/voltus-fx/) (electroniksoundlab.com) (voiddsp.com/echo1) (voiddsp.com)