Tkeca is a TCL/TK frontend for Kai Vehmanen's ECASOUND. So you will need it in order to use Tkeca.

Main Features:

• Mixer look.
• Unlimited tracks.
• Playback/Recording device selecting for each track.
• Multichannel soundcard support. Useful also in common stereo soundcards.
• LADSPA support.
• Up to 8 effects for track.
• Real time volume control.
• Real time master volume control.
• Real time pan control.
• Real time mute/unmute control.
• Real time Solo/Unsolo control.
• Real time Bypass/Connect effects.
• Real time effects parameters control.
• ecasoundrc edit window.
• Mixdown to wave file.
• Simple mastering tools.
• Export to .ecs (Ecasound Chain Setup).
• Tools button: Ecanormalize, DC fix, Wave edit (using the Ecasound default wave editor) and wavefile delete.
• Locate windows with up to 16 preset positions.
• Punch-in and punch-out user defined position.
• Switch between MM:SS and SSSS time format.
• Project open/save.

Main Steps to Start a Project:

1. Add one or more tracks pressing the "Add Track" button
   
2. Open existing audio files pressing the "..." button or simply type the path and name of the file to record in the text box.
   
3. Set the track properties pressing the "P" button.
   
4. The next step is to select the in/out audio device pressing the "D" button in the track row. If you don't find the right device you can type it name in the text box
   
5. The use of the "Ch." button will be covered later
   
6. The "Mute" and "Rec" checkbox don't need a deep explanation. If the "Mute" checkbox is checked no output will be produced. If the "Rec" checkbox is checked the input of the selected device will be recorded in the selected file, otherwise the selected file will be played in the selected device.

Top Buttons:

Open file: Open a browser window for selecting project files.
Save file: Save the current file. If we are working on a new project this button works like the "Save file as" button.
Save file as: It's like the "Save file" button but allows to select/change the project filename.
Export .ecs: Export hte current project as .ecs file (Ecasound Chainsetup file).
Mixdown: Mixdown the current project to an audiofile and run some basic mastering tools.
Options: Change the Ecasound's global options.
Time Format: Switch between MM:SS and SSSS time format.
Add Track: Add a new track.
Close: Close project.
Quit: Quit Tkeca.
About Tkeca: Shows the Tkeca license.

Bottom Buttons:

Multichannel: Switch between Multichannel Mode and Non-Multichannel Mode (multichannel mode will be covered later).
Locate: Open the Locate Window (Locate Window will be covered later).
Play: Start Play/Record. After pressing this button it changes to the "Stop" button
Go to 00:00: Move the Start Position to 00:00.
Rew 5": Move the Start Position 5 seconds back.
Fw 5": Move the Start Position 5 seconds forward.

Multichannel Mode:

The Multichannel Mode allows to record the input of each soundcard channel to different files. This is useful for multichannel and common stereo soundcards. With a stereo soundcard you can create two mono audiofiles.

Example:
You have a common stereo soundcard and you want to record left channel to track 1 and right channel to track 2.
Steps:

1. Add two tracks
2. Type filenames in the track rows textbox "File" (i.e. left.wav and right.wav)
3. Press the "P" button in the track 1 row and select "Channels:1".
4. Repeat the last step for track 2
5. Press the "Ch." button in the track 1 row and select "1"
6. Press the "Ch." button in the track 2 row and select "2"
7. Check the "Rec" checkbox in both track1 and track 2
8. Check the Multichannel checkbox
9. Press the "Play" button

The "E" button:

This button allows to add/delete/edit/connect/bypass effects for each track. You can attach up to 8 different effects to each track. When you press the "E" button you see this:
A list with all Effects: You will see the effect name if there's an attached effect. Black ink means "Connected" Gray means "Bypassed" or no effect selected
Add a New Effect: Add a new effect. It will open a effect window with all the effect parameters
Edit Current Effect: Open a effect window with all the effect parameters
Connect/Bypass: Connect/Bypass effect
Delete Effect: Delete Effect. Set current effect to "None"

The "T" button:

Normalize: Normalize the wave file of this track. Calls ecanormalize.
DC Offset Fix: Fix the wave file DC Offset. Calls ecafixdc.
Wave Edit: Edit the wave file with the wavefile editor selected in ecasoundrc.
Wave Delete: Delete the wave file.

The Effect Window:

The Effect Window show many sliders as parameters the effect have. Each effect window has a common set of buttons:
Preview: Allows to hear the current track with the current effect.
Full Preview: Allows to hear the current track with the all the attached effects.
Stop: Stop Preview. You can also do it by pressing the Stop button in the main window.
Close: Close the effect window.
Info: Show info about the plug-in creator.

Real Time Controllers:

There's controllers that can be modified on the fly (or realtime): Pan, Volume, Track Mute, Effect Connect/Bypass, All effect parameters in the Effect Window.

The Locate Window:

The Locate Windows allows to define up to 16 playing positions and the punch-in and punch-out positions.

Punch-in, Punch-out, Pre-roll and Post-roll:

You can define a punch-in position and a punch out position. If punch-in or punch out are different of zero Tkeca assumes that punch mode is enabled. If you check the "Rec" checkbox you will hear the audio on the track to be recorded before the punch-in position and after the punch-out position. This requires aditional processing after pressing the "Play" button and after pressing the "Stop" button, so a little delay is normal.