The "Capture/Export" setting allows you to choose the format in which Qtractor stores its audio clips when recorded or exported. You will be able to choose a file type, such as "WAV Microsoft" for standard ".wav" files, "AIFF Apple-SGI" for standard ".aiff" files, or the preferable "FLAC Lossless Audio Codec," format. FLAC is an open-source, lossless, compressed format for storing audio signals and metadata. See the FLAC Website http://flac.sourceforge.net/ for more information. You will also be asked to select a quality setting for lossy compressed formats, or a sample format for all lossless formats. If you do not know which sample format to choose, then "Signed 16-Bit" is a good choice for almost all uses, and will provide you with CD-quality audio. Most non-speciality hardware is incapable of making good use of higher sample formats. See Section 1.3, “Sample, Sample Rate, Sample Format, and Bit Rate” for more information about sample formats.

Setting the "Transport mode" will allow you to adjust the behaviour of the transport. If you are using Qtractor alone, or if you don't know which to choose, then "None" is a good choice. This setting can be adjusted at any time, if you later decide to link the transport in multiple applications.

The "Metronome" section allows you to use a (short) audio file as the metronome sound, rather than the standard, MIDI-based metronome. You can choose the same file for "beat," and "bar," if you prefer. The "Dedicated audio metronome outputs" option outputs the audio metronome's signal through separate outputs in JACK. This is Ardour's default behaviour.