Pro Tools 5.1 Reference Guide PT_51_Reference_Guide PT 51

PT_51_Reference_Guide PT_51_Reference_Guide

Pro Tools - 5.1 - Reference Guide PT_51_Ref Free User Guide for Pro Tools Software, Manual - page1

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Pro Tools
Reference Guide
Version 5.1 for Macintosh and Windows

Digidesign Inc.
3401-A Hillview Avenue
Palo Alto, CA 94304 USA
tel: 650·842·7900
fax: 650·842·7999
Technical Support (USA)

650·842·6699
650·856·4275
Product Information (USA)

650·842·6602
800·333·2137
Fax on Demand (USA)

1·888·USE·DIGI (873·3444)
International Offices

Visit the Digidesign Web site
for contact information.
World Wide Web

www.digidesign.com
Digidesign FTP Site

ftp.digidesign.com

Copyright
This User’s Guide is copyrighted ©2001 by Digidesign, a
division of Avid Technology, Inc. (hereafter “Digidesign”), with
all rights reserved. Under copyright laws, this manual may not
be duplicated in whole or in part without the written consent of
Digidesign.
DIGIDESIGN, AVID and PRO TOOLS are trademarks or
registered trademarks of Digidesign and/or Avid Technology,
Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective
owners.
All features and specifications subject to change without
notice.
PN 932708437-00 REV A 01/01

Contents
Part I

Introduction

Chapter 1. Welcome to Pro Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
The Pro Tools Guides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Compatibility Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Digidesign Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Chapter 2. Pro Tools System Configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
TDM-equipped systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
TDM System Playback, Recording and Voice Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Audio Interfaces for TDM Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Pro Tools LE Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Pro Tools LE System Capabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Chapter 3. Pro Tools Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Hard Disk Recording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
The Digidesign Audio Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Pro Tools Sessions and Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
System Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
MIDI Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Chapter 4. Pro Tools Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
The Mix Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
The Edit Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
The Transport Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Contents

iii

Chapter 5. Keyboard Shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Global Key Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Keyboard Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Numeric Keypad Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Part II

Sessions & Tracks

Chapter 6. Sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Starting Up Your System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Configuring Your System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Changing the Pro Tools Playback Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Changing DAE Playback Buffer Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Creating a New Session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Opening a Session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Saving a Session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Creating Custom Session Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Closing a Session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Quitting Pro Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Sharing Sessions between Pro Tools TDM Systems and Pro Tools LE Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Chapter 7. I/O Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Understanding Paths and I/O Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
The I/O Setup Dialog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Creating and Editing Paths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
I/O Settings Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Default Output, Metering, Audition, and Path Order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Chapter 8. Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Track Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Creating Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Hiding Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Assigning Inputs and Outputs to Audio Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Assigning Voices and Track Priority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Setting MIDI Channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Soloing and Muting Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Making Tracks Inactive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Adjusting Track Width . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Color Coding Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Grouping Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Chapter 9. Importing and Exporting Audio and MIDI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Importing Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Importing Tracks from Other Sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Loading Audio Files with Drag & Drop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Exporting Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Transferring Audio from CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Conversion Quality. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Exporting Session Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Importing MIDI Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Exporting MIDI Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Chapter 10. File Management and Compatibility. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Locating Audio Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
WAV File Compatibility. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Avid File Compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Creating Mac and PC Compatible Sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

Contents

Part III

Recording

Chapter 11. Record Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Input Connections and Audio Levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Record Enabling Tracks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Monitoring Modes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Monitoring Latency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Low Latency Monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Track Names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Disk Allocation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Allocating Hard Drive Space for Recording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Record Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Recording with the Click . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

Chapter 12. Basic Audio Recording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Recording a Mono Audio Track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Recording a Stereo Audio Track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Recording Multiple Audio Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Record Pause Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Recording Additional Takes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Punch Recording Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Loop Recording Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Auditioning Record Takes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Setting Punch/Loop Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135

Chapter 13. MIDI Recording. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Recording from MIDI Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Enabling Input Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
MIDI Thru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
MIDI Input Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Input Quantize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Wait for Note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144

Pro Tools Reference Guide

MIDI Merge/Replace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Recording a Single MIDI Track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Recording Multiple MIDI Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Punch Recording MIDI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Loop Recording MIDI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Recording System Exclusive Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

Chapter 14. Advanced Recording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Using QuickPunch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Recording from a Digital Source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Half-Speed Recording and Playback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159

Part IV

Editing

Chapter 15. Editing Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Pro Tools Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Track Material. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Displaying Region Names and Times . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Audio Regions and Waveforms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
MIDI Regions and MIDI Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Playlists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Multiple Undo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
The Audio and MIDI Regions Lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Edit Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Zooming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
The Universe Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Rulers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Time Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Tick-Based Timing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187

Contents

vii

Chapter 16. Playing and Selecting Track Material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Playing Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Scrolling Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
The Scrubber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Separate Edit and Timeline Selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Selecting Track Material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Playing Selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Timeline Selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Playing Edit and Timeline Selections with the Playhead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207

Chapter 17. Working with Regions and Selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Creating New Regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Healing a Separation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Placing Regions in Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
The Trimmer Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Sliding Regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Nudging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Shift Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Quantizing Regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Locking Regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Muting/Unmuting Regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Edit Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Duplicate Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Repeat Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Merge Paste Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Editing Stereo and Multi-Channel Tracks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Processing Audio with AudioSuite Plug-Ins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Waveform Repair with the Pencil Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232

Chapter 18. Advanced Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Replacing Regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Repeat Paste To Fill Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Compress/Expand Edit To Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
The Time Trimmer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238

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Chapter 19. Fades and Crossfades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Using Crossfades. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Creating a Crossfade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Creating Fades at the Beginnings and Ends of Regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Using AutoFades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Creating Fades and Crossfades in Batches. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251

Chapter 20. Managing Regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Stripping Silence from Regions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Inserting Silence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Consolidate Selection Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Managing Regions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Compacting an Audio File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259

Chapter 21. Conductor Tracks and Memory Locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Tempo Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Default Tempo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Identify Beat Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Meter Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Renumbering Bars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Memory Locations and Markers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Memory Locations Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276

Chapter 22. Beat Detective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Beat Detective Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
About Beat Detective. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
The Beat Detective Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Defining the Selection for Beat Detective. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Detecting Transients with Beat Detective. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Generating Bar|Beat Markers with Beat Detective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Separating and Conforming Regions with Beat Detective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Beat Detective and Collection Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290

Contents

Part V

MIDI Editing

Chapter 23. MIDI Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Inserting MIDI Notes with the Pencil Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Manually Editing MIDI Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Continuous Controller Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Program Changes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
System Exclusive Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Note and Controller Chasing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Offsetting MIDI Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Stuck Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308

Chapter 24. MIDI Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
MIDI Operations Window. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Select Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Quantize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
Change Velocity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Change Duration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Transpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319

Chapter 25. MIDI Event List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
The MIDI Event List. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Inserting Events in the MIDI Event List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324
Editing in the MIDI Event List. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
MIDI Event List Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328

Part VI

Mixing

Chapter 26. Basic Mixing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Audio Signal Flow. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Viewing I/O, Sends, and Inserts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Track Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
Track Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Sends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Output Windows for Tracks and Sends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
Submixing for Signal Routing and Effects Processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Mixing Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
Using a Control Surface with Pro Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
Dither . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352

Chapter 27. Plug-Ins and Inserts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
Inserting Plug-Ins on Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358
The Plug-In Window. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
Hardware I/O Inserts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364
Connecting and Integrating External Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365

Chapter 28. Automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369
Automation Quick Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369
Automation Playlists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
Automation Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371
Automation Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374
Viewing Automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 377
Writing Automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378
Enabling and Suspending Automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381
Deleting Automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382
Thinning Automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383
Drawing Automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 384
Editing Automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
Writing Automation to the Start, End or All of a Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391
Trimming Automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 393
Creating Snapshot Automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 394

Chapter 29. Mixdown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 397
Recording to Tracks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 399
Bounce to Disk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400
Bounce Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 401
Recording a Submix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 408
Final Mixdown. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 409
Mastering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 410
Contents

Part VII

Surround

Chapter 30. Surround Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415
Mixing Formats and Surround Formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415
Pro Tools Mixing Formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 416
Speaker Layouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 416
Surround Monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 418
Formats and Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419
Surround Mixing Concepts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 422

Chapter 31. Pro Tools Setup for Surround . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 425
Pro Tools Audio Connections for 5.1 Mixing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 425
Configuring Pro Tools for Multi-Channel Sessions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 426
Default Path Order, Metering, Output, and Audition Path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 430
5.1 Track Layouts, Routing, and Metering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 430

Chapter 32. Multi-Channel Tracks and Signal Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 431
Multi-Channel QuickStart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 431
Multi-Channel Audio Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 432
Multi-Channel Signal Routing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 434
Paths in Surround Mixes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 437
Example Paths and Signal Routing for a Surround Mix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 439

Chapter 33. Surround Panning and Mixing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 443
Introduction to Pro Tools Surround Panning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 443
Output Windows. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 444
Standard Controls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 445
Surround Panner Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 446
Panning Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 448
LFE Faders in Multi-Channel Panners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 450
Divergence and Center Percentage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 451
SurroundScope Metering Plug-In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 453

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Part VIII

Synchronization

Chapter 34. Synchronization Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 457
Your Sync Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 457
Aspects of Sync . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 457
Syncing Pro Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 457
SMPTE Frame Formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 460
Working with Film-Originated Material. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 461

Chapter 35. Time Code Synchronization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 467
Pro Tools Sync Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 467
The Session Setup Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 468
Preparing to Work with SMPTE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 471
Configuring Pro Tools for SMPTE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 471
Putting Pro Tools Online. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 474
Generating Time Code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 474
Syncing a Sequencer to Pro Tools on the Macintosh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 476
Syncing a Sequencer to Pro Tools in Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 478
Using MIDI Machine Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 479
Remote Track Arming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 481
Syncing Pro Tools to an OMS-Compatible Sequencer using MMC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 483
MIDI Beat Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 485
Spotting Regions to SMPTE Frame Locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 485
Time Stamping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 488
Identifying a Sync Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 489
Troubleshooting Sync. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 490

Chapter 36. Working with QuickTime Movies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 493
About QuickTime. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 493
Movie Playback Quality Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 495
Importing a QuickTime Movie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 496
Setting the Movie Start Time: Movie Offset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 498
Spotting Audio to a QuickTime Movie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 499
Importing QuickTime Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 500
Bouncing to a new Movie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 502
Contents

xiii

Part IX

Pro Tools Menus

Chapter 37. File Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 505
Chapter 38. Edit Menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 511
Chapter 39. AudioSuite Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 517
Chapter 40. MIDI Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 519
Chapter 41. Movie Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 525
Chapter 42. Operations Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 529
Chapter 43. Setups Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 533
Chapter 44. Display Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 547
Chapter 45. Windows Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 551
Appendix A. DSP-Induced Delays in Mixing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 557
Appendix B. TDM Mixing and DSP Usage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 561
Appendix C. Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 569
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 573
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 581

xiv

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Part I: Introduction

Chapter 1: Welcome to Pro Tools

Welcome to Pro Tools®. Pro Tools integrates
powerful multitrack digital audio and MIDI sequencing features, giving you everything you
need to record, arrange, edit, mix, and master
professional-quality music.

Conventions Used in These Guides
The Pro Tools guides use the following conventions to indicate menu choices and key commands:
:

Convention

Action

The Pro Tools Guides

File > Save Session

Choose Save Session
from the File menu

Your Pro Tools System includes the following
guides:

Control+N

Hold down the Control
key and press the N key

Option-click

Hold down the Option key
and click the mouse button

Right-click (Windows)

Click with the right
mouse button

Pro Tools Installation Guides Instructions for installing Pro Tools software and hardware, and
connecting your studio.
Pro Tools Reference Guide Instructions for creating sessions, recording, editing, and mixing
with Pro Tools.
DigiRack™ Plug-Ins Guide Instructions for using
the DigiRack Plug-Ins for both real-time and filebased audio processing in Pro Tools.
Pro Tools MIDI Control Surfaces Guide Instructions for operating Pro Tools with various MIDI
control surfaces.
Keyboard Shortcut Cards (TDM Systems only)

The following symbols are used to highlight important information:

User Tips are helpful hints for getting the
most from your Pro Tools system.
Important Notices include information that
could affect your Pro Tools session data or
the performance of your Pro Tools system.

Separate cards for Macintosh and Windows that
list the many keyboard shortcuts not shown in
the Pro Tools menus.

Shortcuts show you useful keyboard or
mouse shortcuts.

Online PDF versions of the Keyboard Shortcut
cards are included for Pro Tools LE systems.

Cross References point to related sections in
the Pro Tools Guides.
Chapter 1: Welcome to Pro Tools

Choose and Select
The words “choose” and “select” are often interchangeable in conversational english. In this
guide, however, there is a distinction between
the two terms.
Select When the guide instructs you to select
something, it stays selected. This is the case with
dialog box options and menu items that enable
or disable an option.
Choose When the guide instructs you to choose
something, a one-time action is performed. This
is the case with most menu commands; they
perform their chosen action only once.

Compatibility Information
Digidesign can only assure compatibility and
provide support for hardware and software it
has tested and approved. For a list of Digidesignqualified computers, operating systems, and
third-party devices, refer to the latest compatibility information on the Digidesign Web site:
www.digidesign.com/compato/

Digidesign Registration
Make sure to complete and return the registration card included with Pro Tools. Registered users are entitled to one year of free technical support, and will receive periodic software updates
and upgrade notices.

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Chapter 2: Pro Tools System
Configurations

TDM-equipped systems

Pro Tools 24
A core system includes:

Pro Tools TDM-equipped systems are available
in the following configurations:

• d24 Audio card
• DSP Farm card

Pro Tools 24 MIX

• Pro Tools software

A core system includes:

• Digidesign audio interface
(sold separately)

• MIX Core card
• Pro Tools software
• Digidesign audio interface
(sold separately)

Pro Tools 24 MIXplus
A core system includes:
• MIX Core card
• MIX Farm card
• Pro Tools software
• Digidesign audio interface
(sold separately)

Supported Audio Interfaces
You can use the following audio interfaces with
Pro Tools TDM systems:
◆ The 888/24 I/O and 882/20 I/O (as well as
888 I/O and 882 I/O) Audio Interfaces work
with Pro Tools 24 MIX/MIXplus and
Pro Tools 24 systems.
◆ The 1622 I/O Audio Interface works with
Pro Tools 24 MIX/MIXplus and Pro Tools 24
systems.
◆ The ADAT Bridge I/O Interface works with
Pro Tools 24 MIX/MIXplus and Pro Tools 24.

Pro Tools system performance depends on
factors such as computer processor speed,
amount of system memory, and hard drive
performance. Contact your Digidesign
dealer or visit Digidesign’s Web site for the
latest system requirements and compatibility information.
Chapter 2: Pro Tools System Configurations

TDM System Playback, Recording and Voice Limits
The following table lists the audio playback, recording, and voice limits of each type of Pro Tools
TDM system. The term virtual voice refers to the maximum number of audio tracks that can share the
available voices on your system. TDM-equipped Pro Tools systems can open sessions with up to 128
audio tracks, but any audio tracks beyond that system’s virtual voice limit will be automatically set to
Voice Off.
All TDM-equipped Pro Tools systems provide a total of 64 internal mix busses. TDM systems also provide 5 inserts and 5 sends per track, up to the DSP capacity of your system.
Table 1. Pro Tools TDM system audio playback, recording and virtual voice limits

Core System Type

Voices (Mono Tracks of
Simultaneous Playback)

Mono Tracks of
Simultaneous
Recording

Virtual Voices

Pro Tools 24 MIX/MIXplus

32 or 64

Pro Tools 24

Audio Interfaces for TDM Systems
The following table lists the input and output capabilities of the various audio interfaces for TDMequipped Pro Tools systems. In expanded TDM systems, audio interfaces can be combined for up to
72 audio inputs and outputs.
Table 2. Pro Tools audio interface channel capabilities

Interface Type

Number of I/O
Channels

A/D
Conversion

D/A
Conversion

Digital I/O

888/24 I/O

8 in/8 out

24-bit

882/20 I/O

8 in/8 out

20-bit

24-bit

888 I/O

8 in/8 out

18-bit

24-bit

882 I/O

8 in/8 out

18-bit

24-bit

1622 I/O

16 in/2 out

20-bit

24-bit

ADAT Bridge I/O

16 in/16 out

24-bit

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Digi ToolBox XP

Pro Tools LE Systems

An Digi ToolBox system includes:
Pro Tools LE-based systems are available in the
following configurations.

• Audiomedia III card
• Pro Tools LE software

Digi 001

The total processing capacity of a
Pro Tools LE-based system depends on the
processing power of your computer. Contact
your Digidesign dealer or visit Digidesign’s
Web site for the latest system requirements
and compatibility information.

A Digi 001 system includes:
• Digi 001 PCI card
• Digi 001 I/O box
• Pro Tools LE software

Pro Tools LE System Capabilities
The following table lists the playback, recording, and input and output capabilities of each Pro Tools
LE-based system. All Pro Tools LE systems are limited to 24 mono audio tracks. If you open a
Pro Tools session containing more than 24 mono audio tracks on an LE-based system, only the audio
tracks assigned to the first 24 voices will open; if you save the session using Pro Tools LE, any audio
tracks beyond the first 24 will be lost.
All Pro Tools LE systems provide a total of 16 internal mix busses. Pro Tools LE also provides up to 5
inserts and 5 sends per track, depending on your computer’s processing capacity.
Table 3. Pro Tools LE System Audio Playback, Recording, and Channel Capabilities

System Type

Mono Tracks of
Simultaneous
Playback

Number of
Recording/Playback
Channels

A/D
Conversion

D/A
Conversion

Digital
I/O

Digi 001

up to 18 in/18 out

24-bit

Audiomedia III

up to 4 in/4 out

18-bit

24-bit

For details on transferring session material between Pro Tools LE and Pro Tools TDM systems, see
“Sharing Sessions between Pro Tools TDM Systems and Pro Tools LE Systems” on page 57.

Chapter 2: Pro Tools System Configurations

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Chapter 3: Pro Tools Concepts

This chapter is an overview of essential digital
audio, MIDI, and digital signal processing concepts, and an introduction to many of these
same concepts in Pro Tools.

Hard Disk Recording
Tape-based recording is a linear medium—you
need to rewind or fast forward a tape to hear a
particular spot in a recording. To rearrange or repeat material in a linear system, you need to rerecord it.
Hard disk recording is a non-linear (or random
access) medium—you can go immediately to
any spot in a recording without having to rewind or fast forward.
Non-linear systems have several advantages.
You can easily rearrange or repeat parts of a recording by making the hard disk read parts of
the recording in a different order. In addition,
this re-arrangement is non-destructive, meaning
that the original recorded material is not altered.

The Digidesign Audio Engine
When you start Pro Tools, an application called
DAE automatically launches in the background.
DAE, or the Digidesign Audio Engine, is Digidesign’s real-time operating system for digital recording systems. When you install Pro Tools,
DAE is automatically installed on your system.
In the same way that a computer’s operating
system provides the foundation for programs
that run on the computer, DAE provides much
of the hard disk recording, digital signal processing, mix automation, and MIDI functionality required by Pro Tools and other products from
Digidesign and its Development Partners.
Pro Tools also takes advantage of your computer’s host processor, sharing certain tasks and
processing. Performance is determined by your
system and its Playback Engine settings.

See also “System Resources” on page 13.

Pro Tools is a non-linear recording system that
let you rearrange and mix recorded material
non-destructively.

Chapter 3: Pro Tools Concepts

Playback Engine
All Pro Tools systems let you choose the Playback Engine for a session at any time.

make changes to a session and save those
changes in a new session file. This lets you create multiple versions of a project or back up
your editing and mixing work.

Audio File
When you record audio into a Pro Tools session,
audio files are created.

Playback Engine dialog for Pro Tools TDM system

The Playback Engine dialog lets you reconfigure
Pro Tools to use different Digidesign hardware,
and to re-allocate certain system resources. For
more information, see “Configuring Your System” on page 45.

Pro Tools Sessions and
Concepts
When you start a project in Pro Tools, you create a session. Some basic elements of sessions are
explained in this section.

Audio file icon

Audio files for each session are stored in a folder
named “Audio Files.” Audio files are listed in the
Audio Regions List and can appear in a track. A
section of an audio file can be defined as a region (see “Regions and Loops” on page 11).

Audio and MIDI Tracks
Pro Tools Tracks are where audio, MIDI, and automation data are recorded and edited.

Session File
Audio tracks in the Edit window

Pro Tools session file icon

A session file is the document that Pro Tools creates when you start a new project. The session
file contains maps of all elements associated
with a project, including audio files, MIDI data,
and all your edit and mix information. You can

Pro Tools Reference Guide

MIDI track in the Edit window

Audio and MIDI tracks can be edited into regions to create loops, re-arrange sections or entire songs, or to assemble tracks using material
from multiple takes.

Audio tracks can be mono, stereo, or any supported multi-channel format (depending on
your type of Pro Tools system).

Regions and Loops

A playlist can be made up of a single region or
many separate regions. It can be made up of
similar elements, such as regions from several
different takes of a solo, or dissimilar elements,
such as several sound effects.

Channel

Audio region

A region is a piece of audio or MIDI data that may
have associated automation data. A region
could be a loop, a guitar riff, a verse of a song, a
sound effect, a piece of dialog, or an entire
sound file. In Pro Tools, regions are created from
audio or MIDI files, and can be arranged in audio and MIDI track playlists.

Playlist

The term channel is used to describe several related components of a Pro Tools system. The
first example of channel refers to a physical input or output of your Pro Tools system.
Computer 1

Computer 2
7
8

5
3
ANALOG OUTPUT
6
4

5
3
ANALOG INPUT
6
4

1
2

5/6
1/2
AES/EBU OUTPUT
7/8
3/4

5/6
1/2
AES/EBU INPUT
7/8
3/4

8 CH Mode
2 x 4 CH Mode

S/PDIF S/PDIF
IN
OUT

SLAVE CLOCK SLAVE CLOCK
IN
OUT

Rear view of 888/24 I/O Interface

For example, an 888/24 I/O Audio Interface provides eight channels of analog input and output
to a TDM-equipped system. A Digi 001 system
provides up to 18 channels of input and output
to a Pro Tools LE system.

Playlist selector pop-up menu

A playlist is a group of regions arranged on an
audio or MIDI track. You can maintain multiple
edit playlists on a single track. This lets you assemble different versions on a single audio or
MIDI track and choose among them with a popup menu on the track.
On audio tracks, a playlist tells the hard disk
which audio files to read in what order. By using
several copies of an audio region in a playlist,
you can repeat a section of a recording without
using any additional disk space.

Channel strip in the Mix window

The second use of the term channel refers to a
mixer strip in the Pro Tools Mix window. The
term channel strip refers to the mixer strip of any
track (audio or MIDI track, Auxiliary Input, or
Master Fader) in a session.
Chapter 3: Pro Tools Concepts

Audio and MIDI channel strips have similar
controls, but those controls have slightly different effects. For example, audio and Auxiliary Input channel strip faders control the Pro Tools
mixer, while MIDI channel strip faders send
MIDI volume data (MIDI controller 7).

The term channel also describes a separate
aspect of MIDI operation. See “System Resources” on page 13.

Signal Routing
Pro Tools provides software-based mixing and
signal routing controls. These include the Mix
window and its familiar console-like faders and
switches, as well as inserts, sends, and plug-ins.

Signal Routing Example
A common signal routing task is to submix multiple tracks to a single channel strip for shared
processing and level control. The following example shows three tracks of drums submixed to
a stereo Auxiliary Input.
Stereo
plug-in

Input from
stereo
Bus path
Output to a
Stereo Output
path

Outputs to
stereo Bus
path

Audio Tracks

Submixing to an Auxiliary Input
12

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Auxiliary Input

Signal routing options include the following:
Track I/O Controls The most basic type of signal
routing is track input and output. A track needs
to have an assigned input path to record audio,
and an assigned output path in order to be audible through a hardware output.
Auxiliary Inputs and Master Faders Auxiliary Inputs are tracks that can be used as returns, submixers and bus masters. Master Faders are used
as bus and output master level controls. Both
Auxiliary Inputs and Master Faders can have inserts or plug-ins.
Sends Sends route audio to internal busses to
send to other tracks in Pro Tools, or to hardware
outputs.
Plug-Ins and Inserts Plug-ins and hardware Inserts process the audio on their associated track.
Plug-in processing occurs completely within
Pro Tools. Hardware Inserts utilize audio interface inputs and outputs, for traditional insert
routing to (and from) external effects and other
devices.
Paths Pro Tools lets you define paths that name
and customize audio inputs, outputs, busses,
and inserts. You can customize Pro Tools paths
using the I/O Setup dialog. See Chapter 7, “I/O
Setup” for more information.
Mixing Formats Sessions can include combinations of mono, stereo, and multi-channel format tracks, busses, inputs, outputs, and inserts.
(Multi-channel formats are supported on
Pro Tools MIX and MIXplus only.)

System Resources
Track count, plug-in processing, signal path and
routing options, and voice availability are ultimately limited by the combined resources available from the host computer, and from your
Pro Tools hardware.
Pro Tools provides several ways to manage and
conserve resources to maximize the performance of your system. As you begin working
with Pro Tools sessions and tracks, you can take
advantage of the following features to extend
the effectiveness of your available DSP and
other resources:

When inactive, items are:
• Silent
• “Off,” consuming no associated DSP, mixer, or
system resources (making those resources
available for other uses in the session)
• Saved, including associated media, voices, signal path assignments, insert assignments, automation data, levels, and other parameters
Items in Pro Tools that support Active and Inactive modes include the following.
◆ Audio tracks, Auxiliary Inputs and Master
Faders (TDM systems only)
◆

Track Inputs and Outputs

◆

Sends

◆

Side-chain inputs

◆

Plug-Ins

Active and inactive switching lets you selectively toggle certain items between active (on)
and inactive (off). This lets you precisely allocate DSP and other resources when developing
playlists, tracks, and mixes. See “Active and Inactive Items” on page 13.

◆

Hardware Inserts

◆

Paths (session-wide)

TDM-equipped Pro Tools systems provide
flexible voice options for disk tracks. For more
information on voice management and options,
see “Virtual Tracks and Track Priority” on
page 82.

Different items affect available system resources
in specific ways.

System usage settings let you balance the distribution of work between your computer and
any Digidesign audio hardware. See “Playback
Engine” on page 10.

◆

Active and Inactive Items
You can make inputs, outputs, inserts, side
chains, plug-ins, and tracks active or inactive to
manage available DSP and time slot resources.
In addition, Pro Tools will automatically make
things inactive if there are insufficient or unavailable resources.
When active, items are fully engaged and operational.

MIDI tracks cannot be made inactive.

Inactive Items and Resources

Plug-Ins When a plug-in is inactive on a track, its
DSP is made available for other plug-ins and
processing. Plug-in assignments can be made inactive manually, or automatically (see “Automatic and Manual Inactive Mode” on page 14).
Paths and Path Assignments When a path or
path assignment is inactive, its mixer resources
are made available for other signal routing purposes in the session. Paths and assignments can
be made inactive manually, or automatically
(see “Automatic and Manual Inactive Mode” on
page 14).

Chapter 3: Pro Tools Concepts

Tracks (TDM systems only) When an
audio track, Auxiliary Input, or Master Fader is
made inactive, its plug-ins, inserts, sends, and
I/O assignments become inactive.

Display of Inactive Items
When items are inactive, their names appear in
italics, and their background becomes dark grey.
When a track is inactive (TDM systems only),
the entire channel strip darkens.
Active

Inactive plug-in
Inactive track

Automatically Inactive Items
When opening a session, it is possible that not
all signal paths, plug-ins, or audio interfaces
used in the session will be available as defined
on the current system. Whenever this occurs,
the session will open as it was last saved. All
items that are unavailable, or cannot be loaded
due to insufficient resources, are made inactive.

Manual Inactive Switching
You can manually apply Active or Inactive
modes to manage system resources. By making
an item inactive, its associated resources are
made available elsewhere in the session.
The following are basic instructions for manually making items inactive. Throughout the
Pro Tools Reference Guide, instructions are provided whenever an item can be made inactive.
To toggle an item active or inactive:
■ Command-Control-click (Macintosh) or Control-Start-click (Windows) the item.

Active and inactive items and tracks

Automatic and Manual Inactive Mode
Active and Inactive modes are powerful options
for session transfer, and system resource management. Pro Tools provides automatic and
manual Inactive mode switching. You can manually make items inactive (or active) to selectively manage system resources while editing
and mixing.

Pro Tools Reference Guide

You can apply to all or all selected tracks using
standard Pro Tools modifiers (Option and Option+Shift on the Macintosh, Alt and Alt+Shift
in Windows). Side Chain inputs support direct
active and inactive switching, but do not follow
switching to all or all selected.

MIDI Concepts

MIDI Terms
The following are some basic MIDI terms:

MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a
communication protocol for musical instruments. This industry standard enables connections between a variety of devices from different
manufacturers. Examples of MIDI-compatible
equipment include synthesizers, sound modules, drum machines, patch bays, effects processors, MIDI interfaces, and sequencers.
MIDI devices are equipped with 5-pin DIN connectors, labeled as either IN, OUT, or THRU.
The MIDI OUT port transmits messages; the
MIDI IN port receives messages; and, MIDI
THRU echoes whatever is received from the IN
port. MIDI devices are connected with MIDI cables that are available at most music stores.

echoed from IN

MIDI Interface Hardware that lets computers
connect to and communicate with MIDI devices.
MIDI Device Any keyboard, sound module, effects device or other equipment that can send or
receive MIDI information.
MIDI Controller Any MIDI device that transmits
MIDI performance data. These include keyboards, MIDI guitar controllers, MIDI wind instruments, and others. Controllers transmit
MIDI from their MIDI OUT ports.
MIDI Control Surface Any device, such as the
Mackie HUI, that uses a MIDI connection to
send control messages to a software program,
but is not generally used to record MIDI information.
MIDI Sound Source Any MIDI instrument that
plays back in your arrangements. Sound sources
receive MIDI from their MIDI IN ports.

MIDI signal flow

Not all devices will have all three MIDI
ports (IN, OUT and THRU).
A single MIDI cable can transmit a separate set
of messages for each of 16 channels. These 16
channels correspond to separate MIDI devices or
to multiple channels within a single device (if
the device is multi-timbral). Each channel represents a discreet instrument sound; for instance,
bass on channel 1, piano on channel 2 and
drums on channel 10. Similar to a multitrack
tape recorder, a MIDI sequencer can record complex arrangements—even using a single multitimbral keyboard.

Multi-timbral The capability of playing several
different instrument sounds (such as piano,
bass, and drums) simultaneously on separate
channels. This makes it possible for a single
MIDI sound source to play back entire arrangements.
MIDI Channel Up to 16 channels of MIDI performance data can be transmitted on a single MIDI
cable. The channel number separates the different messages so your sound sources can receive
the right ones.
Program Change Event A MIDI command that
tells a sound source which sound patch to use.
The MIDI protocol lets you choose from a range
of 128 patches.

Chapter 3: Pro Tools Concepts

Bank Select Message A MIDI command that
specifies the bank of patches from which to
choose. Many devices have more than 128
patches and Bank Select messages provide a
means of accessing them.

However, to actually hear that second device
(sound source) you’ll need to connect its audio
outputs to a sound system. Your MIDI instruments have two signal paths, one for audio and
another for MIDI.

Local Control A controller setting found on most
MIDI keyboards that let them play their own
sound source. Disabling “local control” ensures
that a device’s internal sound source is only
played by external MIDI messages.

MIDI does not allow you to use your devices beyond their capabilities. Particular instruments
have their own sound generation, polyphony,
and multi-timbral limitations.

When using Pro Tools, “local control” should
usually be disabled. When “local control” is off,
your keyboard still transmits data to its MIDI
OUT port.
Continuous Controller Events MIDI instructions
that allow real-time changes to notes that are
currently sounding. These include pitch bend,
modulation, volume, pan, and many others.
System Exclusive Data MIDI data commonly
used for sending and retrieving patch parameter
information for storage purposes.

Common Misconceptions about
MIDI
MIDI is not audio. The messages that travel
down a MIDI cable are only numbers that translate to specific instructions. For instance, when
you strike a key on your MIDI keyboard it sends
a message to its MIDI OUT port telling another
device (if connected and set to the same MIDI
channel) to play that particular note.

Signal paths for MIDI instruments
16

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Chapter 4: Pro Tools Windows

Pro Tools provides two complementary ways of
viewing a project: the Mix window and the Edit
window. Pro Tools also allows you to control
many functions from the Transport window.
The main elements of these windows are explained in the following sections.

Show/Hide Tracks List

The Mix Window
In the Mix window, tracks appear as mixer modules, with controls for inserts, sends, input and
output assignments, volume, panning, recordenable, automation mode, and solo/mute. The
following section explains each of these track
controls.
To display the Pro Tools input/output controls,
inserts, sends, and comments, select Display >
Mix Window Shows > All.

To toggle between the Mix and Edit windows, press Command+equal (Macintosh)
or Control+equal (Windows) on the alpha
keyboard.

Show/Hide Tracks List

This scrolling window lists all tracks in the current session. It allows you to show or hide a
track by selecting or deselecting its name in the
list. Inactive tracks appear in italics in the
Show/Hide Tracks List.
You can also use this list to reorder tracks by
dragging a track name to a new position within
the list. This track ordering effects voice priority
for TDM systems. See Chapter 8, “Tracks” for details.
The pop-up menu at the top of this list provides
commands that allow you to show or hide all
tracks, or only tracks currently selected on
screen.

Chapter 4: Pro Tools Windows

About Groups and Show/Hide Tracks
Even if a track is hidden, if it is a member of an
enabled group, all Mix window operations performed on other members of the group will also
affect the hidden track—with the exception of audio or MIDI record-enabling. If you solo, mute,
or automation write-enable a grouped track, any
group members that are hidden will be soloed,
muted, or automation write-enabled as well.
These functions are not applied to hidden
tracks.
In the Edit window, however, editing operations
performed on members of an enabled group will
not affect hidden tracks that are also members of
the enabled group.
On TDM systems, even if a track is hidden from
view, its position relative to other tracks still affects its virtual track playback priority (see “Virtual Tracks and Track Priority” on page 82 for
details).

You can also use this list to select grouped tracks
on-screen by clicking to the left of the dotted
vertical line next to a group name. The pop-up
menu at the top of this list provides commands
to create, delete or suspend groups. You can link
groups in the Mix Groups and Edit Groups lists.
For more information on grouping, see “Grouping Tracks” on page 85.

Audio Track/Channel Strip

Inserts

Sends

Input/Output
Automation Mode

Mix Groups List

Record Enable/Solo/Mute/Voice
Pan Slider
Opens Output window
Group ID
Volume Fader

Level Meter

Track Type
Selector

Mix Groups List

Track Name
Track Comment

The Mix Groups list shows all groups in the session. It allows you to activate a group by selecting its name in the list. A group is only enabled
(meaning that its members are linked for mixing purposes), when its name is highlighted in
this list.

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Audio channel strip

Each audio track has its own set of controls for
volume, pan, panner window, record-enable,
automation mode, solo, mute, comments, and
(on TDM systems) voice assignment.

Send with
Send Controls

Real-Time Plug-In

Inserts
View

Show/Hide
Tracks List

Sends
View

I/O View
Automation
Mode Selector

Rec Enable,
Solo, Mute
buttons

Output window
button

Channel Pan

Group ID
Indicator

Channel
Volume

Mix Groups
List

AutoMatch
Indicator

Level Meter

Track Name
Track
Comments
View

Mono
Audio Track
Stereo
Audio Track

MIDI
Track

Auxiliary
Input
Master
Fader

Figure 1. Pro Tools Mix window
Chapter 4: Pro Tools Windows

MIDI Track/Channel Strip

Mix Window Track Controls
Record Enable button

MIDI Channel
Automation Mode Selector
Automation Mode

Voice Selector

Record Enable/Solo/Mute/Patch

Mute button

MIDI Pan
Solo button
MIDI Volume

Mix window, controls for audio and MIDI tracks

Record Enable Button
MIDI Velocity Meter

The Record Enable button puts audio and MIDI
tracks into record-ready mode. Once a track is
record-enabled, click the Record and Play buttons in the Transport window to start recording.

Track Name

MIDI channel strip

Each MIDI track has its own set of controls for
volume, pan, record enable, automation mode,
solo, mute, MIDI patch assignment, and MIDI
channel assignment. MIDI tracks can be added
to a session with the New Track command.

When the Operation Preference for Latch
Record Enable Buttons is selected, you can
record enable more than one track at the same
time by clicking the Record Enable button on
each track. If the Latch Record Enable Buttons
preference is deselected, Shift-click to record enable multiple tracks.

Record Safe Mode
Pro Tools provides a Record Safe mode that allows you to disable recording capability on any
track in a session. This prevents you from inadvertently record enabling a track. To toggle
Record Safe mode, Command-click (Macintosh)
or Control-Click (Windows) the track’s Record
Enable button.

Solo Button
The Solo button mutes all other tracks so a track
can be auditioned alone. More than one track
can be soloed at the same time.

Pro Tools Reference Guide

When the Operation Preference for Latch Solo
Buttons is selected, you can solo more than one
track at the same time by clicking the Solo button for each track. If the Latch Solo Buttons
preference is deselected, you can Shift-click to
solo multiple tracks.

Voice Selector
(TDM Systems Only)

Solo Safe Mode
Pro Tools also allows you to solo safe a track.
This prevents the track from being muted even
if you solo other tracks. This feature is useful for
tracks such as Auxiliary Inputs that are being
used as effects returns (for example, a reverb
send), allowing the effects track to remain in a
mix even when other tracks are soloed. It is also
useful to solo safe MIDI tracks so that their playback is not affected when you solo audio tracks.
To toggle Solo Safe mode, Command-click
(Macintosh) or Control-Click (Windows) the
Solo button on the track. Do this again to turn
off Solo Safe on a track.

Mute Button
The Mute button silences a track. More than one
track can be muted at the same time. On TDM
systems, if the Mute Frees Assigned Voice option
is selected, muting a track will free up any voices
allocate its voice to the next highest priority virtual track allocated to that voice in your session.

Automation Mode Selector
The Automation Mode selector allows you to
choose a track’s automation mode. Once a track
is automation write-enabled, starting playback
will start writing automation (depending on the
mode you have chosen). Any automation
moves that you make on the track can then be
played back exactly as you performed them.

Audio track Voice Selector

On TDM systems, the Voice Selector is used to
set the voice assignment for audio tracks. Tracks
can be assigned to a specific voice number, or
they can be assigned to Auto. When tracks are
auto-voiced, Pro Tools automatically assigns
tracks to the next available voice that is not in
use. Auto-voiced tracks are especially useful
when working with stereo and multi-channel
tracks, where Pro Tools can conveniently handle the voice allocations for these multi-voice
tracks.
To ensure that a track will be heard, assign it to
a specific voice (or voices). For stereo and multichannel surround tracks, voices appear in pairs
and multi-channel groups. Tracks with assigned
voices take priority over auto-voiced tracks.
When more than one track is assigned to the
same voice (voices in use by another track appear bold in the Voice Selector), track priority is
determined by the track’s position in the Mix or
Edit window, with the track farthest to the left

Chapter 4: Pro Tools Windows

in the Mix window, or closest to the top in the
Edit window, being given priority. This track
priority scheme also applies to tracks that are
auto-voiced.

Output Selector
(Audio Tracks, Auxiliary Inputs, Master
Faders)

For more information on voices and track priority, see “Assigning Voices and Track Priority” on
page 80.

Input/Output View
Input Selector

Audio track Output Selector

Output Selector

The Output Selector allows you to route a track
to any configured audio output or internal bus.
The choices available in this pop-up menu are
determined by the I/O Setup configuration.
Outputs in use by another track appear as bold
in the Input Selector.

Level/Peak/Delay Indicator
Pan Indicator

Inputs/Outputs view in channel strip

The I/O View shows Input and Output Selectors
on audio and MIDI tracks. Both types of tracks
show volume and pan values in this view. To
show the I/O View, select Display > Mix Window Shows (or Edit Window Shows) > I/O View.

MIDI Input Selector
(MIDI Tracks)

Input Selector
(Audio and Auxiliary Input Tracks)
‘

Audio track Input Selector

MIDI Input Selector

The Input Selector allows you to route any audio
input or any of the Pro Tools internal busses to
an audio track or an Auxiliary Input track. The
choices available in this pop-up menu are determined by the I/O Setup configuration. Inputs in
use by another track appear as bold in the Input
Selector.

This selector allows you to choose which MIDI
device and channel a MIDI track is receiving input from. This allows you to set up Pro Tools to
record multiple MIDI tracks in the same record
pass. Channels in use by another track input appear as bold in the MIDI Input Selector.

Pro Tools Reference Guide

MIDI Device/Channel Selector

Level/Peak/Channel Delay Indicator

(MIDI Tracks)

The Level Indicator on an audio track has three
modes: Level Indicator, Peak Indicator, and
Channel Delay Indicator. Command-click
(Macintosh) or Control-Click (Windows) this
button to toggle between these modes.
Level Indicator Shows the current volume/input
level of a track as set by the track level fader.

MIDI Device/Channel Selector

The MIDI Device/Channel Selector allows you
to route the MIDI track to a device and channel.
Channels in use by another track output appear
as bold in the MIDI Device/Channel Selector.

Peak Indicator Functions as a headroom indicator based on the last peak playback level. To reset the peak counter, click anywhere in the
meter. Values range from +6 dB (highest level
signal), to ∞ (no signal).
Channel Delay Indicator Shows the delay, in
samples, incurred by any TDM plug-ins on that
channel.

Pan Indicator
Default Program
(MIDI Tracks)

The Pan Indicator displays the current pan setting of a track. Pan values range from <100 (full
left) to 100> (full right). Pan controls are only
available for stereo tracks or mono tacks routed
to a stereo output.

Pan Slider
Default Program button in channel strip

The Default Program button opens the Program
Change window, where you can specify a default program for the track. The track’s default
program is transmitted each time the track
plays.

The Pan slider controls the balance of a track between the assigned output pair. It only appears
if you are using stereo tracks or mono tacks
routed to a stereo output.
The Pan slider on a MIDI track is only effective if
you are controlling a sound module that supports MIDI panning.

Chapter 4: Pro Tools Windows

Output Window

Track Level Meter

The Output window contains visual controls for
track panning and volume. This window appears differently for mono, stereo, and multichannel tracks. For multi-channel mixing, there
is also an X/Y panner Output window available.
For more information on using multi-channel
Output windows, see Chapter 33, “Surround
Panning and Mixing.”

On audio tracks, level meters indicate the level
of the signal being recorded or played back from
the hard drive. Green indicates nominal levels;
Yellow indicates pre-clipping (–6 dB below full
scale); and Red indicates clipping. When a track
is record-enabled, these meters indicate record
levels.

Pan controls

You can globally set level meters to indicate preor post-fader levels by selecting or de-selecting
Operations > Pre-Fader Metering. When prefader metering is selected, the level meters show
levels independent of fader position. With postfader metering, the level meters respond to fader
position.
If clipping occurs, the topmost LED will stay lit
(red). In addition, Pro Tools meters provide a
peak hold feature with three options:

Level Faders

To choose a peak hold setting, choose Setups >
Preferences, click Display, and select one of the
Peak Hold options: 3 Second Peak Hold, Infinite
Peak Hold, or No Peak Hold.

Mono

Stereo

You can clear a meter’s clipping or peak hold indicator by clicking anywhere on the meter. To
clear all meters, Option-click (Macintosh) or Altclick (Windows) any meter.

Output windows (mono and stereo tracks)

Track Level Fader
The track level fader controls the volume of a
track when it is in playback, and the monitor
level of the track when it is in record. You can
link the record and monitor levels by enabling
the Operation Preference for “Link Record and
Play Faders.”
The level fader on a MIDI track is only effective
if you are controlling a sound module that supports MIDI volume.

Pro Tools Reference Guide

On MIDI tracks, the level meter shows the MIDI
velocity of the most recent MIDI event.

Track Name
When new tracks are created with the New
Track command, they are given a default name
which can be changed at any time by doubleclicking the track name or choosing File > Rename Selected Tracks.

Insert Controls
Click Insert Selector to assign an insert

When you display the controls for an individual
send, you also have the option of displaying
Send Level Meters.

Click Insert button open the
Plug-In or Insert window

Send Pan

Send Level

Pre/Post button
Send Level Meter
Send Mute

Inserts view in channel strip

Pro Tools provides up to five pre-fader inserts
per audio track or Auxiliary Input. The inserts
can be either hardware inserts or software plugins. To assign an insert, click the Insert Selector
in the inserts section of a track.

Send Controls
Click Send Selector to assign a send

Click Send button to open the
Sends window

Sends View in channel strip

Pro Tools provides up to 5 mono or stereo sends
per audio track or Auxiliary Input, for sending
signals to external signal processors or any of
the Pro Tools internal busses. Sends can be either pre- or post-fader. To assign a send to a
track, click the Sends Selector in the sends section of the track.

Sends View showing individual send controls

Track Comments View
The Comments View shows any comments entered in the Track Name/Comments dialog. You
can also type directly in the Comments area for
each track when it is displayed. To display the
Comments View, select Display > Mix Window
Shows (or Edit Window Shows) > Comments.

The Edit Window
The Edit window provides a timeline display of
audio and MIDI data and mixer automation for
editing and arranging tracks. As in the Mix window, each track has controls for record enable,
solo, mute and automation mode.
To display the input and output controls, inserts, sends, and comments, select Display > Edit
Window Shows > All.

Send level, pan and mute controls can be adjusted from the Send window, or directly from
the sends section of a track by showing individual send controls.

Chapter 4: Pro Tools Windows

Event Edit Area

Zoom Buttons
Edit Mode
Buttons

Editing Tools

Grid and
Nudge Values
Location Indicators

Tab to Transients,
Commands Focus,
Link Selections
Audio
Regions
List

Rulers
Show/Hide
Tracks List

Audio
Waveform
View

Audio Track
Volume
Automation
View
MIDI Track

Edit Groups
List

Selected Region
MIDI Notes View
MIDI Velocity View

Figure 2. Pro Tools Edit window
26

Pro Tools Reference Guide

MIDI Regions List

Edit Window Track Controls

Playlist Selector

Record Enable button
Track Name
Playlist Selector
Automation Mode Selector
Mute button
Voice Selector
Track Height Selector
Track View Selector
Solo button

Edit window track controls (medium track height)

Record Enable Button

Playlist Selector

Tracks have edit playlists and automation playlists. You can create any number of edit playlists
for a track, and assign them by clicking the Playlist Selector in the track and choosing from the
pop-up menu. Each track has a single set of automation playlists, according to the type of
track and any send or plug-in assignments. You
choose the automation playlist to display with
the Track View Selector.

Track Height Selector

See “Record Enable Button” on page 20.

Solo Button
See “Solo Button” on page 20.

Mute Button
See “Mute Button” on page 21.

Automation Mode Selector
See “Automation Mode Selector” on page 21.

Voice Selector
(TDM Systems Only)

Track Height Selector

Tracks can be viewed in the Edit window at any
of six heights: Mini, Small, Medium, Large, Jumbo,
and Extreme. The appearance of track controls
varies with track height. You can adjust track
height by clicking either the Track Height Selector or in the area just to the right of the track
controls.

See “Voice Selector” on page 21.

Track Name
See “Track Name” on page 24.

Chapter 4: Pro Tools Windows

Track View Selector

Edit Modes, Tab to Transients,
Commands Focus, and Linked
Selections
Edit Mode

Tab to Transients

Track View Selector

The Track View for each track determines which
data is displayed and edited in the track’s playlist area.
The Track View for audio tracks can be set to
Blocks, Waveform, Volume, Pan, Mute, Send Level,
Send Mute, Send Pan, or any plug-in parameters
that have been automated. Except when editing
automation data, audio tracks are usually set to
Waveform view.
Auxiliary input tracks can be set to Volume, Pan,
Mute, or any plug-in parameter that has been automated. Master Fader tracks can be set to Volume, or any plug-in parameter that has been automated.
MIDI tracks can be set to Blocks, Regions, Notes,
Volume, Pan, Mute, Velocity, Pitch Bend, After
Touch, Program, Sysex, and any continuous controller type. Except when editing controller
data, program changes, or sysex events, MIDI
tracks are usually set to Notes or Regions.

Link Selections

Commands Focus

Edit mode buttons in Edit window

Shuffle Sets the Edit mode to Shuffle, which restricts the placement of regions so that they
snap to each other and are placed end to end.

You can press F1 to set the Edit mode to
Shuffle, and on the Macintosh, you can
press Option+1 on the alpha keyboard.
Spot Sets the Edit mode to Spot, which causes
the Spot dialog to open when moving or trimming regions and notes. The Spot dialog lets you
enter a precise start, end, or length (in any time
format) for the event.

You can press F2 to set the Edit mode to
Spot, and on the Macintosh, you can press
Option+2 on the alpha keyboard.
Slip Sets the Edit mode to Slip, which allows regions and notes to be moved and trimmed
freely. Regions can placed so that there is space
between them, or so that they overlap.

You can press F3 to set the Edit mode to
Slip, and on the Macintosh, you can press
Option+3 on the alpha keyboard.
Grid Sets the Edit mode to Grid, which constrains edits and selections to the current Grid
value.

You can press F4 to set the Edit mode to
Grid, and on the Macintosh, you can press
Option+4 on the alpha keyboard.
28

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Tab to Transients Enables navigation to transients in audio waveforms, placing the cursor
just before the detected transient peak when
pressing the Tab key.
Commands Focus (TDM Systems only) Enables
the Commands Focus, which provides a wide
range of single-key shortcuts from the alpha
keyboard for editing and playing.

You can press Command+Option+1 (Macintosh) or Control+Alt+1 to enable the
Commands Focus.
Link Selections Links the Edit and Timeline selections, allowing you to set play and record
ranges by selecting in a track’s playlist. When
unlinked, you can make Edit selections without
disturbing the Timeline selection.

You can press Shift+slash to link and unlink the Edit and Timeline selections.

While pressing Command+Option (Macintosh) or Control+Alt (Windows), you can
use the bracket keys to zoom in and out vertically for all audio tracks.
Vertical Zoom In/Out (MIDI) Zooms in and out
vertically for MIDI tracks. Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) either of the Vertical Zoom buttons to return to the previous
zoom level.

While pressing Command+Shift (Macintosh) or Control+Shift (Windows), you can
use the bracket keys to zoom in and out vertically for all MIDI tracks.
Zoom Presets Recalls horizontal zoom values
for audio and MIDI tracks. Command-click
(Macintosh) or Control-click (Windows) a Zoom
Preset button to store the current horizontal
zoom values.

Zoom Buttons
Vertical Zoom
In/Out (MIDI)
Vertical Zoom
In/Out (Audio)

Horizontal
Zoom In

Horizontal
Zoom Out

Vertical Zoom In/Out (Audio) Zooms in and out
vertically for audio tracks. Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) either of the Vertical Zoom buttons to return to the previous
zoom level.

Zoom Preset Buttons

Zoom buttons in Edit window

Horizontal Zoom In/Out Zooms in and out horizontally for all tracks. Option-click (Macintosh)
or Alt-click (Windows) either of the Horizontal
Zoom buttons to return to the previous zoom
level.

While pressing Control (Macintosh) or the
Start key (Windows), you can recall a Zoom
Preset by typing its number on the alpha
keyboard.
On TDM systems, with the Commands Focus enabled, you can recall a Zoom Preset
by typing its number on the alpha keyboard.

While pressing Command (Macintosh) or
Control (Windows), you can use the bracket
keys to zoom in and out horizontally.
Chapter 4: Pro Tools Windows

For TDM systems, choose Trimmer tools from
the Trimmer pop-up:

Edit Tools
Grabber

Trimmer
Selector

Scrubber

Trimmer pop-up menu
Zoomer

Smart Tool

Pencil

Edit tools in Edit window

Zoomer Click or drag with the Zoomer tool to
zoom in horizontally for a track or Ruler. Press
Command (Macintosh) or Control (Windows)
while dragging to zoom horizontally and vertically.
To go back to the previous zoom level, Optionclick (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) with
the Zoomer.
To zoom a selection so it fills the Edit window,
Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) the Zoomer tool. To zoom out so that all
regions are visible in the Edit window, doubleclick the Zoomer tool.

To select the Zoomer tool, press F5, or press
Command+1 (Macintosh) or Control+1
(Windows) on the alpha keypad.
Standard Trimmer To resize regions or MIDI
notes, drag or click near their start/end points
with the Trimmer tool. To reverse the direction
of the Trim cursor, which determines whether
the start or end point is edited, press Option
(Macintosh) or Alt (Windows).
The Trimmer can also be used to scale the values
for note velocities, controller events, and automation breakpoints.

• Scrub Trimmer, scrubs audio material to find
the trim point before performing the trim.
• TCE Trimmer, expands or compresses audio
material to fit within a time range.

To select and toggle through the three Trimmer tools, press F6, or press Command+2
(Macintosh) or Control+2 (Windows) on
the alpha keypad.
Selector Drag with the Selector in a track’s playlist for an Edit selection, or in a Timebase Ruler
for a Timeline selection.
To adjust the length of a selection, Shift-click or
Shift-drag with the Selector. To extend an Edit
selection to other tracks, Shift-click with the Selector in the desired tracks.
To temporarily switch the Selector to the Scrubber, press Control (Macintosh) or the Start key
(Windows).

To select the Selector tool, press F7, or press
Command+3 (Macintosh) or Control+3
(Windows) on the alpha keypad.
Time Grabber Use the Grabber to select or move
entire regions, MIDI events, and Conductor
events. The Grabber can also be used to edit and
insert automation breakpoints.
Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) with the Grabber to delete tempo and
meter events, Markers, and automation breakpoints.

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Choose these Grabber tools from the Grabber
pop-up:

Choose from the Pencil pop-up any of the five
shapes, which can be used to affect a range of
note velocities, controller events, or automation
breakpoints.

Grabber pop-up menu

• Separation Grabber, separates selections into
new regions.
• Object Grabber (TDM systems only), allows
selection of discontiguous regions, which can
even be on different tracks.

To select and toggle through the three Grabber tools, press F8, or press Command+4
(Macintosh) or Control+4 (Windows) on
the alpha keypad.

Pencil pop-up menu

To select and toggle through the five Pencil
shapes, press F10, or press Command+6
(Macintosh) or Control+6 (Windows) on
the alpha keypad.

Scrubber Drag with the Scrubber to scrub up to
two audio tracks—right for forward, left for reverse. The resolution for the Scrubber is determined by the zoom level, and the distance and
speed dragged determine the speed and length
for the scrubbed audio.

Smart Tool The Smart Tool lets you use the Selector, Grabber, and Trimmer, as well as create
fades, without switching tools. Depending on
where the cursor is placed in relation to a region
or note, the Smart Tool automatically switches
to the appropriate tool. For details, see “Using
the Smart Tool” on page 32.

For finer resolutions without zooming, press
Command (Macintosh) or Control (Windows)
while scrubbing.

To temporarily switch the Smart Tool to the
Scrubber, press Control (Macintosh) or the Start
key (Windows).

To select the Scrubber tool, press F9, or
press Command+5 (Macintosh) or Control+5 (Windows) on the alpha keypad.

To select the Smart Tool, press F6+F7, or
press Command+7 (Macintosh) or Control+7 (Windows) on the alpha keypad.

Pencil Use the Pencil tool to insert MIDI notes,
edit velocities for a range of MIDI notes, draw
automation and controller events, and repair
audio waveforms (when zoomed down to the
sample level).
Press Option (Macintosh) or Alt (Windows) and
the Pencil changes to an Eraser, which can be
used to delete notes, program changes, and
sysex events.
Chapter 4: Pro Tools Windows

Using the Smart Tool
With the Smart Tool you can instantly access
the Selector, Grabber, and Trimmer, and you can
also perform fades and crossfades. The position
of the cursor in relation to a region or note, or
within an automation playlist, determines how
the Smart Tool functions.

Smart Tool in Edit window

To select the Smart Tool, click its icon in the upper left of the Edit window, or press F6+F7 (or
F7+F8).

The Smart Tool in Waveform View
Fade-In

Selector

◆ For a fade-in or fade-out, position the cursor
near an audio region’s start or end point, near
the top. Once the Fade cursor appears, drag into
the region to set the fade length. The fade is created automatically with the Default Fade Settings (in the Editing Preferences).
◆ For a crossfade, position the cursor between
two adjacent audio regions, near the bottom.
Once the Crossfade cursor appears drag left or
right to set the crossfade length. The crossfade is
created automatically with the Default Fade Settings (in the Editing Preferences).

To temporarily switch the Smart Tool to the
Scrubber, press Control (Macintosh) or the
Start key (Windows).

The Smart Tool in Notes View
Selector

Fade-Out

Trim
Start

Trim
End

Grabber

Crossfade

Trim
Start

Grabber

Smart tool in Notes view
Smart Tool in Waveform view

The following capabilities are available with the
Smart Tool when working with audio tracks in
Waveform or Blocks view, or MIDI tracks in Regions view:
For the Selector, position the cursor over the
middle of the region, in the upper half.

The following capabilities are available with the
Smart Tool when working with MIDI tracks in
Notes view:
◆ For the Selector, position the cursor so it
doesn’t cover any notes.

◆

For the Grabber, position the cursor over the
middle of a region, in the lower half.

◆

For the Trimmer, position the cursor near the
region’s start or end point.

◆

Pro Tools Reference Guide

To get the Selector while positioning the cursor
over notes, press Command (Macintosh) or
Control (Windows).
◆ For the Grabber, position the cursor over the
note, near its middle.

To get the Marquee so you can select a group of
notes, position the cursor so it doesn’t cover any
notes and press Command (Macintosh) or Control (Windows).
For the Trimmer, position the cursor near the
note’s start or end point.

◆

To temporarily switch the Smart Tool to the
Pencil, press Control (Macintosh) or the
Start key (Windows), for the Eraser, press
Control+Option (Macintosh) or Start+Alt
(Windows).

The Smart Tool in Automation and
Controller Views
The following capabilities are available with the
Smart Tool when working in automation and
controller views:
For the Selector, move the cursor so it is positioned anywhere in the bottom 75% of the playlist.

◆

For the Grabber, press Command (Macintosh)
or Control (Windows) to insert breakpoints.
Continue pressing Command (Macintosh) or
Control (Windows) after you begin editing for
fine control, otherwise release for coarse control.
◆

Press Command+Shift (Macintosh) or Control+Shift (Windows) to vertically constrain
movement.

The Smart Tool with Stereo and MultiChannel Tracks
When using the Smart Tool on stereo and multichannel tracks, individual channels cannot be
independently edited. All edits affects all channels as a whole.
The tool switching for the Smart Tool in stereo
and multi-channel tracks is determined by the
position within the entire track, and not within
individual channels.

Event Edit Area
Selection
Indicators

Note
Attributes
Pitch
Attack Velocity
Release Velocity

Event Edit Area showing MIDI track information

Start Displays the start point for a selected region or note, or for an Edit selection. To move
the start point, enter a new value in this field.
End Displays the end point for a selected region
or note, or for an Edit selection. To move the
end point, enter a new value in this field.

Press Shift to vertically constrain movement.

Length Displays the length for a selected region
or note, or for an Edit selection. To change the
length of the region, note, or Edit selection, enter a new value in this field. This will move the
end point later to extend the length to the new
value.

For the Trimmer, position the cursor in the
top 25% of the playlist to trim breakpoints. Press
Command (Macintosh) or Control (Windows)
after you begin trimming for fine control.

Pitch Displays the pitch (including octave number) for a selected note. To change the pitch, enter a new value in this field, or select the field
and play a note on your MIDI controller.

To edit existing breakpoints, move the cursor
near a breakpoint and the Grabber will appear.

◆

Chapter 4: Pro Tools Windows

Attack Displays the attack velocity for a selected
note. To change the velocity, enter a new value
in this field, or select the field and play a note on
your MIDI controller.
Release Displays the release velocity for a selected note. To change the velocity, enter a new
value in this field, or select the field and play a
note on your MIDI controller.

Press slash (/) on the numeric keypad to automatically select the Start field, and to
navigate from one field to the next. Press
Enter on the numeric keypad to accept a
value.

Location Indicators, Grid/Nudge
Values, Current Cursor Display
Location Indicators

Grid/Nudge Values

Cursor Value
Cursor Location

To change the time format for the Main or Sub
Time Scale, choose from the pop-up menu to
the right of the fields.

To highlight the Main Location Indicator,
press Equal (=) on the numeric keypad.
Press period (.) to navigate the different
time fields in an indicator, press Enter to go
to the new location.
Grid Value Defines the Grid boundaries used in
Grid mode, and when quantizing regions. The
Grid value, selected from the pop-up menu to
the right of this field, can be based on the Main
Time Scale or any of the other time formats.
Nudge Value Displays the time value used when
nudging. The Nudge value, which can be based
on the Main Time Scale or any other time format, can be selected from the pop-up menu to
the right of this field, or by typing in any value
you want.
In addition to nudging regions and notes, you
can also nudge start and end points for regions
and notes, start and end points for selections,
and region contents. See Chapter 17, “Working
with Regions and Selections.”

Edit window display showing MIDI track information

Location Indicators Displays the current play position in the Main and Sub Time Scales. To move
the Timeline insertion point to a different location, click in either field, type in the new location and press Enter.

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Cursor Location Provides feedback on the current cursor location. This location is displayed
in the time format for the Main Time Scale.
Cursor Value Provides feedback on the current
cursor value. The type of value displayed depends on the Track View: for example, note
number for Notes view, velocity value for Velocity view, and dB value for Volume view.

The Edit Groups List

Audio Regions List and Pop-up
Menu
mono
region
stereo
region
selected
region

Edit Groups List

The Edit Groups list shows all groups in the session. It allows you to activate or deactivate a
group by selecting or deselecting its name in the
list. A group is only enabled (meaning that its
members are linked for editing purposes), when
its name is highlighted in this list.
You can also use this list to select grouped tracks
on-screen by clicking to the left of the dotted
vertical line next to a group name. The pop-up
menu at the top of this list provides commands
to create, delete or suspend groups. You can link
groups in the Edit Groups and Mix Groups lists.
For more information on grouping, see “Grouping Tracks” on page 85.

All audio regions that are recorded, imported, or
created by editing appear in the Audio Regions
List. Regions can be dragged from the list to
tracks and arranged in any order.
Using the Audio Regions List pop-up menu (at
the top of the list) you can sort this list by a variety of attributes. You can also select, rename
and clear regions from the session, and import
and export audio from the session.

MIDI Regions List and Pop-up
Menu

All MIDI regions that are recorded, imported, or
created by editing appear in the MIDI Regions
List. Regions can be dragged from the list to
tracks and arranged in any order.
Using the MIDI Regions List pop-up menu (at
the top of this list), you can sort this list by a variety of attributes. You can also rename and
clear regions from the session, as well as import
MIDI from this menu.

Chapter 4: Pro Tools Windows

Stop Stops playback or recording.

The Transport Window
The Transport window can be set to show basic
transport controls, counters, and MIDI controls.
The counters in the Transport window mirror
the Location Indicators at the top of the Edit
window.
Return to Zero

Fast Forward

Rewind
Online

Stop

Play

Go to End
Record

You can also stop the Transport with the following shortcuts:
• Press the Spacebar.
• With the Numeric Keypad Mode set to Transport, press 0.
Play Starts playback or (if the Record button was
clicked first) recording from the Timeline insertion point.
With the Transport stopped, Control-click
(Macintosh) or Right-click (Windows) Play to
toggle Loop Playback mode. When enabled, a
loop symbol appears in the Play button.

Pre-Roll
Post-Roll
Transport Master

Start, End, and Length

for Timeline Selection

You can also initiate playback with the following shortcuts:

Transport window showing basic transport controls

• Press the Spacebar.

Online Puts Pro Tools online so that playback
and recording is triggered by an external time
code source.

• With the Numeric Keypad Mode set to Transport, press 0.

Return to Zero Locates to the beginning of the
session.

You can press Return (Macintosh) or Enter
on the alpha keyboard (Windows) to locate
to the beginning of the session.
Rewind Rewinds from the current play location.
You can also click repeatedly to rewind incrementally (by an amount based on the Main
Time Scale).

With the Numeric Keypad Mode set to
Transport, you can rewind by pressing 1.

You can play at half-speed with the following
shortcuts:
• Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click
(Windows) the Play button.
• Press Shift+Spacebar.
Fast Forward Fast forwards from the Timeline insertion point. You can also click repeatedly to
fast forward incrementally (by an amount based
on the Main Time Scale).

With the Numeric Keypad Mode set to
Transport, you can fast forward by pressing
2.
Go to End Locates to the end of the session.

You can press Option+Return (Macintosh)
or Control+Enter on the alpha keyboard
(Windows) to locate to the end of the session.
36

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Record Arms Pro Tools for recording (the button
flashes). Clicking Play then initiates recording.
With the Transport stopped, Control-click
(Macintosh) or Right-click (Windows) Record to
cycle through the four record modes. The
Record button changes to indicate the currently
selected mode: blank for Nondestructive, “D”
for Destructive, a loop symbol for Loop Record,
and “Q” for QuickPunch.
You can also begin recording with the following
shortcuts:
• Press F12.
• Press Command+Spacebar (Macintosh) or
Control+Spacebar (Windows).
• With the Numeric Keypad Mode set to Transport, press 3.

To initiate recording at half-speed, press
Command+Shift+Spacebar (Macintosh) or
Control+Shift+Spacebar (Windows).

Post-Roll Specifies the amount that plays after
the end of a play or record range. Post-roll is useful in punch recording since playback continues
after the punch-out point so you can check for a
smooth transition to previously recorded material. To set the post-roll amount, enter a new
value in this field, or drag the Post-Roll flag in
the Main Timebase Ruler.
To enable post-roll, click the Post-Roll button to
the left of the post-roll field so it becomes highlighted.
Start Specifies the beginning of the play or
record range. You can set the start point by entering a location in this field, or by dragging the
corresponding Playback Marker in the Main
Timebase Ruler.
End Specifies the end of the play or record range.
You can set the end point by entering a location
in this field, or by dragging the corresponding
Playback Marker in the Main Timebase Ruler.

Pre-Roll Specifies the amount that plays before
the beginning of a play or record range. Pre-roll
is particularly useful in punch recording since it
provides you with time to “catch the beat” before reaching the punch-in point. To set the preroll amount, enter a new value in this field, or
drag the Pre-Roll flag in the Main Timebase
Ruler.

Length Specifies the length for the play or record
range. You can set the length by entering a location in this field, or by selecting a range in any
Timebase Ruler.

To enable pre-roll, click the Pre-Roll button to
the left of the pre-roll field so it becomes highlighted.

Transport Master Specifies the “master” for
transport functions. Click this button and
choose from the pop-up menu to select the
Transport Master, which can be set to Pro Tools,
Machine, MMC, and Remote. See “Using MIDI
Machine Control” on page 479 for details.

When the Edit and Timeline selections are
linked, you can drag in a track’s playlist to
set the play and record range.

Chapter 4: Pro Tools Windows

Countoff When selected, Pro Tools counts off a
specified number of measures (indicated in the
button) before playback or recording begins.

MIDI Controls
Wait for Note
Countoff
Click

MIDI Merge

Tempo

Meter
Conductor

Transport window showing MIDI controls

Wait for Note When selected, recording does not
begin until a MIDI even is received. This ensures
that you begin recording when you’re ready to
play, and that the first note, or other MIDI data,
is recorded precisely at the beginning of the
record range.

You can press F11 to turn on Wait for Note,
unless the Operation Preference for “Disable F11 for Wait for Note” is selected.
Click When selected, a metronome sounds during playback and recording (as specified by the
settings in the Click/Countoff Options dialog).
Double-click the Click button to open the
Click/Count Options dialog.

With the Numeric Keypad Mode set to
Transport, you can press 7 to enable the
Click.

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Double-click the Countoff button, to open the
Click/Countoff Options dialog.

With the Numeric Keypad Mode set to
Transport, you can press 8 to enable the
Countoff.
MIDI Merge When selected (Merge mode), recorded MIDI data is merged with exiting track
material. When deselected (Replace mode), recorded MIDI data replaces existing track material.

You can press Option+A (Macintosh) or
Alt+A (Windows) to enable MIDI Merge, or
with the Numeric Keypad Mode set to
Transport, press 9.
Conductor When selected, Pro Tools uses the
tempo map defined in the Tempo Ruler. When
deselected, Pro Tools switches to Manual Tempo
mode and ignores the Tempo Track.
In Manual Tempo mode, you can enter a BPM
value in the tempo field, or tap in the tempo by
clicking the Tap button.
Meter Displays the session’s current meter based
on the play location. Double-click the Meter
button to open the Change Meter window.
Tempo Displays the session’s current tempo
based on the play location. In Manual Tempo
mode, you can enter a BPM value into this field.
In addition, when the tempo field is selected,
you can tap in a tempo from a MIDI controller.

Chapter 5: Keyboard Shortcuts

List and Parameter Selection

Global Key Commands

• Selection of tracks in Show/Hide List

This section shows keyboard shortcuts that apply to many functions in Pro Tools.

• Enabling of groups in Groups List

Channel Strip/Track Functions

• Setting memory location parameters

• Changing Automation mode

• Automation Enable window parameters

Command

Macintosh

Windows

Toggle item & set all
others to same new
state

Option-click
item

Alt-click item

Toggle item & set all
others to opposite
state

Commandclick item

Control-click
item

• Enabling playlists
• Adding plug-ins
• Record enabling, soloing, and muting tracks
• Record safing and solo safing tracks
• Assigning inputs, outputs, and sends
• Toggling volume/peak/delay display

Controls and Editing Tools

• Clearing meters

◆ Use to move plug-in controls, faders and sliders, the Scrubber, and automation data

• Changing track heights

Command

Macintosh

Windows

Command

Macintosh

Windows

Apply action to all
channel
strips/tracks

Option +
action

Alt +
action

Fine adjustment of
sliders, knobs &
breakpoints

Commandclick item

Controlclick item

Apply action to
selected channel
strips/tracks

Option +
Shift +
action

Alt + Shift
+ action

Chapter 5: Keyboard Shortcuts

Commands Focus (TDM Systems Only)

Keyboard Focus
The Keyboard Focus in Pro Tools determines
how the alpha keys function. Depending on
which Keyboard Focus is enabled, you can use
the keys on your alpha keyboard to select regions in the Audio or MIDI Regions List, enable
or disable groups, or perform an edit or play
command (TDM systems only).

Audio Regions List
Key focus
Commands
Key focus

When selected, this provides a wide range of
shortcuts from the alpha keyboard for editing
and playing.
With the Commands Focus disabled, you can
still access any of its key shortcuts by pressing
Control (Macintosh) or the Start key (Windows)
along with the key.
Audio Regions Focus When selected, audio regions can be located and selected in the Audio
Regions List by typing the first few letters of the
region’s name.
MIDI Regions Focus When selected, MIDI regions can be located and selected in the MIDI
Regions List by typing the first few letters of the
region’s name.

Groups List
Key focus

Groups List Focus When selected, Edit and Mix
Groups can be enabled or disabled by typing the
Group ID letter.
MIDI Regions List
Key focus

Keyboard Focus buttons

To set the Keyboard Focus:
Click the a-z button for the focus you want to
enable.

■

– or –
While pressing Command+Option (Macintosh)
or Control+Alt (Windows), press
1 (Commands), 2 (Audio Regions List), 3 (MIDI
Regions List), or 4 (Groups List).
You can only enable one Keyboard Focus at a
time. Enabling a Keyboard Focus will disable the
one previously selected.

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Refer to the Keyboard Shortcut Card that
came with your Pro Tools package (TDM
systems only) for a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. This card is also available
in PDF format in the Release Notes and
Documentation folder.

Numeric Keypad Modes
The Operation preference for Numeric Keypad
Mode determines how the numeric keypad
functions.

Transport
This mode allows you to set a number of record
and play functions, and also operate the Transport from the numeric keypad.
:

Function

Key

Click on/off

Countoff on/off

MIDI Merge/Replace mode

Loop Playback mode on/off

Loop Record mode on/off

QuickPunch mode on/off

select on of the following modes, then click
Done.

Rewind

Fast Forward

Classic

Record

Play/Stop

No matter which Numeric Keypad Mode is selected, you can always use the numeric keypad
to select and enter values in the Event Edit Area,
Location Indicators, and Transport fields.
To set the Numeric Keypad Mode:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences and click Opera-

tion.
2 Under the option for Numeric Keypad Mode,

This mode emulates the way Pro Tools worked
in versions earlier than 5.0. With the Numeric
Keypad Mode set to Classic, you can:
• Play up to two tracks of audio in Shuttle Lock
mode. Press Control (Macintosh) or the Start
key (Windows), followed by 0-9 for different
play speeds. Press Plus or Minus to reverse direction.
• Recall Memory Locations by typing the Memory Location number, followed by period.

With the Numeric Keypad Mode set to Transport, you can also:
• Play up to two tracks of audio in Shuttle Lock
mode. Press Control (Macintosh) or the Start
key (Windows), followed by 0-9 for different
play speeds. Press Plus or Minus to reverse direction.
• Recall Memory Locations by typing period,
the Memory Location number, and period
again.

Chapter 5: Keyboard Shortcuts

Shuttle
(TDM Systems Only)
Pro Tools offers another form of shuttling, different from that of Shuttle Lock Mode. With the
Numeric Keypad Mode set to Shuttle, playback
of the current Edit selection is triggered by pressing and holding the keys on the numeric keypad—playback stops once the keys are released.
Various playback speeds are available in both
forward and reverse. In this mode, pre/post-roll
are ignored.
:

Function

Key

1 X Forward

1 X Rewind

4 X Forward

4 X Rewind

1/4 X Forward

1/4 X Rewind

1/2 X Forward

5+6

1/2 X Rewind

5+4

2 X Forward

8+9

2 X Rewind

8+7

1/16 X Forward

2+3

1/16 X Rewind

2+1

Loop Selection (1 X)

With the Numeric Keypad Mode set to Shuttle,
you can also:
• Recall Memory Locations by typing period,
the Memory Location number, and period
again.

Shuttle Lock mode is not available when the
Numeric Keypad Mode is set to Shuttle.

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Part II: Sessions & Tracks

Chapter 6: Sessions

This chapter covers some of the basics of starting a project in Pro Tools, including how to set
up and save a Pro Tools session.

Starting Up Your System

Once you have quit Pro Tools, shut down your
Pro Tools system in this order:
1 For TDM systems, turn off audio interfaces.
2 For TDM systems with an expansion chassis,
turn off the expansion chassis.
3 Turn off your computer.

In order for the components of your Pro Tools
system to communicate properly with each
other, you need to start them up in a specific order.
Start your Pro Tools system in this order:

4 Turn off any MIDI interfaces and devices.
5 Turn off external hard drives.

Configuring Your System

1 For TDM systems with an expansion chassis,

turn on the expansion chassis.
2 Turn on external hard drives, if any. Wait approximately ten seconds for them to spin up to
speed.
3 Turn on any MIDI interfaces and devices.
4 For TDM systems, turn on Pro Tools audio in-

terfaces. Wait at least ten seconds for them to
initialize.
If you launch Pro Tools without turning on your
audio interfaces, you will be prompted to turn
them on. Allow about ten seconds for audio interfaces to power-up cycle before clicking OK.
5 Turn on your computer.

When you first use Pro Tools, or when you
change the physical input and output scheme
for your system, you must configure the Hardware Setup in Pro Tools. This ensures that your
audio hardware is appropriately configured and
available in Pro Tools.

Host and RTAS Processing
Pro Tools LE uses host (CPU) processing to provide audio track recording, playback, mixing,
and effects processing. Pro Tools TDM can also
use host processing to run RTAS plug-ins for effects processing.
Pro Tools hardware setup allows you to set a
hardware buffer and allocate a percentage of
CPU resources for these tasks.

Chapter 6: Sessions

RTAS on Pro Tools TDM Systems
On TDM systems, it is recommended that you
set the hardware buffer size at 128 samples, and
the CPU usage percentage at 65%. These settings
are the system minimums, and they should allow you to get good processing power from your
RTAS plug-ins without slowing down the onscreen response of Pro Tools. These settings will
work best on a fast computer (e.g. G4 or Blue &
White G3).

Pro Tools TDM Hardware Setup
To configure the Hardware Setup:
1 Choose Setups > Hardware.

On a slower TDM system like a Power Macintosh
9600 or a beige G3, you should increase these
settings. The Hardware Buffer size can be set as
high as 1024 samples, and the CPU usage percentage can be set as high as 85%. This will increase the amount of processing you can get
from RTAS plug-ins on slower systems.

In addition to slower screen redraws and
and UI responsiveness, larger Hardware
Buffer sizes can affect automation accuracy
for plug-in parameters and mute data.

RTAS on Pro Tools LE Systems
On LE systems, it is recommended that you set
the Hardware Buffer size to 128 samples, and the
CPU Usage Limit to 65%. These settings are the
system minimums, and they should allow you
to get good processing power from your RTAS
plug-ins without slowing down the on-screen
response of Pro Tools. These settings will work
best on a fast computer (such as a Power Macintosh G4 or fast Pentium III).
However, on a slower system, to get maximum
track count and processing power, you should
use a higher Hardware Buffer size and CPU Usage Limit. At the maximum settings of 1024
samples and 85%, on most qualified systems,
you should be able to get 24 audio tracks with
plug-ins at these settings.

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Hardware Setup dialog (Pro Tools TDM)
2 For systems with multiple interfaces connected to multiple cards, select the Digidesign
card type from the Card pop-up.

The following steps should be repeated for any
additional cards with connected interfaces.
3 From the Interface port pop-up, select the port
to which your audio interface is connected (port
A or port B).

Choose port A if only one audio interface is connected to the card. If two audio interfaces are
connected to the selected card, follow the steps
below for each port and interface.
4 From the Sample Rate pop-up, select a sample
rate.

5 From the Sync Mode pop-up, select the appro-

priate sync mode on the currently selected interface (Internal or Digital). In most cases you will
use Internal. Digital is used primarily for inputting digital audio from DAT or other digital
sources.

Pro Tools LE Hardware Setup
To configure the Hardware Setup:
1 Choose Setups > Hardware.

6 From the Ch 1–2 Input pop-up, select the input format of Channels 1–2 of the currently selected interface.
7 From the H/W Buffer pop-up, select the audio
buffer size, in samples, for host processing tasks
such as RTAS plug-in processing. Select larger
buffer sizes for slower computers.
8 From the CPU Usage Limit pop-up, select the

maximum percentage of CPU resources to allocate to host processing tasks. Select higher CPU
usage percentages for slower computers.
9 Click Other Options for additional configuration options specific to the audio interface.
These include:

• Setting the input format (analog or digital) of
each pair of input channels on a 888/24 I/O
• Configuring the level sensitivity and peak
hold settings for the output level meters on
the front panel of the 888/24 I/O
• Enabling DAC Muting (mutes the 888/24 I/O
digital-to-analog convertors when its output
level falls below a certain threshold, to reduce
noise)
• Setting the input and output levels on an
882/20 I/O or a 1622 I/O
• Selecting S/PDIF compatibility with Tascam
DA30 DAT recorders

Hardware Setup dialog (Pro Tools LE)
2 From the Sample Rate pop-up, select a sample
rate.
3 From the Sync Mode pop-up, select the appropriate sync mode on the currently selected interface. In most cases you will use Internal. S/PDIF
(RCA) is used primarily for inputting material
from a DAT or other digital sources. Optical (on
Digi 001 systems only) is used primarily for inputting material from an ADAT or other ADATlightpipe-equipped device.
4 From the H/W Buffer pop-up, select the audio
buffer size, in samples, for host processing tasks
such as audio and MIDI track playback, mix automation, and RTAS plug-in processing. Select
larger buffer sizes for slower computers.

10 Configure the Other Options parameters and

click Done.
11 Click OK to close the Hardware Setup dialog.

Chapter 6: Sessions

5 From the CPU Usage Limit pop-up, select the

maximum percentage of CPU resources to allocate to host processing tasks. Select higher CPU
usage percentages for slower computers.
6 Click Other Options for additional configura-

tion options specific to your system. These include:
• Setting the input gain for analog inputs 3-8
on a Digi 001
• Setting the input gain for the analog inputs
on an Audiomedia III
• Boosting the output gain for an
Audiomedia III
• Enabling the Mic/Line High-Pass Filter for a
Digi 001
• Selecting S/PDIF compatibility with Tascam
DA30 DAT recorders

Changing the Pro Tools
Playback Engine
Pro Tools allows you to select different Playback
Engines depending on your system configuration. The Playback Engine determines which
Pro Tools card is used to for Pro Tools recording
and playback features. Supported Digidesign
cards include the Pro Tools MIX card, d24 card,
Digi 001, or Audiomedia III card.
On TDM systems, the Playback Engine is also
used to change the audio interface assignments
for each card.
To change an audio interface assignment:
1 Choose Setups > Playback Engine.

7 Configure the Other Options parameters and
click Done.
8 Click OK to close the Hardware Setup dialog.

Playback Engine dialog for Pro Tools MIX system
2 Choose the card you want to configure from
the Card pop-up menu.
3 If available, choose the port to which your au-

dio interface is connected from the Interface
port pop-up.

Pro Tools Reference Guide

4 Choose the audio interface connected to the
currently displayed card or port.
5 Set the Sample Rate, Sync Mode, and Channel

1–2 format for the audio interface.
6 Select the audio buffer size, in samples, for
host processing tasks.

Changing DAE Playback
Buffer Size
The DAE Playback Buffer size determines the
amount of memory allocated within DAE to
manage disk buffers, which affects system performance.

7 Select the maximum percentage of CPU resources to allocate to host processing tasks.
8 Click Other Options to configure additional
options for the audio interface.

A Pro Tools session created on one Pro Tools
system configuration can be opened and used
on a different Pro Tools system configuration.
When you change the Playback Engine while a
session is open, the session will be saved, closed
and reopened to enable your new Playback Engine choice.
If you change from a TDM-based Playback Engine (MIX 64 Voice, MIX 32 Voice, or d24) to a
Pro Tools LE -based Playback Engine (Digi 001
or Audiomedia III), you will lose any tracks, busses, or I/O assignments that exceed the limits of
the Pro Tools LE system. Any TDM plug-ins that
do not have RTAS equivalents will also be made
inactive.

DAE Playback Buffer Size dialog

Though DAE automatically selects the optimal
Playback Buffer for your system, you may want
to adjust this parameter to modify your system’s
performance:
◆ Allocating a larger buffer can sometimes allow
for a higher density of edits. This can be useful if
you experience system performance problems
in sessions with a large number of edits in rapid
succession.
◆ Allocating a smaller buffer can sometimes improve playback/recording initiation speed. This
can be useful if you are experiencing a time lag
when you initiate playback/recording.

You should also note the following:
◆ Choosing a smaller buffer can make it difficult
for slower hard drives to play or record tracks reliably.
◆ Choosing a larger buffer can cause a time lag
to occur before playback or recording begins. It
can also cause a time lag to occur when you are
editing during playback.

Chapter 6: Sessions

Macintosh
To change DAE’s Playback Buffer size:
1 If you are running Pro Tools, quit Pro Tools.

When you record a new audio track, the track is
saved as a new audio file to the Audio Files
folder. You can also import other audio files into
the session, and work with them as well.

2 Locate and open DAE by double-clicking it. (It

is inside the DAE folder within your System
Folder.)
3 From the DAE File menu, choose Set Playback
Buffer Size.
4 Adjust the buffer size and Click OK.
5 Quit DAE. The next time you open Pro Tools,

it will use the playback buffer size you have selected.

Windows
In Windows, you can change the DAE Buffer
size from the Pro Tools application.

Typical session folder

For details on allocating audio tracks to different
hard drive locations, including shared media
volumes, see “Disk Allocation” on page 117.
To create a new session:
1 Choose File > New Session.

To change the DAE Buffer Size:
Choose Setups > DAE Buffer Size and adjust
the Buffer Size. Restart your computer for this
change to take effect.

■

Creating a New Session
The first step in beginning a Pro Tools project is
creating a new session. When you do this,
Pro Tools automatically creates a new folder
named for your session. Within this folder is the
session file and two other folders, an Audio Files
folder, and a Fade Files folder.
The Audio Files folder contains all audio recorded during the session. The Fade Files folder
contains any crossfaded audio data generated by
the session.

Pro Tools Reference Guide

New Session dialog
2 Choose the drive where you want to save the
session. The session should be created on a dedicated audio drive.

3 Select “Enforce Mac/PC Compatibility” (Mac-

intosh) or “Enforce PC/Mac Compatibility”
(Windows) if you want to create session and audio files that can be used in either Macintosh or
Windows versions of Pro Tools. See “Creating
Mac and PC Compatible Sessions” on page 107
for more information.
4 Select the audio file format for the session.

Opening a Session
When you open a session, Pro Tools looks in the
session directory for associated audio and fade
files.
To open an existing session:
1 Choose File > Open Session.

For optimum compatibility between Windows
and Macintosh sessions, set the file type to
WAV. SDII sessions are not supported on Windows systems, and Pro Tools prevents you from
choosing SDII as the file type if Enforce Mac/PC
Compatibility is selected.
5 Select the bit depth (16 bit or 24 bit) and the
sample rate.
6 Select the I/O Settings to use for the session.
Several pre-configured I/O Settings are included
with your system, or you can select a custom I/O
Setting that you have created. See Chapter 7,
“I/O Setup” for more information.

2 Locate the session you want to open and click
Open.

7 Name the Session.

Opening a Session that Contains
Unavaliable Items

Open Session dialog

8 Click Save.

Choosing a Bit Depth
When choosing a bit depth for your session,
consider the disk space and DSP mixing power
your selection will require. 24-bit sessions occupy about 50% more disk space. Fewer mixer
channels are available with 24-bit sessions on
TDM systems (see Appendix B, “TDM Mixing
and DSP Usage”). On LE systems, 24-bit sessions
require more processing power as well. It is not
possible to combine different bit depths within
a single session.

You are prompted (see Figure 3) when opening a
session that contains unavailable I/O, DSP resources, plug-ins, or unsupported tracks. This is
common when transferring sessions to systems
with different Digidesign hardware.

Figure 3. Opening a session with unavailable items

Chapter 6: Sessions

The dialog contains a summary of the missing
session components. To save a text file containing a more detailed report, along with the resulting action, click OK in the dialog.
Following are some actions that may occur
when opening a session with unavailable items:
Unsupported tracks for the current system are
discarded. These could be Movie tracks or multichannel surround tracks.

◆

Inserts assigned to unavailable plug-ins are
made inactive.

◆

Inputs, outputs, and sends that are assigned to
unavailable paths, are dropped.

◆

Saving a Session
You should save regularly while working on
your session to ensure that your work is preserved on your hard drive.

Speeding up Saves by Reducing the
Disk Cache Size
(Macintosh Only)
To speed up session saves and disk bounces, it is
recommended that you reduce the Cache Size
(in the Memory Control panel) for your Macintosh to 512k.

Saving the Session File
The Save Session command saves the changes
you have made to your session and writes them
over the previously saved version of the file. The
Save Session command cannot be undone.

Pro Tools Reference Guide

To save a session:
■

Choose File > Save Session.

If you have made changes to a session since you
last saved it, you can discard the changes and revert to its previously saved state.
To revert to the last saved version of a session:
■

Choose File > Revert to Saved.

Save Session As Command
The Save Session As command is useful for saving a copy of the current session under a different name, or to a different hard drive location.
Because the Save Session As command closes the
current session and lets you keep working on
the renamed copy, it is particularly useful if you
are experimenting and want to save successive
stages of the session.
By working this way, you can quickly retrace
your steps should you want to go back to an earlier version of your session. By using the Save
Session As command you are saving a new version of the session file only—not duplicate versions of the audio or fade files.
To save a session under another name:
1 Choose File > Save Session As.
2 Enter a new name for your session and click
Save to save the session.

The renamed session document is saved in the
session folder along with the original session.
Any new audio files that you record in your renamed session will be placed into the same Audio Files folder that was created for your original
session.

Saving a Copy of the Session

Session Format

You can use the Save Session Copy In command
to save a copy of the current session, along with
a its audio files, to a different file and hard drive
location. In addition, you can specify a session
file format, audio file format, bit depth, and
sample rate for the session copy.

You can save the session copy in the following
formats:
• Pro Tools 5.1
• Pro Tools 5
• Pro Tools 4. 16-bit
• Pro Tools 4, 24-bit
When saving 5.1 sessions to Pro Tools 5 or earlier, multi-channel tracks and multi-mono plugins are lost. When saving a 5.1 session to an earlier session format, make sure to first separate
the tracks and plug-ins to individual mono
tracks.

Session Parameters
Audio File Type
You can save the session as a WAV or AIFF session. You can also save a session as SDII format
on the Macintosh.

Save Session Copy dialog

Unlike the Save Session As command, Save Session Copy In does not close the original session,
so subsequent edits are made to the original session. Session copies can be used to archive important sessions, or as a means to prepare sessions for transfer to another Pro Tools system.

NOTE: SDII sessions are not supported for
Pro Tools in Windows. For this reason, you cannot
set the session audio file type to SDII on the Macintosh if Enforce Mac/PC Compatibility is selected.

Using Mixed File Types
A session can use mixed audio file types. If your
original session has mixed file types, they are
not converted to a different file type unless you
specify that they be converted. However, when
using mixed file types, audio performance will
be reduced (due to additional file handling required for some file formats).

Bit Depth
You can save the new session at 16-bit or 24-bit
depth. If your session is in a different bit depth,
audio files are converted to the new session bit
depth, and copied to the location you specify.
Chapter 6: Sessions

Sample Rate

Don’t Copy Fade Files

You can save the new session at 44.1 kHz or
48 kHz sample rate. If your session is at a different sample rate, audio files are converted to the
new session sample rate, and copied to the location you specify.

With this option selected, Fade Files are not copied to the new session Fade Files folder. When
the session is launched, the Find Files dialog will
prompt you to locate Fade Files. You can either
locate the existing fades using the find file dialog, or Skip All to let Pro Tools recreate the fades
from the session document.

Enforce Mac/PC Compatibility (Macintosh)
Enforce PC/Mac Compatibility (Windows)
This setting forces Macintosh or Windows versions of Pro Tools to create sessions and audio
files that are usable on both platforms. For more
information, see “Creating Mac and PC Compatible Sessions” on page 107.

Items to Copy
Audio Files and Session Plug-In Settings Folder
When this option is selected, all audio files and
the session’s Plug-In Settings Folder are copied
to the new location. The references to these
plug-in settings in the session are redirected to
point to the copied files.
This setting is automatically selected if you are
changing bit depth or sample rate, or copying a
session on the Macintosh from SDII format to
AIFF or WAV format with Enforce Mac/PC Compatibility selected.

Root Plug-In Settings Folder
When this option is selected, the contents of the
root-level Plug-In Settings Folder are copied into
a folder named Place in Root Settings Folder, indicating that these files will need to be moved to
the root level plug-in settings folder on the destination system before you can use them. The
references to these settings files in the session
are not redirected to point to the copied files.

Movie/Video Files (Macintosh Only)
When this option is selected, session movie files
(QuickTime video files or AVoption or
AVoption XL video files) are copied to the new
location, and session references are updated to
point to the copied movie files.
To save a session copy in a new location:
1 Choose File > Save Session Copy In.
2 Select “Enforce Mac/PC Compatibility” (Mac-

Force Audio Files to Native Session Type
This option ensures that all files in the new session are in the session file type you select, by
converting files of different types to the session’s
file format. Use this setting to avoid the reduced
performance of a session with mixed file types.
This setting is automatically selected if you are
changing bit depth or sample rate, or copying a
session on the Macintosh from SDII format to
AIFF or WAV format with Enforce Mac/PC Compatibility selected.
54

Pro Tools Reference Guide

new session file.
4 Select the session file type for the session copy.

5 Select the session parameters (audio file format, bit depth, and sample rate) for the session
copy.
6 Select the Items to Copy to the new session.

5 Locate the session file that you just saved.
6 Click once on the file to select it.
7 Choose File > Get Info. A file information win-

dow appears.

7 Click Save to save the session in the new loca-

tion.

Creating Custom Session
Templates
You can create custom session documents that
are pre-configured to the track setups, mixer setups, window arrangements, and zoom level
memory locations that you use most frequently.
Doing this will save you the trouble of having to
create your studio setup from scratch every time
you start a new session.

Saving a session as a Stationery pad (Macintosh)

Creating Macintosh Templates

8 Click the Stationery Pad check box to save the
file as a template, then close the information
window.

You can create a session template on the Macintosh by saving a session file as a Stationery pad
document. Once a session is saved as stationery,
it acts as a template that you can open and then
resave as a normal session.

To use this template, double-click it or open it
with the Open Session command if you are already running Pro Tools. You can create several
custom templates for studio setups that you frequently use.

To create a custom session template:
1 Create a session and arrange the Pro Tools as
desired. You can also define the parameters
within these windows, such as signal routings,
insert and send configurations, track views,
Ruler settings, and Preference settings.

When you open a session saved as a Stationery
pad, Pro Tools gives you the option of editing
the template or starting a new session using the
template settings. If you choose New Session,
Pro Tools will create a new folder containing a
copy of your session template and Audio and
Fades folders.

2 Choose File > Save Session.
3 Name the session and click Save.
4 Close the session.

Chapter 6: Sessions

Creating Windows Templates
In Windows, you can create a session template
by making a session file a Read Only document.

To use this template, double-click it or open it
with the Open Session command. When you
first save the session, Pro Tools will ask you to
give the session a new name. Your original session template will remain unchanged.

To create a custom session template in Windows:
1 Create a session and arrange the Pro Tools as

desired. You can also define the parameters
within these windows, such as signal routings,
insert and send configurations, track views,
Ruler settings, and Preference settings.

To modify the session template, you will need to
reopen its Properties, deselect the Read Only option and select the Archive option, make your
modifications, then change it back to a Read
Only file.

2 Choose File > Save Session.
3 Name the session and click Save.

Closing a Session

4 Close the session.

Because Pro Tools allows you to work on just
one session at a time, you must close the current
session if you want to work on another. The
Close Session command closes your current
Pro Tools session but leaves the Pro Tools application open. You can save your work using the
Save Session or Save Session As command before
closing the current session.

5 Locate the session file that you just saved.
6 Right-click the file and choose Properties.
7 Under Attributes, deselect Archive and select
Read Only.

To close a session:
■

Choose File > Close Session.

Quitting Pro Tools
Although Pro Tools will warn you before allowing you to quit without saving changes, you
should generally save your work before quitting.
Making a session a Read Only file (Windows)

To quit Pro Tools on the Macintosh:

8 Click OK.

■

Choose File > Quit.

To exit Pro Tools in Windows:
■

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Choose File > Exit.

Sharing Sessions between
Pro Tools TDM Systems and
Pro Tools LE Systems
Pro Tools makes it easy to share sessions between Pro Tools LE and TDM-equipped systems.
There are some important differences between
the two types of systems that can affect how session material is transferred.
Differences between TDM and LE systems
Feature

TDM Systems

LE Systems

Number of
Tracks

up to 128

limited to 24

Number of
mix busses

64 busses

16 busses

Inserts per
Track

up to 5 inserts

Sends per
Track

up to 5 sends

When opening a TDM session in Pro Tools LE,
the following rules apply:
Any tracks beyond the first 24, as well any inactive tracks, are discarded.

◆

Multi-channel surround tracks are discarded.

Any assignments to busses beyond 16 are
made inactive.

◆

Input and output paths not available are discarded.

◆

TDM plug-ins with RTAS equivalents are retained; those without equivalents are made inactive.

◆

Chapter 6: Sessions

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Chapter 7: I/O Setup

The I/O Setup dialog provides tools to label, format, and map Pro Tools input, output, insert,
and buss signal paths.

What is I/O Setup?
During sessions, audio is routed using the track
input, output, insert, plug-in, and send selectors. The selectors let you assign tracks to hardware outputs and inputs, internal busses, and
other Pro Tools signal paths. The signal path
choices available in Pro Tools sessions are based
on the current I/O Setup.
The I/O Setup dialog lets you name and define
input, output, insert, buss, and SampleCell path
so that Pro Tools best suits the needs of your
projects. For example, renaming Input 1 to Kick
In. (SampleCell paths are available on TDMequipped systems only.)

Understanding Paths and
I/O Setup
A path is a logical grouping of multiple inputs,
outputs or busses that has a single name and
(channel) format. In Pro Tools, paths are similar
to stems, known to the film and video industries
(see “Stems and Stem Mixes” on page 61 for
more information).
Each Pro Tools system can have a different
I/O Setup configuration, determined by:
• Whether it is a Pro Tools LE system, or a TDMequipped Pro Tools system
• The number and types of audio interfaces
(TDM systems only)
• The Mixer plug-in currently installed (Surround, 24-bit, or 16-bit)
Each Pro Tools session retains its path configurations as I/O Settings. The I/O Settings saved
with the session are loaded into Pro Tools automatically when the session is opened. Unavailable items, including hardware, paths, or required resources) remain in the session as
inactive items (see “Active and Inactive Paths”
on page 68).

Chapter 7: I/O Setup

When you create new sessions you can specify a
default I/O Setup configuration, including presets s for stereo or multi-channel mixing formats
(multi-channel mixing requires a Pro Tools 24
MIX system)

Paths and I/O Setup
The signal routing choices available in track selectors are defined in the I/O Setup dialog.

The I/O Setup dialog lets you customize signal
path, as well as save and load I/O Settings files.

Paths in Sessions
Paths comprise the lists of available choices in
track I/O selectors and other menus.

I/O Setup dialog, Output paths, on a Digi 001 system
Track Input and Output selectors, Digi 001

Track Input and Output selectors, TDM

I/O Setup dialog, Output paths, on a TDM system with
two interfaces

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Main Paths and Sub-Paths
Paths in the I/O Setup dialog include main and
sub-paths.

Multi-channel settings files are available for
Pro Tools 24 MIX systems. These settings provide specialized path definitions for surround
mixing. See “Configuring Pro Tools for MultiChannel Sessions” on page 426.

Main Paths
Main paths are logical groupings of inputs, inserts, busses or outputs. For example, Main Out
is often the name of a master stereo output.
Sometimes appended with “L/R” for left/right,
this is an example of a signal path named by its
content (the main stereo mix).

Sub-Paths
A sub-path represents a signal path within a
Main Path. For example, a default stereo output
path consists of two mono sub-paths, left and
right. Mono tracks and sends can be routed to
either mono sub-path.

Stereo main path
mono sub-path
mono sub-path

Main and sub-paths in the I/O Setup Channel Grid

Preset I/O Settings
Default path definitions are installed automatically by Pro Tools, so you can begin recording
and mixing without requiring any configuration of the I/O Setup dialog. Default I/O Settings
files configure the I/O Setup dialog with a combination of mono and stereo path definitions of
all types, depending on your system and hardware configuration. As mixing and signal routing needs require, you can customize the
I/O Setup configuration in numerous ways (see
“The I/O Setup Dialog” on page 62).

Defaults
Default names for input, output, and insert
paths are based on your audio interfaces.
Pro Tools LE Default path names are based on
hardware and operating mode. Digi 001 provides several I/O modes for selecting from its variety of analog and digital input and outputs.
Pro Tools TDM Systems Default path names are
based on audio interface names and channels.

Stems and Stem Mixes
The use of stems and stem mixes originated in
the post-production industry as ways to organize and manage elements of a mix by type or
content.
For example, a film mix often requires a stem
mix for Foley, a stem mix for sound effects, a
stem mix for dialog, another for music, and so
on. The dialog stem (for just one example) contains all the dialog elements, mixed relative to
each other. Dialog can then be mixed with the
other stems during the final mix of the scene or
reel. The final mix is simplified (somewhat) by
the ability to control the level of each each stem,
rather than the multitude of individual tracks
that comprise a typical film mix.
In Pro Tools, you can work with main and subpaths as you would stem mixes. These can be assigned as needed, including the ability to assign
multiple outputs to tracks and sends. See “Multiple Output Assignments” on page 337 for
more information.

Chapter 7: I/O Setup

The I/O Setup Dialog
The I/O Setup dialog defines Pro Tools input, output, insert, and buss paths.

Path Type selector
Format Selector

Channel Grid

Active/Inactive

Expand/Collapse

Main and Sub-Paths

Path Tools

Figure 4. I/O Setup dialog on a Digi 001 system

To open the I/O Setup dialog:

Closing the I/O Setup Dialog

1 Make sure your audio interfaces are enabled
and configured properly in the Playback Engine
dialog.

You can click Cancel at any time to close the
I/O Setup dialog. However, when you click OK
Pro Tools must check several settings for routing
validity (to prevent feedback loops and other
possible dangers). If there are any overlapping
or otherwise invalid settings, you will be required to correct them before the I/O Setup dialog will close. For more information, see “Initializing I/O Setup” on page 67.

2 Choose Setup > I/O Setup.

To open the Input, Output, Insert, Buss or
SampleCell window in I/O Setup:
Click the appropriate tab at the top of the I/O
Setup dialog.

■

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Controls in I/O Setup
This section provides an overview of the controls available in the I/O Setup dialog.
Path Type Tabs Selects the type of I/O to configure. Choices are Inputs, Outputs, Busses, Inserts
or SampleCell. (SampleCell paths are available
on TDM-equipped systems only.)
Path Selection Column (Shows paths that are
currently selected.
Expand/Collapse Paths Shows/hides the Subpaths associated with a Main Path.

Creating and Editing Paths
The I/O Setup dialog lets you create and customize signal path definitions.
Paths can be:
• Renamed, for easier identification after
changing or renaming audio interfaces
• Remapped, to or from different sources or destinations
• De-activated (or re-activated) to manage unavailable or unnecessary I/O resources
• Deleted

Path Name Column Shows the user-defined
names of each defined path.
Active/Inactive Column Shows the active/inactive status of each path.
Path Format Popup Shows the selected type/format (mono, stereo, 5.1, etc.) of each defined
path.

In addition, you can import and export your
I/O Setup configurations as I/O Settings files, as
well as set numerous default path parameters
The following table lists the available path attributes for each path type.
Path Options by Type

Path Type

Path Attributes

Channel Grid Maps paths to specific I/O units
and channels.

Input

Path Tools The New Path, New Sub-Path, Delete
Path, and Default buttons are used to customize
the I/O Setup configuration.

Names, formats, and source
channel (analog or digital audio
interface, or CPU input)

Output

Names, formats, and destination
(audio interface output channel or
internal send bus)

Insert

Names, formats and destination
(audio interface channels)

Buss

Names and formats

SampleCell

Input names

Show Original Setup An additional button (Show
Original Setup) is displayed in the I/O Setup dialog in certain session transfer situation. For details on this feature, see “Show Original and
Show Current Setup” on page 70.
Default Options These four popup menus select
default Metering Path, Audition Path (Regions
List previewing), Output Path (for new tracks),
and default channel order. See “Default Output,
Metering, Audition, and Path Order” on
page 72.

Chapter 7: I/O Setup

Creating a Default Main or Sub-Path
You can add default paths to your current
I/O Setup at any time.
To add default mono or stereo paths:
1 Select a main or sub-path.
2 Click Default.

Pro Tools creates all possible stereo main paths.
Mono sub-paths are also auto-created for every
stereo main path. The path names are appended
with their associated format (mono or stereo) in
parenthesis.

4 Double-click in the Name field and enter a
name for the path. (The path name is what is
listed in Pro Tools track routing selectors.) Press
Tab to move to the next editable field, or press
Enter to set the new path name (pressing Return
will close the I/O Setup dialog).
5 Choose a format from the Path Format selector. (Path format controls whether the path is
mono or stereo, or multi-channel):

Path Format selector
6 Configure other Path types (Input, Output, In-

sert, Bus, or SampleCell) and configure them using the same techniques described in the
previous steps.

Default stereo output paths

To optimize mixer and DSP resources, it’s
best to create mono Sub-Paths for Outputs
and Busses, rather than create mono main
Paths.

Creating New Paths
You can create new main and sub-paths with
custom names, format and mapping.
To create a new path:
1 Choose Setups > I/O Setup.
2 Click the Input, Output, Insert, Buss or SampleCell tab to display the appropriate path window.
3 Click New Path, or press Command+N (Macintosh) or Control+N (Windows). Or, select a
Main Path and click New Sub-Path.

Pro Tools Reference Guide

7 Click OK (or press Return) to close the
I/O Setup dialog. If there are any overlapping or
identically named paths, you will be instructed
to correct them before the I/O Setup dialog will
close. For more information, see “Initializing
I/O Setup” on page 67.

Multi-channel paths and mixing are explained in Chapter 31, “Pro Tools Setup for
Surround.”

Selecting and Editing Paths
Individual and multiple paths can be selected in
the I/O Setup dialog Path Name column. Once
selected, paths and sub-paths can be moved
higher or lower to sort their listing in track Path
selectors, renamed, remapped, or reformatted.
Paths can also be deleted. Sub-paths follow their
main paths when editing in the I/O Setup dialog.

To select a main or sub-path:
■

Click the Path Name.

To select multiple main and/or sub-paths:
■

1 Select paths in the Input or Output windows
of the I/O Setup dialog.
2 Click Default.

Shift-click the desired Path Names.

To rearrange the Path Column:
■

To reset path names:

Drag the path name to a new column.

Assuming there are matching paths available
with the new system configuration, existing
paths will be updated to include new audio interfaces (TDM systems), or I/O mode selection
(Digi 001 only).

TDM Audio Interface Names
With TDM-equipped Pro Tools systems, audio
interfaces can be custom named in the
I/O Setup dialog. The I/O Setup dialog bases default path names on the name shown above the
graphic representation of each interface.
Selecting paths in the I/O Setup dialog

Reset Paths
The Default button in the I/O Setup dialog provides two primary functions:
• Creates new, default paths up to the capacity
of your system’s available audio interfaces and
resources. See “Creating a Default Main or
Sub-Path” on page 64.
• Resets selected path names to matching or
corresponding paths in the current I/O Setup
configuration. For example, if you change
modes on Digi 001, or replace an audio interface on a Pro Tools 24 MIX system, you can
use the Default switch to update your
I/O Setup definitions with the new hardware
configuration (for path naming).

To rename an audio interface in the I/O Setup
dialog:
■ Double-click the text above an interface, enter
a new interface name, and press Enter.

Interface name

On TDM systems, audio interface names
can be customized. See “To reset path
names:” on page 65.

Chapter 7: I/O Setup

Deleting Paths

Channel and I/O Status Display

Path definitions can be deleted from the current
session to reflect changes to your hardware
setup, or to clean up track selector menus by removing unwanted or unnecessary path definitions. After deleting a path, any tracks or send
assignments to it are reset to No Output.

The channel grid uses different shades of gray to
highlight different I/O status:

To delete a main or sub-path:
1 In the I/O Setup dialog, select the path you
want to delete.
2 Click Delete Path.

Channel Mapping
Once a path has been created and formatted, it
can be mapped to specific audio interface, bus,
or SampleCell channels in the grid.
To map channels:
1 Select a main or sub-path.
2 In the row for the selected path, click in the
grid column under the desired audio interface
and channel. Other channels, if any, fill to the
right.

Mapping channels

For example, when mapping a new stereo path,
clicking in the path row under output channel 1
fills both channel 1 and 2 (left to 1, right to 2).

Pro Tools Reference Guide

White Indicates channels available for the path.
Medium Gray Indicates I/O that overlaps with
other path definitions (possible with Output
and Bus path arrangements, though with limitations as described below).
Dark Gray Indicates channels that are unavailable for sub-path assignment.
Light Gray Indicates extra space beyond recognized audio interfaces.

See “Valid Paths and Requirements” on
page 67 for details.
Note for Session Transfer
Pro Tools shows paths for unavailable I/O until
they are explicitly re-assigned to valid paths, or
deleted. See “Active and Inactive Paths” on
page 68 for more information.

Surround Mixer Example

Sub-Paths follow Main Paths

(Pro Tools 24 MIX Systems Only)

When a main Path is remapped, its sub-paths (if
any) will remap automatically to maintain consistent routing. For example, remapping a stereo
path to different hardware outputs results in
any of its sub-paths moving with it.

When mapping multi-channel paths, L is
mapped first to the clicked grid box, and remaining channels fill immediately to the right
according to the default path order. Because
some multi-channel mixing formats use unique
track layouts, Pro Tools lets you set the default
format in the I/O Setup dialog (see “Default
Output, Metering, Audition, and Path Order”
on page 72).

Initializing I/O Setup
To set the current I/O Setup configuration:
■

Click OK in the I/O Setup dialog.

All paths must be valid before the I/O Setup configuration can be applied.

Valid Paths and Requirements
While configuring the I/O Setup window, certain rules apply for path definition and channel
mapping.
Customized Output Paths for a 5.1 mix?

Re-Mapping Channels
You can move the individual assignments to different channels, to re-order the path’s definition
as L-R-C-Sub-LS-RS, for example.
To re-map channels in a path:
Drag the channel to the new location in the
grid. Other channel assignments will move
(shuffle) to accommodate dragged channels.

■

Though it is possible to set up invalid mappings
in the channel grid, Pro Tools will not accept
(OK) an I/O Setup configuration unless all paths
meet the path definition and channel mapping
requirements described below.

Minimum Path Definitions
All paths must have a name, be of a specific format, and have a valid I/O mapping.

Overlapping Channels and Valid Paths

Channel Shuffling
Moving a signal from right to left results in a
shuffle of other signals after the new destination
channel. Moving a signal from left to right shuffles any and all signals after the new destination
channel and leave the previous channel empty.

Channel mapping follows certain rules regarding overlapping paths.
◆ There can be no partial or complete overlaps
between any two main Output Paths, any two
Insert Paths, or any two main Bus Paths.

Changing a Path’s format erases any current channel mapping.

Chapter 7: I/O Setup

A newly created Output or Bus Path must either be completely independent (mapped to
any other available I/O interface/channels) of
other paths, or it must be a sub-path completely
contained within a larger path (for example, an
LCR sub-path within a larger 5.1 path).

◆

Output and Insert Paths can overlap in I/O
Setup, but only one or the other can be used at
any given time in a session. (Inputs and SampleCell paths, however, can be routed to multiple
tracks.)

◆

Active and Inactive Path Assignments
To toggle a track path assignment to Active or
Inactive:
■ In the Mix (or Edit) window, Command-Control-click (Macintosh) or Control-Start-click
(Windows) the track’s Input, Output, Insert, or
Send Selector.

Inactive track path assignments are indicated
with an asterisk (*) in its track selector menu.
(Paths set to globally inactive in the I/O Setup
window are listed in italics.)

Active and Inactive Paths
Pro Tools paths can be Active (on) or Inactive
(off, or unavailable). You can manually switch
paths between Active or Inactive on a per track
or session-wide basis. In addition, Pro Tools sets
paths to Inactive automatically when I/O is unavailable.

Track Path Assignments Track input, output
and buss path assignments can be switched to
Inactive using the appropriate selector on the
desired track. Doing so leaves track playlists intact, while disconnecting that particular track
from the output or buss path. Use this to remove
a track from a signal path.
Session-Wide Paths can be globally activated or
de-activated in the I/O Setup window. Use this
to turn off a signal path on any and all tracks
currently assigned to it. Pro Tools also sets unavailable paths to inactive. Paths can be unavailable when hardware or other system resources
are unavailable, such as when opening a session
last saved on a different system.

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Toggling All or All Selected
The Option/Option + Shift modifiers apply the
path toggle to all or all selected tracks, respectively. However, Pro Tools will only apply the
change to identical path assignments, if any, in
the current track or tracks. In other words, toggling multiple tracks only affects tracks that
have the same path assignment as the one you
are explicitly toggling.

Toggling Multiple Paths
If a track has only one main output assignment,
you can Command-Control-click (Macintosh)
or Control-start-click (Windows) the track’s
Output Selector to toggle the main output to inactive. When there are multiple assignments,
the track selector will be displayed for you to
specify the input, output, insert, or bus path.
If a Send (A - E) has multiple output assignments
and one of those is toggled, then all of the output assignments for that Send (A - E) will be toggled.

Session-Wide Inactive Paths
Path can be globally configured for Active or Inactive status in the I/O Setup Dialog.

Inactive paths are displayed in italics in the
track path selectors.

Display of Active and Inactive Status
Unhighlighted Indicates that the path is inactive.
The text associated with this Path becomes italicized.
Highlighted (non-italics) When highlighted, and
when the Path name is listed in plain text (nonitalics), indicates the path is active.
Highlighted (italics) When highlighted, but the
that Path name is italicized, it indicates that the
path is active, but not enough system resources
are available.

Active and inactive paths in a track output selector

Hardware Setup and Session Transfer

Inactive

Sessions created in Pro Tools 5.1 and later store
the type and order of audio interfaces connected
and active when the session was last saved.

Active

Unavailable I/O

Active and inactive path settings in I/O Setup

To globally de-activate or activate a path:
1 Choose Setup > I/O Setup.
2 Select the appropriate Path type using the tabs
at the top of the window.
3 For the desired (or, undesired) path, set the Ac-

tive/Inactive control to the appropriate choice.

Any track path assignment can also be deactivated on a per-track basis. See “Active
and Inactive Paths” on page 68

When opening any session, Pro Tools checks to
see if the hardware configuration has changed
since the session was last saved. If the current
hardware configuration differs from that saved
in the session, paths associated with the unavailable I/O are made inactive.

Remapping
Remapping occurs when a session’s original
I/O Setup does not match that of the current
system and session paths are remapped to current hardware.
Systems of equivalent I/O capability are
remapped directly. For example, a session
tracked to a Pro Tools 24 MIX system through
two 888/24 I/0 Audio Interfaces would include
16 Input paths spread across the two 8-channel
interfaces. Later, the session is taken to a different Pro Tools system that has a single 1622 Audio Interface (a 16-channel I/O unit) for addiChapter 7: I/O Setup

tional editing. When the session is first opened
on the 1622-equipped system, Pro Tools maps
those input paths to the most appropriate inputs of the 1622, left-to-right. (Mapping will depend on mono and stereo track format and arrangement in the Mix and Edit windows.)
When hardware is unavailable to a session being
opened, assignments can either be replaced using the remap option, or opened as Inactive.
Any tracks left assigned to an unavailable path
will not be audible. This can beneficial, however, when you want to re-assign tracks into
your system’s mix one at a time.

See “Active and Inactive Paths” on page 68
for more information.

Show Original and Show Current Setup
When a session is opened that contains path
definitions for unavailable I/O modules, the
I/O Setup dialog lists those paths in italics.
The Show Original Setup button displays the audio interfaces used in the original session. This
temporary display lets you check the original
I/O configuration for reference while configuring the session for your system.
Once a session has been opened with unavailable I/O retained, you can then re-assign tracks
to available I/O paths.

To redefine the paths, see “Creating and
Editing Paths” on page 63.

Pro Tools Reference Guide

I/O Settings Files
I/O Settings can be managed when transferring
sessions, and when developing I/O Setup configurations over the course of multiple sessions
and projects.

Defaults, Settings Files, and Last
Used Settings for New Sessions
When creating new sessions, you can select the
session’s I/O Setup configuration from among
numerous options:
Default I/O Setups The Pro Tools Installer provides factory presets for stereo and surround I/O
Setups (surround mixing is only supported on
Pro Tools 24 MIX systems). See “Factory I/O Settings Files” on page 71 for more information.
Custom Presets You can store and recall custom
presets using the export and import features of
the I/O Setup dialog.
Last Used The most recent (or, last used)
I/O Setup configuration is saved as a Last Used
settings file. See “Last Used” on page 71 for
more information.

Default I/O Settings at First Launch
The first time you create a session, you can
choose default Stereo Mix or Surround Mix settings, depending on your system and installation choices. See “Factory I/O Settings Files” on
page 71.

Importing and Exporting I/O Settings
Files
You can export and import I/O Setup configurations as I/O Settings files. This lets you save settings for different projects, import settings for
quick reconfiguration, and manage Path definitions and signal routing setups.
To export and save an I/O Setup configuration:
1 Click the Export Settings button.
2 Name and save the settings file.

To start sessions with a blank or empty
I/O Setup dialog, you must create and export a user setting file in which all definitions have been deleted.

Importing I/O Settings
I/O Settings can be imported into the current
session. When doing so, you can choose to delete your system’s existing (last used) path definitions and replace them with settings being imported. Or, you can retain both your current and
imported settings. Imported paths are added to
the current configuration.
To import an I/O Settings file:

Do Not Delete Existing Paths Pro Tools adds session paths to the current system’s I/O Setup If
you cancel the remap option, the original I/O
assignments remain in the session. Unavailable
I/O results in paths opening as Inactive. In the
session, you can then re-assign tracks to available paths as needed, based on their original
(and inactive) I/O Setup and hardware configuration. See “Active and Inactive Paths” on
page 68 for more information on utilizing inactive paths.

Last Used
If any changes are made to the I/O Setup dialog
during a session, these changes are saved to the
Last Used settings file when the I/O Setup dialog
is closed.
Changes to I/O Setup are only saved in the current session, when the session is saved. User Presets files will not contain recent changes unless
you explicitly export an updated settings file.
The Last Used settings are available as a choice
(or default) when creating or opening sessions,
in addition to the factory presets described below.

Factory I/O Settings Files

1 Click Import Settings in the I/O Setup dialog.
2 Select the desired settings file in the dialog.
3 You will be asked whether you want to delete,
or retain, existing paths:

Delete Existing Paths Pro Tools remaps the original session path definitions to your current
hardware setup of audio interfaces, left to right.
The session will no longer have any references
to or record of the original I/O assignments.
When old path definitions are deleted, associated assignment and automation data is also deleted.

Pro Tools provides I/O Settings files for Stereo
and Surround mixing. These files provide generic Main and Sub-Path definitions for either
mixing format.

Stereo Mix Settings File
The Stereo Mix preset consists of all possible stereo and mono paths for your session.

Using the “Stereo Mix” preset has the same
effect as hitting the Default Button for every
individual tab in I/O Settings. See “Creating
and Editing Paths” on page 63 for details.
Chapter 7: I/O Setup

Specifically, the Stereo Mix preset will create the
maximum number paths of each type, as determined by the available system’s I/O Setup and
hardware configuration.

Surround Mix Settings File

3 Command-Option-click (Macintosh) or Control-Start-click (Windows) the Output Selector
of the left-most track and assign it to the subpath for Output #1. All visible tracks will be
auto-assigned to unique mono sub-path outputs
in ascending order.

The Surround Mix provides additional, surround-specific Output and Bus presets: See “Surround Mix Settings Files” on page 427 for more
information.

Default Output, Metering,
Audition, and Path Order

About Direct Out Mode
Direct Outputs mode, as found in previous versions of Pro Tools, has been replaced by the default mono sub-paths available through all valid
I/O in the I/O Setup dialog.
The Default switch creates main Output paths
with appropriate mono sub-paths. These subpaths provide discrete monophonic routing.
When a session is opened that was saved in Direct Outputs mode, Pro Tools maps all the output assignments to equivalent mono sub-paths
(as available). See “Hardware Setup and Session
Transfer” on page 69 for more information on
remapping.

Pro Tools systems running the Surround mixer
have additional I/O Setup features. These include default signal routing for metering and auditioning, and default track layout for multichannel mix formats.

Default Output Path
You can specify the default Output path assignment for new tracks, in each available format.
To specify a default Output:
■ Select a format and Output path from the Default Output selector.

To convert a session so that it emulates Direct
Outs mode, use the Auto Assign Ascending Outputs feature:
To Auto Assign track outputs for Direct Out:

Selecting default Output paths

1 Make sure that all tracks are visible if desired
(because the hidden tracks will not be affected).

Audition Path

2 Select all desired tracks (Shift-click each track

name).

The Audition Path is the output path through
which file and regions are previewed in the Regions List.
To audition regions in the Regions List:
■ Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) the region in the list.

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Using Default Audition Path
When you audition a file or region in the Regions List, Pro Tools routes the audition
through the Audition path. Pro Tools assigns a
default Audition Path to the first main Output
Path of the given format available. As an alternative, you can pre-configure Region List previewing using the Audition Path selector in the
I/O Setup dialog.

Configuring Audition Paths
You can specify the monitoring outputs for Regions List auditioning on a per-format basis using the Audition Paths menu.

Auditioning Discrete Signals in Multi-Channel
Items
In the Audio Regions List, multichannel regions
are auditioned through the current Audition
Path. Signals can be auditioned “in-place,” or
through all outputs as described below.

Audition In-Place
When auditioning a mono component of a
multi-channel region, that mono component
will by default be auditioned in place. That is, it
will play out the corresponding speaker channel
of its parent multi-channel region.
To audition in-place:

Audition Path Main Menu The main menu consists of all Path format choices available on the
current system (Mono and Stereo on all systems,
LCR and greater on surround-capable systems).
Audition Path Submenus Each Path format
choice has a submenu listing Output Paths of
that given format. (The mono submenu lists
Output Paths of any format.)
To configure Audition Paths:
Select the desired path from the Audition
Paths menu or submenus.

■

1 In the Regions List, make sure the stereo or
multi-channel region is in expanded view
(showing.L,.R and other component channels).
2 Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) the region for the desired channel.

Audition to All Outputs
Mono regions can be routed equally to all outputs of the parent region’s Audition Path.
To audition through all channels of the main
audition path:
■ Shift-Option-click (Macintosh) or Shift-Altclick (Windows) on the signal in the Regions
List.

Selecting default Audition Paths

Chapter 7: I/O Setup

Default Path Order
The Default Path Order selector lets you select
the default track layout you want Pro Tools to
follow when creating and mapping 5.1-format
main or sub-paths in the I/O Setup dialog.
This setting does not affect existing Path definitions or metering—it only specifies channel
mapping in new 5.1-format paths.
To choose a Default Path Order:
Select the channel mapping from the Default
Path Order menu.

■

Default Path Order selector

For more information about multi-channel mixing, see Chapter 31, “Pro Tools Setup for Surround.”

Metering
(ProControl Users Only)
The Meter Path selector determines the path displayed across the ProControl Output meters. See
the ProControl Addendum for Pro Tools 5.1 for
more details.

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Chapter 8: Tracks

This chapter covers basic track management
tasks such as creating and deleting tracks, assigning voices and output channels, and grouping tracks.

Audio Tracks, Auxiliary Input Tracks,
and Master Fader Tracks

Track Types

Audio Track

In a Pro Tools session, you can have several different types of tracks. These can include audio
tracks, Auxiliary Input tracks, MIDI tracks, and
Master Fader tracks. On a Macintosh system, a
session can have a QuickTime, AVoption, or
AVoption XL Movie track.

Audio tracks contain arrangements of recorded
(or imported) audio files.Audio tracks can be
mono, stereo, or multi-channel surround
(Pro Tools 24 MIX systems only).

QuickTime Movie track features are described in Chapter 36, “Working with
QuickTime Movies.”

Auxiliary Input tracks can be used as effects
sends, destinations for alternate mix, as a
bounce destination, and for many other audio
routing tasks.

Pro Tools provides mono, stereo, and multichannel format audio tracks, Auxiliary Inputs,
and Master Faders.

Auxiliary Input Track

Master Fader Track
Master Fader tracks control the overall level of
the audio tracks that are routed to the session’s
main outputs.

MIDI Tracks
MIDI tracks store MIDI note, instrument, and
controller data. There is no option for selecting
the track format when you create a MIDI track,
because audio does not pass through it.

Chapter 8: Tracks

Track Formats
Mono
A mono audio track, Auxiliary Input, or Master
Fader track controls volume, and, in some cases,
panning, for a single channel of audio. A mono
track uses a single voice.

Stereo
A stereo audio track, Auxiliary Input, or Master
Fader track is a single channel strip that plays
two channels of audio as a stereo pair. Stereo
tracks use two voices.

Multi-Channel Surround (Pro Tools 24 MIX
Systems Only)
A multi-channel track is a single channel strip
that plays multiple channels of audio (from 3–8
channels at a time). This allows Pro Tools to
support multi-channel mixing formats including 3+1, 5.1, 6.1, and others.

With slight variations, audio track channel
strips in the Mix window look like the following
mono audio track. Stereo audio tracks have two
level meters and two pan controls, and multichannel tracks (3–8 channels) have one level
meter for each audio channel.

Inserts

Sends

Input/Output
Automation Mode
Record Enable/Solo/Mute/Voice
Pan Slider
Open Output window
Group ID

For more information on surround mixing with
Pro Tools, see the following chapters:

Volume Fader

• Chapter 31, “Pro Tools Setup for Surround”

Level Meter

• Chapter 32, “Multi-Channel Tracks and
Signal Routing”
• Chapter 33, “Surround Panning and Mixing”

Track Type
Indicator
Track Name
Track Comment

Audio track channel strip

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Creating Tracks
On all systems, you can create mono and stereo
tracks with the New Tracks command. In addition, on Pro Tools MIX or MIXplus systems, you
can create multi-channel tracks.

Before you create new tracks:
For new tracks to appear next to a specific
track in a session, select that track by clicking its
name. The new tracks are added immediately after the selected track.

◆

For new tracks to appear as the last tracks in a
session, make sure that no track names are selected on-screen.

◆

3 Select Mono or Stereo (or one of the multichannel surround formats) from the Track Format pop-up menu. Surround formats only appear for Pro Tools 24 MIX systems.
4 Enter the number of new tracks, then click
Create.
5 To configure which track controls appear in
the Mix window or Edit window, select from
Display > Mix Window Shows and Display >
Edit Window Shows.

Naming Tracks and Adding Track
Comments

To create a new track:

Track names are used to auto-name recorded audio files and regions (see “Track Names” on
page 116).

1 Choose File > New Track.

To rename a track or add comments:
Track Format

# of new tracks

Track Type

1 In the Edit window or Mix window, doubleclick the Track Name button for the track you
want to rename.
2 In the Track Name/Comments dialog, type a
new track name.

New Track dialog (audio track)
2 Select from the Track Type pop-up menu the
type of track you want to add. For explanation
of track types, see “Track Types” on page 75.

To auto-scroll the Track Type pop-up in the
New Track dialog, press Command (Macintosh) or Control (Windows) and use the
Up/Down Arrow keys.

Track Name/Comments dialog

Chapter 8: Tracks

3 Click Previous or Next to rename another dis-

played track.

To switch tracks in the Track Name/Comments dialog, you can press Command
(Macintosh) or Control (Windows) and use
the Up/Down Arrows.
4 If desired, type comments for the track in the

Comments text box.

To enter a carriage return in the Track Comments text box, type Shift+Return (Macintosh) or Shift+Enter (Windows) on the alpha keyboard.

Hiding Tracks
The Show/Hide Tracks List (at the left of both
the Mix and Edit windows) shows all tracks in
the session. It allows you to show or hide a track
by selecting or deselecting its name. Even
though a track is hidden, the material on the
track will still play as part of the session.
To show a track, click to highlight its name. To
hide a track, deselect its name.

5 When you are finished, click OK.

Deleting Tracks
When you delete tracks, your audio or MIDI region data will remain in the Regions List, but
your arrangement of the regions on the deleted
track (the track’s playlist) will be lost. The Delete
Selected Tracks command cannot be undone.

The Show/Hide Tracks List

The pop-up menu at the top of Show/Hide
Tracks List provides commands that allow you
to show or hide all tracks, or only tracks currently selected on screen.

To delete a track:
1 Click the name of the desired track to select it.

If you wish to select multiple tracks, hold down
the Shift key and click additional track names to
select them as well.
2 Choose File > Delete Selected Tracks.
3 Click OK to remove the selected tracks from
the session.

Pro Tools Reference Guide

When a track that is a member of an active
group is hidden from view, editing operations
performed on other members of the group in
the Edit window will not affect the hidden track.
In the Mix window, however, all operations
other than record-enable will affect a hidden
track that is a member of an active group.

On TDM systems, even if a track is hidden
from view, its position relative to other
tracks still affects virtual track playback
priority. See “Virtual Tracks and Track Priority” on page 82.

To hide a track:
Click the highlighted name of a track in the
Show/Hide Tracks List.

■

To show a track that is currently hidden:
Click the unhighlighted name of a track in
the Show/Hide Tracks List.

■

Assigning Inputs and Outputs
to Audio Tracks
Inputs for audio tracks and Auxiliary Input
tracks can be assigned to audio interface channels or busses. Outputs for audio tracks, Auxiliary Input tracks, and Master Fader tracks can be
assigned to audio interface channels or busses.

To show all tracks:
1 Click the Show/Hide button at the top of the

Show/Hide Tracks List.

Track set to
Audio Input 2

Track set to
No Input
Track set to
Bus 2

2 From the pop-up menu, choose Show All
Tracks.

To hide all tracks:

Input/output assignments for three mono audio tracks

1 Click the Show/Hide button at the top of the

For stereo and multi-channel surround tracks,
inputs and outputs appear as stereo pairs and
multichannel groups. The available inputs, outputs, and busses are defined as paths in the
I/O Setup dialog (see Chapter 7, “I/O Setup”).

Show/Hide Tracks List.
2 From the pop-up menu, choose Hide All
Tracks.

To reorder tracks on screen, drag the track
names to new positions within the
Show/Hide Tracks List.

Automatic Input and Output
Assignments
When adding tracks to a new session, outputs
are automatically assigned in ascending order.
For example, if you have an audio interface with
eight outputs, creating four new mono audio
tracks will automatically add four audio tracks
with outputs assigned to Output 1, Output 2,
Output 3, and Output 4. When creating stereo
tracks, outputs are automatically assigned to ascending output pairs.
The inputs automatically assigned to new tracks
is determined by the Default Output defined in
the I/O Setup dialog.

Chapter 8: Tracks

Assigning Audio Track Inputs
To assign an audio track input:

Assigning Voices and Track
Priority

1 To display inputs and outputs in the Edit win-

(TDM Systems Only)

dow, select Display > Edit Window Show > I/O.
2 In the Mix or Edit window, click the track In-

put Selector and choose from the available audio interface channels and busses. Stereo and
multi-channel surround tracks have inputs
available as pairs and multi-channel groups.
3 To remove an input assign, select No Input
from the Input Selector.

Assigning Audio Track Outputs
To assign an audio track output:
1 To display inputs and outputs in the Edit win-

dow, select Display > Edit Window Show > I/O.
2 In the Mix or Edit window, click the track Output Selector and choose from the available audio interface channels and busses. Stereo and
multi-channel surround tracks have outputs
available as pairs and multi-channel groups.
3 To remove an output assign, select No Output

from the Input Selector. Playlists become
dimmed for tracks with no output assignment.

Assigning an audio track, Auxiliary Input,
or Master Fader to “No Output” will cause
its automation data for pan and plug-in parameters to be lost.

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Pro Tools 24 MIX systems provides up to 64 simultaneous voices of audio playback.
Pro Tools 24 systems provide up to 32 voices of
audio playback.
While your Pro Tools hardware allows a fixed
number of voices, Pro Tools software provides
for up to 128 virtual tracks—tracks that can be recorded or imported, arranged, and cued for
playback, but cannot all be played back simultaneously.
For these situations, Pro Tools assigns priorities
for tracks that compete for the available voices.
Pro Tools provides two ways of adjusting playback priority to audio tracks.
Tracks do not use up voices when:
• Their Voice Selector is set to Off.
• They are made inactive.
• They do not have an output and send assignment.
In addition, you can temporarily free a track’s
voice during playback by muting it (see “Mute
Frees Assigned Voice” on page 84).

Voice Assignment
Tracks can be assigned to a specific voice, or
they can be set to Auto. When a tracks are autovoiced, Pro Tools automatically takes care of
voice management in the background—assigning voices not in use by other tracks.
Tracks assigned to a specific voice number take
priority over auto-voiced tracks. To ensure a
track is heard, or that it is available for QuickPunch recording, assign it a voice.
To set the voice assignment for a track:
Click the Voice Selector and select a voice
number, or set the track to Auto.

■

To assign all audio tracks to successive voices:
■ While pressing Command+Option (Macintosh) or Control+Alt (Windows), select the starting voice number from the Voice Selector for the
track at the top of the Edit window, or at the far
left of the Mix window.

The voice is assigned to the clicked track, with
successive voices assigned to tracks (with the
same format) of lower priority.
To assign all selected audio tracks to successive
voices:
1 Select the desired audio tracks by Shift-clicking their names.
2 While pressing Command+Shift (Macintosh)

or Control+Shift (Windows), select the starting
voice number from the Voice Selector for the
top (Edit window) or left (Mix window) selected
track.
The voice is assigned to the clicked track, with
successive voices assigned to currently selected
tracks (with the same format) of lower priority.

Voice Selector for stereo audio track

For stereo and multi-channel tracks, voices appear in pairs and multi-channel groups. Voices
already assigned to another track appear in bold
in the Voice Selector pop-up menu.

Changing a Track’s Playback
Priority

Automatic Assignment of Ascending
Voices

When more than one track is assigned to the
same voice, the track with the higher priority
(left-most in the Mix window or topmost in the
Edit window) has priority over others assigned
to that voice. Moving another track of the same
voice to a higher position will then give that
track priority.

You can automatically assign all tracks or all selected tracks to successive voices. For example,
you may want to select eight audio tracks and
reassign them to voices 9–16.

This track priority scheme is also used for autovoiced tracks. When the tracks in the session exceeded the number of available voices, tracks
with lower priority may not be heard.

Chapter 8: Tracks

To increase a track’s priority, do any of the
following:
In the Edit window, drag the Track Name button above other tracks in the session. Tracks at
the top of the Edit window have higher priority
than those below.

■

In the Mix window, drag the Track Name button to the left of other tracks in the session.
Tracks at the left of the Mix window have higher
priority than those to the right.

■

In the Show/Hide Tracks List, drag the track
name to a higher position in the list. Tracks at
the top of this list have higher priority than
those below.

In the above illustration, the two visible tracks
are assigned to the same voice. There is an open
area in the top track where no region appears. At
this point, the voice is free since it is not being
used, and the next highest priority track assigned to that voice (the bottom track) will pop
through the open area and play. In order for a
lower priority region to pop through, it must be
placed so that its beginning occurs after a higher
priority track’s region has ended.

■

By experimenting with track priority, voice assignment, and arranging regions so that they are
positioned to “pop through” holes in higher priority tracks, you will find many useful ways to
apply virtual tracks and dynamic voice allocation.

Virtual Tracks and Track Priority
Pro Tools features dynamic voice allocation, so
that when a hole opens up in a higher-priority
track, its voice is temporarily available, and the
track with the next highest priority “pops
through” and begins to play. When the original
track returns, the track that had popped
through relinquishes the voice to the higher priority track.

Setting MIDI Channels
MIDI tracks can be assigned to one or more
MIDI channels with the Device/Channel selector. When assigned to multiple channels, all
material in the track is sent to all assigned channels.
MIDI tracks in Pro Tools can not contain multiple channels of MIDI data.
To assign all regions on a MIDI track to a specific
MIDI channel:
1 Click on the track’s MIDI Device/Channel Selector and assign a device and channel from the
pop-up menu. Channels already assigned to another track appear bold in this menu.

The following example demonstrates the concept of dynamic voice allocation:
MIDI Device/Channel selector

To assign multiple destinations to a single MIDI
track, Shift-click the MIDI Device/Channel Selector and select additional channels from any
device.
The “Lead Guitar” region will pop through
82

Pro Tools Reference Guide

For details on recording and importing MIDI
data, see Chapter 13, “MIDI Recording”.

Soloing and Muting Tracks
The Solo and Mute buttons can be engaged at
any time during playback. The Solo and Mute
buttons affect MIDI as well as audio tracks. It is
possible to have more than one track soloed or
muted at the same time in a session.
Grouping affects mute and solo behavior as
well. Normally, muting or soloing a track that is
a member of an active mix group will mute or
solo all other tracks that are a member of that
active mix group as well. However, by changing
the Mute and Solo settings in the Pro Tools Preferences dialog, you can disable this behavior.
To disable group muting of tracks:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences, and click Auto-

mation.
2 Deselect the Mutes Follow Mix Groups option, and click OK.

With this option deselected, muting a track that
is a member of an active group does not affect
other members of the group.

Solo Button
The solo button mutes other tracks so that the
chosen track can be auditioned alone. Normally
solos are “latched,” that is, pressing subsequent
solo buttons adds them to the soloed mix of
tracks. Pro Tools allows you to “unlatch” solos,
so that pressing a solo button will mute all
tracks except the track you have just soloed.
To solo a track:
1 Click the Solo button on the track. The button

is highlighted and all other tracks are muted.
2 Click the Solo button again to turn off the solo

function.
To unlatch solo buttons:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences and click Operation.
2 Deselect the Latch Solo Buttons option and
click Done. With this option disabled, pressing a
Solo button mutes all tracks except the track you
have just soloed.

Solo Safe Mode
To disable group soloing of tracks:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences, and click Auto-

mation.
2 Deselect the Solos Follow Mix Groups option,

and click OK.
With this option deselected, soloing a track that
is a member of an active group does not affect
other members of the group.

Pro Tools also allows you to solo safe a track.
This prevents the track from being muted even
if you solo other tracks. This feature is useful for
tracks such as Auxiliary Inputs that are being
used as effects returns, allowing the effects track
to remain in a mix even when other tracks are
soloed. It is also useful to solo-safe MIDI tracks
so that their playback is not affected when you
solo audio tracks.

Chapter 8: Tracks

To solo safe a track:
Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click
(Windows) the Solo button on the desired track.
This prevents the track from being muted even
if you solo other tracks.

■

To return a solo safe track to normal:
Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click
(Windows) the Solo button on the track again.

■

Mute Button
The mute button silences a chosen track. More
than one track can be muted at one time. If Operations > Mute Frees Assigned Voice is enabled,
muting a track will allocate its voice to the next
highest priority virtual track (assigned to the
same voice).
To mute a track:
Click the Mute button on the track. The track
will appear grayed-out and be muted.

■

To unmute a track:
■

Click the Mute button again.

Mute Frees Assigned Voice

To avoid this delay, make sure that the Mute
Frees Assigned Voice option is disabled. Another
factor than can cause delays is your DAE Playback Buffer Size setting. Playback Buffer Size is
set from DAE’s File menu (Macintosh), or by
choosing Setups > DAE Buffer Size (Windows).
The larger the playback buffer you choose, the
longer the potential lag time between the time
you click the Mute button and the onset of muting.

Muting a track with Mute Frees Assigned
Voice enabled does not free up the voice for
QuickPunch recording.

Making Tracks Inactive
(TDM Systems Only)
A track can be made inactive. Inactive tracks use
no DSP or voices. Plug-ins, sends, voices, and automation on inactive tracks are disabled. Tracks
may also be automatically made inactive if a session is opened on a system with less DSP power
than the system it was created on. Audio, Auxiliary Input, and Master Fader tracks can be made
inactive.

MIDI tracks cannot be made inactive.

(TDM Systems Only)
To toggle a track Active/Inactive:
Selecting Operations > Mute Frees Voice and
muting a track disables playback of that track,
and surrenders control of its voice to the next
highest priority track with the same voice assignment.
With this option enabled, there may be a delay
(ranging in length from one to several seconds
depending on the processing power of your system) between the time you mute or unmute a
track and when you hear the effect on playback.

Pro Tools Reference Guide

■ Command-Control-click (Macintosh) or Control-Start-click (Windows) the track type icon in
the Mix window.

Click here to toggle
a track active or inactive

Toggling a track Active/Inactive

Playlists for inactive tracks are dimmed.

Adjusting Track Width
The Narrow Mix Window command allows you
to view all tracks/channels in the Mix window
at a reduced width to conserve screen space in a
large session.
To reduce the width of tracks in the Mix window:
■

Select Display > Narrow Mix Window.

To display tracks at normal width:
■

Deselect Display > Narrow Mix Window.

Color Coding Tracks
The Display Preference for Edit Window Color
Coding determines how colors are assigned to
waveforms and MIDI data in the Edit window.
Colors can be based on groups, voice assignment for audio tracks, and channels or devices
for MIDi tracks.
Color coding of voices is especially useful when
keeping track of tracks assigned to the same
voice. Since tracks assigned to the same voice
share the same color, you can easily identify and
arrange regions so that they do not overlap or
conflict with other regions on tracks assigned to
the same voice.
To configure the Edit Window Color Coding:

Tracks and MIDI Channels Assigns a color to
each track in the Edit window according to its
voice and MIDI channel assignment.
Tracks and MIDI Devices Assigns a color to the
track in the Edit window according to its voice
and MIDI device assignment.
Groups Assigns a color to each track in the Edit
window according to its group ID. If groups are
suspended using the Suspend Groups command, all waveforms are displayed in black.
3 Click Done to close the Preferences dialog.

Grouping Tracks
Pro Tools provides a relative grouping function
for linking channels and their controls. Groups
can be applied to either the Mix or Edit window,
or both.
Groups are useful for editing several tracks in exactly the same way, or for mixing several tracks
(such as a pair of stereo tracks or a submix) while
keeping them at the same relative volume level.
Pro Tools provides the following grouping features:
• Up to 26 different groups
• Nested groups (subgroups within groups)
• Grouped faders/controllers preserve their levels relative to each other

1 Choose Setups > Preferences and click the Display tab.
2 Select one of the following color coding options:

None This option turns off color assignment for
tracks in the Edit window.

Chapter 8: Tracks

Grouping can affect the following track parameters:
• Volume levels
• Solos
• Mutes
• Automation modes

Using the Groups List
The Pro Tools grouping functions are located at
the left side of your screen in the Groups List.
This scrolling window contains the names of all
the groups in your session, as well as a pop-up
menu for accessing grouping commands. From
this menu, you can select and enable groups.

• Send levels
• Send mutes

Group pop-up menu

Click to
select a
group by
typing its
letter

• Track view
• Track height
• Editing functions
Grouping does not affect these parameters:

Click to
select group
members
on-screen

Click to
activate a
group

• Record enables
• Panning
Click to hide
Groups List

• Send panning
• Voice assignment
• Output assignment
• Creating Plug-In instances

Groups List

By default, every session has a group named All,
which includes every track and channel in the
session. The All group cannot be edited or deleted.
To the left of each name in the Groups List is a
letter denoting its Group ID (“a” through “z”),
and to the left of that, a symbol indicating
whether that group is selected in the currently
active window (either the Edit or Mix window).
These symbols indicate the following:

The filled-in circle symbol indicates that all
members of the group are currently selected.

Pro Tools Reference Guide

The hollow circle symbol indicates that only
some members of the group are currently selected.

Creating a Group
To create a group:
1 Hold down the Shift key and select the tracks

you want to include in the group.
The circle with a dot symbol indicates that all
members of the group are currently selected,
plus additional members outside the group.

The Groups Pop-up Menu

Selecting tracks to be grouped

The Groups pop-up menu contains commands
that allow you to create, delete and suspend
groups. These commands are as follows:

2 Choose File > Group Selected Tracks.
3 Enter a name for the group and choose a
Group ID (“a” - “z”).

Group pop-up menu

New Group This command allows you to create a
new group. You must first select two or more
tracks/channel strips on screen to do this.
Display This command allows you to toggle the
Groups List display to either Mix Groups or Edit
Groups. If all of your groups apply to both Editing and Mixing, the Groups List will be the same
for both.
Suspend All Groups This command allows you
to temporarily toggle all active groups off.

New Group dialog
4 Choose the type of group to create: Edit
Group, Mix Group, or Edit and Mix Group.
5 Click OK to add the new group to the Groups
List.

Delete Selected Groups This command allows
you to permanently remove a group from the
Groups List. You must first select a Group Name
in the Groups List to do this.

Chapter 8: Tracks

Changing the Members of a Group

Linking Mix and Edit Groupings

You can add or remove members from a group
at any time.

The “Link Mix and Edit Group Enables” option
links group enabling between the Mix and Edit
windows.

To change the members of a group:
1 Hold down the Shift key and select the tracks

to include in the group.
2 Choose New Group from the Group pop-up
menu.
3 In the dialog that appears, select the Group ID

that you want to update.
4 Click OK. The new group definition overwrites the original definition.

Pro Tools allows you to create groups that are
both Mix and Edit groups. but in some cases you
may prefer not to link enabling of Mix and Edit
groups. For example, when you are using the
Mix window for mixing, you may prefer to work
with large, nested groups. However, in the Edit
window, you may want to perform editing tasks
within a smaller group. You could disable the
Link Mix and Edit Group Enables preference.
This would allow you to work with different
groups in the two windows.

Renaming a Group
You can rename a group at any time.
To rename a group:
1 In the Groups List, double-click to the left of

the group’s name (in the area with the circular
symbols).
2 In the dialog that appears, enter a new name
for the group. (If you wish to change the group’s
type, you can also do so here.)
3 Click OK. The group is renamed in the Groups
List.

Deleting a Group
You can delete a group at any time.
To delete a group:
1 In the Groups List, select the name of the
group (or groups) you wish to delete.
2 Click the Group pop-up menu and choose Delete Selected Groups. You cannot undo this action.

Pro Tools Reference Guide

To unlink mix and edit groups:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences and click Operation.
2 Deselect the “Link Mix and Edit Group Enables” option and click Done.

Enabling Groups
Editing operations are not applied to members
of a group that are hidden with the Show/Hide
Tracks List. Mix operations (with the exception
of Record-enable) are applied to hidden tracks.
Pro Tools allows you to create separate groups
for editing and mixing. You set this option
when you use the New Group command.
Groups that apply to both editing and mixing
can be decoupled.

To enable a group:
In the Groups List, click the name of the
group you want to enable. The group name is
highlighted to indicate that it is enabled.

■

To enable additional groups, click their names
in the Groups List. It is not necessary to Shiftclick to enable or disable multiple groups.
Moving a fader of a group member will cause all
other group members to move relative to it. If a
fader belongs to multiple groups, and the
groups conflict when faders are moved, the
fader will follow the topmost or “parent” group
that it belongs to.
To disable a group:
In the Groups List, click the name of the
group you want to disable. The group name is
unhighlighted to indicate that it is not enabled.

■

Keyboard Selection of Groups
If the Groups List Key focus is enabled, you can
type a Group ID letter and Pro Tools will automatically enable that group.
To enable and use the Groups List Key focus:
1 Click the a-z button in upper right of the
Groups List.

– or –
Press Command+Option+4 (Macintosh) or Control+Alt+4 (Windows).

Groups List Key focus enabled
2 Type the Group ID letter (a-z) to automatically

enable it.
Chapter 8: Tracks

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Chapter 9: Importing and Exporting
Audio and MIDI

Importing Audio
In Pro Tools you can import previously recorded
audio files and regions from other sessions or
other applications. You can also import tracks
from other Pro Tools sessions (see “Importing
Tracks from Other Sessions” on page 94), and
convert the audio while importing.
Audio files and regions can be imported to new
tracks, or they can be imported into the Audio
Regions List, where they can be dragged to existing tracks.
Audio files in the following formats can be imported:
• AIFF
• WAV
• SDII

Supported files and regions can be auditioned
before importing.
If region definitions are present in an audio file,
you can convert and import selected regions
without importing the entire parent audio file.
When importing into a session, choose
File > Import Audio to Track to place the audio
into a new track. To import into the Audio Regions List, choose Convert & Import Audio from
the Audio Regions pop-up menu. Both commands open the same Import Audio dialog (see
Figure 5 on page 93).
Files that don’t match the session’s supported
files types, must be converted when importing.
If you import an audio file with a sample rate
that doesn’t match the current session’s sample
rate, and you do not convert it, the file will not
play back at the original pitch.

• SDI
• MP3
• Sound Resource (AIFL—Macintosh only)
• WMA (Windows Media—Windows only)

Chapter 9: Importing and Exporting Audio and MIDI

Copying, Adding, and Converting Audio
Depending on the properties of the audio files
you are importing, you can add, copy, or convert the files.

Add
Audio files that are of the same bit depth and file
type can be added directly to a session. Use this
option when you don’t want to use extra hard
drive space for audio files that are already of the
same bit depth and sample rate as your session.
Note that added files remain in their original
folder locations.
Pro Tools allows audio files that are not in the
native session type to be added to a session.
Macintosh sessions allow SDII, AIFF, or WAV
files to be added to any session, and Windows
sessions allow AIFF or WAV files to be added to
any session. However, sessions with mixed file
types will have reduced performance.
Audio files that are of a different bit depth must
be converted.

Pro Tools allows you to add files to a session that are at a different sample rate than
your session (48 kHz or 44.1 kHz). In the
comments field of the Import Audio dialog,
a warning is posted that these files will play
back at the wrong speed if they are not converted.

Copy
If a file can be added to your session, you will
also be given the option to copy it. This option
creates a copy of the audio file and places it in a
folder you choose.

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Use Copy when the file you are importing is of
the correct bit depth and file type, but it is at the
wrong sample rate, and you want it to play back
correctly. You can also use Copy to move audio
from an unsupported or removable drive to an
audio drive, or to consolidate audio files for a
session to a specific location.

Convert
Audio files that are not of the same bit depth or
audio files that are of an incompatible file type
(SDII files in Windows or on the Macintosh in a
Mac/PC compatible session) must be converted
to be used with a session. When audio files are
converted, a new file with the correct bit depth,
file type, and sample rate is created and placed
in a folder you choose.
The quality of sample rate conversion used by
Pro Tools is determined by the Preference for
Conversion Quality. For details, see “Conversion Quality” on page 99.

Importing Stereo Files
When using the Import Audio to Tracks command, stereo files (“interleaved”) are automatically imported to stereo tracks.
Split stereo (dual mono) audio files can be automatically imported to stereo tracks. The files
must both be the same length, and they must be
named “filename.L” and filename.R”. In Windows, or in Mac/Windows compatibility mode,
these files will have a 3-letter file extension appended after the “.L” or “.R.”

Using the Import Audio Command
To import audio files or regions into a session:
1 Choose File > Import Audio to Track to import
audio files or regions to their own separate
tracks.

– or –
Choose Import Audio from the Audio Regions
List menu to import audio into the Audio Regions List without automatically creating tracks.
2 At the top of the Import Audio dialog, select
an audio file to display its properties and associated regions.

Adjust playback volume with the vertical slider.
To navigate to a particular location in the file,
use the horizontal slider under the Play and Stop
buttons.
4 To place a file or region in the import list (in
the lower right of the dialog on a Macintosh, or
on the right in Windows), select the file (Shiftclick to select multiple files) and click Add or
Convert. You can also click Add All or Convert
All to import all regions and files in the current
directory.

Audio File icon

Audio Region icon

File and Region icons in the Import Audio dialog

In the import list, audio files are distinguished
from regions by their icons.
5 To remove a file or region from the import list
on the right, select it and click Remove. To remove all regions or files, click Remove All.
6 Once the audio files and regions have been
added to the import list, click Done.

Figure 5. Import Audio dialog

You can choose to display only a certain file
type (AIFF, for example) by selecting it from the
Show pop-up menu. To display all supported file
types, select All from the Show pop-up menu.

On the Macintosh, Sound Resource files
must have an “.SFIL” extension to be imported by Pro Tools.
3 To audition a selected file or region before you

import it, use the Play and Stop buttons.

7 If you are copying or converting files, you are

prompted to choose a location for the new audio files. Choose a folder on a valid audio drive.
If you chose File > Import Audio to Track, the
files and regions are imported to separate audio
tracks, and also appear as regions in the Audio
Regions List.
If you chose Import Audio from the Audio Regions List, the files and regions appear as regions
in the Audio Regions List.

Chapter 9: Importing and Exporting Audio and MIDI

Importing Tracks from Other
Sessions
You can import tracks from a different Pro Tools
session into a current Pro Tools session using
the Import Tracks command. On the Macintosh, you can Import tracks from Pro Tools 3.2
sessions and later. On Windows, you can Import
tracks from Pro Tools 4.2.5 sessions or later.

Import Tracks Dialog
The Import Tracks dialog allows you to select
tracks to import, view source session properties,
and configure settings that affect the way tracks
are imported. The elements of this dialog are described below.

Source Properties

You can import audio tracks, MIDI tracks, Auxiliary Input tracks, and Master Fader tracks. During the import process, you can force the file
type of the imported files to the current session
file type, and you can change the bit depth and
sample rate.

The Import Tracks dialog displays properties for
the source session.These properties include
source session name, session type, start time of
the session, audio bit depth, and sample rate.
For Pro Tools 5.1 sessions, the program that created the session, and the session’s audio file type
are listed.

Import Tracks also lets you set time code location options, sample rate conversion options,
and audio and video media translation options.

Source Tracks
You can select source tracks to Import in this
area of the dialog. To select multiple contiguous
tracks, Shift-click. To select multiple non-contiguous files, Command-click (Macintosh) or Altclick (Windows).

Time Code Mapping Options
You can specify where Pro Tools places the imported tracks in your session using the Time
Code Mapping Options. Times are indicated in
time code for TDM systems, and minutes:seconds for Pro Tools LE systems.
Import Tracks dialog

Maintain Absolute Time Code Values
This option places tracks at the locations where
they were located in the source session. This
means that if your session starts at 00:01:00:00,
and the session from which you are importing
starts at 10:00:00:00, the earliest imported tracks
can appear in your session is 9 hours and 59
minutes after the start of the session.

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Maintain Relative Time Code Values

Conversion Quality

This option places tracks at the same offset from
session start as they had in the source session.
For example. if the session start was 01:00:00:00
in the source session and a track started at
01:01:00:00, then if the current session start is
02:00:00:00 the track will be placed at
02:01:00:00.

With this setting you can change the quality of
the sample-rate conversion process. At lower
quality settings audio is processed faster; at
higher settings audio processing is slower.
“Best” runs at approximately real time on a fast
machine. See “Conversion Quality” on page 99.

Audio Media Options
Map Start Time Code to hh:mm:ss:ff
This option places tracks relative to their original session start time. This means that if your
session starts at 00:01:00:00, and the session
from which you are importing tracks starts at
10:00:00:00, you can set the start time code to
00:01:00:00, and avoid placing files 9 hours and
59 minutes from the start of your session.

Sample Rate Conversion Options
This dialog allows you to set options for samplerate conversion of imported audio files. If the
source session and your target session have the
same sample rate, this portion of the dialog is
dimmed.

Source Sample Rate
Although your audio files are from a 44.1 kHz or
48 kHz session, you can have the sample rate
conversion process treat them in several ways to
compensate for pull-up, pull-down, and NTSC
or PAL frame rates. This setting allows you to
choose the sample rate from which you want
the sample rate conversion process to start.

Destination Sample Rate
The destination sample rate is always set to the
sample rate of your session.

Consolidate from Source Media
This option lets you copy audio while consolidating it. In this way you can copy only the used
portions of the media, without copying unused
audio in the source files.
When you choose this option, you should also
choose an amount of handle. Handle is an
amount of the original audio file that is preserved before and after each region in case you
need to make any edits to the new regions.

Copy from Source Media
This option copies all audio files related to the
imported tracks from the source media to a new
specified location. This is useful if you are importing tracks from a source such as CD-ROM or
shared storage, and you want to place the audio
files on a different hard drive.

Refer to Source Media (Where Possible)
This setting lets you avoid duplicating audio
files by referring to the original files when possible. If the source files do not reside on “playable” media (such as a CD-ROM), or if they require bit depth or file conversion, the files are
instead copied.

Chapter 9: Importing and Exporting Audio and MIDI

Force Audio Media to New Format

4 Select the tracks to import. Shift-click to select

This forces all imported audio files to the audio
media format you select.

multiple contiguous files. Command-click
(Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) to select
multiple non-contiguous files.

Format for New Audio

5 Choose the time code mapping option for im-

Choose whether you want new media files to be
SDII, WAV, or AIFF files.

Video Media Options
You can either choose to leave video media files
in their original locations or copy them to a new
location. This is useful if you are importing
tracks from a source such as CD-ROM or shared
storage, and you want to place video files on a
different drive.

ported audio files.
6 If the sample rates of the sessions are different,
choose the sample rate for the source session.
7 If applicable, choose options for imported audio and video media files.
8 To import the meter and tempo tracks from
the source session, select that option.
9 Click OK when you are finished.
10 If you chose to copy or consolidate media,
choose a location to place the media files.

Import Tempo/Meter Map
Select this option to import the meter and
tempo tracks from the source session.

Imported tracks are made inactive if their
source media is unavailable, of if the current session does not contain an equivalent
output path.

Using the Import Tracks Command
To import tracks:
1 Open or create a new session.
2 Choose File > Import Tracks.
3 Navigate to and select the session to import
tracks from and click Open. The Import Tracks
dialog opens and displays the tracks that can be
imported.

Loading Audio Files with Drag
& Drop
Pro Tools provides you with a convenient
method of batch loading audio files into an
open session.
To batch load audio files into a session:
1 Open the Pro Tools session.

If the current Pro Tools system does not support
surround mixing, surround tracks are not displayed in the Import Tracks dialog.

2 From the desktop, locate the audio files you
want to import. Make sure the files match the
session’s file type, bit depth, and sample rate.
3 Drag the audio files onto the Pro Tools icon.
The audio files are automatically imported and
appear in the Audio Regions List.

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Exporting Audio
The following sections discuss exporting regions
as audio files, exporting left and right audio files
as stereo interleaved files, and exporting region
information.
You can also export audio from Pro Tools by
bouncing or consolidating audio tracks. For
more information, see “Bounce to Disk” on
page 400 and “Consolidate Selection Command” on page 256.

4 Select an option for how Pro Tools should resolve duplicate file names. Prompting for Each
Duplicate will prompt you for a file name for
any file that has the same name as a file in your
destination directory. Auto Renaming automatically changes the name of any duplicate file by
adding a number at the end (e.g. file-01). Replacing with New Files replaces files with the same
name with the new files.

Exporting a Region as a New
Audio File
You can export regions as audio files with the
Export Selected As Files command. Use this
command if you intend to use a region in other
sessions (or other audio applications) without
using its parent source file.
This command also provides a way to convert
regions to a different audio format, sample rate,
or bit depth.

Export Selected dialog
5 Once the Output Options are configured, click

To export regions as new audio files:

OK to export the new audio files.

1 In the Audio Regions List, select the regions

you want to export.

Exporting Stereo Interleaved Files

2 From the Audio Regions List pop-up menu,
choose Export Selected As Files.

You can use the Export Selected As Files command to export audio regions to stereo interleaved files for use in other applications.
(Pro Tools sessions do not support stereo interleaved files.) For this to work, the selected regions must have identical names with “.L” and
“.R” suffixes (for instance, vocals-01.L and vocals-01.R). These regions appear as a stereo region in the Audio Regions List.

3 In the Export Selected dialog, set the file type,
format, bit resolution, and sample rate. In addition, specify the Conversion Quality, and
choose the destination directory.

Chapter 9: Importing and Exporting Audio and MIDI

To export regions as a stereo interleaved file:
1 Select the stereo audio region in the Audio Re-

gions List or in the track playlist. If the regions
appear on mono tracks in the session, select the
two mono regions.
2 From the Audio Regions List pop-up menu,
choose Export Selected As Files.
3 In the Export Selected dialog, select “Interleaved” in the Format pop-up menu.
4 Configure any other output parameters, then
click OK to export the new stereo interleaved
file.

Exporting Region Definitions
Pro Tools stores region definitions for audio files
within each session. If you want to use an audio
file’s regions in another session, or with another
application that supports them, you can export
the region information.
The Export Region Definitions command does
not export regions as audio files (unlike the Export Selected As Files command). Instead, it
stores pointers to the regions within the parent
source file.
To export region definitions for an audio file:
1 In the Audio Regions List, select any regions
for which you want to export definitions. You
do not have to select the parent file audio region.
2 Choose Export Region Definitions from the
Audio Regions List pop-up menu.
3 Click Export.

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Transferring Audio from CD
(Macintosh Only)
Pro Tools allows you to transfer audio tracks
from an audio CD with the Import Audio From
Other Movie command. Since the transfer is
made in the digital domain, there is no signal
loss.
The sample rate for audio CDs is 44.1 kHz.
Therefore, if your session’s sample rate is set to
48 kHz, Pro Tools will convert the sample rate
for the imported audio. Before importing CD
audio, set the Conversion Quality Preference accordingly. See “Conversion Quality” on page 99
for details.
When importing a CD audio track, Pro Tools
first imports it as QuickTime movie. The imported movie is then converted to audio files in
your session file format. Before importing CD
audio, make sure your hard drive has enough
space for both the imported movie file and the
converted audio files.
To import a CD audio track:
1 Insert the audio CD into your CD-ROM drive.
2 Choose Movie > Import Audio From Other
Movie.
3 Locate and select the audio track to be imported, then click Convert.
4 When the Save dialog appears, click the Options button.

5 In the Options dialog, select the sample rate,
bit resolution, and stereo format.

Conversion Quality
The Conversion Quality Preference determines
the quality of sample rate conversion used when
converting and importing audio into a session,
and when importing CD audio tracks (Macintosh only). There are five possible settings, ranging from Low to Tweak Head. The higher the
quality, the longer it will take for the sample
rate conversion.
To set the sample rate conversion quality:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences, and click Editing.

Audio CD Import Options dialog (Macintosh)

2 From the Conversion Quality pop-up menu,
select the desired quality.

6 At the bottom of the Options dialog, set the
range of the audio track to be imported by adjusting the Start and End times, then click OK.
7 Specify the destination for the imported audio

track and click Save. Pro Tools imports the CD
audio track as a QuickTime movie and writes it
to your hard drive.
8 When the Track Import window appears, click
OK.

Pro Tools converts the audio track to your session’s sample rate and bit resolution and imports the selected audio tracks into the Audio
Regions List. From there you can drag the regions to existing tracks.

Conversion Quality preference

For most applications, the Good or Better setting will yield very good results. Because the
Best and Tweak Head settings take significantly
longer, use them only when higher fidelity is absolutely essential.
3 Click Done.

Slower computers can take an extremely long
time to perform sample rate conversion, especially at higher-quality settings. The Tweak
Head setting, for instance, can take as long as
several hours to process an audio file of moderate length.

Chapter 9: Importing and Exporting Audio and MIDI

Exporting Session Text
(TDM Systems Only)
You can use the Export Session as Text command to create a text file that contains extensive
information about your session.
This text file can contain a list of audio files, audio regions, audio track EDL (edit decision list)
information, extended timestamp information,
and information about crossfades.
Track EDLs are exported as tab-delimited text—
that is, with tabs between each column heading,
and tabs between each event parameter. You
can use this data in a program for reading EDLs,
or you can format the EDL data into tables using
a word processor or spreadsheet application.

Include File List/Region List
You can choose to export a list of the session’s
audio files and regions. The file list provides a
list of all the audio files and fades in the session,
and their hard drive locations. The region list
displays all audio regions in the session, and the
source audio file for each region.

Include Track EDL’s
You can also export track EDLs. Track EDLs can
be used to spot-check region placement and edits, or in a conforming program for post applications. In extreme circumstances the EDL can be
used to recreate the entire session.

MIDI track EDLs are not exported.

Show Subframes

Export Session Text Options

This option allows you to export subframe time
information, if used in your session.

Include User Timestamps
You can include user timestamps. User timestamps indicate a user-defined session location
for the region, or the original location of the region when recorded.

Fade Handling

Export Session Text dialog

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You can choose whether to show crossfades, not
to show them, or to combine crossfaded regions.
When regions are combined, their durations
and locations are listed up to the center of the
crossfade (for the leading region) and from the
center of the crossfade (for the following region).

Time Format

File List and Region List

You can select an appropriate time format to export to the text files. All EDL information is
based on this time format. For example, for post
work, you might export SMPTE time, but for
music creation locked to a grid, you might export Bars & Beats.

Next, if you choose to include them, are the lists
of audio files and regions.

File Format
You can choose to export to any of several different text formats. These include standard text
formats, and Microsoft Word and Excel formats.

Track EDLs
The final item, if exported, is the list of track
EDLs. A track EDL lists the track name, and all
edits, including the event number, the region
name, region start and end time, and region duration. The region timestamp is also exported, if
you select this option. Subframes are shown in
each time field if you select this option.
Exporting a session as text:

The Exported Session Text
Session Information
At the start of the session text file, basic information about the session is included. This information includes the session name, sample rate, bit
depth, time code format, and number of audio
tracks, audio regions, and audio files, as shown
in the following example.
SESSION NAME:

Ripleys II-092700

SAMPLE RATE:

48000.000000

BIT DEPTH:

24-bit

TIME CODE FORMAT:

30 Frame

# OF AUDIO TRACKS:

# OF AUDIO REGIONS:

203

# OF AUDIO FILES:

1 Choose File > Export Session as Text.
2 Select whether to include the file list, region
list, and track EDLs.
3 If you choose to include track EDLs, select
whether to show subframes, and whether to include user timestamps. Also select an option for
crossfade handling.
4 Select the Time Format for the exported session text from the pop-up menu.
5 Select the File Format for exported text using
the pop-up menu.
6 When you have set your options, click OK.
7 Select a location and enter a filename for the
exported text file. In Windows, Pro Tools adds
the correct 3-letter filename extension, while on
the Macintosh, the file extension “.txt” is added.

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101

Importing MIDI Files
You can import Standard MIDI Files into your
Pro Tools sessions. Use the Import MIDI to Track
command to place the imported MIDI onto new
tracks; or use the Import MIDI command in the
MIDI Regions List pop-up menu to place the
data in the MIDI Regions List, where it can be
dragged to existing tracks.
Pro Tools does not import proprietary sequence
files. To use sequences from other MIDI applications in a Pro Tools session, you’ll need to first
save them as Standard MIDI Files. Refer to the
manufacturer’s documentation for details on
saving Standard MIDI Files.
There are two types of Standard MIDI Files, both
of which are supported by Pro Tools:
Type 0 MIDI files store data for all MIDI channels in a single track. When importing these
files, Pro Tools separates the data by channel
and places them in separate regions and tracks.

◆

Type 1 MIDI files, sometimes referred to as
multitrack MIDI files, contain multiple tracks of
MIDI data. When importing these files, each
track’s data is placed on its own new MIDI track
in the Pro Tools session.

◆

To import a Standard MIDI File to new tracks:
1 Choose File > Import MIDI to Track.
2 Select the MIDI file you want to import.

Import MIDI dialog
3 To import the MIDI file’s tempo and meter
tracks, select the option for Import Tempo From
MIDI File.

This option overwrites existing meter and
tempo events in the current session. If you don’t
want this, make sure to instead select Use Existing Tempo From Session.
4 Click Import (Macintosh) or Open (Windows). If prompted, specify whether you want
to Keep or Discard existing MIDI tracks and regions in the current session.

The MIDI data is imported to new MIDI tracks,
and also appears as regions in the MIDI Regions
List.

If the Standard MIDI File contains markers,
they are only imported if the current session
does not contain any markers.
5 In the Mix window, click on the MIDI Device/Channel selector for each new track and assign a MIDI instrument and channel.

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To import a Standard MIDI File into the MIDI
Regions List:
1 Choose Import MIDI from the MIDI Regions

List pop-up menu.
2 Select the MIDI file you want to import.
3 To import the MIDI file’s tempo and meter

To export all MIDI tracks in the current session:
1 Make sure to unmute any MIDI tracks in the
session that you want to export.
2 Choose File > Export MIDI.
3 Specify a folder destination and name for the

MIDI file.

tracks, select the option for Import Tempo From
MIDI File.
This option overwrites existing meter and
tempo events in the current session. If you don’t
want this, make sure to instead select Use Existing Tempo From Session.
4 Click Import (Macintosh) or Open (Windows). If prompted, specify whether you want
to Keep or Discard existing MIDI tracks and regions residing in the current session.

Pro Tools imports the MIDI data as regions and
places them in the MIDI Regions List.

If the Standard MIDI File contains markers,
they are only imported if the current session
does not contain any markers.
5 Drag the new MIDI regions, as desired, to ex-

isting MIDI tracks.

Exporting MIDI Files

Export MIDI dialog
4 Select whether the Standard MIDI File will be

Type 0 (merged, single track) or Type 1 (multitrack).
5 Click Export. Pro Tools exports all MIDI tracks

in the current session to a Standard MIDI File
and writes it to your hard drive. Exported MIDI
information includes notes, controller events,
program changes, and System Exclusive data, as
well as events for tempo, meter, and markers.

To export a session’s MIDI tracks for use in another MIDI application, or for playback with an
external (hardware) MIDI sequencer, you can
save the tracks as a Standard MIDI File.

The SMPTE start time for the session is also exported. This ensures that the exported tracks,
when played from another MIDI application,
will align with the correct SMPTE frames, and
also sync correctly to tape and video devices, or
Pro Tools.

When exporting, the session tracks can be
merged to a single, multi-channel track
(Type 0), or they can be saved as multiple tracks
(Type 1).

Refer to your third-party MIDI sequencer documentation to determine whether it supports importing SMPTE start times from MIDI files.

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103

Not Exported with MIDI Files
Mute automation and muted regions do not affect exported MIDI. As long as a track is not
muted by clicking its Mute button, all of its
MIDI data is exported.
When exporting MIDI files from Pro Tools, device assignments for tracks are not retained
(though channel assignments are). If you therefore export MIDI tracks from Pro Tools and later
re-import them, you’ll need to reassign the
tracks to the desired devices.
All playlist information for MIDI tracks is lost
when exporting. For example, tracks that previously contained dozens of MIDI regions will be
flattened and only contain single regions after
exporting and re-importing.

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Chapter 10: File Management and
Compatibility

The various Pro Tools systems require that you
keep certain files on specific hard drives in order
for these systems to function properly. Observe
the following file management rules:
On Macintosh Pro Tools Systems, Pro Tools
software should reside on your startup drive (the
drive that contains your System folder and other
System-related files).

◆

On Pro Tools 24 MIX and Pro Tools 24 systems, data files (such as session files, audio files
and fade files) can be located on any compatible
drive connected to the internal SCSI bus or the
external SCSI bus of your computer, or to a SCSI
accelerator card in your computer.

◆

Unique File IDs
Pro Tools 5.1 tags each audio file in a session
with a unique identifier that allows it to distinguish a particular file even if its name or location have changed.
In cases where the unique identifier is not
present, Pro Tools can identify an audio file using other file attributes, such as sample rate, bit
depth, file length, and creation or modification
date. Pro Tools will search for files with similar
attributes, and list potential matches in the Candidate Files list.

On Pro Tools LE systems, data files can be located on any compatible hard drive connected
to your computer’s internal or external ATA/IDE
or SCSI busses.

◆

Locating Audio Files
When you open a session, if Pro Tools is unable
to locate audio files contained in the session, it
will post a Find File dialog. You can choose to
search for replacement files based either on file
name or on unique file ID.

Find File dialog (Macintosh)

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105

To locate an audio file:
1 In most cases, you can find files created or
modified by Pro Tools by selecting Current
Folder or Current Volume under “Search In.” To
search in all subfolders of the current folder, select Look in Subfolders. If this search does not
provide adequate results, you can select All Volumes to search all available drives and partitions.
2 Select whether you want to search for the file
by Matching Name or Matching Unique ID. It is
faster to search for a file by File Name; however,
this search could be less useful if you are searching for a common file name, for example, “Audio-01.”
3 If Pro Tools is unable to find the target file, it

will list a number of exact matches for the files,
as well as candidate files. These are files that
have the right file name but do not have the correct Unique File ID.

5 If you determine that a file in the Candidate
Files list is not the target file, click Skip. To eliminate all files in the list, click Skip All.
6 When you have located the target file, click
Open.

If you do not locate the target file, the whole file
region and regions based on it appear as offline
media in the Audio Regions List and in tracks in
the Edit window.

WAV File Compatibility
Convert all imported WAV files to
AES31/BroadcastWave
Pro Tools always creates AES31/Broadcast compliant WAV files when the file originates in
Pro Tools. This option, accessed by choosing
Setups > Preferences > Compatibility, makes imported WAV files, compliant with the
AES31/EBU Broadcast standard.
AES31/BroadcastWave is a variant of the standard audio WAV file type. The AES31 format
contains additional information beyond the
raw PCM audio data such as SMPTE time
stamps.

Candidate file (exact match)

Exact matches in the Find dialog are indicated
in the candidate list with a “->” before the file
path.
4 Select a candidate file to view its attributes in

the File Info area. To audition a selected audio
file, click Play and adjust the Play Position slider
to choose the playback location in the file.

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This variant complies with standards set by the
EBU (European Broadcasters Union), and the
AES (Audio Engineering Society). Choose this
option to ensure compatibility with other workstations that recognize this file type.

Avid File Compatibility
When Avid Compatibility preference is enabled,
Pro Tools adds additional “metadata” when
bouncing to disk, or when recording from a bus.
This metadata includes the name of session, and
the name of the source of the bounce (bus or
track output). When the bounced file is opened
from an Avid system, the metadata information
will help identify the source of the file components.
In addition, when this Avid Compatibility is enabled, it forces all OMF media to be treated as
Read Only within Pro Tools

Creating Mac and PC
Compatible Sessions
The Enforce Mac/PC Compatibility option allows you to create and save Pro Tools sessions
that are compatible on both Macintosh and
Windows. This option is available when creating a new 5.1 session, or when saving a copy of
a 5.1 session.

Cross-Platform Session Limits

File Name Extensions
For cross-platform compatibility, all files in a
session must have a 3-letter file extension added
to the file name. Pro Tools 5.1 session files have
the extension “.pts,” and Pro Tools 5 sessions
have the extension “.pt5.” WAV files have the
“.wav” file extension, and AIFF files have the
“.aif” file extension.

Incompatible ASCII Characters
Region names, track names, file names, and
Plug-In settings cannot use ASCII characters
that are incompatible with either system.
When creating a new name, if an incompatibility is detected when Mac/PC Compatibility
mode is enabled, a dialog will appear that
prompts you to type a new name. When you import files into a session that is set for Mac/Windows compatibility, incompatible characters are
converted to underscores (“_”).
The following characters cannot be used in
Mac/Windows compatible sessions:
/ (slash)
\ (backslash)
: (colon)

Audio File Types
* (asterisk)
Sound Designer II (SDII) files cannot be read by
Windows systems. Therefore, when creating
Mac and Windows compatible session files, the
audio file type for the session must be either
AIFF or WAV.

? (question mark)
“ (quotation marks)
< (less-than symbol)
> (greater-than symbol)
| (vertical line or pipe)
Any character typed with the Command key

Chapter 10: File Management and Compatibility

107

To create a session that is compatible with
Macintosh and Windows:
1 After launching Pro Tools, choose File > New

Session.
2 Choose the drive where you want to save the
session. The session should be created on a dedicated audio drive.
3 In the New Session dialog, set the Audio File
Type to AIFF or WAV. These file formats are compatible with either platform.
4 Set the Bit Depth and Sample Rate for the ses-

sion.
5 Select “Enforce Mac/PC Compatibility” (Mac-

intosh) or “Enforce PC/Mac Compatibility”
(Windows). This option must be selected to
make the session cross-platform compatible.
6 Select the I/O Settings to use for the session.
Several pre-configured I/O Settings are included
with your system, or you can choose custom I/O
Settings that you have created. See Chapter 7,
“I/O Setup” for more information.
7 Enter a name for the session and click Save.

To save an existing session that is compatible
with Macintosh and Windows:
1 Choose File > Save Session Copy In.
2 In the Save Session Copy dialog, set the Audio
File Type to AIFF or WAV. These file formats are
compatible with either platform.
3 Set the Bit Depth and Sample Rate for the ses-

sion, as well as any options Items To Copy.
4 Select “Enforce Mac/PC Compatibility” (Mac-

intosh) or “Enforce PC/Mac Compatibility”
(Windows). This option must be selected to
make the session cross-platform compatible.

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5 Choose a destination and enter a name for the

new session file. then click Save.
If the session previously used SDII files, the files
are converted to the new audio file format.

Part III: Recording

109

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Chapter 11: Record Setup

Before you start recording, make sure your
Pro Tools system is connected and configured
properly. For details on connecting Pro Tools to
your studio, refer to the Pro Tools Installation
Guide that came with your system.
While some of the information in this chapter is
relevant to recording MIDI, there are more specific setup details for MIDI recording in
Chapter 13, “MIDI Recording.”

Input Connections and Audio
Levels
Most Digidesign audio interfaces operate as linelevel devices and offer no pre-amplification.
You must therefore adjust the level of an input
signal to line level before it reaches Pro Tools.
Low-level sources like microphones and electric
guitars need to be pre-amplified. You can do this
with a quality mixing board or dedicated
preamp.

NOTE: The Digi 001 is an exception to this rule.
Its I/O Box has two inputs with preamps, to which
you can connect low-level signals, and six additional inputs with “input gain.”

Volume and pan controls for tracks in Pro Tools
only affect monitoring levels—not the recording input gain. The LED indicators on audio interfaces indicate both full-code (highest level before clipping) and true clipping of Pro Tools
output signals. The on-screen meters in the
Pro Tools application indicate only true clipping.

Digital Clipping
Clipping occurs when you feed a signal to a recorder or mixer that is louder or “hotter” than
the device allows. On many analog tape decks, a
little clipping adds a perceived warmth to the
sound due to tape compression. In digital recording, however, clipping causes digital distortion, which is undesirable and should always be
avoided.

Set Input Levels High But Don’t Clip
When you feed a signal into any audio recording system, including Pro Tools, you need to adjust the input level to optimize the dynamic
range. Adjust the input signal to register as high
as possible on your input meter without triggering the clipping indicator. If the input level is
too low, you will not take full advantage of the
dynamic range of your Pro Tools system. If the
input level is too high, however, it will be
clipped.

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111

Calibration Mode (TDM Systems Only)
You can use the Calibration Mode in Pro Tools
to adjust the input and output levels for your
audio interface so they match those of your
mixing console and other audio devices in your
studio.
For more information on Calibration Mode, see
the TDM Installation Guide.

Record Enabling Tracks
To record to a track you must first record enable
it. To record simultaneously to multiple tracks,
you can record multiple audio or MIDI tracks.
Unlike audio tracks, MIDI tracks can be record
enabled on the fly while recording.

To record enable all selected tracks:
■ Shift-Option-click (Macintosh) or Shift-Altclick (Windows) the Record Enable button for
any track.

Shift-Option-click (Macintosh) or Shift-Alt-click
(Windows) any selected track to take all selected
tracks out of record-enabled mode.

Multiple tracks are selected by Shift-clicking
their track names.
While record enabling does not affect audio
tracks that are grouped, you can select all
tracks in a group by clicking directly to the
left of the group’s name in the Groups List.
Then you can Shift-Option-click (Macintosh) or Shift-Alt-click (Windows) to record
enable all selected tracks.
To record enable a different MIDI track on the fly:

Record-enabled audio track

To record enable an audio or MIDI track:
From either the Edit or Mix window, click the
track’s Record Enable button.

■ While pressing Command (Macintosh) or
Control (Windows), press the Up/Down Arrows
to record enable the previous or next MIDI
track. The previous record track is taken out of
record-enabled mode.

■

Click again to take the track out of record-enabled mode.
To record enable all audio or MIDI tracks:
Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) the Record Enable button for any audio or
MIDI track.

■

Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) again to take each of those tracks out of
record-enabled mode.

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– or –
■ Click the Record button of the MIDI track you
want to record enable. The previous record track
is taken out of record-enabled mode.

To keep the previous track record-enabled,
press Shift+Command+Up/Down (Macintosh) or Shift+Control+Up/Down (Windows).

Latch Record Mode
When the option for Latch Record Enable Buttons is selected (in the Operations Preferences),
you can record enable (latch) additional tracks
by clicking their Record Enable buttons. Previously record-enabled tracks remain record-enabled.
When Latch Record Enable Buttons is deselected, record enabling a subsequent track takes
the previously record-enabled track out of
record-enabled mode.

When the option for Latch Record Enable
Buttons is deselected, you can still Shiftclick the Record Enable buttons on multiple
tracks to record enable them.

Record Safe Mode
When tracks are in Record Safe mode, it is not
possible to record enable them, and therefore
not possible to record to them. Use Record Safe
mode to protect important track recordings.
To put an audio or MIDI track in Record Safe mode:
Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click
(Windows) the track’s Record Enable button.

■

Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click
(Windows) again to take the track out of Record
Safe mode.
To put all tracks in Record Safe mode:
Command-Option-click (Macintosh) or Control-Alt-click (Windows) the Record Enable button on any track.

■

To put all currently selected tracks into Record
Safe mode:
■ Command-Option-Shift-click (Macintosh) or
Control-Alt-Shift-click (Windows) the Record
Enable button on any of the selected tracks to
toggle them in and out of Record Safe mode.

Monitoring Modes
Pro Tools offers two modes of input monitoring,
Auto Input Monitoring or Input Only Monitoring
(chosen from the Operations menu), which determine how input signals are monitored while
recording audio.

Auto Input Monitoring
In this mode, when session playback is stopped,
Pro Tools monitors audio input. When playback
is started for a punch-in, Pro Tools monitors existing track material up until the punch point.
While punched in, the input signal is monitored. On punch-out, monitoring switches back
to the existing track material. This is similar to
the auto-switching logic found on digital and
analog multitrack tape machines.
When Auto Input Monitoring is enabled, the
Record button in the Transport window appears
normally gray.
NOTE: When using Auto Input Monitoring, the
switch back to monitoring track material on punchout is not instantaneous. To get instantaneous
monitor switching on punch-out, use QuickPunch
(see “Using QuickPunch” on page 155).

Command-Option-click (Macintosh) or Control-Alt-click (Windows) again to take all tracks
out of Record Safe mode.

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113

Input Only Monitoring
In this mode, when a track is record-enabled,
Pro Tools monitors audio input only, regardless
of any punch in/out selection.
When Input Only Monitoring is enabled, the
Record button in the Transport window appears
green.

Green Record button when
Input Only Monitoring is enabled

Transport window

Monitor Levels for Record and
Playback
Pro Tools remembers two different fader levels
for each audio track: one for when the track is
record-enabled, and one for when it is not
record-enabled. This lets you adjust levels for
playback and configure a different set of levels
for monitoring while recording.

Monitoring Latency
(Pro Tools LE Only)
Because Pro Tools LE uses the host processor in
your computer for audio processing, playback,
and recording, there is a small amount of audio
delay, or latency, in the system. This latency
amount is related to the Hardware Buffer Size—
the larger the buffer size, the larger the latency.
While there may be times when you want a
larger Buffer Size, for the sake of higher track
counts with more plug-ins, you’ll generally
want a smaller Buffer Size when recording audio
that is monitored through your Digi 001 or
Audiomedia III.
If you are monitoring the audio material you’re
recording with an external mixer, you will not
hear any latency.
To set the Hardware Buffer Size:
1 Choose Setups > Hardware.
2 Choose the number of samples from the Hard-

Pro Tools remembers these two states for fader
levels automatically. If you adjust a fader when
a track is record-enabled and then take the track
out of record-enabled mode, the fader updates
accordingly.
When audio tracks are record-enabled, their volume faders in the Mix window turn red, indicating that the record monitor level is active.

ware Buffer Size pop-up.

Hardware Buffer Size
3 Click OK.

Link Record and Play Faders
When the Operation Preference for “Link
Record and Play Faders” is selected, Pro Tools
does not keep track of record and play levels for
audio tracks. In this case, record enabling an audio track has no effect on the fader level for the
track.

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Computers with slower CPUs may not be
able to use the 128 Buffer Size without encountering performance errors.

If you have a SampleCell II Plus card, a
buffer size of 128 should not be used when
running the SampleCell Editor at the same
time as Pro Tools LE. Use a larger buffer
setting to avoid performance errors.
The following table lists the amount of monitoring latency (in milliseconds) you can expect
from the four Buffer Sizes.
How Hardware Buffer settings affect latency
Sample
rate
(kHz)

Buffer
Size
(samples)

Latency
Amount
(ms)

44.1

128

2.9

recording drums
and other timingcritical instruments

256

5.8

recording vocals
and instruments
with slower
attacks (bass,
guitar, etc.)

Use for:

Low Latency Monitoring
(Pro Tools LE Only)
You can reduce the amount of monitoring latency for Pro Tools LE systems by reducing the
Hardware Buffer Size. However, even at the
smallest Buffer Size, there is still some latency.
In addition, reducing the Buffer Size limits the
number of simultaneous audio tracks you can
record without encountering performance errors.
Digi 001 and Audiomedia III systems can use
the Low Latency Monitoring option to record
with an extremely small amount of monitoring
latency, to as many tracks as each system supports.
To use Low Latency Monitoring:
1 Record enable the desired audio tracks (or
Auxiliary Inputs) by clicking their Record Enable buttons. Only tracks with inputs set to an
audio interface (not a bus) use Low Latency
Monitoring.

512

11.6

mixing with 24
tracks

1024

23.2

final mixdown or
many plug-ins

128

2.7

recording drums
and other timingcritical instruments

3 Select Operations > Low Latency Monitoring.

When Low Latency Monitoring is enabled, any
plug-ins and sends assigned to record-enabled
tracks (routed to Outputs 1–2) are automatically
bypassed, and must remain bypassed. Also,
these tracks will not register on meters for Master Faders.

2 From the Output Selector, assign each track to

256

5.3

recording vocals
and instruments
with slower
attacks (bass,
guitar, etc.)

512

10.7

mixing with 24
tracks

1024

21.3

final mixdown or
many plug-ins

either Output 1 or Output 2. Only tracks assigned to these outputs use Low Latency Monitoring.

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115

Low Latency Monitoring and
Bounce To Disk
With Low Latency Monitoring Enabled, only
audio tracks are included with the Bounce To
Disk command—Auxiliary Input tracks are ignored.
To record Auxiliary Inputs with Low Latency
Monitoring enabled, you must record the material in real time.

3 If desired, type comments for the track in the

Comments text box. Click Previous or Next to
rename another displayed track.

To switch tracks in the Track Name/Comments dialog, you can press Command
(Macintosh) or Control (Windows) and use
the Up/Down Arrows.
4 When you are finished, click OK.

Default Names for Audio Files and
Regions

Track Names
When creating new audio and MIDI tracks,
Pro Tools names them as either “Audio” or
“MIDI” and numbers them consecutively. For
example, when you create 2 new audio tracks,
their default names are “Audio 1” and
“Audio 2.” You can rename tracks and also log
comments for each track.
To rename a track:
1 In the Edit or Mix window, double-click the
Track Name.
2 In the Track Name/Comments dialog, type a
new track name.

When recording to an audio track, the resulting
file and region names are based on the name of
the track. For example, after recording for the
first time on a track called “Electric Gtr,” an audio file is written to your hard drive with the
name “Electric Gtr-01.” In addition, a region appears in the Audio Regions List with the name
“Electric Gtr-01-00.”
Subsequent record takes on the same track are
named identically but with the first set of digits
(indicating the take number) incremented. The
second set of digits is only used for region naming and indicate a region auto-created from an
edit.

The QuickPunch record mode uses a
slightly different method for numbering regions. For details, see “Region and Take
Numbering with QuickPunch” on
page 157.

Track Name/Comments dialog

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When recording MIDI tracks, a similar naming
scheme is used, though with only one set of digits. For example, after recording to a track called
“Synth 1,” a region is created called “Synth 101.” Subsequent regions for that track, generating either from additional record takes or region
edits, are numbered sequentially.

Names for Stereo Audio Tracks

To allocate the audio drives in your system:

When recording to stereo audio tracks, audio
file and region names for the left and right
channels are appended with an “.L” and “.R”
suffix.

1 Choose Setups > Disk Allocation.

Names for Surround Tracks

2 In the Disk Allocation dialog, assign a hard
drive for each track by clicking in the Record Location column. A folder with the session name
is created on each hard drive, containing subfolders for audio and fade files.

(MIX/MIXplus Systems Only)
When recording to multi-channel surround
tracks, audio file and region names for each
channel are appended with the following suffixes.
Multi-Channel
Format

File and Region Suffix

LCR

L, C, R

Quad

L, R, Ls, Rs

5.0

L, C, R, Ls, Rs

5.1

L, C, R, Ls, Rs, LFE

To assign all tracks to the same hard drive, press
Option (Macintosh) or Alt (Windows) while selecting a drive name.

6.0

L, C, R, Ls, Cs, Rs, LFE

3 To automatically distribute any newly created

6.1

L, C, R, Ls, Cs, Rs

7.0

L, Lc, C, R, Rc, Ls, Rs

tracks among the drives connected to your system, select “Use Round Robin Allocation for
New Tracks.”

7.1

L, Lc, C, R, Rc, Ls, Rs, LFE

Disk Allocation dialog

Disk Allocation
By default, Pro Tools records audio files to the
Audio Files folder inside the session folder. You
can use the Disk Allocation dialog to specify
other locations for your audio files for each audio track.
To increase system performance, Pro Tools can
record and play each track from a different hard
drive. You can also automatically distribute any
newly created tracks to multiple audio drives
with Round Robin Allocation.

If you are using Round Robin Allocation and
want audio to be recorded to your system’s startup drive, select Include System Volume (see
“Recording to the System Volume” on page 118
for details).

Round Robin Allocation is not supported
with partitioned hard drives.
4 To save recorded audio files to an existing
folder (without creating another session folder),
select Customize Allocation Options, then click
the Change button and choose the folder. To
create subfolders in this folder, select “Create
Subfolders for audio, video, and fade files.”
5 When you are finished, Click OK.

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Customizing Allocation Options
To save Disk Allocation settings for use with future sessions, save the session as a template. For
details, see “Creating Custom Session Templates” on page 55.

Disk Allocation and Cross-Platform
Sessions
Pro Tools for Windows supports recording and
playback of audio from multiple hard drives, but
to ensure cross-platform operation, it also requires that Macintosh Pro Tools sessions and
their associated audio files be on Macintosh-formatted (HFS) drives.
Similarly, Windows sessions and their associated audio files must reside on Windows-formatted (FAT16) drives. If you want to share sessions between Windows and Macintosh
platforms, consider these restrictions when allocating tracks to drives.

Reallocating Tracks
When opening a session where some of the previously assigned hard drives are no longer available (or don’t match the current session platform), Pro Tools automatically reassigns tracks
to the volume where the session file is stored. In
such cases, Pro Tools gives you the option of reallocating tracks to other drives.

You should record to system drives only when
absolutely necessary—if your computer system
has just the one hard drive, or if your other hard
drives are completely out of space.

Allocating Hard Drive Space
for Recording
The Operation Preference for Open Ended
Record Allocation determines how much of
your available hard drive space is allocated for
recording.
When this preference is set to Use All Available
Space, the drive’s entire available space is allocated. This can slow down the recording process
for hard drives that use certain file systems, including HFS+ and NTFS.
In such cases, you can reduce the time it takes to
begin recording by allocating only a portion of
your hard drive.
To allocate a portion of your hard drive for
recording:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences and click Operation.
2 Under the Open Ended Record Allocation op-

tion, select Limit To and enter a number of minutes to be allocated.

Recording to the System Volume
Though Pro Tools will let you record to your system hard drive, this is generally not recommended. Performance for audio recording and
playback on system drives is worse than on nonsystem hard drives.

Open Ended Record Allocation, Operation Preference

The number of minutes specified is allocated for
each record-enabled track. You may find it necessary to experiment with this number to
achieve the desired performance for recording.
3 When you are finished, click Done.

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Record Modes
For recording audio, Pro Tools has four record
modes:
• Normal Nondestructive Record
• Destructive Record
• Loop Record
• QuickPunch
To enable Destructive Record, Loop Record, or
QuickPunch, select them from the Operations
menu. If none of these record modes are selected, Pro Tools is in normal Nondestructive
Record mode.
The record mode can also be switched by Control-clicking (Macintosh) or Right-clicking
(Windows) the Record button in the Transport
window. This cycles through the four modes
with the Record button changing to indicate the
currently selected mode: blank for Nondestructive, “D” for Destructive, a loop symbol for Loop
Record, and “Q” for QuickPunch.

Destructive Record mode enabled

Nondestructive Record Mode
In normal Nondestructive Record mode,
Pro Tools records audio non-destructively,
which means that if you record over a track’s existing regions, the audio is not erased from your
hard drive. Both the new and old audio remain
on your hard drive, available as regions from the
Audio Regions List.

In Nondestructive Record mode, the record
range is defined by selecting a range in the Ruler
or in a track’s playlist, or by specifying start and
end points in the Transport window. If there is
no selection, recording begins from the current
cursor location and continues until the Transport’s Stop button is clicked.

NOTE: To set a record range by selecting within a
track’s playlist, the Edit and Timeline selections
must be linked.
The pre/post-roll settings allow material to be
heard up to and after the start and end points,
which is useful when punch recording (see
“Punch Recording Audio” on page 131).

Destructive Record Mode
In Destructive Record mode, recording over existing regions replaces the original audio permanently, which allows you to preserve hard drive
space. However, if you have sufficient drive
space, it is usually best to use Pro Tools in Nondestructive Record mode, to avoid losing any
previously recorded material.

When working in normal Nondestructive
Record mode, you can preserve disk space by
removing unwanted record takes (see “Removing Unwanted Regions” on page 258)
and compacting audio files (see “Compacting an Audio File” on page 259).
When defining the record range and setting preand post-roll, Destructive Record mode works
the same as Nondestructive mode.
Unlike the other record modes, it is not possible
to cancel record takes when using Destructive
Record mode (see “Canceling a Record Take” on
page 127).

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Loop Record Mode
Loop Record mode allows you to record take after take (non-destructively) while the same section of audio repeats. This is a convenient technique for quickly recording multiple takes of a
part without losing spontaneity.
The time range that is looped and recorded—
which must be at least one second in length—is
defined by selecting a range in the Ruler or in a
track’s playlist, or by specifying start and end
points in the Transport window. The pre-roll
setting, if enabled, is used during the first record
pass, but on each successive loop the pre/postroll times are ignored.

NOTE: To set a record range by selecting within a
track’s playlist, the Edit and Timeline selections
must be linked.
When using Loop Record mode, each successive
take appears as a region in the Audio Regions
List and each is numbered sequentially. The various takes, which are identical in length and
start time, are easily auditioned and placed in
the track at the correct location with the Takes
List pop-up menu (see “Auditioning Record
Takes” on page 133).

QuickPunch
QuickPunch gives you the ability to instantaneously punch in (initiate recording) and punch
out (stop recording) on record-enabled audio
tracks during playback by clicking the Transport’s Record button. Recording with QuickPunch is nondestructive.

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When using QuickPunch, Pro Tools begins recording a new file when playback begins, automatically generating regions in that file at each
punch in/out point. Up to 100 of these “running punches” can be performed in a single
pass.
Though you can punch record in the other
record modes by manually specifying the record
range, only QuickPunch provides instantaneous
monitor switching on punch-out.

The Record Modes and MIDI
In addition to the four record modes, there is
also a MIDI Merge button in the Transport window that determines how MIDI is recorded.
When enabled (Merge mode), recording over existing MIDI regions results in the new data being
merged with the old. When the MIDI Merge
button is disabled (Replace mode), the new material replaces the old.
MIDI Merge button

MIDI Merge enabled

MIDI recording works the same whether using
Nondestructive or Destructive Record mode. In
addition, QuickPunch does not need to be enabled to punch on the fly with MIDI—this capability is available in Nondestructive and Destructive Record modes.
Unlike audio, MIDI can be loop recorded when
Operations > Loop Playback is enabled. In this
mode, the state of the MIDI Merge toggle determines whether existing material is replaced or
merged.

In almost all instances, recording MIDI is destructive (though you can undo a MIDI record
pass), either overwriting or adding to region material. One exception to this rule is when Loop
Record mode is enabled; in this mode, existing
track regions are replaced with new regions
when new material is recorded. The old regions
remain intact and available from the MIDI Regions List, and from the Takes List pop-up. In
Loop Record mode, MIDI Merge has no effect, so
its button is dimmed.

To enable the click in the Transport:
1 To view the MIDI controls in the Transport
window, select Display > Transport Window
Shows > MIDI Controls.

Transport Window with MIDI Controls
2 In the Transport window, click the Click button so it becomes highlighted.
Click button

Recording with the Click
If you intend to work with MIDI tracks in your
session, or if the audio you’re working with is
bar- and beat-oriented, you can record your
tracks while listening to the click. This ensures
that recorded material, both MIDI and audio,
will align with the session’s bar and beat boundaries.
When your track material lines up with the
beats, you can take advantage of some useful editing functions in Pro Tools, such as quantizing
MIDI and audio regions, quantizing individual
MIDI notes, and copying and pasting measures
and song sections in Grid mode.

Material that is recorded without listening
to the click can still be aligned to bar and
beat boundaries in Pro Tools with the Identify Beat command (see “Identify Beat
Command” on page 264), or with Beat Detective (see Chapter 22, “Beat Detective”).

Click enabled
3 To use a countoff when recording or playing,

click the Countoff button in the Transport window so it too becomes highlighted.
Countoff button

Countoff enabled

Hearing the countoff before recording is helpful
in getting the feel for the tempo before you begin playing. The Countoff button in the Transport window displays the number of bars to be
counted off.
NOTE: The countoff is ignored when Pro Tools is
Online and syncing to SMPTE time code.

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121

To configure the click options:

Wait for Note and Countoff

1 Choose MIDI > Click Options.

Wait for Note and Countoff are mutually exclusive and cannot both be enabled at the same
time. If, for instance, Countoff is enabled and
you click the Wait for Note button, Countoff becomes disabled.

– or –
Double-click the Click or Countoff button in the
Transport window.
2 In the Click/Countoff Options dialog, choose

from the Output pop-up the port number (device) and channel that will play the click.

Setting the Default Meter
When opening a new session in Pro Tools, the
meter defaults to 4/4. If you intend to record
with the click and are working with a different
meter, make sure to set the default meter accordingly.
If a session’s meter does not match the music
you’re recording, the accented clicks will not
line up with what you’re playing, and, as a result, the recorded material may not align with
the bars and beats in the Edit window.

Click/Countoff Options dialog

Meter events, which can occur anywhere within
a Pro Tools session, are stored in the Meter Track
and appear in the Meter Ruler. Inserting and editing for meter events is discussed in “Meter
Events” on page 267.

3 For the accented and unaccented notes, specify the note, velocity, and duration.

To set the default meter for a session:

When listening to the click in your Pro Tools
sessions, the accented note sounds on the first
beat of each measure and the unaccented note
sounds on the remaining beats. Make sure the
sound assigned to these notes has a sharp, percussive attack.
4 Select whether the click is heard “During play
and record” or “Only during record.”
5 If using a countoff, specify the number of Bars
to be counted off. To hear the countoff only
when recording, select that option.
6 Click OK.

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1 Choose Windows > Show Tempo/Meter.

– or –
Double-click the Meter button in the Transport
window.

Meter button

2 Enter the Meter you will use for the session
and set the Location to 1|1|000 (so the inserted
meter event replaces the default one).

To insert a default tempo event:
1 Choose Windows > Show Tempo/Meter.
2 At the top of the Tempo/Meter Change window, choose Tempo Change from the pop-up
menu.

Tempo/Meter Change window
3 Choose a note value for the number of clicks
to sound in each measure.
4 Click Apply to insert the new meter event.

Setting the Default Tempo
When opening a new session in Pro Tools, the
tempo defaults to 120 BPM. If you intend to
record with the click and are working with a different tempo, make sure to set the default tempo
accordingly. If you know the tempo you will use
for the session, you can insert a tempo event at
the beginning of the Tempo Track.
Tempo events, which can occur anywhere
within a Pro Tools session, are stored in the
Tempo Track and appear in the Tempo Ruler. Inserting and editing for tempo events is discussed
in greater detail in “Tempo Events” on
page 261.

Tempo/Meter Change window
3 Enter the BPM value you will use for the session and set the Location to 1|1|000 (so the inserted tempo event replaces the default tempo).
4 To base the BPM value on something other
than the default quarter-note, select the desired
note value.
5 Click Apply to insert the new tempo event.

See “Default Tempo” on page 264 for more information on the default tempo.

Using Manual Tempo Mode
In Manual Tempo mode, Pro Tools ignores the
tempo events in the Tempo Track and instead
plays back at the tempo displayed in the Transport window. The manual tempo can be set with
the Tempo slider, or, if you’re not sure of the actual tempo, by tapping in the tempo.
While you can adjust the Manual Tempo during
playback, doing so will momentarily interrupt
playback.

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123

To set the manual tempo with the Tempo slider:

To set the manual tempo with the Tap button:

1 To view the MIDI controls in the Transport
window, select Display > Transport Window
Shows > MIDI Controls.

2 In the Transport window, click the Conductor

button so it becomes unhighlighted.

button so it becomes unhighlighted. Pro Tools
switches to Manual Tempo mode. In this mode,
any tempo events in the Tempo Track are ignored.

Conductor button

Manual Tempo mode enabled

3 Click the Tap button repeatedly at the desired
tempo.

Pro Tools switches to Manual Tempo mode. In
this mode, any tempo events in the Tempo
Track are ignored.
3 To enter a new tempo, drag the horizontal
Tempo slider in the Transport window.

Tap button

– or –
Click in the Tempo field so it becomes highlighted and tap in the tempo by playing a note
on your MIDI keyboard controller.
Tempo slider

For finer resolution with the Tempo slider, press
Command (Macintosh) or Control (Windows)
while dragging.
4 To base the BPM value on something other
than the default quarter-note, make the change
in the Beat Value pop-up menu (just to the left
of the Tap button).
5 To exit Manual Tempo mode and enable the
Tempo Track, click the Conductor button in the
Transport window so it becomes highlighted.

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To compute the new tempo, Pro Tools requires
at least four taps (each of which is displayed in
the Tap area when received). The computed
BPM value appears in the Transport’s Tempo
field.

Tempo Taps as reflected in Transport

To lock in the new tempo, take Pro Tools out of
Manual Tempo mode by clicking the Conductor
button, then insert a tempo event (with the new
tempo) at the beginning of the Tempo Track.

Chapter 12: Basic Audio Recording

Recording a Mono Audio Track
When recording from a mono source, record to
a single, mono audio track in Pro Tools.
To configure a mono audio track for recording:
1 Connect a mono sound source to the appropriate input of your audio hardware.
2 From the Session Setup window, select the

sample rate for your session.

4 Rename the new track as desired. Track names

are used to auto-name recorded audio files and
regions. For more information, see “Track
Names” on page 116.
5 In the Mix Window, click the audio track’s
Record Enable button to record enable the track.
Volume faders for record-enabled tracks turn
red.
6 In the Mix window, use the track’s Input Selector to assign a hardware input.

If using inputs 1 or 2 of an audio interface, make
sure to specify the format (analog or digital) in
the pop-up menu for Ch 1–2.
3 Choose File > New Track and specify 1 Mono

Audio Track, then click Create.
Input Selector
7 In the Mix window, click on the track’s Output Selector and assign a hardware output.

New Track dialog

To auto-scroll the Track Type pop-up in the
New Track dialog, press Command (Macintosh) or Control (Windows) and use the
Up/Down Arrow keys.

8 Adjust the output level of your sound source
(instrument, mixer, or preamp). Monitor the
track’s meter levels in Pro Tools to ensure that
you get the highest possible signal without clipping.
9 In the Mix window, adjust the track’s volume
and pan faders as desired. These settings are for
monitoring purposes only and do not affect the
recorded material.

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125

To record to a mono audio track:

2 In the Transport window, click Return to Zero.

1 Put Pro Tools in normal Nondestructive
Record mode. In the Operations menu, deselect
Destructive Record, Loop Record, and QuickPunch.

3 Click Play in the Transport window to begin
playback. Adjust the track’s volume and pan faders as necessary.

2 If desired, enable the click and countoff in the

Record Shortcuts

Transport window. Also, make sure to specify
the session’s default meter and tempo. For details, see “Recording with the Click” on
page 121.

In addition to clicking the Record button in the
Transport window, you can also begin recording
with the following keyboard shortcuts:
• Press F12

3 In the Transport window, click Return to Zero

so the start and end times are cleared. This ensures that you’ll start recording from the beginning of the track.
4 Click Record in the Transport window. The
Record button flashes.

• Press Command+Spacebar
• Press 3 on the Numeric Keypad (when the Numeric Keypad Mode is set to Transport)

To initiate recording at half-speed, press
Command+Shift+Spacebar (Macintosh) or
Control+Shift+Spacebar (Windows). For
details, see “Half-Speed Recording and
Playback” on page 159.

Record button
5 When you are ready to begin recording, click

Undo and Audio Recording

Play. If using a countoff, Pro Tools counts off the
specified number of measures and then begins
recording.

After recording an audio track and the Transport
is stopped, you can undo the previous record
take.

6 When you have finished recording, click Stop
in the Transport window.

To undo an audio recording:

The newly recorded audio is written to disk and
appears as an audio region in the track’s playlist.
The new audio region also appears in the Audio
Regions List.
To play back the mono audio track:
1 Click the Record Enable button for the audio

track to take it out of record-enabled mode. The
track’s volume fader now functions as a playback level control.

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■ Once the Transport has been stopped, choose
Edit > Undo MIDI Recording.

The track’s playlist is restored to its previous
state. However:
◆ If you punched in and out several times before stopping the Transport, only the last punch
is undone.
◆ When using Loop Record mode, all takes from
each record pass are discarded.

Canceling a Record Take
While recording, it is possible to discard the current record take. This removes the audio (recorded up to that point) from your hard drive
and deletes the region from the track’s playlist.
This capability is not available in Destructive
Record mode.

4 In the Mix Window, click the audio track’s
Record Enable button to record enable the track.
Volume faders for record-enabled audio tracks
turn red.
5 In the Mix window, use the Input Selector to
assign the stereo input pair for the track’s left
and right channels.

To cancel a record take while recording:
Press Command+period (Macintosh) or Control+period (Windows) before the Transport is
stopped.

■

If using Loop Record mode, all takes from each
record pass are discarded.
Input Selector

Recording a Stereo Audio
Track
To record a stereo audio source in Pro Tools,
record to a single, stereo audio track.
To record audio in stereo:
1 Connect the left and right outputs from your
sound source to the appropriate inputs of your
audio hardware.
2 Choose File > New Track and specify 1 Stereo

Audio Track, then click Create.

6 In the Mix window, click on the track’s Output Selector and assign a stereo hardware output.
7 Adjust the output level of your sound source
(instrument, mixer, or preamp). Monitor the
track’s meter levels in Pro Tools to ensure that
you get the highest possible signal without clipping.
8 In the Transport window, click Return to Zero
so the start and end times are cleared. This ensures that you’ll start recording from the beginning of the track.
9 Click Record in the Transport window. When
you are ready to begin recording, click Play.
10 When you have finished recording, click
Stop in the Transport window.

New track dialog
3 Rename the new track as desired. Track names

are used to auto-name recorded audio files and
regions. For more information, see “Track
Names” on page 116.

A single, mono audio file is written to disk for
the track’s left and right channels; regions appear in the playlists for both channels. In addition, a multi-channel (stereo) region appears in
the Audio Regions List.

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127

Recording Surround Tracks
(Pro Tools 24 MIX Systems Only)
Recording multi-channel surround tracks is very
similar to recording stereo audio tracks. A single,
mono audio file is written for each channel in
the track, and regions appear in the playlists for
each channel. In addition, a multi-channel region appears in the Audio Regions List.

Recording Multiple Audio
Tracks
Pro Tools can record multiple audio tracks simultaneously, up to the track recording limits of
your system. To record to multiple audio tracks,
record enable each track you want to record.
To record multiple audio tracks:
1 Connect the outputs from your sound source

to the appropriate inputs of your audio hardware.
2 Choose File > New Track. Specify the number

of audio tracks you want to record, then click
Create.
3 Record enable the audio tracks you want to

record by clicking their Record Enable buttons.
As long as the preference for Latch Record Enable Buttons is enabled, you can record enable
subsequent tracks by clicking their Record Enable buttons. Other tracks already record-enabled will remain so.

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4 In the Mix window, assign an audio input and
output for each record track.
5 Adjust the output level of your sound sources

(instruments, mixer, or preamp). Monitor the
tracks’ meter levels in Pro Tools to ensure that
you get the highest possible signal without clipping.
6 In the Mix window, adjust the tracks’ volume

and pan faders as desired. These settings are for
monitoring purposes only and do not affect the
recorded material.
7 In the Transport window, click Return to Zero
so the start and end times are cleared. This ensures that you’ll start recording from the beginning of the track.
8 Click Record in the Transport window. When
you are ready to begin recording, click Play.
9 When you have finished recording, click Stop
in the Transport window.

For each record-enabled track, a new audio file is
written to disk and a new region is created and
appears in the playlist. The new audio regions
appear in the Audio Regions List.

You can create an Edit and Mix Group for
the recorded tracks so that edits, fader
movements, and mutes are automatically
applied to the tracks.

Record Pause Mode

To non-destructively record a new take on the
same track:

When recording a large number of tracks or
channels, or playing back a large number of
tracks while recording, Pro Tools may take a little longer to begin recording. To avoid this delay, put Pro Tools in Record Pause mode before
beginning to record.

1 Put Pro Tools in normal Nondestructive
Record mode. In the Operations menu, deselect
Destructive Record, Loop Record, and QuickPunch.

To record from Record Pause mode:

3 Make sure to select Operations > Link Edit and
Timeline Selection. This lets you set the record
start time by clicking anywhere in the track’s
playlist.

1 Click Record in the Transport window. The
Record button flashes.
2 Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) Play in the Transport window to put
Pro Tools in Record Pause mode. The Play and
Record buttons flash.
3 To begin recording instantaneously, click Play.
When you have finished recording, click Stop in
the Transport window.

You can also use Pause mode when recording or
playing large numbers of tracks to speed up
lock-up time when syncing to time code.

2 Make sure the track containing the previous
take is still record-enabled.

4 To record from the beginning of the track,
click Return to Zero in the Transport window.

– or –
Click anywhere in the track’s playlist to be gin
recording from that point.

To record a specific track range, with precise
start and end points, see “Punch Recording
Audio” on page 131.
5 Click Record in the Transport window. When
you are ready to begin recording, click Play.

Recording Additional Takes
After recording to an audio track, you can record
additional takes to the same track. However, if
you record these additional takes in Destructive
Record mode, the audio residing on your hard
drive from the previous takes will be permanently lost.
To keep the audio from previous takes, record
the new takes non-destructively in normal Nondestructive Record mode.

6 When you have finished recording, click Stop
in the Transport window.

An audio file for the new take is written to disk
and appears as an audio region in the track’s
playlist. The new audio region appears in the
Audio Regions List.
The audio from the original take remains on
your hard drive, and is still available as a region
in the Audio Regions List.

For details on audio file and region names
for new takes, see “Track Names” on
page 116.

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129

To destructively record over a previous take:
1 Select Operations > Destructive Record. When
using Destructive Record mode, a “D” appears in
the Record button.

Destructive Record mode enabled
2 Make sure the track containing the previous
take is still record-enabled.
3 Make sure to select Operations > Link Edit and
Timeline Selection. This lets you set the record
start time by clicking anywhere in the track’s
playlist.
4 To record from the beginning of the track,
click Return to Zero in the Transport window.

– or –
Click anywhere in the track’s playlist to be gin
recording from that point.

To record a specific track range, with precise
start and end points, see “Punch Recording
Audio” on page 131.
5 Click Record in the Transport window. When

you are ready to begin recording, click Play.

Appending New Material to the End of a
Track
You can also append new material to the end of
a track. To do this, locate to the end of the track
with the Go to End button in the Transport window. From there, simply begin recording and
Pro Tools will add the new material to the end
of the track. If using Destructive Record mode,
the new audio is appended to the audio file and
region from the first take. In Nondestructive
Record mode, a new file and region are created.

Recording to a New Playlist
Instead of recording over existing audio regions,
there is another way to non-destructively record
new takes to the same track. Do this by creating
a new playlist for the track, then record just as
before.
Tracks can have multiple edit playlists, each of
which stores a list of regions strung together in a
particular order.
To record to a new playlist for a track:
1 From the track’s Playlist Selector pop-up,
choose New. Enter a name for the new playlist
and click OK.

6 When you have finished recording, click Stop
in the Transport window.

The audio for the new take is written to disk,
permanently overwriting the original. The new
material replaces the original material within
the existing region.

Playlist Selector

When a new playlist is created, its name replaces
the track name. With this playlist active, names
for new audio files and regions are based on its
name.
2 Make sure the track is still record-enabled.

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3 In the Transport window, click Return to Zero.
4 Click Record in the Transport window. When
you are ready to begin recording, click Play.
5 When you have finished recording, click Stop
in the Transport window.

An audio file for the new take is written to disk
and appears as an audio region in the track’s
playlist. The new audio region appears in the
Audio Regions List.
6 To audition the new take, click Play in the
Transport window.
7 To go back to a previous playlist to compare it
to the new take, select the playlist from the
track’s Playlist Selector.

Selecting a playlist recalls its regions as they previously appeared in the track. At any time, all regions from all playlists are available in the Regions List, and can be mixed and matched
between playlists and tracks.
For more information on playlists and playlist
editing, see “Playlists” on page 172.

Punch Recording Audio
To replace a portion of a recorded track, you can
punch in by specifying the record range before
recording.
Though there are several ways to set record and
play ranges (see “Setting Punch/Loop Points” on
page 135), perhaps the easiest is to select within
the track’s playlist the material to be replaced.

NOTE: To set a record or play range by selecting
within a playlist, the Edit and Timeline selections
must be linked.

You can listen to track material up to and after
the punch record range by enabling pre-and
post-roll. Listening to pre-roll is helpful in getting the feel for playing in the new material.
During the recording process, playback begins
at the pre-roll time (if enabled) and proceeds to
the start time (the punch-in point), where recording begin. When the end time (the punchout point) is reached, Pro Tools automatically
switches out of record mode and continues playing through the specified amount of post-roll.
This automated punch-in/out feature is a powerful and precise way of re-recording a portion
of a track.

NOTE: If you are recording in normal Nondestructive Record mode, punches do not permanently replace the source material. If you actually want to
write over the previous data, erasing it forever, use
Destructive Record mode.

Monitoring during Punch-Ins
When punch recording, you may want to enable Auto Input Monitoring (by selecting it in
the Operations menu). For details, see “Auto Input Monitoring” on page 113.
To punch record on an audio track:
1 To record non-destructively, make sure that
Operations > Destructive Record is not selected.

If you do want to permanently record over the
punched record range, select Operations > Destructive Record.
2 Make sure the track containing the previous
take is still record-enabled.
3 Make sure to select Operations > Link Edit and
Timeline Selection.

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4 With the Selector, drag in the track’s playlist
until the selection encompasses the desired
punch range.

For other methods of setting the record range,
see “Setting Punch/Loop Points” on page 135.
5 To hear existing track material up to the start

point, or after the end point, enable and set
pre/post-roll times. For details, see “Setting
Pre/Post-Roll” on page 137.
6 Click Record in the Transport window. When
you are ready to begin recording, click Play.

If pre-roll is enabled, the track material leading
up to the punch-in point plays. You can start
playing during the pre-roll to get the “feel.” Material is not recorded until the start point is
reached.
When the start point is reached, Pro Tools begins recording. Recording continues until the
end point is reached, unless Stop is clicked in
the Transport window. If post-roll is enabled,
playback continues for the specified post-roll
amount.
If recording non-destructively, a new audio file
is written to your hard drive and a new audio region appears in the record track and Audio Regions List.
If recording in Destructive Record mode, the
new audio overwrites the previous material in
the existing audio file and region.

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Loop Recording Audio
Pro Tools provides a loop recording feature that
allows you to record take after take while the
same section of audio repeats over and over.
This is a convenient technique for quickly recording multiple takes of a part without losing
spontaneity.
When loop recording, you must first specify the
start and end points for the loop. Though there
are several ways to set record and play ranges
(see “Setting Punch/Loop Points” on page 135),
perhaps the easiest is to select within the track’s
playlist the material to be looped.

NOTE: To set a record or play range by selecting
within a playlist, the Edit and Timeline selections
must be linked.
The pre-roll setting, if enabled, is used during
the first record pass, but on each successive
loop, the pre- and post-roll times are ignored. To
compensate for this, you may want to make the
loop range slightly longer. Later, you can trim
back the recorded takes to the desired length
with the Trimmer tool (see “The Trimmer Tool”
on page 215).
When loop recording audio, Pro Tools creates a
single audio file that comprises all takes. Takes
appear as individual regions in the Audio Regions List and are numbered sequentially. Once
you stop recording, you can audition any of the
recorded takes.

To loop record an audio track:
1 Select Operations > Loop Record. When Loop

Record mode is enabled, a loop symbol appears
in the Record button.

The recorded takes appear as regions in the Audio Regions List and are numbered sequentially.
The most recently recorded take is left in the
record track. For details on auditioning the various takes from the Takes List pop-up, see “Auditioning from the Takes List Pop-up Menu” on
page 134.

Loop Recording enabled

Loop Playback and Audio Recording
2 Record enable the audio track by clicking its

Record Enable button.
3 Make sure to select Operations > Link Edit and
Timeline Selection.
4 With the Selector, drag in the track’s playlist
until the selection encompasses the desired loop
range.

For other methods of setting the record range,
see “Setting Punch/Loop Points” on page 135.
5 To hear track material up to the start point of

the loop, enable and set the pre-roll time. For
details, see “Setting Pre/Post-Roll” on page 137.
6 Click Record in the Transport window. When
you are ready to begin recording, click Play.

When Loop Playback is enabled, Pro Tools will
not loop when attempting to record audio
tracks with QuickPunch, Destructive Record, or
Nondestructive Record mode.

NOTE: To loop record audio tracks in Pro Tools,
you must enable Loop Record mode.

Auditioning Record Takes
After recording multiple takes with loop or
punch recording, you can replace the take currently residing in the track with previous takes
to audition them.
To place and audition previous takes:

The Record button flashes during the pre-roll.
When the start point is reached, Pro Tools begins recording. When the end point is reached,
Pro Tools loops back to the start time and continues playing and recording.
7 To cancel all recorded takes while loop recording, press Command+period (Macintosh) or
Control+period (Windows).
8 When you have finished recording, click Stop
in the Transport window.

1 In the Edit window, select the current take
with the Grabber.
2 Command-drag (Macintosh) or Control- drag

(Windows) the take from the Audio Regions List
(all takes are numbered sequentially).
The region replaces the previous take and snaps
precisely to the correct location.
3 Repeat the above steps as desired to audition
other takes.

If you stop recording before you reach the midpoint of the loop, Pro Tools discards that take. If
you record more than half of the looped take,
Pro Tools will leave the take in the track when
you stop recording.
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Auditioning from the Takes List
Pop-up Menu
Each region resulting from a punch or loop
record pass has an identical start time (the User
Time Stamp). This allows you to easily select and
audition takes from the Takes List pop-up
menu—even while the session plays or loops.
To select a take from the Takes List pop-up:
1 Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click

(Windows) with the Selector at the precise beginning of the loop or punch range.
– or –
If the take currently residing in the track is selected, Command-click (Macintosh) or Controlclick (Windows) it with the Selector.

To change the User Time Stamp of other regions
so that they appear in the Takes List pop-up for
a certain location, use the Time Stamp Selected
command in the Regions List pop-up menu. For
more information, see “Time Stamping” on
page 488.

Takes List and Multiple Tracks
If you have recorded a group of tracks and each
contains takes with identical User time Stamps,
you can use the Takes List pop-up menu to replace all takes simultaneously.
To replace the takes for multiple tracks:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences and click Editing

and enable the following options:
• Take Region Region(s) That Match Track
Names
• Take Regions Lengths That Match
2 Click Done to close the Preferences dialog.

Takes List pop-up

A pop-up menu appears containing a list of regions that share the same User Time Stamp.
2 Choose a region from the Takes List pop-up
menu. The region replaces the previous take and
snaps precisely to the correct location.
3 Repeat the above steps as desired to audition
other takes.

One way to ensure that future takes have the
same User Time Stamp (and appear in the Takes
List pop-up) is to store punch and loop record
selections as Memory Locations. Then if you
later need to record additional takes, simply recall the Memory Location. For more information, see “Recalling Punch/Loop Points with
Memory Locations” on page 138.

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3 With the Selector, select the take range for
each track you want to replace.
4 Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click

(Windows) any of the select takes with the Selector.
A pop-up menu appears containing a list of regions that share the same User Time Stamp for
that track.
5 Choose a region from the Takes List pop-up
menu. The region replaces the previous take and
snaps precisely to the correct location. The same
take numbers for the other selected tracks are
also automatically selected.

Editing Preferences and Take
Regions
In addition to having the same User Time
Stamp, regions that appear in the Takes List
pop-up are also restricted according to the following options in the Editing Preferences:

In most instances, you’ll want to deselect the
“Separate Region Operates On All Related
Takes” option, to prevent a large number of regions from being created when you use the Separate Region command.

Take Region Name(s) That Match Track Names

Setting Punch/Loop Points

When selected, only regions that share the same
root name with the track/playlist appear in the
Takes List pop-up menu. For example, the Takes
List for a track named “Gtr.L” would show the
regions “Gtr.L-01” and “Gtr.L-02-01,” but not
“Guit.L-01.”

The start and end points of a record range for
punch and loop recording can be set by the following means:

Take Region Lengths That Match When selected,
only regions that match the length of the current
selection (even if it is not an entire region) appear
in the Takes List pop-up menu. If there is no selection, all takes with the same User Time Stamp
are displayed.
Separate Region Operates On All Related Takes
When selected, editing a region with the Separate Region command also affects all other related takes with the same User Time Stamp.
This option helps you compare different sections from a group of related takes. For example,
you can quickly separate an entire group of related vocal takes into sections, then audition
and select the best material from each section
independently.
If this option is selected, make sure the “Take
Region Names That Match Track Names” and
“Take Region Lengths that Match” options are
also selected. If they are not, all regions in the
session that have the same User Time Stamp will
be affected.

• Select a range in a track’s playlist
• Select a range in a Timebase Ruler
• Drag the Playback Markers in the Ruler
• Enter start and end times in the Transport
window
• Recall a Memory Location
To set the record range with an Edit selection:
1 If desired, set the Edit mode to Grid so the selection is constrained to the current Grid value.
2 Make sure to select Operations > Link Edit and
Timeline Selection.
3 With the Selector, drag in a track’s playlist un-

til the selection encompasses the desired record
range.

Playlist selection

– or –
If a region’s start and end points define the
record range, click on the region with the Grabber.

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To set the record range with a Timeline selection:
1 If desired, set the Edit mode to Grid so the selection is constrained to the current Grid value.
2 Drag with the Selector in any Timebase Ruler

until the selection encompasses the desired
record range.

3 Drag the second Playback Marker (up arrow)
to the end point of the range.

If the current record range is already the
right length and the range needs only to be
moved, Option-drag (Macintosh) or Altdrag (Windows) either Playback Marker to
move both to a new location (while keeping
the same length).

Start and End Fields
Timeline selection

Playback Markers
When tracks are record-enabled, Playback Markers for start and end times appear as red
up/down arrows in the Ruler. If no tracks are
record-enabled, the Playback Markers are blue.

The Transport window can be resized to display
start, end, and length times, and pre- and postroll settings. When setting a record or play
range, it is reflected in these fields.

Playback Markers in Ruler

Transport window with start/end displayed

The Playback Markers can be dragged, either
separately or at the same time, to set record and
play ranges.

You can enter locations in the start and end
fields to set the record or play range. The Playback Markers in the Ruler are updated accordingly.

To set the record range by dragging the Playback
Markers:
1 If desired, set the Edit mode to Grid so the
dragged Playback Markers snap to the current
Grid value.
2 Drag the first Playback Marker (down arrow)
to the start point of the range.

To set the record range by entering start and end
times in the Transport window:
1 If necessary, resize the Transport window by
clicking in the upper right so the start and end
times are displayed.
2 In the Transport window, click in the start
field.

– or –

Dragging a Playback Marker (start time) in Ruler

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Press Option+slash (Macintosh) or Alt+slash
(Windows) to select the start field in the Transport window.

3 Type in the start location and press slash to
enter the value and automatically move to the
end field.
4 Type in the end location and press Enter to ac-

Setting Pre- and Post-Roll in the
Transport Window
Pre- and post-roll can be enabled and set from
the fields in the Transport window.

cept the value.

Use the period (.) or Left/Right Arrow keys
to move through the different time fields for
start/end. Use the Up/Down Arrow keys to
increase or decrease the numerical values.

Setting Pre/Post-Roll
Pre- and post-roll times appear as flags in the
Ruler. When pre- and post-roll are enabled, the
flags are green, otherwise they are gray.

To enable and set the pre- and post-roll times in
the Transport window:
1 If necessary, resize the Transport window by
clicking in the upper right so the start and end
times are displayed.
2 In the Transport window, click in the pre-roll

field.
3 Type in the pre-roll amount and press slash to

enter the value and automatically move to the
post-roll field.
4 Type in the post-roll amount and press Enter

Green Pre/Post-Roll Flags (enabled) in the Ruler

to accept the new value.

Pre- and post-roll amounts can be entered in the
Transport window, set from a track’s playlist or
Timebase Ruler, or by recalling a Memory Location.

5 To enable either pre- or post roll, click the ap-

For TDM systems, recording with pre/postroll requires two voices for each record-enabled track. In addition, to simultaneously
record on 32 tracks with pre/post-roll on a
Pro Tools 24 MIX system (which allocates
voices to either of two DSP engines, 1–32
and 33–64), the tracks must be evenly distributed between the two DSPs (for instance, tracks 1–16 assigned to voices 1–16
and tracks 17–32 assigned to voices
33–48).

propriate button so it becomes highlighted.

Use the period (.) or Left/Right Arrow keys
to move through the different time fields for
pre/post. Use the Up/Down Arrow keys to
increase or decrease the numerical values.

Setting Pre- and Post-Roll in a Playlist
You can use the Selector to enable and disable
pre- and post-roll by clicking in a track’s playlist.
To enable and set the pre- and post-roll by clicking
in a playlist:
1 Make sure to select Operations > Link Edit and
Timeline Selection.
2 With the Selector, drag in the track’s playlist
until the selection encompasses the desired
record range.

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3 With the Selector, Option-click (Macintosh)
or Alt-click (Windows) in the track’s playlist before the selection to enable the pre-roll at that
location.
4 With the Selector, Option-click (Macintosh)
or Alt-click (Windows) in the track’s playlist after the selection to enable the post-roll at that
location.

To disable the pre- and post-roll by clicking in a
playlist:
1 With the Selector, Option-click (Macintosh)
or Alt-click (Windows) within a track selection
near the start to disable the pre-roll.
2 With the Selector, Option-click (Macintosh)

or Alt-click (Windows) within a track selection
near the end to disable the pre-roll.

Enabling Pre- and Post-Roll from the
Operations Menu
Pre- and post-roll (as a pair) can be enabled and
disabled from the Operations menu.
To enable both pre- and post-roll from the
Operations menu:
■

To set the pre- and post-roll amounts by dragging
in the Ruler:
1 If desired, set the Edit mode to Grid so the
dragged flags snap to the current Grid value.
2 Drag the Pre-Roll Flag to the desired location

in the Ruler.

Dragging a Pre-Roll Flag in Ruler
3 Drag the Post-Roll Flag to the desired location

in the Ruler.

To set pre- and post-roll values to the same
amount, Option-drag (Macintosh) or Altdrag (Windows) either the Pre- or the PostRoll Flag in the Ruler.

Recalling Punch/Loop Points with
Memory Locations
Since Memory Locations recall Edit selections,
you can use them to recall record and play
ranges—that is, as long as the Edit and Timeline
selections are linked. Memory Locations can
also store and recall pre- and post-roll settings.

Select Operations > Pre/Post Roll Playback.

Dragging Pre- and Post-Roll Flags in the
Ruler
The Pre- and Post-Roll Flags can be dragged in
the Ruler, either separately or at the same time,
to set their location.

For more information on Memory Locations,
see “Memory Locations and Markers” on
page 270.
To save punch/loop points with a Memory
Location:
1 Make sure to select Operations > Link Edit and
Timeline Selection.
2 Set the record range by making a playlist or
Ruler selection, or by entering start and end
times in the Transport window.

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3 If desired, enable and set the pre/post-roll
amounts in the Transport window, or by dragging the Pre- and Post-Roll Flags in the Ruler.
4 Press Enter on the numeric keypad.
5 In the New Memory Location dialog, set Time
Properties to Selection, and, if desired, under
General Properties, select the option for Pre/Post
Roll Times.

New Memory Location dialog
6 Enter a name for the new Memory Location
and click OK to save it.

To recall punch/loop points with a Memory
Location:
1 Make sure to select Operations > Link Edit and
Timeline Selection.
2 Choose Windows > Show Memory Locations.
3 In the Memory Locations window, click the
name or number of the Memory Location.

The start and end times and pre/post-roll settings stored with the Memory Location are recalled.

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Chapter 13: MIDI Recording

Although recording MIDI in Pro Tools is similar
to recording audio, there are some important
differences.
Unlike audio, MIDI recording is almost always
destructive. See “The Record Modes and MIDI”
on page 120 for details.

◆

Unlike audio, a MIDI recording take can be
undone after stopping the Transport. For details,
see “Undo and MIDI Recording” on page 147.

◆

Unlike audio tracks, MIDI tracks can be record
enabled on the fly while recording.

◆

Similar to audio tracks, MIDI tracks have an
Input Selector that determines which channels
are routed and recorded to the track. If the Input
Selector is set to All, all channels for all devices
are routed to the track.

◆

It is not necessary to use QuickPunch to
punch in on the fly with MIDI tracks. This capability is available in normal Nondestructive
Record Mode, and in Destructive Record mode.

◆

Refer to the “Pro Tools Installation Guide”
that came with your system for details on
configuration for MIDI recording.

Recording from MIDI Devices
The MIDI Inputs for record-enabled MIDI tracks
determine which MIDI data is recorded in
Pro Tools. MIDI Inputs can be set to a specific
device and channel, or they can be set to “All,”
where all channels for all devices are merged to
the track.
MIDI tracks in Pro Tools do not contain multiple channels and always play back on the track’s
assigned device and channels. Multiple MIDI
channels can be simultaneously recorded to
multiple tracks.
The following Pro Tools options determine
whether you can record from a MIDI controller
device:
◆ Devices that are assigned as a MIDI Controller
in the Peripherals dialog are ignored when MIDI
tracks are recorded. This is to avoid recording
data from MIDI control surfaces like the Mackie
HUI.
◆ On the Macintosh, only devices that are enabled in the Input Devices dialog can be recorded from. For more information, see
“Enabling Input Devices” on page 142.

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141

In addition, the following options affect how
MIDI data is recorded in Pro Tools.
The Input Filter can filter out MIDI messages
that you may not want to record, such as polyphonic aftertouch or System Exclusive data. For
more information, see “MIDI Input Filter” on
page 143.

◆

To enable input devices:
1 Choose MIDI > Input Devices.
2 In the Input Devices dialog, select the MIDI
devices you will record from. Also, make sure
any devices that will be used as a control surface
are also selected.

Input Quantize, when enabled, automatically
quantizes (time corrects) all MIDI notes that are
recorded. For more information, see “Input
Quantize” on page 144.

◆

Enabling Input Devices
(Macintosh Only)
To record from a MIDI controller in Pro Tools,
the device must be enabled in the Input Devices
dialog. You can also use this dialog to make sure
unwanted notes from certain devices, such as
drum machines or arpeggiators, are not recorded.

In order to use control surfaces, like the
Mackie HUI, they must be enabled in the
Input Devices dialog.
In order for Pro Tools to sync to MMC, the
MMC source must be enabled in the Input
Devices dialog.

Input Devices dialog
3 Deselect any devices you want to ignore while
recording MIDI.
4 When you are finished, click OK.

MIDI Thru
To monitor MIDI tracks while recording, enable
MIDI Thru. When enabled, Pro Tools routes
MIDI from your controllers to the device and
channels assigned to the MIDI track currently
record-enabled.

NOTE: The MIDI Preference for Global MIDI Playback Offset and individual MIDI track offsets do
not affect MIDI routed with MIDI Thru.
NOTE: When MIDI Thru is enabled, System Exclusive events are echoed to the MIDI device assigned
to the record-enabled track—but only if the sysex
events are smaller than 256 bytes.

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To enable MIDI Thru:
■

Select MIDI > MIDI Thru.

MIDI Input Filter
Use the MIDI Input Filter to filter out certain
MIDI messages from your recordings. The Input
Filter can be set to record “all” messages, “only”
the specified messages, or “all except” the specified messages.
For example, to filter out polyphonic aftertouch
and System Exclusive data:

MIDI Thru enabled

1 Choose MIDI > Input Filter.

When using MIDI Thru, you should disable Local Control on your MIDI keyboard controller.
Otherwise, your keyboard may receive double
MIDI notes, which can lead to stuck notes. If unsure how to disable Local Control for your instrument, refer to the manufacturer’s documentation.

2 In the MIDI Input Filter dialog, select the Only

option.

The Default Thru Instrument
In addition to any MIDI tracks that are recordenabled, you can also route MIDI to the Default
Thru Instrument. This saves you the trouble of
creating a MIDI track and record enabling it to
hear a particular MIDI device and channel.
Unlike MIDI tracks, which only listen to the device and channel assigned to its Input Selector,
all incoming MIDI data is routed to the Default
Thru Instrument.
If the Default Thru Instrument is assigned to a
record-enabled MIDI track, Pro Tools only
routes to the record-enabled track.
To set the Default Thru Instrument:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences and click MIDI.

MIDI Input Filter
3 Make sure the options for Polyphonic Aftertouch and System Exclusive are not selected.
Leave all other messages selected.
4 Click OK.

When using the Only option, only the MIDI
messages that are selected will be recorded. Conversely, when using the All Except option, the
selected messages will not be recorded.

2 From the pop-up menu for Default Thru Instrument, select the MIDI device and channel to
which MIDI data will be routed. To disable the
Default Thru Instrument, select None.

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143

Input Quantize

Wait for Note

When Input Quantize is enabled, all recorded
MIDI notes are quantized automatically. To preserve the original “feel” of your recorded MIDI
tracks, make sure to disable this option.

The Wait for Note button, located in the Transport window, determines how Pro Tools begins
recording. When enabled, Pro Tools will not begin recording until a MIDI event is received.
This ensures that you begin recording when
you’re ready to play, and that the first note, or
other MIDI data, is recorded precisely at the beginning of the record range (start time).

To enable Input Quantize:
1 Choose MIDI > Input Quantize.
2 In the Input Quantize window, select the Enable Input Quantize option.

Wait for Note can be used when recording normally, when punching in, or when loop recording. If pre-roll is enabled, it occurs after the
MIDI event is received and before recording begins.
To enable Wait for Note:
1 To view the MIDI controls in the Transport
window, select Display > Transport Window
Shows > MIDI Controls.

Transport window with MIDI Controls
2 In the Transport window, click the Wait for
Note button so it becomes highlighted.
Wait for Note button

Input Quantize window

Configure the other options in the Input Quantize window as desired. For details on the various Quantize options, see “Quantize” on
page 311. When finished, close the Input Quantize window.
For drum machine style loop recording, use Input
Quantize while loop recording MIDI in Merge
mode (see “Loop Recording with Merge Mode”
on page 150).

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Wait for Note enabled

With the Operation Preference for “Use F11
for Wait for Note” is enabled, you can press
F11 to turn on Wait for Note.

MIDI Merge/Replace

Recording a Single MIDI Track

The MIDI Merge button, located in the Transport window, determines how MIDI is recorded
when overdubbing or punching in. When MIDI
Merge is on (Merge mode), recorded MIDI is
merged with existing track material. When
MIDI Merge is off (Replace mode), existing data
within the punched region is replaced by the
newly recorded material.

To record MIDI in Pro Tools, first add a new
MIDI track and record enable it.

The MIDI Merge button can be turned on and
off while playing or recording. In Loop Record
mode, MIDI Merge has no effect, so its button is
dimmed.

To configure a new MIDI track for recording:

To take advantage of the editing capabilities in Pro Tools, make sure to record with
the click enabled. This ensures that recorded
data aligns with the session’s bar and beat
boundaries.

1 Choose File > New Track and specify 1 MIDI
Track, then click Create.

To enable MIDI Merge:
1 To view the MIDI controls in the Transport
window, select Display > Transport Window
Shows > MIDI Controls.

Transport Window with MIDI Controls
2 In the Transport window, click the MIDI
Merge button so it becomes highlighted.

MIDI Merge button

MIDI Merge enabled

New Track dialog

To auto-scroll the Track Type pop-up in the
New Track dialog, press Command (Macintosh) or Control (Windows) and use the
Up/Down Arrow keys.
2 Rename the new track as desired. Track names

are used to auto-name recorded regions. For
more information, see “Track Names” on
page 116.
3 In the Mix window, click on the track’s MIDI
Output Selector and assign a device and channel
from the pop-up menu. Channels already assigned to other tracks appear bold in this menu.

MIDI Output Selector

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4 To assign multiple destinations to a single
MIDI track, Shift-click the MIDI Output Selector
and select additional channels from any device.

6 Click Record in the Transport window.

5 If desired, assign a default program change to

the track. In the Mix window, click on the Program button (Prog) and make the necessary selections for program and bank select, then click
Done.

◆ If using Wait for Note, the Play, Record, and
Wait for Note buttons flash. Recording begins
when a MIDI event is received.

Default program changes are sent whenever the
track is played. For more information, see “Program Changes” on page 302.

◆ If using Countoff, click Play to start counting
down. The Record and Play buttons flash during
the countoff, after which recording begins.

6 In the Mix Window, click the MIDI track’s
Record Enable button to record enable the track.

7 When you have finished recording, click Stop
in the Transport window.

To record to the new MIDI track:

The newly recorded MIDI data appears as a MIDI
region in the track’s playlist, and in the MIDI
Regions List.

1 Put Pro Tools in normal Nondestructive
Record mode. In the Operations menu, deselect
Destructive Record, Loop Record, and QuickPunch.
2 If desired, enable and configure the click, and
set a default tempo and meter for the session.
For details, see “Recording with the Click” on
page 121.
3 If desired, enable Wait for Note or Countoff in

There are several keyboard shortcuts you
can use to begin recording. See “Record
Shortcuts” on page 126 for details.
To play back the recorded MIDI track:
1 Click the Record Enable button for the MIDI
track to take it out of record-enabled mode.

the Transport window.

2 In the Transport window, click Return to Zero.

4 Make sure MIDI > MIDI Thru is selected, then

3 Click Play in the Transport window to begin
playback.

play some notes on your MIDI controller. The
MIDI instrument assigned to the track should
sound, and the track’s meters should register
MIDI activity.
5 In the Transport window, click Return to Zero
so the start and end times are cleared. This ensures that you’ll start recording from the beginning of the track.

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The recorded MIDI data plays back through the
track’s assigned channel.

Undo and MIDI Recording
After recording a MIDI track and the Transport
is stopped, you can undo the previous record
take.
To undo a MIDI recording:
Once the Transport has been stopped, choose
Edit > Undo MIDI Recording.

■

The track’s playlist is restored to its previous
state. However:
If you punched in and out several times before stopping the Transport, only the last punch
is undone.

◆

When using Loop Record mode, all takes from
each record pass are discarded.

◆

Recording Multiple MIDI
Tracks
In Pro Tools, you can simultaneously record to
multiple MIDI tracks, allowing you to:
• Record from multiple MIDI devices at the
same time, capturing material from several
performers
• Record multiple channels from the same device, capturing data from a split keyboard
• Transfer MIDI tracks from an external MIDI
sequencer
To record to multiple MIDI tracks, record enable
each track and set the MIDI Input for each track.
To record to multiple MIDI tracks:

Canceling a Record Take
It is also possible to discard the current record
take before the Transport is stopped.
To cancel a record take while recording:
Press Command+period (Macintosh) or Control+period (Windows) before the Transport is
stopped.

■

If using Loop Record mode, all takes from each
record pass are discarded.

1 Put Pro Tools in normal Nondestructive
Record mode. In the Operations menu, deselect
Destructive Record, Loop Record, and QuickPunch.
2 If desired, enable and configure the click. For

details, see “Recording with the Click” on
page 121.
3 If desired, enable Wait for Note or Countoff in

the Transport window.
4 Choose File > New Track. Specify the number

of MIDI tracks you want to record, then click
Create.
5 Record enable the MIDI tracks you want to
record by clicking their Record Enable buttons.

As long as the preference for Latch Record Enable Buttons is enabled, you can record enable
subsequent tracks by clicking their Record Enable buttons. Other tracks already record-enabled will remain so.

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147

6 In the Mix window, click on the MIDI Input
Selector for each track and assign the device and
channel that will be recorded.

Punch Recording MIDI
To replace a portion of a MIDI track, you can
punch in by specifying the record range before
recording.
To punch in on a MIDI track:
1 Put Pro Tools in normal Nondestructive
Record mode. In the Operations menu, deselect
Destructive Record, Loop Record, and QuickPunch.

MIDI Input Selector
7 In the Mix window, click on the MIDI Output

Selector for each track and assign a device and
channel for playback.
8 In the Transport window, click Return to Zero

2 If desired, enable and configure the click. For

details, see “Recording with the Click” on
page 121.
3 In the Transport window, disable Wait for
Note and Countoff.

so the start and end times are cleared. This ensures that you’ll start recording from the beginning of the track.

4 Make sure the track containing the previous
take is record-enabled.

9 Click Record in the Transport window.

5 Make sure to select Operations > Link Edit and
Timeline Selection.

If using Wait for Note, the Play, Record, and
Wait for Note buttons flash. Recording begins
when a MIDI event is received.

◆

If using Countoff, click Play to start counting
down. The Record and Play buttons flash during
the countoff, after which recording begins.

6 With the Selector, drag in the track’s playlist
until the selection encompasses the desired
punch range.

◆

10 When you have finished recording, click
Stop in the Transport window.

For each record-enabled track, a new MIDI region is created and appears in the playlist. The
new MIDI regions also appear in the MIDI Regions List.

For other methods of setting the record range,
see “Setting Punch/Loop Points” on page 135.
7 To hear existing track material up to the start

point, or after the end point, enable and set
pre/post-roll times. For details, see “Setting
Pre/Post-Roll” on page 137.
8 To replace existing track material, disable
MIDI Merge in the Transport window.
9 Click Record in the Transport window. When
you are ready to begin recording, click Play.

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Punching “on the fly” with MIDI
You don’t have to set a record range to punch in
on a MIDI track. In fact, you can punch in and
out freely at any time during playback. Unlike
audio tracks, it is not necessary to enable QuickPunch to perform real-time punches.

For Digi 001 systems, you can use a footswitch (connected to the I/O Box) to punch
in and out when recording MIDI.
To punch on the fly with MIDI:
1 Put Pro Tools in normal Nondestructive
Record mode. In the Operations menu, deselect
Destructive Record, Loop Record, and QuickPunch.

6 When you reach the punch-in point, click
Record in the Transport window.

– or –
For Digi 001 systems with a connected footswitch, press the footswitch at the punch-in
point.
The Record button stops flashing and stays lit
during recording.
7 To punch out, click Record again (or press the

footswitch).
Pro Tools exits record mode and continues playing. You can perform additional punches during
the same pass.

Regions and Punch Recording
Depending on the record range, new regions
may be created after punch recording. For example, Figure 6 shows two existing regions before
recording. Since the start and end times occur
within both of the existing regions, a new region is created to fill the space between them.
before punch record

2 Record enable the track by clicking its Record

Enable button.

after punch record

3 To replace existing track material, disable

MIDI Merge in the Transport window.
4 Disable Wait for Note and Countoff in the
Transport window.
5 In the Transport window, click Return to Zero.

Start playback by clicking Play in the Transport
window.

newly recorded
material

new region

Figure 6. Region added after punch record

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149

However, when selecting an entire region, or a
section within a region, before punching, no
new regions are created. In this instance, only
the material residing within the existing region
changes, with no new material recorded outside
the region.
Unlike audio recording, MIDI recording in this
scenario is destructive. If a region is altered because of a record take, the original material is
lost (unless you choose Edit > Undo MIDI Recording). If an existing region contains important material, always make a backup before recording over it.

Loop Recording MIDI
Loop recording with MIDI is supported by two
methods:

Make sure that MIDI Merge is enabled in the
Transport window, otherwise (in Replace mode)
each subsequent take will destructively replace
the previous.

You can record enable a different MIDI
track on the fly while loop recording. While
pressing Command (Macintosh) or Control
(Windows), use the Up/Down Arrows to
record enable the previous or next MIDI
track.
To loop record with MIDI Merge:
1 Put Pro Tools in normal Nondestructive
Record mode. In the Operations menu, deselect
Destructive Record, Loop Record, and QuickPunch.
2 Select Operations > Loop Playback. When
Loop Playback is enabled, a loop symbol appears
in the Play button.

• In normal Nondestructive Record mode, enable Loop Playback and MIDI Merge for drum
machine style loop recording.
– or –
• Use Loop Record mode to record multiple
takes on each record pass. This is similar to
loop recording audio.

Loop Recording with Merge Mode
For drum machine style loop recording, use normal Nondestructive Record mode with Loop
Playback and MIDI Merge enabled. With this
method, MIDI is recorded and merged to the
same region with each new record pass—
thereby allowing you to, for example, record hihats on the first pass and kick and snare on the
next.

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Loop Playback enabled
3 Choose File > New Track and specify 1 MIDI
Track, then click Create.
4 Record enable the new MIDI track by clicking

its Record Enable button. Make sure no audio
tracks are record-enabled.
5 In the Transport window, click the MIDI
Merge button so it becomes highlighted.
MIDI Merge button

MIDI Merge enabled
6 Disable Wait for Note and Countoff in the
Transport window.

7 If desired, enable Input Quantize to automatically quantize recorded material (see “Input
Quantize” on page 144).
8 Make sure to select Operations > Link Edit and
Timeline Selection.
9 With the Selector, drag in the track’s playlist
until the selection encompasses the desired loop
range.

For other methods of setting the record range,
see “Setting Punch/Loop Points” on page 135.
10 To hear track material up to the start point of
the loop, enable and set the pre-roll time. For
details, see “Setting Pre/Post-Roll” on page 137.
11 Click Record in the Transport window. When

Loop Recording Multiple Takes
When recording MIDI in Loop Record mode,
new regions are created each time new material
is received during a record pass. This differs
somewhat from loop recording audio, where
separate audio files and regions are created with
each subsequent record pass.
You can use this method of MIDI loop recording
to record successive takes without stopping the
record process, thereby preserving your creative
spontaneity. Another advantage with this
method of recording MIDI, which is nondestructive, is that existing and newly recorded regions remain intact (and available in the MIDI
Regions List).

you are ready to begin recording, click Play.
To record MIDI in Loop Record mode:
The Record button flashes during the pre-roll.
When the start point is reached, Pro Tools begins recording. When the end point is reached,
Pro Tools loops back to the start point and continues playing and recording.
12 Play some notes on your MIDI controller.
Newly recorded MIDI data appears as a region in
the record track. On each successive take, recorded material shows up in the region, without
replacing material from previous takes.
13 If desired, switch to a new record track.

While pressing Command (Macintosh) or Control (Windows), use the Up/Down Arrows to
record enable the previous or next MIDI track.
14 When you have finished recording, click
Stop in the Transport window.

The newly recorded MIDI data appears as a MIDI
region in the track’s playlist, and in the MIDI
Regions List.

1 Select Operations > Loop Record. When Loop
Record mode is enabled, a loop symbol appears
in the Record button.

Loop Recording enabled
1 Choose File > New Track and specify 1 MIDI
Track, then click Create.
2 Record enable the new MIDI track by clicking

its Record Enable button. Make sure no audio
tracks are record-enabled.
3 Disable Wait for Note and Countoff in the
Transport window.
4 Make sure to select Operations > Link Edit and
Timeline Selection.

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5 With the Selector, drag in the track’s playlist
until the selection encompasses the desired loop
range.

For other methods of setting the record range,
see “Setting Punch/Loop Points” on page 135.
6 To hear track material up to the start point of

the loop, enable and set the pre-roll time. For
details, see “Setting Pre/Post-Roll” on page 137.

To audition the various record takes:
1 Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click

(Windows) with the Selector at the precise beginning of the loop record range.
– or –
◆ If the take currently residing in the track is selected, Command-click (Macintosh) or Controlclick (Windows) it with the Selector.

7 Click Record in the Transport window. When
you are ready to begin recording, click Play.

The Record button flashes during the pre-roll.
When the start point is reached, Pro Tools begins recording. When the end point is reached,
Pro Tools loops back to the start point and continues playing and recording.
8 Play some notes on your MIDI controller. A
new MIDI region containing the newly recorded
material is automatically created and appears in
the track’s playlist, replacing the previous region.

Regions are replaced (non-destructively) during
subsequent record passes when new MIDI material is received.
9 When you have finished recording, click Stop
in the Transport window. The most recently recorded take is left in the record track.

The recorded takes appear as regions in the
MIDI Regions List and are numbered sequentially. The takes, which are the same length and
easily interchangeable, can be auditioned from
the Takes List pop-up menu—even while the session plays or loops.

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Auditioning loop record takes

For more information on auditioning and managing takes, see “Auditioning Record Takes” on
page 133.

Recording System Exclusive
Data
Pro Tools supports recording and playing System Exclusive data (sysex) with MIDI tracks.
This allows you to use MIDI tracks in Pro Tools
to store patch and configuration data for your
MIDI devices, or to record real-time sysex
changes for a particular synth parameter (filter
cutoff, for instance).

To record a sysex dump at the beginning of a MIDI
track:
1 Make sure that the MIDI OUT for the device
sending the sysex is connected to your MIDI interface’s MIDI IN.
2 Put Pro Tools in normal Nondestructive
Record mode. In the Operations menu, deselect
Destructive Record, Loop Record, and QuickPunch.
3 In the MIDI Input Filter, enable recording of
System Exclusive data.
4 Choose File > New Track and specify 1 MIDI

Track, then click Create.
5 Record enable the new MIDI track by clicking

its Record Enable button.
6 Enable Wait for Note in the Transport win-

dow.
7 In the Transport window, click Return to Zero
so the start and end times are cleared. This ensures that you’ll start recording from the beginning of the track.
8 When you are ready to begin recording, click

Record in the Transport window.
The Record, Play, and Wait for Note buttons
flash, indicating that Pro Tools is waiting for
MIDI data.
9 Initiate the sysex transfer from the MIDI device. When receiving the MIDI data, Pro Tools
automatically begins recording.

The newly recorded MIDI data appears as a MIDI
region in the track’s playlist, and in the MIDI
Regions List. MIDI regions that contain System
Exclusive data appear blank when the track’s
Display Format is set to Regions.
To see the sysex event blocks, which indicate
the location of the data, set the track to display
Sysex. For details on moving and copying of
sysex data, see “System Exclusive Events” on
page 305.
To resend the sysex from Pro Tools:
1 For the device receiving the System Exclusive

data, make sure its MIDI IN is connected to your
MIDI interface’s MIDI OUT.
Also, make sure the device is set to receive sysex.
Some devices require that memory protect be
off.
2 For the previously recorded track, click its
Record button to take it out of record-enabled
mode.
3 In the Mix window, click on the track’s MIDI
Device/Channel Selector and assign the device
from the pop-up menu.
4 In the Transport window, click Return to Zero.
5 Click Play in the Transport window to begin
playback. Pro Tools begins playing and transmits the previously recorded sysex to the assigned MIDI device.

10 When the transfer is complete, click Stop in

the Transport window.

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Chapter 14: Advanced Recording

Using QuickPunch
Pro Tools features an intelligent on-the-fly
punch capability called QuickPunch. QuickPunch lets you instantaneously punch in and
out on record-enabled audio tracks during playback by merely clicking the Record button in
the Transport window.

For Digi 001 systems, you can use a footswitch (connected to the I/O box) to punch
in and out when recording with QuickPunch.
When using QuickPunch, Pro Tools starts recording a new audio file when you begin playback, automatically defining and naming regions in that file at each punch-in/out point. Up
to 100 of these “running punches” can be performed during a single pass. Unlike normal
punch recording (see “Punch Recording Audio”
on page 131), QuickPunch provides instantaneous monitor switching on punch-out. All
QuickPunch recording is nondestructive.

NOTE: You don’t need to use QuickPunch to punch
on the fly with MIDI tracks. This capability is
available in normal Nondestructive Record mode,
and in Destructive Record mode.

QuickPunch Crossfade Length
Pro Tools can automatically write a crossfade for
each punch point when using QuickPunch. The
length for these crossfades is set with the QuickPunch Crossfade Length option in the Editing
Preferences.
To set the QuickPunch Crossfade Length:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences and click Editing.
2 Enter a value (in msec) for the QuickPunch
CrossFade Length.

A good general-purpose crossfade length for
punches is 4 milliseconds. If you set the preference to zero, Pro Tools will not create any crossfades at the punch-in/out points.
3 Click Done.

If a value other than zero is specified for the
QuickPunch Crossfade Length, QuickPunch
writes a pre-crossfade at the punch-in point
(which occurs up to but not into the punched
region boundary), and a post-crossfade at the
punch-out point (which occurs after the
punched region).
Even if the QuickPunch Crossfade Length is set
to zero, Pro Tools always executes a
4 millisecond “monitor only” crossfade (which
is not written to disk) to avoid distracting pops
or clicks that might occur as you enter and exit
record mode.

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155

QuickPunch crossfades can later be edited in the
same manner as standard crossfades. For details,
see “Using Crossfades” on page 241.

QuickPunch Guidelines for
TDM Systems
When using QuickPunch on TDM systems, two
voices are required for each record-enabled,
mono track. For example, a Pro Tools 24 system
with 32 voices can simultaneously record on up
to 16 mono tracks with QuickPunch. QuickPunch with stereo tracks requires twice the
number of voices.
If the required number of voices for the recordenabled tracks is not available when switching
to QuickPunch mode, you’ll be prompted to free
up the necessary voices.
To free up voices on tracks that are not recordenabled, and do not need to be heard while
recording:
■

Make tracks inactive.

As necessary, voices in use by other tracks,
which are not record-enabled, may be stolen
while recording with QuickPunch. Priority for
tracks while recording with QuickPunch are as
follows:
• Tracks with assigned voices that are not
record-enabled
• Tracks with assigned voices that are record-enabled
• Auto-voiced tracks that are not record-enabled
• Auto-voiced tracks that are record-enabled

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QuickPunch and Auto Voice (TDM
Systems Only)
When using QuickPunch with a 64-voice system
with, make sure to set the voice assignment for
each audio track to Auto. This ensures that
Pro Tools will automatically handle the distribution of voices between the two sets of voices
(1–32 and 33–64).
If you do not use auto-voicing, the voices must
be evenly distributed between the two DSP engines. For example, to use QuickPunch on 32
tracks without auto-voicing, tracks 1–16 must be
assigned to voices 1–16 and tracks 17–32 must
be assigned to voices 33–48.

Set voice assignments for tracks to Off.
– or –

■

If the session has plenty of available voices, you
may have no trouble using QuickPunch with
auto-voiced tracks. However, if you are running
out of voices, and want to ensure that a track
will heard when recording with QuickPunch, assign it a voice.

Pro Tools Reference Guide

QuickPunch Guidelines for
Pro Tools LE
Digi 001 and Audiomedia III
For non-TDM systems, the maximum number
of mono tracks that can be simultaneously recorded with QuickPunch in a session with 24
audio tracks is 8.
To simultaneously record more tracks than this
with QuickPunch, you’ll need to reduce the
number of tracks in the session. For example, a
session with 20 audio tracks can record 10 mono
tracks with QuickPunch, and a session with 16
audio tracks can record 12.

With Pro Tools LE, QuickPunch uses CPU
processing power, and may reduce the number of tracks and plug-ins you can use.

Recording with QuickPunch

7 To punch out, click Record again (or press the

footswitch).
To punch on the fly with QuickPunch:
1 Select Operations > QuickPunch. When

QuickPunch is enabled, a “P” appears in the
Record button.

As Pro Tools continues playing, you can perform additional punches (up to 100). When recording multiple punches during a single pass, a
single audio file is recorded from which
Pro Tools creates the appropriate regions.

QuickPunch with an Edit Selection
QuickPunch enabled
2 If desired, configure the QuickPunch Cross-

fade Length option in the Editing Preferences
(see “QuickPunch Crossfade Length” on
page 155).
3 Record enable the tracks you want to punch in

on. Make sure there are enough available voices
on your system.
• For TDM systems, see “QuickPunch Guidelines for TDM Systems” on page 156.
• For non-TDM systems, see “QuickPunch
Guidelines for Pro Tools LE” on page 156.
4 Prepare to record by cueing Pro Tools to an appropriate location (if desired, enable a pre-roll
value in the Transport window).

If you make an Edit selection and use QuickPunch, the following rules apply:
◆ If you are not online, recording begins and
stops whenever you click the Record button—
regardless of the selection’s start or end point.
◆ If you are online, punch-in/out behavior is
controlled by the Online Options setting in the
Operations Preferences. If you select Record Online at Insertion/Selection, QuickPunch
punches in and out only within the selection (or
in the case of an insertion point, only after the
insertion point). If you select Record Online at
Time Code Lock, QuickPunch disregards the selection and punches in and out whenever you
want (after Pro Tools has locked to time code).

5 Start playback by clicking Play in the Transport window.

Region and Take Numbering with
QuickPunch

6 When you reach the punch-in point, click
Record in the Transport window.

After recording with QuickPunch, the new audio regions appear in the Audio Regions List.
This includes the whole-file audio region encompassing all punches from the record pass,
along with the regions derived for each punch.

– or –
For Digi 001 systems with a connected footswitch, press the footswitch at the punch-in
point.
The Record button stops flashing and stays lit
during recording.

Names for the punched regions are numbered
consecutively starting with “01.” For example, if
QuickPunch is used to punch in twice on a track
called “Lead Gtr,” a region for the parent audio
file appears and is named “Lead Gtr-01,” and
two regions for the punches are named “Lead
Gtr-01-01” and “Lead Gtr-01-02.”

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157

If you stop playback and record additional
punches with QuickPunch, subsequent regions
are named by incrementing the first two digits
in the name. For example, on the second pass,
the punched regions are named “Lead Gtr-0201,” “Lead Gtr-02-02,” and so forth.
Session Setup window

Recording from a Digital
Source
If you plan to use a DAT recorder or digital-output CD player with your Pro Tools system, make
sure it supports the correct digital format.
AES/EBU inputs and outputs should only be
connected to other AES/EBU-equipped devices,
and S/PDIF inputs and outputs should only be
connected to other S/PDIF-equipped devices.

If your audio hardware supports both AES/EBU
and S/PDIF, select the format you will use from
the Digital Format pop-up.

On the 888/24 I/O and ADAT Bridge I/O, both
AES/EBU and S/PDIF outputs are active at all
times, so you can actually send digital audio to
two different digital devices simultaneously at
mix time. However, Pro Tools can only receive
digital audio from one digital source (AES or
S/PDIF) at a time.

6 In the Mix window, record enable the new au-

In addition, although the 888/24 I/O has four
stereo AES input pairs, only input pair 1–2 on
the master audio interface, (the first audio interface connected to your main DSP card), can accept an external digital clock source.

4 Click OK to close the Hardware Setup dialog.
5 Choose File > New Track and specify 1 Stereo

Audio Track, then click Create.

dio track by clicking its Record Enable button.
7 Assign the Input Selectors for the track to Ch

1–2 Inputs. Since this is a digital-domain transfer, you don’t need to worry about input levels.
8 Put Pro Tools in normal Nondestructive
Record mode. In the Operations menu, deselect
Destructive Record, Loop Record, and QuickPunch.

To record from a DAT recorder with Pro Tools:

9 In the Transport window, click Return to Zero
so the start and end times are cleared. This ensures that you’ll start recording from the beginning of the track.

1 Connect the digital output of the DAT re-

10 Click Record in the Transport window. When

corder to the appropriate digital input of your
audio hardware.

you are ready to begin recording, click Play.

2 Choose Windows > Show Session Setup. From

the Sample Rate pop-up menu, choose the desired sample rate.

158

3 Choose Setups > Hardware. From the Ch 1–2
Input pop-up menu, select the appropriate input source.

Pro Tools Reference Guide

11 Initiate playback on the DAT recorder.
12 When the material from the DAT has finished, click Stop in the Transport window.

After a Digital Transfer

To play at half-speed

After you have finished recording digitally, set
the Sync Mode pop-up menu in the Session
Setup window back to Internal. Otherwise,
Pro Tools will not switch back to its own internal clock and will not record or play audio properly. Failure to switch back to Internal sync typically results in pitch problems (fast or slow
playback) or DAE errors, since a DAT recorder or
CD Recorder that is idle can default to a different sample rate or stop outputting a sample rate
clock altogether.

1 Press Shift+Spacebar. Playback begins and
track material plays at half-speed. If any tracks
were recorded at half-speed, they play at normal
speed.
2 Click Stop in the Transport window to stop
playback.

Use half-speed playback to learn or transcribe difficult passages in recorded tracks.

Half-Speed Recording and
Playback
Pro Tools lets you play and record at half-speed.
This capability is similar to that of a tape deck
where you can record material at half-speed and
then play it back at normal speed (up an octave)
for special effects.
To record at half-speed:
1 Press Command+Shift+Spacebar (Macintosh)
or Control+Shift+Spacebar (Windows). Recording begins and all existing track material plays at
half-speed.
2 When you have finished recording, click Stop.

When played at normal speed, the material recorded at half-speed plays twice as fast (up an
octave).

Use half-speed recording to record difficult
to play MIDI tracks. This allows you to hear
audio tracks while recording. Half-speed recording and playback do not affect how
MIDI tracks sound when played.

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Part IV: Editing

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Chapter 15: Editing Basics

Pro Tools Editing
The Edit window in Pro Tools provides a powerful collection of tools for editing and assembling
audio and MIDI tracks. Track material can be edited non-destructively and in real time during
playback.

Nondestructive Editing
The vast majority of audio editing in Pro Tools is
nondestructive. Whether cutting, pasting, trimming, separating, or clearing regions, you are
only performing these functions on a map of
the actual audio data. The source audio files remain untouched. If a particular process or tool
works destructively (that is, if it can permanently change audio files on your hard disk),
this guide alerts you.

Editing During Playback
Pro Tools lets you perform many editing tasks
while the session plays. This powerful capability
allows you to interactively modify and edit a
session, hearing the changes as you make them.
You’ll find many instances where you can use
this capability to increase your productivity
when working with a session.
Following are just a few examples of editing that
can be performed while your tracks loop or play:
• Capture, separate, and trim regions
• Place, spot, or rearrange regions
• Add fades or crossfades to audio regions
• Transpose, quantize, and otherwise modify
MIDI tracks
• Nudge audio or MIDI regions
• Audition different playlists

While editing for MIDI tracks is in some instances destructive, with a few precautions you
can keep important MIDI tracks and regions safe
when performing edits (see “Nondestructive
MIDI Editing” on page 172).

• Adjust or scale automation data
• Process audio with an AudioSuite plug-in
There are a few things that cannot be changed
while Pro Tools plays. These include assigning
TDM plug-ins to audio tracks, routing to sends,
and assigning outputs.

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Track Material
Each time you record or import audio and MIDI,
Pro Tools creates regions for the new track data,
which not only indicate where the material begins and ends, but also provides good feedback
on its general shape and content. When you
record additional takes, or “punch in” on a specific location within a track, Pro Tools creates
additional regions.
Regions are also created by cutting and pasting,
resizing, separating, and re-capturing existing
regions. Regions in a session are listed in the Audio Regions List and MIDI Regions List, where
they can be dragged to existing tracks. A track
can contain any number of regions, in any arrangement. The order and location of regions in
a track define its playlist.

Region Types
Following is a description of the different region
types and how they are created:
Whole-File Audio Regions These audio regions
are created when recording or importing audio,
consolidating existing regions, and when nondestructively processing with an AudioSuite
plug-in. Whole-file audio regions reference an
entire audio file that resides on your hard drive.
Whole-file audio regions are displayed in bold
in the Audio Regions List (see “The Audio and
MIDI Regions Lists” on page 175). Normal regions reference only a portion of the parent audio file and are created in the course of editing
and, in some instances, when punch recording.

User-Defined Regions These are regions that are
explicitly defined, such as when you record or
import audio or MIDI; capture, separate, or consolidate a selection; trim a whole-file audio region; and rename an existing region.
Auto-Created Regions These regions are automatically created in the course of editing, and,
in some instances, when punch recording over
existing regions. Since these regions can accumulate rapidly in a session, you can hide them
so they don’t appear in the Audio and MIDI Regions List (see “Managing Regions” on
page 256). Auto-created regions can be turned
into user-defined regions by renaming them.
Offline Regions Regions are offline when their associated audio files cannot be located, or are not
available, when opening a session or importing
a track. Offline regions appear in the Audio Regions List as italicized and dimmed. Offline regions appear in playlists as light blue regions
with italicized names. Offline regions can be edited like other regions, but they cannot be processed with AudioSuite plug-ins.
Multi-Channel Regions These regions, which are
displayed as a single region in the Audio Regions
List, reference multiple regions and audio files
for stereo and surround tracks. Multi-channel
regions can be expanded (by clicking the triangle next to their name) to see the individual
channels, which can be dragged independently
to tracks.

Track View
The track View determines which data is displayed and edited in the track’s playlist area.
Audio tracks can be set to Blocks, Waveform, Volume, Pan, Mute, or any plug-in parameters that
have been automated. Except when editing automation data, audio tracks are usually set to

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Waveform, where track material is graphically
drawn with amplitude waveforms. This Track
View provides the necessary detail for important
region edits.

When an audio track is displayed as Volume,
Pan, or another automated parameter, or when
a MIDI track is set to one of the continuous controller types (Volume, Pitch Bend, After Touch),
the data for that track appears in the form of a
line graph with a series of editable breakpoints.
The breakpoints can be dragged to modify the
automation data, and new breakpoints can be
inserted with the Pencil or Grabber.

Track View set to Waveform for audio track

Auxiliary input tracks can be set to Volume, Pan,
Mute, or any plug-in parameter that has been automated. Master Fader tracks can be set to Volume, or any plug-in parameter that has been automated.
MIDI tracks can be set to Blocks, Regions, Notes,
Volume, Pan, Mute, Velocity, Pitch Bend, After
Touch, Program, Sysex, and any continuous controller type. Except when editing controller
data, program changes, or sysex events, MIDI
tracks are usually set to Notes or Regions, each
of which displays notes in a “piano roll” format.
Use Notes view for inserting, editing, and copying and pasting MIDI notes; use Regions view to
arrange, capture, or consolidate regions.

track View set to Pan for audio track

For details on inserting and editing controller
data for MIDI tracks, see “Continuous Controller Events” on page 301. For details on editing
automation data for audio tracks, see
Chapter 28, “Automation.”
To set the Track View:
■ Click the Track View Selector for the track and
choose the format from the pop-up menu.

Track View set to Regions for MIDI track
Track View Selector

With the Track View set to Blocks, audio and
MIDI regions are displayed as empty blocks
bearing the region’s name. This mode is most
useful once you have finished capturing and editing regions at the waveform or MIDI event
level and are moving and rearranging them.
Screen redraws are fastest with this format.

The track displays the new format. If the track is
part of an Edit Group, all tracks in the group are
set to the new format.

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Toggling Track Views

Track Height

Most editing for audio tracks occurs in the
Waveform and Volume view. For MIDI tracks,
most editing occurs in the Notes and Regions
view. Pro Tools provides an easy way to toggle
these views for tracks containing an edit selection or the edit cursor.

Tracks can be viewed in the Edit window at any
of six heights: Mini, Small, Medium, Large, Jumbo,
and Extreme. Larger track heights are particularly
useful for precise editing. Smaller track heights
are useful for conserving screen space in a large
session.

To toggle track views:
1 Click in the track you want to toggle. To toggle multiple tracks, Shift-click in additional
tracks.
2 Press Control+Minus (Macintosh) or Start+Mi-

nus (Windows) on the alpha keyboard.
– or –

You can adjust track heights on an individual
track basis or set all tracks to the same height.
Track heights can be adjusted during playback.
To set the Track Height:
■ Click in the area just to the right of the track
controls and choose the height from the pop-up
menu.

On TDM systems, with the Commands Focus
enabled, press Minus on the alpha keyboard.
Audio tracks are toggled between Waveform and
Volume view. MIDI tracks are toggled between
Notes and Regions view.

Track Height pop-up menu

– or –

The “Master” View Format
Audio and MIDI tracks have track Views that act
as “master.” When a track is displayed in its
master format, any edits performed apply to all
data in the track. For instance, when an audio
track is set to Waveform, copying and pasting
affects not just the waveform information, but
all of the automation data as well.
The Track Views that act as master for audio and
MIDI tracks are:
• Audio tracks: Waveform and Blocks
• MIDI tracks: Regions, Blocks, and Notes
(when using the Selector)
Auxiliary Input tracks and Master Fader tracks
do not have a master view.

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■ Click the small arrow next to the Track View
Selector to get the Track Height pop-up menu.

Track Height pop-up menu

The track is resized to the new height. If the
track is part of an Edit Group, all tracks in the
group are set to the new height.

Expanded Track Display
Stereo and multi-channel tracks share a single
playlist for volume and mute. This shared playlist normally occupies the entire height of the
track, extending across all channels.

To turn on Expanded Track Display for a stereo or
multi-channel track:
■ From the Track Height pop-up menu, select
Expanded Track Display.

Volume playlist for stereo track

Track Height pop-up menu

With Expanded Track Display, you can display
playlists individually for each channel, thereby
allowing for more accurate breakpoint editing.
This is also useful for editing pan or multi-mono
plug-in data, both of which can be different for
each channel.

Track Controls and Track Height
The Track Height affects how the various track
controls appear in the Edit window. For instance, when a track’s height is set to Small,
most of the buttons are reduced in size, and the
menus for Track Height and Track View are accessed from the same pop-up.

Track Height set to Small
Stereo track in Expanded Track Display

Expanded Track Display also provides for a
larger waveform display (equal to that of mono
audio tracks), as well as a separate Track View Selector and meter for each channel.

When the Track Height is set to Mini, only controls for Mute and Solo appear, and the menus
for Playlist, Track Height, and Track View are accessed from the same pop-up.

Track Height set to Mini

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When the Track Height is set to Large, Jumbo, or
Extreme, all track controls are displayed at their
full size.

Original Time Stamp Displays the Original Time
Stamp for each region. The Original Time Stamp
is the original time code location for the region
when it was first recorded or created.
User Time Stamp Displays the User Time Stamp
for each region. The User Time Stamp, which
default to the Original Time Stamp, can be redefined with the Time Stamp Selected command.

Track Height set to Large

Audio Regions and Waveforms
Displaying Region Names and
Times
Region names can sometimes get in the way of
editing audio waveforms and MIDI data. In
these instances you may want to disable their
display.

When the Track View for audio tracks is set to
Waveform, Pro Tools draws a waveform diagram
of the audio. Audio waveforms tell you several
things about the recorded sound.

To disable the display of region names in playlists:
■

Deselect Display > Display Name In Regions.

You can also choose to display region locations
in the playlist area. This is extremely useful
when working with film and video.

Display enabled for region names and times

To display region locations:
From Display > Display Time In Regions, select one of the following options:

■

None Disables display of region times.
Current Time Displays start and end times for regions.

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Figure 7. Audio waveform of drum loop

Figure 7 shows an audio waveform for a drum
loop. The “peaks” represent places in the recording (beats) where the attack of the sound causes
the volume to increase momentarily. These are
followed by “valleys,” where the volume decreases.
Different types of sounds produce different
types of waveforms. Drums, for example, generally produce waveforms with sharp transients
(peaks of short duration) that are clearly defined. A drum hit has a loud, sharp attack and a
rapid decay.
Other sounds, such as vocals or sustained keyboard sounds, produce very different waveforms, ones that have less pronounced peaks
and valleys. That’s because these sounds generally have softer attacks and longer decays.

Draw Waveforms Rectified Preference
When the Display Preference for Draw Waveforms Rectified is selected, audio waveforms are
displayed so that their positive and negative
waveform excursions are summed together and
viewed as a single positive-value signal. However, even when this preference is enabled,
zooming in beyond a certain point will cause
the waveforms to be displayed normally.

It’s sometimes useful to have a steady, well-defined waveform, such as a drum track, as a guide
when selecting and defining other regions. If
you’ve played in time with the beat, chances are
that you can create rhythmically accurate regions by referring to the drum’s waveform.
Some important rules to keep in mind when defining regions:
◆ Whenever possible, begin a region precisely
before a volume peak, and end it immediately
before another volume peak.
◆ Whenever possible, make sure a region starts
and ends on exactly the same part of a beat.

Audio displayed in rectified mode

Avoiding Clicks and Pops

Audio displayed in normal mode

Rectified mode displays more detailed waveforms when using track heights of Medium or
Small, and can be particularly useful when editing volume automation data, since it depicts
waveform “levels” as starting at the bottom of
the track.

Guidelines for Editing Waveforms

If an edited region begins or ends at a point of
high amplitude, you may hear an unpleasant
click when Pro Tools plays from one region to
another. In order to avoid clicks or pops do any
of the following:
◆ Make sure that the start and end points of
your selection are as close as possible to the
point where the amplitude of the waveform
tapers down to meet the zero-crossing line (the
center line of the track’s waveform display). If
necessary, use the zooming tools in the Edit
window (see “Zooming” on page 180) to display
waveforms in greater detail.

With the Selector tool in the Edit window, you
can select portions of audio waveforms and divide them into segments called regions, so that
you can rearrange and manipulate them in
tracks.
While editing, try to create regions that allow
you to maintain a consistent beat. If you always
define regions so that they contain a whole
number of beats, you’ll be able to string the regions together and maintain a smooth, steady
rhythm.

Selection that begins and ends at zero crossings

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On Pro Tools 24 MIX and Pro Tools 24 systems, use the AutoFade feature to apply realtime fade-ins/outs to all region boundaries that
do not touch or overlap other regions. See “Using AutoFades” on page 250 for details.

◆

Apply a crossfade between regions where a
click or pop occurs. See “Creating a Crossfade” on
page 248 for details.

◆

Nondestructive Audio Editing
When editing an audio track’s playlist in
Pro Tools, you’re not actually cutting and moving pieces of sound as you would if you were
cutting and splicing analog tape. Instead,
Pro Tools creates a map of the audio file on your
hard disk, which describes the order in which to
play the track portions.
When trimming audio regions with the Trimmer tool, or when editing the placement or order of regions within a track, use multiple playlists to easily return to a track’s previous state.
See “Playlists” on page 172 for details.

MIDI Regions and MIDI Data
The two most common Track Views you’ll use
for MIDI tracks are Notes and Regions. Use
Notes view for inserting and editing individual
MIDI notes, and for working with and affecting
groups of notes.
When you need to experiment with the arrangement of regions, or define new ones, use Regions view.

Notes View for MIDI Tracks
When a MIDI track’s Track View is set to Notes,
MIDI notes are displayed in a “piano roll” format. Each note is displayed as a small rectangle
with its vertical placement indicating pitch and
its horizontal placement indicating location.
Up arrow

Track note above the
current display

Audio Regions and Automation
Data
Automation data for audio resides in tracks and
not regions. This means that when you drag an
audio region from the Audio Regions List to a
new track, no automation data is placed in the
track. However, if you drag an audio region
from an existing track (that contains automation data) to another track, the automation
from the source track is placed in the destination track.

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keyboard reference
MIDI notes
Down arrow

Figure 8. MIDI track displaying notes

To the left of the MIDI track’s playlist is a vertical mini-keyboard, complete with octave numbering, for pitch reference. You can Commandclick (Macintosh) or Control-click (Windows)
the mini-keyboard to audition pitches. Arrows
at the top and bottom of the mini-keyboard (not
available in the smaller track heights) are used
to scroll the Notes display up and down.

The pitch range of MIDI notes that can be displayed depends on the track height, and on the
current zoom value. Any time a track’s notes do
not fit within its current height, notes above or
below the viewed area are displayed as singlepixel lines at the very top and bottom of the
range (see Figure 8).
To scroll the Notes display up or down for a MIDI
track:
Click either the up or down arrow of the minikeyboard.

■

Regions View for MIDI Tracks
MIDI tracks can also be viewed as Regions,
which is similar to Waveform view for audio
tracks. While a track’s notes are visible in Regions view, individual note editing is not available in this view. Instead, all editing occurs
across a time range encompassing all track data,
including continuous controller events, program changes, and System Exclusive events.
Use Regions view to define regions that represent song sections and clips, or to rearrange or
assemble track material.
There are, however, a few things to keep in
mind when selecting, copying and cutting, and
trimming MIDI regions:

Scroll arrow for mini-keyboard

– or –
With the Pencil tool selected, press Command+Option+Control (Macintosh) or Control+Alt+Start (Windows) and drag up or down.

◆ When cutting or clearing a region selection
that includes a note’s start point, the entire note
is removed. This is even the case when only a
portion of the note (that includes its start point)
is selected.
◆ When copying or cutting a region selection
that includes a note’s end point (but not its start
point), the note remains and overlaps the edge
of the region.

Scrolling Notes display by dragging

Using the Edit window tools, notes can be inserted, transposed, trimmed, and moved. For
more information, see “Manually Editing MIDI
Notes” on page 297.

MIDI region with note overlap

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Similar rules also apply when MIDI regions
are trimmed with the Trimmer tool. If the MIDI
region’s start point is moved beyond a note’s
start point, the note is removed. If the region’s
end point is trimmed so that a note’s start point
is within the region but its end point is not, the
note remains and overlaps the edge of the region.

◆

When moving and placing MIDI regions with
overlapping notes, the notes always move with
the regions. When placing MIDI regions with
overlapping notes next to or near another region, the overlapping notes extend into the adjacent region.

Nondestructive MIDI Editing
While editing audio regions is usually nondestructive, this is not always the case for MIDI regions. For instance, if a MIDI region resides in
just one track at a single location, editing for
that region is destructive. This means that altering the pitch, duration, or placement of notes in
Notes view permanently alters the region.
However, when editing a MIDI region that occurs elsewhere, in the same track (at another location or in a different playlist) or in another
track, the editing is nondestructive and occurs
to an auto-created region. To go back to the previous material, drag the original region from the
MIDI Regions List, or return to a previously
saved playlist.

One way to safely return to a track’s previous state is with playlists. Before you edit
notes, trim regions, or rearrange the order of
regions, make a duplicate of the track’s existing playlist and instead work with it (see
“Playlists” on page 172).

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MIDI Regions and Continuous
Controller Events
Continuous controller events reside in MIDI regions and not in tracks. This means that when
dragging regions that contain controller data
from either a track or the MIDI Regions List, the
controller data is written to the destination
track.
Unlike continuous controller events, which represent nuances that are part of a MIDI performance, Mute in Pro Tools is an automation
playlist that actually mutes the MIDI engine.
Mute automation does not correspond to actual
MIDI events and is therefore not exported when
saving as a Standard MIDI File.

Playlists
The ability to create playlists is one of the most
powerful features of Pro Tools, and one reason
why it is infinitely more versatile than traditional multitrack recorders.
Edit playlists allow you to take a snapshot of a
track’s current arrangement of regions, thereby
freeing you to experiment with alternate arrangements, returning as necessary to previously saved playlists.

Playlist Selector pop-up

A playlist, which can consist of a single region or
many regions, can only be assigned to a track if
it is not in use by another track. While you can
create an almost unlimited number of edit playlists, which are shared among all tracks, each
track has its own set of dedicated automation
playlists.

Automation playlists for audio tracks store data
for volume, pan, mute, and plug-in parameters.
Automation playlists for MIDI tracks, however,
store only mute information; continuous controller events, program changes, and sysex
events are stored in MIDI regions and therefore
reside within edit playlists.

Playlists and Groups
Playlist functions affect all tracks within an Edit
Group (if the group is active). This is useful
when you want to switch to new or existing
playlists among several tracks.

Working with Playlists
When you add a new track to a session, its playlist is empty until you record or import material
to it, or drag a region to it from the Audio or
MIDI Regions List.

To create a new (empty) playlist:
1 Click the track’s Playlist Selector and choose
New from the pop-up menu.
2 Enter a name for the new playlist and click
OK. An empty playlist with the specified name
appears in the track.

As long as a playlist is unassigned, it can be recalled and assigned to any track. Only unassigned playlists appear in the Playlist Selector
pop-up.
To recall and assign a playlist:
■ Click the track’s Playlist Selector and choose
the playlist from the pop-up menu.

The selected playlist appears in the track and the
track’s name is updated to that of the selected
playlist.

Renaming a Playlist
When you edit a track, you can work with a
copy of the track's playlist and keep the original
playlist arrangement intact.

You can rename a playlist by renaming the track
to which it is assigned.

To duplicate a track’s current playlist:

To rename a track’s assigned playlist:

1 Click the track’s Playlist Selector and choose
Duplicate from the pop-up menu.

1 Double-click the track’s name.

2 Enter a name for the new playlist and click

and playlist names are updated.

2 Enter a new name and click OK. Both the track

OK.
The duplicated playlist appears in the track and
the track’s name is changed to the name of the
new playlist.
You can also create a new playlist and record or
drag regions to it.

Deleting a Playlist
You can delete a playlist from a session entirely.
However, since playlists take almost no disk
space, you don’t need to delete them for space
reasons.

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To delete the current playlist for a track:
1 Click the track’s Playlist Selector and choose
Delete Unused from the pop-up menu.

In this example, to Undo the region shuffle, you
would have to choose Edit > Undo four times,
which would also Undo the first three operations in the queue.

2 Select the unassigned playlists you want to de-

lete. Shift-click to select multiple playlists.
3 Click OK to delete the playlists. This operation

If you then choose Edit > Redo, followed by another edit operation, such as a region trim, the
Undo queue would then be:

cannot be undone.
1 Region trimmed

When deleting a track from a session, you
have the option of deleting or keeping its
playlists, so they can be used on other
tracks.

Multiple Undo

2 Regions shuffled
3 MIDI note trimmed
4 MIDI note inserted with Pencil

To undo the last operation:
■

Pro Tools can keep track of up to 16 of the last
undoable operations, allowing you to return to
a previous editing state.
The Undo operations in Pro Tools are stored in a
queue, in the order in which they were invoked.
When choosing Edit > Undo, the most recent
operation is undone. If you choose Undo again,
the next operation in the queue is undone. You
can also choose Edit > Redo to redo an operation, which moves back through the Undo
queue by one step.
For example, suppose the following operations
have been performed, with item 1 being the
most recent (first in the queue):
1 Region cut from track
2 Region pasted to track
3 Region slid forward
4 Regions shuffled
5 MIDI note trimmed
6 MIDI note inserted with Pencil

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Choose Edit > Undo.
– or –

■ Press Command+Z (Macintosh) or Control+Z
(Windows).

To redo the last undone operation:
■

Choose Edit > Redo.
– or –

■ Press Shift+Command+Z (Macintosh) or
Shift+Control+Z (Windows).

Operations that clear the Undo Queue
There are a number of Pro Tools operations that
clear the Undo queue, such as deleting a track or
playlist, or clearing a region from the Audio or
MID Regions List.
When the Undo queue will be cleared by an operation, Pro Tools will warn you.

Levels of Undo and RAM
Since Pro Tools needs to keep track of the playlists for all tracks that are edited, the use of multiple Undo’s can be memory intensive. You can
lower the Levels of Undo in Pro Tools to reduce
the amount of RAM used by the Undo queue. If
on the other hand you have plenty of RAM allocated to Pro Tools, you can set the Levels of
Undo to as high as 16.
To set the Levels of Undo in Pro Tools:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences and click Editing.
2 Click in the Levels of Undo field and enter a
value of between 1–16.

Levels of Undo preference
3 Click Done to close the Preferences dialog.

The Audio and MIDI Regions
Lists
All regions that are recorded, imported, or created by editing appear in the Audio and MIDI
Regions Lists. Regions can be dragged from either list to tracks and arranged in any order. Regions can also be auditioned from the Regions
List by Option-clicking (Macintosh) or Alt-clicking (Windows) them.
In the Audio Regions List, whole-file audio regions are displayed in bold, and stereo and
multi-channel regions can be expanded to display individual channels.
Because region names can become lengthy (up
to 31 characters), the Regions List can be
scrolled or resized as necessary (see Figure 9). In
addition, you can use the pop-up menu at the
top of either list to sort, search, rename, and
clear regions.
Drag to resize width of
Regions Lists

When the number of operations in the Undo
queue reaches this limit, performing another
undoable operation will remove the oldest operation at the bottom of the queue.

Click for pop-up menus

Drag to resize
height of Regions
Lists

Click to hide
Regions Lists

Figure 9. Audio and MIDI Regions Lists

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If the Editing Preference for “Region List Selection Follows Track Selection” is enabled, clicking a region in the Regions List highlights it in
the track that contains it.

Use the MIDI Regions List as a bin for storing your favorite MIDI clips. Save the session as a template (see “Creating Custom
Session Templates” on page 55) and the regions are available for future sessions. Since
MIDI regions are tick-based (unlike audio
regions), they scale seamlessly for use with
any tempo.

Sorting and Searching the
Regions Lists
Most sessions will contain many regions, which
may make it difficult to locate a particular region in the Regions Lists. The ability to sort regions and search for them will help greatly in
keeping track of large numbers of regions.
To sort regions in a Regions List:
1 From the Regions List pop-up menu, choose
Sorting and select the basis for sorting from the
submenu.

Displaying File Info for Audio Regions
In addition to region names, the Audio Regions
List can also display information about the region’s parent audio file:
• File name, which represents the audio file
from which the region originated
• Disk name, which represents the name of the
hard drive on which it resides
• The full directory Pathname of the region’s location

Sort attributes for audio regions

MIDI regions can be sorted by name, length, or
timestamp. In addition to these, audio regions
can be sorted by region start and end times, various attributes of the source audio file, disk
name, and path type.
Audio Regions with file info

Pro Tools defaults to displaying just the region
portion of a region’s name. To display file info
for audio regions, choose Show File Names,
Show Disk Names, or Show Full Pathnames
from the pop-up menu at the top of the Audio
Regions List.

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2 From the Regions List pop-up menu, select Ascending or Descending to switch the order of
the displayed regions.

Finding Regions

Selecting in the Region Lists

Use the Find command to display all regions in
a list whose names contain a particular word or
phrase.

In the Regions Lists you can select multiple regions so they can be dragged to tracks, or processed with AudioSuite plug-ins.

To find and display regions that match a word or
phrase:

To select multiple regions in a Regions List:

1 Choose Find from the pop-up menu in the

■ Shift-click each region name you want to select.

Audio or MIDI Regions List.
2 Type the name, or any portion of the name,

for the regions you want to find, then click OK.

To select a range of regions in a Regions List:
■ Move the cursor to the left of the region
names, so the Marquee appears, and drag
around the regions you want to select.

Figure 10. Regions located with Find command

Pro Tools displays all regions whose names contain the name that was specified. Figure 10
shows regions found when searching on the
word “loop.” When displaying regions with the
Find command, a small diamond appears at the
top of the Audio and MIDI Regions List.
To return the Regions List to displaying all regions:
Choose Display All from the Regions List popup menu.

Regions selected with Marquee

– or –
■ Shift-click, to the left of the region names, the
first and last region you want to select. All regions between become selected.

To select discontiguous regions in the Regions
List:

■

1 Move the cursor to the left of the region
names, so the Marquee appears.
2 Command-click each region you want to select.

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Keyboard Selection of Regions
If the Audio Regions Focus or MIDI Regions Focus is enabled, you can type the first few letters
of a region’s name and Pro Tools will automatically locate and select the region in the Regions
List.

Stereo and multi-channel regions are displayed
in the region list by default in collapsed view.
The individual regions can be displayed by clicking the arrow to the left of the region to expand
the name.
Expand/Collapse

To enable and use the Audio Regions Focus or
MIDI Regions Focus:
1 Click the a-z button in upper right of the Audio Regions List or MIDI Regions List.

Stereo regions, collapsed (top) and expanded (bottom).

To expand or collapse all stereo and multi-channel regions, press Option (Macintosh) or Alt
(Windows) while clicking the triangle.

Audio Regions List Key focus enabled
2 Type the first few letters of the region to automatically locate and select it. Once a region is located and selected, it can be dragged to a track.

Keyboard selection of audio regions locates regions based on their region name, not on the
names for their parent audio files or the volumes on which they reside.

Stereo and Multi-Channel Tracks
in the Audio Regions List
Stereo and multi-channel regions, whether imported or recorded into Pro Tools, are displayed
as single items in the Audio Regions List. For example, two mono source regions named “Main
Piano.L” and “Main Piano.R” are listed as “Main
Piano (Stereo).” A collapse/expand triangle indicates stereo and multi-channel regions.

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Individual items of an expanded-view stereo or
multi-channel region can be selected independently of the other associated regions in the Audio Regions List.

Rules for Stereo and Multi-Channel
Regions
For stereo and multi-channel regions to be
shown as collective regions, the component regions must be the same length. If an existing stereo or multi-channel region has been dragged
onto multiple mono tracks and edited such that
one or more components are no longer the same
length, the stereo display is removed and the regions are displayed as individual regions in the
Regions List.

Edit Modes
Pro Tools has four Edit modes: Shuffle, Spot,
Slip, and Grid. The Edit mode is selected by
clicking the desired button in the upper left of
the Edit window.

Edit mode buttons

You can also use F1 (Shuffle), F2 (Slip), F3
(Spot), and F4 (Grid) to set the Edit mode.
The Edit mode affects the movement and placement of audio and MIDI regions (and individual
MIDI notes), how commands like Copy and
Paste function, and also how the various edit
tools (Trimmer, Selector, Grabber, and Pencil)
work.

Shuffle
In Shuffle mode, you can move regions freely
within a track or to other tracks, but their movement is constrained by other regions. That is, if
you place several regions in a track, they automatically snap to each other. You can then
“shuffle” their order, but you cannot separate
them from each other and you cannot make
them overlap as in Slip mode. In Shuffle mode,
adding another region to the beginning of a
track moves all subsequent regions to the right
by the length of the region added.
When using the Trimmer in Shuffle mode,
changing a region’s start or end point automatically moves the adjacent regions as necessary.
The placement and insertion of MIDI notes is
not affected by Shuffle mode.

Slip
In Slip mode, regions can be moved freely
within a track or to other tracks. In this mode it
is possible to place a region so that there is space
between it and other regions in a track. When
the track is played back, this space is silent. It is
also possible to move a region so that it overlaps
or completely covers another region.
Use Slip mode when you want the Trimmer, Selector, Grabber, and Pencil tools to work without any restrictions to placement in time.

Spot
Use Spot mode to place regions at precise locations. This can be particularly useful when performing post production tasks around SMPTE
frame locations. In this mode you can specify a
frame location (or a location based on any of the
other time formats), capture an incoming Time
Code address, or use a region’s time stamps as
reference points for spotting.
In Spot mode, when you move or trim regions,
the Spot dialog opens.

Grid
In Grid mode, regions and MIDI notes that are
moved or inserted “snap” to a user-definable
time grid. In addition to placing material
cleanly on the beat, Grid mode is also useful for
making precise Edit and Timeline selections.
The actual grid size, chosen from the Grid Value
pop-up in the upper right of the Edit window,
can be based on a time value using the Main
Time Scale; or, if Follow Main Time Scale is deselected, another time format can be used for
the grid size.

NOTE: The current Grid Value is also used for the
Quantize Regions Command.
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Also available in the Grid Value pop-up is an option for Regions/Markers. When selected, events
can be placed freely (as in Slip mode) but will
snap to region locations (start, end, and sync
points), Markers, and Edit selections when
placed near them.

Zooming
Zooming options in Pro Tools include the Horizontal and Vertical Zoom buttons, the Zoomer
tool, and the Zoom Preset buttons.

Horizontal and Vertical Zoom
Buttons

Grid Value set to 1 second

NOTE: MIDI notes inserted with the Pencil tool ignore the Regions/Markers option, and instead snap
to the time value selected in the Grid Value pop-up.
To display the grid lines in the Edit window, enable the Display Preference for “Draw Grids in
Edit Window.”

Use the Horizontal and Vertical Zoom buttons
to zoom in and out on track data. Unlike the
horizontal zoom value, the vertical zoom value
for MIDI and audio tracks are independent, and
therefore have separate buttons.
To zoom in horizontally for all tracks:

Horizontal Zoom button
■ Click the right Horizontal Zoom button. To
zoom out, click the other (left) Horizontal Zoom
button.

– or –
■ Press Command+] (Macintosh) or Control+]
(Windows). To zoom out, press Command+[
(Macintosh) or Control+[ (Windows).

Edit window with grid lines

To zoom in vertically for all audio tracks:

You can also enable and disable grid lines by
Control-clicking (Macintosh) or Alt-clicking the
Indicator Dot for any Timebase Ruler.
Vertical Zoom button (audio)
Control-click (Macintosh) or
Alt-click (Windows) for Grid lines

■ Click the (top) Vertical Zoom button with the
audio waveform. To zoom out, click the bottom
Vertical Zoom button.

– or –

Turning on grid lines from Ruler

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Press Command+Option+] (Macintosh) or
Control+Alt+] (Windows). To zoom out, press
Command+Option+[ (Macintosh) or Control+Alt+[ (Windows).

Zoomer Tool

To zoom in vertically for all MIDI tracks:

To zoom around a certain track point:

■

Use the Zoomer tool to zoom in and out around
a particular area within a track.

1 Select the Zoomer tool.

Vertical Zoom button (MIDI)

Click the (top) Vertical Zoom button with the
MIDI notes. To zoom out, click the bottom Vertical Zoom button.

Zoomer tool

■

– or –
Press Command+Shift+] (Macintosh) or Control+Shift+] (Windows). To zoom out, press
Command+Shift+[ (Macintosh) or Control+Shift+[ (Windows).

■

To return to the previous zoom level:
Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) any of the Horizontal or Vertical Zoom
buttons.

■

– or –
Press Command+Option+E (Macintosh) or
Control+Alt+E (Windows).

■

2 Click once with the Zoomer at the point
within the track. All tracks are zoomed in by one
level and the Edit window is centered around
the zoomed point.
3 To zoom back to the previous level, Optionclick (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Window) with
the Zoomer.

To zoom into a particular track area:
1 Select the Zoomer tool.
2 To zoom horizontally, drag with the Zoomer
in the track’s playlist.

– or –
3 To zoom horizontally and vertically, press
Command (Macintosh) or Control (Windows)
while dragging in the track’s playlist.

To zoom in on a selection:
Press Option+F (Macintosh) or Alt+F (Windows).

■

To zoom so that all regions are visible in the Edit
window, do one of the following:
■

Double-click the Zoomer tool in the toolbar.

Press Option+A (Macintosh) or Alt+A (Windows).

■

Press the F5 key twice.

Zooming horizontally with Zoomer tool

The zoomed area fills the entire Edit window.
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Zooming in the Ruler

To recall a zoom preset, do one of the following:
■

Click the Zoom Preset button.

To zoom horizontally in the Ruler:
1 Press Command+Control (Macintosh) or

Control+Alt (Windows) and move the cursor
into the Ruler area, so the Zoomer appears.

■ While pressing Control (Macintosh) or Start
(Windows), type the Zoom Preset’s number on
the alpha keyboard.
■ On TDM systems, with the Commands Focus
enabled, type the Zoom Preset’s number on the
alpha keyboard.

Zooming in the Ruler
2 Click once to zoom in one level around a certain point.

– or –
3 Drag to zoom in around a particular Ruler
range.

Zoom Preset Buttons

Horizontal zoom levels for all tracks are recalled.

Zoom settings can also be stored with Memory Locations. For details, see “Memory Locations and Markers” on page 270.

Zoom Toggle
The Zoom Toggle can quickly and easily zero in
on a selection, adjusting the zoom level and
track height automatically.

Pro Tools allows you to save up to 5 horizontal
zoom presets, which can be recalled by typing a
number or by clicking a Zoom Preset button.

To use the Zoom Toggle:

To store a zoom preset:

2 Press Control+E (Macintosh) or Start+E (Windows).

1 Using either the Horizontal Zoom buttons or
the Zoomer tool, navigate to the zoom level you
want to store.
2 While pressing Command (Macintosh) or
Control (Windows), click one of the five Zoom
Preset buttons.

1 Make a selection on one or more tracks.

– or –
On TDM Systems, with Commands Focus enabled, press E.

Storing a zoom preset

The button flashes, indicating it is being written
to, and then becomes selected.
Using the Zoom Toggle

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The selection is zoomed to fill the Edit window,
and the tracks containing the selection are set to
a Track Height of Large. MIDI tracks automatically set to Notes view.

The Universe Window

Resizing the Universe Window
Even though the Universe window can be resized horizontally and vertically, the length of
the entire session is always displayed in the Universe window. If the Universe window is resized
so some of the session’s track are not displayed,
a vertical scroll bar becomes available.

(TDM Systems Only)
The Universe window displays an overview of
the entire session, representing audio and MIDI
material on all tracks that are not hidden (including tracks that are inactive, or that contain
offline regions). The order in which material is
displayed in the Universe window corresponds
to the track order in the Edit window.
To open the Universe window:
■

Choose Windows > Show Universe.

Highlighted Material in the
Universe Window
The highlighted, shaded area in the Universe
window represents the material displayed in the
Edit window. If you change what’s displayed in
the Edit window—by zooming, scrolling horizontally or vertically, hiding or unhiding tracks,
or changing track heights—the highlighted area
in the Universe window updates.
During playback, if the Edit window is set to
scroll, the highlighted area in the Universe window also scrolls.

Scrolling in the Universe Window
Universe window

Audio material residing in audio tracks is represented by a single, horizontal line in the Universe window. Each channel in a stereo or multichannel track is represented individually.
Since Auxiliary Input and Master Fader tracks do
not contain audio, they are displayed as blank
areas in the Universe window.

By clicking in the Universe window, you can automatically scroll, either horizontally or vertically, the material displayed in the Edit window.
This provides a convenient method of locating
anywhere in the session, or adjusting which
shown tracks are visible in the Edit window.

Similar to audio tracks, MIDI tracks containing
note material are represented by single, horizontal lines.

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To move the highlighted area in the Universe
window:

Rulers

1 Choose Windows > Show Universe.
2 To affect which tracks are displayed in the Edit

window, click lower or higher (vertically) in the
Universe window.

All Rulers displayed

Any or all of the following Timebase Rulers can
be displayed at the top of the Edit window:
• Bars:Beats
• Minutes:Seconds
• Time Code (TDM systems only)
• Feet.Frames (TDM systems only)
3 To scroll to a different session location, click

later or earlier (horizontally) in the Universe
window.

• Samples
In addition to providing a timing reference for
track material, the Timebase Rulers are also used
to define Edit selections for track material, and
Timeline selections for record and play ranges.

With the Selector, drag in any Timebase
Ruler to select material across all tracks in
the Edit window. To include the Conductor
Tracks in the selection, press Option (Macintosh) or Alt (Windows) while dragging.

When all tracks are visible in the Edit window
and the session is zoomed all the way out, with
all regions visible, the entire Universe window is
shaded.

Any or all of the following Conductor Rulers can
be displayed:
• Tempo
• Meter
• Markers
The Meter and Tempo Rulers indicate changes
in meter and tempo within the Session. The
Markers Ruler displays Markers to important
track locations.

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To display all Rulers:
■

Select Display > Ruler View Shows > All.

To remove a Ruler from the display:
Option-click the Ruler’s name (to the left of
the Ruler display).

■

– or –
Deselect the Ruler in Display > Ruler View
Shows.

■

Time Scale
While all Timebase Rulers can simultaneously
be displayed in the Edit window, there is only
one that represents the Main Time Scale. The
Main Time Scale determines the time format
used for:
• The Transport’s Main Counter
• Start, end, and length values
• Pre and post-roll amounts

To display only the Main Time Scale in the Ruler:
■

Select Display > Ruler View Shows > None.

To add a specific Ruler to the display, such as the
Markers Ruler, for instance:
■

Select Display > Ruler View Shows > Markers.

To change the display order for the Rulers:
Click a Ruler’s name and drag up or down to
the new location.

■

Ruler Options Pop-up Menu
The Ruler display options are also available from
a pop-up menu that is accessed by clicking just
to the right of the Ruler names.

Ruler Options pop-up menu

• Grid and Nudge Values
The Main Time Scale can be set to the following
formats:
Bars:Beats Displays the Time Scale in bars and
beats. Use this Time Scale if you are working
with musical material that must align with bars
and beats.
To ensure your tracks align with the bars and
beats in your session, make sure to record with
the click (see “Recording with the Click” on
page 121).
Material that is recorded without listening to
the click can still be aligned to bar and beat
boundaries in Pro Tools with the Identify Beat
command (see “Identify Beat Command” on
page 264).
Minutes:Seconds Displays the Time Scale in
minutes and seconds. As you zoom in farther
with the Zoomer, the Time Scale begins to display tenths, hundredths, and thousandths of a
second.

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Time Code (TDM systems only) Displays the
Time Scale in SMPTE frames. The Frame Rate
and Session Start time are set from the Session
Setup window. Pro Tools supports the following
frame rates: 24, 25, 29.97 Non-Drop, 29.97
Drop, 30 Non-Drop, and 30 Drop frames per second.
Feet.Frames (TDM systems only) Displays the
Time Scale in feet and frames for referencing audio-for-film projects. The Feet.Frames time display is based on the 35 millimeter film format.
With this Time Scale, you can enter a Start
Frame based on an appropriate frame location at
the beginning of your project tape. The
Feet.Frames Ruler will then use this value as its
start reference.

Setting the Main Time Scale
To set the Main Time Scale:
■ Select the desired Time Scale at the bottom of
the Display menu.

– or –
■ Select from the Main Time Scale pop-up next
to the Location Indicator (also available in the
Transport window).

Main Time Scale pop-up

– or –
■ If a Timebase Ruler is displayed, click its Indicator Dot so it becomes highlighted.

Feet.Frames dialog

To set a start frame for a session:
Choose Setups > Feet.Frames and enter an appropriate start frame and click OK (negative offsets are not supported). This value will become
the “zero point” in the Feet.Frames Ruler.

Switching the Main Time Scale in the Ruler

Setting the Sub Time Scale

■

Samples Displays the Time Scale in samples.
This format is very useful for high-precision
sample editing.

There is also a Sub Location Indicator displayed
below the Main Location Indicator, and below
the Transport’s Main Counter, which provides
an additional timing reference.
To set the Time Scale for the Sub Location
Indicator:
■ Select from the Sub Time Scale pop-up next to
the Location Indicator

– or –

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Select from the Sub Time Scale pop-up in the
Transport Window.

■

Sub Time Scale pop-up (Transport window)

While you can click in the Main Counter and
type in a location to automatically locate there,
this is not supported for the Sub Counter.

The Following table lists the number of ticks for
each of the main note sizes:
note value

normal

dotted

triplet

1/2 note

1920

2880

1280

1/4 note

960

1440

640

1/8 note

480

720

320

1/16 note

240

360

160

1/32 note

120

180

1/64 note

Ticks vs. Samples

Tick-Based Timing
Pro Tools is a sample-based program with an internal MIDI resolution of 960,000 pulses per
quarter note (ppq). However, when the Time
Scale is set to Bars:Beats, the display resolution
in Pro Tools is 960 ppq.
In Bars:Beats, Pro Tools is tick-based (960 ticks
to a quarter note), which means that some
amount of sample-rounding may occur when
placing events at certain locations (see “Sample
Rounding and Edit Operations” on page 188).
When working in Bars:Beats, you’ll often want
to specify tick values for a number of operations,
including:
• Placing and spotting regions
• Setting lengths for regions or MIDI notes
• Locating and setting play and record ranges
(including pre/post-roll)

Audio material in Pro Tools is sample-based.
This means that if an audio region is located at a
particular sample (or SMPTE) location, it will
not move from this location if the tempo
changes in the session (though the audio region’s bar and beat location will change).
MIDI data in Pro Tools is bar- and beat-based.
This means that if a MIDI region is located at a
particular bar and beat location, it will not move
from that location if the tempo changes in the
session—though its sample location will
change, thereby adjusting its relationship to audio.
When creating Markers and Selection Memory
Locations, you can specify whether they have
an Absolute (sample-based) or Bar|Beat (tickbased) reference. For more information, see
“Bar|Beat and Absolute Reference” on page 271.

• Specifying parameters in the Quantize and
Change Duration windows
• Setting the Grid and Nudge values

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Sample Rounding and Edit Operations
Because audio material in Pro Tools is samplebased, some amount of sample-rounding may
occur with some edits when the Main Time
Scale is set to Bars:Beats. This is most evident
when you need audio regions to fall cleanly on
the beat (as when looping) and notice that the
material is sometimes a tick or two off. With a
few simple precautions, this can be avoided.
When selecting audio regions to be copied, duplicated, or repeated, make sure to select the material with the Selector (enable Grid Mode for
precise selections), or set the selection range by
typing in the start and end points in the Event
Edit area. Do not select the material with the
Grabber (or by double-clicking with the Selector). This ensures that the selection will be precise in terms of bars and beats (and not based on
the length of the material in samples).

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Chapter 16: Playing and Selecting
Track Material

Playing Tracks
After recording or importing to tracks, you’ll
want to listen to the material to find track
ranges that require editing, or material that can
be turned into regions for use elsewhere.
You can click anywhere in a track with the Selector to begin playback from that point (as long as
the Edit and Timeline selections are linked, see
“Separate Edit and Timeline Selections” on
page 195).

The edit cursor, on the other hand, is a flashing
line that appears when you click with the Selector in a track’s playlist. The blinking edit cursor
indicates the start point for any editing tasks
performed. If you make a selection and perform
an edit, the selection is the target of the edit.
The selected Scrolling Option determines how
the Edit window scrolls during playback, and
how the playback cursor functions. See “Scrolling Options” on page 191 for details.
To begin playing from a specific point within a
track:
1 Select Operations > Scrolling Options > No
Auto Scrolling.

Setting a playback point with the Selector

Depending on the selected Scrolling Option, the
playback cursor, a solid unblinking line, moves
across the Edit window to indicate the current
playback position. The playback location is displayed in the Counters in the Transport window, in the Big Time window, and also in the
Location Indicators.

2 Make sure to select Operations > Link Edit and
Timeline Selection.
3 With the Selector, click in the track where you
want playback to begin.
4 Click Play in the Transport window to begin
playback.
5 Click Stop in the Transport window to stop
playback.

To jump to a different location and begin playing from there, click with the Selector at that
point and click Play in the Transport window.
Transport with Counters displayed

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189

With the Edit and Timeline selections linked,
you can click a region or MIDI note with the
Grabber to automatically update the Timeline
with the selection’s start time, allowing you to
easily play from that point.

Page Scroll During Playback
You can set Pro Tools to scroll the track display
while playing, and also have the edit cursor appear wherever playback stops.
To make the track display and the edit cursor
follow playback:
1 Select Operations > Scrolling Options > Page
Scroll During Playback.
2 Choose Setups > Preferences. In the Operation

page of the Preferences dialog, select the option
for “Timeline Insertion Follows Playback,” then
click Done.
3 Make sure to select Operations > Link Edit and
Timeline Selection.
4 With the Selector, click in the track where you

want playback to begin.
5 Click Play in the Transport window to begin

playback. The playback cursor scrolls across the
Edit window, indicating the current playback
position.
6 Click Stop in the Transport window to stop

playback. The edit cursor appears at the location
where playback stops.

Locating and Auditioning with Fast
Forward/Rewind
You can use the Fast Forward and Rewind buttons in the Transport window to locate material
in your tracks. If the Operation Preference for
“Audio During Fast Forward/Rewind” is selected, you’ll actually hear the scanned audio
(similar to a CD player) when clicking the Fast
Forward and Rewind buttons.
You can also fast forward or rewind incrementally by repeatedly clicking the appropriate button. The size of these increments is determined
by the Main Time Scale:
• Bars:Beats: moves to the beginning of the previous or next bar
• Min:Sec: moves back or forward in one-second steps
• Time Code: moves back or forward in one-second steps (while adjusting for current SMPTE
format)
• Feet.Frames: moves back or forward in onefoot steps
• Samples: moves back or forward in one-second steps

Location Indicators
The Location Indicators, in the upper right of
the Edit window, display the current playback
location, and also provide a convenient way to
navigate to a specific time location.

Location Indicators (Main and Sub)

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The Main Location Indicator displays the playback location in the time format for the Main
Time Scale. The Sub Location Indicator can be
set to any of the other Time Scale formats for another timing reference. Both the Main and Sub
indicators also appear in the Transport window
when it is set to display Counters.

To scroll the entire contents of the Edit window
from the Ruler:
■ While pressing Comand+Option+Control
(Macintosh) or Control+Alt+Start (Windows),
drag left or right in any of the Timebase Rulers.

To navigate with the Location Indicators:
1 Click in one of the Location Indicators.

Scrolling in the Ruler

– or –
Press Equal (=) on the numeric keypad to highlight the Main Location Indicator (or the Transport Counters or Big Time window, if either are
displayed).
2 Type in the new location. Press period (.) to
cycle through to the different time fields.
3 Press Enter to accept the new value and automatically locate there.

Choose from the pop-up menus next to the
Main and Sub indicators (in either the Edit
window or Transport window) to set their
time formats.

Scrolling in the Ruler
You can scroll the contents of the Edit window
by clicking and dragging in the Ruler. While this
doesn’t actually update the session’s Current Location, it does let you conveniently shift the display left or right for the sake of finding and editing material.
This method of scrolling is especially useful
when using Continuous Scroll with Playhead
(TDM systems only), which does not update or
follow Timeline selections.

Scrolling Options
Pro Tools offers the following options for how it
scrolls the contents of the Edit window during
playback and recording. Choose Operations >
Scrolling Options and select one of the following from the submenu:
No Auto-Scrolling With this scrolling option, the
Edit window does not scroll during or after playback. The playback cursor moves across the Edit
window, indicating the playback location.
Scroll After Playback Causes the Edit window to
scroll to the final playback location after playback has stopped. In this mode, the playback
cursor moves across the Edit window, indicating
the playback location.
Page Scroll During Playback Causes the Edit
window to scroll during playback. With this option, the playback cursor moves across the Edit
window, indicating the playback location.
When the right edge of the Edit window is
reached, its entire contents are scrolled, and the
playback cursor continues moving from the left
edge of the window.

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191

Continuous Scroll During Playback
(TDM Systems Only)
This scrolling option causes the Edit window’s
contents to scroll continuously past the playback cursor, which remains in the center of the
window. With this option, playback is always
based on the Timeline selection (unlike Continuous Scroll With Playhead).

With the Playhead enabled, you can jump to
and play an Edit or Timeline selection. For details, see “Playing Edit and Timeline Selections
with the Playhead” on page 207.

Half-Screen Edit Window
When either Continuous Scroll During Playback
or Continuous Scroll with Playhead is enabled, a
half-screen appears at the far left of the Edit window (before the beginning of the session).

Continuous Scroll With Playhead
(TDM Systems Only)
This scrolling option causes the Edit window’s
contents to scroll continuously past the Playhead, which is a blue line in the center of the
window (red when recording).
The Playhead indicates where playback begins
when clicking Play in the Transport window.

Continuous Scroll with Playhead

To move the Playhead to a particular location
for playback, you can scroll there in the Ruler
(see “Scrolling in the Ruler” on page 191), use
the Edit window’s horizontal scroll bar, or type
the location into one of the Location Indicators
or one of the Counters.
Moving the Playhead with these methods does
not update the Timeline selection. However, updating the Timeline selection automatically
move the Playhead to the Timeline insertion
point.

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Half-screen for Continuous Scroll with Playhead

The Scrubber
The Scrubber allows you to “scrub” up to two
tracks of audio in the Edit Window. Scrubbing is
a technique that originated in tape editing,
where the tape was rocked back and forth past
the playhead at slower than normal speeds to
find a particular location (usually for the sake of
performing splices).
While viewing an audio waveform in Pro Tools
can be helpful in visually finding an edit point,
sometimes a waveform (because of its sonic
characteristics) may not reveal the desired spot
in the audio material. By scrubbing back and
forth over an edit point in Pro Tools, you can
zero in on the exact edit point you're looking
for.
When the Operation Preference for “Edit Insertion Follows Scrub/Shuttle” is enabled, the edit
cursor automatically locates to the point where
scrubbing stops.

When the Scrolling Option is set to Continuous
Scroll During Playback or Continuous Scroll
with Playhead, clicking with the Scrubber in a
track’s playlist centers the Edit window around
that point, and moves the Playhead there. With
these Scrolling Options, scrubbed material
moves past the Playhead, which remains stationary and centered.

NOTE: Scrubbing is only supported for audio
tracks. MIDI tracks cannot be scrubbed.

To scrub up to two audio tracks:
■ With the Scrubber selected, drag between two
adjacent tracks.

Scrubbing between two audio tracks

– or –
To scrub a single audio track:
1 With the Scrubber selected, drag within the

track—left for reverse, right for forward.

■ Scrub within a selection that contains multiple tracks. Only the first two tracks are heard.

The maximum number of channels
scrubbed in Pro Tools is eight, which would
enable you to scrub two stereo tracks (four
channels), but not two 5.1 surround tracks
(12 channels).
Scrubbing an audio track with the Scrubber

The distance and speed with which you drag
(with either the mouse, or an external MIDI
controller wheel) determine the length and
speed of the scrubbed audio. Audio from the
scrubbed track is routed to its output, along with
any effects assigned to the track.
The resolution for the Scrubber is dependent
upon the zoom factor for the scrubbed track. For
finer resolutions without zooming, press Command (Macintosh) or Control (Windows) while
scrubbing.

You can temporarily switch the Selector to
the Scrubber by Control-clicking (Macintosh) or Right-clicking (Windows). For finer
resolution, Command-Control-click (Macintosh) or Control-Right-click (Windows).

Scrub/Shuttle Mode
When scrubbing normally, you can scrub at normal playback speeds or slower. Scrub/Shuttle
mode, however, lets you scrub at several times
normal speed, which is helpful in playing
through large ranges and locating material.
To scrub in Shuttle mode (at several times normal
speed):
1 Select the Scrubber tool.
2 While pressing Option (Macintosh) or Alt
(Windows), drag within the track—left for reverse, right for forward.The Fast Forward and
Rewind buttons in the Transport window engage.

The distance and speed dragged determine the
speed for the scrubbed audio.

Chapter 16: Playing and Selecting Track Material

193

Shuttle Lock Mode

Numeric Keypad Set to Shuttle

Shuttle Lock mode lets you trigger playback for
up to two tracks at varying speeds, forward and
reverse, from the numeric keypad. If multiple
tracks are selected, only the first two tracks are
shuttled.

(TDM Systems Only)

To play a track with the shuttle lock:
1 For TDM systems, make sure the Operation
Preference for Numeric Keypad Mode is not set
to Shuttle.

Pro Tools offers another form of shuttling, different from that of Shuttle Lock Mode. With the
Numeric Keypad Mode set to Shuttle, playback
of the current Edit selection is triggered by pressing and holding the keys on the numeric keypad—playback stops once the keys are released.
Various playback speeds are available in both
forward and reverse. In this mode, pre/post-roll
are ignored.

2 With the Selector, click in the track where you
want playback to begin. To shuttle on two
tracks, Shift-click in a second track.

To shuttle with the Numeric Keypad Mode set to
Shuttle:

3 Press Control (Macintosh) or the Start key

1 Choose Setups > Preferences and click Operations.

(Windows) and a number on the numeric keypad: 0–9 (9 is fastest, 5 is normal speed, and 0
stops shuttling).

2 Set the Numeric Keypad Mode to Shuttle and
click Done.

Once Shuttle Lock mode is initiated, Fast Forward and Rewind become highlighted in the
Transport window.
4 Press additional keys to change the playback

speed, or press Plus (+) and Minus (-) to switch
the playback direction (plus for forward, minus
for backward).
5 To stop playback, press Control+0 (Macin-

tosh) or Start+0 (Windows).
6 To exit Shuttle Lock mode, press Stop in the

Transport window.

3 With the Selector, click in the track where you
want playback to begin. To shuttle on two
tracks, Shift-click in a second track.
4 Press and hold any of the following keys (or
key combinations) on the numeric keypad to
trigger playback.

Shuttle Speed

Rewind Key

Forward Key

1 X Speed

4 X Speed

1/4 X Speed

1/2 X Speed

4+5

5+6

2 X Speed

7+8

8+9

5 Press a different key to switch the playback direction or speed. Release to stop.

194

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Separate Edit and Timeline
Selections
Pro Tools lets you unlink the Edit and Timeline
selections. In doing so, you can make a selection
within a track for editing purposes that is distinct from the selection in the Timeline (which
determines the playback and recording range).

Figure 11 illustrates another reason you’d want
to unlink the Edit and Timeline selections. In
this example, the Timeline selection sets a range
to be looped on playback, while a MIDI region
(residing within the loop) is selected for editing
purposes. During playback, the Edit selection
can be nudged, quantized, or transposed while
the loop plays back completely independent
and uninterrupted.

By default, the Edit and Timeline selections are
linked. In this mode, selecting in a track’s playlist (an Edit selection) also defines the play and
record range (the Timeline selection).
To unlink the Edit and Timeline selections:
Deselect Operations > Link Edit and Timeline
Selection.

■

– or –
In the upper left of the Edit window, click the
Link Selection button so it becomes unhighlighted.

Link Selection button, disabled

If you are working with a film or video scene,
you may want to unlink the Edit and Timeline
selections to work with material that is at a different location than the current play range. The
scene you’re working with (defined by the Timeline selection) may require some sound effects
and you can go to another location in the session to find and audition them. Edit selections
can be played (choose Operations > Play Edit Selection) without disrupting the current Timeline
selection. Once the desired material is found,
you can then go back to the Timeline selection
and place them within the context of the scene.

Figure 11. Edit and Timeline selections unlinked

While you could theoretically do this with the
Edit and Timeline selections linked, as soon as
playback is stopped, the playback range would
then be updated to that of the more recent edit
range.

Playback/Edit Markers
Timeline selections are displayed in the Ruler
with Playback Markers, which appear as blue arrows (red when recording). In addition, there
are Pre- and Post-Roll Flags (which are green
when enabled) indicating the location for
pre/post-roll.

Playback Markers with Pre/Post-Roll Flags

Figure 12. Edit Markers

Chapter 16: Playing and Selecting Track Material

195

When the Edit and Timeline selections are unlinked, Edit selections are displayed in the Ruler
with Edit Markers, which appear as black brackets. If the Edit and Timeline selections are
linked, Edit selections are represented by the
blue Playback Markers.

Selections and Edit Groups
When making selections on tracks that are part
of an Edit Group, all tracks within the group become selected.

Selections and Hidden Tracks
See the following sections for details on working
with Edit and Timeline selections:
• “Selecting Track Material” on page 196
• “Timeline Selections” on page 206
• “Setting Punch/Loop Points” on page 135
• “Setting Pre/Post-Roll” on page 137

When editing tracks that are part of an active
Edit Group, any tracks within the group that are
hidden are not affected by the edits. To edit all
members of a group, make sure they are visible
by highlighting their names in the Show/Hide
Tracks list.

Selecting Regions

Selecting Track Material

To select a portion of a region:

Before audio and MIDI material can be edited, it
must first be selected. A track’s Display Format
determines how the material is viewed and selected.

1 With the Selector, drag within the region (left
or right) to select the material.

When you make a selection, it appears as a highlighted area of the track, and is also indicated by
blue start and end arrows (Playback Markers) in
the Ruler at the top of the Edit window. If any
track (audio or MIDI) in the session is record-enabled, even if it is hidden, these markers appear
red.

Selecting a portion of a region

To select an entire region:
■

Click the region with the Grabber.
– or –

■

Double-click the region with the Selector.

To select two regions and the time range between
them:

196

Playback Markers indicating Edit selection

1 With the Grabber, click the first region.

If the Edit and Timeline selections are unlinked,
the Edit selection range is indicated by Edit
Markers in the Ruler. See “Separate Edit and
Timeline Selections” on page 195 for details.

2 Shift-click the second region. Both regions be-

Pro Tools Reference Guide

come selected, along with the time range between them (including any other regions).

To select an entire track:

Making Selections While Playing

Click in the track with the Selector and then
choose Edit > Select All.

Pro Tools lets you make on-the-fly selections
with the Arrow keys.

■

– or –
■

Triple-click in the track with the Selector.

To select all regions in all tracks:
1 Select the “All” Edit Group in the Groups List.
2 Click in any track with the Selector and
choose Edit > Select All.

– or –
Triple-click with the Selector in any track.

Selecting All from Timebase Rulers

To make a selection while playing:
1 Make sure to select Operations > Link Edit and
Timeline selection.
2 With the Selector, click somewhere near the
beginning of the track in which you want to
make the selection.
3 Click Play in the Transport window to begin
playback.
4 When playback reaches the point where you
want the selection to begin, press the Down Arrow key.

You can select all regions in all tracks displayed
in the Edit window by double-clicking in any
Timebase Ruler.

5 Press the Up Arrow key at the point where you
want the selection to end. The selected range becomes highlighted.

To select all material in all displayed audio and
MIDI tracks:

6 To stop playback, click Stop in the Transport
window.

1 Make sure the Edit and Timeline selections are

linked.
2 Double-click in any Timebase Ruler. All regions in all displayed audio and MIDI tracks are
selected. Tracks that are hidden are not selected.

To automatically scroll to the beginning of the
selection (or to the location of the on-screen
cursor), press the Left Arrow key. To scroll to the
end of the selection, press the Right Arrow key.

Object Selections (TDM Systems Only)
To select all material in all tracks, along with
Conductor events:
1 Make sure the Edit and Timeline selections are

linked.
2 While pressing Option (Macintosh) or Control (Windows), double-click in any Timebase
Ruler. All regions in all displayed audio and
MIDI tracks are selected, along with all events in
each of the Conductor tracks.

You can use the Object Grabber to select discontiguous regions on one or more tracks. Discontiguous selections must encompass entire regions. If you want a discontiguous selection to
include a portion of a region, first turn the portion into a new region with the Separation
Grabber (see “Separation Grabber” on page 211)
or the Separate Region command (see “Separate
Region Command” on page 210).

NOTE: The Object Grabber is not available when
the Edit mode is set to Shuffle or Spot.

Chapter 16: Playing and Selecting Track Material

197

To select discontiguous regions:

To change a Time selection to an Object selection:

1 Make sure the Edit mode is set to either Slip or

1 Drag with the Selector in any track to define a
selection. Select in a Timebase Ruler to select
across all tracks.

Grid.
2 Choose the Object Grabber from the Grabber

tool pop-up menu.

Object Grabber
3 Shift-click each region you want to include in
the selection. The regions can even reside on different tracks.

2 With the Object Grabber selected, doubleclick the Grabber icon in the toolbar. The regions falling within the selection range become
selected as objects. Regions that were partially
selected become deselected.

Discontiguous selection

Each clicked region becomes surrounded by a
dark rectangle, indicating it is selected.
The Object Grabber ignores Edit Groups when
making selections. For instance, selecting a region on a grouped track does not cause regions
in the other tracks in the group to become selected.

Object to Time Selection (TDM Systems Only)

To change an Object selection to a Time selection:
1 Select any number of regions with the Object
Grabber.

You can convert between Time- and Objectbased selections. Time selections are made with
the Selector and Time Grabber. Object selections
are made with the Object Grabber.

2 Double-click the Selector icon in the toolbar.
The time range between the first and last region
becomes selected.

Converting to an Object selection is useful
when working with large selections, especially
across multiple tracks, and want to remove certain regions from the selection.

If using the Object Grabber (TDM systems only),
regions on the other tracks in the group are selected if they fall within the range of the selected region.

Converting to a Time selection is useful if you
want to select all regions between a discontiguous Object selection.
198

To select regions that were partially selected,
press the Control key while double-clicking the
Grabber icon.

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Changing a Selection Length

Nudging a Selection Range

You can make an existing selection longer or
shorter by pressing the Shift key while clicking
or dragging, or by dragging the Playback Markers in the Ruler.

The selection range (not the material within the
selection) can be moved by the Nudge value.

To change the length of a selection:
With the Selector, position the cursor over
one end of the current selection and Shift-click
or Shift-drag left or right.

■

– or –
In the Ruler, drag the Playback Marker for the selection’s start or end point.

To nudge a selection range:
1 Configure the Nudge value as desired. For details, see “Defining the Nudge Value” on
page 222.
2 Make the initial selection with the Selector.
3 While pressing Shift, press Plus or Minus on
the numeric keypad to move the selection range
by the Nudge value.

Nudging Selection Start/End Points
Start and end points for selections can be moved
by the nudging them.
Dragging a Playback Marker

– or –
If the Edit and Timeline selections are unlinked,
drag the Edit Markers (see Figure 12 on
page 195) to change the selection length.
To quickly make a lengthy selection:
1 With the Selector, click at the beginning of the

selection.
2 Scroll to the end point of the selection and
Shift-click at that point.

To verify the start and end points of a long selection, press the Left Arrow key to scroll to the beginning of the selection, or press the Right Arrow key to scroll to the end.

To move a selection start or end point by the
Nudge value:
1 Configure the Nudge value as desired. For details, see “Defining the Nudge Value” on
page 222.
2 Make the initial selection with the Selector.
3 While pressing Option+Shift (Macintosh) or
Alt+Shift (Windows), press Plus or Minus on the
numeric keypad to move the selection’s start
point by the Nudge value.

– or –
While pressing Command+Shift (Macintosh) or
Control+Shift (Windows), press Plus or Minus
on the numeric keypad to move the selection’s
end point by the Nudge value.

Chapter 16: Playing and Selecting Track Material

199

Extending Selections
You can extend selections to region start and
end points, to include an adjacent region, or to
Markers and Memory Locations.
To extend a selection to a region start or end
point:
1 With the Selector, select a portion of a region,
or click anywhere in the region.
2 Press Shift+Tab to extend the selection to the

region’s end point.
– or –
Press Shift+Option+Tab (Macintosh) or
Shift+Control+Tab (Windows) to extend the selection to the region’s start point.

– or –
Shift-click a Memory Location in the Memory
Locations window.
The selection is extended from the original Insertion point to the Marker or Memory Location.

Using the Selection Indicators
The Selection Indicators at the top of the Edit
window can define precise edit selections. Time
values for the Selection Indicators use the time
format for the Main Time Scale.

To extend a selection to include an adjacent
region:

Selection Indicators

1 Select the first region with the Grabber.

To make a selection with the Selection Indicators:

2 Press Shift+Control+Tab (Macintosh) or

1 Click with the Selector in the track you want

Shift+Start+Tab (Windows) to extend the selection to include the next region.

to select.

– or –
Press Shift+Control+Option+Tab (Macintosh) or
Shift+Start+Control+Tab (Windows) to extend
the selection to include the previous region.
To extend a selection to a Marker or Memory
Location:
1 Click in a track with the Selector at the selection’s start or end point.

– or –
Make a selection with the Selector or Grabber.

200

2 Shift-click a Marker in the Markers Ruler.

Pro Tools Reference Guide

2 Click in the Start field at the top of the Edit
window.

– or –
Press the slash key to select the Start field.
3 Type in the start point for the selection and
press the slash key to enter the value and automatically move to the end field.
4 Type in the end point for the selection and
press Enter to accept the value.

Numeric Entry Shortcuts for Selection
Indicators

3 Type the amount you want to subtract from
the current time value, then press Enter.

You can use the following shortcuts for entering
values in the Selection Indicators:

Selecting Across Multiple Tracks

Press the slash key to cycle through the three
Selection Indicators.

■

Use period (.) or the Left/Right Arrow keys to
move through the different time fields in each
Selection Indicator.

■

Press the Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or
decrease the numerical values.

To perform edits across multiple tracks or all
tracks, you must first select the tracks. Do this by
making selections on tracks that are grouped
(see “Grouping Tracks” on page 85), by extending selections to other tracks, or by selecting in a
Timebase Ruler (for all tracks).

■

Command-drag (Macintosh) or Control-drag
(Windows) a selected field to scroll to a new
value.

■

Press Plus (+) or Minus (–) along with an accompanying number to add or subtract from
the current field value.

■

For example, to add 10 to a current field value,
cycle to the field, press the Plus key, type “10”
and then press Enter.

To extend a selection to another track:
1 Using the Selector or Grabber, make a selection in the first track.
2 Shift-click in additional tracks with the Selector. An identical range is selected for each additional track.

To shorten or lengthen the selection across each
of the tracks, press Shift while dragging to
change the range of the selection.
To select across all tracks, do one of the following:

NOTE: If using Calculator Entry mode with the
Time Scale set to Bars:Beats, see “Calculator Entry
Mode and Bars:Beats” on page 201.
Press Escape to exit the Selection Indicators
without entering any values.

■

These shortcuts can also be used to enter
start and end values in the Transport window.

Calculator Entry Mode and Bars:Beats
To use Minus in Calculator mode with the Time
Scale set to Bars:Beats:
1 Highlight the time field you want to change.
2 While pressing Command (Macintosh) or
Control (Windows), press Minus on the numeric keypad.

■ With the Selector, Option-Shift-drag (Macintosh) or Alt-Shift-drag (Windows) in any track.

Enable the All Edit Group and make a selection in any track.

■

■ Drag with the Selector in any Timebase Ruler
(make sure the Edit and Timeline Selections are
linked).

These selections include all tracks in the Edit
window, but do not include the Conductor
tracks (for Tempo, Meter, and Markers).
To select across all tracks, including the
Conductor tracks:
■ Option-drag (Macintosh) or Alt-drag (Windows) with the Selector in any Timebase Ruler.

Chapter 16: Playing and Selecting Track Material

201

Moving and Extending Selections
between Tracks (TDM Systems Only)
With the Commands Focus enabled (TDM systems only), Edit selections can be moved or extended to adjacent tracks.
To move a selection to an adjacent track:
1 Enable the Commands Focus by clicking its
button in the upper left of the Edit window.

To remove the top or bottom track from a
selection:
■ Press Control+Option+P (Macintosh) or
Start+Alt+P (Windows) to remove the top track.

– or –
■ Press Control+Option+semicolon (Macintosh) or Start+Alt+semicolon (Windows) to remove the bottom track.

Other Useful Selection Techniques
Commands Key button, enabled
2 With the Selector or Grabber, make a track se-

lection.

Following are some additional selection techniques.

3 Press P on your computer keyboard to move

To position the edit cursor precisely at a region
start, end, or sync point:

the selection to the previous track.

1 Click with the Selector in the track.

– or –
Press semicolon to move the selection to the
next track.
In either instance, the original Edit selection becomes deselected.

2 Press Tab to move the cursor to the next region start, end, or sync point.

– or –
3 Press Option+Tab (Macintosh) or Control+Tab

(Windows) to move the cursor to the previous
region start, end, or sync point.

To extend a selection to an adjacent track:
1 Enable the Commands Focus.
2 With the Selector or Grabber, make a track se-

lection.
3 Press Shift+P to extend the selection to the
previous track.

– or –
4 Press Shift+semicolon to extend the selection

to the next track.
In either instance, the original Edit selection remains selected.

202

Pro Tools Reference Guide

To make a selection with the Scrubber:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences. In the Operation

page of the Preferences dialog, select the option
for “Edit Insertion Follows Scrub/Shuttle,” then
click Done.
2 Scrub with the Scrubber to find an appropriate
start point for the selection, then release.
3 While pressing Shift, scrub to an appropriate
end point for the selection, then release. The
range between the initial and final scrub becomes selected.

To move a selection to an adjacent region on the
same track:
1 Select a region with the Grabber.
2 Press Control+Tab (Macintosh) or Start+Tab
(Windows) to move the selection to the next region.

– or –
3 Press Control+Option+Tab (Macintosh) or
Start+Control+Tab (Windows) to move the selection to the previous region.

In either instance, the original region becomes
deselected.

Tabbing to Transients
With the Tab to Transients option, you can automatically navigate to transients in audio
waveforms, placing the cursor just before the detected transient peak. This allows you to easily
define selections and play ranges, as well as start
and end points for new regions, without having
to zoom in on the waveform.

Tab to Transients button, enabled

When Tab to Transients is enabled, the Tabbing
function also locates the cursor to region start,
end, and sync points.

To slide an Edit selection in the Ruler:
1 With the Selector or Grabber, make a track se-

lection.
2 While pressing Option (Macintosh) or Alt

(Windows), move the cursor over either of the
Playback Markers in the Ruler (the Grabber appears).

To set the start and end points of a selection with
Tab to Transients:
1 In the upper left of the Edit window, click the
Tab to Transients button so it becomes selected.
2 If you will be setting the play range with this
selection, selection Operations > Link Edit and
Timeline Selection.
3 Click in the audio track just before the beginning of the material you want to select.

Sliding an Edit selection in the Ruler
3 Drag left or right to move the Edit selection
back or forward in time, while preserving its
length.

If the Edit and Timeline selections are unlinked,
Option-drag (Macintosh) or Alt-drag (Windows)
the Edit Markers instead.

4 Press Tab repeatedly until the cursor locates to
the transient at the start of the selection.

If necessary, you can move to the previous transient by pressing Option+Tab (Macintosh) or
Control+Tab (Windows).
5 Press Shift+Tab until the cursor locates to the
end of the selection.

To move the selection end point to the previous
transient, press Shift+Option+Tab (Macintosh)
or Shift+Control+Tab (Windows).
Once selected, the material can be looped for recording or playback, or it can be turned into a
new region with the Separate or Capture command.
Chapter 16: Playing and Selecting Track Material

203

Region List Selection Follows
Track Selection
When the Editing Preference for “Region List Selection Follows Track Selection” is enabled, selecting a region in a track also causes the region
to become selected in the Audio or MIDI Regions List.
Conversely, if the Editing Preference for “Track
Selection Follows Region List Selection” is enabled, selecting a region in the Audio or MIDI
Regions List causes the initial occurrence of that
region to become selected within the track.

Playing Selections
Once an Edit selection is made, you can audition the track range by clicking Play in the
Transport window. If enabled, the pre- and postroll amounts play as well.
To play a selection:

Auditioning Pre- and Post-Roll
You can audition and play just the pre-roll or
post-roll material for a selection.
To play from the pre-roll point to the start of a
selection, or to the current cursor location:
■ Press Option+Left Arrow (Macintosh) or
Alt+Left Arrow (Windows).

To play to the post-roll point from the end of a
selection, or from the current cursor location:
■ Press Command+Right Arrow (Macintosh) or
Control+Right Arrow (Windows).

Auditioning Start and End Points for
Selections
There may be times when you want to audition
the start or end of a selection without hearing
the entire selection. This allows you to quickly
check, for instance, whether the beginning or
end of a selection includes any unwanted clicks
or pops.

1 Make sure to select Operations > Link Edit and
Timeline Selection.
2 With the Selector or Grabber, make a track se-

lection.
3 If desired, enable and set the pre- and post-roll

amounts. For details, see “Setting Pre/Post-Roll”
on page 137.

plays start
(for post amount)

plays end
(for pre amount)

4 Click Play in the Transport window.
plays pre-roll + start

All tracks plays for the range of the selection, including pre/post-roll if enabled.

plays end + post-roll

Playback ranges for auditioning start/end points

To audition a selection start point:
■ Press Command+Left Arrow (Macintosh) or
Control+Left Arrow (Windows).

When auditioning the beginning of a selection,
the selection plays from the start point for a duration equal to the post-roll amount.

204

Pro Tools Reference Guide

To audition a selection start point with pre-roll:

To loop playback of a selection:

Press Command+Option+Left Arrow (Macintosh) or Control+Alt+Left Arrow (Windows).

1 Make sure to select Operations > Link Edit and
Timeline Selection.

To audition a selection end point:

2 With the Selector, select the track range you
want to loop.

■

Press Option+Right Arrow (Macintosh) or
Alt+Right Arrow (Windows).

■

When auditioning the end of a selection, playback begins before the end point by the pre-roll
amount.

3 Select Operations > Loop Playback. When enabled, a loop symbol appears in the Play button
in the Transport window.

To audition a selection end point with post-roll:

Loop Playback enabled

Press Command+Option+Right Arrow (Macintosh) or Control+Alt+Right Arrow (Windows).

You can also enable Loop Playback by Controlclicking (Macintosh) or Right-clicking (Windows) the Play button in the Transport window.
Or, with the Numeric Keypad Mode set to Transport, press 4 on the numeric keypad.

■

Looping Playback
When Loop Playback is enabled, the selected
track range repeats on playback. If there is no selection, playback occurs normally from the current cursor location.

NOTE: A selection must be at least 1 second in
length for it to loop on playback.
Looping playback is a useful way to check the
rhythmic continuity of a selection when working with musical material. If you’re working
with one-bar selections, you can loop playback
to see if the material loops cleanly. If it seems to
skip, you should then adjust the length of the
selection until it works “musically” within the
context of the playlist and the other tracks.

4 Click Play in the Transport window.

Playback begins from the pre-roll point (if enabled) and continues to the selection’s end
point, where it loops back to the start point.
5 Click Stop in the Transport window to stop
playback.

Loop Playback and Audio Recording
When Loop Playback is enabled, Pro Tools will
not loop when attempting to record audio
tracks with QuickPunch, Destructive Record, or
Nondestructive Record mode.
To loop record audio tracks in Pro Tools, you
must enable Loop Record mode.

Chapter 16: Playing and Selecting Track Material

205

Timeline Selections
With the Edit and Timeline selections unlinked,
selections can be made in the Timeline that are
distinct and separate from Edit selections.
With the Edit and Timeline selections linked,
any Edit selections that are made are mirrored in
the Timeline.
Whether the Edit and Timeline selections are
linked or not, the range indicated by the Playback Markers always determines the range for
playback and recording.
For TDM systems, when Continuous Scroll with
Playhead is enabled, it determines where playback begins. For details, see “Playing Edit and
Timeline Selections with the Playhead” on
page 207.

To set the Timeline selection by dragging the
Playback Markers:
1 If desired, set the Edit mode to Grid to constrain movement to the current Grid value.
2 With the Grabber, drag the first Playback
Marker (down arrow) to set the start point.

Dragging a Playback Marker
3 Drag the other Playback Marker (up arrow) to
set the end point.

To set the Timeline selection by typing into the
Transport window:
1 If necessary, resize the Transport window by
clicking in the upper right so the start and end
times are displayed.

To make a Timeline selection with the Selector:
1 If desired, set the Edit mode to Grid to con-

strain the selection to the current Grid value.

2 In the Transport window, click in the start
field.

– or –
2 Drag with the Selector in any Timebase Ruler.

Press Option-slash (Macintosh) or Alt-slash
(Windows) to select the start field in the Transport window.
3 Type in the new start location and press slash

Making a Timeline selection with the Selector

The Timeline selection is indicated in the Ruler
by the blue Playback Markers (red if a track is
record-enabled). The start, end, and length for
the Timeline selection is displayed in the corresponding fields in the Transport window.

To select all tracks, including Conductor
tracks, press Option (Macintosh) or Alt
(Windows) while dragging in a Timebase
Ruler with the Selector.

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to enter the value and automatically move to
the end field.
4 Type in the new end location and press Enter
to accept the value.

Shortcuts for entering start and end values
in the Transport window are listed in “Numeric Entry Shortcuts for Selection Indicators” on page 201.

Sliding a Timeline Selection
Like Edit selections, Timeline selections can be
slid in the Ruler.

Playing Edit and Timeline
Selections with the Playhead
(TDM Systems Only)

To move a Timeline selection in the Ruler:
1 While pressing Option (Macintosh) or Alt

(Windows), move the cursor over either of the
Playback Markers (the Grabber appears).
2 Drag left or right to move the Timeline selection back or forward in time, while preserving
its length.

When Continuous Scroll with Playhead is enabled, selections in the Timeline do not determine when playback begins. The Playhead, itself, denotes where playback begins when
clicking Play in the Transport.
The Edit and Timeline selections, however, can
still be played when the Playhead is enabled.

Timeline Selections to/from Edit
Selections

To play an Edit selection with the Playhead
enabled:

When the Edit and Timeline selections are unlinked, you can copy selections between them.

1 Deselect Operations > Linked Edit and Timeline Selections.

To copy an Edit selection to the Timeline:

2 Select Operations > Scroll Options > Continuous Scroll with Playhead.

Choose Operations > Copy Edit Selection to
Timeline.

3 With the Selector or Grabber, make a track selection.

To copy a Timeline selection to an Edit selection:

4 Choose Operations > Play Edit Selection.

Choose Operations > Copy Timeline Selection
to Edit.

The Playhead jumps to the Edit selection and
plays it from beginning to end, and then stops.

■

To play a Timeline selection with the Playhead
enabled:
1 Deselect Operations > Linked Edit and Timeline Selections.
2 Select Operations > Scroll Options > Continuous Scroll with Playhead.
3 Drag with the Selector in any Timebase Ruler
to set the play range.
4 Choose Operations > Play Timeline Selection.

The Playhead jumps to the Timeline selection
and plays it from beginning to end, and then
stops.

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207

Moving the Playhead
When Continuous Scroll with Playhead is enabled, the Playhead can be moved forward or
back to the next region boundary in the selected
track.
To move the Playhead through a track’s region
boundaries:
1 Click in the track with the Selector.
2 Press Tab to move the Playhead forward to the

next region boundary.
– or –
3 Press Option+Tab (Macintosh) or Control+Tab

(Windows) to move the Playhead back to the
previous region boundary.

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Chapter 17: Working with Regions and
Selections

Because regions are the basic building block of
audio and MIDI tracks, understanding how they
are created, edited, and arranged is essential to
taking full advantage of the editing capabilities
of Pro Tools.
This chapter covers basic editing functions as
they apply to regions and selections. The material, for the most part, applies to both MIDI and
audio data.
For editing procedures more specific to MIDI,
see Chapter 23, “MIDI Editing.” For more advanced editing procedures, see Chapter 18, “Advanced Editing.” You should, however, become
familiar with the information in this chapter before moving on to the others.

Capture Region Command
The Capture Region command defines a selection as a new region and adds it to the Regions
List. From there, the new region can be dragged
to any existing tracks.
To capture a new region:
1 With the Selector, drag within an existing region to select the material for the new region.

Selecting a region portion
2 Choose Edit > Capture Region.
3 Enter a name for the new region and click OK.

Creating New Regions
Pro Tools provides you with several commands
for creating regions, each of them having a
slightly different effect on the selection. When
you create a new region, it appears in the Regions List and in the track’s playlist. For details
on how these new regions are automatically
named, see “Auto-Naming Parameters” on
page 257.

The new region appears in the Regions List. The
selected region portion remains intact and unchanged.

Chapter 17: Working with Regions and Selections

209

Separate Region Command
The Separate Region command defines a selection within an existing region, or a partially selected region, as a new region and separates it
from adjacent material. If there is no selection
and the Edit cursor is placed within the region,
the region is split at the insertion point.

Auto-Name Separated Regions
With the Auto-Name Separated Regions option
in the Editing Preferences selected, Pro Tools automatically names separated regions for you.
The name is a numbered variation of the original region’s name.
To separate one or more regions:
1 With the Selector, drag to select the material
for the new region or regions. The selection can
reside within a single region, across adjacent regions within the same track, or across multiple
tracks.

By separating a region, additional regions are
auto-created from data on either side of the separation, which have new numbers assigned to
their names.

If the Editing Preference for “Separate Region Operates On All Related Takes” is selected and you are editing a region that is
one of a number of related takes with the
same User Time Stamp (created with loop
recording, for example), the Separate Region
command affects each take. For details see,
“Editing Preferences and Take Regions” on
page 135.

Separating Multiple Tracks
Figure 13 illustrates a a separation across three
mono audio tracks and one stereo track. For
some tracks, the selection resides within a region, while others reside at the start or end of a
region.

– or –
Click with the Selector at the point within a region, where you want to split the region in two.
2 Choose Edit > Separate Region.
3 If the Editing Preference for Auto-Name Sepa-

rated Regions is disabled, enter a name for the
new region when prompted, then click OK.
The new regions appear in the tracks in which
they were created, separate from the data surrounding it. They also appear in the Regions
List. From there they can be dragged to other
tracks.
Figure 13. Separating across multiple tracks

Once separated, this material can be easily
moved or copied to another location.

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Separation Grabber

To separate a selection without affecting the
original regions:

You can use the Separation Grabber to automatically separate an edit selection and move it to
another location or another track.
To separate a selection with the Separation
Grabber:
1 With the Selector, drag to select the material

for the new region or regions. The selection can
reside within a single region, across adjacent regions within the same track, or across multiple
tracks.

1 With the Selector, drag to select the material
for the new region or regions. The selection can
reside within a single region, across adjacent regions within the same track, or across multiple
tracks.
2 From the Grabber pop-up, choose the Separation Grabber.
3 While pressing Option (Macintosh) or Alt
(Windows), drag the selection to the new location, or to another track.

2 From the Grabber pop-up, choose the Separation Grabber.

Separation Grabber
3 Drag the selection to the new location, or to
another track.

Dragging to another track with Separation Grabber

New regions containing the previous selection
are created and placed at the new location. The
original selection and regions remain intact.
before
after

Dragging later in track with Separation Grabber

A new region (or regions) containing the previous selection is created, separate from the original selection. New regions are also created from
the material outside the original selection.

Trim To Selection Command
The Trim To Selection command removes data
before and after a region or MIDI note selection,
leaving only the selection. This command provides a handy means of quickly removing all
data in a region (and in some instances the entire track) except for the current selection.
To trim unwanted data from a region or note:
1 With the Selector, select a portion of a region

or note (or a range of notes).
2 Choose Edit > Trim > To Selection to remove
material outside of the selection.

Chapter 17: Working with Regions and Selections

211

Healing a Separation

Placing Regions in Tracks

The Heal Separation command returns separated regions to their original state—provided
the regions are still next to each other and their
relative start/end points haven’t changed since
the separation.

Once you have created a region, it appears in the
Audio or MIDI Regions List. From there you can
drag it to a track to add to an existing arrangement of regions, or you can create a new track
and start adding regions from scratch. The exact
placement of regions in a track depends on
whether the Edit mode is set to Shuffle, Slip,
Spot, or Grid (see “Edit Modes” on page 179 for
details).

If you have trimmed or otherwise changed the
start or end points of the two regions, or moved
them further away from each other, you won’t
be able to repair them with the Heal Separation
command. It is not possible to heal two regions
created from different audio files.
To heal a separation between two regions:
1 With the Selector, make a selection that includes part of the first region, the entire separation between the regions, and part of the second
region.
2 Choose Edit > Heal Separation.

If the regions won’t heal, there are other ways to
return the separated regions to a single region.
Delete one of the two separated regions (make
sure you’re in Slip mode so the gap doesn’t
close) and use the Trimmer to expand the remaining region to its original length. For information on using the Trimmer, see “The Trimmer
Tool” on page 215.

◆

– or –
Delete both of the separated regions and drag
the original region from the Regions List to the
original location. For information on placing regions, see “Placing Regions in Tracks” on
page 212.

◆

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For information on locating regions in the Regions List by typing the first few letters of their
name, see “Keyboard Selection of Regions” on
page 178.
To place a region in a track:
1 In the Audio or MIDI Regions list, select the
region or regions you want to place in a track.
2 Drag the selected regions from the Regions
List to a track at the desired point.

If dragging multiple regions, the regions are
placed on adjacent tracks. If dragging a stereo region, it must be placed in a stereo track or in two
mono tracks.
Regions are placed according to the current Edit
mode:
• In Shuffle mode, existing track regions are slid
as necessary to make room for the new region.
• In Spot mode, you are prompted by the Spot
dialog to enter a location for the dragged region (see “Spotting Regions” on page 219).
• In Grid mode, the dragged region snaps to the
nearest Grid boundary.

• In Slip mode, the regions are placed freely
anywhere in the destination track.

Use the Replace Region function to replace
all occurrences of a region (in all tracks)
with a different region from the Regions
List. See “Replacing Regions” on page 235.

Placing Regions at the Edit
Insertion Point

To place the end of a region at the Edit insertion
point:
1 Click with the Selector in the track at the desired time location.
2 While pressing Command+Control (Macintosh) or Control+Start key (Windows), drag the
region from the Regions list, or from another
track, to the destination track.

– or –

You can easily place and align a region’s start,
end, or sync point to the Edit insertion point.
This technique is useful in post production applications since it allows you to set a reference
point and quickly place sound effects while ensuring that their start point remains consistent.

If the region is already in the track, CommandControl-click (Macintosh) or Control-Start-click
(Windows) the region with the Grabber.

You can drag a region from the same track, from
another track, or from the Audio or MIDI Regions List.

1 Click with the Selector in the track at the desired time location.

NOTE: For TDM systems, when Continuous Scroll
with Playhead is selected, regions snap to the playhead, instead of the Edit insertion point.

To place the sync point of a region at the Edit
insertion point:

2 While pressing Shift+Control (Macintosh) or
Shift+Start key (Windows), drag the region from
the Regions list, or from another track, to the
destination track.

– or –
To place the start of a region at the Edit insertion
point:
1 Click with the Selector in the track at the desired time location.

If the region is already in the track, Shift-Control-click (Macintosh) or Shift-Start-click (Windows) the region with the Grabber.

2 While pressing Control (Macintosh) or the
Start key (Windows), drag the region from the
Regions list, or from another track, to the destination track.

– or –
If the region is already in the track, Controlclick (Macintosh) or Start-click (Windows) the
region with the Grabber.

Chapter 17: Working with Regions and Selections

213

Aligning to Region Start Points
The start, end, and sync point of one region can
be aligned to the start of a different region on
another track.

NOTE: For TDM systems, if Continuous Scroll
with Playhead is enabled, region start, end, and
sync points align to the playhead.
To align the start points of regions on different
tracks:
1 With the Grabber, select the region you want

to align to by clicking it.
2 For TDM systems, if Continuous Scroll with
Playhead is enabled, move the playhead to the
start of the selected region. For details, see
“Moving the Playhead” on page 208.
3 With the Grabber, Control-click (Macintosh)
or Start-click (Windows) the region you want to
move.

– or –
Control-drag (Macintosh) or Start-drag (Windows) a region from the Regions List to another
track.
The start point of the second region is aligned to
the start of the first region.
To align the end point of a region to the start of
another region (on a different track):
1 With the Grabber, select the region you want

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3 With the Grabber, Command-Control-click
(Macintosh) or Control-Start-click (Windows)
the region you want to move.

– or –
Command-Control-drag (Macintosh) or Control-Start-drag (Windows) a region from the Regions List to another track.
The end point of the second region is aligned to
the start of the first region.
To align the sync point of a region to the start of
another region (on a different track):
1 With the Grabber, select the region you want
to align to by clicking it.
2 For TDM systems, if Continuous Scroll with
Playhead is enabled, move the playhead to the
start of the selected region. For details, see
“Moving the Playhead” on page 208.
3 With the Grabber, Shift-Control-click (Macin-

tosh) or Shift-Start-click (Windows) the region
you want to move.
– or –
Shift-Control-drag (Macintosh) or Shift-Startdrag (Windows) a region from the Regions List
to another track.
The sync point of the second region is aligned to
the start of the first region.

The Trimmer Tool
Standard Trimmer
With the Trimmer tool, you can quickly shorten
or expand a region (up to the entire length of
the source audio file). The first time you trim a
region, Pro Tools automatically adds it to the
Regions List as a new region (with a name derived from the original) in order to differentiate
it from the original.
The Standard Trimmer is a nondestructive tool
and doesn’t actually modify the original audio
or MIDI data (when working on regions). To return to the length of the original region, drag it
from the Regions List, or resize the edited region
with the Trimmer to its original length.
Use of the Trimmer is affected by the current
Edit mode: Shuffle, Slip, Spot, or Grid. See “Edit
Modes” on page 179 for more information.

To trim a region:
1 Select the Trimmer tool. For TDM systems,
make sure the Standard Trimmer is selected in
the Trimmer pop-up menu.

Standard Trimmer
2 Move the cursor near the start or end of the re-

gion, so the Trim cursor appears.

Trim cursor

To reverse the direction of the Trim cursor, press
Option (Macintosh) or Alt (Windows).
3 If trimming the end, drag left to shorten the
region, right to lengthen.

The Standard Trimmer can also be used to
lengthen and shorten MIDI notes (see
“Trimming Note Start and End Times” on
page 298), and also to scale automation
and controller data up or down “Drawing
Automation” on page 384.

If trimming the start, drag right to shorten the
region, left to lengthen.

For TDM systems, the Trimmer has three
modes: Standard Trimmer (discussed in
this section), Scrub Trimmer (see “The
Scrub Trimmer” on page 216), and Time
Trimmer (see “The Time Trimmer” on
page 238).

When using Shuffle mode, adjacent regions are
slid as necessary to make room for the edited region. If using Grid mode, the dragged start/end
times snap to the nearest Grid boundary. If using Spot mode, the Spot dialog opens, where
you can enter the new location for the region’s
start or end point.

– or –

When trimming regions in a stereo or multichannel track, all channels are trimmed.

Chapter 17: Working with Regions and Selections

215

The Scrub Trimmer

Trim To Insertion Command

(TDM Systems Only)

You can trim a region or MIDI note by automatically removing the material between the Edit
insertion point and the start or end point.

The Scrub Trimmer is a convenient tool for auditioning material (on up to two tracks) to find a
trim point. You can drag in a track to hear the
audio information, then trim at a specific location by releasing the mouse button.
This action creates a new region. Note that the
cursor changes into a “right trim” or “left trim”
shape as it is placed over the right or left side of
a region. To reverse the direction of the Scrub
Trimmer, press Option (Macintosh) or Alt (Windows) before you click the region.

Region end trimmed to insertion

To trim from a start point to insertion:
Scrub Trimmer over a region

Scrub playback speed and direction vary with
controller movement. Scrubbed audio is routed
through the track signal path, so you hear any
effects in the signal path.

1 With the Selector, click inside the region or
note where you want the new start point to be.
2 Choose Edit > Trim > Start To Insertion. The
region’s start point is automatically trimmed to
the insertion point.

To trim from an end point to insertion:
To scrub trim a track:
1 Click the Scrub Trimmer tool. The cursor

1 With the Selector, click inside the region or
note where you want the new end point to be.

changes to a speaker with a bracket.
2 Drag within a track to the left or right. Audio

from a scrubbed track is routed through the
track signal path, including any TDM effects.
When you locate the desired trim point, release
the mouse button to trim the region.
To scrub trim two tracks, click with the Scrub
Trimmer between two adjacent tracks and drag.
To scrub with finer resolution (without having
to zoom in), press Command (Macintosh) or
Control (Windows) while scrubbing.

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2 Choose Edit > Trim > End To Insertion. The region’s end point is automatically trimmed to the
insertion point.

Trimming with Nudge
You can trim the start and end points of a region
by nudging them.
To trim a region’s start or end point by the Nudge
value:
1 Configure the Nudge value as desired. For de-

tails, see “Defining the Nudge Value” on
page 222.
2 With the Grabber, select the region you want

to trim.
3 While pressing Option (Macintosh) or Alt
(Windows), press Plus or Minus on the numeric
keypad to trim the region’s start point by the
Nudge value.

– or –
While pressing Command (Macintosh) or Control (Windows), press Plus or Minus on the numeric keypad to trim the region’s end point by
the Nudge value.

Sliding Regions
A region or group of selected regions (on the
same track or on multiple tracks) can be slid
with the Grabber tool to new locations or to
other tracks. This feature is useful in music and
post production applications where the timing
of audio events such as sound effects and dialog
need to be spotted to music, film, or video.

To retain a region’s location when dragging
to another track, press Control (Macintosh)
or the Start key (Windows) while dragging.

Region Sync Points
The placement of regions in Grid and Spot
mode can be based on the definition of a region
sync point. Sync points are used when a point
within a region must be aligned to the Grid or to
a particular SMPTE or bar/beat location. This capability is important in placing music and
sound effects for film and video work.
For example, suppose you had an audio region
for a door slam that included the creak of the
door closing, the actual slam, and the reverb of
the slam. You may want to align the “slam” to
other locations within the session.
To identify a region sync point:
1 Set the Edit mode to Slip by clicking its button

in the upper left of the Edit window.
2 With the Selector, click in the region at the
point, usually the peak of the waveform, where
you want to define the sync point.
3 Choose Edit > Identify Sync Point. A small
down arrow appears at the bottom of the region,
indicating the location of the sync point.

Sliding regions is affected by whether the current Edit mode is set to Shuffle, Slip, Spot, or
Grid. See “Edit Modes” on page 179 for details.
Sync point defined

You can slide a copy of a region to another
location or track by pressing Option (Macintosh) or Alt (Windows) while dragging.

To remove a sync point, select the entire region
and choose Edit > Remove Sync Point.

Chapter 17: Working with Regions and Selections

217

Shuffling Regions
In Shuffle mode, you can move regions freely
within a track or onto another track, but their
movement is constrained by other regions. That
is, if you place several regions in a track, their
start and end points automatically snap to each
other. You can then “shuffle” their order, but
you cannot separate them from each other and
you cannot make them overlap as in Slip mode.
In Shuffle mode, adding another region to the
beginning of a track moves all subsequent regions to the right by the length of the region
added.
To shuffle regions:
1 Set the Edit mode to Shuffle by clicking its
button in the upper left of the Edit window.
2 Drag a region from the Regions List to an
empty track. The region snaps to the beginning
of the track.
3 Drag a second region from the Regions List to
the same track, somewhere in the middle. The
start point for the second region snaps to the
end of the first region.
4 With the Grabber, drag the second region to
the beginning of the track.

5 Experiment more with Shuffle mode by dragging additional regions to the track and rearranging them.

Locked regions (see “Locking Regions” on
page 225), and all regions occurring after the
locked region, are not displaced when other
neighboring regions are moved in Shuffle mode.
If there is not enough room to place or duplicate
a region in front of a locked region, the insertion
area is disabled.
If you place a region while in Slip mode and
switch to Shuffle mode, Pro Tools preserves the
relative timing and position of the slipped region, and any blank space between it and other
regions.

Shuffling Multiple Tracks and MultiChannel Regions
Selections across multiple tracks or on multichannel tracks can be shuffled. Unlike shuffling
regions on a single, mono track, any partially selected regions will be cut and moved along with
the dragged region. This lets you retain only the
material that corresponds to the dragged region,
similar to a tape splice and multitrack.

Shuffling this region this cuts
this channel

Regions placed in Shuffle mode

Pro Tools “shuffles” the position of the two regions. The second region now occurs first, yet
the two still cling together.

Shuffling multi-channel regions

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Sliding Regions in Slip Mode
In Slip mode, regions can be moved with the
Grabber freely within a track, or onto other
tracks. In this mode it is possible to place a region so that there is space between it and other
regions in a track. When the track is played
back, this space is silent. It is also possible to
move a region so that it overlaps or completely
covers another region.
To slip regions:
1 Set the Edit mode to Slip by clicking its button

in the upper left of the Edit window.

For even quicker spotting, if you are using
VITC, use the Auto-Spot Regions command
to spot a region to the current SMPTE frame
location with the Grabber. For more information, see “Auto-Spotting Regions” on
page 487.
To spot a region:
1 Set the Edit mode to Spot by clicking its button in the upper left of the Edit window.
2 Drag a region from the Regions List to an existing track.

– or –

2 Drag a region from the Regions List to an

empty track.
3 Drag a second region from the Regions List to
the same track, somewhere in the middle. The
second region is placed wherever you release it.
It doesn’t snap to the first region as in Shuffle
mode.

Click a region already in a track with the Grabber.
3 In the Spot dialog, select the desired time format from the Time Scale pop-up menu.

4 Drag the regions to different locations within
the track to get a feel for moving them in Slip
mode. Try placing the second region so that it
slightly overlaps the first region. Play back the
results.

Spotting Regions
Spot mode is useful for sessions in which you
want to spot regions to precise locations based
on any of the Time Scales. This can be particularly useful when performing post-production
tasks. In Spot mode you can spot a region by
specifying a SMPTE frame (TDM systems only)
or bar and beat location, by capturing an incoming time code address, or by using the region’s
time stamps.

Spot dialog

Each of the fields in the Spot dialog are displayed in the chosen Time Scale.
4 For TDM systems, if the Time Scale is set to
Time Code, select the Use Subframes option to
display subframes in the fields for great accuracy.

Chapter 17: Working with Regions and Selections

219

5 Click in the field for Start, Sync Point, or End
and type in a new location.

– or –
6 Click one of the up arrows next to Original
Time Stamp or User Time Stamp to enter the associated values into the currently selected field.

– or –
7 If you are using an external SMPTE time code
source, click the down arrow next to the Current
Time Code display (or press Equal (=) on the numeric keypad) to capture an incoming time code
address.
8 Click OK. The region is moved to the new lo-

cation specified for its start or sync point.
If a region does not have a sync point defined,
the Sync Point field in the Spot dialog functions
the same as the Start field.
To learn more about using SMPTE with
Pro Tools, refer to Chapter 35, “Time Code Synchronization.”

Region Time Stamps
When a region is created, it is time stamped relative to the SMPTE start time specified for the
session. This Original Time Stamp is permanently stored with the region and cannot be
changed. If a region is ever moved, it can easily
be placed at its original position from the Spot
dialog.
When the Original Time Stamp for a region is
initially set, this same location is also used to define the region’s User Time Stamp.

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Unlike the Original Time Stamp, the User Time
Stamp can be redefined with the Time Stamp Selected command in the Regions List pop-up
menu. For more information, see “Time Stamping” on page 488.
Regions with identical User Time Stamps appear
together in the Takes List pop-up when auditioning takes. For more information, see “Auditioning from the Takes List Pop-up Menu” on
page 134.

Sliding Regions in Grid Mode
In Grid mode, the movement and placement of
regions is constrained to the current Grid value.
Grid boundaries, depending on the Main Time
Scale, can be based on frames, bar and beat values, minutes or seconds, or a number of samples.
This mode is especially useful for lining up regions at precise intervals, as when working with
a session that is bar/beat based. For example, if
the Grid value is set to quarter-notes (0|1|000),
dragging a region to a new location causes it to
snap to the nearest quarter-note boundary.
When the Display Preference for “Draw Grid in
Edit Window” is enabled, vertical Grid lines appear in the Edit window.
Grid lines in the Edit window can also be enabled and disabled by Control-clicking (Macintosh) or Right-clicking (Windows) the Indicator
Dot for any Timebase Ruler.

Defining the Grid Value

To place or move a region while in Grid mode:

In addition to affecting the placement of regions, the Grid value also constrains Edit and
Timeline selections, and determines how the
Quantize Regions command works.

1 Configure the Grid value as desired. For details, see “Defining the Grid Value” on page 221.

To set the Grid value:
1 From the Display menu, select the Time Scale

you will use for the Grid value.
– or –
To keep the Main Time Scale and use a different
time format for the Grid, deselect Follow Main
Timebase in the Grid Value pop-up in the upper
right of the Edit window.
2 From the Grid Value pop-up in the upper right

of the Edit window, select the time value that
will define the Grid boundaries.

2 Drag a region from the Regions List to an existing track.

– or –
With the Grabber, drag a region already in a
track to a new location.
The region’s start point snaps to the closest Grid
boundary. If the region has a sync point defined, the sync point snaps to the Grid boundary.

Nudging
Pro Tools can nudge regions (or MIDI notes) by
precise increments with the Plus and Minus keys
on the numeric keypad. The amount of the
nudge is determined by the value specified in
the Nudge pop-up menu. The Nudge function
can be used in any of the Edit modes.
Nudging can be invaluable for adjusting the
“groove” of a musical phrase or a sound effect
relative to other elements in the session. Since
Pro Tools can nudge material during playback,
you can nudge continuously in real time to adjust the timing relationship between tracks.

Grid Value pop-up showing Bars:Beats

– or –

Nudge can also be used to adjust the placement
of automation breakpoints. For more information, see “Editing Automation” on page 385.

To define a Grid based on the session’s Markers,
selections, and region boundaries, select Regions/Markers from the Grid Value pop-up.

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Defining the Nudge Value

Nudging Regions

The Nudge value determines how far regions
and selections are moved when nudging.

To nudge one or more region:

Start and end points for selections can also be
moved by the Nudge value (see “Nudging Selection Start/End Points” on page 199). In addition, regions can be trimmed by the Nudge
value (see “Trimming with Nudge” on
page 217).
To set the Nudge value:
1 From the Display menu, select the Time Scale
you will use for the Nudge value.

– or –
To keep the Main Time Scale and use a different
time format for the Nudge value, deselect Follow Main Timebase in the Nudge pop-up in the
upper right of the Edit window.
2 From the Nudge pop-up menu in the upper
right of the Edit window, select the Nudge value.

1 Configure the Nudge value as desired. For details, see “Defining the Nudge Value” on
page 222.
2 With the Grabber or Selector, select the region
or regions you want to nudge. The regions can
reside on multiple tracks. Only regions that are
entirely selected will be nudged.
3 On the numeric keypad, press Plus (+) to move
the selection forward by the Nudge value.

– or –
Press Minus (–) to move the selection back by
the Nudge Value.
The Nudge command works the same regardless
of the Edit mode. Adjacent regions are overlapped in Shuffle mode, the Spot dialog does not
appear when in Spot mode, and shifted material
does not snap to the Grid when in Grid mode.

Nudging Regions on Multiple Tracks and
in Multi-Channel Tracks
When nudging a selection of multiple regions,
within a single track or across multiple tracks,
that also contains silence, any automation data
residing within the silence is also nudged.
Nudge pop-up showing Time Code

To specify a Nudge value not listed in the Nudge
pop-up, click in the Nudge field and type in the
value.

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Nudging by Next Nudge Value (TDM
Systems Only)
In addition to nudging by the current Nudge
Value, you can also nudge by the next, larger
value in the Nudge pop-up.
For example, if the Nudge Value is set to 1 frame
and you want to nudge by a larger valuer, you
can nudge by the next, larger Nudge Value of 10
frames.

Nudging a Region’s Contents
Often a region’s start point will reside at the correct location, perhaps at a SMPTE frame or bar,
but the material within the region starts too late
or early. You can, in effect, nudge a region’s audio waveform or MIDI notes without displacing
the region’s start and end points.
before

To nudge forward or back by the next, larger Nudge
Value:
1 Enable the Key Commands Focus by clicking

region contents are slid, moving waveform material into and out of the current region boundaries

the a-z button in the upper left of the Edit window.
2 With the Selector or Grabber, select the regions or notes you want to nudge.
after

3 Press slash (/) to nudge the selected material

forward by the next Nudge Value. Press M to
nudge the selection back.

You can nudge by the next Nudge Value
without enabling the Commands Focus.
While pressing Control (Macintosh) or the
Start key (Windows), press slash (/) or M.

Nudging region content

This “sliding” of region contents is only possible
if there is material residing outside the region’s
start and end points—from the region having
been trimmed, or perhaps captured from a larger
region.
To nudge the contents of a region without
changing the region start/end points:
1 Configure the Nudge value as desired. For details, see “Defining the Nudge Value” on
page 222.
2 With the Grabber, select the region whose
contents you want to nudge.
3 While pressing Control (Macintosh) or the
Start key (Windows), press Plus or Minus on the
numeric keypad to move the material by the
Nudge value.

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Shift Command
Use the Shift command to move track material
forward or back in time by a specified amount.
The Shift command can operate on selections,
regions, MIDI notes, MIDI controller data, and
automation breakpoints.

If a portion of a region was selected, new regions
are created from the selection and from any material outside of the selection.
The Shift command works the same regardless
of the Edit mode. Adjacent regions are overlapped in Shuffle mode, the Spot dialog does not
appear when in Spot mode, and shifted material
does not snap to the Grid when in Grid mode.

To shift a selection or region:
1 Using either the Selector or Grabber, select the

track material you want to shift. The selected
material can reside on multiple tracks.
2 Choose Edit > Shift. In the Shift dialog, select

whether the data will be moved Earlier or Later.
3 Click in one of the Timebase fields to specify
the amount the material will be shifted. Entering a value in one Timebase field automatically
updates the others.

Quantizing Regions
The Quantize Regions command adjusts the
placement of selected audio and MIDI regions
so that their start points (or sync points, if they
contain one) precisely align to the nearest Grid
boundary, which can be based on frames, bar
and beat values, minutes or seconds, or a number of samples.
To quantize one or more regions:
1 Configure the Grid value as desired. For details, see “Defining the Grid Value” on page 221.
2 With the Grabber or Selector, select the region
or regions you wan to quantize. The regions can
on multiple tracks. Only regions that are entirely selected will be quantized.

Shift dialog
4 If desired, select the Use Subframes option for

greater accuracy.
5 Click OK. The material is shifted back or forward by the specified amount.

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3 Choose Edit > Quantize Regions. Region start
times (or sync points) are aligned to the boundaries for the defined Grid.

For MIDI regions, all data contained within the
regions (such as notes) are moved equally,
thereby retaining their rhythmic relationships.
To quantize individual MIDI notes, use the
Quantize command in the MIDI menu (see
“Quantize” on page 311).

Locking Regions

Muting/Unmuting Regions

If you have a region or group of regions that you
want to permanently associate with a particular
location in a track (a beat, SMPTE frame, or sample location), you can lock it in place so it will
not be accidentally moved.

Choosing the Mute/Unmute Region command
mutes playback of a selected region. Choosing
the command a second time unmutes the region. Regions that are muted become dimmed
to indicate their status.

To lock a region:
1 With the Grabber, select the region or regions
to lock. The regions can even reside on multiple
tracks.
2 Choose Edit > Lock Region/Unlock Region.

Muted audio region (middle)

To mute a region or regions:
1 With the Grabber, select the region or regions
you want to mute. The regions can even reside
on multiple tracks.

Locked audio region

A small lock appears in the region, indicating it
has been locked and cannot be moved. If you attempt to perform edits that would move a
locked region, Pro Tools alerts you.
In Shuffle mode, locked regions, and all regions
occurring after the locked region, are not displaced when other neighboring regions are
moved. If there is not enough room to place or
duplicate a region in front of a locked region,
the insertion area is disabled.

Locking a region prevents it from being
moved only—operations such as recording
and automation editing still affect it.

2 Choose Edit > Mute/Unmute Region. The selected regions become dimmed, indicating they
are muted.

To unmute a region, select it and choose Edit >
Mute/Unmute Region.

Edit Commands
Cut, Copy, Clear, and Paste
Use the Cut, Copy and Paste commands to rearrange and edit track material. Edits can operate
on entire regions selected with the Grabber, or
on track ranges selected with the Selector. Edits
can also work across multiple tracks (see “Editing across Multiple Tracks” on page 228).

For TDM systems, you can cut, copy, and
paste discontiguous regions selected with
the Object Grabber.

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When cutting or copying track material, the
track’s Display Format determines the type of
data placed on the Clipboard. When displaying
waveforms for audio tracks, or notes or regions
for MIDI tracks, selections include all underlying automation and controller data. Thus, cutting an audio region also cuts any volume, pan,
mute, send, or plug-in automation that is also
on the track. This saves you from having to individually cut from each automation playlist on
the track.

If tracks are grouped, copying and pasting on
any of the tracks affects each of the other tracks
in the group. Tracks that are hidden—even if
they are part of a group being edited—are not affected by edits.
The current Edit mode affects how material is selected, copied, and pasted:
• In Slip mode, the Cut command leaves an
empty space corresponding to the data removed from the track.
• In Shuffle mode, the Cut command leaves no
empty space, since the regions to the right of
the cut slide over, closing the gap.

Audio waveform data

• In Slip mode, pasted data can overlap an adjacent region.
• In Shuffle mode, pasted data causes all regions
to slide over to make room for the pasted material.

Automation data (breakpoint-type data)

However, when selecting groups of MIDI notes
with the Grabber (by drawing a rectangle
around them), only the note data is placed on
the Clipboard. When selecting a time range of
MIDI notes with the Selector, all controller data
in the track is selected (similar to selecting with
the Selector for audio tracks in Waveform view).
When a track is displaying automation data or
controller data, only that data is placed on the
Clipboard. Also, whenever you cut or copy automation data, bounding breakpoints are created
at each end of the selected area, in order to preserve the slope of the automation both inside
and outside the selection.

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New regions are often auto-created when performing edits. For instance, when clearing a selection from a region, new regions are auto-created from the material residing outside of the
selection.

Clear Command
Use the Clear command to remove a selection
from a track without placing it on the Clipboard.
To clear a selection or region:
1 If desired, set the Edit mode to Grid to constrain the selection to the current Grid value.
2 Set the Display Format for the tracks you want

to edit.

When displaying waveforms for audio tracks, or
notes or regions for MIDI tracks, selections include underlying automation and controller
data. If the track is displaying automation data,
only the automation data is affected by the edits.

3 Drag with the Selector in the track to select
the material you want to cut or copy.

3 Drag with the Selector in the track to select
the material you want to clear.

4 Choose Edit > Cut to remove the selection and

– or –
Use the Grabber to select one or more regions
(or a group of MIDI notes).

place it on the Clipboard.

– or –

Use the Grabber to select one or more regions
(or a group of MIDI notes).

Choose Edit > Copy to place the selection on the
Clipboard, without removing it.

4 Choose Edit > Clear to remove the selection.

If a portion of a region was cut or copied, the
material on the Clipboard appears as a new region in the Regions List. If a portion of a region
was cut, new regions are auto-created from the
material residing outside of the selection.

If a portion of a region was cleared, new regions
are auto-created from the material residing outside of the selection. If working in Shuffle mode,
adjacent regions are slid over, as necessary, to
fill the blank space.

Cut and Copy Commands
Use the Copy command to place a selection on
the Clipboard so it can be pasted to another
track, or to the same track at a different location.
Use the Cut command to place the selection on
the Clipboard while also removing it from the
track.
To cut or copy a selection or region:
1 If desired, set the Edit mode to Grid to constrain the selection to the current Grid value.
2 Set the Display Format for the tracks you want

to edit.

When working in Shuffle mode, adjacent regions are slid over, as necessary, to fill blank
spaces.

Deleting Underlying Region Data
In Slip mode, Regions can be placed so that they
overlap or completely cover other regions.
When removing a region or selection, you can
also remove the underlying region data.
To delete a region or selection along with the
underlying region data:
■

Choose Edit > Cut.

To delete a region or selection without removing
the underlying region data:
■

Choose Edit > Clear.

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Paste Command
Use the Paste command to place the Clipboard’s
contents at the Edit insertion point, overwriting
existing material already there.

For TDM systems, the Fill Paste command
can be used to fill a selection with the contents of the Clipboard. For details, see “Repeat Paste To Fill Selection” on page 237.

To paste a selection or region:

Copying and Pasting Automation

1 If desired, set the Edit mode to Grid to constrain the insertion point or selection to the current Grid value.

The following are two special functions for
copying and pasting automation data.

2 With the Selector, click in a track at the point

where you want to paste the material. Press Tab
to move the insertion point forward to region
start and end times—to move back, press Option+Tab (Macintosh) or Control+Tab (Windows).
– or –
Use the Selector or Grabber to make a selection
where the material will be placed.
3 Choose Copy > Paste.

If pasting at an insertion point in Shuffle mode,
material to the right of the paste point is shifted
to the right. In Slip mode, the material is overwritten with the paste.

◆ To copy all automation playlists for a track,
press Control (Macintosh) or the Start key (Windows) when copying from any of the track’s automation playlists. This special function also
works across multiple tracks.
◆ To paste from one type of automation playlist
to another similar playlist (for instance, from a
volume playlist to a send level playlist), press
Control (Macintosh) or the Start key (Windows)
when pasting.

For more information on working with automation data, see Chapter 28, “Automation.”

Editing across Multiple Tracks
When working with data from multiple tracks,
there are some important points to remember.

If pasting into a selection in Shuffle mode, the
selection is replaced by the Clipboard’s contents
with the adjacent material slid left or right as
necessary. In Slip mode, the selection is also replaced but with the surrounding material remaining unchanged.

When working with MIDI, you can merge
the contents of the Clipboard with material
in the destination track. For details, see
“Merge Paste Command” on page 231.
Tracks displayed in different data formats

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For instance, if any of the selected tracks are set
to display audio or MIDI regions (or MIDI
notes), edits affect not only MIDI and audio for
the selected tracks, but all automation and controller data as well.
If all selected tracks are displayed as automation
data, edits only affect the type of automation
data displayed in each track. Thus, if track 1 displays Pan automation, track 2 displays Volume
automation, and track 3 displays Mute automation, the Cut command cuts only pan data from
track 1, volume data from track 2, and mute
data from track 3.

For details on selecting data on multiple
tracks, see “Selecting Across Multiple
Tracks” on page 201.
When copying only automation or controller
data for selected tracks, press Control (Macintosh) or the Start key (Windows) to copy all
types of automation on all selected tracks.
To paste to multiple tracks, place the insertion
point in each of the destination tracks by Shiftclicking in them—or to select all tracks, OptionShift-click (Macintosh) or Alt-Shift-click (Windows) in a track, or make a selection in one of
the Timebase Rulers.
When you paste multiple types of data, whatever data has been copied is pasted into the correct type of playlist. Automation data is pasted
into the appropriate automation playlist (pan,
volume, mute and so on). Audio/MIDI data is
pasted into the audio/MIDI playlist. You don’t
need to set target tracks to the specific type of
data being pasted for the paste to work correctly.

Duplicate Command
The Duplicate command copies a selection and
places it immediately after the end of the selection. Though this is similar to using Copy and
Paste, Duplicate is more convenient and faster,
particularly when working with data on multiple tracks.
To make more than one copy of a selection, use
the Repeat command (see “Repeat Command”
on page 230).
As with the Copy and Paste commands, certain
rules apply when duplicating material on multiple tracks. For details, see “Editing across Multiple Tracks” on page 228.

The Duplicate command does not operate
on conductor events.
To duplicate a selection or region:
1 If working with material that is bar- and beatbased, such as loops, set the Main Time Scale to
Bars:Beats.
2 If desired, set the Edit mode to Grid to constrain the selection to the current Grid value.
3 Drag with the Selector in the track to select
the material you want to duplicate.

– or –
Click in the track and enter the start and end
points for the selection in the Event Edit area.
4 Choose Edit > Duplicate. The material is
placed immediately after the selection’s end
point.

If all destination tracks in a multitrack paste are
displayed as automation, the paste replaces any
previous data on the target track without shuffling—regardless of whether you are in Slip or
Shuffle mode.
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In Shuffle mode, the duplicated data is placed
directly after the end of the selection. Regions
occurring after it are slid to accommodate the
duplicated material. In Slip mode, the duplicated material overlaps any adjacent data.
When using Duplicate or Repeat with MIDI
notes that were selected with the Grabber, material is always duplicated one measure later, and
is merged with existing track material (instead
of replacing).

Duplicating Audio
When using Duplicate or Repeat for audio that
must fall cleanly on the beat (for loops), it is important that you select the audio material with
the Selector, or by typing in the start and end
points in the Event Edit area. If you select an audio region with the Grabber (or by double-clicking it with the Selector), the material may drift
by several ticks because of sample-rounding.
If, on the other hand, you want to Duplicate or
Repeat audio that is not bar- and beat-based, set
the Time Scale to any format except Bars:Beats.
This ensures that the duplicated audio material
will have the correct number of samples and will
be placed accordingly.

Repeat Command
The Repeat command is similar to Duplicate,
but allows you to specify the number of times
the selected material is duplicated.
As with the Copy and Paste commands, certain
rules apply when repeating material on multiple
tracks. For details, see “Editing across Multiple
Tracks” on page 228.

The Repeat command does not operate on
conductor events.

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To repeat a selection or region:
1 If working with material that is bar- and beatbased, such as loops, set the Main Time Scale to
Bars:Beats.
2 If desired, set the Edit mode to Grid to constrain the selection to the current Grid value.
3 Drag with the Selector in the track to select
the material you want to repeat.

– or –
Click in the track and enter the start and end
points for the selection in the Event Edit area.
4 Choose Edit > Repeat. In the Repeat dialog,
enter the number of times you want the material to repeat, then click OK.

Repeat dialog

The material is placed immediately after the selection’s end point, and duplicated by the number of times specified.
In Shuffle mode, the repeated data is placed directly after the end of the selection. Regions occurring after it are slid to accommodate the repeated material. In Slip mode, the repeated
material overlaps any adjacent data.

Merge Paste Command
(MIDI Only)
Use the Merge Paste command to merge MIDI
notes from the Clipboard with material already
residing in the paste destination. To replace
track material, use the Paste command instead.
To merge MIDI data:
1 If desired, set the Edit mode to Grid to con-

strain the selection to the current Grid value.
2 Drag with the Selector in the track to select
the MIDI notes you want to merge.

– or –
Use the Grabber to select one or more MIDI regions (or a group of MIDI notes).
3 Choose Edit > Cut to remove the selection and

place it on the Clipboard.
– or –
Choose Edit > Copy to place the selection on the
Clipboard without removing it.

Editing Stereo and MultiChannel Tracks
Regions on individual channels within stereo
and multi-channel tracks cannot be independently selected. All selections for these tracks are
time based, which means that selections made
with the Selector and Grabber extend to each
channel in the track.
When regions in multi-channel tracks are edited
with the Trimmer or dragged with the Grabber,
material on all channels is affected equally as a
group.

Split Selected Tracks
To edit a specific channel within a stereo or
multi-channel track without affecting the other
channels, you can split the track into separate
mono tracks. Once the desired edits have been
made to the separated material, you can then
drag or copy it back to the original multi-channel track.
To split a stereo or multi-channel track:

4 With the Selector, click in a MIDI track at the

point where you want to merge the material.
5 Choose Edit > Merge Paste. The Clipboard’s
contents are pasted at the insertion point, without removing the existing material already residing there.

If any portion of the material is pasted outside
of existing regions, a new region is created for
the data.

1 Select the track you want to split by clicking
its name in the Edit or Mix window. To split
multiple tracks, Shift-click additional tracks.
2 Choose File > Split Selected Tracks Into Mono.
Regions from the channels on the selected
tracks are placed on new, mono audio tracks.

Names for the new tracks are based on the
source track name and channel suffix. For example, if a stereo track called “Funkit” is split, two
new tracks called “Funkit.L” and “Funkit.R” are
created.

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Output and send assignments and volume and
pan settings are retained in the new tracks.
Mono equivalents of stereo and multi-mono
plug-in assignments are assigned in the new
tracks; multi-channel plug-in assignments are
not assigned in the new tracks.

Dragging Regions to and from Stereo
and Multi-Channel Tracks

Multi-channel regions can also be dragged from
the Audio Regions List, to multi-channel tracks
of the same format, groups of mono audio
tracks, or a combination of both.
Conversely, a collection of single, mono regions
can be dragged from the Audio Regions List to
multi-channel tracks—provided the dragged
number of regions matches the number of channels in the destination track.

Processing Audio with
AudioSuite Plug-Ins

Dragging a stereo region to two mono audio tracks

When dragging regions to or from stereo or
multi-channel tracks, the following rules apply:
Provided the number of tracks and channels
are the same for the source and destination, you
can drag regions between multi-channel tracks
and mono tracks.

◆

The source and destination for dragged regions can be mixed. For example, you can drag
regions from a 5.0 track (containing five channels) to a stereo track and three mono audio
tracks.

The AudioSuite plug-ins included with your
Pro Tools system can be used to process and
modify an audio region or entire audio file. You
may do this in order to apply a specific AudioSuite process, such as Normalization or DC Offset Removal, that you know you will always
want applied to the audio.

Refer to the DigiRack Plug-Ins Guide for
more information about AudioSuite plugins.

◆

When dragging multi-channel regions to
mono tracks, the destination tracks must be adjacent.

◆

When dragging regions from mono tracks to a
multi-channel track, the source tracks need not
by adjacent.

◆

Waveform Repair with the
Pencil Tool
The Pencil tool allows you to destructively “redraw” waveform data. This tool is most commonly used to repair a pop or click in an audio
file. A pop or click appears as a sudden sharp
spike in a waveform. This tool only becomes active when the Edit window is zoomed in to the
sample level.

The Pencil tool is a destructive editing tool
that permanently modifies the audio file on
disk and should be used with caution.

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Before using the Pencil tool, it is recommended
that you create a backup copy of the target audio. You can do this by using the AudioSuite Duplicate plug-in.
To make a backup copy of an audio region:

4 Carefully draw with the Pencil by dragging
over the desired area of the waveform.

Don’t over-edit or the results may be undesirable. You can use the Undo command to undo
your previous edit.

1 Select the source region in the track’s playlist.
2 Choose AudioSuite > Duplicate.
3 In the AudioSuite dialog, make sure that
“Playlist” is the processing preference, and that
Use In Playlist is selected.
4 Click the Process button.

The AudioSuite Duplicate plug-in creates a new
audio file that is a duplicate of the original. The
duplicate replaces the original on the track, and
it is automatically named with the region name
and the suffix “DUPL.”

Repairing a “pop” with the Pencil tool

Try to limit editing to smoothing over a very
small problem area, and keep the “fixes” in
character with the shape of the surrounding
wave.

To destructively edit an audio waveform with the
Pencil tool:
1 Locate the area you want to edit. Adjust the
Track Height, as necessary, to edit the waveform
with greater precision.
2 Using the Zoomer tool or the Vertical Zoom
buttons, zoom down to the sample level so the
waveform appears as a continuous thin line.

You can recall zoom levels with the Zoom
Preset buttons (see “Zoom Preset Buttons”
on page 182), or with Memory Locations
(see “Memory Locations and Markers” on
page 270).
3 Select the Pencil tool.

Pencil tool

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Chapter 18: Advanced Editing

Replacing Regions
(TDM Systems Only)
You can use the Replace Region function to replace multiple instances of a region in a playlist
with another region that you Command-drag
(Macintosh) or Control-drag (Windows) from
the Regions List.
This is useful in post-production if you use a
sound effect, room noise, or atmosphere region
many times in a session, and later decide to replace one or all of the original regions with a different region.
This is also useful in music production if you
want to replace a certain loop or sample (for example, a drum beat) with a new one. You can
use this compositionally, if you know the tempo
of a section or session, to create a scratch piece
with “rough” regions of the correct length, and
later replace them with “final” regions of the
same length.

Replace Region dialog

The following options are available in the Replace Region dialog:
Replace Original Region Replaces only the selected region with the replacement region
dragged from the Regions List.
Replace All Regions That Match Original Replaces all regions that fit the Match criteria and
the Find Match On criteria with the replacement region from the Regions List.

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Match: Start Position Replaces all regions that
have the same original start time as the selected
region. This includes regions that may have
been auto-created when trimming end points.
Match: End Position Replaces all regions that
have the same original end time as the selected
region. This includes regions that may have
been auto-created when trimming start points.
Match: Region Name Replaces all regions that
have the same name as the selected region.
Region matching uses all specified Match criteria. For example, if you select Start Position and
End Position, all regions from the same original
audio file as your selection with the same original start and end times will be replaced.
Find Match On: Target Track Replaces regions
that fit the Match criteria and are on the same
track as the original region.
Find Match On: All Tracks Replaces regions that
fit the Match criteria for all tracks in the session.
Fit to: Original Region Length If the replacement
region is smaller than the original region, the region is placed in the playlist and any remaining
audio from the original region is removed.
If the replacement region is larger than the selection, it is placed in the playlist and trimmed
to fit within the length of the original region.
Fit to: Original Selection Length When the playlist selection extends beyond the original region,
the replacement region (if larger than the original region) is trimmed to fit within the selection.

Fit to: Replacement Region Length The replacement region is placed in its entirety, regardless
of the length of the original region or selection.
The Replace Region function only works on a selection that includes a single region on one
track. The function is not available when the
playlist selection includes the start points for
two or more regions. Also, if the selection is
across several tracks, only the selection in the
first (top) track is used.
To replace regions:
1 Select a region in a track’s playlist that you
want to replace. If desired, the selection can extend beyond the region’s end point, to include
material from the replacement region that is
longer than the original region.
2 Command-drag (Macintosh) or Control-drag
(Windows) the replacement region from the Regions List to the selected region. The Replace Region dialog opens.
3 If you only want to replace only the original
region, select Replace Original Region.

– or –
If you want to replace multiple regions, select
Replace All Regions That Match Original, and
set the Match criteria.
4 Select whether to apply the replacement to all

tracks, or only to the track with the current selection.
5 Select whether to fit the replacement regions
to the current selection, the entire region, or the
entire replacement region regardless of the destination length.
6 When you have set all the options, click OK.

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Replace Region and Multi-Channel
Tracks
The Replace Region command supports dragging multi-channel regions from the Audio Regions List to multi-channel tracks, provided
they are the same format.
For example, you can replace a stereo region, selected in a stereo audio track, with another stereo region from the Audio Regions List. But you
cannot replace it with two mono audio regions.
In addition, replacing regions in multiple mono
tracks with multi-channel regions is not supported.

Repeat Paste To Fill Selection
(TDM Systems Only)

To fill a selection with Fill Paste:
1 Select the audio or MIDI region you want to
copy and choose Edit > Copy.
2 Select the area you want to fill using the Selec-

tor and choose Edit > Repeat Paste To Fill Selection.
3 If pasting audio regions, the Batch Fades dialog opens. Configure the dialog as desired to insert crossfades between each pasted region, then
click OK.

– or –
If you do not want crossfades for the pasted audio, click Cancel in the Batch Fades dialog.

Compress/Expand Edit To
Play

The Repeat Paste To Fill Selection command allows you to automatically fill a selection with
audio or MIDI data without requiring you to duplicate the regions manually. To use Repeat
Paste, copy an audio or MIDI region, then make
a selection and use the command to fill the selection. When pasting audio regions, you are
prompted to specify a crossfade to be used for
the pasted regions.

(TDM Systems Only)

If you fill an area that is an exact multiple of the
copied region size (for example, filling 16 bars
with a 4-bar loop), the copied selection is pasted
in exactly as many times as it takes to fill the selection. If you fill an area that is not an exact
multiple of the copied region size (for example,
filling 15 seconds of a track with a 2 second atmosphere or room noise region), the remaining
selection area is filled with an automatically
trimmed version of the original selection.

1 Deselect Operations > Link Edit and Timeline

When the Edit and Timeline selections are unlinked, you can compress or expand an audio selection to fit the Timeline selection. This feature
works by using the Time Compression/Expansion plug-in to expand or compress the selected
audio material.
To fit an Edit selection to the Timeline:
Selection.
2 With the Selector, select the audio material to
be compressed or expanded.
3 In any Timebase Ruler, select the time range
where you want to fit the audio material.
4 Choose Edit > Compress/Expand Edit To Play.
The Edit selection is compressed or expanded to
the length of the Timeline selection.

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Compress/Expand Edit to Play on
Multiple Tracks and Channels
The Compress/Expand Edit Play command can
be used on multi-channel selections, and selections across multiple tracks,
However, all regions are compressed or expanded equally by the same percentage value,
based on Edit selection range. This ensures that
the rhythmic relationship between the different
channels or tracks is retained.

Fitting an Audio Region to an Edit
Selection
Regions can be dragged from the Audio Regions
List to fit within an Edit selection. The dragged
region is compressed or expanded to fit within
the selection. This feature uses the Time Compression/Expansion plug-in to expand or compress the audio region.
To fit an audio region to an Edit selection:
1 With the Selector, select the desired time

range in an audio track.
2 Command-Option-drag (Macintosh) or Control-Alt-drag (Windows) the region from the Audio Regions List to the track with the selection.
The start of the region is positioned at the selection start, and the region is compressed or expanded to match the length of the selection.

Fit to Selection on Multiple Tracks and
Channels
The Fit to Selection command supports dragging multiple regions from the Audio Regions
List to multiple tracks, or multi-channel tracks.
However, all dragged regions are compressed or
expanded equally by the same percentage value,
based on length of the region last clicked before
dragging.
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The Time Trimmer
(TDM Systems Only)
The Time Trimmer is a convenient tool for
matching an audio region to the length of another region, a tempo grid, a video scene, or to
practically any other reference point you want.

Time Trimmer over a region

The Time Trimmer works by using the Time
Compression/Expansion AudioSuite plug-in to
create a new audio file. You use the Time Trimmer by dragging the region’s start or end point
to expand or compress the region.

Time Compression/Expansion Plug-In
Preferences
You can select settings for the Time Compression/Expansion AudioSuite plug-in by choosing
from the pop-up list in the Processing Preferences, under “Default TC/E Settings.” The settings available are presets included with
Pro Tools; in addition, if you save your own presets for the Time Compression/Expansion plugin, they will also appear here.

Refer to the DigiRack Plug-Ins Guide for
more information about AudioSuite plugins.

Using the Time Trimmer in Grid Mode

Using the Time Trimmer in Spot Mode

The Time Trimmer can be used in Grid Mode to
match a region to the tempo of a session or a
section of a session. For example, you might import a one-bar drum loop with a tempo of 90
BPM into a session with a tempo of 120 BPM. In
Grid Mode, you can use the Time Trimmer to
simply and quickly “compress” the drum loop
to the length of one measure, with minimal loss
of audio fidelity.

In Spot Mode, clicking with the Time trimmer in
a region opens the Spot Dialog. You can specify
the location you want the region to start or end
at, or the duration of the region, and the region
is automatically compressed or expanded as
specified.

To use the Time Trimmer in Grid Mode:

2 Select “TCE Trimmer” from the Trimmer pop-

1 Set the Edit mode to Grid.
2 Select “TCE Trimmer” from the Trimmer pop-

up menu.

Trimmer set to TCE
3 With the Time Trimmer, drag the region’s start

To use the Time Trimmer in Spot Mode:
1 Set the Edit mode to Spot.

up menu.
3 Click the region near its start or end point.
The Spot Dialog opens. Using any Time Scale,
enter a new start or end time (or duration) for
the region, then click OK. A new region is automatically processed using the Time Compression/Expansion AudioSuite plug-in. The new
region appears in the playlist and in the Regions
List.

or end point to compress or expand the region
to the grid (for example, by quarter notes). The
region is automatically processed using the
Time Compression/Expansion AudioSuite plugin. The new region appears in the playlist and in
the Regions List.

Using the Time Trimmer in Slip Mode
To use the Time Trimmer in Slip Mode:
1 Set the Edit mode to Slip.
2 Select “TCE Trimmer” from the Trimmer pop-

up menu.
3 With the Time Trimmer, drag the region’s start

or end point to compress or expand the region
freely. A new region is automatically processed
using the Time Compression/Expansion AudioSuite plug-in. The new region appears in the
playlist and in the Regions List.

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Chapter 19: Fades and Crossfades

Using Crossfades
You can quickly and easily crossfade between
two adjacent audio regions. Crossfading is the
process of fading two regions of audio to prevent pops, clicks, or sudden changes in sound.
Crossfades have many applications, from
smoothing transitions between regions to creating special audio effects. The crossfade duration,
position, and shape are all user-definable.
Crossfades are computed and written to disk.
Crossfades that are written to disk are stored in a
folder named “Fade Files” within the session
folder. When you play back your track,
Pro Tools reads and plays back the crossfade file
from disk.

Pro Tools 24 and MIX systems include an
Auto Fade feature that provides real-time
fades without processing them to disk. See
“Using AutoFades” on page 250.

About Crossfades and Curves
To create a crossfade between two regions, use
the Selector to select across the end point of the
first region and the start point of the second.
The length of the selection determines the
length of the crossfade. Though fades may appear to be discrete regions, they cannot actually
be separated from the regions in which they
were created. You can, however, create fade-ins
and fade-outs for individual regions (see “Creating Fades at the Beginnings and Ends of Regions” on page 249).
You can use the Fades dialog to select, view, and
manipulate the curves used to perform the
crossfade. Different volume curves can be assigned to the fade-out and fade-in portions of
crossfades. The Fades dialog can also render a
preview of the fade.
The following examples illustrate common
crossfade types, and explain how the type of selection you make determines the character of
the crossfade.

NOTE: Since crossfades are created by fading between overlapping audio material, a crossfade cannot be performed on regions that do not contain audio material beyond their region boundaries.

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Standard Crossfade (“Centered”)
splice point

region 1

fade out
curve

fade in
curve

Post Crossfade
border of region 1 and 2

region 2

crossfade selection

region 1

region 2

selection range begins just after end of region 1

‘Centered’ crossfade

‘Post’ crossfade

This type of selection creates a crossfade on both
sides of the splice point, which affects the volume of region 1 and region 2. It is the most
common type of crossfade.

This type of selection creates a crossfade after
the splice point. It is useful if you want to maintain the amplitude of region 1 until its very end.
When making selections for crossfades that occur on the border of two regions, you can use
the Tab key to move the cursor to the exact beginning or end of a region.

This crossfade type requires that region 1 contain audio material beyond its end point, and
region 2 contain audio material before its start
point.

This crossfade type requires that region 1 contain audio material beyond its end point.

Pre Crossfade

The Fades Dialog
border of region 1 and 2

region 1

region 2

When choosing the Fades command you can
use the Fades dialog to select, view, and preview
the crossfade, and to edit the curves used to perform the crossfade.

selection range extends just up to beginning of region 2

‘Pre’ crossfade

This type of selection creates a crossfade before
the splice point. This lets you maintain the volume of the very beginning of region 2 instead of
fading across it, which is useful if there is a
strong attack at the beginning of region 2 that
you want to preserve. When making selections
for crossfades that occur on the border of two regions, you can use the Tab key to move the cursor to the exact beginning or end of a region.
This crossfade type requires that region 2 contain audio material before its start point.
Fades dialog

The controls in the Fades dialog include:

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Audition

Fade Curves Only

Click this button to audition your crossfade.
Pro Tools plays the audio in one of two ways,
depending on your system:

Click this button to display the specified fade
curves without showing the actual audio waveforms. This is the default view when you open
the Fades dialog.

Pro Tools 24 MIX and Pro Tools 24 systems allow crossfade auditioning directly from your audio interface outputs.

◆

All other Pro Tools systems use Apple’s Sound
Manager to audition crossfades. Use the Digidesign Sound Drivers (automatically installed with
Pro Tools) to audition via your audio interface
outputs. Use the Macintosh Sound Control
Panel to set the Output choice to Digidesign
Sound Drivers. (If you do not use the Sound
Drivers, you will hear crossfades through the
Macintosh’s audio output.)

Fade Curves and Separate Waveforms

◆

View First Track

Click this button to display the specified fade
curves along with separate views of the fade-in
and fade-out waveforms.
Fade Curves and Superimposed Waveforms

Click this button to display the specified fade
curves along with superimposed views of the
fade-in and fade-out waveforms.
Fade Curves and Summed Waveform

If you are fading between more than one track,
this button allows you to view and preview the
audio of the first pair of adjacent tracks.
View Second Track

Click this button to display the specified fade
curves along with a single waveform representing the summation of the crossfaded audio.
Zoom In

If you are fading between more than one track
this button allows you to view and preview the
audio of the second pair of adjacent tracks.
View Both Tracks

Click this button to scale the view of the waveform’s amplitude upwards. Command-click
(Macintosh) or Control-click (Windows) for the
default view scale.

Click this button to display the waveforms of
the first two adjacent tracks in a multitrack fade.

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Zoom Out

Click this button to scale the view of the waveform’s amplitude downwards. Command-click
(Macintosh) or Control-click (Windows) for the
default view scale.

Fade Out Shape Parameter

◆ Preset Curve 1 keeps region 1 at full volume
throughout the crossfade, then immediately
drops the volume at the end of the crossfade.

Preset Curve 1
◆ Preset Curve 2 fades out region 1 relatively
slowly, keeping the volume fairly high throughout the duration of the fade.

Preset Curve 2

Fade Out Shape

◆ Preset Curve 3 fades out region 1 slightly
faster, keeping the volume slightly lower during
the fade.

The Out Shape parameter allows you to choose
the shape of the fade-out from region 1.
Standard Selects a single continuous fade curve.
This creates a general-purpose fade that can be
edited by dragging the curve itself.
S-Curve Selects an S-shaped curve, which inverts
its beginning and end characteristics. This
makes it possible to fade in faster at the curve’s
start and slower at its end, for example. S-shaped
curves can be useful with material that is difficult to crossfade effectively. S-curves can be edited by dragging the curve in the curve editor.
Preset Curves Seven commonly used preset
curves are provided for fast crossfade creation.
These can be edited by dragging the end points
of the curve in the curve editor portion of this
dialog. The seven presets are as follows:

Preset Curve 3
◆ Preset Curve 4 fades out region 1 with a linear
fade. This is the default curve.

Preset Curve 4
◆ Preset Curve 5 fades out region 1 quickly at
the beginning of the crossfade.

Preset Curve 5
◆ Preset Curve 6 drops the volume of region 1
even more quickly at the beginning of the crossfade.

Preset Curve 6

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Preset Curve 7 silences region 1 at the beginning of the crossfade.

◆

Preset Curve 7

Link Parameters

None Disables linking between the fade-out and
fade-in curves, and lets you freely adjust them
separately, including start and end points. This
option also allows you to create custom crossfade shapes. To edit only the fade-in portion of
the curve, press Option (Macintosh) or Alt
(Windows) while dragging. To edit only the
fade-out portion of the curve, press Command
(Macintosh) or Control (Windows) while dragging.

Fade Link

The Link parameter links the selected fade-out
and fade-in curves. If you adjust one curve, the
corresponding curve also adjusts. This ensures
that the resulting crossfade is an equal power or
equal gain crossfade, depending on which you
select.
Equal Power Recommended for material that is
not phase coherent, as in the case of a crossfade
between two completely different types of material. Use this option to avoid the volume drop
that can occur with an Equal Gain crossfade.
With this fade, you can Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) the fade curve to
reset it to its default shape.
Equal Gain Recommended for material that is
phase-coherent or nearly phase-coherent, as in
the case of a crossfade between identical regions/instruments (a repeated drum loop, for
example). Use this option to avoid clipping that
can occur when using an Equal Power crossfade.
With this fade, you can Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) the fade curve to
reset it to its default shape.

Adjusting the end point of a fade curve

Use Dither

Dither option for Fade

The Use Dither option turns on a preset, noiseshaped dither function that improves audio performance when mixing or fading low-level audio signals. Use this option for fading in or fading out silence, and crossfading between low
amplitude regions. Dithering is usually not necessary when fading between two regions of high
amplitude. You can disable Dither while editing
your crossfades in the Fades dialog to speed up
previews and fade recalculation, then re-enable
Dither to create the final crossfade.

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Fade In Shape Parameters

◆ Preset Curve 2 fades in region 2 quickly in the
beginning, reaching full amplitude fairly early
in the crossfade.

Preset Curve 2
Fade In Shape

◆ Preset Curve 3 fades in region 2 moderately
fast.

The In Shape parameter allows you to choose
the shape of the fade-in to region 2.
Standard Selects a single continuous fade curve.
This creates a general-purpose fade that can be
edited by dragging the curve itself.
S-Curve Selects an S-shaped curve, which inverts
its beginning and end characteristics. This
makes it possible to fade in faster at the start of
the curve, and slower at the end. S-shaped
curves are useful with material that is difficult to
crossfade effectively. S-curves can be edited by
dragging the curve in the curve editor.
Preset Curves Seven commonly used preset
curves are provided for fast crossfade creation.
These can be edited by dragging the end points
of the curve in the curve editor portion of this
dialog. The seven presets are as follows:
Preset Curve 1 fades in region 2 at full volume
immediately at the beginning of the crossfade
and keeps it there throughout the crossfade.

Preset Curve 3
◆ Preset Curve 4 fades in region 2 with a linear
fade curve. This is the default curve.

Preset Curve 4
◆ Preset Curve 5 fades in region 2 slowly at the
beginning of the crossfade.

Preset Curve 5
◆ Preset Curve 6 fades in region 2 even more
slowly than the previous curve.

◆

Preset Curve 6
◆ Preset Curve 7 silences region 2 until the end
of the crossfade.

Preset Curve 1

Preset Curve 7

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Typical Curve Combinations

Fade and Crossfade Preferences

Following are the available combinations of
fade-out and fade-in curves.

(TDM Systems Only)

Linear Crossfade This is a good general purpose
crossfade with a smooth, even transition between region 1 and region 2.
1-out

2-in

You can set default fade and crossfade settings.
These settings load as your “base” settings when
you use the Create Fades command, and the
Fade to Start and Fade to End commands.
To set the crossfade preferences:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences and click Editing.

Linear Crossfade

2 Set the Pre-Roll and Post-Roll times for Fade
previews.

Equal Power Crossfade This is a good general
purpose crossfade useful in cases where a linear
crossfade seems to create a noticeable drop in
volume across the splice point.
Fade and Crossfade Preferences
1-out

2-in

Equal Power Crossfade

Overlap Fade This combination of curves keeps
both regions at full amplitude throughout the
crossfade: region 2 “jumps in” at the beginning
and region 1 “jumps out” at the end.

3 Click Fade In and set the default shape for
fade-ins, then click OK.
4 Click Fade Out and set the default shape for
fade-outs, then click OK.
5 Click Crossfade and set the default shape for
crossfades, then click OK.
6 Click Done.

1-out
2-in

Overlap Crossfade

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247

Creating a Crossfade
To create a crossfade between two regions:
1 With the Selector, click at the point where you
want the crossfade to begin in the first region
and drag to where you want it to end in the second region. Crossfade selections can begin and
end anywhere in their respective regions.
2 Choose Edit > Fades > Create Fades.
3 Use the view buttons to adjust the view of the

crossfade. It may take a few moments to calculate the waveform display for long selections.
4 Select an Out Shape and an In Shape.
5 Choose a Linking option.
6 Click the Audition button, or play the session,

to hear the crossfade. For long crossfades, it may
take Pro Tools a few moments to calculate and
load the audio into playback RAM.
7 Adjust the curves by choosing different preset
shapes with the Out Shape and In Shape pop-up
menus.

– or –
Drag the Fade In/Out curves to the desired
shape. By choosing None as the Linking option,
you can drag the beginning or end points of a
fade curve to adjust its beginning or end point.
8 Click the Audition button, or play the session,

to hear the crossfade again.
9 When the crossfade is right, click OK. The fade

is calculated and written to disk, but the audio
files and regions remain unchanged. Crossfades
are stored in the Fades Folder within the session
folder.

Crossfade lengths can later be resized with
the Trimmer.

To remove a crossfade:
■ Select the area of the track containing the
crossfades you want to delete and choose Edit >
Fades > Delete Fades.

– or –
■ Select the crossfade with the Grabber and
press Delete (Macintosh) or Backspace (Windows).

To trim a crossfade:
1 Select the crossfade with the Grabber, or double-click it with the Selector.
2 With the Trimmer, trim either side of the
crossfade. The crossfade is recalculated to reflect
the newly trimmed length.

Pre/Post Crossfade Selections
By making a selection that begins or ends precisely on the border of two regions, you can create “pre” or “post” crossfades. Use the Tab key to
place the insertion point at the exact beginning
or end of a region.
To create a pre- or post-crossfade:
1 With the Selector, click in the track that contains the regions you want to crossfade.
2 Press Tab to move forward to the next region

boundary. Press Option+Tab (Macintosh) or
Control+Tab (Windows) to move back to the
previous region boundary.
3 Shift-drag to adjust your selection, or press
Shift+Tab to extend the selection forward to the
next region boundary. Press Option+Shift+Tab
(Macintosh) or Control+Shift+Tab (Windows) to
extend the selection back to the previous region
boundary.
4 Choose Edit > Fades > Create Fades.
5 Choose a fade type and click OK.

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Creating Fades at the
Beginnings and Ends of
Regions
In addition to crossfades between regions,
Pro Tools lets you create fade-ins and fade-outs
at the beginnings and ends of regions. On
Pro Tools 24 MIX and Pro Tools 24 systems, you
can also use an automatic fade-in/out option,
which applies real time fade-ins/outs to all regions during playback. These fades are not written to disk, but automatically applied during
playback.

2 Choose Edit > Fades > Create Fades. Choose
your fade-in curve and other parameters.
3 Click the Audition button to hear the fade (or

press the Spacebar to start/stop playback).
4 You can adjust the curve by dragging it or by

choosing a different shape with the In Shape
pop-up menu.
5 When you are finished, click OK. Pro Tools
calculates the fade and writes it to disk. The chosen fade curve appears in the region.

To create a fade-out:
1 Select the end of the region that you want to
fade out. The selection must extend to the exact
end of the region or a blank area after the region
in the track.

Region with a fade-in

Creating Fade-Ins/Outs
Depending on how you make the selection, you
can position a fade-in/out at the exact beginning or end of a region, or position it so it extends into a blank area of the track. The length
of the selection in the region determines the
length of the fade-in/out.

2 Choose Edit > Fades > Create Fades. Choose
your fade-out curve and other parameters.

You can also fade to the beginning or end of a
region from an insertion point.

4 You can adjust the curve by dragging it or by

To create a fade-in:
1 Select the beginning of the region that you

want to fade in. The selection must extend to
the exact beginning of the region or a blank area
prior to the region in the track.

Selecting the end of a region for a fade-out

3 Click the Audition button to hear the fade (or

press the Spacebar to start/stop playback).

choosing a different shape with the Out Shape
pop-up menu.
5 When you are finished, click OK. Pro Tools
calculates the fade and writes it to disk. The chosen fade curve appears in the region.

Fade lengths can later be resized with the
Trimmer.

Selecting the beginning of a region for a fade-in
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249

To fade from the insertion point to a region start
point:
1 Place the cursor at the desired location in the

region.
2 Choose Edit > Fades > Fade To Start.
3 The fade is applied based on the Fade In Preferences.

To fade from the insertion point to a region end
point:
1 Place the cursor at the desired location in the

region.
2 Choose Edit > Fades > Fade To End.
3 The fade is applied based on the Fade Out Pref-

erences.

Using AutoFades
{Pro Tools 24 MIX and Pro Tools 24 Only)
On Pro Tools 24 MIX and Pro Tools 24 systems,
you can choose to have Pro Tools automatically
apply real-time fade-ins/outs to all region
boundaries in the session. These fade-ins/outs
are performed during playback and do not appear in the Edit window, and are not written to
disk.
This automatic fade-in /out option also has an
effect on virtual track switching in a session.
Whenever a lower-priority virtual track “pops
thru” a silence in a higher-priority track on the
same voice, a fade-in and fade-out is applied to
the transition.

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This feature is especially useful in post-production situations such as dialogue tracking. For example, you could assign both a dialogue track
and a “room tone” track with matching background to the same voice. You could then set
the Auto-Fade option to a moderate length
(4 ms or so) so that whenever a silence occurred
in the dialog, playback would switch smoothly
to and from the background track without clicks
or pops.
Using automatic fade-ins/outs saves you the
trouble of editing to zero-crossings or creating
numerous rendered fades in order to eliminate
clicks or pops in playback. However, since these
autofades are not written to disk, those clicks or
pops still exist in the underlying sound file.
Consequently, those anomalies still appear if
the Duplicate AudioSuite plug-in or the Export
Selected as Sound Files command (from the Audio Regions List) are used to duplicate multiple
regions as a continuous file. To render these
real-time auto fades to disk, choose File >
Bounce to Disk.
To set the length of automatic fade-ins/outs:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences and click Operation.
2 Enter a value between 0 and 10 ms for the
Auto Region Fade In/Out Length. A value of zero
(the default) means that no auto-fading will occur.
3 Click Done. The Auto Fade value is saved with
the session, and is automatically applied to all
free-standing region boundaries until you
change it.

Creating Fades and
Crossfades in Batches
In “Batch Mode” you can create many fades at
once. You select across several regions and use
the Create Fades command to create crossfades
for each region transition. If your selection includes regions that already have crossfades, this
feature allows you to modify them.

If you select to create new fades and new fadeins and outs, new crossfades are created at each
region boundary that is bordered by another selected region, a fade-in is created at the start of
the first region, and a fade-out is created at the
end of the last region.

To create crossfades between multiple regions at
once:
1 With the Selector, click in the first region in
which you want to create a crossfade.
2 Drag to extend the selection to the last region
you want to crossfade. Make sure that the selection includes the entire region.

Batch Fades dialog
Selected regions for batch fades
3 Choose Edit > Fades > Create Fades.
4 Select whether you want to Create New Fades,
Create New Fade-Ins and Outs, Adjust existing
Fades, or a combination of these options.

5 Choose the placement of your Fades. You can
choose Pre-Splice, Centered, or Post-Splice.
6 Enter a crossfade length in milliseconds.
7 Click OK. Pro Tools creates the fades for the
selected regions.

Fade lengths can later be resized with the
Trimmer.

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Chapter 20: Managing Regions

Stripping Silence from
Regions
The Strip Silence command analyzes audio selections—across multiple regions or multiple
tracks—and removes any areas of silence, dividing the selection into smaller regions and removing the silent areas.
You can use Strip Silence to automatically divide
a track into regions, which is useful if you want
to quantize audio to musical values, or locate
sound effects to SMPTE locations. It is also useful if you want to get rid of silent areas to prepare for compacting audio (see “Compacting an
Audio File” on page 259).

The Strip Silence Window

Strip Silence window

The Strip Silence window contains the following
four sliders that allow you to set the parameters
by which silence will be defined for this operation. Adjusting these sliders will cause rectangles to appear in the selection (see Figure 14 on
page 254), indicating areas of silence that will be
removed.

Audio Threshold Sets the amplitude threshold
(from –48 dB to 0) for Strip Silence. Audio falling below this threshold is considered silence
and removed. Audio above the threshold is retained and defined as new regions.
Minimum Strip Duration Sets the minimum duration (from 0 to 10,000 ms) that the material below the threshold must last to be considered silence.
Use this parameter to avoid countless small regions that may occur within a selection.
Region Start Pad Specifies a time value to be
added to the beginning of each new region created with Strip Silence.
This is useful for preserving musical material
that falls below the threshold, such as the breath
before a vocal phrase, or the finger slide before a
guitar chord.
Region End Pad Specifies a time value to be appended to the end of each new region created
with Strip Silence, thereby preserving the nuances in the decay of the material.

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Auto-Naming for Strip Silence
The Rename button in the Strip Silence window
opens the following dialog, which determiners
how regions are named with the Strip Silence
command.

Using Strip Silence
To strip silence from an audio selection:
1 Select one or more audio regions.
2 To select across multiple tracks, Shift-click in
additional tracks.
3 Choose Windows > Show Strip Silence.

Strip Silence Renaming dialog

Name Specifies the base name for regions created with Strip Silence.
Auto Number Start Specifies the number at
which sequential auto-numbering starts.

4 To set the naming scheme for regions created
with Strip Silence, click Rename to open the Renaming dialog. For details, see “Auto-Naming
for Strip Silence” on page 254.
5 In the Strip Silence window, adjust the sliders

for Strip Threshold and Minimum Strip Duration until the Strip Silence rectangles appear in
the selection.

Leading Zeros Specifies the number of zeroes
that occur before the appended auto numbers.
Suffix Specifies text appended to the end of the
name, after the auto numbering.
For example, if you set the naming parameters
to:
• Name = SFX
• Auto Number Start = 23

Figure 14. Strip Silence rectangles

For finer resolution on these sliders, press Command (Macintosh) or Control (Windows) while
adjusting them.
6 To retain material before and after the new regions, adjust the sliders for Region Start Pad and
Region End Pad.

• Leading Zeros = 1
• Suffix = .Reel1
The names generated for regions created by Strip
Silence would be:
• SFX023.Reel1

Attack to be
padded

Decay to be
padded

• SFX024.Reel1
• SFX025.Reel1
• SFX026.Reel1
• SFX027.Reel1
• SFX028.Reel1

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Strip Silence, padding region start and end points

7 Once the Strip Silence rectangles encompasses

the audio that you want to keep, press the Strip
button.
The material defined as silence is removed from
the selection and new regions are created, which
also appear in the Audio Regions List.
The Strip Silence command is nondestructive
and does not remove audio data from parent audio files. In addition to the Undo command,
you can use the Heal Separation command to restore stripped material.

Strip Silence works with stereo and multichannel tracks, and keeps their audio regions phase-coherent.

Inserting Silence
The Insert Silence command is a simple and
convenient way to insert silence in sessions.
This command allows you to make a selection
on a track (or tracks) and insert precisely that
amount of silence. In Shuffle Mode, all data on
the track is shuffled later in the track by an
amount equal to the selection.
In Grid Mode, the Insert Silence command
works just like the Clear command.
Shuffle Mode When inserting silence on multiple tracks in Shuffle mode, the following conditions apply:
If any track is displayed as audio/MIDI data,
the selected duration of silence is inserted into
the audio/MIDI data and all underlying automation data on all selected tracks. All subsequent
regions are shuffled by the amount of silence inserted. On MIDI tracks, only notes that are selected from the beginning are affected, so if you
have selected the tail of a note and you Insert Silence, the note will remain unchanged.

◆

◆ If all selected tracks are displayed as automation data, the selected range is cleared of automation data only of the type visible on each
track. Regions are not shuffled. Instead, a blank
gap appears equal to the length of the selection.
◆ If all selected tracks are displayed as automation data, press Control (Macintosh) or the Start
key (Windows) while choosing the Insert Silence command to inserts silence on all automation playlists for all selected tracks. Regions are
not shuffled.

Slip Mode When inserting silence on multiple
tracks in Slip mode, the following conditions
apply:
◆ If any track is displayed as audio/MIDI data,
the selected range is cleared of audio/MIDI data
and all underlying automation data on all selected tracks.
◆ If all selected tracks are displayed as automation data, silence is inserted only into the automation type visible on each track.
◆ If all selected tracks are displayed as automation data, press Control (Macintosh) or the Start
key (Windows) while choosing the Insert Silence command to insert silence on all automation playlists for all selected tracks.

To insert silence into a track:
1 Make a selection on the desired tracks. The
length of the selection determines the duration
of the silence inserted.
2 Choose Edit > Insert Silence.

Pro Tools inserts the selected amount of silence.
In the process, it splits the regions at the beginning of the insertion point, and moves the new
regions later in the track by an amount equal to
the length of the selection.

Chapter 20: Managing Regions

255

Consolidate Selection
Command
During the course of normal edit operations, a
track may eventually contain many regions.
However, once a track or track range (such as a
verse or chorus) reaches a satisfactory state, you
may want to consolidate its regions into a single
region—thus making the material much more
easy to work with.

Managing Regions
A typical session can become quite busy with
many tracks and dozens of regions. There are a
number of things you can do, however, to keep
track of and manage a session’s regions, which
include:
• Renaming existing regions
• Specifying how auto-created regions are
named

When consolidating an audio track, a new audio
file is written that encompasses the selection
range, including any blank space.

• Hiding auto-created regions

To consolidate regions within a track:

Renaming Regions

1 Using the Grabber or Selector, select the regions you want to consolidate.

In the course of a session you can rename regions to give them more descriptive names, or
merely to shorten or simplify an existing name.
When renaming a region that was auto-created
from an edit, the region becomes a user-defined
region and is displayed in the Regions List when
auto-created regions are hidden.

– or –
To select all regions in a track, triple-click in its
playlist with the Selector.
2 Choose Edit > Consolidate.

A new, single region is created that replaces the
previously selected regions, including any blank
space. If working with an audio track, a new audio file is written (with the Audio Suite Duplicate plug-in).
When consolidating audio regions with the
Consolidate Selection command, if the selection contains muted regions, the muted regions
are treated as silence. Whether or not a track is
muted, or contains Mute automation, does not
affect the Consolidate Selection command.

• Removing unused regions

Perhaps the easiest way to rename a region, if it
resides in a track, is to double-click it with the
Grabber. However, if the region does not yet reside in a track, or if you want to rename several
regions, use the Rename Selected command.
To rename one or more regions:
1 If you will be renaming an auto-created region, make sure to select Display > Auto-Created
Regions.
2 Select one or more region to be renamed in either the Audio or MIDI Regions List.

If the Editing Preference for “Regions List
Selection Follows Track Selection” is enabled, you can highlight a region in the Regions List by selecting it in a track.

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3 Choose Rename Selected from the Regions
List pop-up menu.

Name Determines the root name for the autocreated regions.

4 When prompted, enter a new name for the re-

Auto Number Start Sets the start number for the
sequentially numbered new regions.

gion. If a whole-file audio region was selected,
specify whether just the region is renamed, or
the region and the disk file.

Leading Zeros Determines the number of zeros
that occur before the auto numbers.
Suffix Specifies text to be appended to the end of
the name, following the auto numbering.
4 When you are finished, click OK to accept the

new naming parameters.
Rename Selected dialog
5 Click OK to rename the region. If renaming
multiple regions, you are prompted, successively, to rename each region.

Auto-Naming Parameters
You can specify the auto-naming parameters for
a region when new regions are created from it in
the course of editing.

Hiding and Removing Unwanted
Regions
In the course of editing a session, the Audio and
MIDI Regions Lists can fill up quickly with regions—ones you’ve created purposely and those
that are automatically created by cutting, pasting, and separating other regions. Pro Tools allows you to hide or remove regions in your session so you don’t have to scroll through
unnecessarily long Regions Lists.

To set auto-naming parameters for a region:
1 Select a region in the Audio or MIDI Regions
List.
2 Choose Auto Rename Selected from the Re-

Hiding Auto-Created Regions
You can hide regions that were automatically
created during the course of editing.

gions List pop-up menu.
3 In the Auto-Rename dialog, enter the text to

be used when naming regions created from the
selected region.

To hide auto-created regions:
■ Deselect Display > Display Auto-Created Regions. With this option deselected, only usercreated regions appear in the Audio and MIDI
Regions List.

Auto-Rename Selected dialog

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257

User-defined regions include:
• Whole-file regions
• Regions created during recording
• Imported regions
• Renamed regions
• Regions created as a result of AudioSuite processing
• New regions created with Capture Region and
Separate Region commands
• Regions created by trimming whole-file audio
regions
When auto-created regions are hidden,
Pro Tools warns you if the number of auto-created regions exceeds a certain threshold, and
gives you the option of deleting them. If you
choose to delete them, all auto-created regions
are deleted at the same time.

2 For audio regions, choose one of the following
from the Select Unused submenu in the Audio
Regions list pop-up menu:

• Unused Regions
• Unused Regions except Whole Files
• Offline Regions
3 After all unused regions are selected, choose
Clear Selected from the Regions List pop-up
menu.
4 Click Remove to remove the unused regions
from the session.

– or –
If clearing a whole-file audio region and you
want to permanently remove the audio file from
your hard drive, click Delete.

To ensure that you keep a particular auto-created region, turn it into a user-created region by
renaming it. For details, see “Renaming Regions” on page 256.

Removing Unwanted Regions

Clear Selected dialog (audio regions)

You can locate and remove unused regions in a
session with the Clear Selected command.

When clearing audio files for multiple regions,
Pro Tools presents a warning dialog for each audio file. To bypass repeated warning dialogs:

The Clear Selected command cannot be undone.
To find and remove unused regions in a session:
1 For MIDI regions, choose Select Unused from
the MIDI Regions List pop-up menu.

■ Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) the Delete button in the Clear Audio dialog. This permanently deletes each successive
audio file from your hard drive (for each of the
unused regions) without any further warnings.

Use this “power delete mode” with caution,
since deletion of these files cannot be undone.

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Compacting an Audio File
The Compact Selected command deletes unused
portions of audio files to conserve disk space,
and to prepare for cleaner hard drive back-ups.
The Compact Selected command deletes audio
if there are no regions referencing the data. For
this reason you should delete any unused regions before compacting.
Because it permanently deletes audio data, the
Compact Selected command should be used
only after you have completely finished your
editing and are sure that you have no further use
for the unused audio data.
The Compact Selected command can pad the regions of the compacted file by a user-selectable
amount. You may want to do this because
Pro Tools requires extra audio data before and
after audio regions to create crossfades. So, if
your regions have crossfades, or if you want to
pad the regions for the sake of any future trimming, you should enter an appropriate amount
of padding (in milliseconds) to allow for this.

To compact an audio file:
1 Choose Select Unused >Regions from the Audio Regions List pop-up menu. All regions that
have not been placed in a track in the current
session are highlighted in the Audio Regions
List.
2 To remove all of these unused audio regions,
choose Clear Selected from the Audio Regions
List pop-up menu. When the dialog appears,
choose Remove.
3 In the Audio Regions List, select the region or
regions you want to compact.
4 Choose Compact Selected from the Audio Re-

gions List menu.
5 Enter the amount of padding in milliseconds
that you want to leave around each region in
the file.
6 Click Compact to compact the file or Cancel
to cancel the command.

Once the Compact operation has been completed, the session is automatically saved.

The Compact Selected command is destructive and cannot be undone. It permanently
alters the original audio files. There is no
way to recover data deleted with this command.

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Chapter 21: Conductor Tracks and
Memory Locations

Inserting Tempo Events

Tempo Events
Tempo events, which are displayed in the
Tempo Ruler, can be inserted at the beginning of
a session to replace the default tempo (of 120
BPM), and they can be inserted anywhere
within the session for additional tempo
changes. Tempo events cannot be inserted in
Manual Tempo mode.
To display the Tempo Ruler:
■

To insert a tempo event:
1 Click in the Tempo Ruler where you want to
insert the tempo event and then choose MIDI >
Change Tempo.

– or –
Click in the Tempo Ruler where you want to insert the tempo event and then click the Change
Tempo button in the far left of the Tempo Ruler.

Select Display > Ruler View Shows > Tempo.

When in Manual Tempo mode, the Tempo
Track is ignored and the session plays at the
tempo defined in the Transport window.
For details, see “Using Manual Tempo
Mode” on page 123.

Current Tempo
As tempo events are encountered during playback, the session’s current tempo is displayed in
the Transport window.

Change Tempo button

– or –
While pressing Control (Macintosh) or the Start
key (Windows), move the cursor into the
Tempo Ruler (cursor changes to the Grabber
with a “+”) and click at the desired location.

Manually inserting a tempo event
current tempo

Current tempo displayed in Transport window

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261

2 In the Tempo Change window, enter the Location and BPM value for the tempo change.

Editing and Moving Tempo Events
Existing tempo events can be moved, edited, deleted, and copied and pasted.
To move a tempo event by dragging:
■ In the Tempo Ruler, drag the triangle for the
tempo event left or right.

Tempo Change window

Select the Snap To Bar option to place the inserted tempo event cleanly on the first beat of
the nearest measure.
3 To base the BPM value on something other
than the default quarter-note, select a different
note value.
4 Click Apply. The new tempo event is inserted
and appears in the Tempo Ruler.

Dragging a tempo event

If the Edit mode is set to Grid, the dragged event
snaps to the current Grid value.
To edit a tempo event:
1 In the Tempo Ruler, double-click the tempo
event.
2 In the Change Tempo dialog, enter a new Location or BPM value for the tempo event.
3 Click OK.

Inserted tempo event

Each tempo event has a small green triangle
next to it that indicates its location. These triangles can be dragged to move the tempo event,
and they can be double-clicked to edit the
tempo event.

To delete a tempo event:
■ While pressing Option (Macintosh) or Alt
(Windows), move the cursor over the tempo
event (cursor changes to the Grabber with a “–”)
and click to remove it.

To copy and paste several tempo events:
1 If desired, set the Edit mode to Grid to constrain the selection to the current Grid value.
2 Drag in the Tempo Ruler to select the range of

measures that includes the tempo events.

Tempo events selected

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If an existing tempo event is near the beginning
of the selection, press Command (Macintosh) or
Control (Windows) so the Selector appears.

Press Option (Macintosh) or Alt (Windows)
while dragging to select across all Conductor tracks.
3 Choose Edit > Copy.
4 Click in the Tempo Ruler at the point where
you want to paste the tempo events.
5 Choose Edit > Paste. The contents of the Clip-

board are pasted from the insertion point, replacing any existing tempo events.

Tempo and MIDI and Audio
When editing or moving tempo events, the
Bars:Beats Ruler expands or shrinks, as necessary, to accurately reflect the placement of audio
regions (which remain constant in terms of
sample location). This, in turn, affects the relative placement of MIDI notes, and ensures that
the visual relationship between MIDI and audio
is accurate.
Figure 15 illustrates how MIDI notes shift and
expand in relation to audio after the tempo is reduced.

To extend an Edit selection in a track to the Tempo
Ruler:
1 Using either the Selector or Grabber, select a

track range.

Ruler and MIDI
events expand
after tempo
change

2 Shift-click in the Tempo Ruler.

Shift-click again in the Tempo Ruler to remove it
from the selection.
To select all tempo events:

Figure 15. Before and after change in tempo

Double-click with the Selector in the Tempo
Ruler.

After editing or moving a tempo event:

■

To clear a range of selected tempo events:
1 If desired, set the Edit mode to Grid to constrain the selection to the current Grid value.
2 Drag with the Selector in the Tempo Ruler to

select the tempo events you want to remove.
3 Choose Edit > Clear to delete the selected
tempo events.

◆ Bar and beat locations for audio regions
(which are sample-based) are adjusted for the
new tempo. The audio region’s sample and
SMPTE locations remain unchanged.
◆ MIDI notes (which are tick-based) remain at
the same bar and beat location. In relation to audio, however, the notes shrink or expand based
on the new tempo, and result in new sample
and SMPTE locations for the note start and end
times.

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Default Tempo
New sessions open with a default tempo of 120
BPM. This tempo can be changed by inserting a
tempo event at 1|1|000. However, this is not the
same as inserting normal tempo events at other
locations. The tempo event that resides at
1|1|000 is actually a Bar|Beat Marker (notice that
it has a blue triangle).
The main distinction is that this Bar|Beat Marker
can be dragged to any location within the session (such as to align with a particular SMPTE
frame) to redefine where 1|1|000 is.

Identify Beat Command
Bar|Beat Markers
The Identify Beat command lets you establish a
tempo/meter map for audio that was recorded
without listening to the click, or for imported
audio with unknown tempos.
The Identify Beat command analyzes a selection
range (usually with a distinct number of beats or
measures) and calculates its tempo based on the
specified meter. In doing this, Bar|Beat Markers
for the calculated tempo are inserted and appear
in the Tempo Ruler at the beginning and end of
the selection; in addition, meter events are inserted into the Meter Ruler.

You can use Beat Detective to generate
Bar|Beat Markers within a selection that includes rhythmic changes on every beat and
sub-beat. For more information, see
Chapter 22, “Beat Detective.”

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Bar|Beat Markers
Bar|Beat Markers look similar to tempo events,
but instead have small blue triangles to indicate
their location.

Bar|Beat Marker

The key to accurately defining tempos for a
range of audio with the Identify Beat command
is to make sure that the initial selection represents an accurate length of beats or measures. In
fact, you may want to first loop the selection on
playback (see “Looping Playback” on page 205)
to see if it plays cleanly without skipping. To
avoid drift, and remain sample-accurate, select
the audio material with the Time Scale set to
Samples rather than Bars:Beats.

Tempo events and Bar|Beat Markers cannot
be mixed. If a session contains tempo
events and you attempt to insert Bar|Beat
Markers, existing tempo events are converted to Bar|Beat Markers (and vice versa).

Identifying Beats
To add Bar|Beat Markers for a one-bar drum loop:
1 Place a one-bar drum loop at the beginning of

an audio track.
2 Select Display > Samples. This ensures that the

selected audio material will be sample-accurate.
3 Select the audio region with the Grabber and

choose Edit > Identify Beat.

4 In the Bar|Beat Markers dialog, specify the
start and end points for the inserted Bar|Beat
Markers. Since this example deals with a one-bar
loop, enter 1|1|000 and 2|1|000.

When working with a selection, the Identify
Beat command only calculates a single tempo
for the selected range. If the tempo varies from
measure to measure, or beat to beat, you’ll need
to use the Identify Beat command for each
tempo variance (making sure to accurately define a precise selection range or beat location for
the tempo change).

Inserting Bar|Beat Markers One at
a Time
Audio Material with Varying Tempos

Identify Beat dialog
5 If necessary, specify a time signature for the
start and end range.
6 Click OK to automatically calculate the new

tempo and insert the necessary Bar|Beat Markers
and meter events. Any existing tempo and
meter events residing within the selection are
deleted.

You can insert Bar|Beat Markers one at a time by
setting an Edit insertion point (instead of making a selection) before using the Identify Beat
command. The ability to identify each beat, one
at a time, is especially useful when working with
audio with varying tempos.
For instance, if you have a measure that accelerates slightly, you could insert a Bar|Beat Marker
on each beat (see Figure 16) so the tempo is accurately reflected.

Figure 16. Bar|Beat Markers on each beat
Bar|Beat Markers inserted

Once the tempo has been determined for the audio, you can duplicate the original audio region
with the Repeat command.

After the Bar|Beat Markers are inserted, further
adjustments in the tempo map are possible by
dragging each of the Markers, as necessary, to
align with the associated beat within the audio.

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265

Dragging Bar|Beat Markers
Bar|Beat Markers can be dragged to new locations so they can align with audio regions that
have been moved, or so that they can align to a
slightly different point within an audio region.
This results in neighboring MIDI data being adjusted to align with the new tempo map.

When dragging a Bar|Beat Marker:
• Its BPM value is recalculated along with the
Bar|Beat Marker to its immediate left. Bar|Beat
Markers to the right of the dragged marker remain unchanged.
• Its bar and beat location is dragged with the
Bar|Beat Marker. If the Bar|Beat Marker was
originally placed at 3|1|000, it remains there
(unless it is edited).
• Its sample and SMPTE locations change, as
calculated for by the new tempo for the
Bar|Beat Marker.
• Neighboring MIDI events, along with the
Bars:Beats Ruler, shrink or expand as necessary to adjust for the new tempo.

Dragging a Bar|Beat Marker

Editing Bar|Beat Markers
Tempo Events vs. Bar|Beat Markers
Bar|Beat markers and Tempo Events behave differently when you drag them in the Tempo
Ruler.

A Bar|Beat Marker can be edited to redefine its
bar and beat location, which also redefines the
start or end point of the range being analyzed
for tempo. This is different from dragging a
Bar|Beat Marker.

When dragging a tempo event:
• The tempo event is placed at a new bar and
beat location. The sample and SMPTE locations for the event are updated as well.
• The BPM value for the dragged tempo event
remains constant, as do any other tempo
events in the session.
• Neighboring MIDI events, along with the
Ruler, shrink or expand as necessary to adjust
for the new tempo location.

To edit a Bar|Beat Marker:
1 In the Tempo Ruler, double-click the Bar|Beat
Marker.
2 In the Identify Beat dialog, enter a new Location for the Bar|Beat Marker.
3 Click OK to recalculate the new tempo.

Like meter and tempo events, Bar|Beat Markers
can also be deleted.
To delete a Bar|Beat Marker:
■ While pressing Option (Macintosh) or Alt
(Windows), move the cursor over the Bar|Beat
Marker (cursor changes to the Grabber with a
“-”) and click to remove it.

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Meter Events
Meter events can be inserted at the beginning of
a session to replace the default meter (of 4/4),
and they can be inserted anywhere within the
session for additional meter changes. Meter
events are displayed in the Meter Ruler.

While pressing Control (Macintosh) or the Start
key (Windows), move the cursor into the Meter
Ruler (cursor changes to the Grabber with a “+”)
and click at the desired location.

Manually inserting a meter event

To display the Meter Ruler:
■

Select Display > Ruler View Shows > Meter.

2 In the Meter Change window, enter the Loca-

tion and Meter for the meter change.

Current Meter
As meter events are encountered during playback, the session’s current meter is displayed in
the Transport window.

current meter

Current meter displayed in Transport window

Meter Change window

Inserting Meter Events

Select the Snap To Bar option if you want the inserted meter event to fall cleanly on the first
beat of the nearest measure.

To insert a meter event:
1 Choose MIDI > Change Meter.

– or –
Click the Change Meter button in the far left of
the Meter Ruler.

Change Meter button

3 Select a note value for the number of clicks to
sound in each measure. If desired, select the dot
(.) option for a dotted click value.

For some meters, it may be desirable to use
a dotted value for the click. For instance, if
using a meter of 6/8, a dotted eighth-note
click (yielding two clicks per measure) is
more suitable than a straight eighth-note
click (six clicks per measure).

– or –

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267

4 Click Apply to insert the new meter event. The
new meter event is inserted and appears in the
Meter Ruler.

To copy and paste several meter events:
1 If desired, set the Edit mode to Grid to constrain the selection to the current Grid value.
2 Drag in the Meter Ruler to select the range
that includes the meter events.

Inserted meter event

Each meter event has a small yellow triangle
next to it that indicates its location. These triangles can be selected for copying and pasting, and
they can be double-clicked to edit the meter
event.

Editing Meter Events
Existing meter events can be edited, deleted,
and copied and pasted.
To edit a meter event:
1 In the Meter Ruler, double-click the meter

event.
2 In the Change Meter dialog, enter a new Loca-

tion or Meter for the event.
3 Click OK.

To delete a meter event:
While pressing Option (Macintosh) or Alt
(Windows), move the cursor over the meter
event (cursor changes to the Grabber with a “–”)
and click to remove it.

Meter events selected

If the beginning of the selection includes a
meter event, press Command (Macintosh) or
Control (Windows) so the Selector tool appears.

Press Option (Macintosh) or Alt (Windows)
while dragging to select across all Conductor tracks.
3 Choose Edit > Copy.
4 Click in the Meter Ruler at the point where
you want to paste the meter events.
5 Choose Edit > Paste. The contents of the Clipboard are pasted from the insertion point, replacing any existing meter events.

To extend an Edit selection in a track to the Meter
Ruler:

■

1 Using either the Selector or Grabber, select a
track range.
2 Shift-click in the Meter Ruler.

Shift-click again in the Meter Ruler to remove it
from the selection.
To select all meter events:
■ Double-click with the Selector in the Meter
Ruler.

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To clear a range of selected meter events:
1 If desired, set the Edit mode to Grid to con-

strain the selection to the current Grid value.
2 Drag in the Meter Ruler to select the meter
events you want to remove.
3 Choose Edit > Clear to delete the selected
meter events.

Partial Measures

Renumbering Bars
You can use the Renumber Bars command to renumber all bars in the session, effectively
changing the bar locations for all regions, meter
and tempo events while leaving their position
intact. In doing so, however, the SMPTE and
sample locations of the session data are not
changed.
To renumber bars:

Aligning Beat 1 to a SMPTE Location

1 Choose MIDI > Renumber Bars.

When scoring to film or video, you will often
need to start a section of music at a precise
SMPTE time code location. Since this location
will usually not fall cleanly at the beginning of a
measure, you can insert a meter event at the
time code location where the music needs to
start.

2 Specify the bar you want to renumber, along
with the new bar number, then click Renumber.

As necessary, Pro Tools will create a partial measure to accommodate the inserted meter event.
When a meter event is preceded by a partial
measure, the meter event is displayed in italics
in the Meter Ruler.

Renumber Bars dialog

Partial measure of 4/4

Partial measures can also occur when pasting
meter events to locations other than beat one.

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Memory Locations and
Markers
Each session can save up to 200 Memory Locations that can be used to recall:

Properties of Memory Locations
When creating a new Memory Location (see
“Creating Memory Locations” on page 272) you
are prompted to define its Time Properties and
General Properties.

• Markers to important locations in the session
• Edit selections across one or more tracks
• Record and play ranges, along with pre/postroll times
• Track settings that include Show/Hide status,
Track Heights, and zoom values
• Edit and Mix Groups enables
Memory Locations are viewed and sorted in the
Memory Locations window, where they can be
recalled by clicking the Memory Location.

With the Numeric Keypad Mode set to
Classic, Memory Locations can be recalled
from the numeric keypad by pressing the
Memory Location number followed by period.
With the Numeric Keypad Mode set to
Transport or Shuttle, Memory Locations
can be recalled from the numeric keypad by
pressing period, the Memory Location number, and period again.

Memory Location dialog

Time Properties
Under Time Properties, a Memory Location can
be set to Marker, Selection, or None. This determines the type of Memory Location that is created. Each of these three Memory Location
types can also save any combination of General
Properties.
Marker Recalls a Timeline location whose reference can be either Bar|Beat (tick-based) or Absolute (sample-based). When recalling a Marker
Memory Location, the playback cursor moves to
the Marker’s location and the start and end
times in the Transport window are also updated.
If the Edit and Timeline Selections are linked,
the edit cursor also moves to the Marker location.

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When set to Absolute, the Memory Location is
sample-based and its bar and beat location shifts
if the tempo is changed—though its sample location remains constant, along with its relation
to audio material.
Markers in the Markers Ruler

Markers appear in the Markers Ruler with a thin
yellow line extending down through all tracks
in the Edit window (to assist in arranging and
aligning track material). You can click on a
Marker in the Markers Ruler to recall its location
along with its stored General Properties.

Bar|Beat Marker (left) and Absolute Marker (right)

In the Markers Ruler, Markers that are Bar|Beat
appear as yellow chevrons, and Markers that are
Absolute appear as yellow diamonds.

Selection Recalls an edit selection or edit cursor
location whose reference can be either Bar|Beat
(tick-based) or Absolute (sample-based). A Selection Memory Location lets you store edit selections, for one or more tracks, that you return to
often within a session. If the Edit and Timeline
Selections are linked, a Selection Memory Location can recall record and play ranges.

General Properties

NOTE: Only contiguous selections can be saved
with Memory Locations. Discontiguous selections,
made with the Object Grabber, will be recalled as if
the selection were made with the Time Grabber.

Pre/Post Roll Times Recalls pre- and post-roll
times (but not whether they are enabled). This
property can be stored with a Selection Memory
Location to recall record and play ranges along
with pre/post-roll.

None Recalls no Time Properties and is therefore
referred to as a General Properties Memory Location.

Any of the three types of Memory Locations
(Marker, Selection, and General Properties) can
store and recall any combination of the following properties:
Zoom Settings Recalls the horizontal and vertical zoom values for both audio and MIDI tracks.

Track Show/Hide Recalls which tracks are hidden. Use this property to display groups of
tracks for editing and mixing.

Bar|Beat and Absolute Reference
The Reference pop-up determines whether the
Marker or Selection Memory Location is
Bar|Beat or Absolute. When set to Bar|Beat, the
Memory Location is tick-based and its bar and
beat location remains constant if the tempo is
changed—though its relation to audio is scaled,
resulting in a new sample location.

Track Heights Recalls all Track Heights. Use this
option along with the Zoom Settings option to
recall edit environments that are suited for particular tasks, such as editing down to the sample
level or trimming MIDI notes.
Group Enables Recalls which Edit and Mix
Groups are enabled. This option is helpful in recalling groups for particular edit and mixing operations, such as muting all drum tracks or fading a stereo pair.

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271

Creating Memory Locations
Memory Locations can be created by pressing
Enter on the numeric keypad, by Control-clicking (Macintosh) or Start-clicking (Windows) in
the Markers Ruler, or by choosing the Add New
Memory Location command from the pop-up
menu in the Memory Locations window. The
method you use will likely depend on the type
of Memory Location you want to create.
When creating Memory Locations, the next
available number is assigned to it (1-200). This
number is used in recalling the Memory Location from the numeric keypad.
To create a Marker Memory Location:
1 Configure any session settings you will save

with the Marker Memory Location, such as
zoom settings, pre/post-roll times, Show/Hide
status for tracks, Track Heights, and Edit and
Mix Group enables.
2 Make sure to select Operations > Link Edit and
Timeline Selection.
3 If the Markers Ruler is not displayed, select
Display > Ruler View Shows > Markers.
4 Click with the Selector at the desired location

in any track or Ruler. To place a Marker at the beginning of a region, select the region with the
Grabber. Click the Marker Well button to the left
of the Markers Ruler (or press Enter on the numeric keypad).

Marker Well button

– or –

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While pressing Control (Macintosh) or the Start
key (Windows), move the cursor into the Markers Ruler (cursor changes to the Grabber with a
“+”) and click at the desired location.

Manually inserting a Marker
5 In the New Memory Location dialog, select
the Marker option and specify the Reference as
either Bar|Beat or Absolute.
6 If desired, enter a name for the new Marker
and select any General Properties you want to
save with the Marker.
7 Click OK. The Marker is created and appears in
the Markers Ruler, and in the Memory Locations
window.

To create a Selection Memory Location:
1 Configure any session settings you will save
with the Selection Memory Location, such as
zoom settings, pre/post-roll times, Show/Hide
status for tracks, Track Heights, and Edit and
Mix Group enables.
2 Select a range of material in one or more
tracks.
3 Press Enter on the numeric keypad.

– or –
From the pop-up menu in the Memory Locations window (click the Name button), choose
Add Memory Location.
4 In the New Memory Location dialog, select
the Selection option and specify the Reference
as either Bar|Beat or Absolute.

5 If desired, enter a name for the new Memory
Location and select any General Properties you
want to save with it.
6 Click OK. The Selection Memory Location is
created and appears in the Memory Locations
window.

To create a General Properties Memory Location:
1 Configure any session settings you will save
with the Selection Memory Location, such as
zoom settings, pre/post-roll times, Show/Hide
status for tracks, Track Heights, and Edit and
Mix Group enables.
2 Press Enter on the numeric keypad.
3 In the Memory Location dialog, select the
None option.
4 If desired, enter a name for the new Memory

Location and select any General Properties you
want to save with it.
5 Click OK. The Selection Memory Location is
created and appears in the Memory Locations
window.

In the New Memory Location dialog, you
can Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click
(Windows) any General Property to enable
or disable all properties. You can also Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click
(Windows) any property to toggle its state
and the state of all other General Properties.

Creating Memory Locations on the Fly
When the Editing Preference for “Auto-Name
Memory Locations When Playing” is enabled,
Memory Locations can be created while playing
without encountering the New Memory Location dialog. This option can also be selected
from the pop-up menu in the Memory Locations window.

This capability is useful if you want to mark certain locations while listening during a record
pass, or if you want to mark frame locations
while viewing a video scene.
To create a Marker during playback:
1 From the pop-up menu in the Memory Locations window, select Default To Marker. This ensures that new Memory Locations default to
being Markers.
2 From the pop-up menu in the Memory Locations window, select Auto-Name Memory Locations.
3 For inserted Markers to have a Bar|Beat reference, make sure to set the Time Scale to
Bars:Beats.
4 Click Play in the Transport window.
5 When the location is reached, press Enter on

the numeric keypad. A Marker is automatically
created and appears in the Markers Ruler.
When auto-creating Markers, they are named
and numbered as “Marker 1,” “Marker 2,”
“Marker 3,” etc.
When the option for Default To Marker is deselected, new Memory Locations default to whatever type was last created. Therefore, if a Selection Memory Location was created last, it will be
the type that is created on the fly. In this case,
the name for the created Memory Location is
based on the start of the Edit selection using the
time format for the Main Time Scale (such as
“2|2|305” or “0:02.658”).

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273

Recalling Memory Locations
Memory Locations can be recalled from the
Memory Locations window and from the numeric keypad. In addition, Marker Memory Selections can be recalled by clicking them in the
Markers Ruler.

NOTE: Even if the Markers Ruler is not displayed,
Markers can be recalled from the Memory Locations window, or from the numeric keypad.

Editing Memory Locations
Memory Locations can be renamed, edited, deleted, and copied and pasted.

To recall a Memory Location:
1 If the Memory Locations window is not already open, choose Windows > Show Memory
Locations to display it.
2 If recalling a Selection Memory Location that

will define a record or play range, make sure to
select Operations > Link Edit and Timeline Selection.
3 In the Memory Locations window, click the
Memory Location to recall it.

– or –
With the Numeric Keypad Mode set to Classic,
press the Memory Location number followed by
period.
– or –
With the Numeric Keypad Mode set to Transport or Shuttle, press period, the Memory Location number, and period again.

NOTE: When recalling a Memory Location from
the numeric keypad, the Memory Locations window does not need to be open.
To recall a Marker from the Markers Ruler:
1 If the Markers Ruler is not displayed, select
Display > Ruler View Shows > Markers.
2 Click on the Marker. The playback cursor locates to the Marker and any General Properties
stored with the Marker are recalled.

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To rename a Memory Location:
1 In the Memory Locations window, doubleclick the Memory Location you want to rename.

– or –
If renaming a Marker Memory Location, doubleclick the Marker in the Markers Ruler.
2 Enter the new name for the Memory Location

and click OK.
To redefine the General Properties stored with a
Memory Location:
1 As desired, make changes to the session’s
zoom settings, pre/post-roll times, Show/Hide
status of tracks, Track Heights, and Group Enables.
2 In the Memory Locations window, Controlclick (Macintosh) or Right-click (Windows) the
Memory Location you want to redefine.

– or –
If changing a Marker Memory Location, Control-click (Macintosh) or Right-click (Windows)
the Marker in the Markers Ruler.
3 In the Memory Location dialog, select the
General Properties you want to save with the
Memory Location.
4 Enter a new name for the Memory Location, if

desired, and click OK.

To change a Memory Location from one type to
another:
1 In the Memory Locations window, double-

click the Memory Location you want to change.
– or –
If changing a Marker Memory Location, doubleclick the Marker in the Markers Ruler.
2 In the Memory Location dialog, select either

Marker, Selection, or None as the Memory Location type.
3 Enter a new name for the Memory Location, if

desired, and click OK.
To change the Selection stored with a Memory
Location:
1 If the Memory Locations window is not already open, choose Windows > Show Memory
Locations to display it.
2 Select a range of material in one or more
tracks.
3 In the Memory Locations window, Control-

click (Macintosh) or Right-click (Windows) the
Memory Location that you want to redefine.
4 Enter a new name for the Memory Location, if

desired, and click OK.

To align a Marker to a different location:
1 Make sure to select Operations > Link Edit and
Timeline Selection.
2 In any of the Timebase Rulers, click with the
Selector at the new location.

– or –
Click in the playlist for any track. To align the
Marker to the start of a region, select the region
with the Grabber.
3 In the Memory Locations window or the
Markers Ruler, Control-click (Macintosh) or
Right-click (Windows) the Marker Memory Location that you want to redefine.
4 Enter a new name for the Marker, if desired,
and click OK.

Deleting Memory Locations
To delete a Memory Location:
■ In the Memory Locations window, select the
Memory Location and choose Delete Memory
Location from the pop-up menu.

– or –
■ In the Memory Locations window, Optionclick (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) the
Memory Location.

To move a Marker by dragging:
1 In the Markers Ruler, drag the Marker left or

To delete all Memory Locations:

right.

■ In the Memory Locations Window, choose
Delete All from the pop-up menu.

– or –

Dragging a Marker

■ Option-Shift-click (Macintosh) or Alt-Shiftclick (Windows) any Memory Location in the
Memory Locations window.

If the Edit mode is set to Grid, the dragged event
snaps to the current Grid value. If using Spot
mode, the Spot dialog opens.

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275

To delete a Marker from the Markers Ruler:
While pressing Option (Macintosh) or Alt
(Windows), move the cursor over the Marker
(cursor changes to the Grabber with a “–”) and
click to remove it.

Memory Locations Window

■

Memory Locations are listed, with their name
and assigned number, in the Memory Locations
window. To recall a Memory Location from this
window, simply click it.

Copying Marker Memory Locations
To copy and paste a range of Markers:
Marker
Memory Location

1 If desired, set the Edit mode to Grid to con-

strain the selection to the current Grid value.
Selection
Memory Location

2 Drag in the Tempo Ruler to select the range of

measures that includes the Markers.
If the beginning of the selection includes a
Marker, press Command (Macintosh) or Control (Windows) so the Selector tool appears.

Press Option (Macintosh) or Alt (Windows)
while dragging to select across all Conductor tracks.
3 Choose Edit > Copy.

General Properties
Memory Location

Memory Locations window

You can select viewing and sorting options,
along with commands for creating and removing Memory Locations, from the pop-up menu
in the Memory Locations window (obtained by
clicking the Name button in the upper left).

4 Click in the Markers Ruler at the point where

you want to paste the tempo events.
5 Choose Edit > Paste. The contents of the Clipboard are pasted from the insertion point, replacing any existing Markers.

To extend an Edit selection in a track to the
Markers Ruler:
1 Using either the Selector or Grabber, select a

track range.
2 Shift-click in the Markers Ruler.

Shift-click again in the Tempo Ruler to remove it
from the selection.
To select all Markers in the Markers Ruler:
Double-click with the Selector in the Tempo
Ruler.

■

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Memory Locations window pop-up menu

The commands and options in this menu are
discussed in the following sections.
Show Markers Only When selected, only Marker
Memory Locations are displayed in the Memory
Locations window. However, even when Selection Memory Locations and General Property
Memory Locations are hidden, they can still be
recalled from the numeric keypad.

Show View Filter Icons When selected, the
Memory Locations window provides an iconbased “view filter” that allows you to show or
hide Memory Locations based on the properties
they contain. To show or hide Memory Locations containing a specific property, click the
appropriate icon.

Show Main/Sub Counter When selected, a column appears in the Memory Locations window
that displays the locations for Markers, and the
start times for Selection Memory Locations.
General Property Memory Locations display
nothing in this column.
Main
Time Scale

Marker

Sub
Time Scale

Show/Hide
Zoom
Track Heights
Settings

Pre/Post-Roll
Selection
Memory Location

Active
Groups

Memory Locations View Filter

If an icon is disabled, all Memory Locations associated with that property are hidden. However, if a Memory Location contains other properties for an icon that is enabled, it is still
displayed. When a view icon is enabled, it appears in color. When it is disabled, it appears
gray.

Main/Sub Counters in Memory Locations window

You can click at the top of these columns for a
pop-up menu that will let you change the Main
and Sub Time Scale.
Sort by Time When selected, Markers are sorted
by their order in the Timeline, followed by Selection and General Properties Memory Locations, which are listed in the order in which
they were created.
When Sort by Time is deselected, all Memory
Locations are listed in the order of their assigned
numbers.
Add Memory Location Choose this command to
create a new Memory Location.
Remove Memory Location Deletes the currently
selected Memory Location in the Memory Locations window.

Memory Locations window with view filter icons

In addition, the view filter provides a handy reference for which properties are stored in each
Memory Location (indicated by a row of icons
for each Memory Location).

Delete All Deletes all Memory Locations
(Marker, Selection, and General Property) in the
session.
Default To Marker When selected, new Memory
Locations default to Markers, though in the New
Memory Location dialog you can still define the
new Memory Location as one of the other types.

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277

Auto-Name Memory Location When selected,
Memory Locations are created automatically
without encountering the New Memory Location dialog. If the Default To Marker option is
selected, a Marker Memory Location is auto-created. Otherwise, the Memory Location type is
determined by whatever type (Marker, Selection, or None) was created last.

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Chapter 22: Beat Detective

Beat Detective Requirements

About Beat Detective

Beat Detective is only available with Pro Tools
TDM systems. It does not appear in
Pro Tools LE.

Beat Detective can automatically detect peak
transients in audio selections, so you can extract
tempo information from the audio material, or
so that you can conform the audio material to
the session’s existing tempo map.

RAM Requirements for Beat Detective
Beat Detective operations can require a large
amount of RAM, especially when working with
multiple tracks and lengthy selections.
To avoid low memory situations with Beat
Detective, do the following:
Macintosh users should substantially increase
the RAM allocated to Pro Tools . Under extreme
usage situations (eight or more tracks with selections of five minutes or longer), you should allocate 100 MB, or even more, to the Pro Tools
application.

■

Beat Detective involves the following steps:
1 Define a selection of audio material, on a single mono track, multi-channel track, or across
multiple tracks.
2 Adjust the Detection parameters so that verti-

cal beat triggers appear in Edit window, based on
the peak transients detected in the selection.
3 Generate Bar|Beat Markers based on the beat
triggers, thereby extracting a tempo map from
the selection and using it for the session.

– or –
If your computer does not have the extra
RAM, work with shorter selections, or individual
tracks.

■

– or –
Set the Editing Preference for Levels of Undo
to a smaller value (see “Levels of Undo and
RAM” on page 175). Memory-intensive editing
operations, such as Edit Smoothing with Beat
Detective, can use up a large amount of memory
when in the Undo queue.

■

4 Separate and automatically create new regions, representing beats or sub-beats, based on
the beat triggers . You can then conform the
new regions to the session’s existing tempo
map, followed by automatic edit smoothing, if
necessary.

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279

Beat Detective and the Source Material

“Tightening Up” an Audio Performance

Beat Detective is most effective with rhythmic
audio material that has strong percussive attacks. It should work well with most instruments used in pop music, such as drums, guitar,
and bass. Beat Detective will be less successful
with audio material that has soft attacks, or legato phrasing, such as strings and vocals.

Beat Detective can improve the timing of some
audio material by calculating and extracting its
average tempo, and then conforming its rhythmic components (regions separated with Beat
Detective) to the session’s tempo map. You can
even retain some of the original feel of the material.

While Beat Detective has intelligent analysis algorithms for detecting rhythmic material, some
material may be too far off the rhythmic grid, or
have tempo changes that are too varied, to be
useful with Beat Detective.

Loop Matching

Applications for Beat Detective
Following are some useful applications for Beat
Detective.

Extracting Tempo and Grooves from Audio

Remixes

Beat Detective can convert beat triggers to
Bar|Beat Markers, which makes it possible to extract tempo from audio that was recorded without listening to a click—even if the audio contains varying tempos, or material that is swung.

Beat Detective can be used for remixes. It can extract tempo from the original drum tracks, or in
some instances the original stereo mix. New
tracks, audio or MIDI, can then be conformed to
the original material, or the original material
can be conformed to new drum tracks, achieving an entirely new feel.

Once the Bar|Beat Markers have been generated
from the source audio, other audio regions and
MIDI tracks in the session can be quantized to it.

Smoothing Post-Production Edits

Conforming Audio to an Existing Tempo Map
If your session already has the right tempo, you
can conform audio with a different tempo, or
with varying tempos, to the session’s tempo. If
desired, the conformed audio can retain a percentage of its original feel, and you can increase
or reduce the amount of swing in the conformed material.

280

Since Beat Detective can extract tempo and beat
information from audio, and conform audio to
an existing tempo, this makes it very useful for
aligning loops with different tempos or feels. If
one loop has a subtly different feel or groove,
you can potentially impose that groove on another loop.

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Beat Detective’s Edit Smoothing can be used to
automatically clean up foley tracks that contain
many regions that need to be trimmed and
crossfaded, effectively removing the gaps of silence between the regions (so you can retain the
room tone throughout the track).

The Beat Detective Window

Figure 17. Beat Detective window

The Beat Detective window has four different
modes, accessed by the tabs in the upper left of
the window. Depending on the mode, the controls in the upper right of the window change.
The Selection options for Beat Detective, in the
center, are available in each of the modes.
The Beat Detective modes include:
Bar|Beat Marker Generation Automatically generates Bar|Beat Markers corresponding to transients detected in the audio selection.
Region Separation Automatically separates and
creates new regions based on transients detected
in the audio selection.
Region Conform Conforms all separated regions
within the selection to the current tempo map.
You can preserve some of the original feel of the
material with the Strength and Exclude Within
option, or impose an amount swing with the
Swing option.

Edit Smoothing After conforming regions, this
option is used to fill the gaps between the regions by automatically trimming them, and inserting crossfades if desired.
Collection Mode Click this button to access a
sub-mode for collecting beat triggers for multiple tracks, each with different Detection parameters.

Opening the Beat Detective Window
To open the Beat Detective window:
■

Choose Windows > Show Beat Detective.
– or –

■ Press Command+8 (Macintosh) or Control+8
(Windows) on the numeric keypad.

Beat Detective is a floating window that can be
left open while working, adjusting the parameters in real time during playback, while viewing
the beat triggers that appear in your selection in
the Edit window.

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281

Defining the Selection for
Beat Detective
Whether you will be generating Bar|Beat Markers, or separating regions to be conformed, the
first step in using Beat Detective is to define the
Selection parameters for the audio material you
want to analyze.

To define a selection for Beat Detective:
1 In the Edit window, select a range of audio
material. To work with multiple tracks, Shiftclick in each additional track, or use an Edit
Group.

Make sure the selection’s start and end
points fall cleanly on the beat. To zero in on
start and end points, see “Tabbing to Transients” on page 203.
You can easily recall an Edit selection by
saving it as a Memory Location. See “Memory Locations and Markers” on page 270.
2 To keep the Edit selection intact while playing

Beat Detective, Selection options

Beat Detective can work with selections on
multi-channel tracks, or with selections across
multiple tracks. This is especially useful if you
have different drum parts on different tracks
and want the rhythmic events on each track detected, thereby generating a set of trigger points
from all of the material as a whole.
For Beat Detective to accurately generate beat
triggers that are metrically accurate, it’s very important that the length and meter of the selection be defined correctly. This is crucial whether
you intend to generate Bar|Beat Markers, or separate and conform regions. In addition, the selection cannot contain any meter changes.

To account for the timbrel subtleties and
rhythmic nuances of freely recorded material, you may want to work with smaller selections.

or looping from any location, deselect Operations > Link Edit and Timeline Selection.
3 Choose Windows > Show Beat Detective.
4 Enter a Time Signature for the material.
5 To set the selection range, do one of the following:

• Enter locations for the Start Bar|Beat and End
Bar|Beat. For a four-bar selection that starts on
beat 1, enter 1|1 and 5|1.
• If unsure of the length of the material, enter
the Start Bar|Beat and click the Tap button repeatedly to automatically calculate the End
Bar|Beat. When using Tap with long selections, continue to tap until the End Bar|Beat
stabilizes. Once stabilized, you may need to
manually adjust the number to the nearest
bar boundary.
• If the selection’s tempo matches the session
tempo (see “Calculating a Selection’s Tempo
with Beat Detective” on page 283), and it
aligns correctly with the sessions’s bars and
beats, click the Capture Selection button.
6 If the material contains 32nd notes or triplets,

select those options.
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Calculating a Selection’s Tempo with
Beat Detective
If you know the start and end points of a selection, and its time signature, you can use Beat
Detective to calculate its average tempo. This allows you to automatically define the selection
range (with the Capture Selection button) when
using Beat Detective.
To calculate a selection’s tempo with Beat
Detective:

Detecting Transients with
Beat Detective
Once you’ve accurately defined the selection
range, Beat Detective can generate beat triggers
based on the peak transients detected in the material. The range and type of transients found
can be adjusted with the Detection settings, allowing you to zero in on the bars, beats, and
sub-beats in the material, while avoiding the
non-rhythmic content.

1 In the Edit window, select a range of audio
material. Make sure the selection’s start and end
points fall cleanly on the beat. To zero in on
start and end points, see “Tabbing to Transients”
on page 203.
2 Choose Windows > Show Beat Detective and
click the tab for Bar|Beat Generation.

Beat Detective, Detection options
3 Enter a Time Signature for the selection.

To detect beat triggers for the selection:
4 Enter the Start Bar|Beat and End Bar|Beat for

the selection.
5 With the Sensitivity slider set to 0%, click An-

alyze.
6 Click Generate to automatically insert

Bar|Beat Markers at the beginning and end of
the selection, representing the material’s average tempo.

1 In the Beat Detective window, click the tab for

Bar|Beat Generation.
2 From the Analysis pop-up menu, choose one

of the following detection algorithms:
• High Emphasis, works well with high-frequency material, such as cymbals and hi-hats,
while avoiding low-frequency material.
• Low Emphasis, works well with low frequency
material, such as bass guitar and kick drum, as
well as with most tonal material, such as piano or rhythm guitar.
3 Click the Analyze button.
4 Depending on the rhythmic content of the se-

lection, set the Resolution to Bars, Beats, or SubBeats.

Chapter 22: Beat Detective

283

5 Adjust the Sensitivity slider until beat triggers
appear on the beats and sub-beats in the selection.

Beat triggers

Bar triggers are indicated with thick lines, beat
triggers with medium lines, and sub-beat triggers with thin lines.

◆ Select the option for Show Trigger Time and
see if the (assumed) metric locations of the triggers align with the material. A false trigger could
cause other triggers downstream to have the
wrong locations.
◆ Consider whether lengthy selections with
should first be broken down into smaller selections, which could be more easily managed.

6 Zoom in and scroll through the selection, if
necessary, to confirm that the beat triggers are
appearing in the appropriate locations. If false
triggers appear between the beats or sub-beats,
representing non-rhythmic material, reduce the
Sensitivity value.

◆ For selections across multiple tracks, consider
whether it may be easier to work with them individually, or whether Collection Mode may be
needed (see “Beat Detective and Collection
Mode” on page 290).

7 To display the metric locations for the triggers,
select the Show Trigger Time option.

Editing Beat Triggers

the right locations, go back to step 2 and try the
other Analysis algorithm.

Even though Beat Detective offers a large
amount of flexibility in how transients are detected, there may times when beat triggers must
be deleted, moved, or manually inserted.

Tips for Getting Useful Triggers

Deleting Beat Triggers

Use the following tips to verify beat triggers:

False triggers, which do not represent an actual
beat or sub-beat in the source material, may appear when raising the Sensitivity slider to detect
low-level material. In these instances you can
locate and manually delete the false triggers.

8 If you can’t get the beat triggers to appear at

To focus on a particular area in the selection,
unlink the Edit and Timeline selections and set
the playback range by clicking or dragging in
any Timebase Ruler.

◆

Set the Edit window to scroll during playback,
zoom in, and watch for the triggers as the window scrolls. If necessary, use half-speed playback
by Shift-clicking Play in the Transport window.

◆

284

◆ Check the thickness of the beat triggers to see
if they align properly with the material. Thick
triggers fall on barlines, medium triggers fall on
beats, and thin triggers fall on sub-beats.

Pro Tools Reference Guide

To delete a beat trigger:
1 With the Beat Detective window still open,
choose the Grabber tool in the Edit window.

2 Locate the false trigger you want to delete.
Transients for false triggers usually have smaller
peaks than the other trigger points, and typically fall between the sub-beats.

Promoting Beat Triggers

Deleting a beat trigger

To promote a beat trigger:

3 Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) the trigger to delete it.

1 Raise the Sensitivity slider until the desired
transient is detected and a beat trigger appears.

Moving Beat Triggers
You can adjust the placement of triggers to allow for the attack of their transients, or to compensate for an individual transient that is
slightly ahead of or behind the beat.

To ensure that important beat triggers do not
disappear when lowering the Sensitivity value,
you can promote them. This is useful if a selection has many false triggers (too many to bother
deleting) at a Sensitivity level where crucial,
necessary triggers appear. If lowering the Sensitivity slider causes the needed triggers to disappear, simply promote them first.

2 Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click

(Windows) the beat trigger to promote it.
3 Lower the Sensitivity slider to a value where
the false triggers disappear.

1 With the Beat Detective window still open,
choose the Grabber tool in the Edit window.

Once beat triggers are promoted, they will only
disappear if the Sensitivity value is set to 0%. To
demote all beat triggers in the selection—returning them to their original state—you can click
the Analyze button.

2 Locate the beat trigger you want to move and

Inserting Beat Triggers

To move a beat trigger:

drag it left or right.
If an important beat or sub-beat is not detected,
because of low level, you can manually insert a
beat trigger.
To insert a beat trigger:
1 With the Beat Detective window still open,
choose the Grabber tool in the Edit window.
2 Click in the selection where you want to insert

the new trigger. After clicking, you can drag left
or right to adjust its placement.

Moving a beat trigger

If you click too close to an existing trigger, the
existing trigger will be moved to the new location.

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Redefining a Beat Trigger’s Metric Location
It is important that beat triggers represent the
correct metric location, so that Bar|Beat Markers
are generated accurately, and so that regions are
conformed to the right locations.
If some material is slightly off the beat, Beat Detective may assign it, as well as other transients
in the selection, the wrong metric location.
For example, if you have a bass track where a
note was intended to be a downbeat, but was
played too early, Beat Detective may define its
location as occurring a 32nd note before the
downbeat. If you then separate and conform the
region containing this note, it will move to the
wrong place (subsequent regions may end up in
the wrong location as well).
If you find that a beat trigger is not assigned the
correct metric location, you can redefine it.

Generating Bar|Beat Markers
with Beat Detective
Once Beat Detective has accurately detected the
peak transients in the audio selection and accurately generated beat triggers, you can convert
them to Bar|Beat Markers. This allows you to extract a tempo map from the material and use it
for the session.
If beat triggers are accurately represented on the
sub-beats, the material’s groove can potentially
be imposed on other audio regions and MIDI
tracks.
If you want to match the audio material to the
session’s existing tempo map, you would not
want to generate Bar|Beat Markers from the material. You would instead use Beat Detective to
separate and conform the material (see “Separating and Conforming Regions with Beat Detective” on page 287).

The change the metric location of a beat trigger:
1 Double-click the beat trigger you want to edit.

To generate Bar|Beat Markers with Beat
Detective:
1 In the Beat Detective window, click the tab for

Bar|Beat Marker Generation.
2 Define the selection for the audio material (see

“Defining the Selection for Beat Detective” on
page 282).
Identify Trigger dialog
2 In the Identify Trigger dialog, enter the correct

location for the trigger, then click OK.

3 Configure the Detection options so the selection’s peak transients are accurately detected
(see “Detecting Transients with Beat Detective”
on page 283).
4 Click the Generate button. Bar|Beat Markers
are generated, based on the beat triggers, and
appear in the Tempo Ruler.

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Capturing a Groove with SubBeats
To extract the groove from a selection, set the
Resolution to Sub-Beats when detecting transients. This ensures that the inner rhythms
within each bar (if they indeed exist) are represented when generating Bar|Beat Markers. These
Bar|Beat Markers can then be used to quantize
other audio regions or MIDI tracks, thereby imposing the groove from the audio material.

When quantizing regions or MIDI notes to
Bar|Beat Markers on sub-beats that represent a swing feel, make sure to use a
straight quantize value (with the Swing option for Quantize disabled).

Separating and Conforming
Regions with Beat Detective
Once beat triggers appear in your selection, they
can be used to define start and end points for
new regions that can be separated automatically. The new regions can then be conformed
to the session’s existing tempo map.

To separate regions with Beat Detective:
1 In the Beat Detective window, click the tab for

Region Separation.
2 Define the selection for the audio material (see

“Defining the Selection for Beat Detective” on
page 282).
3 Configure the Detection options so the selection’s peak transients are accurately detected
(see “Detecting Transients with Beat Detective”
on page 283).
4 Click the Separate button. Regions are separated based on the detected beat triggers.

Separating Multiple Tracks
You can use beat triggers from a single track, or
subset of tracks, to separate a group of tracks. For
example, after analyzing a selection on a kick
drum track (with transients detected on beats 1
and 3), you can extend the selection to the hihat and snare tracks before performing the Separate.
This results in regions separated from each of
the drum tracks at the same location, based on
the beat triggers from the kick drum track. The
separated regions can then be conformed as a
group.

To extend a selection to another track, Shiftclick in the desired track, or enable an Edit
Group
Beat Detective, Conform options

If you instead want to clean up the timing for
the selection, and are basically happy with the
existing tempo, make sure to first extract the
tempo from the material by generating Bar|Beat
Markers (see “Generating Bar|Beat Markers with
Beat Detective” on page 286).

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Conforming Regions with Beat
Detective
After regions have been separated with Beat Detective, the regions can then be conformed to
the session’s tempo map. This is similar to using
the Quantize Regions command, but with one
important difference. Beat Detective can adjust
the position of all regions, whether they have a
straight, swing or triplet fee, with a single operation.

To conform regions with Beat Detective:
1 In the Beat Detective window, click the tab for

Region Conform.
2 To affect how strongly the regions are conformed, select the Strength option and specify a
percentage value with either the slider or by typing in a value:

• Lower percentage values preserve the original
feel of the regions.
• Higher percentage values align the regions
more tightly to the grid, with 100% aligning
precisely to the grid.

To “tighten up” the original feel, while retaining it, set the Strength option to
85–88%.
Beat Detective, Conform options

Beat Detective will conform any selected region,
whether or not it was separated with Beat Detective. However, in order to successfully conform
regions with Beat Detective, the region start
points must correspond to the start of the material that will align with the session’s bars and
beats. This should generally not be a problem if
the regions were separated with Beat Detective
(as opposed to manually separated or trimmed).

If Beat Detective has successfully captured
enough of the sub-beats from a selection before separating, you can conform with the
Swing option to change the groove from a
“straight” feel to one that is swung.

3 To affect which regions are conformed, select
the Exclude Within option and specify a percentage value with the slider or by typing in a
value:

• Lower percentage values ensure that regions
further away from the grid are conformed,
while those closer to the grid are not.
• Higher percentage values ensure that regions
closer to the grid, as well as those further
away, are conformed.

To “tighten up” the original feel, while retaining it, set the Exclude Within option to
10–15%.
4 To achieve a swing feel for the conformed regions, select the Swing option and whether the
swing is based on 8th or 16th notes, then specify
a percentage value with the slider or by typing
in a value:

• Smaller percentage values yield less swing,
with 0% yielding none.
• Larger percentage values yield more swing,
with 100% yielding a triplet, swing feel.

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• Percentage values between 100–150 move the
regions beyond a triplet, swing feel, toward
the next 16th-note boundary (provided the
Swing note value is set to 8th notes).
5 Click the Conform button to automatically

conform all regions in the selection.

To use Edit Smoothing on conformed regions:
1 Choose Windows > Beat Detective.
2 Make sure the conformed regions are selected

in the Edit window.
3 In the Beat Detective window, click the tab for

Edit Smoothing.
4 Select one of the following Smoothing options:

Regions conformed with Beat Detective

Audition the new conformed regions by clicking
Play in the Transport window. If necessary, select Edit > Undo and try a different set of Conform settings.

• Fill Gaps, trims region end points so that the
gaps between regions are filled.
• Fill And Crossfade, trims region end points
and automatically adds a pre-fade (in ms) directly before each region start point.
5 Click the Smooth button to smooth the edits
for the selected regions.

Edit Smoothing
After regions are conformed, there are gaps between the regions. These gaps can cause the material to sound unnatural on playback.

Regions before and after Edit Smoothing

Beat Detective, Smoothing options

Beat Detective can automatically fill the gaps between regions, and even add crossfades if desired. This Edit Smoothing option can be used
with regions that have been conformed, or with
a track that contains many regions (such as a
sound effects track) that need to be trimmed
and crossfaded. This automated process of
smoothing region edits could potentially save
many hours of tedious editing.

Audition the new conformed regions by clicking
Play in the Transport window. If necessary, select Edit > Undo and adjust the Crossfade
Length.

Edit Smoothing Creates Sync Points
After smoothing edits with Beat Detective, sync
points (corresponding to the material’s start
point) are automatically created for the conformed regions. This allows you to later conform the regions to a different tempo map, or
with a different set of Conform settings.

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Consolidating Regions after Edit
Smoothing
The process of separating, conforming, and
smoothing with Beat Detective can leave tracks
with many regions and many crossfades. If you
are working with multiple tracks, the density of
these edits may lead to system performance
problems.
Once you are satisfied with the results from Beat
Detective, it is recommended that you “flatten”
the tracks with the Consolidate Selection command, thereby writing contiguous audio files
and regions, which are easier to play. See “Consolidate Selection Command” on page 256.

Before consolidating a large selection across
multiple tracks, make there is enough RAM
available. See “RAM Requirements for Beat
Detective” on page 279.

Beat Detective and Collection
Mode
In some instances, it may be difficult for Beat
Detective to successfully analyze multiple tracks
with the same Detection settings. With Beat Detective’s Collection Mode, you can collect a set
of beat triggers from different tracks, each with
different Detection settings, and use the collection of triggers to generate Bar|Beat Markers or
separate new regions.
This method of selectively adding beat triggers
from separate analyses passes on different
tracks, until you get only the triggers you want,
is potentially much more effective than manually deleting, inserting, or adjusting incorrect of
false triggers.

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Drum Tracks and Collection Mode
Suppose you have drum tracks for kick, snare,
toms, and overhead mics. If you analyze a selection across all of the tracks, you may get many
false triggers when you raise the Sensitivity
slider high enough to capture the hi-hat material (coming mainly from the track for the overhead mics).
However, if you analyze only the track for the
overhead mics, the resulting beat triggers are
slightly later than the material on the other
tracks (since sound travels more slowly to the
overhead mics). If you then extend the selection
to the other drum tracks and separate, the regions from the kick, snare, and tom tracks will
be cut slightly late.
With Collection Mode, you can analyze each
drum track separately, one at a time, optimizing
the Detection settings for each track until you
get the desired triggers. The triggers for each
track are added successively to the collection,
which can then be used to generate Bar|Beat
Markers or separate new regions.

Using Collection Mode
Collection Mode is accessed by clicking the Collection Mode button from the Bar|Beat Marker
Generation or Region Separation page.

Beat Detective, Collection Mode options

To use Beat Detective’s Collection Mode:
1 Define the selection for the first audio track
you want to analyze (see “Defining the Selection
for Beat Detective” on page 282).
2 Adjust the Detection parameters so the desired beat triggers appear (see “Detecting Transients with Beat Detective” on page 283).
3 Click the Collection Mode button.
4 In the Collection mode sub-pane, click Add to

add the current beat triggers to the collection.
5 Click the Normal Mode button and repeat the
previous steps for each track you want to analyze. Make sure to keep the selection range the
constant for each track. Each new set of triggers
added to the collection appears in a different
color.

If successive triggers in the collection are located
closely together (because of mic leakage), Beat
Detective keeps only the earlier triggers.
6 Once the desired beat triggers have been
added to the collection, you can use them to
generate Bar|Beat Markers, or separate new regions. This must be done from the Collection
Mode sub-pane (when the triggers are displayed
in multi-colors).

To separate regions across multiple tracks,
make sure to extend the selection to any additional tracks before separating.
the Beat Triggers stored in the Collection
Mode are saved with sessions. Therefore,
when you later open a session, the previous
collection material is still there (until you
clear it).

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Part V: MIDI Editing

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You can edit individual MIDI notes and controller events with the Pencil, Trimmer, and Grabber. You can also use the various MIDI Operations (Quantize, Transpose, Change Velocity,
and Change Duration) to transform groups of
MIDI notes to affect pitch, timing, and phrasing. For information on region-specific editing
for both MIDI and audio, see Chapter 17,
“Working with Regions and Selections.”

3 Set the Time Scale to Bars:Beats. In addition,
set the Edit mode to Grid and the Grid value to
quarter notes (0|1|000).

With these settings, quarter notes will be inserted on the beat.
4 Move the Pencil into the playlist area for the
MIDI track. Use the Edit window’s Ruler and the
track’s mini-keyboard to locate the desired pitch
and location.

Inserting MIDI Notes with the
Pencil Tool

Current Cursor display

In addition to recording and importing MIDI
into Pro Tools, you can manually insert MIDI
notes with the Pencil tool.

When using the Pencil, the Current Cursor display in the upper right of the Edit window provides feedback on its location.

To insert a MIDI note with the Pencil:

5 When the desired pitch and location are located, click to insert the note.

1 Set the MIDI track’s Display Format to Notes.
2 Select the Pencil tool and make sure it is set to
Freehand.

Pencil tool set to Freehand

MIDI note inserted with the Pencil

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The velocity for inserted notes is determined by
the “Default Note On Velocity” setting in the
MIDI Preferences. The duration of the note is
determined by the Edit window’s Grid value. If
the MIDI Preferences option for “Play MIDI
notes with Grabber and Pencil Tools” is enabled,
each inserted note will sound.
The Pencil can be dragged after clicking (and before releasing) to adjust the note’s pitch or duration.

To insert a series of notes with random velocities:
1 Set the MIDI track’s Display Format to Notes.
2 Select the Pencil tool and make sure it is set to
Random.

Pencil tool set to Random
3 Set the Time Scale to Bars:Beats. In addition,
set the Edit mode to Grid and the Grid value to
quarter notes (0|1|000).

With these settings, the inserted notes will be
spaced one quarter note apart.
4 Click at the point where the first note will be

Adjusting the duration for an inserted note

inserted and drag to the right.

Click and drag right to lengthen the note without changing its start point, click and drag left
to lengthen the note without changing its end
point.

With Grid mode enabled, Command-drag
(Macintosh) or Control-drag (Windows)
with the Pencil to snap the note’s end point
to the nearest Grid boundary.
The Pencil tool shapes (Line, Triangle, Square,
and Random) can be used to enter a series of
identical pitches with varying velocities. The
length and spacing for the inserted notes is determined by the current Grid value. The note velocities are determined by the Pencil shape.

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Inserting a series of notes with the Pencil
5 When the desired number of notes are visible,

release.
Use the Square shape for alternating velocities of
loud and soft. Use the Triangle shape for a ramp
up and down of velocities. The Line shape enters notes with identical velocities.

Manually Editing MIDI Notes
All aspects of a MIDI note can be edited from the
Edit window, including start and end points,
duration, pitch, and velocity. The Grabber and
Selector can operate on individual notes or
groups of notes.

Selecting MIDI Notes
To select a group of MIDI notes:
■

With the Grabber, Shift-click each note.

When using the Selector, a note’s start point
must be included in order for it to become selected. When a MIDI track is displaying notes
(or regions), selections made with the Selector
include underlying controller and automation
data.
To select a single pitch for the entire length of a
track:
■ On the mini-keyboard, Command-Shift-click
(Macintosh) or Control-Shift-click (Windows)
the note.

– or –
With the Grabber, move the cursor to where
there are no notes (the Marquee appears) and
click and draw a rectangle around the group of
notes.

■

Selecting a pitch from the mini-keyboard

To remove one or more notes from a selection:
■ With the Grabber, Shift-click the notes so they
become deselected.

Selecting notes with the Grabber

When using the Grabber, if any portion of the
rectangle touches a note (either its start or end
point), the note is included in the selection. Selections made with the Grabber do not include
underlying controller and automation data for
the MIDI track.
– or –
■

With the Selector, drag across a range of notes.

Transposing Notes with the Grabber
MIDI notes can be transposed by dragging up or
down with the Grabber. If several notes are selected before dragging, each is transposed.
To transpose a MIDI note:
1 Set the MIDI track’s Display Format to Notes.
2 Select the Grabber tool.
3 While pressing Shift, drag the note up or
down.

Selecting notes with the Selector

Transposing with the Grabber

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The Shift key ensures that the transposed note
retains its start point. While dragging, each new
note sounds and the Current Cursor display indicates the number of semitones and direction
(+/-) for the transpose.

To transpose a copy of the note, leaving the
original unchanged, press Option (Macintosh) or Control (Windows) while dragging.

Moving Notes with the Grabber
Like regions, MIDI notes can be dragged left or
right with the Grabber to change their start
point. If several notes are selected before dragging, each is moved.

Trimming Note Start and End Times
Like regions, start and end points for MIDI notes
can be adjusted with the Trimmer tool. If several
notes are selected when performing the trim,
each note is changed.
To change the end points for a group of MIDI
Notes:
1 Set the MIDI track’s Display Format to Notes.
2 Using the Grabber, Shift-click each note you
want to trim.
3 Select the Trimmer tool. For TDM systems,
make sure the Standard Trimmer is selected in
its pop-up menu.

To move a MIDI note:
1 Set the MIDI track’s Display Format to Notes.
2 With the Grabber, drag the note left or right
(press Shift while dragging to preserve the note’s
pitch).

As the note is dragged, the Current Cursor display indicates the new start point.

Trimmer tool set to Standard
4 Move the cursor near the end of any of the
highlighted notes, so the Trim cursor appears.
Drag left to shorten the notes, drag right to
lengthen them.

If the Edit mode is set to Grid, the dragged note
snaps to the nearest Grid boundary. If the Edit
mode is set to Spot, the Spot dialog opens.

To copy the selected notes, leaving the originals intact, press Option (Macintosh) or
Control (Windows) while dragging.

Changing note end times with the Trimmer

The placement of MIDI notes can also be
adjusted with Shift (see “Shift Command”
on page 224) or Nudge (see “Nudging” on
page 221).

If using Grid mode, the dragged start/end point
snap to the nearest Grid boundary. If using Spot
mode, the Spot dialog opens, where you can enter the new location for the note’s start or end
point.
Notes can also be trimmed with the Trim To Selection command (see “Trim To Selection Command” on page 211) and the Trim To Insertion
command (see “Trim To Insertion Command”
on page 216).

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Manually Editing Note Velocities

To draw velocity values that fade in:

When a MIDI track’s Display Format is set to Velocity, each note’s attack velocity is represented
with a velocity stalk. The taller the velocity
stalk, the higher the velocity value (0-127).

1 Set the MIDI track’s Display Format to Velocity.

To edit a velocity stalk with the Grabber:
1 Set the MIDI track’s Display Format to Velocity.

2 Select the Pencil tool with the shape set to
Line.
3 Click at the beginning of the note range, near
the bottom of the velocity range, and drag to
the right and up.

2 Select the Grabber tool.
3 Drag the top (diamond) of the velocity stalk
up or down.

Changing velocities with the Line shape
4 Once the line encompasses the desired range

of notes, along with the desired steepness of the
fade, release.
Dragging a velocity stalk

– or –
If two notes have the same start time (with velocity stalks on top of each other), Commanddrag (Macintosh) or Control-drag (Windows)
the actual note up or down.
Drag up to increase the velocity value, down to
decrease it. While dragging, the diamond turns
blue and the associated note becomes selected.
The dragged velocity values are reflected in the
Current Cursor display.
The velocities for a range of notes can be edited
with the Pencil tool, either by Freehand or with
any of the Pencil tool shapes.

You can also use the Trimmer tool to scale the
velocities for all selected notes. This is useful if
you like the velocity relationship between the
notes, but want them to be louder or softer.
To scale velocities with the Trimmer:
1 Set the MIDI track’s Display Format to Velocity.
2 Using either the Selector or Grabber, select the

range of notes to be edited.
3 With the Trimmer, click near the range of selected notes and drag up or down. Dragging up
boosts the velocities for each note, dragging
down reduces them.

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Typing in Note Attributes

Multiple Notes and Event Edit Area

When an individual note is selected with the
Grabber, its attributes are displayed in the Event
Edit area.

When multiple notes are selected, you can enter
values in the Event Edit area fields to affect all
selected notes.
A new value in the Start field moves the first
note in the selection to that location, with all
other notes moving with it.

Event Edit Area, Pitch attribute selected

Pitch is listed by note name and octave number.
Attack and release velocities are listed with their
MIDI values (0-127). Times for Start, End, and
Length are displayed in the Main Time Scale.
To change an attribute for a MIDI note:
1 In the MIDI track’s playlist area, select the
note with the Grabber.

Multiple notes in the Event Edit area

Values entered in the pitch and velocity fields
add to or subtract from the values for all selected
notes. For example, to transpose all selected
notes down an octave, enter a value –12 for
pitch.

2 Click in the Attribute’s text box and do one of

the following.
• Enter the new value on the numeric keypad.
• Press the Up or Down Arrow to scroll to the
new value.

Deleting MIDI Notes
In addition to deleting selected notes with the
Clear command in the Edit menu, individual
notes can also be deleted with the Pencil tool.

• While pressing Command (Macintosh) or
Control (Windows), drag up or down to scroll
to the new value.

To delete a group of MIDI notes with the Clear
command:

• Play the new note value on your MIDI controller keyboard.

1 With the Grabber or Selector, select the notes
to be deleted. For details, see “Selecting MIDI
Notes” on page 297.

Press the slash key to move between the fields in
the Event Edit area.

2 Choose Edit > Clear to delete the selected
notes. The track’s underlying controller data remains intact.

When deleting MIDI notes within a time
range selection, all underlying controller
and automation data is also deleted.

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To delete a single MIDI note with the Pencil:
With the Pencil tool selected, press Option
(Macintosh) or Alt (Windows) so the tool
changes to an Eraser, then click the note to delete it.

■

Continuous controller events that can be inserted and edited in Pro Tools include:
• volume
• pan
• pitch bend
• aftertouch (mono)
• MIDI controllers, 0–127

Deleting a note with Pencil

Program change events and sysex events can
also be deleted by Option-clicking (Macintosh) or Alt-clicking (Windows) them with
the Pencil tool.

Continuous Controller Events
Continuous controller events for MIDI tracks
are displayed in the form of a line graph with a
series of editable breakpoints. Controller events
for MIDI tracks differ somewhat from automation data for audio tracks in that the breakpoints
are stepped (instead of vector-based), where
each breakpoint represents a single controller
event.

Polyphonic aftertouch cannot be viewed in
the Edit window. To view polyphonic aftertouch in Pro Tools, use the MIDI Event List
(see Chapter 25, “MIDI Event List”).
MIDI controller #7 (volume) and #10 (pan) are
treated by Pro Tools as automation data. This
means that these controller events (along with
Mutes) can be recorded and automated from the
Mix window; in addition, each MIDI track’s automation mode affects how these events are
played back and recorded.
While a MIDI track’s volume and pan (and
mute) events can be suspended, all other controller events in the track always play.
Continuous controller events (including volume and pan) can be recorded from an external
MIDI controller (such as a keyboard or control
surface), and they can be inserted in a MIDI
track’s playlist with the Grabber or Pencil.

MIDI track displaying volume events

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Inserting/Editing Controller
Events
Continuous controller events can be edited with
any of the following methods:
Individual breakpoints can be dragged with
the Grabber to adjust their location or value.

◆

A group of selected breakpoints can be scaled
up or down with the Trimmer.

◆

New controller events can be drawn in with
the Pencil tool to replace existing events. Events
can be drawn with the Pencil set to Freehand, or
using any of the shapes (Line, Triangle, Square,
or Random).

◆

Controller events can be copied and pasted,
nudged, and shifted.

◆

For details on these editing procedures, see
Chapter 28, “Automation.”

Edits to volume data affect all tracks within
an enabled Edit Group. This is not the case,
however, for other controller playlists (such
as pan). To insert and edit other controller
types across all tracks in an Edit Group,
press Control (Macintosh) or the Start key
(Windows) while performing the edits.

Resolution for Inserted Controller
Events
When inserting controller events with the Pencil, the density of the events is determined by
the MIDI Preference for “Pencil Tool Resolution
When Drawing Controller Data.”
To set the Pencil tool resolution:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences and click MIDI.
2 Enter a value for “Pencil Tool Resolution
When Drawing Controller Data.” The value
range is from 1 to 100 milliseconds.
3 Click OK.

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Program Changes
Each MIDI track can have a default program
change that is sent each time the track plays.
Additional program changes can be inserted at
any point within the track.

About Program and Bank Changes
The MIDI protocol lets you choose from a range
of 128 programs (0-127). Most MIDI instruments have several banks of 128 programs. To
specify which bank you’re selecting from, a bank
select message must be sent. Some instruments
use Controller 0 to switch the bank while others
use Controller 32 (some use a combination of
the two). The Program Change window in
Pro Tools allows you to use either of these bank
select messages when inserting a program
change event. Check with the manufacturer’s
documentation to see which message your device uses.

Bank Changes for Older MIDI Devices
Some older MIDI devices (such as the Kurzweil
K1000) use a program change instead of a Bank
Select message to switch banks. For these devices you may find it necessary to send two program change messages to access a particular program, where the first sets the bank and the
second sets the program.

OMS Name Manager

Default Program Change

(Macintosh Only)

The default program change for each MIDI track
is specified by clicking on the Program button,
from either the Edit or Mix window. Once specified, the default program change message is
sent to your instrument when playing the track.

If your MIDI devices are subscribed to OMS
patch names, these names will appear in the
Program Change window in Pro Tools, and also
in the inserted program change events. If not,
programs will be selected and viewed by number.
If OMS has a factory names document for any of
the MIDI devices in your Studio Setup, these factory names are automatically subscribed and appear in Pro Tools.
You can also open the OMS Names window
from Pro Tools and subscribe to names from
patch editor/librarian software, or even enter
your own custom patch names.
To open the OMS Names window:
■

Choose Setups > OMS Names.

To set the default program change for a MIDI
track:
1 From the Edit or Mix window, click the Program button.

Program button

Program button, Edit window

The Program button in the Edit window (if the
Track Height is set to Medium or Larger) displays the name of the default program, or
“none” if one has not yet been specified. The
Program button in the Mix window (and in the
Edit window when the Track Height is set to
Small), is labeled as “P.”
2 In the Program Change window, select a program number and, if necessary, specify a bank
change value.

OMS Names window

For details on using the OMS Names window,
refer to the online OMS Name Manager manual
included on the Pro Tools CD-ROM.
Program Change window

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If subscribed to OMS names, choose a bank from
the pop-up menu in the upper right of the Program Change window.

3 Click with the Pencil in the track’s playlist at
the point where you want to insert the program
change.
4 In the Program Change window, select a program number (or name) and, if necessary, specify a bank change value.
5 Click Done to insert the program change
event in the track’s playlist.

Choosing a bank in Program Change window
3 Click Done.

Once selected, the program number (or name)
appears in the Program button in the Edit window. To clear the default program change, select
None in the Program Change window.
Unlike recorded and inserted program change
events, the default program change does not appear in the track’s playlist.

Inserting/Editing Program
Changes
Program changes can be inserted into a track’s
playlist with the Pencil tool. Existing program
changes can be edited, moved, and copied and
pasted.

NOTE: On some instruments, changing programs
during playback can interrupt playback. To avoid
this, place program change events in the track
where there are no notes sounding.
To insert a program change with the Pencil:
1 Set the MIDI track’s Display Format to Program.
2 If desired, set the Edit mode to Grid so the inserted event snaps to the Grid.

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Program change event

To edit a program change event:
1 With the Grabber, double-click the program
change event you want to edit.
2 In the Program Change window, select the
new program number (or name) and, if necessary, specify a bank change value.
3 Click Done.

To move a program change event:
■ With the Grabber, drag the program change
event left or right.

If the Edit mode is set to Grid, the dragged event
snaps to the nearest Grid boundary. If the Edit
mode is set to Spot, the Spot dialog opens.

The placement of program changes can also
be adjusted with Shift (see “Shift Command” on page 224) or Nudge (see “Nudging” on page 221).

To delete a program change event:
1 With the track’s Display Format set to Notes,
click the program change event with the Grabber to select it.

After the specified number of seconds, Pro Tools
selects the next patch and transmits the program change to the track’s assigned MIDI device. As desired, play your MIDI controller to audition the new patches.

– or –
If the region contains other events you want to
delete, select the entire region with the Grabber
(when the track is displaying regions).
2 Choose Edit > Clear to remove the selected

events from the track.

Individual program change events can also
be deleted by Option-clicking (Macintosh)
or Alt-clicking (Windows) them with the
Pencil.

System Exclusive Events
System Exclusive (sysex) events can be recorded
to MIDI tracks in Pro Tools (see “Recording System Exclusive Data” on page 152). Once the
events are recorded, they appear in the track’s
playlist as blocks when the Display Format is set
to Sysex.

Auditioning Programs
When the Program Change window is open,
you can have Pro Tools automatically scroll
through the different patches for a track’s assigned MIDI device.
To audition patches from the Program Change
window:
1 To audition patches for a MIDI track while it

plays, click Play in the Transport window.
2 Open the Program Change window by click-

ing the Program button in the Mix window, or
by inserting or editing a program change event
in a MIDI track.
3 click a program number—the starting point
from which you will scroll through the patches.
4 If desired, enter a value for the number of sec-

onds that will elapse between each program
change.

Sysex event block

While the contents of recorded System Exclusive events cannot be directly edited in
Pro Tools, the events can be moved or nudged,
copied and pasted, or deleted.
To move a sysex event:
1 Set the MIDI track’s Display Format to Sysex.
2 With the Grabber, drag the sysex event left or
right.

If the Edit mode is set to Grid, the dragged event
snaps to the nearest Grid boundary. If the Edit
mode is set to Spot, the Spot dialog opens.

The placement of sysex event blocks can
also be adjusted with Shift (see “Shift Command” on page 224) or Nudge (see “Nudging” on page 221).

5 Select the option for Increment Patch.

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To delete one or more sysex events:
1 With the track’s Display Format set to Sysex,
click the sysex event with the Grabber to select
it.

– or –
If the region contains other sysex events you
want to delete, select the entire region with the
Grabber (when the track is displaying regions).
2 Choose Edit > Clear to remove the selected

events from the track.

Individual sysex event blocks can also be
deleted by Option-clicking (Macintosh) or
Alt-clicking (Windows) them with the Pencil tool.

Note and Controller Chasing
Note chasing allows long, sustained MIDI notes
to be heard when playing from a point after
their start time. For example, if a note’s start
time is at 1|1|000 and lasts for 8 measures (until
9|1|000), note chasing lets you begin playing
from bar 5 and still hear the note that started at
1|1|000 as it continues to sustain until 9|1|000.
Note Chasing is something that can turned on
and off individually for each MIDI track. By default, new MIDI tracks have Note Chasing enabled.
To enable Note Chasing for a MIDI track:
Click the track’s Playlist Selector and select
the option for Note Chasing.

■

Note Chasing enabled in Playlist Selector pop-up

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Make sure to disable Note Chasing when working with samplers that are playing loops. If a
MIDI track, for example, is triggering a 4-bar
drum loop and you begin playing at bar 3, the
loop will begin playing at the wrong time and be
out of sync with the other tracks.

Controller and Program Chasing
Pro Tools always chases continuous controller
events and program changes for MIDI tracks.
This ensures that controller values and patches
for MIDI devices are always appropriately set.
For example, suppose a MIDI track lasting 32
measures starts with a volume of 127 and in the
last bar fades the volume down to 0. If after
playing the track in its entirety you attempt to
play from bar 8, the initial volume of 127 is
chased and sent to the track’s assigned device—
otherwise the track would not be heard since the
most recent volume event sent would have been
0.
Chasing also occurs for a MIDI track’s default
program change, along with any program
change events residing within the track. Therefore, if you have chosen a default program
change for a track, when playing from any point
within the track, the program change event is
sent to the track’s assigned device.

Default Controller Values and Chasing
Though new MIDI tracks appear to have default
values for continuous controller playlists, this is
actually not the case. For example, when viewing a MIDI track’s Mod Wheel playlist, you’ll see
that the breakpoint line is set to a default of
zero. However, since the modulation wheel on
your synth may purposely be set to a different
value, the default value in the track is not transmitted when playing.

This can cause some confusion, however, if you
insert a fade (for example, from 0–90) in the
Mod Wheel playlist towards the end of the
track. If you then play from the beginning of the
track, or from anywhere before the fade, the
Mod Wheel value on your synth will be at 90
until the beginning of the fade data is reached—
which is likely not what you want.

By configuring the Global MIDI Playback Offset,
you can get your MIDI tracks to play back
slightly earlier (by a specified number of samples), thereby compensating for the latency in
monitoring audio within Pro Tools LE.

To ensure that the default controller value for a
playlist is sent (and chased), click the initial
breakpoint at the beginning of the track, move
it slightly, and set it back to the default value.

2 For the “Global MIDI Playback Offset” option,

Offsetting MIDI Tracks
Pro Tools can offset MIDI tracks globally or individually.

To configure the Global MIDI Playback Offset:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences and click MIDI.

enter the number of samples (–10,000 to
10,000) for the offset. A negative value causes
the MIDI tracks to play back earlier than the audio tracks, a positive value causes the MIDI
tracks to play back later.
To allow for monitoring latency in Pro Tools LE,
set the offset to a value that is roughly equivalent to the Hardware Buffer Size.
3 Click Done.

Global MIDI Playback Offset
The Global MIDI Playback Offset can also
be set from the MIDI Track Offsets window.

Pro Tools offers a MIDI offset preference that allows MIDI tracks to play back earlier or later
(than audio tracks) by a specified number of
samples. The offset affects playback only and
does not alter in any way how MIDI data is displayed in the Edit window.

Individual MIDI Track Offsets

This capability is provided in large part to compensate for the audio monitoring latency in
Pro Tools LE. If you are monitoring the output
of your MIDI devices with an external mixer or
sound system (or headphones), there is no latency. If, however, you are monitoring the output of your MIDI devices through a Digi 001 (or
Audiomedia III), your MIDI tracks will appear to
play slightly later than your audio tracks. The
larger the setting for the Hardware Buffer Size
(128, 256, 512, or 1024 samples), the larger the
latency.

For example, if you have some kick drums that
are being played by an audio track in Pro Tools
and want them to be perfectly “in sync” with
kick drums that are being played by a MIDI device, you may need to use a MIDI offset. In this
example, it will usually take at least 5 ms to trigger the MIDI notes, and it could take even
longer, depending on the MIDI device.

You can offset individual MIDI track offsets in
Pro Tools to compensate for delays in MIDI devices (the time it takes to trigger events on a
sampler or synth).

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307

You can measure the latency for a MIDI device
assigned to a MIDI track by recording its audio
output back into Pro Tools. Compare the sample locations for the recorded audio events
against the original MIDI notes to calculate the
latency.
To configure a MIDI track offset for a track:
1 Choose Windows > Show MIDI Track Offsets.

Stuck Notes
If you encounter stuck notes with any of your
MIDI devices, you can silence them with the All
Notes Off command.
To turn off all stuck notes:
■

Choose MIDI > All Notes Off.

An All Notes Off message is sent to each channel
for all devices in your setup.

MIDI Track Offsets
2 Click in the Sample Offset column for the
MIDI track and enter the number of samples
(–10,000 to 10,000) for the offset. A negative
value causes the MIDI tracks to play back earlier
than the audio tracks, a positive value causes the
MIDI tracks to play back later.

The equivalent offset in milliseconds is displayed in the Msec Offset column. The value in
this column, indicated in italics, cannot be edited, and updates when a new value is entered in
the SMPTE Offset column.
3 Press Return (Macintosh) or Enter (Windows)

to accept the entered offset value.
To reset all offsets for all MIDI tracks, click the
Reset button in upper left of the window.

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Chapter 24: MIDI Operations

MIDI Operations Window
The MIDI Operations window opens when
choosing any of the following commands from
the MIDI menu:

The MIDI Operations window can be left open
as desired, revisiting it as necessary to invoke a
command, or to try out different options for a
particular command.
To show or hide the MIDI Operations window:

• Quantize
■

• Change Velocity
• Change Duration
• Transpose
• Select Notes
• Split Notes

Choose Windows > Show MIDI Operations.

To invoke the command in the MIDI Operations
window:
■ Click Apply or press Enter on the numeric
keypad. This invokes the command and leaves
the window in the foreground.

• Input Quantize

– or –
■ Press Return (Macintosh) or Enter on the alpha keyboard (Windows). This invokes the command and moves the window to the
background.

To undo the command in the MIDI Operations
window:
■

Choose Edit > Undo.

Figure 18. MIDI Operations window

Using the MIDI Operations Window
To reconfigure the MIDI Operations window for
a different command, select the command from
the MIDI menu or from the pop-up menu at the
top of the window (see Figure 18).

Use the following methods to easily configure
the various options, which vary from command
to command, in the MIDI Operations window:
◆ To move forward and back through the various fields, press Tab or Shift+Tab.

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309

Increment or decrement selected fields with
the Up/Down Arrows. Press and hold these keys
to scroll quickly through the values.

Options for the Select Notes command include:

Command-drag (Macintosh) or Control-drag
(Windows) up or down in a selected field to
scroll to a new value.

Notes Between Selects a range of notes between
the specified upper and lower note. Values for
the notes can be entered in pitch (C-1–G8) or
MIDI note numbers (0–127).

◆

Press Command (Macintosh) or Control
(Windows) while adjusting sliders for finer resolution.

◆

For selected pitch and velocity fields, play a
note on your MIDI controller keyboard to automatically enter it.

All Notes All notes are selected.

Top Selects the highest note or notes in each
chord.

◆

Changing a value for a particular parameter
(such as the Swing Percentage in the Quantize
window), automatically enables the parameter.

◆

Select Notes
The Select Notes command allows you to further narrow a selection of MIDI notes based on
pitch. The command can be used to select a single note or note range for the entire length of a
region or track, or to select the upper or lower
voices within chords.

Bottom Selects the lowest note or notes in each
chord.

Selecting a Pitch Range of Notes
A common use for Select Notes is to select a single note for the entire length of a region or track.
This is especially useful if you want to select a
note in a MIDI drum track (hi-hat, for instance),
and affect it over the selected time range with
the Quantize, Transpose, or Change Duration
command.
To select only the hi-hats in a General MIDI drum
track:
1 Using the Grabber or Selector, select the range

of MIDI notes that contains the note.
2 Choose MIDI > Select Notes.
3 Select the Notes Between option with the note
range set to F#1 and F#1.

Select Notes window

For a General MIDI drum kit, the closed hi-hat is
assigned to F#1 (MIDI note number 42). If the
hi-hat for your drumkit is assigned to a different
note, make sure to specify it.
4 Click Apply.

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Selecting Notes in a Chord
Another use for Select Notes is to select only the
upper or lower notes in a chord. Many times
you’ll want to affect only the upper or lower
notes in a chord—to boost their velocities, or
transpose their pitch.
To select only the bass notes in a chord:

One use for this command would be if you recorded a track with chords in the left hand and
melody in the right. With the Split Notes command, you could cut the melody notes and
paste them to another track so you could assign
them to play on a different device or channel.
Another use is to split the various notes (kick,
snare, toms etc.) from a single drum track to separate tracks.

1 Using the Grabber or Selector, select the range

of MIDI notes that contains the chords.

To cut a specific pitch range of notes:

2 Choose MIDI > Select Notes.

1 Using the Grabber or Selector, select the range

3 Select the Bottom option and leave the num-

of MIDI notes that contains the notes.

ber of notes set to 1.

2 Choose MIDI > Split Notes.

4 Click Apply.

3 In the Split Notes dialog, select the option for

NOTE: In order for notes to be considered a chord,
their start times must be within five ticks of each
other.

Split Notes

Notes Between and enter the low and high notes
for the pitch range.
When the either of the Pitch fields are selected,
you can play a pitch on your MIDI controller to
automatically enter it.
4 Click Apply. Notes falling within the specified

The Split Notes command has the same selection criteria as the Select Notes command, but
also lets you automatically cut or copy the selected notes when clicking Apply.

pitch range are removed from the selection and
placed on the Clipboard. The notes can then be
pasted or merged to another a track.

Quantize
The Quantize command adjusts MIDI note locations and durations so that timing is improved,
or so that a particular rhythmic “feel” is
achieved. Quantize works by aligning notes to a
Quantize Grid, the size of which is defined in
the Quantize window by a standard note duration.

Split Notes window

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The Quantize command is not the same as the
Quantize Regions command (in the Edit menu).
The Quantize Regions command adjusts the
start point for a selected region, and its contents
are moved along with the region (with rhythmic
relationships remaining intact).
The Quantize command, on the other hand, affects MIDI notes individually. Some notes may
be moved back in time, others forward; and,
some notes will be more drastically affected
than others.

The settings in the Quantize window are
saved with each session. To store your favorite settings as the default for use in future
sessions, save them as part of a session template (see “Creating Custom Session Templates” on page 55).
To open the Quantize window, choose MIDI >
Quantize. Each of the Quantize options is discussed in the following sections.

What to Quantize
The options under “What to Quantize” determine which aspects of the notes are quantized:
attacks, releases, or both.
Attacks When selected, note start points are
quantized.
Releases When selected, note end points are
quantized.
Don’t Change Durations When deselected with
the Attacks option selected, note end points are
not moved. When deselected with the Releases
option selected, note start points are not moved.
If the options for both Attacks and Releases are
selected, the Don’t Change Durations option is
ignored (and dimmed).
Figure 19 shows how notes are adjusted by the
different What To Quantize options.

before quantize

Quantize window
Figure 19. What To Quantize examples

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Quantize Grid

Quantize Options

The Quantize Grid determines the beat boundaries to which notes are aligned. Any size from
whole notes to thirty-second notes (including
dotted values) can be selected for the grid size.

Additional Quantize options include:

Tuplet Select the Tuplet option to quantize irregular note groupings like triplets or quintuplets.
The Quantize Grid for tuplets is calculated from
the note size selection and the Tuplet value. For
instance, if an eighth note equals 480 ticks, tuplet eighth notes with 3 in time of 2 would yield
a grid size of 320 ticks (480 ticks / 3 * 2).
Offset Grid By Offsets the Quantize Grid forward
or back in time by a specified number of ticks.
Use this option to achieve a pushed (positive
values) or laid back (negative values) feel.

Include Within When selected, attacks and releases are only quantized if located within the
specified percentage of the Quantize Grid. Use
this option to clean up downbeats without affecting notes that are “swung” or wildly off the
beat.
Figure 20 shows the Quantize Grid set to quarter
notes with the Include Within option set to
50%. Only attacks and releases falling within
the shaded area (equivalent to an eight note
area around each beat) are quantized.

To Quantize just the backbeats, set the
Quantize Grid to half-notes with an Offset
of 960 ticks.
Swing When selected, every other grid boundary is shifted by the specified percentage value
(0-300) to achieve a “swing” feel. A Swing value
of 0% yields no swing, while 100% yields a triplet feel. With Swing set to 300%, every other
grid boundary is moved to the next grid point.
0% Swing

(480 ticks)

Every other grid point
shifted by swing

Figure 20. Include Within option

Exclude Within When selected, attacks and releases are not quantized if located within the
specified percentage of the Quantize Grid. Use
this option to preserve the feel of notes close to
the beat, while correcting others that are drastically away from the beat.
Figure 21 shows the Quantize Grid set to quarter
notes with the Exclude Within option set to
25%. Attacks and releases falling within the
shaded area (equivalent to a sixteenth note area
around each beat) are not quantized.

100% Swing

(640 ticks)

100% Swing, eighth note grid

Figure 21. Exclude Within option
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313

Strength When selected, notes are moved a percentage toward the Quantize Grid. Lower percentages preserve the original feel of the notes,
higher percentages align the notes more tightly
to the grid.
Randomize When selected, notes are moved randomly forward or back in time (after the Quantize occurs). For instance, with the Quantize
Grid set to eighth notes and Randomize set to
50%, notes are placed up to a 32nd note before
or after the beat boundary. The Randomize setting also affects note durations (if Releases is selected).

Quantize Examples
The following examples illustrate some of the
more common uses for the Quantize command.
If you intend to loop playback while quantizing,
you may want to deselect Operations > Link Edit
and Timeline Selection. This ensures that the
play range will not change when selected notes
are moved in the course of quantizing and undoing.

While you can undo a Quantize operation,
the Quantize command is destructive and
permanently affects selected data. To preserve existing data, duplicate the playlist
before quantizing.

4 Set the Quantize Grid to sixteenth notes.
Make sure that the other options for Tuplet, Offset Grid By, and Swing are not selected.
5 Leave the remaining Quantize options deselected and click Apply.

Quantizing while Preserving the
Original “Feel”
You can quantize less strictly, to preserve the
original feel of your recorded MIDI tracks:
To quantize while preserving the original feel:
1 Select the range of MIDI notes to be quantized.
2 Choose MIDI > Quantize.
3 Under What to Quantize, select the Attacks
option. To quantize note durations as well, select the Releases option.
4 Set the Quantize Grid to the desired note size.

Make sure that the other options for Tuplet, Offset Grid By, and Swing are not selected.
5 Select the Exclude Within option with a value

of 10-15%.

Straight Quantize

6 Select the Strength option with a value of 7080%.

To quantize to a straight sixteenth note feel:

7 Leave the remaining Quantize options deselected and click Apply.

1 Select the range of MIDI notes to be quantized.
2 Choose MIDI > Quantize.

314

3 Under What to Quantize, select the Attacks
option. To quantize note durations as well, select the Releases option.

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Audition the change and if the desired effect is
not achieved, undo the edit and experiment
with different values for Exclude Within and
Strength.

Quantizing with Swing

To humanize the rhythmic feel of notes:

If you’re working with hi-hats or bass lines, you
may want to apply more of a swing feel to the
track.

1 Select the range of MIDI notes to be quantized.

To quantize with an eighth note swing feel:
1 Select the range of MIDI notes to be quantized.

2 Choose MIDI > Quantize.
3 Under What to Quantize, select the Attacks
option. To quantize note durations as well, select the Releases option.
4 Set the Quantize Grid to the desired note size.

2 Choose MIDI > Quantize.
3 Under What to Quantize, select the Attacks

5 Select the Randomize option with a value of
5%.

option. To quantize note durations as well, select the Releases option.

6 Click Apply.

4 Set the Quantize Grid to eighth notes.
5 Select the Swing option with the desired
Swing percentage:

• For a light swing, use 12%.

Audition the change and if the desired effect is
not achieved, undo the edit and experiment
with a different Randomize percentage.

Experimenting with Quantize

• For a tighter swing-like groove, use 24%.
• For a true “triplet-like” swing feel, use
50–75%.
6 Make sure the options for Tuplet, Offset Grid
By, and Randomize are not selected. Click Apply.

Audition the change and if the desired effect is
not achieved, undo the edit and experiment
with a different Swing percentage.

When using the Quantize command, you’ll often have to experiment with many of the parameters. In fact, you won’t always get the results you’re expecting. You may have to try
different values for Include and Exclude Within,
and Strength; these parameters determine
which notes are affected and how drastically
they are changed. In addition, the Randomize
parameter, which adds a percentage of randomness to the quantize, can be used to make tracks
feel less mechanical—less perfect.

Quantizing with Randomize
You may find that after quantizing, notes sound
too mechanical, too “on the beat.” You can use
the Randomize option in the Quantize window
to make them sound more natural.

Although quantize is a wonderful tool for cleaning up tracks and playing with the feel of your
music, sometimes the recorded data may not be
salvageable. In these instances it is wise not to
spend too much time trying to fix something
that should probably just be rerecorded.

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Change Velocity
The Change Velocity command automatically
adjusts attack and release velocities for selected
MIDI notes. Use it to make notes louder or
softer, or to create crescendos or decrescendos.
Velocities can also be edited manually with the
Pencil and Grabber Tools (see “Manually Editing
MIDI Notes” on page 297).

NOTE: Velocity values usually affect the loudness
of MIDI notes. They may also affect other aspects
of an instrument’s sound, such as filter cutoff, envelopes, and modulations.
The settings in the Change Velocity window
are saved with each session. To store your
favorite settings as the default for use in future sessions, save them as part of a session
template (see “Creating Custom Session
Templates” on page 55).
To open the Change Velocity window, choose
MIDI > Change Velocity. Options for the
Change Velocity are discussed in the following
section.
While there are options for adjusting both the
attack and release velocities for notes, most
MIDI devices ignore release velocity information. To see if your instrument supports release
velocities, refer to the manufacturer’s documentation.

Change Velocity window

Set All To Sets all velocities to the specified value
(1–127).
Add Adds to existing velocity values by the specified amount (1–127).
Subtract Subtracts from existing velocity values
by the specified amount (1–127).
Scale By Scales all velocities by a percentage
amount (1–400%).
Change Smoothly Allows velocities to change
smoothly from one value to another over time.
Change Smoothly by Percentage Allows velocities to change smoothly from one percentage
value to another over time.
The curve for this change can be adjusted (+/–
99) to affect how gradually the change occurs.

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Limit To When selected, restricts the Change Velocity command to a minimum and maximum
range.
Randomize When selected, the Change Velocity
command is randomized by the specified percentage value. For instance, using “Set all to”
with a value of 64, along with a Randomize
value of 50%, yields velocities anywhere between 48 and 80 (+/– 25% of the velocity value).

To preserve (somewhat) the existing velocity relationships and still achieve velocity fades, use
the option for Change Smoothly by Percentage.
Figure 22 illustrates the difference between the
two Change Smoothly options.

Original velocities

Velocity Ranges
The valid range for MIDI note velocities is
1–127. The Change Velocity command will
never result in moving velocities outside this
range; 1 will always be the lowest and 127 will
always be the highest. This means that you may
reach a state where the Change Velocity command has no effect on a particular note.
For instance, if a note with a velocity 64 is scaled
by 200%, the new velocity would be 127. Attempting to scale or increase the velocity any
further would yield no change.

Fading Velocities
An interesting musical effect is when velocities
get gradually louder or softer over time. This can
be used to make notes fade in or out, or to provide timbrel variations in the way that a MIDI
instrument sounds.

After Change Smoothly by Percentage, 100% to 20%

After Change Smoothly, from velocity of 100 to 10

Figure 22. Change Smoothly/by Percentage

Scaling Velocities
Many times existing note velocities will have
the desired relationship between each other, but
will either be too soft or too loud as a whole. In
these instances, use the Scale By option.
For instance, to make velocities 20% louder:
1 Select the range of MIDI notes to be edited.

To change velocities smoothly over time:
1 Select the range of MIDI notes to be edited.
2 Choose MIDI > Change Velocity.
3 Select the Change Smoothly option with the
range set from 127 to 0.

2 Choose MIDI > Change Velocity.
3 Select the Scale By option with the percentage
value set to 120.
4 Click Apply.

4 Click Apply.

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Change Duration
The Change Duration command adjusts durations for selected MIDI notes. Use it to make
melodies and phrases more staccato or detached, or more legato.

The settings in the Change Duration window are saved with each session. To store
your favorite settings as the default for use
in future sessions, save them as part of a
session template (see “Creating Custom Session Templates” on page 55).
To open the Change Duration window, choose
MIDI > Change Duration. Each of the Change
Duration options is discussed in the following
section.

Set All To Sets all durations to a length specified
in quarter notes and ticks.
Add Adds to the durations by a specified number
of quarter notes and ticks.
Subtract Subtracts from the durations by a specified number of quarter notes and ticks.
Scale by Shortens or lengthens durations based
on a percentage value (1–400%).
Move Releases to the Closest Attack Shortens
or lengthens durations so that end times are
moved to the closest attack.
Extend Releases to the Next Attack Lengthens
durations so that end times are extended to the
next attack. To limit the duration change, select
either of the Add No More Than options, using
either a percentage value or a number of quarter
note and ticks.
Change Smoothly Allows note lengths to change
smoothly from one duration to another over
time. Duration values are specified in quarter
notes and ticks.
Change Smoothly by Percentage Allows note
lengths to change smoothly from one percentage value to another over time.
The curve for this change can be adjusted (+/–
99) to affect how gradually the change occurs.
Limit Range When selected, restricts the Change
Duration command to a minimum and maximum range (in quarter notes and ticks).

Change Duration window

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Randomize When selected, the Change Duration
command is randomized by the specified percentage value. For instance, using “Set all to”
with a value of 480 ticks, along with a Randomize value of 50%, yields durations anywhere between 360 and 600 (+/– 25% of the duration
value).

Change Duration Examples
To make notes more staccato:
1 Select the range of MIDI notes to be edited.
2 Choose MIDI > Change Duration.
3 Select the option for Scale By with a percentage value of 50.

Transpose
While the Grabber Tool can be used to manually
transpose individual MIDI notes, or small
groups of notes, the Transpose command can be
used for entire MIDI tracks and regions.
To open the Transpose window, choose MIDI >
Transpose.

4 Click Apply. The durations for the selected
notes are reduced by 50%.

With this option you may have to experiment
with the percentage value to achieve the desired
effect.
To make notes more legato:
1 Select the range of MIDI notes to be edited.
2 Choose MIDI > Change Duration.
3 Select the option “Extend Release to the Next

Attack.”
4 Click Apply. The end points for the selected

notes are extended to the start points of the next
note, thereby eliminating the space between
each note.
To vary this effect, making it more or less legato,
select the Add No More Than percentage option.
Percentage values larger than 100 extend note
end times so that the notes essentially overlap.

Transpose window

The two options for the Transpose command
are:
Transpose by Semitones Transposes chromatically, up or down, by up to 60 semitones. To
transpose down by an octave, for instance, use
–12 semitones.
Transpose From – To Transposes by semitones, as
expressed by the difference between the source
and destination pitches. Transposing from C4 to
C#4, for instance, transposes the notes up by
one semitone.

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319

One of the more common uses for Transpose is
to change the key for your MIDI tracks. You can
define an Edit Group for MIDI tracks that want
to transpose, making sure to exclude any drum
tracks from the group so they aren’t transposed.
To transpose MIDI notes to another key:
1 If you will be transposing a group of tracks,
make sure to enable the Edit Group.
2 With the Selector or Grabber, select the range

of MIDI notes to be transposed.
3 Choose MIDI > Transpose.
4 Select the option for Transpose From–To.
5 Set the “From” and “To” values, for instance,

to C4 and E4 to transpose from C Major to
E Major.
With either of the pitch fields selected, you can
play a note on your MIDI controller to automatically enter it as the pitch value.
6 Click Apply.

It is also common to transpose MIDI tracks up or
down by an octave.
To transpose a MIDI track up by an octave:
1 With the Selector, triple-click in the track to
select all of its notes.
2 Choose MIDI > Transpose.
3 Select the Transpose By option.
4 Enter a value of 12 semitones and then click
Apply.

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Chapter 25: MIDI Event List

The MIDI Event List
The MIDI Event List displays a detailed list of all
events in a single MIDI track. The events are displayed with text and numbers, allowing you to
precisely edit their location, length, and event
values.

Mute data for MIDI tracks is not displayed
in the MIDI Event List.

Opening the MIDI Event List
To open the MIDI Event List, do one of the
following:
■

Choose Windows > Show MIDI Event List.

■ Control-double-click (Macintosh) or Startdouble-click (Windows) a track name in the Edit
or Mix window.
■ Press Option+equal (Macintosh) or Alt+equal
(Windows).

You can also use Option+equal (Macintosh)
or Alt+equal (Windows) to toggle between
the MIDI Event List and the Edit window.
At the top of the MIDI Event List are three popup menus.
MIDI Event List

Events in the MIDI Event List can be copied and
pasted, selected, or deleted. Any MIDI event (except sysex) can be inserted and edited in the list.
Certain MIDI event types can be hidden with
the View Filter.

Unlike playlists in the Edit window, you can
insert and display polyphonic aftertouch in
the MIDI Event List.

◆ The Track Selector indicates the MIDI track
currently displayed, and can be used to choose a
different MIDI track to be displayed.
◆ The Options menu contains commands and
options for the MIDI Event List (see “MIDI
Event List Options” on page 328).
◆ The Insert menu contains a list of event types
that can be inserted.

To the right of these pop-up menus, the number
of displayed events is indicated.
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321

Columns in the MIDI Event List

Navigating in the MIDI Event List

Information for the events in the MIDI Event
List is displayed in the following three columns:

You can use the Tab and Arrow keys to move
through the MIDI Event List. You can also locate
to the Edit start point, or any other specified location.

Start column Displays the start location, using
the Main Time Scale, for each event. Locations
can also be displayed in the Sub Time Scale
when the Show Sub Counter option is selected
in the Options pop-up.
The Playback cursor appears as a blue arrow (red,
when tracks are record-enabled) in the Start column.

To move through the MIDI Event List:
■ Press Tab or the Down Arrow to move to the
next event.
■ Press Option+Tab or the Up Arrow to move
the previous event.

To keep the last event selected, press Shift while
moving to the next or previous event.
To go to the Edit start point:
■ In the MIDI Event List, choose Scroll To Edit
Selection from the Options pop-up menu.

Double-click dimmed locations to edit them

To go to a specific location in the MIDI Event List:

When several events reside at the same location,
the location is only indicated for the top event,
with the others dimmed. The dimmed locations
can be edited by double-clicking them.

1 In the MIDI Event List, choose Go To from the
Options pop-up menu.
2 In the Go To dialog, choose a format from the

Time Scale pop-up menu.

Event column Displays the event type, indicated
by an icon, and associated event values.
Info column Depending on which option is selected in the Options pop-up, displays the end
point or length for notes. Also displayed are the
names for continuous controller events and program changes.
Go To dialog

If using Timecode (TDM systems only), you can
select the Use Subframes option.

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3 Enter the location you want to go to, then
click OK.

The following items from the Options menu affect navigating in the MIDI Event List:
When Page Scroll During Playback is selected,
the MIDI Event List scrolls during playback.

◆

For example, to filter the display of aftertouch and
System Exclusive in the MIDI Event List:
1 In the MIDI Event List, choose View Filter
from the Options pop-up menu.
2 In the MIDI Event List View Filter dialog, select the All Except option.

When Scroll During Edit Selection is selected,
the MIDI Event List is scrolled automatically
when the Edit selection changes in the Edit window.

◆

View Filter for MIDI Event List
You can use the View Filter to specify which
event types are displayed in the MIDI Event List.
This can help you zero in on only the events you
want to affect; it also protects MIDI events from
being edited or deleted. Events not displayed in
the MIDI Event List still play back.
The View Filter can be set to display “all” messages, “only” the specified messages, or “all except” the specified messages.

When inserting an event type that has been
filtered from the MIDI Event List, that event
type will no longer be filtered.

MIDI Input Filter
3 Select the options for Mono Aftertouch, Poly-

phonic Aftertouch, and System Exclusive. Leave
all other messages deselected.
4 Click OK.

When using the All Except option, the selected
events are not displayed. Conversely, when using the Only option, only the selected events are
displayed.

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323

Inserting Events in the MIDI
Event List

Insert menu, MIDI Event List

You can insert events in the MIDI Event List by
choosing an event type from the Insert menu.
Following are several examples of inserting
events in the MIDI Event List.
To insert a note in the MIDI Event List:
1 Click the Insert button and choose Note from

the pop-up menu.
– or –

• Play the note on your MIDI controller keyboard, then press Return (Macintosh) or Enter
(Windows) on the alpha keyboard to confirm
the value.

Press Command+N (Macintosh) or Control+N
(Windows).
2 Enter the location, pitch, attack and release
velocities, and length for the new note. To move
between the Event Entry fields, use the Left and
Right Arrow keys.

mode, press Enter on the numeric keypad.
5 To insert the note and exit Event Entry mode,
press Return (Macintosh) or Enter (Windows)
on the alpha keyboard.

To insert a controller event in the MIDI Event List:
1 Click the Insert button and choose Controller

from the pop-up menu.
– or –

Pitch

Release velocity
Attack velocity

Event Entry fields for note

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Press Command+L (Macintosh) or Control+L
(Windows).

2 Enter the location, controller type, and controller value for the new event. To move between the Event Entry fields, use the Left and
Right Arrow keys.

To insert a program change in the MIDI Event List:
1 Click the Insert button and choose Program
Change from the pop-up menu.

– or –
Press Command+P (Macintosh) or Control+P
(Windows).

Controller number

Controller name

Controller value

2 Enter a Program Change number and Bank Select value (if necessary). The program change
name is displayed in the Info column.

Event Entry fields for controller event

When a field is selected, enter a value with any
of the following methods:
• Enter the value on the numeric keypad.
• Press the Up or Down Arrow to scroll to the
value.
• While pressing Command (Macintosh) or
Control (Windows), drag up or down to scroll
to the value:
• Play the controller event on your MIDI controller keyboard, then press Return (Macintosh) or Enter (Windows) on the alpha
keyboard to confirm the value.

With the Start field selected, you can automatically enter the location of another event
already in the track by clicking that event.
3 To exit Event Entry mode, without inserting
the controller event, press Escape on the alpha
keyboard.
4 To insert the controller event and remain in
Event Entry mode, press Enter on the numeric
keypad.
5 To insert the controller event and exit Event
Entry mode, press Return on the alpha keyboard.

Program number

Program name
Controller 32 value

Controller 0 value

Event Entry fields for program change

You can click in the Info column to open the
Program Change window (for details, see “Program Changes” on page 302).
3 Enter the location for the new event.

With the Start field selected, you can automatically enter the location of another event
already in the track by clicking that event.
4 To exit Event Entry mode, without inserting
the program change, press Escape on the alpha
keyboard.
5 To insert the program change and remain in
Event Entry mode, press Enter on the numeric
keypad.
6 To insert the program change and exit Event
Entry mode, press Return on the alpha keyboard.

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325

Inserting Another Event
After inserting an event, you can easily insert
another event of the same type. The event type
to be inserted is indicated at the bottom of the
Insert menu.
For example, after inserting a note, to insert
another:
Click the Insert button and choose Another
Note from the pop-up menu.

■

– or –
Press Command+M (Macintosh) or Control+M (Windows).

■

2 Enter a new value with any of the following
methods:

• Enter the new value on the numeric keypad.
• While pressing Option (Macintosh) or Alt
(Windows), press the Up or Down Arrow to
scroll to a new value.
• While pressing Command (Macintosh) or
Control (Windows), drag up or down to scroll
to a new value.
• Play the new note or controller value on your
MIDI controller keyboard, then press Return
(Macintosh) or Enter (Windows) on the alpha
keyboard to confirm the value.
3 To exit Edit Entry mode without entering the

When the option for Insert At Playback Location is enabled (see “MIDI Event List Options” on page 328), you can use the keyboard shortcuts for inserting “another”
event to insert events on the fly.

4 To accept the new value, do one of the follow-

Editing in the MIDI Event List

• To enter the new value and remain in Edit Entry mode, press Enter on the numeric keypad.

Events in the MIDI Event List can be edited, selected, deleted, and copied and pasted.

new value, press Escape on the alpha keyboard.

ing:
• To enter the new event value and move to another field or event, use the arrow keys.

• To enter the new value and exit Edit Entry
mode, press Return (Macintosh) or Enter
(Windows) on the alpha keypad.

To edit an event in the MIDI Event List:
1 Double-click the event field you want to edit.

– or –
To edit a selected event, press Command+Enter
(Macintosh) or Control+Enter (Windows).

Selecting in the MIDI Event List
To select a range of events in the MIDI Event List:
■ Click the event at the beginning of the selection and drag to the ending event.

– or –
■ Shift-click the event at the beginning of the
selection, then Shift-click the ending event.

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To select discontiguous events in the MIDI Event
List:
Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click
(Windows) each event.

Copy and Paste in the MIDI Event
List

■

To copy and paste in the MIDI Event List:
1 Select the range of events you want to copy by

To remove an event from the selection in the MIDI
Event List:
Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click
(Windows) the selected event.

■

dragging in the MIDI Event List. To select discontiguous events, Shift-click each event you
want to copy.

Notes selected in the MIDI Event List can be
modified by any of the commands in the
MIDI Operations window. For details, see
Chapter 24, “MIDI Operations.”

Deleting in the MIDI Event List
To delete an event in the MIDI Event List:
Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) the event you want to delete.

■

To delete a selection of events in the MIDI Event
List:

Selecting in the MIDI Event List

1 Select the events you want to delete, by either

2 Choose Edit > Copy.

dragging in the Start column, or by Shift-clicking each event.
2 To view only the events you want to delete,
use the View Filter (see “View Filter for MIDI
Event List” on page 323). Events not displayed
cannot be deleted.
3 Choose Edit > Clear to delete all selected
events.

– or –
Press Delete (Macintosh) or Backspace (Windows) on the alpha keyboard.

3 To paste the material at an existing event’s location, click the event in the MIDI Event List.

– or –
4 To paste the material at any location, choose
Go To from the Options menu in the MIDI
Event List, enter the location you want to paste
to, and click OK.
5 Choose Edit > Paste. The events from the Clipboard are pasted, replacing any existing events
already there.

To paste events without overwriting other
events, use the Merge Paste command.

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327

MIDI Event List Options

Options menu, MIDI Event List

Show Sub Counter When selected, event times
are also displayed in the Sub Time Scale.
Go To Opens the Go To dialog, where you can
specify a location, based on any of the supported Time Scales, to which the Edit insertion
point is moved.
Scroll To Edit Selection Scrolls the MIDI Event
List to the Edit start point or Edit insertion
point.
Page Scroll During Playback When selected, the
MIDI Event List scrolls during playback.
Scroll During Edit Selection When selected, the
MIDI Event List is scrolled automatically when
the Edit selection changes in the Edit window.
Show Note Length When selected, note lengths,
instead of note end times, are displayed in the
Info column of the MIDI Event List.
Show Note End Time When selected, note end
times, instead of note lengths, are displayed in
the Info column of the MIDI Event List.
Insert At Edit Location When selected, the location for inserted events defaults to the Edit start
point or Edit insertion point.
Insert At Playback Location When selected,
events can be inserted in the MIDI Event List in
real time while listening to the session playback.
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Insert At Playback Location With Grid When selected, the location for events inserted in real
time snap to the grid.
View Filter Opens the View Filter dialog, where
you can specify which events are displayed in
the MIDI Event List. Events that are not displayed are not affected by Cut, Copy, and Paste
operations in the MIDI Event List. Events that
are not displayed still play back. For more information, see “View Filter for MIDI Event List” on
page 323.

Part VI: Mixing

329

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Chapter 26: Basic Mixing

Although the final mixing process begins when
you finish recording and editing, many mixing
tasks can occur any time during a recording session. This chapter covers basic Pro Tools mixing, including audio signal flow, output and bus
paths, sends, and signal routing.
Real-time plug-ins and hardware inserts provide
effects and signal processing. See Chapter 27,
“Plug-Ins and Inserts” for more information.

Audio Tracks
Audio tracks play audio from disk, record audio
to disk, or monitor input signals when recordenabled. Audio signal flow is shown below.
Source
or Input

Source: any mono, stereo or
multi-channel audio file, playing
back from disk
Input: while record-monitoring

Inserts
(plug-ins or
hardware
inserts)

Audio Signal Flow

Sends pre-fader

Pro Tools provides three different types of audio
tracks:

Mute
Volume

• audio tracks
• Auxiliary Inputs
• Master Faders
Mono and stereo audio tracks are available on
all Pro Tools systems.

Sends, post-fader

Multi-channel audio tracks and surround mixing formats require Pro Tools MIX or MIXplus.

Panner

Tracks can be identified in the Mix window by
their Track Type icon:

Output
Main Output

Track Type
icons

+ Additional Outputs
Audio signal flow, audio tracks

Audio, Auxiliary Input, Master Fader, and MIDI Tracks

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Auxiliary Inputs

Common Uses for Auxiliary Inputs

Auxiliary Inputs provide the same signal routing
options as audio tracks, except that their input
must come from an internal bus or hardware input.

By bussing tracks to the Auxiliary Input, you
can:

Input

bus or hardware input path

Inserts
(plug-ins or
hardware
inserts)

• Apply real-time plug-ins or an external processor to the submix, using the Auxiliary Input as an effects return
• Input MIDI and other audio sources into the
mix, to monitor or route to audio tracks for recording to disk
• Consolidate control of any submix under a
single fader.

Sends pre-fader
Mute
Volume

To create an Auxiliary Input:
1 Choose File > New Track.
2 Choose the type of Auxiliary Input (mono or
stereo, or multi-channel) from the pop-up
menu.
3 Enter the number of tracks and click Create.

To route an Auxiliary Input:
Sends, post-fader
Panner

2 Click the Output Selector of the Auxiliary Input and choose an output or bus path.

Output
Main Output
+ Additional Outputs
Audio signal flow, Auxiliary Inputs

Auxiliary Inputs are used as inputs for audio
from MIDI devices and other sources, as well as
to submix internal bus and output paths. They
can be fully automated. When using Auxiliary
Inputs as inputs for external sources, adjust the
source output levels to achieve proper recording
levels.

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1 Click the Input Selector of the Auxiliary Input
and choose an input.

3 Adjust the Auxiliary Input fader to set the return volume (it defaults to 0 dB).

Submix examples begin in “Submixing for
Signal Routing and Effects Processing” on
page 347.

Master Faders
Master Faders control the master output levels
of output and bus paths. When assigned to an
active output or bus path, they provide postfader effects processing and master level control
for a main mix, headphone and cue mixes,
stems, effects sends, and other signal routing applications. Master Faders support all track formats supported on your Pro Tools system.

Unlike inserts on audio tracks and Auxiliary Inputs, Master Fader inserts are post-fader. This
lets you insert the Dither plug-in, or similar, on
your master mix.

See “Dither” on page 352 for more information about dithering.
Because of their intended use, Master Faders
provide up to five post-fader inserts and no
sends.

Input (source) determined by output assignment

Common Uses for Master Faders
Mute

Master Faders can be used to:

Volume

• Control and process output mixes
• Monitor and meter an output (such as a bus or
hardware output) to guard against clipping
• Control submix levels
• Control effects sends levels
• Control submaster (bussed tracks) levels
• Apply dither or other inserts to an entire mix
You can use Master Faders freely to control submix levels, send level masters and other outputs
because they do not consume any of your system’s audio processing power.

Inserts
post-fader
(plug-ins or
hardware)

To create a Master Fader:

Output
Main Output
+ Additional Outputs

1 Choose File > New Track.
2 Choose the type of Master Fader (mono or ste-

reo, or multi-channel) from the pop-up menu.
Audio signal flow, Master Faders

3 Enter the number of tracks and click Create.
4 In the Mix window, click the Master Fader’s
Output Selector and choose the output that you
want to control. You can choose either audio interface outputs or internal busses. If the Master
Fader is a stereo fader, you can control the level
of a pair of outputs.

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333

To use Master Faders as a master volume control
for all tracks in a session:
1 Choose File > New Track.
2 Choose the type of Master Fader from the popup menu.

When you duplicate a Master Fader track, the
duplicated track’s assignment will be inactive.
See “Master Faders and Paths” on page 334 for
more information.

Plug-Ins and Inserts

3 Click Create.

Master Fader Meters

Five inserts are available on each audio channel.
Each insert can be either a hardware insert or a
software plug-in insert. Plug-ins and hardware inserts route the signal from the track through the
effect of your choice, and automatically return it
to the same track. Inserts on audio tracks and
Auxiliary Inputs are pre-fader. Inserts on Master
Faders are post-fader.

Meters on Master faders always show post-fader
levels, regardless of the Pre-Fader Metering setting in the Operations menu.

On TDM systems, RTAS plug-ins can be inserted
on audio tracks, but not on Auxiliary Inputs or
Master Faders.

Master Faders and Paths

Hardware inserts send and return the signal to
corresponding input and output channels of an
audio interface.

4 Set the outputs of all audio tracks in the ses-

sion to outputs 1–2 and set the panning of each
track.
5 Set the output of the Master Fader to your
main output path.

Master Faders can be assigned to main and subpaths. When more than one Master Fader is assigned to the same output or bus path, only one
can be active at the same time. If you try to assign a Master Fader to a main or sub-path that is
already actively assigned on another Master
Fader, the new assignment will be assigned, but
inactive. Master Faders can be assigned different
sub-paths of the same main path, as long as the
sub-paths do not overlap.

Active and Inactive Master Faders
When a Master Fader track is inactive, its associated plug-ins, I/O assignments, and their resources are released and available for other uses
in the session.
When a Master Fader output assignment (path
assignment) is made inactive, the Master Fader
no longer controls the master gain of that path.

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See Chapter 27, “Plug-Ins and Inserts” for
details about using plug-ins and inserts.

Track Output Format and Plug-Ins
Plug-ins provide mono, stereo, multi-mono and
multi-channel versions (not all versions are supported by all plug-in manufacturers or on all systems).
Because inserts process in series, changing the
plug-in format can alter the channel format. For
example, inserting a mono-to-stereo plug-in on
a mono Auxiliary Input changes the signal path
from that plug-in through the rest of the track.
This restricts all hardware inserts or plug-ins after the stereo plug-in to be stereo-in/stereo-out
plug-ins (or supported multi-channel format).

All Systems The following three types of plugins are supported on all Pro Tools systems:
• mono-in/mono-out
• mono-in/stereo-out
• stereo-in/stereo-out
Pro Tools MIX and MIXplus Pro Tools systems
running the Surround mixer support 3-8 channel, multi-mono and multi-channel plug-ins.

◆ Select Sends view to show send assignments
in each track. Deselect to hide. See “Configuring
Send Views in the Mix and Edit Windows” on
page 340 for more information.

no assignments

with assignments

Inserts view
Send A view
Sends view
I/O view

Viewing I/O, Sends, and
Inserts
Both the Mix and Edit windows can be configured to show or hide various mixing controls.
To show or hide I/O, inserts and sends in the Mix
and Edit windows:

Mix window views

In the Edit window, you can select views from
the selector next to the Rulers.
View Selector

1 Choose Display > Mix Window Shows, or Edit

Window Shows, or click the View Selector in the
Edit window, and choose any or all of the following:
Select I/O view to show input and output, volume, and pan controls in each track. Deselect to
hide.

◆

Select Inserts view to show inserts (software
plug-ins and hardware I/O inserts) in each track.
Deselect to hide.

◆

Selecting an Edit window view

Inserts
I/O
Sends

Edit window views

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335

Comments View
Comments view shows any text entered as comments in the Track Name dialog. You can also
type directly in the Comments area for each
track when Comments view is displayed.

Comments

To assign multiple tracks to unique inputs
(ascending, incrementing):
■ Command-Shift-click (Macintosh), or Control-Shift-click (Windows) to assign the starting
track (top-most in the Edit window, left-most in
the Mix window).

This track will be assigned to the selected input
path, and subsequent track will be auto-assigned
the next available input path. Availability is determined by the path format, and the active/inactive state of the tracks.

Comments view in the Mix and Edit windows

To display Comments view:
1 Select Display > Mix Window Shows (or Edit

Window Shows) > Comments.

Track Input
Input Selectors determine the source input for
audio tracks and Auxiliary Inputs. Track input
can be a hardware input, bus, or SampleCell input path. While recording, the Input Monitor
mode determines when live input will be monitored through a record-enabled audio track.
The following techniques simplify track input
assignment for individual tracks.

Track Output
Track Output Selectors route the post-fader signals to the assigned output or bus paths.
The Output Selector routes the main track output to the chosen main or sub-path. Tracks can
be routed directly to hardware outputs, or to internal bus paths for submixing (main or subpaths).
The track format (mono, stereo, or other) determines the available main and sub-path choices
for track output.

Sends, and Send windows, provide another
way to route track audio. See “Sends” on
page 338 for more information.

To assign track input:
To assign a track output:
Select an input path or sub-path from the
track Input Selector.

■

■ Select the desired output path or sub-path
from the track Output Selector.

To assign multiple tracks to the same input:
Option-select (Macintosh), or Alt-select (Windows) to assign all tracks to the selected input.

■

Option-Shift-select (Macintosh), or Alt-Shiftselect (Windows) to assign all selected tracks to
the selected input.

■

Assigning track output
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To assign all tracks to the same output:
While pressing Option-select (Macintosh) or
Alt-select (Windows), assign any track output to
also assign all tracks to the same path.

■

Output windows are useful in large sessions to
leave important tracks in an anchored location,
unaffected by Mix and Edit window (or control
surface) banking. See “Opening and Managing
Output Windows” on page 343.

To assign all selected tracks to the same output:
■

Multiple Output Assignments

Output Paths

Pro Tools audio tracks and Auxiliary Inputs can
have multiple track and send assignments. Multiple outputs are limited only by the paths and
resources available on your system.

While pressing Option+Shift (Macintosh), or
Alt+Shift (Windows), assign any track to also assign all selected tracks to the same path.

When audio tracks, Auxiliary Inputs, and Master Faders are created, their mono, stereo, or
multi-channel format is defined. This original
format determines the track’s minimum insert,
send, and output format.
• Mono tracks can be assigned to any available
mono, stereo, or other r multi-channel main
and sub-paths.

Assigning to multiple paths is an efficient way
to route an identical mix to other discrete outputs, for simultaneous monitor feeds, headphone mixes, or other situations where a parallel mix is needed. Master Faders can only be
assigned to a single path.
To assign a track to multiple outputs:

• Stereo tracks can be assigned to any available
stereo or multi-channel main and sub-paths.

1 Assign a main output path by selecting it from
the track’s Output Selector.

• Multi-channel can be assigned to any equal,
or higher, format.

2 Control-click to select an additional output
path in the track’s Output Selector. The newly
selected output destination is added as an additional output.

For example, on any stereo audio track, Auxiliary Input, or Master Fader, the main track output can be assigned to any available stereo paths
or insert, or any multi-channel paths of three or
more channels (on supported systems).

Option-Control-click to add the assignment
to all tracks, or Option-Shift-Control-click
to add to all selected tracks.

Output Windows
Output windows provide the essential track
mixing controls, as an alternative to Mix and
Edit window views. Multi-channel Send and
Output windows also provide expanded Panner
views, and other surround-specific controls. (See
Chapter 33, “Surround Panning and Mixing.”)

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Display of Multiple Output Assignments
When a track is assigned to multiple output
paths, the Output Selector lists multiple and inactive status with the following indicators:
A plus sign (+) indicates that the track has
multiple output assignments.

◆

You can free up DSP of unused plug-ins by setting its whole track inactive, or by setting just
the plug-in inactive.

See “Active and Inactive Items” on page 13,
and “Inactive Plug-Ins” on page 358 for
more information.

About the “No Output” Option
Indication of multiple output assignments

In the Output Selector menu, all currently assigned track outputs are checked to indicate
they are active for the current track.

◆

An asterisk (*) indicates that one or more currently assigned outputs is Inactive.

◆

Track outputs can be set to No Output. Assigning a track output to No Output loses any panning playlists associated with the track.
Tracks assigned to No Output will not be audible, but they do not free their associated DSP resources.

Inactive Outputs
An output path can be set to Inactive, either globally in the I/O Setup window (affecting all
tracks assigned to that path), or locally per-assignment (only affecting that output on that audio track or Auxiliary Input).
When opening sessions, outputs will be made
inactive automatically if the required hardware
or other resources are not available.
Inactive outputs retain all associated automation playlists. Edits made in the session also affect inactive track’s output automation playlists

Inactive Outputs and DSP Resources
Setting a track output to Inactive silences the
output, while retaining all automation and
playlist data. Inactive outputs do not consume
resources for TDM mixer connections, but any
assigned plug-ins on the track continue to use
their required DSP resources. RTAS plug-ins require CPU resources, and TDM plug-ins use the
DSP available on Pro Tools audio cards.

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Sends
Pro Tools lets you insert up to five sends on each
audio track or Auxiliary Input.
Sends provide the following features:
• Pre- or post-fader
• Send level and mute can be configured to follow Groups
• Send level, send mute, and send pan (for stereo and multi-channel sends) are fully automatable. See “Automating Sends” on page 379.
• Send controls can be displayed and edited
from the Mix or Edit windows, or in their own
Output windows.
• Sends can be assigned to available output and
bus paths (main or sub-paths), in mono or stereo, or any supported multi-channel format.

Sends must be returned to the mix through an
Auxiliary Input or audio track. They can be
monitored and processed through an Auxiliary
Input, recorded to audio tracks, and bounced to
disk. (Bouncing and mixdown are explained in
Chapter 29, “Mixdown.”)

Send Formats

Assigning Sends to Tracks

Multi-Channel Sends Pro Tools MIX and MIXplus systems support mono, stereo, and multichannel sends.

To add a send to a track:
1 Make sure Sends view is enabled in the Mix or
Edit window (see “Viewing I/O, Sends, and Inserts” on page 335 for information).
2 Click the Sends button on the track and
choose a path from the pop-up menu.

Mono and Stereo Sends On all Pro Tools systems, sends can be either mono or stereo. When
you click the Sends button on a track, you can
choose from a list of mono or stereo output or
bus paths.

Sends and Path Choices
The choices available in track Send Selectors include bus and output paths.
Internal Mix Busses Pro Tools TDM systems provide 64 busses and Pro Tools LE systems provide
32 busses for routing signals internally. Internal
buss paths are useful for submixing and processing with plug-ins. Bus paths are defined in the
I/O Setup dialog, and are available in all supported channel formats (mono, stereo, or other
multi-channel, as supported on your system).

Assigning a send to a mono bus path

The send can be mono or stereo (or any supported multi-channel format), routing to an
output or bus path.
3 Set the output level of the send. You can set
the send level to zero by Option-clicking (Macintosh) or Alt-clicking (Windows) the send
fader. When you create a new send, its output
level is automatically set to –∞.

Hardware Outputs Hardware sends are often
used for headphone cue mixes, or for sending
signals to external effects processors. Sends do
not automatically return audio as do inserts.

You can customize the names, format, and
channel mapping of busses and output
paths in the I/O Setup dialog. See “Creating
and Editing Paths” on page 63.

You can configure the default level for new
sends to be off or at unity gain (0) in the
Preferences > Operation window.
To remove a send from a track:
Click the Sends button on the track and
choose No Send from the pop-up menu.

■

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Configuring Send Views in the Mix
and Edit Windows
Sends are displayed in the Mix and Edit window
according to the Send View Shows settings.
Choices include Assignments view, plus the five
Send A-E views, explained below.

Assignment View
This is the default Send Display mode, showing
the five available sends on all tracks showing in
the Mix and Edit windows.
Send Selectors

Send A, Assignment view

To display the controls for an individual send
across all tracks:
1 If sends are not currently visible on your
tracks, choose Display > Mix Window Shows >
Sends View.
2 Choose Display > Sends View Shows and
choose the send (A - E).

Assignments view, (left) and an assigned send (right)

In Assignment view, send parameters are edited
from their Output windows. (See “Send Mute
and Window Status Display” on page 341.)

To show send assignments:
Choose Display > Sends View Shows > Assignments.

■

– or –

Send A-E Views
The Send A-E views provide send level, pan, and
mute controls.

Command-click the Send Selector and select a
view, or send (A-E).

■

Send Selector

multi-channel
stereo
pre-fader, post-fader,

no assignment

Send A view, different types of send assignments
Sends views

Parameters for sends can be edited directly using
these controls. Sends can also be opened for editing or metering in Send windows. See “Opening and Managing Output Windows” on
page 343.

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Editing Sends in the Mix and Edit
Windows
Send A-E view options display all the parameters
of an individual send in the sends area of the
Mix and Edit windows. These views provide full
access to all controls for that send on all tracks.
send
assignment
path assignment
send
level

send pan
send mute
pre/post

send meter

Send A view, stereo shown

Send level and mute can follow Mix groups, to
adjust multiple send parameters from a single
set of controls. (See “Sends and Groups” on
page 346.)

Sends View Meters

To clear a send meter’s Clip indicator:
■

Click on it. Option-click to clear all.

In Assignment view, edit sends by opening
their Output windows. See “Send Mute and
Window Status Display” on page 341 for
more information.

Send Mute and Window Status
Display
When displaying sends in a Send A-E view, Send
Mute switch is visible and editable at directly in
the Mix or Edit windows.
The Send Bypass indicator is lit when the send is
muted.
The Send button is lit whenever a send’s window is open.
default
(unmuted,
window closed)

Muted (lit icon)

Window is open
(lit send)

When you display the controls for an individual
send, you also have the option of displaying
send level meters.
Send level meters show peak values and indicate
clipping that occurs while the meter is displayed
(if a send clips any time before its meter is displayed, this is not shown). If you are using a
slower computer, hiding send level meters can
improve screen redraw times.

Indication of Send Mute and Window status

If you use ProControl or other control surface
with Pro Tools, colored outlines around sends,
inserts, and Outputs indicate the current controller focus.

To display send level meters when viewing
individual sends:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences and click Display.
2 Select Show Meters in Sends view and click
OK.

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341

Inactive Sends
Sends can be made inactive. Inactive sends free
their DSP and mixer resources, while retaining
their position in track Sends view, and retain all
related automation playlists. Inactive sends do
not output audio.
To make a send inactive:
Command-Control-click (Macintosh), or
Control-Start-click (Windows) on the send (its
assignment). Use the Option and Option+Shift
modifiers to affect that send (A-E, if present) on
all or all selected tracks, respectively.

■

Output Windows for Tracks
and Sends
Track outputs and sends can be opened for display and editing in dedicated windows.
◆ Output windows provide track fader, pan,
mute, solo, and automation controls.
◆ Send windows provide send level, mute, pan,
and automation controls. Standard Output window controls provide additional routing, assignment, and display settings.

To open an Output window:
■

Click the Output icon in the channel strip.

Making a send inactive

– or –
Make the Track inactive. See “Making Tracks
Inactive” on page 84.

■

When opening sessions, sends will be made inactive automatically if the required hardware or
other resources are not available.
Inactive sends retain all associated automation
playlists. In addition, any edits made in the session affect the sends automation playlists.

inactive
send
(italicized)

active send,
muted

inactive
track

Display of inactive sends

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Opening an Output window

To open a Send window:
■

Click the send in the Mix or Edit window.

click here

or here

Opening Multiple Output Windows
Multiple track and Send windows can be displayed simultaneously using either of the following methods.
To open additional Output windows:
■

Shift-click any output icon or send.

To set a window to remain open:
■ Make sure the Target is deselected (gray, unlit).

Opening a Send window

Opening and Managing Output
Windows
Multiple track and Send windows can be displayed simultaneously.
To view a different Output window:
Click an output icon, or send, in the Mix or
Edit window.

■

If a similar Output window was already open
with a highlighted Target icon, the newly selected send will open in its place.
Target enabled

Arrange multiple windows as needed. For additional information, see “Using the Target” on
page 345.

Track Fader, Solo, Mute, and Auto
Output windows provide the associated track’s
volume fader, pan controls, solo and mute
switches, and Automation Mode Selector. Use
these to adjust or automate the parameters of
the Output window.

Panner Linking
Stereo outputs provide two panning controls,
one for each side of the left/right pair.
The Output window provides controls to unlink
(or link) channels for precise panning of stereo
and multi-channel tracks.
In the default Linked mode, all sides match
changes to any other side’s pan control. This is
Absolute link mode.
When unlinked, pan controls are completely independent of each other.

Multiple Send windows

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343

When linked and set to Inverse mode, panning
moves are inverted, or reversed, in the other
channels. For example, panning the left side of a
stereo track from left-to-right results in the right
channel panning simultaneously, from right-toleft.

To enable inverse linking:
1 Enable the Link icon.
2 Select an Inverse mode.

Standard Controls in Output
Windows
All Output windows provide standard selectors
for path, automation, and other in the top area
of the window (the Output Editor area).

Linked (left) and unlinked (right) Output windows

To enable linking:
■

Close
Track Selector
Output Selector
Path Selector

Path Meter view
Target
automation safe

Enable the Link icon.
Output window standard controls

To unlink an Output for independent panning:
■

Deselect the Link icon.

Inverse Linked Panning
Additional inverse linking options are also provided for stereo track panning.
Link

Close
Track Selector
Send Selector
Path Selector

Path Meter view
Target
pre/post fader
automation safe

Send window standard controls

Standard Controls
Close Closes the window.

Front inverse
F/R invert
Rear inverse

Link, Enabled, and Inverse Selectors

Inverse panning reflects one sides location and
direction in the other side. For example, when
enabled for front left and right, if you pan one
side of a stereo track output from right to left,
the other side will exactly mirror that movement and pan left to right.
Front inverse linking is available on all systems.
Rear left and right, and front/rear inverse linking are available on Pro Tools MIX and MIXplus.
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Track Selector Provides access to any audio
track, Auxiliary Input, or Master Fader in the
session.
Output Selector Provides access to other outputs
(track and send) in the track, if any, displaying
the selected output in the current window.
Send Selector Provides access to other sends on
the track.
Path Selector Allows you to assign the Output
path for the current track or send.
Bypass/Mute Button Mutes the currently displayed send.

Link and Unlink Allows linking and unlinking of
left and right (or other) outputs. Unlinked mode
provides discrete adjustment of individual sides,
or channels. When linked, all changes affect all
channels. See “Panner Linking” on page 343.
Target Identifies the target of plug-in settings
commands. Also sets the current window for
display of Output windows. See “Using the Target” on page 345.
Safe track and send level, pan, and other controls can be protected from automation overwrites by placing them in Automation Safe
mode. See Chapter 28, “Automation” for more
information.
Meter View The view box in the upper right corner opens the path Meter view. These meters
display levels of the selected path (not the output of the current window).

To set an open Send window as the Target window:
■ Click to enable the Target (it is red when enabled, gray when disabled).

Plug-ins have additional features related to the
Target.
Target Functionality in Windows, by Type

Window Type

When Target Enabled

Plug-Ins

Focus of Settings commands, and
Window setting

Track Outputs

Window setting

Sends

Window setting

Inserts

Window setting

Using Output Windows
Output window provide standard Pro Tools
track, send, Target, and other controls.

Meters view

To move to a different track:
■ Click the Track Selector button and choose a
track from the pop-up menu.

track meter
path meters
Path Meter Selector

Meters view in an Output window

Using the Target

Selecting a track from the Sends Editor

When lit, the next window opened of the same
type dynamically replaces the current display
(unless it is opened as an additional window
with the Shift modifier). When unlit, the current window anchors to its current contents and
location on-screen. Opening additional windows does not affect anchored windows.

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345

To reassign output:

Sends and Groups

Click the Send Destination Selector button
and choose an path from the pop-up menu.

Send level and mute can follow Mix groups in
each of the five available sends (A-E). Use this to
adjust multiple send parameters from a single
set of controls.

■

To configure sends and Mix groups:
1 Choose Setup > Preferences, and open the Au-

tomation window.
Selecting a path from the Sends Editor

To add an additional send to the same track:
Click the Send Selector button and choose the
desired Send from the pop-up menu, then click
the Send Selector and choose a destination from
the pop-up menu.

■

2 Enable Send Level Follows Groups, or Send
Mute Follows Groups, as appropriate.
3 Click OK to set the new Preferences.

Copying Settings to Sends
(TDM Systems Only)

To add an additional output assignment to the
current track or send:
Control-select an additional output path from
the Send Selector.

■

Sometimes you need send settings to match the
settings in the track itself—for example, to provide a headphone mix based on the main mix.
You can do this in either of two ways:

To display the controls for a different send on the
same track:
Click the Send Selector button and choose the
send.

■

• By assigning an additional (multiple) output
to all tracks, adding the headphone Output
path to the main mix output assignments.
(See “Multiple Output Assignments” on
page 337).
– or –
• By copying a track’s volume fader, pan slider,
or mute button position to the corresponding
controls for a send on that track. (See “Copying Track Automation to Sends” on page 380.)

Accessing another send from the Sends Editor

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Submixing for Signal Routing
and Effects Processing
The bussing and mixing features in Pro Tools
support a nearly infinite number of possibilities
for submixing and signal routing.
These include:
• Creating inputs for MIDI devices and other
audio sources, to monitor or record in
Pro Tools.
• Control and automate any submix from a single fader and channel strip.
• Apply real-time plug-ins or an external processor to the submix, using the Auxiliary Input as an effects return

Audio Input from MIDI and Other
External Source
You can use an Auxiliary Input to bring an external audio source such as MIDI devices, tape, microphone inputs, and instruments, into a
Pro Tools mix.
To use Auxiliary Inputs to bring external audio
sources into a mix:
1 Connect the audio outputs of your MIDI and
other external devices to available inputs on
your Pro Tools audio interfaces.
2 If necessary, configure the I/O Setup dialog for
the input paths you plan to utilize. The
I/O Setup dialog configuration determines the
choices available for track and sends, inputs,
busses, and hardware inserts. (For more information, see Chapter 7, “I/O Setup.”)
3 Choose File > New Track and choose the type
of Auxiliary Input (mono, stereo, or multi-channel on supported systems) from the Track Format Selector, then click Create.

4 Set the input of the Auxiliary Input track to
the appropriate input path.
5 Assign the track output to the appropriate
path, or paths. (See “Multiple Output Assignments” on page 337 for more information.)
6 Adjust the Auxiliary Input fader to control the
track, and any assigned post-fader send levels.

Mixing Audio Input from MIDI and
External Sources
By mixing MIDI and other audio sources
through Pro Tools, you can apply mix automation to the volume, pan, mute, send level, send
pan, send mute, and plug-in controls of the
Auxiliary Input.
Auxiliary Inputs can be routed to audio tracks
through internal send busses, or using their
track output, to record them to disk.
Using plug-ins, inserts, and sends on Auxiliary
Inputs, you can process instruments and other
inputs with real-time plug-ins, or external devices. See“Send and Return Submixing for Effects Processing” on page 348.

Creating a Submix
Audio is routed to a submix by assigning any
combination of sends and track outputs to available bus or output paths.
Auxiliary Inputs serve as effects returns by inserting plug-ins or external effects processors.
For example, if a stereo sampler was connected
to Inputs 1-2, a stereo Auxiliary Input assigned
to the Input 1-2 path could monitor the sampler
through Pro Tools. You can process the track
with plug-ins, or send to a bus path for addi-

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347

tional processing, or recording. Auxiliary Inputs
and Master Faders provide consolidated level
control, processing, signal routing, and automation.

8 Set the parameters of the plug-in. The plug-in
Bypass and Wet/Dry controls (if available) determine the amount of effect heard. (For another
way to submix effects, see “To create an effects
return submix:” on page 348.)

Submixing with Track Outputs or Sends
You can use both track outputs and sends to
route audio for submixing, depending on
whether you want a discrete or send and return
submix.

Discrete Submix Output
Discrete submix output means source audio is
routed discretely through the submix. This is
preferred for dither or other mastering processing, where you do not want unprocessed audio
heard in addition to the processed signals. Use
track outputs (not sends) to assign tracks to a
bus path for discrete submixing. In this arrangement, the balance of processed and unprocessed
signal is controlled by plug-in wet/dry settings.
To create a discrete submix:
1 Choose File > New Track and choose Auxiliary

Input (stereo) from the pop-up menu.
2 Set the output of the tracks you want to include in the submix to a stereo bus path.

The contributing track faders control the balance within the submix. The Auxiliary Input
track controls the output levels of all tracks
routed to it.
You can apply mix automation to the volume,
pan, mute, and send level, send pan, and send
mute controls of the Auxiliary Input.
You can also bounce a submix to disk to free up
the voices for use by other tracks. See
Chapter 29, “Mixdown” for information.

Send and Return Submixing for Effects
Processing
When you are submixing for reverb, delay, and
similar effects processing, use sends to achieve
traditional send/return bussing. You can use a
real-time plug-in or a hardware I/O insert as a
shared resource for all tracks included in a submix. The wet/dry balance in the mix can be controlled using the track faders (dry level) and
Auxiliary Input fader (effect return, or wet,
level).

3 Pan each track.
4 Set the input of the Auxiliary Input to the

same bus path to which you assigned all contributing tracks.

1 Assign a send (mono or stereo) to each source
track.

5 Set the output of the Auxiliary Input track to
your main stereo mix outputs (typically, outputs
1–2).

2 Assign each tracks main output to your main

6 Set the Auxiliary Input Track level.

to a mono or stereo bus path. Configure the
sends for pre- or post-fader, as needed.

7 To process the submix, assign a plug-in or
hardware insert on the Auxiliary Input.

348

To create an effects return submix:

Pro Tools Reference Guide

mix outputs.
3 Set the send destinations on the source tracks

4 Choose File > New Tracks.

5 Create one Stereo (or other format) Auxiliary
Input, and click Create.

See Chapter 27, “Plug-Ins and Inserts” for
more information.

Send to external device

Creating a Master Send Level Control
Input set to device’s return
Output set to main mix outs 1-2

Master Fader can control the overall level of bus
and output paths.
To create a Master send level control:

Controls level of dry signal
Controls level of effect

1 Choose File > New Track and create a Master
Fader in the appropriate mono, stereo, or multichannel format.
2 Do one of the following:

Send/return setup for an external device
6 Assign a real-time plug-in, or a hardware insert, on the Auxiliary Input.
7 Set the plug-in or external effect to “100%
wet,” and configure any other parameters as
needed.
8 Click the Input Selector of the Auxiliary Input
track and set it to the bus path you assigned to
the sends on the source tracks.
9 Click the Output Selector of the Auxiliary In-

put track and choose an output path (your main
mix, or other output).
Adjust the individual track faders to balance the
dry (unprocessed) tracks. The amount of effect is
controlled by the level of the Auxiliary Input
fader.

For convenience, you can configure send levels and send mutes to follow Mix Groups.
This can simplify set up with large submixes. See “Sends and Groups” on page 346
for more information.

◆ Set the output of the Master Fader to the same
path that you are using to send to an Auxiliary
Input track.
◆ Set the output of the Master Fader to match
the path that you have chosen for your effects
send.

You can then adjust send levels to balance the
source tracks, and use the Master Fader as a master level control for the entire submix.

Soloing Tracks in a Submix
When you want to solo any tracks in a submix,
you can solo safe the Auxiliary Input track. This
solos tracks that are bussed to the Auxiliary Input without having to solo the Auxiliary Input
as well.
To solo-safe an Auxiliary Input:
■ Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click
(Windows) the Solo button on the Auxiliary Input track.

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Generating Stereo Output from a Mono
Send/Return
You can use an Auxiliary Return arrangement to
generate a stereo output from a mono send. Set
the send destination to a mono Auxiliary Input
track and place a stereo plug-in on the Auxiliary
Input. The output of the Auxiliary Input becomes stereo.
Real-time plug-in applied to Insert A

Send to bus 1

Aux In input set to bus 1
Output set to main mix outs 1-2

Controls level of dry signal
Controls level of effect

Mixing Concepts
Mixing involves much more than the Pro Tools
techniques for signal routing, level balancing,
and panning. Mixing is not just a matter of
knowing how to do something, it’s knowing
what you want, or need, to do.
Many mix decisions are purely aesthetic, meaning you decide how loud things are, where they
are panned, what effects are used, and so on.
You base your mix decisions on what you are
hearing. What you are hearing is determined by
the type and number of speakers in your studio,
their placement and condition, the size of the
room, and many other factors.
While you can control most of these variables in
your facility, you cannot control them in all the
listening environments in which the project
will be heard. This section provides a basic introduction to some of the ways to reduce the variables encountered while mixing.

Monitoring for Compatibility
Send/return setup for an Internal Mix Bus

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While mixing, your monitoring system has a
very large influence on how your final mix will
sound. For example, if your monitors (or room)
are overly bright, you will tend to put less highend in your mixes. When your mix is played on
a different system that doesn’t favor the highend, it will likely sound muddy. Problems like
these can be avoided using alternate speakers
and reference monitors.

Alternate Speakers and Reference Monitoring

Mono/Stereo Mix Compatibility Example

Mixers often listen to their mixes on a variety of
different speakers, to gauge how well the mix
will translate. Some speakers are designed to emulate the effects of TV broadcast, where others
attempt to be completely flat across all frequencies. By listening to a mix through different
playback systems, you are attempting to anticipate what the intended audience will hear. The
goal is to make sure your mix will sound as good
as possible to as many listeners as possible.

An example of mix compatibility is mono-stereo
compatibility. Though stereo is the predominant consumer listening format, many televisions and older cars have a single speaker. How
a stereo mix sounds through a mono television
or radio (AM radio, for example, is mono) can
only be verified by checking how the mix
sounds when summed to mono.

Studio monitors (top) and street monitors (bottom)

Reference Tapes and Discs
To become familiar with a studio and its monitors, engineers often bring along a collection of
recordings they are familiar hearing in a variety
of environments. In this way, they can get a
sense of how the room and monitors “sound”
before mixing.
While mixing, tapes and discs of rough mixes let
you audition mixes outside the studio in different listening environments.

Format Compatibility Monitoring
In addition, format compatibility is sometimes required. With stereo, mixes must often be monocompatible.

Most consoles let you fold the mix to mono in
order to check mono-compatibility and, if necessary, make adjustments. You can also simply
pan your output mix channels to center.
When you start mixing in multi-channel surround, these techniques becomes even more important, See Chapter 30, “Surround Concepts”
for more information.

Metering and Calibration
Meters provide a visual display of signal levels.
They tell whether signal is getting to a channel,
and how loud or soft a signal is relative to
(above or below) “0”.
By calibrating all your equipment to standard
reference levels, a consistent level can be
achieved (and metered) among different recording devices in a studio, throughout a facility, or
throughout an entire production chain of a feature-length film. For example, a level of, say, -18
dB coming out of a DAT deck should play and
meter at -18 dB in Pro Tools.

Reference Levels
Reference levels are often tones such as sine
waves, at specific frequencies (1k and 10k, for
example). By supplying the same tones to each
device, you can calibrate your systems for equal
input and output attenuation and metering. Beyond your own studio and equipment, reference
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351

levels and calibration provide a standard by
which different studios, engineers, and systems
can achieve a consistent nominal operating
level.
Calibrating your Pro Tools audio interface inputs and outputs to tape machines and other audio devices in your studio ensures consistency
in levels (and meters) when recording, transferring, overdubbing and mixing.

For instructions on how to calibrate your
audio interfaces, see your Pro Tools Installation Guide.

Using a Control Surface with
Pro Tools
There are several optional control surfaces for
Pro Tools:
TDM-equipped Pro Tools systems can use
Digidesign ProControl, a dedicated controller
that provides access to all Pro Tools recording,
mixing, editing, signal routing, plug-in control,
and automation features.

◆

Pro Tools LE and TDM systems support MIDI
control surfaces, including the Mackie HUI (Human User Interface), JL Cooper CS-10, Peavey
PC-1600, CM Automation MotorMix, and others.

◆

Pro Tools MIX and MIXplus systems running
the Surround mixer can use the JL Cooper
MCS3000 Joystick Panner.

◆

For more information on using MIDI control surfaces with Pro Tools, refer to the
Pro Tools MIDI Control Surfaces Guide.

Dither
Dither is a special form of randomized noise
used to mask quantization noise in digital audio
systems. Digital audio’s poorest distortion performance exists at the lowest end of the dynamic range, where quantization distortion can
occur. Dither reduces quantizing errors by introducing very low-level random noise, thereby
minimizing distortion artifacts as audio reaches
low level. With dither there is a trade-off between signal-to-noise performance and less-apparent distortion. Proper use of dither lets you
squeeze better subjective performance out of a
16-bit data format (such as Red Book compact
discs).
Pro Tools TDM systems process all audio internally at 24-bit, and Pro Tools LE processes internally at 32-bit, floating. Without Dither to process the 24-bit data to 16-bit, the extra 8 bits are
truncated (dropped entirely) when written to
media or a device with a 16-bit maximum (such
as CD recorders, many DAT machines, and others). Dithering, on the other hand, preserves
low-level (quiet) fidelity in a surprising way—by
adding a small amount of noise to a signal.

Dither in Pro Tools
There are several dither options provided in
Pro Tools. Each has a specific application within
the various operations that could benefit from
dithering.
In addition to the TDM, RTAS and AudioSuite
Dither plug-ins, Pro Tools has a built-in dither
capability (outlined below).
Dither on Final Output for Mixdown You can insert a real-time dither plug-in on a Master Fader
to dither your final mix, post-fader, for CD or
other 16-bit media. Inserts on Master Fader process post-fader. During Bounce-to-Disk, this

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form of dithering lets you use dither plug-ins
from Digidesign or third-party manufacturers.
Dithering during Bounce-to-Disk is explained in
Chapter 29, “Mixdown.”

Fades and Crossfades In the Fades dialog (Edit >
Fades > Create Fades), the Use Dither checkbox
enables a preset, noise-shaped dither.

AudioSuite Dither For AudioSuite plug-in processing, dither is based on the Dither plug-in.
This provide the option of utilizing noise-shaping as part of the dither process. (See

Create Fades dialog

Noise Shaping

Operation Preferences, for AudioSuite dither

The following AudioSuite plug-ins automatically apply dither when processing:
• EQ II

Noise is an integral part of the dithering process.
Noise shaping can further improve audio performance and reduce perceived noise inherent in
dithering. Noise shaping utilizes digital filtering
to move noise from frequencies around 4 kHz.
Essentially, noise shaping lessens our perception
of the noise inherent in dithering by shifting audible noise components into a less audible
range.

• Compressor II
• Limiter II
• Gate II
• Expander/Gate II

Noise Shaping is available in the Dither plug-in.

For more information about dither during
mixdown, see Chapter 29, “Mixdown.”

• Normalize
• Gain
• DC Offset Removal
• Time Compression/Expansion
• Pitch Shift

For information about AudioSuite dither,
see the Digi-Rack Plug-Ins Guide.

Chapter 26: Basic Mixing

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Chapter 27: Plug-Ins and Inserts

Pro Tools provides up to five unity-gain, prefader inserts on each audio track, Auxiliary Input track, or Master Fader. In the case of Master
Faders, inserts are post-fader only.
An insert can be either a software DSP plug-in or
a hardware insert. A Pro Tools insert routes the
signal from the track to a plug-in or external
hardware effect of your choice and automatically returns it to the same track. Inserts do not
alter the original audio source files, but process
audio in real time, during playback. You can
permanently apply real-time effects to tracks by
recording or bouncing the effect to disk (see
Chapter 29, “Mixdown” for more information).
This chapter explains how to use plug-ins and
hardware inserts. Refer to the DigiRack Plug-Ins
Guide for details on using specific plug-ins.

Plug-In Inserts
Plug-in inserts are software inserts that process
audio material on a track in real time. The EQ,
Dynamics, and Mod Delay plug-ins supplied
with your Pro Tools system are real-time plug-in
inserts.

Additional real-time plug-ins are available from
Digidesign and from many third-party developers.

Hardware I/O Inserts
Hardware I/O inserts can route audio through
an external device connected to the inputs and
outputs of your audio interface. You can process
the audio material on a track with a hardware
insert in real time.

Hardware I/O insert

Insert paths require audio interface inputs and
outputs, and are determined by the I/O Setup
configuration of your system.

General Information
◆ When more than one insert is used on a track,
they are processed in series. Each effect is added
to that of any previous plug-ins or inserts, (flowing from top to bottom in the Mix window Inserts view, and left to right in the Edit window
Inserts view).

Plug-in insert (TimeAdjuster shown)

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355

Inserts on audio tracks and Auxiliary Inputs
are pre-fader. You can cause clipping if you boost
their gain to extremes, especially on tracks recorded at high amplitude. Watch on-screen metering for indication of clipping. (Inserts on
Master Faders are post-fader.)

◆

How to Use Plug-Ins and Inserts for
Effects Processing
Inserts can be used in two ways:
On single tracks An insert can be applied to an
individual audio track, Auxiliary Input, or Master Fader.
With in-line inserts, you control the amount of
effect by adjusting the balance (or, wet/dry)
controls of the plug-in or external device.
As shared resources An insert can be used as a
shared resource in a send-and-return arrangement, by bussing signals from several tracks to
an Auxiliary Input, and then applying the insert
to the Auxiliary Input track. You can then control the send level for each track, and the overall
level of the effect can be controlled from the
Auxiliary Input track. Using sends and other signal routing features helps maximize your system’s processing power.

For examples of send and return busses and
other submixing setups, see “Submixing for
Signal Routing and Effects Processing” on
page 347.

Plug-In and Insert Formats
Mono Plug-Ins Are designed for use on mono
tracks. Some mono plug-ins (such as Mod Delay)
let you generate a stereo output from a mono
channel. Inserts that occur on a track after a stereo insert are used in stereo as well.

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Stereo Plug-Ins Stereo versions of plug-ins become available when you use them on a stereo
track. A stereo hardware I/O insert, that sends
the signal to an input/output path, can also be
created on a stereo track.
Mono In/Stereo Out Plug-Ins Are designed to return a stereo effect from a mono source. Certain
plug-ins (such as Mod Delay) let you generate
stereo output from a mono channel. A track
made into stereo in this way has pan controls
for each channel of the stereo signal. Any inserts
that occur on a track after a stereo insert are automatically used in stereo as well.

Multi-Channel and Multi-Mono Plug-Ins
Pro Tools MIX and MIXplus systems support
multi-channel and multi-mono plug-ins.
Multi-Mono Plug-Ins Are designed for use on stereo or greater multi-channel tracks when a
multi-channel version of the plug-in is not
available. Parameters for all channels are linked
by default so that you can adjust them in tandem. You can unlink parameter controls for independent adjustment using the Master Link
button. See “Linking and Unlinking Controls
on Multi-Mono Plug-Ins” on page 362.
Multi-Channel Plug-Ins Are designed for use on
stereo and greater-than-stereo multi-channel
tracks. On greater-than-stereo multi-channel
tracks, the parameters for all channels are generally ganged together.

Relinking may cause automation to be lost.
See “Linking and Unlinking Controls on
Multi-Mono Plug-Ins” on page 362

TDM and RTAS Plug-Ins
Use the following guidelines for plug-ins supported on your system.
Pro Tools TDM Systems TDM plug-ins can be
used on all types of audio tracks. RTAS plug-ins
can be used on Auto Voiced audio tracks
only.When using RTAS and TDM plug-ins on
the same track, RTAS plug-ins must precede
TDM plug-ins in the insert signal path.
Pro Tools LE Systems RTAS plug-ins can be used
on audio tracks, Auxiliary Inputs, and Master
Faders.

Display of Plug-In Bypass, Target, and
Window Status
In the Mix and Edit window, the Plug-In button
and Selector display bypass state, target status,
and window status as follow:
some channels bypassed (half blue)
bypassed (blue)

unbypassed (black)

Indication of bypassed plug-in

lit plug-in name

For tips on maximizing RTAS performance,
see the DigiRack Plug-Ins Guide.

Viewing Plug-Ins and Inserts

Indication of window open

Both the Mix and Edit windows can be configured to show or hide inserts. Plug-In windows
provide complete access to plug-in parameters.

Hardware Inserts and Bypass

Window Shows > Inserts View.

You cannot bypass hardware inserts from
Pro Tools. To monitor playback without a hardware insert, either set it to Inactive, remove it by
reassigning it to No Insert, or use a bypass
switch on the hardware device itself. See “Inactive Inserts” on page 364 for more information.

no assignments

Indicating the Controller Target

To show or hide inserts in the Mix or Edit windows:
1 Choose Display > Mix Window Shows, or Edit

with assignments

Inserts view

Sends view
I/O view

If you are using a control surface with Pro Tools,
only one plug-in can be targeted at a time. The
current controller target, if any, is indicated
with a color outline around its name:
target outline

Mix Window views

To show or hide insert in the Edit window:
1 Select Inserts view from the View Selector (lo-

cated next to the Rulers view). See “Configuring
Send Views in the Mix and Edit Windows” on
page 340 for more information.

The controller target

For more information on controller targets,
refer to the MIDI Control Surfaces Guide, or
your ProControl documentation.

Chapter 27: Plug-Ins and Inserts

357

Inactive Plug-Ins
Plug-ins and inserts can be made inactive to free
up their resources for other uses. When a plug-in
is inactive it retains its assignment, position, all
related automation playlists. However, it will
not pass audio and does not consume any DSP
or TDM resources.
To make a plug-in inactive:
Command-Control-click the Plug-In button.
(Use Option and Option+Shift modifiers to apply to all or all selected, respectively.)

■

Inserting Plug-Ins on Tracks
To use a real-time plug-in in a Pro Tools session,
insert it on a track.
To insert a plug-in on a track:
1 Make sure the Inserts view is shown in the Mix
or Edit window.
2 Click the Insert Selector on the track and select the plug-in that you want to use. (See “TDM
and RTAS Plug-Ins” on page 357 for related information.)

– or –
Make the track inactive. See “Making Tracks
Inactive” on page 84.

■

Click here

When opening sessions, plug-ins will be inactive in any of the following situations:
• The plug-in is not installed
• The plug-in type is not available (RTAS or
TDM). Or, opening the session results in plugin type substitutions. This can happen if, for
example, the type is available but substituting
would result in an unsupported condition,
such as an RTAS plug-in after TDM plug-ins in
a track.
Inactive plug-ins retain all associated automation playlists. In addition, any edits made in the
session affect the plug-in automation playlists.
You cannot record automation for an inactive
plug-in, or edit its controls on-screen.
Inactive
plug-in
(italicized)

Inactive
active
track
(plain text) (italicized, dark gray background)

Display of inactive plug-ins
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Inserting a TDM plug-in

To remove an insert from a track:
■

Click the Insert Selector and choose No Insert.

Removing a plug-in

Moving and Duplicating Inserts
You can move or duplicate a plug-in insert by
dragging it to a different position on the same
track or a different track. Inserts that are moved
or duplicated retain their original settings and
automation. Dragging an insert on top of an existing insert will replace it (and its automation,
if any).

To move an insert:
Master Link button
■

Drag the insert to the desired location.

Link Enable buttons
Channel Selector

Moving a plug-in

To duplicate an insert:
Option-drag (Macintosh) or Alt-drag (Windows) the insert to the desired location. The duplicated plug-in retains its original settings and
automation.

■

Plug-In window (multi-mono 1-band EQ shown)

Phase Invert buttons

The Plug-In Window
The Plug-In window appears whenever you click
the Insert button on a track. This floating window let you to edit the parameters of any realtime plug-in insert in use on a track.
LFE Enable

Settings menu
Plug-In Selector
Insert button
Insert
Selector

Track Selector
Librarian menu
Insert Position
Selector

Compare

Automation Safe

Effect bypass

Plug-In window (multi-channel Compressor shown)

Convert plug-in

Enable
Automation

Target plug-in
Phase Invert

Settings menu Lets you copy, paste, save, and
import plug-in settings.
Track Selector Accesses any non-MIDI track in
your session.
Librarian Menu Recalls settings files saved in the
plug-in’s root settings folder or in the current
session’s Settings folder.
Insert Position Selector Accesses any insert on
the current track.

Plug-In window (mono 1-band EQ shown)

Chapter 27: Plug-Ins and Inserts

359

Key Input Selector Lets you select audio on a
particular input or bus and route it to trigger the
plug-in. This menu only appears on plug-ins
that feature side-chain processing. Key inputs
are monophonic.
Plug-In Selector Lets you select any real-time
plug-in installed in the DAE Plug-Ins folder.
Compare Toggles between the original saved
plug-in setting and any changes you have made
to it so you can compare them.
Effect Bypass Disables the currently displayed
plug-in. This lets you compare the track with
and without the effect.
Enable Automation Parameters Lets you enable
individual plug-in parameters for automation
recording. See “Automating Plug-Ins” on
page 380.
Automation Safe When enabled, prevents existing plug-in automation from being overwritten.
Convert Plug-In Lets you convert the insert from
a TDM plug-in to an RTAS plug-in of the same
type (or vice-versa). This feature can only be
used on plug-ins that are available in both TDM
and RTAS formats.
Target Button When multiple Plug-In windows
are open, clicking this button selects that plugin as the target for any computer keyboard commands.
Phase Invert Button Inverts the phase polarity of
the input signal.
Channel Selector Accesses a specific channel
within a multi-channel track for plug-in parameter editing. This menu appears only on multimono plug-ins inserted on tracks with more

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than one channel. Shift-clicking this Selector
opens a separate Plug-In window for each channel of the multi-channel track on which the
plug-in is inserted.
Master Link Button When enabled, links the parameter controls on all channels of a multimono plug-in so that they can be adjusted in
tandem.
Link Enable Buttons Lets you selectively link
the parameter controls of specific channels of a
multi-mono plug-in. Each square represents a
speaker channel. The Master Link button must
be disabled to use the Link Enable buttons. See
“Linking and Unlinking Controls on MultiMono Plug-Ins” on page 362.
LFE Enable Enables plug-in processing of the
LFE (low frequency effects) channel on a 5.1,
6.1, and 7.1-format multi-channel track. To disable LFE processing, deselect this button.

Opening Plug-In Windows
To open a Plug-In window:
■ Click the Plug-In button in the Mix or Edit
window channel strip.

By default, each plug-in you open will appear in
the same location as a currently open plug-in,
replacing it in the same window location.

Opening Multiple Plug-In Windows
To reduce screen clutter, Pro Tools normally displays a single Plug-In window from which you
can edit the parameters of any plug-in in a session. If you want, however, you can open additional Plug-In windows for specific plug-ins.

To select a different plug-in on the same track:
■ Click the Insert Selector and choose a plug-in
from the pop-up menu.

Once you begin working with multiple Plug-In
windows, you will need to click the Target button on the plug-in whose parameters you want
to edit using keyboard commands.
To open a Plug-In window for a specific plug-in:
In the Mix window, Shift-click the Insert button of the desired plug-in.

Choosing a plug-in from the Plug-In window

■

To open Plug-In windows for each channel of a
multi-mono plug-in:

To choose a different track:
■ Click the Track Selector and choose a track
from the pop-up menu.

Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) the Channel Selector in the Plug-In window of the desired plug-in.

■

To close all currently open Plug-In windows:
Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) the close box of any currently open PlugIn window.

■

Using the Plug-In Window
All plug-ins provide standard Pro Tools controls
for track and insert selection, bypass, and others, in addition to the EQ, dynamics, and other
processor-specific controls.

Choosing a track from the Plug-In window

Target Window and Settings Shortcuts
When multiple Plug-In windows are open, a
highlighted target indicates the Target window.
By default, Pro Tools keeps a single Plug-In window open (the Target window), that displays
each plug-in as it is opened. Opening a new
plug-in opens it as the new Target window, in
the same location.
In addition, the Plug-In Target window is also
the focus of keyboard shortcuts for plug-in settings.

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361

Bypassing Plug-Ins
Plug-ins can be bypassed from their Plug-In window, or from the Mix and Edit window Inserts
view.

If necessary, you can unlink plug-in controls on
specific channels of a track and edit them independently. You can also selectively link the controls of specific channels.
Master Link button
Link Enable buttons

To bypass a plug-in:

Channel Selector
■

Click the Plug-In window’s Bypass button.
– or –

Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click
(Windows) the plug-in’s Insert button in the
Mix window.

■

When a plug-in insert is bypassed, the Insert Selector in the Mix window changes its
color to blue for easy visual reference. If
some, but not all channels of an unlinked
multi-mono plug-in are bypassed, the Insert
Selector appears half blue and half black.

Channel Selector and Link controls

To unlink controls on a multi-mono plug-in:
■

Deselect the Master Link button.

To access controls for a specific channel:
■ Select the desired channel from the Channel
Selector.

To link the controls of specific channels:
some channels bypassed (half blue)
bypassed (blue)

unbypassed (black)

Bypass states indicated by color

Linking and Unlinking Controls on
Multi-Mono Plug-Ins

1 Deselect the Master Link button if it is not al-

ready deselected.
2 Click the Link Enable buttons for the channels whose controls you want to link. For example, to link all channels except the LFE,
highlight the icons representing the five fullrange speakers in a multi-mono plug-in.

(TDM Systems Only)
When a multi-mono plug-in is used on a multichannel track of more than two channels, the
controls are normally linked. Adjusting the
Gain parameter on one channel, for example,
will adjust it for all channels.

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All channels linked except the LFE

Editing Plug-In Parameters
You can edit plug-in parameters by dragging the
parameter’s slider or by typing a value into the
parameter’s text box. See the DigiRack Plug-Ins
Guide for complete instructions.
To edit a plug-in parameter:
1 Begin audio playback so that you can hear parameter changes in real time.
2 Adjust the parameters of the plug-in for the ef-

fect you want.

◆ To increase a value, press the Up Arrow on
your keyboard. To decrease a value, press the
Down Arrow on your keyboard.
◆ Press Enter on the numeric keyboard after typing a value to input the value (without leaving
the selected parameter field).
◆ Press Return (Macintosh) or Enter on the alpha keyboard (Windows) to enter the value and
leave keyboard editing mode.
◆ To move downward through the different parameter fields, press the Tab key. To move upwards, press Shift-Tab.

Keyboard Shortcuts
For finer adjustments, Command-drag (Macintosh) or Control-drag (Windows) the control.

Plug-In Automation and Safe

■

To return a control to its default value, Option-click (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows)
the control.

■

Keyboard Input for Plug-In
Parameters
You can use your computer keyboard to edit
plug-in parameters.
If multiple Plug-In windows are open, Tab and
keyboard entry remain focussed on the plug-in
that is the Target window.

All real-time plug-ins can be fully automated,
and support all Pro Tools automation modes
(Write, Touch, and Latch, plus Trim).
The Auto button opens the Enable Automation
Parameters dialog, where you can enable individual plug-in parameters for automation recording. See Chapter 28, “Automation” for
more information on this feature and shortcuts
to enable plug-in parameter.
The Safe button engages Automation Safe mode.
When enabled, existing plug-in automation is
protected from being overwritten. (See “Automating Plug-Ins” on page 380 for more information.)

To edit parameters with a keyboard:
Click in the parameter text field that you want
to edit to activate the field. Type the desired
value.

◆

In fields that support values in kilohertz, typing “k” after a number value will multiply the
value by 1000. If you want to enter a value of
8000, type “8k”.

◆

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Hardware I/O Inserts

4 Make sure the insert is set to the correct format (mono, stereo, or other).

You can connect external devices, such as reverb
or effects processors, to your Pro Tools system
and use them as inserts or make them the destination for effects sends and returns.

5 Map inserts in the Channel Grid as needed.
Insert and Output paths have special rules regarding channel mapping (see “Overlapping
Channels and Valid Paths” on page 67).

Pro Tools inserts utilize hardware input and output channels to send and return the audio. Inserts can be defined, and their channels mapped
to audio interface channels, in the I/O Setup dialog.

Assigning Inserts
To assign a hardware insert to a track:
■

Select an insert from the track Insert Selector.

If you plan to use a device as an insert, be sure to
connect the device to matching inputs and outputs on your system. For example, a stereo insert
could use outputs 7-8 and inputs 7-8 for the
sends and returns, respectively.
To define hardware inserts:
1 Choose Setups > I/O Setup, then click the Inserts tab.

Selecting a hardware I/O insert

Inactive Inserts
Hardware inserts can be made Inactive. An inactive insert retains its assignment, but does not
pass audio and does not consume any DSP resources. In addition, any mixer resources required for the insert are removed.

I/O Setup dialog (TDM system shown, with 24 channels
of I/O)
2 Select an insert path, or click New Path to create a new Insert path.
3 Double-click the Path Name to enter a custom
path name for the insert.

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You can use the inactive feature whenever
you need to mute or bypass a hardware insert. Inserts do not provide a standard bypass control.

To make an insert inactive:
Command-Control-click the Insert button.
Use the Option and Option+Shift modifiers to
apply to all or all selected tracks, respectively.

■

– or –
Make the track inactive (this sets all associated
inserts, sends, outputs, and plug-ins inactive).

■

When opening sessions on a system with insufficient DSP resources, unavailable inserts are automatically set to inactive.

3 Define output, input, or insert paths as appropriate in the I/O Setup dialog.

For details on connecting external devices,
refer to the Pro Tools Hardware Installation
Guide that came with your system.

Connecting Effects Units Digitally

Connecting and Integrating
External Devices
Pro Tools TDM and Digi 001 systems can create
dedicated connections to external analog or digital devices. The number and type of connections depends on what kind of system you have.
You can also use the inputs and outputs of an
Audiomedia III card to connect external devices.
You can send and return an analog signal using
the analog connectors on the card, and monitor
through a DAT machine connected to the digital output. You can also send and return a digital
signal to an external device that supports digital
I/O (such as a reverb unit), and monitor with the
analog outputs.

If you want to use the digital inputs and outputs
on your Pro Tools system as effects sends and returns to a digital effects device, Pro Tools should
be the clock master in most cases. Set your digital effects device to accept an external digital
clock so that it synchronizes to Pro Tools.
To set up a digital send to an external device from
a TDM system:
1 Do one of the following:
◆ On an 888/24 I/O Interface, choose Setups >
Hardware, click Other Options, and set the
channel pair to Digital.
◆ On an 882/20 I/O or 1622 I/O Interface,
choose Setups > Hardware and set Channel 1–2
input to Digital.

To connect an external device to a Pro Tools
system:

2 Choose Internal from the Sync Mode pop-up

1 Connect an unused output (or pair of outputs

3 Click OK.

menu.

for a stereo device) of your Pro Tools system to
an input of the external signal processor.
2 Connect the output of the external signal pro-

cessor to an unused input (or pair of inputs for a
stereo device) of your Pro Tools system.

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365

To set up a digital send to an external device
from a Digi001 system:
1 Choose Setups > Playback Engine and click

Other Options.
2 Do one of the following:

If the external device is connected to the
S/PDIF RCA jacks, deselect S/PDIF Mirroring.
(When S/PDIF Mirroring is on, digital output at
the S/PDIF RCA jacks exactly mirrors the output
of analog Channels 1–2.)

◆

If the external device is connected to the Optical ports, choose a format (most likely S/PDIF
for an effects device) from the Optical Format
pop-up menu.

◆

3 Choose Internal from the Sync Mode pop-up

menu.
4 Click OK.
5 Optionally, configure the I/O Setup dialog

with new path names for effects routing.

If you set the Optical Format to S/PDIF,
Pro Tools will watch the Optical port for
any audio input on the S/PDIF RCA jacks.

To set up a digital send to an external device
from an Audiomedia III system:
1 Choose Setups > Playback Engine and deselect

S/PDIF Mirroring. (When S/PDIF Mirroring is
on, digital output at the S/PDIF RCA jacks exactly mirrors the output of analog Channels
1–2.)
2 Choose Internal from the Sync Mode pop up
menu.
3 Click OK.
4 Optionally, configure the I/O Setup dialog
with new path names for effects routing.

Using External Clock Sources
Pro Tools can use the digital input on Channels
1–2 as its clock master. To synchronize your system to an external clock source, connect the external source to Pro Tools digital inputs 1–2.

TDM Systems
Pro Tools can receive external clock from Channels 1–2, using either the AES/EBU (on the
888/24 I/O) or S/PDIF connectors on your audio
interface. Pro Tools also supports optical sync
through an Adat Bridge.
In an expanded TDM system, connect to the
digital input on Channels 1–2 of the master audio interface. This is the audio interface connected to the first MIX or d24 card in your system.

Refer to the Pro Tools TDM System Installation Guide to determine correct card order
and audio interface connections for TDM
systems.
To select an external clock source for a TDM
system:
1 Choose Setups > Hardware.
2 Set the Sync Mode to Digital.
3 Choose the Digital Format for the input.

Digi 001 Systems
Pro Tools can receive external clock from the
optical input (on the Digi 001 PCI card) or
S/PDIF input (on the Digi 001 I/O box).
To select an external clock source for a Digi 001
system:
1 Choose Setups > Hardware.
2 Set the Sync Mode to match the type of input.

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If you choose Optical, make sure the Optical
Format matches the type of optical input you
are sending to your Pro Tools system.

If you set the Optical Format to S/PDIF,
Pro Tools will watch the Optical port for external clock, and ignore any clock input on
the S/PDIF RCA jacks.

Audiomedia III Systems
Pro Tools can receive external clock from the
S/PDIF input on the Audiomedia III card.
To select an external clock source for an
Audiomedia III system:
1 Choose Setups > Hardware.
2 Set the Sync Mode to match the type of input.

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Chapter 28: Automation

Pro Tools features dynamic automation of volume, pan, and mute controls for audio tracks
and sends, MIDI tracks, and real-time plug-in
parameters. In Pro Tools, you can write automation moves in real time during playback of your
session. You can also edit automation data with
the same techniques you use to edit audio and
MIDI data.

Automation Accuracy with
Control Surfaces
ProControl Digidesign’s ProControl supports all
automation features in Pro Tools. ProControl
DigiFaders™ provide 10-bit accuracy, or 1,024
steps of resolution. Pro Tools interpolates this
ProControl input and provides 24-bit resolution
of volume and send automation on playback.

For details on using ProControl to create
mix automation, refer to the ProControl
User’s Guide.
MIDI Control Surfaces Most MIDI control surfaces have 8-bit resolution, or 128 steps; the
Mackie HUI has 9-bit resolution, or 512 steps.
Pro Tools interpolates this input to a much
higher resolution on playback, resulting in fader
automation that is smooth enough to satisfy
professional requirements.

Automation Quick Start
Pro Tools provides many options for recording,
replacing, and editing automation data.
The basic steps for automation recording are:
• Enable the automation type that you want to
record (volume, pan, mute, send level, send
pan, send mute, or plug-in automation).
• Put the appropriate tracks in an automation
writing mode (Write, Touch, or Latch, or a
Trim mode).
• If you are automating a plug-in, enable the individual plug-in parameters to be automated.
• Automation Safe any plug-ins, outputs, or
sends that have existing automation data that
you want to protect from being overwritten.
• Begin playback to begin automation recording, and adjust controls as needed. Pro Tools
remembers all moves performed on enabled
parameters.
To edit automation once it has been recorded,
you can:
• Repeat the above steps to write new automation over the previous data.
• Graphically edit the automation data in the
Edit window.
• Cut, copy, paste, or delete automation data
(certain restrictions apply).

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Automation Playlists
Each Pro Tools track contains a single automation playlist for each automatable control.
On audio tracks, these controls include:
• Volume
• Pan
• Mute
• Send volume, pan, and mute
• Plug-in parameters
On MIDI tracks, these controls include:
• Volume
• Pan
• Mute
You can display and edit each of these automatable parameters individually from Pro Tools,
even during playback.
In addition, you can display and edit other continuous MIDI controller data (such as mod
wheel, breath controller, foot controller, or sustain) in a similar manner. For more information
on editing MIDI data, see “Continuous Controller Events” on page 301.

Automation Playlists with Audio
and MIDI Regions
Pro Tools handles audio regions and automation playlists differently from MIDI regions and
automation playlists.

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Audio Tracks
On audio tracks, automation data resides on a
separate playlist from audio data and regions.
Each edit playlist on an audio track shares the
same automation data.

MIDI Tracks
On MIDI tracks, all controller automation data
except for Mute data is stored in the MIDI region
that contains it. Each edit playlist on a MIDI
track is separate, and represents a distinct performance, complete with controller automation.

Mute data is independent of the MIDI data
in a MIDI region. This lets you mute playback of individual MIDI tracks in Pro Tools
without altering the controller data.

Multiple Edit Playlists and Audio Track
Automation
All edit playlists on a single audio track share the
same automation data. When you record or edit
automation data in an audio track, the automation data is stored in the track automation playlist so it can be edited with, or independently
from, its associated audio regions. (MIDI automation data always follows region editing, with
the exception of mute. See “MIDI Tracks” on
page 370 for more information.)
◆ When you copy or cut audio data from a track
while it is in Waveform view, the underlying automation data is cut or copied with it.
◆ If you paste audio data from other locations or
tracks into an edit playlist, you may change the
underlying automation data on the track.

When you trim audio regions with the Trim
tool, or cut, copy, paste, or delete audio regions,
underlying automation data is also trimmed,
cut, copied, pasted, or deleted.

◆

When you use the Trim command, the underlying automation data remains, unchanged.

◆

For more information, see “Editing Automation” on page 385.

Using Tracks for Playlist Editing

Automation Modes
Each track provides an Automation Mode Selector. Automation modes control how a track’s
automation data is written and played back.

Auto Off
Auto Off mode turns off automation for all automatable controls:
• Volume

The Duplicate Track command provides a convenient way to make a working copy of a track
to experiment with routing, plug-ins, and automation. This protects original track’s from being
edited or overwritten.

• Pan
• Mute
• Send volume, pan, and mute
• Plug-in parameters

To copy a track for editing:

• MIDI volume, pan, and mute

1 Select the track and choose File > Duplicate
Track. Duplicate Track create a complete copy of
the track, including all routing, plug-ins, and
automation.

In Auto Off mode, automation data for these parameters is ignored during playback. All other
MIDI controller data is sent.

2 Command-Control-click the Track Type icon,

Auto Read

or select that track and choose File > Make Selected Tracks Inactive.

Auto Read mode plays the automation that was
previously written for a track.

3 Begin editing automation and other parameters on the duplicated track.

Auto Write

Edit and assembling the track regions before applying automation to them.

Auto Write mode writes automation from the
time playback starts to the time it stops, erasing
any previously written automation for the duration of the automation pass.
After an automation pass, Pro Tools automatically switches from Auto Write mode to Auto
Touch mode. This prevents you from accidentally overwriting automation data on later playback. On TDM systems, you can turn off this behavior and remain in Auto Write mode. See
“Write Switches To Touch After Pass” on
page 374 for details.

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Auto Touch

Trim Mode

Auto Touch mode writes automation only while
a fader or switch is touched or clicked with the
mouse. When the fader is released, the writing
of automation stops and the fader returns to any
previously automated position, at a rate determined by the AutoMatch and Touch Timeout
settings. See “Automation Preferences” on
page 374.

(TDM Systems Only)

In Auto Touch mode, certain control surfaces
start writing automation as soon as you touch
them. These include:
• Touch-sensitive motorized fader controllers,
such as Digidesign ProControl, or the Mackie
HUI.
• Continuous-belt controllers, such as the
Penny & Giles DC16/MM16.
With other control surfaces in Auto Touch
mode, writing of automation does not begin until the fader hits the pass-through point, or the
previously automated position. Once you reach
the pass-through point with the fader, writing
of automation begins and continues until you
stop moving the fader.

Auto Latch
Auto Latch mode works in the same way as Auto
Touch mode, writing automation only if you
touch or move a control. However, unlike Auto
Touch, writing of automation continues until
you stop playback. This mode is particularly useful for automating pan controls and plug-ins,
since it does not time out and revert to its previous position when you release a control.

See also “Writing Automation to the Start,
End or All of a Selection” on page 391.

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Pro Tools TDM systems can adjust (or trim) existing track volume and send level automation
data in real time. Pan and plug-in automation
cannot be trimmed in this manner. Trim mode
works in combination with the other automation modes (Auto Read, Auto Touch, Auto
Latch, Auto Write) and is useful when you want
to preserve all of your volume automation
moves, but need to make levels a bit louder or
softer to balance a mix.
When editing automation in Trim mode, fader
moves write relative rather than absolute values.
The existing automation data is changed by the
amount of increase or decrease (or the delta
value) indicated by the faders. When trimming,
a track’s Volume indicator or Send Level indicator shows the delta values being written rather
than the absolute value.
When Trim mode is enabled, non-trimmable
controls behave in the same manner as in the
standard automation modes, with the exception
of Trim/Auto Write mode, where non-trimmable controls operate as in Auto Touch mode.

Trim/Auto Off
Trim/Auto Off mode turns off automation and
trimming for a track. All automation moves are
ignored during playback.

Trim/Auto Read
In Trim/Auto Read mode, volume and send faders follow the previously written automation.
When one of the faders is touched, the trim
moves (delta values) are played back, but are not
written into the automation data. This lets you
audition trim moves without affecting existing
automation.

When this mode is enabled, non-trimmable
controls (all controls other than track volume
and send level) behave as if they are in regular
Read mode—no automation data is written.

Trim/Auto Touch
In Trim/Auto Touch mode, when playback begins, volume and send faders follow the previously written automation. When one of the faders is touched, real-time trimming begins. Fader
moves write delta values (an increase or decrease
in existing automation data).
When the fader is released, trimming stops and
the fader returns to a zero delta value and continues to follow the previously written automation. The rate of the fader’s return to a zero delta
value is determined by the AutoMatch Time
specified in the Automation Preferences. See
“Automation Preferences” on page 374 for more
information.
When this mode is enabled, non-trimmable
controls (all controls other than track volume
and send level) behave as if they are in regular
Auto Touch mode—they follow the previously
written automation until touched. When they
are touched, their absolute positions are written
until the control is released or until playback
stops.

When this mode is enabled, non-trimmable
controls (all controls other than track volume
and send level) behave as if they are in regular
Latch mode—they follow the previously written
automation until touched. When they are
touched, their absolute positions are written until playback is stopped.

Trim/Auto Write
In Trim/Auto Write mode, the volume and send
level faders are disengaged from displaying the
existing automation data, so you don’t have to
chase them during playback. Faders are automatically positioned at 0 dB, where no trimming occurs (they start with a delta value of
zero). From this reference point you can then set
the initial delta values before initiating playback.
In this mode, as soon as playback begins, delta
values are applied to the existing automation
data. Trimming continues until playback stops.
When Trim/Auto Write mode is enabled, nontrimmable controls (all controls other than
track volume and send level) are not in Write
mode, but behave as if they are in regular Auto
Touch mode (no automation is written unless a
control is touched). This is to prevent the controls from overwriting all of their automation
data on every pass in Trim mode.

Trim/Auto Latch
In Trim/Auto Latch mode, when playback begins, volume and send faders follow the previously written automation. When one of the faders is touched, real-time trimming begins. Any
fader moves after trimming begins increase or
decrease existing automation data accordingly.
Trimming of the touched control continues until playback stops.

In Trim mode, tracks do not automatically
change from Trim/Auto Write to
Trim/Auto Touch after an automation
pass. Be sure to switch out of Auto Write
when you leave Trim mode to avoid overwriting automation data.

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Automation Preferences
Pro Tools gives you several options for controlling the writing and playback of automation
data.
To display Automation Preferences:
Choose Setups > Preferences, and click Automation.

■

Write Switches To Touch After Pass (TDM Systems Only) After an automation pass in Auto
Write mode, Pro Tools automatically switches
to Auto Touch mode. On TDM systems, you can
choose to stay in Auto Write mode by deselecting this option.

Write Switches to Touch After Pass does not
affect Trim mode. In Trim mode, tracks do
not automatically change from Trim/Auto
Write to Trim/Auto Touch after an automation pass.
Mutes Follow Groups When selected, muting a
track that belongs to a group mutes all other
members of the group. When this option is deselected, tracks must be muted on an individual
basis. You can mute or unmute individual group
members by Control-clicking (Macintosh) or
Right-clicking (Windows) the Mute button of
the track you want to affect individually.

Automation Preferences dialog

Faders Move During Playback When selected,
on-screen faders move if automation has been
written for them. When this option is deselected, automation still operates, but on-screen
faders do not move. Turning this option off can
help speed up screen redraws and processing if
you are using a slower computer.
Smooth and Thin Data After Pass When selected, Pro Tools automatically smooths and
then applies the specified amount of thinning
to the automation data created in an automation pass. (See also “Degree of Thinning” on
page 375, and “About Smoothing” on
page 375.)

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Solos Follow Groups When selected, soloing a
track that belongs to a group solos all other
members of the group. When this option is deselected, tracks must be soloed on an individual
basis. You can solo individual group members
by Control-clicking (Macintosh) or Right-clicking (Windows) the Solo button of the track you
want to affect individually.
Send Mutes Follow Groups ?When selected,
muting a send on a track that belongs to a group
mutes that send (A-E) on all tracks in the group.
Send Levels Follow Groups When selected, adjusting the level of a send on a track that belongs to a group adjusts that send (A-E) on all
members of the group.

LFEs Follow Groups When selected, adjusting
the level of an LFE slider, or editing LFE automation breakpoint data, on a track or send that belongs to a group adjusts the LFE on all tracks of
the group. With send-based LFEs, grouping affects only that send (A-E) on other tracks.
Degree of Thinning Specifies the amount of thinning performed on automation data when you
use the Thin Automation command, or if you
have selected the Smooth and Thin Data After
Pass option in this dialog. (See also “About Thinning” on page 375.)
Touch Timeout If you are writing automation in
Auto Touch mode and you stop moving a nontouch sensitive control, Pro Tools continues to
write automation for the Touch Timeout value.
After the Touch Timeout period, writing of automation stops and the automation data returns
to its previous automation value at the rate specified in the AutoMatch Time setting.
AutoMatch Time If you are writing automation
in Auto Touch mode, when you release a fader
or control, writing of automation stops and the
automation data returns to its previous automation value. The rate of return to the previous
value is the AutoMatch Time. See “About AutoMatch” on page 375.
Amount of memory to reserve for automation recording Allocates memory for automation. See
“Setting the Automation Buffer Size” on
page 376 for details.

About Smoothing
When you perform automation moves with a
continuous control, Pro Tools records the move
as a series of very small steps, resulting in a staircase pattern with many breakpoints. Smoothing
intelligently resolves this staircase pattern into a
single, smooth ramp from one breakpoint to the
next. (Smoothing does not apply to switched
controls such as mutes or plug-in bypasses.)
With smoothing enabled, the resulting automation is often a more accurate representation of
actual automation moves.

About Thinning
Thinning automatically reduces the overall
number of breakpoints in the automation playlist in order to improve system performance.
The amount of thinning applied is determined
by the Degree of Thinning setting in the Automation Preferences. When using high amounts
of thinning, the resulting automation may differ noticeably from the original automation
moves. Thinning only applies to audio tracks,
and does not affect MIDI tracks. For instructions, see “Thinning Automation” on page 383.

About AutoMatch
When you write automation in Auto Touch
mode, if you release a fader during playback,
Pro Tools returns to the level of any automation
still on the track by ramping up or down over a
certain amount of time, called the AutoMatch
Time. This time value is set in the Automation
Preferences.
The AutoMatch feature works with continuous
controls (such as Volume or Pan) by ramping
their values back to previously automated levels.
There are some stepped controls (for example,

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375

the EQ type in the 1-band EQ plug-in) that provide more than two discrete steps over their operational range. AutoMatch has no effect on
these controls.

AutoMatch Indicators
There are triangular AutoMatch indicators at the
bottom left of each channel strip in the Mix
window. These indicate the direction you need
to move a fader in order to match the original
automation level of that fader.

About Processing Bandwidth
Meters in the System Usage window indicate
how much of your system’s processing power is
being used in processing audio, and when writing and playing back automation. In
Pro Tools LE, these meters show System Load
and CPU processing capacity; on Pro Tools TDM
systems, they show System Load, PCI bus traffic,
CPU processing capacity, and Time Slot usage.

Processing meters

Triangular AutoMatch Indicators on a channel strip

Setting the Automation Buffer
Size
Pro Tools lets you specify the size of the memory buffer used to write automation. If you are
working on a large session or writing a very large
number of automation moves, you may want to
increase this value.
To set the Automation Buffer size:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences and click Automation.
2 For the option “Amount of memory to reserve
for automation recording,” enter a value between 200 and 3000K (the default value for a
new session is 200K.)
3 Relaunch Pro Tools for this change to take effect.

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Meters in the System Usage Window (TDM shown)

As these meters approach their limits, recording
or playback of automation data may be affected.
If CPU or PCI Activity are high, a System error
may occur. If System Load is high, Pro Tools
may miss playback of some of your automation
data during particularly dense periods of activity, such as while using the Bounce to Disk command.

For more information, see “Bounce to Disk”
on page 400.

To reduce processing load, try the following:
Deselect the Faders Move During Playback option in the Automation Preferences.

Viewing Automation

■

– or –
Reduce the density of automation in places
where it shows the most activity. For details, see
“Thinning Automation” on page 383.

■

Turn off sends view meters, if enabled, in the
Preferences > Display window. See “Sends View
Meters” on page 341 for more information.

■

Pro Tools creates a separate playlist for each type
of automation you write. This data can be
viewed and edited in the same way as audio and
MIDI data.
To show automation data:
■ Click the Track View Selector and select from
the pop-up menu the automation type you
want to view.

Automation Safe
Outputs, sends, and plug-ins can be placed in
Auto Safe mode. In Auto Safe mode, any automation associated with that Output window
(track or send level, panning, mute, and so on),
or plug-in on that track is protected from being
overwritten while automating other items on
that track.
Safe enabled

Displaying automation data

You can easily toggle between Volume and
Waveform view for audio tracks. For more
information, see “Toggling Track Views” on
page 166.

Automation Safe enabled in a plug-in

Automation Safe mode suspends automation recording for the selected track output, send, or
plug-in in which it is enabled. You can also suspend automation recording and playback session-wide from the Automation Enable window.
See “Enabling and Suspending Automation” on
page 381.

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Writing Automation
You can write automation for all automatable
controls by moving those controls during playback.
To write automation on a track:
1 Choose Windows > Automation Enable.
2 Make sure the automation type is write-enabled.

5 When you have finished, click Stop.
◆ After the first automation pass, you can write
additional automation to the track without
completely erasing the previous pass by choosing Auto Touch mode or Auto Latch mode.
These modes add new automation only when
you actually move the control for that parameter.

To write additional automation to a previous pass:
1 Link the Edit and Timeline.
2 In the Edit window, make a selection or place

the cursor in a location where you want to write
automation.
3 Choose Auto Touch or Auto Latch mode on
the tracks you want to automate.
4 Click Play to begin writing automation. Move
the controls you want to automate.
5 When you have finished, click Stop.

Automation Enable window
3 Select an automation mode for each track you

want to automate. For an initial automation
pass, select Auto Write.

If you write automation in Auto Touch
mode with Loop Playback enabled, writing
of automation will automatically stop at
the end of the looped selection. At the beginning of each successive loop, you can then
touch or move the control again to write
new data.

Storing an Initial Controller Position

Choosing an automation mode
4 Click Play to begin writing automation. Move
the controls you want to automate.

When you create a new audio track, Auxiliary
Input, or MIDI track, it is automatically placed
into Auto Read mode. Even though the track is
in Auto Read mode, you can set the initial position of any automatable control, and it is saved
with your session.
In this initial state, only a single automation
breakpoint appears at the beginning of each automation playlist. If you move the control without writing automation, this breakpoint will
move to the new value.

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You can permanently store the initial position
of an automatable control by doing one of the
following:
Place the track in Auto Write mode and press
Play to write a few seconds of automation data
to the track

◆

Manually place a breakpoint on the automation playlist somewhere after the initial breakpoint. (See “Graphical Editing of Automation
Data” on page 385 for more information.)

Automating Sends
Pro Tools provides dynamic automation of send
level, send mute, and send pan (for stereo and
multi-channel sends only). This makes it easy to
control effects levels and placement during mixdown with great precision.

◆

Send level and mute can also be configured to
follow Groups.
To automate a send level, mute or pan:

Automating Switched Controls
Pro Tools treats switched controls (such as
mutes and plug-in bypasses) as touch sensitive
controls. Automation data is written for as long
as the switch or button for that control is
pressed or touched.
For example, if you have just written a series of
mute on/off states on a track in quick succession, the manual method for clearing this automation data would require you to move to the
Edit window, choose automation playlist for
Mute, select the mute automation data, and delete it.
In Pro Tools, you don't have to perform all of
these steps. Instead, you can perform another
automation pass on the track and hold down
the Mute button when it reaches the state you
want to remove. For example, when playback
gets to the first muted section, the Mute button
become highlighted. At this time, press and
hold down the Mute button. As long as you
hold down the button, Pro Tools overwrites the
underlying mute data on the track with the current state of the switch (on or off) until you stop
playback (use the Spacebar to stop playback).

1 In the Automation Enable window, make sure
the automation type is write-enabled (send
level, send mute, send pan).
2 Choose an automation mode for each track
you want to automate. For an initial automation
pass, choose Auto Write.
3 To display send controls, do any of the following:
◆ Select Windows > Mix Window Shows > Sends
View, then click the send to open the Output
window for the send that you want to automate.
◆ Choose Display > Sends View Shows and select the individual send from the submenu.

4 Click Play to begin writing automation. Move
the controls you want to automate.
5 When you have finished, click Stop.

Send mutes and levels can also be configured to follow Mix groups. See “Automation
Preferences” on page 374 for information.

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Copying Track Automation to Sends

Automating Plug-Ins

(TDM Systems Only)

You can create dynamic automation for virtually all parameters of the plug-ins included with
your Pro Tools system. Automating a plug-in is
slightly different from other automation procedures in that you must enable automation parameters for the plug-in.

There may be times where you want a track’s
send automation to mirror automation in the
track itself, for example, when an effect level
needs to follow the levels in a main mix. To do
this, you can copy the entire automation playlist for the selected control to the corresponding
playlist for the send.
To copy a track’s automation to one of its sends:
1 Select the tracks you want to edit by clicking
on the track names to highlight them.

To enable plug-in parameters for automation:
1 Click the Automation Enable button in the
Plug-In window.
Automation Enable

2 Choose Edit > Copy To Send.

Accessing the Plug-In Automation dialog
2 Select the parameters to automate and click
Add. If there are multiple plug-ins on the same
track, you can select from among these by clicking their buttons in the Inserts section of this dialog.

Copy To Send dialog
3 In the Copy to Send dialog, select Automation

to copy the entire automation playlist for the
corresponding controls.
4 Choose the controls you want to copy.
5 Choose the sends to copy the automation to,

and click OK.
6 You can undo the results of this command by

choosing Edit > Undo.

When overwriting automation, Pro Tools
presents a confirmation dialog. To suppress
this dialog, press Option (Macintosh) or Alt
(Windows) while choosing the command.

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Enabling automation for plug-in parameters

As an alternative to using the Plug-In Automation dialog, you can enable individual
plug-in parameters directly from the Plug-In
window by Command-Control-clicking
(Macintosh), or Control-Start-clicking the
parameter. See the DigiRack Pl.ug-Ins Guide
for more information.

To automate a plug-in:
1 In the Automation Enable window, make sure

the Plug-In parameter is enabled.
2 Select an automation mode for each track you

want to automate. For an initial automation
pass, choose Auto Write.
3 Click OK to close the Plug-In Automation di-

Enabling and Suspending
Automation
From the Automation Enable window, you can
enable or suspend writing for the following automation parameters across all tracks:
• Volume

alog.

• Pan

4 Click Play to begin writing automation. Ad-

• Mute

just the plug-in parameters.

• Plug-in

5 When you have finished, click Stop.

• Send level
• Send pan

Plug-In Safe

• Send mute

You can use Automation Safe mode to protect
plug-in automation from being overwritten.

To suspend writing of automation on all tracks:
1 Choose Windows > Show Automation Enable.

To enable Plug-In Safe mode:
2 Do one of the following:

1 Open a plug-in.
2 Click to enable the Safe button.
Safe enabled

■ To suspend writing of all automation on all
tracks, click the Auto Suspend button.
■ To suspend writing of a specific type of automation on all tracks, click the button for that
automation type (volume, mute, pan, plug-in,
send level, send mute, or send pan).

Plug-In Safe

Automation Enable window

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Suspending Automation Playback

Automation Enable Guidelines

You can suspend playback of automation parameters for tracks by clicking on the on the
track’s View Selector.

The following rules determine whether automation is written or played back for a track:

To suspend playback (and writing) of automation
on individual tracks:
1 In the Edit window, set the Track View Selector to show the automation parameter you want
to suspend.
2 Do one of the following:

To suspend writing and playback of only the
displayed automation parameter, Commandclick (Macintosh) or Control-click (Windows)
the parameter name in the Track View Selector.

◆

To suspend writing and playback of all automation parameters, Command-Shift-click (Macintosh) or Control-Shift-click (Windows) the
name of any automation parameter in the Track
View Selector.

◆

To suspend writing and playback of an automation parameter on all tracks, Command-Option-click (Macintosh) or Control-Alt-click
(Windows) the name of the automation parameter in the Track View Selector.

◆

Enabling and suspending automation from
the Edit window obeys Edit Groups (except
for Pan automation). This grouped behavior can be suppressed by Control-clicking
(Macintosh) or Start-clicking (WIndows)
the parameter name.

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◆ Although Pro Tools shows a single automation mode for each track, all controls associated
with that track are not necessarily in the same
automation mode.
◆ If automation is globally suspended in the Automation Enable window, all controls behave as
if they were in Auto Off mode, regardless of the
track’s current automation mode.
◆ If an automation parameter is suspended by
Command-clicking (Macintosh) or Controlclicking its name in the Track View Selector, that
parameter behaves as if it were in Auto Off
mode, regardless of the track’s current automation mode.
◆ If an automation parameter is suspended in
the Automation Enable window, that parameter
behaves as if it is in Auto Read mode when the
track is in a recordable automation mode (Auto
Touch, Auto Latch, or Auto Write mode).

Deleting Automation
Automation data takes the form of a line graph
with editable breakpoints. The easiest way to remove automation in a track or selection is to
manually delete breakpoints from the automation playlist.
Removing data in this manner is different from
using the Cut command, which creates anchor
breakpoints at the boundaries of the remaining
data. For details, see “Cutting, Copying, and
Pasting Automation” on page 388.

To remove automation data, display the automation parameter you want to edit by selecting
it from the Track View Selector, and do one of
the following:
To remove a single breakpoint:
With the Grabber or the Pencil Tool, Optionclick (Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) the
breakpoint.

■

To remove several breakpoints at once:
Use the Selector to select a range that contains
the breakpoints, and press Delete (Macintosh)
or Backspace (Windows).

■

To remove all automation data of the displayed
type:
Click with the Selector in the track and
choose Edit > Select All, then press Delete (Macintosh) or Backspace (Windows).

■

To remove all automation for all automation
playlists on a track:

Thinning Automation
Pro Tools writes a maximum density of automation data during an automation pass, in the
form of breakpoints. Since Pro Tools creates
ramps between breakpoints, it may not need all
of the captured points to create a sonically accurate representation of the automation moves
that you have made. Each breakpoint takes up
space in memory allocated for automation, so
thinning data can to maximize efficiency and
CPU performance.
Pro Tools provides two different ways to thin
automation data and remove unneeded breakpoints: the Smooth and Thin Data After Pass option and the Thin Automation command.

Using Smooth and Thin Data After Pass
When this option is selected in the Automation
Preferences, Pro Tools automatically thins the
automation breakpoint data after each automation pass.

1 Use the Selector to select a range of data to be

removed.
2 Press Control+Delete (Macintosh) or Control+Backspace (Windows).

All automation data within the selection is removed for all automation playlists on that track,
regardless of whether automation is write-enabled for those parameters.

The Smooth and Thin Data After Pass Option

In the default settings for new sessions, the
Smooth and Thin Data After Pass option is selected, with the “Some” setting chosen. In most
cases, this setting yields optimum performance
while providing an accurate reproduction of
your automation moves.
If you choose None, Pro Tools writes the maximum possible number of breakpoints. You can
still perform thinning at any time with the Thin
Automation command. For more information
on smoothing automation data, see “About
Smoothing” on page 375.
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Using the Thin Automation
Command
The Thin Automation command lets you selectively thin areas in a track where automation
data is too dense. You can use the Undo command to audition the results of thinning before
you apply it permanently.
To use the Thin Automation command:
1 In the Edit window, click the Track View Selector to display the automation type you want to
thin.
2 With the Selector, highlight the automation
data you want to thin. To thin all automation of
the selected type in the track, click the Selector
in the track and choose the Select All command.
3 Choose Edit > Thin Automation to thin the selected automation by the amount you have selected in the Automation Preferences.

Drawing Automation
You can use the Pencil tool to create automation
events for audio and MIDI tracks by drawing
them directly in any automation or MIDI controller playlist.
The Pencil tool can be set to draw a series of automation events with the following shapes:

Free Hand Draws any shape. In audio tracks, the
shape has the number of breakpoints needed to
smoothly interpolate and reproduce the automation shape. In MIDI tracks, the shape is reproduced as a series of steps, according to the
resolution setting in the MIDI preferences.
Line Draws a straight line. In audio tracks, the
line has a single breakpoint at either end. In
MIDI tracks, the controller value changes in
steps according to the resolution setting in the
MIDI preferences.
Triangle Draws a sawtooth pattern that repeats
at a rate based on the current Grid value. In audio tracks, the pattern has a single breakpoint at
each extreme. In MIDI tracks, the controller
value changes in steps according to the resolution setting in the MIDI preferences. Amplitude
is controlled by vertical movement of the Pencil
tool.
Square Draws a square pattern that repeats at a
rate based on the current Grid value. Amplitude
is controlled by vertical movement of the Pencil
tool.
Random Draws a random pattern of levels that
change at a rate based on the current Grid value.
Amplitude is controlled by vertical movement
of the Pencil tool.

Using Pencil Tool Shapes
You can draw automation for audio as well as
MIDI tracks. For example, you can use the Triangle pattern to control continuous functions, or
the Square pattern to control a switched function such as Mute or Bypass.

Choosing a Pencil Tool Shape

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Since the pencil draws these shapes using the
current Grid value, you can use it to perform
panning in tempo with a music track, or onframe scene changes when working in post-production.

Resolution of MIDI Controller Data
When using the Pencil tool to draw MIDI automation, the data is drawn as a series of discrete
steps. You can control the density of these steps
to help manage the amount of MIDI data sent
for a given MIDI controller move.
To set the resolution for the Pencil tool:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences and click MIDI.
2 Enter a value for “Pencil Tool Resolution
When Drawing Controller Data.” The value can
range from 1 to 100 milliseconds.

The illustrations below show the same MIDI
controller automation drawn with different
Pencil Tools resolution settings.

MIDI Data drawn with resolution of 10 ms

Editing Automation
Pro Tools provides several ways to edit automation data for any track in your session. You can
edit automation data graphically, by adjusting
breakpoints on the automation playlist of a
track. You can also cut, copy, and paste automation data in the same manner as audio and MIDI
data.

Graphical Editing of Automation
Data
Automation data takes the form of a line graph
with editable breakpoints. By dragging these
breakpoints, you can modify the automation
data directly in the Edit window. When you
drag an automation breakpoint up or down, the
change in value is numerically or textually indicated. Dragging an automation breakpoint to
the left or right adjusts the timing of the automation event.

Using the Grabber
The Grabber lets you create new breakpoints by
clicking on the graph line, or adjust existing
breakpoints by dragging them. Option-click
(Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) breakpoints
with the Grabber to remove them.

MIDI Data drawn with resolution of 100 ms

You may want to choose a smaller value for
MIDI controls that need higher resolution (such
as MIDI Volume), and a larger value for controls
that may not require such a high resolution
(such as Pan).

Using the Grabber to create a new breakpoint

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Using the Pencil Tool

Editing Pan Automation

The Pencil tool lets you create new breakpoints
by clicking once on the graph line. Option-click
(Macintosh) or Alt-click (Windows) breakpoints
with the Pencil tool to remove them.

Drag a breakpoint down to pan right, and up to
pan left. Drag a breakpoint to the left or right to
adjust the timing of the panning moves.

Track Pan automation
Using the Pencil to delete a breakpoint

Using the Trimmer

Editing Mute Automation

The Trimmer lets you adjust all selected breakpoints up or down by dragging anywhere within
that selection.

Drag the breakpoint down to mute a section.
Drag a breakpoint up to unmute the section.
Drag a breakpoint to the left or right to adjust
the timing of the mute.

Using the Trimmer to move breakpoints

Track mute automation

Editing Automation Types

Editing Stepped Control Automation

Each automatable control has its own automation playlist, that can be displayed by choosing
it from the Track View Selector. See “” on
page 377.

Automation for certain controls, such as MIDI
controllers values or plug-in settings, appears as
a stepped pattern on the breakpoint line. Drag a
breakpoint up or down to a different step to
change to a new control value. Drag a breakpoint to the left or right to adjust the timing of
the stepped control change.

Editing Volume Automation
Drag a Volume automation breakpoint up or
down to change the dB value. Drag a breakpoint
to the left or right to adjust the timing of the
volume change.

Stepped control automation

Track volume automation

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Editing Automation Breakpoints
To edit automation breakpoints, display the automation parameter you want to edit by selecting it from the Track View Selector, then do one
of the following:

Editing Automation on Stereo and
Multi-Channel Tracks
Stereo and multi- channel tracks display a single
automation playlist per track Only one playlist
for volume and mute is available for the stereo
or multi-channel track.

To create a new breakpoint:
Click with the Grabber (or the Pencil) on the
line graph.

■

Volume automation display of a stereo track

To edit a breakpoint:
Click an existing point on the line graph with
the Grabber and drag it to a new position.

■

To edit several breakpoints at once:
Use the Selector to select a range in the automation playlist that contains the breakpoints,
and do one of the following:

■

To move the breakpoints earlier or later in the
track, press the Plus key (+) to nudge them later
(to the right) or the Minus key (–) to move them
earlier (to the left). The breakpoints move by the
current Nudge value.

◆

To adjust the breakpoint values, click with the
Trimmer in the selection and drag the breakpoints up or down.

◆

When you use the Trimmer to edit a selection containing breakpoints, new anchor
breakpoints are created before and after the
selected area. To suppress creation of anchor breakpoints, press Option (Macintosh)
or Alt (Windows) while using the Trimmer.
To edit all breakpoint values in a region:

Volume automation display of a 5.1 track

The number of Pan automation playlists depends on the number of channels in the track
format.
For multi-mono plug-ins, individual playlists
per channel can be displayed and edited when
the plug-in is unlinked, and the track is in Expanded Track Display.

Expanded Track View
By default, a single playlist is displayed on stereo
and multi-channel tracks. The playlist occupies
the entire height of the track (similar to mono
automation playlists).
Optionally, you can display an expanded view
of the track whereby the same automation playlist is displayed across each channel.

Click in the region with the Trimmer and drag
the breakpoints up or down.

■

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Plug-In Automation Playlists on Stereo and
Multi-Channel Tracks
Multi-channel plug-ins provide a single set of
automatable controls. Multi-mono plug-ins provide similar control when linked, or discrete
controls when unlinked.

◆ If you move volume or send automation on a
grouped track (with the Trimmer), other members of the group have their volume or send
breakpoints trimmed relative to that track. This
lets you trim entire sections of a mix.

To view and edit the individual playlists of a multimono plug-in:
1 Unlink the plug-in.
2 Select the required playlist from the Track
View Selector.

Trimming automation on an active grouped track

To individually edit a member of a group without
affecting the other members, do one of the
following:
◆ Disable the group by deselecting its name in
the Groups List.
◆ Choose Suspend All Groups from the Groups
List pop-up menu.

plug-in unlinked

Selecting a playlist for an unlinked, multi-mono plug-in

Editing Automation on Grouped
Tracks
When you edit automation on a track that is a
member of an active Edit Group, the same type
of automation (with the exception of audio and
MIDI Pan controls) is also edited on all tracks
that are part of that group. This occurs even if
that parameter is not currently displayed on the
other grouped tracks.
If you create new automation breakpoints on
a grouped track (with the Grabber or Pencil),
other members of the group have breakpoints
placed relative to that track.

◆

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◆ Press Control (Macintosh) or the Start key
(Windows) while you perform the edit.

When editing automation, audio and MIDI
Pan controls work opposite from the way all
other controls work. When you edit or trim
Pan breakpoints, Edit Groups are not
obeyed. For grouped Pan behavior, press
Control (Macintosh) or the Start key (Windows) while trimming.

Cutting, Copying, and Pasting
Automation
Cutting automation data is different from deleting it, and yields different results. Copying automation leaves the original automation data intact.

You delete automation data by selecting a range
of breakpoints and pressing Delete (Macintosh)
or Backspace (Windows). See “Deleting Automation” on page 382 for details.
You cut automation data by selecting a range of
breakpoints from an automation playlist and selecting the Cut command.
When you cut automation data and when you
paste it into a new location, anchor breakpoints
are added to the beginning and end points of
the data. This is done to preserve the true slope
(of continuous controls, such as Volume faders
or pans) or state (of switched or stepped controls, such as Mutes) of the automation data
both inside and outside the selection.
The following illustrations show the difference
between cutting and deleting automation data.
In Figure 23, a track is set to display Volume automation, and a range of automation data is selected.

If the data is deleted by pressing Delete (Macintosh) or Backspace (Windows), the automation
data is removed, and automation values span
the gap between pre-existing breakpoints, as in
Figure 25.

Figure 25. After deleting the automation data

In addition, if cut or copied data is pasted elsewhere in a track, breakpoints are created at the
end points of the pasted data to preserve its
value and slope, as shown in Figure 26.

Figure 26. After pasting the automation data in
another location

Editing and Track Views

Figure 23. Selecting automation data

If the Cut command is chosen, anchor breakpoints are created at each end of the selection,
and the automation slope on either side of the
cut data is preserved, as shown in Figure 24.

Audio and MIDI tracks each have a Track view
that acts as the main format for purposes of editing. When the main format is displayed, any
edits performed on the track apply to all data in
the track.
The main view formats are:
• audio tracks: Waveform and Blocks
• MIDI tracks: Regions, Blocks, and Notes

Figure 24. After cutting the automation data

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389

For example, when an audio track is set to
Waveform or Blocks, cutting, copying and pasting affects the audio data and all types of automation data on that track. If the track is set to
show Pan automation, only the Pan data is affected.

Tips for Cutting, Copying and Pasting
◆ On audio tracks, when you are in Waveform
view and cut or copy a section of the waveform,
any automation data associated with the waveform is also cut or copied.
◆ On audio tracks, when you are in Waveform
view and cut audio data from a track also containing automation data, breakpoints are automatically created at the boundaries of the
remaining automation data.
◆ On audio tracks, pasting waveform data also
pastes any associated automation data.

Expanded Track Display, Waveform view

When a selection includes multiple tracks, if
any of those tracks is in its main view format, all
data on all selected tracks is affected.

◆ On Auxiliary Input or Master Fader tracks,
only the displayed automation data is cut or
copied. To cut or copy all automation data on
these types of tracks, press Control while cutting
or copying.

◆

◆ In tracks where an automation playlist contains no data (when there is only a single breakpoint at the very beginning of the track), if you
cut data, no new breakpoints are created.

Press Control while cutting or copying the automation data.

◆ In cases where regions overlap (such as when
moving regions in Slip mode) and an overlapping region is removed, any overlapped automation breakpoints are lost.

To edit all automation types on an Auxiliary Input
or Master Fader track, do one of the following:
Make an edit selection that includes at least
one audio or MIDI track that is displayed in its
main format.

◆

For additional flexibility, you can use playlists or the Duplicate Track command to
work non-destructively on a copy of the edit
data.

◆ If cut or copied data contains a type of automation not currently on the target track,
Pro Tools prompts you before allowing you to
paste the data.
◆ Cut or copied automation data for plug-ins or
sends that do not exist on the target track is ignored when pasted.

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Special Paste Function for Automation
Data
Normally, when you copy and paste automation data, it is pasted in an automation playlist
of the exact same type (for example, Left Pan
data is pasted into the Left Pan playlist).
However, there may be times when you want to
paste from one data type to another (for example, pasting Send 1 level data into the Send 2
level playlist, or track mute data into the send
mute playlist).

Writing Automation to the
Start, End or All of a
Selection
(TDM Systems Only)
Pro Tools lets you write current automation values from any insertion point forward (or backward) to the end (or beginning) of a selection or
track, or to an entire selection or track, while
performing an automation pass.

To paste data into a different automation playlist:
Press Control (Macintosh) or the Start key
(Windows) when choosing Edit > Paste.

■

For this special paste mode to function, the following must be true:

Write to Start, End, All

Every track selected for pasting must be currently displayed as automation data.

◆

There must be only one automation playlist
on the Clipboard for each target track. (The Special Paste function cannot copy multiple automation playlists for each track.)

◆

You cannot interchange automation data
between audio and MIDI tracks, or between
continuous controls (such as faders or pans)
and switched or stepped controls (such as or
mute or MIDI controllers).

Write to Start, All, End buttons in the Automation
Enable window

The standard Write to Start/All/End commands
do not operate when the Pro Tools transport is
stopped. It only affects those automation parameters that are currently write-enabled and
currently writing automation data.
Optionally, Write to Start, End, and All can be
configured to always be applied automatically.
See “Write to Start, End, All On Stop” on
page 393.

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Requirements for Write to Start, End,
and All
For an automation parameter to write automation data, the associated track must be in one of
the following automation modes and meet the
following conditions:
Latch mode The automation parameter must be
changed (touched) during the automation pass.
Touch mode The automation parameter must be
changed (touched).

Trim Mode
Using Trim mode, it is also possible to write trim
delta values for track volume and send levels to
the beginning, end or all of a track.
To write current trim delta values to the start, end,
or all of a track or selection:
1 In the Automation Enable window, make sure
that the automation type (track volume or send
level) is write-enabled.

Write mode All automation parameters on that
track must be in Auto Write mode.

2 Click the Automation Mode Selector on the
track. Select Trim from the pop-up menu to enable Trim mode. The track volume and send
level faders turn yellow.

This command can be undone by choosing Edit
> Undo.

3 Click in a track at an insertion point.

– or –
To write current automation values to the start,
end, or all of a track or selection:
1 In the Automation Enable window, make sure
that the automation type is write-enabled.
2 Click in a track at an insertion point.

– or –
Drag with the Selector to select a portion of the
track.
3 Click Play to begin playback.
4 When you reach a point in the track that contains the automation data, click Write to Start,
Write to All, or Write to End in the Automation
Enable window.

The current values of all write-enabled automation at that point are written to the corresponding area of the track/selection.

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Drag with the Selector to select a portion of
the track.
4 Click Play to begin playback.
5 When you reach a point in the track/selection
that contains the trim setting (delta value) you
want to apply, click the Write to Start, Write to
All, or Write to End button in the Automation
Enable window.

The relative changes to the track volume and
send levels at that point are written to the corresponding area of the track/selection.

Write to Start, End, All On Stop
The Automation Enable window provides options for automatic Write to Start, End, and All
On Stop.

To enable Trim mode:
■ Click the Automation Mode Selector and
choose Trim from the pop-up menu.

Enabling Trim mode
Write on Stop

Write On Stop controls

To configure Write on Stop:
1 Open the Automation Enable window.
2 Click to enable one of the Write On Stop
modes (Start, End, or All).

When any of these options are enabled, automation writing will be performed automatically
after a valid automation pass has been performed. See “Requirements for Write to Start,
End, and All” on page 392.

When Trim mode is enabled for a track, its volume and send level faders turn yellow, and its
Automation Mode button is outlined in yellow.
This outline flashes to indicate that the track is
trim-enabled, and appears solid whenever trimming is occurring on the track’s volume or send
levels.
To trim track volume or send levels in real time:
1 In the Automation Enable window, make sure
the automation type (volume or send level) is
write-enabled.
2 Click the Automation Mode Selector on the
tracks you want to automate and select Trim
from the pop-up menu.
3 Click the Automation Mode Selector a second

Trimming Automation
(TDM Systems Only)
If you have already written automation, you can
modify automation data for track volume and
send levels in real time by using Trim mode.
When a track is trim-enabled, you are not recording absolute fader positions, but relative
changes in the existing automation. See “Trim
Mode” on page 372 for more information.

time and choose an automation mode:
◆ Use Auto Touch or Auto Latch to have the faders follow existing automation, so you can
“chase” them during the automation pass.
◆ Use Auto Write if you want to disengage the
faders from existing automation.

4 Click Play to begin trimming automation, and
move the volume or send level faders.
5 When you have finished, click Stop.

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Creating Snapshot
Automation
(TDM Systems Only)
Pro Tools lets you write automation data values
for multiple parameters in a single step. You can
write snapshot automation in two ways:
To a selection Automation data is written to the
Timeline selection (as well as the Edit selection
if linked). Anchor breakpoints are placed just before and after the selection so that data outside
the selection is not affected.
To a cursor location Automation data is written
at the insertion point. After the insertion point,
the automation ramps to the next breakpoint
value, or if no breakpoints exist, remains at the
newly written value for the remainder of the session.
For more information on copying automation
data within a session, see “Writing Automation
to the Start, End or All of a Selection” on
page 391.
To write snapshot automation:
1 In the Edit window, click the Track View but-

ton to show the automation you want to edit.
2 In the Automation Enable window, make sure
that the automation parameters you want to
edit are write-enabled. Disable any parameters
you want to preserve.

• Select an area in the track’s playlist (or within
multiple tracks) where you want to apply the
automation.
– or –
• Place the cursor at an Edit insertion point.

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3 Adjust the controls for the parameters you
want to automate.
4 Choose Edit > Write Automation and do one
of the following:
◆ To write the current value to only the currently displayed automation parameter, choose
To Current Parameter.
◆ To write the current settings for all automation parameters enabled in the Automation Enable window, choose To All Enabled Parameters.

Adding Snapshot Automation to Empty
Automation Playlists
When you use the Write Automation command
on an automation playlist with no previously
written automation data, the selected value is
written to the entire playlist and not just the selected area.
This is because a playlist with no automation
data contains only a single automation breakpoint that corresponds to the current position
of the control. The position of the breakpoint is
updated whenever the parameter value is
changed.
If you do not want the Write Automation command to write the selected automation value to
the entire playlist, you can:
◆ Anchor the automation data by placing the
cursor at the end of the session (or any other
endpoint) and choosing Write Automation To
Current Parameter.

– or –
◆ Click with the Grabber on each side of the selection.

This lets the Write Automation command write
only to the selected area.

Writing Snapshot Automation over
Existing Automation Data

6 Choose Edit > Write Automation and select
one of the following from the submenu:

When you move the playback cursor, the automated controls in Pro Tools update on the
screen to reflect the automation data that is already on the track. To keep the settings you
have made for a snapshot, you can suspend the
desired automation parameters to prevent the
controls from updating.

• To write the current value to only the automation parameter currently displayed in the Edit
window, choose To Current Parameter.

To write snapshot automation over existing data:

Capturing Automation and Applying it
Elsewhere

1 In the Automation Enable window, make sure
that the automation parameters you want to
edit are write-enabled. Deselect any parameters
you want to preserve.
2 Adjust the controls for the parameters you
want to automate.
3 Suspend the automation parameters you want
to automate by doing any of the following:

• To suspend an automation parameter on a
single track, Command-click (Macintosh) or
Control-click (Windows) he name of the automation type in the track’s Track View Selector.
• To suspend an automation parameter on all
tracks, Command-Shift-click (Macintosh) or
Control-Alt-click (Windows) the name of the
automation type in the Track View Selector
for any track.
• To suspend all automation on a track, Command-Shift-click (Macintosh) or ControlShift-click (Windows) the name of the automation type in the Track View Selector.
4 With the Selector, select the track range you
want to apply the automation.
5 Enable the automation parameters previously

suspended.

• To write the current settings for all automation parameters enabled in the Automation
Enable window, choose To All Enabled Parameters.

The Write Automation command can also be
used to capture automation states at specific locations in a session and apply them to other locations. This differs from simply copying and
pasting automation data in that you can set any
selection length for the application of the captured automation data.
To capture and apply automation:
1 In the Automation Enable window, make sure
that the automation parameters you want to
edit are write-enabled. Disable any parameters
you want to preserve.
2 Click with the Selector in the track with the
automation you want to capture. All automated
controls update to reflect the automation at that
location. (If you make a selection, the controls
update to reflect the automation at the beginning of the selection.)
3 Suspend the automation parameters you want
to automate:

• For an automation parameter on a single
track, Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click (Windows) the name of the automation type in that track’s Track View Selector.

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• For an automation parameter on all tracks,
Command-Shift-click (Macintosh) or Control-Alt-click (Windows) the name of the automation type in the Track View Selector for
any track.
• To suspend all automation on a track, Command-Shift-click (Macintosh) or ControlShift-click (Windows) the name of the automation type in that track's Track View Selector.
4 With the Selector tool, select the location

where you want to apply the automation.
5 Enable the automation parameters previously

suspended.
6 Choose Edit > Write Automation and select
one of the following from the submenu:

• To write the current value to only the automation parameter currently displayed in the Edit
window, choose To Current Parameter.
• To write the current settings for all automation parameters enabled in the Automation
Enable window, choose To All Enabled Parameters.

Snapshot Automation and
Trimming of Automation Data
Pro Tools lets you use trim values as snapshots
and apply the relative changes (delta values) to
the selected automation by using the Trim Automation command. This works in much the
same way as the Write Automation, except that
it writes delta values instead of absolute values
to automation data.
You can use trim values in writing snapshot automation to any automatable parameter.

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To create a snapshot of relative changes in
automation data:
1 In the Automation Enable window, make sure
that the automation parameters you want to
edit are write-enabled. Disable any parameters
you want to preserve.
2 Select the area of the track you want to edit.
All automated controls update to reflect the automation at the beginning of the selection.
3 Move the controls for the parameter up or
down by the amount you want to change the
data.
4 Choose Edit > Trim Automation and do one of
the following:
◆ To write the current delta value to only the
currently displayed automation parameter,
choose To Current Parameter.
◆ To write the current delta value for all automation parameters enabled in the Automation
Enable window, choose To All Enabled Parameters.

Chapter 29: Mixdown

Pro Tools lets you record and bounce tracks to
disk. The Bounce to Disk command lets you
write a final mix to disk, create a new loop, print
effects, or bounce any submix. You can also submix, route, and record busses and inputs to new
tracks.
Bounce to Disk This command writes the current session (if no selection), Edit, or Timeline
selection as new audio files to disk. Any available output or bus path can be selected as the
bounce source. Use Bounce to Disk to write or
master any output or bus path directly to disk.
Sample rate, bit depth, and other conversion
processes can be applied during or after the
bounce. The Bounce to Disk command lets you
bounce all available voices to disk without holding any in reserve. Though you can hear the
bounce being created in real time, you cannot
adjust mixer or other controls during a Bounce
to Disk.
Recording to Tracks The process of submixing
and recording to new audio tracks, as you would
any input signals. This method requires available tracks, voices, and bus paths to accommodate the submix and the new tracks.

Selecting Audio for Loops, Submixes,
and Effects
Both Bounce to Disk and recording to tracks operate on the current Timeline or Edit selection, if
any. This makes it easy to turn multitrack selections into mono, stereo, or multi-channel loops.
Submixes, stems, and and other specialized
types of mixes can also be printed to disk using
either method, or recorded out to a DAT, MDM,
or other recording, transfer, or archiving medium.
Printing effects to disk is the technique of permanently adding real-time effects, such as EQ or
reverb, to an audio track by bussing and recording it to new tracks with the effects added. The
original audio is preserved, so you can return to
the source track at any time. This can be useful
when you have a limited number of tracks or effects devices.

AudioSuite plug-ins provide another option
for printing a plug-in effect to disk. See the
DigiRack Plug-Ins Guide for details.
Use Bounce to Disk if you need to convert the
bounce files, or if you do not want or need to interact with mixer controls during the bounce.
Record to new tracks if you want to adjust parameters while the files are being written.

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Dither and Bounce to Disk

Using Dither on an Output Mix

Dithering can significantly improve audio quality. Generally, dithering is necessary when reducing the bit depth for digital audio.

Pro Tools includes a real-time Dither plug-in
that improves 16-, 18-, or 20-bit performance
and reduces quantization noise when mixing or
fading low-level signals.

If you use Bounce to Disk, it is important to understand that the Bounce to Disk process does
not apply dither.
To dither a bounce file, you should insert the included Digidesign Dither plug-in, or another
dithering plug-in, on a Master Fader assigned to
the bounce source path. Master Faders are often
preferable to Auxiliary Inputs because Master
Fader inserts are post-fader (better for dithering).
If you do not use a dithering plug-in on your
bounce source path, and you choose to convert
to a lower resolution during or after a Bounce to
Disk, the resultant file will be converted by truncation.

When to Use the Dither Plug-In
You should use the Dither plug-in when mastering to a 16-bit file with the Bounce To Disk command, or when mastering to an external device
that records at 16-bit.
This is even necessary when using 16-bit sessions. Even though 16-bit sessions use 16-bit
files, they are still being processed internally at a
higher bit rate:
• 24-bit for Pro Tool TDM systems
• 32-bit floating for Pro Tools LE systems
For this reason, whether you are using a 16-bit
session or a 24-bit session, it is recommended
that you use the Dither plug-in when mastering
to 16-bits.
When mastering to 24-bits, it is not necessary to
use the Dither plug-in.
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The Dither plug-in has no user-selectable parameters other than Bit Resolution and Noise
Shaping controls.

For more information about dither, see
“Dither” on page 352.
To use the Dither Plug-In on a submix:
1 Choose File > New Track and choose Master
Fader (stereo) from the pop-up menu.
2 Set the output of the Master Fader to the output or bus path you want to bounce.
3 Assign the outputs of all audio tracks in the
session to the same path you chose in step 2.
The Master Fader now controls the output levels
of all tracks routed to it.
4 On the Master Fader, click an Insert button
and choose the Digidesign Dither plug-in.
5 In the Dither plug-in window, choose an output Bit Resolution and Noise Shaping setting.

When you Bounce to Disk you can convert the
file to the appropriate resolution. Before being
converted by the Bounce to Disk command, the
signal will have been dithered to the resolution
and noise shaping settings in the Dither plug-in.

For more information about the Dither
plug-in, refer to the DigiRack Plug-Ins
Guide.

Recording to Tracks
You can create a submix in your Pro Tools session and record it to available tracks in the same
session. This technique lets you add live input
to the mix, as well as adjust volume, pan, mute,
and other controls during the recording process.

Voice Requirements
Recording a submix to new tracks requires an
available voice for each track that you want to
record. Make sure you have enough voices available to play back all tracks that you want to
record and enough voices available to record the
destination tracks.
In contrast, the Bounce to Disk command lets
you bounce all available voices to disk without
holding any in reserve, but you cannot manually change any controls during the bounce. See
“Bounce to Disk” on page 400 for more information.

For information about voice management,
see “Virtual Tracks and Track Priority” on
page 82.
To record a submix:
1 Apply any plug-ins or external processors you

want to add to your audio tracks or Auxiliary Inputs before you record.
2 Set the main channel output of the tracks you
want to include in the submix to a bus path. If
you are recording in stereo, set the panning of
each track.

3 Choose File > New Track and create one or
more mono, stereo, or multi-channel audio
tracks.
4 If you are recording in stereo, set the panning
of the new tracks to full left and right.
5 Set the input of each destination track to
match the bus path to which you are recording.
6 Set the output of your new tracks to your main

output path.
7 Link the Edit and Timeline (Operation > Link
Edit/Timeline).
8 Select audio to record. The start, end, and
length of the recording can be based on cursor
location or Edit and Timeline selections.
◆ Selection-based recording automatically
punches in and out of recording at the selection
start and end. Be sure to include time at the end
of a selection for reverb tails, delays, and other
effects.
◆ If you don’t make a selection, recording will
begin from the location of the playback cursor.
Recording will continue until you press Stop,.

9 Record enable the new tracks and click Record
in the Transport window.
10 Click Play in the Transport window to begin
recording the submix.
11 If recording a selection of audio, recording
will stop automatically. If performing an openended recording, click Stop, or punch out of recording.

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Bounce to Disk
The Bounce to Disk command lets you mix
down with all available voices on your system.
Since it records to separate audio files, you don’t
have to reserve any tracks for a bounce.
You can use the Bounce to Disk command to
create and automatically import loops, submixes, or any audio into your session. You can
use it to create a final mono, stereo, or multichannel master, in any of several audio file formats. Bounce to Disk provides conversion options for sample rate, bit resolution, and format.
When you bounce a track to disk, the bounced
mix includes the following:
Audible tracks All audible tracks are included in
the bounce. Any muted tracks do not appear in
the bounce. If you solo a track or region, only
the soloed elements appear in the bounced mix.
Automation All read-enabled automation is
played back and incorporated in the bounced
mix.
Inserts and sends All active inserts, including
real-time plug-ins and hardware inserts, are applied to the bounced mix.
Selection or track length If you make a selection
in a track, the bounced mix will be the length of
the selection. If there is no selection in any
track, the bounce will be the length of the longest audible track in the session.

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Time stamp information Bounced material is automatically time stamped so that you can drag it
into a track and place it at the same location as
the original material. For more information
about time stamping, see “Time Stamping” on
page 488.
Pro Tools bounces are done in real time, so you
hear audio playback of your mix during the
bounce process (though you can’t adjust it).

Bounced Files are “Delay Compensated”
DAE compensates for any bus delays due to a
bounce. Meaning, if a bounce file is imported
back into a session, and placed directly in time
against the source mix, it is phase accurate with
the original source mix.
To Bounce to Disk:
1 Choose File > Bounce to Disk.
2 Configure bounce options as needed and perform the bounce (see “Bounce Options” on
page 401).

Bounce Options
When you use the Bounce to Disk command,
you can configure several file options.

Avid Compatibility Mode
When the Avid Compatibility mode is enabled,
its additional data is added to the bounced files
automatically. See “Avid File Compatibility” on
page 107.

Bounce Source
Select any mono, stereo, or multi-channel output or bus path as the source for the bounce. All
currently active paths as defined in the
I/O Setup dialog are available as the Bounce
Source.
Bounce to Disk dialog, with conversion and options
enabled

Default Settings
Available options and their default settings are
listed in the following table.
Options and Default Settings

Select a bounce source

To set the bounce source:

Bounce
Option

Default

Source

current main output path

File Type

SD II (Mac), WAV (Windows)

File Type

Format

Multiple mono

Selects the (creator) type for the bounced files.

Resolution

24 bit

Sample Rate

44100

Conversion
Quality

Good

Use Squeezer

deselected

Convert During Bounce

deselected (default is Convert
After Bounce)

Import After
Bounce

deselected

■ Select an output or bus path from the Source
Selector.

Selecting a file type

Sound Designer II
This is the native format for Macintosh-based
Pro Tools systems. Select this to use the bounced
audio with any Digidesign application for Macintosh.

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AIFF (Audio Interchange File Format)

QuickTime (Macintosh Only)

Files in this format do not have to be converted
to be used in Pro Tools, but you must still import them into a session with the Import Audio
command or the Convert and Import Audio
command. AIFF waveform overview data cannot be stored in the file, so the overview is recalculated every time the session is opened. The
AIFF format is useful if you plan to use bounced
audio in applications that do not support the
Sound Designer II format.

This is Apple’s audio file format for QuickTimebased multimedia. Pro Tools does not directly
support this type of file in its sessions. To use a
QuickTime audio file within Pro Tools, use the
Convert and Import Audio command or Import
Audio from Other Movie command. The QuickTime format is popular for attaching to emails,
to simplify long-distance project review and approval. Many popular multimedia applications
also support QuickTime.

WAV (Windows Audio File Format)

RealAudio G2 (Macintosh Only)

This is the native format for Windows-based
Pro Tools systems. The WAV format is supported by many Windows applications and
some Macintosh applications. To use a WAV file
on Macintosh-based Pro Tools systems, you
must use the Convert and Import Audio command.

RealAudio G2 is the latest version of the format
created by Real Networks for streaming audio
over the Internet. The RealAudio encoder file is
stored in a folder named Codecs inside the DAE
folder.

SND resource (Macintosh Only)
This file type is supported by some Macintosh
software applications and also by Macintosh
System Software. Pro Tools does not directly
support this type of file in its sessions. To use a
SND file within Pro Tools, use the Convert and
Import Audio command. The SND format is useful if you plan to use your audio with other Macintosh applications that do not support Sound
Designer II or AIFF formats. To save a bounced
file as a System alert sound, save it in this format
and then drag it onto the Macintosh System
File.

RealAudio G2 Output Options

When you select this format, the Resolution and
Sample Rate pop-up menus in the Pro Tools
Output Options dialog are unavailable, because
resolution and sample rate are set by the encoder.
The RealAudio G2 format lets multiple streams
with different bit rates to be encoded into a single file. During playback, the RealAudio G2
server and the RealPlayer G2 client continu-

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ously adjust the bit rate to make the best use of
available bandwidth. The RealPlayer G2 is available on the Real Networks website,
www.real.com.
When you export or bounce to RealAudio G2
format, you can set the following options:
Media Clip Information Type the title, author,
and copyright information for your RealAudio
clip. This information is displayed on the RealPlayer G2 as the clip plays back.
Copy Protection These settings determine how
the clip is handled by the RealPlayer client.
To allow RealPlayer Plus users to save your clip
using the RealPlayer Plus recording feature, select Allow Recording.

■

To allow RealPlayer users to download your
clip to their hard drive, select Allow Download.

■

If you don’t want to allow RealPlayer users to
make copies your clip, deselect both of these options.
Audio Format From the pop-up menu, select the
setting that best matches the type of audio you
are bouncing. A brief explanation of each format is displayed.

If you select SureStream, you can select more
than one connection speed under Target Audience. With this file type, multiple bit rate
streams are encoded into a single output file.
Files encoded with the SureStream option are
larger than Single Rate files, and can only be
played back from G2 servers.
Select the “Include RealPlayer 5.0 Compatible
Stream” option to include a backward compatible stream that can be played on older version
5.0 RealPlayers. (This backward compatibility is
only available for SureStream-encoded files.)
If you select Single Rate, you can only select one
connection speed under Target Audience. With
this file type, a single stream is encoded into the
output file. Files encoded with the Single Rate
option can be played back from either a standard web server or a G2 server.

Auditioning RealAudio clips
If you are using Digidesign Sound Drivers and
want to use a RealAudio player while running
Pro Tools, make sure that Operations > Active in
Background is not selected so the player can use
the Digidesign hardware.

Target Audience Select the connection speed
that most users downloading your clip are likely
to have. This setting determines the bit rate at
which the audio will be encoded. Depending on
the file type you choose (see below), you can
choose more than one connection speed.
File Type This option determines the compatibility of the output file with different RealAudio
servers and clients.

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MPEG Layer 3 (MP3)
The MPEG Layer 3 compression format (MP3) is
used for streaming and downloading audio over
the Internet, and for playback on portable devices.

MP3 Output Options

The MP3 encoder file is stored in a folder named
Codecs inside the DAE folder. This version of
the encoder uses the latest technology from the
developer of the MP3 format, the Fraunhofer Institute. It features improved processing speed
and quality, and supports both constant and
variable bit rate encoding.
The MP3 encoder installed with Pro Tools is a
fully functional 30-day demo version. To purchase the full version of the MP3 encoder, visit
Digidesign’s website.
When you select this format, the Resolution and
Sample Rate pop-up menus in the Pro Tools
Output Options dialog are unavailable. The resolution and sample rate are set by the encoder.

When you export or bounce to MP3 format, you
can set the following options:
Encoding Quality Determines the audio quality
of the bounced file. The higher the quality, the
longer it will take to process the audio. The three
options, in ascending order of quality, are Fastest Encoding, Medium Encoding, and Highest
Quality.
The Highest Quality setting can take up to five
times longer to process audio than the Fastest
Encoding setting, so you should use it only
when the highest fidelity is essential and you
have a considerable amount of time to devote to
the encoding process. You should experiment
with the other encoding quality settings, since
they can provide acceptable quality with a significantly shorter encoding time.
Encoding Method Two encoding methods are
available:
◆ Constant Bit Rate (CBR) encodes the file at a
single bit rate that you choose from the CBR
pop-up menu. Because the bit rate is fixed, the
quality of the encoded audio will vary depending on the nature of the material being compressed. This option is best for streaming over
the Internet, since it has predictable bandwidth
requirements.
◆ Variable Bit Rate (VBR) encodes the file at a
varying bit rate to maintain the level of encoding quality you choose from the VBR pop-up
menu. The bit rate varies automatically depending on the nature of the material being compressed. This option is best for personal jukebox
applications.

ID3 Tag Type The ID3 tag stores data about the
encoded audio file that is used by MP3 players to
display information about the file. Pro Tools
supports three versions of this tag, in order to
provide backward compatibility with older MP3
players:
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ID3 v1.0: Appears at the end of a streaming
MP3 file, therefore tag information is only displayed after software streaming is finished.

◆

ID3 v1.1: Same as version 1.0 but adds track
number information to the tag.

◆

ID3 v2.3: Appears at the front of a streaming
MP3 file, therefore tag information is displayed
when streaming begins.

Padding of MP3 frames can cause problems
with some versions of Internet streaming
software. If your files are destined for desktop or Internet delivery, do not select this
option.

◆

While ID3 v2.3 is becoming the standard
MP3 format, not all MP3 players currently
support ID3 v2.3. Contact the developer of
your player software for compatibility information.
ID3 Tag Information Type the title, artist, and
other information for the MP3 file. This information is displayed by many MP3 players.
Genre Choose a genre for the file. This information is displayed by many MP3 players, and can
appear in searchable catalogs and databases.
Track Number If you select ID3 tag type v1.1 or
v2.3, you can enter a CD track number for the
file. This information is displayed by many MP3
players.
Year Enter a year for the file. This information is
displayed by many MP3 players.

Advanced Settings
The options listed under Advanced Settings, under normal situations, do not need to be
changed from their default values.
Pad To Match Bit Rate Exactly This option determines whether MP3 frames are padded to
maintain bit rate very precisely. You should
only select this option if you need a file with an
exact bit rate, for specific applications (such as
synchronous transmission over ISDN line).

Allow Intensity Stereo Coding This option determines whether the encoder takes into account
the frequency of a signal when encoding its
phase characteristics, allowing for more compression at low bit rates. In most cases, you
should leave this option selected. However, if
you are working with highly phase-dependent
material, such as Dolby Surround, you may
want to deselect this option.
Write CRC Checksums This option adds errordetection data to the MP3 file. This data is not
necessary for most computer and Internet applications, and also takes away from the space
available for audio data. Select this option only
if you are sure your delivery mode requires error
correction.
Copyrighted This option sets a bit in the MP3
data stream to indicate that the audio is copyrighted. Not all MP3 players use this information. Selecting this option does not guarantee
that the audio file will not be copied.
Original This option sets a bit in the MP3 data
stream to indicate that the audio is the original
media for the track, rather than a copy. This setting is not widely used.
Private This option sets a bit in the MP3 data
stream that is interpreted differently by various
applications. It is not normally used.
Mac File information If you expect your file to be
used on a Macintosh, you can enter the Macintosh file type and creator. This will allow users to
double-click the file to open their MP3 player.

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Defaults To restore all settings in this dialog to
their default values, click Defaults.

Auditioning MP3 clips
If you are using Digidesign Sound Drivers and
want to use an MP3 player to audition an MP3
file while running Pro Tools, make sure that Operations > Active in Background is not selected.
This lets your MP3 player access the Digidesign
hardware.

Format
This is the format for the bounced result.
Choices are Mono (summed), Multiple mono,
and Interleaved.
To set the bounce file format:
■

Select a file format from the Format Selector.

◆ If a multi-channel format is used (for example, six-channel, 5.1), individual mono files will
be created for each member of the path. Files
will be appended with path suffixes according to
the path definition in the I/O Setup dialog.

Interleaved Creates a single, interleaved file that
contains all of the bounced streams from the
chosen output path. In an interleaved stereo
bounce, tracks assigned to odd-numbered outputs are sent to the left channel, and tracks assigned to even-numbered outputs are sent to the
right channel.
Pro Tools also lets you create multi-channel interleaved files of any supported file type. This
can simplify file management of mixes and
projects for backup and archiving.
Pro Tools does not support interleaved files natively. This means that they must be split into
multi-mono files on import (requiring additional disk space).

Resolution
Mono (summed) Creates a single disk file that is
a summed mono mix of the current sources being monitored.
Avoid clipping by checking the meters of your
bounce source Auxiliary Input or Master Fader.
Multiple mono Creates multiple mono files with
the same number of channels as the source
path.
If the source output or bus path is stereo, two
mono files will be created, and appended with
“.L” and “.R” suffixes on bounce.

◆

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This parameter lets you select between three different bit resolutions for the bounce conversion:
Bounce to Disk does not apply dither when converting during or after a bounce to a lower resolution (including when bouncing to 16-bit).
When you need to create a lower resolution
bounce file, use the Digidesign Dither plug-in,
or similar, on a Master Fader assigned to the
bounce source path. This dithers the bounce
file, before the Bounce to Disk conversion truncates bits into the final file resolution.
Resolution choices include the following.

8-bit This resolution is often used in multimedia
applications. If the material you are working
with is relatively simple, you can use the
Pro Tools “Squeezer” feature for optimal results.
See “Sample Rate Conversion Quality” on
page 407 for details.

44100 The standard sample rate for compact
discs and pro-level DAT decks. It is also used for
high-fidelity audio destined for playback on
newer Macintosh computers with 16-bit audio
playback capability, as well as on Windows
computers.

16-bit This is the Compact Disc standard bit resolution.

22050 and 11025 Commonly used for lower-fidelity audio destined for playback on newer
Macintosh computers with 16-bit audio playback capability, as well as on Windows computers.

24-bit If you plan to use the bounced file with a
Pro Tools 24 MIX or Pro Tools 24 system, you
can take advantage of the greater resolution and
headroom afforded by this higher bit rate. You
can also archive a master stereo mixdown or
bounce audio material at this resolution for future use on a 24-bit system.
To set the bounce file resolution:
1 Select a bit depth from the Resolution Selector.

Sample Rate
This option lets you save to any of several sample rates.

Sample Rate Conversion Quality
If you choose a sample rate that differs from the
original sample rate of the session, the conversion options become available. You can configure the conversion quality, and schedule conversion to occur during, or after, the bounce. See
“Sample Rate Conversion Quality” on page 407
for more information.
The following are the more common sample
rates, and their application.
48000 This is the standard sample rate for consumer-level DAT decks.

22254 and 11127 Commonly used for lower-fidelity audio destined specifically for playback
on older Macintosh computers not equipped
with 16-bit audio playback capability.
Custom Lets you selects a sample rate other than
the choices above.
Other Sample Rates Several of the other available sample rates support pull-up and pull-down
rates, or other specialized rates.

Sample Rate Conversion Quality
The Conversion Quality option sets the quality
of sample rate conversion used to create the
converted file. The higher the quality of sample
rate conversion, the longer it takes to convert
the file after the bounce has taken place. There
are five possible settings, ranging from Low to
Tweak-head. For most applications, the Better
setting yields satisfactory results.

Processing Resources and Conversion Quality
Because the Best and Tweak-head settings take
significantly longer than the others, use them
only in cases where the highest fidelity is essential and you have a considerable amount of time
to devote to this process.

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Use Squeezer

Help

The Use Squeezer option uses a proprietary DSP
algorithm specifically designed for performing
8-bit conversion of simple source files such as
voice-overs. It optimizes the dynamics of the audio by preprocessing it using compression, limiting, and gating before conversion to 8-bit resolution. This results in greater apparent
loudness in the signal, and improved intelligibility. If you are converting a more complex 16bit audio file to 8-bit resolution, test this option
before converting all of your material.

The Help button opens a display-only dialog
box that describes the Bounce to Disk features.

Convert During or After Bounce
The Bounce dialog can perform any conversion
options, including sample rate and bit depth
conversion, during a bounce or post-bounce.
Convert After Bounce This option automatically performs file type, sample rate and bit resolution conversion on the newly bounced files.
The Convert After Bounce option, though more
time and storage consuming, offers the highest
level of plug-in automation accuracy possible.
Convert During Bounce This option may take
less time than Convert After Bounce, but does so
at the expense of plug-in automation playback
accuracy.

Import Into Session After Bounce
The Import Into Session After Bounce option automatically imports the newly bounced files
into the Audio Regions List so you can place
them in tracks. If your newly bounced files are
split stereo files, they are listed together in the
Audio Regions List.
The Import Into Session After Bounce option is
only available if the target bit depth for the
bounce is the same as the bit depth of the current session.
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Recording a Submix
You can create a submix with the Bounce to Disk
command by muting tracks or bypassing inserts
that are not part of the submix group, and selecting the part of the session you want to
bounce.
You can also create a submix by recording to
new tracks. For details, see “Recording to
Tracks” on page 399.
To bounce a submix to disk and bring it into the
session:
1 Configure your submix using sends, Auxiliary

Inputs, and Master Faders. (See “Submixing for
Signal Routing and Effects Processing” on
page 347.)
2 Do one of the following:
◆ To bounce the entire session, click Return to
Zero in the Transport window to go to the beginning of the session.
◆ To bounce a portion of the session, enable
Link Edit and Timeline, and make a selection in
the Edit window.

3 Choose File > Bounce to Disk.
4 Configure bounce options and parameters.
5 Make sure the bit resolution for the bounced
file matches the bit resolution of the session.
6 Select the Import into Session After Bounce
option.

7 Click Bounce.
8 Select a destination for the new audio file, en-

ter a name, and click Save.
Pro Tools bounces are done in real time, so you
hear audio playback of your mix during the
bounce process. You can not adjust controls
during a Bounce to Disk.
To bring bounced files back into tracks:

Final Mixdown
In final mixdown, you create a mix that includes all your edits, automation, and effects
processing.
To bounce a final mix to disk:
1 Adjust track output levels, finalize any mix automation, and choose an automation mode for
each track in the session.

1 Do one of the following:

If the newly bounced audio was automatically
imported into the session, drag the new files
from the Audio Regions List to existing tracks in
your session.

◆

If the bounced files are not available in the
Audio Regions List, import them into the session by choosing File > Convert and Import Audio.

◆

If you are placing multiple files of a mutlichannel track or file, keep channels in phase
with each other by Shift-selecting them in the
Regions List, and dragging them simultaneously
into existing tracks of the right format.

◆

2 Adjust any real-time plug-in and effects settings and automation for each track in the session.
3 Make sure that all of the tracks you want to in-

clude in the bounce are audible (not muted or
inactive).
4 Assign the output of each of the tracks you
want to include in your bounce to the same output path.
5 Do one of the following:
■ To bounce the entire session, click Return to
Zero in the Transport window to go to the beginning of the session.

2 When working with stereo tracks, set the pan

controls hard left/right.
3 Mute or turn off the voices of original source

■ To bounce a portion of the session, enable
Link Edit and Timeline and make a selection in
the Edit window.

tracks so that you don’t double monitor your
audio material.

1 Choose File > Bounce to Disk.

4 Click Play in the Transport window to hear

2 Choose the source path you want to bounce.

the results of the bounce.

3 Configure other Bounce to Disk parameters as

appropriate. See “Bounce Options” on page 401.
4 Click Bounce.
5 Select a destination for the new audio file, en-

ter a name, and click Save.

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Mastering
In the final mastering process, you might record
directly to disk, to a DVD or CD recorder, to a
stereo mastering recorder, or directly to a multitrack recorder for surround mixes.
Once you have created a master of your session,
you can transfer it to a portable medium for duplication. You can transfer the master file to CD,
DAT or 8 mm DDP tape to be used as a master
for pressing compact discs.

Mastering to a Digital Recorder
Although it is usually best to master sessions directly to hard disk, Pro Tools also lets you master digitally, direct to any AES/EBU or S/PDIFequipped digital recorder such as a DAT deck.

24-bit Input and Output with
Pro Tools 24 MIX and Pro Tools 24
Systems
Pro Tools 24 MIX and Pro Tools 24 are full 24bit audio recording and mixing environments,
supporting record, playback, mixing, and processing of 24-bit audio files. You can record to
and from other 24-bit recording systems without any bit-depth conversion.

Mastering and Audio Compression
Although audio compression is often an indispensable tool in analog recording, it can present
problems in the digital domain. If you compress
an input signal at a very high ratio, you create a
signal that contains a much higher overall
power level compared to its transients. By recording a number of such signals at the highest
possible level on multiple tracks, you create a
scenario that is more likely to clip the mixed
output signal.

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High-power compressed signals, when mixed
together, create an extremely high-level output.
This output may rise above the full-code level,
resulting in clipping.
To avoid this problem, watch the overall level of
your program material—use a meter on a Master
Fader, or use an external mastering deck’s
meters to help avoid clipping. If you are mastering to hard disk, avoid mixing full-code audio
signals together at unity or “0” level, as this invariably causes clipping.

Mastering and Error-Correcting Media
Random access media (such as hard disks, optical cartridges, Bernoulli cartridges or WORM
drives) can produce a true digital copy of your
data, because every bit value is maintained. Sequential media (such as DAT tapes) use error
correction schemes to fix the occasional bad
data that is received in a digital transfer. These
corrections are deviations from the actual data,
and with successive reproductions, represent a
subtle form of generation loss.
You can avoid this loss by creating and maintaining masters on random-access digital media
(such as a hard drive) and transferring them to
sequential digital media (such as DAT tapes)
only as needed.
To configure Pro Tools for direct digital stereo
mastering:
1 Connect your digital recorder to your system’s
digital outputs.
2 In Pro Tools set the appropriate digital format
and output from the Hardware Setup or Playback Engine dialog.
3 On your digital recorder, choose the appropri-

ate digital format for the connections.

4 In Pro Tools, set all audio tracks you want to
your master outputs 1–2 path.
5 Click Return to Zero in the Transport window

to go to the beginning of the session.
6 Press Record on your digital recorder.
7 Start playback of your session.
8 When your session has finished playing, stop
the digital recorder.

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Part VII: Surround

413

414

Chapter 30: Surround Concepts

Pro Tools MIX and MIXplus systems support
multi-channel mixing for surround sound.

How to Use These Chapters
This part of the guide describes multi-channel
mixing for surround sound with Pro Tools.
These sections supplement the basic Pro Tools
information provided elsewhere in the
Pro Tools Reference Guide.
If you are new to surround mixing, read the remaining sections of this chapter for an introduction to surround terminology and concepts.
If you already have experience with surround
mixing, mastering, and monitoring, these sections can be skipped. Operational instructions
for Pro Tools surround features begin in
Chapter 31, “Pro Tools Setup for Surround.”

Mixing Formats and Surround
Formats
When running Pro Tools version 5.1 or later
with the SurroundMixer plug-in, Pro Tools MIX
and MIXplus systems let you mix in 3- to 8channel formats, in addition to standard mono
and stereo.
Supported mixing formats include, Mono, Stereo,
LCR, Quad, LCRS, 5.1, 6.1 and 7.1, letting you
mix in any multi-channel format needed for
most surround formats.
Surround formats include Dolby Surround (ProLogic) and Dolby Digital, DTS, and SDDS.
Pro Tools does not provide its own surround format processing, and requires appropriate plugins (such as Dolby SurroundTools™) or hardware to provide surround encoding and decoding.

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Pro Tools Mixing Formats
See also “5.1 Track Layouts, Routing, and Metering” on page 430.
Table 4. Multi-Channel Mixing and Surround Formats

Speaker Channels

Multi-Channel
Mixing Format

Surround Format

Channels and Track Layout

Mono

Stereo

LCR

Cinema Stereo

LCR

Quad

Quadraphonic

L R Lr Rr

LCRS

Dolby Surround (ProLogic)

LCRS

5.1

Film (Pro Tools
default), for Dolby
Digital

L C R Ls Rs LFE

5.1

SMPTE/ITU

L R C LFE Ls Rs

5.1

DTS (ProControl)

L R Ls Rs C LFE

6.1

Dolby EX

L C R Ls Cs Rs LFE

7.1

SDDS

L Lc C Rc R Ls Rs LFE

Legend: L=Left; R=Right; C=Center, S = surround (mono); Ls=Left Surround; Rs=Right Surround; Lc=Left
Center; Rc = Right Center; Cs = Center Surround; Lr = Left Rear; Rr = Right Rear

Speaker Layouts
Figure 27 on page 417 illustrates the speaker arrangements of each surround format. Speaker
placement in the diagrams is approximate. For
proper placement, alignment, and calibration of
surround monitoring systems, consult the documentation that came with your speakers and

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other monitoring equipment. Placement of
speakers is crucial to accurate monitoring of any
mix, but this is especially true with multi-channel mixing for surround sound.

Mono

Stereo

LCR

Quad
2+2

LCRS
3+1

Quadraphonic
Lr

for Dolby Surround
S

*Often split to a
pair of speakers

Sub

5.1

6.1

for DTS, Dolby Digital

for Dolby EX

Sub

7.1
for SDDS

Figure 27. Speaker arrangement of surround formats

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The Importance of Speaker
Placement

Surround Monitoring
In order to monitor your current multi-channel
mix in a given surround format (DTS, Dolby
Digital, or other.), encoding and decoding
equipment for that format is required. Pro Tools
does not provide direct support for surround
format processing, but encoding/decoding
hardware or software is available from Digidesign and third-party manufacturers. Contact
Digidesign or your dealer for information.

It is very important that your surround monitor
system be installed and configured correctly.
Proper speaker placement, angling, and level
calibration are necessities for surround mixing,
so consult the manufacturer of your monitor
system. Several surround formats (especially all
of those from Dolby as well as DTS) have very
specific speaker and monitoring recommendations, so take the time to locate this information
and adhere to the suggestions they provide.

With proper speaker placement, and studio calibration, additional surround processors, monitors, and a properly calibrated system can lessen
the variables that your mix will be subjected to
when the audience eventually hears it in the
theater, in their home, or elsewhere.

For an example of one way to set up a 5.1 monitor system, see Figure 28 on page 418.

Sub

30°

110°

Mixing position

Figure 28. One suggested speaker arrangement for 5.1 mixing and monitoring (SMPTE specification). Sub placement
is variable, all others should be as close the suggested angles as possible.
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Calibrated Surround Monitoring
In any professional applications, one of the
most important things you can do is to calibrate
not just Pro Tools but also your monitoring system and other equipment.
For example, many post production facilities
calibrate their Pro Tools audio interfaces for 20 dB = 0 VU. Once Pro Tools hardware has been
calibrated to unity gain, the monitoring system
can be adjusted to account for anomalies in the
room acoustics, speaker placement, and other
variables.
Calibrating your Pro Tools system involves attenuating the input and output stages of your
system. Settings and reference level vary according to the applicable standards of the current
project.

Calibrating in Pro Tools is explained in the
TDM Installation Guide.
Calibrating your Studio The first task for surround mixing should be getting your monitor
speakers in proper position, alignment and calibration for accurate listening and mixing.
Speaker position and alignment will vary according to each installation, and is very specific
for different speakers, manufacturers, and for
each surround format. Instructions for optimal
speaker location should have been provided
with the speaker and monitor system, so consult
the documentation provided by its manufacturer.
Speaker calibration makes sure that your system
plays back at accurately balanced levels. This
lets you compensate for any variances in speaker
position, alignment or performance.

Formats and Terminology
Multi-channel mixing formats are referred to
numerically, such as “5.1” and “7.1.” These
numbers describe the number and type of output (speaker) channels required for that format.
Other formats are referred to by their track layout (such LCRS, and LCR).
Surround formats are referred to by their developer and product name, such as Dolby Surround
(or ProLogic), Dolby Digital, DTS, Dolby E, and
others. Each surround format requires you to
mix in a compatible mixing format. For example, both Dolby Digital and DTS are “5.1 surround formats.”
The standards for each format include more
than just the number of speakers. Formats also
may require specific track layout and filtering
for the various channels. For example, the surround channel in Dolby Surround is band limited 100 Hz to 7 kHz.
Surround formats also increase the importance
of phase, balance, and sound placement due to
the various ways in which multi-channel mixes
can be encoded, decoded, compressed, or matrixed. Many publications are available on these
subjects. For a listing of several sources of surround format information, see “Where to Get
More Information on Surround Technology” on
page 421.

LCRS for Dolby Surround
Dolby Surround (ProLogic) is a four-channel format that is one of the most widely accepted consumer surround formats.

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This format, which requires Dolby encoding
and decoding technology, provides three fullrange front speakers left, center, and right, plus
a mono surround channel (often split and monitored through pairs of satellite speakers, but a
single “rear” channel nonetheless).

Surround Format Example
The goal of Dolby Surround encoding is to make
a four-channel mix (LCRS) more portable, by
transforming it into an encoded two-channel
mix referred to as Lt/Rt. Lt and Rt represent Left
Total and Right Total, respectively. Whenever
you see Lt/Rt, it refers specifically to material
that has been processed a Dolby Surround Encoder (such as the Dolby SEU4 or Dolby SurroundTools plug-in).
The Lt/Rt mix can then be transported, transmitted, or played as a stereo mix, making it
compatible with most majority of home and
theater systems. Alternately, the Lt/Rt pair can
be decoded back into an LCRS mix in movie theatres, or in home theater systems where the required decoding hardware is available.

5.1 for Dolby Digital and DTS
Both Dolby Digital and DTS formats are sixchannel, 5.1 formats. Both provide five fullrange speakers and a sub. These two surround
formats use different track layouts, filtering, and
compression as part of their specifications.

.1 Formats
The “.1” in any multi-channel mix format indicates an LFE track in the mix. Whenever a decimal is part of a surround format, it indicates a
discrete Sub channel in the surround playback
system. The term Sub refers to a playback channel, intended for playback through a subwoofer
speaker. For example, Dolby Digital is a 5.1 for420

Pro Tools Reference Guide

mat intended for playback through systems
with five full-range speakers and one subwoofer
speaker. Dolby E is a 6.1 format, with six fullrange speakers and a sub. SDDS is a 7.1 format,
with seven full-range speakers and one sub.
Sub content will include the LFE channel of a
“.1” format mix, as well as the effects of any bass
management in the playback system. See “LFE”
on page 420.

.0 Formats
The “.0” formats (5.0, 6.0, 7.0), while not associated with any specific surround formats, are useful in many mixes as sub-paths. For example,
not all tracks will have content that needs to be
routed to the LFE channel (the “.1” channel).
Assigning such tracks to a 5.0 path provides a
360° panner without LFE controls.

LFE
While mixing in a multi-channel format, a decimal indicates an LFE channel (for Low Frequency Effects). The LFE channel (for Low Frequency Effects, also known as Low Frequency
Enhancement) refers most often to a specific
track used in production (not during playback or
decoding). LFE is the “.1” component in mix
formats such as 5.1 and 7.1.
The reason it's referred to as.1 is that unlike the
other five or seven speakers, LFE is not full bandwidth (or, full-range). The LFE signal provides a
direct path for low end to the subwoofer, unaffected by bass management (if any). Low frequency effects include such things as thunder,
explosions, and other bass effects.
LFE is generally used to enhance sound effects in
films. There are no set rules about whether or
not you must employ an LFE channel.

Sub Content
When surround mixes are played back on systems that include one or more subs, subwoofer
content comes from either or both of the following sources:
• All bass from all channels that is below the
threshold of the bass management filter cutoff (if any)
– and –
• Audio in the LFE channel (if any)
A surround format Sub will playback all the lowest-frequency sounds from all of the other
speaker channels, below a fixed frequency
threshold. The threshold varies among different
surround formats. See “Where to Get More Information on Surround Technology” on
page 421 for a list of surround specification resources.
In addition to the frequency cutoffs and other
specifications of each surround format, playback system variables can affect sub content. See
“Surround Playback System Variables” on
page 423 for more information.

Divergence
Divergence is a surround mixing parameter that
lets you control panning “width.” Full divergence results in discrete (or narrow) panning.
Lower divergence settings result in progressively
less discrete (or wider) panning.
With full (100%) Divergence, tracks can be
panned exclusively, or discretely, to a single
speaker. Sounds panned to a single speaker are
only audible in that speaker.

When Divergence is less than 100%, tracks will
be audible in neighboring speakers even when
panned directly to a single speaker in the grid.
Lower divergence settings result in a progressively wider source signal.

Divergence Example
To understand divergence, it can be helpful to
imagine the inside of a large movie theater. This
is because one of the most challenging playback
variables one faces in multi-channel mixing is
the size of the intended listening environment.
Unlike the typical living room, movie theaters
are large spaces with speakers placed widely
apart. Due to distance, sounds panned discretely
to the front right speaker, for example, might be
inaudible in the opposite corner. To avoid this
problem, variable divergence lets control the
panning width. This results in signals spreading
into adjacent speakers, even when panned
100% to an individual speaker.

Divergence options in Pro Tools are explained in “Divergence” on page 451

Where to Get More Information on
Surround Technology
The table below lists several sites that are good
starting points for your research into the constantly evolving world of surround sound production.
Resources for surround specifications and information

Surround Format

Go to

Dolby Surround/ProLogic

www.dolby.com

Dolby EX

www.dolby.com

DTS

www.dtsonline.com

SDDS

www.sony.com

THX

www.tmhlabs.com
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Surround Mixing Concepts
As in stereo mixing and mastering, the goal in
surround mixing is to provide the best sounding
mix to the greatest number of potential listeners. Doing so for surround mixes requires many
of the same techniques used for professional stereo production, plus several unique factors that
are introduced in the following sections.

Surround Format Compatibility
Pro Tools lets you mix in surround and create
multi-channel masters, consisting of four, six, or
more tracks that comprise an LCR, 5.1, or other
format mix.
Whenever possible, multi-channel mixes can
be transferred as discrete, multitrack masters.
Track layout requirements vary by format (see
“Multi-Channel Mapping” on page 429 for
more information).

◆

Consumer playback systems don't necessarily
support every format. Downmixing occurs when
a specific format mix has to be created from another.

◆

To anticipate the effects of surround encode and
decode, as well as potential downmixing, professional surround mixes are monitored
through appropriate encoding and decoding
processors. Monitor controller systems let engineers hear their mix through different speakers
and configurations for reference.

Encoding and Decoding
Virtually all surround formats utilize some form
of encoding and decoding to make it practical to
deliver, broadcast, and transfer the multiple
channels of full-bandwidth audio they require.
◆ Encoding is the process necessary to make
multi-channel mixes portable and playable. In
many cases, this involves taking the four, five,
six, or more discrete channels resulting from a
multi-channel mix and converting them into a
two-channel stream for broadcast (still a predominantly 2-channel medium).

Decoding is the process needed to reproduce
(or unfold) the discrete surround channels from
2-channel delivery medium.

◆

Both encoding and decoding, no matter how refined, represent additional processing stages applied to your mix before it reaches its ultimate
destination, the audience.
For example, because the Dolby Surround algorithm depends heavily on phase relationships,
there is always a significant difference in the decoded LCRS output as compared to the original
LCRS mix. To account for these anomalies, engineers mixing for Dolby Surround listen through
encode and decode processors for reference.
Professional mixing and mastering engineers
use encoders and decoders to precisely audition
the effect of the encoding and decoding process,
and make any adjustments necessary.

Surround Processing and Pro Tools

Surround Formats and Delivery
Mediums
Surround mixes are tailored for their specific delivery medium. Most often, this require formatspecific encode and decode processing.

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Pro Tools requires additional software or hardware for surround encoding, decoding, and processing. For example, the Dolby SurroundTools™ plug-in lets you monitor and process
completely within the Pro Tools environment.

SurroundTools and other surround processing
solutions are available from Digidesign and
third party manufacturers. Contact your Digidesign Dealer for more information.

Surround Playback System
Variables
Different playback systems for surround sound
introduce varying amounts and types of filtering, bass management, and other variables.
These include the specifications for certain surround formats, as well as options to fine tune a
system for its particular installation.
In your own studio, you know what speakers
you’re listening to, what their qualities are, and
what your control room sounds like. What is
impossible to know, however, is what speakers
are in the living room, theater, or concert hall
where you mix will be heard by an audience.

tion and overall frequency response for your
specific monitoring system. Bass management
provides a way to tune bass response for variables including room size and shape, the presence (or absence) of a subwoofer, and the frequency range of each speaker.

Filtering
In its simplest form, bass management applies
high-pass filtering to the full-range speaker. Frequencies below the filter cutoff are summed
with the LFE channel (if any) and then routed to
the subwoofer. Different systems may offer additional bass management processes, including:
Bass Redirection Mutes or unmutes the low-frequency signals filtered out of the full-range
channels (that is, all signals that fall below the
bass management filter cutoff frequency). This
is useful when the full-range speakers are truly
full-range, capable of accurately reproducing
bass without distorting.

Bass Management
Bass management is a function of the playback
system. Bass Management refers to a number of
processes by which a playback system can control what will be heard through the Sub(woofer)
and other channels. The purpose of bass management is to optimize low frequency reproduc-

Bass Extension Lets the bass (however it is derived) be routed back through the full-range
speakers. Though this may seem like a contradiction, its main purpose is to let sub content
emanate from all around, rather than just from
the subwoofer.

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Chapter 31: Pro Tools Setup for
Surround

This chapter explains how to set up and configure Pro Tools sessions for multi-channel mixing
Multi-channel mixing is supported on
Pro Tools 24 MIX systems only. In this chapter,
all references to Pro Tools refer to Pro Tools 24
MIX systems.
Before you can use Pro Tools in Surround mode:
1 Make sure the Surround Mixer plug-in is installed in your Plug-Ins folder. If it is not, it can
be installed using your Pro Tools Installer CDROM.
2 Make sure your audio hardware is connected
to your monitor system and other equipment
correctly.

Pro Tools Audio Connections
for 5.1 Mixing
While all 5.1 mixing formats provide the same
speaker arrangement, there are three primary
standards in use for the track layout of the individual channels that comprise the 5.1 format
multi-channel mix.
In the following table, it is assumed that surround channels are mapped to outputs 1-6 of a
Pro Tools audio interface. Use channels 7-8 to
monitor a stereo mix for a stereo version, or for
cue mixes and monitoring.
Track Layouts for 5.1 Formats
Formats

Track Layout

3 Make sure you have configured the Pro Tools

Playback Engine and Hardware Setup dialog options correctly for your system as described in
your system installation guide.

Film
(Pro Tools
default)

LFE

4 Continue reading this chapter to learn how to

SMPTE/ITU
for Dolby
Digital (AC3)

LFE

DTS
for ProControl

LFE

configure Pro Tools and your sessions for Surround mode.

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425

To connect your audio interfaces for 5.1 format
mixing and monitoring:
1 Determine the 5.1 format and track layout

you want to use.
2 Connect the output channels of your audio
interface to the corresponding input channels
of your monitoring system according to the assignments listed in Table on page 425.

If you use ProControl and its monitoring
section, see the ProControl Addendum for
Pro Tools 5.1 for more information.

Configuring Pro Tools for
Multi-Channel Sessions
Configuring Pro Tools and sessions for multichannel mixing can be done in any or all of the
following ways:

New Sessions
By creating a new session and choosing a surround mix I/O Settings file as the default
I/O Setup. (See “New Sessions and I/O Settings”
on page 426.)

Remixing Sessions in Surround
By importing a surround mix I/O Settings file
into the I/O Setup dialog, multi-channel paths
can be made available in any stereo (or other
format) session. You can then reassign track
routing from the original stereo paths to multichannel paths. Inactive and active paths simplify reassignment. (See “Importing MultiChannel I/O Setups” on page 428.)

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Custom Paths
You can customize and redefine existing paths in
the I/O Setup dialog. For more information, see
“Custom Multi-Channel Paths” on page 428.

Importing Tracks
By importing tracks into a session, you can add
only the tracks and media, but also the associated paths and track assignments. Tracks retain
their paths and assignments, which are added to
the current session. Active and inactive status is
determined by available system resources. After
importing tracks, you can use the I/O Setup dialog to configure main and sub-paths for requirements of the session. For more information, see
“Importing Tracks from Other Sessions” on
page 94.

New Sessions and I/O Settings
When you create a new session, you can specify
a surround format that you want to use as your
I/O Setup. Default path configurations are provided as I/O Settings files, for stereo and surround mixing.
Once you create the new session, you can create
and import tracks, import audio, and assign signal routing to set up your mix.

To create a new session for multi-channel mixing:

Surround Mix Settings Files

1 Choose File > New Session.

The surround mix I/O Settings files provides
output and bus paths for three specific track layout standard. (See also “Default Input and Insert
Paths with 5.1 Settings” on page 427.)

2 Select one of the available 5.1 settings from

the Default I/O Settings menu.

Settings Files and Track Layouts
5.1 Settings

Track Layout

Film (Pro Tools Standard)

L C R Ls Rs LFE

SMPTE/ITU

L R C LFE Ls Rs

DTS (ProControl Monitoring)

L R Ls Rs C LFE

All three 5.1 format settings files provide the following default output and bus paths:
Configuring a new session for a 5.1 mix

The surround presets preconfigure the I/O Setup
dialog with default 5.1 format main and subpaths for outputs and busses.

Default 5.1 Output Paths
• One 5.1 main output path, with sub-paths for
center, left/right, LCR, and 5.0 (no LFE).
• Also, one stereo main path with two mono
sub-paths.

Default 5.1 Bus Paths
• One 5.1 main bus path, with sub-paths for 5.0
(no LFE), left/right (stereo), LCR, and center
(mono).
• Also, one stereo main path with two mono
sub-paths.

Default Input and Insert Paths with 5.1 Settings
Standard 5.1 format (film) output paths

The 5.1 Mix settings files provide default stereo
main and sub-paths for inputs and inserts. If
you need multi-channel input paths or inserts,
you can create them in the I/O Setup dialog (see
“Custom Multi-Channel Paths” on page 428).

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427

Importing Multi-Channel
I/O Setups

To export an I/O Setup settings file:

The I/O Setup dialog can import and export settings files. Importing I/O Setup settings files is
useful when you want to remix a stereo session
in surround. You can also use this feature to prepare a session for transfer to a different Pro Tools
system, or to simply save and exchange
I/O Settings.

2 Click Export.

To import a multi-channel I/O Setup settings file:

The I/O Setup dialog and its Channel Grid also
let you remap channels. This is especially useful
to route channels within a multi-channel path,
without having to repatch your audio interfaces.

1 Choose Setups > I/O Setup.
2 Click Import, then select the settings file to
import.

If the current session has existing path definitions that don’t match those in the imported
settings file, Pro Tools asks whether you want to
delete the existing paths or retain them and add
the imported settings to your session.

1 Choose Setups > I/O Setup.

Custom Multi-Channel Paths
The I/O Setup dialog lets you create and customize signal paths for any supported multi-channel mixing format.

When creating 5.1 format paths, you can
specify the default track layout. See “Default Path Order for 5.1 Tracks” on
page 430.

Example LCRS Set Up
The following example shows one possible way
to configure the I/O Setup dialog to mix in 4channel LCRS format.

For additional I/O Setup information, see
“Creating and Editing Paths” on page 63.
• Click No to add new paths to your current I/O
Setup configuration.
• Click Yes to replace your current I/O Setup
configuration with the imported settings.

To define an LCRS path:
1 Choose Setups > I/O Setup, and show outputs.
2 Click New Path.
3 Select 3+1 from the Path Format Selector.

Exporting I/O Settings
Exporting I/O Setup settings files lets you build a
library of setups multi-channel setups for different projects.

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4 Name the path LCRS.
5 In the Channel Grid, click in the box below
the first (left-most) audio interface channel for
the path. Pro Tools automatically fills up the adjacent units to the right. If you click in the LCRS
row under channel 1, the LCRS path will be
mapped across channels 1-4.

6 Select the new LCRS path, and click New Sub-

Path.
7 Name the new path LCR, and select LCR as the

Path format. Click in channel 1 in the LCR row
to map the path.
8 Create a stereo path with two mono sub-paths
(one for front Left, one for front Right).
9 Define mono sub-paths for the Center and
Surround channels.

You can remap paths to any required configuration, limited only by your systems resources,
and the I/O Setup dialog requirements for channel overlapping and naming (see “Valid Paths
and Requirements” on page 67 for more information).

See also “Example Paths and Signal Routing for a Surround Mix” on page 439.

5.1 Tracks, Formats, Mapping and
Metering
Path definitions in I/O Setup determine how audio is routed through, and metered on, your audio interfaces.

Example LCRS output main and sub-paths

Multi-Channel Mapping
Multi-channel paths and sub-paths are mapped
to inputs, outputs or internal busses in the
Channel Grid. When you select a preset 5.1
I/O Settings file, default layout for the corresponding multi-channel format paths you create will match the selected format’s track layout.

Example Mapping for a 5.1 Output Path
The following diagram shows the I/O Setup dialog configured for a 5.1-format output mix, with
a single, 8-channel audio interface. An alternate
stereo output path has also been defined.

Pro Tools internal (on-screen) metering of 5.1
format paths always follows the Film track layout:
L C R Ls Rs LFE
Pro Tools track layout of 5.1 format audio tracks
in the Edit window also conforms to the Film
layout (arranged top to bottom). See the illustration “5.1 Track Layouts, Routing, and Metering”
on page 430.
In the I/O Setup dialog, you can route these signals out of your audio interfaces according to
any track layout (DTS, SMPTE/ITU, or other).
To re-map channels in a path:
■ Click and drag a channel to a new valid location in the grid. Other channel assignments will
move (shuffle) to accommodate dragged channels.

I/O Setup

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429

Default Path Order, Metering,
Output, and Audition Path
The I/O Setup dialog provides the following default settings for multi-channel sessions:

Default Output Selects the default output path
for all new tracks, for each supported track format.
Default Path Order Selects the default track layout (or, path order) for new 5.1 format (sixchannel) paths.

Default Path Order for 5.1 Tracks
Default Selectors

Default Selectors in the I/O Setup dialog

You can specify the default track layout for all
new 5.1 format paths you create.

Meter Selects the path that will be shown in ProControl output meters. See “5.1 Tracks, Formats,
Mapping and Metering” on page 429 for more
information.

To choose a new default Pro Tools 5.1-format Path
order (track layout):

Audition Selects the monitoring path for previewing audio in the Regions List and Import
Audio dialogs.

2 Use the Default Path Order menu and submenus to choose the track layout you want.

1 Choose Setup > I/O Setup.

Default Path Order Selector in I/O Setup

5.1 Track Layouts, Routing, and Metering
Tracks

5.1 Format

Track Meters

Channel Map in I/O Setup

Audio Interface Meters
1-6

Film
(Pro Tools Standard)
L C R Ls Rs LFE
L C R Ls Rs LFE

SMPTE/ITU
L R C LFE Ls Rs

DTS
(ProControl Monitoring)
L R Ls Rs C LFE

same
L C R Ls Rs LFE
(top to bottom)

same
L C R Ls Rs LFE

L C R Ls Rs LFE

L R C LFE Ls Rs

same
L C R Ls Rs LFE
(left to right)

same
L C R Ls Rs LFE

L R Ls Rs C LFE

Figure 29. Track Layout of different 5.1 formats

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Pro Tools Reference Guide

L R Ls Rs C LFE

Chapter 32: Multi-Channel Tracks and
Signal Routing

Surround sessions typically include a combination of mono, stereo, and multi-channel audio
tracks, Auxiliary Inputs, and Master Faders, busses and inserts.
Once the appropriate I/O Setup has been imported or configured, any audio track can be
mixed in multi-channel for surround using
Pro Tools mixing features.
Multi-channel I/O and signal routing is determined by the paths defined in the I/O Setup dialog.

Multi-Channel QuickStart
The following is an overview of how to get
started mixing in multi-channel for surround in
Pro Tools.
To mix in multi-channel:
1 Open any stereo Pro Tools session to remix it

in surround. (You can also create new, empty
surround sessions. See “New Sessions and I/O
Settings” on page 426.)
2 Configure the I/O Setup dialog with multichannel inputs, outputs, busses, and inserts, as
needed. (See “Configuring Pro Tools for MultiChannel Sessions” on page 426.)
3 Create new tracks and assign track outputs
and sends to your multi-channel paths. Configure signal routing as needed for submixing, bussing, processing, and monitoring. For tracks that
do not need to panned in 360°, place them in
the mix using sub-paths and signal routing.(See
“Multi-Channel Signal Routing” on page 434.)
4 Pan in surround using the multi-channel
Track and Send windows. (Mixing and panning
for surround is explained in Chapter 33, “Surround Panning and Mixing.”)

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Multi-Channel Audio Tracks

Placing Audio in Multi-Channel
Tracks

Multi-channel audio tracks contain multiple individual signals for each signal in the track (one
for the left, one for the right, one for center, and
so on).

You can drag audio files and regions from the
Audio Regions List, or from other tracks, to
place them in multi-channel audio tracks.

Multi-channel audio tracks can be:
• Recorded directly into Pro Tools, using multiple microphones or microphone arrays,
routed to appropriate multi-channel
Pro Tools Input paths.
• Imported from other Pro Tools sessions.
• Edited, processed, and mixed in combination
with mono and stereo tracks.

To do so, the number of channels being dragged
must match the destination track format. For
example, you can only drag a stereo pair or two
mono regions onto a stereo audio track. Similarly, you can only place audio into an LCR track
when you have selected three regions. With 5.1
tracks, you must select six files or regions.

Solo, Mute, and Gain in Multi-Channel
Tracks and Paths
Stereo and multi-channel tracks consist of multiple audio signals, linked together. By default,
multi-channel tracks are linked and are controller by a single channel fader, solo and mute
switch.

5.0 format multi-channel audio track

5.1 format audio files and tracks conform to the
Film track layout standard. Regardless of path
mapping in the I/O Setup dialog, all 5.1 format
audio tracks and meters follow the Film standard track layout:
L C R Ls Rs LFE
Multi-channel audio tracks are not required to
mix in multi-channel formats. Mono, stereo,
and all supported track formats can be mixed using Pro Tools track outputs and sends. See
“Multi-Channel Signal Routing” on page 434.

For discrete control of signals, multi-channel
tracks can be converted into individual mono
tracks. For discrete level and phase adjustment,
you can insert and unlink a multi-mono Trim
plug-in. Both of these techniques are explained
below.

Once converted to mono, multi-channel
tracks cannot be relinked into their original
multi-channel format. The only way to reassemble a multi-channel track is by dragging the corresponding number of mono
files into a multi-channel track, which can
result in loss of some automation data.
To convert a multi-channel track into discrete
mono tracks:
1 Select the multi-channel track.
2 Choose File > Convert Selected Tracks to
Mono.

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To have discrete control of gain on individual
channels of a multi-channel track:
1 Insert a multi-mono Trim plug-in on the
multi-channel track.
2 Unlink the Trim plug-in by clicking the Link
icon so that it is unlit.
3 Use the Channel Selector to display the controls you want to edit, and adjust the gain.

See “Linking and Unlinking Controls on
Multi-Mono Plug-Ins” on page 436 for
more information.

Track and Output Formats
When you create new tracks, you specify mono,
stereo, or a supported multi-channel format for
the new tracks.
In the Mix and Edit windows, the track format is
always visible by the number of track meters
contained in its fader strip (a single meter for
mono tracks, a pair for stereo tracks, and so on).
Assigning track output determines the format of
that output. For example, a mono track always
has a single track meter, even when assigned to
a stereo output path. If that same mono track is
assigned to a 5.1 output path, it's output will be
split among those six output channels, depending on the position of its panner.

Changing Format

Because changing the output format has these
effects, a warning dialog appears whenever you
change the output format of a track to a format
of fewer channels. Specifically, this will occur
whenever automation playlists will have to be
deleted.

Multiple Output Assignments and Track Format
When a track is assigned to more than one path
of differing formats, the main output for that
track will match the format of the assigned path
with the greatest number of channels.

Multiple Outputs and Automation Playlists
When a track has multiple output assignments,
Pro Tools sorts panning data appropriately for
each assigned path. For example, if you assign a
mono track to a stereo path and a 5.1 path simultaneously, that track will have a 5.1 panner
in the Mix or Edit window. When you pan the
track, Pro Tools interprets the 5.1 panning
moves into stereo panning moves (by ignoring
any front--to-rear moves, in this example).
This provides a type of parallel mixing. You can
create a variety of mixes of differing formats all
at the same time by routing your elements to
multiple paths.

Command-Control-click any control in a
Output window to show its automation
playlist.

Changing the output format for a given track
has several effects:
• The panner that appears in the track will
change to reflect the new output format
It may be necessary for one or more pan related automation playlists to be created or deleted.

◆

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Multi-Channel Signal Routing
To mix in a multi-channel format, tracks are assigned to multi-channel paths.

This channel’s main output
path is mono (“Center music”).
It has a multi-channel send providing a multi-channel panner

Multi-Channel Track Outputs
Tracks are routed to output and bus paths using
the track Output Selector. This assigns the main
track output. Additional output assignments
can be added by Control-clicking the Selector
and assigning another path. This provides a
multi-channel panner and meter in the Mix and
Edit window I/O View. (See also “Multi-Channel
Sends” on page 434 for details.)

Multi-Channel Sends

Main output path is multichannel, so the track provides a multi-channel panner

Mono, stereo and all other track formats let you
assign one or more multi-channel sends. This
provides a multi-channel panner in the Sends
view. Sends are also useful to bus tracks for
multi-channel plug-in processing.
The following diagram shows a mono audio
track with a 6-channel send (Sends View Shows
> Send A view).

Two different ways to configure tracks for multi-channel
mixing

Tracks can be mixed in surround using the following two methods:

Multi-channel send
panner

Mono output format

• By setting a track main output to a multichannel path.
• By assigning a multi-channel send to route
audio to a multi-channel path.

See “Multi-Channel Sends” on page 434 for
more information.
Mono meter

A mono audio track with a mono output format, with a
multi-channel send

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Pro Tools bussing and submixing features are
available for all channel formats, from
mono/stereo through 8-channel. For examples
of multi-channel monitoring, effects processing, and bussing, see “Mixing with Paths and
Sub-Paths” on page 437.For mono and stereo
mix examples, see Chapter 26, “Basic Mixing.”

Mono, Multi-Mono and MultiChannel Plug-Ins
Plug-ins can be used in mono, multi-mono, or
multi-channel formats.

Multi-Channel Auxiliary Inputs and
Master Faders
A multi-channel Auxiliary Input or Master Fader
is used as a return for the multi-channel bus.
Sends are useful when you need to create an additional, independent mix simultaneously (perhaps of a distinct format), requiring dedicated
fader, mute, solo and automation controls.
You can assign Master Faders to main and subpaths. Main paths must match the format of the
Master Fader, and only one Master Fader can be
active and assigned to any single (active) main
or sub-path. A Master Fader cannot be assigned
to a sub-path if its associated main path is already assigned on another Master Fader. See
“Master Faders” on page 333.

Plug-in formats

For information about mono, stereo, and monoin/stereo-out plug-ins, see Chapter 27, “Plug-Ins
and Inserts.”
Multi-Mono Plug-Ins Are designed for use on
greater-than-stereo multi-channel tracks. Multimono plug-ins are useful, or required, in the following situations:
• When a desired plug-in does not involve
multi-channel correlated processing (for example, when applying EQ to select sides of a
multi-channel signal)
• You need to adjust signals within the multichannel track independently
• A plug-in only does not support multi-channel formats
When a multi-mono plug-in is first inserted on a
multi-channel track, the plug-in controls are
linked. You can unlink them for independent
adjustment. See “Linking and Unlinking Controls on Multi-Mono Plug-Ins” on page 436 for
more information.

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Multi-Channel Plug-Ins Are designed for use on
stereo and multi-channel tracks that require correlated processing, including stereo and multichannel limiting, compression, and similar effects.

Linking and Unlinking Controls on MultiMono Plug-Ins
When a multi-mono plug-in is used on a multichannel track of more than two channels, the
controls are normally linked. Adjusting the
Gain parameter on one channel, for example,
will adjust it for all channels.
If necessary, you can unlink plug-in controls on
specific channels of a track and edit them independently. You can also selectively link the controls of specific channels.
For example, to apply equal filter cutoffs to the
Ls and Rs (surround) channels in a 5.1 mix, you
could link enable just those channels in an unlinked, multi-mono EQ plug-in. Adjusting the
controls in the Plug-In window for either channel (Ls or Rs) adjusts the other, linked channel
as well.

Master Link Button When enabled, links the parameter controls on all channels of a multimono plug-in so that they can be adjusted in
tandem.
Link Enable Buttons Let you selectively link the
parameter controls of specific channels of a
multi-mono plug-in. Each square represents a
speaker channel. The Master Link button must
be disabled to use the Link Enable buttons.
To unlink controls on a multi-mono plug-in:
■ Deselect the Master Link button. It is lit when
linked, unlit when unlinked.

To access controls for a specific channel:
■ Select the desired channel from the Channel
Selector.

To open a Plug-In window for all channels of a
multi-mono plug-in:
■

Option-click the Channel Selector.

To link the controls of specific channels:
1 Deselect the Master Link button if it is not al-

ready deselected.
Master Link button
Link Enable buttons
Channel Selector

2 Click the Link Enable buttons for the channels whose controls you want to link.

The Trim plug-in is explained in the DigiRack Plug-Ins Guide.
Channel Selector and Link controls

Channel Selector Accesses a specific channel
within a multi-channel track for plug-in parameter editing. This menu appears only on multimono plug-ins inserted on tracks with more
than two channels.

Option-click the Channel Selector to open
Plug-In windows for each channel of the
multi-mono plug-in.

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Paths in Surround Mixes
Because Pro Tools provides a flexible routing
and submixing environment, you can maximize
your system’s available resources by first identifying the elements that you want to pan dynamically and those that can be placed in certain
channels only. (See “Mixing with Paths and
Sub-Paths” on page 437 for an explanation of
this concept.)
Once you have identified these elements in your
session, you can use a combination of main and
sub-path assignments, and multi-channel panning. Figure 30 on page 438 shows an example
session.

Mixing with Paths and Sub-Paths
It is rare that every track needs to be “flown” (actively panned in between more than a pair of
speakers). In most situations, certain elements
are placed in certain speakers and remain there,
providing the foundation for a mix.
Figure 30 on page 438 illustrates an example of
how panning and signal routing can be combined in a multi-channel mix. The following
sections show you how to organize your session
and signal routing to maximize the available resources.

See “Extending Stereo Mixing Conventions
to Surround Mixing” on page 438 for related information.

When to Assign Multi-Channel Outputs
■ Assign 5.1 paths only to those tracks that need
to be panned to all six channels.

For example, a sound effects track with a jet flyover should be assigned a 5.1 path to be able to
“fly” the sound from front-to-back. In a music
mix, fly a solo instrument or make a synth pad
swirl around the room as a special effect.
Elements that need to be heard in all speakers simultaneously can also be assigned to the multichannel output, whether or not they need active panning in the sound field.
When to Use Sub-Paths
■ To help simplify large sessions, try to use subpaths to route static (or, stationary) elements directly to the output channel or channels.

For example, film dialog is often mixed to the
center channel to anchor this essential sound element to the visual element (the picture). Instead of assigning a six-channel panner to dialog tracks and panning it to the center channel
only, you can route dialog track’s main output to
a mono (Center) sub-path. This may be unavoidable in some sessions, such as a scene in
which every sound needs to fly or move in the
360° sound field. This is more likely to be the exception, however, because many elements of a
mix will not need to be moving between speakers.

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437

Tracks routed to sub-paths

Tracks panned in 3D

Auxiliary Inputs and Master Faders
routed to main paths

Bus
routing

Main output to subpaths

Main outputs to 5.1 paths for surround panning

Figure 30. Using signal routing and sub-paths to mix in surround

Extending Stereo Mixing Conventions to
Surround Mixing
Stereo mixing sets the precedent for active and
static panning, and surround mixing can benefit from the same basic principles.
Panning a sound back-and-forth between the
left and right speakers is best used as a special effect. In a typical music mix, the basic tracks are
placed in the stereo sound field and remain
there.
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Surround mixes can become incoherent if too
many elements are continuously moving, For
special effects, some tracks can be panned dynamically, bouncing between speakers or sweeping from one side to the other.

Example Paths and Signal
Routing for a Surround Mix

Example Bus Paths
The following diagram shows example bus
paths.

This examples shows how Auxiliary Inputs,
Master Faders, and other Pro Tools signal routing features can be used for stem mixes, submixes, and similar project needs.
In this example, music and effects (M&E) are being mixed for a trailer, in 5.1 surround. Separate
stem mixes (for music, and for effects) are to be
mastered to 8-track MDM

Example Multi-Channel Paths
Signal routing is the key element in any
Pro Tools surround session. Signal routing is
configured and defined in the I/O Setup dialog.

Example Output Paths

I/O Setup, example bus paths

Two 5.1 format main paths have been defined
(Music, and FX), each with several sub-paths.

Example Sub-Paths
Sub-paths let you route to selective channels
within the multi-channel (surround) output.
The FX bus has two sub-paths (“5.0 FX bus” and
“LFE f”) that show this.

The following shows output paths defined in
the I/O Setup dialog of an example session. This
example session is shown on a Pro Tools MIX
system with three audio interfaces.

5.0 Sub-Paths The 5.0 FX bus is a 5-channel subpath. With tracks that you are sure you want to
keep out of the LFE channel, use this type of
sub-path routing to conserve mixing resources.

I/O Setup, example output paths

LFE Paths A custom LFE sub-path has been
added to provide a discrete mono path to the
LFE channel.

Sub-paths have been defined for each of the
Mix, Music, and FX main output paths.
Additional stereo output paths, with mono subpaths, have also been defined for the remaining
channels on each audio interface.

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Signal Routing Examples
The following show a few possible ways that
main and sub-paths can be used, using an example session consisting of a 5.1 main mix, with
music and effects stems (or submixes).
The following shows one possible routing configuration for an effects submix.

Most of the music tracks in this example are
routed to the front left/right channels, using a
stereo sub-path. A 5.1 Auxiliary Input controls
the bus and stem output.

Main Stems Example
The two Auxiliary Input channels can be multiassigned to additional 5.1 format paths for a
main mix.

FX stem

Some tracks are routed to stereo sub-paths,
while others are assigned to mono, LCR, or
other sub-paths. Two tracks (one stereo, one
mono) are assigned to multi-channel busses, for
surround panning. A 5.1 Auxiliary Input assigned to the FX main bus path serves as a submixer.
Music tracks might be routed similar to the following example:

Assigning multiple outputs

Multiple output assignments make it possible to
configure a number of multi-format mixes. For
example, you can assign an additional stereo
output to tracks and create a stereo mix at the
same time as a 5.1 mix. For more information,
see “Multiple Output Assignments” on
page 337.

LFE Examples
LFE tracks and other audio can contribute to the
LFE output (the “.1” channel in supporting formats) in two ways:
• Using the LFE slider in Output windows. This
LFE signal is post-fader.
– or –
• Using a custom sub-path to route channels
discretely.
Music stem
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The following shows a channel Output window,
sending and metering to the LFE channel.
LFE fader

LFE and Filtering
Pro Tools applies no filtering to LFE signals.
Some delivery requirements may specify filtering for the LFE track (such as the Dolby requirement of 120 Hz). See “Mixing Formats and Surround Formats” on page 415 for more
information.

LFE faders can follow Mix and Edit Groups.
See “Automation Preferences” on page 374
for more information.

Multi-Channel Plug-Ins
Aux LFE meter

LFE contribution from a stereo output

Using the LFE fader, you can add any amount of
any multi-channel path to the overall LFE output.In the above example, the track’s Center
percentage has been turned off, and the LFE
fader has been raised to route it to the LFE channel.
The next diagram shows how a “traditional” LFE
track can be routed to only the LFE channel.
This example uses a custom-defined LFE subpath to the FX main bus path.

Audio tracks, Master Faders and Auxiliary Inputs
let you assign multi-mono or multi-channel
plug-ins. This lets you process multi-channel
outputs as a single entity using multi-channel,
or linked multi-mono, plug-ins. Unlinked
multi-mono plug-ins let you process individual
channels of a multi-channel path, with linking
and unlinking. For more information on multichannel plug-ins, see Chapter 27, “Plug-Ins and
Inserts.”

Discrete LFE routing

For instructions on how to create a sub-path, see
“Custom Multi-Channel Paths” on page 428.

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Chapter 33: Surround Panning and
Mixing

This chapter explains how to pan and mix in
surround with Pro Tools.
Before you can pan a track in surround, it must
be assigned to an appropriate multi-channel
output or bus path.
The I/O Setup dialog defines the bussing and
output architecture of the Pro Tools multi-channel surround mixer. If you have not already
done so, it is recommended that you become familiar with main and sub-paths and the
I/O Setup dialog before starting multi-channel
Pro Tools projects.

See Chapter 31, “Pro Tools Setup for Surround” for more information on multichannel configurations and I/O Setup options. For multichannel signal routing, see
Chapter 32, “Multi-Channel Tracks and
Signal Routing.”

Introduction to Pro Tools
Surround Panning
There are four different track panning methods
available:
• In the Edit window, using the reduced-height
Panner grid in the I/O View
• In the Mix window, using the reduced-height
Panner grid
• In the Output window, using the full-size
Panner Grid
• Through pan automation editing
Control surfaces provide additional panning options. Refer to the documentation for your control surface for more information.

Mix and Edit Window Panner Grids
In the Mix and Edit window, multi-channel
panner grids are displayed on tracks that have
multi-channel track or send output assignments.

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To pan from the Mix or Edit window:
1 Make sure I/O View is being shown for the

Mix or Edit windows (Display > Mix/Edit Window Shows > I/O View).
2 Begin playback.
3 Click and drag on the appropriate multi-chan-

nel track’s panner grid in the Mix or Edit windows.

Output Windows
Output windows provide panning controls for
tracks of all mix formats. Some of the features of
Output windows include:
• X/Y (joystick-style) panning
• 3-Knob panning
• Full Divergence and Center% control
• LFE feed

Click and drag to pan

• Multi-channel meters
• Pro Tools Target window support
This section describes the basic techniques for
opening and arranging Output windows. Panning controls and instructions begin in “Surround Panner Controls” on page 446.

Multi-Channel Panners
Panning in the track grid

The green pan cursor follows your movements
as long as you hold down the mouse button.
Movements are scaled so that, once you click to
“grab” the pan cursor, you do not need to limit
your movements to the small track grid area.

Color while Automating
The pan cursor is green when the track is in automation Read mode, red in an automation
Write mode, and yellow in Trim mode.
Output windows provide additional features
and controls (and a much larger grid). For details, see “Output Windows” on page 444.

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Multi-channel panners are provided for each
multi-channel mixing format (from 3-channel
LCR thru 8-channel 7.1).See “Surround Panner
Controls” on page 446 for more information.
Multiple panners can be opened simultaneously, or a single window can be anchored to
always display the current panner. See “Output
Windows” on page 444 for more information.

To open an Output window:
Click the Output icon in the track in the Mix
or Edit window (I/O View).

Standard Controls

■

All Output windows provide standard Pro Tools
controls for routing, path assignment and other
track features. These controls are located at the
top of all Output, Send, Insert, and Plug-In windows. Some controls are specific to the type of
window.
Show meters
Target icon
Track Selector

Path Selector

Output Selector

Automation Safe

Panner Control Section

Opening a multi-channel Output window

For instructions on managing multiple Output windows, see “Output Windows for
Tracks and Sends” on page 342.

For details on these standard features, see
“Standard Controls in Output Windows”
on page 344.

Track Fader, Solo, Mute, and Auto
All Output windows provide track volume and
mute controls. You can adjust and automate
track volume, or mute directly using these controls. The larger fader and mute button are
equivalent to those on the Pro Tools Mix window.

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Surround Panner Controls
On surround-capable Pro Tools systems, Output windows, when assigned to tracks or paths with four
or more channels, provide an X/Y grid for surround panning. The speakers associated with the panner’s multi-channel format are displayed in their relative positions outside the panner grid.
This section identifies all the controls and features found in Pro Tools multi-channel panners.

Show meters

Panner Control Section
Speakers

X/Y Grid
Pan cursor
LFE fader

Track fader
meter

and

Panning modes
Position
(knob panners)

Center%

Divergence

Track Automation,

Solo, and Mute

Figure 31. A 5.1-format multi-channel panner

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The X/Y Grid and Pan Cursor

Panning Mode Buttons

The X/Y grid is where multi-channel panning
information is input and displayed. You can
also input pan information using 3-Knob Mode,
or by entering numeric values in the Position
data fields, as described later.(You can also edit
pan automation graphically in the Edit window.)

Directly below the X/Y grid are the panning
mode buttons.

X/Y Mode, Divergence Editing, and 3-Knob buttons

These switches provide access to advanced surround mixing features, and are explained in
“Panning Modes” on page 448.

Position and Center%
The Position controls include three rotary knobs
and their text fields.

Panning grid and pan cursor

Multi-channel panners default to X/Y mode. In
X/Y mode, the track’s current pan position is
represented by a green dot. This dot is the pan
cursor, and its color indicates track automation
status using standard Pro Tools colors:
Green The track is in Auto Read mode
Red The track is in Automation Write, Touch or
Latch mode
Yellow The track is in Automation Trim or Auto
Off mode.

Position controls

Front Displays and controls the current front Xaxis position of the panner.
Rear Displays and controls the current rear Xaxis position of the panner. In default X/Y panning mode, Rear is linked to Front position and
cannot be controlled independently.
Front/Rear Displays and controls the current Yaxis position of the panner.

Center%
Panning using the X/Y Grid is explained beginning in “The X/Y Grid and Pan Cursor” on
page 447.

This rotary knob lets you control how much of
the signal is routed to the center speaker. This
lets you mix a track to the front with a phantom
center (0% Center value) or to three-channel
(LCR) when panning front.

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447

Divergence Controls
Divergence determines the width of the panned
signal with respect to neighboring speakers. (See
“Divergence” on page 421 for more information.)

Panning Modes
Pro Tools supports X/Y and 3-Knob Panning
modes. Both can be automated.
X/Y Mode Joystick-style panning by dragging
the pan cursor within the X/Y speaker grid.
3-Knob Mode Point-to-point panning, between
pairs of speakers. See “3-Knob Panning” on
page 449 for more information.

Divergence controls

Front, Rear, and F/R Divergence Provide separate, automatable divergence control over front
speakers, rear speakers, and between front/rear,
respectively. See “Divergence” on page 451 for
more information.

For examples of how divergence settings affect output panning, see “Divergence and
Center Percentage” on page 451.

X/Y Panning
To pan in X/Y mode:
1 Click the X/Y Mode Selector.

X/Y Mode

2 Drag the pan cursor, or click anywhere in the

LFE Fader
The LFE fader is only available in “.1” formats —
5.1, 6.1 and 7.1.

grid and drag to pan the track. The location of
the pan cursor determines the pan position of
the signal. For example, to pan something to the
left rear speaker, move the pan cursor to the
lower-left corner of the grid.

LFE fader

The LFE fader determines how much of the current track’s signal will be routed to the LFE
channel. LFE faders in Track and Send windows
can follow groups. The Pro Tools LFE channel is
always full-bandwidth. For more information
on how to use the LFE fader, see “LFE Faders in
Multi-Channel Panners” on page 450

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X/Y Panning

Cursor Take-Over

3-Knob Panning

It is not necessary to click exactly on the pan
cursor. Clicking anywhere in the grid will move
the pan cursor relative to where you click or take
over with a hardware panner.Panning does not
jump to the click position.

Pro Tools provides 3-Knob mode as an additional way to input pan moves.

To snap the pan cursor to a location in the grid:
Hold down the Control key and click anywhere in the X/Y grid.

■

3-Knob mode lets you:
• Pan in straight lines, moving the pan cursor
using the Position rotary knobs with full
movement of front, rear, and front-rear position.
– and –
• Pan discretely between pairs of speakers

Grid Options and Shortcuts
Fine-adjust Mode The Command modifier enables fine adjustment mode of all variable Panner controls.
Constraining to X or Y Movement Holding the
Shift modifier key down when clicking in the
grid will force the movement of the dot to be
constrained in either the X or Y direction, depending on which direction you move first.

3-Knob mode lets you pan discretely between
speakers. For example, when panning front-left
to rear-right in 3-Knob mode, audio will be
heard from just those two speakers (assuming
full divergence is in effect).
Show meters

3-Knob trajectory

Reset to Default The default position of all position parameters can be recalled by Option-clicking anywhere in the panner grid.
“Snap To” a Speaker in the Grid: To force the
panner to the location of one of the valid speakers, click directly on the appropriate speaker
icon.
Display Automation in Edit Window CommandControl-click on a parameter to display that parameter’s playlist in the Edit window.

meters

3-Knob mode

Panning and metering in 3-Knob mode

All pan parameters can be automated, including pan position and divergence. See
Chapter 28, “Automation” for details.

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By comparison, in X/Y mode a diagonal pan
may result in audio being heard in some or all
channels.

To change the 3-Knob trajectory angles:
■ Drag either endpoint (Front, or Rear) of the
trajectory line.

– or –

Show meters
■

X/Y pan position

meters

X/Y mode

Adjust the Front or Rear Position controls.

To change the current trajectory position (left-toright) and retain its current angles:
1 Drag the trajectory line (not its endpoints) to
a new position.

LFE Faders in Multi-Channel
Panners

Panning and metering in X/Y mode

The difference is that 3-Knob mode pans discretely between the front and rear position of
the panning trajectory, while X/Y mode panning
takes place in the full 360° panning grid. Divergence and Center % are variable in both panning modes.
To enable 3-Knob Panning mode:
■

Click the 3-Knob mode icon.

The LFE fader controls the track’s LFE contribution (or, how much of the track is sent to LFE).
LFE faders are only available when a track is assigned to a path whose format supports LFE (5.1,
6.1, or 7.1).
To mix to the LFE channel:
1 Adjust the LFE fader in any “.1” format Output window.

For general information about LFE, Sub
channels, and related topics, see
Chapter 30, “Surround Concepts.”
3-Knob mode

The panner trajectory line appears across the
grid, extending from the front (X-axis) to the
rear (Y-axis)
To pan in 3-Knob mode:
1 Adjust the Front and Rear Position knobs to
set the trajectory line.
2 Rotate the Front/Rear Position knob to pan
along the trajectory. The Pan Cursor is constrained to the white trajectory line.

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LFE and Groups
Track and send LFE faders can follow Mix and
Edit Groups by enabling this feature in the Automation window of the Preferences dialog. See
“Automation Preferences” on page 374 for more
information.

LFE Enable

Divergence

Some multi-channel plug-ins, including the DigiRack multi-channel Compressor, provide LFE
Enable. This lets you enable (or, bypass) phaseaccurate processing of the LFE channel, when
one is present.

In the Panner Grid, the current divergence values is displayed by a purple outline.

To process the LFE channel in a multi-channel
plug-in:
1 Click to enable LFE Enable in supporting
multi-channel plug-ins. LFE Enable is highlighted when LFE processing is enabled, and unhighlighted when LFE processing is bypassed.

Divergence display

Divergence controls

Divergence display and controls

Divergence and Center
Percentage
The Divergence and Center% controls range
from 0 to 100, and can be automated. They are
especially useful to ensure audibility and coverage in large venues, and to increase clarity of dialog.

By default, Pro Tools surround panners are
100% or fully divergent, meaning that a signal
that is panned completely to one speaker will
only be audible in that speaker.
Show meter
Pan position

Front Divergence Controls divergence between
front speakers (X-axis only).
Rear Divergence Controls divergence between
the rear speakers (X-axis only)

meters

Front/Rear Divergence Controls divergence between front and rear (the Y-axis).
Center% (Percentage) Center% determines
whether there is a discrete center image, a completely phantom center image, or some variable
amount in between.

Full divergence for discrete panning to front, Left
(meters show signal only in front, Left)

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Lower divergence settings result in a progressively wider source signal. When Divergence is
less than 100%, tracks will be routed to neighboring speakers to some degree, even when the
pan cursor is positioned next to a single speaker.
Show meters
Pan position

Center% Example
In film and video production, the center channel often contains dialog. To enhance clarity of
essential dialog, it is often beneficial to keep
other elements (such as music) out of the center
speaker. By reducing the Center% on music
tracks (in this example), music panned to the
front of the soundfield can be panned to just the
left and right speakers, forcing them to have a
(variable) phantom center image.

meters

Pan position

Front Divergence

Front Divergence at 0% for widest panning (note meters
showing signal in all three front speakers)

meters
Center%

To adjust divergence:
Adjust the Front, Rear, and Front/Rear Divergence controls as necessary.

■

Discrete center (Center% at 100)

To adjust divergence graphically:
1 Click the Divergence icon below the grid.

Pan position

2 Drag to resize the Divergence boundaries in
the grid.

meters
Divergence

Center%

Center Percentage
Center Percentage controls whether there is a
discrete center channel for the track, or a phantom center channel.

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Phantom center (Center% at 0)

To adjust Center Percentage:
■

Adjust the Center% knob as appropriate.

As you reduce the Center% value, the center
speaker icon at the top of the grid becomes less
visible. At 0, the center speaker icon is completely invisible, reflecting the setting for fully
phantom center.

SurroundScope Metering
Plug-In
The SurroundScope Metering plug-in provides a
360° meter for multi-channel mixing. It provides a method of metering multi-channel
paths, and is available in all multi-channel formats.

Pan Playlists and Automation

5.1 Format Track Layouts

Multi-channel panners have several automation
playlists associated with them (for each position
and divergence control it provides).

All on-screen, 5.1-format meters (including
those displayed in the SurroundScope meter, on
tracks, and in Output windows and their Meter
views) are always arranged:

Panning Does Not Follow Groups
Unlike mute and volume breakpoint editing,
pan automation by default does not follow edit
groups. To force pan automation editing to follow groups, you can hold down the Control key
while editing automation breakpoints on a
member track. This feature applies to all seven
types of pan controls (front, rear, and front/rear
pan position, front divergence, rear divergence,
front/rear divergence, and center percentage).

L C R Ls Rs LFE

For a complete explanation of Pro Tools
metering, see “5.1 Tracks, Formats, Mapping and Metering” on page 429.
To use the SurroundScope Metering Plug-In:
■ On a multi-channel Master Fader, click an Insert button and select the multi-channel Meter
plug-in.

SurroundScope has no adjustable parameters,
but displays output levels in both a 360° grid,
and in traditional LED meters.

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Part VIII: Synchronization

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Chapter 34: Synchronization Concepts

Time code and synchronization (sync) are complex topics. This section is designed to give you
a basic understanding of synchronization as it
relates to Pro Tools.
However, if you are using a device that sends or
receives time code, such as a video tape recorder
(VTR), you need to understand how that device
generates or receives time code, and how to configure its options. Refer to your video device
documentation for more information.

Your Sync Requirements
It is strongly recommended that you research
what your synchronization requirements are.
For example, if you are using Pro Tools to accomplish audio post-production work for video,
consult with the video engineer or editor to determine what time code format is being used.
There may be other time code issues that affect
how you use synchronization. Your Digidesign
dealer may also be able to offer suggestions
about working with sync with your studio.

Aspects of Sync
Synchronization has two components, which
can be expressed as the following questions:
◆ “Where are we?” This is called the positional
reference.
◆ “How fast are we going?” This is called the
clock reference.

To synchronize Pro Tools accurately over an extended period of time to another device such as
a tape machine or VTR, Pro Tools needs to know
where the device is and at what speed it’s running. Some peripherals can provide only one of
these references; for example, a black burst generator provides only a clock reference. Some peripherals, like the Digidesign Universal Slave
Driver (USD), can provide both.

Syncing Pro Tools
Pro Tools requires a clock reference, in addition
to time code, to maintain synchronization over
time.
You can resolve Pro Tools to an external clock
reference without locking it to a positional reference. For example, you can use a USD to resolve the Pro Tools sample clock to house sync,

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without synchronizing Pro Tools to external
time code. You should do this if you need all
your work in Pro Tools to match the speed of all
other machines in your facility.

In this way, Pro Tools uses time code for positional information, and a clock reference to
maintain synchronization.

This can be explored further by using a typical
sync situation, with Pro Tools being slaved, using a Universal Slave Driver (USD), to a video
tape recorder, with both machines referenced to
the same house sync or black burst source:

About Positional References

1 When you start the videotape, time code (LTC
or VITC) is read off the tape and routed to the
USD.
2 The USD sends Pro Tools the address of the
first instance of time code it receives (positional
reference). At the same time, based on the house
sync or black burst clock reference, the USD
sends Super Clock information to Pro Tools
(clock reference).
3 Pro Tools takes the first time code address it re-

ceives, and calculates the sample location in the
session that corresponds to the address. Though
you can work with Pro Tools using any standard
time code format, it calculates internally in sample numbers. This means that Pro Tools translates a time code frame address to an exact
sample number.
4 Assuming that the time code address corresponds to a sample number that is within the
Pro Tools session, Pro Tools converts the time
code address to a sample number within the session, and begins playing from that point. The
point that playback starts from is the trigger
point. The clock reference is used by both machines to keep them in sync.
5 At this point, if the videotape is stopped, re-

wound, and started again, the entire process is
repeated, based upon a newly calculated trigger
point.

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Time code is timing information in the form of
a data stream that can be recorded on magnetic
tape as an audio or video signal. Time code can
be used to synchronize the playback and recording of your Pro Tools system with another machine’s transport, such as an analog multitrack
tape machine or a video tape recorder (VTR).

SMPTE and ISO/EBU Time Code
The “Where are we?” question refers to relative
position. To describe position, many professional audio, video, and multimedia devices and
programs use SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture
& Television Engineers) time code. In Europe, a
standard called ISO (International Standards Organization) time code, formerly called EBU (European Broadcasters Union) time code, is generally used. These time code types are almost
exactly the same in terms of how they are represented electronically. However, ISO/EBU time
code works at a fixed rate of 25 fps (frames per
second) and SMPTE includes provisions for several different frame rates. For the purposes of explanation, this chapter will generally refer to
frame-measured timing information as “SMPTE
time code.” This description should be understood to include ISO/EBU and SMPTE time code.

SMPTE Time Code Methods
There are two basic techniques used to record
SMPTE time code onto magnetic tape: LTC (Linear Time Code) and VITC (Vertical Interval Time
Code). LTC is recorded on an audio channel or a
dedicated time code track of the audio or video
device. VITC is recorded within the video signal
in the video “blanking area” of each video

frame. VITC cannot be recorded on audio tracks,
so it has no application when working with audio tape recorders, but it does offer powerful features for post-production professionals who
work with video.
There is also a non-SMPTE form of time code
called MIDI Time Code (MTC) that some devices
use to send timing information.

SMPTE Time Code Units
Time code describes locations in terms of hours,
minutes, seconds, frames, and subframes
(1/100th of a frame). The frame is used as a unit
of time measurement due to SMPTE time code’s
origin in film and video applications. Depending on the SMPTE frame rate, one frame is equal
to 1/24th, 1/25th, 1/29.97th, or 1/30th of a second. For example, a videotape time code reading of “01:12:27:15” would tell us that we were
at a position of one hour, twelve minutes,
twenty-seven seconds, and fifteen frames. However, this time address alone does not tell us
frame rate information.
Because SMPTE stores an absolute time reference
on the tape in the form of time code, any location on that tape can be precisely located by devices that read time code. Once the time code
has been recorded or striped on a tape, it provides a permanent time reference that allows
Pro Tools to link the playback of an event to an
exact tape location. For example, with time code
sync, a gun shot sound effect can be played at
the precise instant that the gun’s flash appears
on-screen.

LTC (Linear Time Code)
LTC is time code that is recorded and played
back, or generated, in the form of an analog audio signal. LTC is supported by many audio and
video tape recorders.

LTC Speed Usage
LTC can be read at high tape shuttle speeds, allowing a machine’s time code reader to communicate with synchronizers at rewind or fast forward speeds exceeding 50 times playback speed
(provided the tape recorder is able to reproduce
the time code at this speed). However, LTC cannot be read at very slow shuttle speeds (such as
when you are “crawling” the tape frame by
frame) or when the machine is paused. With
LTC, the VTR must be running (usually at a minimum speed of about 1/10th normal playback
speed) in order to capture a SMPTE time address.

VITC (Vertical Interval Time Code)
VITC is a type of time code that is recorded and
played as an invisible part of a video signal.
VITC is commonly used in professional video
editing and audio-for-picture applications. Because VITC is recorded as part of each video
frame, it must be recorded at the same time as
the video signal—it cannot be added later as
LTC can. Since VITC cannot be recorded on audio tracks, it is never used to synchronize audioonly recorders. Instead, LTC is most often used
in audio-only applications.

VITC Speed Usage
VITC’s ability to be read when moving a VTR
transport at slow speeds or when the VTR is
paused makes it more useful in audio post-production environments than LTC.
When VITC is used, Pro Tools can capture the
current SMPTE time from the VTR when it is
paused or in “crawl” mode. However, if you are
using additional external transport synchronizers in your setup, most synchronizers cannot

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459

read VITC at speeds exceeding approximately 10
times playback speed, preventing slaved machines from maintaining synchronization during rewind and fast forward.

LTC/VITC Auto-Switching
Many synchronizers and devices support automatic switching between LTC and VITC, depending on the speed, to get the best of both
worlds. For example, VITC might be used when
a VTR is paused, or crawling frame-by frame,
while the synchronizer might automatically
switch to LTC when fast-forwarding.

Bi-Phase/Tach
This electronic pulse stream is used by film mag
recorders, film editing stations, and film projectors. You can use this format to synchronize
Pro Tools if you have a USD. Unlike time code,
bi-phase/tach doesn’t actually contain absolute
location information. It simply supplies speed
(based upon the frequency of the pulses) and direction, and therefore, relative position. Since
the USD can “count” both the speed and direction of the stream of pulses, it can use a biphase/tach source to deduce positional information from a starting “address point.” The difference between bi-phase and tach formats is that
bi-phase encodes rate and direction on a pair of
signals using a format called phase-quadrature,
while tach encodes rate on one signal and direction on the other.

SMPTE Frame Formats
Six different formats of SMPTE time code exist,
and Pro Tools can sync to any format with a
compatible sync peripheral. The supported
SMPTE frame rates are:
• 30 fps (frames per second), also called
30 Non-Drop
• 30 fps Drop frame
• 29.97 fps, also called 29.97 Non-Drop
• 29.97 fps Drop frame
• 25 fps (also called ISO or EBU)
• 24 fps

When you work with NTSC video (the standard in North America), you will generally
work with the NTSC color video standard:
either 29.97 fps Non-Drop or 29.97 fps
Drop frame.

30 fps Frame Format
This is the original SMPTE format developed for
monochrome (black & white) video, and is commonly used in audio-only applications. This format is often referred to as 30 Non-Drop frame
format.

30 fps Drop Frame Format
This format is used for sound recordings done
for film-originated programs that are destined
for NTSC broadcast.

29.97 Non-Drop Frame Format
This format is used with NTSC color video. It
runs at a rate of 29.97 fps.

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29.97 Drop Frame Format

25 fps Frame Format

NTSC color video has an actual frame rate of
29.97 fps, so an hour’s worth of frames
(108,000) running at 29.97 fps Non-Drop will
take slightly longer than one hour of real time
to play. This makes calculating the actual length
of a program difficult when using 29.97 NonDrop time code. A program that spans one hour
of 29.97 Non-Drop time code addresses (e.g.
from 1:00:00:00 to 2:00:00:00) is actually 60
minutes, 3 seconds and 18 frames long.

This format is used with the European PAL video
standard, which runs at a 25 fps frame rate. This
format is also called the EBU (European Broadcast Union) format because it’s used by broadcasters throughout most of Europe.

To make working with 29.97 time code easier for
broadcasters, the SMPTE committee created
29.97 Drop Frame time code, which runs at exactly the same speed as 29.97 Non-Drop (nondrop frame) time code, but compensates for the
slower speed by “dropping” (omitting) two
frames at the top of each minute, with the exception of every 10th minute. For this reason,
the time code address of 1:01:00:00 does not exist in drop frame code because it has been
skipped.

Note that even though time code addresses
are skipped in drop-frame format, actual
frames of video material are not dropped.
At the end of a program that spans precisely one
hour of drop frame time code (1:00:00;00 to
2:00:00;00 for example), exactly one hour of
real time has elapsed.
Although it sounds complicated, drop frame
time code allows broadcasters to rely on time
code values when calculating the true length of
programs, facilitating accurate program scheduling.

24 fps Frame Format
This format is used exclusively for film applications. Film is typically photographed and projected at a 24 fps frame rate, so this SMPTE format is useful when one time code frame should
equal one film frame.

Working with Film-Originated
Material
When you do post-production work in
Pro Tools, you will usually work with video material. However, it is possible that the video you
are working on was shot on film.
Film footage and production sound go through
separate conversion processes before they reach
video, and the audio post-production stage. The
film is transferred to video using a process called
Telecine, using a method called 3:2 Pulldown.
Audio can also be pulled down during the transfer, or you might end up working with audio
that has not been adjusted (production sound).
Typically during the Telecine process, a master
digital video tape is created, along with a work
copy on 3/4” analog video tape for the picture
editor to use. At the same time, a new audio
master may be created by slowing down, or
“pulling down” by 0.1%, the production sound
to compensate for the change in speed from film
to NTSC video.

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Guide Tracks
In the Video editing process, the audio track
produced by the video editor (the “guide track”)
is rough and needs to be enhanced and improved by the audio engineer. For this reason,
the audio engineer will need to re-edit the original sound elements in a process known as conforming.

fields, creating what is called a 3:2 Pulldown.
The speed of the film is also “pulled down” to
23.976 fps in order to accommodate the slower
speed of NTSC color video compared to NTSC
black and white video (29.97 fps compared to
30 fps.
Film frames

Telecine machine

converts film frames
to video fields using
3:2 Pulldown

Digital video
master
29.97 fps

11 12 23 33 44
Video fields
How film frames translate to video fields in a
3:2 Pulldown

Analog video
“work tape”
29.97 fps

Production audio
30 fps Non-Drop
48 kHz

Sample rate conversion
or A-D-A (analog stage)

Telecine
“simo” DAT
29.97 fps
48 kHz

The Telecine stage of video post-production

3:2 Pulldown

462

Film Speed Differs from NTSC
Video Speed
The new NTSC Telecine master tapes will always
run at 29.97 fps during post-production, so the
original production sound rolls (at 30 fps) will
be too fast, and therefore out of sync with the
video. Some adjustment of this audio may be required.

A film clip that lasts 1000 seconds consists of
24,000 film frames (pictures). If you want to
transfer that film to 1000 seconds worth of
NTSC color video, you have to “fit” 24,000 film
frames into 29,970.02997 video frames.

When spotting audio to video that was transferred from film to NTSC video, there are two
important terms to keep in mind: film speed
and video speed.

If we use the black and white NTSC video standard (30 fps) instead of 29.97 fps, the process of
converting film frames to video frames is greatly
simplified. Now instead of any fractional
frames, we have 24,000 film frames going into
30,000 video frames (60,000 video fields). In the
Telecine process (for NTSC color video), each
odd film frame is copied to two video fields, and
each even film frame is copied to three video

Film Speed Film speed refers to audio that was
recorded and plays back in synchronization
with the original film material. This audio often
comes from production reels recorded on a Nagra® recorder or a field DAT recorder, and is usually striped with 30 Non-Drop time code. Film
speed audio runs at the same speed as the film
camera or projector, and must be pulled down
by 0.1% to synchronize with 29.97 video.

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Video Speed Video speed refers to audio that is
running at the NTSC color standard of
29.97 fps. Video speed is 0.1% slower than film
speed, so audio that is still at film speed will be
out of sync with the video. Usually, you will be
working at video speed, though Digidesign and
Avid do provide several options for film speed
(24 fps) support.

Pull Up and Pull Down
Pull Up and Pull Down are terms used to refer to
the deliberate recalibration of the audio sample
rate clock (speed, or musical pitch) in order to
compensate for a speed change. Pro Tools can be
used to pull down or pull up audio for use with
NTSC video. Pro Tools does not support Pull Up
or Pull Down sample rates for converting between PAL and NTSC video.
Pull Down allows you is to play back film originated material at video speed (-0.1%). Pull Up
allows you to play back video speed material at
film speed (+0.1%).
Using Pro Tools in Pull Up or Pull Down modes
requires a USD, SSD, or a third-party synchronizer that supports 256x clock output and Pull
Up and Pull Down sample rates. The VSD can be
used for Pull Down, but does not support Pull
Up mode.

When to Pull Up or Pull Down
There are many ways to get audio into Pro Tools
for post-production. Consider your source audio
and your final destination format carefully. In
some cases, audio will already be pulled down
for you. In other cases, audio will have to be
temporarily pulled down. In still other cases,
you may choose to pull down your audio
source, like a DAT deck, then use a D-A-D (digital-to-analog-to-digital) conversion to record
the audio into Pro Tools at the proper sample

rate. Or you may choose only to pull Pro Tools
up or down on delivery of the audio. Refer to the
online document FilmSync.pdf installed with
your Pro Tools documentation, for detailed
Pull Up/Down workflow information.

Final Audio Destination: Film
If your final destination is film, your source audio is at film speed, and your goal is to edit and
mix audio in Pro Tools and then lay back to a
device that runs at film speed (such as mag or
time code DAT), you can temporarily pull down
the audio in Pro Tools for NTSC video work,
then return the audio back to film speed when
you’re finished.
For example, film speed audio from a Nagra machine that is referenced to 30 fps time code is recorded into your Pro Tools system at a sample
rate of 44.1 or 48 kHz. Keeping in mind that
film speed is faster than video speed, select
30 fps in your Session Setup window in
Pro Tools, and record in your audio online and
referenced to the time code on the Nagra.
Once all the audio has been recorded, and you
are locked to a video work print (at video speed),
enable Pull Down. If you are using a Digidesign
USD, SSD, or VSD, select Pull Down in the Session Setup window. (You also have to select Pull
Down manually on the front of the VSD.) If
your synchronizer is not a Digidesign product,
select Pull Down on the front of your synchronizer, then enable Pull Down in the Pro Tools
Session Setup window. At this point, it is highly
recommended that you verify whether the
video you’re working with is striped with 29.97
Drop Frame or Non-Drop Frame time code.
While in Pull Down mode, you can work with
your reference video and everything will remain
in sync and run at the proper speed (assuming
your system is completely resolved).

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Once you are ready to lay back your completed
project to an audio device running at film speed,
deselect Pull Down in the Session Setup window, and from your synchronizer if it is not a
USD or SSD. Then change your time code frame
rate in the Pro Tools session back to 30 fps.
Once Pull Down has been deselected, the audio
played back from Pro Tools will synchronize
perfectly with the edited film.
Alternatively, you can pull down the source audio deck while recording audio into Pro Tools,
work at 29.97 fps with no Pull-Down selected in
Pro Tools, and then switch to 30 Non-Drop
frame format, and select Pull Up during the delivery stage. You will have to perform a sample
rate conversion on the audio either digitally or
by using an analog stage (D-A-D).

Final Audio Destination: Video
If you are working with video that was transferred from film, your audio source is at film
speed, and the final layback destination is NTSC
video (or television), and you would like to provide a digital transfer to your clients, you will
need to alter the above recipe slightly. Keep in
mind that when you are working in Pull Down
mode, your active sample rate is 44.056 kHz (if
the audio was recorded at 44.1 kHz) or 47.952
kHz (if the audio was recorded at 48 kHz).

Pull Down the Audio Source
Some professional DAT machines will let you
pull down the sample rate to 44.056 kHz (and
47.952 kHz). You can record this audio into
Pro Tools using a D-A-D (digital-to-analog-todigital) process. Then your audio will be at the
correct speed for the remainder of the project,
since the final destination is video, and no Pull
Down or Pull Up is necessary.

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Pull Up Pro Tools While Recording
If you cannot pull down your source, you can
accomplish the same thing by Pulling Up
Pro Tools, and setting your SMPTE frame format
to 30 fps, before recording in the production
sound. First select 30 fps as the frame format in
the Session Setup window. Then select Pull Up
in the Session Setup window (and on your synchronizer if it isn’t a USD or SSD) before you
record in the production audio. In this case,
while the production audio is running at 44.1 or
48 kHz, Pro Tools is running (and recording) at
a rate of 44.144 or 48.048 kHz. After all the production audio has been recorded into Pro Tools,
deselect Pull Up in the Session Setup window
and on your hardware synchronizer if it is not a
USD or SSD. After you deselect Pull Up, the recorded audio will play back 0.1% slower, synchronized with the video, while achieving a true
playback sample rate of 44.1 or 48 kHz. Note
that this process is designed for a final destination of video; to bring this audio back up to film
speed you would have to pull up Pro Tools and
record to a destination that is not Pulled Up.

Note on Sample Rate Conversion
In many cases, you have to perform a sample
rate conversion at some point, either digitally,
or by recording in audio using an analog stage
(D-A-D). The only situation where sample rate
conversion never has to be performed is when
you are working with film speed audio and your
final destination format is film. Then you can
simply pull down Pro Tools while you work with
the video, then deselect Pull Down to set the audio back to film speed.

Using Digital Input
Do not set Pro Tools channels 1 and 2 to Digital
Input while working with Pull Up or Pull Down.
This will override the USD’s clock reference setting.

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Chapter 35: Time Code Synchronization

Synchronization (sync) allows connected systems or devices to start and stop their transports
together, and, in some cases, to adjust transport
speeds to maintain accurate synchronization of
audio and video material during playback.
Pro Tools is synchronized to other devices using
SMPTE time code or MIDI Time Code. For a discussion of different SMPTE formats, and other
concepts related to time code, refer to
Chapter 34, “Synchronization Concepts.”

SMPTE Trigger with an Externally
Resolved Peripheral
(TDM Systems Only)
This solution uses a Universal Slave Driver
(USD), Video Slave Driver (VSD), or equivalent
third-party device, resolved with a black burst or
“house sync” generator, or using external word
clock, to control playback and recording speed
in Pro Tools. Accurate long-term sync can be
achieved when all transports within the system
are resolved to a common sync source.

Pro Tools Sync Options
You have four choices for synchronizing
Pro Tools to an external source:

SMPTE Trigger Only
This solution is useful for short projects, but
may result in timing errors if you are working
with lengthy program material and an unstable
sync source. This is the only option available on
Pro Tools LE systems.

SMPTE Trigger with an External
Peripheral Slaved to LTC
SMPTE Trigger can be used with the optional
USD, SMPTE Slave Driver (SSD), or equivalent
third-party device to resolve Pro Tools recording/playback speed while slaving to LTC. This
enables longterm, accurate synchronization by
resolving to any variations in incoming time
code.

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467

SMPTE Resolved with USD
(TDM Systems Only)
You can use the optional USD, or an equivalent
third-party device, to resolve Pro Tools recording/playback speed with any of the following
clock reference sources while slaving Pro Tools
to LTC:
• Video source
• Video black burst or house sync
• VITC

For instructions on connecting an external
sync peripheral to your Pro Tools system,
refer to the TDM Installation Guide.

The Session Setup Window
The Session Setup window allows you to configure various time code-related parameters on
your system. The following settings can be adjusted in this window:

• 1x Word Clock
• AES/EBU “null” clock
• 256x slave clock
• Pilot Tone
• Bi-Phase
Session Setup window

This enables long-term, high-fidelity synchronization when all transports within the system are
resolved to this common sync source, or by resolving to any variations in incoming time code
while slaving to LTC.

Sample Rate
This allows you to set the sample rate for the
current session. Choices are 48,000 Hz (48 kHz)
or 44,100 Hz (44.1 kHz). 44,100 Hz is the sample rate used on audio compact discs.

Other USD and SSD Sync Options

468

By adding a USD or SSD to your Pro Tools TDM
system, you can use Pro Tools as the master device in your synchronization setup. All other devices are then slaved to Pro Tools.

Bit Depth

You can use Pro Tools in conjunction with either the USD or SSD to generate SMPTE LTC,
MIDI Time Code, Slave Clock, or MMC messages. When either the SSD or USD is reading incoming SMPTE time code from the SMPTE In
connector, it regenerates the time code through
the SMPTE Out connector. This signal can be
passed along to other slave devices.

Mixer

Pro Tools Reference Guide

This display-only area indicates the bit depth for
the current session.

This area indicates the type of the Pro Tools
mixer in use. On TDM systems, the mixer field
will display the current mixer in use: either 16bit Optimized or 24-bit Optimized. “CPU
Mixer” is displayed in this field on a
Pro Tools LE system.

Sync Mode

Ch 1-2 Input (TDM Systems Only)

This allows you to choose the clock mode for
your master Audio Interface, Audiomedia III
card, or Digi 001. Choices are Internal or Digital
on an Audio Interface or Audiomedia III card,
and Internal, Optical, or S/PDIF (RCA) on the
Digi 001.

This allows you to choose an audio input format
(analog or digital) for channels 1 and 2 of your
master Audio Interface.

Internal Sync Mode In internal sync mode, your
system will reference your Digidesign card or peripheral’s quartz crystal oscillator and play back
at the sample rate selected in the Sample Rate
field.
Digital Sync Mode (including Optical and S/PDIF
on Digi 001) In digital sync mode, your system’s
sample rate is adjusted to match the sample rate
received from the selected digital peripheral. In
digital sync mode, your Pro Tools sync rate must
match the rate received by your digital peripheral. Incorrectly set peripheral devices will result
in incorrect playback speeds when your system
is set back to internal sync mode.
With TDM systems, the Session Setup window
provides a source link feature that toggles the
sync mode of your audio interface when you
switch your input source from analog to digital.
This helps to ensure that the clock source for
your system will match the digital input source
when you are working.
You can override this toggled behavior by
changing the pop-ups to the opposite choice.
For example, if you are using a master AES/EBU
null clock or video black burst signal source as
the master sync source for all digital audio devices in your studio setup, your Sync Mode popup should be set to digital at all times. In this
case, Pro Tools uses this master sync source as a
reference.

Audio Format
This display-only area indicates the file format
for files recorded in the session.

Session Start
This allows you to specify a SMPTE start frame
location for your session. The SMPTE value that
you enter here will be used to trigger playback
and record when Pro Tools is online. See “Setting a SMPTE Start Frame” on page 472.

Current Time
This displays incoming time code.

Frame Rate
This allows you to set the SMPTE frame rate for
the current session.

Generate Time Code
This allows Pro Tools to output time code using
a USD (communicating directly via a serial
port), or using a SSD (communicating via a serial
port or using MIDI sysex via a designated OMS
destination port). Generating time code is covered in the section “Generating Time Code” on
page 474.
Using Peripheral This option outputs time code
from the Device type selected in the Synchronization page of the Peripherals dialog.
MTC to Port This option outputs MIDI Time
Code to the MIDI destination selected in the
pop-up menu.

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469

Time Code Freewheel

Sync Offset

This allows Pro Tools to continue playback if
time code is interrupted or corrupted. Use this
to protect against errors that can occur if your
SMPTE time code source has “drop outs” or temporary lost signals.

This field allows you to set a “trigger offset” for
incoming MIDI Time Code (anywhere from
–100000 to +100000 samples). This allows you
to create a permanent offset to fine-tune the
point at which Pro Tools syncs relative to incoming time code. For example, a value of -50
makes an event in Pro Tools occur 50 samples
before the same event in the incoming MIDI
Time Code. Use this to compensate for timing
differences between various SMPTE-to-MIDI
Time Code converters or analog-to-digital/digital-to-analog converters.

Frames This option allows you to freewheel
from 1 to 120 frames. This value defaults to 8
frames, which is the recommended setting for
most applications.
Jam Sync This option allows Pro Tools to trigger
sync to incoming time code, and continue to
play back even if time code input is completely
interrupted. It can be useful if time code is damaged, or has been accidentally erased from your
source tape.

Sample Rate Pull Up/Down
When Pro Tools is used in conjunction with a
SSD, VSD, USD, or third-party synchronizer that
supports 256x clock output and Pull Down sample rates, this option allows you to “pull up” or
“pull down” the current sample rate. This is
used with film-originated material when working with NTSC-standard SMPTE frame rates
only. For a full explanation of film-originated
scenarios, see “Working with Film-Originated
Material” on page 461.
Pull Up This speeds up the current sample rate to
100.1%. A 48 kHz sample rate is sped up to
48.048 kHz. A 44.1 kHz sample rate is sped up to
44.144 kHz.
Pull Down This slows the current sample rate to
99.9%. A 48 kHz sample rate is slowed to
47.952 kHz. A 44.1 kHz sample rate is slowed to
44.056 kHz.

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Sync Offset Voice Usage
For TDM systems, recording with a Sync Offset
requires two voices for each record-enabled
track. In addition, to simultaneously record on
32 tracks with a Sync Offset on a Pro Tools 24
MIX system (which allocates voices to either of
two DSP engines, 1–32 and 33–64), the tracks
must be evenly distributed between the two
DSPs, (for instance, tracks 1–16 assigned to
voices 1–16 and tracks 17–32 assigned to voices
33–48).

Variable Speed Override
Variable Speed Override (VSO) requires a USD
(or SSD). When a USD is connected to Pro Tools,
the Session Setup window expands to display
additional controls for VSO, clock, and Positional Reference (see Figure 32).

If you do not know the frame rate of a tape, the
SSD and USD show incoming frame rate on
their front panel LED indicators. These devices
cannot distinguish between 29.97 fps and
30 fps, but they can determine whether the incoming frame rate is drop frame or non-drop
frame. With NTSC video, the frame rate is most
likely 29.97 fps Drop or 29.97 fps Non-Drop.

Configuring Pro Tools for
SMPTE

Figure 32. Session Setup window with USD

Refer to the USD Guide for instructions on using
VSO to varispeed Pro Tools playback.

Preparing to Work with SMPTE
The first step when preparing to work with
SMPTE is to choose an appropriate SMPTE frame
rate.

SMPTE Formats
Pro Tools supports all standard SMPTE frame
rates. For a full explanation of these SMPTE
frame rates, see “SMPTE Frame Formats” on
page 460.

Determining SMPTE Frame Rate

MachineControl is supported on TDM systems only.
Synchronization and MachineControl™ system
parameters are set in the Pro Tools Peripherals
dialog box. These parameters, such as sync peripheral setups, MIDI Machine Control, MachineControl, and machine pre-roll, are system settings, and remain constant regardless of the
particular session you are working on.
Other parameters, which are configured in the
Session Setup window, such as the session frame
rate, the session start frame, and time display
format, are session-specific parameters. These parameters can only be configured when a session
is open.

Selecting a SMPTE Format
To choose a SMPTE format:
1 Choose Windows > Show Session Setup.

Of course, it’s always best to determine the
SMPTE frame rate through labeling procedures
or communication, but this is not always possible.

2 In the pop-up Frame Rate menu, select the
SMPTE frame format appropriate to your session.
3 Enter the Time Code Freewheel frames (if any)

in the designated box. See “Time Code Freewheel” on page 470 for more information.
Chapter 35: Time Code Synchronization

471

Setting a SMPTE Start Frame
The Session Setup window also allows you to set
a SMPTE Start Frame for your session. Video
work tapes are rarely striped beginning at a
SMPTE frame address of 00:00:00:00. You can
quickly enter a start time for your session based
on an appropriate frame number from your
project tape. The Pro Tools SMPTE-related functions (such as Spot mode) will then use this
value as their reference for the session’s start
point.

Start Time When Striping Tape
If you are generating time code, it is a good practice to stripe your time code beginning at
01:00:00:00. This prevents problems that can
occur with some synchronizers when the striped
time code crosses from 23:59:59:29 to
00:00:00:00 (commonly referred to as the “midnight” boundary).
To set a SMPTE Start Frame for your session:
1 Choose Windows > Show Session Setup.
2 Enable playback of your SMPTE time code

source. Any SMPTE-to-MTC converter device
you are using should indicate that it is properly
receiving time code via its indicators. If
Pro Tools is receiving MTC (or proprietary sync
code via the USD), the Current Time counter
will update its display (in bold numbers) to
match the incoming code.

Current Time displayed in Session Setup window

This display is useful for troubleshooting time
code problems, and it should update regardless
of the current Pro Tools Session Start time.

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Pro Tools Reference Guide

3 Enter a SMPTE frame number in the Session
Start field.

– or –
4 To capture an incoming SMPTE address, press

the equal key. You can then edit the captured
address. The session uses the frame number you
enter as its SMPTE start frame when online.
If there are existing regions on the tracks and
you are changing the original SMPTE start frame
to a later time (from 00:00:00:00 to 01:00:00:00,
for example), all existing regions on tracks will
remain in their relative positions, but will start
later by the time value added to the start frame.
5 If there are existing regions on the tracks and
you are changing the original SMPTE start frame
to an earlier time, do one of the following:
■ Click Maintain Time Code to place the additional session time at the start of the session,
and keep existing regions in their original time
code locations.

– or –
■ Click Maintain Relative Position to place the
additional session time at the start of the session, and maintain the relative position of existing regions to the new start frame. For example,
if you change the session start frame from
01:00:00:00 to 00:59:00:00, Pro Tools adds one
minute of session time to accommodate the new
start frame, and moves all existing regions earlier in time to maintain their relative position to
the start frame.

Displaying Time in SMPTE Frames

To work with a pull down/up sample rate:

(TDM Systems Only)

1 Choose Setups > Peripherals and click Synchronization.

You can set the Main Time Scale indicator to
Time Code. Though Pro Tools will still synchronize to incoming SMPTE time code if the Time
Scale is displayed in Bars:Beats, Minutes:Seconds, or Feet.Frames, it is usually more useful to
use SMPTE time code as your reference.
To set the Main Time Scale to SMPTE Time Code:
■

2 Choose the Universal Slave Driver or SMPTE
Slave Driver from the Device pop-up menu and
select the appropriate port from the Port pop-up
menu.
3 Choose Windows > Show Session Setup. Notice the additional field for the SSD or USD at
the bottom of this window.

Choose Display > Time Code.
– or –

Click the Main Time Scale selector in the Edit
window, and select Time Code.

■

Selecting a Time Scale format

Session Setup window showing the SSD enabled

Pro Tools will display time code values in the
currently selected SMPTE frame rate.

Sub Time Scale Display
You can also display a Sub Time Scale. For example, if the Main Time Scale is set to Time Code,
and you want to compare SMPTE time to “wall
clock,” when you are using 29.97 Non-Drop
frame rate, you can select Min:Secs as the Sub
Time Scale.

Configuring Pull Up/Pull Down
using a USD or SSD
If you have a Digidesign USD or SSD and are
working with material that has been pulled
down or up, do the following:

Session Setup window showing the USD enabled
4 Choose the frame rate for your session from
the pop-up menu. This frame rate might be
30 fps (Drop or Non-Drop) or 29.97 fps (Drop or
Non-Drop) depending on the requirements of
your material. See “When to Pull Up or Pull
Down” on page 463 for more information.
5 In the Sample Rate Pull Up/Down field, enable
the Pull Up or Pull Down option as appropriate.

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473

This procedure will also work with a VSD or a
third-party synchronizer that supports 256x Super Clock and Pull Up/Pull Down, with the following exceptions:
• You have to enable Pull Up or Pull Down in
the Session Setup window and on the front of
your synchronizer, and
• The VSD does not support Pull Up sample
rates.

Putting Pro Tools Online
To trigger playback or recording from an external source, you put Pro Tools online, or set it to
look for incoming time code.
To put Pro Tools online:
■

Recording Online
The Operation page of the Preferences dialog
(Setups > Preferences) contains two options that
affect how Pro Tools initiates recording when
online.
Record Online At Insertion/Selection Online recording begins wherever you have placed the insertion point in a track. Recording then continues until Pro Tools stops receiving time code. If
you make a selection in a track, Pro Tools will
record online only for the length of the selection.
Record Online at Time Code (or ADAT) Lock Online recording begins as soon as Pro Tools receives and locks to time code or ADAT sync. In
this case, you don’t need to make an insertion or
selection in a track to designate a start point.

Choose Operations > Online.
– or –

Click the Online button at the far left of the
Transport.

■

The Online button blinks and Pro Tools waits
for a SMPTE frame to trigger playback. When
time code is received, playback begins and the
Online button becomes highlighted. The Location Indicators in the upper right of the Edit
window, and the Current Time field in the Session Setup window, display the incoming timecode.
You can take Pro Tools offline by deselecting
Operations > Online, or by deselecting the Online button in the Transport window.

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Online recording options

Generating Time Code
This section describes how you generate time
code from Pro Tools using the SSD or the USD.
To generate time code using the SSD:
1 Connect the SMPTE OUT connector of the
SSD to the SMPTE IN connector of the device
you are slaving. If you are slaving a device that
recognizes MTC and you want to use MTC instead of SMPTE, connect the MTC OUT connector of the SSD to the MIDI IN connector of the
device you are slaving.

2 On the Macintosh, make sure your SSD is
powered on and connected to the Modem or
Printer port. Also, make sure that the Mac
Port/MIDI Port switch on the back of the SSD is
set to Mac Port. In Windows, connect the MTC
OUT connector on the SSD to a MIDI IN connector on your MIDI interface, then connect to
MIDI in connector on the SSD to a MIDI OUT
connector on your MIDI interface. If you are using Windows, skip to step 14.

12 Choose Windows > Show Session Setup and

choose the appropriate frame and sample rates.
13 In the Generate Time Code field, select the
“Using SSD” option.
14 Select the desired Clock Reference mode
from the Clock Reference pop-up menu in the
Session Setup window.

3 On a Macintosh, choose Setups > OMS Studio
Setup.

Selecting the Clock Reference for the SSD
4 Choose Studio > MIDI Cards and Interfaces,

and click Update Setup. Select the port that the
SSD is connected to, then click Search.

15 Put Pro Tools online (see “Putting Pro Tools
Online” on page 118) and click Play.

5 Confirm that “Std. Interface” appears in the
OMS Studio Setup window. Save the document
and make it your current setup.

When playback begins, Pro Tools generates time
code via the SSD. If Pro Tools detects incoming
time code on its sync peripheral, it locks to the
incoming code (as in normal online operation).

6 Double-click the “Std. Interface” icon. Set it to
1 MHz, and deselect the Synchronizer option.
7 Choose Studio > New Device, and name the

device “SSD.”
8 Deselect “Is controller” and “Is multitimbral,”

and enable both “Sends” and “Receives” MIDI
Time Code, then click OK.
9 In the OMS Setup window, connect the SSD
icon to the “Std. Interface” icon.
10 Choose Edit > Preferences. Be sure both the
“Use Serial DMA driver when available” and
“Report serial overrun and framing errors” options are deselected, and click OK. If you have to
change this setting, you must restart your computer.
11 In Pro Tools, choose Setups > Peripherals,
and select the Macintosh port or MIDI interface
port that the SSD is connected to.

Generating SMPTE or MIDI Time
Code Using a USD
Using a USD, Pro Tools can generate SMPTE or
MTC. You can then make Pro Tools a master
synchronization source with other devices
slaved to it.

USD cannot generate 24 fps time code while
locked to video
The USD cannot generate 24 fps time code
while it is locked to a video clock signal. If you
set Pro Tools to generate 24 fps time code while
the USD is locked to a video clock signal, the
USD will actually generate at the NTSC color
standard 29.97 Non-Drop Frame rate. Pro Tools
can generate time code at non-NTSC frame rates
if you use the USD’s internal clock as a sync
source.

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475

To generate time code using a USD:
1 Connect the SMPTE out of the USD to the
SMPTE in connector on the devices you are slaving. Refer to the USD Guide to determine how to
make these connections for your system. If you
are slaving a device that recognizes MTC and
you want to use MTC instead of SMPTE, connect
the MTC OUT connector of the USD to the MIDI
IN connector of the slaved device.

9 If desired, close the Session Setup window.
Confirm that your chosen parameters have been
received by the USD. If not, check your connections and the settings in the Session Setup window.
10 Click the Online button on the Transport,
then click Play. Pro Tools generates and outputs
time code from the USD.

2 Make sure your USD is powered on.
3 In Pro Tools, choose Setups > Peripherals and

click Synchronization.
4 Select USD from the Device pop-up.
5 Select the Macintosh port or Windows serial
port where the USD is connected.
6 Choose Windows > Show Session Setup, and
choose the appropriate frame and sample rates.
7 In the Generate Time Code field, select the

“Using USD” option.
8 Click on the Clock Reference pop-up menu to
show USD modes. Select the desired clock reference.

– or –
On the front panel of the USD, set the desired
clock reference mode.

Selecting the Clock Reference for the USD

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Syncing a Sequencer to
Pro Tools on the Macintosh
A common application for generating time code
with Pro Tools is slaving an OMS-compatible sequencer to a Pro Tools session.

Setting the Clock Master
The exact synchronization setup your sequencer
requires will vary depending on the software
and your OMS setup, but Pro Tools must be the
clock master. Since Pro Tools provides the audio
sample clock for your system, synchronization
errors will occur over time if Pro Tools is not designated as the master.
The following instructions describe the general
procedure.

You can use Pro Tools MMC to synchronize
with an OMS/MMC-compatible sequencer
or an external MMC-compatible device
such as an ADAT or DA-88. See “Controlling External Devices using MMC” on
page 479.

To slave an OMS-compatible MIDI sequencer to
Pro Tools:
Make sure the OMS IAC Driver is installed in
the OMS Folder inside your System Folder. If
necessary, run the Pro Tools Installer to install
OMS with the OMS IAC driver. Refer to the TDM
Installation Guide for details.

■

In OMS Setup:
1 Choose Edit > Preferences, and make sure the
“Use Apple Serial DMA driver when available”
option is not selected. Click OK.

Always make sure the Apple Serial DMA
driver is not being used by OMS. It can prevent proper communication with MIDI devices. You must restart your computer any
time you enable or disable the Apple Serial
DMA driver.
2 Choose Edit > OMS MIDI Setup, and select the
“Run MIDI in background” option.
3 Choose Studio > MIDI Cards & Interfaces,
then click Update Setup. If you are using a serial
MIDI interface, enable the appropriate port and
click Search.
4 Confirm that the OMS IAC driver appears in
the OMS Studio Setup window. If it does, save
the document and make it your current setup.
5 In the OMS Studio Setup window, define an

IAC Bus by double-clicking the IAC Driver icon,
and typing IAC1, for example, in the first field
(this provides a unique name for this particular
IAC bus).

IAC Driver icon in the OMS Studio Setup

In the Sequencer application:

Different sequencers require different setup
steps and different configurations. For information on the procedure suggested here,
refer to your sequencer documentation. Note
that this procedure may differ for your sequencer.
6 Enable IAC1 (the IAC bus you defined in OMS
setup). Different sequencers operate in different
ways, so refer to your sequencer’s documentation
7 Set the sequencer to receive MIDI Time Code
(MTC).
8 Set IAC1 as the device to receive sync information from.
9 Select the SMPTE Format (frame rate) that
matches Pro Tools (30 fps or 29.97
non drop fps, for example).
10 Set the SMPTE start frame for your session.
11 Set your sequencer to wait for note input
from the sync device.
12 Start playback in the sequencer. It should indicate that it is waiting for sync.

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477

In Pro Tools:
13 Select Operations > Active in Background.

Syncing a Sequencer to
Pro Tools in Windows

14 Choose Windows > Show Session Setup.
15 In the Session Setup window, choose an ap-

propriate frame rate.
16 Select the SMPTE Start Frame to match the
start frame in your sequencer. If the sequence
starts at 00:01:00:00, you could set the Pro Tools
Session to start earlier (for example, at
00:59:58:00) to allow some pre-roll.
17 Enable the MTC to Port option in the Output

Time Code box. Select IAC1 as the MTC destination.
18 Click Play or press the Spacebar to start play-

back. Pro Tools will send MIDI Time Code to the
sequencer via the IAC port and trigger synchronized playback. Click Stop in the Transport or
press the Space bar again to stop playback.
Once synchronized playback is operating correctly, you can record new takes in Pro Tools
while listening to MIDI playback from your sequencer. Follow the procedure described above
for synchronized playback, then record new material in Pro Tools by following the recording
procedures in the Recording section of this
manual.

You should also be able to record new MIDI
tracks while the sequencer is slaved to
Pro Tools. See your sequencer documentation for details on recording while the sequencer is in an external synchronization
mode.

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These instructions require the use of a physical MIDI port. While several “virtual”
MIDI cable applications do exist for interapplication MIDI communication in Windows, such software devices have not been
qualified to work with Pro Tools.
To synchronize Pro Tools to a Windows sequencer:
1 Make sure your MIDI interface is correctly installed and configured. You must do this before
proceeding.
2 Choose one pair of input/output ports on
your MIDI interface to use as your sync “loop”
for application-to-application MIDI communication.
3 Connect a MIDI cable from that port’s output
to the same port’s input (for example, port 1 out
to port 1 in).
4 In Pro Tools, select the appropriate in/out
ports when making your selections for MIDI
source and/or destination ports.

• If you are slaving your sequencer to Pro Tools,
select the appropriate port in the Session
Setup window’s MTC to Port pop-up menu.
• If you are slaving Pro Tools to your sequencer,
select the appropriate port in the Pro Tools Peripherals > Synchronization window.
5 In your sequencer, select the appropriate
in/out ports for MTC source/destination.

Using MIDI Machine Control
Pro Tools provides the capability to transmit location information to external devices, and to
control their transports, using MIDI Machine
Control (MMC).

Controlling External Devices using
MMC
Any device that supports MMC (such as an Alesis ADAT or Tascam DA-88) can be controlled directly from within Pro Tools, with either the device or Pro Tools acting as clock master.

Macintosh
Pro Tools on the Macintosh uses OMS to facilitate MIDI Machine Control. In order to use
MMC with Pro Tools you must configure your
MMC device to “Receive” and “Send” MIDI Machine Control in OMS. For details, see “Using
MMC to Sync an ADAT to Pro Tools on the Macintosh” on page 481.

By using the OMS IAC bus, you can also
make a MIDI sequencer act as location
master. Refer to your OMS and MMC-compatible device documentation for details.

Windows
The external devices supported by Pro Tools implement “open loop” communications only. Because of this, while Pro Tools is the transport
master, any direct operation of the receiving device’s transport will not be communicated back
to Pro Tools. Instead, you can use the Transport
pop-up to select the external device (MMC in
the pop-up) and use the Pro Tools on-screen
transport controls to drive the device.
Pro Tools does not support remote track arming
of MMC-controlled external devices. You need
to manually arm tracks for recording on the external device.

Digidesign’s MachineControl option supports remote track arming for Sony 9-pin
and V-LAN enabled devices. See “Remote
Track Arming” on page 481.

Pro Tools in Windows uses your Multimedia
Setup to determine which MIDI devices are
available, and what their properties are. Refer to
your device’s installation and usage documentation to properly configure the device.

Enabling MIDI Machine Control in
Pro Tools
To enable MIDI Machine Control:
1 Choose Setups > Peripherals, then click Synchronization.
2 Select your synchronization peripheral from
the Synchronization/Device pop-up. If you are
using a MIDI interface, select “Generic MTC
Reader.”

If using a USD or SSD, set the Port to Any.
3 Select the appropriate port for synchronization information. This is the port to which your
synchronization peripheral is attached.

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479

4 Click the Machine Control button at the top
of the window to open this page of the Peripherals dialog.

8 Click OK to close the Peripherals dialog.
Pro Tools will now be able to control the selected device’s transport.

Operating the Pro Tools Transport with
MMC
To control external devices from the Pro Tools
Transport:
■ Select either Pro Tools or MMC from the
Transport pop-up in the Pro Tools Transport
window. The selected item will act as Transport
Master.

Machine Control page of the Peripherals dialog
5 In the MIDI Machine Control section, enable
MMC.
6 Select your external device from the Send To

pop-up. The list of available devices is determined by the OMS devices configured in your
OMS Studio Setup (Macintosh), or by your Windows Multimedia setup.
The port on which this information will be
transmitted is set in the “ID” field. MMC commands contain an ID number to identify which
machine should respond to the MMC command. There are 128 MMC ID numbers, from 0127. The default of ID #127 is a special setting
that broadcasts to all 128 MMC IDs. With this
setting, any device on the specified port will respond to MMC commands.
7 Set a preroll time for your MMC device. Preroll

is needed to provide Pro Tools with sufficient
time to lock to the incoming time code. This
value will vary depending on the external device. If the preroll time is insufficient, Pro Tools
may not be ready to lock until after the current
time code position has passed.

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Pro Tools Reference Guide

Choosing a Transport Master

When the Transport Master is set to Pro Tools,
the playback position is governed by the onscreen cursor in Pro Tools.
When the Transport Master is set to MMC, the
playback position is governed by the external
device’s play position

Machine Transport Settings
When using MMC, you can set the following
options for machine transport behavior in the
Operation page of the Preferences dialog.
Machine Chases Memory Location With this option enabled, navigating to a specific location in
a session with a Memory Location causes a connected transport to chase to that location.
Machine Follows Edit Insertion/Scrub With this
option enabled, navigating to a specific location
in a session by moving the selection point or by
scrubbing a track causes a connected transport
to chase to that location.

Remote Track Arming
Digidesign’s MachineControl™ option for
Pro Tools allows you to remotely arm tracks on
supported 9-pin or V-LAN decks. Without MachineControl, Pro Tools does not support remote track arming of external devices. MachineControl is a DAE Extension that allows Pro Tools
to act as the master or slave to external Sony 9pin or V-LAN machines, in addition to providing remote track arming from within Pro Tools.
Contact your Digidesign Dealer for information
about the MachineControl option.

Setting Minimum Sync Delay
Lock up delay is the amount of time your system’s devices need to achieve synchronization
“lock.” This amount varies for each device.
Pro Tools lock up delay is set by entering a value
for Minimum Sync Delay in the Synchronization window of the Peripherals dialog. The minimum delay is 15 frames. Find the shortest possible lock-up time that your equipment can
operates at consistently, and set this as the Minimum Sync Delay. On some machines, enabling
the Use Serial time code setting will make machines lock up much faster.

Configuring Minimum Sync Delay for External
MMC Devices Locked to House Sync
When controlling a house-synced device from
Pro Tools via MMC, the device will first lock to
the MMC location and then align the color
framing. Within house sync code are 4 frames
for ensuring color frame lock. If the minimum
synchronization set up time is less than the time
required to achieve both location and color
frame lock, playback will begin before the de-

vice has aligned the color frames. In this scenario, you should set the Minimum Sync Delay
to be more than the time required for color
frame lock. This is not a problem with the USD,
which will drop out of lock until the color frame
is locked.

Using MMC to Sync an ADAT to
Pro Tools on the Macintosh
The following section presents an example of
how you can use MMC to slave an ADAT to
Pro Tools on a Macintosh using OMS.

Setup Description:
Hardware: Pro Tools system (Macintosh), Opcode Studio 64X MIDI Interface, JL Cooper
DataSync II, Alesis ADAT.
Software: Pro Tools, OMS
Cable Connections: The Studio 64X’s Mac/Serial
port is connected to one of the CPU serial ports
(Modem or Printer). MIDI In and MIDI OUT
connections are made between the appropriate
ports of the 64X and the MIDI IN/MIDI OUT
ports of the JL Cooper DataMaster. Sync (9-pin)
In/Out connections are made between the JL
Cooper DataMaster and the ADAT.
In OMS Setup:
1 Make sure the OMS IAC Driver is installed and
configured. See “Syncing a Sequencer to
Pro Tools on the Macintosh” on page 476 for
more information.
2 Define a new device for the JL Cooper
DataSync II and the ADAT.

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3 Configure the JL Cooper device by doubleclicking its icon in the OMS Studio Setup window. For the JL Cooper DataMaster, enable Is
Controller, then enable both Sends and Receives
MIDI Time Code. (Be sure to leave Is Multitimbral unchecked.) Select channel 1 as the Receive
Channel.
4 Configure the ADAT OMS device by double-

clicking its icon. Leave Is Controller and Is Multitimbral unchecked (disabled). Enable both
“Sends” and “Receives” MIDI Time Code and
MIDI Machine Control. You do not need to have
any Receive channels enabled.
5 Save/Make Current and then close the new
OMS Studio Setup.

In Pro Tools
6 Choose Setups > Peripherals and click Synchronization.
7 Select Generic MTC Reader as the Synchroni-

zation device (this represents the 64X), then select the port to which your MIDI Interface is
connected to (in this example, the port choice
would appear as “Studio64X / Printer.”)
8 Open the Machine Control window of the Peripherals dialog. In the MIDI Machine Control
section, enable MMC, then select JLCooper
DataMaster as the Send To destination.
9 Set the ID to 127 (this is the “broadcast to all”
setting, and the Pro Tools default setting for
MMC device ID).
10 Choose Windows > Show Session Setup.
11 In the Session Setup Window, set the frame
rate and start frame as appropriate.

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12 Enable the MTC to Port option (click in the
box so that it is enabled), then select JLCooper
DataMaster in the pop-up next to MTC to Port.
This routes MIDI Time Code from Pro Tools to
the JLCooper. device, which then sends the data
on to the ADAT.
13 Close the Session Setup window.
14 Click Play or press the Spacebar. The ADAT
will cue to the play point and begin playing
back in sync with Pro Tools. You do not need to
put Pro Tools online to control the ADAT.
15 To control the ADAT from the Pro Tools
Transport, select MMC from the Transport popup (in the Transport window). Pressing Play, Rewind, FFWD, RTZ or Go To End will cause the
ADAT to respond accordingly.

External Hardware Configuration
This example uses the JL Cooper DataSync II,
which must be configured correctly for the
above to work. Configure the ADAT as a slave
(not master), enable MTC as the sync source,
and enable MIDI Machine Control. The ADAT
must be set to Internal mode. Consult the documentation that came with these devices for
more details. If you are using a Digidesign ADAT
Bridge I/O, refer to the ADAT Bridge I/O User’s
Guide for additional information.

Syncing Pro Tools to an OMSCompatible Sequencer using
MMC
(Macintosh Only)
You can “lock” a MIDI sequencer to Pro Tools
for synchronized operation, while using the sequencer as the transport and location master. In
this case, Pro Tools is still the system clock master, while the sequencer is the transport/location master.

MMC and OMS Synchronization
When using MIDI Machine Control, you must
have the OMS-compatible sequencer configured
to synchronize to Pro Tools using the OMS IAC
Driver (see “Syncing a Sequencer to Pro Tools on
the Macintosh” on page 476). When controlled
by a sequencer via MMC, Pro Tools serves as
clock master for the sequencer.
Pro Tools also serves as a transport and location
slave to the sequencer. When starting and stopping playback in the sequencer, the sequencer
sends out location information to Pro Tools via
MMC commands. Pro Tools then cues to the location, begins playback, and sends MIDI Time
Code back to the sequencer. The sequencer then
locks to the MIDI Time Code from Pro Tools for
synchronized playback.

To slave the Pro Tools transport to an OMScompatible MIDI sequencer using MIDI Machine
Control:
1 Make sure the OMS IAC Driver is installed in
the OMS Folder inside your System Folder. If
necessary, run the OMS Installer and choose
Custom Install to install the OMS IAC driver.
2 In Pro Tools, choose Setups > OMS Studio
Setup to launch the OMS Setup application.

In OMS Setup:
3 Choose Edit > Preferences, make sure the “Use

Serial DMA driver when available” option is deselected, and click OK.
4 Choose Edit > OMS MIDI Setup, make sure the
“Run MIDI in background” option is selected,
and click OK.
5 Choose Studio > MIDI Cards & Interfaces,
then click Update Setup. If you are using a serial
MIDI interface, enable the appropriate port and
click Search.
6 Confirm that the OMS IAC driver appears in
the OMS Studio Setup window. Save the setup
document and make it your current setup.
7 In the OMS Studio Setup window, define two
IAC busses by double-clicking the IAC Driver,
then naming the first field “IAC1” and the second field “MMC.”

In your sequencer:
The following instructions describe the general
steps that you should take. The exact synchronization setup your sequencer requires will vary
depending on the software and your specific
MIDI setup.

8 Enable IAC1 as a MIDI device.
9 Set your sequencer to receive MTC from IAC1,

and enable remote control of the applciation.
10 Configure the frame rate to match your
Pro Tools session. Click OK to close the Sync Options dialog.

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11 Set a sequence start time (01:00:00:00 for example). The Offset at the top of the Sequence
window should usually match the Offset in
Pro Tools.
12 Set the sequencer to wait for MIDI note information (“wait for note”).
13 Start playback in the sequencer. The sequencer should indicate that it is waiting for
note information.

In Pro Tools:
14 Choose MIDI > Enable Input Devices. Select

the IAC bus transmitting the MMC messages
and click OK.
15 Choose Operations > Active in Background.
16 Choose Windows > Show Session Setup, and

choose the appropriate frame rate and SMPTE
Start Frame to match the start time in your sequencer.
17 In the Output Time Code section of the Session Setup window, enable the MTC to Port option. In the pop-up menu just below the MTC to
Port option, choose IAC1. You can now close the
Session Setup window, or leave it open (settings
are active as soon as they are enabled in the Session Setup window).
18 Next, choose Setups > Peripherals, and open

the Synchronization page of the Peripherals dialog.
19 First, select Generic MTC Reader as the synchronization device, and select Any as the port.

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20 Next, click to Enable Control of Pro Tools via

MMC, and set the ID to 0.

If MMC is currently enabled in the
Pro Tools Peripherals > Machine Control
dialog, you must assign a unique ID number in both of the corresponding MMC ID#
fields. If not, an MMC feedback loop will
occur. This can also happen if you use the
default “broadcast to all” ID number of
127 in both places. If you are only slaving
Pro Tools to a sequencer via MMC, without
an external device requiring MMC from
Pro Tools, you should disable MMC entirely
in the Machine Control window.
In the Sequencer:
21 Engage any of the following Transport functions: Play, Stop, Fast Forward, Rewind, Record,
or Locate (Cue). The sequencer sends MIDI Machine Control commands to Pro Tools via the
IAC bus, and Pro Tools follows.

When starting and stopping playback in the sequencer, the sequencer sends location information to Pro Tools via MIDI Machine Control
commands. Pro Tools cues to the location, begins playback, and in turn sends MIDI Time
Code back to the sequencer. The sequencer then
locks to the MIDI Time Code from Pro Tools for
synchronized playback.

MIDI Beat Clock
Some MIDI devices such as drum machines,
hardware sequencers, and arpeggiators can only
sync to MIDI Beat Clock. To sync these devices
to Pro Tools, you can transmit MIDI Beat Clock
to them.
To transmit MIDI Beat Clock:
1 Choose MIDI > MIDI Beat Clock.
2 In the MIDI Beat Clock dialog, select the Enable MIDI Beat Clock option.

Spotting Regions to SMPTE
Frame Locations
(TDM Systems Only)
Spotting is the process of assigning music and
sound cues to specific SMPTE frame locations in
a film or video. This function can be used to
spot:
◆ Entire regions, selected with the Grabber.
Multiple regions can also be selected, and
Pro Tools will reference the first region in your
selection.
◆ A specific location within a region, by clicking
with the Selector at that location, and choosing
Edit > Identify Sync Point.

Spot Mode
In Spot mode, a region in a track can be quickly
spotted by simply clicking it with the Grabber.
You can also drag a region from the Regions List
to a track while in Spot mode.
Beat Clock dialog
3 Select the devices you want to receive MIDI
Beat Clock. If your MIDI interface does not support transmitting MIDI Beat Clock to separate
ports, only the interface appears as a destination.
4 Click OK.

The Spot Dialog
The Spot Regions Dialog appears when you drag
a region to a track or click a region with the
Grabber in Spot mode. The numeric fields function as both data displays and editing controls
for the currently selected regions.

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Information in these fields is displayed in
SMPTE Time Code, Minutes:Seconds,
Feet.Frames, Samples, or Bars & Beats, depending on which Time Scale format is selected.

Subframes
A subframe is 1/100th of a frame. The Use Subframes option enables you to use these smaller
units for greater accuracy. This command adds
an additional time field in the SMPTE
hours:minutes:seconds:frames box, which appears as the far right time field when enabled.
Use a period to separate subframe values from
whole frames.

Additional time field appears with “Use Subframes”
enabled
Spot dialog

A highlighted numeric field indicates the current active field for numeric entry editing. Entering a value in a field allows you to move a selected parameter to the time location that you
enter. The Start, Sync Point and End fields are
accessible when the Grabber is active. Only the
Start or End (depending on where you click the
mouse) and Duration fields are active when the
Trimmer is active (see “Using the Trimmer in
Spot Mode” on page 488).

To increase or decrease SMPTE values in
the Spot dialog by a specific number of
frames, press plus or minus on the numeric
keypad, enter a number, and press the Enter
key.

Subframe measurements are not available
in the Current Time field.

Capturing Time Code
Pro Tools also allows you to easily capture frame
locations on the fly in this dialog by pressing the
equal key, or by clicking the Current Time button while valid time code is being received by
Pro Tools. With VITC, you can accurately capture a paused or “crawling” VTR’s SMPTE location.
When Time Code is selected for the Time Scale,
pressing the equal key captures the incoming
time code. When Bars:Beats is selected for the
Time Scale, pressing equal will capture to the
nearest measure.
Although the Capture Time Code button works
with free-running Linear Time Code (LTC) or
VITC, frame numbers of a paused frame can
only be captured with VITC.

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The USD is the only current Digidesign hardware that can read VITC. Also, you can use the
optional MachineControl software to read the
current time code address over 9-pin or V-LAN.

10 Click OK to close this dialog. The region
spotted to the chosen SMPTE frame location.
When the session is online, this frame number
will trigger playback of the region.

To spot a region to a specific SMPTE frame:

Auto-Spotting Regions

1 Choose Display > Show Edit Window.

Spot mode button

The Pro Tools Auto-Spot Regions option simplifies the task of spotting regions even further. If
you are using VITC with this option enabled, or
MachineControl software, you can pause your
video at an appropriate SMPTE frame location,
click on a region with the Grabber, and the region will be automatically spotted to the current
time code location.

4 Identify the SMPTE frame location where you

To Auto-Spot a region:

want to trigger playback of your region by pausing your video deck on that frame.

1 Choose Operations > Auto-Spot Regions.

2 Choose Display > Time Code.
3 Click the Spot button at the top left of the Edit
window to put Pro Tools into Spot mode.

5 With the Grabber, click a region in a track (or

drag a region from the Region’s List into a track).
The Spot dialog appears.
6 Enter the desired SMPTE frame location.
7 If you are using VITC, you can press the equal

key on the numeric keypad, or click Current
Time Code to enter a paused VTR’s current
SMPTE location.
8 If you are using LTC, when Time Code is selected for the Time Scale, press the equal key on
the numeric keypad to capture the incoming
time code. When Bars:Beats is selected for the
Time Scale, press the equal to capture the nearest measure.
9 If you recorded the region while online, you
can use the Original Time Stamp button to recall
and enter the SMPTE frame location at which
the region was originally recorded. You can also
access a user-defined Time Stamp in the same
fashion. See “Time Stamping” on page 133 for
more information.

2 If you are using VITC, identify the SMPTE
frame location where you want to trigger playback of your region by pausing your video deck
on that frame.
3 Click the desired region with the Grabber. The
region will be automatically spotted to the current time code location (or machine location).

Clicking a region with the Trimmer will allow you to trim the region to the current
time code location.
Auto-spotted regions are spotted by their
start times, unless you have identified a
Sync Point (see “Identifying a Sync Point”
on page 489). If the region contains a Sync
Point, the region is spotted to it.

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Using the Trimmer in Spot Mode
You can use the Spot dialog to trim your regions,
including start/end/duration times and referencing incoming time code addresses. If you
click a region with the Trimmer in Spot mode,
the Spot dialog will appear, allowing you to enter a value in the Start or End and Duration
fields to specify exactly where you want to trim
the region’s beginning or end. Use this to edit
the length of a region to correspond to a particular visual “hit point.”
Trimming a region that contains a sync point
(see “Identifying a Sync Point” on page 489) will
not affect the SMPTE location of the sync point,
unless the region is trimmed past the sync
point.

tional time field appears as the far right time
field when enabled, and allows you to enter subframe values in SMPTE dialogs. Use a period to
separate subframe values from whole frames.

Show Original Time Code in
Regions
This command displays the original “time
stamped” SMPTE times in all regions currently
placed in tracks. This SMPTE frame number represents the time at which the region was originally recorded online with Pro Tools, and does
not necessarily reflect the region’s current
SMPTE location in a track.
To display the original time stamps in regions:
1 Select Display > Display Time in Regions >
Original Time Stamp.

Time Stamping
Pro Tools time stamps every region recorded online with the original SMPTE time at which audio was recorded. You can recall this original
SMPTE time for a region by clicking the Original
Time Stamp button in the Spot dialog.

Original Time Stamp button in the Spot dialog

You can also spot a region to a separate user-defined SMPTE time stamp, defined using the
Time Stamp Selected command. Once the region is time stamped using this command, you
can click the User Time Stamp button to re-spot
a region to its user-defined SMPTE location.
The Use Subframes option in the Spot dialog enables you to work with subframe accuracy by
adding an additional time field in the SMPTE
hours:minutes:seconds:frames box. This addi-

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2 To hide Original Time Stamps, select Display >

Display Time in Regions > None.

Time Stamp Selected
If you want to create a separate user-defined
SMPTE time stamp, you can use the Time Stamp
Selected command in the Regions List pop-up
menu. This command allows you to select a region (or regions) and redefine its SMPTE time
stamp. The original time stamp and the user-defined time stamp are then stored with your session.
When audio is first recorded, the user-defined
time stamp will match the original time stamp,
but you can change the user-defined time stamp
at any time using the Time Stamp Selected command. This feature is particularly useful in postproduction situations where the SMPTE time
code on video “work prints” often changes from
one edit revision to another.

To time stamp a region (or regions) with a new
SMPTE frame number:
1 In a track, select the region that you want to
time stamp.
2 From the Regions List pop-up menu, choose
the Time Stamp Selected command.

Using a Region with its Time Stamp in
Another Session
Pro Tools saves time stamp information for each
region as part of a session—not as part of the audio file itself. If you want to use a time-stamped
audio file in another session, keeping its time
stamps intact, do the following:
1 Open the session that contains the original
time-stamped region.
2 Select the desired region in the Audio Regions

List.
3 Choose Export Selected from the Regions List

Time Stamp Selected command
3 Enter a new SMPTE time. You can do this in
three ways: enter the numbers manually (with
the help of the arrow keys); click the Current
Time Code button (or press the equal key), if
you want to capture the incoming time code address; or click the Current Selection button if
you want to enter the start time of the current
on-screen selection.
4 Click OK to close this dialog.

This command can be used in “batch mode” to
set new time stamps for several regions at a time.
To do this, simply select several regions and
choose the Time Stamp Selected command. One
after another, a dialog will open for each region,
allowing you to quickly enter new values.
Once entered, the user time stamps can be displayed in all regions currently placed in tracks.
To display the user time stamps in regions:
1 Choose Display > Display Time in Regions >

User Time Stamp.
2 To hide User Time Stamps, choose Display >
Display Time in Regions > None.

pop-up menu. The region can now be used in
other sessions with its original time stamp references intact.

Identifying a Sync Point
The Pro Tools Identify Sync Point command allows you to identify a specific point within a region for audio spotting purposes.
Imagine the following sound effects spotting
scenario: You have a single sound effect that
consists of a creaky door slamming shut, followed by a few seconds of ambient reverberation. The slam portion of the effect—which you
must precisely match to picture—occurs neither
at the very beginning of the audio file nor at the
very end. It is somewhere in the middle, making
it tough to spot.
In this scenario, use the Identify Sync Point
command to create a point in the region and
sync that point to a SMPTE frame.
When you choose this command, the current
SMPTE time is automatically entered as the
SMPTE location for the sync point.

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To create a sync point in a region:

Removing a Sync Point

1 Click with the Selector at the point in the region that you want to synchronize to a SMPTE
frame location.

To remove a sync point from a region:

2 Choose Edit > Identify Sync Point. An arrow
indicator appears in the audio region indicating
the location of this sync point.

1 Select the entire region with the Grabber.
2 Choose Edit > Remove Sync Point.

Troubleshooting Sync
Getting SMPTE synchronization to work properly can seem like a formidable task at times.
The following suggestions may help you troubleshoot and solve common problems.

Use the Current Time field in the
Session Setup Window as a Reference
Identifying a Sync Point in a region

Changing a Sync Point
To change the location of a Sync point in a region:
Click with the Selector in the region and
choose Edit > Identify Sync Point. The new location will then be identified as the Sync Point.

■

Tips for Locating and Spotting to Sync
Points
To place a region’s start point at the current
edit cursor location, Control-drag (Macintosh)
or Start-drag (Windows) the region from the Region List.

■

To place a region’s sync point at the current
edit cursor location, Option-Control-drag (Macintosh) or Alt-Start-drag a region from the Region List.

■

To move to the next region boundary or sync
point, press Tab.

■

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The Current Time field in the Session Setup window indicates whether or not Pro Tools is receiving time code. If this field appears to be inactive
when inputting time code into your time code
reading device, check your hardware device settings, the device’s connection to your computer,
and your OMS Setup (Macintosh) or Multimedia
Setup (Windows).

Stripe SMPTE Before You Record
All tapes in your setup (both audio and video)
must be striped with SMPTE Time Code before
any audio is recorded onto them or to Pro Tools.
If tapes aren’t striped, your system may seem to
work, but synchronization will never properly
occur. The machines and Pro Tools will drift farther and farther apart the longer they run.
The same problem occurs when audio is recorded into Pro Tools without a resolved SMPTE
source (if it was recorded before the current session, for example.) The audio cannot be accurately synchronized with an analog tape re-

corder or video tape deck, since the Pro Tools
audio was not recorded referenced to the SMPTE
time code from the analog tape deck or video
tape deck.

Resolve All Components of Your
System
When striping time code, make sure that the
time code generator and the video record deck
are resolved to the same crystal reference. For
example, when striping 29.97 Drop Frame time
code onto a VTR, both the SMPTE generator and
the VTR should be resolved to the same “black
burst” or house sync generator. During playback, the master deck should be resolved to
“black burst” or house sync.
This convention provides compatibility for your
tape between the record and playback passes,
and when it’s played back in other facilities on
different equipment. This also means that when
playing back a tape striped with time code, the
playback deck should be resolved to the same
sync rate as the record deck was resolved to at
the time of the striping. When you stripe an audio transport with time code, it should be “freerunning” and unresolved, but should be resolved with a house sync-referenced synchronizer during playback.

Know the True Frame Rate on Your Work
Tape
If you get your video tapes from a production
company instead of recording them yourself, be
absolutely sure that they indicate the SMPTE
frame rate used on the tape correctly.
The Digidesign SSD and USD (and some thirdparty products) can be used to determine frame
rate. See “Determining SMPTE Frame Rate” on
page 471.

29.97 fps Non-Drop Rate Can Cause
Problems
29.97 fps Non-Drop is a slightly slower version
of 30 fps Non-Drop time code. When used with
color video, each video frame now matches up
with each SMPTE frame without having to use a
drop-frame coding. This makes any frame number mathematics much simpler, since no frame
numbers are dropped.
Unfortunately, some hardware and software devices do not recognize 29.97 Non-Drop as a separate frame rate. For example, any standard
SMPTE-to MTC-converter does not explicitly
recognize it. The user must tell the convertor to
expect 30 fps Non-Drop instead. In fact, many
devices that read SMPTE work acceptably by
reading 29.97 Non-Drop if they are set to expect
30 fps Non-Drop.
Any SMPTE reader that uses the time code numbers to make real-time calculations (as Pro Tools
does when it tries to trigger and sync to SMPTE)
also needs to know that the frame format is
29.97 and not 30 fps. Since Pro Tools allows this
choice of frame rate this does not really pose a
problem. The problem exists because many users cannot readily distinguish 29.97 from 30 fps.
More importantly, some production companies
will distribute video work prints striped with
29.97 fps but mark them as “30 fps NTSC,” by
which they actually mean 29.97 fps Non-Drop.
By the time you get the tape, you may have no
idea what’s actually on it. Feeding 29.97 NonDrop to Pro Tools when it’s set for 30 fps NonDrop will result in timing errors of about 1.8
frames per minute, causing audio playback to
trigger out of sync.

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Be Careful When Changing Frame Rates
If you change time code rates in the middle of a
session, many SMPTE-to-MIDI Time Code converters need to be turned off and turned on
again to be able to recognize the new frame rate.

Use a Consistent Clock Source
A sound file should be played back using the
same peripheral and sample rate it was recorded
with, if at all possible. This assures the closest
match between record and playback sample
rates. For example, if an audio file was recorded
at 44.1 kHz with the Pro Tools Audio Interface
then the Sample Rate should be set to 44.1 kHz
during playback with the Audio Interface as
well.

On a Macintosh, Disable AppleTalk,
Network Connections, Screen Savers,
and Power Saving Features
These types of software can cause the Macintosh
to ignore MIDI data (such as MIDI Time Code)
coming into its serial ports. Make sure AppleTalk
is inactive in the Chooser, disconnect AppleTalk
cables, and remove any network extensions
from your System Folder.

In Windows, Disable Screen Savers and
Power Management Features
These types of software can cause your computer to ignore MIDI data (such as MIDI Time
Code).

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Chapter 36: Working with QuickTime
Movies

You can use Pro Tools to import QuickTime
movies and audio, perform audio post-production tasks, and export the finished product as a
new QuickTime movie.

QuickTime movie features in Pro Tools are
supported on Macintosh systems only.

Movie track displayed as picons

About QuickTime
QuickTime is digital video technology designed
to produce compact video files for multimedia
use.

Using QuickTime Movies in
Pro Tools
Pro Tools allows you to import QuickTime movies into your Pro Tools sessions.

Movie window

Pro Tools provides precise, frame-accurate audio
and video synchronization. This means you can
use your Pro Tools system as an off-line audio
editing system, leaving the video editing suite
free for video editing.
With Pro Tools, you can:

Once imported into Pro Tools, a QuickTime
movie is displayed in its own Movie track in the
Edit window, and in a floating Movie window.
This floating window can be viewed on a second
monitor with appropriate video hardware. With
a QuickTIme movie in the session, Pro Tools
serves as a fast, random-access visual reference
for “sweetening” the movie by adding sound effects, music, foley, dialog, or other audio.

◆

Import a QuickTime movie into a session

◆ Import audio from a QuickTime movie (or audio from a CD or a CD-ROM)
◆ Synchronize audio events to a QuickTime
movie, using the Pro Tools editing features to
spot and nudge regions to video frames
◆ Scrub audio elements in tandem with a QuickTime movie

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Use the Pro Tools Bounce to Movie command
to compile a new “flattened” QuickTime movie
file that can be read by any QuickTime-compatible application

◆

Because Pro Tools has no video editing capabilities of its own, if you want to edit or in any other
way modify a movie, return to your video capture and assembly environment (for example,
Adobe Premiere) for editing, then import the edited movie into Pro Tools.

You can capture Avid-compatible video in
Pro Tools with AVoption or AVoption XL.

Video Capture/Playback Cards
For professional applications where full-screen,
25/30 frames-per-second playback is critical, we
recommend that you invest in a Digidesign-approved third-party video capture and playback
card. For the most up-to-date information about
such products, contact your Digidesign dealer or
visit Digidesign’s Web site.

If You Are New to Audio Post
Production
If you are new to digital video, time code, or audio-for-post production, the following suggestions will help you manage your session’s audio
and video requirements. Not all of these may
apply to every project.
Plan ahead Think through your entire project
before you start capturing your video. For best
results when working with SMPTE time code,
make sure that time code is burned into a window in the movie. Try to anticipate compatibility and configuration issues that may arise.

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Conform Your Movie Be sure to conform your
captured QuickTime movie to the desired frame
rate. Consult your video capture software’s documentation for information on how to ensure
frame-accurate captures. We recommend that
you do this to all video captures to ensure accurate playback in Pro Tools.
If your destination is a pulled-down Pro Tools
session, this pull down affects QuickTime movie
playback speed. You should conform your
movie to a 30 fps frame rate for use in a pulleddown session.
Destined for video or film? What is the ultimate
destination of your work? Is it for TV, film, audio CD or CD-ROM? This will determine such
things as the best sample rate to use, the correct
frame rate, pull-down or pull-up rates, and so
on. Double-check the time code frame rate. You
must make sure that you know the correct frame
rate of the video source.
Storage Make sure you have enough disk space
on your drive, and optimize your hard drives
regularly.
Video compatibility If you are not digitizing the
video material yourself (if the material is already
on hard disk) check into the type of video capture and playback system that was used and
make sure you can accommodate that format’s
compression method. Check whether or not
time code is “burned into” or superimposed
over a small area of the video.

QuickTime Requirements
Pro Tools supports playback of QuickTime videos without additional hardware. However, performance will vary in terms of maximum movie
size, frame-rate, and smoothness of playback.
Capture of 30/25 fps (frames per second), 60/50
fields-per-second video requires a Digidesignapproved video capture card, and associated
software and hardware.

About Frame Length and QuickTime
Movies
Not all video capture software can guarantee
consistent frame lengths. Consult your video
capture software documentation for information on ensuring frame-accurate captures, and
on conforming your video to proper frame
boundaries.
To take advantage of Pro Tools QuickTime
movie playback capabilities you will need the
following:
The version of Apple’s QuickTime System Extension (included with Pro Tools). To install
QuickTime, run the installer included on the
Pro Tools Installer CD.

◆

QuickTime movie playback and editing software (such as Adobe Premiere, AVID VideoShop,
Macromedia Director, or Apple MoviePlayer) to
edit and compile QuickTime movies.

◆

Optionally, you may also need:
QuickTime movie capture hardware and software to digitize your own movies from a videotape or video camera source.

◆

An Apple CD-ROM drive running at 2x speed
or faster to take advantage of commerciallyavailable QuickTime movies and sound clips.

◆

Movie Playback Quality
Options
Pro Tools supports three options for movie playback performance: Normal Priority Playback,
Medium Priority Playback, and Highest Priority
Playback. In most cases, you should leave the
priority choice set to Normal Priority Playback.
If you are running QuickTime Movies natively,
that is, without a capture card, you may need to
use one of the other playback priority options. If
this does note apply to you, leave movie playback priority set to Normal Priority Playback.
This is the default setting.

Hard Drive Tips for Best Performance
For best movie playback performance, make
sure that the hard drive you are using for video
capture and playback is not on the same SCSI
bus as your audio files, if possible. This allows
the least amount of interference between drives
when Pro Tools requests audio and video data.
With most capture cards, and moderate data
capture rates (800 kilobytes per second or less),
this should provide good performance.
The Blue & White G3 and G4 have an internal
IDE system drive. For best performance, audio
and video should be stored on SCSI drives, connected to the computer with a Digidesign-approved SCSI interface card.
Some Macintosh computers have two SCSI busses, an internal SCSI bus, and a separate external
SCSI bus. The internal bus is often a SCSI Fastcompatible bus that can yield better disk performance. The external bus is a narrow SCSI bus,
which is slower. For best performance use an internal drive that connects to the internal, fast
SCSI bus.

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For G3 Macintosh models that have only a single, narrow SCSI bus, you should use a SCSI accelerator for the audio drive, and use the narrow
bus for QuickTime video.
Contact your Digidesign dealer or visit the
Digidesign Web site for compatibility information.

Importing a QuickTime Movie
Before you import a movie, you should digitize
your video material and know the correct frame
rate and sample rate when applicable.

If a video card with hardware video compression was used to create the QuickTime
movie, Pro Tools cannot play the movie
without the compression hardware. Make
sure the video card is installed and configured correctly before starting your session.
To import a QuickTime movie into Pro Tools:
1 Launch Pro Tools and create a new session, or

open an existing one.
2 Check the time code parameters of the session
to make sure they match those of the movie you
wish to import, and save the session.
3 Choose Movie > Import Movie.

Import Movie dialog

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4 Locate the desired movie. When you select a
movie in the Import Movie dialog, you can view
a preview frame by enabling the Show Preview
check box. The preview corresponds to the first
frame of the movie. If you have not yet created
a preview, you can do so by selecting the desired
movie and clicking Update in this dialog.
5 Select the desired movie and click Open.
Pro Tools imports the movie and displays it in
its own Movie track in the Edit window as well
as in a floating Movie window. The first frame of
the movie is automatically synchronized to the
start time of your session.

Movie track “VideoSpot” appears above the “Rhythm
Guitar” track

About the Movie Track
Once a movie is imported into Pro Tools it appears in the Edit window in its own Movie track.
This picon (picture-icon) track displays a
“thumbnail” overview of the frames of the
movie it represents. The Movie track will show
greater or lesser detail depending on your current zoom level in the Edit window—the closer
in you zoom, the greater the number of individual frames that are displayed in the Movie track;
the farther out you zoom, the fewer the number
of individual frames that are visible. The Movie
track appears only in the Edit window.
The Movie track behaves much as a Pro Tools
audio or MIDI track in that you can move the
movie region with the Grabber or other editing
tools. This allows you to offset the movie to any
start point. However, you cannot edit the Movie
track by trimming it or capturing regions from
within it.

Only one QuickTime movie can be associated
with a session at a time. If you want to import a
different movie into a session, repeat the previous steps. The new movie will replace the original in the session.

About the Movie Window
The Movie window displays the movie playback
or the current frame if playback is paused or
stopped. You can drag the Movie window anywhere on your computer screen.

A Movie track takes its name from its associated
movie file and cannot be independently renamed.

Picon View Performance
When using picon view to view movie content
in the Movie track, your computer may exhibit
reduced or sluggish performance. If this happens on your computer, switch the Movie track
view to Blocks mode.

Scrubbing the Movie Track
You can use the Scrubber tool to scrub the
Movie track with full frame accuracy. If you
scrub directly on the Movie track, only the
movie will scrub (no audio will play). If you
scrub on an audio track, audio and the movie
will scrub simultaneously.

Movie window

To display the Movie window:
■ Choose Movie > Show Movie Window. If a
movie has already been imported, the Movie
window will appear.

Using a 14-inch monitor for playback
If you capture 320 x 240 (NTSC) movies and
have a second monitor with 640 x 480 resolution (a standard 14-inch monitor), clicking on
the Movie window will route movie playback to
that monitor. The Movie will “bounce” over to
the second monitor, and will be pixel-doubled
so that it takes up the whole screen.

Scrubbing a movie

To scrub the movie track:
1 Select the Scrubber tool.
2 Click the movie track at the desired point and

drag the Scrubber.
3 To scrub with finer precision, press the Command key while scrubbing.

Tips for Optimizing Movie Playback
Since Pro Tools uses QuickTime to play movies,
the quality of the playback is dependent on the
speed of your Macintosh CPU and hard drive,
the size (in pixels) of the movie, and the quality
of the video hardware used to capture and playback the digitized video. While QuickTime
doesn’t produce broadcast-quality playback, it is
frame accurate when spotting to picture.

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On PCI-based computers, Pro Tools continuously re-syncs the movie. The movie resolves to
the audio sample clock. This allows the movie to
smoothly track the audio even when your system is varispeeded.

◆ Reduce the overall length of the SCSI chain of
your computer system for improved throughput.
◆ Reduce the pixel size of the movie (e.g. reduce
it from 640 x 480 pixels to 320 x 240 pixels).

For more consistently smooth movie playback,
here are some suggestions:
Use a Digidesign-approved video capture and
playback card for 25/30 frames-per-second fullscreen movie playback.

◆

Display the movie on a separate monitor
driven by a video capture and playback card.

◆

If you don’t have a video capture and playback card, set the movie playback priority to Medium Priority Playback or High Priority Playback
using one of these commands in Movie menu.
This gives priority to movie playback, rather
than other screen graphics tasks such as moving
faders.

◆

When you import a movie into your session, the
first frame of the movie defaults to the start time
of the session. In some cases, however, you may
need to offset the movie by some amount forwards or backwards so that you can accurately
spot audio to the movie.
Since a movie can be moved inside the Movie
track, it is fairly easy to match these two times.
In fact, you may not have to move the Movie
track at all.

Use the fastest CPU possible.

Capture and play QuickTime video from a
separate hard drive than your Pro Tools audio
drives.

◆

Remove unneeded System Extensions and
Control Panels.

◆

Disable AppleTalk and other background tasks
on the CPU, such as File Sharing, screen savers,
Calculate Folder Size and any fax or e-mail software.

◆

Disable the Automation Preference for Faders
Move During Playback.

◆

Set No Auto Scrolling in Operations > Scroll
Options.

◆

Reduce the size of the Edit window to the
smallest possible size.

◆

Setting the Movie Start Time:
Movie Offset

For finer adjustment of a movie’s start time, you
can use the Set Movie Sync Offset command to
offset the movie in 1/4-frame increments. This
is more accurate than dragging the movie track,
and is especially useful in cases where your
movie track happens to begin with a partial
frame.
To set the movie offset:
1 Double-check that the session’s SMPTE frame
rate matches that of the movie.
2 Choose Movie > Set Movie Sync Offset, enter
the desired offset value, and click OK.

The Movie Sync Offset is always defined in
Feet.Frames, regardless of the session time
display.

Close unnecessary windows.
3 Lock the movie in place by choosing Edit >
Lock/Unlock Region.

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To spot the movie to a sync point:
1 Double-check that the session’s SMPTE frame

rate matches that of the movie.
2 In the Edit window, enable Grid mode.
3 Set the session time display to SMPTE.
4 Set the Grid Value to Feet.Frames.
5 With the Selector, click in the Movie Track to

place the cursor where you want to create a Sync
Point. Often, the best spot will be the “2 beep”
two seconds before the first action frame (the
start of the video). You can use the plus and minus keys on the alpha keyboard to nudge the
cursor and the Movie one frame at a time.
6 Choose Edit > Identify Sync Point to place a
Sync Point at the current cursor location.
7 Put Pro Tools into Spot mode by clicking the
Spot button in the Edit window.
8 Click the Movie track with the Grabber. The
Move Region To dialog appears.
9 Enter the time code number displayed in the

window-burn of the frame you are spotting to (if
the movie has a SMPTE time code window
burned into it) and click OK to close the Move
Region To dialog.
10 The movie’s sync point moves to the SMPTE

location you entered.

Spotting Audio to a QuickTime
Movie
For accurate spotting, Grid mode provides you
with an effective tool for quick and accurate selection of waveforms, and alignment of regions
in tracks. When Grid mode is enabled, the Selector will snap to the current Grid Value, and regions selected with the Grabber and dragged to a
track will also align up with the Grid Value.

Conforming Your Movie
Before you spot audio to a movie, you should
conform the movie file so each frame starts and
ends at valid frame boundaries.
For example, Adobe Premiere contains a Conform Movie tool for destructively editing the
lengths of each frame to the grid of the current
frame rate. You should conform the movie to a
frame rate that Pro Tools can work with (30 fps
or 29.97 fps).

If your destination is a pulled-down
Pro Tools session, the pull down affects
QuickTime movie playback speed. Conform
your movie to a 30 fps frame rate for use in
a pulled-down session.
Consult your video capture software documentation for more information.

More Tips for Spotting Audio
◆ Specify your movie size up front. For purposes
of spotting audio, 320 x 240 is usually adequate.
If you are displaying the movie on a second
monitor with 640 x 480 resolution, with pixel
doubling, it will fill the screen.
◆ Try to work with a window burn in the movie,
since it will help you spot material. You can produce your own window burns for the capture using Digidesign's Universal Slave Driver.

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Use a continuous scrolling option. Pro Tools
includes two scrolling options that are particularly useful in post-production: Continuous
Scroll During Playback, and Continuous Scroll
with Playhead. Enable either of these scrolling
options by selecting them from the
Operations > Scroll Options submenu. For more
information, see Chapter 16, “Playing and Selecting Track Material.”.

◆

Using Grid Mode to Spot and
Nudge Regions with Frame
Accuracy

5 While pressing the Control key, drag the desired region from the Regions List to the appropriate track. Pro Tools will automatically spot
the region to the same time location as the cursor.

To spot elements directly to locations in the
movie, use the technique described above. In
this scenario, Auto Spot mode is not recommended, since it uses incoming MTC for location information.

Importing QuickTime Audio

(TDM Systems Only)
Grid mode allows you to constrain the movement of regions so that they snap to SMPTEbased measurements (minutes, seconds, frames,
or subframes).
To spot audio to a movie:

Pro Tools allows you to import audio directly
from a QuickTime movie. You can import audio
from a movie currently loaded into a session, or
from a different movie. The procedure is the
same for both.

Sample Rate Conversion Quality

1 Click the Grid button at the upper left corner

of the Edit window. This ensures that the audio
will align to a frame boundary.
2 Set your Grid Value to Time Code using the
pop-up menu.
3 Choose a desirable Grid unit setting. Note that
you can set the grid units independently of the
Main Time Scale.
4 Using the Selector, place the insertion cursor
at the desired location in the movie. If you
want, use the Nudge Value pop-up to set the
nudge units to frames. You can then use the plus
and minus keys on the alpha keyboard to nudge
the insertion point frame by frame.

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If you import QuickTime audio that was not
originally recorded at the session’s sample rate,
the sample rate is converted to match the audio
to your session. Pro Tools allows you to choose
the quality of the sample rate conversion via the
Conversion Quality parameter in the Editing
Preferences. The higher the quality of sample
rate conversion that you choose, the longer it
takes to perform the sample rate conversion.
The five conversion settings range from Low to
Tweak Head. The Low setting provides results
that are considerably better than the Macintosh’s built-in sample rate conversion. For most
applications, the Better setting will yield excellent results.

Because the Best and Tweak Head settings take
significantly longer than the others, we recommend that you use these only in cases where the
highest fidelity is absolutely essential and you
have a considerable amount of time. The Tweak
Head setting in particular can take several hours
to perform sample rate conversion on moderatelength files.

2 If you want to import audio from a QuickTime
movie that has not been imported into the session, choose Movie > Import Audio From Other
Movie. Select the QuickTime movie from which
you want to import audio. The Track Import dialog appears, listing information about the audio tracks.

To set the sample rate conversion quality:
1 Choose Setups > Preferences and click Editing.
2 Click the Conversion Quality pop-up menu
and select the desired setting.

Importing Audio from a QuickTime
Movie
This procedure allows you to use the Import Audio From Current Movie and Import Audio
From Other Movie commands to import audio
tracks either from a QuickTime movie currently
in the session, or from other QuickTime movies
on your hard disk. You can also use the Import
Audio From Other Movie command to import
audio files of a different bit resolution or sample
rate into your session.
To import audio tracks from a QuickTime movie:
1 If you want to import audio from a QuickTime
movie that is already in the session, choose
Movie > Import Audio From Current Movie.

– or –

Track Import window showing audio tracks in a
QuickTime movie
3 Select the desired audio tracks by clicking
them. To select multiple tracks contiguously in
this dialog, Shift-click them. To select discontiguous tracks, Command-click them.
4 Click OK. The audio is converted to the session’s sample rate and bit resolution, and a new
region appears in the Audio Regions List for
each imported file (2 regions appear for each imported stereo file). The regions are listed in the
Audio Regions List with the region name, the
number of the originating track, and the number of the region from the track.
5 Drag the imported regions from the Audio Regions List to the desired tracks.

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Bouncing to a new Movie
When you have finished your final mix and synchronized your audio events to the movie, you
can use the Pro Tools Bounce to Movie command to compile a new QuickTime movie with
the bounced audio embedded in the QuickTime
movie file as the soundtrack. As a QuickTime
file, the new movie is supported by all software
applications that support QuickTime video.
To create a new QuickTime movie with bounced
audio embedded as the soundtrack:
1 Adjust track output levels and finalize your
mix. Any inserts and effects settings that are active on tracks will be permanently written to the
bounced tracks. If you don’t want to apply a
plug-in to the bounce, click the Bypass button
in the Plug-In window.
2 Make sure that all of the tracks you want to in-

clude in the bounce are audible (not muted).
3 Assign the output of each of the tracks you
want to include in the bounce to the same output pair.
4 If you want to bounce the entire session, press

the Return to Zero button on the Transport to go
to the beginning of the session. The new movie
file will include all the video and audio material
in the session, even if the duration of the video
material is longer than the audio or vice versa. If
you only want to bounce a portion of a session,
open the Edit window and select the section
that you want to include in the bounce.
5 Choose Movie > Bounce to Movie.
6 Select the file format for the movie audio.
Choose Mix-to-Mono to combine the left and
right channel output of the session to a mono
movie soundtrack. Choose Stereo to retain the
stereo mix of the session for the movie audio.

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7 Select the resolution for the movie audio. Red
Book audio CDs are always 16-bit, while many
multimedia presentations and CD-ROMs use 8bit resolution. You cannot create a QuickTime
movie with 24-bit audio; audio from 24-bit sessions is converted to 16-bit or 8-bit audio, depending on what you choose.
8 If you intend to convert the session to 8-bit
resolution for use in multimedia, use the
Squeezer option (click the Convert after Bounce
option, then the Settings button to access this
feature) to improve the fidelity of the converted
8-bit audio. This option uses a proprietary DSP
algorithm that preprocesses the audio using
compression, limiting and gating before converting to 8-bit resolution. This option is recommend for optimal results.
9 Select the Sample Rate for the movie audio
(click the Convert after Bounce option, then the
Settings button to access this parameter). The
default audio sample rate is 44100 (44.1kHz),
which is the standard sample rate for audio CDs.
Multimedia presentations and CD-ROMs may
use a sample rate of 11025 (11.025kHz) or 22050
(22.050kHz).
10 Click Bounce, name the new movie, and
choose where to save it.
11 The audio tracks are converted to the selected sample rate and bit resolution, and a new
flattened movie is created incorporating the audio. You can open and play the flattened movie
in any software application that supports QuickTime.

Pro Tools sample rate and bit resolution
conversions use large amounts of processing
power. You can save time by selecting a
lower sample rate conversion quality in the
Editing Preferences.

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Chapter 37: File Menu

File Menu

New Session

New Session dialog

File Menu

File menu commands are used to create and
maintain audio files.

The New Session command creates a new
Pro Tools session. Before the session is created,
you must name the session and choose its Audio
File type, I/O Settings, Bit Depth and Sample
Rate. Selecting the Enforce Mac/PC Compatibility option ensures proper interchange of sessions and their associated media between Macintosh and Windows-based systems. Specific
file-naming and audio format restrictions apply.
See “Creating a New Session” on page 50 for details on using this dialog.

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Open Session

Save Session Copy In

The Open Session command opens a session
previously created with Pro Tools. A single session can be open at a time.

Close Session
The Close Session command closes the current
session without quitting Pro Tools. Pro Tools
prompts you to save changes before closing the
session.

Save Session
The Save Session command saves changes made
since the last time the session was saved. You
cannot undo the Save Session command.

Save Session As
The Save Session As command saves a copy of
the current session under a different name, or in
a different location. Because the Save Session As
command closes the current session and allows
you to keep working on the renamed copy, it is
useful for saving successive stages of the session.

Save Session Copy In dialog

The Save Session Copy In command saves a
copy of the currently selected session document
under a different name, in a different location,
or at a different bit-depth or sample rate. Sessions can be saved in a variety or session formats
for compatibility with older systems. This command is useful for archiving sessions.
Unlike the Save Session As command, Save Session Copy In does not close the original session,
so subsequent edits are made to the original session. The saved copy becomes a backup copy,
and gives you the option of reverting to the earlier version.

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The Items To Copy section of this dialog provides several options for copying a session along
with its associated files.

Bounce to Disk

All Audio Files When this option is selected, all
audio files are copied to the new location. Selecting All Non-SD-II Audio Files copies all audio
files except Sound Designer II-format files (which
are not supported in Windows). Selecting Don’t
Copy Fade Files omits crossfade files from the
copied data.
Session Plug-In Settings Folder When this option is selected, the session’s Plug-In Settings
Folder is copied to the new location. The references to these plug-in settings in the session are
redirected to the copied files
Movie/Video Files When this option is selected,
a session’s video files are copied to the new location, and the references in the session are redirected to the copied movie or video file.

Revert To Saved
The Revert to Saved command restores the most
recently saved version of a session, discarding all
changes made since the last time you saved. Reverting to the last saved version of a session is
like closing the session without saving changes
and reopening it.

Bounce to Disk dialog

The Bounce to Disk command allows you to mix
together the outputs of all currently audible
tracks routed to a common output path to create
a new audio file. You can use the Bounce to Disk
command to create a submix or to create a final
mix in any of several audio file formats.
Bounce Source Selects the audio output path to
bounce. Only audio routed to the selected path
will be included in the bounce.
File Type Selects the audio file format. Choices
are SDII, WAV, AIFF, RealAudio, MPEG-1 Layer
3, QuickTime, and Sound Resource.
Format Selects the channel format. Choices are
mono (summed), multiple mono, or interleaved.
Resolution Selects the bit depth. Choices are
24-, 16-, and 8-bit.
Sample Rate Selects the sample rate.

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Use Squeezer Optimizes the dynamics of the
bounced audio before conversion to 8-bit resolution.

Group Selected Tracks

Import After Bounce Automatically imports the
audio after it is bounced so that it can be used in
the session.
See “Bounce to Disk” on page 400 for details on
using the Bounce to Disk command.

New Track

Group Selected Tracks dialog

This command groups the currently selected
tracks together so that their controls are linked
together in the Mix and/or Edit window. Groups
can be nested so that subgroups are contained
within larger groups.
New Track dialog

The New Track command adds one or more new
audio tracks, auxiliary inputs, master faders, or
MIDI tracks to a session. Tracks can be mono,
stereo, or any one of a variety of multi-channel
formats.

Duplicate Selected Tracks
This command duplicates a selected track, including its audio or MIDI data, playlists, automation, and other attributes.

Split Selected Tracks Into Mono
Rename Selected Tracks
The Rename Selected Tracks command renames
the currently selected track.

This command splits a selected multi-channel
track into individual mono tracks that can be
edited and manipulated independently.

Make Selected Tracks Inactive
This command makes selected tracks inactive,
so that they no longer play back or use any DSP
resources or voices. Inactive tracks can be made
active again by choosing the Make Selected
Tracks Active command.

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Delete Selected Tracks

Import MIDI to Track

This command removes tracks from a session.
While audio or MIDI region data will remain in
the Regions List, the track and its playlists will
be deleted.

The Import MIDI to Track command loads all
tracks in a Standard MIDI file into Pro Tools and
automatically places them in new MIDI tracks.
To import MIDI regions to a session without automatically creating new tracks for them, use
the Import MIDI command in the MIDI Regions
List pop-up menu. The Import MIDI to Track
command allows you to import tempo data in
the sequence or apply existing tempo data in
the session to the imported file.

Import Audio to Track

Export MIDI
This command exports all currently audible
MIDI tracks in a session as a standard MIDI file.
Muted MIDI tracks will not be exported. You
can export the file as a Type 1 (multi-track) or
Type 0 (merged) Standard MIDI file.

Export Session As Text
Import Audio to Track dialog

This command loads audio files or regions into
the current session. Each imported audio file
will appear on its own individual track. To import audio files without automatically creating
new track for them, use the Import Audio command in the Audio Regions List pop-up menu.

Export Session As Text dialog

This command exports the current session as a
tab-delimited text file containing region and file
names, and SMPTE start times. This command
will not print or format session events to any
particular standard; it simply provides the data
in a text format.

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Import Tracks

Get Info

Get Info command

Import Tracks dialog

This command imports any or all tracks from an
existing session into the current session. Options are provided for time code mapping, sample rate conversion, and audio and video source
file referencing, copying, and conversion. See
“Importing Tracks from Other Sessions” on
page 94 for more information on this dialog and
its options.

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This command saves information about the session itself. Left-column text fields are topic
fields. Text entered there is saved with your
Pro Tools Preferences and will appear in all sessions, allowing you to preset the field to topics
that you commonly use.
Right-column text fields are information fields.
Text entered there is session specific.

Quit/Exit
The Quit (Macintosh) or Exit (Windows) command ends your Pro Tools session and closes the
Pro Tools application.

Chapter 38: Edit Menu

Edit Menu

Redo
After undoing a command or action, you can
redo it by choosing Redo command. This is a
good way to compare before and after states of
edits.

Cut
This command cuts a selection out of its current
location and stores it in memory so that you can
paste it elsewhere.

Copy
This command copies a selection (leaving the
original intact) and stores it in memory so that
you can paste it elsewhere.

Paste

Edit Menu

Edit menu commands are used to edit and manipulate audio files.

Undo
The Undo command lets you sequentially undo
up to 16 of your previous actions. Certain commands and actions (such as saving) are not undoable.

This command inserts cut or copied data into a
location specified with a tool such as the Selector.

Repeat Paste to Fill Selection
(TDM Systems Only)
This command repeatedly pastes copied data
until it completely fills a selection. If you select
an area that is not an exact multiple of the copied region size, the remaining selection area is
filled with a trimmed version of the original se-

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lection. This allows you to easily create drum
loops and other highly repetitive effects. Before
the data is pasted, Pro Tools prompts you to
specify a crossfade to smooth transitions between regions.

Merge Paste
This command pastes MIDI data into a track
without replacing existing data by merging the
pasted data with the existing data. This is useful
for consolidating MIDI data from several tracks
into a single MIDI track.

Clear
This command removes a selection in the Edit
window.

Duplicate
This command copies a selection and places it
immediately after the end of that selection in a
track.

Repeat
This command is similar to Duplicate, but allows you to specify the number of times the selected material is duplicated. To use this command, select the material you want to repeat,
choose Repeat, then enter the number of repetitions.

Shift
This command moves track material earlier or
later in time by a specified amount. To use this
command, select the material you want to
move, choose Shift, then enter the desired direction and time value.

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Select All
This command selects all audio and MIDI data
in one or more tracks.
◆ To select all regions in a single track, select a
portion of the track, or click the Selector anywhere in a track and choose Select All.
◆ To select all regions on multiple tracks, Shiftclick a region on each track with the Selector or
Grabber and choose Select All.
◆ To select all regions on all tracks, Select the
“All” Edit Group in the Groups list, click the Selector anywhere in a track and choose Select All.

Trim
This command removes audio before and after a
selection, leaving only the selection. This provides a convenient means of quickly removing
all data within a region except the current selection.

Capture Region
This command defines a selection as a new region and adds it to the Regions List. From there
the new region can be dragged into a track. You
cannot capture selections across multiple regions unless the data is contiguous material
from the same file.

Separate Region
This command defines a selection as a new region (or the current insertion point as a region
split point), and in the process, separates it from
adjacent data in the track where it was created.
By separating a region you will also create byproduct regions from data on either side of the
separation.

Heal Separation

Consolidate Selection

This command repairs separated regions, provided that the regions are contiguous and their
relative start and end points haven’t changed
since they were originally separated. If you have
trimmed or changed the start and end points of
the two regions, or moved them away from each
other, they cannot be repaired with the Heal
Separation command.

This command consolidates multiple regions
into single region for ease of use. When an audio
track is consolidated, a new audio file is written
that encompasses the selection range, including
any blank space. To use this command, select
the material you want to consolidate, then
choose Consolidate Selection.

Compress/Expand Edit to Play
Quantize Regions

(TDM Systems Only)

This command adjusts the placement of a selected audio or MIDI region in a track so that its
start point (or Sync Point, if it contains one) precisely aligns to the nearest Grid boundary. Grid
units are chosen from the Grid pop-up menu in
the Edit window.

This command uses the Time Compression/Expansion plug-in to fit an audio selection to a
Timeline selection. This is only possible when
the Edit and Timeline selections are unlinked.
See “Compress/Expand Edit To Play” on
page 237 for details on using this feature.

Mute/Unmute Region

Identify Sync Point

This command mutes playback of a selected region. Choosing the Unmute command unmutes
the region. This command does not create automation data.

This command identifies a specific point within
a region and spot that point to a SMPTE frame
location. A triangle indicates the Sync Point’s
position. When you choose this command, the
current SMPTE time is automatically entered as
the SMPTE location for the Sync Point. To remove a Sync point from a region, select the region with the Grabber and choose Remove Sync
Point. See “Identifying a Sync Point” on
page 489 for details on using this feature.

Lock/Unlock Region

Locked audio region

This command locks a selected region in place
so it cannot be moved unless you unlock it. This
command is useful for permanently associating
a region with a with a particular location in a
track (a beat, SMPTE frame, or a time value). A
small lock icon appears in the region indicating
it has been locked.

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Identify Beat

Fades

Identify Beat dialog

This command lets you establish a tempo/meter
map for audio that was recorded without listening to a click, or for imported audio with unknown tempos.
The Identify Beat command analyzes a selection
range (usually with a distinct number of beats or
measures) and calculates its tempo based on the
specified meter. in doing this, Bar/Beat markers
for the calculated tempo are inserted and appear
in the Tempo Ruler at the beginning and end of
the selection. in addition, meter events are inserted into the Meter Ruler. See “Identify Beat
Command” on page 264 for details on using
this feature.

Insert Silence
This command creates regions of silence. Make a
selection on one or more tracks, choose Insert
Silence, and precisely that amount of silence
will be inserted. See “Inserting Silence” on
page 255 for details on using this feature.

Fades dialog

This command creates a crossfade between two
adjacent audio regions or a fade in/out of a single region. Crossfade duration, position, and
shape are all selectable. A selection that crosses
multiple regions will create crossfades for each
of the region transitions. If a selection includes
regions that already contain crossfades, the existing crossfades will be modified. See “Creating
a Crossfade” on page 248 for details on using this
feature.
Create Fades Produces a crossfade between adjacent regions according to parameters you specify with the Fades editor.
Delete Fades Removes a crossfade between adjacent regions.
Fade to Start Creates a fade-in from the current
insertion point to a region’s start point.
Fade to End Creates a fade-out from the current
insertion point to a region’s end point.

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Copy to Send

Write Automation

(TDM Systems Only)

This command lets you write automation states
to specific session locations in a single step. This
saves you the trouble of perform multiple automation passes for different parameters in real
time, or having to graphically draw automation
state changes on individual automation playlists. See “Creating Snapshot Automation” on
page 394 for details on using this feature.

Trim Automation
Copy to Send dialog

This command copies a selected track’s volume,
pan, mute, or LFE automation to the corresponding playlist for the send. This is useful
when you want a track’s send automation to
mirror automation on the track itself.
To copy a track’s current control settings to a
send on that track, select Current Value. To
copy the entire automation playlist for the track
to a send, select Automation.

This command lets you use trim values as snapshots and apply the relative changes or delta values to the selected automation. This is similar to
the Write Automation, command except that it
writes delta values instead of absolute values to
automation data. You can use trim values in
writing snapshot automation to any automatable parameter. See “Trimming Automation” on
page 393 for details on using this feature.

See “Copying Track Automation to Sends” on
page 380 for details on using this feature

Thin Automation
This command lets you selectively thin areas in
a track where automation data is too dense,
aversely affecting CPU performance. The
amount of thinning performed is determined by
the amount you have selected in the Automation page of the Preferences dialog. Avoid overthinning data or it may no longer accurately reflect the original automation. See “Thinning
Automation” on page 383 for details on using
this feature.

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Chapter 39: AudioSuite Menu

AudioSuite Menu

De-esser
The De-esser plug-in reduces sibilants (“s,” “sh,”
and “t” sounds) and other high frequency
noises that can occur in vocals, voice-overs, and
wind instruments such as flutes. These sounds
can cause peaks in an audio signal and lead to
distortion.
The De-esser reduces these unwanted sounds using fast-acting compression. A Threshold control sets the level above which compression
starts, and a Frequency control sets the frequency band in which the De-esser operates.

AudioSuite Menu

The AudioSuite menu allows you to access all
AudioSuite plug-ins currently installed in your
system’s Plug-Ins Folder. For detailed information on each of the AudioSuite plug-ins, refer to
the DigiRack Plug-Ins Guide.

Compressor, Limiter, ExpanderGate, Expander-Gate
These plug-ins provide dynamics processing.
This type of processing allows you to control the
dynamic range of audio material, increasing or
decreasing gain as needed. For detailed information on each of the AudioSuite dynamics plugins, refer to the DigiRack Plug-Ins Guide.

1-Band EQ II and 4-Band EQ II
The EQ II plug-ins adjust the frequency spectrum of an audio selection. The 1-band EQ can
be configured as a high-pass, low-shelf, highshelf, low-pass or peak EQ. The 4-band EQ provides one high-shelf, one low-shelf and two
peak EQs.

Invert
The Invert plug-in inverts the phase (polarity) of
the currently selected region.

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Duplicate

DC Offset Removal

The Duplicate plug-in duplicates a selected area
or region in place. The Duplicate Plug-In is useful for creating a single audio file from a selection encompassing many smaller regions with
areas of silence between them.

The DC Offset Removal plug-in recognizes and
removes spikes caused by DC offset in the currently selected region if any are present.

Short, Slap, Medium, and Long
Delay

The Signal Generator plug-in produces audio
test tones in a variety of frequencies, waveforms,
and amplitudes. It is useful for generating reference signals with which to calibrate various elements of your studio.

The delay plug-ins provide time delay-based effects. Effects you can create with these plug-ins
include slap echo, doubling, chorusing, and
flanging.

Normalize
The Normalize plug-in uniformly adjusts all levels in the currently selected area to a user-definable level, referencing the loudest peak in either
a specific region, or examining the relative peak
level of several regions.

Gain
The Gain plug-in adjusts the gain (volume) of
the currently selected region in decibels or a percentage value.

Reverse
The Reverse plug-in rewrites the currently selected region in reverse, producing a backwards
audio effect.

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Signal Generator

Time Compression/Expansion
The Time Compression/Expansion plug-in
changes the length (duration) of the currently
selected region, with or without changing its
pitch.

Pitch Shift
The Pitch Shift plug-in changes the pitch of the
currently selected region, with or without
changing its duration. It also allows you to perform Time Compression/Expansion on your selection simultaneously with a pitch change.

Chapter 40: MIDI Menu

MIDI Menu

Change Tempo

Change Tempo dialog

MIDI Menu

The MIDI menu contains commands for MIDI
editing.

This command allows you to insert a tempo
event into the Tempo Track to define or change
the tempo of a session. Pro Tools allows multiple tempo changes within a session. See “Tempo
Events” on page 261 for details on using this
feature.

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Change Meter

Quantize

Change Meter dialog

This command allows you to insert a Meter
event into the Meter Track to define or change
the meter of a session. Pro Tools allows multiple
meter changes within a session. See “Meter
Events” on page 267 for details on using this
feature.

Renumber Bars

Quantize dialog

This command adjusts the placement of selected MIDI events in a track so that their start
or end points precisely align to the quantization
value chosen. See “Quantize” on page 311 for
details on using this feature.

Change Velocity

Renumber Bars dialog

This command renumbers the bars in a session.
To do this, change the numbering of bar 1, and
all subsequent bars are renumbered accordingly.

Change Velocity dialog

This command adjusts attack and release velocities for selected MIDI notes. Use it to make
notes louder or software, or to create crescendos
or decrescendos. See “Change Velocity” on
page 316 for details on using this feature.
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Change Duration

Select Notes

Select Notes dialog

Change Duration dialog

This command adjusts the duration for selected
MIDI notes. Use it to make melodies and phrases
more staccato or more legato. See “Change Duration” on page 318 for details on using this feature.

This command selects MIDI notes based on
pitch. It can be used to select a single note or
note range for the entire length of a region or
track, or to select the upper or lower voices
within chords. See “Select Notes” on page 310
for details on using this feature.

Split Notes

Transpose

Split Notes dialog

Transpose dialog

This command transposes selected MIDI notes
up or down the musical scale by a specific number of semitones (half steps). With this feature
you can easily add key changes and other transposition effects to MIDI tracks. See “Transpose”
on page 319 for details on using this feature.

This command is similar to the Select Notes
command, but also lets you automatically cut or
copy the selected notes. One use for this command is in the case where you have recorded a
track with chords in the left hand and melody in
the right. You can cut the melody notes and
paste them to another track to assign them to
play on a different device or channel. See “Split
Notes” on page 311 for details on using this feature.

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Input Quantize

Click Options

Click Options dialog
Input Quantize dialog

This command quantizes MIDI notes as they are
performed and recorded. While this will improve the strict rhythmic accuracy of a performance, it can also give it a stiff, mechanical feel.
To preserve the original rhythmic nuances of a
performance, deselect this option. See “Input
Quantize” on page 144 for details on using this
feature.

This command lets you configure click parameters such as MIDI note, velocity, duration, and
output. See “Recording with the Click” on
page 121 for details on using this feature.

MIDI Beat Clock

Click
When enabled, a metronome sounds during
playback and recording (as specified by the settings in the Click Options dialog). See “Recording with the Click” on page 121 for details on
using this feature.

MIDI Beat Clock dialog

This command synchronizes certain MIDI devices such as drum machines, software synthesizers, hardware sequencers, and arpeggiator to
MIDI Beat Clock. Devices selected in this dialog
will receive the MIDI Beat Clock signal. If your
MIDI interface does not support transmitting
MIDI Beat Clock to separate ports, the interface
will appear as the only destination. See “MIDI
Beat Clock” on page 485 for details on using this
feature.
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Input Filter

Input Devices
(Macintosh Only)

Input Devices dialog

MIDI Input Filter dialog

This command filters out selected MIDI messages from your recording. The Input Filter can
be set to record all messages, only the specified
messages, or all except the specified messages.
When using the Only option, only the MIDI
messages that are selected will be recorded. Conversely, when using the All Except option, the
selected messages will not be recorded. See
“MIDI Input Filter” on page 143 for details on
using this feature.

This command enables selected MIDI controllers and control surfaces so that MIDI data received from them can be recorded. Disabling devices in this dialog will ensure that unwanted
notes (such as those from drum machines or arpeggiator) are not recorded.

MIDI Thru
Enabling MIDI Thru routes MIDI from your controllers to the devices and channels assigned to
the MIDI track currently record-enabled. This allows you to monitor MIDI tracks while recording.

All Notes Off
This command sends an All Notes Off MIDI
message to all MIDI devices connected to your
system to silence any stuck notes.

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Chapter 41: Movie Menu

Movie Menu
(Macintosh Only)

Import Audio From Current Movie
This command imports audio directly from a
QuickTime movie currently loaded into a session. Pro Tools will convert the audio to the current session sample rate and bit resolution. See
“Importing QuickTime Audio” on page 500 for
details on using this feature.

Import Audio From Other Movie

Movie menu commands are used for adding
QuickTime movies to a session and managing
movie playback.

This command imports audio from a QuickTime
movie on your hard drive. If necessary,
Pro Tools will convert the audio to the current
session sample rate and bit resolution. This
command can also be used to import audio files
from audio CDs. See “Importing QuickTime Audio” on page 500 for details on using this feature.

Import Movie

Bounce to Movie

This command imports a QuickTime movie into
the current session. Once imported, a QuickTime movie is displayed in its won Movie track
in the Edit window, and in a floating Movie
window. With a QuickTime movie in a session,
Pro Tools serves as a fast, random-access visual
reference for “sweetening” the movie by adding
sound effects, music, Foley, dialog, or other audio. See “Importing a QuickTime Movie” on
page 496 for details on using this feature.

This command compiles a new QuickTime
movie with the current session as the audio
sound track. Pro Tools will convert the audio
tracks to the selected sample rate and bit resolution, then create a new flattened movie with the
bounced audio. As a QuickTime file, the new
movie is supported by all software applications
that support QuickTime video. See “Bouncing to
a new Movie” on page 502 for details on using
this feature.

Movie Menu

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New Movie Track

Set Movie Sync Offset

With the Pro Tools AVoption installed, this
command creates a new empty movie track into
which you can record or import video.

When you import a QuickTime movie into a session, by default, the first frame of the movie is
set to the start time of the session. In some cases,
you may need to offset the movie earlier or later
so you can accurately spot audio to it. The Set
Movie Sync Offset command allows you to set
this offset in 1/4-frame increments. This is more
accurate than dragging the movie track, and is
especially useful in cases where a movie track
begins with a partial frame.

Normal Priority Playback
This is the default setting for QuickTime movie
playback. It gives no extra priority to movie
playback over other screen update tasks such as
metering, moving faders, and so on. In most
cases you should use this setting. If, however,
you are running QuickTime movies without a
video capture card, you may need to use the Medium or High Priority Playback setting.

Medium Priority Playback
This command gives QuickTime movie playback a higher priority relative to other Pro Tools
screen update tasks. This yields better movie
playback performance if you are running QuickTime movies without a video capture card.

Highest Priority Playback
This command gives QuickTime movie playback highest priority. In this mode, Pro Tools
disables screen activity such as metering during
movie playback. This yields the highest movie
playback performance if you are running QuickTime movies without a video capture card.

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Movie Online
This command enables and disables movie playback. You may want to do this to have the
Movie frozen at a particular point in time relative to Pro Tools playback, or to give highest
screen update priority to other Pro Tools tasks
such as metering, moving faders, and so on.

Window Aspect Ratio
With the Pro Tools AVoption is installed, this
command lets you to change the dimensions or
aspect ratio of the Movie window.

Add Movie
This command adds additional movie clips to
the Movie Track. You will be prompted to spot
the clip to a SMPTE location. If the clip is spotted to a location that already contains a movie
clip, the first clip will be truncated.

Undo Add Movie
This command undoes the Add Movie command and other Movie Track-related editing
functions such as moving, copying, or clearing
clips. These actions cannot be undone by choosing the standard Undo command from the Edit
menu.

Clear Selection
This command clears a selection in the Movie
Track. This allows simple editing of movie clip
content.

Clear Movie Track
This command clears the entire Movie Track.

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Chapter 42: Operations Menu

Operations Menu

Loop Record
Loop Record lets you record take after take while
the same section of audio repeats. This is a convenient technique for quickly recording multiple takes of a part without losing spontaneity.
The time range that is looped and recorded—
which must be at least one second in length—is
defined by selecting a range in the Ruler or in a
track’s playlist, or by specifying start and end
points in the Transport window. See “Loop Recording Audio” on page 132 for details on using
this feature.

QuickPunch
Operations Menu

The Operations menu command allow you to
toggle on or off several recording, monitoring,
playback, and display options.

Destructive Record
This command enables Destructive Record
mode. In this mode, recording over existing regions replaces the original audio permanently.
This allows you to conserve hard drive space.
However, if you have sufficient drive space, it is
usually best to use Pro Tools in Nondestructive
Record mode to avoid losing any previously recorded material.

QuickPunch gives you the ability to instantaneously punch-in (initiate recording) on a
record-enabled audio track during playback,
then punch-out (exit recording) by clicking the
Transport’s Record button. Recording with
QuickPunch is nondestructive See “Using
QuickPunch” on page 155 for details on using
this feature.

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to the existing track material. This is similar to
the auto-switching logic found on digital and
analog multitrack tape machines. See “Monitoring during Punch-Ins” on page 131 for details
on using this feature.

Input Only Monitoring
in this mode, when a track is record-enabled,
Pro Tools monitors audio input only, regardless
of any punch in/out selection. See “Monitoring
during Punch-Ins” on page 131 for details on using this feature.

Online
This command puts Pro Tools online. Playback
or recording can then be triggered by an external time code source. Online recording or playback begins as soon as Pro Tools receives and
lock to time code or ADAT sync. See “Putting
Pro Tools Online” on page 474 for details on using this feature.

Pre/Post Roll Playback
This command enables pre- and post-roll playback. Pre- and post-roll amounts can be entered
in the Transport window, set from a track’s playlist or Timebase Ruler, or by recalling a Memory
Location. See “Setting Pre/Post-Roll” on
page 137 for details on using this feature.

Loop Playback
This option continuously loops playback of a selection until you stop playback. Looping playback is a useful way to check the rhythmic continuity of a selection when working with
musical material. Selections must be at least 0.5
seconds in length to use Loop Playback.

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Scroll Options
Pro Tools provides several options for how the
contents of the Edit window scroll during playback and recording. These include:
No Auto-Scrolling Disables scrolling during and
after playback. The playback cursor moves
across the Edit window, indicating the playback
location.
Scroll After Playback Causes the Edit window to
scroll to the final playback location after playback has stopped. In this mode, the playback
cursor moves across the Edit window, indicating
the playback location.
Page Scroll During Playback Causes the Edit
window to scroll during playback. With this option, the playback cursor moves across the Edit
window, indicating the playback location.
When the right edge of the Edit window is
reached, its entire contents are scrolled, and the
playback cursor continues moving from the left
edge of the window.
Continuous Scroll During Playback Causes the
Edit window’s contents to scroll continuously
past the playback cursor, which remains in the
center of the window. With this option, playback is always based on the Timeline selection
(unlike Continuous Scroll With Playhead). This
option is available only on Pro Tools TDM systems.
Continuous Scroll With Playhead Causes the Edit
window’s contents to scroll continuously past
the Playhead, which is a blue line in the center of
the window (red when recording). This option is
available only on Pro Tools TDM systems.

Link Edit and Timeline Selection

Play Edit Selection

This command lets you link or unlink Timeline
selections. When the Edit and Timeline selections are unlinked, you can make a selection
within a track for editing purposes that is distinct from the selection in the Timeline (which
determines the playback and recording range).

This command plays an Edit selection when
Continuous Scroll with Playhead is enabled .

When the Edit and Timeline selections are
linked, selecting in a track’s playlist (an Edit selection) also defines the play and record range
(the Timeline selection). See “Separate Edit and
Timeline Selections” on page 195 for details on
using this feature.

When this option is enabled, a muted track’s
voice will be allocated to the next highest priority track assigned to the same explicit voice. See
“Virtual Tracks and Track Priority” on page 82
for details on using this feature.

Mute Frees Explicit Voice
(TDM Systems Only)

Auto-Spot Regions
Copy Edit Selection to Timeline
When the Edit and Timeline selections are unlinked, this command copies the current Edit selection to the Timeline.

Copy Timeline Selection to Edit
When the Edit and Timeline selections are unlinked, this command copies the current Timeline selection to an Edit selection.

Play Timeline Selection
When Continuous Scroll with Playhead is enabled, selections in the Timeline do not determine when playback begins. The Playhead itself, denotes where playback begins when
clicking Play in the Transport. The Edit and
Timeline selections, however, can still be played
when the Playhead is enabled. This command
plays a Timeline selection with the Playhead enabled.

When enabled, this option simplifies the task of
spotting regions. If you are using VITC with this
option enabled, or MachineControl software,
you can pause your video at an appropriate
SMPTE frame location, click on a region with
the Grabber, and the region will be automatically spotted to the current time code location.

Active in Background
When enabled, this option allows Pro Tools to
operate in the background while you use another application.

Pre-Fader Metering
This option toggles track metering between preand post-fader operation. When set to Pre-Fader
Metering, level meters show levels independent
of fader position. With post-fader metering, the
level meters respond to fader position.

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Calibration Mode
(TDM Systems Only)
This command puts Pro Tools into a special operating mode in which the inputs and outputs
of connected interfaces such as the 888/24 I/O
can be calibrated. In this mode, the track names
of all uncalibrated tracks flash until calibration
is complete. For details on using this feature, refer to the Pro Tools TDM Installation Guide.

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Chapter 43: Setups Menu

Setups Menu

the appropriate items for the menus in this dialog. For details on using this dialog to configure
your system, refer to the Pro Tools System Installation Guide for your Pro Tools configuration.

Playback Engine

Setups Menu

This menu allows you to configure various
Pro Tools hardware an d software parameters.

Hardware

Playback Engine dialog

This dialog changes the Playback Engine. Your
choice of Playback Engine determines which
Pro Tools audio card is used to provide Pro Tools
with its recording, playback and editing features.

Hardware Setup dialog

If you change the Playback Engine mid-session,
the session will be saved, closed and reopened to
enable the new Playback Engine. For details on
using this feature, refer to the Pro Tools Installation Guide for your Pro Tools system.

This dialog lets you configure the various parameters for each card and interface in your
Pro Tools system. If you have multiple cards or
interfaces, you must configure each by selecting
Chapter 43: Setups Menu

533

DAE Buffer Size
(Windows Only)

If you are using multiple hard drives for recording, this dialog lets you assign each track in a
session to a specific drive. Audio for that track
will then be recorded to the chosen drive. See
“Disk Allocation” on page 117 for details on using this feature.

Peripherals
The Peripherals dialog lets you configure synchronization, MIDI, machine control, and ethernet peripheral devices for use with Pro Tools.

Synchronization
DAE Playback Buffer Size dialog (Windows)

This command changes the DAE Playback
Buffer Size. When you first launch Pro Tools, it
automatically selects the optimal DAE Playback
Buffer size for your system. In some cases, you
may wish to adjust this parameter to modify
your system’s performance.

Playback Buffer Settings on Macintosh systems are changed from within the DAE application itself.)
Synchronization setup

Disk Allocation

Disk Allocation dialog

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This page configures synchronization devices
such as Digidesign’s Universal Slave Driver to
synchronize Pro Tools to SMPTE Time Code.

Machine Control

Ethernet Controllers

Machine Control setup

Ethernet setup

This page configures MIDI machine control and
9-pin machine control devices for use with
Pro Tools. MIDI Machine control is supported
on all Pro Tools systems. The Pro Tools Machine
Control software option is required for use of 9pin controllers.

This page configures ethernet-equipped devices
such as Digidesign’s ProControl control surface
for use with Pro Tools.

I/O Setup

MIDI Controllers

MIDI Controllers setup

I/O Setup dialog

This page configures MIDI control surfaces such
as the Mackie Designs HUI, Penny & Giles
MM16/DC16, JL Cooper CS-10 family, and the
Peavey PC1600.

The I/O Setup dialog lets you define and name
your system inputs, outputs, inserts, and busses.
These paths will retain the names you have
given them in any pop-up menus in which they
appear. See “The I/O Setup Dialog” on page 62
for details on using the I/O Setup dialog.

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Feet.Frames

OMS Studio Setup

(TDM Systems Only)

(Macintosh Only)

Feet.Frames dialog

For sessions in which feet and frames are the
time scale of reference, this command lets you
enter a Start Frame based on an appropriate
frame location at the beginning of your project
tape. The Feet.Frames Ruler will then use this
value as its start reference.

OMS MIDI Setup
(Macintosh Only)

OMS Studio Setup

This command configures OMS to use MIDI interfaces, instruments, and other peripherals on
Macintosh-based Pro Tools systems. Refer to the
Pro Tools Installation Guide that came with your
system for details on configuring OMS.

OMS Names
(Macintosh Only)

OMS MIDI Setup

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OMS Names dialog

This command opens patch name documents
for all configured OMS devices and edit patch
and note name information. Edited patch
names will appear in the Program Change window within Pro Tools.

Preferences
The Preferences dialog has several tabbed pages
in which you can specify your preferred settings
for various session parameters. Each new session
will use these preferences.

Display Preferences

(the portions that fall above and below the center line) are summed together and viewed as a
single positive-value signal. This view allows
more waveform detail to be seen in either normal or reduced track height views. It can be particularly useful when editing volume automation data, since the it depicts waveform levels as
starting at the bottom of the track.
Mix Window Follows Bank Selection This option,
which is only available if you are using an external MIDI controller supported by Pro Tools,
causes Pro Tools to scroll the Mix window to display the selected bank of tracks when you
switch banks on the MIDI Controller, ensuring
that the current bank is viewable in on-screen.

Recompute Invalid Overviews This option
prompts Pro Tools to look for missing or corrupted overview data (the data used to create
waveform displays) when it opens sessions. If
Pro Tools finds that overview data is missing or
corrupted, it will recreate the overview(s) for the
session. This may take some time if there are
many tracks in the session. If you suspect that
overview data for a session has become corrupted, or if you import audio files which have
no overview data into a session, make sure this
preference is enabled for the session, save and
close the session, then reopen it. Pro Tools will
recreate the overview(s) for the session when it
opens.
Draw Waveforms Rectified This option displays
audio waveform data in rectified view. In this
view, audio waveforms are displayed so that
their positive and negative waveform excursions

Edit Window Follows Bank Selection This option, which is only available if you are using an
External MIDI controller supported by
Pro Tools, causes Pro Tools to scroll the Edit
window to display the selected bank of tracks
when you switch banks on the MIDI Controller,
ensuring that the current selection of tracks in
the current bank is viewable in on-screen.
Edit Window Default Length This option allows
you to set a default length for the Edit window
in hours, minutes, seconds, and frames. This capability is useful if you wish to assemble a session of a particular length or leave extra room to
expand the Edit window’s work area in your session. There is a 13 hour maximum limit for the
length of a Pro Tools session.
Show Meters in Sends View When the Sends
View is displaying individual send controls, you
can enable this option to show send level
meters. If you are using a slower computer, you
can disable this option to reduce the processing
load on your CPU.

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Edit Window Color Coding

Operation Preferences

Edit Window Color Coding determines how colors are assigned to the waveform display in the
Edit window. Choices are:
None This option turns off color assignment to
the waveform display of tracks in the Edit window.
Tracks and MIDI Channels Assigns a color to the
waveform display of each track in the Edit window according to its voice number and MIDI
channel assignment.
Tracks and MIDI Devices Assigns a color to the
waveform display of each track in the Edit window according to its voice number and MIDI device type.
Groups Assigns a color to the waveform display
of each track in the Edit window according to its
group ID. If groups are suspended using the Suspend Groups command, all waveforms will be
displayed in black.

Peak Hold Options
These options determine the how long the peak
indicators on track meters stay lit after a peak is
detected. Choices are:
3-Second Peak Hold When selected, track meters
display the last peak level for three seconds.
Infinite Peak Hold When selected, track meters
display the last peak level until you click them
to clear them.
No Peak Hold When selected, track meters do
not hold the peak level.

Timeline Insertion Follows Playback This option
causes the screen’s play cursor to update its location to the point where playback stops.
Edit Insertion Follows Scrub/Shuttle When selected, the edit cursor automatically locates to
the point where scrubbing stops.
Support Background Record Applications Allows
other audio recording applications to run in the
background concurrently with Pro Tools. Files
recorded in the background can be imported
into Pro Tools, trimmed and viewed while recording continues.
Sends Default to -INF Sets the initial fader level
of newly-created Sends to -infinity (no audible
signal level).
Audio During Fast Forward/Rewind When selected, audio is audible during fast-forward or rewind.
Latch Record Enable Buttons When deselected,
prevents multiple tracks from being record enabled: Record-enabling a track takes any other
track out of record-enabled mode.

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Latch Solo Buttons When deselected, prevents
multiple tracks from being soloed. Soloing a
track mutes any track that is soloed.
Link Mix and Edit Group Enables When selected,
links enabling and disabling of Mix and Edit
groups: Enabling Group A in the Edit Window
automatically enables Group A in the Mix window.
Use F11 key for Wait for Note When selected,
pressing the F11 Function key puts MIDI recording in Wait for Note mode.

Shuttle Selects a type of shuttling different from
that of Shuttle Lock Mode. With the Numeric
Keypad Mode set to Shuttle, playback is triggered by pressing and holding the keys on the
numeric keypad—playback stops once the keys
are released. Various playback speeds are available in both forward and reverse. You can also
recall Memory Locations by typing period, the
Memory Location number, and period again.

Autosave
This preference determines how the Autosave
feature functions.

Numeric Keypad Mode
Numeric Keypad Mode determines how the numeric keypad functions. You can always use the
numeric keypad to select and enter values in the
Event Edit Area, Location Indicators, and Transport fields.
Classic Emulates the way Pro Tools worked in
versions earlier than 5.0. With the Numeric Keypad Mode set to Classic, you can play up to two
tracks of audio in Shuttle Lock mode. Press Control (Macintosh) or the Start key (Windows), followed by 0-9 for different play speeds. Press Plus
or Minus to reverse direction. Recall Memory
Locations by typing the Memory Location number, followed by period.
Transport Allows you to set a number of record
and play functions, and also operate the Transport from the numeric keypad. With the Numeric Keypad Mode set to Transport, you can
play up to two tracks of audio in Shuttle Lock
mode. Press Control (Macintosh) or the Start
key (Windows), followed by 0-9 for different
play speeds. Press Plus or Minus to reverse direction. Recall Memory Locations by typing period,
the Memory Location number, and period
again.

Enable Autosave When selected, Pro Tools automatically saves sessions while you work. Use the
Keep and Save Every fields to specify the total
number of incremental backups that are kept
and how often the session is saved.

Online Options
Record Online at Time Code (or ADAT) Lock
When selected, online recording begins as soon
as Pro Tools receives and locks to time code or
ADAT sync.
Record Online at Insertion/Selection When selected, online recording begins at the Edit cursor
location. Recording continues until Pro Tools
stops receiving time code. If you make a selection, Pro Tools records online for the length of
the selection.

Open Ended Record Allocation
This preference determines how much of your
available hard drive space is allocated for recording. Choices are:

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Use All Available Space When selected, the
drive’s entire available space is allocated. This
can sometimes slow down the recording process
for hard drives that use certain file systems, including HFS+ and NTFS.
Limit To Sets the maximum allowable recording
duration. This can help reduce the time it takes
to begin recording by allocating only a portion
of your hard drive. The number of minutes specified is allocated for each record-enabled track.
You may find it necessary to experiment with
this number to achieve the desired performance
for recording.

Machine Control
These preferences determine how a connected
transport responds to Pro Tools. Choices are:
Machine Chases Memory Location When selected, navigating to a specific location in a session with a Memory Location causes a connected transport to chase to that location.
Machine Follows Edit Insertion/Scrub When selected, navigating to a specific location in a session by moving the selection point or by scrubbing a track will cause a connected transport to
chase to that location.
Machine Cues Intelligently When selected, if you
navigate to a cue point that is more than 10 seconds from the current location, Pro Tools will
command a connected transport to shuttle to
the desired location at full speed to within 10
seconds of the cue point. Cueing will then slow
to normal speed until the point is reached. This
significantly speeds up tape cueing.

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Remote Mode
Punch In Frame Offset Sets an offset in frames to
compensate for punch in timing advances or delays.
Punch Out Frame Offset Sets an offset in frames
to compensate for punch out timing advances
or delays.
Auto Regions Fade In/Out Length Sets a default
length for fade ins and fade outs automatically
applied to applied to region boundaries. Using
automatic fade-ins/fade-outs saves you the trouble of editing to zero-crossings or creating numerous rendered fades in order to eliminate
clicks or pops in playback. Autofades are not
written to disk. Value range is from 0 to 10 ms
for the Auto Region Fade In/Out Length. A value
of zero (the default) means that no auto-fading
will occur. The Auto Fade value is saved with the
session, and is automatically applied to all freestanding region boundaries until you change it.
Calibration Reference Level Sets a default calibration reference level in dB when Pro Tools is
in Calibration Mode. See the Pro Tools TDM Installation Guide for details on using Calibration
Mode.

Editing Preferences

Crossfade Preview Pre-Roll This option specifies
the amount of pre-roll to be added when you are
auditioning crossfades in the Fades dialog.
Crossfade Preview Post-Roll This option specifies the amount of post-roll to be added when
you are auditioning crossfades in the Fades dialog.

Default Fade Settings
Fade In Selects the default envelope shape for
fade ins.
Crossfade Selects the default envelope shape for
crossfades.

Track Selection Follows Regions List Selection
When selected, selecting a region in the Regions
List causes Pro Tools to highlight that region’s
occurrence in a track.
Region List Selection Follows Track Selection
When selected, selecting a region in a track also
selects it in the Regions List.
Auto-Name Separated Regions When selected,
Pro Tools automatically names newly separated
regions by appending a number to the region’s
name.
Auto-Name Memory Locations When Playing
When selected, Pro Tools gives new memory locations default names based on their time location in the session. The time units currently
chosen in the Display menu determine the units
for the names.
Recall Original Track Selections When selected,
Memory Locations that recall a selection also recall the track in which the selection was made.

Fade Out Selects the default envelope shape for
fade outs.
Conversion Quality Selects the sample rate conversion quality. Sample rate conversion is used
in a variety of Pro Tools processes including
converting and importing audio files of different formats into a session, bouncing and saving
tracks to a different sample rate or bit depth, and
other functions. The higher the quality of sample rate conversion you choose, the longer
Pro Tools will take to process the audio file.

Matching Start Time Takes List
Command-clicking (Macintosh) or Controlclicking (Windows) in a track, will display a list
of regions whose time stamp matches the current cursor location. The preferences that follow
determine which takes appear in this list:
Take Region Names that Match Track Names
When selected, only regions that share the same
root name with the track/playlist appear in the
Takes List pop-up menu.

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Take Region Lengths that Match When selected, only regions that match the length of the
current selection appear in the Takes List popup menu.

Smooth and Thin Data After Pass When selected, automation is automatically smoothed
and thinned by the amount specified with the
Degree of Thinning option.

“Separate Region” Operates on All Related Takes

Write Switches to Touch After Pass After an automation pass in Auto Write mode, Pro Tools
automatically switches to Auto Touch mode. On
TDM systems you can choose to stay in Auto
Write mode by deselecting this option.

When selected, editing a region with the Separate Region command also affects all other related takes with the same User Time Stamp. This
option helps you compare different sections
from a group of related takes.
QuickPunch Crossfade Length Specifies a default
length for crossfades created by QuickPunch recording. Crossfades occur before the punch in
and after the punch out.
Levels of Undo Sets the maximum number of actions (up to 16) that can be undone with the
multiple undo feature.

Automation Preferences

Mutes Follow Groups When selected, muting a
track that belongs to a Mix group mutes all
other members of the group. When deselected,
tracks must be muted individually.
Solos Follow Groups When selected, soloing a
track that belongs to a Mix group solos all other
members of the group. When deselected, tracks
must be soloed individually.
Send Mutes Follow Groups When selected, muting a Send that belongs to a group mutes all
other members of the group. When deselected,
Sends must be muted individually.
Send Levels Follow Groups When selected, adjusting the level of a Send that belongs to a
group adjusts the Send levels of all other members of the group. When deselected, Send levels
must be adjusted individually.
LFEs Follow Groups When selected, adjusting or
editing an LFE control that belongs to a group
adjusts the LFE controls of all other members of
the group. When deselected, LFE controls must
be adjusted individually.

Faders Move During Playback When selected,
faders move on screen when automated. When
deselected, faders do not move, but automation
is still functioning.

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Degree of Thinning Specifies the amount of automation data thinning applied when automation
is recorded. Avoid over thinning automation
data or it may no longer accurately reflect the
original pass.

Touch Timeout Specifies how quickly automation recording stops or “times out” after you
stop moving a MIDI controller in Touch mode.

Edit Dither Settings When Digidesign’s dither
plug-in is used, allows you to apply either normal or noise-shaped dither.

AutoMatch Time Specifies how quickly Pro Tools
returns a fader or other control to its previously
automated level after automation recording
stops.

Dither Depth Allows you to select a bit depth for
the dithered audio.

Amount of Memory for Automation Recording Allows you to reserve additional memory for recording automation. If you have dense automation data or a large number of automated tracks,
increase this amount. Relaunch Pro Tools for
this setting to take effect.

Processing Preferences

AudioSuite Buffer Size Sets the size of the memory buffer used for audio processing and previewing with AudioSuite plug-ins. Generally,
choosing a smaller buffer speeds up AudioSuite
audio previewing functions. Choosing a larger
buffer speeds up AudioSuite processing functions. Set the buffer according to your current
task: Before auditioning an AudioSuite plug-in,
set the buffer to Mini or Small. When you process a file, set it to Large or Jumbo.
TC/E Plug-In Allows you to choose the plug-in
used for Time Compression and Expansion
when you edit audio with the Time Trimmer
tool. The Time Trimmer works by using Time
Compression/Expansion to match an audio region to the length of another region, a tempo
grid, a video scene or other reference point.
Default Settings Specifies the default settings
used by the chosen Time Compression/Expansion plug-in.

AudioSuite Dither
Use AudioSuite Dither When selected, applies
dither to specific audio processing tasks. See
“Dither” on page 352 for an explanation of
dither.
Dither Plug-In Specifies the plug-in used for
dither processing when the Use AudioSuite
Dither option is selected.

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Compatibility Preferences

MIDI Preferences

Convert .WAV files to AES31/BroadcastWave

Play MIDI Notes When Editing When selected,
causes MIDI notes to sound when you insert them
with the Pencil or drag them with the Grabber.

When selected, this option applies to all newly
imported .WAV files, making them compliant
with the AES31/EBU Broadcast standard.
Avid Compatibility Mode When selected, ensures
that all imported OMF media files are treated as
Read-Only and prevents destructive editing processes such as those used by the Pencil and Time
Trimmer tools and AudioSuite processing.

Default Note On Velocity Sets the default Note On
velocity for MIDI notes inserted in the Edit window and the MIDI Event List.
Pencil Tool Resolution Sets the default resolution
for MIDI controller data created with the Pencil.
Setting this to a lower resolution helps avoid
creating controller data that is unnecessarily
dense. The value range is from 1 to 100 milliseconds.
Global MIDI Playback Offset Sets an offset in samples to compensate for MIDI latency. Entering a
value here has the same effect as setting an offset with the MIDI Track Offset command (Windows > MIDI Track Offset). Offset values can be
positive (later) or negative (earlier).

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MIDI Note Display Determines how pitches for
MIDI notes are displayed in the Edit window
and in the MIDI Event List.
Default Thru Instrument Routes MIDI to a Default Thru Instrument. This saves you the trouble of creating a MIDI track and record enabling
it to hear a particular MIDI device and channel.
Unlike MIDI tracks, which only listen to the device and channel assigned to its Input Selector,
all incoming MIDI data is routed to the Default
Thru Instrument. If the Default Thru Instrument is assigned to a record-enabled MIDI track,
Pro Tools only routes to the record-enabled
track.

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Chapter 44: Display Menu

Display Menu

Narrow Mix Window
This command reduces the width of Mix channels on screen, allowing you to display the maximum number of tracks on your computer monitor. In this view, track names, names of sends,
and Plug-In names are abbreviated to accommodate the smaller view. To return to normal view
width, choose this command again.

Mix Window Shows
This command selectively displays Comments,
I/O, Inserts, and Sends views in the Mix window.

Display Menu

Edit Window Shows

Display menu commands control the display of
Pro Tools windows, tracks, and track data.

This command selectively displays Comments,
I/O, Inserts, and Sends views in the Edit window.

Show Mix Window
This command displays the Mix window, used
for recording and mixing tasks.

Show Edit Window
This command displays the Edit window, used
for graphical editing and arranging of audio,
MIDI and automation.

Transport Window Shows
This command selectively displays basic transport controls, counter, and MIDI controls in the
Transport window. See “The Transport Window” on page 36 for details on using the Transport.

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Sends View Shows

Display Time in Regions

This command displays either send assignments
for all sends, or the controls for individual
sends.

This command displays the time stamp of all regions in currently placed in tracks. When a region is created, it is time stamped relative to the
SMPTE start time specified for the session. This
original time stamp is permanently stored with
the region and cannot be changed. If a region is
ever moved, it can easily be placed at its original
position using the Spot dialog.

Ruler View Shows
This command selectively displays various
Timebase and Conductor Rulers in the Edit window. In addition to providing a timing reference
for track material, Timebase Rulers are used to
define Edit selections and Timeline selections.
See “Rulers” on page 184 for details on using
Rulers.

System Usage Window Shows
This command sets the display format for the
System Usage window. The System Usage window shows the usage of DSP and CPU resources
during a session. See “About Processing Bandwidth” on page 376 for details on the System
Usage window.

Disk Space Window Shows
This command specifies either a text-based or
“gas-gauge” style display format for the Disk
Space window. The Disk Space window shows
how much recording time is currently available
on each hard drive connected to your system.

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None Disables time stamp display in regions.
Current Time Displays the time stamp of all regions placed in all tracks according to their current location in the track.
Original Time Stamp Displays the Original Time
Stamp of all regions in all tracks.
User Time Stamp Displays the User Time Stamp
of all regions in all tracks. When a file is first recorded, its User Time Stamp is identical to its
original time stamp. You can change the User
Time Stamp using the Time Stamp Selected
command in the Audio Regions List. This allows
you to use a custom time stamp for spotting or
re-spotting the region to a time location different from its Original Time Stamp.

Display Name in Regions
This command allows you to hide a region’s
name in tracks in the Edit window. This is useful
if you are working at a zoom level where region
names obscure the view of audio waveforms.

Display Auto-Created Regions

Feet.Frames

Deselecting this command streamlines the display of region names in the Regions Lists by hiding automatically crated regions. These are regions that were created as a by-product of
cutting, pasting and separating other regions.
Since these by-product regions can become numerous, hiding them helps you to avoid scrolling through unnecessarily long Regions Lists.
See “Hiding and Removing Unwanted Regions”
on page 257 for details on using this feature.

(TDM Systems Only)
This command displays the Time Scale in feet
and frames for referencing audio-for-film
projects. The Feet.Frames time display is based
on the 35 millimeter film format.

Samples
This command displays the Time Scale in samples. This format is useful for high-resolution
sample editing.

Bars:Beats
This command displays the Time Scale in Bars &
Beats. Use this Time Scale if you are working
with musical material that mist align with bars
and beats.

Minutes:Seconds
This command displays the time scale in minutes and seconds.

Time Code
(TDM Systems Only)
This command displays the Time Scale in
SMPTE frames. The Frame Rate and Session Start
time are set from the Session Setup window.
Pro Tools supports the following frame rates: 24,
25, 29.97, Non-Drop, 29.97 Drop, 30 Non-Drop,
and 30 Drop frames per second.

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Chapter 45: Windows Menu

Windows Menu

Show Tempo/Meter

Tempo/Meter window

Windows Menu

The Windows menu has commands that display
or hide various Pro Tools windows. They act as
toggles: Choosing the command displays the
desired window; choosing it again hides the
window.

This command opens the Tempo Meter window. This window allows you to manipulate
MIDI data using the Tempo Change and Meter
Change commands. See “Setting the Default
Tempo” on page 123 for details on MIDI editing
using these features.

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Show MIDI Operations

Show MIDI Event List

MIDI Operations window

This command opens the MIDI Operations window. This window allows you to manipulate
MIDI data using the following commands:
◆

Quantize

◆

Change Velocity

◆

Change Duration

◆

Transpose

◆

Select Notes

◆

Split Notes

◆

Input Quantize

See “MIDI Operations Window” on page 309 for
details on MIDI editing using these commands.

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MIDI Event List

This command opens the MIDI Event List window. This window shows the contents of a MIDI
track in a single, easy to read list. Using the MIDI
Event List, you can quickly and precisely insert,
edit, or locate any type of MIDI data using your
computer keyboard. See “MIDI Event List” on
page 321 for details on using this feature.

Show MIDI Track Offsets

Show Session Setup

Session Setup window

MIDI Track Offsets window

This command opens the MIDI Track Offsets
window. This window allows you to create timing offsets for MIDI tracks to compensate for
MIDI-to-audio latencies in hardware or software-based MIDI synthesizers.
By configuring a MIDI offset, you can make
MIDI tracks play back slightly earlier (by a specific number of samples), thereby compensating
for any audio monitoring latencies. MIDI offsets
affect playback only and do not alter how MIDI
data is displayed in the Edit window.

Show Transport

This command opens the Session Setup window. This window allows you to configure various session parameters including sample rate,
session start frame, SMPTE frame rate, and several time code-related parameters. See “The Session Setup Window” on page 468 for details on
using the Session Setup window.

Show Big Counter

Big Counter window

This command opens the Big Counter window.
This window provides a large, easy to see reference for the current session time location. Time
is displayed in the currently chosen Time Scale
format.

Transport window

This command opens the Transport window.
This window has standard transport controls, a
counter, and MIDI controls. See “The Transport
Window” on page 36 for details on using the
Transport.

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Show Automation Enable

keypad, press the number of the location followed by a period. See “Memory Locations Window” on page 276 for details on using this feature.

Show Machine Track Arm
This command opens the Machine Track Arm
window. When using MachineControl, this
window allows you to record-arm external recording devices from within Pro Tools.
Automation Enable window

This command opens the Automation Enable
window. This window allows you to enable or
suspend the writing of volume, pan, mute, plugin, send level, send pan and send mute automation for all tracks.
Before you can record automation, the desired
automation type must be enabled. Buttons are
highlighted when enabled. To suspend writing
of automation, deselect the button for the desired automation type.

Show Universe
(TDM Systems Only)

Universe window

This command opens the Universe window.
This window provides a visual overview of all
tracks in a session. Use the Universe window to
quickly click and go to any location in a session.

Show Memory Locations
Show Beat Detective
(TDM Systems Only)

Beat Detective window
Memory Locations window

This command opens the Memory Locations
window. Here you can store up to 200 time location markers, selections, zoom settings,
pre/post-roll times, track show/hide states, track
height states, and group enables. To recall a
memory location, click the button for the desired location or, on your computer’s numeric
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This command opens the Beat Detective window. Beat Detective automatically detects the
tempo of a session and conforms an audio track
or selection to that tempo by separating it into
regions and aligning it to the beats. Beat Detective is ideal for tailoring a performance to a
groove. See Chapter 22, “Beat Detective” for details on using this feature.

Show Movie Window

Show System Usage

(Macintosh Only

Movie window

This command opens the Movie window. This
window displays QuickTime movies imported
into the current session using the Import Movie
command. The movie serves as a sample-accurate, random-access reference for spotting
sound effects, music, Foley, dialog, or other audio to the visuals. See “About the Movie Window” on page 497 for details on using this feature.

System Usage window

This command opens the System Usage window. This window shows how much of your system’s DSP and CPU processing capacity is in use
by the current session.

Show Disk Space

Show Strip Silence
Disk Space window

Strip Silence window

This command opens the Strip Silence window.
Use this window to remove areas of silence from
a selection. Strip Silence automatically divides a
selection into regions, which can be useful
quantizing audio to musical values or SMPTE locations. See “The Strip Silence Window” on
page 253 for details on using this feature.

This command opens the Disk Space window.
This window shows the recording capacity of
each hard drive attached to your system, measured in track minutes. This calculation is based
on the bit depth and sample rate of the current
session.

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Appendix A: DSP-Induced Delays in
Mixing

In all digital systems, signal processing incurs
signal delays of varying amounts. These delays
can vary from as short as several microseconds
to as long as several milliseconds, depending on
the type of processing being performed.

Use of Inserts & Sends
The following delays are incurred when you add
an insert or send to a track:
• Insert: 2 samples
• Post-fader Send: 6 samples
• Pre-fader Send: 3 samples

Delay Factors
In Pro Tools, delay is incurred when you perform the following processes:

Bouncing Tracks
Bus-based bounces When you bus a track to another track and record the result, the following
delays are incurred:

Use of Hardware Inserts
When an audio interface peripheral is used on
an insert, there are two sources of delay: the
samples incurred in using an Insert, and a delay
introduced by going through the D/A and A/D
converter pair (for analog devices) or digital I/O
connection (for digital devices) on the audio interface.

Bus-based bounce delays for each Pro Tools system

Pro Tools Hardware

Delay

Pro Tools 24

8 samples

On the 888/24 I/O, the Digital I/O delay incurred when using AES/EBU or S/PDIF is identical.

Pro Tools 24 MIX

10 samples

Audio Interface Delay Characteristics

Bounce to Disk The File > Bounce To Disk command causes no delay on a TDM-equipped system since delay compensation for the bounce
function is built in. This form of bouncing may
be more desirable than bus-based bouncing.

Interface

A/D/A delay

Digital I/O

888/24 I/O

81 samples

17 samples

882/20 I/O

75 samples

17 samples

1622 I/O

75 samples

17 samples

Appendix A: DSP-Induced Delays in Mixing

557

Compensating for Delays
If you want to compensate for offsets incurred
by these delays, there are two different methods
you can use: apply sample-level delay to tracks
with the TimeAdjuster plug-in, or physically adjust tracks in the Edit window by the appropriate number of samples.

Using the TimeAdjuster Plug-In
You can use the TimeAdjuster TDM plug-in provided with your Pro Tools system to apply an
exact number of samples of delay to the signal
path of the tracks you are working with. Up to
2048 samples of delay are available.
Digidesign TDM plug-ins display their delay values in the track delay indicators in the Mix window. TimeAdjuster can be used to match these
delay values for tracks that need to remain in
phase (such as instruments recorded with multiple microphones or stereo pairs).
In the Mix window, Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click (Windows) the Track
Level Indicator to toggle between Level (which
appears on the display as “vol”), Peak (“pk”) and
Channel Delay (“dly”) indications. Delay values
are shown in samples.
To use TimeAdjuster to compensate for a time
delay:
1 Apply the TimeAdjuster plug-in to the track
whose delay you want to increase, and Command-click (Macintosh) or Control-click (Windows) its Track Level indicator until the
Channel Delay value is displayed for that track.
2 Change the delay time in TimeAdjuster by
moving the Delay slider or entering a value in
the Delay field, until the track delay value
matches that of the first track.

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You can test the delay values by duplicating an
audio track and reversing its phase while compensating for delay.
If you are using a plug-in whose delay factor are
you not familiar with, you can set the delay by
ear using one of two methods:
◆ If you are working with phase-coherent track
pairs, or tracks that had been multi-miked, you
can “null out” the delay. Invert the phase of the
target track using the TimeAdjuster Phase Invert
button, and adjust the plug-in delay time until
the signal disappears. (When they are perfectly
synchronized, duplicate signals of opposite polarity cancel each other out.) When you are finished, disengage the Phase Invert button.
◆ You can also change the delay while listening
to the signal in phase, adjusting until any combfilter effects cancel out.

Nudging Audio Tracks
On audio tracks, you can use the Pro Tools
Nudge feature to nudge the affected regions in
single-sample (or other) increments, to preserve
phase coherency. If it is necessary to nudge a region by a large number of samples, you may
want to calculate the equivalent value in milliseconds and nudge the Region in millisecond
increments. If the value doesn’t divide evenly,
you can switch the Nudge value back to samples
and use these smaller increments for the remainder.
The disadvantage of using this method is that it
only works with disk tracks (not live inputs),
and the timing relationship between tracks is
permanently altered, which can affect editing.

Sample Rate and How it Affects Delay
The delay in samples caused by TDM processing
is the same regardless of the sample rate because
a sample is tied to the rate of the sample clock
for the entire system. However, when samples
are converted into a time value (milliseconds or
microseconds), the sample rate (44.1 versus
48 kHz) must be taken into account.
To convert from samples to milliseconds (and viceversa) use this formula:
• milliseconds = samples / sample rate (in kHz)

Typical Delay Scenarios
Below are some typical delay scenarios that you
may encounter in a Pro Tools session. The more
complex a session becomes, the greater the TDM
delay factors may become.
Once you know the delay for your session, set
the Nudge Value to that amount (in samples)
and nudge the affected regions to compensate
for the delay.

Example 3, Pro Tools 24 MIX System

• samples = milliseconds X sample rate (in kHz)
There are 44 samples per millisecond @ 44.1
kHz, and 48 samples/ms. @ 48 kHz.

There are actually 44.1 samples/ms at
44.1 kHz, so Pro Tools rounds down to 44
samples/ms. One time in ten, Pro Tools
rounds off to 45 samples/ms. At 48 kHz, no
rounding occurs.
Here’s an example of how to compensate for a
delay:
Imagine that you have used a hardware insert
on the 888/24 I/O. According to the guidelines
given previously, the total amount of delay introduced is:
Insert = 2 samples
888/24 I/O A/D/A = 79 samples
Total = 81 samples
If you are working at 44.1 kHz, set Nudge Value
to milliseconds and nudge the region back (earlier in time) 2 ms (2 x 44 = 88 samples). Then set
Nudge Value to samples, and nudge it forward
(later in time) 7 samples for a total of 81 samples.

A bus-based TDM bounce with no plug-ins adds
10 samples of delay:
◆ Track 1 routed to Bus 1-2, with pan set <100 =
2 samples
◆ Through Bus 1-2 Mixer and back out to TDM
= 5 samples
◆ Record to Track 2 with input set to Bus 1 = 3
samples

Total: 10 samples

Example 2, Pro Tools 24 MIX System
A slightly different bounce adds 14 samples of
delay because it involves use of a Send:
◆ Track 1/Send 1 (post-fader) routed to Bus 1 = 6
samples
◆ Through Bus 1-2 Mixer and back out to TDM
= 5 samples
◆ Record to Track 2 with input set to Bus 1 = 3
samples

Total: 14 samples

Appendix A: DSP-Induced Delays in Mixing

559

Example 1, Pro Tools 24 System
A bus-based TDM bounce with no plug-ins adds
8 samples of delay:
Track 1 routed to Bus 1-2, with pan set <100 =
2 samples

◆

Through Bus 1-2 Mixer and back out to TDM
= 3 samples

◆

Record to Track 2 with input set to Bus 1 = 3
samples

◆

Total: 8 samples

Example 2, Pro Tools 24 System
A slightly different bounce adds 11 samples of
delay because it involves use of a Send:
• Track 1/Send 1 (post-fader) routed to Bus 1 = 5
samples
• Through Bus 1-2 Mixer and back out to TDM
= 3 samples
• Record to Track 2 with input set to Bus 1 = 3
samples

Total: 11 samples

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Pro Tools Reference Guide

Appendix B: TDM Mixing and
DSP Usage

Pro Tools TDM Technology

DSP Allocation

(TDM Systems Only)

Digidesign’s TDM (or time division multiplexing)
technology is based on the concept of a single,
high-speed data highway, or bus. In
Pro Tools 24 MIX and Pro Tools 24 systems, individual channels from sources such as disk
tracks, sends, or busses are sent out from Digidesign audio cards, and combined together or multiplexed onto the TDM bus. At the receiving end,
the audio cards can listen to any connection on
the bus, and take whatever data they need.

Digital Signal Processing (or DSP) capability is
one of the most powerful elements of your system. The DSP chips in your system provide the
real-time processing power for your TDM Mixer
and plug-ins. There is a limit, depending on
your system, to how many functions a single
DSP chip can power at once. This section contains some guidelines for getting the most from
your available DSP capacity.

With Pro Tools 24 MIX and Pro Tools 24 systems, you can choose how to allocate the processing power of your system. In most cases,
you’ll start the allocation process by configuring
your mixer, then assigning plug-in effects according to how much remaining processing
power you have.

DSP Allocation Basics
As in the analog world, every send bus or output
mix that you use demands that a summing
mixer exist for that group. On an analog console, the number of these summing mixers is
fixed by the physical layout of the console. In
the Pro Tools mix environment, this number is
variable, and depends on the number of output
mixes or sends that you choose to create.
Pro Tools allocates DSP power as it is needed to
build the mixers for each session.

Appendix B: TDM Mixing and DSP Usage

561

We refer to certain mixing or signal processing
functions as “using one DSP” or “using two
DSPs.” This refers to the fact that there are a certain number of DSP chips on a card (six on a
MIX card, or four on a DSP Farm card), each of
which can only power a certain number of processing functions. If you have a single MIX card
or DSP Farm card, and you create a big enough
TDM mixer and use enough sends or plug-ins,
you will eventually use up or “max out” all
DSPs.

Mixing and DSP Usage
Pro Tools builds a TDM mixer every time a session is opened. Note that the term “mixer channel” applies to Audio tracks (including virtual
tracks) and Auxiliary Input tracks, as well as
sends and returns that use any of the 64 TDM
internal busses. When you go beyond a certain
number of mixer channels, Pro Tools will use
another DSP to create additional mixer capacity.
With Pro Tools 24 systems, Pro Tools does not
always automatically free up all unused DSP
power when you delete unneeded mixer channel. On these systems, to reclaim all DSP power
after a change in your session configuration,
close your session and reopen it. Pro Tools will
rebuild your new mixer configuration to use
DSP power with maximum efficiency.

ager will automatically try to make room for the
new mixer or plug-in on the MIX card. It does
this by reallocating the existing TDM mixers
and plug-ins to use the available DSP capacity
on the MIX card as efficiently as possible.

Monitoring DSP Usage
To monitor the usage of DSP resources during a
Pro Tools session, choose Windows > Show System Usage.
To display DSP resources in different formats,
choose Display > System Usage Window Shows
and choose a format from the Display menu.
As you allocate DSP to mixing or processing
with plug-ins, the System Usage window indicates when DSP chips are available and when
they are in use. Green indicates a chip is free.
Red indicates a chip is in use.

System Usage window showing Large format

DSP Manager
(Pro Tools 24 MIX/MIXplus Systems Only)
Pro Tools software (version 4.3 and higher) includes DSP Manager, a software component that
optimizes the use of DSP capacity on
Pro Tools 24 MIX/MIXplus systems.
When you have a MIX card in your system, if
your current DSP usage is approaching the capacity of the card, and you then try to add a
mixer channel or assign a plug-in, the DSP Man562

Pro Tools Reference Guide

System Usage window showing Detailed format

The Detailed and Gas Gauge formats show the
percentage of each DSP chip in use.

System Usage Window showing Gas Gauge format

With these indicators as your guide, you can try
different mixer setups and different arrangements of plug-ins, sends, and Auxiliary Inputs
to maximize your use of available DSP power.
Another feature available for DSP management
is Active and Inactive switching. See “Active and
Inactive Items” on page 13.

Setting up Sessions to use DSP
Efficiently
The dynamically configurable mixing environment in Pro Tools lets you make choices based
on the type of setup you want to have—such as
how many inputs you want for your mixer, how
many plug-ins you want to use, or how many
sends you need.
For example, you could allocate all of your DSP
power to create a large mixer with dozens of
channels—but you wouldn’t be able to use as
many busses, sends, or TDM plug-ins. Alternatively, you could create a mixer with a smaller
number of mixer channels plus some sends and
Auxiliary Inputs for returns, and TDM plug-ins
on several tracks.

AudioSuite plug-ins do not use DSP and are
always available. Refer to your DigiRack
Plug-Ins Guide for more information.
You can set up your session by choosing one of
the session templates supplied with your system
as a starting point, or by building it from
scratch. If you are starting from scratch, a good
rule of thumb is to start by building your mixer
first, since at least one of the DSPs in your system is automatically dedicated to mixing. Start
with Audio tracks, then add sends and Auxiliary
Inputs, and finally add plug-ins as available DSP
allows. Master Faders do not use additional DSP
power.

DSP Usage with TDM Mixers
Understanding Mixers
DSP allocation for mixing in a Pro Tools TDM
system is based on the concept of DSP summing
mixers. Every send bus or output mix that you
use demands that a summing mixer exist for
that group. Each pair of outputs or busses that
you use requires its own mixer.
An “input” can be a disk track, a send, or an internal bus connection. Adding a pair of outputs
or busses adds the requirement for more DSP
power.
A MIX card has six DSP chips, and a DSP Farm
card has four DSP chips, each of which can
power a certain number of signal processing
tasks. DSP resources are dynamically allocated as
the number of mixers and inputs increases.
The TDM mixer provides basic building blocks
by which applications such as Pro Tools can create a wide variety of mixer configurations.

Appendix B: TDM Mixing and DSP Usage

563

Mono and Stereo

Mixers and DSP Hardware

Each TDM mono or stereo mixer is of the dimensions “N x 2,” meaning that it mixes a variable number of inputs to an output pair. For example: a session with six tracks routed to Output
1–2 would require a single 6 x 2 mixer. If one of
the tracks is assigned to Output 3-4, however,
two mixers are required—one 5x2 mixer routed
to Output 1–2, and one 1x2 mixer routed to
Output 3–4.

Different mixer plug-ins are available, each of
which uses DSP power at slightly different rates
on the different audio cards (and their DSP
chips), as shown in the following tables.

See also “TDM Mixer Plug-Ins” on
page 566.
DSP Farm
Mixer

Usage

16-bit optimized mono

36x2 per chip

16-bit optimized stereo

18x2 per chip

Multi-Channel Surround
Each Surround mixer can have a variable number of outputs as well as a variable number of inputs. For example, the 7.1 format requires eight
outputs. A single mono track assigned to a 7.1
Output or Bus path would require a 1x8 mixer,
while one mono and one stereo track would require a 3x8 mixer.
The important concept here is that every output
(whether they are I/O or bus outputs) requires
that a mixer exists for that output. This means
that creating a send to bus 1 requires that a
mixer be created for the bus 1–2 outputs, and
that mixer will have one input.

Note: ALL stereo counts are simply the mono mixer
count divided by 2 and rounded down
24-bit optimized mono

25x2 per chip

24-bit optimized stereo

12x2 per chip

Note: The surround mixer can not run on DSP Farms

MIX Card
Mixer

Usage

16-bit & 24-bit optimized, mono

59x2 per chip

16-bit & 24-bit optimized, stereo

29x2 per chip

Surround, 5.1

17x6 per chip

Surround, 7.1

12x8 per chip

Usage with other Surround mixer vary depending on
the number of channels in each format.

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Pro Tools Reference Guide

I/O

Submixing

If the DSP is also being used for I/O processing,
then some of the chip’s capacity will be devoted
to I/O, yielding slightly lower mixer count
(these figures represent maximum numbers
when I/O is declared in the Hardware Setup dialog):

When there is no space remaining on any DSP
for a single mixer to increase the number of inputs, summing mixers must be created. For example, on a Pro Tools 24 system, when a 24-bit
Optimized mixer needs to grow to more than 26
inputs, a summing mixer is created along with
another 1 x 2 mixer to handle the 27th input.
Both the original 26 x 2 mixer and the new 1 x
2 mixer are routed to the new summing mixer,
whose outputs go to the desired destination
(such as output 1-2).

DSP Farm with one I/O Declared
Mixer

Usage

16-bit optimized mono

30x2 per chip

16-bit optimized stereo

15x2 per chip

24-bit optimized mono

20x2 per chip

24-bit optimized stereo

10x2 per chip

Note: The surround mixer cannot run on DSP Farms,
or any DSP that has I/O declared

MIX Card with one I/O declared
Mixer

Usage

16-bit & 24-bit optimized, mono

51x2 per chip

16-bit & 24-bit optimized, stereo

25x2 per chip

Note: The Surround mixer cannot run on a MIX card
with I/O declared

MIX Card with two I/Os declared
Mixer

Usage

16-bit & 24-bit optimized, mono

43x2 per chip

16-bit & 24-bit optimized, stereo

21x2 per chip

Note: The Surround mixer cannot run on a MIX card
with I/O declared

Keep in mind that any delays inherent in creating the summing mixer are equal. Since input
signals are delayed equally, phase coherency is
preserved.
The number of virtual tracks supported by your
particular Pro Tools configuration will ultimately determine the maximum number of
channels for your TDM mixer.

Sends, Busses, and Master Faders
Each send will add an input to the destination
output pair. For example, a send to output 1 will
add another input to the output 1–2 mixer. If
the send destination doesn’t already have a
mixer for its output pair, then a new mixer will
be created. A send to bus 3 will make a 1x2
mixer for bus 3–4 if no other bus 3–4 sources
have been created yet.
In addition, adding a new track and assigning its
input to a bus source will create a mixer for that
bus pair if there isn’t one already. For example,
creating a new Auxiliary Input track and setting
its input to bus 5 will create a 1x2 mixer for bus
5–6, even if no sources have been created yet.

Appendix B: TDM Mixing and DSP Usage

565

TDM Mixer Plug-Ins
(TDM Systems Only)
Pro Tools TDM systems come with three different Mixer plug-ins: Surround, 24-bit Optimized,
and 16-bit Optimized. In most cases, the Mixer
plug-in that was automatically installed with
your system is the best one for all around use.
The Mixer plug-in that is installed depends on
which Pro Tools system you have:
Pro Tools 24 MIX Systems Only The Surround
Mixer plug-in is installed by default. When you
run your Pro Tools Installer, a copy of the 24-bit
Optimized and 16-bit Optimized Mixers are
placed in the folder “Plug-Ins (Unused)”.
Pro Tools 24 Systems Only The 24-bit Optimized
Mixer is installed by default. When you run the
Pro Tools Installer, a copy of the 16-bit Optimized Mixer is placed in the folder “Plug-Ins
(Unused)”.

Switching TDM Mixer Plug-Ins

Mixer Usage Guidelines
The following conditions apply to mixing with
Pro Tools 24 MIX and Pro Tools 24 systems.
◆ One DSP chip is automatically dedicated to
mixing in the TDM environment.
◆ As you reach the basic mixer limits for a single
DSP chip, the system will automatically begin
allocating DSP resources from another chip (if
available), making it unavailable for plug-ins.
◆ Each bus or send connection requires DSP to
mix signals. This means that each send or Auxiliary Input that you create will use available
DSP.
◆ On Pro Tools 24 systems, the 16-bit Optimized Mixer can power more channels per DSP
chip than the 24-bit Optimized Mixer plug-in.
There may be cases where using the 16-bit Optimized mixer will help conserve enough DSP
power to allow for additional plug-ins.

On Pro Tools 24 MIX systems, there is no advantage to using the 16-bit Optimized mixer, so
you should always use either the Surround
mixer, or the 24-bit Optimized mixer.

To Switch TDM mixer plug-ins:
1 Quit Pro Tools.

Plug-In Features

2 Open the DAE Folder. The DAE folder is installed at the root level of the System Folder.

Surround and 24-Bit Optimized

3 Open the “Plug-Ins (Unused)” folder, locate

Both the 24-bit Optimized Mixer and the Surround Mixer plug-ins provide the following:

the Mixer plug-in that you want to use, and drag
it to the Plug-Ins folder.
4 Open the Plug-Ins folder, locate the other
Mixer plug-in, and drag it to the “Plug-Ins (Unused)” folder.
5 Launch Pro Tools.

◆ Optimized performance for recording and
mixing 24-bit audio.
◆ 24-bit digital output, from an audio interface
output or Bounce to Disk. Mixing level scaling
stores 48-bit results, using a 56-bit accumulator
for maximum precision.
◆

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30 dB of mix headroom

Input and Output clip indication: Master
Fader meters simultaneously indicate clipping
at both the input summing stage and the output
level stage.

◆

Multi-channel mixing formats for surround
(available with the Surround Mixer on Pro Tools
MIX systems only).

◆

16-bit Optimized Mixer
The 16-bit Optimized Mixer provides:
Optimized performance for recording and
mixing 16-bit audio

◆

24-bit digital output mix result from an audio
interface output, or when bouncing to disk

◆

More mixing channels (On TDM systems, 36
x 2 mixing channels can be created per DSP)

◆

18 dB of mix headroom

Output clip indication: Master Fader meters
indicate clipping at the input summing stage
only.

16-bit Optimized Mixer With the 16-bit Optimized Mixer, the Master Fader meters indicate
clipping only for the output level stage of the
mixer. With this mixer, you could lower the
Master Fader to reduce your output level, but
any clipping at the input stage would not be indicated.
If reducing the output level has no effect on
clipping, it could be occurring in one of the following places:
◆ At the input summing stage. To prevent clipping at the input stage, trim the input summing
levels.
◆ At an insert on the Master Fader. If you are using a plug-in on the Master Fader, its meters
show the levels on the insert. To prevent clipping at the insert, trim levels on any plug-ins or
Hardware inserts on the Master Fader.

◆

Preventing Clipping
The 24-bit Optimized and the 16-bit Optimized
Mixer plug-ins indicate clipping differently.
24-bit Optimized Mixer With the 24-bit Optimized mixer, the Master Fader meters indicate
clipping at both the input summing stage and
the output level stage at all times. With this
mixer, you could lower the Master Fader to reduce your output level, but the Master Fader
meters could still indicate clipping at the input
stage.

Trimming Input Summing Levels
With many inputs that contain hi-level signals,
it is possible to clip the input summing stage of
the 16-bit Optimized Mixer. (This is less likely to
happen on the 24-bit Optimized Mixer because
of its much greater available headroom.)
To reduce the levels going into the input summing stage of the Mixer plug-in, lower the fader
levels of all track faders using the All Mix/Edit
group. If you are using mix automation, you will
need to use Automation Trim mode or the Trim
tool to lower the overall volume of all tracks until the levels are low enough to not overload the
Master Faders.

Appendix B: TDM Mixing and DSP Usage

567

DSP Usage with TDM Plug-Ins

DSP Usage and I/O Allocation

Some basic guidelines for DSP usage on
Pro Tools systems follow:

On TDM-equipped Pro Tools systems with a single audio interface, at least one DSP chip on
your MIX card (Pro Tools 24 MIX systems) or
DSP Farm (Pro Tools 24) is automatically allocated to mixing and input and output tasks. See
“Mixers and DSP Hardware” on page 564 for
specifics.

TDM-equipped systems running Pro Tools 4.3
or higher software use Digidesign’s MultiShell
technology, that lets any MultiShell compatible
plug-in to share DSP chips on both MIX cards
and DSP Farm cards. Up to five types of MultiShell compatible plug-ins can share a single DSP
chip.

◆

Refer to the DigiRack Plug-Ins Guide for details on MultiShell plug-ins.
Stereo DSP plug-ins generally use up twice as
much DSP as mono plug-ins.

◆

Master Faders don’t require additional DSP.
Use them freely to control submix levels,
send/bus output levels, and the master output
level of your session.

◆

The session templates provided with your system include several useful preconfigured session
setups that make efficient use of DSP resources.
If your computer has unused slots, you can always increase your available DSP resources by
adding additional MIX Farm or DSP Farm cards
to your system.

Even though this is only a small portion of the
DSP power available on the chip, it effectively
dedicates the entire chip to mixing tasks, making it unavailable for plug-ins.
If you have an additional audio interface assigned to a DSP Farm or MIX Farm card,
Pro Tools will use a DSP chip on that card for
mixing and I/O tasks as well.
If you are not currently using your additional interface, you can free up DSP and use it for additional plug-ins.
To reallocate I/O capacity on a DSP Farm or MIX
Farm card:
1 Choose Setups > Playback Engine.
2 From the Card pop-up menu, select the MIX
Farm or DSP Farm whose DSP you want to reallocate.
3 From the Interface pop-up, select No Interface.
4 Click OK to close this dialog.

When the session reopens, the DSP that was allocated to I/O is available for mixing or plug-ins.

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Appendix C: Troubleshooting

Backing Up Your work

Common Issues

It is highly recommended that you back up your
work on a regular basis, and especially before
making changes to your system configuration.

Pro Tools Won’t Launch
Problem:

Back Up Your Session Data
Back up your session and audio data frequently.
There are a variety of media that are suited to
back up projects of various sizes, from automated tape backup systems to high-capacity optical drives, to desktop CD-R burners.
The best way to back up a session is to use the
Save Session Copy In command to save the session file and all of its associated files to a new location.

Back Up Your System Setup
Macintosh Back up your System Folder before
upgrading your OS.
Windows Create a system recovery disk after you
have finished configuring your system and installing software. This is more useful than a recovery disk for an unconfigured system.

When you double-click the Pro Tools application or a Pro Tools session file, Pro Tools doesn’t
launch.
Possible Solutions:
◆ (TDM systems only) Turn off your computer
and check to be sure your cables are properly
and securely connected to the correct Pro Tools
cards and to your audio interfaces.
◆ (Digi 001 systems only) Turn off your computer and check to be sure your cable is properly
and securely connected to the Digi 001 PCI card
and to the Digi 001 I/O Box.
◆ Turn off your computer and check all
Pro Tools cards installed in your computer to be
sure they are properly seated in their PCI slots,
and that any TDM ribbon cables are connected
properly.
◆ Verify that Pro Tools cards are installed in the
correct slot order in your computer or Expansion Chassis.
◆ Check to be sure your computer has the required amount of RAM to launch Pro Tools.

Appendix C: Troubleshooting

569

(Macintosh Only) Verify that the DAE application is installed in the proper location. It
should be in the DAE Folder inside your System
Folder. If DAE is not installed in the proper location, use your Pro Tools Installer disc to install
it.

◆

(Macintosh Only) Verify that the DigiSystem
INIT is installed in the Extensions folder, inside
the System Folder. If it is not, use your Pro Tools
Installer disc to install it.

◆

(Macintosh Only) Verify that Virtual Memory
is turned off. On the Macintosh, open the Memory Control Panel. If Virtual Memory is turned
on, turn it off and restart your computer.

◆

Problem:
You get an error message when you try to start
the Pro Tools application.
Possible Solutions:
(Macintosh) Make sure the default set of Mac
OS System Extensions is enabled, along with the
OMS, DigiSystem Init, Direct I/O, and DSP Manager Extensions.

◆

Try a complete restart. (Turn off your audio interfaces, computer peripherals and your computer, and then turn them on again in the
proper sequence.)

Audio Interface Isn’t Recognized
(TDM Systems Only)
Problem:
When you launch Pro Tools it does not recognize an audio interface, or a connected audio interface is not available.
Possible Solutions:
◆ Turn off your computer and check to be sure
your cables are properly and securely connected
to the correct Pro Tools cards and to your audio
interfaces.
◆ Verify that your Hardware Setup is correct;
check to see that you have selected the correct
Interfaces for each I/O card.
◆ If you only have one interface, make sure it is
connected to the d24 card (Pro Tools 24), or
MIX Core card (Pro Tools 24 MIX).
◆ Make sure SuperClock connections to your
audio interface are correct. Disconnect the
SuperClock source from the interface and see if
the problem persists.

◆

Use the DigiTest application (installed in the
Pro Tools Utilities folder) as a diagnostic tool to
verify that your Digidesign cards are operational. You need to restart your computer before
and after using the DigiTest utility.

◆

Using DigiTest As a Diagnostic
Tool
The DigiTest utility performs diagnostic tests on
the Pro Tools cards in your system. If DigiTest
reports that any of your cards have failed, click
the Info button next to that card. Write down
the information that appears and report it to
your local Digidesign dealer or a Digidesign
Technical Support Representative.
Refer to your TDM System Installation Guide for
the specific DigiTest instructions.

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Performance Factors
There are several conditions that may adversely
affect the performance of Pro Tools. These include:
Network Connections Close any network connections unless you are using them for network
interchange of audio data.
Background Applications Any software utilities
that run in the background or generate disk activity, such as virus protection software, disk optimizing, or file savers, should be turned off or
removed.
Screen Savers Screen saver software should be
completely removed from your computer before
running Pro Tools.
Power Saver Features Some automatic power
saver features, such as those that spin down the
system hard drive, can affect Pro Tools performance. These features should be turned off.
Virtual Memory (Macintosh Only) Pro Tools
will not launch if Virtual Memory is active. Deactivate Virtual Memory and restart your Macintosh.
CD-ROM Extensions/Control Panels Some CDROM and removable media Extensions and
Control Panels have been linked to audio quality problems. Deactivate any performance-enhancing Extension or Control Panels for such
media, and restart your computer.

Before You Call Digidesign
Technical Support
Register Your System
As a registered owner of a new Digidesign product under warranty, you are eligible to receive
Digidesign Technical Support. Fill out and sign
your Registration Form and mail or fax it to the
address supplied with the registration materials.
Refer to the registration materials that came
with your system for details on warranty coverage and the range of services available.

Use Digidesign Resources
In addition to the Pro Tools Guides, your system
includes following sources of information:
ReadMe files These contain late-breaking information and known issues pertaining to
Pro Tools software and hardware configurations. ReadMe files are installed in the Release
Notes and Documentation folder when you install
Pro Tools.
Answerbase This is a database of common problems and DAE errors, and their solutions based
on the latest information from Digidesign Technical Support. This database is installed in the
Digidesign folder when you install Pro Tools.
Web site The Digidesign website includes an
area for Technical Support, as well as a User
Conference that includes technical discussions.
Visit www.digidesign.com and go to the Support
area or the User Conference area.

Appendix C: Troubleshooting

571

Gather Important Information

Other Hardware

Digidesign wants to help you resolve problems
as quickly and efficiently as possible. If you have
the following information handy when you
contact Technical Support, it will make the diagnosis of your problem easier. Take a few minutes
to collect this basic information in one place.

If you are using additional hardware, refer to the
manufacturer’s documentation for operational
details.

System Information
Computer
◆

Make, Model, processor speed

◆

Amount of system RAM

Operating system (version of Mac OS or Windows)

◆

Any Drivers, Extensions, Control Panels, Disk
Utilities, or other system-related applications
you may have installed.

◆

Digidesign Hardware
◆

Type of cards, interfaces, or peripherals

◆

Where the cards are installed

◆

PCI card order in computer or chassis

◆

Interfaces connected to each card

Hard Drives

The most common hardware additions include
the following:
◆ SCSI Accelerators (manufacturer, model, settings)
◆ Expansion Chassis (manufacturer, model,
bridge chip type)
◆

Video Capture cards (manufacturer, model)

Refer to Digidesign’s compatibility documents
or contact your Digidesign dealer to verify that
the hardware has been qualified for use with
your Pro Tools system.

Other Software
If you are using other audio or video applications, refer to the manufacturer’s documentation for operational details.
Make note of any other software that were running when a problem occurred.

Diagnostic Information

◆

Make, Model

DigiTest

◆

Speed (RPM)

◆

Type of SCSI Connection (narrow, wide)

If you ran DigiTest on your system and it generated any errors, be sure to make a note of any error codes or messages.

Digidesign Software
◆

Pro Tools software version

◆

(Macintosh) DAE and DSI versions

◆

Plug-in versions

◆

Other Digidesign software

Additional plug-ins from Digidesign Development Partners

◆

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Pro Tools Reference Guide

Other Information
Note any DAE errors or other error codes you encounter. Also make a note of the ability to reproduce the problem under different conditions,
such as with another session, or after changing
settings such as the DAE Preferred Memory Size
(Macintosh) or the Hardware Buffer Size
(Pro Tools LE).

Glossar y

9-pin (Sony 9-pin; DB-9) Industry standard for serial machine control of professional video and
audio transports, made by Sony and other manufacturers. Refers to the DB-9-style physical external control connector found on 9-pin-compatible devices.
A/D conversion Analog-to-digital converters operate at various bit-rate resolutions and sampling rates.
address (time code address) Specific
SMPTE/EBU time code reference or reading, in
hours:minutes:seconds:frames.
ADAT lightpipe Industry standard for optical
connection of digital audio. Created by Alesis,
the lightpipe can simultaneously stream eight
channels of digital audio.
AES/EBU Standard Industry professional standard for transferring digital audio between professional-quality audio devices. Stands for “Audio Engineering Society /European Broadcasters’
Union.” Most AES/EBU connections utilize an
XLR-style 3-pin connector to carry two channels
of digital audio.
AIFF Audio Interchange File Format, an Apple
Computer audio file format.
ATR Audio Tape Recorder, of any format, including a Digital Audio Tape (DAT) deck.

audio interface Among most Pro Tools systems,
the audio interface is a separate box that is attached with a special cable to the audio card. An
audio interface typically has analog and digital
audio inputs and outputs, and may be equipped
with level meters, level controls, and other features.
audio region A region of an audio file that is defined non-destructively with pointers. See region.
Audiomedia III Digidesign’s entry-level PCI card
for Pro Tools, includes S/PDIF and stereo analog
inputs and outputs.
AudioSuite plug-in Digidesign’s proprietary filebased, non-real-time plug-in format. AudioSuite
processing creates a new audio file with the effect permanently applied.
audition Listening to, or “monitoring,” one or
more tracks or audio files. In Pro Tools you can
audition files before you load them into the program. There are also various ways to audition
takes from the Audio Regions list and from the
Takes List pop-up menu.
auto-created region Automatically-created regions are a by-product of editing and punch recording over existing regions.

Glossary

573

Automation modes Function for the recording
and playing changes in levels, pan controls, and
virtually every adjustable parameter (including
plug-in elements) in Pro Tools. There are several
different automation modes in which to write
automation data in Pro Tools.
aux See auxiliary I/O.
auxiliary I/O Input and output channels used
for internal or external bussing of signals in
ways other than through the standard input and
output of a channel strip.
auxiliary send See send.
AVoption PCI cards and software that integrates
Avid video technology with Pro Tools.
AVoption XL PCI card, video interface, and software that integrates Avid video technology with
Pro Tools.
.AVI Movie file format for the Video for Windows component of Microsoft’s Media Player,
supported by Pro Tools.
bit depth One of two main specifications that
define digital audio quality (the other is sample
rate). Bit-depth defines how precisely a sound’s
dynamic range is represented. Also called bitresolution or bit-rate.
BNC Coaxial cable connectors used for video
and synchronizer signals.
Bounce To Disk Mixing a segment of audio (on
an entire session) internally to disk, without
leaving the digital domain. Bit rate, dithering
options and other parameters are provided by
Pro Tools for bouncing to disk.
breakpoint Step or level on a track’s automation
playlist.
bus Carries signals from several outputs to a single path.
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Pro Tools Reference Guide

clipping indicator LED at the top of each channel
meter that indicates a level may have run out of
headroom, and is approaching clipping.
clock reference Common “speed” reference,
which various devices can use to establish synchronization during playback and recording.
Conductor Ruler A ruler which can show session
data. There are three types of conductor rulers,
called Tempo, Meter, and Marker rulers.
continuous controller data MIDI instructions
that affect MIDI note parameters, including volume, panning, velocity, pitch bend, and modulation.
crossfade Function for fading out from one region as you fade in to another region. Crossfade
types and duration are user selectable from
within the Edit window. As with fades, portions
of audio for which the fade function has been
applied are stored in the session’s Fade Files
folder.
d24 Digidesign’s 24-bit TDM interface card,
needs a DSP Farm card to create a basic Pro Tools
TDM system.
DAE (Digidesign Audio Engine) Digidesign’s realtime operating system that provides the core
functionality of hard disk recording, digital signal processing, mix automation, and MIDI required by Pro Tools and other Digidesign products.
DB-9 See 9-pin.
Digi 001 Digidesign’s all-in-one audio interface
for entry-level Pro Tools LE systems, comprised
of a PCI card and I/O box. Includes two mic
preamps, S/PDIF I/O, ADAT lightpipe I/O, and
eight channels each of analog input and output.
Digidesign Audio Engine See DAE.

dither “Noise” added to an audio signal when
down-sampling bit rates. Designed to create a
smoother transition at lower amplitudes instead
of simply “chopping” off lower bits.

frames per second (fps) Number of frames that
elapse per second, as defined by the four
SMPTE/EBU Time Code fps standards. These include:

drop frame Refers to a variance of SMPTE/EBU
time code for NTSC color video (29.97 fps) that
omits two frames (frames “0” and “1”) every
minute except for every tenth minute.

• 24 fps (for film applications);

DSP Digital Signal Processing. In audio terms,
DSP refers to manipulation of digital audio—everything from reverberation to changes in level.

• 30 fps (the NTSC black and white video standard).

DSP Farm PCI card containing DSP chips, the
basic building blocks of a Pro Tools TDM system.
Edit cursor Flashing line that appears when you
click on a track in the Edit window.

• 25 fps (the PAL/SECAM video standard);
• 29.97 fps (the NTSC color video standard)
(also see Drop-Frame);

Grid mode Used to align regions in tracks to the
nearest unit of a user-defined value. When Grid
mode is on, the Selector will “snap to” the currently selected grid value, and regions placed in
the Edit window will also line up with the selected value.

edit decision list (EDL) List of edits, or events,
typically with each event’s respective source in
and out times, source reel number, and record in
and out times.

groups Linked tracks in which an action in the
I/O section of one of the tracks is mirrored in all
tracks in the group. Groups can be created separately or linked between the Edit and Mix windows.

Edit insertion point Location within a track
where you click (without dragging); also location at which a region’s start, end, or sync point
will be placed.

headroom Amount of remaining gain available
for a given signal before the onset of unacceptable distortion.

Edit selection In the Edit window, the actual region highlighted when you make a selection is
called the Edit selection, which can be unlinked
from Timeline selection. See Timeline selection.
Event List See MIDI Event List.
expansion chassis Expands the capabilities of
Pro Tools TDM systems running on Macintosh
computers by adding more external PCI slots.
ExpressPro-Tools ATTO’s hard disk utility for the
preparation of hard drives for Pro Tools.

latency Time delays inherent in internal processing or generation of audio signals within a
computer.
lightpipe See ADAT Lightpipe.
Machine Control Pro Tools functions to control
or be controlled by an external transport, typically a VTR or ATR.
Marker Memory Location referenced on a timeline, typically used to store locations to important points in a session. See Memory Location.

fade A selection in which the volume rises or
falls, typically from or to -∞. See crossfade.
Glossary

575

master “Lead” machine or Pro Tools System in a
synchronized machine arrangement. Slaves follow masters. There can only be one master at
any given time.

nondestructive editing Leaves audio files intact.
As you edit audio within Pro Tools, all you are
editing are the regions, or “pointers,” to audio
files that are stored on the hard drive.

Master Fader track Governs the overall output
of one or more tracks.

NTSC Video standards developed by the National Television Standards Committee. NTSC
color video runs at 29.97 frames per second;
NTSC black and white video runs at 30 fps. Used
primarily in North and South America and Japan.

Memory Location Pro Tools supports up to 200
Memory Locations, which can include markers,
Edit selections, record and play ranges, track settings, and other data. They can be viewed and
sorted in the Memory Locations window, from
which they can also be accessed.
MIDI Event List Pro Tools window that shows
the contents of a MIDI track in a column, for
easy editing of individual MIDI events.
MIDI Machine Control See Machine Control.
MIDI Time Code See MTC.
MIX Core PCI card which connects to audio interface and contains the DSP for a basic Pro
Tools Mix TDM system.
MIX Farm PCI card with additional DSP for
Pro Tools 24 MIX systems.
MP3 The MPEG Layer 3 compression format is
an adjustable-quality audio compression format, developed by the Fraunhofer Institute. The
MP3 encoder file is stored in the Codecs folder
in the DAE Folder.
MTC (MIDI Time Code) Non-SMPTE form of
time code that is used by some devices to send
and receive timing information.
non-drop frame Time code that is not in dropframe format. In the United States, the standard
format outside of color video production or
post-production is typically 29.97 fps non-drop
frame.

576

Pro Tools Reference Guide

OMS Open Music System, developed by Opcode. OMS is a “MIDI operating system” for
Macintosh computers. It handles the exchange
of MIDI data between applications, including
timing signals such as MTC.
PFL (pre fade listen) Sometimes called a “cue,”
this is a channel’s level before it is attenuated or
boosted by the fader setting. Master faders are
PFL in Pro Tools. See pre fader.
peak indicator Indicator light designed to warn
of the possibility of clipping, which illuminates
as a device’s input reaches a preset degree of
headroom.
playlist List of edits and files available in the current session.
positional reference Common reference that
provides location information that various devices can use to establish synchronization during playback and recording. Most commonly,
the information is delivered in the form of
SMPTE/EBU Time Code.
post-fader Output from a track (typically a send)
that is governed by the channel’s fader setting.
post-roll Adjustable time which precedes the
playback or recording of a selection, in conjunction with Transport, Audition, Online, and
QuickPunch functions.

preamp In recording studio terminology, a circuit designed to boost relatively low signal levels, such as a microphone output, up to standard line levels of –10dBu or +4dBu. Digi 001 is
equipped with two microphone preamps.
pre-fader Output from a track (typically a send)
that is independent of the channel’s fader setting.
pre-roll Adjustable time which precedes the playback or recording of a selection, in conjunction
with Transport, Audition, Online, and QuickPunch functions.
ProControl Digidesign’s control surface that
communicates with Pro Tools via ethernet.
Touch-sensitive, motorized faders, dedicated effects editing section, and extensive parameter
automation control are some of ProControl’s
unique features.
Pull Up/Pull Down Refers to the deliberate “miscalibration” of the audio sample rate clock (the
audio pitch) in order to compensate for a speed
change elsewhere in the production chain. The
usual situation in which these rates are encountered is when film footage (at 24 fps) is transferred to color NTSC-standard video tape (at
29.97 fps).
quantize To adjust MIDI note locations or durations to the nearest unit or template structure so
that particular rhythmic “feel” is achieved.
QuickTime Apple’s system extension for control
of time-based events, such as digitized video
movies and digitized sound.
RealAudio Audio compression scheme designed
for streaming over the internet.

resolving The process of synchronizing one device to another; more specifically, resolving refers to synchronizing a device’s clock to an external clock reference.
RTAS plug-in Real-Time AudioSuite plug-ins are
Digidesign’s host-based, real-time effects plugin format.
sample rate One of two main specifications that
describe digital audio quality (the other is bit
rate resolution). Sample rate refers to how frequently incoming audio is sampled per second
during conversion from an analog to a digital
signal.
SCSI HBA Acronym for Small Computer System
Interface (SCSI) and Host Bus Adapter (HBA),
Digidesign’s conformed terminology for SCSI
cards. SCSI is a type of data bus allowing for the
high speed transfer of data between a computer
and peripheral devices. An HBA is the card that
connects the SCSI buss between the computer
and peripheral devices such as hard drives.
send An adjustable buss from a track, which can
be routed to effects processors, auxiliary monitor mixes, and signal grouping.
session Work file, much like a word processing
document or a graphics program file. A Pro
Tools session consists of audio and MIDI files,
and related data such as fades, playlists, and selections. Each separate project you work on
should be stored as its own session.
slave Device that “follows” the master during
synchronization.
Sound Designer II (SDII) file format Digidesign’s
high-quality digital audio file format.

region Within Pro Tools, a region is a “pointer”
to a particular track selection or file. Regions can
be dragged from the Regions list to a track.

Glossary

577

S/PDIF Semi-professional version of the
AES/EBU standard. Stands for “Sony/Philips
Digital Interface Format.” Most S/PDIF connections utilize RCA in/out connectors, carrying
two channels of digital audio at a time.
Spot mode Audio post-production process of
aligning audio events to visual events. Spot is
the Edit mode that allows you to spot regions to
particular time code events.
Standard MIDI File Universal format that can be
read by virtually any software that reads MIDI.
Type 0 is a single line sequence, type 1 is multitrack.
submix; subgroup See groups.
Super Clock (256x) Digidesign’s proprietary
version of word clock; used as a clock reference.
All Digidesign TDM audio interfaces, and several other Digidesign products (including the
Universal Slave Driver, the ADAT Interface, the
SMPTE Slave Driver, and the Video Slave Driver)
are equipped with BNC-style Super Clock inputs
and outputs.
As with word clock, Super Clock is a clock signal
that can be passed between devices independently of the audio signal. Since it runs at 256x
sample rate (instead of word clock’s 1x sample
rate), Super Clock is inherently more precise
than Word Clock.
synchronization Process of having two or more
audio, video, or other devices run together at exactly the same speed (usually during playback,
though sync during record, fast-wind, and
“crawls” is possible).
sysex (System Exclusive) MIDI data specific to a
particular piece of hardware or instrument.

TDM Time Division Multiplexing technology
employs a networked bus of DSP chips that supply the processing power for Pro Tools TDM systems.
TDM plug-in Digidesign’s proprietary real-time,
non-destructive plug-in format for Pro Tools
TDM systems.
time code address See address.
time code generation Process of creating “fresh”
time code.
Time Scale The Main Time Scale is the Timebase
Ruler that determines the time format used for
Transport functions, and Grid and Nudge values. The Sub Time Scale is the Timebase Ruler
that provides additional timing reference.
Timebase Rulers Up to five discrete strips measuring different units (samples, feet.frames,
minutes:seconds, bars:beats, or time code)
across the top of the Edit window.
Timeline insertion point Location on the timeline corresponding to the cursor point, and the
point from where playback or recording begins.
Timeline selection A selection in any Timebase
Ruler that determines the playback or record
range.
Universe window Provides a visual overview of
all tracks in a session, and can be used to quickly
navigate to any location in a session.
user-defined region Explicitly defined regions
that are created when recording or importing
audio or MIDI; capturing, separating, or consolidating a selection; trimming a whole-file audio
region; or renaming an existing region.
video reference signal All video signals contain
clock information, which can be used as a clock
reference.

578

Pro Tools Reference Guide

virtual track On-screen track that isn’t assigned
to a voice on TDM systems.
voices With a Pro Tools TDM system, this refers
to the number of channels that can be played
back simultaneously.
VTR Video Tape Recorder of any format.
.WAV Pronounced “wave”; Microsoft’s Audio
File Format. Can be read by Pro Tools on both
Macintosh and Windows platforms.
waveform Means of visually representing a
sound. When sound regions are imported into
Pro Tools’s Edit window, they can be viewed in
waveform view.
whole-file audio regions Created when recording
or importing audio, consolidating existing regions, and when processing with an AudioSuite
plug-in.
zero crossing Point at which a wave’s amplitude
crosses the center line of the waveform display.
Typically a good spot to edit a sound file is at
zero crossings, to avoid unwanted artifacts.
Zoom Function used to view waveform displays
within the Edit window with greater detail.

Glossary

579

580

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Index

Symbols
.1 (in surround mixing) 420

5.0 paths in 5.1 mixes 439
5.1 formats in Pro Tools 429
8-bit 407

Numerics
11025 sample rate 407
11127 sample rate 407
16-bit
Bounce to Disk 407
16-bit Optimized Mixer
clipping 567
plug-in features 567
1-Band EQ plug-in 517
22050 sample rate 407
22254 sample rate 407
24 FPS 461
24-bit
Bounce to Disk 407
TDM processing 352
24-Bit Optimized Mixer
plug-in capabilities 566
24-bit Optimized Mixer
clipping 567
25 FPS (EBU) 461
29.97 FPS Drop 461
29.97 FPS Non-Drop 460, 491
3:2 Pulldown 462
30 FPS Drop 460
30 FPS Non-Drop 460
32-bit, floating 352
3-knob panning 449
3-Second Peak Hold preference 538
44100 sample rate 407
48000 sample rate 407
4-Band EQ plug-in 517

A
active 13
tracks 84
Active in Background
for MP3 play 406
Active in Background option 531
ADAT, syncing to 481
Add Movie command 526
adding
a new playlist 173
audio tracks 125
Auxiliary Input tracks 332
Master Fader tracks 333
MIDI tracks 145
Sends 339
AIFF file format 402
All Notes Off command 308, 523
all tracks
hiding 79
selecting 201
selecting all regions in 197
selecting in Timebase Rulers 201
showing 79
allocating
DSP 561, 563
I/O capacity 568
Amount of Memory for Automation Recording
option 543
Assignment view
sends 340
Audio CD Import Options dialog (Macintosh) 99
Audio During Fast Forward/Rewind option 190,
538

Index

581

audio files
batch loading with drag & drop 96
compacting 259
concepts 10
default names 116
formats 401
importing 91
locating 105
mixed file types 53
mixed formats 92
audio format, for session 469
audio interfaces 5, 6
input channels 11
Other Options 47, 48, 49
audio recording
undoing a take 126
audio regions 168
and automation 170
fitting to an Edit selection 238
stripping silence from 253
whole-file 164
Audio Regions Focus 40, 178
Audio Regions List 35, 175
displaying file info for audio regions 176
dragging from 212
finding regions 177
sorting 176
Audio Regions List menu 35, 488
Auto Rename Selected command 257
Clear Selected command 258
Compact Selected command 259
Display All command 177
Export Region Definitions command 98
Export Selected As Files command 97
Find command 177
Rename Selected command 257
Selected Unused command 258
Show Disk Names option 176
Show File Names option 176
Show Full Pathnames option 176
Sorting option 176
Time Stamp Selected command 220
audio tracks 10
5.1 format 425
and Output format 433
and surround sessions 432
and tempo changes 263
bouncing to disk 400
channel strips 18
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Pro Tools Reference Guide

configuring for recording 125
creating a tempo map for 264
loop recording 132
placing audio in multi-channel tracks 432
punch recording 131
recording multiple 128
signal flow 331
Waveform view 28, 165, 168
Audiomedia III 7
QuickPunch 156
AudioSuite and dither 353
AudioSuite Buffer Size preference 543
AudioSuite Dither preferences 543
AudioSuite menu 517
DC Offset Removal plug-in 518
Delay plug-ins 518
Duplicate plug-in 518
dynamics plug-ins 517
EQ II plug-ins 517
Gain plug-in 518
Invert plug-in 517
Normalize plug-in 518
Pitch Shift plug-in 518
Reverse plug-in 518
Signal Generator plug-in 518
Time Compression/Expansion plug-in 518
AudioSuite plug-ins 232
audition path 72
auditioning
fades 243
pre/post-roll 204
programs 305
selection start/end points 204
takes 133
Auto Input Monitoring option 113, 529
Auto Regions Fade In/Out Length option 250, 540
Auto Rename Selected command 257
auto-created regions 164
hiding 257
renaming 256
auto-fades 250
AutoMatch Indicators 376
AutoMatch Time option 375, 543
automating
Plug-Ins 380
Sends 379
switched controls 379
tracks 378

automation 369
and audio regions 170
and Duplicate Track 371
and multi-channel pan 453
and multiple output assignments 433
breakpoints 387
buffer size 376
capture & apply 395
cutting, copying, and pasting 388
deleting 382
delta (see trim) 372
drawing with Pencil 384
editing 385
editing with Smart Tool 33
enabling, suspending 381
for grouped tracks 388
for hidden tracks 18
on multi-channel tracks 387
On Stop 393
pass-through point 372
playlists 173, 370, 377
plug-in accuracy in bounce 408
relative and absolute 372
safing 377
smoothing 375
snapshot 394
special Paste mode 391
stepped 386
thinning 375, 383
To Current or All Enabled 396
to start, end, or all 391
Trim mode 372
trimming 393
Write Safe button 360
writing 378
Automation Enable window 378, 381
Automation Mode Selector 21
automation modes
Auto Latch 372
Auto Off 371
Auto Read 371
Auto Touch 372
Auto Write 371
Trim/Auto Latch 373
Trim/Auto Off 372
Trim/Auto Read 372
Trim/Auto Touch 373
Trim/Auto Write 373

Automation Preferences 542
AutoMatch Time option 375
Degree of Thinning option 375
Faders Move During Playback option 374
LFEs Follow Groups option 375
Memory for Automation Recording option 376
Mutes Follow Groups 374
Mutes Follow Mix Groups option 83
Send Levels Follow Groups option 374
Send Mutes Follow Groups 374
Smooth and Thin Data After Pass option 374,
383
Solos Follow Groups option 374
Solos Follow Mix Groups option 83
Touch Timeout option 375
Automation Safe Button 360
Automation Write Safe button 363
Auto-Name Memory Locations While Playing option
273, 541
Auto-Name Separated Regions option 210, 541
auto-naming
and Strip Silence 254
audio files and regions 116
QuickPunch regions 157
separated regions 210
takes 116
tracks 116
AutoSave option 539
Auto-Spot Regions command 487, 531
auto-voiced tracks 21
Auxiliary Inputs 347
adding 332
and DSP usage 566
signal flow 332
Auxiliary Send level, and Master Fader 349
Avid Compatibility Mode option 544
and Bounce to Disk 401

B
bank select 16, 302
Bar|Beat Markers
and tempo events 266
audio with varying tempos 265
editing 266
from Identify Beat command 264
generated with Beat Detective 286
moving 266
Bars:Beats Time Scale 185, 549
Index

583

bass
extension 423
management 423
sub content 421
redirection 423
Batch Fades dialog 251
Beat Detective 279
applications for 280
beat triggers 284
Collection Mode 290
conforming regions 288
defining the selection 282
detecting transients 283
edit smoothing 289
generating Bar|Beat Markers 286
separating regions 287
system requirements 279
with multiple tracks 287
Beat Detective window 281
beat triggers, editing 284
Bi-Phase/Tach 460
bit depth, for session 51, 468
black burst 491
Blocks view 165
Bounce options
File Type 507
Format 507
Import After Bounce 508
Resolution 507
Sample Rate 507
Source 401, 507
Use Squeezer 508
Bounce to Disk 401
and dither 398
and time stamps 400
convert during or after 408
format 401
mono, stereo, interleaved 406
sample rate conversion options 407
source path 401
Bounce to Disk command 507
Bounce to Movie command 502, 525
bouncing
to a stereo mix 409
to a submix 408
to QuickTime movies 502
breakpoints 387
Buffer Size 114
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Pro Tools Reference Guide

bussing
multi-channel sends 435
surround examples 439
Bypass Button
for real-time plug-ins 360
bypassing plug-ins 362

C
Calculator mode for numeric entry 201
Calibration Mode command 112, 532
Calibration Reference Level preference 540
cancelling record takes 127, 147
Capture Region command 209, 512
capturing time code 486
CDs, importing audio from 98
Center% in Output window 452
center, surround controls 452
centered crossfade 242
Change Duration command 318, 521
Change Duration window 318
Change Meter command 267, 520
Change Meter window 267
Change Tempo command 261, 519
Change Tempo window 262
Change Velocity command 316, 520
Change Velocity window 316
Channel Delay Indicator 23
channel mapping
default path order 74
editing 66
re-mapping 67
Channel Selector 360
for multi-channel plug-ins 436
channel strips 11
audio tracks 18
MIDI tracks 20
channels inputs 11
chasing
controller events 306
MIDI notes 306
program changes 306
Cinema Stereo 416
Classic Numeric Keypad Mode 41, 539
Classic, Numeric Keypad Mode 41
Clear command 226, 512

Clear Selected command (regions) 258
Clear Selection command (movies) 527
click 38
configuring 122
enabling 121
Click command 522
Click Options command 122, 522
Click/Countoff Options dialog 122
clicks and pops, avoiding 169
clipping 111
and 16-bit Optimized Mixer 567
and 24-bit Optimized Mixer 567
input sum levels 567
clock, optical and digital sources 367
Close Session command 56, 506
closing multiple Plug-In windows 361
Collection Mode, Beat Detective 290
Commands Focus 40
Commands Focus button 29
Comments View 25, 336
comments, entering for tracks 78
Compact Selected command 259
Compare button 360
compatibility
surround formats 422
Compatibility Preferences 544
comping related takes 135
Compress/Expand Edit To Play command 237,
513
and multi-channel tracks 238
Conductor button 38
Conductor Rulers 184
including in selections 201
configuring
click options 122
MMC 479
Pull Up/Down 473
SMPTE 471
conforming QuickTime movies 499
connecting
effects units 365
external audio devices 365
external clock sources 366
Consolidate Selection command 256, 513
Continuous Scroll During Playback option 192, 530
and half-screen 192

Continuous Scroll with Playhead option 192, 530
and half-screen 192
control surfaces (see MIDI control surfaces)
controller events 16, 301
and MIDI regions 172
chasing 306
editing 302
editing with Smart Tool 33
inserting 302
Conversion Quality option 99, 407, 500, 541
Tweak-head setting 407
Convert .WAV files to AES31/BroadcastWave
option 544
Convert After Bounce 408
Convert During Bounce 408
Convert Plug-In pop-up 360
converting session
audio file format 53
bit depth 53
sampling rate 53
Copy command 227, 511
Copy Edit Selection to Timeline command 207,
531
Copy Timeline Selection to Edit command 207,
531
Copy To Send command 380, 515
Copy To Send dialog 380
copying
all automation playlists for a track 228
MIDI notes with the Split command 311
selections and regions 227
track automation to Sends 380
track control settings to Sends 346
correlated 436
countoff 38, 121
CPU Load 376
CPU Usage percentage 45
Create Fades command 248, 514
creating
crossfades 248
fade-ins/outs 249
groups 87
Markers and Memory Locations 272
regions 209
sessions 50
Crossfade Preference for Pre/Post-Roll option
247, 541
Index

585

crossfades 241
and dither 353
creating with Smart Tool 32
equal gain 245
equal power 245, 247
Fades dialog 242
in batches 251
linear 247
overlap 247
pre/post 248
removing 248
trimming 248
types 241
with dither 245
Current Cursor Display
location 34
value 34
current meter 38, 267
current tempo 38, 261
Current Time option 548
custom sample rates 407
Cut command 227, 511
cutting
automation 389
MIDI notes with the Split command 311
selections and regions 227

D
DAC Muting option 47
DAE 9
DAE Buffer Size command 49, 534
DAT recorder, recording from 158
DC Offset Removal plug-in 518
default
audition path 72
I/O Setup 70
output path 72
path order 74
paths 64
Default Fade Settings 541
default meter 122
Default Note On Velocity option 296, 544
default program change 23, 303
Default Settings preference 543
default tempo 123, 264
Default Thru Instrument option 545

586

Pro Tools Reference Guide

default track names 116
Degree of Thinning option 375, 542
Delay plug-ins 518
delays (see DSP delays)
Delete Fades command 248, 514
Delete Selected Groups command 87
Delete Selected Tracks command 78, 509
deleting
automation 382, 389
existing paths 71
groups 88
in MIDI Event List 327
Memory Locations 275
MIDI notes 300
playlists 174
program changes 305
sysex events 306
tracks 78
underlying region data 227
unused regions 258
delta
trimming automation 372
destructive editing
compacting audio files 259
Destructive Record mode 119, 130, 529
destructive recording 130
Digi 001 7
modes and I/O Setup 65
punching with footswitch 149, 155
QuickPunch 156
Digidesign Audio Engine (see DAE)
digital audio 9
digital clipping 111
digital mastering 410
digital signal processing (see DSP)
DigiTest 570
as a diagnostic tool 570
Direct I/O 570
discontiguous selections 197
discrete
level control of multi-channel paths 432
disk allocation
and cross-platform sessions 118
and system volume 118
Disk Allocation command 117, 534
Disk Allocation dialog 117
Disk Space Window Shows command 548

Display All command 177
Display Auto-Created Regions option 257, 549
Display menu 547
Bars:Beats Time Scale 549
Disk Space Window Shows command 548
Display Auto-Created Regions option 257, 549
Display Name In Regions option 168
Display Name in Regions option 548
Display Time In Regions option 168
Display Time in Regions option 548
DSP Usage Window Shows option 562
Edit Window Shows option 25, 547
Feet.Frames Time Scale 549
Minutes:Seconds Time Scale 549
Mix Window Shows option 17, 547
Narrow Mix Window option 85, 547
Ruler View Shows option 185, 548
Samples Time Scale 549
Sends View Shows command 548
Show Mix Window command 547
System Usage Window Shows command 548
Time Code Time Scale 549
Transport Window Shows command 547
Display Name In Regions option 168
Display Name in Regions option 548
Display Preferences 537
Draw Grids in Edit Window option 180
Draw Waveforms Rectified option 169
Edit Window Color Coding option 85
Peak Hold option 24
Show Meters in Sends View option 341
Display Time In Regions option 168
Display Time in Regions option 548
displaying
all regions 177
all Rulers 185
file info for audio regions 176
Meter Ruler 267
Original Time Stamps 488
region names 168
region times 168
Tempo Ruler 261
User Time Stamps 489
dither
and Bounce to Disk 398
and fades 245, 353
AudioSuite 353
on Master Faders 398
resolution and Bounce to Disk 406

Dither Depth option 543
Dither Plug-In preference 543
divergence
and width 421
drawing 452
front 451
front and rear 451
rear 451
using 451
Dolby Digital 420
Dolby EX 416
Dolby Surround 416
Draw Grids in Edit Window option 180
Draw Waveforms Rectified option 169, 537
drum machine style loop recording 150
DSP 561
active and inactive items 13
allocating 561, 563
and Auxiliary Inputs 566
and I/O capacity 568
and inactive outputs 338
and inactive sends 342
and Master Faders 568
and mixing 562, 563
and no output 338
and overall resources 13
and Send meters 341
and TDM Plug-Ins 568
I/O and Mixer plug-ins 565
monitoring usage 562
reclaiming DSP capacity 562
DSP delays 557
compensating for 558
DSP Manager 562
DSP Usage window 562
DTS 416, 420
Duplicate command 229, 512
Duplicate plug-in 518
Duplicate Selected Tracks command 508
Duplicate Track
for automation 371
duplicating
MIDI note selections 230
playlists 173
selections and regions 229

Index

587

durations, for MIDI notes
editing with Change Duration command 318
making more legato 319
making more staccato 319
randomizing 318
dynamic voice allocation 82

E
Edit and Timeline selections, unlinked 195
edit commands 225
and Edit mode 226
clear 226, 227
cut 227
paste 228
edit cursor 189
and scrubbing 192
moving to region boundaries 202
Edit Dither Settings preference 543
Edit Groups 35
and selections 196
Edit Insertion Follows Scrub/Shuttle option 192,
538
Edit insertion point
placing regions at 213
trimming regions to 216
Edit Markers 196
and selection length 199
Edit menu 264
Capture Region command 209, 512
Clear command 226, 512
Compress/Expand Edit To Play command 237,
513
Consolidate Selection command 256, 513
Copy command 227, 511
Copy To Send command 380, 515
Create Fades command 248
Cut command 227, 511
Delete Fades command 248
Duplicate command 229, 512
Fade To End command 250
Fade To Start command 250
Fades command 514
Heal Separation command 212, 513
Identify Beat command 514
Identify Sync Point command 217, 489, 513
Insert Silence command 255, 514
Lock/Unlock Regions command 225, 513

588

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Merge Paste command 231, 512
Mute/Unmute Region command 225, 513
Paste command 228, 511
Quantize Regions command 224, 513
Redo command 511
Remove Sync Point command 217
Repeat command 230, 512
Repeat Paste To Fill Selection command 237,
511
Select All command 197, 512
Separate Region command 210, 512
Shift command 224, 512
Strip Silence command 253
Thin Automation command 384, 515
Trim Automation command 396, 515
Trim command 512
Trim End To Insertion command 216
Trim Start To Insertion command 216
Trim To Selection command 211
Undo command 174, 511
Write Automation command 394, 395, 515
Edit mode buttons 179
Edit modes 179
and edit commands 226
and placing regions 212
Grid 28, 179
Shuffle 28, 179
Slip 28, 179
Spot 28, 179, 485
edit playlists 172
Edit selections
auditioning with Playhead enabled 207
copied from Timeline selection 207
copied to Timeline selection 207
sliding in the Ruler 203
start, end, and length fields 33
edit smoothing, with Beat Detective 289
Edit tools 30
Edit window 26
Edit tools 30
half-screen 192
scrolling from the Ruler 191
track controls 27
Edit Window Color Coding option 85, 538
Edit Window Default Length option 537
Edit Window Follows Bank Selection option 537
Edit Window Shows option 25, 547

editing
across multiple tracks 228
and Edit modes 179
and hidden tracks 18
automation 385
Bar|Beat Markers 266
beat triggers 284
breakpoints 387
controller events 302
during playback 163
Grid mode 179
in MIDI Event List 326
Markers 274
Memory Locations 274
meter events 268
MIDI notes 297
MIDI regions 171
nondestructive 163
non-destructively for audio 170
non-destructively for MIDI 172
note attributes 300
note durations 318
note velocities 299, 316
program changes 304
Shuffle mode 179
Slip mode 179
Spot mode 179
tempo events 262
waveforms 169
Editing Preferences
Auto-Name Memory Locations While Playing
option 273
Auto-Name Separated Regions option 210
Conversion Quality option 99
Crossfade Preference for Pre/Post-Roll option
247, 541
QuickPunch Crossfade Length option 155
Region List Selection Follows Track Selection
option 176, 204
Separate Region Operates On All Related
Takes option 135, 210
Take Region Lengths That Match option 135
Take Region Names That Match Track Names
option 135
Track Selection Follows Regions List Selection
option 204
effects, printing to disk 397

Enable Automation Parameters Button 360, 363
Enable Autosave option 539
enabling
automation 381
groups 18, 35, 88
MIDI input devices 142
encoding and decoding 422
Enforce Mac/PC Compatibility option 54, 505
EQ II plug-ins 517
equal gain crossfades 245
equal power crossfades 245, 247
Ethernet Controllers page 535
Event Edit Area 33
note attributes 300
Exit command (Windows) 56, 510
Expanded Track Display 167, 387
Export MIDI command 103, 509
Export Region Definitions command 98
Export Selected As Files command 97
Export Selected dialog 97
Export Session as Text command 100, 509
exporting
a session as text 100
audio 97
audio from regions 97
MIDI tracks 103
region definitions 98, 489
stereo interleaved files 97
extending selections 200
to adjacent tracks 201, 202
to include adjacent regions 200
to Markers and Memory Locations 200
to region boundaries 200
Extensions 571
external clock sources 366

F
factory settings 71
Fade To End command 250, 514
Fade To Start command 250, 514
fade-in shapes 246
fade-out shapes 244
Faders Move During Playback option 374, 542
fades 249
and dither options 353
auto-fades 250
Index

589

creating 249
creating with Smart Tool 32
in batches 251
with dither 245
Fades command 514
Fades dialog 242
In Shape 246
Link option 245
Out Shape 244
Use Dither option 245
Fast Forward
incrementally 190
locating with 190
Fast Forward button 36
Feet.Frames and QuickTime offset 498
Feet.Frames command 536
Feet.Frames Time Scale 186, 549
file formats (audio) 401
AIFF 402
MP3 404
QuickTime 402
RealAudio 402
SND resource 402
Sound Designer II 401
WAV 402
file management 105
File menu
Bounce to Disk command 507
Close Session command 56, 506
Delete Selected Tracks command 78, 509
Duplicate Selected Tracks command 508
Exit command (Windows) 56, 510
Export MIDI command 103, 509
Export Session as Text command 509
Get Info command 510
Group Selected Tracks command 87, 508
Import Audio to Track command 93, 509
Import MIDI to Track command 102, 509
Import Tracks command 510
Make Selected Tracks Inactive command 508
New Session command 50, 505
New Track command 125, 145, 508
Open Session command 51, 506
Quit command (Macintosh) 56, 510
Rename Selected Tracks command 508
Revert to Saved command 52, 507
Save Session As command 52, 506
Save Session command 52, 506
Save Session Copy In command 54, 108, 506
590

Pro Tools Reference Guide

Split Selected Tracks Into Mono command
231, 508
Film 416
film speed 462
filtering in bass management 423
final mixdown 409
Find command 177
finding regions 177
Format (in Bounce to Disk) 406
formats
supported multi-channel 416
freewheeling time code 470
Front Divergence 451
Front/Rear Divergence 451

G
Gain plug-in 518
generating time code 469, 474
Get Info command 510
Global MIDI Playback Offset option 307, 544
Go to End button 36
Grabber tool 30
editing breakpoints with 385
Object Grabber 198
selecting MIDI notes with 297
Separation Grabber 211
Grid mode 28, 179
and moving regions 220
Draw Grids in Edit Window option 180
Grid Value pop-up menu 179
Regions/Markers option 180
setting the Grid value 221
grid panners in Mix and Edit 443
Grid value 34, 221
Group Selected Tracks command 87, 508
groups
and automation editing 388
and hidden tracks 18
and LFEs 375
and pan 453
and selecting tracks 18
and send level, mute 374
changing members 88
creating 87
deleting 88
Edit Groups 35
enabling 18, 35, 88

Mix Groups 18
renaming 88
unlinking Edit and Mix Groups 88
Groups List 86
Groups List Focus 40
Groups List focus 89
Groups pop-up menu 87
Delete Selected Groups command 87
Display command 87
New Group command 87
Suspend All Groups command 87

H
H/W Buffer Size 114
half-screen 192
half-speed playback 159
half-speed recording 159
hard drives
and QuickTime movies 495
recording to system volume 118
Round Robin Allocation 117
hardware
updating I/O Setup after changing 65
Hardware Buffer
CPU Usage Percentage 45
Hardware command 46, 47, 533
hardware I/O Inserts 355
hardware I/O Sends 339
Hardware Setup dialog 45, 47
Buffer Size 114
DAC Muting option 47
hardware buffer size 45
Heal Separation command 212, 513
hidden tracks
and group edits 18
and groups 18
and selections 196
hiding
all tracks 79
auto-created regions 257
tracks 79
Highest Priority Playback option 495, 526
Horizontal Zoom buttons 180
host processing 45
host processor 9

I
I/O capacity
allocating 568
and DSP usage 568
I/O Labels (see I/O Setup)
I/O Settings 71
I/O Setup
and surround sessions 426
default settings 70
displaying unavailable I/O 70
factory settings files 71
import and export 71
importing for surround 428
initializing 67
last used 71
reset paths 65
settings files 70
Stereo Mix preset 71
surround mix examples 439
surround mix settings file 72
I/O Setup command 535
I/O View 22
Identify Beat command 264, 514
Identify Beat dialog 265
Identify Sync Point command 217, 489, 513
Import Audio dialog 93
Import Audio From Current Movie command 501,
525
Import Audio From Other Movie command 98, 525
Import Audio to Track command 93, 509
Import MIDI command 103
Import MIDI to Track command 102, 509
Import Movie command 496, 525
Import Movie dialog 496
Import Tracks command 94, 510
importing
and converting audio 92
audio 91
audio and Conversion Quality 99
audio from CDs 98
audio from QuickTime movies 501
audio into a session 91
audio with drag & drop 96
MIDI tracks 102
multi-channel I/O Settings 428
QuickTime movies 496
tracks from other sessions 94

Index

591

inactive 13
Master Faders and assignments 334
paths 68
paths, global 68
sends 342
track path assignments 68
tracks 84
Infinite Peak Hold preference 538
in-place auditioning 73
input connections 11, 111
and digital sources 158
Input Devices command 142, 523
Input Devices dialog 142
Input Filter command 143, 523
MIDI Input Filter dialog 143, 323
input levels 111
Input Only Monitoring option 114, 530
Input Quantize command 144, 522
Input Quantize window 144
Input Selector 22
Insert controls 25
Insert Position Selector 359
Insert Silence command 255, 514
and Shuffle Mode 255
and Slip Mode 255
inserting
controller events 302
in MIDI Event List 324
meter events 267
MIDI notes 295
program changes 304
tempo events 261
Inserts 355
as a shared bus 356
for hardware I/O 355
for plug-ins 355
labeling 364
on single tracks 356
post-fader on Master Faders 333, 356
shared within a submix 348
Inserts View 25
Interleaved 406
Bounce to Disk 406
Inverse linked panning 344
Invert plug-in 517

592

Pro Tools Reference Guide

J
Jam Sync 470

K
Key Input Selector 360
Keyboard Focus 39
Audio Regions Focus 40, 178
Commands Focus 40
Commands focus 29
Groups List Focus 40
Groups List focus 89
MIDI Regions Focus 40, 178
keyboard Input for plug-in parameters 363
keyboard shortcuts 363
global key commands 39
numeric entry 201
recording 126

L
labeling
Inserts and Sends 364
paths 64
Last Used 71
Latch Record Enable Buttons option 113, 538
Latch Solo Buttons option 539
latency for recording and monitoring 114
LCRS
path examples 428
length, for selections 199
level faders
sends 25
tracks 24
Level Indicator 23
level meters
clearing 24
for audio tracks 24
for MIDI tracks 24
for Sends 25
Levels of Undo option 542
LFE
and groups 375
enable in plug-ins 451
example sub-path 439
examples of discrete versus contribution 440
faders 451
plug-in enable 360
LFE Enable Button 360

LFEs Follow Groups option 375, 542
Librarian menu 359
Limit To option 540
linear crossfades 247
Link Edit and Timeline Selection option 195, 531
Link Enable buttons 360
and multi-channel 436
Link Mix and Edit Group Enables option 539
Link Record and Play Faders option 114
Link Selection button 29, 195
linking
inverse panning 344
multi-mono plug-ins 436
plug-in controls 362
stereo panners 343
Local Control 16, 143
locating
with Fast Forward/Rewind 190
with Location Indicators 191
Location Indicators 34, 190
locating with 191
locations, for MIDI notes
dragging 298
quantizing 314
randomizing 314, 315
Lock/Unlock Regions command 225, 513
locking regions 225
Loop Playback option 205, 530
and audio recording 133
and Auto Touch mode 378
loop points 135
and Playback Markers 136
recalling with Memory Location 138
Loop Record mode 120, 133, 529
loop recording
and pre/post-roll 132
audio 132
MIDI 150
drum machine style 150
multiple takes 151
looping selections 205
loops and reverb, delay 399
Low Latency Monitoring option 115
Lt Rt 420
LTC (Linear Time Code) 459

M
Machine Chases Memory Location option 480,
540
Machine Control option 540
Machine Control page 535
Machine Cues Intelligently option 540
Machine Follows Edit Insertion/Scrub option 480,
540
main paths 61
Main Time Scale 186, 473
Make Selected Tracks Inactive command 508
managing regions 256
Manual Tempo mode 38, 123
mapping paths in I/O Setup 66
Markers 270
creating 272
creating on the fly 273
deleting 275
editing 274
extending selections to 200
moving 275
sorting 277
tick-based and sample-based 271
viewing options 276
Master Faders
adding 333
and DSP usage 568
as master send level control 349
inactive 334
inserts 356
meters pre/post fader 334
multi-channel 435
paths 337
post-fader inserts 333
signal flow 333
Master Link Button 360
in multi-channel plug-ins 436
master view for tracks 166, 389
mastering
digitally 410
to disk 409
Matching Start Time Takes List preference 541
matrix 419
measures
partial 269
renumbering 269
Medium Priority Playback option 495, 526
Index

593

Memory for Automation Recording option 376
Memory Location dialog 270
Memory Locations 270, 271
creating 272
creating on the fly 273
deleting 275
deleting all 275
editing 274
extending selections to 200
Markers 270
recalling 274
renaming 274
Selection Memory Locations 271
storing punch/loop points 138
Memory Locations window 276
view filter 277
viewing options for Markers 276
Merge mode (see MIDI Merge mode)
Merge Paste command 231, 512
meter
current 267
default 122
meter events 267
editing 268
inserting 267
Meter Ruler
displaying 267
extending an Edit selection to 268
meters
sends view 341
SurroundScope plug-in 453
MIDI 15
and signal paths 16
audio input to Pro Tools 347
common misconceptions 16
tracks 10
MIDI Beat Clock command 485, 522
MIDI channels 15
assigning 82
MIDI clips and Regions List 176
MIDI control surfaces 15, 352
MIDI controller devices 15, 141
Local Control 16, 143
MIDI Controllers page 535
MIDI Device/Channel Selector 23, 82
MIDI devices 15

594

Pro Tools Reference Guide

MIDI Event List 321
deleting events 327
editing events 326
inserting events 324
navigating in 322
Options menu 328
selecting events 326
View Filter 323
MIDI Event List options 328
View Filter command 323
MIDI files (see Standard MIDI Files)
MIDI Input Selector 148
MIDI Machine Control (MMC) 479
configuring in Pro Tools 479
controlling external devices with 479
remote track arming 481
syncing to a sequencer with 483
syncing to an ADAT 481
MIDI menu
All Notes Off command 308, 523
Change Duration command 318, 521
Change Meter command 267, 520
Change Tempo command 261, 519
Change Velocity command 316, 520
Click Options command 122, 522
Input Devices command 142, 523
Input Filter command 143, 523
Input Quantize command 144, 522
MIDI Beat Clock command 485, 522
MIDI Thru option 143, 523
Quantize command 311, 520
Renumber Bars command 269, 520
Select Notes command 310, 521
Split Notes command 311, 521
Transpose command 319, 521
MIDI Merge mode 38, 120, 145
MIDI Note Display option 545
MIDI notes
attributes for 33, 300
chasing 306
deleting 300
duplicating selected 230
editing 297
durations 318
pitch 297
velocities 299, 316
inserting 295
lengths in ticks 187
moving 298

quantizing 311
selecting 297, 310
splitting 311
transposing 297, 319
trimming start/end points 298
MIDI offsets 307
MIDI Operations window 309
parameter options 309
MIDI Output Selector 145
MIDI Preferences 544
Default Note On Velocity option 296
Global MIDI Playback Offset option 307
Pencil Tool Resolution When Drawing Controller
Data option 302, 385, 544
MIDI recording 141
cancelling takes 147
enabling input devices 142
Input Filter 143
Merge/Replace mode 145
monitoring with MIDI Thru 142
quantizing on input 144
System Exclusive data 152
undoing a take 147
Wait for Note 144
MIDI regions 170
and controller events 172
and Merge Paste command 231
and punch recording 149
guidelines for editing 171
MIDI Regions Focus 40, 178
MIDI Regions List 35, 175
and MIDI clips 176
dragging from 212
finding regions 177
sorting 176
MIDI Regions List menu 35
Auto Rename Selected command 257
Clear Selected command 258
Display All command 177
Find command 177
Import MIDI command 103
Rename Selected command 257
Select Unused command 258
Sorting option 176
Time Stamp Selected command 220, 488
MIDI Replace mode 38, 120, 145
MIDI Thru option 143, 523

MIDI tracks
and MIDI offsets 307
and tempo changes 263
assigning to multiple channels 146
channel strips 20
configuring for recording 145
default program change 303
exporting 103
loop recording 150
Merge Paste command 231
note chasing 306
Notes view 165, 170
punch recording 148
punching on the fly 149
record enabling 112
recording 141, 145
Regions view 165, 171
selecting a pitch range in 310
Sysex view 305
Velocity view 299
Minimum Sync Delay option 481
Minutes:Seconds Time Scale 185, 549
mix busses 339
Mix Groups 18
Mix window 17, 19
track controls 20
track width 85
Mix Window Follows Bank Selection option 537
Mix Window Shows option 17, 547
mixed file types 53, 92
mixer channels 11
Mixer plug-ins 563
mixing 415
surround formats 416
mixing and DSP usage 562, 563
mixing down to stereo 409
MMC (see MIDI Machine Control)
monitoring
during punch recording 131
MIDI recording with MIDI Thru 142
record and playback levels 114
monitoring latency 114
monitoring modes 113
Auto Input Monitoring 113
Input Only Monitoring 114

Index

595

mono
Bounce to Disk 406
format 416
paths 64
Mono In/Stereo Out 356
Movie menu
Add Movie command 526
Bounce to Movie command 502, 525
Clear Selection command 527
Highest Priority Playback option 495, 526
Import Audio From Current Movie command
501, 525
Import Audio From Other Movie command 98,
525
Import Movie command 496, 525
Medium Priority Playback option 495, 526
Movie Online command 526
New Movie Track command 526
Normal Priority Playback option 495, 526
Set Movie Sync Offset command 498, 526
Show Movie Window command 497
Undo Add Movie command 527
Window Aspect Ratio command 526
Movie Online command 526
Movie Tracks 496
scrubbing 497
setting sync point 499
Movie window 497
movies (see QuickTime movies)
moving
Bar|Beat Markers 266
Markers 275
MIDI notes 298
program changes 304
sysex events 305
MP3 and Digidesign hardware 406
MP3 file format 404
MTC (MIDI Time Code) 459
outputting 469
multi-channel plug-ins 356, 436
multi-channel regions 164
multi-channel tracks 128
and automation 387
dragging regions to 232
names for 117
replacing regions in 237
signal routing 431
splitting 231
596

Pro Tools Reference Guide

multi-mono
plug-in channel selector 436
plug-ins 356, 435
Multiple mono 406
multiple tracks
and Beat Detective 287
audition takes 134
editing across 228
extending selections to 201, 202
fitting audio regions to Edit selection 238
nudging regions in 222
pasting to 229
selecting 201
separating regions on 210
shuffling regions on 218
MultiShell 568
Mute automation 386
Mute button 21, 84
Mute Frees Assigned Voice option 84, 531
Mute/Unmute Region command 225, 513
Mutes Follow Groups option 374, 542
Mutes Follow Mix Groups option 83
muting
regions 225
tracks 84

N
Narrow Mix Window option 85, 547
network connections 571
New Group command 87
New Movie Track command 526
New Session command 50, 505
and last used 71
New Track command 125, 145, 508
New Track dialog 125
No Auto-Scrolling option 191, 530
No Output 338
by deleting paths 66
No Peak Hold preference 538
nondestructive editing 163
for audio 170
for MIDI 172
Nondestructive Record mode 119
nondestructive recording 129
recording to a new playlist 130
with QuickPunch 155

Normal Priority Playback option 495, 526
Normalize plug-in 518
Note Chasing option 306
notes (see MIDI notes)
Notes view 165, 170
mini-keyboard 170
scrolling up or down 171
Nudge value 34, 222
trimming regions by 217
nudging 221
by next Nudge Value 223
multiple regions 222
region contents 223
selection range 199
selection start/end points 199
selections and regions 222
setting the Nudge value 222
numeric entry
Calculator mode 201
shortcuts 201
Numeric Keypad Mode 539
Numeric Keypad modes 41, 539
Classic 41
Shuttle 42, 194
Transport 41

O
Object Grabber 198
and Edit Groups 198
Object selections 197
offline regions 164
OMS MIDI Setup command 536
OMS Names command 536
OMS patch names 303
OMS Studio Setup command 536
On Stop 393
Online button 36
Online option 474, 530, 539
online recording 474
on-the-fly punch recording
MIDI tracks 149
QuickPunch 120, 155
Open Ended Record Allocation option 118, 539
Open Session command 51, 506
opening multiple Plug-In windows 361

Operation Preferences 538
Audio During Fast Forward/Rewind option 190
Auto Regions Fade In/Out Length option 250
Edit Insertion Follows Scrub/Shuttle option
192
Latch Record Enable Buttons option 113
Link Record and Play Faders option 114
Machine Chases Memory Location option 480
Machine Follows Edit Insertion/Scrub option
480
Open Ended Record Allocation option 118
Record Online option 474
Use F11 for Wait for Note 144
Operations menu
Active in Background option 531
Auto Input Monitoring option 113, 529
Auto-Spot Regions command 487, 531
Calibration Mode command 112, 532
Copy Edit Selection to Timeline command 207,
531
Copy Timeline Selection to Edit command 207,
531
Destructive Record mode 130, 529
Input Only Monitoring option 114, 530
Link Edit and Timeline Selection option 195,
531
Loop Playback option 205, 530
Loop Record mode 133, 529
Low Latency Monitoring option 115
Mute Frees Assigned Voice option 84, 531
Online option 474, 530
Play Edit Selection command 207, 531
Play Timeline Selection command 207, 531
Pre/Post Roll Playback command 138, 530
Pre/Post-Fader Metering option 24
Pre-Fader Metering command 531
QuickPunch mode 529
Scroll Options command 530
Scrolling Options 191
Optical
as Digi 001 clock source 367
Original Time Stamp 220, 488, 548
Other Options dialog 47, 48, 49
Output Options
Conversion Quality option 407
File Format 401
Sample Rate 407
Use Squeezer option 408
Output Selector 22
Index

597

Output window 24
outputs
default 5.1 paths and sub-paths 427
format and tracks 433
to multi-channel paths 434
overlap crossfades 247
overlapping paths 67

P
Page Scroll During Playback option 191, 530
Pan automation 386
Pan Indicator 23
Pan Slider 23
panning
3-knob 449
and groups 453
automation and groups 388
fine-adjust mode 449
grids 443
guidelines 438
linked stereo 343
multi-channel automation playlists 453
take over in grid 449
trajectory 450
X/Y mode 448
parallel mixing 433
partial measures 269
pass-through point 372
Paste command 228, 511
pasting
automation 391
between automation playlists 228
multiple data types 229
selections and regions 228
to multiple tracks 229
with Merge Paste command (MIDI) 231
with Repeat Paste To Fill Selection command
237
paths
active and inactive 68
applying 67
audition 72
basics 59
creating and editing 63
creating multi-channel 428
default mono and stereo 64
default order 74

598

Pro Tools Reference Guide

default output 72
delete existing 71
deleting 66
for surround 437
last used 71
main 61
mapping 66
mono versus stereo 64
multi-channel example 67
naming 64
overlapping 67
reset using Default 65
Stereo Mix preset 71
sub-path surround examples 439
PCI Load 376
Peak Hold option 24, 538
Peak Indicator 23
Pencil tool 31
as Eraser 301
drawing automation with 384
editing breakpoints with 386
inserting MIDI notes with 295
repairing waveforms with 232
resolution for inserted controller events 302
shapes 384
Pencil Tool Resolution When Drawing Controller
Data option 302, 385, 544
Peripherals command 534
Ethernet Controllers page 535
Machine Control page 535
MIDI Controllers page 535
Synchronization page 534
Phase Invert button 360
Pitch Shift plug-in 518
pitch, for MIDI notes
transposing with Grabber 297
transposing with Transpose command 319
Play button 36
Play Edit Selection command 207, 531
Play MIDI Notes When Editing option 544
Play Timeline Selection command 207, 531
playback and Scrolling Options 191
playback cursor 189
Playback Engine 10
changing 48
Playback Engine command 48, 533

Playback Markers 136, 195
and Edit selections 196
and selection length 199
and Timeline selections 206
Playhead 192, 530
and Edit selections 207
and Timeline selections 207
moving to region boundaries 208
playing
and on-the-fly selections 197
at half-speed 159
Edit selections with Playhead enabled 207
from a track point 189
selections 204
Timeline selections with Playhead enabled 207
tracks 189
Playlist Selector 27
playlists 11, 172
adding new 173
and multi-channel tracks 387
and nondestructive MIDI editing 172
assigning 173
automation playlists 173, 370, 377
deleting 174
duplicating 173
edit playlists 172
recalling 173
recording to new 130
renaming 173
setting pre/post-roll in 137
plug-in controls, linking 362
plug-in inserts 355
plug-in parameters
editing 363
Plug-In Selector
for real-time plug-ins 360
Plug-In Settings menu 359
Plug-In window
closing multiple windows 361
opening multiple windows 361
Plug-Ins
and surround mixing 435
automating 380
automation accuracy in bounce 408
bypassing from window 362
Channel Selector for multi-mono 436
for surround 436

linking 436
linking and unlinking 362
mixers 566
mono-to-stereo 356
multi-channel 356
multi-mono 356, 435
positional reference 458
post crossfades 242, 248
pre crossfades 242, 248
Pre/Post Roll Playback command 138, 530
Pre/Post-Fader Inserts 356
Pre/Post-Fader Metering option 24
pre/post-roll
and loop recording 132
and punch recording 131
and recording 137
auditioning 204
setting 137
Pre/Post-Roll Flags 138, 195
Pre-Fader Metering command 531
Preferences command 537
Pro Tools 24 systems 5
auto-fades 250
file management 105
Pro Tools LE 7
Pro Tools MIX systems 5
24-bit input and output 410
auto-fades 250
file management 105
pre/post-roll 137
QuickPunch 156
Pro Tools TDM 6
processing bandwidth 376
Processing Preferences 543
ProControl, meter configuration 430
Program Change window 303
program changes 15, 302
and bank select 302
auditioning 305
chasing 306
default, for MIDI tracks 303
deleting 305
editing 304
inserting 304
moving 304
patch names 303
ProLogic 416

Index

599

Pull Up/Down 463
3:2 Pulldown 462
configuring 473
Punch In Frame Offset preference 540
Punch Out Frame Offset preference 540
punch points 135
and Playback Markers 136
recalling with Memory Location 138
punch recording
and monitoring 131
and pre/post-roll 131
audio 131
MIDI 148
MIDI on the fly 149

Q
Quantize command 311, 520
experimenting with 315
Quantize window 312
Quantize Regions command 224, 513
and Grid value 221
Quantize window 312
Quantize Grid 313
Quantize Options 313
What to Quantize 312
quantizing
MIDI notes 311
attacks vs. releases 312
MIDI on input 144
regions 224
QuickPunch 120, 155, 529
crossfades 155
non-TDM systems 156
region/take numbering 157
TDM systems 156
QuickPunch Crossfade Length option 155, 542
QuickTime file format 402
QuickTime movies 493, 525
bouncing to 502
conforming 494, 499
frame length 495
importing 496
importing audio from 501
offset in Feet.Frames 498
offsetting 498
optimizing for playback 497

600

Pro Tools Reference Guide

playback quality 495
requirements 495
setting start time 498
spotting 499
Quit command (Macintosh) 56, 510

R
randomizing
note durations 318
note locations 314
note velocities 317
RealAudio file format 402
real-time editing 163
Recall Original Track Selections preference 541
Recompute Invalid Overviews preference 537
Record button 37, 119
Record Enable button 20
record enabling tracks 112
record modes 119
and MIDI 120
Destructive Record mode 119
Loop Record mode 120
Nondestructive Record mode 119
QuickPunch 120
switching with Record button 119
Record Online at Insertion/Selection preference
539
Record Online at Time Code (or ADAT) Lock
preference 539
Record Online option 474
Record Pause mode 129
Record Safe mode 20, 113
recording 128
a MIDI track 145
a mono audio track 125
a stereo audio track 127
a submix to disk 399
additional takes 129
at half-speed 159
bouncing to disk 400
cancelling takes 127
destructively 130
from a digital source 158
from Record Pause mode 129
keyboard shortcuts 126
monitoring latency 114

multi-channel tracks 128
multiple audio tracks 128
non-destructively 9, 129
non-linear 9
online 474
stereo tracks 127
System Exclusive data 152
to a new playlist 130
to the system volume 118
with a countoff 121
with pre/post-roll 137
with Round Robin Allocation 117
with the click 121
Red Book Audio CDs 502
Redo command 511
region boundaries
extending selections to 200
moving edit cursor to 202
moving Playhead to 208
region definitions 98, 489
Region List Selection Follows Track Selection
option 176, 204, 541
regions 11
aligning to region start points 214
auto-created 164
auto-naming parameters 257
auto-spotting 487
capturing 209
clearing 226
conforming with Beat Detective 288
consolidating 256
copying 227
creating 209
crossfading between 248
cutting 227
default names 116
deleting underlying 227
displaying all 177
displaying names 168
displaying times 168
dragging from Regions List 212
dragging to multi-channel tracks 232
duplicating 229
exporting as audio files 97
extending selections to include 200
finding 177
healing separations 212

hiding auto-created 257
inserting silence into 255
locking 225
managing 256
moving in Grid mode 221
multi-channel 164
muting 225
nudging 222
offline 164
Original Time Stamp 220
pasting 228
placing at Edit insertion point 213
placing in tracks 212
quantizing 224
removing unused 258
renaming 256
repeating 230
replacing 235
selecting 196
selecting all in a track 197
separating 210
separating with Beat Detective 287
separating with Separation Grabber 211
shifting 224
shuffling 218
on multiple tracks 218
sliding 217
slipping 219
sorting 176
spotting 219, 487
spotting to movies 500
sync points 217, 489
time stamping 488
trimming by Nudge Value 217
trimming start/end points 215
trimming to Edit insertion point 216
trimming unwanted data from 211
User Time Stamp 220
user-defined 164, 256, 258
whole-file audio regions 164
Regions view 165, 171
related takes 134
and Separate Region command 135
preferences for 135
Remote Mode option 540
remote track arming 481
Remove Sync Point command 217

Index

601

removing
crossfades 248
Sends 339
sync points 490
Rename Selected command 257
Rename Selected Tracks command 508
renaming
auto-created regions 256
groups 88
Memory Locations 274
playlists 173
regions 256
tracks 116
Renumber Bars command 269, 520
Repeat command 230, 512
Repeat Paste To Fill Selection command 237, 511
repeating selections and regions 230
Replace mode
Replace Regions command 235
and multi-channel tracks 237
Replace Regions dialog 235
reset paths 65
resolving sync 491
Return to Zero button 36
Reverse plug-in 518
Revert to Saved command 52, 507
Rewind
incrementally 190
locating with 190
Rewind button 36
Round Robin Allocation 117
RTAS processing 45
Ruler View Shows option 185, 548
Rulers
changing display order 185
Conductor Rulers 184
displaying all 185
scrolling in 191
Timebase Rulers 184
zooming in 182

S
safing automation 377
sample delays (see DSP delays)
sample rate conversion quality 99, 500

602

Pro Tools Reference Guide

sample rate formats 407
custom 407
Samples Time Scale 186, 549
Save Session As command 52, 506
Save Session command 52, 506
Save Session Copy In command 53, 54, 108, 506
Items To Copy 507
All Audio Files 507
Movie/Video Files 507
Session Plug-In Settings Folder 507
saving a copy of a session 53
scaling note velocities 299, 317
screen savers 571
Scroll After Playback option 191, 530
Scroll Options command 530
scrolling
in the Ruler 191
Notes view up or down 171
Scrub Trimmer 216
Scrubber tool 31, 192
in Shuttle mode 193
selecting with 202
scrubbing 192
a single audio track 193
and edit cursor 192
in Shuttle Lock mode 194
Movie Tracks 497
on two audio tracks 193
playback speed and direction 193
resolution 193
with Scrub Trimmer 216
with the Selector 193
SDDS 416
Select All command 197, 512
Select Notes command 310, 521
Select Notes window 310
Select Unused Regions command 258
selecting
a pitch range of notes 310
across multiple tracks 201
all regions in a track 197
all regions in all tracks 197
discontiguous regions 197
during playback 197
grouped tracks 18, 35
in MIDI Event List 326

MIDI notes 297, 310
notes in a chord 311
on all tracks 201
regions 196
track material 196
with Scrubber 202
with Selection Indicators 200
Selection Indicators 33, 200
and numeric entry shortcuts 201
making selections with 200
Selection Memory Location 271
moving stored selection 275
selections
and Bounce to Disk 400
and Edit Groups 196
and hidden tracks 196
and Playback Markers 196
auditioning start/end points 204
changing length of 199
clearing 226
consolidating 256
copying 227
cutting 227
discontiguous 197
duplicating 229
extending 200
extending to the Meter Ruler 268
extending to the Tempo Ruler 263, 276
including Conductor Rulers 201
looping 205
moving to adjacent tracks 202
moving to the next/previous region 203
nudging 199, 222
nudging start/end points 199
Object 197
on-the-fly 197
pasting 228
playing 204
removing a track from 202
repeating 230
shifting 224
storing with Memory Locations 271
useful techniques 202
Selector tool 30
scrubbing with 193
selecting MIDI notes with 297
Send controls 25
Send Level faders 25

Send Level meters 25
Send Levels Follow Groups option 374, 542
Send mute 25
Send Mutes Follow Groups option 374, 542
Send pan 25
Sends 338
adding 339
and groups 374
and multi-channel mixing 434
assignment view 340
automating 379
copying track automation to 380
displaying controls for 25, 341
for hardware I/O 339
for mix busses 339
labeling 364
mono or stereo 339
multi-channel 434
removing 339
Sends Default to -INF preference 538
Sends View 25
Sends View Shows command 548
Separate Region command 210, 512
and multiple tracks 210
and related takes 135
Separate Region Operates On All Related Takes
option 135, 210, 542
Separation Grabber 211
Session Setup window 468
Current TC 490
session templates 55
sessions 10
audio format 469
bit depth 51, 468
closing 56
creating 50
creating for surround mixing 426
default tempo 264
frame rate 469
mixed audio formats 53
opening 51
sample rate 468
saving 52
start frame 469
Set Movie Sync Offset command 498, 526
settings files
import and export 71

Index

603

Setups menu
DAE Buffer Size command 534
Disk Allocation command 117, 534
Feet.Frames command 536
Feet.Frames Time Scale 186
Hardware command 46, 47, 533
I/O Setup command 535
OMS MIDI Setup command 536
OMS Names command 536
OMS Studio Setup command 536
Peripherals command 534
Playback Engine command 48, 533
Preferences command 537
Shift command 224, 512
Shift dialog 224
shortcuts for keyboard input 363
Show Automation Enable command 554
Show Beat Detective command 554
Show Big Counter command 553
Show Disk Names option 176
Show Disk Space command 555
Show Edit Window command 547
Show File Names option 176
Show Full Pathnames option 176
Show Machine Track Arm command 554
Show Memory Locations command 554
Show Meters in Sends View option 341
Show Meters in Sends View preference 537
Show MIDI Event List command 552
Show MIDI Operations command 309, 552
Show MIDI Track Offsets command 553
Show Mix Window command 547
Show Movie Window command 497, 555
Show Session Setup command 553
Show Strip Silence command 555
Show System Usage command 555
Show Tempo/Meter command 551
Show Transport command 553
Show Universe command 554
Show/Hide Tracks list 17
Shuffle mode 28, 179
and locked regions 225
and moving regions 218
Shuttle Lock mode 194
Shuttle, Numeric Keypad mode 42, 194, 539
sibilants 517
604

Pro Tools Reference Guide

side chain processing 360
signal flow
Audio Tracks 331
Auxiliary Inputs 332
Master Faders 333
Signal Generator plug-in 518
signal routing
and default path order 74
basics for surround 434
example 12
surround examples 440
sliding regions 217
Slip mode 28, 179
and moving regions 219
Smart Tool 31, 32
and audio tracks 32
and MIDI tracks 32
and multi-channel tracks 33
creating crossfades with 32
creating fades with 32
editing automation with 33
editing controller events with 33
Smooth and Thin Data After Pass option 374, 383,
542
smoothing automation 375
SMPTE
configuration 471
frame formats 460
start frame for session 469
SMPTE Slave Driver (SSD) 468
generating time code with 474
SMPTE/ITU 416
snapshot automation 394, 515
adding to empty automation playlists 394
and trim values 396
writing over existing automation 395
SND resource file format 402
Solo button 20, 83
Solo Safe mode 21, 83
soloing
tracks 83
tracks in a submix 349
Solos Follow Groups option 374, 542
Solos Follow Mix Groups option 83
sorting
Markers 277
regions 176
Sorting option 176

Sound Designer II file format 401
Source Path 401
speakers
layouts 416
suggested 5.1 placement 418
surround calibration 419
surround placement 418
Split Notes command 311, 521
Split Notes dialog 311
Split Selected Tracks Into Mono command 231,
508
splitting stereo and multi-channel tracks 231
Spot dialog 219, 486
Use Subframes option 486, 488
User Time Stamp button 488
Spot mode 28, 179, 485
and moving regions 219
trimming regions in 488
spotting
auto-spotting 487
QuickTime movies 499
regions 219, 485, 487
Standard MIDI Files 102
exporting 103
importing 102
Type 0 102
Type 1 102
Standard Trimmer 215
start frame, for sessions 469
stems
surround examples 440
stepped control automation 386
stereo format 416
stereo interleaved files, exporting 97
Stereo Mix
I/O Setup factory preset 71
stereo tracks
dragging regions to 232
names for 117
recording 127
replacing regions in 237
splitting 231
Stop button 36
Strip Silence command 253
and region naming 254
Strip Silence window 253
stuck notes 308

sub
content 421
with bass management 423
Sub Time Scale 186, 473
subframes 486
submixes
applying an Insert to 348
bouncing to 408
bouncing to disk 399
soloing tracks in 349
sub-paths
examples for surround 437
Support Background Record Applications
preference 538
surround
and sends 434
basic signal routing 434
bass management 423
center percentage (%) 452
concepts 415
configuring Pro Tools and sessions 426
delivery formats 422
discrete level, solo, mute 432
divergence basics 421
encoding and decoding 422
example 5.1 paths 429
formats 415
importing I/O Settings 428
Lt Rt 420
mix compatibility 422
mixer specifications 566
mixing concepts 422
mixing formats 416
pan playlists and automation 453
panning grids 443
Pro Tools formats 416
settings files 426
speaker arrangements 416
terminology 419
using paths 437
using sub-paths, examples 437
Surround Mixer
plug-in features 566
specifications 566
SurroundScope 453
Suspend All Groups command 87
suspending automation 381
swing 313, 315

Index

605

sync 457
3:2 Pulldown 462
and film 461
Bi-Phase/Tach 460
black burst 491
film speed vs. video speed 462
guide tracks 462
LTC 459
MIDI Beat Clock 485
MMC 479
options 467
positional reference 458
Pull Up/Down 463
resolving 491
SMPTE frame formats 460
time code 458
troubleshooting 490
VITC 459
Sync Mode 469
for digital inserts 365
Sync Offset 470
sync points 489
for QuickTime movie 499
for regions 217
from Beat Detective 289
identifying 217, 489
Synchronization page 534
syncing to a sequencer
Macintosh 476
Windows 478
with MMC 483
syncing to an ADAT 481
Sysex view 305
System Exclusive data 16, 305
and MIDI Thru 142
deleting 306
moving 305
recording 152
System Load 376
System Usage 376
System Usage Window Shows command 548

T
Tab to Transients button 29, 203
take over (surround pan) 449
Take Region Lengths That Match option 135, 542
Take Region Names That Match Track Names
option 135, 541
606

Pro Tools Reference Guide

takes
auditioning 133
auditioning from Takes List 134
default names 116
numbering for QuickPunch 157
recording additional 129
Takes List pop-up menu 134
and multiple tracks 134
tapping in the tempo 124
Target Button 360
TC/E Plug-In preference 543
TDM 561
TDM Mixer Plug-Ins 566
switching 566
TDM Plug-Ins
and DSP usage 568
MultiShell 568
TDM systems 5
audio interfaces 6
pre/post-roll 137
QuickPunch 156
voice and track limits 6
technical support
suggestions 571
tempo
current 261
default 123, 264
effects on Markers and Memory Locations 271
effects on MIDI and audio 263
Manual Tempo mode 123
tapping in 124
tempo events 261
and Bar|Beat Markers 266
editing 262
inserting 261
tempo map
from Identify Beat command 264
Tempo Ruler
displaying 261
extending an Edit selection to 263, 276
test 408
Thin Automation command 384, 515
thinning automation 375, 383
tick-based and sample-based 271
tick-based timing 187
time code 458
and Jam Sync 470
capturing 486

freewheeling 470
generating 469, 474
Time Code Time Scale 186, 549
Time Compression/Expansion plug-in 518
Time Scale 185
Main 186, 473
Sub 186, 473
time stamp 548
Time Stamp Selected command 134, 220, 488
time stamps and Bounce to Disk 400
Time Trimmer 238
Timebase Rulers 184
and selecting on all tracks 201
and Timeline selections 206
Edit Markers 196
Playback Markers 195
Pre/Post-Roll Flags 195
sliding Edit selections 203
sliding Timeline selections 207
Timeline Insertion Follows Playback option 538
Timeline selections 206
and Playback Markers 206
auditioning with Playhead enabled 207
copied from Edit selection 207
copied to Edit selection 207
in Timebase Rulers 206
sliding in the Ruler 207
start, end, and length fields 37
To All Enabled Parameters
writing automation 396
To Current Parameter
writing automation 396
toggling
Track View 166
zoom level 182
tools 30
Touch Timeout option 375, 543
track controls
Edit window 27
Mix window 20
track data 164
Track Height 27, 166
track layout
default path order 74
track level faders 24
track level meters 24

Track Name/Comments dialog 77, 116
Track Selection Follows Regions List Selection
option 204, 541
Track Selector 359
Track View 28, 164
Blocks 165
Expanded Track Display 167, 387
master view 389
Notes 165, 170
Regions 165, 171
Sysex 305
toggling 166
Velocity 299
Waveform 28, 165, 168
Track View Toggle 166
track width 85
tracks
5.1 format track layout 432
adding to selection 201, 202
and Record Safe mode 113
and surround 431
appending new material to end of 130
auto-voiced 21
color coding 85
concepts 10
deleting 78
entering comments 78
grouping 85
hiding 79
importing 94
locating with Fast Forward/Rewind 190
making inactive/active 84
master view 166, 389
moving selections between 202
muting 84
names 24, 116
placing regions in 212
playback priority 81
playing 189
record enabling 112
removing from a selection 202
selecting across multiple 201
selecting all regions in 197
selecting all regions in all tracks 197
selecting material in 196
selecting on all 201
soloing 83
Track Height 27, 166

Index

607

Track View 28, 164
transposing 320
trimming unwanted data from 211
virtual tracks 80
trajectory panning 450
transients
detecting with Beat Detective 283
tabbing to 203
Transport Master 480
Transport Numeric Keypad Mode 539
Transport window 36
MIDI controls 38
pre/post-roll 37, 137
start, end, and length fields 37, 136
transport controls 36
Transport Window Shows command 547
Transport, Numeric Keypad mode 41
Transpose command 319, 521
Transpose window 319
transposing 319
by octave 320
key 320
MIDI notes 297
tracks 320
Trim Automation command 396, 515
Trim command 512
Trim End To Insertion command 216
Trim Start To Insertion command 216
Trim To Selection command 211
Trimmer tool 30, 215
Scrub Trimmer 216
Time Trimmer 238
trimming
automation breakpoints 386, 393
crossfades 248
input sum levels 567
note start/end points 298
region start/end points 215
regions by Nudge Value 217
regions to Edit insertion point 216
regions with Scrub Trimmer 216
unwanted region and track data 211
Tweak-head setting 407

608

Pro Tools Reference Guide

U
unavailable I/O
showing 70
Undo Add Movie command 527
Undo and audio recording 126
Undo and MIDI recording 147
Undo command 174, 511
Universal Slave Driver (USD) 467
and VSO
generating time code with 476
resolving with 468
sync options 468
Universe window 183
unlinked Edit and Timeline selection 195
unlinking plug-in controls 362, 436
Use All Available Space preference 540
Use AudioSuite Dither preference 543
Use F11 for Wait for Note option 144, 539
Use Squeezer option 408, 508
Use Subframes option 486, 488
User Time Stamp 220, 489, 548
user-defined regions 164, 256, 258

V
Variable Speed Override 471
velocities, for MIDI notes
default for inserted 296
dragging velocity stalks 299
drawing with Pencil 299
editing 299, 316
fading 317
randomizing 317
scaling 317
scaling with Trimmer 299
Velocity view 299
Vertical Zoom buttons 180
video capture/playback cards 494
video speed 463
View Filer, for MIDI Event List 323
View Filter command 323
views
Comments View 25
I/O View 22
Inserts View 25
Sends View 25
Virtual Memory 571

virtual tracks 80
VITC (Vertical Interval Time Code) 459
Voice Selector 21
voices 21
allocating 82
and track priority 81
auto-assignment of ascending 81
Volume automation 386
VSO (see Variable Speed Override)

W
Wait for Note 38, 144
WAV file format 106, 402
AES31/Broadcast compliant 106
Waveform view 28, 165, 168
waveforms 168
and zero-crossing 169
avoiding clicks and pops 169
drawn rectified 169
guidelines for editing 169
repairing with Pencil tool 232
whole-file audio regions 164
Window Aspect Ratio command 526
Windows menu
Show Automation Enable command 554
Show Beat Detective command 554
Show Big Counter command 553
Show Disk Space command 555
Show Machine Track Arm command 554
Show Memory Locations command 554
Show MIDI Event List command 552
Show MIDI Operations command 552
Show MIDI Track Offsets command 553
Show Movie Window command 555
Show Session Setup command 553
Show Strip Silence command 555
Show System Usage command 555
Show Tempo/Meter command 551
Show Transport command 553
Show Universe command 554
Write Automation command 394, 395, 515
Write Switches to Touch After Pass preference 542
Write to Start/All/End buttons 391
writing
automation 378
automation on stop 393
automation to start, end, or all 391
snapshot automation 394

Z
zero-crossing 169
Zoom buttons 29
Zoom Preset buttons 29, 182
Zoom Toggle 182
Zoomer tool 30, 181
zooming 180
a track area 181
all the way out 181
around a track point 181
horizontally for all tracks 180
in the Ruler 182
recalling zoom levels 182
storing zoom levels 182
vertically for all audio tracks 180
vertically for all MIDI tracks 181

Index

609

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Create Date                     : 2001:01:16 20:42:36
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Author                          : Digidesign Technical Publications
Title                           : Pro Tools 5.1 Reference Guide
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