Specifications

Pro Tools Reference Guide214
MIDI Tracks
MIDI tracks record, store, and playback MIDI
data. You cannot select a track format when you
create a MIDI track, because audio does not pass
through it.
Instrument Tracks
Instrument tracks are a special type of track that
provide both MIDI and audio capabilities in a sin-
gle channel strip. Instrument tracks simplify using
software and hardware instruments to record and
monitor MIDI instruments.
Video Tracks
Video tracks let you add or import QuickTime
(Windows and Mac) or Windows Media Video
(Windows Vista only).
With an Avid video peripheral and Pro Tools, you
can add or import Avid video to the Pro Tools
Timeline (see Chapter 51, “Working with Video in
Pro Tools.”)
Video tracks only appear in the Edit window, and
video can be viewed in the Video window.
Track Formats
Mono Tracks
A mono audio, Auxiliary Input, Master Fader, or
Instrument track controls volume, and, in some
cases, panning, for a single channel of audio. A
mono audio track uses a single voice. A mono
track can also be routed to a multichannel output.
Stereo Tracks
A stereo audio, Auxiliary Input, Master Fader, or
Instrument track is a single channel strip for two
channels of audio as a stereo pair. Stereo audio
tracks use two voices.
Multichannel Tracks
(Pro Tools HD and Pro Tools with Complete
Production Toolkit Only)
A multichannel track is a single channel strip that
plays multiple channels of audio (from 3 to 8 chan-
nels at a time). This allows Pro Tools to support
multichannel mixing formats including LCRS, 5.1,
6.1, and others. Audio, Auxiliary Input, Master
Fader, and Instrument tracks can all use any sup-
ported multichannel format.
For more information on surround mixing with
Pro Tools, see the following:
• Chapter 46, “Pro Tools Setup for Surround”
• Chapter 47, “Multichannel Tracks and
Signal Routing”
• Chapter 48, “Surround Panning and Mixing”