Specifications

Chapter 2: Pro Tools Concepts 15
Tracks
Pro Tools tracks are where audio, MIDI, video,
and automation data are recorded and edited.
Pro Tools tracks also provide audio channels for
routing internal busses, and physical inputs and
outputs for audio and MIDI.
Pro Tools provides multiple types of tracks:
audio, Auxiliary Input, Master Fader, VCA Mas-
ter, MIDI, Instrument, video, and click.
Audio, MIDI, Instrument, and video track data can
be edited into clips or repeated in different loca-
tions to create loops, re-arrange sections or entire
songs, or to assemble tracks using material from
multiple takes.
Auxiliary Input tracks can route internal audio bus-
ses or physical inputs to internal busses or physical
outputs. Auxiliary Inputs are typically used for au-
dio effects busses, audio throughput (monitoring),
and submixing.
Master Fader tracks provide controls for physical
audio output channels, including the volume level
of your mix, panning, and plug-in inserts.
VCA Master tracks (Pro Tools HD and Pro Tools
with Complete Production Toolkit only) provide
control of tracks in a Mix Group that has been as-
signed to the VCA Master.
Video tracks support QuickTime movies (all
Pro Tools systems) and VC-1 video files (Win-
dows 7 only). Additionally, Pro Tools supports
Avid video when using a supported Avid video pe-
ripheral. An individual video track can play back
only one type of video at a time.
Audio, Auxiliary Input, Master Fader, and Instru-
ment tracks can be mono, stereo, or multichannel
(Pro Tools HD and Pro Tools with Complete Pro-
duction Toolkit only). When creating a new track,
select from the list of channel formats supported
by your system.
Pro Tools also lets you create a Click track so you
can record while listening to a click. Click tracks
can use the TL Metro plug-in (included with Pro
Tools) or a MIDI instrument.
Voices
In Pro Tools, voices are unique, discrete audio
streams that can be routed to and from Pro Tools
audio tracks, and physical audio outputs and inputs
on your Pro Tools audio interfaces. The audio
paths to and from Pro Tools software routed to
Pro Tools hardware use voices. If you exceed the
number of available voices in your system, you
have effectively exceeded the available number of
audio paths.
Audio track in the Edit window (stereo track shown)
MIDI track in the Edit window
Video track in Frames view