Specifications

Pro Tools Reference Guide208
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 be-
gins and ends, but also provides good feedback
on its general shape and content. When you
record additional takes, or “punch in” on a spe-
cific 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 Au-
dio Regions List and MIDI Regions List, where
they can be dragged to existing tracks. A track
can contain any number of regions, in any ar-
rangement. The order and location of regions in
a track define its playlist.
Region Types
There are different region types, based on how
they are created:
Whole-File Audio Regions These audio regions
are created when recording or importing audio,
consolidating existing regions, and when non-
destructively 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 220). Normal re-
gions often reference only a portion of the par-
ent audio file and are created in the course of ed-
iting 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 con-
solidate a selection; trim a whole-file audio re-
gion; and rename an existing region.
Auto-Created Regions These regions are auto-
matically created in the course of editing, and,
in some instances, when punch recording over
existing regions. Since these regions can accu-
mulate rapidly in a session, you can hide them
so they don’t appear in the Audio and MIDI Re-
gions List (see “Naming and Displaying Re-
gions” on page 311). Auto-created regions can
be turned into user-defined regions by renaming
them.
Offline Regions Regions are offline when their
parent audio files cannot be located, or are not
available, when opening a session or importing
a track. Offline regions appear in the Audio Re-
gions List as italicized and dimmed; they appear
in playlists as light blue regions with italicized
names. Offline regions can be edited like other
regions, but they cannot be processed with Au-
dioSuite plug-ins.
Multichannel 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. Multichannel re-
gions can be expanded (by clicking the triangle
next to their name) to see the individual chan-
nels, which can be dragged independently to
tracks.
In addition to audio and MIDI regions,
tracks also provide automation playlists.
Automation can be recorded and edited in
the Edit or Mix windows. For more informa-
tion, see Chapter 28, “Automation.”