Editing Pro Tools (section)

{{Short description|Digital audio workstation}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Use American English|date = January 2020}}
{{Use mdy dates|date = April 2020}}
{{Infobox software
| name = Pro Tools
| logo = PT2019.svg
| screenshot = 
| caption = Pro Tools 2020 Logo
| author = Evan Brooks<br/>Peter Gotcher
| developer = [[Avid Audio]] under [[Avid Technology]] (previously Digidesign)
| programming language = [[C (programming language)|C]], [[C++]], [[Assembly language|Assembly]]
| released = {{Start date and age|1989|01|20}}
| discontinued = No
| latest_release_version = Pro Tools 2024.6
| latest_release_date = {{start date and age|2024|6|20}}
| operating_system = [[macOS]], [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]
| language = Chinese (Traditional and Simplified), English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Spanish
| language count = 8
| genre = [[Digital audio workstation]]
| license = [[Proprietary software|Proprietary]] ([[software-as-a-service]])
| website = {{URL|https://www.avid.com/pro-tools}}
}}

'''Pro Tools''' is a [[digital audio workstation]] (DAW) developed and released by [[Avid Technology]] (formerly [[Avid Audio|Digidesign]]){{sfn|Collins|2002|p=9}} for [[Microsoft Windows]] and [[OS X|macOS]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://avid.force.com/pkb/articles/en_US/Compatibility/Pro-Tools-Operating-System-Compatibility-Chart|title=Pro Tools Operating System Compatibility Chart|website=avid.force.com|access-date=2019-12-17}}</ref> It is used for music creation and production, sound for picture ([[sound design]], audio [[post-production]] and [[Audio mixing#Film and television|mixing]])<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.avid.com/pro-tools-ultimate/features|title=Pro Tools {{!}} Ultimate - Audio Editing Software - Features|date=2019-07-25|website=[[Avid Technology|Avid]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190725160709/https://www.avid.com/pro-tools-ultimate/features|archive-date=2019-07-25|access-date=2019-12-17}}</ref> and, more generally, [[sound recording]], editing, and [[Mastering (audio)|mastering]] processes.

Pro Tools operates both as standalone [[software]] and in conjunction with a range of external [[analog-to-digital converter]]s and [[PCIe|PCIe cards]] with on-board [[digital signal processor]]s (DSP). The DSP is used to provide additional processing power to the host computer for processing real-time [[effects unit|effects]], such as [[reverb]], [[Equalization (audio)|equalization]], and [[compression (audio)|compression]]<ref name=":15">{{Cite web|url=https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/avid-hdx|title=Avid HDX|last=Wherry|first=Mark|date=April 2012|website=[[Sound on Sound]]|language=en-gb|access-date=2018-02-05}}</ref> and to obtain lower [[Latency (audio)|latency]] audio performance.<ref name=":16">{{Cite web|url=https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/working-late|title=Working Late|last=Thornton|first=Mike|date=February 2015|website=[[Sound on Sound]]|access-date=2019-12-18}}</ref> Like all digital audio workstation software, Pro Tools can perform the functions of a [[multitrack tape recorder]] and a [[mixing console]] along with additional features that can only be performed in the digital domain, such as [[Non-linear editing system|non-linear]]{{sfn|Avid|2019|p=7|loc=2. Pro Tools Concepts}} and [[non-destructive editing]] (most of audio handling is done without overwriting the source files), track compositing with multiple playlists,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/track-comping|title=Track Comping|last=Thornton|first=Mike|date=April 2009|website=[[Sound on Sound]]|access-date=2019-12-17}}</ref> [[Audio time stretching and pitch scaling|time compression and expansion]], [[pitch shift]]ing, and faster-than-real-time mixdown.

Audio, [[Musical Instrument Digital Interface|MIDI]], and video tracks are graphically represented on a timeline. [[Audio signal processing|Audio effects]], [[Software synthesizer|virtual instruments]], and hardware emulators—such as [[Microphone preamplifier|microphone preamps]] or guitar amplifiers—can be added, adjusted, and processed in real-time in a [[virtual mixer]]. 16-bit, 24-bit, and 32-bit [[Floating-point arithmetic|float]] audio [[Audio bit depth|bit depths]] at [[sample rate]]s up to 192&nbsp;kHz are supported. Pro Tools supports mixed bit depths and audio formats in a session: [[Broadcast Wave Format|BWF]]/[[WAV]] (including WAVE Extensible, RF64 and BW64) and [[Audio Interchange File Format|AIFF]]. It imports and exports MOV video files{{sfn|Avid|2020|p=1210|loc=53. Mixdown|}} and ADM BWF files (audio files with [[Dolby Atmos]] metadata);{{sfn|Avid|2020|p=1280–1281|loc=57. Mixing to Dolby Atmos|}} it also imports [[Material Exchange Format|MXF]], ACID and REX files and the [[Lossy audio compression|lossy]] formats [[mp3|MP3]], [[Advanced Audio Coding|AAC]], [[MPEG-4 Part 14|M4A]], and audio from video files ([[QuickTime File Format|MOV]], [[MPEG-4 Part 14|MP4]], [[M4V]]).{{sfn|Avid|2020|p=412–413|loc=21. Importing and Exporting Session Data|}} The legacy SDII format was dropped with Pro Tools 10,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sound Designer II audio file support with Pro Tools 10.3.6 and higher|url=http://avid.force.com/pkb/articles/en_US/Troubleshooting/SD2-support-with-PT-10-3-6-and-higher?re_2|access-date=2019-12-17|website=avid.force.com}}</ref> although SDII conversion is still possible on macOS.{{sfn|Avid|2020|p=412–413|loc=21. Importing and Exporting Session Data|}}

Pro Tools has incorporated video editing capabilities, so users can import and manipulate high-definition video file formats such as XDCAM, MJPG-A, PhotoJPG, DV25, [[QuickTime]], and more. It features [[time code]], tempo maps, elastic audio, and [[Track automation|automation]]; supports mixing in [[surround sound]], [[Dolby Atmos]] and [[Virtual reality|VR]] sound using [[Ambisonics]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.avidblogs.com/ambisonics-vr360-audio-pro-tools-hd/|title=Ambisonics and VR/360 Audio in Pro Tools {{!}} HD|last=Sherbourne|first=Simon|date=2017-10-18|website=Avid Blogs|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-17}}</ref>

The Pro Tools [[Time-division multiplexing|TDM]] mix engine, supported until 2011 with version 10, employed 24-bit [[fixed-point arithmetic]] for plug-in processing and 48-bit for mixing. Current HDX hardware systems, HD Native and native systems use [[Single-precision floating-point format|32-bit]] [[Floating-point arithmetic|floating-point]] resolution for plug-ins and [[Double-precision floating-point format|64-bit]] floating-point summing.<ref name=":15" /> The software and the audio engine were adapted to [[64-bit computing|64-bit architecture]] from version 11.<ref name=":19" />

In 2022, Avid switched Pro Tools from a perpetual license to a subscription model. New users have to choose between three new plans: Pro Tools Artist, which costs $9.99 per month or $99 per year; Pro Tools Studio, which costs $39.99 per month or $299 per year; and Pro Tools Flex, which costs $99.99 per month or $999 per year.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.engadget.com/pro-tools-subscription-service-perpetual-license-160010247.html |title=Pro Tools is now only available as a subscription service |last=Holt |first=Kris |date=April 27, 2022 |website=Engadget |access-date=May 13, 2022}}</ref> Later in 2022, Avid launched a free version: Pro Tools Intro.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.avid.com/resource-center/introducing-pro-tools-intro |title=Introducing Pro Tools Intro |date=September 28, 2022 |website=Avid}}</ref>

In 2004, Pro Tools was inducted into the [[TECnology Hall of Fame]], an honor given to "products and innovations that have had an enduring impact on the development of audio technology."<ref>{{cite web|title=TECnology Hall of Fame, 2004|url=http://legacy.tecawards.org/tec/04TECnologyHOFdetails.html|website=TECawards.org|date=2004|access-date=December 12, 2024}}</ref>