Editing Pro Tools (section)

=== The beginnings: Digidrums (1983–1985) ===
Pro Tools was developed by [[University of California, Berkeley|UC Berkeley]] graduates Evan Brooks, who majored in [[electrical engineering]] and [[computer science]], and Peter Gotcher.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.eqmag.com/article/the-software-chronicles/Mar-06/19100|title=The Software Chronicles|last=Payne|first=John|date=2008-10-04|website=EQ Mag|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081004165207/http://www.eqmag.com/article/the-software-chronicles/Mar-06/19100|archive-date=2008-10-04|access-date=2019-12-13}}</ref>

In 1983, the two friends, sharing an interest in music and electronic and software engineering, decided to study the memory mapping of the newly released [[E-mu Drumulator]] [[drum machine]] to create [[EPROM]] sound replacement chips. The Drumulator was quite popular at that time, although it was limited to its built-in samples.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicradar.com/tuition/tech/a-brief-history-of-pro-tools-452963|title=A brief history of Pro Tools|date=2011-05-30|website=[[MusicRadar]]|language=en-gb|access-date=2019-12-13}}</ref>

They started selling the upgrade chips one year later under their new Digidrums label.{{sfn|Battino|Richards|p=38–39|2005}} Five different upgrade chips were available, offering different alternate drum styles. The chips, easily switchable with the original ones, enjoyed remarkable success between the Drumulator users, selling 60,000 units overall.<ref name=":28">{{Cite web|url=http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1995_articles/mar95/digidesign.html|title=Digidesign Past & Present|date=March 1995|website=[[Sound on Sound]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150606114258/http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1995_articles/mar95/digidesign.html|archive-date=2015-06-06|access-date=2020-01-13}}</ref>