Prac references

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 seven types of tracks: audio, Auxiliary Input, Master Fader, VCA Master, MIDI, Instrument, and video.


Audio File
When you record audio into a Pro Tools session,audio files are created.


Regions
A region is a segment of audio, MIDI, or video data. A region could be a drum loop, a guitar riff, a verse of a song, a recording take, a sound effect, some dialog, or an entire sound file. Regions are especially useful for arranging audio and MIDI. A region can also have associated automation data. In Pro Tools, regions are created from audio files or MIDI data, and can be arranged in audio and MIDI track playlists. Regions can also be grouped and looped.


Playlist
A playlist is a sequence of regions arranged on an audio, MIDI, or video track. Tracks have edit playlists and automation playlists.


Channel
The first example of channel refers to a physical input or output of your Pro Tools system.
refers to a channel strip in the Pro Tools Mix window.


Signal Routing
Pro Tools provides software-based mixing and
signal routing controls, which are located in the Mix window. Some of these controls can also be accessed from the Edit window.
A common signal routing task is to submix multiple tracks to a single channel strip (such as an Auxiliary Input) for shared processing and level control. The following example shows three audio tracks submixed to a stereo Auxiliary Input.

Options
Track Input and Output (I/O) Controls The most basic type of signal routing is track input and output. A track needs to have an assigned input path to record audio, and an assigned output path in order to be audible through a hardware output. Signals can also be routed to or from other tracks in Pro Tools (or hardware inputs and outputs) using internal busses.

Auxiliary Input and Master Fader Tracks Auxiliary Inputs can be used as returns, submixers, and bus masters. Master Fader tracks are used as bus and output master level controls. Both Auxiliary Input and Master Fader tracks can have plug-in and hardware inserts.

Instrument Tracks Instrument tracks let you
route sound from a physical input or instrument plug-in to outputs, sends and busses, or other inserts.

Sends Sends route audio from tracks to hardware outputs, or to internal busses that are in turn routed to other tracks within Pro Tools. Master Fader and VCA Master tracks do not have sends.

Plug-in and Hardware Inserts Plug-in processing occurs completely within the Pro Tools system. Hardware inserts use audio interface inputs and outputs, for traditional insert routing to and from external effects and other devices.

Paths Paths are any routing option in Pro Tools, including internal or external inputs, outputs, busses, and inserts. Pro Tools lets you name these paths, and these path names appear in the Audio Input and Output Path selectors and other menus. See Chapter 6, “I/O Setup” for more information.

Mixing Formats Sessions can include combinations of mono, stereo, and greater-than-stereo multichannel format tracks, busses, inputs, outputs, and inserts. Greater-than-stereo multichannel formats are supported on Pro ToolsHD systems only.