Which pro tools is right for me

In addition to choosing from different software programs, shoppers must also choose from different product families within the Pro Tools line. Before you shop, take some time to think about the recording tasks that you plan to handle on a regular basis.

Think about the tools and capabilities that you need from a software suite in order to handle tasks efficiently. If you want to make the switch to Pro Tools from another DAW or audio editing program, you likely have special concerns about how well your knowledge of one program will translate to another.

Transitioning should also be relatively easy for those switching from other programs or for those who want to use Pro Tools on a PC for the first time. As you shop, remember that a wide variety of audio interfaces can also be used to enhance recording capabilities.

Most of these interfaces come bundled with at least Pro Tools First. Avid does offer reduced-cost upgrades to some users who own older or lighter versions of Pro Tools. Pro Tools First is the free version of Pro Tools. It is great for podcasts or small scratch recordings with its limited number of channels. You only have access to stock plugins but they honestly get the job done well.

Pro Tools is the current full, standard version of the program offered on the consumer market. This version of the program is considered professional-grade and offers almost all of the tools and editing capabilities that most recording enthusiasts will need on a day-to-day basis. Pro Tools supports 32 inputs and can record tracks at 48 kHz.

Determining the number of instruments or devices and tracks used for your everyday recording projects will help you decide if this version of Pro Tools offers enough power for your work. Pro Tools also offers the following features and capabilities:. Pro Tools Ultimate is an extended version of the base program targeted primarily at professional studio users and experienced home recording engineers. This version of the program offers scalability , meaning that the maximum number of inputs and tracks can be increased and other extended capabilities can be added to allow for a professional-grade editing experience.

The majority of scoring stages around the world also depend on Pro Tools for recording soundtracks with large orchestras, due to the rock solid, low-latency performance when recording many tracks via HDX hardware.

Audio post production for television and especially feature film is still one application for which Pro Tools really shines above its competition. For starters, support for multi-channel formats like 5,1, 7. Integration with large format, multi-operator control surfaces, network workflows and support for multiple video files in a single timeline are among other features that make Pro Tools ideal for film post production.

Pro Tools First free The free version of Pro Tools, Pro Tools first can be a good introductory step to get familiar with the software without making an investment, though it may be impractical for daily music making. There are, however, a number of limitations, namely:. For most music producers working in stereo and not working in music for film or games, the standard version of Pro Tools ought to be enough.

The cost of entry is relatively low and requires no additional hardware, allowing you to use the interface of your choice. Anyone working in music or audio for post, especially in surround, may want to consider Pro Tools Ultimate, which can be used with or without HDX cards and will be much more accommodating to the workflows of an audio post engineer.

It is true that, once upon a time, Pro Tools worked exclusively with Mac, but long gone are the days of that paradigm.

In terms of hardware, Avid provides a list of certified Macs and PCs that are officially supported to work with Pro Tools on its website.

Mac compatibility is straightforward enough, and while you will only officially see a variety of HP workstations supported, in practice, PT plays well with a variety of PCs with reasonably powerful CPUs. Once Pro Tools is installed, open the program and you will be greeted by the dashboard, which gives you options for creating your new session. In this window you will want to give your session a name, choose a recording file format WAV, AIFF, etc , sample rate, bit depth and a project location.

If you are using an external sound card or interface then the next thing you should do is make sure it is configured properly. From the Setup menu, choose Playback Engine. In this menu you will be able to choose from the available audio devices on your system and select a buffer size.

Here you will find separate tabs for Inputs, Outputs and Busses. In the dialogue that follows you can choose between audio, MIDI and virtual instrument tracks. Select the track type that you would like, the number of tracks and press create.

Now that you have some tracks in your session you will probably want to record, but before you do that you may want to add a click track. The way click tracks work in Pro Tools is perhaps slightly, unintuitive so it is worth a look.