Definition of Pro Tools
Pro Tools is a digital audio workstation (DAW) developed and released by Avid Technology (formerly Digidesign) for Microsoft Windows and macOS. It is used for music creation and production, sound for picture (sound design, audio post-production and mixing) and, more generally, sound recording, editing, and mastering processes.
Pro Tools operates both as standalone software and in conjunction with a range of external analog-to-digital converters and PCIe cards with on-board digital signal processors (DSP). The DSP is used to provide additional processing power to the host computer for processing real-time effects, such as reverb, equalization, and compression and to obtain lower latency audio performance. 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 and non-destructive editing (most of audio handling is done without overwriting the source files), track compositing with multiple playlists, time compression and expansion, pitch shifting, and faster-than-real-time mixdown.
Terms mentioned above
Related terms
Harmonically enhanced digital audio
Harmonically Enhanced Digital Audio (HEDA) is a class of digital recordings created by…
REX2
REX2 is a proprietary type of audio sample loop file format developed by Reason Studios…
Logic Pro
Logic Pro is a proprietary digital audio workstation (DAW) and MIDI sequencer software…
Blu-ray
Blu-ray (Blu-ray Disc or BD) is a digital optical disc data storage format designed to…
Compact disc
The compact disc (CD) is a digital optical disc data storage format co-developed by…
Digital Audio Tape
Digital Audio Tape (DAT or R-DAT) is a discontinued digital recording and playback…
Audio control surface
In the domain of digital audio, a control surface is a human interface device (HID) that…
Digital eXtreme Definition
Digital eXtreme Definition (DXD) is a digital audio format that originally was developed…
Dolby Digital
Dolby Digital, originally synonymous with Dolby AC-3 (see below), is the name for a…
Questions people ask
Real questions from the Stack Exchange community – follow a link to read the discussion.
- Pro Tools on Windows vs. Mac: Any difference? · Sound Design SE
- Why is Pro Tools the industry standard in high end audio production? · Sound Design SE
- Pro Tools Problems? · Sound Design SE
- Best use of ergonomics in an Pro Tools editing environment? · Sound Design SE
- Pro Tools HD 9 vs Nuendo 5 · Sound Design SE
- Fastest way to manual sync Audio rushes in Pro Tools 10 *** without EDLs***? · Sound Design SE
Frequently asked questions
What is Pro Tools?
Pro Tools is a digital audio workstation (DAW) developed and released by Avid Technology (formerly Digidesign) for Microsoft Windows and macOS.
Sources & credits
- Wikipedia: Pro Tools – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by Avid – CC BY 4.0