Pro Tools All-in-One For Dummies, 3rd Edition

Chapter 1: Taking Care of Tracks

In This Chapter

Working with tracks

Understanding track views

Grouping tracks

Managing track voices

Before you can do any recording in Pro Tools, you need to create and configure some tracks — specific places to put the vocals, instrumental parts, pterodactyl screeches, whatever. This involves setting up new tracks, naming the tracks, and assigning inputs and outputs to your newly created and named tracks.

But that’s not all. When working with tracks in Pro Tools, you also need to know how to show and hide, activate and deactivate, solo, mute, and adjust your view of them, among other things. This chapter takes the mystery out of dealing with tracks and shows you how to work with them both efficiently and effectively.

Understanding Tracks in Pro Tools

Pro Tools has five types of tracks (Audio, Auxiliary Input, Master Fader, MIDI, and Instrument) as well as two track formats (mono and stereo). All possible permutations and combinations of these various types and formats are explained with subtlety and style in the following sections.

Track types