Whats New in Pro Tools | Software and

Pro Tools | HD Software

Version 12.0

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Contents
Chapter 1. Whats New in Pro Tools | Software and Pro Tools | HD Software Version 12.0 . 1
New Features and Improvements in Pro Tools 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
System Requirements and Compatibility Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Conventions Used in Pro Tools Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Chapter 2. Pro Tools Subscription, Avid Application Manager, and In-Application Plug-in
Purchase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Pro Tools Subscription . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Avid Application Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
In-Application Plug-in Purchase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Chapter 3. Dashboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Creating a New Session from a Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Creating a New Blank Session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Opening a Recent Session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Showing (or Hiding) the Dashboard on Startup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Chapter 4. Session Metadata. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Metadata Inspector Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Chapter 5. I/O Setup Improvements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Changes to the Output and Bus Pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Unlimited Bus Paths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Subpaths for Output Paths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Downmix and Upmix Output Busses to Outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Monitor Path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Session Interchange and I/O Mapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Using Keyboard Modifiers When Enabling or Assigning Output Busses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Audition Path Improvements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
AFL/PFL Path Improvements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Restore from Session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Whats New in Pro Tools 12.0

iii

I/O Settings Files Automatically Created and Recalled for Different Playback Engines . . . . . 13
Organize Track I/O Menus By Preference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Importing IO Settings from Session Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
I/O Setup in Session Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Contents

iv

Chapter 1: Whats New in

Pro Tools | Software and
Pro Tools | HD Software Version 12.0
Pro Tools | Software and Pro Tools | HD Software
version 12.0 provide a few new features and enhancements for qualified versions of Mac OS X
and Windows.

I/O Setup Improvements

Changes to the Output and Bus pages
Virtually unlimited Bus paths
Subpaths for Output paths

New Features and

Improvements in Pro Tools 12
Subscription, Avid Application
Manager, and In-Application
Plug-in Purchase
Pro Tools 12 provides new subscription and service options
Pro Tools 12 installs the Avid Application Manager to help manage your software updates and
entitlements
Pro Tools 12 lets you browse, purchase, and install plug-ins from within the application

Automatic downmix and upmix of Output busses

to Outputs paths of different channel widths
New Monitor Path setting
Session Interchange and I/O Mapping improvements
New keyboard modifiers for enabling and assigning Output busses
Audition path improvements
AFL/PFL path improvements
Ability to restore the I/O Setup from the session
I/O Settings files automatically created and recalled for different Playback Engines
New Organize Track I/O Menus By preference

Dashboard

Ability to import IO Settings from session files

The new Dashboard window lets you create or

open sessions (replacing the Quick Start window)

Access to the I/O Setup in the Session Notes dialog

Session Metadata
The new Metadata Inspector window lets you
view and edit metadata for sessions

Chapter 1: Whats New in Pro Tools | Software and Pro Tools | HD Software Version 12.0

System Requirements and

Compatibility Information

Conventions Used in
Pro Tools Documentation

Avid can only assure compatibility and provide

support for hardware and software it has tested and
approved.

Pro Tools documentation uses the following conventions to indicate menu choices, keyboard commands, and mouse commands:
:

For complete system requirements and a list of

qualified computers, operating systems, hard
drives, and third-party devices, visit:
www.avid.com/compatibility

Convention

Action

File > Save

Choose Save from the

File menu

Control+N

Hold down the Control

key and press the N key

Control-click

Hold down the Control

key and click the mouse
button

Right-click

Click with the right

mouse button

The names of Commands, Options, and Settings

that appear on-screen are in a different font.
The following symbols are used to highlight
important information:
User Tips are helpful hints for getting the
most from your Pro Tools system.
Important Notices include information that
could affect your Pro Tools session data or
the performance of your Pro Tools system.
Shortcuts show you useful keyboard or mouse
shortcuts.
Cross References point to related sections in
this guide and other Avid documentation.

Chapter 1: Whats New in Pro Tools | Software and Pro Tools | HD Software Version 12.0

Chapter 2: Pro Tools Subscription, Avid

Application Manager, and In-Application
Plug-in Purchase

Pro Tools Subscription

Pro Tools 12 is available as a perpetual license, or
as a monthly or annual subscription.
For more information about Pro Tools purchase and subscription plans, visit the Avid
website at www.avid.com.

Avid Application Manager

When you install Pro Tools 12, the Avid Application Manager is also installed. The Avid Application Manager is used to manage your software and
entitlements related to your MyAvid account. The
Avid Application Manager helps you maintain the
most current Pro Tools software and audio plug-in
updates that you are entitled to when new versions
become available. For more information about the
Avid Application Manager, see the Avid Application Manager Guide (available online through the
Avid Knowledgebase).

In-Application Plug-in
Purchase
Pro Tools 12 lets you purchase plug-ins from the
Avid Marketplace through Pro Tools. All plug-ins
from the Avid Marketplace through Pro Tools are
installed silently and, following activation, are
available for use without having to restart
Pro Tools.
To purchase and install a plug-in from the Avid
Marketplace:
1

Launch Pro Tools.

Do one of the following:

In Pro Tools, choose Marketplace > Plug-Ins.

Select Avid Marketplace from any plug-in insert
in your Pro Tools session.
When you open a Pro Tools session that uses
plug-ins that are not installed on your system,
you are given the opportunity to purchase them
through the Avid Marketplace.
3

Find the plug-in you want in the Avid Marketplace and follow the on-screen instructions.
You can also access the Avid Marketplace online at shop.avid.com.

Chapter 2: Pro Tools Subscription, Avid Application Manager, and In-Application Plug-in Purchase

Chapter 3: Dashboard

Pro Tools 12.0 provides a new Dashboard window

on launch (replacing the Quick Start dialog) that
lets you quickly and easily create a new session or
open an existing one.
When you first launch Pro Tools, you are prompted
by the Dashboard to do one of the following:

Creating a New Session from

a Template
To create a new session from a template:
1

In the Dashboard, click the Create tab.

Select the Create From Template option.

From the Template Group pop-up menu, select

the category for the session templates you want.

Create a new session from a template.

Create a new blank session.
Open any of the last ten most recent sessions.
Open any other session on your system.
Press Control+Up Arrow or Down Arrow
(Windows) or Command+Up Arrow or
Down Arrow (Mac) to select different options
in the Dashboard. Also, you can use the Up
and Down Arrows to select different items in
the Recent Sessions and Session Templates
lists.

You can also access the Dashboard while Pro Tools

is running by choosing File > Create New.
Dashboard, Create From Template option enabled

Chapter 3: Dashboard

Select the session template you want to use from

the list (on the right).

If you want to change any of the session parameters, do any of the following:

Select the Audio File Type for the session (WAV

or AIF).

Creating a New Blank

Session
To create a new blank session:
1

In the Dashboard, select Create.

If not already shown, click the Create tab.

Select the Bit Depth (16 bit, 24 bit, or 32 bit float).

Select the Sample Rate.
Select the I/O Settings that you want to use.
To create interleaved multichannel audio files in
the session, select Interleaved.
6

Click OK.

In the Save dialog, choose where you want to

save the session, and click Save.
For optimum compatibility between Mac
and Windows, set the file type to BWF
(.WAV).
Dashboard, Create New Session
3

If you want to change any of the session parameters, do any of the following:

Select the Audio File Type for the session (WAV

or AIF).
Select the Bit Depth (16 bit, 24 bit, or 32 bit float).
Select the Sample Rate.
Select the I/O Settings to use for the session. Several pre-configured I/O Settings are included
with your system, or you can select a custom I/O
Setting.
To create interleaved multichannel audio files in
the session, select Interleaved.

Chapter 3: Dashboard

Click OK.

In the Save dialog, name the session, choose

where you want to save the session, and click
Save.

Opening a Recent Session

The Open Recent Session option is not available the first time you launch Pro Tools (or if
you have cleared the Recent Sessions list by
choosing File > Open Recent > Clear).

Showing (or Hiding) the

Dashboard on Startup
You can choose to show or hide the Dashboard on
startup. You can always access it when Pro Tools is
running by choosing File > Create New or File >
Open Recent.

To open a recent session:

1

In the Dashboard, select Recent.

To show or hide the Dashboard on startup, do one

of the following:

In the Dashboard, enable (or disable) the Show

on startup option.

In the Warnings & Dialogs section of the Display Preferences page (Setup > Preferences),
select (to show) or deselect (to hide) the Show
Dashboard window when Pro Tools starts option. Click OK.

Dashboard, Recent Sessions list

2

Select any of the last ten recent sessions from the

list (on the right).

Click OK.

Chapter 3: Dashboard

Chapter 4: Session Metadata

Pro Tools 12.0 provides a new Metadata Inspector

window for sessions. This window lets you view
and edit metadata for sessionssuch as Artist,
Contributors, Sample Rate, Bit Depth, Location,
and so on. Certain session metadata is display only.
Metadata is stored with the session file (.ptx). Session metadata can also be viewed in browser windows.
To open the Metadata Inspector:

Choose Window > Metadata Inspector.

Metadata Inspector Window

The Metadata Inspector window displays the following information about your session. Some
metadata can be edited and some is display only.

Name
Name is display only and shows the name of the

session.

Title
Title is manually entered and is editable.

Artist(s)
Artist(s) is manually entered and is editable.

Contributor(s)
Contributor(s) is manually entered and is editable.

Sample Rate
Sample Rate is display only and shows the session

sample rate.

Bit Depth
Bit Depth is display only and shows the session bit

depth.

Location
Location is manually entered and is editable.

Date Created
Date Created is display only and shows the date
Session Metadata Inspector window

Chapter 4: Session Metadata

and time that the session was created.

Date Modified
Date Modified is display only and shows the date
and time that the session was last modified.

BPM
BPM is display only and shows the range of tempi

in the session in beats per minute.

Chapter 4: Session Metadata

Chapter 5: I/O Setup Improvements

Changes to the Output and

Bus Pages
In Pro Tools 11, the Output and Bus pages of I/O
Setup both displayed the following controls:

Subpaths for Output Paths

Pro Tools 12 lets you create subpaths for Output
paths.

Audition Paths
Default Output Bus
Pro Tools 12 provides these controls only in the relevant pages in I/O Setup.
The Output page provides the following:
Monitor Path (new in Pro Tools 12), and only
output paths are available
Audition Path, and only output paths are available
Output Meter Path, and only output paths are
available
AFL/PFL Path (Pro Tools HD only), and only
output paths are available
The Bus page only provides the Default Output Bus
setting and only Bus paths are available.

Unlimited Bus Paths

Pro Tools 12 provides virtually unlimited bus
paths. 24 busses are created by default, but you can
create as many more as you need.

Chapter 5: I/O Setup Improvements

5.1 Output path with subpaths

Downmix and Upmix Output

Busses to Outputs
(Pro Tools | HD Software Only)

Pro Tools 12 lets you map track Output paths to

physical Output paths on your audio interface that
have a channel format of a greater or lesser width.
This means that you monitor your session on any
system (Playback Engine) without having to
change the sessions I/O settings.
For example, if you have a session with 5.1 Output
bus, you can assign it to a stereo Output path in the
Bus page while maintaining the mixer configuration for the session. In this case, Pro Tools downmixes the 5.1 Output bus to the stereo outputs on
your audio interface.
9

Similarly, you can assign a stereo Output bus to a

greater-than-stereo Output path in the Bus page.
Pro Tools automatically maps matching channels
from the source signal to the destination Output
path. For example, when assigning a stereo source
to a 5.1 Output bus, the left channel of the source is
mapped directly to the left channel of the Output
path and the right channel of the source is mapped
directly to the left channel of the Output path (the
center, surround, and LFE channels are not used).
However, if the source and the destination do not
have directly matching channels, Pro Tools upmixes the source to the destination. For example,
when assigning an LCRS source to a 5.1 destination, the LCR channels of the source are mapped
directly to the LCR channels of the destination, but
the surround channel (S) is upmixed to the left surround and right surround channels of the 5.1 Output path.

Click OK to save your changes and close I/O

Setup.

Downmix and Upmix Indicators

for Output Paths
When a track or send is set to an Output path of a
different channel width, the source audio is downmixed or upmixed accordingly. The Output selector in the Mix, Edit, and Output windows displays a
> (downmix) or a < (upmix) symbol respectively.
This lets you easily identify any track that is downmixing or upmixing to an Output path of a different
channel width.

5.1 track with Downmix indicator

It is not recommended that you mix while

monitoring the session through a downmixed
or unmixed Output path. Uses downmixed or
upmixed monitoring for editing and other
non-mixing tasks.
To assign downmix or upmix Output bus paths:
1

Open the I/O Setup (Setup > I/O).

Select the Bus page (I/O Setup > Bus).

Click the Mapping to Output column on the row

for the Output bus that you want to remap to a
lower or higher channel format (from the available Output paths).

Monitor Path
Pro Tools 12 provides a new Monitor Path setting in
the Output page of the I/O Setup. Pro Tools uses
the selected Monitor path for the main output of
your Pro Tools session. When you open a session
created on one Pro Tools system (with its own
unique Monitor path configuration) on another
Pro Tools system, it automatically maps the sessions Monitor path to the systems assigned Monitor path.
The Monitor path is indicated in track and send
Output selectors, and in Output paths in the Output
and Bus pages of the I/O Setup by a speaker icon.

Selecting a stereo Output path for a 5.1 Output Bus

Chapter 5: I/O Setup Improvements

10

 If the session was saved with an HD OMNI Monitor path assignment, the HD OMNI Monitor path
assignment is mapped to the system Monitor path.
This applies to sessions saved in a lower version of
Pro Tools as well. If the session was not saved with
an HD OMNI Monitor path assignment, the first
Output bus is mapped to the system Monitor path.
Session Output busses that are not mapped to a
Monitor path are mapped to the system Output
paths by name and format only.

Selecting the Monitor Path

Pro Tools automatically downmixes or upmixes the

session Monitor path to the system Monitor path so
that you always hear session playback regardless of
any mismatch between the session Monitor path
channel width and the system Monitor path channel
width.
For example, if a session is saved with a 5.1 Monitor path and then opened on a system that only has
a stereo monitor path available, the sessions 5.1
Monitor path is automatically downmixed to the
systems stereo Monitor path.

Session Interchange and I/O

Mapping

If the session settings do not accurately map to the

system settings automatically, you can either click
Restore from Session (which overwrites the system I/O settings with the sessions I/O settings), or
you can reconfigure I/O Setup manually.
After configuring the I/O Setup on any given system for a session, the settings are retained with the
session file.
You can recall the I/O settings saved with the
session and overwrite the system settings (see
Restore from Session on page 13).

Indication of Remapping in the

Bus Page
Where the system Output path name or format has
changed, session Output busses that are successfully remapped are displayed in green.

I/O Setup mappings are saved both with the system

and the session. When opening a session on a system that has a different I/O Setup, Pro Tools follows these rules to ensure the best possible re-mapping of the session I/O Setup to the new system:
Pro Tools always maps the Monitor Path of the
session to the Monitor path of the current system,
If Monitor subpaths exist in the session, Pro Tools
uses the best matching format for the system Monitor subpaths.

Chapter 5: I/O Setup Improvements

Remapped Output Busses displayed in green

Additionally, a Previous Output Mappings column

appears to the right of the Output Mappings column. This lets you take note of the output mappings
that the session used the last time it was saved.

11

Previous Output Mappings column

Once you save the session, the Output mapping

changes from green to black and is saved both with
the system and with the session.

Unavailable hardware Input shown in italics

Show Last Saved or Current

Setup

Additionally, when showing the I/O Setup last

saved with the session, the Monitor Path, Audition
Path, Output Meter Path, and AFL/PFL Path settings that were saved with the session are shown
grayed out.

When opening a session that was saved with a different I/O Setup configuration for either hardware
inputs or outputs, Pro Tools 12 lets you switch between the I/O Setup last saved with the session and
the current system I/O Setup. This lets you take
note of the hardware Input and Output configuration of the I/O Setup saved with the session.

Paths last saved with the session shown grayed out

Both the Input and Output pages of the I/O Setup

window provide the Show Last Saved Setup/Show
Current Setup button.
Once you save the session, the Show Last Saved
Setup/Show Current Setup button is hidden.

To show the last saved I/O settings:

1

Open the I/O Setup (Setup > I/O).

Click either the Input or Output tab.

Click the Show Last Saved Setup button (the

button updates to read Show Current Setup).
When viewing the I/O Setup last saved with
the session, the OK option is not available for
saving and closing I/O Setup.

To show the current I/O settings:

1

Show Last Saved Setup button in the Input page

When showing the I/O Setup last saved with the

session, any unavailable hardware Inputs or Outputs are displayed in italics.

Chapter 5: I/O Setup Improvements

If not already open, open the I/O Setup (Setup >

I/O).

Click either the Input or Output tab.

Click the Show Current Setup button (the button

updates to read Show Last Saved Setup).

12

Using Keyboard Modifiers

When Enabling or Assigning
Output Busses

Restore from Session

Pro Tools 12 provides the new Restore from Session button. The Restore from Session button only

Pro Tools 12 lets you use keyboard modifiers when

enabling or assigning Output busses in the same
way that you can when assigning track inputs, and
track and send outputs:

affects the page that is currently viewed in I/O

Setup (for example, if you are viewing the Output
page, only the Output settings are overwritten by
the settings saved with the session).

Option-click (Mac) or Alt-click (Windows) to

apply to all busses.

To restore I/O settings from the session:

Command-Option-Shift-click (Mac) or ControlAlt-Shift-click (Windows) to apply only to selected Output busses.

Control-click (Mac) or Start-click (Windows) for
each additional Output path you want to assign
an Output bus to.
Command-Option-click (Mac) or Control-Altclick (Windows) to assign a bus to the selected
Output path and all subsequent busses to the next
available Output path sequentially.

Audition Path Improvements

As with the Monitor path, Pro Tools 12 lets you assign the Audition path to any available Output path
regardless of its channel width. For mismatched
channel widths, the Audition path is automatically
downmixed or upmixed to the selected Output
path.

AFL/PFL Path Improvements

(Pro Tools | HD Software Only)

Pro Tools 12 provides a combined AFL/PFL Path

setting that can use any available Output path, regardless of channel width. For mismatched channel
widths, the AFL/PFL path is automatically downmixed or upmixed to the selected Output path.

Chapter 5: I/O Setup Improvements

Open the I/O Setup (Setup > I/O).

Select the tab for the page that you want to restore from the session.

Click Restore from Session.

Enable the Apply to all tabs option or press
Option (Mac) or Alt (Windows) while clicking Restore from Session to restore settings
for all I/O Setup pages from the session.

Click OK to save your changes and close I/O

Setup.

I/O Settings Files

Automatically Created and
Recalled for Different
Playback Engines
When you change the Playback Engine (for example, from HDX to Built-in) Pro Tools 12 automatically creates and recalls I/O Settings (.pio) files
based on the playback engine. This facilitates
changing the Playback Engine without having to
manually remap Output Busses in the I/O Setup.
These I/O Settings files are named after the corresponding Playback Engine and are saved both on
the system and with the session.

13

Importing IO Settings from

Session Files

Organize Track I/O Menus By

Preference

Pro Tools 12 lets you import I/O Settings from session files (.ptx) in addition to Pro Tools I/O settings
files (.pio).

Pro Tools 12 provides a new preference that lets

you organize track I/O Menus by Type, Width, or
both Type and Width.

To import I/O settings for your Pro Tools system

from a Pro Tools session file:
1

Open the I/O Setup (Setup > I/O).

Select the tab for the page where you want to import settings.

Click Import Settings.

Enable the Apply to all tabs option or press
Option (Mac) or Alt (Windows) while clicking Import Settings to overwrite I/O Settings
in all pages with the settings imported from a
session file.

In the Open dialog, navigate to and select the

session file from which you want to import I/O
settings.

Click Open.

Click OK to save your changes and close I/O

Setup.

Track IO menus organized by both Type and Width

To specify the organization of Track I/O Menus:
1

Choose Setup > Preferences.

Select the Display tab.

Select one of the following options from the Organize Track IO Menus By selector:

Type Displays only the I/O Type (Interface or Bus)

as I/O categories in Track I/O menus.

Width Displays only the I/O Channel Width (such

as stereo or 5.1) as I/O categories in Track I/O

menus.
Type and Width Displays both Type and Width as

I/O categories in Track I/O menus.

4

Chapter 5: I/O Setup Improvements

Click OK.

14

I/O Setup in Session Notes

When opening a session in Pro Tools 12, the Session Notes dialog provides a complete list of any
mismatched Output bus mappings. In addition to
being able to see this information and save it to a
text file, you can also open the I/O Setup from the
Session Notes dialog to resolve any unmapped
Output busses.

Session Notes with unmapped Output busses

To open the I/O Setup from the Session Notes
dialog:
1

If the Session Notes dialog reports unmapped

bus paths, click the I/O Setup button.

In I/O Setup, reassign any unmapped bus paths

as necessary.

Click OK to save your changes and close I/O

Setup.

Chapter 5: I/O Setup Improvements

15

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