What’s new in Pro Tools 2023.6
The latest update to Pro Tools software is feature rich for both post and music production users. The highlights include Track Markers, support for additional track widths, a better device setup guide, and more. For those that missed it, this is a quick follow up to the March update that included, Apple silicon qualification as well as additions and updates to creative tools like Elastic Audio, Sonic Drop, PlayCell, SynthCell, and GrooveCell.
Track Markers
This feature has long been requested by both the music and post Pro Tools community. It gives users the ability to create colour-coded Markers easily on any track via key command. Now comments and notes can be added to individual tracks that are easily displayed on the track and in the Memory Locations window. Track markers will follow clip edits based on individual track maker preferences and there will be multiple track display modes.
For post-production users this feature is going to improve workflows offering better interoperability and compatibility with a session export from Media Composer. Track Markers can accurately translate markers from Media Composer allowing for detailed, colour-coded comments that are bound to improve sound workflows and collaborations.
Those working in music will find Track Markers to be a useful tool that allows engineers to give detailed, colour-coded comments and performance notes within a track to improve arrangement and editing workflows. The feature also allows lyrics to be added to vocal tracks which enables a quick reference and speeds up the navigation and arrangement.
Track Widths
Track Widths will provide Pro Tools Studio and Ultimate users a simpler and more capable setups when needing to mix Dolby Atmos or other immersive formats with extended track widths. It is important to note that this new feature is only available in Pro Tools Studio with limited functionality and with full capability only available in Pro Tools Ultimate.
Pro Tools Studio customers will be able to create track widths up to 7.1.6. Pro Tools Ultimate customers will be able to create track widths up to 9.1.6, and the release also adds support for fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh order ambisonics. These users will now have properly supported live returns from the Dolby Atmos Renderer, and the importing of offline re-render files. The increased ambisonics resolution options will allow for better spatial accuracy when working in higher orders, often required for modern gaming engines, VR workflows and experimental audio research.
Event Operations
The Event Operations window has existed in Pro Tools for a long time, however it has been somewhat hidden and underutilised. For those unfamiliar the Event Operations window it enables the adjustment of various properties of MIDI notes, as well allowing users to select notes based on a set of criteria. The window has been reorganized to improve the user experience making the existing process easier to access and use.
Device Setup on Launch
Selecting the correct playback engine (audio hardware device) is the is the most fundamental step in setting up a system yet it can often be a common source of confusion. It can be particularly frustrating to not hear audio when playing back a session and then having to reopen the session of the wrong playback engine happened to be selected. To improve the Pro Tools users’ experience, Avid has implemented device setup upon launching Pro Tools.
Device setup will launch and ask users to select the audio device if it is the first time Pro Tools has been launched or if the previously used device is no longer available. It is a simple dialog box and is streamlined to making choosing the correct playback engine easy and efficient.
Pro Tools Promotion 1 June – 30 June 2023
For the month of June, Pro Tools perpetual users with expired Updates + Support plans can upgrade to the latest version and get 20% off.
This offer is available for the following versions of Pro Tools:
- Pro Tools 9 or later with an expired Software Updates + Support Plan
- Pro Tools Ultimate or HD9 or later with an expired Software Updates + Support Plan
Pro Tools | Carbon introduces Surround Monitoring
Those users with a Pro Tools | Carbon that have Pro Tools Ultimate or Studio 2023.6 can now work in 5.1 up to 7.1.2 Surround Monitoring Configurations. To set this up on your Pro Tools| Carbon users will need to be sure they have updated Pro Tool, then use the Main Monitor Out L&R (TRS balanced ¼ inch) and Line Out 1-8 (DB-25) for 6 to 10 channel monitoring configurations.
Notes from HHB
Pro Tools 2023.6 is a major update with some great improvements and new features. Functional developments such as the ever-expanding Software Development Kit, increased track widths for 7.1.4-9.1.6 and ambisonics support from third order to seventh is huge for gaming, post-production, education, and research. The ability to automatically open the Playback Engine setup on launch will improve the user experience immensely, not just for first time users or new system setups, but when something has changed or to flag when hardware is offline.
Pro Tools 2023.6 is available to all users with a current Pro Tools subscription or software support plan via the Avid Link app or from your MyAvid Account. As always we recommend doing a backup of your system prior to upgrading, and suggest allowing a sensible amount of time to test your system is working properly, as well as to get familiar with the new features. For customers with HHB Support feel free to contact [email protected] for assistance upgrading your system or contact [email protected] to discuss your upgrade options.
