Track formats – M-AUDIO Pro Tools Recording Studio User Manual
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Pro Tools Reference Guide
154
VCA Master tracks do not pass audio, so they do
not have inputs, outputs, inserts, or sends. A
Mix Group is assigned to a VCA Master track,
which appears in the VCA track’s Assignment
selector.
The controls of the tracks in that Group, called
the slave tracks, are modified by the controls on
the VCA Master.
MIDI Tracks
MIDI tracks record, store, and playback MIDI
data. You cannot select a track format when you
create a MIDI track, because audio does not pass
through it.
Instrument Tracks
Instrument tracks are a special type of track that
provide both MIDI and audio capabilities in a
single channel strip. Instrument tracks simplify
using software and hardware instruments to
record and monitor MIDI instruments.
Video Tracks
Video tracks let you add or import QuickTime
(Windows and Mac) or Windows Media Video
(Windows Vista only).
With an Avid video peripheral and Pro Tools HD
or Pro Tools LE (with the Complete Production
Toolkit or DV Toolkit 2 option), you can add or
import Avid video to the Pro Tools Timeline.
Video tracks only appear in the Edit window,
and video can be viewed in the Video window.
Track Formats
Mono Tracks
A mono audio, Auxiliary Input, Master Fader, or
Instrument track controls volume, and, in some
cases, panning, for a single channel of audio. A
mono audio track uses a single voice. A mono
track can also be routed to a multichannel out-
put.
Stereo Tracks
A stereo audio, Auxiliary Input, Master Fader, or
Instrument track is a single channel strip for two
channels of audio as a stereo pair. Stereo audio
tracks use two voices.
Multichannel Tracks
(Pro Tools HD and Pro Tools LE with Complete
Production Toolkit Only)
A multichannel track is a single channel strip
that plays multiple channels of audio (from 3 to
8 channels at a time). This allows Pro Tools to
support multichannel mixing formats including
LCRS, 5.1, 6.1, and others. Audio, Auxiliary In-
put, Master Fader, and Instrument tracks can all
use any supported multichannel format.
For more information on surround mixing with
Pro Tools, see the following chapters:
• Chapter 44, “Pro Tools Setup for Surround”
• Chapter 45, “Multichannel Tracks and
• Chapter 46, “Surround Panning and Mix-
For more information, see “VCA Master
Tracks” on page 832.
For more information, see Chapter 48,
“Working with Video in Pro Tools.”