Digidesign has announced the immediate availability of Pro Tools 8 software, the company's highly-anticipated, next-generation music creation and audio production software.

Available now through authorized Digidesign dealers as well as at www.digidesign.com, Pro Tools 8 is the latest version of Digidesign's digital audio workstation. A dramatically enhanced feature set is highlighted by a completely updated user interface, more than 70 bundled plug-ins and virtual instruments, fully-integrated MIDI and score editors and an expanded array of editing features for both music and post production applications.

"Customer excitement for this release of Pro Tools is at an all-time high," stated Tex Schenkkan, Vice President and General Manager, Audio at Avid. "We believe that this is not only in response to the substantial changes and additions we've made to the product, but also because so much of what's new came directly from customer feedback. We are grateful for their contributions, and are looking forward to hearing what they produce using all the powerful new capabilities included in Pro Tools 8."

For composers and musicians, Pro Tools 8 provides powerful functionality for streamlining the creative process, and delivers the most versatile sonic palette ever available out-of-the-box for Pro Tools. New music creation features include:

• Fully integrated MIDI and Score Editor windows for greatly enhanced MIDI editing functionality and professional score editing and printing.
• A sizable collection of music creation and sound-processing plug-ins, including: 20 all-new effects and five new virtual instruments—Mini Grand piano, Boom drum machine, DB-33 tonewheel organ, Vacuum tube-modeled synthesizer, and Xpand!2 sample player.
• High-quality amplifiers simulation via Digidesign's acclaimed new guitar amp emulator Eleven Free as well as Tech21 SansAmp amplifier emulator.
• An 8 GB bundle of high-quality loops.

For music and post production professionals, Pro Tools 8 offers:

• Elastic Pitch, which makes it easy to transpose music in real time right in the Edit window.
• 10 inserts per channel.
• Enhanced controller integration with Digidesign and M-Audio control surfaces.
• ICON integration enhancements that dramatically increase speed and efficiency.
• HD QuickTime support on Mac OS X for increased versatility.

Pro Tools|HD 8 also enhances the extensive capabilities of Digidesign's flagship Pro Tools|HD audio hardware, with support for the new Satellite Link option, which allows users to control up to five Pro Tools|HD systems as one. Additionally, the Avid Media Composer based Video Satellite option brings Avid HD/SD video playback into the Pro Tools|HD audio workflow, while the new Video Satellite LE option allows Pro Tools|HD editors to play QuickTime HD/SD video or Avid SD video from a separate but synced Mbox 2 Micro-based Pro Tools LE system, thereby preserving track count and processing power on the host Pro Tools|HD system. Satellite Link, Video Satellite and Video Satellite LE will be available in December, 2008.

For project studio owners, Pro Tools LE 8 and Pro Tools M-Powered 8 support up to 48 simultaneous audio tracks out of the box. Adding the new Music Production Toolkit 2 or DV Toolkit 2 (Pro Tools LE only), gives users access to up to 64 audio tracks. And for serious Pro Tools LE users, the new Complete Production Toolkit (Pro Tools LE only) combines the content of both toolkits, and offers up to 128 simultaneous audio tracks and 7.1 surround mixing. All three toolkits are currently available through authorized Digidesign dealers as well as at www.digidesign.com.

Pricing and Compatibility

Pro Tools 8 software is available for Windows Vista- (32-bit Business or Ultimate with Service Pack 1), Windows XP- (Home and Professional with XP Service Pack 3), and Mac OS X 10.5.5 (Leopard)-based Pro Tools|HD, Pro Tools LE, and Pro Tools M-Powered systems. Customers who have purchased a new Pro Tools system or upgrade since October 3, 2008, are eligible for a free software upgrade. Customers purchasing new systems with old software are also be eligible for the free upgrade. Pro Tools 8 software is currently available through authorized Digidesign dealers as well as at www.digidesign.com.

• Pro Tools HD 8 Upgrade: $249
• Pro Tools LE/M-Powered Upgrade: $149
• Pro Tools M-Powered Full Version: $299 (available through authorized dealers only)

The Music Production Toolkit 2 and DV Toolkit 2 for Pro Tools LE systems are currently available through the authorized Digidesign dealers as well as at www.digidesign.com. Customers who have purchased a Music Production Toolkit or a DV Toolkit 2 since October 3, 2008 are eligible for a free upgrade to the newer versions. The Complete Production Toolkit is available today through authorized Digidesign dealers as well as at www.digidesign.com.

• Music Production Toolkit 2: $395
• DV Toolkit 2: $1295
• Complete Production Toolkit: $1995