Pro Tools 7

[hello1234]

EDIT

see later

[hello1234]

I should have clarified. You CAN use an audio track with virtual instruments in LE, but it's not the "proper" way. I do it differently some times for some reason. And I do use TDM alot also, so disregard that part of what I said.

I have been Digidesign trained and certified, and even the "official" training materials do teach to use an aux track. Don't ask me why I do it different, cause I'm really not sure. Maybe because I use PT for mostly audio since it's usually used for outside projects. Sorry bout that confusion.

Koolkeys

Correct. The reason is that you have to have an audio track "armed" in order to use it with the midi track(virtual) and this will record the audio......inconveient for most (although has it's use)
Using the aux track has the ability to have almost unlimited virtual instruments, and it doesn't hog your "precious" audio voices.

[hello1234]

As for sonic quality, I don't know that there is any difference. Some of the pros who say PT is better may also be running through their Digi hardware also, and different converters. So it's purely subjective. I think they are both the best really, and VERY hard to see any difference. But then again, I've seen some engineers notice some truly hidden things. Maybe they were playing with my head!

Koolkeys

I hear differences with all of them.......it's not obvious until you start pilling up voices......

Pt is tops so far imho
I hate sonar (even though I am getting the upgrade...don't ask) but it has nice audio clarity.
believe it or not, energyxt has a very "clear" audio quality, it is nice for quick stuff.
Podium is good too
Live is terrific, although I'm not as comfortable with audio recording in it.

The one that I cannot get to sound good (and I think I know why) is tracktion (which I just got 2 for the 20 bucks cause I just had too......) No matter what I do, voices do not blend together well at all......

Did I mention I am a host whore?

[hello1234]

edit

[hello1234]

sorry it was never clarified... the official pro tools 7 update press release never mentioned much at all, and this was posted on the digi forum. keep in mind i dont know the exact source of this and what's true and what isnt. sorry for not sharing this earlier in the discussion.

MIDI
· New Instrument Tracks combine MIDI and audio capabilities in a
single channel strip, simplifying routing for virtual instruments and
MIDI sound modules
· Real-time MIDI processing enables users to control MIDI
quantization, note duration and velocity, transposition, and timing in
real time

· Enhanced groove quantization features, including the ability to
apply groove template quantization across multiple tracks, add
randomization to further humanize the feel of a groove, and apply
groove template quantization to incoming MIDI signals


Audio
· New Region Groups allow grouping of any combination of audio and
MIDI regions, across any number of tracks
· New Region Looping feature offers an easy way to repeat one or
more audio regions, MIDI regions, and Region Groups, speeding up
composing and arranging
· Support for REX and ACID audio files—the two most popular audio
formats for loops and samples

Power & Mixing

· Improved host processing efficiency on dual-core and single- and
multi-processor computers allows users to run more RTAS processing and
instrument plug-ins simultaneously (We shall see what Digis definition of "Improved" means )

· Support for up to 10 sends per track increases mixing
flexibility and allows larger, more complex mixing architectures
· Support for RTAS plug-ins on Aux Inputs and Master Faders on Pro
Tools|HD systems, providing greater mixing options and improving
session transferability between Pro Tools|HD and Pro Tools LE/Pro Tools
M-Powered systems

Ease of Use
· Reorganized Pro Tools menu structure offers streamlined and more
logical menu navigation (key commands remain the same)
· New Tool Tips feature adds “rollover” descriptions of objects in
the Pro Tools software interface
· Support for dragging and dropping audio, MIDI, REX, and ACID
files from the desktop to the timeline

Unique Hardware Options
· Support for five additional M-Audio® peripherals with Pro Tools
M-Powered software, including: Black Box, Ozone®, Mobile Pre USB,
FastTrack™ USB, Transit®.

Ok, this pisses me off.

AS a beta tester, this "announcement" of feature was not told to us. There was a significant "don't tell" that we all signed and now some of this is common knowledge.

I'll edit a previous post and I'll break some of this down since it's out in the open.

[hello1234]

MIDI
· New Instrument Tracks combine MIDI and audio capabilities in a
single channel strip, simplifying routing for virtual instruments and
MIDI sound modules

Yes, it's a nice feature

· Real-time MIDI processing enables users to control MIDI
quantization, note duration and velocity, transposition, and timing in
real time

Midi users will have little to complain about with pt7, this is just another bonus

· Enhanced groove quantization features, including the ability to
apply groove template quantization across multiple tracks, add
randomization to further humanize the feel of a groove, and apply
groove template quantization to incoming MIDI signals

Frankly, there is no proper manual for the new stuff, so I have not been able to get this to work.

Audio
· New Region Groups allow grouping of any combination of audio and
MIDI regions, across any number of tracks

It's awsome, grouping is one of the big improvements in this update.

· New Region Looping feature offers an easy way to repeat one or
more audio regions, MIDI regions, and Region Groups, speeding up
composing and arranging

It's killer

·

Support for REX and ACID audio files—the two most popular audio
formats for loops and samples

This was HUGE for me. Drag drop any audio (or midi) file.........it works well, rex is better than acidized.......par for the course eh?

Power & Mixing

· Improved host processing efficiency on dual-core and single- and
multi-processor computers allows users to run more RTAS processing and
instrument plug-ins simultaneously

Works well, but it's no end-all-be-all if ya know what I mean.

· Support for up to 10 sends per track increases mixing

Plus drag/drop/copy/paste of fx/etc

session transferability between Pro Tools|HD and Pro Tools LE/Pro Tools
M-Powered systems

nuff said

Ease of Use
· Reorganized Pro Tools menu structure offers streamlined and more
logical menu navigation (key commands remain the same)

idunno what the hell this means........general to be sure.

· New Tool Tips feature adds “rollover” descriptions of objects in
the Pro Tools software interface

?

· Support for dragging and dropping audio, MIDI, REX, and ACID
files from the desktop to the timeline

HUGE HUGE HUGE HUGE, HUGE!

Ok, that's all I can say, I will only post this......until digi says I can say more.......

[Pantsdown666]

· Improved host processing efficiency on dual-core and single- and multi-processor computers allows users to run more RTAS processing and instrument plug-ins simultaneously

Works well, but it's no end-all-be-all if ya know what I mean.

Hi there Brother-in-666ness -
Can you say a BIT more here ?
Really curious as to how much better this is than before ...

[hello1234]

· Improved host processing efficiency on dual-core and single- and multi-processor computers allows users to run more RTAS processing and instrument plug-ins simultaneously

Works well, but it's no end-all-be-all if ya know what I mean.

Hi there Brother-in-666ness -
Can you say a BIT more here ?
Really curious as to how much better this is than before ...

Well, I have a single so here it is..........big drum roll.......

cpu is now at 99percent instead of 85

That's it. So there is a bit more headroom......but it's nothing to get too excited about.

[Mr. Tunes]

loose lips sink ships but that was awesome man
all i want to know at this point is if the 32 character file limitation has finally been removed?

[hello1234]

loose lips sink ships but that was awesome man
all i want to know at this point is if the 32 character file limitation has finally been removed?

How loose? freakin' digi puts out all this on the web site............

Oh, I forgot to say if digi hasn't release the info........then neither can I.

So I have no idea about the 32 charcter (what's a charcter) thing.

[dramsenik]

Plus drag/drop/copy/paste of fx/etc

that was already there since ver 5 ...

New Instrument Tracks combine MIDI and audio capabilities in a
single channel strip, simplifying routing for virtual instruments and
MIDI sound modules

So the questions are 1: can we freeze these track non realtime?
2: Do they use a voice allocation ?

If not i don't see the advantage...

Quote:
· Support for dragging and dropping audio, MIDI, REX, and ACID
files from the desktop to the timeline


HUGE HUGE HUGE HUGE, HUGE!

Don't you use the database ? so what's the point here ? REX/ACID don't show up in database?

Quote:
· New Tool Tips feature adds “rollover” descriptions of objects in
the Pro Tools software interface


?

Maybe this will be added in the final version.

[petterw]

Great features! But.....what about Plug-in delay compensation - still only for HD? Greatly missed in LE....

[dramsenik]

I wish they added an efficient use of the left mouse click in PT 7.0...being at beginning a Mac only software there's always these days a serious lack of the left mouse click a little everywhere in the interface....

[dramsenik]

Great features! But.....what about Plug-in delay compensation - still only for HD? Greatly missed in LE....

You have it already in LE but not for ("plugout"...read: external processing hardware or for plugins :up to HW buffer)

So again the rule of thumb: track at lowest latency and mix with the biggest. (and don't use SIR with PT or nudge the track.

but we should see the real PDC one of the next years/decade!!!

[Nev]

loose lips sink ships but that was awesome man
all i want to know at this point is if the 32 character file limitation has finally been removed?

Ah yes, after realtime bouncing, my second biggest gripe!

We have a lot of sfx, with stupidly long names here, and its annoying having to tuncate them before PT will read them. Another time saver.

Drag from desktop will be nice though.

Nev