Digidesign has leveled the DAW playing field

With the recent release of Pro Tools 8, Digidesign has leveled the DAW playing field with a new user interface, a plethora of highly useful virtual instrument/effects plugins, and a bunch of new features-making the Pro Tools that we all know and love better than ever before. In addition to all the interface tweaks, editing has become even easier than ever with the addition of new track "lanes".

These lanes are integrated into each track allowing multiple playlist parameters to be viewed and/or manipulated on the screen at the same time. This is very useful when comparing alternate takes from different playlists, viewing different automation modes, or auditioning different passes after using loop record. Let's learn how it works: Imagine you have record multiple vocal takes across several different playlists. Traditionally, these could be viewed by clicking on the arrows to the right of the track name and choosing one playlist to audition or edit at a time.

One of the advantages of recording multiple takes in this manner is that it doesn't take up additional voices. In other words, you can have numerous playlists on track and only be using one voice at a time for that track. Now, in Pro Tools 8, we have the ability to see all these takes at once. By clicking on the down arrow to the left of the track name, we can select "playlists" under the Track View menu and see all of our different playlists at the same time.

Now we can audition, edit, and create composite tracks faster and easier than ever before. Tracks can be auditioned one at a time by soloing each playlist and sections from each take can be cut and moved to the main playlist. This makes comping tracks easier than ever before. More ways to be creative.