Pro Tools for Windows

An audio editing tool for professionals

Pro Tools is a paid digital audio workstation used by filmmakers, musicians, and other artists. Designed for Windows, the tool provides users with various editing and mixing capabilities, so they can publish songs, create background music, podcasts, and other audio content. 

The simple program is available in three versions, one of which is free for use. Suitable for beginners as well, the tool offers various features that make recording music fun and easy! 

What is Pro Tools?

Pro Tools is a popular music software program that has been around since 1991. Its many features make recording, editing, and publishing audio tracks a breeze. For this reason, Pro Tools is considered an industry standard and used by many professional musicians and artists. 

Pro Tools download has received many updates over the years, although on an infrequent basis. The tool’s developer, Avid Technology, makes sure to test all new features thoroughly before rolling them out to the audience. While the full version of the audio editing app is expensive, it also provides users with a free and standard version. 

Is there a free version of Pro Tools?

Pro Tools download is available in three versions: Pro Tools First, Pro Tools Standard, and Pro Tools Ultimate. The first version of Pro Tools is free to download and use. However, in this version, the features and available tracks are quite limited. Pro Tools First gives you a total of 16 tracks, 4 simultaneous inputs, a massive instrument library, and access to an Audio Suite. 

Though Pro Tools First is suitable for beginners, there’s much more you can do with Pro Tools Standard and Pro Tools Ultimate. You can either buy the perpetual license of either of the two or opt for a monthly subscription model. The Standard version is quite comprehensive and gives users access to 128 audio tracks and 1024 MIDI tracks, along with features like Clip Gain Automation and Beat Detective. 

Pro Tools Ultimate is Avid’s flagship program, designed specifically for filmmakers and professional musicians. Along with a library of sounds and instruments, Ultimate lets users work with over 60 video tracks, access the Timecode Ruler, create Dolby Surround mixes, and do much more. Since the tool can be quite expensive, Avid offers discounts to teachers and students. 

Does the Pro Tools app have an easy-to-use interface?

The layout has changed rather little, with its features still including two minimalistic windows: one for mixing and the other for editing. Both these windows are user-friendly and don’t overwhelm users by displaying too many features at once. The software offers simple graphics and a range of color-coding techniques to help users keep track of the changes they make.

How do you use Pro Tools?

As mentioned above, Pro Tools gives users access to two windows. The Mix window displays tracks that you’re working on vertically as if it were a mixing board. With the help of this window, you can see various adjustments made via the EQ graph settings, check the RMS levels, and see the gain reduction of any plugins that you’ve installed. 

Editing tracks using Pro Tools is seamless as well. You’re given access to multiple tools, so you can change the audio in its smallest waveform. Besides this, the software offers various modes, such as shuffle, slip, spot, and grid, that make moving audio around quite simple. Additionally, the tool offers easy navigation, keyboard shortcuts, and plugin support. 

Does the Pro Tools software have any alternatives?

Pro Tools is a feature-rich app. However, the only drawback is that the professional version is expensive, and you may not find all the features you need in the free version. Some Pro Tools alternatives that you'd find of interest include Cubase, Ardour, and Ableton. While the first two alternatives are free, Ableton offers a trial period. 

What makes Pro Tools great?

If you’ve ever used a DAW, you will find Pro Tools to be quite comprehensive. The software makes it easy for users to record, mix, and market their audio content. It invites the power of a professional music studio to user desktops. 

Apart from that, the industry-standard software has been around for decades and features advanced tools required for movie editing and audio recording. Its multiple plugins and library of sounds and instruments make this program an easy sell.