Avid has introduced Pro Tools Sketch, a new non-linear, clip-based creation tool that’s available in Pro Tools and as a standalone iPad app.
If it looks familiar, it’s because Ableton Live Session View-style clip launching now seems to be everywhere – Apple Garageband, Bitwig, Logic Pro, Eurorack with 1010music’s Bitbox , standalone hardware with the Novation Circuit line, open source with Ardour, etc.
Here’s what Avid has to say about Sketch:
“Pro Tools Sketch enables musicians to quickly capture new ideas and freely experiment with concepts and songs, and find inspiration with a massive library of free loops, virtual instruments and effects. Years in the making, this new addition to the Pro Tools workflow adds a must-have creation process directly alongside the Edit and Mix windows that established modern linear audio recording.
With Pro Tools Sketch, Avid addresses the growing needs of modern creators, no matter their preferred music creation style.”
Pro Tools Sketch
Pro Tools Sketch is described as “a significant expansion of the Pro Tools music creation workflow”.
Users can now start with clip-based sketches in which loops, MIDI and recordings can be freely organized and played. Sketches can also be moved to the Pro Tools timeline for further production.
Pro Tools Sketch features 16 tracks and virtually unlimited scenes and includes over 1 GB of loops and a variety of onboard effects. Users can quickly audition audio and MIDI loops in the browser and drag them into the launcher where they can be played, moved and tweaked. Audio and MIDI can be recorded and edited alongside loops and then quickly organized into linear song arrangements.
Pricing and Availability:
The Pro Tools Sketch iPad app is available now as a free download.
The Pro Tools 2023.9 software release is now available to all Pro Tools customers on an active subscription or perpetual license with a current Software Updates + Support Plan, as well as all users of the free Pro Tools Intro application.
I don’t know if I can’t do it myself, but it seems to me that you can’t load AUv3 effects/plugins… if that is effectively the case it is very useless to me
I have never used ProTools because of their insistence on only using their own proprietary plugin format. This is a leftover vestige from the days when AVID was completely proprietary and could not use any third-party hardware or software. They need to stop with this AAX-only crap and allow AU and VST plugins. Until then, all of AVID’s products are useless to me.
Free iPad app while not ground breaking is OK and fun to use
Interesting. Mairk has just created a clip launcher in html specifically for live use that displays lyrics on screen.
Not a knock off then? Selective with your criticism arseole you not?
guess for it to be a knock off it has to be significantly cheaper. and since this is avid, it is not.
Not a knockoff, it’s a feature that many daws have been utilizing for some time. Cubase. logic, garage band have all had this functionality in some form for a while. DAW features aren’t only limited to one daw, nor should they be, and it’s not like Pro Tools has changed entirely to be based around this new feature. Watch your language.
Release the Hounds
Uhm. Bitwig was created by a developer who had worked at Ableton. He didn’t like the workflow, so he created his ideal version would be like. Not the same thing at all. And just because someone created it first, doesn’t mean it’s the best. I’m not hedging any bets with the Sketch feature in Pro tools, because I do not care about Avid in any shape ot size. But I hope to see different takes of non-linear arrangement features along side traditional linear arrangement in other DAWs. Specifically in Cubase and Reason (which “kinda” has a feature like that. But it sucks, and I want the sequencer part of reason to rule as much as their synths)
We could have expected more from Avid. Sketch is a little game for amateur musicians
Avid once again behind the times. But it doesn’t really matter- they have big contracts with production houses that have tens or hundreds of Avid edit bays that keep them afloat regardless.
I am a 20yr Pro Tools user(for better or for worse hehe) and I was super excited about sketch because I thought they were finally trying to provide musicians with a better experience but after watching a couple of videos I realised you can not run third party plugins.
This “Sketch” feature means nothing really.
I think the point of creating another take on your software is to provide an easier experience but if you’re going to only allow a few avid plugins then is rubbish. I can not sketch stuff properly if I don’t have access to my favourite virtual instruments.
Ps: I sketch a lot of stuff on Ableton and then export to pro tools that says a lot about a committed pro tools user.