Digidesign Announces ProTools 8: New Interface & Features
Digidesign Announces ProTools 8: New Interface & Features
by , 5:25 PM EDT, October 3rd, 2008
Digidesign announced Friday ProTools 8, previewing the major upgrade to the company's signature line of digital recording software at AES. ProTools 8 includes a new interface with several new interface options, fully-integrated MIDI and score editors, new editing features, and 70 plug-ins and virtual instruments.
The first and foremost aspect of ProTools 8 that Digidesign is promoting is the new interface. The company has updated and "modernized" (in its words) the look and feel of the software, while also adding many new interface option.
For instance, the toolbar can now be customized and arranged to suit the user's wishes. There are also new color controls for the virtual mixing board that make it much easier to know at a glance which tracks are used for whatever purpose the user designates.
 The Mixing window with the new handy, dandy color coding tools in use |
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ProTools 8 also includes a fully integrated editor for both MIDI use and scoring your music. According to the company, the new editors will expand functionality for these two features and allow users more flexibility in editing.
Another new expanded feature is the company's Elastic editing tools. Included out of the box is Elastic Pitch, which offers real-time pitch correction directly in a region.
ProTools|HD 8 will users to control up to five ProTools|HD systems as one. The HD version also includes support for the Media Composer-based Video Satellite option, which brings parent company Avid's HD/SD video playback into the Pro Tools|HD audio workflow.
There are other new features, and Digidesign has put together a breakdown of those new features and a series of Flash videos that offer a fairly comprehensive tour of the product line, all on the ProTools 8 Web site.
ProTools 8 is expected to be released in "late 2008" for Windows Vista- (32-bit Business or Ultimate), Windows XP-, and Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)-based Pro Tools|HD, Pro Tools LE, and Pro Tools M-Powered systems.
If you are at AES, you can visit the company's booth at #701.
Observer Comments
Sat Oct 04, 2008 8:24 am Subject: Knew it would happen...
Yep, but you could also make the argument that Apple just made Logic pro finally look like an actual Mac app with version 8. Digi are just making it look more Mac like. 
[small rant]
I absolutely can not stand it when companies force you to register on their web site just to obtain information. It seem like a ploy just to get your e-mail address and I know Avid (Digidesign/Softimage) love you spam you with carp once they have it. There's no way I'm going to do that so there's no way I'll find out more about the new features. Who looses out there? In the end, it just makes me mistrust companies like this.
Yep, but you could also make the argument that Apple just made Logic pro finally look like an actual Mac app with version 8. Digi are just making it look more Mac like.
[small rant]
I absolutely can not stand it when companies force you to register on their web site just to obtain information. It seem like a ploy just to get your e-mail address and I know Avid (Digidesign/Softimage) love you spam you with carp once they have it. There's no way I'm going to do that so there's no way I'll find out more about the new features. Who looses out there? In the end, it just makes me mistrust companies like this.
No matter how u look at Digi design is still number one no matter what opperating system its on. There are just more problems with a mac but its looks nice. Dont doubt a company thats aiming to slaughter the competition with similiarities. Every major company imitates something in the same line of products but most push to make their company better.
As a long time user of both Logic and Protools (MAC) - I switch back and forth for different projects - mostly depending on how much midi is involved. (When editing/performing/building with midi - Logic is so comprehensive, user friendly and superior to my brain.) I've been begging for - and hearing from PT for years that they would integrate a score program... very soon. (Such an obvious omission.) Never happened. Until now. Even with Logic, however, I still use my PT HD Accel system and 192 interfaces. In my opinion, nothing compares to the Digidesign audio. And, I agree it might just be time to revisit PT 8 (with the new score features) with audio AND midi in mind - and see how it all feels. It would be nice to work with one program. If anyone is using PT8 and has observations - I'd be interested.
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