Update: Avid Pro Tools v2023.9 – New Perpetual Options and Sketch App

This update to Avid Pro Tools adds a new app called Sketch that lets you capture new ideas and experiment with arrangements wherever you are.  Plus, Pro Tools Perpetual options are reintroduced, including a new Pro Tools Artist Perpetual option.

What’s new in Pro Tools v2023.9?

Pro Tools Sketch

(Pro Tools Intro / Artist / Studio / Ultimate™)

Capture and play with ideas anywhere inspiration strikes with Pro Tools Sketch, a new non-linear, clip-based creation tool in Pro Tools and on iPad. Trigger samples and loops, record audio, and capture MIDI performances to quickly work up sketches. Drag and drop clips and experiment with arrangements to create something you love. Pro Tools Sketch offers new ways to experiment with musical ideas that can be dragged into the Pro Tools Edit Window for further recording, editing, and mixing.

• Pro Tools Sketch is both a free application for iOS on iPad, and a new window within Pro Tools
• The Pro Tools Sketch mobile app is a standalone clip launcher that lets you create and mix audio clips, MIDI clips, virtual instruments, and audio effects in a non-linear environment, and arrange them into Scenes and Arrangements
• In Pro Tools, the Sketch window provides the same functionality as the Sketch app, but with the additional functionality of being able to drag and drop audio and MIDI clips (and Scenes and Arrangements) between the Sketch window and a Pro Tools session
• You can share Sketches between the Pro Tools Sketch mobile app and the Sketch window in Pro Tools (.ptsketch file format). In Pro Tools, a Sketch window can be open with or without a session file open

Read more about Sketch

Export Session Range

(Pro Tools Studio / Ultimate™)

Export Session Range improve the efficiency of exporting workflows by only including a section of a session with media to be saved/exported without having to clear out all the unnecessary data before merging the elements from one session to another. This allows easier movement of sound elements from previous episodes/films that use same material. It’s also perfect for breaking up live recordings into individual songs or assembling song melodies from different recordings.

Plugin Slot Reordering via Drag & Drop

(Pro Tools Intro / Artist / Studio / Ultimate™)

The ability to rearrange the order of loaded plugins has been a long-requested feature. You can now freely change the order of inserted plugins via drag and drop to accommodate new plugins or to experiment with your processing chain.

Other Enhancements

(Pro Tools Intro / Artist / Studio / Ultimate™)

• Key command for navigating up and down marker lanes the Edit Window
• Paste Special menu command to paste and merge markers
• Checkbox to update marker/selection position when editing a memory location
• Simplified the Path Order drop-down menu in I/O Setup
• Input Path Order options to make it easier to set up monitor returns from the Dolby Atmos Renderer
• Updated preference to disable video slewing only during loop playback

New Perpetual licenses

• Perpetual Licenses for Artist and Studio are back, as well as 1 year of upgrade and support options.

Full Release notes

Getting Started with Pro Tools Sketch Window

Getting Started with Pro Tools Sketch on iPad

Pro Tools Sketch FAQs

How do you get Pro Tools Sketch?

• Sketch is available both as a new window in the Pro Tools application (version 2023.9 and later), and as a free iPad app from the Apple App Store.

What versions of Pro Tools software include Sketch?

• The Sketch window is included in all versions of Pro Tools, including Pro Tools Intro.

Is Pro Tools Sketch available for Android?

• Sketch is available as part of the desktop Pro Tools (Mac/Windows) application and as an iPad app only at this time, but there are plans for both iPhone and Android support in the future.

Is Pro Tools Sketch free?

• The Sketch iPad app is free, as is the Pro Tools Intro Mac/Windows application that includes the Sketch window.

Are there different levels of functionality like with desktop Pro Tools?

• No, there is only one version of the Sketch iPad app and Sketch window that features 16 tracks and virtually unlimited scenes. The differences in capabilities come into play when Sketches are brought into the Pro Tools Edit/Mix environment (like track counts, etc.).

What is the file format for Pro Tools Sketch?

• Sketch files use the .ptsketch extension.

How do you move Pro Tools Sketches between iPad and desktop?

• Save your Sketches to the cloud or send via email and then open on iPad or desktop.

When you export a Pro Tools Sketch, does all content (loops/samples) export as well?

• Unlike Pro Tools sessions that point to associated content folders, Sketch files are all self-contained with all related content included.

How do you use the Sketch window in conjunction with traditional Pro Tools sessions (Edit and Mix windows)?

• Sync your Sketch to play in time with a linear Pro Tools session to work in parallel with both non-linear and linear workflows.
  Drag and drop any/all Sketch clips into the linear Pro Tools timeline to further work on your arrangement and bring the full power of Pro Tools to bear and
  achieve the best mix possible.
  You can also “pin” a Sketch to one or more Pro Tools sessions (using the pin button at the top right of the Sketch window)—this ensures that when you open the Pro Tools session, the pinned Sketch will open automatically as well.

What are the minimum system requirements for Pro Tools Sketch?

• The Pro Tools Sketch window requirements are the same as the Pro Tools desktop application.
• The Pro Tools iPad app requires iPad OS16 or later.

All specifications subject to change.

Read more about Sketch