At the 123rd AES Convention in New York City, Digidesign Pro Tools Version 7.4 software offering new music and post-production features and workflow enhancements for Pro Tools HD, Pro Tools LE and Pro Tools M-Powered systems.
V. 7.4 introduces Elastic Time, a new music composition and production tool that allows users to easily change the tempo and timing of loops, music, dialog, and other sound files in real time without cutting up audio tracks. Users can now audition or import loops and audio files that instantly sync with a session’s tempo. Users can also use the Elastic Time feature to quantize audio to the session grid or extracted grooves, and fine-tune regions with precision control over each individual beat.
Running on a separate computer, new Avid Media Station|PT 2.7 software coupled with the new Video Satellite Option enables Pro Tools editors to play Avid video sequences in sync with Pro Tools HD. The Video Satellite Option eliminates time-consuming video exports and removes all video-processing burdens from the Pro Tools HD system by synchronizing playback with Media Station|PT on a separate, dedicated computer.
Avid Unity ISIS offers a scalable shared storage option for large, integrated post-production environments. With Pro Tools HD 7.4 software on Windows XP systems, editors can record and play back audio and video directly from qualified Avid ISIS shared storage systems.
Digidesign states that V. 7.4 software will be available in late 2007 for Windows XP and Mac OS X (Tiger) based Pro Tools HD systems, as well as Windows XP, Windows Vista and Mac OS X (Tiger) based Pro Tools LE and Pro Tools M-Powered systems. Expanded Windows Vista and OS X (Leopard) support will be announced later.
V. 7.4 is available as a $199 standard upgrade for Pro Tools HD; $79 upgrade from Pro Tools HD V. 7.3; $75 standard upgrade for Pro Tools LE/M-Powered; and $49 upgrade from Pro Tools LE/M-Powered V. 7.3.
Customers who have purchased a new Pro Tools system or upgrade within one month prior to the release of Pro Tools 7.4 will be eligible for a free software upgrade. Customers purchasing new systems with old software will also be eligible for the free upgrade. Upgrades will be available through the DigiStore as well as through authorized Digidesign dealers.
In conjunction with the launch of Pro Tools 7.4 software, Digidesign is hosting a series of educational seminars highlighting some of the powerful new features and music composition tools in Pro Tools. Offered through authorized Pro Tools dealers in 25 different North American cities, the “Stretch Your Sound” tour covers the benefits of working with Elastic Time, as well as how to work with the award-winning range of virtual instruments from Digidesign’s Advanced Instrument Research (A.I.R.) group.
For more information or to register for the tour, visit www.digidesign.com.
