Link Timeline and Edit Selection in Pro Tools
This blog is part of our new series of tutorials based on Avid’s flagship Digital Audio Workstation, Pro Tools. In this blog we will be learning Link Timeline and Edit Selection in Pro Tools.
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Getting started with how to use Link Timeline and Edit Selection in Pro Tools
Pro Tools is a software that lets you produce, record, edit and mix audio as well as MIDI performances.
After we are done with the recording stage of a production, we will get into the editing stage.
On this stage, we will be using all the Edit Tools from their associated menu.
Today we are going to be learning how to use the Link Timeline and Edit Selection function.
This function is particularly useful when editing a part and we want to listen to it every time we modify something from it.
By using this function, we can edit a certain area of a clip, and this area will be also selected on the timeline for playback or loop purposes.
Let’s demonstrate that!
- Open or create a new Pro Tools session:
For the purpose of this tutorial, we have a session that contains a single audio track with a kick drum recorded.
2. Locate the Edit Tools menu:
3. From this menu locate the “Link Timeline and Edit Selection” option:
As you can see, it is highlighted in blue, meaning it is set to ON.
4. Click and drag over an area of the audio clip to create a selection:
It is easy to see how in fact, the selection we made is directly linked to the timeline, because the same area has been highlighted on the timeline as:
5. Now, turn this option OFF by clicking on it:
The button will highlight in grey indicating it is OFF.
6. Create another selection on the audio clip:
It is easy to see how they are not linked anymore, because the audio clip selection does not match with the timeline selection.
The audio clip selection goes from 1/3/000 to 2/1/000 while the timeline goes from 1/1/480 to 1/3/480.
If we press play, the program will actually start playing back from where the timeline selection is, which is 1/1/480.
This might be confusing for most users, so the recommendation is that you turn ON the Link Timeline and Edit Selection option.
7. Turn ON the function again:
8. Select an area of the audio track:
In this case, the audio clip selection as well as the timeline selection go from 1/1/480 to 1/3/000.
If we press play, the software will playback the material from the start of the edit selection.
And that is it!
At this point, we have successfully explained how to use Link Timeline and Edit Selection option in Pro Tools.
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