Smart Tool in Pro Tools
This blog is part of our new series of tutorials based on Avid’s flagship Digital Audio Workstation, Pro Tools.
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Getting started with how to use the Smart Tool 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 Smart Tool.
The Smart Tool is the most used Edit tools of all.
The reason is because it serves as a combination of Selector, Grabber and Trim Tool, all at the same time.
You should always have your Smart Tool selected as default, and only change it if needed.
The position of the cursor in relation to a clip or note, will determine the behavior of the Smart Tool.
Let’s demonstrate that!
- Create or open a Pro Tools session:
2. Locate the Edit Tools menu:
3. Locate the rectangular box above the Trim, Selector and Grabber Tools:
4. Click on this horizontal rectangle to select the Smart Tool:
The Trim, Selector and Grabber Tools will get highlighted all at the same time, indicating we have engaged the Smart Tool!
5. In order to use the Smart Tool as the Trim Tool, locate at the end or start of the clip:
6. Click at the vertical center of the end of the clip and drag to the left in order to Trim it:
As you could see, when you click exactly at the vertical center of one of the clip’s boundaries, the Smart Tool works as the Trim Tool.
7. Click at the top of the clip’s end or start boundaries and drag to create a fade:
As you could see, when you click exactly at the top of the clip’s boundaries, the Smart Tool lets you create fades.
8. In order to use the Smart Tool as the Selector Tool, locate at the middle of the clip:
9. Click and drag within the clip to select a certain area of the clip:
As you could see, we have now selected an area of the clip, just as if we had the Selector Tool engaged!
10. Let’s use the Smart Tool as the Grabber Tool by clicking once on top of the audio clip:
The clip will get highlighted indicating it has been selected completely:
11. Click and drag the clip in order to move it within the timeline, just as if you were using the Grabber tool:
As you could see, we have now selected the whole clip and dragged it, just as if we had the Grabber Tool engaged.
And that is the beauty of the Smart Tool, being able to benefit from the functions of several tools, by using only one!
And that is it!
At this point, we have successfully explained how to use the Smart Tool in Pro Tools.
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