While Pro Tools has evolved significantly over the years with added features and upgraded design, its core functionality as a linear editing software hasn’t changed much—until now. Today, Avid is introducing Pro Tools Sketch, a new DAW window and standalone app that enables clip-based, non-linear music creation. Sketch is available now in all versions of Pro Tools (as of update 2023.9) and as a free iPad app from the Apple App Store.

The first new window ever added to the popular software, Sketch introduces a new way to make music, streamlining the process and allowing you to get ideas down fast, try out different arrangements, and get a rough mix dialed in without too much fuss. When you’re ready, you can easily drop your arrangement onto your Pro Tools timeline and use the full set of tools to put the finishing touches on your track. And because it’s available inside or outside of Pro Tools, Sketch is always available when inspiration strikes—whether you’re in the studio, at a cafe on your laptop, or on the couch with your iPad.

Let’s take a closer look at everything Sketch has to offer.

Non-Linear Workflow

Rather than arranging all of your audio and MIDI on one linear timeline, Sketch lets you build individual looping patterns called Scenes, which you can mix and match freely to create Arrangements. Each Scene gives you 16 tracks to record or import audio and MIDI clips on, allowing you to create the building blocks of your song one at a time.

The length of each Scene is determined by its longest clip. For example, if you create a simple two-bar drum loop and then add a four-bar chord progression, your Scene will loop every four bars. You could then record a bassline that spans two repetitions of your loop, and the Scene would automatically enlarge to eight bars. Scenes can be as long or short as you like, meaning you could create an entire verse out of one Scene or build each verse out of multiple Scenes for more variety.

When you have enough Scenes, you can order them into an Arrangement. An Arrangement is simply a playlist of Scenes that allows you to easily compose a song out of individual parts. An Arrangement can contain virtually unlimited Scenes, so you can get as granular as you want with your productions. Rather than having to manually drag clips around the Pro Tools timeline, working in Sketch allows you to easily try out different Arrangements until you find one you’re happy with. Want to try using the bridge as the intro or making the first verse twice as long? That’s exactly what Sketch allows you to do.

The Sketch Window syncs with the Pro Tools timeline, so you can easily open up a Sketch to try out ideas on an existing session. Or, if you start writing in Sketch first, you can simply import your Arrangement onto the timeline for further editing and mixing. If you make a Sketch on the iPad app, you can open the .ptsketch file (which includes all content) in Pro Tools or simply export your finished mix as a .WAV file.

Instruments, Loops, and Samples

Pro Tools Sketch includes a curated but robust set of music-making tools that allow you to quickly build tracks in any genre while keeping the emphasis on songwriting. Between the PlayCell and SynthCell instruments, a free library of loops and samples, and monthly content drops, you’ll never run out of new sounds to play with.

PlayCell is a virtual sample player containing 80 different instruments including pianos, vintage keyboards, synths, orchestral instruments, guitars, basses, drums, percussion, folk instruments, and much more. Each instrument offers four different parameters to change the sound, as well as customizable amp and filter envelopes. By tweaking these simple but powerful controls, you can easily dial in the sound you want without getting bogged down in menus.

SynthCell is a polyphonic subtractive synth with a very streamlined user interface that makes it a snap to create a variety of synth tones, from lush pads to abrasive leads, fat basses, and even synth-based kicks and snares. SynthCell features two oscillators, two filters, a filter envelope, an amp envelope, an LFO, a modulation section, and an arpeggiator—everything you’re used to seeing on a software synth, all in an easy-to-use layout.

Sketch also features more than a gigabyte of audio and MIDI loops and samples to quickly build tracks with. The audio loops are great for sketching out ideas quickly, and you can use the built-in editing tools and effects to truly make them your own. The MIDI clips give you a fantastic starting point for creating tracks with PlayCell and SynthCell, whether you use them as-is or edit them to your liking. You’re also free to import your own clips and loops, as well as content from the Pro Tools | Sonic Drop program.

Streamlined Editing and Mixing

While Pro Tools and other DAWs have advanced to a state where it’s possible to create huge arrangements and tweak every little aspect of every track, many people experience “options paralysis,” making it hard to focus on what the song really needs. That’s why Sketch offers just 16 tracks—just enough to create a fleshed-out arrangement with layers of melodic and rhythmic instruments without getting bogged down and losing your flow. The editing and mixing tools are equally streamlined, giving you only the tools you need, and nothing superfluous.

For MIDI editing, Sketch features a standard piano roll equipped with common functions like transposition, quantization, and swing. Audio editing tools include most of the commonly-used Pro Tools features like Trim, Fade, Stretch, Reverse, Gain, and Pitch. These tools provide the perfect balance of control and simplicity to help you focus on the music.

The Mixer section is compact yet uncluttered, presenting you with all the basic controls you need to mix your tracks. Each channel features a fader, pan control, solo, and mute buttons, delay and reverb sends, and multiple slots for inserting effects. Sketch includes nine effects processors: EQ, Compressor, Reverb, Delay, Chorus, Saturation, Multimode Filter, LoFi, and Crunch Crusher. Additionally, the Global FX tab features a global Delay and Reverb which you can route any of your tracks to.

Whether you’re a songwriter, producer, beatmaker, or just a Pro Tools power user, this is one update you don’t want to miss. Use our Pro Tools Buyer’s Guide and Upgrade Finder to find the right version for you and start exploring Sketch today.

Want to try the new Pro Tools Sketch workflow? Contact a Vintage King Audio Consultant via email or by phone at 866.644.0160 to purchase a new copy of Pro Tools, or upgrade your existing version.