An invite has gone out this week, with speculation suggesting that Pro Tools 11 is imminent. We recently ran an article about how to prepare for Pro Tools 11. However the million dollar question for some is what plug-ins will work were it to ship next week?

There are a few things you can do to check.

1. Check our AAX database here to see what plug-ins are ready, those that are coming and those not coming at all.

2. Run updates on all your plug-ins to see if they have AAX equivalents.

3. Go to your Avid plug-ins folder where all the .aaxplugin live and see what is listed there. If you’ve done the things above and it ain’t there then you ain’t got an AAX version to use.

Before you commit to Pro Tools 11, if have plug-in dependant workflow then make sure they are ready before you switch. If Pro Tools 11 shipped today, unless there was a sudden release from major vendors then I would not be able to use;

• UAD

• Spectrasonics

• Waves

• Slate

• AIR Pro Tools Instrument Expansion Pack

Just those missing would kill my workflow.

Irrespective of the speculation around dates, our understaning is that the law around public companies means that as soon as Avid announce Pro Tools 11 then they have to ship it within the same accounting quarter (90 days), so any plug-ins would need to be ported in time for that deadline. Mnay vendors are committed, in fact all those listed above have declared their intention to port, but as yet we have no sign of them.

So take care when making your decision, do your homework and you should have no tears.