Avid has released Pro Tools 2019.5 as promised by Avid’s François Quereuil in our exclusive interview with more voices for most Pro Tools Ultimate users, support for macOS Mojave 10.14.4, more functions won’t cause Pro Tools to stop during playback and doubling the number of MIDI tracks, all of which we have known about for a while, but what is news with the release of 2019.5 is that Multiseat Network licensing for large facilities and educational establishments is finally released and 2019.5 supports the latest Apple computers like the Mac mini 2018 and MacBook Pro 2018.
2019.5 In My Avid Master Account
As you can see Pro Tools 2019.5 is in my Avid Master Account. Please be aware that it take a few hours before it is in everyone’s accounts that are eligible to receive it.
Although there is a lot in this article that was already known, be aware that some of the details have changed and some previously unannounced features and tweaks have been added.
Most Pro Tools Ultimate Users Get More Voices As Standard
Pro Tools Ultimate Standalone and Pro Tools HD Native users with Ultimate software will get 384 simultaneous voices/audio tracks (up from 256) and the option to add voice packs in blocks of 128 simultaneous voices/audio tracks up to a maximum of 768 voices matching the maximum number of voices for an HDX3 system.
Note that the 384 to 768 voices is when you are working at 44.1K or 48K sample rates. The voice counts drop with higher sample rates.
Users with Pro Tools Ultimate standalone software and Pro Tools HD Native hardware with Pro Tools Ultimate 2019.5 software will be able to purchase or rent voice packs in blocks of 128 voices up to a maximum of 768 voices at 48K sample rate.
2019.5 - No Change For Pro Tools HDX Users For Now
Users with Pro Tools HDX hardware with Pro Tools Ultimate software can still install up to three HDX cards in your Pro Tools HDX system but for now still have 256 voices per card) up to a maximum of 768 voices/audio tracks with 3 HDX cards working at 48K sample rate. HDX users will not get access to 384 voices per HDX card for now.
Pro Tools 2019.5 - Notes On Additional Voices And Voice Packs
Pro Tools HDX will not support Pro Tools Ultimate Voice Packs. HDX users can only increase your voice count by adding HDX cards to get up to a maximum of 768 voices. Voice Packs are only for Ultimate Software only and HD Native users.
Pro Tools HD Native and Pro Tools Ultimate Software Only users can use voice packs to increase their voice count up to a maximum of 768 voices.
You will be able to rent (subscription) voice packs via the Avid Webstore and through your Pro Tools dealer.
You can buy Voice Packs via Avid Store and Avid Resellers. You will not be able to buy perpetual licensed voice packs via the Avid Webstore.
For example, each Voice Pack allows the following track counts at 48/96/192KHz sample rates…
128/64/32 more mono audio tracks
64/32/16 more stereo audio tracks
32/16/8 more quad audio tracks
21/10/5 more 5.1 audio tracks
16/8/4 more 7.1 audio tracks
Other track options and combinations are possible this list is simply to illustrate some simple examples.
Get A Free Voice Pack 30 Day Trial To Check Your System
If you have a Pro Tools HD Native system with Pro Tools 2019.5 Ultimate software or you are using Pro Tools 2019.5 Ultimate Standalone software and you find that 384 voices isn’t enough for you then Avid are offering a free 30-day Voice Pack Trial to enable you to test your system to see if it can work effectively with the additional voices before you commit to buying or renting Voice Packs.
Pro Tools Will No Longer Stop When Undertaking Tasks Like Creating Tracks, Adding Or Moving Plug-ins (For Pro Tools First, Pro Tools And Pro Tools Ultimate Users)
With Pro Tools 2019.5, you can now do so much more like making updates to tracks and timeline selections during playback without Pro Tools stopping. You can now continue to be creative without interruption and freely experiment with different effects, presets, loop points, and more as your music plays on, keeping you in your creative pocket. Tasks that no longer cause Pro Tools to stop playback include…
Timeline interactions during playback
Dynamic Transport on/off
Loop on/off
Link/Unlink edit and play
Select clip
Make timeline selection
Drag timeline selection
Drag timeline selection start/end point
Select half
Select double
Change loop from transport window
Change tempo
Change tempo from transport window
Draw tempo curve
Track interactions
Add/Remove track
Duplicate track
Make the track active/inactive
Drag track up/down
Set/remove track input
Set/remove track send
Drag track send between slots/tracks
Activate/Deactivate track send
Set/remove track output
Activate/Deactivate track output
Drag insert between slots/tracks
Change input monitoring on track
Name Tracks Faster (For Pro Tools First, Pro Tools And Pro Tools Ultimate Users)
With Pro Tools 2019.5 you will be able to name new tracks as you create them, there is now a new “Name” field in the New Track dialog. This makes it faster and easier to name multiple new tracks whilst you are creating the new tracks rather than have to name them after you have created them. But don’t worry, if you forget to give a new track a name in the New Track window, Pro Tools will still automatically create a default name for you, and the default name will respect the track type, making it easy to understand what type of track it is if you forget to name one.
Performance Improvements For HDX And HD Native Users
Native plug-in use has been optimised based on the number of available core processors
General threading improvements have been made at all buffer sizes
On HDX systems at lower HW Buffer Sizes, significant performance improvements have been made for tracks under any of the following conditions:
Record-enabled Instrument tracks with a virtual instrument plug-in inserted
Record-enabled audio tracks
Input-enabled audio tracks
Native plug-ins on Auxiliary Input tracks
Native plug-ins inserted after a DSP plug-in on Audio, Auxiliary Input, and Instrument tracks
Get Twice As Many MIDI Tracks (For Pro Tools And Pro Tools Ultimate Users)
Pro Tools 2019.5 will support 1,024 MIDI tracks (up from 512), for example, giving you the freedom to create huge richly orchestrated pieces. You can now have a larger palette of instruments and articulations at your disposal, making it ideal for film scoring and ardent sample library users, where MIDI tracks can quickly run up into the hundreds.
New Arrow Key MIDI Editing Key Commands Enhancement
The MIDI editing functions for the arrow key shortcuts, are enabled only when users really need them.
Pro Tools 2018.1 introduced new MIDI editing shortcuts that utilised the arrow keys, which enabled faster editing of MIDI notes. Because these keyboard combinations are shared with various existing commands, the shortcut functionality would switch depending on the data types contained in the edit insertion or selection.
The MIDI editing functionalities are now enabled when the edit insertion or selection is only on tracks that are in Notes or Velocity views.
You can check the Pro Tools Shortcuts guide “MIDI Note Editing” section for a full list of the key combinations.
New Key Command for Edit>Snap to Next/Previous
A new key command has been added for the snap to next and previous edit actions. This allows you to quickly move a selected clip left or right on the timeline, butting it against the next or previous clip.
macOS: Ctrl+Opt+"," and "."
Win OS: Start+Alt+"," and "."
New Video Settings
Avid has changed how they store certain video related preferences to improve the user experience.
Video Window - Size, position, and open state are now stored in the user preferences file (Pro Tools Prefs) instead of the session. This means that whenever you make these changes to the video window, they are now specific to you as a user and will not change from session to session.
Video Sync Offset - This setting is now saved in your system preferences file (MiscSettings). This means that once the Video Sync Setting is set for an OS user account, it will also be shared and persist across all users of that machine. It should also be noted that the first time 2019.5 is launched, the setting will be inherited from that user account’s Pro Tools preferences.
Accessibility (Voice Over)
Avid continues to work hard to enable visually impaired users to still be able to use Pro Tools. In Pro Tools 2019.5 , Avid has added a wide range of general accessibility improvements for Voice Over users, resulting in an overall better experience.
Changes in accessibility may affect 3rd party macro software and scripts.
If you are using 3rd party software for macros, please check on the manufacturer’s website for compatibility.
If you are utilizing any scripts, you may have to make some modifications.
There are more details on the changes for Voice Over users in the Pro Tools 2019.5 bug fix list.
Support For macOS Mojave And Latest Mac Computers (For Pro Tools First, Pro Tools And Pro Tools Ultimate Users)
As we were able to include in our NAMM 2019 coverage, Avid has confirmed that the first release for Pro Tools in 2019 now supports macOS Mojave 10.14.4.
This is great news for Pro Tools users who have had to upgrade to Mojave to maintain support for other applications on their Apple Pro Tools computer and users who have bought a recent Apple computer like the Mac mini 2018 or the MacBook Pro 2018, which come with macOS Mojave as standard, and Avid have announced that both these computers are qualified with Pro Tools 2019.5.
Pro Tools 2019.5 Finally Brings Multiseat Licensing For Pro Tools And Pro Tools Ultimate Users
With the launch of Pro Tools 2018.1, back in January 2018 Avid announced Network Site Licensing would be coming soon. With this option, which is a long overdue feature request from large organisations including post facilities and educational establishments, the plan was to be able to administer licenses for your enterprise, teams, or educational facility without needing to manage multiple iLoks or replace stolen ones.
It has taken some time to actually deliver network licensing, which Avid is now calling Multiseat Network Site Licensing and is aimed at all those who use Pro Tools in a large post, broadcast, or media education facility.
Non-Education Facilities Can Get Pro Tools Ultimate Multiseat Licenses
With this release, non-educational users will be able to purchase Pro Tools Ultimate Multiseat Licenses, with a minimum seat count of 5, which will include the Avid Complete Plugin Bundle, as well as HEAT, Pro Tools MachineControl, and Pro Tools DigiLink I/O License with all Pro Tools Ultimate seats.
Educational Establishments Can Get Either Pro Tools Standard Or Pro Tools Ultimate Multiseat Licenses
Educational Establishments will now be able to buy Pro Tools and/or Pro Tools Ultimate Multiseat licenses also with a minimum seat count of 5.
Multiseat Licensing Pricing
You will need to contact Avid Sales or your local Avid dealer for pricing.
More About Network And Multiseat Licensing
This server-based PACE floating license not only makes administering licenses faster and easier, it reduces licensing complexity and eliminates the need for iLoks across your facility.
Pro Tools Multiseat Licensing uses iLok network licensing to provide a way of purchasing a single shareable license that can contain two or more "seats". This license is stored on a physical iLok connected to the license server computer, which can be placed in a secure room. Configured by the iLok License Manager application, the server then shares the seats of the multiseat license to client computers on the local network when an application is run.
The license server can be configured to share the licenses with anyone on the local network (public) or can be password protected.
There are already two brands that support iLok Network iLok Licensing. Sounds In Sync - Sounds In Sync Offer Support For iLok Network Licenses and Nugen Audio - Nugen Audio Launches 'Site' Floating License System For Upmixing & Loudness Tools.
Now that Avid has introduced Network Licensing, we look forward to seeing more 3rd party plug-in developers adding support for iLok Network Licensing.
To learn more about Pro Tools Multiseat Network Site Licensing, please contact Avid sales or inquire with your Avid dealer.
Avid Link Now Bundled With Pro Tools 2019.5
Avid Link, the replacement for the Application Manager will now included in the Pro Tools installers with effect from this Pro Tools 2019.5 release.
This update to Avid Link adds Cloud Project and Storage display on the Products tab, adds User avatars on the Profile tab, improves the Marketplace shopping experiences as well as the Messages and Projects areas. It also includes additional usability and performance improvements.
Pro Tools 2019.5 Key Feature Summary
Feature | Pro Tools First | Pro Tools | Pro Tools Ultimate |
---|---|---|---|
Voice Limit Increase | N/A | N/A | Yes |
Non-stop playback features | Yes | Yes | Yes |
MIDI Tracks | 16 | 1024 | 1024 |
Name in Create Tracks Dialog | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Selective Project Sync | 3 Projects | Unlimited | Unlimited |
macOS Mojave Support | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Multiseat Licensing | N/A | Yes | Yes |
Notes…
MIDI Tracks has increased from 512 to 1024 in Pro Tools and Pro Tools Ultimate
Previously Selective Project Sync was not available with Pro Tools First
More Pro Tools 2019 Content To Come
Watch out for more Pro Tools 2019.5 Related content to come including the Pro Tools 2019.5 Bug Fix list, details on new 19.5.0 versions of EuControl and the Pro Tools Control app that bring full monitor control to the Control app and an exclusive review from a post-production user’s eye view of some of the new features added in 2019.5 and how they are impacting on their workflow.