Understanding Tracks and Channel Strips
Tracks are listed from top to bottom in the Arrange track list and extend horizontally across the Arrange area in lanes.
Each track is assigned to a particular channel strip in the Mixer. In other words, the output of a track is sent to a channel strip. If a track is not sent to a channel strip, regions on it will not be heard.
Note: The exception to this rule is folder tracks. For more information, see Working with Folders.
Once assigned to a particular channel strip type in the Mixer, the behavior of the track is limited as follows:
Track type | Assigned to Mixer | Track used for |
|---|---|---|
Audio | Audio channel strips | Playback, recording, and automation of audio regions. |
Instrument | Instrument channel strips | Playback, recording, and automation of MIDI data sent to software instruments. |
MIDI | MIDI channel strips | Playback, recording, and automation of MIDI data sent to external MIDI devices. |
Folder | Not assigned | Used as lanes for folder regions. Folder regions are simply containers for other regions and are not assigned to a Mixer channel strip. |
As you can see, each track type handles different sorts of data and has a special purpose. This is due to the routing of each track to a specific channel strip type in the Mixer.
The parameters of a track are displayed in the Inspector’s Track Parameter box.
Important: The parameters belong to the channel strip (or object) the track is routed to, not to the track per se, so if you alter the parameters in the Track Parameter box, all tracks assigned to this channel strip are affected.
Most of the functions described in this chapter are identical for external MIDI, software instrument, and audio tracks.
In addition to these track types, there are also tracks with very specific functions, such as global tracks. Global tracks—found at the top of linear editing windows—are used to view and edit global events, such as tempo, which affect all tracks in the arrangement. For information about these tracks, see Global Tracks.