Top

Avid release Pro Tools 2023.3

Avid Pro Tools 2023.3 Apple Silicon native support DAW PlayCell Elastic Audio update

Avid have announced that Pro Tools 2023.3 is now available. This latest update brings native Apple Silicon support along with some new options for the software’s audio pitch and time editing, and also introduces PlayCell, a new virtual sample player instrument.

Native M1/M2 Support

With the release of this latest update, Pro Tools is now fully qualified to run natively on Apple Silicon processors, allowing users of M1 and M2-equipped Macs to benefit from significant performance improvements. Processes such as offline bounces and track activations will see their processing times reduced, whilst plug-in CPU utilisation and the software’s overall responsiveness will also see improvements.

All of the key functionality that was missing from the beta version is now present, with all AIR plug-ins and instruments (except Structure Free, which is coming soon), Cloud Collaboration, MP3 Export, Score Editor, Chord Extraction and the X-Form Audio Suite and algorithm in Elastic Audio all now working natively on Apple’s latest processors.

As announced in the beta, Avid’s ICON, C24 and Command 8 control surfaces will not run in the new native version. Avid say that although they have officially been out of support for several years, they should continue to work when running Pro Tools via Apple’s Rosetta 2 translation software.

Elastic Audio

In addition to supporting X-Form, Avid have added an entirely new algorithm to the DAW’s Elastic Audio feature in the form of élastique Pro V3 by zplane.development. Available in all versions of the software, the algorithm promises to offer stable timing, inter-channel phase coherence, and sample-accurate stretching, as well as providing formant-preserving pitch-shifting for both monophonic and polyphonic audio in real time.

PlayCell

PlayCell is a new virtual sample player instrument, and offers an extensive library of drums, pianos, guitars, basses, synths, orchestral and other instruments. A simple, intuitive interface aims to provide users with a quick and easy way to dial in their sounds, with every instrument equipped with a set of pre-assigned macro controls that have been designed to offer precise control over the character of each patch.

New sounds will continue to be available though a new Sonic Drop program, which will offer those with active subscriptions or upgrade plans with regular access to new samples, loops and instrument presets. PlayCell will be available in Pro Tools Studio and Ultimate, but not Pro Tools First.

Other Improvements

A range of other enhancements have been introduced in the update, with users now able to tab to automation breakpoints or double-click between them to select a range. Edit Groups can now be made to include rulers, allowing information such as markers and tempo changes to be included in arrangement changes or re-conforms, and it is now possible to navigate to the All group from within the Modify Group window’s ID menu. A number of new features and improvements have also been added to the Quantize Controls section of the Edit Window and MIDI Editor toolbars based on user feedback.

Availability

Pro Tools 2023.3 is available now to all Pro Tools customers with an active subscription or perpetual licence with an active Software Updates + Support Plan.