Create tracks

You add tracks to a project to hold your recordings, loops, and other material. When you add a track, you can choose the track type, format, input source (for audio tracks), and output, and create multiple tracks. The options in the New Tracks dialog vary, depending on the type of track you are creating.

When you create a new track, a corresponding new channel strip is also created. The new track appears in the Tracks area, and the new channel strip appears in the Mixer.

Create one or more new tracks

Click the Add Tracks button , located above the track headers.
Select the track type in the upper part of the New Tracks dialog.
If the Details area at the bottom is closed, click the Details disclosure triangle to open it.
Choose the input source from the Input pop-up menu.
- For audio tracks: Choose the input channel or channels.
- For software instrument tracks: Choose An Instrument Plug-in.
  When Show Advanced Tools is selected in the Advanced preferences pane, the Input pop-up menu is not available for software instrument tracks.
- For external MIDI tracks: Choose An external MIDI or USB device, then choose the input channel or channels from the lower Input pop-up menu.
- For Drummer tracks: The Input pop-up menu is not available.
Tip: Below the Input pop-up menu, a line of text shows the current input device. To change the input device, click the arrow next to the text, then change the device in the Audio preferences pane.
Choose the audio output and output channel (or channels) from the Output pop-up menus.
Tip: Below the Output pop-up menu, a line of text shows the current output device. To change the output device, click the arrow next to the text, then change the device in the Audio preferences pane.
Do any of the following:
- To set the number of multi-timbral parts for software instrument tracks: Select the Multi-timbral checkbox, then enter the number of multi-timbral or layer parts.
  Multi-timbral refers to the number of different sounds a software instrument can play simultaneously.
- To have the Library open automatically so you can choose a patch for the track: Select the Open Library checkbox.
  Tip: Deselect the Open Library checkbox if you want to add an empty track containing no plug-ins.
- To include the default patch for audio tracks: Select the Load Default Patch checkbox.
- To choose an instrument plug-in for software instrument tracks: Choose the instrument plug-in from the pop-up menu below the Load Patch or Instrument Plug-in checkbox.
- To turn on monitoring for audio tracks: Select the “I want to hear my instrument as I play and record” checkbox.
  When Show Advanced Tools is selected in the Advanced preferences pane, the checkbox is titled Input Monitoring.
- To record-enable audio tracks: Select the “Prepare new audio tracks for immediate recording” checkbox.
  When Show Advanced Tools is selected in the Advanced preferences pane, the checkbox is titled Record Enable.
- To create multiple tracks: Select the number in the “Number of tracks to create” field, and enter a new number.
Click Create.
The new track appears in the Tracks area. If the Open Library checkbox is selected, the Library opens so you can choose a patch for the track.
For information about choosing patches, see Choose a patch.

Create a track below the selected track

Control-click the track header.
Choose one of the following from the shortcut menu.
- To create an audio track: choose New Audio Track.
- To create a software instrument track: choose New Software Instrument Track.
- To create a Drummer track: choose New Drummer Track.
- To create an external MIDI track: choose New External MIDI Track.

A new track of the chosen type, with default settings, is created below the selected track.

When you create a Drummer track, the track contains two 8-bar regions. The Drum Kit Designer plug-in with a default drum kit is inserted into the track’s channel strip. For more information about working with Drummer tracks, see Drummer overview.