Editing : Editing Basics : Track Material : Clip Types

Clip Types
There are different types of audio and MIDI clips, based on how they are created:
Whole-File Audio Clips
These audio clips are created when recording or importing audio, consolidating existing clips, and when nondestructively processing with an AudioSuite plug-in. Whole-file audio clips reference an entire audio file that resides on your hard drive. Whole-file audio clips are displayed in bold in the Clip List (see The Clip List). Normal clips often reference only a portion of the parent audio file and are created in the course of editing and, in some instances, when punch recording or loop recording.
User-Defined Clips
These are clips that are explicitly defined, such as when you record or import audio or MIDI; capture, separate, or consolidate a selection; trim a whole-file audio clip; or rename an existing clip.
Auto-Created Clips
These clips are automatically created in the course of editing, and, in some instances, when punch recording over existing clips. Since these clips can accumulate rapidly in a session, you can hide them in the Clip List. Auto-created clips can be turned into user-defined clips by renaming them.
Offline Clips
Clips are offline when their parent files cannot be located, or are not available, when opening a session or importing a track. Offline clips appear in the Clip List as italicized and dimmed; they appear in playlists as light blue clips with italicized names. Offline clips can be edited like other clips, but they cannot be processed with AudioSuite plug-ins.
Multichannel Clips
These clips, which are displayed as a single clip in the Clip List, reference multiple clips and audio files for stereo and surround tracks. Multichannel clips can be expanded (by clicking the triangle next to their name) to see the individual channels, which can be dragged independently to tracks.
Clip Groups
A clip group is a collection of any combination of audio and MIDI clips that looks and acts like a single clip. Clip groups are essentially containers holding one or more clips. Clip groups can be created on a single track or on multiple adjacent audio, MIDI, and Instrument tracks. Clip groups let you “nest” multiple clips into “macro” clips for groove and tempo manipulation, editing, and arranging (see Clip Groups).
Warped Clips
Clips on Real-Time Elastic Audio-enabled tracks can be warped. Warped clips are identified with a Warp Indicator icon in the upper-right corner of clips on tracks and to the left of clip names in the Clip List. Warped clips result from the application of Elastic Audio processing. Elastic Audio processing can be applied manually in Warp view or using the TCE Trim Tool in Waveform view, or automatically using tempo conform, quantization, or transposition (see Warped Clips).