Displaying Multichannel Files from a Field Recorder in the Clip List

When importing multichannel recordings from a field recorder, Pro Tools saves the multichannel audio as interleaved audio files, which display as single items in the Clip List.

In previous versions of Pro Tools, multichannel files were saved as separate files, one for each channel. Pro Tools treats these groups of related clips as single items. An expand/collapse triangle next to an item in the Clip List indicates this type of grouped multichannel clip. If you’re working with material imported by an earlier version of Pro Tools, you may see these collective clips.

For multichannel audio clips imported from field recorders to be shown as collective clips, both component clips must have the following properties:

Same length

Same clip name prefix (such as Audio File or Audio File_01)

Consecutively-numbered clip name suffix, from A1 through A8

For example, the clips Audio File_01.A1 and Audio File_01.A2 would be grouped as a multichannel clip in the Clip List.

If an existing stereo or multichannel grouped clip has been dragged onto multiple mono tracks and edited in such a way that one or more components are no longer the same length, the stereo display is removed and the clips are displayed as individual clips in the Clip List.