How To Export Multitracks In Pro Tools

If you’re sending a Pro Tools session off for mixing, the main thing you need is one clearly named audio file per track, exported in a format that will open cleanly and in sync when imported into the mix engineer's DAW.

Before exporting, make sure you have properly prepared your multitracks for mixing. If you need help with that first, read Preparing Your Multitracks For Mixing.

Table of Contents

  1. How To Export Your Multitracks

  2. What To Check Before Sending

  3. Upload Your Multitracks

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How To Export Your Multitracks

1. Select the full section you want to export

In the Edit window, select the full song range across all of the tracks you want to send.

In Pro Tools, this step matters because you want every exported track to start from the same point and run for the same length, so everything lines up properly when imported into another DAW.

2. Consolidate the selected clips

Go to Edit > Consolidate Clip.

This creates one continuous clip per track for the section you selected.

3. Open the Clips List

Open the Clips List on the right-hand side of the Edit window.

4. Select the consolidated clips

Select the newly consolidated clips you want to export.

5. Export the clips as files

From the Clips List menu, choose Export Clips as Files.

6. Choose your file format

Set File Type to WAV or AIFF.

Either is fine for sending multitracks to a mix engineer.

7. Choose your bit depth

Select 24-bit, unless you explicitly recorded at, or only used samples that are 16-bit. If you are unsure, pick 24-bit.

8. Leave the sample rate at the session’s native setting

This is usually 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz, but it can be other rates too, such as 96 kHz or even 192 kHz. The important thing is simply to export at whatever sample rate the session is already set to.

9. Choose where to save the exported files

Pick a folder location you can easily find again, then click Export.

What To Check Before Sending

Once Pro Tools has exported the files, open the folder and give it a quick check.

Make sure:

  • The expected tracks are all there

  • The file names are clear

  • Everything starts from the same point

  • Nothing has been cut off

If you are sending the tracks to a mix engineer, it is also a good idea to include a rough mix alongside the exported files.

Upload Your Multitracks

Once you have finished your export, you can upload your multitracks on my file upload page and I’ll have a listen and get back to you with the next steps.

If you have any questions at all, feel free to send me a message via the contact page.