Learn how to use the Grabber Tools in Pro Tools with this quick and easy Video Tutorial, by Avid Expert Instructor, Mihai Boloni. We explain Time Grabber, Separation Grabber, and Object Grabber to help you improve your editing workflow.
In this video tutorial we demonstrate the various functions of the Grabber Tool, and its various Sub-Tools, to help you improve your editing workflow. Additional Pro Tools Training Videos by ProMedia Training can be found on our Youtube Channel and Blog, or call 888-277-0457 for enrollment in our Hands-on Classes at one of our training centers.
The Grabber Tool is used to move audio (as well as MIDI, and Video) clips in the timeline of Pro Tools. It allows you to move clips in time on the same track, or to different tracks within the session. While this sounds simple, there are numerous editing functions that require the use of various sub-tool functions of the Grabber. Let's take a look at the 3 varieties of Grabber Tool.
Time Grabber
This is the default Grabber Tool that allows you to select and move clips in the timeline. Simply clicking on the audio clip will automatically select the entire clip. If you need to select multiple clips, hold the Shift-Key and click on the adjacent clips. This allows you to move a series of clips while preserving their position with one another.
Seperation Grabber
When you right-click on the Grabber Tool, you will open the sub-menu allowing you to choose the Separation Grabber. This variation of the Grabber has a built-in Separate function, allowing you to edit a selection at the same time as you move it's position. For example: when you have a selection within a clip that you want to move, you'd first have to use the Separate Clip function from the Edit Menu, which will create a new individual clip from the selection. Then you would use the Grabber Tool to move this new clip. The Separation Grabber combines these 2 functions into one easy to use tool. With the Separation Grabber, click and drag the selection and it automatically separates it from the rest of the clip.
Separation Grabber allows you to Grab selection, separate, drag-and-drop new clip
Resulting edit of using the Separation Grabber
Object Grabber
The Object Grabber allows you to select multiple audio clips without selecting the time between the clips. The normal Time Grabber always selects the entire length of time between clips when you select multiples. This can be awkward when editing if you have to grab some of the clips, but not everything between the clips. In the example below, notice how the Object Grabber draws a yellow box around the individual clips that are selected, without selecting the adjacent clips.
Select and move individual clips with the Object Grabber
Whether you're working with Music, Sound Design, Post Production, or anything that revolves around editing audio, you'll find yourself developing a workflow that suits your needs with the Grabber Tool. Not only does it work on it's own, but it can also be tied into the Smart-Tool, which we will discuss in an upcoming article.
Mihai Boloni
Avid Certified Expert Pro Tools Instructor