How Do I Select Between Markers In Pro Tools?

Selecting between markers in Pro Tools can be done efficiently with a combination of mouse clicks, keyboard shortcuts, and the Memory Locations window.

These techniques are essential for speeding up your workflow, particularly when editing, mixing, or organizing different sections of a session.

Method 1: Using the mouse in the Marker ruler

This is one of the fastest and most intuitive methods for making a timeline selection between adjacent markers.

To select between two markers:

1. Navigate to the main Marker ruler at the top of your Edit window.
2. Position your mouse cursor in the blank space between the two markers you want to select.
3. Double-click with your mouse. The timeline will immediately highlight the area from the start of the first marker to the start of the second.

To select multiple adjacent marker ranges:

1. Double-click between the first two markers.
2. Hold the Shift key and double-click between the next pair of markers. This will extend your selection.
3. Triple-click anywhere in the ruler to select the entire timeline from the first to the last marker in your session.

Method 2: Using the numeric keypad

For keyboard-centric users, this method is exceptionally fast and precise, especially when you have many numbered markers.

To select between two specific markers:

1. Press ., then type the number of the first marker, and press . again (e.g., .3.). This moves the cursor to that location.
2. Hold down Shift, then press ., type the number of the second marker, and press . again (e.g., Shift + .7.).
3. Pro Tools will create a timeline selection spanning the distance between the two markers you specified.

Method 3: Using the Memory Locations window

The Memory Locations window gives you a graphical list of all your markers and is particularly useful for managing sessions with many markers, or for selecting non-adjacent marker ranges.

To select between two markers:

1. Open the Memory Locations window by navigating to Window > Memory Locations or using the shortcut Cmd + 5 (Mac) or Ctrl + 5 (Windows) on the numeric keypad.
2. In the far-left column of the window, click on the entry for your first marker.
3. Hold down the Shift key and click on the entry for your second marker. This will select all markers in between and highlight the corresponding timeline selection.
4. For non-contiguous selections, use Cmd (Mac) or Ctrl (Windows) instead of Shift.

Method 4: Using the Tab key with Marker Focus

If your Command Focus is set to the marker ruler, you can use the Tab key to navigate between markers. This is useful for quickly jumping and extending selections.

Before you begin, ensure you have "Marker Focus" enabled:

1. Click in the Marker ruler area at the top of the Edit window to give it keyboard focus.

To make a selection:

1. Click on the first marker you want to include in your selection.
2. Hold down the Shift key and press Tab. Your selection will extend forward to the next marker.
3. To extend the selection backward, hold down Option + Shift + Tab (Mac) or Alt + Shift + Tab (Windows).

Advanced selection techniques

• Customizing marker properties: Memory locations are more than just simple markers. When you create a new memory location by pressing Enter on the numeric keypad, you can choose to store a selection, zoom level, pre/post-roll times, track visibility, and more. This allows you to quickly recall complex configurations with a single click.
• Track markers: In recent versions of Pro Tools, you can place markers directly on specific tracks, which move with the clips on that track when "Markers Follow Edit" is enabled. Double-clicking between two track markers will select the range on that specific track.
• Color-coding: Assign different colors to your markers from the Color Palette. This helps to visually organize different sections of your session, such as verses, choruses, and bridges.
• Batch editing: In the Memory Locations window, you can select multiple markers and batch-edit their properties, or delete them in one go.