Pro Tools - AIR (Advanced Instrument Research)

AIR (Advanced Instrument Research)

In August 2005, Avid acquired the German company Wizoo, formerly working mainly for Steinberg (Cubase, Nuendo) and developers of software based virtual instruments. They further announced the creation of AIR (Advanced Instrument Research) a strategic development which meant Avid would be developing virtual instruments and plug-ins for use in Pro Tools.

This was a move which saw the landmark redevelopment of Pro Tools which started in version 8 and has continued to be supported in versions 9 and 10. This relied heavily on the inclusion of AIR Virtual Instrument plug-ins to bring it closer to its competitor Logic Pro. This was the first version of Pro Tools to see the inclusion of an entire virtual instrument collection to assist those composing music. Those included with Pro Tools Standard called the Creative Collection include:

• Structure FREE, a sample playback instrument.
• Boom, a beat box
• Xpand2, a multi-timbral sample-playback/synthesis plug-in
• DB33, a Hammond Organ emulator
• Vacuum, a monophonic vintage synth.
• Mini Grand, Piano.

AIR also contributes reverbs, dynamics, modulation and other effects as part of the Pro Tools, all of these work in Native format only.

Some of the additional Virtual Instruments for Pro Tools that AIR has created include:

• Hybrid, a high definition Synthesizer
• Velvet, vintage electric piano
• Transfuser, real-time loop, phrase and groove creator

In July 2012, inMusic, parent company of brands such as Akai Professional and Alesis, announced its acquisition of AIR from Avid. The sale of AIR was part of a larger acquisition by inMusic that included Avid's consumer audio products and the M-Audio brand.