Which two types of timestamps does Pro Tools provide, and what is the key difference?

• A. Original timestamp is written into the metadata and cannot be erased or edited; user timestamp can be manipulated any time.
• B. Both timestamps are editable and interchangeable.
• C. The user timestamp is stored in a separate file and cannot affect playback.
• D. Pro Tools uses a single, uneditable global timestamp.

Answer: (A)

In Pro Tools, media clips carry two timestamps to help you reference and organize your audio. The original time stamp is embedded in the file’s metadata and serves as an unchangeable record of when the file was created or captured. Because it’s written into the metadata, it cannot be erased or edited within Pro Tools.

The second timestamp is a user-defined time stamp. This is stored as editable metadata within Pro Tools, and you can change it anytime to reflect how you want to reference or organize the clip in your session.

The key difference is immutability versus editability: the original stamp preserves the true source time, while the user stamp is a flexible tag you can update for your workflow. These timestamps are for reference and organization and don’t directly affect playback. They help with tracking, searching, and aligning clips across sessions.