Pro Tools 101_ An Introduction to Pro Tools 11 ( PDFDrive )

The edit cursor is a flashing line that appears when you click the Selector
tool in a track. The blinking edit cursor indicates the starting point for any
editing tasks that you perform. By making a selection with the edit cursor, you
define an area for Pro Tools to perform a desired editing task.
With the Timeline and Edit Selections linked and the Pro Tools Transport
stopped, the playback cursor’s location will always match the edit cursor’s
location.
Setting the Playback Point
With the Timeline and Edit Selections linked, you can set the playback point
using the Selector tool by clicking directly on a track. To set the playback
point on a track using the Selector tool, follow these steps:
1. In the Edit window, click the SELECTOR tool. The cursor will turn into an
I-beam when positioned over a track.
2. Click and release the mouse button at any point in an existing track.
3. Press the SPACE BAR to begin playback from this point.
4. To stop playback, press the SPACE BAR again.
5. To move to a different playback point in the track, click the SELECTOR at
the new position and press the SPACE BAR again.
You can also set the playback point with any tool selected by clicking on any
Ruler in the Timeline display area of the Edit window. This allows you to set
the playback point without changing tools. Clicking on a Timebase Ruler
provides a common way to set the playback point regardless of whether the
Timeline and Edit Selections are linked.
Locating the Playback Cursor
At times, the playback cursor might be difficult to find in a session. For
example, if the No Scrolling option is selected (see “Scrolling Options,”
below), the playback cursor will move off screen after it has played past the
location currently visible in the Edit window.
To make navigation easier, Pro Tools provides a Playback Cursor Locator,
which you can use to jump to the playback cursor when it is off screen.