After the ACID software is installed and you start it for the first time, the registration wizard

appears. This
wizard offers easy steps that allow you to register the software online with Sony Pictures Digital Media
Software and Services. Alternatively, you may register online at http://www.sony.com/mediasoftware at any
time.
Registering your product will provide you with access to a variety of technical support options, notification
of product updates, and special promotions exclusive to registered ACID users.

Registration assistance
If you do not have access to the Internet, registration assistance is available during normal weekday business
hours. Please contact our Customer Service department by dialing one of the following numbers:

Telephone/Fax Country
1-800-577-6642 (toll-free) US, Canada, and Virgin Islands
+608-204-7703 for all other countries
1-608-250-1745 (Fax) All countries

Customer service/sales
For a detailed list of customer service options, we encourage you to visit
http://mediasoftware.sonypictures.com/support/custserv.asp. Use the following numbers for telephone
support during normal weekday business hours:

Telephone/Fax Country
1-800-577-6642 (toll-free) US, Canada, and Virgin Islands
+608-204-7703 for all other countries
1-608-250-1745 (Fax) All countries

Technical support
For a detailed list of technical support options, we encourage you to visit
http://mediasoftware.sonypictures.com/support/default.asp. To listen to your support options by telephone,
please call 608-256-5555.

About your rights in ACID software

ACID software is licensed to you under the terms of the End User License Agreement. The End User License
Agreement is first presented to you when you install the software. Please review the End User License
Agreement carefully as its terms affect your rights with respect to the software. For your reference, a copy of
the End User License Agreement for ACID software is located at http://www.sony.com/mediasoftware.

About your privacy

Sony Pictures Digital respects your privacy and is committed to protecting personal information. Your use of
the software is governed by the Software Privacy Policy. A copy of this policy is incorporated into the
registration process and you are asked to agree to its terms prior to accepting the terms of the End User
License Agreement. Please review its contents carefully as its terms and conditions affect your rights with
respect to the information that is collected by the software. For your reference, a copy of the Software
Privacy Policy is located at http://mediasoftware.sonypictures.com/corporate/privacy.asp.
Proper use of software
ACID software is not intended and should not be used for illegal or infringing purposes, such as the illegal
copying or sharing of copyrighted materials. Using ACID software for such purposes is, among other things,
against United States and international copyright laws and contrary to the terms and conditions of the End
User License Agreement. Such activity may be punishable by law and may also subject you to the breach
remedies set forth in the End User License Agreement.

Legal notices
Vegas, Vegas+DVD, DVD Architect, Vegas Movie Studio, Vegas Movie Studio+DVD, DVD Architect Studio, ACID, Music Studio, ACIDized,
Sony Sound Series, Chopper, Groove Mapping, Groove Cloning, Media Manager, CD Architect, Sound Forge, Audio Studio, Acoustic Mirror,
Noise Reduction, Wave 64, Wave Hammer, and XFX are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sony Pictures Digital Inc. or its affiliates in the
United States and other countries.
Sony Pictures Digital Inc. may have patents, patent applications, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property rights covering subject matter
in this document. Except as expressly provided in any written license agreement from Sony Pictures Digital Inc., the furnishing of this document does
not give you any license to these patents, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property.
Thomson Fraunhofer MP3
MPEG Layer-3 audio coding technology licensed from Fraunhofer IIS and Thomson.
Supply of this product does not convey a license nor imply any right to distribute content created with this product in revenue generating broadcast
systems (terrestrial, satellite, cable and/or other distribution channels), streaming applications (via internet, intranets and/or other networks), other
content distribution systems (pay-audio or audio on demand applications and the like) or on physical media (compact discs, digital versatile discs,
semiconductor chips, hard drives, memory cards and the like).
An independent license for such use is required. For details, please visit: http://mp3licensing.com.
Microsoft DirectX programming interface
Portions utilize Microsoft® DirectX® technologies. Copyright © 1999 – 2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Microsoft Windows Media 9
Portions utilize Microsoft Windows Media® technologies. Copyright © 1999 – 2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Real, RealMedia, RealAudio, and RealVideo applications
2004 RealNetworks, Inc. Patents Pending. All rights reserved. Real®, Real Media®, RealAudio®, RealVideo®, and the Real logo are trademarks or
registered trademarks of RealNetworks, Inc. in the United States and other countries.
MPEGLA and MPEG 2
USE OF THIS PRODUCT IN ANY MANNER THAT COMPLIES WITH THE MPEG-2 STANDARD IS EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED
WITHOUT A LICENSE UNDER APPLICABLE PATENTS IN THE MPEG-2 PATENT PORTFOLIO, WHICH LICENSE IS AVAILABLE
FROM MPEG-LA, LLC, 250 STEELE STREET, SUITE 300, DENVER, COLORADO 80206.
Manufactured under license from MPEG-LA.
Dolby, Dolby Digital AC-3, and AAC encoding
This product contains one or more programs protected under international and U.S. copyright laws as unpublished works. They are confidential and
proprietary to Dolby Laboratories. Their reproduction or disclosure, in whole or in part, or the production of derivative works therefrom without the
express permission of Dolby Laboratories is prohibited. Copyright 1992 – 2004 Dolby Laboratories. All rights reserved.
Dolby®, the double-D symbol, AC-3®, and Dolby Digital® are registered trademarks of Dolby Laboratories. AAC™ is a trademark of Dolby
Laboratories.
A special note concerning the use of the Dolby Digital trademark:
Dolby Laboratories encourages use of the Dolby Digital trademark to identify soundtracks that are encoded in Dolby Digital. This is an effective way
to inform listeners of the soundtrack format, and the use of a standard logo promotes easy recognition in the marketplace. However, like any
trademark, the Dolby Digital logo may not be used without permission. Dolby Laboratories therefore provides a standard trademark license agreement
for companies who wish to use Dolby trademarks. This agreement should be signed by the company that owns the program material being produced.
Recording studios or production facilities which provide audio production or encoding services for outside clients generally do not require a
trademark license.
If you would like more information on obtaining a Dolby trademark license, please contact Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation. Information
on trademark licensing plus instructions for using the Dolby Digital trademark and marking audio formats can also be found on-line at http://
www.dolby.com.
Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
100 Potrero Ave.
San Francisco, CA 94520 USA
Phone: 415-558-0200
Fax: 415-863-1373
E-mail: [email protected]
http://www.dolby.com
PNG file format
Copyright © 2004. World Wide Web Consortium (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, European Research Consortium for Informatics and
Mathematics, Keio University). All rights reserved. This work is distributed under the W3C Software License in the hope that it will be useful, but
WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTIBILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
http://www.w3.org/Consortium/Legal/2002/copyright-software-20021231.
Apple QuickTime
Apple® QuickTime® application is a trademark of Apple, Inc. in the United States and other countries.
Apple Macintosh Audio Interchange File Format (AIFF) file format.
Apple® Macintosh® Audio Interchange™ File Format (AIFF) is a trademark of Apple, Inc. in the United States and other countries.
Targa file format
The Targa™ file format is a trademark of Pinnacle Systems, Inc.
Tagged Image File Format (TIFF)
Adobe Tagged Image™ File Format is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and other countries. All rights
reserved.
Main Concept encoder
Main Concept® plug-in is a trademark of registered trademark of Main Concept, Inc. in the United States or other countries. All rights reserved.
Steinberg Media Technologies
Cubase®, VST®, and Nuendo® are registered trademarks of Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH.
ASIO™ is a trademark of Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH.
Macromedia Flash
Macromedia and Flash are trademarks or registered trademarks of Macromedia, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries.
Sony Pictures Digital Inc.
Media Software and Services
1617 Sherman Avenue
Madison, WI 53704
USA

The information contained in this manual is subject to change without notice and does not represent a
guarantee or commitment on behalf of Sony Pictures Digital Inc. in any way. All updates or additional
information relating to the contents of this manual will be posted on the Sony Pictures Digital Media
Software web site, located at http://www.sony.com/mediasoftware. The software is provided to you under the
terms of the End User License Agreement and Software Privacy Policy, and must be used and/or copied in
accordance therewith. Copying or distributing the software except as expressly described in the End User
License Agreement is strictly prohibited. No part of this manual may be reproduced or transmitted in any
form or for any purpose without the express written consent of Sony Pictures Digital Inc.
Copyright 2004. Sony Pictures Digital Inc.
Program Copyright 2004. Sony Pictures Digital Inc. All rights reserved.
 1

Table of Contents

Introducing ACID Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Welcome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
System requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Using this manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Installing ACID software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Using online help. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Online help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
What’sThis? help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Help on the Web . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Overview of ACID software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Main window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Track list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Track view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Window docking area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Keyboard command reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Audio signal flow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
MIDI signal flow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

Getting Started. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Starting projects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Setting project properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Opening existing projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Getting media files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Previewing media from the Explorer window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Adding media to the project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 2

Understanding track types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Loops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
One-shots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Beatmapped . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
MIDI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Folder tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Adding and editing events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Painting events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Changing the length of events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Erasing sections of events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Moving events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Using the cursor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Positioning the cursor with the mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Positioning the cursor with the keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Positioning the cursor with the Go To command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Making selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Selecting an event . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Selecting multiple events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Creating time selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Creating event selections within time selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Working with tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Reordering tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Resizing tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Changing track colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Renaming tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Duplicating tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Deleting tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Copying, cutting, and pasting tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Adjusting the mix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Muting tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Soloing tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Working with groups of tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Using undo and redo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Using undo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Undoing all edits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Using redo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Clearing the undo history . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Playing the project. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Using the transport bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Using playback options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 3
Using the Mixer window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Viewing the Mixer window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
Using the mixer toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
Renaming mixer controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
Using the mixer’s faders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
Saving, rendering, and delivering projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Saving projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Rendering projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
Publishing to the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
Writing to CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

Editing Events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Copying events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
Pasting events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Using the Paste command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
Using Paste Repeat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
Using Paste Insert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
Cutting events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Deleting events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
Reversing events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Trimming events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Splitting events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
Splitting at the cursor position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
Splitting an event . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
Splitting multiple events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70
Splitting a time selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70
Splitting events within a time selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70
Joining events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Ripple editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Cutting events in ripple editing mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71
Deleting events in ripple editing mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
Pasting events in ripple editing mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73
Slipping and sliding events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Shifting the contents of (slipping) events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
Slip-trimming events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
Sliding events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
Changing event properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

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Using event envelopes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Setting an event’s volume envelope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Setting an event’s fade-in and -out envelope curve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Creating crossfades between events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Using the Media Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Creating a new media library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Opening a media library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Adding media files to a library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Removing media files from a library. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Tagging media files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Creating a tag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Applying a tag to a media file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Removing a tag from a media file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Deleting a tag from a library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Merging subtags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Arranging tags in the tag tree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Editing tag names or images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Viewing or creating palettes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Saving tags and properties to media files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Backing up your media libraries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Opening a Reference Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Using the Sony Sound Series Loops & Samples reference library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Searching for media files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Searching using a keyword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Searching using tags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Sorting search results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Viewing previous searches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Using advanced search options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Previewing media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Adding media to your project. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Resolving offline media files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

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Customizing the Media Manager window. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Automatically hiding the Search pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
Docking and undocking the Search pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
Resizing columns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
Moving columns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
Showing or hiding columns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94
Adding custom columns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94
Setting Media Manager options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Working in the Track View. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Using project markers and regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97
Working with standard markers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97
Working with time markers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99
Working with command markers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99
Working with regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102
Using snapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103
Choosing snapping options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104
Changing tempo, time signature, and key. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104
Changing project tempo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105
Changing project time signature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106
Changing project key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106
Working with tempo/key/time signature change markers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106
Changing a track’s key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107
Changing an event’s key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108
Adjusting time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108
Inserting time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108
Fitting to time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108

Using the Chopper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Working in the Chopper window. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109
Viewing the Chopper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109
Changing the Chopper grid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109
Changing Chopper snapping options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109
Magnifying the Chopper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Previewing in the Chopper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Using Chopper toolbar and keyboard commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Inserting markers and regions in the Chopper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111
Creating selections in the Chopper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111
Placing files in the Chopper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111
Creating selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111
Creating selections of a specific musical length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112

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Inserting increments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

Creating increments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Creating increments of a specific musical length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Creating increments of a custom musical length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Inserting selections in the track view. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Using the Insert Selection button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Using copy and paste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Dragging selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114
Moving the insert position in the track view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Saving Chopper selections as new files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Using the Chopper with one-shots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

Working with Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Using track effects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Using ACID FX as track effects in ACID Music Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Using track effects in ACID Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
Using track envelopes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Adding track envelopes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Adjusting envelopes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Using the Envelope tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Hiding track envelopes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126
Removing track envelopes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127
Choosing stereo pan types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Using the Beatmapper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Understanding stretching properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Configuring track properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Adjusting general track properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Adjusting stretching properties for loop or Beatmapped tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Adjusting track properties for MIDI tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Reloading files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Replacing files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Saving file properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Working with grooves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Applying or removing grooves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Creating grooves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Editing grooves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140

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Using folder tracks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141
Creating a folder track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141
Adding existing tracks to a folder track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141
Removing tracks from a folder track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141
Muting a folder track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142
Soloing a folder track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142
Editing events in a folder track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142
Mixing multiple tracks to a single track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142
Exporting loops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143

Using the Mixer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145

Using busses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145
Adding busses to the project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145
Routing tracks to busses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145
Routing busses to system hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146
Deleting busses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146
Using assignable effects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147
Adding assignable effect controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147
Working with assignable effects chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148
Routing tracks to assignable effect controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148
Routing assignable effect controls to busses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148
Deleting assignable effect controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148
Using soft synth controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .149
Adding soft synth controls to projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150
Modifying soft synth control properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150
Deleting soft synth controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154
Routing MIDI tracks to soft synth controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154
Using mixer controls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154
Working with mixer controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154
Adding effects to soft synth mixer controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156
Working with multiple mixer controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160
Automating mixer controls in track view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160
Working with ReWire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .161
Using ACID software as a ReWire mixer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .161
Using ACID software as a ReWire device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .162

Recording in ACID Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165

Recording audio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .165
Setting ACID recording properties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166
Setting recording levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .167

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Recording multiple takes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168

Reviewing and saving takes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168

Working with MIDI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169

Adding MIDI tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Adding MIDI files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Creating new MIDI files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .169
Recording MIDI tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Changing MIDI track properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Pitch shifting MIDI tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Setting root notes for MIDI tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Working with tracks in a MIDI file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Previewing MIDI files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Using the piano roll editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Viewing the piano roll editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Previewing MIDI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Selecting MIDI tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Adding note events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .176
Editing note events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Toggling note snapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Quantizing note events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .180
Deleting note events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Undoing and redoing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Saving MIDI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .181
Using the list editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Viewing the list editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Previewing MIDI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Filtering the list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Editing events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Creating events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Step recording events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Quantizing events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Deleting events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Undoing and redoing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Saving MIDI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .190
Loading third-party OPT plug-ins. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Saving, reloading, or replacing MIDI files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Routing MIDI tracks to MIDI devices or soft synth controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Resetting MIDI ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Rendering projects with MIDI tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193

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Playing MIDI from external devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .193
Adding external devices as MIDI inputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .193
Assigning MIDI inputs to soft synth controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .194
Synchronizing using MIDI timecode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .195
Generating MIDI timecode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .195
Triggering from MIDI timecode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .196
Generating MIDI clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .197

Working with Video. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199

Managing video. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .199
Adding or replacing video files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .199
Removing the video track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .199
Hiding and showing the video track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .199
Synchronizing audio and video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .199
Removing the video’s audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .200
Changing frame numbering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .200
Editing video events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .200
Moving video events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .200
Trimming video events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .200
Slipping and sliding video events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .200
Using the Video window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .201
Using toolbar buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .201
Using the shortcut menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .201
Viewing the status bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .201
Previewing on external monitors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .202
Scoring video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .202

Working with 5.1 Surround. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203

What is 5.1 surround?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .203
Setting up surround hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .204
Setting up surround projects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .204
Routing to hardware in the mixer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205
Assigning audio to the LFE channel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .206
Panning audio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .206
Panning tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .207
Panning mixer controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .207
Using the Surround Panner window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .208

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Automating panning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210

Turning on panning keyframes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Adding panning keyframes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Working with keyframes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Rendering surround projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Burning AC-3 files to DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214

Customizing ACID Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215

Working with ACID windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Docking and floating ACID windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Changing the time ruler format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Using the ruler offset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Using the project grid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Setting the grid type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Using the toolbar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Hiding and displaying the toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Reordering toolbar buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Adding buttons to the toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Removing buttons from the toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Using the time display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Changing cursor position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Changing the time display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Monitoring MIDI timecode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Setting default track properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Setting ACID preferences. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Using the General tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Using the Audio tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Using the MIDI tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Using the VST Effects tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Using the VST Instruments tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .227
Using the ReWire Devices tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Using the Video tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .227
Using the Editing tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Using the Sync tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Using the Keyboard tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Using the Display tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Using the Other tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .231
Using the Folders tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231

TABLE OF CONTENTS
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ACID Tips and Tricks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233

Adding long media files quickly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .233
Playing with duplicate tracks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .233
Detuning paired tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .233
Duplicating with offset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .234
Creating ping-pong pan effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .234
Adding depth with assignable effects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .235
Playing double time/half time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .235
Constructing the wall of sound. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .236
Adding through subtraction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .236
Tweaking the dynamics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .236
Fading in and out of mixes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .236
Adding build ups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .237
Creating wah-wah effects with automated Track EQ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .237
Making automated changes more stark. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .237
Abruptly changing volume or pan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .237
Turning automated effects on and off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .238
Making automated frequency changes more natural . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .238
Overriding compress/expand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .239
Slicing and dicing in the Chopper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .239
Chopping new loops for alternate time signatures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .239
Chopping multiple files into a new loop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .239
Creating drum-roll build ups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .240
Creating drum fills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .240
Creating one-track remixes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .240
Creating DJ-style crossfades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .240
Creating pseudo-granular synthesis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .241
Building instrument solos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .241
Building scales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .241

Glossary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243

Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i

TABLE OF CONTENTS
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
 13
CHAPTER

Introducing ACID
1 Software

Welcome
Congratulations on purchasing a revolutionary software application for Microsoft® Windows®. With
ACID® software from Sony Pictures Digital, you can create great music by simply picking, painting, and
playing.

System requirements
The following lists the minimum system requirements for using the ACID software:
• Microsoft Windows 2000 or XP
• 800 MHz processor (1 GHz if using video)
• 200 MB hard-disk space for program installation
• 600 MB hard-disk space for optional Sony Sound Series Loops & Samples™ reference library installation
• 256 MB RAM
• Microsoft Windows-compatible sound card
• 1024x768 screen resolution
• CD-ROM drive (for installation from a CD only)
• Supported CD-Recordable drive (for CD burning only)
• Microsoft DirectX® 8.1 or later
• Internet Explorer 4.0 or later (version 5.0 included on ACID CD)

Using this manual

This manual is provided to assist both ACID Pro and ACID Music Studio users. For this reason, product
features exclusive to ACID Pro software are identified throughout the manual using the following icon:

In addition, issues and features that pertain only to ACID Music Studio software are identified by the
following icon:

Note: Unless otherwise noted, the pictures you’ll see of the

ACID application throughout this manual are taken from
ACID Pro software. If you are using ACID Music Studio
software, your windows and dialogs may appear slightly
different.

CHP. 1 INTRODUCING ACID SOFTWARE

 14

Installing ACID software

Prior to installing the software, we recommend that you exit all open applications and temporarily turn off
any virus protection.
1. Insert the CD-ROM. The setup screen appears (if CD-ROM AutoPlay is enabled).

Note: If CD-ROM AutoPlay is not enabled, click the

button and choose Run. In the Run dialog that
appears, type the CD-ROM drive’s letter and add
:\setup.exe. Click OK to start the installation.

2. Click Install. The installation process begins.

3. Follow the on-screen prompts to install the appropriate version of the software for your computer.

Note: Windows Installer is used for all versions of

Windows. Windows Installer is installed and then you are
asked to restart your system.

Using online help

You can access two varieties of help within ACID software:
• Online help
• What’sThis? help (also referred to as context-sensitive help)

Online help
To access online help, choose Contents and Index from the Help menu or press F1 .

Note: To view online help, Internet Explorer 4.0 or later

must be installed on your system. If you purchased the ACID
Pro or ACID Music Studio boxed version, Internet Explorer
version 5.0 is included on your CD-ROM.

Toolbar
Tabs

Information
pane

INTRODUCING ACID SOFTWARE CHP. 1

 15

The Contents tab provides a list of available help topics. Double-click a closed book ( ) to open the pages
and then click a topic page ( ).
The Index tab provides a complete listing of the help topics available. Scroll through the list of available
topics or type a word in the Type in the keyword to find box to quickly locate topics related to that word. Select
the topic and click .
The Search tab allows you to enter a keyword and display all of the topics in the online help that contain the
keyword you have entered. Type a keyword in the Type in the word(s) to search for box and click . Select
the topic from the list and click .
The Favorites tab allows you to keep topics that you revisit often in a separate folder. To add a topic to your
favorites, click on the Favorites tab.

What’sThis? help
What’sThis? help allows you to view pop-up window descriptions for ACID menus, buttons, and dialog
boxes. Choose What's This? from the Help menu, press Shift + F1 , or click the What’sThis? help button ( ) on
the toolbar and then click any ACID item. To use What’sThis? help in a dialog box, click the question mark
button ( ) in the upper-right corner of the dialog box and then click an item in the dialog box.

Help on the Web

Additional ACID information is available on the Sony Pictures Digital Media Software Web site. From the
Help menu, choose Sony on the Web, and choose the desired location from the submenu. The software starts
your system’s Web browser and attempts to connect to the appropriate page on the Sony Web site.

Overview of ACID software

ACID music creation software is designed to be powerful and flexible, yet easy to use. Many of the ACID
operations, menu items, and shortcut keys are common to other Sony Pictures Digital applications.
The following sections provide a tour of the ACID work area.

Main window
The ACID workspace includes three main areas: the track list, the track view (or timeline), and the window
docking area. The other parts of the interface are tools and features used while creating and working with
your project. You can resize the track list, track view, and window docking area by dragging the dividers
between them.

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 16

Divider Timeline

Track view
Track list

Divider

Window
docking
area

INTRODUCING ACID SOFTWARE CHP. 1

 17

Toolbar
The toolbar allows you to quickly access the most commonly used functions and features in ACID software.

Opens a new project. You will be prompted to save Activates the Draw tool to add and edit events.
any changes to the current project.
Displays the Open File dialog. From this window, Activates the Selection tool to select multiple events.
you can browse all of the available drives to select
an ACID project or audio file to open.
Saves any changes to the current project. Activates the Paint tool to insert events across multiple
The first time you save a project, the Save As dialog tracks.When used in conjunction with the Ctrl key, the
appears. Paint tool can paint an entire one-shot, MIDI, or
Beatmapped media file to an event with one click.
Opens the Publish wizard so you can share your Activates the Erase tool to erase events or parts of
ACID creation on the Web. events. When used in conjunction with the Ctrl key, the
Erase tool can erase an entire one-shot, MIDI track, or
Beatmapped track event with one click.
Clears the selected items from the track view and Activates the Envelope tool to select and modify
places them on the ACID clipboard. You can then envelope points.
paste them to a new location.
Creates a copy of the selected items from the track Activates the Time Selection tool to quickly select all
view on the ACID clipboard. You can then paste events within range of time.
them to a new location.
Inserts the contents of the ACID clipboard at the Activates the Groove tool to apply a groove to a track.
current cursor position. The pasted items cover any You can use grooves to manipulate the timing of tracks
existing events. To make room for pasted events, by quantizing media to predefined grooves or by
choose Paste Insert from the Edit menu. applying the feel of one track to another. Available
only in ACID Pro software.
Reverses the last action performed. Unlimited Activates the Groove Erase tool to erase grooves or
undos are supported, allowing you to restore the parts of grooves. When used in conjunction with the
project to any state since the last save. Ctrl key, the Groove Erase tool can erase an entire
groove event. Available only in ACID Pro software.
Reverses an undo. Opens a dialog where you can download media from the
Internet.
Turns the snapping feature on or off. With Opens a frequently updated Web page containing special
snapping enabled, you can decide whether to snap offers, tips, tricks, and other good stuff. Note: This
to the grid or to all elements (markers, regions, button is displayed on the toolbar by default in ACID
etc.). Music Studio™ software only. To add this button to
your toolbar in ACID Pro software, choose Customize
Toolbar from the Options menu.
Locks envelope points so they move with an event Opens the Show Me How Tutorials, which explain some
when it is moved along the timeline. of the basic tasks you can perform within ACID
software. Available only in ACID Music Studio
software.
Activates the Metronome to keep time during Activates What’sThis? help to obtain information about
recording and playback. a specific option, menu, or part of the ACID window.

CHP. 1 INTRODUCING ACID SOFTWARE

 18
Track list
This list identifies the track order in your project and contains the track’s controls. The following sections
identify and briefly explain the controls located in the track list.

Bus assignment
Track number/type Track FX

Track name Mute

Solo

Surround panner (surround projects only)

Multipurpose slider

Multipurpose slider mode

View buttons

View buttons
These buttons control the track’s appearance (size) on the track list and the track view.

Track number and type

This area identifies the type of file (loop, one-shot, MIDI, Beatmapped) contained in the track as well as the
track’s number in the project. You can quickly change the track order by dragging selected tracks within the
track list.

Track type icons

Loop

One-shot

Beatmapped

MIDI

Track name
When you add a file to a project, the track name is initially the same name as the file’s name. Right-click the
track name and choose Rename from the shortcut menu (or double-click) to change the track name.

Bus assignment
Clicking the Bus Assignment button ( ) and selecting a letter from the menu allows you to assign the
corresponding track to the specified output bus. However, the button is only available in projects containing
multiple busses. For more information, see Adding busses to the project on page 145.
On a MIDI track, the Device Selection button ( ) appears instead of the Bus Assignment button. This button
allows you to route a MIDI track to a soft synth or MIDI device. For more information, see Routing MIDI tracks
to MIDI devices or soft synth controls on page 192.

Track FX button
The Track FX button ( ) accesses the Audio Plug-In window from which you can add, edit, and apply effects
to the track. For more information, see Using track effects on page 117.

INTRODUCING ACID SOFTWARE CHP. 1

 19
Mute button
Clicking the Mute button ( ) temporarily suspends playback of the corresponding track, allowing you to
focus on the project’s remaining tracks. A muted track appears grayed out in the track view. For more
information, see Muting tracks on page 49.

Solo button
Clicking the Solo button ( ) isolates the track during playback by muting the project’s remaining tracks. For
more information, see Soloing tracks on page 50.

Surround panner
In 5.1 surround projects, the surround panner allows you to view and edit surround panning settings for a
track. Double-click a surround panner to view the Surround Panner window and make fine panning
adjustments. For more information, see Working with 5.1 Surround on page 203.

Multipurpose slider
This multipurpose slider allows you to control the following:
• A track’s volume relative to the project’s other tracks.
• A track’s placement in the stereo spectrum (panning).
• The level of the track’s signal being routed to each of the project’s busses.
• The level of the track’s signal being routed to an assignable effect control.

The multipurpose slider defaults to displaying a track’s volume control. ACID tracks are preset to -6.0
decibels (dB), but the volume range is -inf. to 12 dB. Each track’s slider position is independent from the
others; however, you can move sliders simultaneously by selecting multiple tracks before making your
adjustment. If you do not see this slider, expand the track.
You may choose what the slider controls by clicking the slider label. Changing the slider type for one track
changes it for all tracks so you can compare levels of the same control across the project. For more
information, see Adjusting the mix on page 48.

Track view
In the track view, you can view and edit the events in a track. The area in which events display is the
timeline. The track view contains other elements which are described in the following sections.

Loop bar Marker bar

Beat ruler

Zoom controls

Transport Time ruler

(if displayed)

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 20
Marker bar
The marker bar runs the length of your project and contains the tags for markers and regions positioned
along the project’s timeline.

Beat ruler
The beat ruler allows you to place events in reference to the musical time of bars and beats. This ruler is fixed
and does not update when you change the tempo. This allows the events in the tracks to maintain their size
when you adjust the tempo.

Time ruler
The time ruler provides a timeline for your project. This ruler can show real time in many different formats.
For more information, see Changing the time ruler format on page 217. The ruler changes with tempo, since the
number of beats and beats per second of real time changes with tempo.

Transport bar
The transport bar contains the playback and cursor positioning buttons frequently used while working on
your project.

Record new track Pause/resume project playback

Loop playback Stop playback

Play from beginning of project Move cursor to start of project

Play project from cursor position Move cursor to end of project

The software also includes keyboard shortcuts for these playback commands. For more information, see
Playback commands on page 26.

Zoom controls
To the right of the horizontal scroll bar are the time zoom controls. Clicking the Zoom In Time button ( )
increases the horizontal magnification of the project. To decrease the level of magnification, click the Zoom
Out Time button ( ).
Directly below the vertical scroll bar are the dedicated track height zoom controls. Clicking the Zoom In Track
Height button ( ) increases the vertical magnification of the project. To decrease the level of magnification,
click the Zoom Out Track Height button ( ).

Note: Double-clicking the horizontal or vertical scroll bars

adjusts the magnification so that as much of the project (either
horizontally or vertically) is displayed as possible.

Click the Zoom Tool button ( ) in the corner of the track view to temporarily change the cursor into the
Zoom tool. After you select an area of the track view to magnify, the cursor reverts to the previously active
tool.

Note: Double-clicking the Zoom tool adjusts both the

horizontal and vertical magnification so that as much of the
project is displayed as possible.

INTRODUCING ACID SOFTWARE CHP. 1

 21

Window docking area

This area allows you to keep frequently-used windows available while working on a project. Windows can be
docked side by side or in stacks in the windows docking area. For more information, see Docking and floating
ACID windows on page 216.
Click the Close button to remove a
window from a floating dock or the
window docking area.

Click the Maximize/Minimize

button to control the size of
the window in the window
docking area.

Click the handle to drag a

window to a different
location or dock.

Click a tab to
view a window.

The default windows display in the window docking area when you start ACID software for the first time.
Additional windows can be displayed by clicking the window’s tab or by choosing the desired window from
the View menu.

Tip: You can quickly hide or show the window docking area
by pressing F11 .

The available windows can be docked anywhere at the bottom of the ACID window or floated over the
ACID window or on a secondary monitor (this setup requires a dual-monitor video card). You can also
create floating docks anywhere by dragging more than one window to the same area.

Explorer window
The Explorer window works similarly to the Windows® Explorer. You can use the Explorer window to
locate, preview and select media files to be added to your project. You can also use the Explorer window to
perform common file management tasks, such as renaming files or creating folders. Display the Explorer by
choosing Explorer from the View menu or pressing Alt + 1 .

Chopper
The Chopper™ isolates audio events so that you can dissect them and reinsert them into a project to
produce elaborate slice-n-dice effects with minimal effort. Display the Chopper by choosing Chopper from
the View menu or pressing Alt + 2 . For more information, see Using the Chopper on page 109.

Mixer
The Mixer window provides access to output levels, as well as soft synth controls and the project audio
properties. Display the Mixer by choosing Mixer from the View menu or pressing Alt + 3 . For more
information, see Using the Mixer window on page 53.

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 22
Video Preview/Video
This window displays prerendered video files that can be imported and synchronized with an ACID project.
The video file displays during project playback and can be rendered with the project to an appropriate
format. In ACID Pro software, display the Video Preview window by choosing Video Preview from the View
menu or pressing Alt + 4 . In ACID Music software, display the Video window by choosing Video from the
View menu or pressing Alt + 4 . For more information, see Using the Video window on page 201.

Media Manager
This window displays the Media Manager™, which you can use to search for, manage, and tag your media
files. Display the Media Manager window by choosing Media Manager from the View menu or pressing
Alt + 5 . For more information, see Using the Media Manager on page 79.

ACID FX
This window displays the ACID FX chain for the selected track. Display the ACID FX window by clicking a
track’s Track FX button ( ), by choosing ACID FX from the View menu, or by pressing Alt + 5 .

Track Properties
This window allows you to change track attributes and edit MIDI tracks using OPT plug-ins. Display the
Track Properties window by double-clicking a track’s icon or by pressing Alt + 6 . For more information, see
Configuring track properties on page 130 and Working with MIDI on page 169.

Surround Panner
This window allows you to control panning in a 5.1 surround project. Display the Surround Panner window
by double-clicking the surround panner on a track or mixer control or by pressing Alt + 7 . For more
information, see Working with 5.1 Surround on page 203.

Soft Synth Properties

This window allows you to change the attributes of soft synth controls in the Mixer window. Display the Soft
Synth Properties window by double-clicking a soft synth control’s icon or by pressing Alt + 8 . For more
information, see Using soft synth controls on page 149.

Audio Plug-In
This window displays plug-ins and settings for track, assignable, bus, and soft synth effects chains. Display
the Audio Plug-In window by clicking a track’s Track FX button ( ), by choosing Audio Plug-In from the
View menu, or by pressing Alt + 9 . For more information, see Using track effects on page 117 and Adding effects
to soft synth mixer controls on page 156.

Plug-In Manager
This window allows you to view and choose effects plug-ins to be added to a track, bus, or assignable effects
chain. Display the Plug-In Manager window by choosing Plug-In Manager from the View menu or by pressing
Ctrl + Alt + 1 .

Groove Pool
This window allows you to view and edit the grooves in your project. Display the Groove Pool by choosing
Groove Pool from the View menu or by pressing Ctrl + Alt + 2 . The upper half of the Groove Pool window
shows all of the groove maps currently in your project. The lower half of the window displays the selected
groove map in the Groove Editor, which allows you to make changes. For more information, see Working with
grooves on page 135.

INTRODUCING ACID SOFTWARE CHP. 1

 23

Keyboard command reference

The ACID keyboard commands are shortcuts that you can use while working on your project.

General commands

Description Keys
Display online help F1
Display What’sThis? help Shift+F1 and click an item
Refresh screen F5
Shortcut menu Shift+F10
Temporarily suspend snapping Shift+drag

Project file commands

Description Keys Description Keys

Create new project Ctrl+N Save project Ctrl+S
Create new project and bypass the Ctrl+Shift+N Open project properties Alt+Enter
Project Properties dialog
Open existing project or media file Ctrl+O Close the current project Ctrl+F4

CHP. 1 INTRODUCING ACID SOFTWARE

 24
Magnification and view commands

Description Keys Description Keys

Show Explorer window Alt+1 Shift focus backward Shift+Tab
(counterclockwise) through track
list, bus track list, bus track
timeline, and timeline (when track
view or timeline has focus)
Show Chopper window Alt+2 Restore project magnification to the F9
default settings
Show Mixer window Alt+3 Restore track height to a level Shift+F9
where all track list controls are
displayed
Show Video/Video Preview window Alt+4 Reduce timeline magnification so the Ctrl+F9
entire length of the project and as
many tracks as possible are
displayed
Show Media Manager window Alt+5 Zoom time in/out small increments Up or Down Arrow
(available in ACID Pro software (when timeline has focus)
only)
Show ACID FX window (available in Alt+5 Zoom time in/out large increments Ctrl+Up or Down Arrow
ACID Music Studio software only) (when timeline has focus)
Show Track Properties window Alt+6 Zoom in time until each video Alt+Up Arrow
thumbnail represents one frame
Show Surround Panner window Alt+7 Zoom track height in/out (when Shift+Up or Down Arrow
(available in ACID Pro software timeline has focus)
only)
Show Soft Synth Properties window Alt+8 Change track height for all tracks Ctrl+Shift+Up or Down Arrow
Show Audio Plug-In window Alt+9 Minimize/restore track height for all ‘
(available in ACID Pro software tracks
only)
Show Plug-In Manager window Ctrl+Alt+1 Return all tracks to the default Ctrl+’
(available in ACID Pro software height
only)
Show Groove Pool window Ctrl+Alt+2 Minimize/restore the window F11 or Alt+’
(available in ACID Pro software docking area
only)
Shift focus forward through open F6 Minimize/restore timeline vertically Ctrl+F11 or Ctrl+Alt+’
ACID windows and horizontally (window docking
area and track list will be hidden
Shift focus backward through open Shift+F6 Minimize/restore the track list Shift+F11 or Shift+Alt+’
ACID windows
Shift focus forward (clockwise) Tab Show/Hide bus tracks U
through track list, timeline, bus
track timeline, and bus track list
(when track view or timeline has
focus)

Explorer window commands

Description Keys Description Keys

Add all selected files to the track list Enter Add selected file or currently playing Ctrl+Enter
file to the track list

INTRODUCING ACID SOFTWARE CHP. 1

 25
Cursor placement, loop region and time selection commands

Description Keys Description Keys

Go to beginning of active loop Home Center in view \
region or viewable area (if no
selection)
Go to end of active loop region or End Move cursor to corresponding Number keys (not Keypad)
viewable area (if no selection) marker or select corresponding
region
Toggle cursor between beginning Numeric keypad 5 Move left/right one pixel Left/Right Arrow
and end of loop region
Time select loop region (when Time Shift+Q Move to marker(s) Ctrl+Left/Right Arrow
Selection tool is selected)
Toggle previous selection Backspace Move left/right to event edit points Ctrl+Alt+Left/Right Arrow
including fade edges
Go to beginning of project W or Ctrl+Home Move through a video event one Alt+Left or Right Arrow
frame at a time
Go to end of project Ctrl+End Create or extend loop region/time Shift+Left or Right Arrow
selection
Move left by grid marks Page Up Double loop region/selection length ‘ (apostrophe)
Move right by grid marks Page Down Halve loop region/selection length ; (semicolon)
Go to Ctrl+G Shift loop region/selection left , (comma)
(using measures, beats, and ticks)
Go to Shift+G Shift loop region/selection right . (period)
(using absolute time)
Set end of time selection Ctrl+Shift+G
(using measures, beats, and ticks
when Time Selection tool is selected)

Event editing commands

Description Keys Description Keys

Paint the entire media length for all Ctrl+click in timeline Join selected events J
media except video (only when Paint
tool is selected)
Select Draw tool Ctrl+D Create fades F
Select next edit tool in list D Reverse event U
Select previous edit tool in list Shift+D Trim events to selection length. This Ctrl+T
command has no effect if there is no
selected data. Trimming does not
copy data onto the clipboard.
Available only when the Time
Selection tool is active
Undo Ctrl+Z Slip Trim: moves the media with the Alt+drag edge of event
edge as it is trimmed
Redo Ctrl+Shift+Z Slip: move media within event Alt+drag inside the event
without moving the event
Cut selection Ctrl+X Slide: move event while leaving the Ctrl+Alt+drag event
underlying media in place
Copy selection Ctrl+C Pitch down one semitone Numeric keypad -
-
Copy event Ctrl+drag Pitch up one semitone Numeric keypad +
=
Paste from clipboard Ctrl+V Pitch down 4 semitones Shift+Numeric keypad -
Shift+-
Paste repeat from clipboard Ctrl+B Pitch up 4 semitones Shift+Numeric keypad +
Shift+=
Paste insert Ctrl+Shift+V Pitch down one octave Ctrl+Numeric keypad -
Insert event at cursor Y Pitch up one octave Ctrl+Numeric keypad +
Paste event at cursor Shift+Y Reset pitch Ctrl+Shift+Numeric keypad - or
+
Ctrl+Shift+-/=

CHP. 1 INTRODUCING ACID SOFTWARE

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Description Keys Description Keys
Delete selection Delete Change an event’s gain setting Keypad / or *
Move selected event(s) right one Numeric keypad 6 Change an event’s gain setting by Shift+Keypad / or *
pixel 10%
Move selected event(s) left one pixel Numeric keypad 4 Change an event’s gain setting by Ctrl+Keypad / or *
25%
Temporarily suspend Snap To Shift while dragging an event Set an event’s gain to 0.0 dB Shift+Ctrl+Keypad *
Erase entire event Ctrl+click event with Erase tool Set an event’s gain to silence Shift+Ctrl+Keypad /
Split event(s) S Render to new track Ctrl+M
Chop to new track if the Chopper
window has focus

Playback commands

Description Keys Description Keys

Start/stop playback Spacebar Record Ctrl+R
Stop playback Esc Go to start of project Ctrl+Home or W
Toggle looped playback Q Go to end of project Ctrl+End
Play from start Shift+Spacebar or Skip backward Page Up
Ctrl+Shift+Spacebar when the
timeline or track view has focus
Shift+F12 from any window
Play from cursor Ctrl+Spacebar when the timeline Skip forward Page Down
or track view has focus
F12 (from any window)
Pause/resume playback Enter when the timeline or track
view has focus
Ctrl+F12 from any window

INTRODUCING ACID SOFTWARE CHP. 1

 27
Timeline commands

Description Keys Description Keys

Record Ctrl+R Insert/remove track volume Shift+V
envelope
Go to (using measures.beats.ticks) Ctrl+G Adjust envelope point value in fine Ctrl+drag envelope point or
increments without changing the segment
point’s timeline position
Go to (using current time ruler Shift+G Adjust envelope point value in Ctrl+Alt+drag envelope point
format) normal increments without changing or segment
the point’s timeline position
Set end of time selection (using Ctrl+Shift+G Adjust envelope point’s timeline Alt+drag
measures, beats, and ticks when position without changing its value
Time Selection tool is selected)
Toggle snapping F8 Insert region R
Temporarily suspend snapping Shift+drag Insert marker (standard) M
Toggle snap to grid Ctrl+F8 Insert time marker H
Ripple edit mode Ctrl+L Insert disc-at-once CD track marker N
Draw tool Ctrl+D Change tempo Alt+drag time marker
Select next edit tool in list D Insert command marker C
Select previous edit tool in list Shift+D Insert tempo change T
Mark in point I or [ Insert key change K
Mark out point for selection O or ] Insert time signature change Shift+K
Render to new track Ctrl+M Insert tempo and key change Shift+T
Insert/show/hide track pan envelope P Maximize timeline vertically F11
(window docking area will be
hidden)
Insert/remove track pan envelope Shift+P Maximize timeline vertically and Ctrl+F11
horizontally (window docking area
and track list will be hidden)
Insert/show/hide track volume V Maximize timeline horizontally Shift+F11
envelope (track list will be hidden)

Track list commands

Description Keys Description Keys

Mute selected tracks Z Render to new track Ctrl+M
Solo selected tracks X Show/hide bus tracks B
Record Ctrl+R Insert folder track Ctrl+Alt+F
Cycle through effect automation E or Shift+E Insert new MIDI track Ctrl+Alt+Q
envelopes

Mixer commands

Description Keys Description Keys

Change selection of a mixer control Left/Right Arrow Select multiple nonadjacent mixer Ctrl+Left/Right Arrow
controls
Move the right channel of the fader Ctrl+Up/Down Arrow Delete the selected bus or assignable Delete
for the selected mixer control FX control
Move the left channel of the fader Shift+Up/Down Arrow Move the fader of the selected mixer Up/Down Arrow
for the selected mixer control control (for assignable effect
controls, moves the Out fader)
Select multiple, adjacent mixer Shift+Left/Right Arrow
controls

MIDI commands

Description Keys Description Keys

Insert new MIDI track Ctrl+Alt+Q Trigger from MIDI Timecode Ctrl+F7
Generate MIDI Timecode F7 Reset all MIDI ports Ctrl+Alt+F7
Generate MIDI Clock Shift+F7

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Chopper commands
For more information, see Using Chopper toolbar and keyboard commands on page 110.

Surround Panner commands

For more information, see Moving the pan point on page 209.

Mouse scroll-wheel shortcuts

Description Keys
Zoom in on timeline Rotate mouse wheel forward or
back
Vertical scroll Ctrl+wheel
Horizontal scroll Shift+wheel
Auto-scrolling Press mouse wheel and move
the mouse in the desired
direction
Move the cursor in grid increments Ctrl+Shift+wheel
Move the cursor in video frames Ctrl+Alt+Shift+wheel
Adjust slider/fader Wheel up or down while
hovering over slider/fader
handle
Adjust slider/fader in fine Ctrl+wheel up or down while
increments hovering over slider/fader
handle

INTRODUCING ACID SOFTWARE CHP. 1

 29

Audio signal flow

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Notes on audio signal flow
• This diagram describes non-MIDI audio events. For MIDI events, see MIDI signal flow on page 31.
• In 5.1 surround projects, tracks routed to the Surround Master bus send surround panning (six-channel)
information. Tracks routed to busses (e.g., Bus A) send stereo panning (two-channel) information.
• Assignable effect chain panning is available only in 5.1 surround projects. In 5.1 surround projects,
assignable effect chains routed to the Surround Master bus send surround panning (six-channel)
information. Assignable effect chains routed to busses (e.g., Bus A) send stereo panning (two-channel)
information.
• Bus panning is available only in 5.1 surround projects. In 5.1 surround projects, busses routed to the
Surround Master bus send surround panning (six-channel) information. Busses routed to hardware send
stereo panning (two-channel) information.

INTRODUCING ACID SOFTWARE CHP. 1

 31

MIDI signal flow

CHP. 1 INTRODUCING ACID SOFTWARE

 32
Notes on MIDI signal flow
• Soft synth panning is available only in 5.1 surround projects. In 5.1 surround projects, soft synth controls
routed to the Surround Master bus send surround panning (six-channel) information. Soft synth controls
routed to busses (e.g., Bus A) send stereo panning (two-channel) information.
• Bus panning is available only in 5.1 surround projects. In 5.1 surround projects, busses routed to the
Surround Master bus send surround panning (six-channel) information. Busses routed to hardware send
stereo panning (two-channel) information.

INTRODUCING ACID SOFTWARE CHP. 1

 33
CHAPTER

Getting Started
2
Now that you have an understanding of the interface and controls found in ACID® software, you are ready
to begin learning the techniques needed to pick, paint, and play in ACID projects. In this chapter you will
learn the skills that will allow you to create music, from locating media files to writing the finished project to
CD.

Starting projects
Double-clicking the ACID Pro or ACID Music Studio™ icon on the desktop starts the software. You can
immediately begin building your ACID project using the application’s default project properties. However,
you may prefer to customize the project properties prior to beginning the project.

Setting project properties

ACID software allows you to configure project properties and add summary information prior to beginning a
project. Choosing New from the File menu displays the New Project dialog. This dialog contains two tabs:
Summary and Audio. Selecting the Start all new projects with these settings check box configures the software to
use the parameters and information in both tabs as defaults when starting all subsequent projects.

Note: You can edit project audio properties and summary

information at any time. Choose Properties from the File
menu to display the Project Properties dialog, which contains
the identical tabs and parameters as the New Project dialog.

Using the Summary tab

This tab allows you to enter information about the project. These boxes may be left blank or if information
exists, you may change it at any time.

Item Description
Title Enter the name or title of the project.
Artist Enter the name of the narrator, band, or artist(s) being recorded into the project.
Engineer Enter the name(s) of the people who mixed and edited the project.
Copyright Enter the date and ownership rights of the project.
Comments Enter information that identifies and describes the project.
Universal Product Code/Media Enter the Universal Product Code (UPC) and the Media Catalog Number (MCN) to
Catalog Number be written to your CD for identification purposes.
Start all new projects with these Select this check box if your projects’ requirements do not change or you want
settings consistent settings for future projects.

CHP. 2 GETTING STARTED

 34
Using the Audio tab
This tab allows you to set different characteristics the project uses to handle the audio.

Item Description
Master bus mode Choose either Stereo for a standard audio project or 5.1 Surround for a surround
project.
Available only in ACID Pro software.
Number of additional stereo busses Enter the number of stereo busses that you want in your project. You may add up to 26
busses. The busses appear in the Mixer window. For more information, see Using busses
on page 145.
Available only in ACID Pro software.
Sample rate Choose a sample rate from the drop-down list or enter your own rate. The sample rate
range is 2,000 Hz to 192,000 Hz. Higher sample rates result in better quality sound,
but also mean larger audio files.
Bit depth Choose a bit depth from the drop-down list. A higher bit depth results in better quality
sound, but also means larger audio files.
Enable low-pass filter on LFE Select this check box to limit the audio sent to the LFE channel in a 5.1 surround project.
For more information, see Working with 5.1 Surround on page 203.
Available only in ACID Pro software.
Cutoff frequency for low-pass filter Enter a low-pass cutoff frequency value for 5.1 surround projects. Audio sent to the LFE
channel is limited to frequencies lower than the value you enter. Applying a low-pass
filter approximates the bass-management system in a 5.1 decoder and ensures that
you’re sending only low-frequency audio to the LFE channel.
Available only in ACID Pro software.
Low-pass filter quality Choose a setting from the drop-down list to determine the sharpness of the low-pass
filter’s rolloff curve. Best produces the sharpest curve.
Available only in ACID Pro software.
Start all new projects with these Select this check box if your project requirements do not change or you want consistent
settings settings for future projects.

Opening existing projects

1. From the File menu, choose Open. The Open dialog appears.
2. Choose a drive and folder from the Look in drop-down list.
3. Select a file in the browse window or type a name in the File name box. Detailed information about the
selected file appears at the bottom of the dialog box.
4. Choose a file type from the Files of type drop-down list to limit the files displayed in the dialog box.
5. Click Open.

Note: If one of the media files cannot be located when you

open an ACID project, you can choose to leave the media
offline and continue to edit events on the track. The events
point to the location of the source media file. If you restore the
source media file at a later time, the project opens normally.

GETTING STARTED CHP. 2

 35
Opening ACID projects with embedded media
When you open an .acd-zip project, the project file and all media files are copied to the temporary files
folder.

Note: You can customize the location of the temporary files

folder. For more information, see Using the General tab on
page 223.

Any changes you make to the project are saved to the files in this temporary folder until you save the .acd-zip
file again. For more information, see Saving projects on page 56.

Getting media files

Now that you’ve created a new project or opened an existing project, the next step is to add media to the
project. You can use the Explorer window to locate, preview and add media to your project. You can also
extract audio from a CD or download media from the Web. If you have ACID Pro software, you can also use
the Media Manager to locate and add media files.

Previewing media from the Explorer window

The Explorer window allows you to preview files in looped playback at the current project tempo before
adding them to your project. You can also preview files in the Explorer in conjunction with playing your
project, thereby allowing you to preview how a file will sound in the project.
To preview files, use the Start Preview ( ), Stop Preview ( ), and Auto Preview ( ) buttons at the top of
the Explorer window.

Previewing a media file

1. Select the media file in the Explorer window that you want to preview.
2. Click the Start Preview button ( ). The media file begins looped playback. You can monitor its levels on
the preview bus.
3. Click the Stop Preview button ( ) to end playback.

Previewing multiple media files

You can use the Explorer’s multiple-selection preview feature to preview a group of files in the order that you
select them.
1. From the Options menu, choose Preferences.
In ACID Pro software, click the Other tab of the Preferences dialog and select the Enable multiple-selection
preview in Explorer window check
box.
In ACID Music Studio software, click the Audio tab of the Preferences dialog and select the Enable multiple-
selection preview in Explorer window check box.

If you want, you can enter values in the Number of times to repeat each Loop box, Seconds of each One-Shot to
play box,and Number of Beatmapped measures to play box to specify how different file types are previewed.
2. Click OK to close the Preferences dialog.
3. In the Explorer, select the media you want to preview. Hold Shift while clicking to select multiple,
adjacent files or hold Ctrl while clicking to select multiple, nonadjacent files.
4. Click the Start Preview button ( ). The first selected file in the list is previewed, followed by each file in
the list. A file’s icon changes to a Play icon ( ) to indicate which file is currently previewing.

CHP. 2 GETTING STARTED

 36

Note: To add the currently previewing file to your project,

press Ctrl + Enter . Press Enter to add all selected files to your
project.

Using Auto Preview

Click the Auto Preview button ( ) to toggle automatic playback of media files when you select them in the
Explorer. If your project is currently playing when you select a new file, the new file plays back along with
your project. This feature allows you to listen to the media file in the context of your project.

Adding media to the project

You must add media files to a project before you can paint, arrange, and process them. When you add a file to
a project, a new track is created to accommodate it. New tracks are added at the current volume of the
Preview fader in the Mixer window, unless you have set a default track volume level. For more information,
see Setting default track properties on page 222.
There are several methods of adding media files to a project.

Note: Proxy files may be created for media whose

compression scheme may cause working with them to be
inefficient and slow. For more information, see Proxy File on
page 248.

Note: Before using long Beatmapped or long one-shot files

from CDs or shared network folders, copy the media to your
local drive for the best possible performance.

ACID temporary files

When you add a media file to a project from a removable device, a copy of the media file is stored in the
temporary files folder. This keeps the media file available for use even if the source of the media is no longer
accessible.
Be aware that the temporary files folder is cleared when you close the ACID application. However, files are
not cleared from the folder if the software closes inappropriately.

Note: You can customize the location of the temporary files

folder. For more information, see Using the General tab on
page 223.

GETTING STARTED CHP. 2

 37
Adding media files from the Explorer window
You can use the Explorer window, which operates similarly to the Windows® Explorer, to locate media files
for use in projects. Display the Explorer, if needed, by choosing Explorer from the View menu, or by pressing
Alt + 1 .

There are three ways to add media files from the Explorer window:
• Double-click the desired file.
• Drag the file from the Explorer to the track view or track list. Dragging a file from the Explorer to the
track name of an existing track allows you to replace the original file with the new file, while all events
remain in place.
• Right-click and drag a file to the track view or track list to specify the type of track to be created. When
you drop the file, a shortcut menu appears that allows you to choose whether to treat the file as a loop,
one-shot, Beatmapped track, or as an autodetected type.

Adding media files from the Media Manager window

If you have ACID Pro software, you can use the powerful Media Manager feature to locate, catalog, and add
media files to your ACID projects. Within the Media Manager window, you can build media libraries of your
media that include file attributes, ACID metadata, and tags that you can assign to classify your media. You
can also search for, purchase, and access reference libraries from outside sources to build your media file base.
Display the Media Manager, if needed, by choosing Media Manager from the View menu, or by pressing
Alt + 5 .

For more information on the Media Manager feature, see Using the Media Manager on page 79.

Adding media files from the Open dialog

There are three ways to add media files from the Open dialog:
• Select the desired file and click Open.
• Right-click the selected file and choose Select from the shortcut menu.
• Double-click the selected file.

Adding media files from outside the application

You can also add a media file to a project by dragging it from Windows® Explorer to the track view.

Adding multiple media files simultaneously

To add multiple media files to the project, Ctrl +click (or Shift +click) to select the files and drag them to the
track view or the track list.

CHP. 2 GETTING STARTED

 38
Extracting media files from CD
You can extract 44,100 Hz, 16-bit, stereo data from CDs. Extracted CD tracks are added to new tracks in
your ACID project.
1. Insert a CD in the CD-ROM drive.
2. From the File menu, choose Extract Audio from CD. The Extract Audio from CD dialog appears.
3. If you have more than one CD drive, choose the CD drive that contains the audio you want to extract
from the Drive drop-down list.
4. From the Action drop-down list, choose how you
want to extract audio:
• Choose Read by track and select each track you
want to extract. Each track is extracted to a new
track in your project.
• Choose Read entire disc to extract the current CD
to a single file.
• Choose Read by range and enter a starting time
and ending time (or a starting time and length).
The time range is extracted to a new track in your
project.
Click Play to preview your selection. In order to
preview, your CD drive’s audio output must be
connected to your sound card, or you can connect
headphones to the front of the CD drive.
5. From the Speed drop-down list, choose the speed at which you want to extract audio.
6. Click OK. The Save As dialog appears.
7. Enter a file name and choose a location for the new file(s).

Tip: Extracted tracks can be automatically named for you.

From the Options menu, choose Preferences, and on the
General tab, select the Autoname extracted CD tracks check
box. For more information, see Using the General tab on
page 223.

8. Click Save to start extracting audio.

CD data extraction begins and a progress meter is displayed. If the file is longer than 30 seconds, the
Beatmapper™ Wizard appears.
9. Use the Beatmapper Wizard or choose to open the file as a one-shot. The extracted file is added to a track.
For more information, see Using the Beatmapper on page 128.
You can also double-click a CDA file in the Explorer window (or drag it to the track view) to extract a CD
track without opening the Extract Audio from CD dialog.

Note: When adding media from multiple CDs, you may

need to press F5 to refresh the Explorer window to view the
new CD’s contents.

GETTING STARTED CHP. 2

 39
Downloading media files from the Web
The Get Media from the Web command allows you to view and download various audio and video files
available on the Internet.
1. From the File menu, choose Get Media from the Web.
2. Choose an icon from the left frame to specify the media provider from which you want to download files.
3. Preview the file, select the file you want to open and click Download. The Browse for Folder dialog
appears.
4. Select a folder for the download. The selected file is downloaded to the folder specified in the Destination
box.
5. When you are finished downloading, close the Get Media from the Web dialog. The file is added to your
project.
Click Show Details to display additional information about your download. In this mode, you can add files to
a download queue, specify where the downloaded files should be stored, and monitor the progress of your
downloads. Click Start to begin downloading queued files, or click Hide Details to return to basic mode.

Understanding track types

When you add media to a project, a new track is created for the file. Depending on the type of media you
add, one of four track types is created to accommodate it: loop, one-shot, Beatmapped, or MIDI. You can
identify a track’s type by looking at the track number/type icon in the track header. If you have ACID Pro
software, you can also use folder tracks to group tracks together.

Loops
Loops are small chunks of audio that are designed to create a continuous beat or pattern when played
repeatedly. They are usually one to four measures long. Loops are the type of file that you will use most
frequently.

One-shots
One-shots are chunks of audio that are not designed to loop, and they are streamed from the hard disk rather
than stored in RAM if they are longer than three seconds. Things such as cymbal crashes and sound bites
could be considered one-shots.
Unlike loops, one-shots do not change pitch or tempo with the rest of a project.

Beatmapped
When you add a file that is longer than thirty seconds to a project, the Beatmapper Wizard starts, allowing
you to add tempo information to the file. As a result, these tracks respond to tempo and key changes just like
loops. For more information, see Using the Beatmapper on page 128.

Tip: You can change the length of the file that starts the
Beatmapper in the Audio tab of the Preferences dialog. For
more information, see Using the Audio tab on page 225.

MIDI
A MIDI track is automatically created when you open a MID, SMF, or RMI file. You can use MIDI tracks to
record data from and play back through synthesizers and other MIDI-compliant equipment. For more
information, see Working with MIDI on page 169.

CHP. 2 GETTING STARTED

 40
Folder tracks
Folder tracks can contain any combination of loop, one-shot, Beatmapped, and MIDI tracks. Use folder
tracks to group related tracks or sections of a project so they can be easily expanded or minimized. For
example, if you have many drum tracks in your project, you can add a folder track to consolidate drum tracks
and minimize their vertical space in the track list.
When the folder track is minimized, you can also perform edit operations on clustered events in the group,
but you cannot create events with the Draw or Paint tools or perform edge-trimming. Expand the folder
track to edit individual events.
For more information, see Using folder tracks on page 141.

Adding and editing events

You have added media to the project, and tracks have been created for the media files. Now you can add
events to the track view. The following sections describe three basic techniques used when working with
audio events: painting, deleting, and moving.

Painting events
After you add a media file to your project, you must paint it on the timeline in order to hear it. When you
paint on the media file’s track, you create an event that displays the file’s waveform. You can paint events on
the timeline using either the Draw tool or the Paint tool.

Note: Media files must be added to the project before either

of these tools can be used to paint events.

Placing events with the Draw tool

The Draw tool is the most common method of placing events on the timeline. This tool allows you to add
track-specific events, one at a time. In addition, you can use the Draw tool to select, edit, and move events.
For more information, see Adding and editing events on page 40.
1. Click the Draw Tool button ( ) or choose Editing Tool from the Edit menu and choose Draw from the
submenu. The pointer displays as a pencil icon.
2. Place the Draw tool at the left edge of any track containing a media file.
3. Click and hold the mouse button while dragging the Draw tool to the right. A waveform representing the
event appears on the timeline as you drag the mouse.
Notice that if you are placing a loop file on the timeline, small indentations appear along the top and
bottom edges of the event indicating the start and end points of each individual loop.

Tip: Events can be also be drawn from right (end) to left

(beginning).

4. Release the mouse button to end the event.

5. Click the Play from Start button ( ) on the transport bar. The event plays back.

GETTING STARTED CHP. 2

 41
Painting events with the Paint tool
Unlike the Draw tool, the Paint tool allows you to quickly paint multiple events across several tracks. This
can be useful when you need to quickly add several seemingly random events to a project. The Paint tool is
also best used for painting multiple one-shot events that will be evenly spaced on the grid lines.
1. Click the Paint Tool button () or choose Editing Tool from the Edit menu and choose Paint from the
submenu. The mouse pointer displays as a brush icon.
2. Click and hold the mouse button while dragging the Paint tool randomly across the several tracks. Notice
that events are painted in every grid space the Paint tool contacts.
3. Release the mouse button to stop adding events.
4. Click the Play from Start button ( ) on the transport bar. All new events play back.

Tip: With the Paint tool selected, you can use Ctrl +click to
paint an entire event for one-shot, Beatmapped, and MIDI
tracks.

CHP. 2 GETTING STARTED

 42
Inserting events at the play cursor
You can also insert events at the cursor during playback. You can use this feature to create rhythms on one-
shot tracks while listening to the track you’re editing in the context of the rest of your project. When you’re
done creating events, you can use the Render to New Track command (on the Edit menu) to save the rhythm
to a new track, or you can copy and paste your new events across the timeline.
1. Create a time selection in the portion of the project you want to edit.
2. Select the Loop Playback button ( ).
3. Click the Play button ( ) to start playback.
4. Click a track header in the track list to set the focus track.
5. Press Y to add an event at the play cursor (during playback, the edit cursor remains fixed, and the play
cursor follows playback).
If snapping is enabled, events are created at the next snap point. You can use snapping to quantize your
events.
6. Repeat step 5 as needed.
7. You can press the and keys to change the focus track.
8. Click the Stop button ( ) when you’re finished creating events.
9. Edit event positions as necessary.

Tip: If you're using this feature to tap rhythms with one-shot

tracks, try applying a groove to adjust the timing of your
rhythm.For more information, see Working with grooves on
page 135.

Changing the length of events

After an event is painted on the track view, you may discover that it is too long or not long enough;
however, it is easy to change the length of an event. You may find it helpful to turn snapping options on by
choosing Snapping from the Options menu and choosing Enable from the submenu.
To alter an event’s length, click the Draw Tool button ( ) and drag either end of the event. When you drag
the event past the end of the file, looped files repeat, but one-shot and Beatmapped tracks draw silence.

Original event Drag the end ...to increase its length.

of the event...

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Erasing sections of events

Occasionally you may need to delete only specific sections of an event and leave the rest of it intact. The
easiest method of deleting a section of an event is to use the Erase tool.
1. Click the Erase Tool button ( ) or choose Editing Tool from the Edit menu and choose Erase from the
submenu. The pointer displays as an eraser icon.
2. Drag in the track view to delete event data.

Tip: With the Erase tool, you can delete an entire one-shot,
Beatmapped, or MIDI event. Just hold Ctrl while you click
the event.

Moving events
The position of the left edge of an event indicates when the event becomes audible during playback. You can
move events along the timeline either individually or as a group.
In addition, you can stack events on top of one another. A longer event placed over a smaller event conceals
the smaller event and makes it inaudible. A smaller event placed over a larger event is audible and renders
the section of the longer event it covers inaudible.
1. Click the Draw Tool button ( ).
2. Click the event to be moved. The event is highlighted to indicate that it is selected.

Tip: You can hold Ctrl or Shift to select multiple events.

3. Drag the event to a new location on the track.

Note: Multiple selected events move in relation to the event

being dragged.

Using the cursor

The ACID cursor is a flashing vertical line that spans the track view of the entire project. The cursor
position determines where events split, where playback/recording starts, and where clipboard contents are
pasted. In addition, the positioning of the cursor is essential to the creation of time selections.

Positioning the cursor with the mouse

1. Click the Draw Tool button ( ).
2. Click in the track view to position the cursor.

Positioning the cursor with the keyboard

While using the mouse to position the cursor in the timeline is quick and intuitive, it is not always precise.
For example, you may want the beginning of a guitar solo to coincide with a snare drum hit, or background
vocals to enter exactly 3 minutes and 24 seconds into a song. For these reasons, you can also position the
cursor using your keyboard. For more information, see Cursor placement, loop region and time selection commands
on page 25.

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Positioning the cursor with the Go To command
The Go To command is used to place the cursor at a specific location in the ACID project.
• Press Ctrl + G to position the cursor based on the position displayed on the beat ruler. Specify a position
(in measures.beats.ticks format) in the box that appears in the time display and press Enter.

• Press Shift + G to position the cursor based on the time displayed on the time ruler. Specify a time in the
box that appears in the time display and press Enter.

Tip: You can also open the boxes in the time display by
double-clicking the desired value.

Making selections
You must select events before you can move or edit them.

Selecting an event
1. Click the Draw Tool button ( ).
2. Click an event. The event is highlighted.

Selected event

Selecting multiple events

You have several methods of selecting multiple events:
• Press Ctrl or Shift while clicking events.
• Use the Select All on Track command.
• Use the Select Events to End command.
• Use the Select All command.
• Use the Selection tool.

Note: Unless stated otherwise, selections can only be made

using the Draw tool.

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Selecting multiple events using the keyboard and mouse
Holding Ctrl while clicking events allows you to select multiple, nonadjacent events that reside on any
track. This method is useful when you need to move several scattered events by an equal amount within the
project.
Holding Shift allows you to select multiple, adjacent events. Selecting any two events while holding Shift
automatically selects all events located between the selected events. Events may be selected from the same
track or across tracks. This method is useful when you want to move several adjacent events by an equal
amount within the project.

Selecting multiple events using the Select All on Track command

Right-clicking any track in the track view and choosing Select All on Track from the shortcut menu selects
every event on the track.

Selecting multiple events using the Select Events to End command

Right-clicking an event in the track view and choosing Select Events to End from the shortcut menu selects
every event on the track after the selected event.
You use this command across multiple tracks by holding Ctrl to click events on several tracks and then
right-clicking and choosing Select Events to End from the shortcut menu.

Selecting events using the Select All command

Choosing Select All from the Edit menu selects all events in a project.

Selecting multiple events using the Selection tool

You can drag the Selection tool across the track view to select events across multiple tracks. This tool allows
you to select events using three methods: vertical, horizontal, and free selection.

Method Description Displays as...

Vertical Allows you to select all events on all Parallel dashed line spanning the vertical
tracks within an interval of time. length of the project.
Horizontal Allows you to select all events on a track Parallel dashed line spanning the
or several adjacent tracks. horizontal length of the project.
Free selection Allows you to select a group of adjacent Dashed line box.
events on adjacent tracks. This is the
default selection method.

1. Click the Selection Tool button ( ) or choose Editing Tool from the Edit menu and choose Selection from
the submenu.
2. Place the pointer on the track view. The pointer displays as an arrow with an adjacent dotted box ( ).
3. Drag the mouse on the track view. A dashed rectangular box appears on the track view and all events
within and adjacent to it are selected.
4. While holding the left mouse button, click and release the right mouse button (referred to as toggle-
clicking). The selection method changes to vertical and again, all events within and adjacent to the
selection area are selected.
5. Toggle-click the mouse once more. The selection method changes to horizontal and all events within and
adjacent to the selection area are selected.

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Creating time selections
You are not limited to selecting events. Frequently, you may want to select only audio events occurring
within a time selection. You can do this using the Time Selection tool.
1. Click the Time Selection Tool button ( ) or choose Editing Tool from the Edit menu and choose Time
Selection from the submenu. The pointer displays with an adjacent cursor ( ).
2. Drag the mouse in the track view. The selection area is highlighted on the track view.
3. Release the mouse button. A time selection is created and all events within it are selected.

Note: If the selection area is automatically snapping to the

track view’s grid lines, the ACID snapping feature is turned
on. You can turn snapping off by pressing F8 .

Creating event selections within time selections

You can select specific events within a general time selection. This technique is useful for selecting
individual instruments from a particular section of a song. For example, you may want to copy all percussion
events from a song’s bridge and re-use them in the coda.
1. Click the Time Selection Tool button ( ) or choose Editing Tool from the Edit menu and choose Time
Selection from the submenu. The pointer displays with an adjacent cursor ( ).
2. Drag the mouse in the track view. The selection area is highlighted on the track view.
3. Release the mouse button. A selection is created and all events within it are selected.
4. Hold and click any event that extends beyond the time selection. The entire event appears
Ctrl
highlighted; however, only the section of the event contained within the time selection is actually
selected.

Tip: You can select additional events within the time selection
by continuing to hold Ctrl while clicking events. In addition,
holding Shift allows you to select the events of multiple
adjacent tracks within a selection.

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Working with tracks

A new track is automatically created for each media file added to a project, and all events placed on the
track derive from that file. Because of this, you can use track-level functions to affect every event on the
track. The following sections explain several basic track functions and features.

Reordering tracks
When building an ACID project, you may want to reorder the tracks to place similar instruments in
proximity to one another. For example, placing all drum loops together in the track view makes it easier for
you to fine-tune the mix of the song’s overall drum sound.
1. Drag the track header to a new location in the track list. A heavy black horizontal line appears on the
track list to indicate where the track will be placed.
2. Release the mouse button. The track is dropped in the new location and the entire track list/track view
adjusts accordingly.

Tip: You can reorder multiple tracks by holding Ctrl or Shift

while selecting tracks and dragging the tracks as a group.

Resizing tracks
You can change the height of a track, thereby affecting how many tracks display in the track view. This is
especially useful when building a project with a large number of tracks. In addition, you can decrease the
track’s height until only the multipurpose slider, Track FX button, Mute button, and Solo button are visible.
1. Drag the bottom edge of a track up or down in the track list. The pointer displays as a vertical stretch
icon ( ).
2. Release the mouse button to establish the track’s new height.

Tip: You can set the default height for all new tracks by right-
clicking the newly resized track in the track list and choosing
Set Default Track Properties from the shortcut menu. For
more information, see Setting default track properties on page
222.

Changing track colors

As mentioned previously, tracks are automatically created to accommodate new media files. These tracks are
assigned a default color. However, you can change track colors to organize the tracks in your project. To
change the color, right-click the track in the track list, choose Color from the shortcut menu, and choose the
desired color from the submenu.

Renaming tracks
To rename a track, right-click the track name and choose Rename from the shortcut menu, or double-click
the track name. Renaming a track applies to the project only and does not change the file associated with
the track.

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Duplicating tracks
To duplicate a track, right-click it and choose Duplicate Track from the shortcut menu. An exact copy of the
track is created and its events and adds it below the original track in the project. The words “Copy of” appear
before the name of the duplicate track to identify it in the track list.
For creative ways to use duplicate tracks, see Playing with duplicate tracks on page 233.

Deleting tracks
You can delete unnecessary tracks from a project by selecting the track and using any of the following
methods:
• Choose Delete from the Edit menu.
• Right-click a track and choose Delete Track from the shortcut menu.
• Press Delete .

Copying, cutting, and pasting tracks

Copying a track places an exact copy of the selected track on the clipboard, but leaves the track view
unchanged. To copy a track, select the track and do one of the following:
• Click the Copy button ( ) on the toolbar.
• Choose Copy from the Edit menu.
• Right-click the track header and choose Copy Track from the shortcut menu.
• Press Ctrl + C .
Cutting a track removes it from the track view and places it on the clipboard. To cut a track, select it and do
one of the following:
• Click the Cut button ( ) on the toolbar.
• Choose Cut from the Edit menu.
• Right-click the track header and choose Cut Track from the shortcut menu.
• Press Ctrl + X .
Tracks that are copied or cut to the clipboard can be pasted back into the current project or into a different
project an unlimited number of times. This is a useful way to share tracks between different compositions.
You can paste a track in one of the following ways:
• Click the Paste button ( ) on the toolbar.
• Choose Paste from the Edit menu.
• Right-click the track view and choose Paste Track from the shortcut menu.
• Press Ctrl + V .

Adjusting the mix

Use the multipurpose slider to adjust the mix of a specific track.

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Click the slider label to choose what you want to adjust.

Function Description
Volume Controls how loud a track is in the mix. A value of 0 dB means that the track plays with no boost or cut from
the software. Dragging the fader to the left cuts the volume; dragging to the right boosts the volume.
Pan Controls the position of a track in the stereo field. Dragging the slider to the left places the track in the left
speaker more than the right, while dragging the slider to the right places the track in the right speaker.
Because true stereo panning is used, you can introduce clipping when panning a track to the left or right. Unlike
a left/right balance control—which simply decreases the volume of one channel—the default panning mode
actually adds the audio from one channel to the other. When panning a track, adjust the track volume
accordingly.
You can choose among five panning types to determine how a track is panned. For more information, see
Choosing stereo pan types on page 128.
FX Controls the level of the track sent to each of the assignable effect chains that you have created. Dragging the
fader to the left cuts the volume; dragging to the right boosts the volume.
Bus Controls the level of the track sent to each of the additional busses that you have created for your project.
Dragging the fader to the left cuts the volume; dragging the fader to the right boosts the volume.

Once you have chosen what you want to adjust, drag the slider to adjust the level. You can hold Ctrl or Shift
to select multiple tracks and move the sliders together as a group.

Note: When adjusting the mix of your tracks, remember to

look at the meters on the mixer. Because you are adding the
volumes of all the tracks together, it is easy to clip the audio
output. Make sure that the meters never display the red clip
indicator during playback.

Muting tracks
Each track has a Mute button ( ). Clicking this button shades the corresponding track (to indicate that it is
muted) and renders it inaudible during playback. Clicking the Mute button a second time returns the track to
its original level in the mix. Toggle-muting a track is an effective way of determining whether a track
contributes to the overall sound of a project.
You can also press Z to mute a track or group of tracks.

Tip: Press Ctrl and click the Mute button to mute only the
selected track (and restore any other muted tracks). If the
selected track is already muted, press Ctrl and click the Mute
button to restore all tracks.

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Soloing tracks
Located next to the Mute button, the Solo button ( ) allows you isolate tracks in a project during playback.
When you click this button during playback, the corresponding track remains audible and all other tracks are
muted. Clicking the Solo button a second time returns all tracks to their original levels in the mix. Toggle-
soloing a track is an effective method of configuring and previewing isolated track effects against how they
sound in the project.
You can also press X to solo a track or group of tracks.

Tip: Press Ctrl and click the Solo button to solo only the
selected track (and restore any other soloed tracks). If the
selected track is already soloed, press Ctrl and click the Solo
button to restore all tracks.

Working with groups of tracks

Select a group of tracks by holding the Ctrl key while you click the track header of the desired tracks. Now
you can adjust the volume, panning, track color, and other track attributes simultaneously.

Using undo and redo

You have unlimited undo and redo capabilities in ACID software. Each edit you perform in the project is
added to an undo history, which allows you to quickly restore the project to any of its previous states. In
addition, undoing an edit automatically places it in the project’s redo history where it can be quickly re-
performed. However, any new edit performed on the project overwrites the redo history.

Note: The undo and redo histories are cleared when you
close the project or exit the application.

Using undo
To undo an edit, click the Undo button ( ) on the toolbar or press Ctrl + Z . Edits are undone in the reverse
order they were performed.

Tip: You can also undo the most recent edit by choosing
Undo from the Edit menu.

Undoing a series of edits

Clicking the down arrow next to the Undo button ( ) displays the project’s undo history. The history
displays as a drop-down list with the most recent edit located at the top. Undoing an edit in the list requires
all subsequent edits to be undone as well.
1. Click the arrow to the right of the Undo button ( ). The undo history appears.
2. Locate the edit to be undone. Notice that all subsequent edits are automatically selected and the total
number of edits to be undone is indicated at the bottom of the drop-down list.
3. Click the edit to be undone. The project is restored to the state it was in prior to the selected edit.

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Undoing all edits

Choosing Undo All from the Edit menu undoes all project edits and automatically adds them to the redo
history.

Using redo
To redo an edit, click the Redo button ( ) on the toolbar or press Ctrl + Shift + Z . Edits are re-performed in
the reverse order they were undone.

Tip: You can also redo the most recent undone edit by
choosing Redo from the Edit menu.

Redoing a series of edits

Clicking the down arrow next to the Redo button ( ) displays the project’s redo history. The history
displays as a drop-down list with the most recently undone edit located at the top. Redoing an edit in the list
requires all subsequently undone edits to be re-performed as well.
1. Click the arrow to the right of the Redo button ( ). The redo history appears.
2. Locate the edit to be redone. Notice that all subsequently undone edits are automatically selected and the
total number of edits to be redone is indicated at the bottom of the drop-down list.
3. Click the edit to be redone. The project is restored to the state it was in prior to the selected undone edit.

Tip: Clicking the desktop outside the drop-down list cancels

the redo operation.

Clearing the undo history

You can clear the undo and redo histories without closing the project or exiting the application. After the
histories are cleared, new ones are created as you continue building the project.
1. From the Edit menu, choose Clear Undo History. A confirmation dialog appears, alerting you that this
action permanently deletes the current edit histories.
2. Click Yes to clear the edit histories or No to retain the current edit histories.

Playing the project

You have several methods for playing your projects.

Using the transport bar

All buttons required to play your project are located on the transport bar. The transport bar should look
somewhat familiar to you, as it contains buttons found on most home CD and cassette players. For more
information, see Transport bar on page 20.

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Using playback options
As you build a project, you will likely have different playback needs. For example, you may want to hear the
project in its entirety when checking the final mix, but not when you are working on the ending. Because of
this, you have three playback options:
• Playing the entire project.
• Playing from the cursor position.
• Playing in looped playback.

Playing the entire project

To begin playback from the beginning of the project, click the transport bar’s Play From Start button ( ) or
press Shift + Space . To stop playback, click the transport bar’s Stop button ( ) or press Space .

Playing from the cursor position

To begin playback from the current cursor position, click the transport bar’s Play button( ) or press Space .
To stop playback, click the transport bar’s Stop button ( ) or press Space .

Playing in looped playback

You can also limit playback to a specific loop region on the track view. This playback method uses the
transport bar’s Loop Playback button ( ) and allows you to fine-tune mixes and effects while continually
listening to the selected area. For more information, see Transport bar on page 20.
1. Drag the handles of the loop bar to create the desired loop region.

Handle Loop bar

2. Click the Loop Playback button ( ) to turn on looped playback.

3. Click the transport bar’s Play button ( ) or press Space . Playback of the selected area begins. To stop
playback, click the transport bar’s Stop button ( ) or press Space .

Bypassing audio effects during playback

If you want to hear your project without your applied audio effects (track, bus, and assignable effects), you
can quickly bypass these effects during playback. From the Options menu, choose Bypass All Audio FX. This
option can also conserve processing power to avoid playback problems.

Note: When effects are bypassed, you can choose whether

bypassed effects remain open. When the Keep bypassed FX
running check box on the General tab of the Preferences dialog
is selected, effects remain open so you can bypass/enable
effects with no pause for A/B testing. When the check box is
cleared, effects are fully bypassed, conserving processing
power.

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Using the Mixer window

The Mixer window is a dockable window with a default location in the lower-right corner of the ACID
workspace. The Mixer window contains the following controls:
• A Preview fader, which allows you to adjust the loudness of media files previewed from the Explorer
window, Track Properties window, Beatmapper, or the Chopper. Also, the Preview fader’s volume
determines the volume of new tracks added to the project, unless you have set a default track volume
level. For more information, see Setting default track properties on page 222. This allows you to set up a quick
mix while you are adding media to your project.
• A Master bus fader, which controls the overall volume.
• Faders for up to 26 project busses when added to the project.
• Faders for up to 32 assignable effect chains when added to the project.
• Faders for up to 32 soft synth controls when added to the project.

The function of the bus, assignable effect, and soft synth controls are beyond the scope of this chapter. For
more information, see Using the Mixer on page 145.

Viewing the Mixer window

The Mixer window appears by default when you start the application, but you can hide it if necessary. To
view or hide the Mixer window, choose Mixer from the View menu or press Alt + 3 . A check mark appears
adjacent to the command to indicate when the window is displayed.

Using the mixer toolbar

The Mixer window toolbar allows you to access project properties, add busses, and add assignable effects
chains to the Mixer.

Button Description
Displays the Project Properties dialog.

Downmixes your audio from 5.1 surround to stereo or from stereo

to mono so you can ensure your mix will sound the way you intended
it, even when your audience’s hardware has fewer channels than the
original mix. The button represents the current playback mode:
5.1 surround output
Stereo output
Mono output

Available only in ACID Pro software.

Attenuates the volume of all busses that are routed to hardware outputs
by 20 dB. Click again to restore original volume.
Available only in ACID Pro software.
Adds an assignable effect chain to your project. The Plug-In Chooser
dialog appears so that you can create a plug-in chain. For more
information, see Using assignable effects on page 147.
Available only in ACID Pro software.
Adds another bus to your project. The Audio tab in the Project
Properties dialog updates to reflect the new number of busses. For more
information, see Using busses on page 145.
Available only in ACID Pro software.
Adds a soft synth control to your project. You can assign MIDI tracks or
external MIDI input devices to the soft synth control and assign the soft
synth control to a DLS set or VSTi® plug-in. For more information, see
Using soft synth controls on page 149.

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Renaming mixer controls
Double-clicking a mixer control name allows you to rename the control. Press Enter to save the change.
Enter a new
name for the
mixer control

Using the mixer’s faders

Adjusting the Preview fader

Drag the fader up or down to adjust the preview volume.

Hiding the Preview fader

Once you have added all desired media files to a project, you may want to hide the Preview fader to make
room for additional busses, assignable effects, and soft synth controls. To hide the Preview fader, right-click
within the Mixer window and choose Show Preview Fader from the shortcut menu. The fader remains
hidden until you choose Show Preview Fader from the shortcut menu again.

Adjusting split faders in the mixer

Split faders allow you to adjust the levels of the left and right channels independently. To move the faders
individually, drag the fader for the desired channel and release the mouse when it is in the correct position.
However, you can adjust both channels simultaneously by doing either of the following:
• Drag in the middle of the fader while making your adjustment.
• Click the Unlock Fader Channels button( ) before adjusting the fader.

You can also change the fader level by double-clicking:

• Double-click the fader to reset it to 0.0 dB.
• If you have set each channel differently, double-click either channel to match the remaining channel to
its level.

Changing meter resolution

You can select the meter resolution. This is useful when building a project from several media source pools
that have varying volume levels. To change the resolution, right-click a meter and choose the desired
resolution from the shortcut menu.

Note: Changing the meter resolution of one fader

automatically changes all other meters in the mixer to match
the selected resolution.

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Adjusting for clipping
The volume of certain media files may cause a meter to clip. Clipping results in a distorted audio signal and
displays in a red indicator at the top of the meter. If the meter clips, lower the volume and click the red clip
indicator to reset the meter. Continue adjusting the fader and resetting the meter until you eliminate the
clipping.

Tip: You can also reset a meter by right-clicking it and

choosing Reset Clip from the shortcut menu.

Saving, rendering, and delivering projects

Though you are provided with the tools to quickly build impressive musical projects, you may find yourself
building elaborate projects over a period of weeks or even months. While you are working on a project, you
should save it in the ACID native format: the ACID project file (.acd).

Important: If you save a project originally created in an

earlier version of ACID software in ACID version 5.0, it
will be unusable in earlier versions of the software. Use the
Save As dialog to save the project with a new name after
editing it in version 5.0.

When you are finished building a project, you can render projects in a variety of formats. You should
determine the project’s final format (or formats) based on how you will deliver the media. For example, you
would render your project to a streaming media format if you plan to publish it to the Internet.

Note: Be aware that projects containing MIDI files that are

routed to external MIDI ports must be rerouted to internal
DLS sets or VST instruments (VSTi) to be included in the
rendered mix. For more information, see Rendering projects
with MIDI tracks on page 193.

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Saving projects
An ACID project file (.acd) is the default file format for saving a new project and should be used for saving
unfinished projects. There are two ACID project file types.

Format Extension Description

ACID Project File .acd Contains all information regarding the project including
track layout, envelope settings, and effects parameters.
However, this type of file does not contain actual audio,
only references to the audio files.
ACID Project with .acd-zip Contains all information regarding the project including
Embedded Media track layout, envelope settings, and effects parameters. In
addition, all audio files used in the project are embedded
into the project file.
If you save a project in .acd-zip format, the project file and
all media files are copied to a temporary files folder. If you
continue to work on your project after saving the .acd-zip
file, your changes are saved to the files in this temporary
folder.
You can customize the location of the temporary files
folder. For more information, see Using the General tab
on page 223.

1. To save a file, display the Save As dialog using any of the following options:
• Click the Save button ( ) on the toolbar.
• From the Edit menu, choose Save.
• Press Ctrl + S .
2. From the Save in drop-down list, choose the drive and directory where the file will be saved.
3. Enter a name for the project in the File name box.
4. From the Save as type drop-down list, choose the desired ACID project file type.
5. If you want to save a copy of each of the project’s media files to the same location as your project file,
select the Copy all media with project check box. This is available when saving as an ACID project file.
6. Click Save. The project is saved.

Once the project is saved, you can use the Save As command
from the File menu to create a copy of the project with a new
name or save to a different ACID project file format.

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Rendering projects
Rendering refers to the process of converting the ACID project into a file that is formatted for a specific
playback method. Possible playback methods include media player applications, Internet streaming media,
CD-ROM, and CD audio. When an ACID project is rendered, it is not overwritten, deleted, or altered and
you are able to return to the original project to make changes and re-render.
1. From the File menu, choose Render As. The Render As dialog appears.
2. From the Save in drop-down list, choose the drive and folder where the file will be saved.
3. Enter a new name for the project in the File name
box.
4. From the Save as type drop-down list, choose the
desired file format.
5. If the selected file type supports it, you can choose
an encoding template from the Template drop-
down list, or click Custom to create a new
template. For more information, see Creating custom
rendering settings on page 58.
6. Select or clear the following check boxes as
needed:
• Select the Save project as path reference in
rendered media check box if you want to save the
project path information with the rendered file
to easily return to your source project if you use
your rendered file in another project. This
check box is only available in ACID Pro
software.

Note: If you modify the project file after rendering, the

project data will no longer match the rendered file. To edit a
project using a path reference, the project file and all media
must be available on your computer.

• Select the Render loop region only check box if you want to save only the portion of the project that is
contained within the loop region. The loop region does not need to be active for this option to work.
• If the selected file type supports it, you can select the Save project markers with media file check box to
include markers and regions in the rendered media file.
• Select the Save each track as a separate file check box to save each track to a separate file. All of the
volume adjustments, panning, FX, and events are saved with the track. You can also use this feature to
create tracks that you can use in multitrack recording software or Macromedia® Flash®. This check
box is only available in ACID Pro software.
• If your project contains video, you can select the Stretch video to fill output frame (do not letterbox) check
box to have your video reformatted so that it fills the output frame size listed in the Description box.
When the check box is cleared, the current aspect ratio is maintained and black borders are added to fill
the extra frame area (called letterboxing). This check box is only available in ACID Pro software.
• If your project contains video and you see unacceptable artifacts in the rendered video, you can clear
the Fast video resizing check box. Turning off this option can correct the artifacts, but your rendering
time will increase significantly. This check box is only available in ACID Pro software.
7. Click Save. A progress dialog appears.

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8. When rendering is complete, you can choose one of the following options:
• Click Open to start the associated media player and play the newly rendered file.
• Click Open Folder to open Windows Explorer and display the location of the newly rendered file.
• Click Close to close the progress dialog and return to the ACID window.

Supported formats for rendering

The following table briefly describes the file formats available for rendering a project.

Format Extension Description

AIFF File .aif The standard audio file format for audio used on Macintosh
computers.
MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 .mpg MPEG files are a format used when burning audio and video to a
Video CD, Super Video CD, or DVD. MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 file
creation is supported through the use of the MainConcept MPEG
plug-in.
Note: This format requires a separate purchase of the
MainConcept MPEG plug-in.
MPEG-1 Layer 3 .mp3 A highly compressed format used for portable digital players and
Internet sharing of media. 20 free MP3 encodes are provided.
After you have used the free encodes, you must register the
plug-in to continue rendering MP3s.
Ogg Vorbis .ogg A patent-free audio encoding and streaming technology.
QuickTime .mov QuickTime® for Microsoft Windows.
RealMedia .rm The RealNetworks® standard for streaming media via the Web.
This option renders both audio and video into one file.
Sony Perfect Clarity .pca A Sony proprietary lossless audio compression format.
Audio
Sony Wave64 .w64 A Sony proprietary wave format that does not have a restricted
file size (unlike Windows standard WAV format which is limited to
~2GB).
Video for Windows .avi The standard video file format used on Windows-based
computers.
Wave .wav The standard audio file format used on Windows-based
computers.
Windows Media Audio .wma The Microsoft® audio format used to create files for streaming or
downloading via the Web.
Windows Media Video .wmv The Microsoft audio and video format used to create files for
streaming or downloading via the Web.

Note: Some plug-ins, such as MP3, may require

registration.

Creating custom rendering settings

The Custom Settings dialog appears when you click Custom in the Save As dialog. You can use the Custom
Settings dialog to create custom encoding templates for many of the file formats available in the software.
1. From the File menu, choose Render As. The Render As dialog appears.
2. Choose your preferred file format from the Save as type drop-down list. If the format allows you to create
custom settings, the Custom button becomes active.
3. Click Custom. The Custom Settings dialog appears.

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4. Make the appropriate setting changes for the chosen file format. For help on individual settings, click the
What’sThis? Help button ( ) and click a setting.

Tip: To save the custom settings for future use, enter a name
for the template in the Template box and click the Save
Template button ( ).

5. Click OK. The Custom Settings dialog closes.

Publishing to the Internet

When your project is finished, you have the option of publishing it to the Internet. The most common place
to publish your project is ACIDplanet.com, a virtual community of ACID users. ACIDplanet.com allows
you to do the following:
• Share your music.
• Listen to projects built by other ACID enthusiasts.
• Download free loops.
• Enter remix contests co-sponsored by Sony and major record labels.

Publishing your project to the Internet involves two distinct procedures: creating a personal account and
uploading the project.

Creating a personal account

You can create accounts at Web sites where you can publish your song files. Each Web site that offers
publishing directly through ACID software will guide you through its own account creation process. If you
haven’t created an account and you attempt to publish a song, you will be directed to complete the Publish
Setup utility.
1. From the File menu, choose Publish Setup.
2. Follow the on-screen instructions to set up your account.
At any time, you can go back and create another account at a different Web site. The Web site you are
currently logged into in the Publish Setup utility is where your song is published when you choose Publish
from the File menu.

Uploading a project
Publishing a project file copies your media to the Web so you can share it with other Web users. The
following procedure assumes you already have an account set up with a publish provider. If not, you will first
be redirected to set up an account. After successfully creating an account, you will be directed back to the
Publish feature.
1. From the File menu, choose Publish. The Publish dialog appears.
2. Select the appropriate radio button to specify whether the song to be published is the current ACID song
or a different song.
• To publish your current ACID song, choose a streaming format and bit rate.
• To publish a different song, enter the path to the song or click Browse to locate the file. This song must
already be in a streaming format.
3. Click Next. If you are publishing the current ACID song, it is rendered in the format and bit rate you
specified. A window appears from the publish provider with directions for completing the publishing
process.
4. Follow the instructions provided by the publish provider. The file begins uploading to the provider. A
progress dialog informs you when the upload is finished.

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5. Click OK. The publish provider provides a link to the song on their Web site; however, this may vary
depending on provider.

Writing to CD
You can burn your projects to CD using supported CD-R/CD-RW drives. You can burn CDs for multiple- or
single-track projects and build audio CD layouts automatically or manually. You can also create video CDs
that can be played in many home DVD players and on computers with a CD-ROM drive and VCD player
software, and multimedia CDs that can be played in any computer with the appropriate player.

Understanding track-at-once and disc-at-once

ACID software provides two ways to record audio to a CD-R disc: track-at-once and disc-at-once.
Track-at-once
Track-at-once writing records individual tracks to the disc and results in a partially recorded disc. However,
the CD-R disc remains unplayable on most systems until you close the disc. The advantage of track-at-once
writing is that you can record tracks onto the disc as you finish them versus waiting until you have finished
your whole album. Track-at-once writing burns the entire project as a single track.
Disc-at-once (Single Session or Red Book)
Disc-at-once writing is the most common burning method in the music industry. This writing mode is used
when creating a master disc to be sent to a disc manufacturer for mass replication. Disc-at-once works just as
it sounds. Multiple tracks of audio are written to the CD in one recording session.

Burning single tracks (track-at-once)

Note: The entire project length is written to a CD track. If

your project has events on muted tracks that extend beyond
the end of the audible material, the muted events burn as
silence at the end of your CD track. To burn just a portion of
a project, create a loop region and select the Burn loop region
only check box.

1. Insert a blank CD in a supported CD-R/CD-RW drive.

2. From the Tools menu, choose Burn Track-at-Once Audio CD.
Notice that the Burn Track-at-Once Audio CD dialog indicates the amount of time that the current
project will fill on the CD as well as the total amount of time remaining on the CD. If the Time needed for
audio value exceeds the Time available on disc value, you are not allowed to write the track to the CD.

Note: If there is no CD in the CD-R/CD-RW drive, only

the Cancel button is available in this dialog.

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3. Choose a setting from the Action drop-down list:
• Choose Burn audio to begin recording audio to your CD when you click Start. You must close the disc
before it can be played in an audio CD player.
• Choose Test, then burn audio to test whether your files can be written to the CD without encountering
buffer underruns. Recording begins after the test if it is successful.
• Choose Test only to test whether your files can be written to the CD without encountering buffer
underruns. No audio is recorded to the CD.
• Choose Close disc to close your disc without adding any audio when you click Start. Closing a disc allows
your files to be played on an audio CD player. You cannot add tracks to a CD once it has been closed.
• Choose Erase RW disc to erase a rewritable CD when you click Start.
4. Select your burning options:
• Select the Erase RW disc before burning check box to erase a rewritable CD before you begin burning.
• Select the Close disc when done burning check box to close the CD after burning. Closing a disc allows
your files to be played on an audio CD player. You cannot add tracks to a CD once it has been closed.
• Select the Eject disc when done check box to eject the CD automatically when burning is complete.
• Select the Burn selection only check box to burn only the selected region. Clear the check box to burn
the entire project.
• Select the Render temporary image before burning check box if you want to render your CD project to a
temporary file before recording. Prerendering can prevent buffer underruns if you have a complex
project that cannot be rendered and burned in real time.

Note: The rendered temporary file will remain until you

modify your project or exit. If an image file exists when you
Open the Burn Disc-at-Once Audio CD dialog, the check
box is displayed as Use existing rendered temporary image.

5. From the Drive drop-down list, choose the drive for burning CDs.
6. From the Speed drop-down list, choose the speed at which you want to burn. Choosing Max uses your
drive’s fastest possible speed; decrease the setting if you have difficulty burning because of buffer
underruns.
7. Click Start.

Important: Once the CD writing begins, cancelling the

write operation renders the CD unusable.

Disc-at-once (DAO) CD burning

The DAO burning process involves arranging your media on the timeline, adding pauses between tracks as
necessary, inserting track markers, and burning your CD.

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Adding pauses
Each CD track in your project should have a two-second pause following it. This default setting is based on
the Red Book specification for audio CDs. The exception to this standard is a continuous recording, such as
a live concert CD. For a continuous recording, you can omit the pauses after tracks for continuous playback.
You can manually insert silence between your audio files to create a pause.

Note: The Red Book specification also requires a two-second

pause at the beginning of an audio CD. This pause is
automatically added when you burn your CD.

1. Position your audio files on the timeline in the order in which you want them to play on your CD.
2. Position the cursor where you want to insert the pause between files.
3. From the Insert menu, choose Time. The Insert Time dialog appears.
4. Enter two seconds in the Amount of time to insert box.
5. Click OK. Two seconds are inserted in the timeline at the cursor position.
Inserting CD track markers
You can use CD track markers in your project to indicate to the CD-R device where to mark the beginning
and ending of a track during the writing process. A Red Book CD can contain up to 99 tracks.
1. Position your audio files and add pauses between them as necessary. For more information, see Adding pauses
on page 62.
2. Position the cursor at the start of an audio file.
3. From the Insert menu, choose CD Track Marker. The marker appears in the marker bar and is
automatically numbered.

Important: You must place your first CD track marker at

the beginning of your project. Audio placed before the first
marker will not be burned to CD.

Tip: Once you have inserted a marker, you can move or

delete them as needed.

4. Repeat step 3 until you have marked all CD tracks.

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Burning a disc (disc-at-once)
1. Insert a blank CD in a supported CD-R/CD-RW drive.
2. From the Tools menu, choose Burn Disc-at-Once Audio CD. The Burn Disc-at-Once Audio CD dialog
appears.
3. From the Drive drop-down list, use the CD drive that you want to use to burn your CD.
4. From the Speed drop-down list, choose the speed at which you want to burn. Max will use your drive’s
fastest possible speed; decrease the setting to prevent the possibility of buffer underruns.
5. Select the Buffer underrun protection check box if your CD recorder supports buffer underrun protection.
Buffer underrun protection allows a CD recorder to stop and resume burning.

Note: Buffer underrun protection can create a disc that can

be played in CD players, but may contain a bit error where
burning stopped and restarted. Consider clearing this check
box when creating a premaster disc.

6. Choose a radio button in the Burn mode box:

• Burn CDs begins recording audio to your CD immediately.
• Test first, then burn CDs performs a test to determine whether your files can be written to the CD recorder
without encountering buffer underruns. No audio is recorded to the CD during the test, and recording
begins after the test if it is successful.
• Test only (do not burn CDs) performs a test to determine whether your files can be written to the CD
recorder without encountering buffer underruns. No audio is recorded to the CD.
7. Select the Render temporary image before burning check box if you want to render your CD project to a
temporary file before recording. Prerendering can prevent buffer underruns if you have a complex project
that cannot be rendered and burned in real time.

Note: The rendered temporary file will remain until you

modify your project or exit. If an image file exists when you
Open the Burn Disc-at-Once Audio CD dialog, the check
box is displayed as Use existing rendered temporary image.

8. Select the Automatically erase rewritable discs check box if you’re burning to rewritable media and want to
erase the disc before burning.
9. Select the Eject when done check box if you want the CD to eject automatically when burning has
completed.
10.Click OK to start burning.

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GETTING STARTED CHP. 2

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CHAPTER

Editing Events
3
In this chapter, you’ll learn about basic event editing techniques such as cutting, copying, pasting, trimming,
splitting, and joining events. You’ll also learn how to use ripple editing to expand the possibilities of timeline
editing. Finally, you’ll take a look at advanced editing techniques such as slipping and sliding events,
changing event properties, and adding event envelopes.

Note: For the basic event editing topics in this chapter, make
sure that ripple editing is turned off. Verify that the Ripple
Edits command in the Options menu is not selected. For
more information, see Ripple editing on page 71.

Copying events
Copying an event, a time selection, or event within a time selection places an exact copy of the selected
event(s) on the clipboard, but leaves the track view unchanged. Events copied to the clipboard can be
pasted in the project an unlimited number of times. In addition, clipboard content remains on the clipboard
until replaced by new content.
1. Select the event data you want to copy or make a time selection. For more information, see Making
selections on page 44.
2. Copy the event data using any of the following methods:
• Click the Copy button ( ) on the toolbar.
• Choose Copy from the Edit menu.
• Right-click the selection and choose Copy from the shortcut menu.
• Press Ctrl + C .

Pasting events
The clipboard’s contents can be pasted in a project an unlimited number of times. However, an event is
always pasted in the track it was copied/cut from. In addition, pasting the contents of the clipboard over an
existing event results in the pasted event overlapping the existing event. To avoid pasting over existing
events, you have two options:
• Use the Paste Insert command. For more information, see Using Paste Insert on page 66.
• Turn on ripple editing. For more information, see Ripple editing on page 71.

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When events are cut/copied to the clipboard and subsequently pasted into a project, the time data inherent
in the cut/copied events is maintained and pasted. For example, if you select two events on the same track
that are separated by five seconds of silence, copying and pasting these events results in the five seconds of
silence also being pasted into the project.

Original events Pasted events

Taking this concept a step further, if you select discontinuous events from several tracks, copying and pasting
these events results in any selected time data being pasted into the project as well. This maintains the
relative position of events in the project.

Original events Pasted events

Using the Paste command

1. Place the cursor at the desired position on the timeline.
2. Paste the clipboard contents using any of the following methods:
• Click the Paste button ( ) on the toolbar.
• Choose Paste from the Edit menu.
• Right-click the track view and choose Paste from the shortcut menu.
• Press Ctrl + V .

Using Paste Repeat

When building projects, you often need to paste the contents of the clipboard several times. Rather than
repeatedly pasting and moving the content, the Paste Repeat command allows you to specify the number of
times and at what interval the clipboard’s contents are pasted on the track view. This is a useful way of
quickly building a project that uses a repetitive riff or structure. For example, you can build the backing
tracks for a twelve-bar blues, copy them, and use Paste Repeat to paste several copies of it in the project.
1. Click the Time Selection Tool button ( ).
2. Drag the mouse in the track view to create a time selection spanning several events and copy it to the
clipboard.
3. Click the Go To End button ( ) on the transport bar or press Ctrl + End to send the cursor to the end of
the project.
4. From the Edit menu, choose Paste Repeat or press Ctrl + B . The Paste Repeat dialog appears.
5. Enter a number in the Number of times to paste box.
6. Select the End to end radio button and click OK. The events are pasted end to end the number of times
specified in step five, starting at the cursor position.

Using Paste Insert

To insert the contents of the ACID clipboard at the current cursor position and force existing events to
move in time to accommodate the pasted events, choose Paste Insert from the Edit menu.
If the cursor is in the middle of an event, the event splits at the cursor position where the new events are
pasted. For more information, see Splitting events on page 68.

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Pasting events at the play cursor
You can also paste the contents of the clipboard at the cursor during playback. You can use this feature to
create rhythms on one-shot tracks while listening to the track you’re editing in the context of the rest of
your project. When you’re done creating events, you can use the Render to New Track command (on the Edit
menu) to save the rhythm to a new track, or you can copy and paste your new events across the timeline.
1. Create a time selection in the portion of the project you want to edit.
2. Select the Loop Playback button ( ).
3. Copy the one-shot you want to use.
4. Click the Play button ( ) to start playback.
5. Press Shift + Y to paste at the play cursor (during playback, the edit cursor remains fixed, and the play
cursor follows playback).
If snapping is enabled, events are pasted at the next snap point. You can use snapping to quantize your
events.
6. Repeat step 5 as needed.
7. Click the Stop button ( ) when you’re finished creating events.
8. Edit event positions as necessary.

Tip: If you're using this feature to tap rhythms with one-shot

tracks, try applying a groove to adjust the timing of your
rhythm.For more information, see Working with grooves on
page 135.

Cutting events
Cutting an event, a time selection, or an event within a time selection removes the audio data from the
track view and places it on the clipboard. Once data is placed on the clipboard, it can be pasted back into
the project an unlimited number of times. Clipboard content remains on the clipboard until it is replaced by
new data.
1. Select the event data you want to cut or make a time selection. For more information, see Making selections
on page 44.
2. Cut the event data using any of the following methods:
• Click the Cut button ( ) on the toolbar.
• Choose Cut from the Edit menu.
• Right-click the selection and choose Cut from the shortcut menu.
• Press Ctrl + X .
All selected events are removed from the track view and placed on the clipboard.

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Deleting events
Deleting an event, a time selection, or an event within a time selection removes the data from the track view
and discards it. Deleted events are not placed on the clipboard and do not replace or interfere with current
clipboard content. In addition, deleted events cannot be pasted back into a project.

Note: Deleted data can only be replaced in a project using

the Undo command. For more information, see Using undo
on page 50.

1. Select the event data you want to delete or make a time selection. For more information, see Making
selections on page 44.
2. Delete the event data using any of the following methods:
• Choose Delete from the Edit menu.
• Right-click the selected event and choose Delete from the shortcut menu.
• Press Delete .
All selected events are removed from the track view and discarded.

Reversing events
You can select events in the timeline and reverse their audio and peak data. Select an event in the
timeline, right-click, and choose Reverse (or press B ) from the shortcut menu. An arrow appears
on the event in the timeline to indicate that it has been reversed.

Trimming events
Whereas deleting allows you to select event data to be removed from the project, trimming allows you to
select the data that remains. Trimming is performed by creating a time selection or selecting an event within
a time selection and subsequently deleting all unselected data.
1. Create a time selection or select specific events within a time selection. For more information, see Creating
time selections on page 46.
2. PressCtrl + T to trim the data within the selection. All unselected event data is removed from the track
view and discarded.

Splitting events
Splitting is a quick way to create independently functioning events from a single one. You might consider
splitting an event if you want to adjust a small part of the track. For example, you may want to apply pitch
shift to a guitar track for a few measures and then return the track to its original setting.
Splitting occurs at the cursor position or at the in and out points of a time selection. When you split an
event, a new ending point is created for the original event and creates a starting point for the newly created
event.
When you split an event, the newly created events abut each other. If Quick fade edges to prevent clicks is
selected in the Event Properties dialog, fades are added at the split point. For more information, see Changing
event properties on page 75.

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Split position Two events

However, you may move either of the events, which creates a gap.

Split position Two events

Splitting at the cursor position splits all selected events that the cursor crosses on all tracks.
1. Select the event(s) that you want to split.
2. Place the cursor where you want the split to occur or make a time selection.
3. From the Edit menu, choose Split or press S . The result of the split depends on how events were selected.

Splitting at the cursor position

Splitting at the cursor position splits all events that the cursor crosses on all tracks.

Events before splitting Events after splitting

Cursor position After the split, the three events

and split point become six events

Splitting an event
Selecting a single event prior to splitting prevents other events from being split at the cursor’s position.

Events before splitting Events after splitting

Event to Only the selected

be split event splits
at the cursor
position

Cursor position
and split point

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Splitting multiple events
Selecting multiple events splits only the selected events at the cursor’s position. Be sure to set your cursor
position before selecting events. Attempting to set your cursor after selecting events causes you to lose your
event selection.

Events before splitting Events after splitting

Only the selected

Events to events split
be split at the cursor
position

Cursor position
and split point

Splitting a time selection

Making a time selection allows you to split events at the time selection’s in and out points across all tracks.

Events before splitting Events after splitting

Loop bar Loop bar

In point Out point Split point Split point

Splitting events within a time selection

When selecting events within a time selection, only the selected events in the time range split at the in and
out points.

Events before splitting Events after splitting

Selection bar Selection bar

Event to be Only the selected

split at the time event splits at
selection’s in and the in and out
out points points

In point Out point Split point Split point

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Joining events
You may join events on ACID tracks that have been segmented along the timeline. Joining events is an
efficient way to redraw an event and remove any splits or silent regions between events.
You would want to join events if you decided that the event should play uninterrupted over the specified
time range.
1. Select the events or range of events that you want to join. For more information, see Selecting multiple events
on page 44.
2. From the Edit menu, choose Join or press J . The selected events are joined.

Select all the events that you want to join.

You can also select the first and last events

you want to join, creating an event selection range.

After you join the events, a single event appears.

Joining events is similar to dragging the

edge of an existing event

Ripple editing
ACID software includes a ripple editing feature. This feature is a timeline-based procedure that allows you to
cut, delete, and paste events or portions of events within a time selection and simultaneously adjust the
position of all later events on a selected track. The existing events’ timeline position adjusts by the total
amount of the time selection that is being cut, deleted or pasted from the clipboard.
You may turn on ripple editing mode by choosing Ripple Edits from the Options menu or pressing Ctrl + L .

Note: Ripple editing is only available when a time selection is

present.

Cutting events in ripple editing mode

Cutting events or portions of events removes them and their time information from their respective tracks.
This information is placed on the clipboard, from which you may paste the information back into your
project.
1. From the Options menu, choose Ripple Edits to enter ripple editing mode.
2. Click the event to be cut or make a time selection.
To cut multiple events, use the Ctrl key, the Shift key, or the Selection ( ) tool to select the events. For
more information, see Selecting multiple events on page 44.
3. Click the Cut button ( ) on the toolbar to cut the event(s) to the clipboard.
The cut events and their time information are removed from the selected track(s) and placed on the
clipboard. Existing events in the selected track(s) move forward to occupy the space created by the cut.

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Cutting time selections in ripple editing mode
Events within the time selection are reproduced and placed on the clipboard. Also, the time information is
placed on the clipboard. Existing events occurring after the time selection move forward in the project by
the length of the time selection.

Events before cut Clipboard contents Events after cut

Existing events
adjust to occur
sooner in the
project

Cutting time and event selections in ripple editing mode

Events and portions of events within the time selection are reproduced and placed on the clipboard. Also,
the time information is placed on the clipboard. Existing events occurring later than the time selection move
forward by the length of the time selection. Only tracks containing selected events are affected by the ripple
edit.

Events before cut Clipboard contents Events after cut

Existing events on
the top track adjust
to occur sooner in the
project

Deleting events in ripple editing mode

Deleting events or portions of events removes them and their time information from their respective tracks.
However, this information is not placed on the clipboard. Existing events move forward when you delete
material from a selected track.
1. From the Options menu, choose Ripple Edits to enter ripple editing mode.
2. Click the event to be deleted or make a time selection.
To cut multiple events, use the Ctrl key, the Shift key, or the Selection ( ) tool to select the events. For
more information, see Selecting multiple events on page 44.
3. Press Delete to delete the event(s).

Deleting time selections in ripple editing mode

Events within the time selection and their time information are removed from the project. Existing events
occurring after the time selection move forward in the project by the length of the time selection. When
information is deleted, it is not placed on the clipboard.

Events before delete Clipboard contents Events after delete

Deleted information is not Existing events
placed on the clipboard. adjust to occur
sooner in the
project

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Deleting time and event selections in ripple editing mode
Events within the time selection and their time information are removed from the project. Existing events
occurring after the time selection move forward in the project by the length of the time selection. When
information is deleted, it is not placed on the clipboard.

Events before delete Clipboard contents Events after delete

Deleted information is not Existing events on the
placed on the clipboard. top track adjust to
occur sooner in the
project

Pasting events in ripple editing mode

Once information is copied to the clipboard, you may choose a variety of ways to paste the clipboard items
into tracks. For more information, see Pasting events on page 65. The following procedures explain pasting
information in ripple editing mode.

Note: Events are always pasted into their own tracks at the
cursor position.

1. From the Options menu, choose Ripple Edits to enter ripple editing mode.
2. Move the cursor to the desired timeline location.
3. Place the cursor within the track where you want to paste the event.
4. Click the Paste button ( ) on the toolbar to paste the event into the track.
Clipboard information is pasted at the cursor’s position on the track. Existing events or portions of events
after the cursor adjust to occur later in the project. The amount of adjustment is based on the total length of
the information being pasted.

Pasting single track information in ripple editing mode

The information on the clipboard determines how many tracks are affected when you paste. If you have
copied or cut information from one track, only the selected track is affected by the pasted event and time
information.

Clipboard contents Events before paste Events after paste

Existing event
adjusts to move
later in the project.

Paste Newly pasted

position event

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Pasting multitrack information in ripple editing mode
Multiple events can be pasted as easily as single events.

Clipboard contents Events before paste Events after paste

Newly pasted events

These events will be Paste Existing events on the tracks adjust

pasted position later in the project

Note: Pasting in ripple editing mode ripples only the events

on the tracks that receive the clipboard contents. If you want
to ripple all tracks at the paste position, use the Paste Insert
command from the Edit menu.

Slipping and sliding events

To help you picture what happens when you slip and slide events, think of an event as a window to a media
file. The window can display the entire media file or a small section. When the window displays only a
portion of the media file, you can move either the window or the underlying media to adjust the media
played by an event:
• When you slip an event, your event maintains its place on the timeline, but the media file moves in the
direction you drag.
• When you slide an event, the media file maintains its place on the timeline, but the event moves in the
direction you drag.

Original loop event

Slipping the event two measures to the right

Slip-trimming the event two measures to the right

Sliding the event two measures to the right

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Shifting the contents of (slipping) events

Hold Alt while dragging an event. The slip cursor appears ( ).
As you drag the event, the contents of the event shift, but the event does not move. You can use this
technique when you want to maintain an event’s length and position but want the to event play a different
section of the source media file.
For creative ways to use event slipping, see Duplicating with offset on page 234.

Slip-trimming events
Hold Alt while dragging the right or left edge of an event. The slip-trim cursor appears ( ).
As you drag the event edge, the media moves with the event edge.

Sliding events
Hold Ctrl + Alt while dragging an event. The slide cursor appears ( ).
As you drag, the relative position of the media remains fixed on the track, and the event position changes.
You can use this technique when you want to maintain an event’s length but want the event to play a
different section of the source media file at a different point in your project.

Changing event properties

To access event properties, right-click the event and choose Properties from the shortcut menu, or simply
double-click the event.
These properties are saved in the project but are not saved into the file when you save changes to a track in
the Track Properties window. For more information, see Saving file properties on page 135.
The following table describes each of the settings in the Event Properties dialog.

Item Description
Start offset The Start offset for an event specifies a playback starting position that is
different than the beginning of the file. This is especially useful for loops; you
can change the feel of a loop by simply starting on beat two rather than beat
one.
Pitch shift The Pitch shift value specifies a pitch shift for the selected event. Event-based
pitch shift is calculated after the project key and any pitch shift assigned to a
track. For more information, see Changing tempo, time signature, and key on
page 104.
Speed The Speed setting allows you to change the playback speed of an event on a
one-shot track. Changing the speed also changes the pitch.
Quick fade edges to When you add an offset to an event so that it does not end on a loop point, you
prevent clicks can introduce an audible click at the edges of the event. Select the Quick fade
edges to prevent clicks check box, and a quick fade-in or fade-out is performed
on the event edges.
To adjust a quick fade, zoom into the event and hover over the upper-left or
upper-right corner of an event until the cursor is displayed as . Drag the
edge of the fade to adjust its duration. For more information, see Setting an
event’s fade-in and -out envelope curve on page 76.
Reverse Select the Reverse check box to reverse the event’s audio and peak data. An
arrow appears on the event in the timeline to indicate that it has been reversed.

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Using event envelopes

You can use envelopes on individual events. Envelopes give you the ability to control each event’s fade-in,
fade-out, and overall volume. Envelopes are useful for transitional effects between events by subtly fading out
one event’s volume while another fades in.
These envelopes are different than track envelopes because they affect only the event whereas track
envelopes can affect multiple events on the track. For more information, see Using track envelopes on page 122.
The event’s volume level and fade curves are represented by a line on the event.

Setting an event’s volume envelope

You can control an event’s overall volume by setting an envelope at the desired decibel (dB) level.
1. Place the mouse pointer at the top of the event. The envelope cursor ( ) appears.
2. Drag the volume line to the desired level. As you drag the volume line, the event’s decibel level is
displayed.

3. Release the mouse to set the event’s dB level.

After you set the event volume level, you may change it later by dragging the envelope line.

Setting an event’s fade-in and -out envelope curve

You can control an event’s envelope fade-in and -out characteristics by adjusting the event’s envelope
handles. These handles allow you to control the length and dB level of fade-ins and fade-outs. Also, you can
change the type of curve that the event uses to control the volume’s fade characteristics.
1. Place the mouse pointer on the upper corner of the event. The envelope cursor ( ) appears.
2. Drag the envelope cursor and position the envelope curve. As you drag the cursor, the following
information is displayed:
• The event decibel level.
• The length (in measures.beats.ticks) of the fade-in or fade-out.

3. Release the mouse to set the fade-in or fade-out characteristics.

Changing the event’s fade curve type

You can set an event’s fade curves (fast, linear, slow, smooth, or sharp) that are used to raise or lower the
volume over time. Right-click the fade region, select Fade Type from the shortcut menu, and choose the
appropriate fade curve from the submenu.

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Creating crossfades between events

You can quickly create crossfades between overlapping events painted on different tracks.
1. Select two events. The events must overlap, but do not need to be on adjacent tracks.
2. Press F . The end of the first event fades out, and the second event fades in.

For creative ways to use crossfades, see Creating DJ-style crossfades on page 240.

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EDITING EVENTS CHP. 3

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CHAPTER

Using the Media

1 Manager

This chapter covers the management and tagging of your media files in ACID Pro software using the Media
Manager™ feature.
The Media Manager feature is available only in ACID Pro software.

Creating a new media library

You can create multiple media libraries as necessary to organize your media. Each media library is maintained
by the Media Manager software as a separate database that stores information about the media contained
within it.
1. From the Media Manager window, click the Media Library actions button ( ) and choose New Media
Library from the menu. The New Media Library dialog is displayed.
2. In the Name box, type the name you want to use to identify the library.
3. The Folder box displays the path to the folder where the library will be created. Click Browse to choose a
different location.
4. Click the Create button to create the new library.

Opening a media library

The Media Manager window displays the contents of the current media library. You can open a different
library at any time.

Important: When you open a media library, the Media

Manager tool creates a transaction log file. This file is created
in the same folder as the .medialib file and uses the same base
name as the .medialib file. For example, the transaction log
file for default.medialib would be default_log.ldf.
Do not delete these log files. Doing so will prevent you from
opening the associated library. When the Media Manager tool
closes, it automatically removes the log file. If the application
terminates inappropriately, close all running ACID
windows, restart ACID software, and close the application to
clear the log file.

1. In the Media Manager window, click the Media Library Actions button ( ) and choose Open Media Library
from the menu. The Open Media Library dialog is displayed.

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2. Choose the folder where the library you want to open is stored:
• Choose a drive and folder from the Look in drop-down list.
—or—
• Use the bar on the left side of the window to browse to a folder.
3. Select a library from the list.
4. Click the Open button to open the selected library. The name of the current library is displayed in the
upper-right corner of the Search Results pane:

Adding media files to a library

Before you can search or organize your media files, you’ll need to add them to a media library.
When the Sony Sound Series Loops & Samples™ reference library is installed and set as the active reference
library in the Media Manager Options dialog, tags and custom properties from the reference library will be
applied to media from existing Sony Sound Series Loops & Samples or Loops for ACID collections when you
add media to your library. For more information on Media Manager options, see Setting Media Manager
options on page 94.

Note: The Sony Sound Series Loops & Samples reference

library is not installed by default, but you can install it from
the ACID CD or download it from the Sony Media Software
Web site (http://mediasoftware.sonypictures.com/reference).
After installing the library, go to the Media Manager Options
dialog and choose the reference library from the Reference
library drop-down list.

Tip: If the Save media-usage relationships in active media

library check box is selected on the General tab of the ACID
Preferences dialog, you can add individual files to a library by
previewing the files in the ACID Explorer window.

1. Click the Add Files to Media Library button ( ). The Add Files to Media Library dialog is displayed.
2. Choose the folders that will be searched for media:
a. If it isn’t displayed automatically, click the Add Folder button ( ) to display the Browse for Folder
dialog.
b. Select the folder you want to search.
c. Click OK.

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Tips: If you want to change an item in the folder list, select it

and click the Browse button ( ) in the Folders column.
If you want to remove a folder from the list, select it and click
the Remove Folder button ( ).

3. Repeat step 2 for each folder you want to search.

4. Select the Include subfolders check box if you want to search folders within the selected folders.
5. Select the Audio, Video, Images, or MIDI check boxes to indicate the types of media you want to add. Clear
a check box to exclude that type of media file.
Files that contain audio and video streams will be added if either or both of the Audio or Video check boxes
are selected.
6. Specify whether you want to search for new files or all files:
• Select the New files only radio button if you want to search only for new media files. Files that already
exist in the media library will be skipped.
—or—
• Select the All files radio button if you want to search for all media files in the specified folder. New media
files will be added, and files that already exist in the media library will be searched to determine whether
their properties have changed.
7. Select the Add tags and custom properties from files check box if you want to add tags and custom columns
saved in the media files to your library. For more information about tagging media, please see Tagging media
files on page 82. For information about adding custom columns to the Search Results pane, see Adding custom
columns on page 94.
8. Select the Use file and folder names to apply tags automatically check box if you want to automatically tag files
based on the file path.
For example, when this check box is selected, a loop saved in the d:\loops\drums\hi-hats\ folder would have
the tags Drums and Hi-Hats applied when it is added to the library. Some synonyms (and variant
spellings) will be resolved automatically. If you need to modify the pattern-matching, you can edit the
AutoTagPatterns.xml file, which is created in your My Documents\Sony Media Libraries folder the first time
the application starts.

Note: Changing the selection of the Add tags and custom

properties from files and Use file and folder names to apply
tags automatically check boxes also changes the settings in the
Media Manager Options dialog.

9. Click the Search button to start adding files to the library.

10.Click the Close button when you’re finished.
A tag is automatically added to the Tag tree when you search. The tag name will include the date and
time of the search, and all files that were added or updated in the library are marked with this tag.

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Removing media files from a library

You can remove a reference to a media file from a library without affecting the media file itself.
1. Select files in the Search Results pane to choose the files you want to delete:
• To select a single file, click the file.
—or—
• To select multiple consecutive files, click the first file, hold the Shift key, and then click the last item.
—or—
• To select multiple files that are not consecutive, hold the Ctrl key and click each file.
2. Right-click a selected file and choose Remove from Library from the shortcut menu (or press the Delete key
on your keyboard). A confirmation dialog is displayed.
3. Click OK to remove the selected files from the library.

Tagging media files

Tagging helps you classify your media files. For example, if you wanted to keep track of loops played by a
specific instrument, you could create a tag with the name of the instrument and apply it to the appropriate
loops. Similarly, you could create tags for genres, moods, seasons, client names, locations, scenes, performer
names, and so on.
When you create a new library, a default tag tree is displayed in the Tags pane. You can create your own tags
to customize the tags for your needs. Tags are the fastest way to search a media library, and they require very
little disk space.
Tags are saved in your media library. If a media file exists in multiple libraries, tagging the media file in one
library has no effect on the other libraries unless you save the tags to the files and use the Add Files to Media
Library dialog to update tags and custom properties for all files.

Tip: If you want to see which tags are associated with a file as
you’re adding or removing tags, drag the Tags column in the
Search Results pane to the left so you can see the Name and
Tags columns at the same time.

Creating a tag
Adding tags creates new tags in the current library only.
1. Click the Add Tag button ( ) to add a new tag to the tree.
If a tag is selected, the new tag will be added below the selected tag. If no tag is selected, the new tag will
be added to the bottom of the tag tree.
2. Type a name for the tag.
3. Press Enter .

4. If you want to change the icon used to display the tag, right-click it and choose Edit from the shortcut
menu to display the Tag Editor dialog.
5. If you want to change the tag’s location, drag it to a new location in the tag tree.

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Applying a tag to a media file

You tag media by dragging a tag from the tag tree to a media file in the Search Results pane (or by dragging a
media file to a tag) when the Add Tag Mode button ( ) is selected.
1. Select media files to tag in the Search Results pane:
• To select a single file, click the file.
—or—
• To select multiple consecutive files, click the first file, hold the Shift key, and then click the last item.
—or—
• To select multiple files that are not consecutive, hold the Ctrl key and click each file.
2. Click the Add Tag Mode button ( ) in the Search pane.
3. Drag a tag from the tag tree to the selected file(s).

Tip: You can also right-click a selection in the Search Results

pane and choose Add Tag from the shortcut menu to add a tag
to all selected media. The Tag Chooser dialog will be
displayed. Select the tag you want to add, and then click the
OK button.

When you add a subtag to a media file, the tag’s hierarchical position in the tag
tree is applied implicitly.
In this example, adding the “Snare” tag to a media file would mean that a search
for “Audio,” “Drum One-Shots,” or “Snare” would find your tagged media. If
the user rearranged the tag tree so that the “Snare” tag did not appear below the
“Audio” and “Drum One-Shots” tags, searching for “Audio” or “Drum One-
Shots” would not find your tagged media.
If you add all three tags to your media file, a search for “Audio,” “Drum One-
Shots,” or “Snare” would find your tagged media even if the tag tree had been
rearranged, though this behavior is not always desirable.

Removing a tag from a media file

You remove tags from media by dragging a tag from the tag list to a media file in
the Search Results pane (or by dragging a media file to a tag) when the Remove Tag Mode button ( ) is
selected.
1. Select media files in the Search Results pane:
• To select a single file, click the file.
—or—
• To select multiple consecutive files, click the first file, hold the Shift key, and then click the last item.
—or—
• To select multiple files that are not consecutive, hold the Ctrl key and click each file.

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2. Click the Remove Tag Mode button ( ) in the Search pane.
3. Drag a tag from the tag tree to the selected file(s). The tag is removed from the file(s).

Deleting a tag from a library

Deleting the selected tag(s) affects the current library only.
1. In the Search pane, select the tag(s) to be removed:
• To select a single tag, click the tag.
—or—
• To select multiple consecutive tags, click the first tag, hold the Shift key, and then click the last tag.
—or—
• To select multiple tags that are not consecutive, hold the Ctrl key and click each tag.
2. Click the Delete Selected Tag button ( ) to delete the tag from the current library. A confirmation dialog
is displayed.
3. Click OK to remove the selected tags from the library.

Merging subtags
Merging tags combines a selected tag with its subtags and removes the subtags from your library permanently.
To merge a tag with its subtags, right-click the tag and choose Merge Subtags into Selected Tag from the
shortcut menu.
All subtags are combined with the main tag, and the subtags are removed from the library. All media
formerly associated with the subtags is associated with the main tag.

Arranging tags in the tag tree

Tags are displayed in a tree view in the Media Manager window. You can organize tags hierarchically: click
the Expand button ( ) in the Search pane to expand a list, or click the Collapse button ( ) in the Search
pane to hide an expanded list.
You can drag, copy, and paste tags within the list to arrange them and create parent and child tags.
You can also display tags in a palette view by clicking the Change Tags View button ( ).

Editing tag names or images

1. Double-click a tag (or right-click a tag and choose Edit from the shortcut menu) to display the Tag Editor
dialog.
2. In the Tag name box, type the name you want to display for the tag.
3. Select a thumbnail image to choose the icon that will be displayed for the tag in the Search pane and in
the Search Results pane when the tag is added to a media file.
4. Click the OK button to apply your changes and close the Tag Editor dialog.

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Viewing or creating palettes

The palette view provides another way of working with tags that can be useful for more focused searching.
You can use a palette to concentrate on a portion of the current tag tree.
In the palette view, tags are displayed as a grid of buttons instead of the standard hierarchical tag tree.
1. Click the Change Tags View button ( ) to toggle the display of the tag tree and palette view.
2. Click the down arrow next to the button to choose a saved palette or create a new palette.

Creating a palette
1. Click the down arrow next to the Change Tags View button ( ) and choose New Palette from the
menu. The New Palette dialog is displayed.
2. In the Name box, type the name you want to use to identify the palette.
3. In the Rows box, specify the number of rows of buttons you want to display in the palette.
4. In the Columns box, specify the number of columns of buttons you want to display in the palette.
5. Click OK to create the palette. The palette is displayed as a grid with empty buttons.

Assigning palette buttons

1. Perform either of the following actions to display the Tag Chooser dialog:
• Click an empty palette button.
—or—
• Click an existing button and choose Choose Tag from the shortcut menu.
2. Select the tag you want to assign to the button.
3. Click the OK button.

Clearing a button
Right-click a palette button and choose Clear from the shortcut menu.

Deleting a saved palette

1. Right-click a palette button and choose Delete Current Palette from the shortcut menu.
2. Click the OK button when prompted to delete the palette from your library.

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Saving tags and properties to media files
Saving tags and properties to files makes all your organization portable: if tags and custom properties are
saved to files, that information will be preserved in the files and can be added to the library by selecting the
Add tags and custom properties from files check box in the Add Files to Media Library dialog.
Saving tags and properties to files affects only the current media library and libraries that you create after
saving the information. If you have multiple libraries, you can add embedded tags and custom columns to
existing libraries by opening the desired library and rescanning your media folders with the Add tags and
custom properties from files check box selected in the Add Files to Media Library dialog. Embedded file
properties are also updated when you preview or add media to a project.
The following file formats can store this type of information internally:
• MP3
• Windows Media Format (WMA and WMV)
• WAV
• WAV64
• SFA
• PCA
• Scott Studios

For other file types, the Media Manager tool will save metadata to an .sfl file (using the same base name as
your media file).
Follow these steps to save tag and property information in your media file(s):
1. In the Search Results pane, select media files for which you want to save tags and properties:
• To select a single file, click the file.
—or—
• To select multiple consecutive files, click the first file, hold the Shift key, and then click the last item.
—or—
• To select multiple files that are not consecutive, hold the Ctrl key and click each file.
2. Click the Save Tags and Properties to File(s) button (
) in the top right corner of the Search Results pane.
Tags and other information from the Search Results pane is saved for the selected file(s).

Backing up your media libraries

Media Manager software automatically saves your library as you make changes, so you don’t need to tell the
application explicitly to save your library as you're working.
However, you can create a backup of the current library as a restore point or as a template to create new
libraries.
1. Click the Media Library Actions button ( ) and choose Back Up Media Library from the menu. The Back Up
Media Library dialog is displayed.
2. Choose a drive and folder from the Save in drop-down list, or use the browse window to locate the folder
where you want to save your backup.
3. In the File name box, type the name you want to use to identify the library.
4. Click the Save button.
To restore the backup at a later time, open the backup file.

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Opening a Reference Library

A reference library contains information about media from an outside source or vendor.
You can also use a reference library to search media files that you aren’t part of your collection. For example,
if you’re unable to find the perfect loop for an ACID project in your own collection, you could use the Sony
Sound Series Loops & Samples reference library to search the entire Sony Sound Series Loops & Samples
catalog and purchase a new loop library.
You can use the Media Reference Library drop-down list in the Media Manager Options dialog to determine
which library is opened when you click the Switch to Media Reference Library button ( ).
1. Click the Switch to Media Reference Library button (). The reference library specified in the Media
Manager Options dialog is opened. Media in a reference library is displayed in gray text to indicate that
the files are not available on your computer.
2. Find the media you’re looking for with a standard or advanced search.
3. Tag media from the reference library as needed. For more information on tagging, see Tagging media files on
page 82.
4. When you select a file in a reference library, the Product Information pane displays information about the
selected file and a link you can use to purchase the media.

Using the Sony Sound Series Loops & Samples reference library
If you have the Sony Sound Series Loops & Samples reference library loaded when you search your computer
for media, media from existing Sony Loops and Samples or Loops for ACID collections will inherit tags and
custom properties from the reference library.
The Sony Sound Series Loops & Samples reference library is not installed by default, but you can install it
from the ACID CD or download it from the Sony Media Software Web site
(http://mediasoftware.sonypictures.com/reference). After installing the library, go to the Media Manager
Options dialog (click the Media Library Actions button ( ) and choose Options from the menu) and choose
the reference library from the Reference library drop-down list.

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Searching for media files

You can use the Media Manager tool to search the current media library for media files using keywords or
tags.

Tips: You can use the Search Results Limit box in the Media
Manager Options dialog to determine the maximum number
of media files you’d like to have returned in the results of your
searches. Increasing the Search Results Limit setting increases
the amount of time required to search a library and can
significantly decrease performance if set excessively high.
When performing complex searches, consider creating
temporary tags to classify the results. If you apply a tag to the
files found by a complex search, you can return to those files
easily by searching on the tag. The Media Manager tool can
search for tags more quickly than it can perform keyword or
advanced searches.

Searching using a keyword

1. Select the Quick text search check box in the Search pane and type a keyword (or keywords) in the edit
box.

Tip: You can separate search terms using quotation marks

and other operators. If quotes or wildcard characters are not
applied, an * is automatically added before and after each
search term.

2. Press Enter .

The Media Manager tool searches your media files and displays the results in the Search Results pane on
the right side of the window. Any file that contains your keywords in the file name or attributes is
displayed (tags are not searched as keywords).
Your search terms are displayed in the yellow bar below the Search Results toolbar.

Search terms
Keyword

Search results

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3. You can refine the search results using any of the following methods:
• Select tag check boxes.
• Use the Advanced search controls. For more information, see Using advanced search options on page 90.
• Choose Match Any from the Match Any/Match All drop-down list to display all media that matches any of
your keyword, tag, or advanced search criteria. Using this option in the search displayed in step 2, the
Search Results pane would display all files that contain the keyword “EBow” OR the “Guitar” tag.
• Choose Match All from the Match Any/Match All drop-down list to display only media that matches all of
your keyword, tag, and advanced search criteria. Using this option in the search displayed in step 2, the
Search Results pane would display all files that contain the keyword “EBow” AND the “Guitar” tag.

Searching using tags

In the Search pane, select the check box for each tag you want to find. The
Media Library searches your media files and displays the results in the Search
Results pane on the right side of the window.
Choose Match Any from the Match Any/Match All drop-down list if you want to
display all media that contains any keyword, tag, or advanced search criteria.
In the example to the right, the Search Results pane would display all files
that contain the tag “High Tom” OR the tag “Floor Tom.”
Choose Match All from the Match Any/Match All drop-down list if you want to
display only media that includes all keyword, tag, and advanced search
criteria. In the preceding example, the Search Results pane would display only
files with tags “High Tom” AND “Floor Tom.”

Note: If you have check boxes selected for parent and child
tags, those tags will be treated as an OR relationship
regardless of whether Match Any or Match All is selected.

Sorting search results

Click a column heading to sort the results in ascending or descending order based on that column.

Viewing previous searches

Click the Previous Search button ( ) in the top left corner of the Search Results pane to navigate through
your recent searches and update the contents of the Search Results pane.
After viewing previous searches, click the Next Search button ( ) in the top left corner of the Search
Results pane to navigate back to your current search.

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Using advanced search options
If your media library contains many files and you’re searching for a very specific media file, the Advanced
section of the Search pane can help you zero in on exactly the file you want.
If you want to perform an advanced search to refine the results of a previous search, start by creating a quick
search or tag-based search and then perform the following steps.

Tips: You can use the Search Results Limit box in the Media
Manager Options dialog to determine the maximum number
of media files you’d like to have returned in the results of your
searches. Increasing the Search Results Limit setting increases
the amount of time required to search a library and can
significantly decrease performance if set excessively high.
When performing complex searches, consider creating
temporary tags to classify the results. If you apply a tag to the
files found by a complex search, you can return to those files
easily by searching on the tag. The Media Manager tool can
search for tags more quickly than it can perform keyword or
advanced searches.

1. Add your search criteria:

a. Click the Add New Search Criteria button ( ) in the Search pane. The Search Criteria Chooser is
displayed.
b. Double-click an item in the Search Criteria Chooser or drag it to the Advanced section of the Search
pane.

Tips: If an item in the Search Results pane displays a

button, you can click it to find related media. For example,
clicking the button in the following example adds an item to
the Advanced section to help you find other media with a beat
count of 16.
You can also drag a column heading from the Search Results
pane to the Advanced section of the Search pane.

2. Set parameters for each of your search criteria. If the item displays an edit box, type the parameter you
want to search for. If the item is displayed as a hyperlink, click the value to display a control you can use
to set the value.

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3. Choose whether you want to display files that match any or all of your search criteria:
• Choose Match Any from the Match Any/Match All drop-down list if you want to display all media that
matches any of your keyword, tag, or advanced search criteria.
—or—
• Choose Match All from the Match Any/Match All drop-down list if you want to display only media that
matches all of your search criteria.
4. Select the check boxes for the advanced search criteria you want to include in your search, or clear a
check box to exclude that item.

Previewing media
You can use the transport controls in the Media Manager window to preview media files.
1. Select files in the Search Results pane to choose the files you want to preview:
• To select a single file, click the file.
—or—
• To select multiple consecutive files, click the first file, hold the Shift key, and then click the last item.
—or—
• To select multiple files that are not consecutive, hold the Ctrl key and click each file.
2. Start playback:
• If the Auto Preview button ( ) is selected, playback will begin automatically.
• If the Auto Preview button is not selected, click the Start Preview button ( ) to begin playback.
If you have multiple files selected, they will be played back sequentially. Each file’s icon will change to a
play icon ( ) during playback.
3. Click the Stop Preview button ( ) to stop the preview, or turn off the preview feature by deselecting the
Auto Preview button.
If the file is offline, you’ll be prompted to locate the file or choose a replacement.

Tip: To preview a media file in its associated media player,

right-click the file and choose Open with Player from the
shortcut menu.

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Adding media to your project

After you’ve added media to your library, tagged it, and searched for specific files or related media, you’ve
probably found just the right piece of media for your current project.
You can add media to your project from the Search Results pane by performing any of the following actions:
• Dragging a file from the Search Results pane to the project timeline. The file is added wherever you drop
it.

Tip: You can also drag files from the Search Results pane to
the Windows desktop, a folder, or to another application that
is an OLE (object linking and embedding) drop target.

• Double-clicking a media file in the Search Results pane (if the Double-click in Search Results pane adds media
to project check box is selected in the Media Manager Options dialog). The file is added to the bottom of
the track list.
• Right-clicking a media file in the Search Results pane and choose Add to Project from the shortcut menu.
The file is added to the bottom of the track list.

If the file is offline, you’ll be prompted to locate the file or choose a replacement. For more information, see
Resolving offline media files below.

Resolving offline media files

An offline media file is a file that is no longer available to the Media Manager. Media may be classified as
offline if you eject removable storage after adding a file to your library or change a file’s name or location.
1. Add media to your project or preview media files. If any of the files are not accessible, the Resolve Offline
Media dialog is displayed with a listing of offline files and their status:

Icon Status Description

Offline The file listed in the Offline File column cannot be found. The status will be Offline if you did
not search or browse for a replacement file.
Probable The file listed in the Offline File column will be replaced by the file listed in the Replacement
Match File column. A status of Probable Match indicates that the Media Manager tool found a likely
replacement file when you clicked Smart Search.
Found The file listed in the Offline File column will be replaced by the file listed in the Replacement
File column. A status of Found indicates that you chose the file you want to use after clicking
the Browse button.

2. Select the files you want to resolve:

• To select a single file, click the file.
—or—
• To select multiple consecutive files, click the first file, hold the Shift key, and then click the last item.
—or—
• To select multiple files that are not consecutive, hold the Ctrl key and click each file.

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3. Specify how you want to resolve the selected files:
• Click the Smart Search button to search quickly and allow the Media Manager tool to suggest the
replacement file.
• Click the Browse button to choose a specific replacement file.
• Click the Leave Offline button to leave the file offline. The file will not be added to your project.
• Click the Remove button to remove the file from the media library. The file will not be added to your
project. The original media file is not deleted.
4. Repeat step 3 for each file in the list.
5. Click the OK button to preview the files or add the files to your project and update the media library with
the replacement files.

Customizing the Media Manager window

Much of what you see in the Media Manager window can be customized to suit your preferences.

Automatically hiding the Search pane

Click the push pin button ( ) in the title bar of the Search pane if you want to save space in the Media
Manager window by automatically hiding the search pane:
• The push pin is displayed as a ( ) when the Search pane is anchored in the Media Manager window.
• The push pin is displayed as a ( ) when the Search pane is set to hide automatically.

When the Search pane is set to hide automatically, you can hover over the Search tab on the left edge of the
Media Manager window to show the pane. When you move your mouse away from the Search pane, it hides
automatically.

Docking and undocking the Search pane

You can undock the Search pane from its location in the Media Manager window to float it over the ACID
window, or you can change the docking position of the pane within the Media Manager window. To undock
and move the Search pane, drag its title bar to the desired location.

Resizing columns
You can resize the columns in the Search Results pane by dragging the splitter between columns to the
desired size. To resize a column automatically, double-click a splitter.

Moving columns
To move a column in the Search Results pane to a different location, drag the column header to the desired
location. A red indicator shows where the column will be dropped.

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Showing or hiding columns
1. Right-click the column headings and choose Column Chooser from the shortcut menu.
2. Drag the columns you want to see from the Column Chooser dialog to the Search Results pane.
3. To hide a column, right-click a column heading and choose Remove this Column from the shortcut menu.

Adding custom columns

You can add custom columns to the Search Results pane to store additional information about media files.
When you add custom columns, they are added to the current library only.
For example, if you wanted to keep track of which removable hard drive contained a media file, you could
create a custom Drive Number column to assign any numeric rating to a media file. You could then use the
Advanced section of the Search pane to search using the Drive Number value.
When adding media to a library, you can choose to add this information by selecting the Add tags and custom
check box in the Add Files to Media Library dialog.
columns from files

1. Right-click the column headings and choose Custom Columns from the shortcut menu.
2. Click the Add New Column button ( ) to add a custom column. A new entry is added to the list.
3. In the Name box, type the name you’d like to display as a column heading.
4. Select the Type box and choose Text or Integer from the drop-down list to indicate whether you’ll store text
or numeric data in the column.
5. If you want to remove a custom column, select an entry in the list and click the Delete Selected Columns
button ( ). The column and all data stored in the column is removed from the library.
6. Click the OK button. The column is added to the media library, and the Search Results pane is scrolled to
the right to display your new column.

Setting Media Manager options

Use the Media Manager Options dialog to set options for working with the Media Manager tool.
1. Click the Media Library Actions button ( ) and choose Options from the menu. The Media Manager
Options dialog is displayed.
2. From the Reference library drop-down list, choose the library you want to load when you click the Switch to
Media Reference Library button in the upper left corner of the Search Results pane. For more information
about using reference libraries, see Opening a Reference Library on page 87.
3. In the Search results limit box, type the maximum number of media files you’d like to have returned in the
results of your searches.

Note: Increasing the Search Results Limit setting increases

the amount of time required to search a library and can
significantly decrease performance if set excessively high.

4. Select the Double-click in Search Results pane adds media to project check box if you want to add files to the
current project by double-clicking a file in the Search Results pane.

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5. Select the Shut down database service on exit check box if you want to stop the database service when you
close ACID software.

Note: Stopping the service can conserve system resources

when you aren’t using any applications that use the Media
Manager tool. However, the application will take longer to
start when the check box is selected.

6. Set your options for adding media to a library:

a. Select the Add tags and custom properties from files check box if you want to add tags and custom columns
saved in the media files to your library. For more information about tagging media, see Tagging media files
on page 82. For information about adding custom columns to the Search Results pane, see Adding custom
columns on page 94.
b. Select the Use file and folder names to apply tags automatically check box if you want to automatically tag
files based on the file path.
For example, when this check box is selected, a loop saved in the d:\loops\drums\hi-hats\ folder would
have the tags Drums and Hi-Hats applied when it is added to the library. Some synonyms (and variant
spellings) will be resolved automatically. If you need to modify the pattern-matching, you can edit the
AutoTagPatterns.xml file, which is created in your My Documents\Sony Media Libraries folder the first
time the application starts.
7. Click the OK button to close the dialog.

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CHAPTER

Working in the
2 Track View

This chapter introduces you to several ACID® features that increase your productivity, such as markers,
regions, and snapping options. You’ll also learn about the different ways to change a project’s tempo, key and
time signature. Finally, you’ll learn several options for adjusting the project timeline.

Using project markers and regions

ACID markers and regions identify areas of your project and provide navigational cues for quickly finding
those areas. After you insert markers and regions, you may adjust their position along the project’s timeline
and label them with meaningful names for your reference.

Marker type Description

Marker (standard) Markers identify specific reference points in your project. Points that you may
want to identify are introductions, bridges, refrains, choruses, or whatever
you choose.
Time marker Time markers are fixed to the time ruler and mark absolute time in your
project. They are very useful when scoring video.

Command marker Command markers indicate when an instruction or function occurs in a

streaming media file.

Regions Regions subdivide your project into time segments. Regions have in and out
points, which allow them to function as permanent time selections.

Working with standard markers

Markers are tools that can make creating music easier by identifying specific points along the project’s
timeline. They can be named, moved, and serve as snap and navigational points for the cursor and events.
When you place markers, they are automatically numbered (up to 99) in the order that you place them.

Placing markers
Markers are placed at the cursor position. You may place a marker in one of the following ways:
• From the Insert menu, choose Marker.
• Right-click the marker bar, choose Markers/Regions from the shortcut menu, and choose Insert Marker
from the submenu.
• Press M . You may use this method to place a marker while the project is playing.
Marker Marker bar

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Moving markers
1. Place the mouse pointer on the marker to be moved. The hand cursor ( ) appears.
2. Drag the marker to the desired position.

Naming markers
You can name markers in your project. You may want to name markers based on parts of the project. For
example, you may want to identify choruses, refrains, bridges, or instrument solos as reference points along
the timeline.
1. Place the mouse pointer on the marker to be named. The hand cursor ( ) appears.
2. Right-click the marker and choose Rename from the shortcut menu. A box appears next to the marker.
3. Type a marker name in the box and press Enter to save the name.

Tip: You can use the same steps to rename a marker.

Alternately, you can double-click the marker and enter a new
name.

Navigating to markers
While you are working on your project, you may have scrolled to a portion of the project where the cursor is
not visible. There are two ways to move the cursor directly to the selected marker:
• Right-click the marker and choose Go To from the shortcut menu.
• Click the marker once.
• Press the number key (not on the numeric keypad) corresponding to the marker number.

Tip: You may also navigate from one marker to the next by
pressing Ctrl +left/right arrow key.

Adjusting tempo to match cursor to marker

Position the cursor, right-click the marker tab, and choose Adjust tempo to match cursor to marker from the
shortcut menu. The project tempo changes so that the cursor position matches the selected marker.

Deleting markers
You may remove markers from the project at any time. Because markers are automatically numbered (up to
99) when they are placed, the remaining markers are not renumbered when one is deleted. Rather, the
remaining markers retain their numbers. However, if you add markers later, numbering begins to fill the
sequence gap.
For example, if you have five markers in your project and delete markers three and four, the remaining
markers are listed as one, two and five. When you add markers again, the markers are numbered as three and
four.
1. Place the mouse pointer on the marker to be deleted. The hand cursor ( ) appears.
2. Right-click the marker and choose Delete from the shortcut menu. The marker is removed from the
project.

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Working with time markers

Unlike standard markers, time markers are tied to absolute time within your project. They are added
differently than standard markers and appear on the time ruler at the bottom of the track view. Otherwise,
time markers can be manipulated just like other markers.

Placing time markers

Time markers are placed at the cursor position. You may place a time marker in one of the following ways:
• From the Insert menu, choose Time Marker.
• Press H . You may use this method to place a time marker while the project is playing back.

Time marker

Note: Time markers are not numbered.

Adjusting tempo to match marker to cursor

Using this function with time markers is particularly useful when scoring video. For more information, see
Scoring video on page 202.
Position the cursor, right-click the marker tab, and choose Adjust tempo to match marker to cursor from the
shortcut menu. The project tempo changes so the time marker matches the cursor position.
You can also align the marker and cursor by holding Alt while dragging the marker. For example, hold Alt
while dragging a time marker to a location on the beat ruler. The project tempo adjusts so the time at the
marker occurs on a specific beat. For example, if you place a time marker at 10 seconds on the time ruler and
hold Alt while dragging the marker to 5.1 on the beat ruler, the project’s tempo is adjusted so the first beat of
measure five occurs at ten seconds.

Working with command markers

Command markers add interactivity to a multimedia presentation streamed over the Internet. As your media
plays, any number of other actions can be programmed to execute. These commands are a part of the
Windows Media® and RealMedia™ streaming formats. Most frequently, these actions add text or open a
related Web site. The specific commands available vary depending on the final format of your project.

Note: Streaming media files can be played back from a hard

drive or CD-ROM, but in order to stream properly across the
Internet, the file must be on a streaming media server. Check
with your internet service provider for details and availability
of this service.

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Placing command markers
Command markers appear on the command ruler, which is above the marker bar.

URL command marker

Command ruler
Marker bar

1. Position the cursor where you want to place the command marker.
2. From the Insert menu, choose Command, or press C .
3. Complete the Command Properties dialog:
• From the Template drop-down list, choose a custom template. For more information, see Saving command
properties as a custom template on page 100.
• From the Command drop-down list, choose the type of command. For more information, see Defining
streaming media commands on page 101.
• Enter parameters in the Parameter box to define the behavior of the command.
• Enter your own notes or comments in the Comment box.
• Specify the timing of the command in the Position box. Command markers are automatically set to the
current cursor position unless you change this value.
4. Click OK. The new command marker appears on the command bar.
After you create a command marker, you can move the marker by dragging it to a new location.

Editing command marker properties

Double-click any command marker to open the Command Properties dialog and edit its contents. You can
also right-click a command marker and choose Edit from the shortcut menu.

Saving command properties as a custom template

If you plan to use a command more than once, you can save command properties as a template. You can then
reuse the command properties by selecting the template from the Template drop-down list.
1. Create a command and complete the Command Properties dialog.
2. Click in the Template box and enter a name for the template.
3. Click the Save Template button ( ).

Tip: Your metadata command templates are saved in the

cmdtemp.xml file in the ACID program folder. You can edit
this file directly to modify your templates.

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Defining streaming media commands
In a streaming media file, command markers can be used to display headlines, show captions, link to Web
sites, or any other function you define.
Several command types are included that you may add to a streaming media file. Some command types are
exclusive to either the Windows Media or the RealMedia file types.

Command Player Type Description

URL Windows Media Indicates when an instruction is sent to the user’s Internet browser to change
and RealMedia the content being displayed. With this command, you enter the URL that
displays at a specific time during the rendered project’s playback.
TEXT Windows Media Displays text in the captioning area of the Windows Media Player located
below the video display area. You enter the text that displays during playback.
Note: To view captions during playback in Windows Media Player 9, choose
Captions and Subtitles from the Windows Media Player Play menu, and
then choose On if Available from the submenu.
WMClosedCaption Windows Media Displays the entered text in the captioning window defined by an HTML
layout file.
WMTextBodyText Windows Media Displays the entered text in the text window defined by an HTML layout page.
WMTextHeadline Windows Media Displays the entered text in the headline window defined by an HTML layout
file.
Title RealMedia Displays the entered text on the player’s title bar.
Note: When rendering Windows Media files, title information is based on the
settings on the Summary tab of the ACID Project Properties dialog or the
Index/Summary tab of the Custom Template dialog. The summary
information from the Project Properties dialog will be used if information has
been specified in both places.
To view this information during playback, choose Now Playing Options
from the Windows Media Player View menu and select the items you want to
display.
Author RealMedia Displays the entered text (author’s name) when a user selects About this
Presentation from the RealPlayer shortcut menu or Properties from the
Windows Media shortcut menu.
Note: When rendering Windows Media files, author information is based on
the settings on the Summary tab of the ACID Project Properties dialog or the
Index/Summary tab of the Custom Template dialog. The summary
information from the Project Properties dialog will be used if information has
been specified in both places.
To view this information during playback, choose Now Playing Options
from the Windows Media Player View menu and select the items you want to
display.
Copyright RealMedia Displays the entered copyright information when a user selects About this
Presentation from the RealPlayer shortcut menu or Properties from the
Windows Media shortcut menu.
Note: When rendering Windows Media files, copyright information is based
on the settings on the Summary tab of the ACID Project Properties dialog or
the Index/Summary tab of the Custom Template dialog. The summary
information from the Project Properties dialog will be used if information has
been specified in both places.
To view this information during playback, choose Now Playing Options
from the Windows Media Player View menu and select the items you want to
display.
HotSpotPlay RealMedia Allows you to define an area in the RealPlayer video display that users can
click to jump to another RealMedia file.
HotSpotBrowse RealMedia Allows you to define an area in the RealPlayer video display that users can
click to jump to a Web page that you specify.
HotSpotSeek RealMedia Allows you to define an area in the RealPlayer video display that users can
click to jump to a point in the current RealMedia file.

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Defining HotSpot commands
Hotspots are defined using the following parameter syntax:
HotSpotPlay MM:SS (LEFT, TOP, RIGHT, BOTTOM) “LABEL” FILENAME
HotSpotBrowse MM:SS (LEFT, TOP, RIGHT, BOTTOM) “LABEL” URL
HotSpotSeek MM:SS (LEFT, TOP, RIGHT, BOTTOM) “LABEL” MM:SS
The Parameter box for a typical HotSpotBrowse command for a hotspot rectangle that is 50 pixels wide by 20
pixels tall and lasts for 10 seconds would look like this:
HotSpotBrowse 00:10 (0, 0, 50, 20) “Sony” http://www.sony.com/mediasoftware
All parameters are optional except the last. The hotspot defaults to the entire duration of the file and the
entire video frame if the duration and dimensions are not specified.

Adjusting tempo to match cursor to marker

Position the cursor, right-click the marker tab, and choose Adjust tempo to match cursor to marker from the
shortcut menu. The project tempo changes so that the cursor position matches the selected command
marker.

Deleting command markers

To delete a command marker, right-click the marker and choose Delete from the shortcut menu.

Working with regions

Regions are useful tools that allow you to subdivide your project into time sections by designating in and out
points along the timeline. Regions can function as permanent time selections for playback and editing
purposes. Like markers, regions can serve as reference points and may be moved, named, and provide snap
points for the cursor and events.
When you place regions, they are automatically numbered in the order that you place them.

Placing and moving regions

Regions are placed at the start and end points of a loop region (time selection). You may place a region in
one of the following ways:
• From the Insert menu, choose Region.
• Right-click the marker bar, choose Markers/Regions from the shortcut menu, and choose Insert Region
from the submenu.
• Press R .

Region start Region end

Loop region

After you place a region, you may change its position by dragging the region tag to the desired position.

Tip: You can move a region without changing its size by

holding Alt while dragging either region tag.

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Naming regions
You can name the placed regions in your project. You may want to name regions based on parts of the
project or to define the amount of time that the regions encompass. For example, you may want to identify
introductions, solos, or special time-related features in your project as reference points.
1. Right-click the region’s start tag and choose Rename from the shortcut menu. A box appears next to the
tag.
2. Type a region name and press Enter to save the name.

Navigating to regions
While you are working on your project, you may have scrolled to a portion of the project where the cursor is
not visible. You may click in the track view to move and view the cursor or you may use region tags to bring
the cursor into view.
To move the cursor to the selected region tag, right-click the region tag and choose Go To from the shortcut
menu.

Tip: You may also navigate between regions in your project

by pressing Ctrl +left/right arrow key or the number key (not
on the numeric keypad) corresponding to the region number.

Selecting regions
You may use the region’s start and end tags to make a time selection across all tracks in your project. The
information within the time selection can then be used for playback or editing.
To select a region, right-click a region tag and choose Select Region from the shortcut menu. The loop bar
appears between the region tags and the tracks are highlighted.

Deleting regions
You may remove regions from the project at any time. Because regions are automatically numbered when
they are placed, the existing regions are not renumbered when one is removed. Rather, the existing regions
retain their numbers. However, if you add regions later, numbering begins to fill the sequence gap that exists.
For example, if you have six regions in your project and delete regions four and five, the remaining regions
are listed as one, two, three and six. When you add regions again, the regions are numbered as four and five.
To remove a region from a project, right-click the region tag marker and choose Delete from the shortcut
menu.

Using snapping
Snapping helps you to align events in your project with other items. Event edges are preset to snap to the
project’s grid lines as you drag an event along the track. If snapping is enabled and the Grid Only option is
turned off, the event’s edges automatically align to these designated snap points:
• Cursor position
• Grid lines
• Markers
• Regions start and end points
• Loop region (time selection) in and out points

You may turn on snapping for these elements in the project or limit snapping to grid lines.

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Choosing snapping options
If the snap function is preventing you from placing an event precisely where you want it, you may turn
snapping off. Turning off snapping prevents events from automatically aligning to the cursor, grid lines,
markers, regions, and time selections.
The Options menu allows you to toggle snap functions. The button image next to the Enable command
indicates when snapping is turned on. The button image next to the Grid Only command indicates the type
of snapping in use.

Select to turn all snapping on/off

Select to toggle between snapping
to grid lines only and snapping to all
elements.

Tip: You can temporarily suspend snapping while dragging by

holding down the Shift key.

Turning snapping on and off

You may turn snapping on and off in one of the following ways:
• Click the Enable Snapping button ( ) on the Toolbar.
• From the Options menu, choose Snapping, and choose Enable from the submenu.
• Press F8 .

Snapping to grid lines

With snapping turned on, you may choose to snap only to grid lines. From the Options menu, choose
Snapping, and choose Grid Only from the submenu. The button image next to the command indicates that it
is active.

Snapping to all elements

With snapping turned on, you may choose to snap to all elements. From the Options menu, choose
Snapping, and choose Grid Only from the submenu. The button image next to the Grid Only command
appears deselected when snapping to all elements.

Tip: Press Ctrl + F8 to toggle between grid only and all

elements.

Changing tempo, time signature, and key

You can set a tempo, time signature, and key for your ACID project. You can also make adjustments during
playback.
You can add specific tempo, time signature, and key changes within a project using tempo/key/time signature
change markers. These markers appear on the marker bar above the track view. When the cursor passes over
one of these markers, the master project tempo, key, and/or time signature changes in real time.

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Set the tempo, time signature, and key for the whole project... ...or change these elements dynamically in the timeline.

Project Key
Project Tempo Project Time Signature
slider
Project Tempo

Changing project tempo

You can change the tempo of a project without affecting the project’s key.

Changing tempo using the Project Tempo slider

Drag the Project Tempo slider at the bottom of the track list. Dragging the slider to the left slows the tempo,
while dragging it to the right speeds the tempo.

Tip: Double-click the tempo value

next to the Project Tempo slider to
enter an exact value. Press Enter
when you are finished.

As you drag the Project Tempo slider, a colored bar appears under each track’s name to represent the amount
a track is being stretched to match the project tempo. The mark in the center of the bar represents the
original tempo of a file. When the bar appears to the right of the mark, the project tempo is faster than the
original file; when the bar appears to the left of the mark, the project tempo is slower than the original file.
The amount of change also displays as a percentage at the right end of the bar.

As you drag the slider, a colored bar appears for each track.

Project tempo is slower

than file tempo.

Project tempo is faster

than file tempo.

Project Tempo slider

Changing project tempo to match file tempo

Each track’s shortcut menu contains the option Use Original Tempo. The original tempo of the file used on
the track appears to the right of this option in the shortcut menu. To change the project’s tempo to match
the original file tempo, simply choose Use Original Tempo from the shortcut menu.

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Changing project time signature
Click the Project Time Signature control and select a time signature from the menu to adjust a project’s time
signature. Select Other from the menu to enter a custom time signature.

Changing project key

Click the Project Key control and select a key from the menu to adjust a project’s key.

Project Key control

This feature makes it possible to use media that are in different keys in the same project: each loop that has a
specified root note is transposed to the key indicated by the Project Key control.
For example, if three loops have root notes of A, B, and C, and your Project Key control is set to D, the loops
are pitch-shifted by five, three, and two semitones, respectively.

Note: If the root note for a track is set to Don’t Transpose in

the Track Properties window, the track does not pitch shift
with the rest of the project.

Working with tempo/key/time signature change markers

Tempo/key/time signature change markers allow you to make changes to the tempo, key, and/or time
signature at specified points in your project.

Note: Time signature changes must occur on the first beat of

a measure.

Adding tempo/key/time signature change markers

1. Position the cursor where you want the change to occur.
2. From the Insert menu, choose Tempo/Key/Time Signature Change. The Tempo/Key/Time Signature
Change dialog appears.
3. Select the check boxes for the types of changes you want to
occur at the cursor position.
• Key Change changes the key of all tracks until another tempo/
key/time signature change marker is encountered.
• Tempo Change changes the tempo of all tracks until another
tempo/key/time signature change marker is encountered.
• Time Signature Change changes the time signature of all tracks
until another tempo/key/time signature change marker is
encountered.

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4. Specify the desired change information and click OK to close the dialog. A marker appears in the marker
bar at the cursor position that displays the change information.

Editing tempo/key/time signature change markers

There are several ways to edit the tempo/key/time signature change marker:
• Position the cursor on or after the marker and adjust the Project Tempo, Project Time Signature, or Project Key
controls. The marker’s text reflects the change.
• Right-click the marker, choose Edit from the shortcut menu, and enter the appropriate change in the
Tempo/Key/Time Signature Change dialog.
• Double-click the marker and enter the appropriate change in the Tempo/Key/Time Signature Change
dialog.

Adjusting tempo to match cursor to marker

Position the cursor, right-click the marker tab, and choose Adjust Tempo to Match Cursor to Marker from the
shortcut menu. The project tempo changes so that the cursor position matches the selected marker.

Deleting tempo/key/time signature change markers

To delete a marker, right-click the marker and choose Delete from the shortcut menu.

Changing a track’s key

You can change the key of an entire track without affecting the project’s key. For creative ways to use track key
changes, see Detuning paired tracks on page 233.
1. Right-click the track and choose Properties from the shortcut menu. The Track Properties window
appears.
2. On the General tab, enter the number of semitones by which to adjust the key in the Pitch Shift box or use
the spinner control. Use the minus (-) key for negative values.
3. Close the Track Properties window. The pitch shift displays in the track’s header.
Pitch shift display

Tip: Another way to change the key of the track is to select

the track in the track list and press + or - on the numeric
keypad.

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Changing an event’s key
You can change the key of an individual event without affecting the pitch of the track or project.
Right-click the event in the track view, choose Pitch Shift from the shortcut menu,
and choose Up Semitone or Down Semitone from the submenu. The pitch shifts one
semitone in the direction specified, and the amount of shift displays on the event
itself.
You can also change an event’s key using keyboard shortcuts. For more information, see Event editing
commands on page 25.

Adjusting time
Two commands are provided for adjusting your project’s timeline: Insert Time and Fit to Time.

Inserting time
Use the Insert Time command to insert a specified amount of blank space into the project at the current
cursor position. This feature can be used to create space in the project for new events.
1. Position the cursor where you want to insert time.
2. From the Insert menu, choose Time. The Insert Time dialog appears.
3. Enter the amount of time you want to insert and click OK.

Note: The Insert Time dialog uses the measures.beats.ticks

format used by the beat ruler.

Fitting to time
The Fit to Time command allows you to adjust the project’s overall length to a specified amount of time.

Note: The maximum and minimum length is limited to

reduce the possibility of creating audible artifacts through the
compression/expansion process.

1. From the Edit menu, choose Fit to Time. The Fit to Time dialog appears with the current project length
displayed in the New length box.
2. Enter the new project length in the New length box. The length is always entered in time format,
regardless of the format used on the time ruler.
3. Click OK. The dialog closes and the tempo is adjusted to alter the project’s length.

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CHAPTER

Using the Chopper

3
The Chopper™ tool in ACID® software allows you to quickly create slice-and-dice effects. For creative ways
to use the Chopper, see Slicing and dicing in the Chopper on page 239.

Working in the Chopper window

Selecting a track automatically places it in the Chopper where it can be immediately manipulated and
inserted into the track view.

Toolbar

Beat ruler

Time ruler

Transport bar

Viewing the Chopper

To display the Chopper, choose Chopper from the View menu or press Alt + 2 .

Changing the Chopper grid

The Chopper’s grid uses the same increments available on the track view. To change the grid display, right-
click the waveform area of the Chopper, choose Grid Spacing from the shortcut menu, and choose the
desired display from the submenu.

Changing Chopper snapping options

The snapping behavior of the track view and Chopper are linked. To enable snapping in both components,
choose Snapping from the Options menu and choose Enable from the submenu, or press F8 .
When snapping is turned on, you can choose between snapping only to the grid or snapping to all elements.
For more information, see Using snapping on page 103.

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Magnifying the Chopper
There are three ways of adjusting the magnification of the Chopper.
• Click the Zoom In Time ( ) and Zoom Out Time ( ) buttons located in the lower-right corner of the
window.
• Click within the Chopper and use the mouse wheel.
• Quickly magnify a selection by right-clicking and choosing Zoom to Loop Region from the shortcut menu.

Previewing in the Chopper

The Chopper contains a dedicated transport bar that can be used to preview selections prior to inserting
them into the project.

Using Chopper toolbar and keyboard commands

In addition to the transport bar, the Chopper contains a toolbar that is designed to make creating selections
quick and easy. The following table briefly describes the toolbar buttons and the associated keyboard
commands.

Button Keyboard Function

/ or A Inserts the Chopper selection in the track view at the current cursor
position.
Ctrl + , (comma) Shifts the track view’s cursor position to the left by the length of the
increment arrow.
Ctrl + . (period) Shifts the track view’s cursor position to the right by the length of the
increment arrow.
N Links the length of the increment arrow with the length of the selection.
When toggled on, the length of the increment remains equal to the
length of the selection. When toggled off, you can configure the
increment independently of the Chopper selection.
; (semicolon) Halves the length of the Chopper selection.

‘’ (apostrophe) Doubles the length of the Chopper selection.

< or , (comma) Shifts the Chopper selection to the left by the length of the selection.

> or . (period) Shifts the Chopper selection to the right by the length of the selection.

Ctrl + Shift + , (comma) Shifts the selection left by the increment length.
Ctrl + Shift + . (period) Shifts the selection right by the increment length.

Ctrl + ; (semicolon) Doubles the length of the increment arrow.

Ctrl + ‘’ (apostrophe) Halves the length of the increment arrow.

R Inserts a region.

M Inserts a marker.

I Marks the start point of a loop region.

O Marks the end point of a loop region. Once the endpoint is established,
the loop region becomes highlighted.

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Inserting markers and regions in the Chopper

When working with events in the Chopper, you can drop markers and create regions just like in the track
view. For more information, see Using project markers and regions on page 97.
These markers and regions are saved with the project when it is saved. They can also be saved back to the
original media file by clicking the Save File button ( ) in the Track Properties window. For more
information, see Saving file properties on page 135.

Creating selections in the Chopper

After you place a file in the Chopper, you can use the toolbar, transport bar, and mouse (or their keyboard
equivalents) to create and preview selections within the file. When have made the selection you want, you
can insert the selection into the track view.

Placing files in the Chopper

To place a file in the Chopper, do any of the following:
• Select a track in the track list.
• Select an event.
• Right-click an event and choose Select in Chopper from the shortcut menu.

Note: If you choose Select in Chopper on an event that

contains only a portion of a file, the entire contents of the file
are placed in the Chopper. The part of the waveform selected,
however, matches the contents of the selected event. This
allows you to see the event in the context of the entire media
file.

Creating selections
To create a selection, drag the mouse, or hold Shift while pressing the arrow keys. A shaded region appears
in the Chopper to indicate the current selection, and its start point, end point, and length display at the
bottom-right corner of the window in measures.beats.ticks format. You can preview the selection at any time
by clicking the Play button ( ) on the Chopper’s transport bar or pressing Space .
Increment

Start End Length

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Note: In addition, an increment arrow appears on the track

view above the selected block. For more information, see
Inserting increments on page 112.

As you make a selection in the Chopper, a colored block appears in the track view. This block indicates
where the selection will be placed on the track view when you insert it from the Chopper.

Creating selections of a specific musical length

You may want to create a selection with a length corresponding to a musical value. You can easily do this in
the software using the Chopper’s selection shortcut menu.
1. Create a selection or place the cursor in the Chopper. For more information, see Creating selections on page
111.
2. Right-click and choose the desired musical length from the shortcut menu. A selection is created equal to
the specified musical length.

Inserting increments
In addition to creating selections, the Chopper allows you to configure the sections of silence between
selections painted on a track. When you click the Link Arrow to Selection button ( ), the increment arrow
length is incremented with the selection length. This forces the increment and selection lengths to remain
equal, thereby allowing you to insert selections seamlessly, end-to-end, in the project.

Selection and increment length Chopper selection inserted end-to-end three times

When the Link Arrow to Selection button is toggled off, the increment arrow is displayed in black and you are
able to establish a increment length that is independent of the selection length. The increment arrow can be
set by dragging either end of the arrow or by using the increment shortcut menu.
When the increment length is greater than the length of the selection, an appropriate amount of silence is
inserted following the selection when you insert it in the track view. This affects the track’s insert position
and allows you to paint selections separated by the specified increment.

Increment greater than selection Selection inserted with specified increment three times

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When the increment length is less than the length of the selection, the selections are overlapped as you
insert them in the track view.

Increment less than selection Selection overlaps when inserted three times

Creating increments
1. Verify that the Link Arrow to Selection button ( ) is toggled off and the increment arrow is displayed in
black.
2. Drag the point of the arrow to configure an increment of the desired length.

Tip: While dragging the increment arrow, the Chopper’s

middle status value temporarily displays the length of the
increment.

Creating increments of a specific musical length

The increment shortcut menu, like the selection shortcut menu, allows you to create increments that
correspond to the specified musical length.
1. Verify that the Link Arrow to Selection button ( ) is toggled off and the increment arrow is displayed in
black.
2. Right-click the increment arrow and choose the desired musical value from the shortcut menu. The
increment length is automatically configured to the selected value in both the Chopper and the track
view.

Creating increments of a custom musical length

1. Verify that the Link Arrow to Selection button ( ) is toggled off and the increment arrow is displayed in
black.
2. Right-click the increment arrow and choose Custom from the shortcut menu. The Custom Length dialog
appears.
3. Choose the desired increment format from the drop-down menu.
4. Enter an appropriate value in the adjacent box and click OK. The increment length is automatically
configured to the selected value in both the Chopper and the track view.

Note: It is possible to set an increment value that results in

the increment arrow extending beyond the scope of the
Chopper. If this occurs, an accurate depiction of the
increment still appears in the track view.

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Inserting selections in the track view

You can add selections from the Chopper to your project in several ways.

Using the Insert Selection button

After you create the desired selection and increment, you can insert the selection in the project at the track
view’s cursor position by clicking the Insert Selection button ( ). After the Chopper inserts the audio,
the cursor moves to the end of the increment.
• If the increment length is equal to the selection length, selections are painted end-to-end.
• If the increment length is greater than the selection length, an appropriate amount of silence is painted
prior to the next insert position.
• If the increment length is less than the selection length, selections overlap.

Using copy and paste

You can right-click the selection in the Chopper and choose Copy from the shortcut menu to copy the
current selection to the clipboard. You can then use the Paste command to insert the selection in the track
view. After the event is pasted, the cursor advances to the end of the pasted event.

Note: When you paste a selection from the Chopper to the

track view, the increment setting is ignored.

Dragging selections
You can drag a Chopper selection from the Chopper to the track view. Release the mouse at the location
where you want to insert the selection.

Moving the insert position in the track view

Click the Move Track View Cursor Left button ( ) and the Move Track View Cursor Right button ( ) to move
the current insert position in the track view left/right by the increment length.

Saving Chopper selections as new files

You can quickly create a new loop by making a selection in the Chopper and saving the selection as a new
file. The file is added to your project as a new track.
1. Make a selection in the Chopper.
2. Right-click the selection and choose Chop to New Track from the shortcut menu. Alternately, press
Ctrl + M . The Chop to New Track dialog appears.

Tip: You can also drag a selection from the Chopper to the
track list.

3. In the File name box, enter a name for the new file.
4. From the Save as type box, choose a file format for the new file.

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5. From the Template drop-down list, choose a template for rendering the file, or click Custom to create
custom rendering settings. For more information, see Creating custom rendering settings on page 58.
6. Click Save.
The selection is saved and the file is added as a loop to a new track in the project.

Using the Chopper with one-shots

Selections of loops and Beatmapped files transfer flawlessly between the Chopper and the track view because
the beats are clearly identified. However, one-shot files present more of a problem. You can use the following
method to create accurate single-hit selections in one-shot files.
1. Verify that the snapping options are active. If snapping is not active, choose Snapping from the Options
menu and choose Enable from the submenu, or press F8 .
2. Verify that the Link Arrow to Selection button ( ) is selected.
3. Create a selection of the desired musical length in the Chopper. For more information, see Creating
selections of a specific musical length on page 112.
4. From the Options menu, choose Snapping, and choose Enable from the submenu, or press F8 to toggle all
snapping options off.
5. Click the Link Arrow to Selection button ( ) to toggle the linking option off. You can now adjust the
selection without changing the increment.
6. Drag the middle of the increment arrow to reposition selection length in the Chopper.
7. Use the mouse and/or keyboard to fine-tune the selection. The increment arrow does not change.
8. Insert the desired selection data in the track view. For more information, see Inserting selections in the track
view on page 114.
9. Repeat steps six through eight to insert all desired selections in the track view.

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CHAPTER

Working with Tracks

4
This chapter covers advanced track features including track effect chains, track envelopes, groove
mapping™, and stereo panning modes. You’ll also learn more about track types, track properties, track
folders, and rendering tracks to new files.

Using track effects

ACID® Pro software allows you to use DirectX® and VST plug-ins at the track level, and ACID Music
Studio™ provides built-in Sony ACID FX on your tracks. Track-level plug-ins process everything on the
selected track.
You can create plug-in chains, adjust the order of plug-ins on a chain, bypass plug-ins, remove plug-ins, and
save frequently used chains as presets.

Using ACID FX as track effects in ACID Music Studio

Use ACID FX to apply distortion, EQ, low-frequency oscillator (chorus, flanger, phaser, or wah-wah), delay,
and reverb to your tracks.
1. Select a track.
2. From the View menu, choose ACID FX, or click the Track FX ( ) button. The ACID FX window is
displayed for the selected track.
3. Use the ACID FX window to edit each effect’s settings. For detailed information about using ACID FX,
access the ACID FX online help by clicking the Plug-In Help button ( ) on the ACID FX window.

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Using track effects in ACID Pro
The Sony Track EQ plug-in effect is assigned to all tracks by default; however, it does not use CPU power or
affect the sound until you adjust its settings. You can remove the EQ plug-in if desired. For more information,
see Removing plug-ins from chains on page 120.
In addition, you can use effect plug-ins in the Mixer window by applying effect chains to busses or soft
synths, or by creating assignable effect chains and routing tracks to them. For more information, see Using the
Mixer on page 145.

Important: Be aware that using non-in-place plug-ins (such

as Time Stretch, Pitch-Shift without preserving duration, and
some Vibrato settings) will cause audio to play out of
synchronization with the waveform display in the timeline and
with other tracks. If an effects chain includes non-in-place
plug-ins, the effects chain icon will be displayed as a .
When using ACID software as a ReWire device, any effects
chain that includes non-in-place plug-ins will be automatically
bypassed to prevent synchronization problems with the
ReWire mixer application. The effects chain icon will be
displayed as a . Apply the plug-ins within the ReWire
mixer application.

Creating or adding to track plug-in chains

A plug-in chain can contain one or more plug-ins. When you add multiple plug-ins, you may set the
processing sequence that the track’s events go through when the project is played back. Moreover, the plug-
ins that you add to the chain may be added more than once. For example, a plug-in chain could look
something like this: EQ, Compression, EQ, and Noise Gate.
After you create a plug-in chain, the track’s events are processed by each plug-in in its respective order on
the chain. The events’ effects processing is cumulative, so in some cases, you may want to rearrange the order
of plug-ins to achieve the desired sound. For more information, see Arranging plug-in chain order on page 120.
1. Click the Track FX button ( ). The Audio Plug-In window appears.
2. Click the Edit Chain button ( ) to display the Plug-In Chooser dialog.

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Chain area

3. Select the plug-ins that you want to add. There are three ways to add a plug-in to the chain:
• Double-click the plug-in.
• Drag the plug-in to the chain area.
• Select the plug-in and click the Add button.
4. Rearrange the order of plug-ins as needed by dragging plug-ins to different locations in the chain or by
selecting a plug-in and clicking the Shift Plug-In Left ( ) and Shift Plug-In Right ( ) buttons.
5. Click OK. The Plug-In Chooser dialog closes. The Audio Plug-In window displays the plug-in chain and
the settings for the plug-in last selected on the Plug-In Chooser dialog.
6. Click a specific plug-in and adjust the effect’s parameters manually, or choose one of the presets from the
drop-down list. For more information about effect parameters, click the Plug-In Help button (
Preset ) in
the Audio Plug-In window.

Tip: You can save an effect’s parameters as a preset to be

used in other projects. To save a preset, enter a name in the
Preset box and click the Save Preset ( ) button.

7. Click the Close button ( ) to close the Audio Plug-In window.

You can use a track effect chain as a default for all new tracks you create. For more information, see Setting
default track properties on page 222.
Automating plug-in parameters
You can automate the parameters of certain plug-ins by adding envelopes to the track. For more information,
see Adding effect automation envelopes on page 123.

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Arranging plug-in chain order
The plug-ins are cumulative during playback. For example, when the track’s signal passes through the EQ, it
carries the EQ’s settings as it passes through the compression plug-in, then the signal carries both those plug-
in settings to the next plug-in.
Because of this cumulative effect, you may need to arrange plug-ins in a certain order so that one plug-in’s
processing does not adversely affect the next plug-in on the chain. There is no right or wrong way to order
plug-ins, although some plug-ins work better when they follow another. However, the plug-in order in the
chain is strictly based on your preferences and desired output.
1. Click the Track FX button ( ). The Audio Plug-In window appears.
2. There are two ways to arrange plug-ins in your chain:
• Drag the plug-in to a new location in the chain.
• Right-click the plug-in and choose Move Left or Move Right from the shortcut menu.
3. Click the Close button ( ) to close the Audio Plug-In window.

Bypassing plug-ins in a chain

You can bypass a plug-in without removing it from the chain by clearing the check box for the plug-in.
Alternately, right-click the plug-in and choose Bypass from the shortcut menu.

Tip: To bypass (or re-enable) all plug-ins in a chain, right-

click the Track FX button ( ) and choose Bypass All or
Enable All.

Bypassing effect automation

For plug-in chains that include effect automation using envelopes, you can bypass automation by clicking
the Bypass FX Automation button ( ) on the Audio Plug-In window. This does not remove any effect
automation envelopes from the track, but rather temporarily bypasses processing of the effect automation.
You can toggle this button on and off to hear the difference between the plug-in chain as a standard (non-
automated) effect versus an automated effect.

Removing plug-ins from chains

1. Click the Track FX button ( ). The Audio Plug-In window appears.
2. Right-click the plug-in and choose Remove from the shortcut menu, or click the Remove Selected Plug-In
button ( ).
3. Click the Close button ( ) to close the Audio Plug-In window.

Tip: To remove all plug-ins in a chain, right-click the Track

FX button ( ) and choose Delete All.

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Saving plug-in chains as packages
You can save plug-in chains as packages so that you may use them again with other projects. If you use a
combination of plug-ins often, saving them as a package saves you time. Effect packages retain their chain
order and individual plug-in settings.
You may save plug-in chains as packages from existing chains on tracks or when you are creating a plug-in
chain. The plug-in chains that you save as packages appear in the Plug-In Chooser dialog in the Packaged
Chains folder. You can apply an effect package to a track the same way you assign a plug-in to a track.

Once you have created custom presets for effects or effect chains, you can use the Preset Manager to back up,
transfer, or delete custom presets from any of the plug-ins you use in ACID software. For more information,
see Using the Preset Manager on page 159.
1. Click the Track FX button ( ). The Audio Plug-In window appears.

Note: If the track has no plug-in chain, clicking the Track FX

button ( ) displays the Plug-In Chooser dialog.

2. Click the Edit Chain button ( ) to display the Plug-In Chooser dialog.
3. Add and arrange plug-ins to create a plug-in chain and click OK.
4. Click a specific plug-in and adjust the effect’s parameters manually, or choose one of the presets from the
drop-down list. For more information about effect parameters, click the Plug-In Help button (
Preset ) in
the Audio Plug-In window.
5. Click the Save Chain Preset button ( ). The Save Plug-In Package dialog appears.
6. Enter a name for the package.
7. Click OK to save the plug-in chain as an effect package.

Removing or bypassing all effects on tracks

You can clear a track of all effects by right-clicking the Track FX button ( ) and choosing Delete All from the
shortcut menu.
You can bypass all of a track’s effects without removing them by right-clicking the Track FX button ( ) and
choosing Bypass All from the shortcut menu. To apply them again, right-click the Track FX button ( ) and
choose Enable All from the shortcut menu.

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Using track envelopes

Track envelopes allow you to control volume, panning, assignable effect send levels, bus send levels, and
effect parameters (for effects that support automation) for a specific track. You can distinguish the various
envelopes by their color.

Envelope type Envelope color

Volume Blue
Pan Red
Bus send Purple
Assignable effect send Green
Effect automation Wood tones (various)

Tip: You can customize ACID envelope colors. For more

information, see Using the Display tab on page 230.

Adding track envelopes

This section describes how to add each type of track envelope. For creative ways to use track envelopes, see
ACID Tips and Tricks on page 233.

Adding volume or pan envelopes

1. Select the track to which you want to add the envelope. (You may select multiple tracks.)
2. Add the envelope to the selected track(s) in one of following ways:
• From the Insert menu, choose Envelopes, and choose Volume or Pan from the submenu.
• Right-click the track header in the track list, choose Insert/Remove Envelope from the shortcut menu,
and choose Volume or Pan from the submenu.
• Press Shift + V (volume envelope) or Shift + P (pan envelope).
A blue line appears across the track(s) for a volume envelope, and a red line appears across the track(s) for
a pan envelope.

Envelope line

Note: Because the default panning mode is additive, you can

introduce clipping when panning a track to the left or right.
Choose an appropriate pan type and adjust the track volume
accordingly. For more information, see Choosing stereo pan
types on page 128.

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Adding bus envelopes
A bus envelope controls the level of a track sent to a particular bus. Before you can add a bus envelope, you
must add busses to the project. For more information, see Adding busses to the project on page 145.
1. Select the track to which you want to add the bus envelope. (You may select multiple tracks.)
2. Add the envelope to the selected track(s) in one of the following ways:
• From the Insert menu, choose Envelopes, and choose the bus for which you want to add an envelope
from the submenu.
• Right-click the track header in the track list, choose Insert/Remove Envelope from the shortcut menu,
and choose the appropriate bus from the submenu.
A purple line representing the envelope appears across the track(s).

Adding assignable effect envelopes

An assignable effect envelope controls the level of a track sent to a particular assignable effect chain. Before
you can add an assignable effect envelope, you must add an assignable effect chain to the project. For more
information, see Adding assignable effect controls on page 147.
1. Select the track to which you want to add the assignable effect envelope. (You may select multiple
tracks.)
2. Add the envelope to the selected track(s) in one of following ways:
• From the Insert menu, choose Envelopes, and choose the assignable effect chain for which you want to
add an envelope from the submenu.
• Right-click the track header in the track list, choose Insert/Remove Envelope from the shortcut menu,
and choose the appropriate assignable effect chain from the submenu.
A green line representing the envelope appears across the track(s).

Adding effect automation envelopes

If a plug-in supports automation, you can use envelopes to adjust effect parameters over time. The
appearance of the plug-in in the Plug-In Chooser window indicates whether the plug-in supports
automation. Plug-ins with this icon support automation, while plug-ins with this icon do not. In
addition, you can quickly locate plug-ins that support automation in the Automatable subfolder.
For creative ways to use effect automation envelopes, see Creating wah-wah effects with automated Track EQ on
page 237 and Turning automated effects on and off on page 238.
1. Click the Track FX button ( ) on a track to open the Audio Plug-In window.
If no track effects exist, clicking the Track FX button displays the Plug-In Chooser. Use the Plug-In
Chooser to create an effect chain including an automatable plug-in. For more information, see Creating or
adding to track plug-in chains on page 118.
2. Click the Configure FX Automation button ( ) to display the FX Automation Chooser.
3. Click a plug-in at the top of the FX Automation Chooser. A list of the effect’s automatable parameters
appears.

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4. Select the check box for each parameter that you want to control with an envelope. You can use the
Select All and Select None buttons to quickly change your selections to all or none of the parameters.

5. Click OK to close the FX Automation Chooser.

Envelopes display on the track for parameters that you selected in the FX Automation Chooser. To
control which effect parameter envelope displays on the track, click the arrow adjacent to the Track FX
button ( ) and choose an envelope from the menu.

Tip: Press E to toggle through the display of all effect

parameter automation envelopes.

Adjusting envelopes
To adjust the overall level of an envelope, simply drag the envelope line up or down. A tooltip displays the
amount of the adjustment as you drag. You can adjust envelopes in real time.
You can also change the level of an envelope over time by adjusting individual envelope points that you
place along the envelope line.

Tip: If you have multiple

envelopes on a track,
hover over an envelope to
display a tooltip indicating
the name of the envelope.

Adding envelope points

After you have inserted an envelope, you can add envelope points to control the level of signal or amount of
panning at specific points in time.
1. Place the mouse pointer on the envelope line. The envelope cursor ( ) appears.
2. Add an envelope point in one of the following ways:
• Double-click the envelope.
• Right-click the envelope and choose Add Point from the shortcut menu.

Tip: If you add too many points, you may delete a point by
right-clicking it and choosing Delete from the shortcut menu.
You may also clear all envelope points by selecting Reset All
from the shortcut menu.

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Adjusting individual envelope points
You can set the level of each envelope point by dragging it up or down. As you move an envelope point, a
tooltip displays both the point’s occurrence on the timeline and its level.

Other ways to set the level include:

• Right-click an envelope point and choose a setting from the shortcut menu.
• Choose Select All from the shortcut menu to raise or lower all points on the envelope.
• Right-click an envelope point and choose Set To from the shortcut menu. This displays a box in which
you can specify a setting.

You can adjust an envelope point’s location on the timeline by dragging it right or left. If snapping is
enabled, the envelope point snaps to time divisions as you drag. Hold Shift while dragging to override
snapping. For more information, see Using snapping on page 103.

Flipping envelopes
You can flip an envelope to invert the envelope around its center.
1. Right-click a track that has an envelope. A shortcut menu appears.
2. From the shortcut menu, choose Flip Envelope, and choose the type of envelope to flip from the submenu.

Changing envelope fade curves

You may set the type of fade curve that occurs between envelope points: linear, fast, slow, smooth, sharp, or
hold. To change the fade curve, right-click an envelope between two envelope points and choose the
appropriate fade curve from the shortcut menu.

Locking envelope points to an event

From the Options menu, choose Lock Envelopes to Events if you want envelope points to move with an event
when it is moved along the timeline.

Using the Envelope tool

The Envelope tool ( ) is designed to manipulate multiple envelope points. Use the Envelope tool when
you want to edit envelope points but do not want to change other elements of the project. With the
Envelope tool selected, events cannot be moved or edited.

Selecting and moving envelope points

To select multiple envelope points using the Envelope tool, click the track that contains the envelope and
drag your cursor in the track view to select the points you want to move. Selected points display in an
alternate color. Click any selected point and drag it to the new position; all selected points will follow.
To deselect the points, click anywhere outside the selection.

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Cutting, copying, and pasting envelope points
1. Select the Envelope tool using one of the following methods:
• From the Edit menu, choose Editing Tool, and choose Envelope from the submenu.
• Click the Envelope Tool button ( ) on the toolbar.
2. Click within a track to select it.
3. Drag along the timeline to select envelope points.
4. From the Edit menu, choose Cut or Copy.
5. Position the cursor where you want to paste envelope points across a track.
6. From the Edit menu, choose Paste.

Copying envelopes to another track

1. Select the Envelope tool using one of the following methods:
• From the Edit menu, choose Editing Tool, and choose Envelope from the submenu.
• Click the Envelope Tool button ( ) on the toolbar.
2. Click within a track to select it.
3. From the Edit menu, choose Select All.
4. From the Edit menu, choose Cut or Copy.
5. Click within a track to select it.
6. Click the Go to Start button ( ) if you want the envelope to appear exactly as it was in the original track,
or click to position the cursor where you want the envelope to start.
7. From the Edit menu, choose Paste.

Hiding track envelopes

After you have created your envelope and set your envelope points, you may hide the envelope. Hiding an
envelope does not affect the envelope point settings or track playback.

Hiding volume, pan, bus, or assignable effect envelopes

1. Select the track(s) whose envelope(s) you want to hide.
2. From the View menu, choose Show Envelopes. A submenu appears. A check mark next to an envelope
type indicates that it is visible in the track view.
3. From the submenu, choose the type of envelope you want to hide. The specified envelope type no longer
appears in the track view for the selected track.
You can use the same steps to display the envelope again.

Tip: Select a track and press V to hide a volume envelope or

P to hide a panning envelope. Press the key again to display
the envelope.

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Hiding effect automation envelopes on a track
To hide effect parameter envelopes, click the arrow adjacent to the Track FX button ( ) and choose Hide All
FX Automation Envelopes from the menu. To display envelopes again, click the arrow adjacent to the Track FX
button ( ) and choose Show All FX Automation Envelopes from the menu.

Tip: Press E to toggle through the display of all effect

parameter automation envelopes.

Removing track envelopes

You can remove envelopes from tracks quickly and easily.

Note: When you remove an envelope from a track and then

add it again, you must recreate its envelope points.

Removing volume, pan, bus, or assignable effect envelopes

1. Select the track(s) from which you want to remove the envelope(s).
2. From the Insert menu, choose Envelopes. A submenu appears showing a check mark next to the
envelopes being used.
3. From the submenu, choose the type of envelope you want to remove. The envelope type is removed from
the selected track(s).

Tip: Press Shift + V to remove a volume envelope or press

Shift + P to remove a pan envelope.

Removing effect automation envelopes

1. Click the arrow adjacent to the Track FX button ( ) and choose FX Automation from the menu. The FX
Automation Chooser appears.
2. Click the plug-in whose automation envelopes you want to remove. The parameters for the effect appear
in the dialog.
3. Clear the check boxes for the envelopes to be removed.
4. Click OK.

Tip: You can bypass effect automation without removing

envelopes. For more information, see Bypassing effect
automation on page 120.

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Choosing stereo pan types

When you pan a track using the multipurpose slider or a pan envelope, you can choose among several pan
types to determine how the track is panned.

Note: When applying stereo pan types, a monaural track is

interpreted as a stereo track with the same data in both
channels.

1. Click the multipurpose slider label and choose Pan. The pan slider appears.
2. Click the multipurpose slider label again, choose Pan from the menu, and choose a pan type from the
submenu:
• The Add Channels pan type is most useful for panning stereo source material. This pan type makes the
stereo image appear to move as a unit between the speakers. As the fader is moved from the center to a
side, more and more of the signal from the opposite side is folded into the side you are panning towards,
until at the extreme, both channels are fed at full intensity into a single channel. This pan type uses a
linear panning curve.
• The Balance pan type is most useful for adjusting the relative signal levels of the right and left channels
in stereo source material. In this pan type, moving from the center to a side, the opposite side starts at a
base dB level (either 0 dB, -3 dB, or -6 dB) and decays to no signal level. The signal in the side you are
panning towards starts at the base dB level (either 0 dB, -3 dB, or -6 dB) and increases to 0 dB. When
the stereo source is panned fully to one side, that side plays at 0 dB while the other side provides no
signal at all. This pan type uses a linear panning curve.
• The Constant Power pan type is most useful for panning mono source material. As you move the fader
from side to side, this pan type creates the illusion of the source moving around the listener from one
side to the other, in a semi-circle. This pan type uses the constant-power panning curve.
You can choose a pan type as a default for all new tracks you create. For more information, see Setting default
track properties on page 222.

Using the Beatmapper

When you add a file to a project that is longer than 30 seconds, the Beatmapper™ Wizard starts. This allows
you to decide whether or not to add tempo information to the file.
The Beatmapper identifies a file’s downbeats and measures, allowing the file to stretch/compress in
conjunction with the project’s tempo. A file added without the Beatmapper behaves as a one-shot,
maintaining its original length regardless of the project tempo.
1. Add the file to your project. The Beatmapper Wizard starts if the file is longer than 30 seconds.

Note: You can change the file length that triggers the
Beatmapper in the Audio tab of the Preferences dialog. For
more information, see Using the Audio tab on page 225.

2. Specify whether you want to use the Beatmapper Wizard:

• Select the Yes radio button and click Next to detect measures and downbeats.
• Select the No radio button and click Finish to close the Beatmapper and add the file as a one-shot.

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3. Click the Play button ( ) to verify the downbeat marker’s position. If the marker is positioned on a
downbeat, click Next. Otherwise, drag the marker to the appropriate location and click Next. The
Beatmapper draws the file’s waveform and places a region to indicate the length of the first measure.

Tip: The Reset button sets the downbeat marker back to its
detected position.

4. Click the Play button ( ) to verify the measure’s length.

• Select the Metronome check box to preview the measure with the assistance of a metronome.
• Click the Halve Loop Region ( ) or Double Loop Region ( ) button to change the length of the
selection. If the Beatmapper misdetects the length of the measure, it may be off by either half or double
the actual amount.
• If the region is positioned correctly, click Next. Otherwise, drag the region markers to the appropriate
locations and click Next.
The waveform appears with measure lengths selected.
5. Drag the Measure slider to scroll through the song and click the Play button ( ) to verify each measure’s
length. If the song’s tempo is consistent, the measures are placed correctly. If the tempo fluctuates, you
can drag the end of the measure selection to change the measure’s position.
Changing the measure length affects the entire song; if adjusting the last measure of the song causes the
first measure to be incorrect, the downbeat may not be positioned correctly, or the song’s tempo may not
be consistent enough for the Beatmapper.
6. Click Next when the measure lengths are correct. The Beatmapper adds tempo information to your file
and displays some additional options.
7. Specify your preferences for the following options:
• Select the Change project tempo to match Beatmapped track check box if you want to set your project
tempo to match the tempo calculated by the Beatmapper Wizard. Selecting the check box ensures that
your Beatmapped track plays at the original tempo.
• Select the Preserve pitch of the Beatmapped track when tempo changes check box to maintain the track’s
original pitch regardless of the project’s tempo.
• Select the Save Beatmapper information with file check box if you want the file to open with the
Beatmapper settings each time you use the file.
8. Click Finish to close the Beatmapper Wizard. The file is added to the project as a Beatmapped track.
9. Draw the event in the track view.

Tip: You can place the entire event by using the Paint ( )
tool. With the Paint tool selected, press Ctrl while you click
once in the track to place the Beatmapped file.

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Understanding stretching properties

All loops on the ACID CD-ROM (as well as all loop collection CD-ROMs) contain stretching properties.
This means that tempo and key information is stored in the loops, allowing the application to accurately
perform its time stretching/compressing and pitch-shifting functions on these loops when placed in a project.
Keep in mind that you do not need to designate stretching properties for loops that you create for ACID
projects. The application typically makes an accurate estimate regarding the loop file’s tempo. In addition,
you can temporarily assign a root note to the file to allow it to be transposed to the project’s key. However,
when creating custom loops for use in multiple projects, you should define stretching properties.
You can set the stretching properties for loops and Beatmapped tracks. For more information, see Adjusting
stretching properties for loop or Beatmapped tracks on page 131.

Configuring track properties

Double-click a track icon (such as ) to display the Track Properties window.

Note: This section addresses track properties for non-MIDI

tracks. For information on MIDI track properties, see
Changing MIDI track properties on page 171.

Once you modify the properties of a track, the information is saved with your project, but does not alter the
original media file. If you want, you can save your changes to the media file as well. For more information, see
Saving file properties on page 135.

Note: When you edit a track in an external editor, changes

to the sound file are reflected immediately after you save the
file. Changes to a media file's ACID properties are not
updated in your ACID project until you click Reload on the
Track Properties window.

Adjusting general track properties

The General tab displays information about the file associated with a track and allows you to change the track
type (except for MIDI track types), apply pitch shifting to all events on the track, and adjust time stretching
for Beatmapped tracks.

Changing track type

For non-MIDI tracks, choose a setting from the Track type drop-down list to change the way the track is
handled.

Track Type Description

Loop When you select Loop, the track is transposed to the key of the project and stretches
the track to fit the project tempo. Loops can be drawn across the track and will repeat
end-to-end.
One-Shot When you select One-Shot, the track is streamed from the hard disk rather than
storing it in RAM if it is longer than thirty seconds. One-shot files do not change tempo
with the rest of the loops, and are not transposed to the project key.
The Stretch tab is not available when One-Shot is selected.
Beatmapped When you add a file that is longer than 30 seconds to a project, the Beatmapper Wizard
allows you to add tempo information to the file.

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Adjusting time stretching (Beatmapped tracks only)
If you want to preserve the track’s pitch while you adjust the tempo, select the Preserve pitch when stretching
check box. When the check box is cleared, you can still adjust the tempo of the track, but the pitch is also
affected.

Adjusting pitch shift

Enter a value in the Pitch Shift box (or use the spinner control) to adjust the pitch of all events on the track.

Adjusting stretching properties for loop or Beatmapped tracks

The Stretch tab allows you to specify how pitch-shifting and time stretching is handled for loop or
Beatmapped tracks. After you have edited a file’s properties, click the Save File button ( ) to embed ACID
information with the file.

Tip: To save to a different file, click the Save File As button

( ).

If you cannot or do not wish to embed ACID information with the file, you can set the properties to suit
your needs, and they will be saved with the ACID project (but not with the file). This means, however, that
you must set the properties for every project where you use the loop. Configuring the stretching properties
and clicking the Save File button ( ) allows you to “set and forget” the properties so the properties will be
set for any project.
If you edit the file in another audio-editing program, ACID-specific data may be removed. If this occurs,
simply set the stretching properties again and click the Save File button ( ).

Note: The Stretch tab for Beatmapped tracks is essentially

the Beatmapper without the wizard.

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Stretching properties for loop tracks
The following table describes the settings on the Stretch tab for loop files.

Item Description
Root note Choose a note from the drop-down list to set the base note for loops that you want to conform
to the project key.
If you do not want a track transposed to the project key (a track that contains a drum sample,
for example) choose Don’t transpose.
Number of beats Choose a setting from the drop-down list to specify the length of the original file. Selecting a
value that does not match the actual file causes the loop to play at a different speed. For
example, specifying a length of 8 beats for a 4-beat loop causes the loop to play at half-speed
at any given tempo.
You can misinform the software regarding the beat length of a loop for creative ends. For
more information, see Playing double time/half time on page 235.
Stretching method Stretching properties determine how time compression and expansion is performed on audio
events. If you hear audio anomalies due to time compression, try editing the stretching
properties of the track.
Looping segments is the default stretching method, and it works well with most types of
material. The track media is divided into sections that are crossfaded, and some sections may
be looped if necessary to achieve the necessary length.
Choose Nonlooping segments for sustaining material such as synthesizer pads and held notes.
The track media is divided into sections that are crossfaded, but no sections are looped.
Choose Pitch shift segments to shift the pitch of the track to adjust for increases or decreases
in tempo. Using this option, you can eliminate some of the problems that occur with extreme
tempo changes just create new sounds from existing loops. For example, if you have slowed
the project tempo down and hear echo artifacts, choosing Pitch shift segments can eliminate
these artifacts.
Choose Fixed segments for material such as drum loops where silence exists between notes.
Instead of crossfading the segments, silence is added between beats to reduce warbling or
other artifacts.
You can adjust stretching properties creatively. For more information, see Overriding
compress/expand on page 239.
Available only in ACID Pro software.
Transient sensitivity Type a value in the box or use the spinner control to adjust the sensitivity for beat detection.
Higher settings increase sensitivity and lower settings decrease sensitivity.
When you set the control to 100, beat markers ( ), stretch markers ( or ), and beat
anchors ( ) are created for every transient.
As you decrease the setting, markers are created for only strong transients.
Increasing this setting can be advantageous when working with audio that has complex
rhythms. Lower settings are more suitable for synthesizer pads and other basic material.
Available only in ACID Pro software.
Timing tightness Choose a setting from the drop-down list to specify the resolution for beat anchors ( ).
Available only in ACID Pro software.
Stretch spacing Choose a setting from the drop-down list to specify how many stretch markers ( ) will be
displayed along the bottom of the waveform display.
Audio that contains rapid notes—such as drum rolls—benefits from setting the divisions at a
smaller fraction of a beat. Slower-paced material, however, may actually suffer from high
resolution.
Available only in ACID Pro software.
Redetect Beats Click to automatically detect the beats in the current file. Use this button to apply the ACID 5.0
beat-detection algorithm to existing media.
Available only in ACID Pro software.

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Stretch markers for loop tracks
Stretch markers ( ) correspond to subdivisions of beats in the audio file. These markers tell ACID software
where to divide the audio when performing time stretching to match tempo. Accurately detecting these
beats is the key to making the time-compression process sound good.
Each beat marker ( ) on the beat ruler corresponds to a combination beat/stretch marker ( ) on the
timeline. If you want to convert a combination beat/stretch marker to a stretch-only marker, double-click
the marker (or right-click the marker and choose Convert to Stretch Marker from the shortcut menu).

Tip: Use the Zoom In Time ( ) and Zoom Out Time ( )

buttons to change the magnification of the waveform.

As a general rule, markers that are excessively close to each other may cause clicks in the audio. However,
markers should not be more than one second apart, or pitch and echo artifacts may result.
You can add, move, and delete stretch markers on the Stretch tab. If snapping is enabled, markers will snap
to the current grid spacing.
Moving markers
You can drag any marker to a new location. If you move a combination stretch/beat marker ( ), its
associated beat marker ( ) will also be moved.
Adding markers
Double-click the marker bar at the bottom of the waveform display to create a new marker. It is
advantageous to add new markers if the software does not detect any quick subdivisions in beats.
The biggest cause of audio artifacts due to time compression is a lack of beat detection. Make sure that you
add markers anywhere the application fails to put one on a pronounced beat.
Deleting markers
You can remove a user-defined marker by right-clicking and choosing Delete from the shortcut menu (or by
double-clicking a disabled marker).
Reset stretching markers
Click the Reload button ( ) to reset the markers to their last-saved positions.

Beat anchors and markers for loop tracks

Beat anchors ( ) correspond to musical beats on the ruler at the top of the waveform display. Beat markers
( ) correspond to points in time on the ruler at the bottom of the waveform display. Each beat marker
corresponds to a combination beat/stretch marker ( ) on the timeline. If you want to convert a combination
beat/stretch marker to a stretch-only marker, double-click the marker (or right-click the marker and choose
Convert to Stretch Marker from the shortcut menu).
Beat anchors and markers are used only when a groove is applied to a track.
Offsets between beat anchors and beat markers indicate that the beat represented by an anchor is actually
played at the marker position, which may occur before or after the beat. This mapping represents the
difference required to remove an existing groove from a media file and return the media to straight machine
time so that grooves can be applied accurately.
If you want to hear the results of editing beat anchors and markers, select the Play Quantized button ( ) at
the bottom of the Track Properties window and use the Track Properties transport controls to preview the
loop. Playing the track in Play Quantized mode demonstrates how the track sounds when the Quantize to
Straight groove is applied.

In most cases, you won’t need to edit beat anchors.

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Tip: Use the Zoom In Time ( ) and Zoom Out Time ( )

buttons to change the magnification of the waveform.

Important: Grooves are not applied using the markers on

the Stretch tab. Autodetected stretch markers are used to
establish a baseline for applying other grooves with the Groove
Pool window and Groove tool. User-defined markers have no
effect on groove quantization.

You can add, move, and delete beat anchors and markers on the Stretch tab.
Moving anchors
You can drag beat anchors and stretch markers to map the sample data in the waveform to a specific beat:
• Moving a beat marker ( ) changes the audio that will be played at a beat anchor location.
• Moving a beat anchor ( ) changes the beat on which the audio represented by a stretch marker will be
played. Beat anchors snap to the current grid spacing. Hold Shift while dragging to bypass snapping.

Adding anchors
Double-click the marker bar (above or above the beat ruler) to create a new anchor and marker.
Deleting anchors
You can remove a marker by right-clicking and choosing Delete from the shortcut menu (or by double-
clicking it).
Reset beat anchors
Right-click the beat marker bar and choose Reset All from the shortcut menu to reset the markers to their
last-saved positions.

Stretching properties for Beatmapped tracks

The following table describes the settings on the Stretch tab for Beatmapped tracks.

Item Description
Root note Choose a note from the drop-down list to set the base note for tracks that you want to
conform to the project key.
If you do not want a track transposed to the project key, choose Don’t transpose.
Original tempo Displays the original tempo of the track as determined by the Beatmapper Wizard. Enter a
value in the box or use the spin control to adjust the tempo.
Downbeat offset Displays the location of the track's first downbeat as determined by the Beatmapper wizard.
Enter a value in the box or use the spin control to adjust the location.
Beatmapper Wizard Click the Beatmapper Wizard button to adjust a track's tempo information. For more
information, see Using the Beatmapper on page 128.

Adjusting track properties for MIDI tracks

You can use the General tab to change the track’s pitch and root note, as well as work with the tracks inside a
MIDI file. The Piano Roll Editor and List Editor tabs allow you to view and edit all MIDI data. You can also load
third-party OPT MIDI plug-ins on your system in the Track Properties window. For more information, see
Working with MIDI on page 169.

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Reloading files
Clicking the Reload button ( ) restores all settings from the media file. Any setting changes made on
the Stretch tab of the Track Properties are discarded.
Clicking this button also updates the Track Properties window when changes are made to the properties
from an external editor.

Replacing files
Clicking the Replace File button ( ) displays the Replace File dialog and allows you to replace the
audio file on the current track with a new audio file. This feature only replaces the actual audio. All track
timing, effects, and envelopes remain.

Tip: You can also replace a file by dragging an audio file from
the Explorer and dropping it on the track name of an existing
track.

Saving file properties

When you make changes in the Track Properties window, the changes you have made are saved in the
project file, but does not alter the original media file. To save track property changes in the media file, click
the Save File button ( ).
You can also click the Save File As button ( ) to save the changes to a new file. The media is saved with the
modified track properties to a new file, and renames the track in the track list to reflect the change.
All the information in the Track Properties window is saved to your file except for any pitch-shifting you
have applied and, for MIDI tracks, any volume or panning settings you have adjusted. Any regions or
markers you have created in the Chopper™ are also saved. For more information, see Inserting markers and
regions in the Chopper on page 111.

Working with grooves

From the View menu, choose Groove Pool to toggle the display of the Groove Pool window. The top portion
of the Groove Pool window displays the available groove maps in your project. The bottom portion shows
the selected groove map so you can edit it.
A groove refers to the rhythmic pattern of a piece of music. Groove maps in ACID software expand on the
software’s ability to match the rhythm and timing of files nondestructively and in real time:
• Breathe new life into your collection of loops and MIDI files by creatively applying grooves to change the
rhythmic feel.
• Adjust the timing of a track to add or remove a human feel.
• Quantize and map multiple tracks or loops to a common groove.
• Extract the groove from an existing audio file.
• Create new grooves from scratch.
• Different grooves can be applied to an entire track or portions of a track so you can easily match loops
with incompatible feels and tighten/loosen grooves nondestructively.

Note: Grooves cannot be applied to Beatmapped tracks.

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Applying or removing grooves
From the View menu, choose Groove Pool to toggle the display of the Groove Pool window.
With the Groove Pool and Groove tool ( ), you can use groove maps to adjust the timing of entire tracks
or portions of tracks.

Tips: If you want to get really creative, try setting a track’s

stretching method to Pitch shift segments (on the Stretch tab
of the Track Properties window). When a groove adjusts a
beat so it plays early, the pitch will be raised. When a beat is
played late, its pitch will be lowered.
If a groove map does not seem to work correctly on a loop, the
beats in the file may not be properly detected. Click the
Redetect Beats button on the Stretch tab of the Track
Properties window to apply the ACID 5.0 beat-detection
algorithm to the loop.

Note: Groove maps are applied nondestructively. If you

want to change a media files's inherent groove, use the Render
to new track command to render a new, grooved media file.

Important: Grooves cannot be applied to Beatmapped

tracks.

Applying a groove to an entire track

1. From the View menu, choose Groove Pool to display the Groove Pool window if it isn’t already visible.
2. Drag a groove from the Groove Pool window to a track. You can drop the groove in the track list or on the
timeline.
A groove event is displayed at the bottom of the track to indicate that a groove has been applied to the
track.
To toggle the height of the groove strips, choose Show Full-Size Groove Strips from the View menu.

Tips: Drag a groove from the Groove Pool to an existing

groove event to change the event's groove.
Right-click and drag with the Groove tool ( ) to erase a
groove event.
Hold Ctrl and right-click a groove event with the Groove tool
to erase the entire event.
Hold Ctrl and click a groove event with the Groove Erase
tool ( ) to erase the entire event.

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Setting a default groove for new tracks
If you have a groove that you’d like to use to set the overall feel of a project, you can set it as a default for
your project.
1. From the View menu, choose Groove Pool to display the Groove Pool window if it isn’t already visible.
2. Choose a setting from the Default groove for new tracks drop-down list.
When you add a new loop, one-shot, or MIDI track to your project, the selected groove will be applied to
the entire track. Existing tracks are not affected.

Applying multiple groove events to a track

Groove events allow you to apply grooves to portions of tracks or apply different grooves to various portions
of a track. The groove is applied where the groove event overlaps the media event.
The edges of groove events are boundaries for grooves, and audio cannot be grooved beyond the event edges.
1. Select the Groove tool ( ).
2. Click the down arrow next to the Groove toolbar button and choose a groove from the menu (or
double-click a groove in the Groove Pool).
3. Click and drag over a track to paint groove events in the same way you create other events on the
timeline.
Groove events are displayed at the bottom of the track to indicate where a groove will be applied.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to paint groove events as needed.
To toggle the height of the groove strips, choose Show Full-Size Groove Strips from the View menu.

Tips: Drag a groove from the Groove Pool to an existing

groove event to change the event's groove.
Drag a groove from the Groove Pool to a space between two
groove events to create a new groove event to fill the space
between the events.
Hold Ctrl while clicking the space between two groove events
to create a new groove event to fill the space between the
events.
Right-click and drag with the Groove tool to erase a groove
event.
Hold Ctrl and right-click a groove event with the Groove tool
to erase the entire event.
Hold Ctrl and click a groove event with the Groove Erase
tool ( ) to erase the entire event.
Zoom in to see groove markers in the groove events. The
markers represent the amount and direction of offset applied
to beats.

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Erasing groove events
1. Select the Groove Erase tool ( ).
2. Click and drag the Groove Erase tool to erase a groove, or hold Ctrl while clicking a groove event to erase
the entire event.

Tips: Right-click and drag with the Groove tool ( ) to erase

a groove event.
Hold Ctrl and right-click a groove event with the Groove tool
to erase the entire event.
Hold Ctrl and click a groove event with the Groove Erase
tool ( ) to erase the entire event.
Zoom in to see groove markers in the groove events. The
markers provide a visual cue to the mapped groove.
You can also right-click a track header and choose Remove
Groove from Track from the shortcut menu to remove all
groove events from a track.

Removing unused grooves from your project

Click the Remove All Unused Grooves from Project button ( ) to remove any grooves that have not been used
in your project.

Removing a groove from your project

1. Select a groove in the Groove Pool window.
2. Click the Remove Selected Grooves from Project button ( ). The selected groove is removed from your
project.
If the groove is in use, a confirmation will be displayed if the Confirm groove deletion when still in use check
box is selected on the General tab of the Preferences dialog.

Creating grooves
You can add grooves to your project by using an existing track, duplicating existing grooves, importing
grooves, or by creating an entirely new groove from scratch.

Using Groove Cloning™ to create a new groove using a track in your project
ACID software can analyze a track’s audio to extract its groove so you can apply its feel to other tracks.

Note: Groove cloning can extract grooves from loop tracks

only.

1. Right-click a track header in the track list.

2. Choose Add to Groove Pool from the shortcut menu.
A new groove will be added to the Groove Pool window using the name of the track you selected in step
1.

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Note: Grooves that you create from existing tracks will be

available only in the project where they were created. If you
want to make a groove available to other projects, export it to
a .groove file.

Tip: You can also click the Add to Groove Pool button ( )
in the Track Properties window to add a loop track's groove
to the Groove Pool.

Duplicating a groove
Existing grooves can serve as templates for creating your own grooves.
1. Select the grooves you want to duplicate. Hold Ctrl or Shift to select multiple grooves.
2. Click the Duplicate Selected Grooves button ( ). The duplicated grooves are added to the Groove Pool.
3. To change the name of a duplicated groove, right-click a groove and choose Rename from the shortcut
menu.
4. You can then edit the duplicated grooves as needed.

Importing a groove
You can use the Import Grooves button to add grooves from .groove files or other media files to the Groove
Pool of your project.
1. Click the Import Grooves button ( ) in the Groove Pool window. The Import Groove dialog is displayed.
2. Select the .groove or media file you want to add. Information about the file is displayed at the bottom of
the dialog.
3. Click the Open button to add the new groove to the Groove Pool.

Tip: You can extract a groove quickly by dragging a file from

the Explorer window or Media Manager window to the
Groove Pool.

Exporting a groove
Grooves are stored with your ACID project. Exporting a groove allows you to save a groove in a file that you
can use in other projects or share with other ACID users.
1. Select a groove in the Groove Pool window.
2. Click the Export Selected Grooves button ( ). The Export Groove to File dialog is displayed.
3. Choose a drive and folder from the Save in drop-down list, or use the browse window to locate the folder
where you want to save your groove.

Note: By default, grooves will be saved in the folder specified

in the Default groove folder box on the Folders tab of the
Preferences dialog.
Grooves in this folder will be available in the Groove Pool
window when you create a new ACID project.

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4. Type a name in the File name box, or select a file in the browse window to replace an existing groove.
5. Click the Save button to save your groove.

Creating a new groove

1. Click the New Groove button ( ). A new groove is added to the Groove Pool window.
2. Type a name for your groove in the edit box, and then press Enter.

Use the Groove Editor at the bottom of the Groove Pool window to adjust the length and feel of your
groove. For more information about editing grooves, please see below.

Editing grooves
You can use the bottom portion of the Groove Pool window to edit grooves.
Your edits are saved with your project. If you want to use the edited groove in other projects, you’ll need to
export it as a .groove file and import the edited groove in each project where you want to use it.
1. From the View menu, choose Groove Pool to display the Groove Pool window.
2. Select a groove in the top portion of the window.

Tip: If you want to audition your edits in real-time, apply the

groove to an event and start looped playback before you start
editing the groove.

The bottom half of the Groove Pool window displays your groove as a timeline with beat anchors and
groove markers to represent how beats will be adjusted.
You’ll notice that this view is similar to the Stretch tab in the Track Properties window. Both windows
contain beat anchors ( ); however, the markers on these windows perform opposite functions: the beat
markers ( ) on the Stretch tab are used to remove an existing groove from a file, and the groove markers
( ) on the Groove Editor window represent a new groove that can be applied with the Groove Pool
window and Groove tool.
• In the Groove Editor window, a beat anchor ( ) represents the beat that will be adjusted, or the source
of your groove adjustment.
• A groove marker ( ) represents the point in time when a beat will be played. This is the destination of
your groove adjustment. A groove marker can occur before or after the beat anchor. A line connects a
groove marker to its associated beat anchor.
3. Use the Length spinner control to adjust the length of the groove. Decreasing the setting will remove beat
anchors and groove markers from the file; increasing the setting will add anchors and markers.
4. Add or remove markers as needed:
• If you want to add a marker, press M or double-click the beat ruler. A beat anchor and groove marker
are added to the nearest division on the beat ruler.
• If you want to delete a marker, right-click it and choose Delete from the shortcut menu.

Tip: Use a single beat anchor/groove marker to adjust all

beats forward or back equally. This produces an effect similar
to slipping an event.

5. Adjust beat anchors and groove markers as necessary. Adjusting anchors and markers during looped
playback helps you hear the results of your edits.

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a. Drag a beat anchor ( ) (or insert a new one) to indicate which beat you want to adjust.
If snapping is enabled, beat anchors snap to the current grid spacing. Hold Shift while dragging to bypass
snapping.
b. Drag a groove marker ( ) to adjust when the beat will be played. Drag to the left if you want a beat to
be played early, or drag left if you want it to be played late.
You cannot drag groove markers past each other, but multiple markers can exist at the same point in
time.
When the Allow snapping for Post-Groove Markers check box is selected on the General tab of the
Preferences dialog, groove markers will snap to the current grid spacing if snapping is enabled. Hold
Shift while dragging to bypass snapping.

c. Double-click a beat anchor or groove marker to reset the marker to the beat anchor position.

Tip: Hover over a beat anchor or groove marker to display a

ToolTip that explains the effect of groove marker
adjustments.

Using folder tracks

You can use the folder track feature to help organize your track list and timeline by grouping tracks so they
can be quickly and easily minimized or expanded.
When the folder track is minimized, you can perform edit operations on clustered events in the group, but
you cannot create events with the Draw or Paint tools or perform edge-trimming. Expand the folder track to
edit individual events.

Tip: You can also use folder tracks to maintain alternate

mixes of a project. For example, create two distinct drum
parts and move the tracks to separate folder tracks. Mute one
of the drum folder tracks to choose which beat is used when
you play or render your project.

Creating a folder track

From the Insert menu, choose Folder Track. A folder track is added below the currently selected track.
You can create nested folder tracks by dragging a folder track to an existing folder track.

Adding existing tracks to a folder track

To add an existing track to a folder track, drag the track to the folder track. When the folder track is
expanded, you can specify the location of the track by dragging it to the desired position. When the folder
track is minimized, dragging the track to the folder track header places the track at the top of the list within
the folder track.

Removing tracks from a folder track

To remove a track from the folder track, expand the folder track and drag the track to another location in
the track list.

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Muting a folder track
To mute all tracks in a folder track, click the Mute button ( ) on the folder track’s header. To unmute the
folder track, click the Mute button again.

Soloing a folder track

To solo only the tracks in a folder track, click the Solo button ( ) on the folder track’s header. To unsolo
the folder track, click the Solo button again.

Editing events in a folder track

When the folder track is minimized, you can also perform edit operations on clustered events in the group.
The following edit operations will affect clustered events:
• Pitch-shifting events.
• Dragging events.
• Cutting, copying, pasting, and deleting events.

Click to select a clustered group of events, or hold Ctrl or Shift while clicking to select multiple clusters of
events. Selected events are displayed in a darker color than unselected events.
Events that overlap are treated as a single event when the folder track is minimized.

Mixing multiple tracks to a single track

You can mix a selected group of tracks or an entire project to a single-track stereo event. If your project
includes any muted tracks, however, those events are not mixed into the new track. The original tracks and
their events are unaffected when you mix to a single track.
Typically, you would use this feature when you are finished refining a few tracks and want to combine them
to conserve processing power. Also, when you mix multiple tracks to a single stereo track, any envelope or
track effects that you applied are rendered into the newly mixed-down track. You can also use this feature to
downmix 5.1 surround projects to stereo.
This option also allows you to destructively process any track effect plug-ins.
1. Solo the tracks you want to mix. To mix down the whole project, skip to step two.
2. From the Tools menu, choose Render to New Track or press Ctrl + M . The Render to New Track dialog
appears.

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3. Complete the Render to New Track dialog:
• From the Save in drop-down list, choose the location where you want to save the new media file.
• Enter a name for the track in the File name box.
• From the Save as type drop-down list, choose a file format.
• From the Template drop-down list, choose an audio format from the template list, or click Custom to
create custom rendering settings.

Note: If you want to downmix a 5.1 surround project,

choose a stereo rendering format.

• Select the Render loop region only check box if you want to render only the loop region to the new mixed
down track. Clear the check box to render the full length of the project.
4. Click Save. The time selection or project is mixed down to a new track and a copy of the file is saved in
the folder specified.
As the tracks are being mixed down, a status bar appears in the lower-left corner of the ACID window.

Tip: You may cancel the

rendering process by
clicking the Cancel button
( ) on the status bar. Cancel button

After the new track is mixed down, it appears at the bottom of the track view. If you mixed down the
entire project, you may delete or mute the other tracks from the project, as they are all contained on the
new track.
5. Use the Draw ( ) tool to paint the waveform on the new track.

Exporting loops
From the File menu, choose Export Loops to create new loops using the original loop media files in your
ACID project.
A new loop file is created for every tempo change in the project, which can result in multiple loop files being
created from a single loop media file.
1. From the File menu, choose Export Loops. The Export Loops dialog appears.
2. From the Save in drop-down list, choose the drive or folder to which the new files will be saved.
3. From the Save as type drop-down list, choose the file format.
4. From the Template drop-down list, choose an audio format, or click Custom to create custom rendering
settings.
5. Click Save. A progress dialog appears for each track as it is rendered to a file. Tempo information is
included in the file name of each loop file created (e.g., bass 120.000 BPM. wav).

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CHAPTER

Using the Mixer

5
In the Mixer window, you’ll manage the project’s busses, assignable effects, and soft synth controls. In this
chapter, you’ll learn how to add each of these controls to the mixer and route individual tracks to them.
You’ll also learn about working with the mixer controls, including adjusting levels, muting, soloing, and
adding effects. This chapter also describes how to automate mixer controls by viewing them in the track
view and adding envelopes.

Using busses
Think of busses as virtual pathways where signals from multiple tracks or effects can be mixed. You can add
as many as 26 busses to the Mixer window, which provides you with a great deal of flexibility and mixing
power.
Busses are the last stage of the ACID® signal flow and as such can be used to output audio signals to specific
hardware. For more information, see Routing busses to system hardware on page 146.

Adding busses to the project

Add a bus to a project by clicking the Insert Bus button ( ) in the Mixer window or by choosing Bus
from the Insert menu.

Adding multiple busses

1. Display the Project Properties dialog using one of the following methods:
• Choose Properties from the File menu.
• Press Alt + Enter .
2. Click the Audio tab.
3. Enter a value in the Number of stereo busses box and click OK. The busses are added to the Mixer window.

Routing tracks to busses

If your project contains multiple busses, you can assign tracks to specific bus outputs. To assign a track to a
bus, click the Bus Assignment button ( ) on the track header and choose the desired bus from the menu.
Assigning tracks to busses allows you to apply settings to a series of tracks and to route tracks to a particular
hardware output.

Note: The Bus Assignment button only appears if you have

more than one bus in the project.

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Adjusting the bus send level
You can adjust the level of a track sent to a bus with the multipurpose slider in the track list.

Tip: Bus sends are pre-volume by default. To change to post-

volume, click the multipurpose slider label in the track list,
choose the appropriate bus from the menu, and choose Post
Volume from the submenu.

Routing busses to system hardware

You can route individual busses to specific system hardware for output. This allows you to configure busses to
route output (projects or individual tracks) to sound cards, recording devices, mixing boards, etc.
By default, all busses are assigned to the Master bus. In this configuration, you can use busses for creating
subgroups of tracks. For example, you could route all your drum tracks to a bus so you can adjust their levels
together without changing their relative levels. However, you can also route busses to hardware outputs so
you can use busses for sending tracks to external effects processors or for mixing on an external mixer.

Note: During the ACID installation, the application

automatically identified all hardware available for output on
your computer and listed these components as options on the
Audio tab in the Preferences dialog. For more information, see
Using the Audio tab on page 225.

To route busses to hardware, you must first verify whether you are using a Windows Classic Wave Driver, a
DirectSound driver, or an ASIO driver as your audio device. Then you can choose the appropriate hardware
device in the Mixer window.
1. From the Options menu, choose Preferences and click the Audio tab.
2. From the Audio device type drop-down list, choose Windows Classic Wave Driver or an ASIO driver.
3. Click OK to close the Preferences dialog.

Note: If you have chosen Microsoft Sound Mapper in the

Audio device type drop-down list on the Audio tab, you
cannot assign the bus to a different device.

4. In the Mixer window, click the Playback Device Selector button ( ) on the bus you want to route.
5. Choose a hardware device from the menu that appears.

Deleting busses
Just as you can add busses to a project at any time, you can also delete superfluous busses. When you delete a
bus from a project, tracks assigned to it are reassigned to the Master bus.

Deleting a bus
Right-click the bus in the mixer and choose Delete from the shortcut menu.

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Deleting multiple busses
1. Display the Project Properties dialog using one of the following methods:
• Choose Properties from the File menu.
• Press Alt + Enter .
2. Click the Audio tab.
3. Enter a value in the Number of stereo busses box and click OK. The busses are removed from the Mixer
window.

Using assignable effects

You can use assignable effect controls to send various levels of multiple tracks to a single effect chain. Like
busses, these controls reside in the Mixer window and support plug-in chains. In addition, assignable effect
outputs can be routed to project busses. You can add up to 32 assignable effect controls to a project, and each
control supports as many as 32 DirectX® or VST plug-ins on its chain.
For creative ways to use assignable effects, see Adding depth with assignable effects on page 235.

Adding assignable effect controls

1. From the Insert menu, choose Assignable FX or click the Insert Assignable FX button ( ) in the
Mixer window. The Plug-In Chooser dialog displays a list of the available plug-ins, and the assignable
effect control is added to the Mixer window.

Important: Be aware that using non-in-place plug-ins

(such as Time Stretch, Pitch-Shift without preserving
duration, and some Vibrato settings) will cause audio to play
out of synchronization with the waveform display in the
timeline and with other tracks. If an effects chain includes
non-in-place plug-ins, the effects chain icon will be displayed
as a .
When using ACID software as a ReWire device, any effects
chain that includes non-in-place plug-ins will be
automatically bypassed to prevent synchronization problems
with the ReWire mixer application. The effects chain icon will
be displayed as a . Apply the plug-ins within the ReWire
mixer application.

2. Add all desired plug-ins using one of the following methods:

• Double-click the desired plug-in.
• Drag the desired plug-in to the chain area.
• Select the desired plug-in and click Add.

Note: If you have preset plug-in chains saved, double-click

the Packaged Chains folder to view those presets. For more
information, see Saving plug-in chains as packages on page
159.

3. Click OK. The Plug-In Chooser dialog closes. The Audio Plug-In window opens and displays the plug-in
chain.

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4. Click a specific plug-in and adjust the effect’s parameters manually, or choose one of the presets from the
drop-down list. For more information about effect parameters, click the Plug-In Help button (
Preset ) in
the Audio Plug-In window.

Tip: You can save an effect’s parameters as a preset to be

used in other projects. To save a preset, enter a name in the
Preset box and click the Save Preset button ( ).

5. Click the Close button ( ) to close the Audio Plug-In window.

Working with assignable effects chains

After you add an assignable effect control, you can add plug-ins to the chain and modify them as needed. For
more information, see Adding effects to soft synth mixer controls on page 156.

Routing tracks to assignable effect controls

Routing tracks to an assignable effect control allows you to assign multiple tracks to a plug-in chain.
1. Click the multipurpose slider label (this icon displays Volume by default) and choose the desired assignable
effect control from the menu that appears. The slider changes to reflect the name of the assignable effect
control.

2. Drag the fader to adjust the level of the track sent to the assignable effect chain.

Tip: Assignable effect chains are post-volume by default. To

change to pre-volume, click the multipurpose slider label in
the track list, choose the appropriate assignable effect chain
from the menu, and choose Pre Volume from the submenu.

If you set the Dry Out faders in your effect chain to -inf, you can adjust the wet/dry balance using the volume
and assignable effect settings on the multipurpose slider. The volume fader adjusts the dry signal and the
assignable effect fader controls the effect signals.

Routing assignable effect controls to busses

By default, assignable effect controls are routed to the Master bus for output. The bus then mixes the
assignable effect plug-ins with all tracks routed to the same bus and outputs the mixed signal to the
appropriate output device. For more information, see Routing busses to system hardware on page 146.
To route an assignable effect control to a different bus, click the Playback Device Selector button ( ) on the
assignable effect control and choose the desired bus from the drop-down list. The drop-down list displays all
current busses in the project. For more information, see Adding busses to the project on page 145.

Deleting assignable effect controls

In the Mixer window, right-click the assignable effect control you want to delete and choose Delete from the
shortcut menu, or select the control and press Delete . The assignable effect control is removed from the
Mixer window.

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Using soft synth controls

You can add soft synth bus controls in the mixer to control the routing of your MIDI tracks to software
synthesizers. Soft synth controls allow you to control volume and voice mappings for your MIDI tracks and
add effects to a software synthesizer. In the same way you can route a MIDI keyboard to an outboard
synthesizer module, you can route each MIDI track to any soft synth control you have set up for your project.

Tip: You can also use soft synth controls to play MIDI from
an external device. For more information, see Playing MIDI
from external devices on page 193.

There are three types of soft synth bus controls you can add: DLS (Downloadable Sounds), VSTi®, or
ReWire™ devices.

Note: VSTi and ReWire soft synths are supported only in

ACID Pro software.

A DLS or VSTi soft synth bus control is like a virtual synthesizer module where you can route tracks. In the
same way you can route a MIDI keyboard to an outboard synthesizer module, you can route each MIDI track
to any soft synth you have set up for your project or play a soft synth with an external MIDI controller.
A ReWire soft synth bus control connects a ReWire device application with ACID software, which serves as
a ReWire mixer application. When ACID software hosts a ReWire device application, playback is
synchronized between the two programs, and the panel application’s audio is output through the ACID
mixer. With ReWire 2.0 panel applications, you can also route MIDI tracks to ports (synths) in the ReWire
device applications.
Use the soft synth bus control in the Mixer window to mute, solo, add effects to, and adjust the volume of
each soft synth.

Note: If you receive an error that a MIDI port is currently

in use when you try to play back your project, check the
MIDI tab in the Preferences dialog and verify that your
ReWire device applications are not trying to access the same
MIDI ports ACID software is configured to use.

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Adding soft synth controls to projects
If you have no external MIDI devices defined, a soft synth control is added with a default DLS voice set for
you when you add a MIDI track to your project. You can add more soft synth controls to a project as needed.
1. Click the Insert Soft Synth button ( ) in the Mixer window. The Soft Synth Chooser dialog
appears.
2. To add a DLS or VSTi soft synth, click the Soft Synths tab and choose an available synth from the list. To
add a ReWire device application, click the ReWire Devices tab and choose an installed device application
from the list.
3. Click OK.

Note: If the VST instrument you want to use does not

appear in the list, click VSTi Preferences. For more
information, see Locating VST instruments for use in ACID
Pro software on page 153. If the ReWire panel application
you want to use does not appear in the list, see Locating
ReWire panel applications for use in ACID software on page
161.

Modifying soft synth control properties

Once you add a soft synth control to your project, you can use the Soft Synths Properties window to change
the DLS, VSTi, or ReWire 2.0 soft synth used by the control, or you can configure soft synths for external
input from a MIDI controller.
Soft synths that are routed to VST instruments or ReWire 2.0 panel applications inherit voicing
information. Soft synths that are routed to the DLS (DirectX) soft synth can be voiced using DLS or DLS-2
files.

Note: VSTi and ReWire soft synths are supported only in

ACID Pro software.

Accessing the Soft Synth Properties window

You can display the Soft Synth Properties window by double-clicking the soft synth icon on a Mixer control
( ), or by right-clicking the icon and choosing Soft Synth Properties from the shortcut menu.

Changing the soft synth control routing

1. Double-click the soft synth icon on a control ( ). The Soft Synth Properties window appears.
2. Click the Edit Soft Synth button ( ). The Soft Synth Chooser dialog appears.
3. To route the soft synth control to a DLS or VSTi soft synth, click the Soft Synths tab and choose an
available soft synth from the list. To route the soft synth control to a ReWire device application, click the
ReWire Devices tab and choose an installed ReWire 2.0 device from the list.
4. Click OK to return to the Soft Synth Properties window.
If you selected a VST instrument, the VSTi synth is displayed in the Soft Synth Properties window, and
you can adjust the controls as necessary. If you selected the DLS soft synth, you can click the Open DLS
Voice Set button ( ) to choose a DLS voice set.

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If you selected a ReWire 2.0 device, the Soft Synth Properties window displays information about the
synth’s MIDI ports. Click the Open ReWire Device button ( ) to start the device (some applications
cannot be started by a ReWire mixer), or select the Lock MIDI Port Configuration button ( ) to lock
MIDI ports so the software does not lose port assignments due to dynamic changes from ReWire devices.

Changing voice mapping for DLS soft synth controls

You can choose a DLS set from anywhere on your system for output from a DLS soft synth control.
1. Double-click the soft synth icon on a control ( ). The Soft Synth Properties window appears.
2. Choose a DLS set from the Voice set drop-down list or click the Open DLS Voice Set button ( ) to browse
to a DLS set.

Note: To set the current voice set as the default setting to be

used whenever you add a DLS soft synth, click the Set as
default DLS Voice Setbutton ( ). If the default voice set is
unavailable, the Windows GS sound set will be used.

Changing patches for DLS soft synth controls

The DLS soft synth Available voices pane displays the patch names, numbers, and other parameters of the
voices included in the DLS set. You can choose a patch to play until the software receives a patch change
from the MIDI file.

Tip: You can make ACID software ignore patch changes

during playback by clicking the Playback Filter button ( ) in
the General tab of the Track Properties window and choosing
the Patch Change check box in the MIDI Event Filter dialog.
For more information, see Filtering MIDI events during
playback on page 174.

1. Choose a channel from the Channel drop-down list.

2. Choose a patch in the Available voices pane. This patch is used until you choose another or until a patch
change is received from the MIDI file.

Tip: You can create patch change events in the list editor in
order to change patches within MIDI files. For more
information, see Creating events on page 188.

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Previewing a DLS soft synth in the Soft Synth Properties window
When you’re using a DLS soft synth, a keyboard is displayed at the bottom of the Soft Synth Properties
dialog so you can play the synth with your mouse and audition patches. To display the Soft Synth Properties
dialog, double-click the soft synth icon on a control ( ).

Note: Audio driver latency can limit your ability to preview

DLS voices in real time. Using low-latency drivers will
produce the best results.

Changing VST instruments for soft synth controls

You can choose a VST instrument from anywhere on your system for output from a soft synth control.
1. Double-click the soft synth icon on a control ( ). The Soft Synth Properties window appears.
2. Click the Edit Soft Synth button ( ). The Soft Synth Chooser dialog appears.
3. Choose a VST instrument from the list and click OK.
If the VST instrument you want to use does not appear in the list, you may need to locate the files for use
in the ACID application. For more information, see Locating VST instruments for use in ACID Pro software
on page 153.
4. Select the Enable button ( ) to enable playback of the VST instrument.
5. Modify the VST instrument settings as needed using the buttons in the Soft Synth Properties window:

Opens an effect preset. Choose an .fxp Opens an effect bank. Choose an .fxb file to
file to replace the current instrument replace the current effect bank.
preset.
Saves the current effect settings as a Saves the current effect settings as a new effect
new effect preset. bank.

Playing a soft synth with a MIDI device

1. Double click a soft synth icon on a control ( ) in the Mixer window. The Soft Synth Properties window
is displayed.
2. In the Soft Synth Properties window, click the External MIDI Input Port button ( ) and choose a port from
the menu.

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Locating VST instruments for use in ACID Pro software
A folder is designated where you can store VST instrument files. However, if you have VST instrument files
elsewhere on your system, you can direct the software to look for files in alternate locations.
1. From the Options menu, choose Preferences. The Preferences dialog appears.
2. Click the VST Instruments tab.
The Default VSTi search folder box shows the default location of VST instrument files for use in ACID
software. VST instrument plug-ins located in this folder already appear in the Select VST instruments to be
available as soft synths box at the bottom of the dialog.

If the VST instrument you want to use appears in this box, select its check box. If the VST instrument
does not appear in the box, continue with the following steps to locate the instruments for use in ACID
software.
3. Click the Browse button next to the Alternate VSTi search folder 1 box. The Browse for Folder dialog
appears.
4. Browse to the location of your VST instrument files and click OK. The VST instrument plug-ins are
located and displayed in the Select VST instruments to be available as soft synths box at the bottom of the
dialog.
5. Repeat steps three and four for the Alternate VSTi search folder 2 box, if needed.
6. In the Select VST instruments to be available as soft synths box, select the check boxes for the VST
instruments you want available in ACID software.
7. Click OK to close the Preferences dialog.

Note: Once you add

a VSTi soft synth to a
project, the VST Locked VSTi
instrument stays
locked until you close
the application. When a VST instrument is locked, you
cannot clear its check box to make it unavailable in ACID
software.

Configuring a soft synth for external input

Each soft synth bus control in the Mixer window can accept input from MIDI tracks and external MIDI
devices. You can use your favorite controller to play a DLS soft synth or VST instrument for recording or
step recording.
1. Double-click a soft synth icon on a control ( ) in the Mixer window. The Soft Synth Properties window
is displayed.
2. Click the External MIDI Input Port button ( ) and choose a port from the menu.
If the port you want to use isn’t displayed, choose External MIDI Device Preferences from the menu. The
MIDI tab in the Preferences dialog is displayed so you can select a port in the Make these devices available
for MIDI input section of the dialog.

Note: This step is necessary only if the Auto MIDI input

routing check box on the MIDI tab of the Preferences dialog is
not selected.

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3. If you’re using a VSTi soft synth, select the Enable button ( ) on the Soft Synth Properties window to
allow real-time MIDI playback.

Soloing external MIDI inputs

Your external MIDI devices can be routed to multiple soft synth bus controls and MIDI thru devices. Soloing
an external input prevents your device from playing through other soft synths and MIDI thru devices.
1. Double-click a soft synth icon on a control ( ) in the Mixer window. The Soft Synth Properties window
is displayed.
2. Click the Solo Listen to MIDI Input button ( ).
You can select the Solo Listen to MIDI Input button on additional soft synth bus controls to add them to the
solo group.

Note: This button is unavailable if the Auto MIDI input

routing check box on the MIDI tab of the Preferences dialog is
selected, or if you have not selected an external MIDI input
port.

Deleting soft synth controls

Just as you can add soft synth controls to a project at any time, you can also delete superfluous soft synth
controls. When you delete a soft synth control from a project, tracks assigned to it are reassigned to the first
soft synth control in the Mixer window.
To delete a soft synth control, right-click the control in the mixer and choose Delete from the shortcut
menu, or select the control and press Delete .

Routing MIDI tracks to soft synth controls

If your project contains multiple soft synth controls, you can assign each MIDI track to a specific soft synth
control. To assign a track to a soft synth control, click the Device Selection button ( ) on the track header
and choose the desired soft synth control from the menu. For more information, see Routing MIDI tracks to
MIDI devices or soft synth controls on page 192.

Using mixer controls

Although busses, assignable effects, and soft synth controls are used to accomplish different tasks, they have
many features in common. You can adjust fader levels, mute or solo audio, and apply effects on all mixer
controls. In addition, you can select multiple mixer controls to apply changes to several controls
simultaneously. You can also view mixer controls in track view in order to automate them.

Working with mixer controls

You can adjust, solo, and mute mixer controls independently.

Adjusting faders
You can adjust mixer control levels during playback and preview the results in real-time. In addition, the
stereo faders are split into two channels. This allows you to adjust the levels of the left and right channels
independently of one another. For more information, see Adjusting split faders in the mixer on page 54.
Assignable effect controls contain two distinct faders, each of which is split into two channels. The left fader
adjusts the level of the input signal entering the control, while the right fader adjusts the output level.

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Changing meter resolution
You may specify the meter resolution at which mixer controls display their signal levels. When a mixer
control’s meter resolution is changed, all meters in the Mixer window automatically change to reflect the
new resolution setting. To change the meter resolution, right-click the meter and choose the desired
resolution from the shortcut menu.

Setting levels
When signals are routed through a mixer control, the signal levels may cause the meter to clip. If the meter
clips, the level is displayed in red at the top of the meter and the audio is distorted. You can lower the mixer
control level and click the red display to reset the meter. A better way to reduce clipping, however, is to
adjust the volume of each track.

Tip: You can also reset the clip by right-clicking the meter
and choosing Reset Clip from the shortcut menu.

Muting mixer controls

Clicking the Mute button ( ) on a mixer control temporarily suspends playback of the control. When a
mixer control is muted, it appears grayed out and the word Muted appears at the bottom of the meter.
Clicking the Mute button a second time returns the mixer control to normal playback.
You can also press Z to mute a mixer control or group of controls.

Tip: Press Ctrl and click the Mute button to mute only the
selected mixer control (and restore any other muted
controls). If the selected mixer control is already muted, press
Ctrl and click the Mute button to restore all controls.

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Soloing mixer controls
Clicking the Solo button ( ) on a mixer control isolates playback by muting all other mixer controls. For
example, when you solo a bus, all remaining busses, assignable effects, and soft synths appear grayed out and
the word Muted appears at the bottom of their respective meters. Clicking the Solo button a second time
returns all mixer controls to normal playback.
You can also press X to solo a mixer control or group of controls.

Tip: Press Ctrl and click the Solo button to solo only the
selected mixer control (and restore any other soloed controls).
If the selected mixer control is already soloed, press Ctrl and
click the Solo button to restore all controls.

Adding effects to soft synth mixer controls

You to add DirectX- or VST-compatible plug-ins, either individually or as a chain, to a mixer control. You
can build plug-in chains from any DirectX-compatible plug-ins installed on your system. You can add plug-
ins (individually or as pieces of a chain) to a mixer control at any time, and once you have added them, you
can reorder them, remove them, and combine them with additional plug-ins to achieve the desired effect.
Adding a plug-in to a mixer control results in the track signals assigned to that control being processed by
the plug-in. However, plug-ins assigned at the track level are processed before plug-ins added at the mixer
level. For more information, see Using track effects on page 117.

Important: Be aware that using non-in-place plug-ins (such

as Time Stretch, Pitch-Shift without preserving duration, and
some Vibrato settings) will cause audio to play out of
synchronization with the waveform display in the timeline and
with other tracks. If an effects chain includes non-in-place
plug-ins, the effects chain icon will be displayed as a .
When using ACID software as a ReWire device, any effects
chain that includes non-in-place plug-ins will be automatically
bypassed to prevent synchronization problems with the
ReWire mixer application. The effects chain icon will be
displayed as a . Apply the plug-ins within the ReWire
mixer application.

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Adding plug-in chains
1. Click the FX button ( ) on the mixer control. The Plug-In Chooser dialog appears.
2. Select the plug-ins that you want to add. The selected plug-ins appear in the chain area. There are three
ways to add a plug-in to the chain:
• Double-click the plug-in.
• Drag the plug-in to the chain area.
• Select the plug-in and click Add.

Tip: If you have saved any plug-in chain packages, double-

click the Packaged Chains folder to view those packages. For
more information, see Saving plug-in chains as packages on
page 159.

3. Click OK to close the Plug-In Chooser dialog. The Audio Plug-In window opens and displays the plug-in
chain.
4. Click a specific plug-in and adjust the effect’s parameters manually, or choose one of the presets from the
Preset drop-down list. For more information about effect parameters, click the Plug-In Help button ( ) in
the Audio Plug-In window.

Tip: You can save an effect’s parameters as a preset to be

used in other projects. To save a preset, enter a name in the
Preset box and click the Save Preset button ( ).

5. Click the Close button ( ) to close the Audio Plug-In window.

Adding plug-ins to existing plug-in chains

1. Click the FX button ( ) on the mixer control. The Audio Plug-In window appears.
2. Click the Edit Chain button ( ). The Plug-In Chooser dialog appears.
3. Add the desired plug-in(s) to the chain.
4. Click OK to close the Plug-In Chooser dialog. The Audio Plug-In window opens and displays the plug-in
chain.
5. Click a specific plug-in and adjust the effect’s parameters manually, or choose one of the presets from the
Preset drop-down list. For more information about effect parameters, click the Plug-In Help button ( ) in
the Audio Plug-In window.
6. Click the Close button ( ) to close the Audio Plug-In window.

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Arranging plug-ins on plug-in chains
The effect of plug-ins placed on a chain is cumulative. For example, when a signal passes through a plug-in,
it carries those settings through the next plug-in, and carries both settings through the next plug-in, and so
on. Because of this cumulative effect, you may need to rearrange the plug-ins on the chain so that one plug-
in’s processing does not adversely affect the next one in the chain.
There is no right or wrong way to order plug-ins, and the chain’s plug-in order is strictly based on your
preferences and desired output. However, certain plug-ins function better at specific points in the chain. For
example, the dither plug-in typically works best as the last plug-in on a chain.
1. Click the FX button ( ) on the mixer control. The Audio Plug-In window appears.

Plug-in chain

2. There are two ways to arrange plug-ins in your chain:

• Drag the plug-in to a new location in the chain.
• Right-click the plug-in and select Move Left or Move Right from the shortcut menu.
3. Click the Close button ( ) to close the Audio Plug-In window.

Bypassing plug-ins on plug-in chains

You can bypass a plug-in without removing it from the chain by clearing the check box on the plug-in.
Alternately, right-click the plug-in and choose Bypass from the shortcut menu.

Tip: To bypass (or re-enable) all plug-ins in a chain, right-

click the FX button ( ) on the mixer control and choose
Bypass All or Enable All.

Removing plug-ins from chains

You can remove a plug-in from a chain at any time.
1. Click the FX button ( ) on the mixer control. The Audio Plug-In window appears.
2. Right-click the plug-in and choose Remove from the shortcut menu, or click the Remove Selected Plug-In
button ( ).
3. Click the Close button ( ) to close the Audio Plug-In window.

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Removing or bypassing all effects on a mixer control
You can clear a mixer control of all effects by right-clicking the FX button ( ) and choosing Delete All from
the shortcut menu.
You can bypass the effects on a mixer control without removing them by right-clicking the FX button ( )
and choosing Bypass All from the shortcut menu. To apply them again, right-click the FX button and choose
Enable All from the shortcut menu.

Saving plug-in chains as packages

You can save plug-in chains as packages so that you may re-use them in other projects. If you use a
combination of plug-ins often, saving them as a package saves you time. Effect packages retain their chain
order and individual plug-in settings.
You may save plug-in chains as packages from existing plug-in chains or in the Plug-In Chooser dialog
during the actual creation of the chain. The plug-in chains that you save as packages appear in the Plug-In
Chooser dialog in the Packaged Chains folder.
1. Click the FX button ( ) on the mixer control. The Plug-In Chooser dialog appears if a plug-in chain does
not already exist.
To save an existing chain, click the FX button ( ) to open the Audio Plug-In window and skip to step
four.
2. Add and arrange plug-ins to create a plug-in chain and click OK.
3. In the Audio Plug-In window, adjust the settings for each plug-in to achieve the effect you want. For more
information about effect parameters, click the Plug-In Help button ( ) in the Audio Plug-In window.
4. Click the Save Chain Preset button ( ). The Save Plug-In Package dialog appears.
5. Enter a name for the package.
6. Click OK to save the plug-in chain as an effect package.

Organizing your plug-ins

You can create folders for organizing your plug-ins within the Plug-In Chooser dialog. You will notice that
the Plug-In Chooser dialog functions similarly to Windows Explorer. However, the Plug-In Chooser dialog
only allows you to work with plug-ins installed on your system.

Automating effect parameters

If a plug-in supports automation, you can add envelopes to a soft synth’s bus track to automatically adjust
effect parameters over time. For more information, see Using track envelopes on page 122.

Using the Preset Manager

Once you have created custom presets for effects or effect chains, you can use the Preset Manager to back up,
transfer, or delete custom presets from any of the plug-ins you use in ACID software. The Preset Manager is
a standalone application that you can use to manage ACID, Sound Forge, and Vegas presets.
You can install the Preset Manager from the ACID CD. After you install the application, choose Contents
and Index from the Help menu in the Preset Manager for instructions on how to manage your presets.

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Working with multiple mixer controls
When you select multiple busses, assignable effect controls, or soft synth controls in the mixer, you can
simultaneously perform functions on the controls. These functions include the following:
• Change bus or hardware routing
• Mute/solo bus or control
• Delete bus or control
• Change fader level

You can select multiple, nonadjacent controls by holding the Ctrl key while clicking each control’s name.
You can select multiple, adjacent controls by clicking the first control and holding the Shift key while
clicking the last control in the range.

Note: You cannot group the Preview fader in this manner

with other mixer controls.

Automating mixer controls in track view

You can automate bus, assignable effect, and soft synth controls in track view. You can view each of these
controls on tracks at the bottom of track view and to add envelopes to automate functions such as volume,
pan, and assignable effect chain input/output levels. You can also add envelopes to automate effect
parameters for plug-ins that support automation. For more information, see Adding effect automation envelopes
on page 123.
For creative ways to use bus automation, see Fading in and out of mixes on page 236.

Viewing bus tracks

From the View menu, choose Show Bus Tracks or press U . The bus tracks appear at the bottom of the track
view. A bus track appears for each mixer control in your project.

Adding track envelopes

Right-click the track header in the track list, choose Insert/Remove Envelope from the shortcut menu, and
choose the appropriate envelope type from the submenu.
You can identify which mixer controls have envelopes by looking at each control’s letter or number. An
automated mixer control has a small fader icon on its letter or number in the Mixer window.

Bus with Bus without

automation automation

Modifying track envelopes

You can modify a track envelope for a bus, assignable effect, or soft synth in the same way you do with any
other track. For more information, see Using track envelopes on page 122.

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Working with ReWire

Using ReWire, you can stream audio between applications in real time, synchronize playback, and use either
application’s transport controls to control playback in the synchronized applications. The cursor position
and loop region will be shared in the synchronized applications.
ACID software can be used as a ReWire mixer (host) or a ReWire device (client):
When ACID software is used as a ReWire mixer, a soft synth bus in the ACID mixer connects the ReWire
device application with the ACID audio engine. During playback, song position data is sent from the ACID
window to the ReWire device application, and the device will send its audio data back to the ACID soft
synth bus control.
When ACID software is used as a ReWire device, the ReWire mixer sends song position data to the ACID
project, and ACID software sends its audio to the ReWire mixer. Because ACID software supports ReWire
1.0, MIDI data is not sent (MIDI tracks are output as audio data through soft synths).

Using ACID software as a ReWire mixer

ACID software can act as a ReWire mixer application. After you enable a ReWire panel application to work
within the software, you can insert it as a soft synth control in the mixer, and the soft synth bus connects
ACID software and the ReWire device and carries the data back and forth between them. The applications
share timeline and cursor position data. ACID software can mix or apply effects to your panel application’s
audio data output and then record the data.

Note: The ReWire panel application data will not be

included in playback or rendering if the panel application is
not open.

Locating ReWire panel applications for use in ACID software

If you have ReWire panel applications installed on your PC, you can select them for use as soft synth
controls.
1. From the Options menu, choose Preferences. The Preferences dialog appears.
2. Click the ReWire Devices tab.
All installed ReWire panel applications appear in the Select ReWire Device to be available as soft synths box
at the bottom of the dialog. To choose the ReWire panel application you want to use, select its check box.
3. Click the OK button.

Inserting a ReWire panel application as a soft synth

1. Insert a ReWire panel application as a soft synth on the mixer just as you would a DLS or VSTi soft synth.
For more information, see Adding soft synth controls to projects on page 150.
2. The soft synth bus control is added to the Mixer window using the default settings, and ACID software
attempts to start the device. If the ReWire device application does not open, you can start it manually.
3. Use the ReWire device application’s interface to open a project and adjust its settings.

Opening a ReWire device application

When you add a ReWire soft synth bus to your project, ACID software attempts to start the device. There
are several additional ways to open a ReWire panel application for use with ACID software:
• Double-click the soft synth control icon on the Mixer ( ).
• Right-click the soft synth control icon ( ) and choose Open ReWire Panel from the shortcut menu.

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• Double-click the soft synth control icon ( ) on the Mixer to display the Soft Synth Properties window
and then click the Open ReWire Device Application button ( ). Click this button again to close the
application when your editing is finished.

Note: Click the Lock MIDI Port Configuration button ( ) to

lock MIDI ports so port assignments are not lost due to
dynamic changes from ReWire panels.

• If ACID software is unable to start your ReWire device application, you can start it manually.

Note: For more information on working with your ReWire

device application, please see the application’s
documentation.

Starting playback of the ACID project and synchronized ReWire devices

ReWire device and mixer applications communicate song position data back and forth with sample-level
accuracy.
Position the cursor (or create a loop region) in the ACID timeline to indicate where you want playback to
begin, and then click Play ( ).

Displaying the Soft Synth Properties window for a ReWire 2.0 Device
When you add a ReWire 2.0 synths master bus as a soft synth bus, you can double-click the soft synth control
icon ( ) to display the Soft Synth Properties window, where you can view the device’s MIDI ports, start or
close the application, or lock MIDI ports.
Click the Open ReWire Device Application button ( ) to start the device (some synths cannot be started by a
ReWire mixer application). When you’re finished editing in the ReWire device application, you can click
this button again to close the ReWire application.
Select the Lock MIDI Port Configuration button ( ) to lock MIDI ports so your ACID project does not lose
port assignments due to dynamic changes from ReWire devices.

Using ACID software as a ReWire device

When ACID software is used as a ReWire device, the output from your ACID mixer is output to a ReWire
mixer application.
After you add the ACID synth to a ReWire mixer application, the mixer application sends song position
data to the ACID synth, which sends its audio back to the ReWire mixer.
Because ACID software supports ReWire 1.0, MIDI data is not sent to the mixer (MIDI tracks are output as
audio data through soft synths).
Important notes:
• You must start your ReWire mixer application before starting ACID software.
• When ACID software is connected to a ReWire mixer application, the ACID project will automatically
use the mixer application’s bit depth and sample rate. Saving the ACID project in ReWire mode will not
overwrite the project’s original bit depth and sample rate.
• If a ReWire mixer application starts ACID software, that ACID window will start in ReWire mode and
cannot be switched from ReWire mode. If a ReWire mixer connects to an existing ACID window, that
window will run in ReWire mode, and you can switch out of ReWire mode if necessary. If you exit that
instance of the software and start ACID software again, the new instance will start in ReWire mode, and
you can switch out of ReWire mode if necessary. You can switch out of ReWire mode by choosing a new
setting from the Audio device type drop-down list on the Audio tab of the Preferences dialog.

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• The ACID Tempo control below the track list is not available in ReWire Device mode. Tempo
information is provided by the ReWire mixer application.
• If a ReWire mixer application includes a tempo map, video and long one-shot tracks in your ACID
project will lose synchronization with looped material. Using ACID software as a ReWire mixer (or in an
ACID project without ReWire) will resolve the issue.
• When using ACID software as a ReWire device, any effects chain that includes non-in-place plug-ins will
be automatically bypassed to prevent synchronization problems with the ReWire mixer application. The
effects chain icon will be displayed as a . Apply the plug-ins within the ReWire mixer application.
• Before rendering from a ReWire mixer application, turn off the ACID metronome, or the metronome will
be included in the rendered output.
• If the mixer has a Render in Real-Time option, this mode may reduce the possibility of drop-outs from the
ACID ReWire device while rendering.

The ACID online help (from the Help menu, choose Contents and Index) provides setup information for
several common ReWire mixer applications. This information is intended to help you get up and running
with ACID software as a ReWire device. For the most up-to-date information about using each ReWire
mixer application, please refer to the manufacturer’s documentation.

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CHAPTER

Recording in ACID
6 Software

ACID® software is a loop-based audio-production tool. It is not designed for multi-track recording projects.
However, the application does allow you to record audio from your system’s sound card. This limited
recording capability makes it possible for you to record audio or MIDI from an external source and place it in
your project.
This feature actually makes ACID software an excellent tool for recording song demos. You can build a
backing track of the appropriate length and tempo using a variety of loops and combine the backing track
with a one-shot vocal or guitar track that you record.

Note: Recording MIDI is covered in greater depth in

Recording MIDI tracks on page 170.

Recording audio
If you are familiar with other Sony Pictures Digital applications, recording in the ACID application should
be fairly intuitive. The following procedure briefly outlines the steps involved in recording audio.
1. Connect the audio source or MIDI device to your computer.
2. For audio recording, verify that the card is properly configured for the audio source (microphone, line
level, etc.).
3. Place the cursor in the track view at the position where recording will begin. To record multiple takes,
create a loop region instead. For more information, see Recording multiple takes on page 168.
4. Click the Record button ( ) on the transport bar. The Record dialog appears.

5. Set the desired recording properties. For more information, see Setting ACID recording properties on page 166.
6. Set the recording level. For more information, see Setting recording levels on page 167.

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7. Click Start to begin recording. A new track is created in the project and the incoming audio signal begins
to record into it.
8. Click Stop to end recording.
The recorded audio is placed on its track as a Beatmapped™ file and can now be manipulated at the track or
event level, like any other file in the project.
Regions are added to mark each measure in the recording. You can view the regions in the Track Properties
window. These regions can be useful when creating loops from your ACID or Sound Forge® recordings.

Setting ACID recording properties

Prior to recording in ACID software, you must configure the application’s recording properties in the Record
dialog. This ensures that you are recording through the appropriate device with the desired attributes, and
that you are storing the recorded file in the appropriate folder.

Record type
Use these radio buttons to specify the type of recording you are about to make.

File name
This box allows you to name the recorded file prior to actually recording it. If you do not specify a name, the
default name “Record Take” is provided and a unique number is appended to identify it. Recorded audio is
saved as a WAV file and saves MIDI as a MID file.

Record folder
This box displays the path to the folder where recorded files are stored. If you want to specify an alternate
location, click Browse and specify the new folder.

Free space
This value indicates the amount of available free space in the current record folder.

Time recorded
This value provides you with a running summary of the length and size (in megabytes) of the audio currently
being recorded.

Record from
By default, recording begins at the cursor position when you click the Record button ( ). However, you can
use the Record from radio buttons to specify an alternate starting point for recording.
• Selecting the Start of project radio button configures recording to start at the beginning of the current
project.
• Selecting the Position radio button allows you to enter the recording start position in measures and beats
format.

Metronome
Select the Metronome check box if you want to record using the metronome. Drag the Metronome fader to set
the volume of the metronome (adjusting the Metronome fader also adjusts the Preview fader in the Mixer).

Make new track follow project tempo

Selecting this check box configures the software to use its stretching features to expand/contract your
recording in relation to the project tempo. However, if you are recording your audio track at the final project
tempo, you should clear this check box to allow the recorded file to be treated as a one-shot.

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Record device
This drop-down list allows you to choose the hardware device and channel used to record your audio.
If you chose Microsoft® Sound Mapper in the Audio device type drop-down list in the Preferences dialog, you
cannot choose a specific device. Choose a device other than the Sound Mapper to specify hardware devices.
For more information, see Using the Audio tab on page 225.
When recording MIDI, you can choose a device from the MIDI Thru drop-down list to provide MIDI playback
as you record. For more information, see Recording MIDI tracks on page 170.

Attributes and the Change button

The Attributes values display the recording sample rate and bit depth. Sample rate is the number of samples
per second, measured in Hertz (Hz), used to record audio. You can change the sample rate or bit depth by
clicking the Change button, which displays the Audio tab of the Project Properties dialog. For more
information, see Using the Audio tab on page 34.

Note: Attributes and the Change button do not apply when

recording MIDI.

Monitor
Selecting this check box turns on the record meters, which display the incoming audio level for the specified
recording device.

Setting recording levels

When recording audio, it is important to record with the highest possible signal without clipping. Clipping
occurs when the incoming signal is too high to be represented as a digital value and is indicated visually by a
red clip warning at the top of the meters. The aural result of clipping is distortion. Be assured that digital
clipping distortion is very different from analog clipping distortion. The saturation level of analog tape is
non-exact and pushing the levels into the red often create a nice overdriven effect. However, the saturation
point of digital recording is exactly 0 dB and levels surpassing that result in ugly digital distortion that can
easily ruin a project.
1. Connect the audio source to the sound card’s input and verify that the card is properly configured for the
audio source (microphone, line level, etc.).
2. Click the Record button ( ) and set the desired recording properties. For more information, see Setting
ACID recording properties on page 166.
3. Select the Monitor check box. Incoming audio levels appear on the record meters and the peak signal level
appears (in decibels) at the top of the meters. Keep in mind that a meter reading of 0 dB is the maximum
for a digital signal and any signal that surpasses that level will distort.
4. Continue adjusting the input level of the source audio until maximum levels are achieved without
clipping.
If the meter clips, decrease the source audio level and click the numbers at the top of the meter. The peak
is reset and a new peak reading is calculated. Continue adjusting the levels and resetting the meter until
the level is maximized.

Note: Setting digital recording levels can be difficult. If you

are not familiar with the source audio and have only one
opportunity to capture the recording, allow yourself plenty of
headroom.

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Recording multiple takes

Using the Loop Playback button ( ) in conjunction with the record feature allows you to record multiple
takes into an ACID project. All takes are recorded into the same track and saved as one WAV file.
However, each take is delineated by creating a region that is saved with the recorded media file. To view the
regions, open the recorded track’s properties.
1. Create a loop region for the part of the project you want to play while recording your take.

Loop region

2. Verify that the Loop Playback button ( ) is selected.

3. Begin recording. The specified loop region is played back while your takes are recorded on a new track.

Reviewing and saving takes

After you have recorded all your takes, you can review them and save only the best take.
1. Click Cancel to close the Record dialog.
2. Click the Solo button ( ) on the track you just recorded.
3. Click the Play From Start button ( ) and review all takes.
4. Create a time selection containing the take you want to keep.
5. From the Tools menu, choose Render to New Track. The Render to New Track dialog appears.
6. Enter a name for the new file in the File name box and click Save. The take is saved to a new file and
creates a new track for it.
7. Delete the track containing the original takes.

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CHAPTER

Working with
7 MIDI

ACID® software allows you to record MIDI tracks and, through support for the Open Plug-
in Technology® (OPT) from Yamaha®, edit MIDI in your projects. The software provides
two native OPT plug-ins: the piano roll editor and the list editor. You can also render
projects with MIDI tracks, play MIDI from an external device, and synchronize to MIDI
timecode (MTC).

Adding MIDI tracks

You can add MIDI files to your project or create new MIDI files from scratch. MIDI tracks
display with the MIDI icon ( ) in the track list. You can use MIDI tracks to record and
play back data from synthesizers and other MIDI-compliant equipment. MIDI tracks can use
MID, SMF, and RMI files.

Adding MIDI files

You can add existing MIDI files to your project just as you would add other files. Simply add
the file to the project and use the Draw ( ) tool or Paint ( ) tool to add events to the
track that is created for you.

Creating new MIDI files

You can insert a new blank MIDI track into your project by choosing MIDI Track from the
Insert menu. Once you’ve added the track, you can use one of the provided OPT plug-ins
(such as the piano roll editor or list editor) to create or step record MIDI.

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Recording MIDI tracks

The Record dialog allows you to record audio or MIDI tracks. For more information, see
Recording in ACID Software on page 165.
1. Click the Record button ( ) on the transport bar. The Record dialog appears.
2. Select the MIDI radio button in the line labeled Record type.
3. In the Record device drop-down list, choose the MIDI device from which you will record.

Note: If the device from which you want to record does not
appear in the list, you may need to enable the device in the MIDI
tab of the Preferences dialog.

4. From the MIDI Thru drop-down list, choose the output device or soft synth control to use
for monitoring the incoming MIDI. This allows you to hear the MIDI input as you record.
5. In the File name box, enter a name for the recorded file.
6. If necessary, click Browse and select a location to save the recorded file.
7. Complete the remainder of the Record dialog as needed. For more information, see Setting
ACID recording properties on page 166.
8. Click Record to begin recording.
9. When you have finished, click Stop to end recording.
The recorded MIDI file is saved with the name and location you selected and a new MIDI
track is added to the project. You can paint the recorded MIDI on the new MIDI track.

Tip: You can also record MIDI using the step recording feature
of the list editor plug-in. For more information, see Step
recording events on page 188.

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Changing MIDI track properties

The General tab of the Track Properties window allows you to pitch-shift or set a root note
for a MIDI file in the same way you can with a loop or Beatmapped file. In addition, the
General tab allows you to add, delete, and work with the tracks within the MIDI file. You can
mute, solo, rename, and change channel, volume or pan settings for individual tracks in a
MIDI file.

Pitch shifting MIDI tracks

You can change the pitch of all events on a MIDI track.
1. Double-click the MIDI icon ( ) on the track header to open the Track Properties
window.
2. On the General tab, enter a value in the Pitch shift box (or use the spinner control) to
adjust the pitch of all events on the track.

Setting root notes for MIDI tracks

Choose a root note from the Root note drop-down list to set the base note for tracks that you
want to conform to the project key. Otherwise, choose Don’t transpose.

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Working with tracks in a MIDI file

Within the MIDI file, you can add new tracks or delete existing tracks. You can also mute,
solo, change settings, and rename tracks. If you want, you can save the changes you make in
ACID software to the original MIDI file. For more information, see Saving, reloading, or
replacing MIDI files on page 192.

Viewing track and channel information

The General tab of the Track Properties window displays information about the tracks and
channels in a MIDI file.
• In an SMF (standard MIDI file) type 0 file, all MIDI data is saved to a single track. Each
channel within the single track displays as a separate track in the Track Properties
window.
• An SMF type 1 file can save MIDI tracks separately, and these tracks are displayed in the
Track Properties window. If a track sends data to more than one channel, the Channel
column for that track displays a dash (-). You can use the list editor to locate and view
channel messages. For more information, see Filtering the list on page 183.

Adding and deleting tracks

Click the Add New Track button ( ) in the General tab of the Track Properties window to
add a new track to the MIDI file. Select a track and click the Delete Track button ( ) to
remove a track.

Renaming tracks
1. In the General tab of the Track Properties window, double-click a track name and type a
new name.
2. Press Enter to rename the track.

Editing channel information (channelization)

1. In the General tab of the Track Properties window, double-click the number in the
Channel column for a track.
2. Type a new channel number in the box.
3. Press Enter . All MIDI messages are sent to the new channel.

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Note: After you’ve edited the channel for a multichannel track,

channel information cannot be edited in the list editor. To revert
to the previous channelization and enable channel editing in the
list editor, enter -1 in the Channel column. For more
information, see Using the list editor on page 182.

Muting and soloing tracks

To mute or solo a track within a MIDI file, click the Mute ( ) or Solo ( ) button for the
track in the General tab of the Track Properties window.

Changing track volume and pan

Drag the volume or pan sliders in the General tab of the Track Properties window to adjust
volume or panning for a track in a MIDI file. The adjustment you make adds a bias to the
original volume or pan setting in the MIDI file. For example, if a track has a volume setting
of 50 and you set the volume slider to 20, the resulting track plays at 70.
Be aware of the following as you change track volume and panning:
• The volume slider settings are added to the track volume and any volume information in
the MIDI file. This allows you to manipulate the volume of the track and still maintain
volume controller information that may be present in the file. The overall volume of the
MIDI track, however, is bound at 0 and 127.
• Volume and panning settings are not saved in the MIDI file, but are saved in the ACID
project file. When you click the Reload button ( ) to reload the MIDI file, the
volume and panning settings do not reset but are retained. For more information, see
Saving, reloading, or replacing MIDI files on page 192.

Previewing MIDI files

You can play your MIDI file to test out your changes before leaving the General tab. Use the
buttons on the transport bar at the bottom of the window to control MIDI playback.

Tip: To control volume during playback in the General tab, drag

the Preview fader in the Mixer window.

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Chasing MIDI events during playback

When playback loops or begins at a point other than the beginning of the MIDI file, ACID
software can automatically chase (update) controller, SysEx, and patch changes to ensure
correct playback.
1. Click the Chase Filter button ( ) to display the Chase Event Filter dialog.
2. Select the check box for each event type that you do not want to chase during playback.
Clear a check box to chase events of that type.
3. Click OK to close the Chase Event Filter dialog.

Filtering MIDI events during playback

You can choose to filter out certain event types when you play MIDI from the General tab.
1. Click the Playback Filter button ( ) to display the MIDI Event Filter dialog.
2. Select the check box for each event type that you want to exclude during playback. Clear
a check box to include events of that type.
3. Click OK to close the MIDI Event Filter dialog.

Using the piano roll editor

The Piano Roll Editor tab on the Track Properties window allows you to view and edit a
MIDI file.
The top pane of the piano roll editor displays MIDI information in the manner of a piano
roll for a player piano. Each note is represented by a rectangular note event of a certain
length and pitch. The piano keys along the left side of the window indicate the pitch of a
note event. The beat ruler across the top of the window shows the length and location of a
note event.
The lower pane of the piano roll editor displays velocity information for each note event. A
transport bar for previewing MIDI appears at the bottom of the window.

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Viewing the piano roll editor

1. Double-click the MIDI icon ( ) on the track header to open the Track Properties
window.
2. Click the Piano Roll Editor tab. The piano roll editor appears.

Pitch and length

Velocity

Middle C Transport bar

Previewing MIDI
You can preview the entire MIDI file, a loop selection, or single notes using the piano roll
editor.

Tip: To control volume during playback in the piano roll editor,

drag the Preview fader in the Mixer window.

Previewing the MIDI file

Use the transport bar buttons at the bottom of the piano roll editor to play your MIDI.

Tip: You can use the Solo button ( ) to solo a particular MIDI
track during preview playback.

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Previewing a selection in looped playback

You can preview a selection in looped playback just as you would in the main ACID
window.
1. Drag the handles of the loop bar in the piano roll editor to create the desired loop region.
2. Click the Loop Playback button ( ) to turn on looped playback.
3. Click the transport bar’s Play button ( ) or press Space . The piano roll editor loops the
playback of the selected area. To stop playback, click the transport bar’s Stop button ( )
or press Space .

Selecting MIDI tracks

As you view, add, or edit MIDI note events, you must first select a track within the MIDI file
to work with. Choose a track from the Track drop-down list to work with that track.

Adding note events

You can add note events using the Draw tool ( ) or the Paint tool ( ) in the same way
you do in the main ACID window.

Tip: As you drag to create new events, the event edge snaps to
the divisions on the beat ruler. To snap to smaller divisions, click
the Zoom In Time button ( ) at the bottom of the window to
zoom in more tightly. Or, to turn off snapping altogether, click
the Enable Snapping button ( ) to toggle it off.

Drawing note events

The Draw tool limits you to drawing one pitch at a time. In other words, you cannot drag up
and down with the Draw tool to draw note events across several pitches at once.
1. Click the Draw Tool button ( ). The Draw tool is selected.
2. Drag in the row for the pitch you wish to create. A new note event appears as you drag.

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Painting note events
Unlike the Draw tool, the Paint tool allows you to create note events across multiple pitches
with a single drag of the mouse. The Paint tool also allows you to select the note length you
want to paint.
1. Click the arrow adjacent to the Paint Tool button ( ) and choose a note length to paint
from the menu.
2. Click the Paint Tool button ( ). The Paint tool is selected.
3. Drag to create new note events. The new events appear as you drag.

Editing note events

You can change the length or pitch of a note event using the Draw tool. You can also cut,
copy, and paste events in the same way you do in the main ACID window.

Changing pitch
With the Draw tool ( ) selected, drag a note event to a new row.

Changing length
With the Draw tool ( ) selected, drag the edge of a note event to a new location.

Tip: As you drag the edge of a note event, the event edge snaps
to the divisions on the beat ruler. To snap to smaller divisions,
click the Zoom In Time button ( ) at the bottom of the window
to zoom in more tightly. Or, to turn off snapping altogether, click
the Enable Snapping button ( ) to toggle it off.

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Specifying a velocity value for notes

To enter a specific velocity value, right-click a note event in the piano roll, choose Velocity
from the shortcut menu, and choose the appropriate command from the submenu.

Command Description
Set to Maximum Sets the velocity to 127.
Set to Default Sets the velocity to 64.
Set to Minimum Sets the velocity to 0.
Set to... Allows you to enter a custom velocity
value.

Changing velocity data

1. In the lower-left corner of the Piano Roll Editor tab, click the drop-down arrow and
choose Velocity from the menu.
2. In the area at the bottom of the Piano Roll Editor tab, drag the top of a velocity bar up or
down to change the velocity value. You can also drag across multiple bars to change their
values at the same time.

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Setting pitch bend
1. In the lower-left corner of the Piano Roll Editor tab, click the drop-down arrow and
choose Pitch Bend from the menu.
2. In the area at the bottom of the Piano Roll Editor tab, drag to draw your pitch bend curve.
To erase a curve, right-click and drag.

Changing continuous controller information

1. In the lower-left corner of the Piano Roll Editor tab, click the drop-down arrow, choose
All Continuous Controllers from the menu, and choose a controller from the submenu.
2. In the area at the bottom of the Piano Roll Editor tab, drag to draw your controller
information.

Selecting note events

With the Draw tool selected, you can select individual note events by clicking them. You
can also use one of several methods to select multiple events:
• With the Draw tool selected, press Ctrl or Shift while clicking note events. Pressing Shift
allows you to select the first and last note events of a range in order to select all notes in
between, while pressing Ctrl allows you to select non-contiguous note events.
• Click the Selection Tool button ( ) and drag across note events you wish to select.
• Press Ctrl + A to select all note events on a track.

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Moving note events

After you select note events, you can drag them to new positions.

Tip: Press Alt while dragging note events to restrict your

movement to vertical (change pitch) or horizontal (change
location in time).

Using cut, copy, and paste

After you select note events, you can click the Cut ( ) or Copy ( ) buttons to cut or copy
the events. You can then position the cursor in a new location and click the Paste button
( ) to paste the events. Note events are always pasted at the same pitch as the original
note event.

Toggling note snapping

Click the Enable Snapping Notes to Specified Scale button ( ) to toggle snapping.
If the button is selected, you can only draw or drag notes within the selected scale. Hold Alt
while drawing or dragging notes to override snapping.
Click the down arrow next to the button to choose a root note and scale.

Quantizing note events

You can use the MIDI Quantize dialog to force notes to align with musical beats based on
the parameters you specify.
1. Select the notes you want to quantize. For more information, see Selecting note events on
page 179.
2. Click the Quantize button ( ). The MIDI Quantize dialog appears.
3. From the Quantize resolution drop-down list, choose the beat to which you want the
selected notes to be quantized.
4. Select the Start times check box to snap start times to the beat selected in the Quantize
resolution drop-down list.
5. Select the Note durations check box to snap note durations to the beat selected in the
Quantize resolution drop-down list.
6. Click Apply.

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Deleting note events

Use the Erase tool ( ) to erase events in the piano roll. Alternately, you can select events
and press Delete . For more information, see Selecting note events on page 179.

Undoing and redoing

You can easily undo and redo actions in the piano roll editor by using keyboard shortcuts.
Press Ctrl + Z to undo an action, and press Ctrl + Shift + Z to redo an action.

Saving MIDI
When you create or edit MIDI in the piano roll editor, the MIDI information is saved in the
project, but the information is not saved to a MIDI file. You can save the MIDI information
to a MIDI file by clicking the Save File button ( ). For more information, see Saving,
reloading, or replacing MIDI files on page 192.

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Using the list editor

The List Editor tab on the Track Properties window allows you to view and edit all MIDI data
using the list editor plug-in. The list editor displays each event in your MIDI file as a row in
a table. The columns in the table contain information on each event’s parameters.

Viewing the list editor

1. Double-click the MIDI icon ( ) on the track header to open the Track Properties
window.
2. Click the List Editor tab. The list editor appears.

Toolbar

Events

Transport bar Loop boxes

Previewing MIDI
You can preview individual events or the MIDI file as a whole within the list editor.

Tip: To control volume during playback in the list editor, drag

the Preview fader in the Mixer window.

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Previewing the MIDI file
Use the transport bar at the bottom of the list editor to preview your MIDI. As you preview,
the list editor highlights the current note being played.

Previewing a selection in looped playback

You can preview a selection in looped playback just as you would in the main ACID
window.
1. Click the Loop Playback button ( ) to turn on looped playback.
2. Define the loop region:
• Select the event where you want the loop to start and click the Mark Loop Start button
( ).
• Select the event where you want the loop to end and click the Mark Loop End button
( ).
The loop boxes in the lower-right corner of the window display the loop start, loop end,
and loop length values.
3. Select the event where you want to begin playback and click the transport bar’s Play
button ( ) or press Space . The piano roll editor begins playback and loops the marked
selection. To stop playback, click the transport bar’s Stop button ( ) or press Space .

Previewing events
You can preview individual note events within the MIDI file.
1. Select the Enable Real-Time MIDI button ( ) at the top of the Track Properties window.
2. In the list editor, click the Monitor button ( ) to turn on the event monitor.
3. Click anywhere in an event row to play the event.

Filtering the list

A MIDI file can contain a dizzying number of individual events. You can speed the task of
locating events in the list editor by applying a filter. You can filter what the list editor
displays either by track or by event type.

Filtering the list by track

Choose a track from the Track drop-down list to view only the events for that track.

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Filtering the list by event type

1. Click the Filter button ( ). The MIDI Event Filter dialog appears.

2. Select the check box for an event type to hide that type, or clear the check box to display
that event type.
3. Click OK. The list is filtered according to the criteria you selected.

Editing events
Once you have located a particular event, you can edit the parameters of the event as
needed.
1. Click in the event row you want to edit.
2. Click the Edit Event button ( ). The Edit MIDI Event dialog appears.

Tip: You can also double-click an event’s Message parameter to

open the Edit Event dialog.

3. Edit the values in the dialog. For more information, see Event parameters on page 185.
4. Click OK. The event updates to the new values.

Tip: You can edit individual parameters in columns other than

Message by double-clicking the parameter and entering a new
value.

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Event parameters
The table below describes the editable event parameters for different event types.

Event type Editable parameter Description

After Touch Start Time Time (in measures.beats.ticks) where you want the event to begin.
Channel MIDI channel (1-16) where you want to send the event.
Pressure Amount of vibrato (0-127) you want to apply to each voice on the channel.
Control Change Start Time Time (in measures.beats.ticks) where you want the event to begin.
Channel MIDI channel (1-16) where you want to send the event.
Controller Change Displays the number of the current controller change type. Choose a
Number controller change type from the drop-down list to the right of the Event
type drop-down.
Controller Change Value Controller value.
Meta Start Time Time (in measures.beats.ticks) where you want the event to begin.
Meta Event Type Type of meta event that you want to add. Choose a meta event type from the
drop-down list to the right of the Event type drop-down.
Meta Event Parameter Value that you want to send for the meta event. The parameter type varies
depending on the selected meta event type.
For example, when you choose Text Event from the Meta Event Type
drop-down list, a Meta text box displays for you to enter your parameter.
Note Start Time Time (in measures.beats.ticks) where you want the event to begin.
Channel MIDI channel (1-16) where you want to send the event.
Note Numeric value of the note you want to play. For more information, see MIDI
notes and frequencies on page 187.
On Velocity Speed of the note’s attack (0-127). Low values produce a soft attack; high
values produce a strong attack.
Off Velocity Speed of the note's release (0-127). Low values produce a soft release; high
values produce a staccato release.
Duration Length of the note’s sustain in measures.beats.ticks.
Packed NRPN* Start Time Time (in measures.beats.ticks) where you want the event to begin.
Channel MIDI channel (1-16) where you want to send the event.
NRP MSB Parameter’s most significant byte.
NRP LSB Parameter’s least significant byte.
Data MSB Value for the most significant byte.
Data LSB Value for the least significant byte.
Packed RPN** Start Time Time (in measures.beats.ticks) where you want the event to begin.
Channel MIDI channel (1-16) where you want to send the event.
NRP MSB Parameter’s most significant byte.
NRP LSB Parameter’s least significant byte.
Data MSB Value for the most significant byte.
Data LSB Value for the least significant byte.

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Event type Editable parameter Description

Patch Start Time Time (in measures.beats.ticks) where you want the event to begin.
Channel MIDI channel (1-16) where you want to send the event.
Bank LSB Least significant byte value for the bank.
Bank MSB Most significant byte value for the bank.
Patch Number of the patch you want to play.
Pitch Bend Start Time Time (in measures.beats.ticks) where you want the event to begin.
Pitch +/- Number of cents by which you want to bend the pitch.
Poly Pressure Start Time Time (in measures.beats.ticks) where you want the event to begin.
Channel MIDI channel (1-16) where you want to send the event.
Note Note to which you want to apply pressure.
Pressure Pressure (0-127) you want to apply to the note. Most devices will apply more
vibrato to a note as the pressure increases.
Program Start Time Time (in measures.beats.ticks) where you want the event to begin.
Change Channel MIDI channel (1-16) where you want to send the event.
Patch Number of the new patch you want to play.
* Packed nonregistered parameter numbers (NRPN) are used to adjust settings such as vibrato and filtering, but are not
part of the General MIDI specification. Refer to your MIDI device’s documentation for more information about the
required parameters.
** Packed registered parameter numbers (RPN) are used to adjust common settings such as pitch wheel range.

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MIDI notes and frequencies
The following table shows the musical pitch and frequency associated with each MIDI note.
A5 is 440 Hz, and middle C is C5 at 261.63 Hz. These values can differ, often by one octave,
from values used by other manufacturers. The following frequencies are based on equal
temperament tuning.

Pitch MIDI Key Frequency Pitch MIDI Key Frequency Pitch MIDI Key Frequency
C 0 0 8.176 G 3 43 97.998 D 7 86 1174.7
C#-0 1 8.662 G#3 44 103.82 D#7 87 1244.5
D 0 2 9.177 A 3 45 110.00 E 7 88 1318.5
D#0 3 9.723 A#3 46 116.54 F 7 89 1396.9
E 0 4 10.301 B 3 47 123.47 F# 7 90 1480.0
F 0 5 10.913 C 4 48 130.81 G 7 91 1568.0
F# 0 6 11.562 C#4 49 138.59 G#7 92 1661.2
G 0 7 12.250 D 4 50 146.83 A 7 93 1760.0
G#0 8 12.978 D#4 51 155.56 A#7 94 1864.7
A 0 9 13.750 E 4 52 164.81 B 7 95 1975.5
A#0 10 14.568 F 4 53 174.61 C 8 96 2093.0
B 0 11 15.434 F# 4 54 184.99 C#8 97 2217.5
C 1 12 16.352 G 4 55 195.99 D 8 98 2349.3
C#1 13 17.324 G#4 56 207.65 D#8 99 2489.0
D 1 14 18.354 A 4 57 220.00 E 8 100 2637.0
D#1 15 19.445 A#4 58 233.08 F 8 101 2793.8
E 1 16 20.601 B 4 59 246.94 F# 8 102 2960.0
F 1 17 21.826 C 5 60 261.63 G 8 103 3136.0
F# 1 18 23.124 C#5 61 277.18 G#8 104 3322.4
G 1 19 24.499 D 5 62 293.66 A 8 105 3520.0
G#1 20 25.956 D#5 63 311.13 A#8 106 3729.3
A 1 21 27.500 E 5 64 329.63 B 8 107 3951.1
A#1 22 29.135 F 5 65 349.23 C 9 108 4186.0
B 1 23 30.867 F# 5 66 369.99 C#9 109 4434.9
C 2 24 32.703 G 5 67 391.99 D 9 110 4698.6
C#2 25 34.648 G#5 68 415.31 D#9 111 4978.0
D 2 26 36.708 A 5 69 440.00 E 9 112 5274.0
D#2 27 38.890 A#5 70 466.16 F 9 113 5587.7
E 2 28 41.203 B 5 71 439.88 F# 9 114 5919.9
F 2 29 43.653 C 6 72 523.25 G 9 115 6271.9
F# 2 30 46.249 C#6 73 554.37 G#9 116 6644.9
G 2 31 48.999 D 6 74 587.33 A 9 117 7040.0

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Pitch MIDI Key Frequency Pitch MIDI Key Frequency Pitch MIDI Key Frequency
G#2 32 51.913 D#6 75 622.25 A#9 118 7458.6
A 2 33 55.000 E 6 76 659.26 B 9 119 7902.1
A#2 34 58.270 F 6 77 698.46 C 10 120 8372.0
B 2 35 61.735 F# 6 78 739.99 C#10 121 8869.8
C 3 36 65.406 G 6 79 783.99 D 10 122 9397.3
C#3 37 69.295 G#6 80 830.61 D#10 123 9956.1
D 3 38 73.416 A 6 81 880.00 E 10 124 10548.1
D#3 39 77.781 A#6 82 932.32 F 10 125 11175.3
E 3 40 82.406 B 6 83 987.77 F# 10 126 11839.8
F 3 41 87.307 C 7 84 1046.5 G 10 127 12543.9
F# 3 42 92.499 C#7 85 1108.7

Creating events
In addition to editing existing events, you can also create new events.
1. Click the Insert Event button ( ). The Insert MIDI Event dialog appears.
2. Choose a track from the Track drop-down list.
3. Choose an event type from the Event type drop-down list.
4. Enter a start time in the Start time box.
5. Enter values for the remaining event parameters.
6. Click Insert. The new event is inserted at the designated start time.

Step recording events

In step recording, you can record MIDI without worrying about tempo or rhythm. Simply
record the MIDI note by note, entering event parameter values as you go.
If you have a MIDI keyboard or other device connected to your system, you can input notes
using the device. For more information, see Adding external devices as MIDI inputs on page 193.
1. Click the Step Recording button (
) on the transport bar at the bottom of the window.
The MIDI Step Recording dialog appears.
2. Choose a track from the Track drop-down list.

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3. If you will input MIDI from an external device, choose a device from the Input drop-down
list.

Note: You must make a MIDI port available as an input device

in the Preferences dialog in order to use it for step recording.

4. Choose the total duration from the start of one note to the start of the next from the Step
size drop-down list.
5. Choose the length of an individual note from the Duration drop-down list.

Note: When you choose a duration longer than the step size, the
note is overlapped with the note in the next step.

6. Input the MIDI using an external device, or specify settings for each note you want to
record:
• In the Start time box, enter the point at which you want to start recording.
• Select the Auto advance on insert and record check box if you want to automatically
increase the Start time setting by the current step size each time you click Insert or play a
note on a MIDI input device. Clear the check box to adjust the Start time manually
(when creating chords, for example).
• In the Channel box, enter the MIDI channel you want to play the note.
• In the Note box, enter the note you want to play. You can enter the note as a numeric
value (69) or as a pitch (A5).
• In the On velocity box, specify the speed of the note's attack (0-127). Low values produce
a soft attack; high values produce a strong attack.
• In the Off velocity box, specify the speed of the note's release (0-127). Low values
produce a soft release; high values produce a staccato release.
• In the Duration box, specify the length of the note's sustain in measures.beats.ticks.
• Click Insert to record the note.
7. Repeat step six as needed to record each note.
8. Click Add to add the notes to the MIDI and continue step recording, or click OK to close
the MIDI Step Recording dialog and add the notes to the MIDI in the list editor.

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Quantizing events
You can use the MIDI Quantize dialog to force events to align with musical beats based on
the parameters you specify.
1. To quantize only specific events, select the events you want to quantize.

Tip: Hold Shift or Ctrl while clicking event rows to select

multiple events.

2. Click the Quantize button ( ). The MIDI Quantize dialog appears.

3. From the Quantize resolution drop-down list, choose the beat to which you want the
selected events to be quantized.
4. Choose the appropriate options for quantizing:
• Select the Start times check box to snap event start times to the beat selected in the
Quantize resolution drop-down list.
• Select the Note durations check box to snap note durations to the beat selected in the
Quantize resolution drop-down list.
• Select the Notes only check box to quantize note events alone. When you select this
check box, the list editor does not quantize after touch, control change, meta, NRPN,
RPN, pitch bend, poly pressure, and program change events.
• Select the Apply to current selection only check box to quantize only the selected events.
Clear the check box to quantize all events within the list.
5. Click Apply.

Deleting events
Click an event row and click the Delete button ( ).

Undoing and redoing

You can easily undo and redo actions in the list editor by using keyboard shortcuts. Press
Ctrl + Z to undo an action, and press Ctrl + Shift + Z to redo an action.

Saving MIDI
When you create or edit MIDI in the list editor, the MIDI information is saved in the
project, but the information is not saved to a MIDI file. You can save the MIDI information
to a MIDI file by clicking the Save File button ( ). For more information, see Saving,
reloading, or replacing MIDI files on page 192.

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Loading third-party OPT plug-ins

With the ACID OPT (Open Plug-In Technology from Yamaha) support, you can load
third-party OPT MIDI plug-ins on your system in the Track Properties window.
If an external MIDI device has an OPT software component, the OPT plug-in is made
available to you in the Track Properties window when you select the MIDI device in the
MIDI tab of the Preferences dialog. For more information, see Using the MIDI tab on page 226.

Note: You can choose OPT plug-ins to be included with every

new MIDI track you create. For more information, see Setting
default track properties on page 196.

1. Double-click the MIDI icon ( ) on the track header to open the Track Properties
window.
2. Click the MIDI Editors button ( ). The OPT MIDI Editor Plug-In Chooser
dialog appears.
3. Choose a MIDI editor plug-in in the Available editor plug-ins pane and click the Add button
to add it to the Connected editor plug-ins pane.
4. Click OK. The new plug-in appears as a tab in the Track Properties window.

Note: When you load an OPT plug-in in the Track Properties

window, the plug-in is loaded for that track alone. To use the
plug-in in a different MIDI track, you must load the plug-in
from the Track Properties window for that track.

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Saving, reloading, or replacing MIDI files

When you alter a MIDI file using any of the tabs in the Track Properties window, the
changes are saved in the project file alone; the original MIDI file is not altered. To save your
changes to the MIDI file, click the Save File button ( ) in the Track Properties window.

Tip: To save MIDI to a different file, click the Save File As

button ( ).

You also have the option of reloading the original (unmodified) MIDI file or replacing the
MIDI file with another file.
Volume and pan changes made in the General tab of the Track Properties window are not
saved to the file when you click the Save File button. The MIDI file retains its original
volume and pan settings; however, the volume and pan changes made in the General tab are
retained in the ACID project file. This means that when you reload a MIDI file, the volume
and pan changes are not reset but are retained. For more information, see Changing track
volume and pan on page 173.

Routing MIDI tracks to MIDI devices or soft synth controls

You can assign a soft synth control in the Mixer window to any DLS set, VST® instrument,
or ReWire™ mixer application on your computer. You can then route a MIDI track to the
soft synth control. For more information, see Using soft synth controls on page 149. Alternately,
you can route a track directly to an external MIDI device through a MIDI port.
Because ACID software supports ReWire 1.0, MIDI data is not sent to the mixer (MIDI
tracks are output as audio data through soft synths).

Tip: You can use Shift or Ctrl to select multiple MIDI tracks
and change their soft synth routing all at once.

1. Click the Device Selection button ( ) on the MIDI track in the Track List. A menu
displays available MIDI devices and soft synth controls.
• If a soft synth for a particular DLS set does not appear in the menu, choose Insert Soft
Synth to add a soft synth control to the project and route it to a DLS set.
• If a MIDI device does not appear in the menu, choose External MIDI Device Preferences
to make MIDI devices available on the MIDI tab of the Preferences dialog.

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Note: Devices selected for generating MIDI timecode on the

Sync tab of the Preferences dialog are unavailable as MIDI
output devices. For more information, see Using the Sync tab
on page 202.

2. Choose a device or soft synth control from the menu to send the current track to that
control.
The Device Selection button indicates whether the track is routed to a soft synth ( ) or
MIDI device ( ).

Resetting MIDI ports

When a MIDI port is stuck playing a sustaining sound, a quick method to turn off MIDI
ports is provided (much like the panic button on MIDI hardware devices). From the Tools
menu, choose Reset All MIDI Ports to send a global Note Off command to all MIDI ports.

Tip: Press Ctrl + Alt + F7 to reset all MIDI ports.

Rendering projects with MIDI tracks

To render projects that contain MIDI tracks, route the MIDI tracks to soft synths (DLS sets)
rather than to external MIDI devices; MIDI tracks that are routed to external MIDI devices
are not included in the rendered file. For more information, see Rendering projects on page 57.

Playing MIDI from external devices

You can receive MIDI input from an external device such as a MIDI keyboard. You can then
use a soft synth control (with its DLS set or VST instrument) or external MIDI device to
output the sound from the external device.

Adding external devices as MIDI inputs

1. Verify that the Enable Real-Time MIDI command is selected in the Options menu.
2. From the Options menu, choose Preferences. The Preferences dialog appears.
3. Click the MIDI tab.
4. Select a device in the Make these devices available for MIDI input pane.

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5. To enable MIDI thru for the selected input, right-click the entry in the MIDI Thru column
and choose a MIDI thru device from the shortcut menu.

Note: The MIDI thru device must be selected in the Make

these devices available for MIDI track playback pane in order to
appear in the menu. You can choose more than one MIDI device
for MIDI thru output, if desired.

6. Click OK.

Assigning MIDI inputs to soft synth controls

You can route MIDI input from an external device to any soft synth control in your project.

Note: You can assign both individual tracks and external MIDI
devices to a single soft synth.

1. In the Mixer window, double-click the soft synth icon on a control ( ). The Soft Synth
Properties window appears.
2. Click the External MIDI Input Port button ( ) and select the MIDI input device from the
menu.

Soloing MIDI device inputs

External MIDI devices can be routed to multiple soft synths or MIDI thru devices. Soloing a
MIDI device input prevents your device from playing through other soft synths and MIDI
thru devices, soloing the input through the selected soft synth control. You can solo MIDI
input on more than one soft synth control, if desired.
1. Double-click the soft synth icon on a control ( ). The Soft Synth Properties window
appears.
2. Click the Solo Listen to MIDI Input button ( ).

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Synchronizing using MIDI timecode

ACID software can generate MIDI timecode (MTC) and MIDI clock as well as trigger from
MIDI timecode. These features allow ACID software to be synchronized with other audio
applications and external audio hardware.

Note: The software cannot chase MTC or MIDI clock.

Generating MIDI timecode

MIDI timecode is a standard timecode that most applications and some hardware devices use
to synchronize themselves. Stable MTC is generated at all available frame rates for other
applications to chase.
1. Specify a MIDI output device to which you will send timecode and a frame rate for the
timecode. These options can be found on the Sync tab of the Preferences dialog. For more
information, see Using the Sync tab on page 228.
2. From the Options menu, choose Timecode, and choose Generate MIDI Timecode from the
submenu.
MTC begins generating wherever you click the Play button ( ).

Generating MTC with an offset

In some cases, you may want to start sending timecode with an offset (e.g., 01:00:00:00) to
allow time for multiple devices to synchronize. You can create an offset on the ACID time
ruler to accomplish this. For more information, see Using the ruler offset on page 217.

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Viewing outgoing timecode

You can view outgoing timecode in the time display located directly above the track list.
Right-click the time display and choose MIDI Timecode Out from the shortcut menu to
display outgoing MTC time.

Triggering from MIDI timecode

You can trigger ACID playback using MTC. This means that the software initiates playback
by receiving timecode from another device.
1. Connect a word clock signal between your computer and triggering device to lock
synchronization.

Note: If the MIDI trigger device can output MIDI timecode, a

timecode converter is not necessary; you can connect the trigger
device directly to your computer.

2. Configure your triggering device to send MTC to your computer.

3. From the Options menu, choose Preferences and select the Sync tab to configure the
application to receive MTC.
• From the Input device drop-down list, choose the port through which you receive MTC.
• From the Frame rate drop-down list, choose the frame rate that your trigger device uses
to send MTC to ACID software.
4. From the Options menu, choose Timecode, and choose Trigger from MIDI Timecode from
the submenu.
When an incoming MTC signal is received, playback begins from the position indicated
by the timecode. If MTC is not being received, you can play and edit normally.

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Viewing incoming timecode
You can view the incoming timecode in the time display located directly above the track
list. Right-click the time display and choose MIDI Timecode In from the shortcut menu to
show the incoming MTC time.
This display also shows status and error information. If Trigger from MIDI Timecode is
enabled but no MTC is detected, the display reads Waiting...; If the wrong frame rate of
MTC is being detected, the display reads Wrong format.

Generating MIDI clock

MIDI clock differs from MTC in that it contains tempo as well as positional information.
MIDI clock is essentially measured in ticks from the beginning of the project. MIDI clock
sends 24 ticks per quarter note.
The advantage of using MIDI clock is that tempo changes are sent to the chasing
application and they will be preserved.
1. Specify a MIDI output device to which you will send the clock. This option can be found
on the Sync tab of the Preferences dialog. For more information, see Using the Sync tab on
page 228.
2. From the Options menu, choose Timecode, and choose Generate MIDI Clock from the
submenu.
MIDI clock is generated when you click the Play button ( ).

Viewing outgoing MIDI clock

You can view the outgoing clock in the time display located directly above the track list.
Right-click the time display and choose MIDI Clock Out from the shortcut menu to display
the outgoing MIDI clock time.

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CHAPTER

Working with Video

8
By adding a video track to your ACID® project, you can use the software as a scoring tool.
Video is always added to the top track in the track list. Depending on your horizontal zoom level, each frame
displayed in the video track may represent multiple frames from the source video. As you zoom in, marks
display to represent each frame, and you can zoom further to view individual frames.

Managing video
ACID software makes it easy to add video to a project and work with the video track.

Adding or replacing video files

Use the Explorer window to find the file you want to use, and then add it to the project by double-clicking it
or dragging it into the track view. The video file is placed in the top track, and if the file has an audio stream,
it is placed as a separate, one-shot track in the track view.
If your project already contains a video track, you are prompted to replace the existing video if you open
another video file.

Tip: You can also add a still image (such as a BMP, JPEG,
PSD, GIF, PNG, or TGA file) to the video track.

Removing the video track

Right-click anywhere in the video track and choose Remove Video from the shortcut menu.

Hiding and showing the video track

By default, video displays in the track view when you add it to a project. You can hide or show the video
track at any time by choosing Show Video Track from the View menu. A check mark next to the command
indicates that the video track displays.

Synchronizing audio and video

Editing the audio associated with a video file can cause it to become out of sync with the video. To
resynchronize the audio and video, right-click the audio file and choose Synchronize with Video from the
shortcut menu.

Note: This does not work if you have changed the audio
track to a loop.

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Removing the video’s audio
Right-click the audio track in the track list and choose Delete Track from the shortcut menu. The audio track
is removed, but the video remains.

Changing frame numbering

Each frame is numbered in the video track. You can change the numbering format or turn off frame
numbering altogether.
1. From the Options menu, choose Preferences. The Preferences dialog appears.
2. Click the Video tab.
3. Choose a setting from the Show source frame numbers on video thumbnails as drop-down list.

Editing video events

You have several video editing options to help you score your video.

Moving video events

Drag the event to a new location along the video track.

Trimming video events

Drag either end of the video event. The video event stays in place, but the beginning or end of the video
moves.
You cannot trim the beginning or end of the event past the event’s original end. You cannot trim an event
earlier than its starting point unless the event has been trimmed previously.

Slipping and sliding video events

To help you picture what happens when you slip and slide events, think of an event as a window to a media
file. The window can display the entire media file or a small section. When the window displays only a
portion of the media file, you can move either the window or the underlying media to adjust the media
played by an event:
• When you slip an event, your event maintains its place on the timeline, but the media file moves in the
direction you drag.
• When you slide an event, the media file maintains its place on the timeline, but the event moves in the
direction you drag.

Shifting the contents of video events (slipping)

Hold Alt while dragging the video event to move the position of the video within the event. The event itself
does not move.

Slip-trimming video events

Hold Alt while dragging the beginning or end of a video event. The video moves with the event edge, and
the opposite edge of the event remains fixed.

Sliding video events

Hold Ctrl + Alt while dragging the video event to move the event while leaving the video in place. The
relative position of the video changes as when you slip an event.

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Using the Video window

The Video window is used to view the video as it plays or to view the frame at the cursor position. To display
the Video window, choose Video from the View menu, or press Alt + 4 .

Toolbar buttons

Shortcut menu
Background

Status bar

Using toolbar buttons

The toolbar allows you to access two commonly used functions of the Video window.

Button Description
Copies the current frame to the Windows
clipboard.
Sends the preview to an external
monitor.

Using the shortcut menu

Right-click anywhere in the Video window to display a shortcut menu with Video window options.

Item Description
Copy Frame Copies the current frame to the Windows clipboard.
Default Background Sets the background color of the Video window to the default color.
Black Background Sets the background color of the Video window to black.
White Background Sets the background color of the Video window to white.
External Monitor Sends the preview to an external monitor.
Display Square Pixels Compensates for any spatial distortions due to non-square pixel aspect ratios.
Display at Media Size Displays video at the native resolution, clipping if necessary.
Show Toolbar Toggles the display of the Video window toolbar.
Show Status Bar Toggles the display of the Video window status bar.

Viewing the status bar

Right-click the Video window and choose Show Status Bar from the shortcut menu to view the status bar.
The status bar shows the video’s frame size, frame rate, and display size.

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Previewing on external monitors

You can use your system’s external monitor for previewing video playback. You must have an OHCI IEEE-
1394 adapter and a device to convert the DV signal to video, such as a DV camcorder, deck, or media
converter.
To specify an external monitor, click the External Monitor button ( ) on the Video window, or
choose Preferences from the Options menu and click the Video tab.
Other settings for the external monitor can also be found on the Video tab. For more information, see Using the
Video tab on page 227.

Scoring video
You have tools that allow you to adjust the tempo of a project to easily synchronize audio with specific video
frames.
1. Add your audio track(s) and video to your project.
2. If the Video window is not displayed, choose Video from the View menu.
3. Click the Play button ( ) to begin playback.
4. Press H each time you want to place a time marker at a frame you want to emphasize (where an explosion
is heard, for example).
5. Click the Stop button ( ) to stop playback.
6. Return to the leftmost time marker and fine tune its placement so it coincides exactly with the desired
video frame.

Tip: Holding Alt while pressing the right or left arrow keys
allows you to step the cursor through your video by individual
frames. You may need to drag your time marker to the cursor
to get it on the desired frame.

7. Place the cursor at the point to which you want to synchronize your time marker. For example, you might
want the frame that you marked in step six to coincide with a downbeat.
8. Right-click the time marker and select Adjust Tempo to Match Marker to Cursor from the shortcut menu.
The new tempo appears in the track list.
9. Press T to insert a tempo change marker. The adjusted tempo is detected and it is inserted in the tempo
marker’s box. The tempo change marker preserves synchronization between the time marker and location
on the beat ruler as you perform editing further down the timeline. For more information, see Adding tempo/
key/time signature change markers on page 106.
10.Repeat steps six through nine to synchronize the rest of your video.

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CHAPTER

Working with 5.1

9 Surround

You can create 5.1-channel mixes to wrap a listener in your remixes or prepare audio for cinema, DVD-
Video, DVD-Audio, or DTS 5.1 Music projects.
5.1 surround is available only in ACID® Pro software.

Note: ACID software plays and mixes uncompressed 5.1-

channel audio. Authoring software such as the Sony
5.1 Surround Plug-In Pack is required to encode 5.1-channel
audio for compressed delivery formats.

What is 5.1 surround?

5.1 surround is a standard format consisting of three speakers across the front and two speakers in the rear.
The “.1” is a sixth channel called low-frequency effects (LFE) that enhances the bass levels in the mix.

5.1 surround includes five main channels... ...and a sixth channel for low frequency effects.

Left Center Right LFE

Left Right
Surround Surround

The LFE channel is commonly used in motion pictures to enhance low audio frequencies for effects such as
explosions or crashes. Audio in this channel is commonly limited to a range from about 25 Hz to 120 Hz.
Unlike the five primary channels, the LFE channel adds no directional information. Depending on the
speaker setup and audio levels, the sound assigned to the LFE channel may be routed among the five main
speakers or to an additional subwoofer.

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Setting up surround hardware

Before you create surround projects in the software, you should set up your system to provide 5.1 surround
playback. To play a 5.1 surround project, you must have an appropriate speaker setup such as:
• Six powered speakers
• Six passive speakers with a six-channel amplifier

Your system must also have an appropriate sound card setup such as:
• 5.1-compatible sound card
• Sound card with three stereo outputs
• Three stereo sound cards

There are several ways to set up your system, depending on the sound card and speaker setup you are using.

Six powered speakers Six passive speakers with a six-channel amplifier

5.1-compatible Connect powered speakers to your sound card’s Connect your sound card’s front, rear, and center/subwoofer
sound card outputs as indicated by your sound card’s outputs to the appropriate inputs on a six-channel amplifier/
documentation. home theater receiver. Connect front, rear, center, and LFE
speakers to the amplifier.
Sound card with Connect powered speakers to your sound card’s Connect your sound card’s outputs to the appropriate inputs on
three stereo outputs where you have routed each of the pairs of a six-channel amplifier/home theater receiver. Connect front,
outputs channels. The left channel of the Center/LFE pair is the rear, center, and LFE speakers to the amplifier.
center channel; the right channel is the LFE channel.
Three stereo Connect powered speakers to your sound cards’ Connect your sound card’s outputs to the appropriate inputs on
sound cards outputs where you have routed each of the pairs of a six-channel amplifier/home theater receiver. Connect front,
channels. The left channel of the Center/LFE pair is the rear, center, and LFE speakers to the amplifier.
center channel; the right channel is the LFE channel.

Setting up surround projects

You can configure an ACID project to use 5.1 surround in the Project Properties dialog. You can also choose
to apply a low-pass filter for the LFE channel. Applying a low-pass filter approximates the bass-management
system in a 5.1 decoder and ensures that you’re sending only low-frequency audio to the LFE channel.
1. From the File menu, choose Properties.
2. Click the Audio tab.
3. From the Master bus mode drop-down list, choose 5.1 surround.
4. To limit the audio sent to the LFE channel, do the following:
• Select the Enable low-pass filter on LFE check box and enter a value in the Cutoff frequency for low-pass filter
box. The low-pass filter isolates the audio sent to the LFE channel by limiting it to frequencies lower
than the value entered in the Cutoff frequency for low-pass filter box.
• Choose a setting from the Low-pass filter quality drop-down list to determine the sharpness of the filter’s
rolloff curve. Best produces the sharpest curve.

Note: Before rendering your surround project, check your

surround authoring application’s documentation to determine
its required audio format. Some encoders require a specific
cutoff frequency and rolloff, while other encoders require that
no filter be applied before encoding.

5. Click OK.

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The track list and Mixer window switch to 5.1 surround mode. The Master bus becomes the Surround
Master bus, which contains faders for each of the six surround channels. Surround panners appear on tracks
and mixer controls. Tracks routed to mixer controls (busses, assignable effects, or soft synths) do not have
surround panners; panning for these tracks takes place on the mixer control.
Track list in 5.1 surround mode Mixer in 5.1 surround mode

Surround
panner

Track routed
to LFE
Track routed
to Bus
MIDI track
routed to
soft synth

Front L/R Rear L/R Center LFE Surround

panners

Routing to hardware in the mixer

You must route the surround audio to the correct output in the mixer.
1. From the Options menu, choose Preferences.
2. Click the Audio tab.
3. From the Audio device type drop-down list, choose an audio device type other than Microsoft Sound Mapper
(such as Windows Classic Wave Driver).
4. Choose the playback devices for the six surround channels:
• From the Default Stereo and Front playback device drop-down list, choose the appropriate device for the
front left and right surround channels.
• From the Default Rear playback device drop-down list, choose the appropriate device for the rear left and
right surround channels.
• From the Default Center and LFE playback device drop-down list, choose the appropriate device for the
center and LFE surround channels.
5. Click OK.

Overriding the default device routing

By setting up the device routing in the Audio tab of the Preferences dialog, you have set the defaults for
surround routing. However, you can override the default device routing at any time using the Surround
Master bus in the Mixer window.
1. In the Mixer window, click the Audio Device Selector button ( ) on the Surround Master control. A
menu of surround channels (Front L/R, Rear L/R, and Center/LFE) appears.
2. In the submenu, match a surround pair with the appropriate output.
3. Repeat steps one and two to match each surround pair to the appropriate output.

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Assigning audio to the LFE channel

Once the project is in 5.1 surround mode, you must decide whether a track will provide the “5” (surround
panning) or the “1” (LFE channel) in 5.1 surround. Initially, all tracks in a surround project are set to
provide surround panning, but you can assign a track to the LFE channel instead.
You can assign an individual track to the LFE channel or you can route the track to a mixer control (bus, soft
synth, or assignable effect chain) and assign the mixer control to the LFE channel.
To assign audio to the LFE channel, right-click the surround panner on the track header or mixer control
and choose LFE Only from the shortcut menu. The track or mixer control is assigned to the LFE channel.
To change a track or mixer control back to surround panning, right-click the LFE indicator and choose
Surround Pan from the shortcut menu.

Note: Before rendering your surround project, check your

surround authoring application’s documentation to determine
its required audio format with respect to the LFE channel.
For more information, see Setting up surround projects on
page 204.

Panning audio
You can pan audio in a 5.1 surround project in two ways:
• Pan tracks individually using the Surround Panner window.
• Route tracks to mixer controls (busses, assignable effect chains, or soft synths) and pan the mixer controls
using the Surround Panner window.

Note: You cannot pan audio on tracks or busses that are

routed to hardware outputs in a 5.1 surround project.

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Panning tracks
1. Double-click the surround panner on the track you wish to pan. The Surround Panner window appears.

Double-click to display
the Surround
Panner window

2. Adjust the panning settings. For more information, see Using the Surround Panner window on page 208.
3. Close the Surround Panner window.

Tip: You can also use the surround panner in the track
header to pan your track.

Panning mixer controls

You may choose to route tracks to busses or other mixer controls (such as soft synths or assignable effect
chains) and pan them as a group rather than panning each track individually.

Note: When you route a track to a bus or soft synth control,

stereo (two-channel) output is sent to the mixer control and
the mixer control sends 5.1 (six-channel) output to the
Surround Master bus.

1. Add a mixer control to the project. For more information, see Using the Mixer on page 145.
2. Route tracks to the mixer control. For more information, see Using the Mixer on page 145.
3. Double-click the surround panner on the mixer control to display the Surround Panner window.

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Double-click to display
the Surround Panner
window

4. Adjust the panning settings. For more information, see Using the Surround Panner window on page 208.
5. Close the Surround Panner window.

Tip: You can also use the surround panner on the mixer
control to pan your track.

Using the Surround Panner window

Whether you’re adjusting track panning or mixer control panning, you use the same controls in the
Surround Panner window.
View the Surround Panner window by double-clicking a surround panner on a track header or mixer control.
Once the Surround Panner window is open, you can dock it in the ACID workspace. For more information,
see Docking and floating ACID windows on page 216.

Tip: You can also choose Surround Panner from the View
menu to display the Surround Panner window. Once the
Surround Panner window is displayed, double-click the
surround panner for a track or mixer control to view its pan
settings.

Toggle options for constraining

pan point movement
Assign track/bus to LFE channel

Pan point

= Muted channel

= Active (included) channel

Pan type indicator

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1. Click the speaker icons to mute or include channels.
Muting a channel ensures that no audio bleeds through a channel. For example, you might want to mute
all but the center channel when you’re panning dialogue to the center channel.

Tip: Ctrl + click a speaker icon to solo the channel.

2. Drag the pan point to position the sound within the sound field. For more information, see Moving the pan
point on page 209.
3. Click the center speaker icon to include the center channel and drag the Center fader to apply a gain to
the center channel.
Applying a gain to the center channel may make dialogue more present in the mix.

Note: When automating panning using keyframes, you

cannot automate the gain applied using the Center fader. For
more information, see Automating panning on page 210.

4. Drag the Smoothness slider to adjust the smoothness of the interpolation path between panning
keyframes. The smoothness setting appears only when you are automating panning using keyframes. For
more information, see Adjusting the Smoothness slider on page 212.

Moving the pan point

You have a variety of methods to help you position the pan point in the Surround Panner window.

Method Description
Click to toggle through three options for constraining pan point motion as
you drag: Move Freely ( ), Move Left/Right Only ( ), and Move
Front/Back Only ( ).
Double-click Double-clicking the pan point resets it to the center front of the surround
panner.
Double-clicking in the Surround Panner window moves the pan point to
the double-click location.
Ctrl+drag Makes fine adjustments.
Shift+drag Constrains motion to vertical, horizontal, or diagonal motion at 45 degree
increments.
Alt+drag Constrains motion to a constant radius from the center of the surround
panner.
Shift+Alt+drag Constrains motion to the maximally inscribed circle (a constant radius at
the greatest possible distance from the center of the surround panner).
Arrow keys Moves front/back/left/right.
Ctrl+Arrow keys Makes fine adjustments.
Page Up/Page Down Moves front/back.
Shift+Page Up/Page Down Moves left/right.
Numeric keypad 1-9 Jumps to a corner, edge, or center of the surround panner.
Ctrl+Numeric keypad 1,3,7, 9 Jumps to a location on the maximally inscribed circle (a constant radius at
the greatest possible distance from the center of the surround panner).
Mouse wheel Moves front/back.
Shift+mouse wheel Moves left/right.
Ctrl+mouse wheel Makes fine front/back adjustments.
Ctrl+Shift+mouse wheel Makes fine left/right adjustments.

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Choosing pan types
When you pan a track or mixer control, you can choose among several pan types to determine how the audio
is panned. The current pan type appears at the bottom of the Surround Panner window.
Right-click the Surround Panner window and choose a pan type from the shortcut menu.
• The Add Channels pan type makes the audio appear to move as a unit among the surround channels. As
you move the pan point toward a channel (speaker icon), more and more of the signal from the other
channels are folded into the channel you are panning towards, until at the extreme, all channels are fed
at full intensity into a single channel. This pan type uses a linear panning curve.
• The Balance pan type is most useful for adjusting the relative signal levels of the channels. In this pan
type, as you move the pan point from the center to a channel, the signal in the channel you are panning
towards starts at the base dB level (either 0 dB, -3 dB, or -6 dB) and increases to 0 dB. The signal in the
channel you are panning away from starts at a base dB level (either 0 dB, -3 dB, or -6 dB) and decays to
no signal level. For example, when you pan fully to the right, only the right channel is audible. This pan
type uses a linear panning curve.
• The Constant Power pan type maintains a constant volume as you move the pan point from channel to
channel. This pan type, which uses the constant-power panning curve, is most useful for panning
monaural source media.

Using the grid to monitor panning

The grid in the Surround Panner window helps you to visualize how your panning will sound. The grid's
spacing changes to match the current pan type.
The vertical lines represent the points where the left-to-right signal ratio is 6 dB, 0 dB, and -6 dB
respectively: at the far-left line, the left channel is 6.0 dB louder than the right channel.
The horizontal lines represent the points where the front-to-rear signal ratio is 6 dB, 0 dB, and -6 dB
respectively. As you adjust the Center fader, the lines move forward or backward to compensate for the
center-channel gain.

The grid assumes that you're using a correctly set-up

surround system (matched speakers and ideal positioning).
Variations in your monitoring system will cause
inconsistencies between the graph and perceived output.

Automating panning
You can automate panning on a track or mixer control by adding keyframes. Keyframes are similar to
envelope points in that they mark specific locations in the track where settings change. However, unlike
envelope points, keyframes appears just below the track to which they apply.
To add panning keyframes to a mixer control, you must first view the mixer control in track view. From the
View menu, choose Show Bus Tracks to view the bus track at the bottom of the track view. For more
information, see Viewing bus tracks on page 160.

Turning on panning keyframes

Before adding individual keyframes, you must first turn on the panning keyframes for the track or bus track.
1. Select the track or bus track for which you want to automate panning.
2. From the Insert menu, choose Envelopes, and choose Surround Pan Keyframes from the submenu.
An additional row appears below the track with a single keyframe positioned at the beginning of the
project. This single keyframe represents the current panning settings for the track.

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Keyframe

Adding panning keyframes

With panning keyframes turned on, you can add keyframes at any location along the track or bus track.
1. Position the cursor where you want to begin panning the track.
2. Double-click the surround panner to display the Surround Panner window.
3. Adjust the panning settings. For more information, see Using the Surround Panner window on page 208.

Note: You cannot automate muting/including channels or

the gain applied to the center channel using the Center fader.

4. Close the Surround Panner window.

A keyframe with the pan settings you created appears below the track at the cursor position.

Tip: You can also add keyframes by double-clicking the

keyframe row or by right-clicking the row and choosing Add
Keyframe from the shortcut menu. Once you’ve added the
keyframe, double-click it to adjust panning settings in the
Surround Panner window.

As you add keyframes to a track or bus track, the Surround Panner window shows the path of the panning
keyframes. The Smoothness slider controls the smoothness of the interpolation path between the
keyframes. For more information, see Adjusting the Smoothness slider on page 212.

Working with keyframes

After you add keyframes, you can work with them in much the same way as envelope points. For more
information, see Using track envelopes on page 122.

Moving keyframes
Drag a keyframe to a new position below its track.

Duplicating keyframes
Hold Ctrl and drag a keyframe to a new position below its track.

Editing keyframes
1. Double-click a keyframe to open the Surround Panner window.
2. Adjust the panning settings as desired and close the window.

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Changing keyframe interpolation curves
To control how the pan is interpolated between keyframes, right-click a keyframe and choose an
interpolation curve type from the shortcut menu. Keyframe interpolation curves control how the pan occurs
over time.

Keyframe Interpolation curve Description

Hold No interpolation takes place. The keyframe's settings are maintained until the next keyframe.

Linear Panning is interpolated in a linear path.

Fast Panning is interpolated in a fast logarithmic path.

Slow Panning is interpolated in a slow logarithmic path.

Smooth Panning is interpolated along a smooth, natural curve.

Adjusting the Smoothness slider

The Smoothness slider controls the perceived motion of sound within the sound field among three or more
keyframes. When you drag the Smoothness slider to 0, the changes are interpolated between keyframes along
a linear path. As you increase the smoothness value, the path between keyframes grows more curved and
smooth.
1. Double-click a keyframe. The Surround Panner window appears.
2. Drag the Smoothness slider to adjust the smoothness of the spatial interpolation path leading up to this
keyframe.

Locking keyframes to events

If you want keyframes to move with an event when it is moved along the timeline, choose Lock Envelopes to
Events from the Options menu.

Hiding keyframes
1. Select the track for which you want to hide keyframes.
2. From the View menu, choose Show Envelopes, and choose Surround Pan Keyframes from the submenu.

Deleting keyframes
Right-click a keyframe and choose Delete from the shortcut menu.

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Rendering surround projects

5.1 surround projects are rendered to produce six monaural files (WAV or AIFF). You can then use an
authoring application to create the final cinema, DVD-Audio, DVD-Video, or DTS 5.1 Music project from
the rendered files.
With the addition of the Sony 5.1 Surround Plug-In Pack, you can render AC-3 files and burn the resulting
files to DVD.

Note: Before rendering your surround project, check your

surround authoring application’s documentation to determine
its required audio format with respect to the LFE channel.
For more information, see Setting up surround projects on
page 204.

1. From the File menu, choose Render As. The Render As dialog appears.
2. From the Save in drop-down list, choose the drive and folder where the file will be saved.
3. Enter a new name for the project in the File name box.
4. From the Save as type drop-down list, choose the desired file format (AIFF or WAV). If you have the Sony
AC-3 Encoder, you can choose AC-3 from the list as well.
5. If necessary, click Custom to customize the rendering settings. For more information, see Creating custom
rendering settings on page 58.

Note: You are limited to creating monaural files when

rendering a surround project.

6. Click Save.
Rendering the surround project SampleProject.wav... ...results in six WAV files.

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Burning AC-3 files to DVD
With the addition of the AC-3 DVD Burner included in the Sony 5.1 Surround Plug-In Pack, you can burn
AC-3 files to a DVD.
1. From the Tools menu, choose Start AC-3 DVD Burner. The AC-3 DVD Burner application starts.
2. Follow the instructions for burning a DVD in the AC-3 DVD Burner online help. To access online help,
click Help in the AC-3 DVD Burner screen.

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APPENDIX

Customizing ACID
A Software

You can customize the software to suit your project needs and working preferences. You may change these
settings at any time. If you use the same settings for all of your projects, you may set the ACID® application
to use your settings as defaults.
In this chapter, you will find information about functions that allow you to customize and set the
application’s preferences.

Working with ACID windows

The software has various windows that allow you to perform specific tasks related to your project or manage
your media. These windows can float on the workspace or be docked in the window docking area. All these
windows may be viewed or hidden via the View menu or their respective shortcut keys.

Window Shortcut keys Description

Explorer Alt+1 Allows you to view and access your media files without leaving the work
area. You may also preview media files and place them in your project from
this window.
Chopper™ Alt+2 Allows you to select portions of a media file that can be placed into tracks as
events.
Mixer Alt+3 Allows you to work with busses, assignable effect chains, and soft synth
controls.
Video/Video Alt+4 Displays a project’s video output at the current cursor position in the
Preview timeline.
Media Manager Alt+5 Displays the Media Manager™, which you can use to search for, manage,
and tag your media files. Available only in ACID Pro software.
ACID FX Alt+5 Displays the ACID FX chain for the selected track. Available only in ACID
Music Studio™ software.
Track Properties Alt+6 Allows you to view and edit track attributes. For MIDI tracks, allows you to
edit MIDI using the piano roll editor, list editor or other OPT plug-ins.
Surround Alt+7 Allows you to control panning in a 5.1 surround project. Available only in
Panner ACID Pro software.
Soft Synth Alt+8 Allows you to change the attributes of soft synth controls in the Mixer
Properties window.
Audio Plug-In Alt+5 Allows you to view and edit settings for assignable, bus, soft synth, and
track effect chains. Available only in ACID Pro software.
Plug-In Manager Ctrl+Alt+1 Allows you to view and choose effects plug-ins to be added to a track, bus,
or assignable effects chain. Available only in ACID Pro software.
Groove Pool Ctrl+Alt+2 Allows you to view and edit grooves in your project. Available only in
ACID Pro software.

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Docking and floating ACID windows
The window docking area allows you to keep frequently used windows available but out of the way while you
are working with a project. You can dock windows either in a single stack spanning the width of the screen
or divide the window docking area into sections (e.g., right, middle, and left) and create several stacks. You
can also create floating docks by dragging several windows to the same area on your screen.
Windows that are not currently visible in a stack display a tab that you can click to display it. You can also
expand, restore, or close a window using the buttons in the window’s upper-left corner.

Close window
Expand/restore window

Drag handle

Tabs

Note: When the last window in the docking area is closed or

removed, the docking area minimizes automatically. When
the docking area is minimized, dragging a dockable window
over the bottom of the ACID window causes the docking area
to open again.

Docking windows
1. If the window is floating on the workspace, grab the window by its title bar and drag it to the window
docking area anywhere below the track list or track view. As you drag the window, the window’s outline
appears.
2. Position the window’s outline in the docking area where you want it and release the mouse.

Floating windows
You may float a window so that it does not appear in the docking area.
1. Grab the window by its handle (the border along the left side) and drag the window to the workspace. As
you drag the window, the window’s outline appears.
2. Position the window anywhere in the workspace and release the mouse. You can move the floating
window by dragging it to a new position or docking it again.
If desired, you can create a floating dock with multiple windows by repeating steps 1 and 2.

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Preventing windows from docking
Press Ctrl while dragging a window to prevent it from docking in the workspace.

Resizing the window docking area

You can resize the track list, track view and docking area sections of the ACID workspace by dragging the
dividers between them.

Tip: You can quickly hide or show the window docking area
by pressing F11 .

Changing the time ruler format

You may specify a time format for the ACID time ruler to display. The ruler, located below the track view,
displays real time in several formats. You may change the ruler format in one of the following ways:
• From the View menu, choose Time Ruler, and choose the desired format from the submenu.
• Right-click the time ruler and choose the desired format from the shortcut menu. In addition to right-
clicking the time ruler in the track view, you can use this technique on the time rulers in the Chopper and
Track Properties windows.

The following table describes the available time formats.

Time format Description

Samples Displays the time ruler in samples.
Time Displays the time ruler in hours:minutes:seconds.milliseconds.
Seconds Displays the time ruler in seconds.
Time & Frames Displays the time ruler in hours:minutes:seconds.frames with a frame rate equal to that of your
video.
Absolute Frames Displays the time ruler in total frames from the beginning of the project.
Feet & Frames 16 mm Displays the time ruler in feet+frames at a rate of 40 frames per foot.
Feet & Frames 35 mm Displays the time ruler in feet+frames at a rate of 16 frames per foot.
SMPTE Film Sync Displays the time ruler in hours:minutes:seconds:frames with a frame rate of 24 frames per second
(24 fps) for synchronizing with film.
SMPTE EBU (25 fps) Displays the time ruler in hours:minutes:seconds:frames with a frame rate of 25 frames per second
for European Broadcasting Union.
SMPTE Non-Drop Displays the time ruler in hours:minutes:seconds:frames with a frame rate of 29.97 frames per
(29.97 fps) second.
SMPTE Drop Displays the time ruler in hours:minutes:seconds;frames with a frame rate of 29.97 frames per
(29.97 fps) second using dropped frame numbers.
SMPTE 30 (30 fps) Displays the time ruler in hours:minutes:seconds:frames with a frame rate of 30 frames per
second.
Audio CD Time Displays the time ruler in tt+mm:ss:ff (track number +/- minutes:seconds:frames) with a frame
rate of 75 fps.

Using the ruler offset

The ruler offset allows you to change the project ruler to start at a specific time. Typically, this feature is used
in conjunction with SMPTE and MIDI projects when their timelines are the main reference. Basically, the
ruler offset allows you to set the ACID time ruler based on another project’s timeline for reference purposes,
i.e., the SMPTE or MIDI timelines.
When you enter a new value along the timeline, the ruler’s time units are adjusted at the cursor position and
at the start of the timeline. For example, if the cursor is positioned at the 2:00 minute mark and you enter
15:00 minutes, the start of the project will begin at 13:00 minutes. The ruler offset feature works the same for
all time formats.

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1. Position the cursor anywhere along the timeline.
2. Right-click the time ruler to display a shortcut menu.
3. From the shortcut menu, choose Set Time at Cursor. A box opens at the cursor position.

4. Enter a time value.

5. Press Enter to set the cursor position’s time value. The value that you enter at the cursor position affects
all time values that precede and follow it.

Using the project grid

The project grid appears on the track view and is mainly used to align the events in your project. The grid
divides your project into equal units based on the setting that you choose. The grid setting can be based on
the project type or how you prefer to work.
It is important to remember that in some cases the grid lines and the ruler divisions do not match. This is
because they are two independent functions. However, you may set the grid to align to the ruler, which is the
default setting.
The grid can use the following formats:

Ruler Marks 16th Notes

Measures 16th Note Triplets
Half Notes 32 Notes
Quarter Notes 32nd Note Triplets
Quarter Note Triplets 64th Notes
8th Notes 64th Note Triplets
8th Note Triplets

Setting the grid type

You may change the grid type at any time and apply it to your project. There are two ways to set the grid type
for your project.
• From the Options menu, choose Grid Spacing, and choose the type of grid you want from the submenu.
• Right-click the marker bar, choose Grid Spacing from the shortcut menu, and choose the type of grid that
you want from the submenu.

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Using the toolbar

The toolbar is set to display below the menu bar. However, you may hide and customize the toolbar to suit
your preferences. The settings that you apply to the toolbar remain set until you change them again.

Hiding and displaying the toolbar

If you prefer to use shortcut keys when working with your project, you may hide the toolbar to create more
workspace. Choose Toolbar from the View menu to hide it. The check mark next to the command is
removed and the toolbar disappears. The toolbar remains hidden until you choose Toolbar from the View
menu to display it again.

Reordering toolbar buttons

You can change the toolbar’s button order to suit your preferences. You may either reorder the buttons
directly on the workspace or via the Customize Toolbar dialog.

Reordering buttons on the ACID workspace

1. Hold Shift and drag the button that you want to move to the new location on the toolbar. A hand
icon ( ) within an outline of the button indicates that you are moving the button.
2. Release the mouse to drop the button in its new location.

Tip: If you drag the button off the toolbar, the button is
removed.

Reordering buttons in the Customize Toolbar dialog

The Customize Toolbar dialog allows you to control the order and functionality available on the Toolbar.
You may return the toolbar to its default settings by clicking the Reset button.
1. From the Options menu, choose Customize Toolbar. The Customize Toolbar dialog appears.

2. On the Current toolbar buttons pane, select the button that you want to move and click Move Up or Move
Down.

3. Click Close to save the toolbar changes and close the dialog.

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Adding buttons to the toolbar
A series of buttons are included that you may add to the toolbar. These buttons are listed in the Customize
Toolbar dialog. You may also add separators on the toolbar to organize the buttons to suit your preferences.
You may return the toolbar to its default settings by clicking the Reset button on the dialog.
1. From the Options menu, choose Customize Toolbar. The Customize Toolbar dialog appears.
2. On the Available toolbar buttons pane, use the scroll bars to locate the button that you want to add and
select it.
3. On the Current toolbar buttons pane, select the button that you want the newly added button to proceed in
order.
For example, if you want to add the Save As button and want it to precede the Publish button, select the
Publish button in the Current toolbar buttons pane.

4. Click Add. The new button is added above the selected button on the Current toolbar buttons pane.

Tip: You may also double-click a button in the Available

toolbar buttons pane to add it to the toolbar.

5. Click Close to save the toolbar settings and close the dialog.

Removing buttons from the toolbar

You may remove buttons and separators from the toolbar. If you have added buttons to the toolbar, removing
unused or unwanted buttons allows you to maximize the toolbar’s space. You may remove toolbar buttons
either directly on the workspace or via the Customize Toolbar dialog.

Removing buttons on the ACID workspace

1. Hold Shift and drag the button that you want to remove off the toolbar. A hand icon ( ) within an
outline of the button indicates that you are removing the button.
2. Release the mouse to remove the button.

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Removing buttons in the Customize Toolbar dialog
You may return the toolbar to its default settings by clicking the Reset button on this dialog.
1. From the Options menu, choose Customize Toolbar. The Customize Toolbar dialog appears.
2. On the Current toolbar buttons pane, select the button that you want to remove.
3. Click Remove. The button is removed from the Current toolbar buttons pane and will not appear on the
toolbar.

Tip: You may also double-click a button to remove it.

4. Click Close to save the toolbar settings and exit the dialog.

Using the time display

The time display above the track list reflects the cursor’s position on the timeline.

Changing cursor position

You can edit the cursor position using time as it is displayed on either the beat ruler or time ruler:
• To set the cursor’s position based on the beat ruler, right-click the time display and choose Edit Cursor
Position - Beats from the shortcut menu.
• To set the cursor’s position based on the time ruler, right-click the time display and choose Edit Cursor
Position - Time from the shortcut menu.

Once you make your selection from the shortcut menu, a box appears for the appropriate time display. Enter
the cursor’s new position and press Enter .

Tip: You can also edit the cursor position directly by double-
clicking the desired time display value and entering the new
cursor position.

Changing the time display

The time display window always reflects the format of the time ruler. You may change the ruler settings for
the time ruler via the time display window.
1. Right-click the time display window to display a shortcut menu.
2. Choose Time at Cursor Format to display a submenu.
3. Choose the desired time format.
Both the time window and time ruler display the chosen time format.

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Monitoring MIDI timecode
You can use the time display to monitor incoming or outgoing MIDI timecode.
MIDI can be monitored in the following ways:
• Display MIDI timecode generated from external sources.
• Display MIDI timecode and MIDI clock information that is generated.

The time display settings work in conjunction with your project’s properties and MIDI setup options.
1. Right-click the time display window to display a shortcut menu.
2. From the shortcut menu, choose the type of MIDI monitoring to be displayed.
Once you have made your selection, the time display window displays both the MIDI code being input or
output and a status message.

Setting default track properties

Each new track has certain default properties, including height, volume, pan type, and track effects. MIDI
tracks also have a default set of MIDI editors that appear in the Track Properties window. You can modify
these track properties and then use the modified track as a standard for all new tracks you create.
1. Modify a track’s volume (pg. 48), pan type (pg. 128), height
(pg. 47), track effects (pg. 117), and/or MIDI editors (pg. 191).
2. Right-click the track header and choose Set Default Track
Properties from the shortcut menu.
3. Select the check boxes for properties you wish to set. Clear the
check boxes for the properties you wish to leave as they are.

Tip: Select the Restore original defaults check box to return to

the original track properties.

4. Click OK.

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Setting ACID preferences

From the Options menu, choose Preferences to display the Preferences dialog.

Using the General tab

Item Description
Automatically open last project on Select this check box if you want to reopen the project that was open the last time
startup the software was closed. When you clear this check box, the software starts with a
blank project.
Show logo splash screen on startup Select this box if you want the ACID logo splash screen to display upon startup.
Use Net Notify to stay informed When you select this check box, information is periodically displayed from Sony at
about Sony products startup. Clear the check box to bypass the Net Notify dialog.
Draw contents of events Select this check box if you want waveforms to be drawn in events. Clearing the
check box can improve performance on some systems.
Create undos for FX parameter Select this check box if you want Undos to be created when you change a plug-in
changes parameter.
Confirm media file deletion when When you select this check box, a message box appears asking if you want to delete a
still in use media file that is currently in use by the project.
Close media files when ACID is not When you select this check box, you can edit files in external editors while the files
the active application are contained in events in ACID software.
Close audio and MIDI ports when Select this check box if you want to close ACID audio and MIDI ports when you
ACID is not the active application switch to another application.
Clear the check box if you want to leave ports open. For example, if you have a MIDI
keyboard routed to an ACID soft synth, clearing the check box allows you to continue
to hear the soft synth while you work with a sequencer.
Enable multimedia keyboard When you select this check box, you can use a multimedia keyboard to control
support playback of a project.
Automatically render large Wave The WAV format is limited by a maximum file size of ~2GB. When you select this
files as Wave64 check box, you can render larger files as Sony Wave64 files.
Prompt for region and marker When you select this check box, a box appears so you can name markers and regions
names if not playing as you place them.
Create project file backups on save When you select this check box, a backup of project files is made when you open
(.acd-bak) them. Backup files are stored in the same folder as your project and use the same file
name with the extension .acd.bak. You can use backup project files to revert to a
project’s previous state.
Preserve pitch for new Beatmapped Select the check box if you want to maintain the pitch of Beatmapped tracks when
tracks when tempo changes the project tempo changes.
Automatically start the Beatmapper Select the check box if you want to start the Beatmapper Wizard when you add a file
Wizard for long files that is longer than 30 seconds to your project.
Use slower updates to prevent Select this check box if you want to update the ACID audio engine more slowly.
playback clicks during editing Selecting this option can prevent unwanted artifacts during timeline editing.
Enable autosave Select this check box to create a temporary project file that can aid in crash recovery.
Your project information is autosaved every five minutes without overwriting your
project file.
Use ASPI for CD burning and Select this check box if you want to use ASPI (Advanced SCSI Programming
extracting Interface) when burning and extracting CDs. ASPI enables host adapters and device
drivers to share a single SCSI hardware interface.
Use SPTI for CD burning Select this check box if you want to use SPTI (SCSI Pass-Through Interface) to
communicate with your CD burning drive.
Autoname extracted CD tracks Select this check box if you want file names to be automatically assigned to tracks
that you extract from CDs.
File names include the CD's ID number and track number.

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Item Description
Autoname new MIDI tracks Select this check box if you want to automatically name and save new MIDI files as
you create them. The file is named New MIDI track X and saved to the recorded
files folder designated in the Record dialog.
When this check box is cleared, you are prompted to specify a name and location for
each new MIDI file as you add it to your project.
Keep bypassed FX running (to avoid Select this check box if you want effects to remain open so you can bypass/enable
pause on bypass/enable) effects with no pause for A/B testing. When the check box is cleared, effects are fully
bypassed, conserving processing power.
Confirm groove deletion when still When this check box is selected, a message box will appear asking if you want to
in use delete a groove that is currently in use by the project.
Enable Windows XP Theme support When this check box is selected, the ACID window will inherit the appearance of the
current theme when using Windows® XP. When the check box is cleared, user
interface elements will maintain the classic Windows operating system appearance.
Save media-usage relationships in When this check box is selected, the Media Manager™ will save information about
active media library media usage so you can perform searches for media relationships.
You can search for projects that use a media file, projects where a media file was
previewed, media that was rendered with a media file, and so on.
Enable Media Manager (requires When this check box is selected, the Media Manager will start when you start ACID
ACID restart) software.
Clear the check box to turn off the Media Manager and prevent it from starting with
the application. If you're not using the Media Manager, you may want to turn it off
to conserve processing power or memory.
Allow snapping for post-groove
When this check box is selected, groove markers in the Groove Editor will snap to
markers
the current grid spacing if snapping is enabled. Hold Shift while dragging to bypass
snapping.
Clear the check box if you do not want groove markers to snap to the grid.
Recently used project list Select the check box and enter a number in the box if you want to list your most
recently used projects at the bottom of the File menu.
Default All Restores all general preferences to the default settings.

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Using the Audio tab

Setting audio preferences

Item Description
Audio device type Choose a driver type from the drop-down list. The Microsoft Sound Mapper is the
default setting. If you want to activate specific sound cards, choose Windows
Classic Wave Driver or an ASIO driver and choose a device from the Default
Stereo and Front playback device drop-down list.
Default Stereo and Front playback Choose the device that you want to use for playing sound data. In a 5.1 surround
device project, this device plays the right and left channels.
Selecting a device such as the Microsoft Sound Mapper allows Windows to select an
appropriate device to use for the current sound data.
If you have selected Microsoft Sound Mapper, you cannot assign busses to different
devices.
Default Rear playback device Choose the device that you want to use for playing the rear surround channels (right
surround and left surround) in a 5.1 surround project.
Default Center and LFE playback Choose the device that you want to use for playing the center and LFE channels in a
device 5.1 surround project.
Playback buffering (seconds) The Playback buffering (seconds) slider specifies the total amount of buffering
that is used during playback. The larger the number, the more buffering that occurs
during playback. This value should be as low as possible without gapping. To set it,
start at .25 and play a typical song. Move some of the track faders. If the playback
gaps at all, try increasing this slider in small increments until the gapping stops.
If you simply cannot get playback to be free of gapping, you need to either decrease
the number of tracks you are trying to play simultaneously, install more RAM in your
computer so you can increase buffering, buy a faster access hard drive, or minimize
the number of DirectX® plug-ins you are trying to use simultaneously.
Automatically detect and offset for Select this check box to automatically compensate for offset between the time you
hardware recording latency initiate recording and when your sound card starts recording.
User recording latency offset Drag this slider to specify an offset value.
Open files as loops if between Enter a lower and upper limit to specify which files are opened as loops if stretching
(seconds) properties are not saved in the file.
Files that are shorter than the lower limit are opened as one-shot tracks; files longer
than the upper limit start the Beatmapper™ Wizard.
Quick fade edit edges of audio When you select this check box, a rapid fade is placed on the edges of audio events
events (10 ms by default) to soften potentially harsh transitions. When you clear this check
box, edges of new events are not faded (fades that were applied before the check
box is cleared are not removed).
Right-click an event and select or clear the Quick Fade Edges command to
override the default event fade behavior for individual events.
Quick fade time Enter a time (in milliseconds) to specify the duration of fades applied to the edges of
events.
Default All Restores all audio preferences to the default settings.

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Setting advanced audio preferences

Item Description
Audio devices This list displays all of the audio devices that are installed in your computer. Selecting
a device allows you to set the options for that device.
Interpolate position When you select this check box, the software attempts to compensate for inaccurate
devices by interpolating the playback or recording position. If you notice that your
playback cursor is offset from what you are hearing, select this option for the
playback device.
Position bias If the position of playback or record does not match what you hear after you enable
Interpolate position, you can attempt to compensate using the Position bias
slider. Moving this slider offsets the position forward or backward to compensate for
the inaccuracies of the device.
Do not pre-roll buffers before When you select this check box, buffers are not created prior to starting playback.
starting playback Some devices do not behave properly if you clear this check box. If your audio
stutters when you start playback, try selecting this option.
Audio buffers Drag the slider to set the number of audio buffers that will be used. Adjusting this
setting can decrease gapping or help you synchronize the input and output for record
input monitoring.
Buffer size (samples) Choose a setting from the drop-down list to indicate the buffer size you want to use.
Priority Choose a setting from the drop-down list to set the priority that is assigned to your
audio buffers. Increasing the buffers’ priority can help you attain smoother playback,
but it can also adversely affect other processes.

Using the MIDI tab

Item Description
Make these devices available for In the Port column, select the MIDI devices that you want to be available for track
MIDI track playback and Generate playback (pg. 192) and generating MIDI clock (pg. 197).
MIDI Clock In the MIDI Thru From column, right-click an entry and choose a MIDI device from
which the device selected in the Port column will accept incoming MIDI.
Make these devices available for In the Port column, select the MIDI devices from which you will accept incoming
MIDI input MIDI data for MIDI recording (pg. 170), step recording in the list editor (pg. 188),
or controlling a soft synth (pg. 193).
In the MIDI Thru column, right-click an entry and choose a MIDI device to which the
device selected in the Port column will send MIDI output. You can choose more than
one device to accept MIDI output.
Auto MIDI input routing Select the check box if you want to automatically route MIDI input devices to the soft
synth that was viewed last in the Soft Synth Properties window.
The Solo Listen to MIDI Input button in the Soft Synth Properties window is
unavailable when this check box is selected.
Default All Restores all MIDI preferences to the default settings.

Using the VST Effects tab

Item Description
Default VST search folder Displays the location where the software looks for VST effects.
Alternate VST search folder X Click Browse to choose an alternate location where VST effects can be found.
Select VST effects to be available as Select the VST effects that you want available for use as ACID audio plug-ins. Only
audio plug-ins the VST effects located in the default or alternate search folders appear in this box.

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Using the VST Instruments tab

Item Description
Default VSTi® search folder Displays the location where the software looks for VST instrument files.
Alternate VSTi search folder X Click Browse to choose an alternate location where VST instrument files can be
found.
Select VST instruments to be Select the VST plug-ins that you want available for use as ACID soft synths. Only the
available as soft synths VST instruments located in the default or alternate search folders appear in this box.
After you add a VSTi soft synth to a project, the VST instrument stays locked until
you close the software. When a VST instrument is locked, the lock icon for that VSTi
displays as locked, and you cannot clear the VSTi’s check box to make it unavailable in
the software.

Using the ReWire Devices tab

Item Description
Select ReWire™ devices to be Select the ReWire client(s) that you want available for use as ACID soft synths.
available as soft synths

Using the Video tab

Item Description
Device Choose a DV output device from the drop-down list. This is the interface to which
your video device is connected.
Details Displays information about the device selected in the External monitor device
drop-down list.
If project format is invalid for DV If your source media does not conform to DV standards, choose a setting from the
output, conform to the following drop-down list.The video is adjusted to display properly on your external monitor.
Sync offset (frames) If your audio is not synchronized with your external monitor, you can configure an
offset for your hardware. Drag the slider to synchronize audio and video.
This setting affects synchronization for previewing on an external monitor. Audio
and video synchronization in your ACID project is unaffected.
Record engage delay (frames) Drag the slider to specify the number of frames it takes your camcorder or deck to
switch from Record Pause to Record mode. If you're missing frames from the
beginning of your file after printing to tape, increase the setting. If you see
duplicated frames at the beginning of your video, decrease the setting.
Default All Restores all video preferences to the default settings.

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Using the Editing tab

Item Description
Project tempo range Use the up and down arrows or enter a value in the boxes to specify the minimum
and maximum tempo available in the ACID project. Changing this option affects the
resolution of the Project Tempo slider.
Editing Application X Enter the name of each editor you want to display in the track list shortcut menu.
Right-click a track in the track list and choose Edit in [editor name] to edit the
media file associated with a track.
You can specify any editing tool you want to use; however, this feature was designed
for use with destructive audio/MIDI editors.
Browse Click Browse and select the .exe file for each editor you want to have available in
the track list shortcut menu.
Name Enter the name that you want to use to identify each editor. The name is displayed in
the track list shortcut menu and the Tools menu.
Clear Removes the specified editor from the Editing tab.
Check for latest versions of Sony When you select this check box, the software automatically searches for the latest
editors available Sony editors on your computer. If one is located, it appears as an available
editor in the Editing Application X box.
Default All Restores all editing preferences to the default settings.

Using the Sync tab

Setting sync preferences

Generate MIDI Timecode settings

Output device Choose a MIDI device from the drop-down list. MIDI timecode is sent to this device.
The MTC slave should also be set to this device. This device will not be available for
MIDI playback.
Frame rate Choose a frame rate from the drop-down list. This frame rate is used to generate the
MIDI timecode. The MTC slave must be set to the same frame rate.
Generate MIDI Clock settings
Output device Choose a MIDI device from the drop-down list. MIDI clock is sent to this device. The
MIDI clock slave should also be set to this device.
Trigger from MIDI Timecode settings
Input device Choose a MIDI device from the drop-down list. MIDI timecode is received from this
device. The MTC master should also be set to this device.
Frame rate Choose a frame rate from the drop-down list. This value specifies the frame rate at
which the MTC master sends timecode to ACID software.
Advanced Click to open the Advanced Sync Preferences dialog.
Default All Restores all sync preferences to the default settings.

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Setting advanced sync preferences

MTC Input
Free-wheel for timecode loss Select this check box if you want to continue to play if timecode is lost.
Enabling this option can compensate for infrequent losses in timecode. If you
frequently lose timecode, you should perform troubleshooting to determine the
cause of the problem.
Free-wheel slack time Use the up and down arrows or enter a value in the box to specify the amount of
time that timecode can be lost before the free-wheel playback time starts. A longer
time is more tolerant of breaks in the incoming timecode.
Free-wheel playback time Use the up and down arrows or enter a value in the box to specify the amount of
time that playback continues after the free-wheel slack time has been exceeded.
Synchronization delay time Use the up and down arrows or enter a value in the box to specify the amount of
time it takes for the software to synchronize itself to incoming timecode.
On slower computers, this time should be set to approximately two seconds. On
faster computers, it may be set lower.
Setting this value too low can sometimes result in audible pitch shifting at the start of
playback.
Offset adjust If ACID software is consistently behind or ahead of your MTC generator, enter a
value in the box to adjust a synchronization offset with quarter-frame accuracy.
If the software is behind, set this value to a negative number. A setting of - 4 is a
common offset.
If the software is ahead, set this value to a positive number. A setting of +4 is a
common offset, although it is rare that the application will sync ahead.
MTC Output
Full-frame message generation Select a radio button to determine when full-frame timecode messages are sent while
Generate MIDI Timecode is active. Full-frame messages are used by some
external synchronizable audio devices to seek to a proper location prior to actually
starting synchronization. Tape-based recorders especially benefit from seeking to
full-frame messages because of the time it takes to move the transport to the proper
location. However, full-frame messages are ignored by some devices, and may
actually cause unexpected behavior in other devices.
Refer to your hardware documentation to find out if your hardware supports full-
frame messages.
MIDI Clock Output
Send Start instead of Continue Select this check box if you want a Start command rather than a Continue command
when beginning playback to be sent when Generate MIDI Clock is activated.
When the check box is cleared, a Continue command is sent, as this type of command
allows the chasing device to start from a specific time. However, some older
sequencers that support MIDI Clock chase do not support the Continue command and
must start playback from the beginning every time.
Song Position Pointer generation Select a radio button to determine when Song Position Pointer messages are sent
while Generate MIDI Clock is active.
Song Position Pointer messages are used by MIDI applications and devices to seek to
a proper location prior to starting synchronization.

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Using the Keyboard tab
From the Options menu, choose Preferences and select the Keyboard tab to customize the keyboard shortcuts
available in the ACID interface.
The Current Key Bindings box displays the currently assigned shortcut keys. Choose a setting from the Context
drop-down list to choose which shortcuts you want to see.

Editing shortcuts
1. Select a command in the Available commands box.

Choose Global from the Context drop-down list to display all commands in the Available commands box, or
choose a different command to filter the list.

You can type a word in the Show only commands containing box to filter the list of commands to display only
commands that contain the word you typed.
2. Click the Press new shortcut keys box and press the key combination you want to assign to the selected
command. The commands display in the box as you type them.
3. Click the Assign button to assign the key combination in the Press new shortcut keys box to the command
selected in the Available commands box.

Importing a keyboard map

Click the Import button and browse to a ACID Keyboard Map File (.ini) to load an existing keyboard map.

Exporting a keyboard map

Click the Export button and specify a file name and location to save your current keyboard shortcuts to a file
that you can use as a backup or to share your keyboard shortcuts with other ACID users.

Resetting the default keyboard map

Click the Default All button to restore the default configuration.

Using the Display tab

Item Description
Track colors Use these controls to change the default colors used to display tracks in your project.
Select a track from the Track drop-down list, and then click the color swatch to
display a color picker.
You can choose any color using the RGBA or HSLA controls, or click the eyedropper
to sample a color from your screen.
When you click OK or Apply, all tracks that used the selected color are updated.
Envelope colors To customize an envelope’s color, select an envelope from the Envelope type drop-
down list. Click the color button to the right to display the Envelope Color dialog and
choose a custom color.
Icon color saturation Drag the slider to adjust the color intensity of icons in the ACID window. Drag to the
left to decrease the color saturation, or drag to the right to increase it.
Icon color tint Drag the slider to adjust the amount of tinting that is applied to the icons in the ACID
window. Drag the slider to the right to add an average of the title bar colors to the
icons. Drag to the left to decrease the amount of tinting applied.

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Using the Other tab

Item Description
Enable multiple-selection preview in Select this check box if you want to preview multiple selected files in the Explorer.
Explorer window Enter values in the Number of times to repeat each Loop, Seconds of each
One-Shot to play, and Number of Beatmapped measures to play boxes to
specify how different file types are previewed.

Using the Folders tab

Item Description
Default project folder This box displays the path to the folder that will be used for creating new projects.
Click the Browse button to choose a different folder.
Default groove folder This box displays the path to the folder where default grooves for new ACID projects
are saved. Click the Browse button to choose a different folder.
This folder is also used as the default location for saving exported grooves from the
Groove Pool window.
Use a single default folder for Select this radio button if you want to save all project media in a single folder.
project media saves
Use separate defaults for each type Select this radio button if you want to choose where to save each type of project
of project media save media.
The following boxes display the location where each type of media file will be saved.
Record This box displays the path to the folder that will be used when you
record new audio or MIDI tracks. Click the Browse button to
choose a different folder.
Render to new This box displays the path to the folder that will be used when you
render to a new track. Click the Browse button to choose a
different folder.
Chop to new This box displays the path to the folder that will be used when you
create new tracks with the Chopper window. Click the Browse
button to choose a different folder.
New MIDI This box displays the path to the folder that will be used when you
create new MIDI tracks. Click the Browse button to choose a
different folder.
Extract from CD This box displays the path to the folder that will be used for tracks
that you extract from audio CDs. Click the Browse button to
choose a different folder.
Render project This box displays the path to the folder that will be used when you
render your project. Click the Browse button to choose a different
folder.
Temporary files folder Displays the folder where temporary files are stored. Click Browse to specify a new
folder.
When you add a media file to a project from a removable device, a copy of the media
file is stored in a temporary files folder. This keeps the media file available for use
even if the source of the media is no longer accessible.
Be aware that this folder is cleared when you close the software. However, the
temporary files are not cleared if the software closes inappropriately.
Free storage space in selected folder This value displays the amount of space available in the folder specified in the
Temporary files folder box.

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CUSTOMIZING ACID SOFTWARE APPENDIX A

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APPENDIX

ACID Tips and Tricks

B
The following sections contain some time-saving tips and creative suggestions for building ACID® projects.

Adding long media files quickly

You can paint an entire CD track or MIDI file on an ACID track with a single click.
1. Add a long file such as a CD track or MIDI file to your ACID project. For more information, see Adding
media to the project on page 36.
2. Click the Paint Tool button ( ). The Paint tool is selected.
3. Press Ctrl and click in the track. The entire file is painted onto the track at the position you clicked.

Note: In a Beatmapped track, the file is painted starting

from the location you identified as the downbeat. If the file
contains pick-up notes, drag the left edge of the event to reveal
audio before the downbeat.

Playing with duplicate tracks

You can duplicate a track in your ACID project and then use the new track to create some interesting
effects.

Detuning paired tracks

Detuning a paired track is a quick and easy way to thicken an audio track without adding the additional
processing of effects. This trick works extremely well with synths, pads, strings and ambient sounds, but you
can also experiment with it to add body to drums, basses, and horns.
1. Right-click a track and choose Duplicate Track from the shortcut menu. A copy of the track is added to the
track list. The new track is the currently selected track.
2. Use the + and - keys on your numeric keypad to change the pitch of the duplicated track.
Octave intervals (e.g., +12, -12, -24) typically sound best when working with pitched audio; however,
experimenting with other, less ordinary intervals may produce surprising results. When working with non-
pitched audio, intervals do not matter, thereby allowing you to freely experiment with radical pitch
shifting.
This technique typically works best when tuning the duplicate track to a lower octave than the original
track, but you can also experiment with raising the pitch of the duplicate track.

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Panning in conjunction with detuning
Few things are as uninteresting as a series of tracks panned down the middle of a stereo image. Particularly
after detuning a paired track, you should experiment with spatially positioning the tracks using the panning
control (on the multipurpose slider) or a pan envelope. Panning each track to a specific channel produces a
nice, wide aural effect. If you are looking for something a little more dynamic, position the original track
anywhere in the stereo image and use a pan envelope to sweep the duplicate track from the left channel to
the right channel of the mix. For more information, see Using track envelopes on page 122.

Duplicating with offset

Another way to add interesting dynamics to a project is to duplicate tracks and add an offset to one of the
pair. This trick works well with most instrument loops and allows you to create different levels of effect. For
example:
• Configuring a slight offset between duplicate tracks creates a natural chorus effect.
• Configuring small offsets creates various reverb effects.
• Configuring larger offsets creates interesting echoes.

1. Right-click a track and choose Duplicate Track from the shortcut menu. A copy of the track is added to the
track list.
2. Hold while dragging the waveform of the duplicate track. Notice that the waveform moves within the
Alt
event, which retains its size and position on the timeline.
3. Experiment with different offsets between the duplicate tracks.

Tip: As with most tricks, this method can be combined with

pan and volume envelopes to produce an unlimited range of
effects.

Creating ping-pong pan effects

You can use a pair of tracks to ping-pong audio from one speaker to another.
1. Right-click a track and choose Duplicate track from the shortcut menu. A copy of the track is added to the
track list.
2. Use the multipurpose slider to pan the original track 100% right and the duplicate track 100% left.
3. Use the Erase tool ( ) to erase every other beat, alternating between the original and duplicate track.

Tip: You can also use a pan envelope on a single track to

create the same effect. For more information, see Using track
envelopes on page 122.

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Adding depth with assignable effects

You can add depth to your mix by panning a dry signal (no effects) to one side and a wet signal (with effects
such as chorus or reverb) to the other. You can pan the dry and wet signals by adding an assignable effects
chain to your project.
1. Add an assignable effects chain containing an effect such as chorus or reverb to your project. For more
information, see Adding assignable effect controls on page 147.
2. Press U to view bus tracks. For more information, see Automating mixer controls in track view on page 160.
3. Right-click the bus track for the assignable effect control, choose Insert/Remove Envelope from the
shortcut menu, and choose Pan from the submenu. A pan envelope appears on the bus track.
4. Drag the envelope down to 100% right.
5. Use the multipurpose slider (on the track to which you want to apply the effect) to make three changes:
• Pan the track 100% left.
• Set the assignable effect send to approximately the same volume as the track.
• Set the assignable effect send to Pre Volume.
Preview the effect. The dry signal is panned to the left, and the wet signal (with the chorus or reverb
effect) is panned to the right.

Pan the track hard left... ...match the assignable effect ...and set the assignable effect send to
send level to the track volume... Pre Volume.

Playing double time/half time

You can also produce interesting effects by misinforming ACID software regarding the number of beats in a
file. Configuring a file with half its actual number of beats results in double-time playback. This is an easy
way to add speed metal drum tracks to your project. This technique is also useful for adding a kick drum on
every beat to producing a heavy dance foundation. Conversely, configuring a file with twice its actual
number of beats results in half-time playback.
1. Right-click the desired track in the track list and choose Properties from the shortcut menu. The Track
Properties window appears.
2. Click the Stretch tab.
3. Change the value in the Number of beats box.

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 236

Constructing the wall of sound

As mentioned previously, it is sometimes preferable to color and thicken mixes without resorting to effects
and other digital processing. Working without the benefit of multitrack recording, music producer Phil
Spector colored his songs by having several instruments play slightly different parts. For example, he might
have an acoustic bass, an electric bass, and a piano play slight variations on the same basic riffs. These
variations, along with the different timbre of the actual instruments, produced a dense sonic mass that
became known as The Wall of Sound.
• To add this aural density to your projects, experiment with using two, three, or even four tracks of
similar instrumentation.
• Alter the pitch of specific tracks to help them cut through the mix. For more information, see Changing a
track’s key on page 107.
• Further differentiate specific tracks using pan and volume envelopes to color the project and simulate
live performance. For more information, see Using track envelopes on page 122.
• Make the effects even more pronounced by setting a start offset within specific individual events. For
more information, see Changing event properties on page 75.

Adding through subtraction

You can create dynamics by removing sections of events. You can erase sections of events from a project by
using the Erase ( ) tool.
To demonstrate using subtractive arranging, add three or four similar drum loops to a project. Use the Erase
tool to delete specific sections of each event. For example, erase all snares from one track, all basses from
another, high hats from the third, and so on. This results in a tighter, more realistic drum sound for your
project.
Experiment with taking this technique a step further and randomly remove sections from each track. When
doing this, remember to keep at least one of the drum tracks playing at all times, unless you want the drums
to completely drop out of the mix. Randomly removing sections of events adds realism to your projects by
approximating how a drummer plays with slight variations throughout a song.

Tweaking the dynamics

You can use several techniques to adjust the dynamics of your mix.

Fading in and out of mixes

With bus tracks, you can use a volume envelope to fade in and out of the entire project.
1. Press U to view bus tracks. For more information, see Automating mixer controls in track view on page 160.
2. Select the Master bus track and press Shift + V to add a volume envelope.
3. Add and adjust envelope points to fade into and out of the project. For more information, see Adjusting
envelopes on page 124.

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Adding build ups

If you are attempting to build projects that escape the perceived limitations of computer-generated loop-
based music, you should concentrate on reproducing the subtle (and not so subtle) dynamics associated with
live instrumentation.
One of the simplest, but most effective examples of this is the build up. When musicians play live, there is a
tendency to increase dynamics as a song enters a chorus or refrain. Think of how a drummer uses accents,
drum rolls, and fills that steadily increase in volume to enter a song or indicate an approaching change from
verse to chorus or chorus to bridge.
This effect is easily reproduced by adding a volume envelope to the track. Add points at the various drum
beats and adjust them so that the volume steadily increases. For more information, see Adding volume or pan
envelopes on page 122.

Creating wah-wah effects with automated Track EQ

You can use the automatable Track EQ effect to create a custom wah-wah effect on a track. The example
below provides sample values to use in the Track EQ plug-in, but you can adjust the settings to suit your
taste.
1. Click the Track FX button ( ) on the track to which you want to add the effect. The Audio Plug-In
window appears.
2. Adjust the settings for band 1 as follows:
• Frequency: 20,000
• Gain: -14.9
• Rolloff: 24
3. Adjust the settings for band two as follows:
• Gain: 15
• Bandwidth: 0.9
4. Click the FX Automation button ( ). The FX Automation Chooser dialog appears.
5. Select the Band2 Frequency check box and click OK. An effect automation envelope appears on the track.
6. Add points to the envelope so that the Band2 Frequency parameter oscillates between about 100 Hz and
3000 Hz. For more information, see Adjusting envelopes on page 124.

Making automated changes more stark

ACID envelopes allow you to change settings for a variety of features over time. While you may often use
envelopes to transition smoothly from one setting to another, you can also create interesting effects by
making stark changes between settings.

Abruptly changing volume or pan

By holding its setting until the next envelope point, the hold fade curve allows you to use volume and pan
envelopes to make abrupt changes. For more information, see Changing envelope fade curves on page 125.
1. Select a track and press Shift + V (volume) or Shift + P (pan) to add an envelope.

Tip: You can also use this technique on a bus track. For more
information, see Automating mixer controls in track view on
page 160.

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 238
2. Click the Envelope Tool button ( ) to select the envelope tool.
3. Right-click the first point on the envelope and choose Hold from the shortcut menu.
4. Add several more points by double-clicking the envelope. Note that each new point also has the hold fade
curve.
5. Set each point to a different level. For more information, see Adjusting individual envelope points on page 125.
You can repeat the pattern by copying and pasting the envelope points repeatedly. For more information,
see Cutting, copying, and pasting envelope points on page 126.

Turning automated effects on and off

You can use effect automation envelopes to change effect settings over time, but you can create a simple,
dramatic effect by simply automating whether the effect is processed (on) or bypassed (off).
1. Add an automatable effect to a track and adjust the effect’s parameters to your liking. For more
information, see Using track effects on page 117.
2. In the Audio Plug-In window, click the FX Automation button ( ) to display the FX
Automation Chooser.
3. Click the automatable plug-in at the top of the FX Automation Chooser. A list of the effect's automatable
parameters appears.
4. Select the Bypass check box and click OK. An envelope for the Bypass parameter of the effect appears on
the track.
5. Add multiple points to the envelope. For more information, see Adding envelope points on page 124.
6. Adjust the envelope points to alternate between bypassing the effect (Bypass=True) and processing the
effect (Bypass=False). For more information, see Adjusting individual envelope points on page 125.
Preview the effect. The track alternates cleanly between processing the effect and bypassing the effect.
You can repeat the pattern by copying and pasting the envelope points repeatedly. For more information,
see Cutting, copying, and pasting envelope points on page 126.

Making automated frequency changes more natural

When you automate an effect’s frequency parameters, such as the frequency parameters in the track EQ
effect, you may notice that the frequency changes are more apparent moving through the lower frequencies
than the higher frequencies. Without getting too technical, frequency scales in track EQ and other plug-ins
use a logarithmic scale instead of a linear scale. Since effect automation uses linear interpolation, an effect’s
automated frequency parameter will sound as if it sweeps through the lower frequencies faster than the high
frequencies. You can visualize this if you watch the plug-in settings in the Audio Plug-In window during
automated effect playback.
To make automated frequency changes sound more natural, use envelope fade curves to change the rate at
which interpolation happens between two envelope points. For a high-to-low frequency sweep, use a fast
fade curve between points, and for a low-to-high frequency sweep, use a slow curve. Although the fast and
slow curves are not logarithmic curves, they are similar enough to make the frequency transitions sound
more even. For more information, see Changing envelope fade curves on page 125.

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Overriding compress/expand
One of the most powerful features of the software is its ability to compress or expand a loop while
maintaining the loop’s original pitch. However, you can override this feature in order to produce specific
effects in your projects.
1. Right-click a track in the track list to view the track’s Track Properties window.
2. Click the Stretch tab.
3. From the Stretching method drop-down list, choose Pitch shift segments. The track’s pitch will change in
relation to the tempo of the project.
While this may seem like just a way of producing old school effects, it actually has practical applications as
well. For example, specifying Pitch shift segments can actually improve the fidelity of drum loops recorded at
a tempo near the project tempo. In addition, overriding the compress/expand feature allows you to create
great bass grooves by slowing drum loops.

Slicing and dicing in the Chopper

You can use the Chopper™ to add creative slice-and-dice effects to your ACID project.

Chopping new loops for alternate time signatures

The Chopper makes it easy to clone a new loop from a song or sample. This feature can be particularly handy
when you want to create a loop for a different time signature. In this example, you’ll create a 3/4 pattern from
a 4/4 loop.
1. Set the project time signature to 3/4. For more information, see Changing project time signature on page 106.
2. Place a 4/4 loop file in the Chopper. For more information, see Placing files in the Chopper on page 111.
3. Select a three-beat section of audio to be used for the new loop. Use the Chopper’s transport bar to
preview the new loop.
4. Right-click the selection and choose Chop to New Track from the shortcut menu. Alternately, press
Ctrl + M . The Chop to New Track dialog appears.

Tip: You can also drag a selection from the Chopper to the
track list.

5. Complete the information in the Chop to New Track dialog and click Save.
The selection is saved and the file is added as a 3/4 loop to a new track in the project. For more
information, see Saving Chopper selections as new files on page 114.

Chopping multiple files into a new loop

Want to combine short segments of several loops into a new loop? You can use the Chopper to chop
segments from several files into new loops and then combine the new loops into a single loop.
1. Place a file in the Chopper. For more information, see Placing files in the Chopper on page 111.
2. Select audio in the Chopper and press Ctrl + M to chop the audio to a new loop.
3. Repeat steps one and two for as many loop segments as you want.
4. Draw events on the new tracks to create a new melodic or rhythmic pattern.

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5. Select the new tracks and from the Tools menu, choose Render to New Track to render the tracks to a
single track. The Render to New Track dialog appears.
6. Complete the information in the Render to New Track dialog and click Save. For more information, see
Mixing multiple tracks to a single track on page 142.
The new composite loop is saved and adds it to your project as a new track.

Creating drum-roll build ups

1. Place a file in the Chopper. For more information, see Placing files in the Chopper on page 111.
2. Create a one-measure selection. For more information, see Creating selections of a specific musical length on
page 112.
3. Click the Insert Selection button ( ) once. The selection is pasted to the track view.
4. Click the Halve Selection button ( ). This decreases the selected portion of the waveform by half.
5. Click Insert Selection button ( ) twice.
6. Click the Halve Selection button ( ).
7. Continue to double the number of inserts after each halving of the selection until you achieve the desired
drum roll effect.

Creating drum fills

1. Place a file in the Chopper.
2. Create an eighth-note (or other length) selection of a drum track in the Chopper.
3. Click the Insert Selection button ( ).
4. Use the Shift Selection Left () and Shift Selection Right ( ) buttons to move the selection randomly
through the drum track, clicking the Insert Selection button ( ) to insert drum hits.

Creating one-track remixes

1. Place a Beatmapped track in the Chopper. For more information, see Using the Beatmapper on page 128.
2. Create a selection in the Chopper.
3. Click the Insert Selection button ( ) twice.
4. Use the Shift Selection Right button ( ) to move through the track, clicking the Insert Selection button
( ) as desired to insert events.

Creating DJ-style crossfades

You can use the Chopper and the crossfade keyboard shortcut to crossfade between two tracks much like a
DJ crossfades between two records.
1. Insert two Beatmapped tracks into your project. For more information, see Using the Beatmapper on page 128.
2. Place the file from track one in the Chopper.
3. Turn off the Link Arrow to Selection button ( ).
4. Create a three-beat selection in the Chopper and drag the increment arrow length to four beats.
5. Click Insert Selection button ( ).
6. Press Ctrl + . to shift the selection right by the length of the insert increment arrow.
7. Repeat steps five and six as desired.

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8. Place the file from track two in the Chopper.
9. Repeat steps four through six to insert events from track two.
10.Select all events on the two beatmapped tracks in the track view.
11.Press F . Crossfades are created between your events.

Creating pseudo-granular synthesis

1. Create a sixty-fourth note (or shorter) selection in the Chopper.
2. Click the Insert Selection button ( ).
3. Use the Shift Selection Left () and Shift Selection Right ( ) buttons to move the selection randomly
through the track, clicking the Insert Selection button ( ) to insert events.

Building instrument solos

The previous section described an extended technique to create challenging rhythmic variations in your
projects. You can use a slightly different version of the slice-and-dice technique to build instrument solos for
your projects. To demonstrate this, let’s start with an event containing a simple bass riff.
1. Slice and dice the file in the Chopper to create new riffs and add them to the project. For more
information, see Using the Chopper on page 109.
2. Use the pitch shifting to transpose some of the new events. For more information, see Changing an event’s
key on page 108.
3. Apply volume envelopes to simulate the varying attacks associated with live soloing. For more information,
see Adding volume or pan envelopes on page 122.
4. Use tempo/key/time signature change markers to create passages with tempos that deviate from the
project tempo. For more information, see Working with tempo/key/time signature change markers on page 106.

Building scales
Though it is well outside the intended scope of the application, you can build unique scales from audio loops.
To do this, you must first isolate a note and determine what pitch it is. You can easily do this using the
Spectrum Analysis tool in Sound Forge®. Once you isolate and identify the note, choose Save As from the
File menu in Sound Forge to save the note as a new WAV file with a unique name. Finally, add the file to
the ACID project and use pitch shifting to create all remaining notes in the scale.

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ACID TIPS AND TRICKS APPENDIX B

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APPENDIX

Glossary
C
The glossary contains terms and their definitions that you may come across in the manual. This glossary not
only includes terms associated with ACID® software, but also includes relevant industry terms.

.acd-zip An ACID project file that contains all information regarding the project
including track layout, envelope settings, and effects parameters. In addition, all
audio files used in the project are embedded into the project file.

Activation Code This number is based on the Computer ID number of the computer on which the
software is installed. Each computer has a unique number, similar to a license
plate. When you register your copy of the software, Sony Pictures Digital
generates an activation code for you based on the Computer ID number. Once
you enter the activation code, the ACID application will not time out. Since the
activation number is based on the Computer ID, it is important that you have the
software installed on the computer where you will be using it.

Adaptive Delta Pulse A method of compressing audio data. Although the theory for compression using
Code Modulation ADPCM is standard, there are many different algorithms employed. For example,
(ADPCM) Microsoft's ADPCM algorithm is not compatible with the International
Multimedia Association’s (IMA) approved ADPCM.

Advanced See Windows Media® Format.

Streaming Format
(ASF)

Aliasing A type of distortion that occurs when digitally recording high frequencies with a
low sample rate. For example, in a motion picture, when a car's wheels appear to
slowly spin backward while the car is quickly moving forward, you are seeing the
effects of aliasing. Similarly, when you try to record a frequency greater than one
half of the sampling rate (the Nyquist Frequency), instead of hearing a high
pitch, you may hear a low-frequency rumble.
To prevent aliasing, an anti-aliasing filter is used to remove high-frequencies
before recording. Once the sound has been recorded, aliasing distortion is
impossible to remove without also removing other frequencies from the sound.
This same anti-aliasing filter must be applied when resampling to a lower sample
rate.

ASIO ASIO™ (Audio Stream In/Out) is a low-latency driver model developed by

Steinberg Media Technologies AG.

ASX File ASF Stream Redirector file. See Redirector File.

Attack The attack of a sound is the initial portion of the sound. Percussive sounds
(drums, piano, guitar plucks) are said to have a fast attack. This means that the
sound reaches its maximum amplitude in a very short time. Sounds that slowly
swell up in volume (soft strings and wind sounds) are said to have a slow attack.

Attenuation A decrease in the level of a signal.

Audio Compression The Audio Compression Manager from Microsoft® is a standard interface for
Manager (ACM) audio compression and signal processing for Microsoft Windows. The ACM can
be used by Windows programs to compress and decompress WAV files.

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Audio Interchange An audio file format developed by Apple®.

File Format (AIFF)

Audio Proxy File See Proxy File.

(.sfap0)

Bandwidth When discussing audio equalization, each frequency band has a width associated
with it that determines the range of frequencies that are affected by the EQ. An
EQ band with a wide bandwidth affects a wider range of frequencies than one
with a narrow bandwidth.
When discussing network connections, refers to the rate of signals transmitted;
the amount of data that can be transmitted in a fixed amount of time (stated in
bits/second): a 56 Kbps network connection is capable of receiving 56,000 bits of
data per second.

Beatmapped track A file that has tempo information added to it as a result of going through the
Beatmapper® Wizard.

Beats Per Minute The tempo of a piece of music can be written as a number of beats in one minute.
(BPM) If the tempo is 60 BPM, a single beat occurs once every second.

Bit The most elementary unit in digital systems. Its value can only be 1 or 0,
corresponding to a voltage in an electronic circuit. Bits are used to represent
values in the binary numbering system. As an example, the 8-bit binary number
10011010 represents the unsigned value of 154 in the decimal system. In digital
sampling, a binary number is used to store individual sound levels, called samples.

Bit Depth The number of bits used to represent a single sample. For example, 8- or 16-bit
are common sample sizes. While 8-bit samples take up less memory (and hard
disk space), they are inherently noisier than 16-bit samples.

Buffer Memory used as an intermediate repository in which data is temporarily held

while waiting to be transferred between two locations. A buffer ensures an
uninterrupted flow of data between computers. Media players may need to
rebuffer when there is network congestion.

Bus A virtual pathway where signals from tracks and effects are mixed. A bus's output
can be a physical audio device in the computer from which the signal is heard.

Byte Refers to a set of 8 bits. An 8-bit sample requires one byte of memory to store,
while a 16-bit sample takes two bytes of memory to store.

Clipboard The clipboard is the location where data cut or copied from ACID software is
stored. You can then paste the data back into the software at a different location.

Clipping Occurs when the amplitude of a sound is above the maximum allowed recording
level. In digital systems, clipping is seen as a clamping of the data to a maximum
value, such as 32,767 in 16-bit data. Clipping causes sound to distort.

Codec Coder/decoder: refers to any technology for compressing and decompressing data.
The term codec can refer to software, hardware, or a combination of both
technologies.

Compression Ratio A compression ratio controls the ratio of input to output levels above a specific
(audio) threshold. This ratio determines how much a signal has to rise above the
threshold for every 1 dB of increase in the output. For example, with a ratio of
3:1, the input level must increase by three decibels to produce a one-decibel
output-level increase:
• Threshold = -10 dB
• Compression Ratio = 3:1
• Input = -7 dB
• Output = -9 dB
Because the input is 3 dB louder than the threshold and the compression ratio is
3:1, the resulting signal is 1 dB louder than the threshold.

GLOSSARY APPENDIX C
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Compression Ratio The ratio of the size of the original noncompressed file to the compressed
(file size) contents. For example, a 3:1 compression ratio means that the compressed file is
one-third the size of the original.

Computer ID Each computer has a unique number, similar to a license plate. Sony Pictures
Digital creates an activation number based on that number. Since the activation
number is based on the Computer ID, it is important that you have the ACID
application installed on the computer where you will be using it. The Computer
ID is automatically detected and provided to you when you complete the
installation process.
The Computer ID is used for registration purposes only. It doesn't give Sony
Pictures Digital access to any personal information and can't be used for any
purpose other than for generating a unique activation number for you to use the
software.

Crossfade Mixing two pieces of audio by fading one out as the other fades in.

DC Offset DC offset occurs when hardware, such as a sound card, adds DC current to a
recorded audio signal. This current results in a recorded wave that is not centered
around the zero baseline. Glitches and other unexpected results can occur when
sound effects are applied to files that contain DC offsets.

Decibel (dB) A unit used to represent a ratio between two numbers using a logarithmic scale.
For example, when comparing the numbers 14 and 7, you could say 14 is two
times greater than the number 7; or you could say 14 is 6 dB greater than the
number 7. Where did we pull that 6 dB from? Engineers use the equation dB = 20
x log (V1/V2) when comparing two instantaneous values. Decibels are
commonly used when dealing with sound because the ear perceives loudness in a
logarithmic scale.
In ACID software, most measurements are given in decibels. For example, if you
want to double the amplitude of a sound, you apply a 6 dB gain. A sample value
of 32,767 (maximum positive sample value for 16-bit sound) can be referred to as
having a value of 0 dB. Likewise, a sample value of 16,384 can be referred to
having a value of -6 dB.

Device Driver A program that enables Windows to connect different hardware and software.
For example, a sound card device driver is used by Windows software to control
sound card recording and playback.

Digital Rights A system for delivering songs, videos, and other media over the Internet in a file
Management (DRM) format that protects copyrighted material. Current proposals include some form
of certificates that validate copyright ownership and restrict unauthorized
redistribution.

Digital Signal A general term describing anything that alters digital data. Signal processors
Processing (DSP) have existed for a very long time (tone controls, distortion boxes, wah-wah
pedals) in the analog (electrical) domain. Digital Signal Processors alter the data
after it has been digitized by using a combination of programming and
mathematical techniques. DSP techniques are used to perform many effects such
as equalization and reverb simulation.
Since most DSP is performed with simple arithmetic operations (additions and
multiplications), both your computer's processor and specialized DSP chips can
be used to perform any DSP operation. The difference is that DSP chips are
optimized specifically for mathematical functions while your computer's
microprocessor is not. This results in a difference in processing speed.

DirectX A set of Application Program Interfaces designed by Microsoft for multimedia

development. A DirectX® plug-in, such as the Sony Noise Reduction™ DirectX
Plug-In, uses the DirectX Media Streaming Services (DMSS) API. Because
DMSS is a standard API, a DirectX plug-in can be used in any application that
supports DMSS.

Downbeat This term is used in the Beatmapper to refer to the first beat of the first measure.

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 246

Downloadable A DLS file stores a custom sound set that you can load into your soft synth,
Sound (DLS) giving you another set of voices for MIDI playback.

Drag and Drop A quick way to perform certain operations using the mouse. To drag and drop,
you click and hold an item, drag it (hold the left mouse button down and move
the mouse) and drop it (let go of the mouse button) at another position on the
screen.

Dynamic Range The difference between the maximum and minimum signal levels. It can refer to
a musical performance (high-volume vs. low-volume signals) or to electrical
equipment (peak level before distortion vs. noise floor). For example, orchestral
music has a wide dynamic range, while thrash metal has a very small (always
loud) range.

Envelopes Envelopes allow you to automate the change of a certain parameter over time. In
the case of volume, you can create a fade out (which requires a change over time)
by adding an envelope and creating a point in the line to indicate where the fade
starts. Then you pull the end point of the envelope down to -inf.

Equalization (EQ) Equalizing a sound file is a process by which certain frequency bands are raised or
lowered in level. EQ has various uses. The most common use for ACID users is to
simply adjust the subjective timbral qualities of a sound.

Event An instance of a media file on a track. An event may play an entire media file or
a portion of the file.

File Format A file format specifies the way in which data is stored. In Windows, the most
common audio file format is the Microsoft WAV format.

Frame Rate Audio uses frame rates only for the purposes of synching to video or other audio.
To synchronize with audio, a rate of 30 fps (frames per second) is typically used.
To synchronize with video, 29.97 fps drop is usually used.

Frequency The frequency spectrum of a signal refers to its range of frequencies. In audio, the
Spectrum frequency range is basically 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz. The frequency spectrum
sometimes refers to the distribution of these frequencies. For example, bass-heavy
sounds have a large frequency content in the low end (20 Hz-200 Hz) of the
spectrum.

Groove A groove refers to the rhythmic pattern of a piece of music. By deviating from a
machine-quantized beat, individual beats may be played early or late to change
the feel of the music. Applying a groove can simulate the timing patterns of
human musicians, lending a human feel to MIDI-generated music or quantizing
several distinct pieces of music to a common timing.

Hertz (Hz) The unit of measurement for frequency or cycles per second (CPS).

In-place plug-in An in-place plug-in processes audio data so that the output length always
matches the input length. A non-in-place plug-in's output length need not
match a given input length at any time: for example, Time Stretch, Gapper/
Snipper, Pitch-Shift (without preserving duration), and some Vibrato settings
can create an output that is longer or shorter than the input.
Plug-ins that generate tails when there is no more input but otherwise operate in-
place (such as reverb and delay) are considered in-place plug-ins.

Insert Increment Sections of silence between selections that you can create using the Chopper and
insert into the track view.

Insertion Point The insertion point (also referred to as the cursor position) is analogous to the
cursor in a word processor. It is where markers or commands may be inserted
depending on the operation. The insertion point appears as a vertical flashing
black line and can be moved by clicking the left mouse button anywhere in the
track view.

GLOSSARY APPENDIX C
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Loop Loops are small audio clips that are designed to create a repeating beat or pattern.
Loops are usually one to four measures long and are stored completely in RAM
for playback.

Marker A marker is an anchored, accessible reference point in a file.

MIDI Channel An informational pathway over which MIDI data can travel.

Media Control A standard way for Windows programs to communicate with multimedia devices
Interface (MCI) such as sound cards and CD players. If a device has an MCI device driver, it can
easily be controlled by most multimedia Windows software.

Media File Files that may be placed within the ACID project. After a media file is placed
into the project, it is referred to as an event.

MIDI Clock A MIDI device-specific timing reference. MIDI Clock is not absolute time like
MIDI timecode (MTC); instead it is a tempo-dependent number of ticks per
quarter note. MIDI clock is convenient for synchronizing devices that need to
perform tempo changes mid-song. MIDI clock out is supported, but MIDI clock
in is not.

MIDI Port A MIDI port is the physical MIDI connection on a piece of MIDI hardware. This
port can be a MIDI in, out or through. Your computer must have a MIDI-capable
card to output MIDI timecode to an external device or to receive MIDI timecode
from an external device.

MIDI Timecode MTC is an addendum to the MIDI 1.0 specification and provides a way to specify
(MTC) absolute time for synchronizing MIDI-capable applications. MTC is essentially a
MIDI representation of SMPTE timecode.

Multiple-Bit-Rate Multiple-bit-rate encoding (also known as Intelligent Streaming for the

Encoding Windows Media platform and SureStream™ for the RealMedia™ G2 platform)
allows you to create a single file that contains streams for several bit rates. A
multiple-bit-rate file can accommodate users with different Internet connection
speeds, or these files can automatically change to a different bit rate to
compensate for network congestion without interrupting playback.
To take advantage of multiple-bit-rate encoding, you must publish your media
files to a Windows Media server or a RealServerG2.

Musical Instrument A standard language of control messages that provides for communication
Device Interface between any MIDI-compliant devices. Anything from synthesizers to lights to
(MIDI) factory equipment can be controlled via MIDI.

Normalize Refers to raising the volume so that the highest level sample in the file reaches a
user defined level. Use normalization to make sure you are using all of the
dynamic range available to you.

Nyquist Frequency The Nyquist Frequency (or Nyquist Rate) is one half of the sample rate and
represents the highest frequency that can be recorded using the sample rate
without aliasing. For example, the Nyquist Frequency of 44,100 Hz is 22,050 Hz.
Any frequencies higher than 22,050 Hz produce aliasing distortion in the sample
if no anti-aliasing filter is used while recording.

Offline Media A media file that cannot be located on the computer. If you choose to leave the
media offline, you can continue to edit events on the track; the events point to
the original location of the source media file.

One-Shot One-shots are chunks of audio that are not designed to loop, and they are
streamed from the hard disk rather than stored in RAM if they are longer than
three seconds. Things such as cymbal crashes and sound bites could be considered
one-shots.
Unlike loops, one-shots do not change pitch or tempo with the rest of a project.

OPT Plug-In A plug-in that uses the Open Plug-in Technology (OPT) standard from Yamaha.
OPT plug-ins provide tools for working with MIDI such as edit views, effect
processors and filters, arpeggiators, and real-time panel automation.

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Pan To place a mono or stereo sound source perceptually between two or more
speakers.

Peak Data File The file created when a media file is opened for the first time. This file stores the
information regarding the graphic display of the waveform so that opening a file
is almost instantaneous. This file is stored in the directory where the audio file
resides and has a .sfk extension. If this file is not in the same directory as the
audio file or is deleted, it is recalculated the next time you open the file.

Proxy File Working with certain types of media files with particular audio compression
schemes can be inefficient and slow. To compensate for this, audio proxy files are
created for these formats to dramatically increase speed and performance.
The file is saved as a proprietary .sfap0 file, with the same name as the original
media file and the same characteristics as the original audio stream. The
conversion happens automatically and does not result in a loss of quality or
synchronization. You can safely delete audio proxy files at any time since these
files are recreated as needed.

Pulse Code PCM is the most common representation of uncompressed audio signals. This
Modulation (PCM) method of coding yields the highest fidelity possible when using digital storage.
PCM is the standard format for WAV and AIFF files.

Quantization The correction of rhythms to align with selected note lengths or beats in a MIDI
sequence.

Real-Time A proposed standard for controlling broadcast of streaming media. RTSP was
Streaming Protocol submitted by a body of companies including RealNetworks and Netscape®.
(RTSP)

Redirector File A metafile that provides information to a media player about streaming media
files. To start a streaming media presentation, a Web page includes a link to a
redirector file. Linking to a redirector file allows a file to stream; if you link to the
media file, it downloads before playback.
Windows Media redirector files use the .asx or .wax extension; RealMedia
redirector files use the .ram, .rpm, or .smi extension.

Region A region is a section of time used to subdivide your project into segments.

Rendering The process in which the project is saved to a specific file format like WMA or
MP3.

Resample The act of recalculating samples in a sound file at a different rate than the file
was originally recorded. If a sample is resampled at a lower rate, sample points are
removed from the sound file, decreasing its size, but also decreasing its available
frequency range. Resampling to a higher sample rate, extra sample points are
interpolated in the sound file. This increases the size of the sound file, but does
not increase the quality. When down-sampling, one must be aware of aliasing.

Sample The word sample is used in many different (and often confusing) ways when
talking about digital sound. Here are some of the different meanings:
• A discrete point in time which a sound signal is divided into when digitizing.
For example, an audio CD-ROM contains 44,100 samples per second. Each
sample is really only a number that contains the amplitude value of a waveform
measured over time.
• A sound that has been recorded in a digital format; used by musicians who
make short recordings of musical instruments to be used for composition and
performance of music or sound effects. These recordings are called samples. In
this manual, we try to use sound file instead of sample whenever referring to a
digital recording.
• The act of recording sound digitally, i.e., to sample an instrument means to
digitize and store it.

GLOSSARY APPENDIX C
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Sample Rate The sample rate (also referred to as the sampling rate or sampling frequency) is
the number of samples per second used to store a sound. High sample rates, such
as 44,100 Hz provide higher fidelity than lower sample rates, such as 11,025 Hz.
However, more storage space is required when using higher sample rates.

Sample Size See Bit Depth.

Sample Value The sample value (also referred to as sample amplitude) is the number stored by a
single sample. In 16-bit audio, these values range from -32768 to 32767. In 8-bit
audio, they range from -128 to 127. The maximum allowed sample value is often
referred to as 100% or 0 dB.

Secure Digital Music The Secure Digital Music Initiative (SDMI) is a consortium of recording industry
Initiative (SDMI) and technology companies organized to develop standards for the secure
distribution of digital music. The SDMI specification was created to answer
consumer demand for convenient accessibility to quality digital music, enable
copyright protection for artists' work, and enable technology and music
companies to build successful businesses.

Shortcut Menu A context-sensitive menu that appears when you right-click certain areas of the
screen. The functions available in the shortcut menu depend on the object being
right-clicked as well as the state of the program. As with any menu, you can
choose an item from the shortcut menu to perform an operation. Shortcut menus
are used frequently for quick access to many commands.

Signal-to-Noise The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is a measurement of the difference between a

Ratio recorded signal and noise levels. A high SNR is always the goal.
The maximum signal-to-noise ratio of digital audio is determined by the number
of bits per sample. In 16-bit audio, the signal to noise ratio is 96 dB, while in 8-bit
audio the ratio is 48 dB. However, in practice this SNR is never achieved,
especially when using low-end electronics.

Society of Motion SMPTE timecode is used to synchronize time between devices. The timecode is
Picture and formatted as hours:minutes:second:frames, where frames are fractions of a second
Television Engineers based on the frame rate. Frame rates for SMPTE timecode are 24, 25, 29.97 and
(SMPTE) 30 frames per second.

Soft Synth A soft synth is a software-based synthesizer. Downloadable Sounds (DLS) and
Virtual Studio Technology Instruments (VSTi) are two types of soft synths.
You add a soft synth control in the Mixer window for each software synthesizer
you want to use in a project.

Streaming A method of data transfer in which a file is played while it is downloading.

Streaming technologies allow Internet users to receive data as a steady,
continuous stream after a brief buffering period. Without streaming, users must
download files completely before playback.

Tempo Tempo is the rhythmic rate of a musical composition, usually specified in beats
per minute (BPM).

Threshold A threshold determines the level at which the signal processor begins acting on
the signal. During normalization, levels above this threshold are attenuated
(cut).

Time Format The format by which the time ruler and selection times are displayed. These can
include: time, seconds, frames, and all standard SMPTE frame rates.

Track A discrete timeline for audio data. Audio events sit on tracks and determine
when a sound starts and stops. Multiple audio tracks are played together to give
you a composite sound that you hear through your speakers.

Track List The track list contains the master controls for each track. From here you can
adjust the mix, select playback devices, and reorder tracks.

Track View The majority of the track view is made up of the space where you draw events on
each track.

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µ-Law µ-Law (mu-Law) is a companded compression algorithm for voice signals defined
by the Geneva Recommendations (G.711). The G.711 recommendation defines
µ-Law as a method of encoding 16-bit PCM signals into a non-linear 8-bit
format. The algorithm is commonly used in European and Asian
telecommunications. µ-Law is very similar to A-Law, however, each uses a
slightly different coder and decoder.

Undo/Redo These commands allow you to change a project back to a previous state or
reapply changes after you have undone them.

Virtual MIDI Router A software-only router for MIDI data between programs. The VMR is used to
(VMR) receive MIDI timecode and send MIDI clock. No MIDI hardware or cables are
required for a VMR, so routing can only be performed between programs running
on the same PC.

VST Instrument A Virtual Studio Technology instrument (VSTi®) is software synthesizer plug-in
(VSTi) technology for outputting MIDI developed by Steinberg Media Technologies
AG.

WAV A digital audio file format developed by Microsoft and IBM®. One minute of
uncompressed audio requires 10 MB of storage.

Waveform A waveform is the visual representation of wave-like phenomena, such as sound

or light. For example, when the amplitude of sound pressure is graphed over time,
pressure variations usually form a smooth waveform.

Waveform Display Each event shows a graph of the sound data waveform. The vertical axis
corresponds to the amplitude of the wave. For 16-bit sounds, the amplitude range
is -32,768 to +32,767. For 8-bit sounds, the range is -128 to +127. The horizontal
axis corresponds to time, with the leftmost point being the start of the waveform.
In memory, the horizontal axis corresponds to the number of samples from the
start of the sound file.

Windows Media® A Microsoft® file format that can handle audio and video presentations and
Format other data such as scripts, URL flips, images and HTML tags. Advanced
Streaming Format files can be saved with .asf, .wma, or .wmv extensions.

GLOSSARY APPENDIX C
 i

Index

Numerics Bit depth, 34

5.1 Surround Plug-In Pack, 203, 213, 214 Burning CDs, 60

5.1 Surround, See Surround Bus tracks, 160

Busses, 145–147, 154–160
A Adding, 145
Adjusting levels sent from tracks, 122–127, 146
AC-3 Encoder, 203, 213, 214
Assigning tracks to, 18, 145
ACID FX, 117 Deleting, 146
Panning, 207
ACID FX window, 22
Routing assignable effects to, 148
Add channels panning model, 128, 210 Routing to hardware, 146
Adding Using effects, 156
Assignable effects, 147 Using the control, 154
Busses, 145
Events, 40 C
Media to projects, 36 CD
MIDI tracks, 169 Extracting media, 38
Soft synth controls, 150 Writing media, 60
Video, 199
Changing the track color, 47
Adjusting the mix, 48
Channelization in MIDI files, 172
Assignable effects, 147–148, 154–160
Adding, 147 Chopper, 21, 109–115
Adjusting levels sent from tracks, 122–127 Grid, 109
Assigning tracks to, 148 Inserting selections from, 114
Deleting, 148 Keyboard shortcuts, 110
Routing to busses, 148 Markers and regions, 111
Saving effect packages, 159 Saving selections as new files, 114
Selecting audio, 111
Audio Plug-In window, 22, 117–121 Snapping options, 109
Audio preferences tab, 225 Tips and tricks, 239
Using with one-shots, 115
Audio properties tab, 34
Window, 109
Audio signal flow, 29–30
Clipping, 55
Automating
Cloning loops, 114, 239
Effects, 122–127
Mixer controls, 160 Command markers, 99
Surround panning, 210–212 Constant power panning model, 128, 210

B Copying
Events, 65
Balance panning model, 128, 210 Tracks, 48
Beat ruler, 20 Crossfade, 77, 240
Beatmapped tracks, 39 Cursor, 43–46, 221
Stretching properties, 131, 134
Beatmapper wizard, 128

INDEX
 ii
Cutting Events
Events, 67 Changing length, 42
In ripple mode, 71 Changing pitch, 108
Tracks, 48 Copying, 65
Crossfading, 77
D Cutting, 67, 71
Deleting, 68, 72
Deleting Editing in ripple mode, 71–74
Assignable effects, 148 Envelopes, 76
Audio from a video, 200 Erasing, 43
Busses, 146 Fading edges for offsets, 75
Events, 43, 68 Fading in and out, 76
In ripple mode, 72 Joining, 71
Soft synth controls, 154 Moving, 43
Tracks, 48 Painting, 40
Video, 199 Pasting, 65, 73
Detuning tracks, 233 Pitch shifting, 75
Properties, 75
Display preferences, 230 reversing, 68
DLS sets Selecting, 44–46
Changing patches, 151 Shifting the contents of, 75
Routing tracks to, 154, 192 Sliding, 75
Using, 151 Slipping, 75
Slip-trimming, 75
Docking windows, 216
Snapping, 103
Downloading media from the Web, 39 Speed, 75
Splitting, 68
Drawing events, 40
Start offset, 75
Duplicating tracks, 48 Trimming, 68
DVD burning, 214 Volume, 76
Explorer window, 35–37
E Exporting loops, 143
Editing preferences tab, 228 External devices
Effects Playing MIDI from, 193
Assignable, 156 Routing busses to, 146
Automating, 122–127 Routing MIDI tracks to, 192
Bus, 156 Routing video to, 202
Managing effects, 159 External monitor, 202
Preset Manager, 159
Project, 156 Extracting media from CD, 38
Saving plug-in packages, 121, 159
Saving presets, 119, 157 F
Soft synth, 156
Faders, Mixer, 54, 154
Track, 117–121
Fading edges of events, 75
Envelopes
color preferences, 230 Fading in/out
Envelope tool, 125 Events, 76
Event, 76 Mixer controls, 160
Flipping, 125 Tracks, 122–127
Mixer controls, 160 Filtering MIDI events
Track, 122–127 During playback, 174
Erasing events, 43, 236 In the list editor, 183
Fitting to time, 108
Flipping envelopes, 125
Floating windows, 216

INDEX
 iii
Folder track Keyboard
adding tracks, 141 preferences, 230
Folder tracks, 40, 141 Keyboard shortcuts
creating, 141 Chopper window, 110
editing events, 142 General, 23
muting, 142
Keyframes, 210–212
removing tracks, 141
soloing, 142
L
Frame numbering, 200
LFE channel, 203, 206
G List editor, 182, 190
Creating MIDI events, 188
General preferences tab, 223
Deleting MIDI events, 190
Getting media from the Web, 39 Editing MIDI events, 184
Filtering MIDI events, 183
Glossary, 243
MIDI event parameters, 185
Go to, 44 MIDI notes and frequencies, 187
Grid, 218 Previewing MIDI events, 182
Quantizing note events, 190
Groove Pool window, 22 Step recording MIDI, 188
Undoing and redoing, 190
H
Looped playback, 52
Hardware Loops
Playing MIDI from, 193 Creating in the Chopper, 114
Routing busses to, 146 Exporting from projects, 143
Routing MIDI tracks to, 192 Stretching properties, 131, 132
Routing surround to, 205 Tracks, 39
Routing video to, 202
Setting up for surround, 204
M
Help, 14
Main window, 15
Hiding/showing
Bus tracks, 160 Markers, 97–102
Toolbar, 219 Command markers, 99
Track envelopes, 126–127 In the Chopper, 111
Video tracks, 199 Marker bar, 20
Windows, 215 Tempo/key/time signature markers, 106
Time markers, 99
I Media files
adding from Media Manager, 92
Icons Adding to projects, 36
color intensity preferences, 230 Downloading from the Web, 39
tinting preferences, 230 Exporting loops from projects, 143
Inserting time, 108 Extracting from CD, 38
Previewing in Chopper, 110
Installation, 14
Previewing in Explorer, 35
Reloading, 135
J Replacing, 135
Joining events, 71 resolving offline, 92
Saving track properties to, 135
K searching, 88
tagging, 82
Key changes
Media libraries
Event, 75, 108
tagging files, 82
Marker, 106
Project, 106
Track, 107

INDEX
 iv
Media library O
adding media files, 80
backing up, 86 Offsetting tracks, 234
creating new, 79 One-shots
opening, 79 Selecting in the Chopper, 115
removing media files, 82 Tracks, 39
Media Manager, 37, 79 Online help, 14
adding custom columns, 94
adding media from, 92 Opening
automatically hiding Search pane, 93 Media files, 36
customizing view, 93 Projects, 34
moving columns, 93 OPT plug-ins, 191
Moving the Search pane, 93
Other preferences tab, 231
options, 94
resizing columns, 93
resolving offline media, 92 P
searching for media files, 88 Packages, Saving, 121, 159
showing/hiding columns, 94
Painting events, 40, 41
Media Manager window, 22
Palettes, 85
Meter resolution, 155 assigning buttons, 85
MIDI, 169, 194, 197 clearing buttons, 85
Adding tracks, 169 creating, 85
DLS sets, 192 Panic button, 193
List editor, 182, 190
Notes and frequencies, 187 Panning
OPT plug-ins, 191 Pan types, 128, 210
Panic button, 193 Surround, 206
Piano roll editor, 174–181 Tracks, 19, 48, 122–127
Playback devices, 192 Tracks in MIDI files, 173
Playing from external devices, 193 Pasting
Preferences, 226 Events, 65
Quantizing, 180, 190 In ripple mode, 73
Recording, 170 Tracks, 48
Rendering, 193
Resetting ports, 193 Piano roll editor, 174–181
Routing to hardware, 192 Adding note events, 176
Signal flow, 31–32 continuous controller information, 179
Step recording, 188 Deleting note events, 181
Timecode synchronization, 195, 197 Editing note events, 177
Track properties, 171–172 Previewing MIDI, 175
Tracks, 39 Quantizing note events, 180
Selecting MIDI tracks, 176
Mixer window, 53–55, 145–160 Selecting note events, 179
Automating controls, 160 snap to scale, 180
Routing surround through, 205 Undoing and redoing, 181
Working with mixer controls, 154
Working with multiple controls, 160 Pitch shifting
Events, 75, 108
Mixing to a single track, 142 MIDI tracks, 171
Monitor for video editing, 202 Projects, 106
Tracks, 107
Moving
Events, 43 Playing projects, 51
Tracks, 47 Plug-In Manager window, 22
Multipurpose slider, 19, 48 Plug-Ins, See Effects
Muting
Mixer controls, 155
Tracks, 19, 49
Tracks in MIDI files, 173

INDEX
 v
Preferences Redo, 51
Audio, 225
Reference library, 87
Display, 230
Sony Sound Series Loops and Samples, 87
Editing, 228
envelope colors, 230 Regions, 102–103
General, 223 In the Chopper, 111
keyboard, 230 Reloading
MIDI, 226 Media files, 135
Other, 231 MIDI files, 192
Sync, 228
track colors, 230 Removing
Video, 227 Audio from a video, 200
VST effects, 226 Video tracks, 199
VST Instruments, 227 Renaming
Preset Manager, 159 Mixer controls, 54
Tracks, 47
Presets Tracks in MIDI files, 172
Managing, 159
Saving, 157 Rendering
MIDI projects, 193
Previewing media Projects, 57
Adjusting preview volume, 54 Supported formats, 58
Chopper window, 110 Surround projects, 213
Explorer window, 35 To new tracks, 142
Projects Using custom settings, 58
Adding media, 36 Reordering tracks, 47
Key, 106
Opening, 34 Replacing
Playing, 51 Media files, 135
Properties, 33 MIDI files, 192
Publishing to the Internet, 59 Resetting MIDI ports, 193
Rendering, 57
Saving, 56 Resizing
Starting, 33 Tracks, 47
Tempo, 105 Windows, 217
Time signature, 106 Reversing events, 68
Properties ReWire, 161
Event, 75 ACID as a device, 162
MIDI track, 171–172 ACID as a mixer, 161
Project, 33
Recording, 166 ReWire panel applications
Track, 130–135 inserting as soft synth, 161
Locating for use in ACID, 161
Proxy file, 248 opening, 161
Publishing projects, 59 Ripping tracks from CD, 38
Ripple editing, 71–74
Q
Cutting events, 71
Quantizing MIDI Deleting events, 72
In the list editor, 190 Pasting events, 73
In the piano roll editor, 180 Ruler offset, 217

R S
Recording, 165–168 Sample rate, 34
MIDI step recording, 188
MIDI tracks, 170
Multiple takes, 168
Properties, 166
Setting levels, 167

INDEX
 vi
Saving Subtags, 84
Changes to MIDI files, 192
Summary properties tab, 33
Plug-in packages, 121, 159
Presets, 157 Surround, 203–213
Projects, 56 Automating panning, 210–212
Track properties to media files, 135 Hardware setup, 204
Keyframes, 210–212
Scoring video, 202
LFE channel, 203, 206
Search pane Panning, 206
autohiding, 93 Rendering, 213
automatically hiding, 93
Surround Panner window, 22, 208
Searching for media files
Sync preferences tab, 228
by keyword, 88
Media Manager, 88 Synchronizing audio and video, 199
using tags, 89 System requirements, 13
Selecting events, 44–46
Shortcut keys, 23
T
Signal flow Tagging media files, 82
Audio, 29–30 Tags
MIDI, 31–32 applying to media file, 83
Sliding arranging in the tag tree, 84
Events, 75 creating, 82
Video events, 200 creating palettes, 85
deleting from library, 84
Slipping editing names or images, 84
Events, 75 removing from library, 84
Video events, 200 removing from media file, 83
Slip-trimming saving to media files, 86
Events, 75 subtags, 84
Video events, 200 viewing palettes, 85
Snapping, 103 Takes, recording multiple, 168
In the Chopper window, 109 Tempo changes
to scale, 180 Marker, 106
Soft synth controls, 149–160 Project, 105
Adding, 150 Temporary files, 36, 231
Assigning tracks to, 154
Deleting, 154 Time
modifying properties, 150 Fitting projects to time, 108
Routing to DLS sets, 151 Inserting into projects, 108
Routing to VST instruments, 152 Time display, 221
Soft Synth Properties window, 22 Time markers, 99
Soft synths Time ruler, 20, 217
deleting, 154
routing MIDI tracks to, 154 Time signature changes
Marker, 106
Soloing Project, 106
Mixer controls, 156
Tracks, 19, 50 Timecode synchronization, 195, 197
Tracks in MIDI files, 173 Tips and tricks, 233–241
Splitting events, 68 Toolbar, 17, 219–221
Start offset, 75 Track list, 18
Step recording MIDI, 188 Track Properties window, 22, 130–135, 171–172
Streaming media commands, 99 Track view, 19
Stretching properties, 130, 134

INDEX
 vii
Tracks Video window, 22, 201
Adjusting bus send levels, 146
Voices
Adjusting mix, 48
Patch changes for DLS sets, 151
Adjusting several simultaneously, 50
VST instruments, 152
Assigning to busses, 18, 145
Assigning to effect chains, 148 Volume
Assigning to soft synth controls, 154 Event, 76
beatmapped, 39 Project, 53, 155
Changing color, 47 Recording, 167
Changing pitch, 107 Track, 19, 48
color preferences, 230 Tracks in MIDI files, 173
Copying, cutting, pasting, 48 VST effects
Default properties, 222 preferences, 226
Deleting, 48
Duplicating, 48 VST Instruments
Effects, 117–121 Preferences, 227
Envelopes, 122–127 VST instruments
folder, 40, 141 Loading banks and presets, 152
loops, 39 Locating for use in ACID, 153
MIDI, 39 Routing MIDI tracks to, 154
Muting, 19, 49 Using, 152
one-shots, 39
Panning, 19, 48, 122–127, 207 W
Properties, 130–135, 171–172, 222
Renaming, 47 Wall of sound, 236
Reordering, 47
What’sThis? help, 15
Resizing, 47
Soloing, 19, 50 Window docking area, 21
Stretching properties, 130, 134 Windows
Types, 39, 130 ACID FX, 22
Volume, 19, 48 Audio Plug-In, 117–121
Transport bar, 20 Audio plug-in, 22
Chopper, 21, 109
Transposing
Docking/floating, 216
Beatmapped tracks to the project key, 134
Explorer, 21, 35–37
Keys within a project, 106
Groove Pool, 22
Loop tracks to the project key, 132
Hiding/showing, 215
MIDI tracks to the project key, 171
Main, 15
Project keys, 106
Media Manager, 22
Trimming events, 68 Mixer, 21, 53–55, 145–160
Plug-In Manager, 22
U Soft Synth Properties, 22
Surround Panner, 22, 208
Undo, 50 Track Properties, 22, 130–135, 171–172
Undo history, 51 Video, 22
Video Preview, 22
V Writing to CD, 60
Video, 199–202
Adding, 199 Z
Editing events, 200 Zoom controls
Frame numbering, 200 Chopper window, 110
Hiding/showing, 199 Main window, 20
Removing, 199
Removing associated audio, 200
Scoring, 202
Synchronizing with audio, 199
Video preferences tab, 227
Video Preview window, 22

INDEX
 viii

INDEX