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When the increment length is less than the length of the selection, ACID overlaps the selections as you 
insert them in the track view. 
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.
Increment less than selectionSelection overlaps when inserted three times 
						

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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, ACID ignores the increment setting.
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. ACID adds the file 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 
. 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.
Ctrl+M 
						

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5.From the Te m p l a t e 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 55.
6.Click Save. 
ACID saves the selection and adds the file 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 ACID’s snapping options are active. If snapping is not active, choose Snapping from the 
Options menu and choose Enable from the submenu, or press  .
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 88.
4.From the Options menu, choose Snapping, and choose Enable from the submenu, or press   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 90.
9.Repeat steps six through eight to insert all desired selections in the track view.
F8
F8 
						

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							7
CHP. 7WORKING WITH TRACKS
CHAPTER93
Working with Tracks
This chapter covers advanced track features including track effect chains, track envelopes, and stereo 
panning modes. You’ll also learn more about track types, track properties, and rendering tracks to new files.
Using track effects
ACID enables you to create DirectX plug-in chains, adjust the order of plug-ins on a chain, bypass a plug-in, 
remove plug-ins from the chain, and save frequently used chains as presets.
The EQ plug-in 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 95.
Important: We recommend that you do not use time-
altering effects (such as time stretch, gapper/snipper, pitch-
shift without preserving duration, and some vibrato settings) 
with an ACID project. Time-altering effects cause a track to 
play out of synchronization with the waveform display in the 
track view and with other tracks.
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 111.
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, ACID processes the track’s events 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 95.
1.Click the Tr a c k  F X button ( ). The Audio Plug-In window appears.
Note: The Track FX button indicates whether the current 
plug-in chain includes automatable effects ( ) or does not 
include automatable effects ( ). By default, an ACID Pro 
track plug-in chain includes the Track EQ plug-in, which is 
automatable. For more information, see Adding effect 
automation envelopes on page 98.
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2.Click the Edit Chain button ( ) to display the Plug-In Chooser dialog.
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 
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.
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 178.
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 98.
Chain area 
						

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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 Tr a c k  F X 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 ( ). 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 Tr a c k  F X 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
ACID allows you to 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. For more information, see Using 
the Preset Manager on page 124.
1.Click the Tr a c k  F X  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 
Preset drop-down list. For more information about effect parameters, click the Plug-In Help button ( ) 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 Tr a c k  F X  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.
Tip: You can customize ACID envelope colors. For more 
information, see Using the Other tab on page 185.
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 187.
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 Vo l u m e or Pan from the submenu.
Right-click the track header in the track list, choose 
Insert/Remove Envelope from the shortcut menu, 
and choose 
Vo l u m e or Pan from the submenu.
Press   (volume envelope) or   (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.
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 103.
Envelope type Envelope color
Vo lu m e Blue
Pan Red
Bus send Purple
Assignable effect send Green
Effect automation Wood tones (various)
Shift+ V Shift+P
Envelope line 
						

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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 111.
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 113.
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 191 and Turning automated effects on and off on page 192.
1.Click the Tr a c k  F X  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 93.
2.Click the 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.