Sony Acid 7 Manual

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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 
Tr a c k  F X 
button ( ) and choose an envelope from the menu.
Tip: Press   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   while dragging to override 
snapping. For more information, see Using snapping on page 78.
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   to hide a volume envelope or 
 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 Tr a c k  F X 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   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  to remove a volume envelope or press 
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 95.
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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 ACID pans the track. 
Note: When applying stereo pan types, ACID interprets a 
monaural track 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 178.
Using the Beatmapper
When you add a file to a project that is longer than 30 seconds, ACID’s 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 181.
2.Specify whether you want to use the Beatmapper Wizard:
Select the 
Ye s  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 songs 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 ACID 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   while you click 
once in the track to place the Beatmapped file.
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Understanding stretching properties 
All loops on the ACID 4.0 CD-ROM (as well as all loop library 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 106.
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 132.
Once you modify the properties of a track, ACID saves the information 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 109.
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 files 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 ACID handles 
the track.
Track Type Description
Loop When you select Loop, ACID transposes the track 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, ACID streams the track 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, ACID’s Beatmapper 
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Adjusting time stretching (Beatmapped tracks only)
If you want ACID 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 ACID handles pitch shifting and time stretching for loop or 
Beatmapped tracks. After you have edited a files 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.
Stretch markers for loop tracks
On the Stretch tab of the Track Properties window is a graphic of a track’s waveform along with the stretch 
markers that ACID has automatically placed in the file. These markers correspond to detected subdivisions 
of beats in the audio file. Accurately detecting beats is essential to making quality time compression/
expansion.
The color of the markers on the beat ruler provides you with additional information. The following table 
describes the correlation between marker color and status.
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 ACID regarding the beat length of a loop for creative ends. 
For more 
information, see Playing double time/half time on page 189
.
Stretching method Stretching properties determine how ACID performs time compression and expansion 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.
Choose Nonlooping segments for sustaining material such as synthesizer pads and held 
notes.
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. For example, if you have slowed the project tempo down and hear 
echo artifacts, choosing Pitch shift segments can eliminate these artifacts.
You can adjust stretching properties creatively. 
For more information, see Overriding 
compress/expand on page 193.
Force divisions at Choose a setting from the drop-down list to adjust the resolution of beat detection. Higher 
settings increase resolution and lower settings decrease resolution. 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.
Additional transient 
detectionEnter a value in the box or use the spin control to adjust the amount of extra beat detection 
that ACID performs for the beat subdivision specified by the Force divisions at setting.
A higher percentage detects a greater number of transients. Increasing this number can be 
advantageous when working with audio that has complex rhythms. Lower numbers are more 
suitable for synthesizer pads and other basic material.
Marker Color Description
This is an auto-detected marker that has been placed on a 
beat by ACID.
This is a custom marker. A file may contain custom 
markers if its stretching properties have been adjusted 
previously, like the loops on the ACID CD.
This is a disabled marker. 
						

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Setting markers
You can use the mouse to add, move, disable, and delete markers from the track’s beat ruler. The following 
table briefly describes each of these actions.
Tip: Right-clicking a marker displays a shortcut menu that 
allows you to perform many of the same functions.
Stretching properties for Beatmapped tracks
The following table describes the settings on the Stretch tab for Beatmapped tracks.
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 131.
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.
Action Description
Clicking Resets all markers to their default state, but also 
sets all other values on this page back to default.
Dragging a marker Moves markers on the beat ruler. Moving an auto-
detected marker ( ) causes it to become a custom 
marker ( ).
Double-clicking an empty 
section of the marker rulerAdds a new custom marker ( ) to the beat ruler.
Double-clicking an existing 
markerDisables the marker.
Double-clicking a disabled 
auto-detected marker ( )Enables the marker and toggles it back to its default 
color ( ). Auto-detected markers cannot be 
removed.
Double-clicking a disabled 
custom marker ( ) Removes the marker from the beat ruler.
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 tracks 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 tracks tempo information. 
For more 
information, see Using the Beatmapper on page 103
.