Sony Acid 7 Manual

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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 138.
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. 
Deleting note events
Use the Erase tool ( ) to erase events in the piano roll. Alternately, you can select events and press  . 
For more information, see Selecting note events on page 138.
Undoing and redoing
You can easily undo and redo actions in the piano roll editor by using keyboard shortcuts. Press   to 
undo an action, and press   to redo an action.
Saving MIDI
When you create or edit MIDI in the piano roll editor, ACID saves the MIDI information in the project, but 
does not save the information 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 148.
Delete
Ctrl+Z
Ctrl
+Shift+Z 
						

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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 ACID’s 
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.
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.
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 
. The piano roll editor begins playback and loops the marked selection. To stop playback, click the 
transport bar’s 
Stop button ( ) or press  .
Transport barToolbar
EventsLoop boxes
Space
Space 
						

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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 Tr a c k  drop-down list to view only the events for that track.
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 142.
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 Number Displays the number of the current controller change type. Choose a 
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 144
.
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 notes 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.
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. 
						

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Program 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.
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.
Event type Editable parameter Description 
						

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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
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 
						

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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 Tr a c k  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 150.
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 Tr a c k drop-down list.
3.If you will input MIDI from an external device, choose a device from the Input port 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. For more information, see Using the MIDI tab on 
page 182.
4.Choose the total duration from the start of one note to the start of the next from the Step size drop-down 
list. 
						

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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, 
ACID overlaps the note 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 notes 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 notes release (0-127). Low values produce a soft release; 
high values produce a staccato release.
In the
 Duration box, specify the length of the notes 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.
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   or   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.
ShiftCtrl 
						

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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   to undo an 
action, and press   to redo an action.
Saving MIDI
When you create or edit MIDI in the list editor, ACID saves the MIDI information in the project, but does 
not save the information 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 148.
Loading third-party OPT plug-ins
With ACID’s OPT 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, ACID makes the OPT plug-in 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 182.
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 178.
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.
Ctrl+Z
Ctrl
+Shift+Z 
						

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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, ACID loads the plug-in 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.
Saving, reloading, or replacing MIDI files
When you alter a MIDI file using any of the tabs in the Track Properties window, ACID saves the changes in 
the project file alone; it does not alter the original MIDI file. 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. For more information, see Reloading files on page 108 and Replacing files on page 109.
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 133.