Sony Acid 7 Manual

							APPENDIX BACID TIPS AND TRICKS
189
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 113.
2.Press   to view bus tracks. For more information, see Automating mixer controls in track view on page 125.
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.
Playing double time/half time
You can also produce interesting effects by misinforming ACID 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.
U
Pan the track hard left... ...match the assignable effect 
send level to the track volume......and set the assignable effect send to 
Pre Volume. 
						

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ACID TIPS AND TRICKSAPPENDIX B
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 82.
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 97.
Make the effects even more pronounced by setting a start offset within specific individual events. For 
more information, see Changing event properties on page 68.
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 in ACID 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   to view bus tracks. For more information, see Automating mixer controls in track view on page 125.
2.Select the Master bus track and press   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 99.
U
Shift+V 
						

							APPENDIX BACID TIPS AND TRICKS
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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 in ACID 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 97.
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 Tr a c k  F X 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 99.
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 100.
1.Select a track and press   (volume) or   (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 125.
Shift+ V Shift+P 
						

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ACID TIPS AND TRICKSAPPENDIX B
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 100.
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 101.
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 93.
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 effects 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 99.
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 100.
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 101.
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 100. 
						

							APPENDIX BACID TIPS AND TRICKS
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Overriding compress/expand
One of the most powerful features of ACID 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 80.
2.Place a 4/4 loop file in the Chopper. For more information, see Placing files in the Chopper on page 87.
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 
. 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. 
ACID saves the selection and adds the file as a 3/4 loop to a new track in the project. For more 
information, see Saving Chopper selections as new files on page 90.
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 87.
2.Select audio in the Chopper and press   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.
Ctrl+M
Ctrl
+M 
						

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ACID TIPS AND TRICKSAPPENDIX B
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 109.
ACID saves the new composite loop 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 87.
2.Create a one-measure selection. For more information, see Creating selections of a specific musical length on 
page 88.
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 103.
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 103.
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   to shift the selection right by the length of the insert increment arrow. 
7.Repeat steps five and six as desired.
Ctrl+. 
						

							APPENDIX BACID TIPS AND TRICKS
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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  . ACID creates crossfades 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 85.
2.Use the pitch shifting to transpose some of the new events. For more information, see Changing an event’s 
key on page 82.
3.Apply volume envelopes to simulate the varying attacks associated with live soloing. For more information, 
see Adding volume or pan envelopes on page 97.
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 81.
Building scales
Though it is well outside the intended scope of the application, you can use ACID to 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 Sound Forge’s Spectrum Analysis tool. 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.
F 
						

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ACID TIPS AND TRICKSAPPENDIX B 
						

							C
APPENDIX CGLOSSARY
APPENDIX
197
Glossary
The glossary contains terms and their definitions that you may come across in the manual. This glossary not 
only includes terms associated with ACID, but also includes relevant industry terms.
.acd-zipAn 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 CodeThis number is based on the Computer ID number of the computer on which 
ACID is installed. Each computer has a unique number, similar to a license plate. 
When you register ACID, Sonic Foundry generates an activation code for you 
based on the Computer ID number. Once you enter the activation code, ACID 
will not time out. Since the activation number is based on the Computer ID, it is 
important that you have ACID installed on the computer where you will be 
using it.
Adaptive Delta Pulse 
Code Modulation 
(ADPCM)A method of compressing audio data. Although the theory for compression using 
ADPCM is standard, there are many different algorithms employed. For example, 
Microsofts ADPCM algorithm is not compatible with the International 
Multimedia Associations (IMA) approved ADPCM.
Advanced 
Streaming Format 
(ASF)See Windows Media Format.
AliasingA type of distortion that occurs when digitally recording high frequencies with a 
low sample rate. For example, in a motion picture, when a cars 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. 
ASIOASIO (Audio Stream In/Out) is a low-latency driver model developed by 
Steinberg Media Technologies AG.
ASX FileASF Stream Redirector file. See Redirector File.
AttackThe 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.
AttenuationA decrease in the level of a signal.
Audio Compression 
Manager (ACM)The Audio Compression Manager from Microsoft is a standard interface for audio 
compression and signal processing for Windows. The ACM can be used by 
Windows programs to compress and decompress WAV files.
C 
						

							198
GLOSSARYAPPENDIX C
Audio Interchange 
File Format (AIFF)An audio file format developed by Apple Computer.
Audio Proxy File 
(.sfap0)See Proxy File.
BandwidthWhen 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 trackA file that has tempo information added to it as a result of going through the 
Beatmapper Wizard.
Beats Per Minute 
(BPM)The tempo of a piece of music can be written as a number of beats in one minute. 
If the tempo is 60 BPM, a single beat occurs once every second.
BitThe 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 DepthThe 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.
BufferMemory 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.
BusA virtual pathway where signals from tracks and effects are mixed. A buss output 
can be a physical audio device in the computer from which the signal is heard.
ByteRefers 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.
ClipboardThe clipboard is the location where data cut or copied from ACID is stored. You 
can then paste the data back into ACID at a different location.
ClippingOccurs 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.
CodecCoder/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 
(audio)A compression ratio controls the ratio of input to output levels above a specific 
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.