Sony Acid 7 Manual

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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  . 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
ACID allows you to clear the undo and redo histories without closing the project or exiting the application. 
After the histories are cleared, ACID creates new ones 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 Ye s to clear the edit histories or No to retain the current edit histories.
Playing the project
ACID provides several methods of playing your projects. 
Using the transport bar
All buttons required to play your project are located on ACID’s 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 17.
Ctrl+Shift+Z 
						

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GETTING STARTEDCHP. 3
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, ACID offers 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  . To stop playback, click the transport bar’s 
Stop button ( ) or press  .
Playing from the cursor position
To begin playback from the current cursor position, click the transport bar’s Play button( ) or press  . 
To stop playback, click the transport bar’s 
Stop button ( ) or press  .
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 17.
1.Drag the handles of the loop bar 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  . ACID begins playback of the selected area. To 
stop playback, click the transport bar’s 
Stop button ( ) or press  .
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 178. 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 111.
Shift+SpaceSpace
Space
Space
HandleLoop bar
Space
Space 
						

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Viewing the Mixer window
The Mixer window appears by default when you start ACID, but you can hide it if necessary. To view or hide 
the Mixer window, choose 
Mixer from the View menu or press  . A check mark appears adjacent to 
the command to indicate when the window is displayed.
Using the mixer toolbar
The Mixer window toolbar contains four buttons: Project Audio Properties, Insert FX, Insert Bus, and Insert Soft 
Synth
.
Renaming mixer controls
Double-clicking a mixer control name allows you to rename the control. Press   to save the change.
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.
Button Description
Displays the Project Properties dialog.
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 113.
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 111.
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 115
.
Alt +3
Enter
Enter a new 
name for the 
mixer control 
						

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GETTING STARTEDCHP. 3
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 
Lock 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
ACID allows you 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.
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 ACID provides you 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 ACID’s native format, the ACID project file (.acd). 
Important: If you save a project created in an earlier 
version of ACID in ACID 4.0, it will be unusable in earlier 
versions of ACID. Use the Save As dialog to save the project 
with a new name after editing it in ACID 4.0.  
						

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When you are finished building a project, ACID allows you to 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 150.
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.
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 .
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 ACID 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. ACID saves the project.
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.
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 
Embedded Media.acd-zip 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.
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 179.
Ctrl+S 
						

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GETTING STARTEDCHP. 3
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 
Te m p l a t e drop-down list, 
or click 
Custom to create a new template. For more 
information, see Creating custom rendering settings on 
page 55.
6.Select or clear the following check boxes as needed:
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 if you want to render each track in the project to its 
own file. The 
File name box changes to Folder, which displays the name of the folder in the Save in box.

Stretch video to fill output frame (do not letterbox): Selecting this check box stretches the source video frame 
if the destination frame size differs. When this check box is cleared, ACID uses letterboxing or 
pillarboxing to keep the frame aspect correct.

Fast video resizing: Selecting this check box speeds the process of saving video. When this check box is 
cleared, the time required to save the file can increase dramatically. Clear this check box only when you 
have critical material where nothing but the highest quality video rendering will do.
7.Click Save. A progress dialog appears.
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. 
						

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Supported formats for rendering
The following table briefly describes the file formats available for rendering a project.
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 ACID.
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.
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 
Te m p l a t e box and click the Save 
Te m p l a t e  button ( ).
5.Click OK. The Custom Settings dialog closes. 
Format Extension Description
AIFF File.aifThe 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. ACID supports MPEG-1 and 
MPEG-2 file creation through the use of the MainConcept MPEG 
plug-in.
MPEG-1 Layer 3.mp3A highly compressed format used for portable digital players and 
Internet sharing of media. ACID provides 20 free MP3 encodes. 
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.movQuickTime for Microsoft Windows.
RealMedia .rm The RealNetworks standard for streaming media via the Web. This 
option renders both audio and video into one file.
Sonic Foundry Perfect 
Clarity Audio.pcaA Sonic Foundry proprietary lossless audio compression format.
Sonic Foundry Wave64 .w64 A Sonic Foundry proprietary wave format that does not have a 
restricted file size (unlike Windows standard WAV format which is 
limited to ~2GB).
Video for Windows.aviThe standard video file format used on Windows-based 
computers.
Wave .wav The standard audio file format used on Windows-based 
computers.
Windows Media Audio.wmaThe 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. 
						

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GETTING STARTEDCHP. 3
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 Sonic Foundry 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
ACID allows you to create accounts at Web sites where you can publish your song files. Each Web site that 
offers publishing directly through ACID 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 ACID publishes your song 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, ACID renders it 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. ACID begins uploading the file to the provider. 
A progress dialog informs you when the upload is finished.
5.Click OK. The publish provider provides a link to the song on their Web site; however, this may vary 
depending on provider. 
						

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Writing to CD
ACID allows you to burn your projects to CD using supported CD-R/CD-RW drives. ACID renders your 
project so it can be played on consumer CD players; however, the disc must be closed before it can be played 
in a CD player.
Note: ACID writes the entire project length 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 To o l s  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, ACID does not allow you 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.
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 loop region only check box to burn only the selected loop region. Clear the check box to 
burn the entire project.
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 ACID begins writing to the CD, 
cancelling the write operation renders the CD unusable. 
						

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