Sony ACID 6.0a User Manual Pro 6.0 Acidpro60

User Manual: sony Acid Pro - 6.0 - User Manual Free User Guide for Sony Acid Software, Manual

Open the PDF directly: View PDF .
Page Count: 290 [warning: Documents this large are best viewed by clicking the View PDF Link!]

Revised October 27, 2006

After ACID software is installed and you start it for the first time, the registration wizard appears. This wizard offers easy

steps that allow you to register the software online with Sony Media Software. Alternatively, you may register online at

http://www.sony.com/mediasoftware at any time.

Registering your product will provide you with access to a variety of technical support options, notification of product

updates, and special promotions exclusive to registered ACID users.

Registration assistance

If you do not have access to the Internet, registration assistance is available during normal weekday business hours.

Please contact our Customer Service department by dialing one of the following numbers:

Customer service/sales

For a detailed list of customer service options, we encourage you to visit

http://mediasoftware.sonypictures.com/support/custserv.asp. Use the following numbers for telephone support during

normal weekday business hours:

Technical support

For a detailed list of technical support options, we encourage you to visit

http://mediasoftware.sonypictures.com/support/default.asp. To listen to your support options by telephone, please call

608-256-5555.

About your rights in ACID software

ACID is licensed to you under the terms of the End User License Agreement. The End User License Agreement is first

presented to you when you install the software. Please review the End User License Agreement carefully as its terms

affect your rights with respect to the software. For your reference, a copy of the End User License Agreement for ACID is

located at

http://www.sony.com/mediasoftware.

About your privacy

Sony Media Software respects your privacy and is committed to protecting personal information. Your use of the

software is governed by the Software Privacy Policy. A copy of this policy is incorporated into the registration process and

you are asked to agree to its terms prior to accepting the terms of the End User License Agreement. Please review its

Telephone/Fax Country

1-800-577-6642 (toll-free) US, Canada, and Virgin Islands

+608-204-7703 for all other countries

1-608-250-1745 (Fax) All countries

Telephone/Fax Country

1-800-577-6642 (toll-free) US, Canada, and Virgin Islands

+608-204-7703 for all other countries

1-608-250-1745 (Fax) All countries

contents carefully as its terms and conditions affect your rights with respect to the information that is collected by the

software. For your reference, a copy of the Software Privacy Policy is located at http://mediasoftware.sonypictures.com/

corporate/privacy.asp.

Proper use of software

ACID is not intended and should not be used for illegal or infringing purposes, such as the illegal copying or sharing of

copyrighted materials. Using ACID for such purposes is, among other things, against United States and international

copyright laws and contrary to the terms and conditions of the End User License Agreement. Such activity may be

punishable by law and may also subject you to the breach remedies set forth in the End User License Agreement.

Legal notices

Vegas, Vegas+DVD, DVD Architect, Vegas Movie Studio, Vegas Movie Studio Platinum, Vegas Movie Studio+DVD, DVD Architect Studio,

ACID, Music Studio, ACIDized, Sony Sound Series, Groove Mapping, Groove Cloning, Media Manager, CD Architect, Sound Forge, and

Audio Studio are trademarks or registered trademarks of Madison Media Software, Inc. or its affiliates in the United States and other

countries. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners in the United States and other

countries.

Thomson Fraunhofer MP3

MPEG Layer-3 audio coding technology licensed from Fraunhofer IIS and Thomson.

Supply of this product does not convey a license nor imply any right to distribute content created with this product in revenue

generating broadcast systems (terrestrial, satellite, cable and/or other distribution channels), streaming applications (via internet,

intranets and/or other networks), other content distribution systems (pay-audio or audio on demand applications and the like) or on

physical media (compact discs, digital versatile discs, semiconductor chips, hard drives, memory cards and the like).

An independent license for such use is required. For details, please visit: http://mp3licensing.com.

Microsoft DirectX programming interface

Portions utilize Microsoft® DirectX® technologies. Copyright © 1999 – 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Microsoft Windows Media 9

Portions utilize Microsoft Windows Media® technologies. Copyright © 1999 – 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Real, RealMedia, RealAudio, and RealVideo applications

2006 RealNetworks, Inc. Patents Pending. All rights reserved. Real®, Real Media®, RealAudio®, RealVideo®, and the Real logo are

trademarks or registered trademarks of RealNetworks, Inc. in the United States and other countries.

MPEGLA and MPEG 2

USE OF THIS PRODUCT IN ANY MANNER THAT COMPLIES WITH THE MPEG-2 STANDARD IS EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED WITHOUT A LICENSE

UNDER APPLICABLE PATENTS IN THE MPEG-2 PATENT PORTFOLIO, WHICH LICENSE IS AVAILABLE FROM MPEG-LA, LLC, 250 STEELE

STREET, SUITE 300, DENVER, COLORADO 80206.

Manufactured under license from MPEG-LA.

Dolby, Dolby Digital AC-3, and AAC encoding

This product contains one or more programs protected under international and U.S. copyright laws as unpublished works. They are

confidential and proprietary to Dolby Laboratories. Their reproduction or disclosure, in whole or in part, or the production of derivative

works therefrom without the express permission of Dolby Laboratories is prohibited. Copyright 1992 – 2006 Dolby Laboratories. All

rights reserved.

Dolby®, the double-D symbol, AC-3®, and Dolby Digital® are registered trademarks of Dolby Laboratories. AAC™ is a trademark of Dolby

Laboratories.

PNG file format

Copyright © 2006. World Wide Web Consortium (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, European Research Consortium for Informatics

and Mathematics, Keio University). All rights reserved. This work is distributed under the W3C Software License in the hope that it will be

useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTIBILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

http://www.w3.org/Consortium/Legal/2002/copyright-software-20021231.

Apple QuickTime

Apple® QuickTime® application is a trademark of Apple, Inc. in the United States and other countries.

Apple Macintosh Audio Interchange File Format (AIFF) file format.

Apple® Macintosh® Audio Interchange™ File Format (AIFF) is a trademark of Apple, Inc. in the United States and other countries.

Targa file format

The Targa™ file format is a trademark of Pinnacle Systems, Inc.

Tagged Image File Format (TIFF)

Adobe Tagged Image™ File Format is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and other countries. All

rights reserved.

Main Concept encoder

Main Concept® plug-in is a trademark of registered trademark of Main Concept, Inc. in the United States or other countries. All rights

reserved.

Macromedia Flash

Macromedia and Flash are trademarks or registered trademarks of Macromedia, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries.

Gracenote

CD and music-related data from Gracenote, Inc., copyright © 2000-2006 Gracenote. Gracenote CDDB® Client Software, copyright 2000-

2006 Gracenote. This product and service may practice one or more of the following U.S. Patents: #5,987,525; #6,061,680; #6,154,773,

#6,161,132, #6,230,192, #6,230,207, #6,240,459, #6,330,593, and other patents issued or pending. Services supplied and/or device

manufactured under license for following Open Globe, Inc. United States Patent 6,304,523.

Gracenote and CDDB are registered trademarks of Gracenote. The Gracenote logo and logotype, MusicID, and the "Powered by

Gracenote" logo are trademarks of Gracenote.

ATRAC

"ATRAC," "ATRAC3," "ATRAC3plus," "ATRAC Advanced Lossless," and the ATRAC logo are trademarks of Sony Corporation.

http://www.sony.net/Products/ATRAC3/

The information contained in this manual is subject to change without notice and does not represent a guarantee or

commitment on behalf of Madison Media Software, Inc. in any way. All updates or additional information relating to the

contents of this manual will be posted on the Sony Media Software web site, located at http://www.sony.com/

mediasoftware. The software is provided to you under the terms of the End User License Agreement and Software Privacy

Policy, and must be used and/or copied in accordance therewith. Copying or distributing the software except as expressly

described in the End User License Agreement is strictly prohibited. No part of this manual may be reproduced or

transmitted in any form or for any purpose without the express written consent of Madison Media Software, Inc.

Copyright 2006. Madison Media Software, Inc.

Program Copyright 2006. Madison Media Software, Inc. All rights reserved.

Madison Media Software, Inc.

A subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America

1617 Sherman Avenue

Madison, WI 53704

USA

TABLE OF CONTENTS | 1

Table of

Contents

Introducing ACID Software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Welcome. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

System requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Installing ACID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Using online help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Online help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

What’s This? help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Help on the Web . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Overview of ACID software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Main window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Track list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Track view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Window docking area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Keyboard command reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Audio signal flow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

MIDI signal flow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

Starting projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

Setting project properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Opening existing projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Getting media files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Previewing media from the Explorer window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Adding media to the project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Obtaining or editing CD information using Gracenote . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

Understanding clip types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Loops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

One-shots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Beatmapped . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

MIDI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Folder tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Adding and editing events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

Painting events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Changing the length of events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Erasing sections of events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Moving events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Editing MIDI events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Using the cursor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Positioning the cursor with the mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Positioning the cursor with the keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Positioning the cursor with the Go To command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Making selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

2 | TABLE OF CONTENTS

Selecting an event . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Selecting multiple events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Creating time selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Creating event selections within time selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Working with tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Reordering tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Resizing tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Changing track colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Renaming tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Duplicating tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Deleting tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Copying, cutting, and pasting tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Adjusting the mix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Muting tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Soloing tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Working with groups of tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Using undo and redo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Using undo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Undoing all edits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Using redo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Clearing the undo history . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Playing the project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Using the transport bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Using playback options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Using the Mixer window. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Viewing the Mixer window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Using the mixer toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Renaming mixer controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Using the mixer’s faders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Saving, rendering, and delivering projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Saving projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Rendering projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Publishing to the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Writing to CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Understanding track-at-once and disc-at-once . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Editing Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61

Copying events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Pasting events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Using Paste Repeat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Using Paste Insert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Cutting events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Deleting events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

TABLE OF CONTENTS | 3

Reversing events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

Trimming events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Splitting events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

Splitting at the cursor position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Splitting one event . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Splitting multiple events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Splitting a time selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Splitting events within a time selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Joining events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Automatic crossfades. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Creating crossfades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Changing fade types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Ripple editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67

Cutting events in ripple editing mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Deleting events in ripple editing mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Pasting events in ripple editing mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Slipping and sliding events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Shifting the contents of (slipping) events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Slip-trimming events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Sliding events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Changing event properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Using event envelopes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Setting an event’s volume envelope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Setting an event’s fade-in and -out envelope curve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Using sections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Inserting a section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Adjusting a section's length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Renaming a section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Changing a section's color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Moving (shuffling) sections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Copying a section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Deleting a section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Moving a section label . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Removing a section label . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Clearing all events from a section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

Using the Media Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75

Creating a new media library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75

Opening a media library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Adding media files to a library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Removing media files from a library. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Tagging media files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

4 | TABLE OF CONTENTS

Creating a tag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Applying a tag to a media file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Removing a tag from a media file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

Deleting a tag from a library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

Merging subtags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Arranging tags in the tag tree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Editing tag names or images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Viewing or creating palettes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Saving tags and properties to media files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Backing up your media libraries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Opening a Reference Library. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Using the Sony Sound Series Loops & Samples reference library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Searching for media files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Searching using a keyword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Searching using tags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Sorting search results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Viewing previous searches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Using advanced search options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Previewing media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Adding media to your project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Resolving offline media files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Customizing the Media Manager window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Automatically hiding the Search pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Docking and undocking the Search pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Resizing columns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Moving columns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

Showing or hiding columns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

Adding custom columns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

Setting Media Manager options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

Working in the Track View. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89

Using project markers and regions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Working with standard markers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Working with time markers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Working with command markers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

Working with regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Using snapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Choosing snapping options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Changing tempo, time signature, and key. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95

Changing project tempo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Changing project time signature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Changing project key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Working with tempo/key/time signature change markers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

TABLE OF CONTENTS | 5

Changing a clip’s key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

Changing an event’s key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

Adjusting time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

Inserting time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

Fitting to time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

Using the Chopper. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

Working in the Chopper window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101

Viewing the Chopper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101

Changing the Chopper grid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101

Changing Chopper snapping options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101

Magnifying the Chopper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101

Previewing in the Chopper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101

Using Chopper toolbar and keyboard commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102

Inserting markers and regions in the Chopper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102

Creating selections in the Chopper. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102

Placing files in the Chopper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102

Creating selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103

Creating selections of a specific musical length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103

Inserting increments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103

Creating increments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104

Creating increments of a specific musical length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104

Creating increments of a custom musical length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105

Inserting selections in the track view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105

Using the Insert Selection button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105

Using copy and paste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105

Dragging selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105

Moving the insert position in the track view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105

Saving Chopper selections as new files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105

Using the Chopper with one-shots. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106

Working with Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

Using clips with tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107

Adding clips to tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107

Using track effects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110

Using track effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110

Creating or adding to track plug-in chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111

Arranging plug-in chain order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112

Bypassing plug-ins in a chain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112

Bypassing effect automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112

Removing plug-ins from chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112

Saving plug-in chains as packages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112

Removing or bypassing all effects on tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113

Using track automation envelopes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113

6 | TABLE OF CONTENTS

Choosing stereo pan types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113

Using the Beatmapper. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114

Understanding stretching properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115

Configuring track properties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115

Audio track properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115

MIDI track properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115

Configuring clip properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115

Managing a track’s clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116

Adjusting general clip properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116

Adjusting stretching properties for loop or Beatmapped clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116

Reloading files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119

Replacing files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120

Saving file properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120

Adjusting clip properties for MIDI tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120

Working with grooves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120

Applying or removing grooves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120

Creating grooves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122

Editing grooves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124

Using folder tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124

Creating a folder track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125

Adding existing tracks to a folder track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125

Removing tracks from a folder track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125

Muting a folder track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125

Soloing a folder track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125

Editing events in a folder track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125

Mixing multiple tracks to a single track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125

Exporting loops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126

Using Automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

Showing or hiding automation controls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127

Track automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127

Mute automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127

Volume or pan automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128

Bus automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128

Assignable effects automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129

Adding or removing track effect automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130

MIDI controller automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131

MIDI program change automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132

Working with track envelopes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132

Adjusting envelopes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132

Using the Envelope tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134

Hiding track envelopes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135

Removing track envelopes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135

TABLE OF CONTENTS | 7

Automating 5.1 surround projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136

Automation recording modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136

Recording automation settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137

Editing sections of your recorded settings in Touch mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137

Overwriting recorded settings in Latch mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .138

Editing individual envelope points or keyframes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .138

Setting the automation recording mode for a track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .138

Using the Mixer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

Using busses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141

Adding busses to the project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141

Routing tracks to busses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141

Routing busses to system hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141

Deleting busses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142

Using assignable effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142

Adding assignable effect controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142

Working with assignable effects chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143

Routing tracks to assignable effect controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143

Routing assignable effect controls to busses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143

Deleting assignable effect controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144

Using soft synth controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144

Adding soft synth controls to projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144

Modifying soft synth control properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144

Deleting soft synth controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147

Routing MIDI tracks to soft synth controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148

Using mixer controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148

Working with mixer controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148

Adding effects to soft synth mixer controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .149

Working with multiple mixer controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151

Automating mixer controls in track view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152

Working with ReWire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152

Using ACID as a ReWire mixer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .153

Using ACID as a ReWire device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154

Recording Audio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155

Setting up your equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155

Basic setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155

Setup with mixer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155

Setup with digital multitrack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156

Preparing to record. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156

Arming the track for recording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156

Selecting recording settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .157

Using the metronome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .157

Recording. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .157

8 | TABLE OF CONTENTS

Recording into an empty track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .157

Recording into a time selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158

Recording into an event . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158

Recording into an event with a time selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .159

Working with multiple recorded clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .159

Specifying where recordings are stored . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160

Changing where recorded files are stored for new projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160

Changing where recorded files are stored for individual projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160

Monitoring audio levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160

Using record input monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160

Working with MIDI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163

Adding MIDI tracks and files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .163

Adding MIDI tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .163

Adding MIDI files to a project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .163

Recording MIDI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164

Setting up a MIDI controller for recording into a track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164

Recording MIDI in real time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .165

Using MIDI step recording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .165

Using MIDI merge recording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166

Editing MIDI on the timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .167

Choosing a drum map or kit for a track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168

Navigating the piano roll or drum grid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168

Audition notes with the keyboard/drum grid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .169

Selecting notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .169

Adding or deleting notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .170

Editing note positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .171

Editing note duration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .172

Editing note velocity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .172

Processing and filtering MIDI events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .173

Quantizing MIDI events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .173

Editing velocity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .174

Editing duration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .175

Editing MIDI track properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .176

Configuring MIDI track output settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .176

Configuring MIDI input filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .179

Setting up MIDI quantize input filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .181

Using the clip pool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .182

Toggling looped or one-shot painting for a MIDI clip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .182

Editing a MIDI clip's time signature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .182

MIDI Track Envelopes and Keyframes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .183

Adding a mute envelope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .183

Adding a MIDI controller envelope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .183

TABLE OF CONTENTS | 9

Configuring MIDI track controller automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184

Adding a program change keyframe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184

Add a Sysex keyframe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .185

Automating VSTi parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .185

Editing MIDI clip properties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .186

Editing a MIDI clip with OPT Piano Roll . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .186

Editing a MIDI clip with OPT Piano Roll . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .186

Merging controller data from a MIDI clip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .187

Using the piano roll editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .187

Viewing the piano roll editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .187

Previewing MIDI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .188

Adding note events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .188

Editing note events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .188

Toggling note snapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .190

Quantizing note events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .190

Deleting note events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .191

Undoing and redoing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .191

Using the list editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .191

Viewing the list editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .191

Previewing MIDI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .191

Filtering the list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .192

Editing events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .193

Creating events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .195

Quantizing events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .195

Deleting events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .196

Undoing and redoing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .196

Routing tracks to MIDI devices or soft synths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .196

Resetting MIDI ports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .197

Rendering projects with MIDI tracks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .197

Playing MIDI from external devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .197

Adding external devices as MIDI inputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .197

Assigning MIDI inputs to soft synth controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .197

Creating or editing program maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .198

Creating program maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .198

Editing program maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .199

Assigning a patch map to a MIDI device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .199

Creating or editing drum maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .200

Editing a drum map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .200

Choosing a drum map for a track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .201

Synchronizing using MIDI timecode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .201

Generating MIDI timecode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .201

Triggering from MIDI timecode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .202

Generating MIDI clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .202

10 | TABLE OF CONTENTS

Exporting MIDI files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .203

Saving MIDI clips for export . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .203

Exporting the project to a standard MIDI file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .203

Configuring a Mackie Control Universal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .204

Configuring a Frontier TranzPort. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .204

Configuring a generic MIDI controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .204

Working with Video. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205

Managing video. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205

Adding or replacing video files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205

Removing the video track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205

Hiding and showing the video track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205

Synchronizing audio and video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205

Removing the video’s audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205

Changing frame numbering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205

Editing video events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205

Moving video events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .206

Trimming video events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .206

Slipping and sliding video events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .206

Using the Video Preview window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .206

Copying a frame to the clipboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .207

Using toolbar buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .207

Using the shortcut menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .207

Viewing the status bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .207

Previewing on external monitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .207

Scoring video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .207

Working with 5.1 Surround. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209

What is 5.1 surround?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .209

Setting up surround hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .210

Setting up surround projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .210

Routing to hardware in the mixer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .211

Assigning audio to the LFE channel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .211

Adjusting volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .212

Adjusting track volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .212

Adjusting assignable effects send or bus send levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .212

Adjusting channel levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .212

Panning audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .213

Panning tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .213

Panning mixer controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .214

Using the Surround Panner window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .214

Automating panning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .217

Turning on panning keyframes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .217

TABLE OF CONTENTS | 11

Adding panning keyframes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .217

Working with keyframes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .218

Rendering surround projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .220

Burning AC-3 files to DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .220

Customizing ACID Software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .221

Working with ACID windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .221

Docking and floating ACID windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .221

Changing the time ruler format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .223

Using the ruler offset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .223

Using the project grid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .223

Setting the grid type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .224

Using the toolbar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .224

Hiding and displaying the toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .224

Reordering toolbar buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .224

Adding buttons to the toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .225

Removing buttons from the toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .225

Using the time display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .226

Changing cursor position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .226

Changing the time display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .226

Monitoring MIDI timecode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .226

Setting default track properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .227

Setting ACID preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .227

Using the General tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .228

Using the Audio tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .230

Using the Audio Device tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .230

Using the MIDI tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .232

Using the VST Effects tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .234

Using the VST Instruments tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .234

Using the ReWire Devices tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .234

Using the Video tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .234

Using the Editing tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .234

Using the Sync tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .236

Using the Display tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .238

Using the Other tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .238

Using the Folders tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .238

Using the External Control & Automation tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .239

Customizing keyboard shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .240

Using Control Surfaces with ACID. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .241

Connecting a control surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .241

Configuring ACID to use your control surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .241

Configuring or customizing your control surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .242

Using your control surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .242

Setting up a Mackie Control Universal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .242

12 | TABLE OF CONTENTS

Connecting the Mackie Control Universal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .243

Configuring the software to use the Mackie Control Universal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .243

Configuring channel mappings for Mackie Control Extenders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .244

Configuring or customizing control mappings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .245

Using the Mackie Control Universal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .246

Channel section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .246

Footswitches (not shown) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .247

Control buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .247

Fader Banks buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .249

Display buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .249

Markers buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .250

Add New buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .250

Windows buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .251

View buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .251

Modifiers buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .252

Audio/Video buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .252

Project buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .253

Timeline buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .253

Transport buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .254

Arrow buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .255

Jog dial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .256

Using a Frontier TranzPort . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .256

Viewing the control mappings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .256

Adjusting track or bus volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .257

Adjusting track or bus panning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .257

Editing a track's input device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .257

Editing a track or mixer control's output device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .258

Configuring a generic MIDI controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .258

Customizing your control mappings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .258

Loading a control mapping file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .259

Example of how you can set up MIDI keyboard as a generic control surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .259

ACID Tips and Tricks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .261

Adding long media files quickly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .261

Playing with duplicate tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .261

Detuning paired tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .261

Duplicating with offset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .262

Creating ping-pong pan effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .262

Adding depth with assignable effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .262

Playing double time/half time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .263

Constructing the wall of sound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .263

Adding through subtraction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .263

Tweaking the dynamics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .263

Fading in and out of mixes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .263

TABLE OF CONTENTS | 13

Adding build ups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .264

Creating wah-wah effects with automated Track EQ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .264

Making automated changes more stark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .264

Abruptly changing volume or pan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .264

Turning automated effects on and off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .265

Making automated frequency changes more natural . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .265

Overriding compress/expand. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .265

Slicing and dicing in the Chopper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .266

Chopping new loops for alternate time signatures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .266

Chopping multiple files into a new loop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .266

Creating drum-roll build ups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .266

Creating drum fills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .267

Creating one-track remixes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .267

Creating pseudo-granular synthesis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .267

Building instrument solos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .267

Building scales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .267

Glossary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .269

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .i

14 | TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCING ACID SOFTWARE | 15

Chapter

1

Introducing ACID Software

Welcome

Congratulations on purchasing a revolutionary software application for Microsoft® Windows®. With ACID® from Sony

Media Software, you can create great music by simply picking, painting, and playing.

System requirements

The following lists the minimum system requirements for using ACID:

• Microsoft® Windows® 2000 SP4 or XP

• 1 GHz processor (1.2 GHz if using video)

• 256 MB RAM, 512 MB recommended

• 150 MB hard-disk space for program installation

• 600 MB hard-disk space for optional Sony Sound Series Loops & Samples™ reference library installation

• Microsoft Windows-compatible sound card

• DVD-ROM drive (for installation from a DVD only)

• Supported CD-recordable drive (for CD burning only)

• Microsoft DirectX® 9.0c or later (version 8.1b included on DVD-ROM)

• Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 (included on DVD-ROM)

• Internet Explorer 5.1 or later (included on DVD-ROM)

• Internet connection (for Gracenote® MusicID™)

Installing ACID

Prior to installing the software, we recommend that you exit all open applications and temporarily turn off any virus

protection.

1.

Insert the application disc. The setup screen appears (if AutoPlay is enabled for your CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive).

2.

Click Install. The installation process begins.

3.

Follow the on-screen prompts to install the appropriate version of the software for your computer.

Using online help

You can access two varieties of help within ACID:

• Online help

• What’sThis? help (also referred to as context-sensitive help)

Online help

To access online help, choose Contents and Index from the Help menu or press F1.

Note:

If you have disabled the AutoPlay feature, click the Start button and choose Run. In the Run dialog that the

CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive letter and add :\setup.exe. Click OK to start the installation.

Note:

Windows Installer is used for all versions of Windows. Windows Installer is installed and then you are asked to

restart your system.

Note:

To view online help, Internet Explorer 5.1 or later must be installed on your system. If you purchased the boxed

version of ACID, Internet Explorer version 5.1 is included on your CD-ROM.

16 | Chapter 1

The Contents tab provides a list of available help topics. Double-click a closed book ( ) to open the pages and then click

a topic page ( ).

The Index tab provides a complete listing of the help topics available. Scroll through the list of available topics or type a

word in the Type in the keyword to find box to quickly locate topics related to that word. Select the topic and click

.

The Search tab allows you to enter a keyword and display all of the topics in the online help that contain the keyword you

have entered. Type a keyword in the Type in the word(s) to search for box and click . Select the topic from the

list and click .

The Favorites tab allows you to keep topics that you revisit often in a separate folder. To add a topic to your favorites, click

on the Favorites tab.

What’s This? help

What’sThis? help allows you to view pop-up window descriptions for ACID menus, buttons, and dialog boxes. Choose

What's This? from the Help menu, press Shift+F1, or click the What’sThis? help button ( ) on the toolbar and then click

any ACID item. To use What’sThis? help in a dialog box, click the question mark button ( ) in the upper-right corner of

the dialog box and then click an item in the dialog box.

Help on the Web

Additional ACID information is available on the Sony Media Software Web site. From the Help menu, choose Sony on the

Web, and choose the desired location from the submenu. The software starts your system’s Web browser and attempts to

connect to the appropriate page on the Sony Web site.

Overview of ACID software

ACID music creation software is designed to be powerful and flexible, yet easy to use. Many of the ACID operations, menu

items, and shortcut keys are common to other Sony Media Software applications.

The following sections provide a tour of the ACID work area.

Toolbar

Tabs

Information

pane

INTRODUCING ACID SOFTWARE | 17

Main window

The ACID workspace includes three main areas: the track list, the track view (or timeline), and the window docking area.

The other parts of the interface are tools and features used while creating and working with your project. You can resize

the track list, track view, and window docking area by dragging the dividers between them.

Toolbar

The toolbar allows you to quickly access the most commonly used functions and features in ACID.

Opens a new project. You will be prompted to

save any changes to the current project.

Locks envelope points so they move with an event

when it is moved along the timeline.

Displays the Open File dialog. From this window,

you can browse all of the available drives to select

an ACID project or audio file to open.

Activates the Metronome to keep time during

recording and playback.

Saves any changes to the current project.

The first time you save a project, the Save As

dialog appears.

Allows editing of MIDI events directly on the timeline.

In this mode, you can draw and erase notes in a piano

roll or drum grid view.

Opens the Publish wizard so you can share your

ACID creation on the Web.

Activates the Draw tool to add and edit events.

Opens a dialog where you can download media

from the Internet.

Activates the Selection tool to select multiple events.

Clears the selected items from the track view and

places them on the ACID clipboard. You can then

paste them to a new location.

Activates the Paint tool to insert events across

multiple tracks.When used in conjunction with the

Ctrl key, the Paint tool can paint an entire one-shot,

MIDI, or Beatmapped media file to an event with one

click.

Creates a copy of the selected items from the

track view on the ACID clipboard. You can then

paste them to a new location.

Activates the Erase tool to erase events or parts of

events. When used in conjunction with the Ctrl key,

the Erase tool can erase an entire one-shot, MIDI track,

or Beatmapped track event with one click.

Track view

Divider

Window

docking

area

Track list

Divider Timeline

18 | Chapter 1

Track list

This list identifies the track order in your project and contains the track’s controls. The following sections identify and

briefly explain the controls located in the track list.

Minimize/Maximize Track Height buttons

These buttons control the track’s appearance (size) on the track list and the track view.

Track number

This area identifies the track’s number in the project. You can quickly change the track order by dragging selected tracks

within the track list.

Inserts the contents of the ACID clipboard at the

current cursor position. The pasted items cover

any existing events. To make room for pasted

events, choose Paste Insert from the Edit menu.

Activates the Envelope tool to select and modify

envelope points.

Reverses the last action performed. ACID supports

unlimited undos, allowing you to restore the

project to any state since the last save.

Activates the Time Selection tool to quickly select all

events within range of time.

Reverses an undo. Activates the Groove tool to apply a groove to a track.

You can use grooves to manipulate the timing of

tracks by quantizing media to predefined grooves or

by applying the feel of one track to another.

Turns the snapping feature on or off. With

snapping enabled, you can decide whether to

snap to the grid or to all elements (markers,

regions, etc.).

Activates the Groove Erase tool to erase grooves or

parts of grooves. When used in conjunction with the

Ctrl key, the Groove Erase tool can erase an entire

groove event.

Allows you to automatically create crossfades

when you overlap two audio events.

Activates What’sThis? help to obtain information

about a specific option, menu, or part of the ACID

window.

Track name

Track number

Volume slider

Track FX

Mute

Solo

Pan slider

Arm for Record

Paint Clip Selector

Automation Settings

Minimize Track Height

Maximize Track Height

AUDIO TRACKS

MIDI TRACK

MIDI Input

MIDI Output

MIDI controller data

Program

Insert controller envelopes

Controller data sliders

INTRODUCING ACID SOFTWARE | 19

Track name

When you add a file to a project, the track name is initially the same name as the file’s name. Right-click the track name

and choose Rename from the shortcut menu (or double-click) to change the track name.

Bus assignment/Device selection

Clicking the Bus Assignment button ( ) and selecting a letter from the menu allows you to assign the corresponding

track to the specified output bus. However, the button is only available in projects containing multiple busses. For more

information, see Adding busses to the project on page 141.

MIDI Input button

Clicking the MIDI Input button allows you to choose a MIDI input device for recording MIDI. For more information,

see Recording MIDI on page 164.

MIDI Output button

Clicking the MIDI Output button allows you to select soft synths and MIDI devices and the channel you want to use to

play MIDI data on the track. For more information, see Setting up a MIDI controller for recording into a track on page 164.

Program button

Clicking the Program button allows you to change the settings of your soft synth and show/hide keyframes. For more

information, see Changing the track voice on page 178.

For more information, see Adding a program change keyframe on page 184.

Track FX button

The Track FX button ( ) accesses the Audio Plug-In window from which you can add, edit, and apply effects to the track.

For more information, see Using clips with tracks on page 107.

Mute button

Clicking the Mute button ( ) temporarily suspends playback of the corresponding track, allowing you to focus on the

project’s remaining tracks. A muted track appears grayed out in the track view. For more information, see Muting tracks on

page 48.

Solo button

Clicking the Solo button ( ) isolates the track during playback by muting the project’s remaining tracks. For more

information, see Soloing tracks on page 49.

Surround panner

In 5.1 surround projects, the surround panner allows you to view and edit surround panning settings for a track.

Double-click a surround panner to view the Surround Panner window and make fine panning adjustments.

Volume fader

This dedicated volume fader controls how loud a track is in the mix. A value of 0 dB means that the track plays with no

boost or cut from the software. Dragging the fader to the left cuts the volume; dragging to the right boosts the volume.

20 | Chapter 1

Pan slider

This dedicated pan slider controls the position of a track in the stereo field. Dragging the slider to the left places the track

in the left speaker more than the right, while dragging the slider to the right places the track in the right speaker.

You can choose among five panning types to determine how a track is panned. For more information, see Choosing stereo

pan types on page 113.

Multipurpose slider

This multipurpose slider allows you to control the following:

• The level of the track’s signal being routed to each of the project’s busses.

• The level of the track’s signal being routed to an assignable effect control.

Each track’s slider position is independent from the others; however, you can move sliders simultaneously by selecting

multiple tracks before making your adjustment. If you do not see this slider, expand the track.

For MIDI tracks, four multipurpose sliders are displayed to allow you to adjust MIDI controller data. For more information,

see Controller automation on page 176.

You may choose what the slider controls by clicking the slider label. Changing the slider type for one track changes it for

all tracks so you can compare levels of the same control across the project. For more information, see Adjusting the mix on

page 48.

Paint Clip Selector button

Clicking the Paint Clip Selector button displays all the clips available for the track, allows the user to add clips, and opens

the Clip Pool.

The Paint Clip Selector button shows the clip type icons.

For more information, see Adding clips to tracks on page 107.

Track view

In the track view, you can view and edit the events in a track. The area in which events display is the timeline. The track

view contains other elements which are described in the following sections.

Clip type icons

Loop

One-shot

Beatmapped

MIDI (if Loop button is selected in the Clip

Pool)

MIDI (if Loop button is not selected in the Clip

Pool)

INTRODUCING ACID SOFTWARE | 21

Marker bar

The marker bar runs the length of your project and contains the tags for markers and regions positioned along the

project’s timeline.

Beat ruler

The beat ruler allows you to place events in reference to the musical time of bars and beats. This ruler is fixed and does

not update when you change the tempo. This allows the events in the tracks to maintain their size when you adjust the

tempo.

Time ruler

The time ruler provides a timeline for your project. This ruler can show real time in many different formats. For more

information, see Changing the time ruler format on page 223. The ruler changes with tempo, since the number of beats and

beats per second of real time changes with tempo.

Transport bar

The transport bar contains the playback and cursor positioning buttons frequently used while working on your project.

The software also includes keyboard shortcuts for these playback commands. For more information, see Playback

commands on page 28.

Record new track Pause/resume project playback

Loop playback Stop playback

Play from beginning of project Move cursor to start of project

Play project from cursor position Move cursor to end of project

MIDI step record MIDI merge record

Zoom

controls

Marker bar

Transport

bar Time ruler

(if displayed)

Beat ruler

22 | Chapter 1

Zoom controls

To the right of the horizontal scroll bar are the time zoom controls. Clicking the Zoom In Time button ( ) increases the

horizontal magnification of the project. To decrease the level of magnification, click the Zoom Out Time button ( ).

Directly below the vertical scroll bar are the dedicated track height zoom controls. Clicking the Zoom In Track Height

button ( ) increases the vertical magnification of the project. To decrease the level of magnification, click the Zoom Out

Track Height button ( ).

Click the Zoom Tool button ( ) in the corner of the track view to temporarily change the cursor into the Zoom tool.

After you select an area of the track view to magnify, the cursor reverts to the previously active tool.

Window docking area

This area allows you to keep frequently used windows available while working on a project. Windows can be docked side

by side or in stacks in the window docking area. For more information, see Docking and floating ACID windows on page 221.

The default windows display in the window docking area when you start ACID for the first time. Additional windows can

be displayed by clicking the window’s tab or by choosing the desired window from the View menu.

The available windows can be docked anywhere at the bottom of the ACID window or floated over the ACID window or

on a secondary monitor (this setup requires a dual-monitor video card). You can also create floating docks anywhere by

dragging more than one window to the same area.

Explorer window

The Explorer window works similarly to the Windows® Explorer. You can use the Explorer window to locate, preview and

select media files to be added to your project. You can also use the Explorer window to perform common file

management tasks, such as renaming files or creating folders. Display the Explorer by choosing Explorer from the View

menu or pressing Alt+1.

Note:

Double-clicking the horizontal or vertical scroll bars adjusts the magnification so that as much of the project

(either horizontally or vertically) is displayed as possible.

Note:

Double-clicking the Zoom tool adjusts both the horizontal and vertical magnification so that as much of the

project is displayed as possible.

Tip:

You can quickly hide or show the window docking area by pressing F11.

Click a tab to

view a window.

Click the Close button to

remove a window from a

floating dock or the window

docking area.

Click the Maximize/Minimize

button to control the size of

the window in the window

docking area.

Click the handle to drag a

window to a different

location or dock.

INTRODUCING ACID SOFTWARE | 23

Chopper

The Chopper™ isolates audio events so that you can dissect them and reinsert them into a project to produce elaborate

slice-n-dice effects with minimal effort. Display the Chopper by choosing Chopper from the View menu or pressing

Alt+2. For more information, see Using the Chopper on page 101.

Mixer

The Mixer window provides access to output levels, as well as soft synth controls and the project audio properties. Display

the Mixer by choosing Mixer from the View menu or pressing Alt+3. For more information, see Using the Mixer window on

page 51.

Video Preview

This window displays prerendered video files that can be imported and synchronized with an ACID project. The video file

displays during project playback and can be rendered with the project to an appropriate format. Display the Video

Preview window by choosing Video Preview from the View menu or pressing Alt+4. For more information, see Using the

Video Preview window on page 206.

Media Manager

This window displays the Media Manager™, which you can use to search for, manage, and tag your media files. Display the

Media Manager window by choosing Media Manager from the View menu or pressing Alt+5. For more information, see

Using the Media Manager on page 75.

Track Properties

This window allows you to change track attributes. Display the Track Properties window by double-clicking a track’s icon

or by pressing Alt+6. For more information, see Configuring track properties on page 115.

Surround Panner

This window allows you to control panning in a 5.1 surround project. Display the Surround Panner window by double-

clicking the surround panner on a track or mixer control or by pressing Alt+7. For more information, see Working with 5.1

Surround on page 209.

Soft Synth Properties

This window allows you to change the attributes of soft synth controls in the Mixer window. Display the Soft Synth

Properties window by double-clicking a soft synth control’s icon or by pressing Alt+8. For more information, see Using soft

synth controls on page 144.

Audio Plug-In

This window displays plug-ins and settings for track, assignable, bus, and soft synth effects chains. Display the Audio

Plug-In window by clicking a track’s Track FX button ( ), by choosing Audio Plug-In from the View menu, or by pressing

Alt+9. For more information, see Using clips with tracks on page 107 and Adding effects to soft synth mixer controls on page

149.

24 | Chapter 1

Plug-In Manager

This window allows you to view and choose effects plug-ins to be added to a track, bus, or assignable effects chain.

Display the Plug-In Manager window by choosing Plug-In Manager from the View menu or by pressing Ctrl+Alt+1.

Groove Pool

This window allows you to view and edit the grooves in your project. Display the Groove Pool by choosing Groove Pool

from the View menu or by pressing Ctrl+Alt+2. The upper half of the Groove Pool window shows all of the groove maps

currently in your project. The lower half of the window displays the selected groove map in the Groove Editor, which

allows you to make changes. For more information, see Working with grooves on page 120.

Clip properties

For audio (non-MIDI) clips, this window allows the user to change clip types (loop, one-shot, and Beatmapped), and

adjust time stretching, pitch, root notes, tempo, and downbeat.

For more information, see Configuring clip properties on page 115.

For MIDI clips, you can use the Clip Properties window to edit data using the OPT list editor or piano roll.

For more information, see Using the piano roll editor on page 187. For more information, see Using the list editor on page 191.

Keyboard command reference

The ACID keyboard commands are shortcuts that you can use while working on your project.

General commands

Project file commands

Tips:

• To add an effect quickly, drag a plug-in from the Plug-In Manager window to a track, bus, assignable effects chain, or soft

synth bus.

• If the VST plug-in you want to use isn't displayed in the list, you can use the VST Effects tab in the Preferences dialog to add

the plug-in's folder and then click the Refresh button to scan for plug-ins. For more information, see Using the VST Effects

tab on page 234.

• If the DirectX plug-in you want to use isn't displayed in the list, hold Ctrl+Shift while restarting ACID and then select the

Delete all cached application data check box to reset your preferences and rescan for DirectX plug-ins.

Important:

Some keyboard commands listed below are associated with features that are not available in all versions of

ACID. For information on a specific feature and its availability, please refer to the description of the feature in this manual.

Description Keys

Display online help F1

Display What’sThis? help Shift+F1 and click an item

Refresh screen F5

Shortcut menu Shift+F10

Temporarily suspend snapping Shift+drag

Description Keys Description Keys

Create new project Ctrl+N Save project Ctrl+S

Create new project and bypass the

Project Properties dialog

Ctrl+Shift+N Open project properties Alt+Enter

Open existing project or media file Ctrl+O Close the current project Ctrl+F4

INTRODUCING ACID SOFTWARE | 25

Magnification and view commands

Explorer window commands

Cursor placement, loop region and time selection commands

Description Keys Description Keys

Show Explorer window Alt+1 Restore project magnification to

the default settings

F9

Show Chopper window Alt+2 Restore track height to a level

where all track list controls are

displayed

Shift+F9

Show Mixer window Alt+3 Reduce timeline magnification so

the entire length of the project and

as many tracks as possible are

displayed

Ctrl+F9

Show Video/Video Preview

window

Alt+4 Zoom time in/out small increments

(when timeline has focus)

Up or Down Arrow

Show Media Manager window Alt+5 Zoom time in/out large increments

(when timeline has focus)

Ctrl+Up or Down Arrow

Show Track Properties window Alt+6 Zoom in time until each video

thumbnail represents one frame

Alt+Up Arrow

Show Surround Panner window Alt+7 Zoom track height in/out (when

timeline has focus)

Shift+Up or Down Arrow

Show Soft Synth Properties

window

Alt+8 Change track height for all tracks Ctrl+Shift+Up or Down

Arrow

Show Audio Plug-In window Alt+9 Minimize/restore track height for

all tracks

‘

Show Plug-In Manager window Ctrl+Alt+1 Return all tracks to the default

height

Ctrl+’

Show Groove Pool window Ctrl+Alt+2 Minimize/restore the window

docking area

F11 or Alt+’

Show Clip Properties window Ctrl+Alt+3 Show/hide Event Information Ctrl+Shift+I

Shift focus forward through open

ACID windows

F6 Minimize/restore timeline

vertically and horizontally (window

docking area and track list will be

hidden

Ctrl+F11 or Ctrl+Alt+’

Shift focus backward through open

ACID windows

Shift+F6 Minimize/restore the track list Shift+F11 or Shift+Alt+’

Shift focus forward (clockwise)

through track list, timeline, bus

track timeline, and bus track list

(when track view or timeline has

focus)

Tab Show/Hide bus tracks B

Shift focus backward

(counterclockwise) through track

list, bus track list, bus track

timeline, and timeline (when track

view or timeline has focus)

Shift+Tab

Description Keys Description Keys

Add all selected files to the track

list

Enter Add selected file or currently

playing file to the track list

Ctrl+Enter

Description Keys Description Keys

Go to beginning of active loop

region or viewable area (if no

selection)

Home Center in view \

Go to end of active loop region or

viewable area (if no selection)

End Move cursor to corresponding

marker or select corresponding

region

Number keys (not

Keypad)

26 | Chapter 1

Event editing commands

Toggle cursor between beginning

and end of loop region

Numeric keypad 5 Move left/right one pixel Left/Right Arrow

Time select loop region (when

Time Selection tool is selected)

Shift+Q Move to marker(s) Ctrl+Left/Right Arrow

Toggle previous selection Backspace Move left/right to event edit points

including fade edges

Ctrl+Alt+Left/Right Arrow

Go to beginning of project W or Ctrl+Home Move through a video event one

frame at a time

Alt+Left or Right Arrow

Go to end of project Ctrl+End Create or extend loop region/time

selection

Shift+Left or Right Arrow

Move left by grid marks Page Up Double loop region/selection

length

‘ (apostrophe)

Move right by grid marks Page Down Halve loop region/selection length ; (semicolon)

Go to

(using measures, beats, and ticks)

Ctrl+G Shift loop region/selection left , (comma)

Go to

(using absolute time)

Shift+G Shift loop region/selection right . (period)

Set end of time selection

(using measures, beats, and ticks

when Time Selection tool is

selected)

Ctrl+Shift+G

Description Keys Description Keys

Paint the entire media length for all

media except video (only when

Paint tool is selected)

Ctrl+click in timeline Join selected events J

Cycle event clip forward for all

selected clips

CCreate fades F

Cycle event clip backward for all

selected clips

Shift+C Reverse event U

Select Draw tool Ctrl+D Trim events to selection length.

This command has no effect if

there is no selected data. Trimming

does not copy data onto the

clipboard. Available only when the

Time Selection tool is active

Ctrl+T

Select next edit tool in list DSlip Trim: moves the media with

the edge as it is trimmed

Alt+drag edge of event

Select previous edit tool in list Shift+D Slip: move media within event

without moving the event

Alt+drag inside the event

Undo Ctrl+Z Slide: move event while leaving the

underlying media in place

Ctrl+Alt+drag event

Redo Ctrl+Shift+Z Create fades F

Cut selection Ctrl+X Copy selection Ctrl+C

Copy event Ctrl+drag Pitch up one semitone Numeric keypad +

=

Paste from clipboard Ctrl+V Pitch down 4 semitones Shift+Numeric keypad -

Shift+-

Paste repeat from clipboard Ctrl+B Pitch up 4 semitones Shift+Numeric keypad +

Shift+=

Paste insert Ctrl+Shift+V Pitch down one octave Ctrl+Numeric keypad -

Insert event at cursor YPitch up one octave Ctrl+Numeric keypad +

Paste event at cursor Shift+Y Reset pitch Ctrl+Shift+Numeric

keypad - or +

Ctrl+Shift+-/=

Delete selection Delete Change an event’s gain setting Keypad / or *

Move selected event(s) right one

pixel

Numeric keypad 6 Change an event’s gain setting by

10%

Shift+Keypad / or *

Description Keys Description Keys

INTRODUCING ACID SOFTWARE | 27

Move selected event(s) left one

pixel

Numeric keypad 4 Change an event’s gain setting by

25%

Ctrl+Keypad / or *

Temporarily suspend Snap To Shift while dragging an

event (press Shift after

you click)

Set an event’s gain to 0.0 dB Shift+Ctrl+Keypad *

Erase entire event Ctrl+click event with

Erase tool

Set an event’s gain to silence Shift+Ctrl+Keypad /

Split event(s) SRender to new track

Chop to new clip if the Chopper

window has focus

Ctrl+M

Pitch down one semitone Numeric keypad -

-

Description Keys Description Keys

28 | Chapter 1

Playback commands

Timeline commands

Description Keys Description Keys

Start/stop playback Spacebar Record Ctrl+R

Stop playback Esc Go to start of project Ctrl+Home or W

Toggle looped playback QGo to end of project Ctrl+End

Play from start Shift+Spacebar or

Ctrl+Shift+Spacebar

when the timeline or track

view has focus

Shift+F12 from any

window

Skip backward Page Up

Play from cursor Ctrl+Spacebar when the

timeline or track view has

focus

F12 (from any window)

Skip forward Page Down

Pause/resume playback Enter when the timeline

or track view has focus

Ctrl+F12 from any

window

Description Keys Description Keys

Record Ctrl+R Insert/remove track volume

envelope

Shift+V

Go to (using measures.beats.ticks) Ctrl+G Adjust envelope point value in fine

increments without changing the

point’s timeline position

Ctrl+drag envelope point

or segment

Go to (using current time ruler

format)

Shift+G Adjust envelope point value in

normal increments without

changing the point’s timeline

position

Ctrl+Alt+drag envelope

point or segment

Set end of time selection (using

measures, beats, and ticks when

Time Selection tool is selected)

Ctrl+Shift+G Adjust envelope point’s timeline

position without changing its value

Alt+drag

Toggle snapping F8 Insert region R

Temporarily suspend snapping Shift+drag Insert marker (standard) M

Toggle snap to grid Ctrl+F8 Insert time marker H

Ripple edit mode Ctrl+L Insert disc-at-once CD track marker N

Draw tool Ctrl+D Change tempo Alt+drag time marker

Select next edit tool in list DInsert command marker C

Select previous edit tool in list Shift+D Insert tempo change T

Mark in point I or [ Insert key change K

Mark out point for selection O or ] Insert time signature change Shift+K

Render to new track Ctrl+M Insert tempo and key change Shift+T

Insert/show/hide track pan

envelope

PMaximize timeline vertically

(window docking area will be

hidden)

F11

Insert/remove track pan envelope Shift+P Maximize timeline vertically and

horizontally (window docking area

and track list will be hidden)

Ctrl+F11

Insert/show/hide track volume

envelope

VMaximize timeline horizontally

(track list will be hidden)

Shift+F11

INTRODUCING ACID SOFTWARE | 29

Track list commands

Mixer commands

MIDI commands

Chopper commands

For more information, see Using Chopper toolbar and keyboard commands on page 102.

Surround Panner commands

For more information, see Moving the pan point on page 215.

Description Keys Description Keys

Mute selected tracks ZRender to new track Ctrl+M

Solo selected tracks XShow/hide bus tracks B

Record Ctrl+R Insert folder track Ctrl+Alt+F

Cycle through effect automation

envelopes

E or Shift+E Insert audio track Ctrl+Q

Insert new MIDI track Ctrl+Alt+Q

Description Keys Description Keys

Change selection of a mixer control Left/Right Arrow Select multiple nonadjacent mixer

controls

Ctrl+Left/Right Arrow

Move the right channel of the fader

for the selected mixer control

Ctrl+Up/Down Arrow Delete the selected bus or

assignable FX control

Delete

Move the left channel of the fader

for the selected mixer control

Shift+Up/Down Arrow Move the fader of the selected

mixer control (for assignable effect

controls, moves the Out fader)

Up/Down Arrow

Select multiple, adjacent mixer

controls

Shift+Left/Right Arrow

Description Keys Description Keys

Insert new MIDI track Ctrl+Alt+Q Trigger from MIDI Timecode Ctrl+F7

Generate MIDI Timecode F7 Reset all MIDI ports Ctrl+Alt+F7

Generate MIDI Clock Shift+F7 Show velocity information in MIDI

events

F

Copy to new MIDI clip Ctrl+Shift+C Toggle inline MIDI editing mode G

30 | Chapter 1

Mouse scroll-wheel shortcuts

Description Keys

Zoom in on timeline Rotate mouse wheel forward or

back

Vertical scroll Ctrl+wheel

Horizontal scroll Shift+wheel

Auto-scrolling Press mouse wheel and move

the mouse in the desired

direction

Move the cursor in grid increments Ctrl+Shift+wheel

Move the cursor in video frames Ctrl+Alt+Shift+wheel

Adjust slider/fader Wheel up or down while

hovering over slider/fader

handle

Adjust slider/fader in fine

increments

Ctrl+wheel up or down while

hovering over slider/fader

handle

INTRODUCING ACID SOFTWARE | 31

Audio signal flow

32 | Chapter 1

Notes on audio signal flow

• This diagram describes non-MIDI audio events. For MIDI events, see MIDI signal flow on page 33.

• In 5.1 surround projects, tracks routed to the Surround Master bus send surround panning (six-channel) information.

Tracks routed to busses (e.g., Bus A) send stereo panning (two-channel) information.

• Assignable effect chain panning is available only in 5.1 surround projects. In 5.1 surround projects, assignable effect

chains routed to the Surround Master bus send surround panning (six-channel) information. Assignable effect chains

routed to busses (e.g., Bus A) send stereo panning (two-channel) information.

• Bus panning is available only in 5.1 surround projects. In 5.1 surround projects, busses routed to the Surround Master

bus send surround panning (six-channel) information. Busses routed to hardware send stereo panning (two-channel)

information.

INTRODUCING ACID SOFTWARE | 33

MIDI signal flow

34 | Chapter 1

Notes on MIDI signal flow

• Soft synth panning is available only in 5.1 surround projects. In 5.1 surround projects, soft synth controls routed to the

Surround Master bus send surround panning (six-channel) information. Soft synth controls routed to busses (e.g., Bus

A) send stereo panning (two-channel) information.

• Bus panning is available only in 5.1 surround projects. In 5.1 surround projects, busses routed to the Surround Master

bus send surround panning (six-channel) information. Busses routed to hardware send stereo panning (two-channel)

information.

GETTING STARTED | 35

Chapter

2

Getting Started

Now that you have an understanding of the interface and controls found in ACID® software, you are ready to begin

learning the techniques needed to pick, paint, and play in ACID projects. In this chapter you will learn the skills that will

allow you to create music, from locating media files to writing the finished project to CD.

Starting projects

Double-clicking the ACID icon on the desktop starts the software. You can immediately begin building your ACID project

using the application’s default project properties. However, you may prefer to customize the project properties prior to

beginning the project.

Setting project properties

ACID allows you to configure project properties and add summary information prior to beginning a project. Choosing

New from the File menu displays the New Project dialog. This dialog contains two tabs: Summary and Audio. Selecting

the Start all new projects with these settings check box configures the software to use the parameters and information

in both tabs as defaults when starting all subsequent projects.

Using the Summary tab

This tab allows you to enter information about the project. These boxes may be left blank or if information exists, you may

change it at any time.

Using the Audio tab

This tab allows you to set different characteristics the project uses to handle the audio.

Note:

You can edit project audio properties and summary information at any time. Choose Properties from the File

menu to display the Project Properties dialog, which contains the identical tabs and parameters as the New Project dialog.

Item Description

Title Enter the name or title of the project.

Artist Enter the name of the narrator, band, or artist(s) being recorded into the

project.

Engineer Enter the name(s) of the people who mixed and edited the project.

Copyright Enter the date and ownership rights of the project.

Comments Enter information that identifies and describes the project.

Universal Product Code/Media

Catalog Number

Enter the Universal Product Code (UPC) and the Media Catalog Number (MCN)

to be written to your CD for identification purposes.

Start all new projects with these

settings

Select this check box if your projects’ requirements do not change or you want

consistent settings for future projects.

Item Description

Master bus mode Choose either Stereo for a standard audio project or 5.1 Surround for a surround

project.

Number of additional stereo

busses

Enter the number of stereo busses that you want in your project. You may add up to 26

busses. The busses appear in the Mixer window. For more information, see Using

busses on page 141.

Sample rate Choose a sample rate from the drop-down list or enter your own rate. The sample rate

range is 2,000 Hz to 192,000 Hz. Higher sample rates result in better quality sound, but

also mean larger audio files.

Bit depth Choose a bit depth from the drop-down list. A higher bit depth results in better quality

sound, but also means larger audio files.

Enable low-pass filter on LFE Select this check box to limit the audio sent to the LFE channel in a 5.1 surround

project. For more information, see Working with 5.1 Surround on page 209.

36 | Chapter 2

Opening existing projects

1.

From the File menu, choose Open. The Open dialog appears.

2.

Choose a drive and folder from the Look in drop-down list.

3.

Select a file in the browse window or type a name in the File name box. Detailed information about the selected file

appears at the bottom of the dialog box.

4.

Choose a file type from the Files of type drop-down list to limit the files displayed in the dialog box.

5.

Click Open.

Opening ACID projects with embedded media

When you open an .acd-zip project, the project file and all media files are copied to the temporary files folder.

Any changes you make to the project are saved to the files in this temporary folder until you save the .acd-zip file again.

For more information, see Saving projects on page 54.

Getting media files

Now that you’ve created a new project or opened an existing project, the next step is to add media to the project. You

can use the Explorer window to locate, preview and add media to your project. You can also extract audio from a CD or

download media from the Web. If you have ACID, you can also use the Media Manager to locate and add media files.

Previewing media from the Explorer window

The Explorer window allows you to preview files in looped playback at the current project tempo before adding them to

your project. You can also preview files in the Explorer in conjunction with playing your project, thereby allowing you to

preview how a file will sound in the project.

To preview files, use the Start Preview ( ), Stop Preview ( ), and Auto Preview ( ) buttons at the top of the

Explorer window.

Previewing a media file

1.

Select the media file in the Explorer window that you want to preview.

2.

Click the Start Preview button ( ). The media file begins looped playback. You can monitor its levels on the

preview bus.

Cutoff frequency for low-pass filter Enter a low-pass cutoff frequency value for 5.1 surround projects. Audio sent to the

LFE channel is limited to frequencies lower than the value you enter. Applying a low-

pass filter approximates the bass-management system in a 5.1 decoder and ensures

that you’re sending only low-frequency audio to the LFE channel.

Available only in ACID.

Low-pass filter quality Choose a setting from the drop-down list to determine the sharpness of the low-pass

filter’s rolloff curve. Best produces the sharpest curve.

Available only in ACID.

Start all new projects with these

settings

Select this check box if your project requirements do not change or you want

consistent settings for future projects.

Note:

If one of the media files cannot be located when you open an ACID project, you can choose to leave the media

offline and continue to edit events on the track. The events point to the location of the source media file. If you restore

the source media file at a later time, the project opens normally.

Note:

You can customize the location of the temporary files folder. For more information, see From the Options menu,

choose Preferences to display the Preferences dialog. on page 227.

Item Description

GETTING STARTED | 37

3.

Click the Stop Preview button ( ) to end playback.

Previewing multiple media files

You can use the Explorer’s multiple-selection preview feature to preview a group of files in the order that you select them.

1.

From the Options menu, choose Preferences.

In ACID, click the Other tab of the Preferences dialog and select the Enable multiple-selection preview in Explorer

window check box.

If you want, you can enter values in the Number of times to repeat each Loop box, Seconds of each One-Shot to

play box, and Number of Beatmapped measures to play box to specify how different file types are previewed.

2.

Click OK to close the Preferences dialog.

3.

In the Explorer, select the media you want to preview. Hold Shift while clicking to select multiple, adjacent files or

hold Ctrl while clicking to select multiple, nonadjacent files.

4.

Click the Start Preview button ( ). The first selected file in the list is previewed, followed by each file in the list. A

file’s icon changes to a Play icon ( ) to indicate which file is currently previewing.

Using Auto Preview

Click the Auto Preview button ( ) to toggle automatic playback of media files when you select them in the Explorer. If

your project is currently playing when you select a new file, the new file plays back along with your project. This feature

allows you to listen to the media file in the context of your project.

Adding media to the project

You must add media files to a project before you can paint, arrange, and process them. When you add a file to a project, a

new track is created to accommodate it. New tracks are added at the current volume of the Preview fader in the Mixer

window, unless you have set a default track volume level. For more information, see Setting default track properties on page

227.

There are several methods of adding media files to a project.

ACID temporary files

When you add a media file to a project from a removable device, a copy of the media file is stored in the temporary files

folder. This keeps the media file available for use even if the source of the media is no longer accessible.

Be aware that the temporary files folder is cleared when you close the ACID application. However, files are not cleared

from the folder if the software closes inappropriately.

Adding media files from the Explorer window

You can use the Explorer window, which operates similarly to the Windows® Explorer, to locate media files for use in

projects. Display the Explorer, if needed, by choosing Explorer from the View menu, or by pressing Alt+1.

Note:

To add the currently previewing file to your project, press Ctrl+Enter. Press Enter to add all selected files to your

project.

Notes:

• Proxy files may be created for media whose compression scheme may cause working with them to be inefficient and slow.

For more information, see Proxy File on page 273.

• Before using long Beatmapped or long one-shot files from CDs or shared network folders, copy the media to your local

drive for the best possible performance.

Note:

You can customize the location of the temporary files folder. For more information, see From the Options menu,

choose Preferences to display the Preferences dialog. on page 227.

38 | Chapter 2

There are three ways to add media files from the Explorer window:

• Double-click the desired file.

• Drag the file from the Explorer to the track view or track list. Dragging a file from the Explorer to the track name of an

existing track allows you to replace the original file with the new file, while all events remain in place.

• Right-click and drag a file to the track view or track list to specify the type of track to be created. When you drop the file,

a shortcut menu appears that allows you to choose whether to treat the file as a loop, one-shot, Beatmapped track, or

as an autodetected type.

Adding MIDI files from the Explorer window

You can add MIDI files to your project just as you would add audio files. You can right-click a MIDI in the Explorer window,

you can choose how you want to add it to your project:

•Add to Project.

• Add to Project with Events.

• Add to Project with Events Rippled.

•Open as New Project.

For more information, see Adding MIDI files to a project on page 163.

Adding media files from the Media Manager window

If you have ACID, you can use the powerful Media Manager feature to locate, catalog, and add media files to your ACID

projects. Within the Media Manager window, you can build media libraries of your media that include file attributes, ACID

metadata, and tags that you can assign to classify your media. You can also search for, purchase, and access reference

libraries from outside sources to build your media file base. Display the Media Manager, if needed, by choosing Media

Manager from the View menu, or by pressing Alt+5.

For more information on the Media Manager feature, see Using the Media Manager on page 75.

Adding media files from the Open dialog

There are three ways to add media files from the Open dialog:

• Select the desired file and click Open.

• Right-click the selected file and choose Select from the shortcut menu.

• Double-click the selected file.

Adding media files from outside the application

You can also add a media file to a project by dragging it from Windows® Explorer to the track view.

Adding multiple media files simultaneously

To add multiple media files to the project, Ctrl+click (or Shift+click) to select the files and drag them to the track view or

the track list.

Extracting media files from CD

You can extract 44,100 Hz, 16-bit, stereo data from CDs. Extracted CD tracks are added to new tracks in your ACID project.

1.

Insert a CD in the CD-ROM drive.

2.

From the File menu, choose Extract Audio from CD. The Extract Audio from CD dialog appears.

3.

If you have more than one CD drive, choose the CD drive that contains the audio you want to extract from the Drive

drop-down list.

GETTING STARTED | 39

4.

From the Action drop-down list, choose how you

want to extract audio:

• Choose Read by track and select each track

you want to extract. Each track is extracted to a

new track in your project.

• Choose Read entire disc to extract the current

CD to a single file.

• Choose Read by range and enter a starting

time and ending time (or a starting time and

length). The time range is extracted to a new

track in your project.

Click Play to preview your selection. In order to

preview, your CD drive’s audio output must be

connected to your sound card, or you can connect

headphones to the front of the CD drive.

5.

From the Speed drop-down list, choose the speed

at which you want to extract audio.

6.

Click OK. The Save As dialog appears.

7.

Enter a file name and choose a location for the new file(s).

8.

Click Save to start extracting audio.

CD data extraction begins and a progress meter is displayed. If the file is longer than 30 seconds, the Beatmapper™

Wizard appears.

9.

Use the Beatmapper Wizard or choose to open the file as a one-shot. The extracted file is added to a track. For more

information, see Using the Beatmapper on page 114.

You can also double-click a CDA file in the Explorer window (or drag it to the track view) to extract a CD track without

opening the Extract Audio from CD dialog.

Obtaining or editing CD information using Gracenote

If ACID can access information about a track or CD (either from the file or CD itself, or from a local cache), it automatically

reads and displays this information when you insert a CD or browse your computer. However, if this information is not

available, the software can retrieve information over the Internet from Gracenote MusicID.

Once ACID obtains information from Gracenote MusicID, it is saved to a local cache so the information displays more

quickly the next time the tracks are displayed.

If the software cannot connect to the Gracenote Media Database and the appropriate CD information is not available on

your computer, the tracks are simply listed numerically. In this case, you can edit CD information and submit it to the

Gracenote Media Database.

Obtaining CD information

1.

Insert a CD in your drive.

2.

Click the MusicID button in the in the Extract Audio from CD dialog, or browse to the CD and click the button in

the Explorer window. For more information, see Extracting media files from CD on page 38. For more information, see

Tip:

Extracted tracks can be automatically named for you. From the Options menu, choose Preferences, and on the

General tab, select the Autoname extracted CD tracks check box. For more information, see From the Options menu,

choose Preferences to display the Preferences dialog. on page 227.

Note:

When adding media from multiple CDs, you may need to press F5 to refresh the Explorer window to view the new

CD’s contents.

Note:

Using Gracenote MusicID requires an active Internet connection. For more information on using Gracenote

MusicID, refer to www.gracenote.com/.

40 | Chapter 2

Explorer window on page 22.

Gracenote MusicID attempts to obtain matching CD information and displays artist, album, and track data:

• If the service locates an exact match, this information is automatically displayed. No additional action is

necessary.

• If the service locates multiple possible matches, the Match dialog is displayed. Proceed to step 2.

3.

Choose a method for completing the CD information:

• If none of the possible matches is appropriate, click the Submit New button. The Gracenote CDDB Disc

Information dialog is displayed, allowing you to complete information for the CD and submit it for inclusion in

the Gracenote Media Database. For help on submitting CD information, click the Help/Guidelines button in this

dialog.

When you are finished typing information, click the OK button to submit your data.

• Select the appropriate match from the list and click the Accept Match button. The artist, album, and track

information is displayed based on your selection in the right side of the PC pane.

4.

You're now ready to extract tracks.

Editing and submitting CD information

1.

Insert a CD in your drive.

2.

Select a track and click the CD Info button in the Extract Audio from CD dialog, or browse to the CD and click the

button in the Explorer window. The Gracenote CDDB Disc Information dialog is displayed. For more information,

see Extracting media files from CD on page 38. For more information, see Explorer window on page 22.

3.

Use the Gracenote CDDB Disc Information dialog to edit information about the CD. For help on submitting CD

information, click the Help/Guidelines button in this dialog.

4.

When you are finished entering the information, click the OK button to submit it for inclusion in the Gracenote

Media Database.

Downloading media files from the Web

The Get Media from the Web command allows you to view and download various audio and video files available on the

Internet.

1.

From the File menu, choose Get Media from the Web.

2.

Choose an icon from the left frame to specify the media provider from which you want to download files.

3.

Preview the file, select the file you want to open and click Download. The Browse for Folder dialog appears.

4.

Select a folder for the download. The selected file is downloaded to the folder specified in the Destination box.

5.

When you are finished downloading, close the Get Media from the Web dialog. The file is added to your project.

Click Show Details to display additional information about your download. In this mode, you can add files to a download

queue, specify where the downloaded files should be stored, and monitor the progress of your downloads. Click Start to

begin downloading queued files, or click Hide Details to return to basic mode.

Understanding clip types

When you add media to a project, a new track is created for the file. Depending on the type of media you add, one of four

clip types is created to accommodate it: loop, one-shot, Beatmapped, or MIDI. You can identify a track’s type by looking at

the paint clip selector icon in the track header. For more information, see Using clips with tracks on page 107.

Loops

Loops are small chunks of audio that are designed to create a continuous beat or pattern when played repeatedly. They

are usually one to four measures long. Loops are the type of file that you will use most frequently.

GETTING STARTED | 41

One-shots

One-shots are chunks of audio that are not designed to loop, and they are streamed from the hard disk rather than stored

in RAM if they are longer than three seconds. Things such as cymbal crashes and sound bites could be considered one-

shots.

Unlike loops, one-shots do not change pitch or tempo with the rest of a project.

Beatmapped

When you add a file that is longer than thirty seconds to a project, the Beatmapper Wizard starts, allowing you to add

tempo information to the file. As a result, these clips respond to tempo and key changes just like loops. For more

information, see Using the Beatmapper on page 114.

MIDI

A MIDI clip is automatically created when you open a MID, SMF, or RMI file. You can use MIDI clips to record data from and

play back through synthesizers and other MIDI-compliant equipment. For more information, see Working with MIDI on

page 163.

Folder tracks

Folder tracks can contain any combination of tracks. Use folder tracks to group related tracks or sections of a project so

they can be easily expanded or minimized. For example, if you have many drum tracks in your project, you can add a

folder track to consolidate drum tracks and minimize their vertical space in the track list.

When the folder track is minimized, you can also perform edit operations on clustered events in the group, but you

cannot create events with the Draw or Paint tools or perform edge-trimming. Expand the folder track to edit individual

events.

For more information, see Using folder tracks on page 124.

Adding and editing events

You have added media to the project, and tracks have been created for the media files. Now you can add events to the

track view. The following sections describe three basic techniques used when working with audio events: painting,

deleting, and moving.

Painting events

After you add a media file to your project, you must paint it on the timeline in order to hear it. When you paint on the

media file’s track, you create an event that displays the file’s waveform. You can paint events on the timeline using either

the Draw tool or the Paint tool.

Clips can also be painted on the timeline with the Draw and Paint tools. For more information, see Adding clips to tracks on

page 107.

Placing events with the Draw tool

The Draw tool is the most common method of placing events on the timeline. This tool allows you to add events one at a

time. In addition, you can use the Draw tool to select, edit, and move events. For more information, see Adding and editing

events on page 41.

1.

Click the Draw Tool button ( ) or choose Editing Tool from the Edit menu and choose Draw from the submenu.

The pointer displays as a pencil icon.

Tip:

You can change the length of the file that starts the Beatmapper in the Audio tab of the Preferences dialog. For

more information, see Using the Audio tab on page 230.

Note:

Media files must be added to the project before either of these tools can be used to paint events.

42 | Chapter 2

2.

Place the Draw tool at the left edge of any track containing a media file.

3.

Click and hold the mouse button while dragging the Draw tool to the right. A waveform representing the event

appears on the timeline as you drag the mouse.

Notice that if you are placing a loop file on the timeline, small indentations appear along the top and bottom edges

of the event indicating the start and end points of each individual loop.

4.

Release the mouse button to end the event.

5.

Click the Play from Start button ( ) on the transport bar. The event plays back.

Painting events with the Paint tool

Unlike the Draw tool, the Paint tool allows you to quickly paint multiple events across several tracks. This can be useful

when you need to quickly add several seemingly random events to a project. The Paint tool is also best used for painting

multiple one-shot events that will be evenly spaced on the grid lines.

When painting MIDI or one-shot clips, you can click the down arrow next to the Paint tool to set the length of events

that will be created when you drag with the Paint tool.

1.

Click the Paint Tool button ( ) or choose Editing Tool from the Edit menu and choose Paint from the submenu.

The mouse pointer displays as a brush icon.

2.

Click and hold the mouse button while dragging the Paint tool randomly across the several tracks. Notice that events

are painted in every grid space the Paint tool contacts.

3.

Release the mouse button to stop adding events.

4.

Click the Play from Start button ( ) on the transport bar. All new events play back.

Inserting events at the play cursor

You can also insert events at the cursor during playback. You can use this feature to create rhythms on one-shot tracks

while listening to the track you’re editing in the context of the rest of your project. When you’re done creating events, you

can use the Render to New Track command (on the Edit menu) to save the rhythm to a new track, or you can copy and

paste your new events across the timeline.

1.

Create a time selection in the portion of the project you want to edit.

2.

Select the Loop Playback button ( ).

3.

Click the Play button ( ) to start playback.

4.

Click a track header in the track list to set the focus track.

5.

Press Y to add an event at the play cursor (during playback, the edit cursor remains fixed, and the play cursor follows

playback).

If snapping is enabled, events are created at the next snap point. You can use snapping to quantize your events.

6.

Repeat step 5 as needed.

7.

You can press the up and down arrow keys to change the focus track.

8.

Click the Stop button ( ) when you’re finished creating events.

9.

Edit event positions as necessary.

Tip:

Events can be also be drawn from right (end) to left (beginning).

Tip:

With the Paint tool selected, you can use Ctrl+click to paint an entire event for one-shot, Beatmapped, and MIDI

tracks.

Tip:

If you're using this feature to tap rhythms with one-shot tracks, try applying a groove to adjust the timing of your

rhythm.For more information, see Working with grooves on page 120.

GETTING STARTED | 43

Changing the length of events

After an event is painted on the track view, you may discover that it is too long or not long enough; however, it is easy to

change the length of an event. You may find it helpful to turn snapping options on by choosing Snapping from the

Options menu and choosing Enable from the submenu.

To alter an event’s length, click the Draw Tool button ( ) and drag either end of the event. When you drag the event

past the end of the file, looped files repeat, but one-shot and Beatmapped tracks draw silence.

Erasing sections of events

Occasionally you may need to delete only specific sections of an event and leave the rest of it intact. The easiest method

of deleting a section of an event is to use the Erase tool.

1.

Click the Erase Tool button ( ) or choose Editing Tool from the Edit menu and choose Erase from the submenu.

The pointer displays as an eraser icon.

2.

Drag in the track view to delete event data.

Moving events

The position of the left edge of an event indicates when the event becomes audible during playback. You can move

events along the timeline either individually or as a group.

In addition, you can stack events on top of one another. A longer event placed over a smaller event conceals the smaller

event and makes it inaudible. A smaller event placed over a larger event is audible and renders the section of the longer

event it covers inaudible.

1.

Click the Draw Tool button ( ).

2.

Click the event to be moved. The event is highlighted to indicate that it is selected.

3.

Drag the event to a new location on the track.

Editing MIDI events

You can use the inline MIDI editing mode to edit MIDI events directly in the timeline. In this mode, you can draw and erase

notes in a piano roll or drum grid view. For more information, see Editing MIDI on the timeline on page 167.

Using the cursor

The ACID cursor is a flashing vertical line that spans the track view of the entire project. The cursor position determines

where events split, where playback/recording starts, and where clipboard contents are pasted. In addition, the

positioning of the cursor is essential to the creation of time selections.

Tip:

With the Erase tool, you can delete an entire one-shot, Beatmapped, or MIDI event. Just hold Ctrl while you click the

event.

Tip:

You can hold Ctrl or Shift to select multiple events.

Note:

Multiple selected events move in relation to the event being dragged.

Original event ...to increase its length.Drag the end of

the event...

44 | Chapter 2

Positioning the cursor with the mouse

1.

Click the Draw Tool button ( ).

2.

Click in the track view to position the cursor.

Positioning the cursor with the keyboard

While using the mouse to position the cursor in the timeline is quick and intuitive, it is not always precise. For example,

you may want the beginning of a guitar solo to coincide with a snare drum hit, or background vocals to enter exactly 3

minutes and 24 seconds into a song. For these reasons, you can also position the cursor using your keyboard. For more

information, see Cursor placement, loop region and time selection commands on page 25.

Positioning the cursor with the Go To command

The Go To command is used to place the cursor at a specific location in the ACID project.

• Press Ctrl+G to position the cursor based on the position displayed on the beat ruler. Specify a position (in

measures.beats.ticks format) in the box that appears in the time display and press Enter.

• Press Shift+G to position the cursor based on the time displayed on the time ruler. Specify a time in the box that

appears in the time display and press Enter.

Making selections

You must select events before you can move or edit them.

Selecting an event

1.

Click the Draw Tool button ( ).

2.

Click an event. The event is highlighted.

Selecting multiple events

You have several methods of selecting multiple events:

• Press Ctrl or Shift while clicking events.

•Use the Select All on Track command.

•Use the Select Events to End command.

•Use the Select All command.

• Use the Selection tool.

Selecting multiple events using the keyboard and mouse

Holding Ctrl while clicking events allows you to select multiple, nonadjacent events that reside on any track. This method

is useful when you need to move several scattered events by an equal amount within the project.

Tip:

You can also open the boxes in the time display by double-clicking the desired value.

Note:

Unless stated otherwise, selections can only be made using the Draw tool.

Selected event

GETTING STARTED | 45

Holding Shift allows you to select multiple, adjacent events. Selecting any two events while holding Shift automatically

selects all events located between the selected events. Events may be selected from the same track or across tracks. This

method is useful when you want to move several adjacent events by an equal amount within the project.

Selecting multiple events using the Select All on Track command

Right-clicking any track in the track view and choosing Select All on Track from the shortcut menu selects every event on

the track.

Selecting multiple events using the Select Events to End command

Right-clicking an event in the track view and choosing Select Events to End from the shortcut menu selects every event

on the track after the selected event.

You use this command across multiple tracks by holding Ctrl to click events on several tracks and then right-clicking and

choosing Select Events to End from the shortcut menu.

Selecting events that use a specified clip

Perform any of the following actions to select events created from a clip:

• Right-click an event in the timeline and choose Select Events Using This Event's Clip from the shortcut menu to select

all events on the track that use the same clip as the selected event.

• Right-click the timeline, choose Select Events Using Clip, and then choose a clip from the submenu to select all events

on the track that use the specified clip.

• Right-click a clip in the Clip Pool window and choose Select Timeline Events from the shortcut menu.

Selecting events using the Select All command

Choosing Select All from the Edit menu selects all events in a project.

Selecting multiple events using the Selection tool

You can drag the Selection tool across the track view to select events across multiple tracks. This tool allows you to select

events using three methods: vertical, horizontal, and free selection.

1.

Click the Selection Tool button ( ) or choose Editing Tool from the Edit menu and choose Selection from the

submenu.

2.

Place the pointer on the track view. The pointer displays as an arrow with an adjacent dotted box ( ).

3.

Drag the mouse on the track view. A dashed rectangular box appears on the track view and all events within and

adjacent to it are selected.

4.

While holding the left mouse button, click and release the right mouse button (referred to as toggle-clicking). The

selection method changes to vertical and again, all events within and adjacent to the selection area are selected.

5.

Toggle-click the mouse once more. The selection method changes to horizontal and all events within and adjacent

to the selection area are selected.

Creating time selections

You are not limited to selecting events. Frequently, you may want to select only audio events occurring within a time

selection. You can do this using the Time Selection tool.

Method Description Displays as...

Vertical Allows you to select all events on all

tracks within an interval of time.

Parallel dashed line spanning the

vertical length of the project.

Horizontal Allows you to select all events on a track

or several adjacent tracks.

Parallel dashed line spanning the

horizontal length of the project.

Free selection Allows you to select a group of adjacent

events on adjacent tracks. This is the

default selection method.

Dashed line box.

46 | Chapter 2

1.

Click the Time Selection Tool button ( ) or choose Editing Tool from the Edit menu and choose Time Selection

from the submenu. The pointer displays with an adjacent cursor ( ).

2.

Drag the mouse in the track view. The selection area is highlighted on the track view.

3.

Release the mouse button. A time selection is created and all events within it are selected.

Creating event selections within time selections

You can select specific events within a general time selection. This technique is useful for selecting individual instruments

from a particular section of a song. For example, you may want to copy all percussion events from a song’s bridge and re-

use them in the coda.

1.

Click the Time Selection Tool button ( ) or choose Editing Tool from the Edit menu and choose Time Selection

from the submenu. The pointer displays with an adjacent cursor ( ).

2.

Drag the mouse in the track view. The selection area is highlighted on the track view.

3.

Release the mouse button. A selection is created and all events within it are selected.

4.

Hold Ctrl and click any event that extends beyond the time selection. The entire event appears highlighted;

however, only the section of the event contained within the time selection is actually selected.

Working with tracks

The following sections explain several basic track functions and features.

Reordering tracks

When building an ACID project, you may want to reorder the tracks to place similar instruments in proximity to one

another. For example, placing all drum loops together in the track view makes it easier for you to fine-tune the mix of the

song’s overall drum sound.

1.

Drag the track header to a new location in the track list. A heavy black horizontal line appears on the track list to

indicate where the track will be placed.

2.

Release the mouse button. The track is dropped in the new location and the entire track list/track view adjusts

accordingly.

Resizing tracks

You can change the height of a track, thereby affecting how many tracks display in the track view. This is especially useful

when building a project with a large number of tracks. In addition, you can decrease the track’s height until only the

multipurpose slider, Track FX button, Mute button, and Solo button are visible.

1.

Drag the bottom edge of a track up or down in the track list. The pointer displays as a vertical stretch icon ( ).

2.

Release the mouse button to establish the track’s new height.

Note:

If the selection area is automatically snapping to the track view’s grid lines, the ACID snapping feature is turned on.

You can turn snapping off by pressing F8.

Tip:

You can select additional events within the time selection by continuing to hold Ctrl while clicking events. In addition,

holding Shift allows you to select the events of multiple adjacent tracks within a selection.

Tip:

You can reorder multiple tracks by holding Ctrl or Shift while selecting tracks and dragging the tracks as a group.

Tip:

You can set the default height for all new tracks by right-clicking the newly resized track in the track list and choosing

Set Default Track Properties from the shortcut menu. For more information, see Setting default track properties on page

227.

GETTING STARTED | 47

Changing track colors

As mentioned previously, tracks are automatically created to accommodate new media files. These tracks are assigned a

default color. However, you can change track colors to organize the tracks in your project. To change the color, right-click

the track in the track list, choose Color from the shortcut menu, and choose the desired color from the submenu.

Renaming tracks

To rename a track, right-click the track name and choose Rename from the shortcut menu, or double-click the track

name. Renaming a track applies to the project only and does not change the file associated with the track.

Duplicating tracks

To duplicate a track, right-click it and choose Duplicate Track from the shortcut menu. An exact copy of the track is

created and its events and adds it below the original track in the project. The words “Copy of” appear before the name of

the duplicate track to identify it in the track list.

For creative ways to use duplicate tracks, see Playing with duplicate tracks on page 261.

Deleting tracks

You can delete unnecessary tracks from a project by selecting the track and using any of the following methods:

• Choose Delete from the Edit menu.

• Right-click a track and choose Delete Track from the shortcut menu.

•Press Delete.

Copying, cutting, and pasting tracks

Copying a track places an exact copy of the selected track on the clipboard, but leaves the track view unchanged. To copy

a track, select the track and do one of the following:

•Click the Copy button ( ) on the toolbar.

• Choose Copy from the Edit menu.

• Right-click the track header and choose Copy Track from the shortcut menu.

• Press Ctrl+C.

Cutting a track removes it from the track view and places it on the clipboard. To cut a track, select it and do one of the

following:

•Click the Cut button ( ) on the toolbar.

• Choose Cut from the Edit menu.

• Right-click the track header and choose Cut Track from the shortcut menu.

• Press Ctrl+X.

Tracks that are copied or cut to the clipboard can be pasted back into the current project or into a different project an

unlimited number of times. This is a useful way to share tracks between different compositions. You can paste a track in

one of the following ways:

•Click the Paste button ( ) on the toolbar.

• Choose Paste from the Edit menu.

• Right-click the track view and choose Paste Track from the shortcut menu.

• Press Ctrl+V.

48 | Chapter 2

Adjusting the mix

You can adjust the mix of a specific track in the track header. Volume and pan each have dedicated sliders to make

adjustments.

Assignable effects and busses share a multipurpose slider. Click the multipurpose slider to choose what you want to

adjust.

Once you have chosen what you want to adjust, drag the slider to adjust the level. You can hold Ctrl or Shift to select

multiple tracks and move the sliders together as a group.

Muting tracks

Each track has a Mute button ( ). Clicking this button shades the corresponding track (to indicate that it is muted) and

renders it inaudible during playback. Clicking the Mute button a second time returns the track to its original level in the

mix. Toggle-muting a track is an effective way of determining whether a track contributes to the overall sound of a

project.

You can also press Z to mute a track or group of tracks.

Function Description

Volume This dedicated volume slider controls how loud a track is in the mix. A value of 0 dB means that the track

plays with no boost or cut from the software. Dragging the fader to the left cuts the volume; dragging to the

right boosts the volume.

Pan This dedicated pan slider controls the position of a track in the stereo field. Dragging the slider to the left

places the track in the left speaker more than the right, while dragging the slider to the right places the track

in the right speaker.

Because true stereo panning is used, you can introduce clipping when panning a track to the left or right.

Unlike a left/right balance control—which simply decreases the volume of one channel—the default

panning mode actually adds the audio from one channel to the other. When panning a track, adjust the

track volume accordingly.

You can choose among five panning types to determine how a track is panned. For more information, see

Choosing stereo pan types on page 113.

FX With the multipurpose slider, you can control the level of the track sent to each of the assignable effect

chains that you have created. Dragging the fader to the left cuts the volume; dragging to the right boosts

the volume.

Bus With the multipurpose slider, you can control the level of the track sent to each of the additional busses that

you have created for your project. Dragging the fader to the left cuts the volume; dragging the fader to the

right boosts the volume.

Note:

When adjusting the mix of your tracks, remember to look at the meters on the mixer. Because you are adding the

volumes of all the tracks together, it is easy to clip the audio output. Make sure that the meters never display the red clip

indicator during playback.

Tip:

Press Ctrl and click the Mute button to mute only the selected track (and restore any other muted tracks). If the selected

track is already muted, press Ctrl and click the Mute button to restore all tracks.

Multipurpose slider

Multipurpose slider mode

GETTING STARTED | 49

Soloing tracks

Located next to the Mute button, the Solo button ( ) allows you isolate tracks in a project during playback. When you

click this button during playback, the corresponding track remains audible and all other tracks are muted. Clicking the

Solo button a second time returns all tracks to their original levels in the mix. Toggle-soloing a track is an effective

method of configuring and previewing isolated track effects against how they sound in the project.

You can also press X to solo a track or group of tracks.

Working with groups of tracks

Select a group of tracks by holding the Ctrl key while you click the track header of the desired tracks. Now you can adjust

the volume, panning, track color, and other track attributes simultaneously.

Using undo and redo

You have unlimited undo and redo capabilities in ACID. Each edit you perform in the project is added to an undo history,

which allows you to quickly restore the project to any of its previous states. In addition, undoing an edit automatically

places it in the project’s redo history where it can be quickly re-performed. However, any new edit performed on the

project overwrites the redo history.

Using undo

To undo an edit, click the Undo button () on the toolbar or press Ctrl+Z. Edits are undone in the reverse order they

were performed.

Undoing a series of edits

Clicking the down arrow next to the Undo button ( ) displays the project’s undo history. The history displays as a drop-

down list with the most recent edit located at the top. Undoing an edit in the list requires all subsequent edits to be

undone as well.

1.

Click the arrow to the right of the Undo button ( ). The undo history appears.

2.

Locate the edit to be undone. Notice that all subsequent edits are automatically selected and the total number of

edits to be undone is indicated at the bottom of the drop-down list.

3.

Click the edit to be undone. The project is restored to the state it was in prior to the selected edit.

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 Ctrl+Shift+Z. Edits are re-performed in the reverse

order they were undone.

Tip:

Press Ctrl and click the Solo button to solo only the selected track (and restore any other soloed tracks). If the selected

track is already soloed, press Ctrl and click the Solo button to restore all tracks.

Note:

The undo and redo histories are cleared when you close the project or exit the application.

Tip:

You can also undo the most recent edit by choosing Undo from the Edit menu.

Tip:

You can also redo the most recent undone edit by choosing Redo from the Edit menu.

50 | Chapter 2

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.

Clearing the undo history

You can clear the undo and redo histories without closing the project or exiting the application. After the histories are

cleared, new ones are created 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 Yes to clear the edit histories or No to retain the current edit histories.

Playing the project

You have several methods for playing your projects.

Using the transport bar

All buttons required to play your project are located on the 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 21.

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, you have 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

Shift+Space. To stop playback, click the transport bar’s Stop button ( ) or press Space.

Playing from the cursor position

To begin playback from the current cursor position, click the transport bar’s Play button( ) or press Space. To stop

playback, click the transport bar’s Stop button ( ) or press Space.

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 21.

1.

Drag the handles of the loop bar to create the desired loop region.

Tip:

Clicking the desktop outside the drop-down list cancels the redo operation.

GETTING STARTED | 51

2.

Click the Loop Playback button ( ) to turn on looped playback.

3.

Click the transport bar’s Play button ( ) or press Space. Playback of the selected area begins. To stop playback, click

the transport bar’s Stop button ( ) or press Space.

Bypassing audio effects during playback

If you want to hear your project without your applied audio effects (track, bus, and assignable effects), you can quickly

bypass these effects during playback. From the Options menu, choose Bypass All Audio FX. This option can also

conserve processing power to avoid playback problems.

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 tool. 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 227. 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 141.

Viewing the Mixer window

The Mixer window appears by default when you start the application, but you can hide it if necessary. To view or hide the

Mixer window, choose Mixer from the View menu or press Alt+3. A check mark appears adjacent to the command to

indicate when the window is displayed.

Note:

When effects are bypassed, you can choose whether bypassed effects remain open. When the Keep bypassed FX

running check box on the General tab of the Preferences dialog is selected, effects remain open so you can bypass/enable

effects with no pause for A/B testing. When the check box is cleared, effects are fully bypassed, conserving processing

power.

Handle Loop bar

52 | Chapter 2

Using the mixer toolbar

The Mixer window toolbar allows you to access project properties, add busses, and add assignable effects chains to the

Mixer.

Renaming mixer controls

Double-clicking a mixer control name allows you to rename the control. Press Enter 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.

Downmixes your audio from 5.1 surround to stereo or from stereo to mono so

you can ensure your mix will sound the way you intended it, even when your

audience’s hardware has fewer channels than the original mix. The button

represents the current playback mode:

5.1 surround output

Stereo output

Mono output

Attenuates the volume of all busses that are routed to hardware

outputs by 20 dB. Click again to restore original volume.

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 142.

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 141.

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 144.

Enter a new name

for the mixer

control

GETTING STARTED | 53

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 Unlock 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

You can 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.

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.

Saving, rendering, and delivering projects

Though you are provided 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 the

ACID native format: the ACID project file (.acd).

When you are finished building a project, you can 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:

Changing the meter resolution of one fader automatically changes all other meters in the mixer to match the

selected resolution.

Tip:

You can also reset a meter by right-clicking it and choosing Reset Clip from the shortcut menu.

Important:

If you save a project originally created in an earlier version of ACID software in ACID version 6.0, it will be

unusable in earlier versions of the software. Use the Save As dialog to save the project with a new name after editing it in

version 6.0.

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 197.

54 | Chapter 2

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 Ctrl+S.

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 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. The project is saved.

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.

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 From the Options

menu, choose Preferences to display the Preferences

dialog. on page 227.

Tip:

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.

GETTING STARTED | 55

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 Template drop-

down list, or click Custom to create a new

template. For more information, see Creating

custom rendering settings on page 56.

6.

Select or clear the following check boxes as

needed:

• Select the Save project as path reference in

rendered media check box if you want to

save the project path information with the

rendered file to easily return to your source

project if you use your rendered file in

another project.

• 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.

• If the selected file type supports it, you can select the Save sections as regions with a media file check box to

include sections in the rendered media file. If the information cannot be saved to your media file, an .sfl file will

be created (using the same base name as your media file).

• Select the Save each track as a separate file check box to save each track in your project to a separate file. All of

the volume adjustments, panning, FX, and events are saved with the track. You can also use this feature to

create tracks that you can use in multitrack recording software or Macromedia® Flash®.

• If your project contains video, you can select the Stretch video to fill output frame (do not letterbox) check

box to have your video reformatted so that it fills the output frame size listed in the Description box. When the

check box is cleared, the current aspect ratio is maintained and black borders are added to fill the extra frame

area (called letterboxing).

• If your project contains video and you see unacceptable artifacts in the rendered video, you can clear the Fast

video resizing check box. Turning off this option can correct the artifacts, but your rendering time will increase

significantly.

7.

Click Save. A progress dialog appears.

8.

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.

Supported formats for rendering

The following table briefly describes the file formats available for rendering a project.

Note:

If you modify the project file after rendering, the project data will no longer match the rendered file. To edit a

project using a path reference, the project file and all media must be available on your computer.

Format Extension Description

ATRAC .aa3 A Sony proprietary audio compression technology.

AIFF File .aif The standard audio file format for audio used on Macintosh

computers.

56 | Chapter 2

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 the software.

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 Template 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.

5.

Click OK. The Custom Template dialog closes.

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 Sony and major record labels.

Publishing your project to the Internet involves two distinct procedures: creating a personal account and uploading the

project.

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. MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 file

creation is supported through the use of the MainConcept

MPEG plug-in.

Note: This format requires a separate purchase of the

MainConcept MPEG plug-in.

MPEG-1 Layer 3 .mp3 A highly compressed format used for portable digital players

and Internet sharing of media. 20 free MP3 encodes are

provided. 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 .mov QuickTime® for Microsoft Windows.

RealMedia .rm The RealNetworks® standard for streaming media via the Web.

This option renders both audio and video into one file.

Sony Perfect Clarity

Audio

.pca A Sony proprietary lossless audio compression format.

Sony Wave64 .w64 A Sony proprietary wave format that does not have a restricted

file size (unlike Windows standard WAV format which is limited

to ~2GB).

Video for Windows .avi The standard video file format used on Windows-based

computers.

Wave .wav The standard audio file format used on Windows-based

computers.

Windows Media Audio .wma The 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.

Note:

Some plug-ins, such as MP3, may require registration.

Tip:

To save the custom settings for future use, enter a name for the template in the Template box and click the Save

Template button ( ).

Format Extension Description

GETTING STARTED | 57

Creating a personal account

You can create accounts at Web sites where you can publish your song files. Each Web site that offers publishing directly

through ACID software 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. The Publish Setup dialog displays.

2.

Follow the on-screen instructions to create an 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 your song is published 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 Setup dialog displays.

2.

Log into your publishing account, or follow the on-screen instructions to create one.

3.

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.

4.

Click Next. If you are publishing the current ACID song, it is rendered in the format and bit rate you specified. A

window appears from the publish provider with directions for completing the publishing process.

5.

Follow the instructions provided by the publish provider. The file begins uploading to the provider. A progress dialog

informs you when the upload is finished.

6.

Click OK. The publish provider provides a link to the song on their Web site; however, this may vary depending on

provider.

Writing to CD

You can burn your projects to CD using supported CD-R/CD-RW drives. You can burn CDs for multiple- or single-track

projects and build audio CD layouts automatically or manually. You can also create video CDs that can be played in many

home DVD players and on computers with a CD-ROM drive and VCD player software, and multimedia CDs that can be

played in any computer with the appropriate player.

Understanding track-at-once and disc-at-once

ACID provides two ways to record audio to a CD-R disc: track-at-once and disc-at-once.

Track-at-once

Track-at-once writing records individual tracks to the disc and results in a partially recorded disc. However, the CD-R disc

remains unplayable on most systems until you close the disc. The advantage of track-at-once writing is that you can

record tracks onto the disc as you finish them versus waiting until you have finished your whole album. Track-at-once

writing burns the entire project as a single track.

Disc-at-once (Single Session or Red Book)

Disc-at-once writing is the most common burning method in the music industry. This writing mode is used when creating

a master disc to be sent to a disc manufacturer for mass replication. Disc-at-once works just as it sounds. Multiple tracks of

audio are written to the CD in one recording session.

58 | Chapter 2

Burning single tracks (track-at-once)

1.

Insert a blank CD in a supported CD-R/CD-RW drive.

2.

From the Tools 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, you are not allowed to write the track to the CD.

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 Buffer underrun protection check box if your CD recorder supports buffer underrun protection.

Buffer underrun protection allows a CD recorder to stop and resume burning.

Buffer underrun protection can create a disc that can be played in CD players but may contain a bit error where

burning stopped and restarted. Consider clearing this check box when creating a premaster disc.

• 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 selection only check box to burn only the selected region. Clear the check box to burn the

entire project.

• Select the Render temporary image before burning check box if you want to render your CD project to a

temporary file before recording. Prerendering can prevent buffer underruns if you have a complex project that

cannot be rendered and burned in real time.

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.

Note:

The entire project length is written 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.

Note:

If there is no CD in the CD-R/CD-RW drive, only the Cancel button is available in this dialog.

Note:

The rendered temporary file will remain until you modify your project or exit. If an image file exists when you

Open the Burn Disc-at-Once Audio CD dialog, the check box is displayed as Use existing rendered temporary image.

Important:

Once the CD writing begins, cancelling the write operation renders the CD unusable.

GETTING STARTED | 59

Disc-at-once (DAO) CD burning

The DAO burning process involves arranging your media on the timeline, adding pauses between tracks as necessary,

inserting track markers, and burning your CD.

Adding pauses

Each CD track in your project should have a two-second pause following it. This default setting is based on the Red Book

specification for audio CDs. The exception to this standard is a continuous recording, such as a live concert CD. For a

continuous recording, you can omit the pauses after tracks for continuous playback. You can manually insert silence

between your audio files to create a pause.

1.

Position your audio files on the timeline in the order in which you want them to play on your CD.

2.

Position the cursor where you want to insert the pause between files.

3.

From the Insert menu, choose Time. The Insert Time dialog appears.

4.

Enter two seconds in the Amount of time to insert box.

5.

Click OK. Two seconds are inserted in the timeline at the cursor position.

Inserting CD track markers

You can use CD track markers in your project to indicate to the CD-R device where to mark the beginning and ending of a

track during the writing process. A Red Book CD can contain up to 99 tracks.

1.

Position your audio files and add pauses between them as necessary. For more information, see Adding pauses on

page 59.

2.

Position the cursor at the start of an audio file.

3.

From the Insert menu, choose CD Track Marker. The marker appears in the marker bar and is automatically

numbered.

4.

Repeat step 3 until you have marked all CD tracks.

Burning a disc (disc-at-once)

1.

Insert a blank CD in a supported CD-R/CD-RW drive.

2.

From the Tools menu, choose Burn Disc-at-Once Audio CD. The Burn Disc-at-Once Audio CD dialog appears.

3.

From the Drive drop-down list, use the CD drive that you want to use to burn your CD.

4.

From the Speed drop-down list, choose the speed at which you want to burn. Max will use your drive’s fastest

possible speed; decrease the setting to prevent the possibility of buffer underruns.

5.

Select the Buffer underrun protection check box if your CD recorder supports buffer underrun protection.

Buffer underrun protection allows a CD recorder to stop and resume burning.

6.

Choose a radio button in the Burn mode box:

•Burn CDs begins recording audio to your CD immediately.

Note:

The Red Book specification also requires a two-second pause at the beginning of an audio CD. This pause is

automatically added when you burn your CD.

Important:

You must place your first CD track marker at the beginning of your project. Audio placed before the first

marker will not be burned to CD.

Tip:

Once you have inserted a marker, you can move or delete them as needed.

Note:

Buffer underrun protection can create a disc that can be played in CD players, but may contain a bit error

where burning stopped and restarted. Consider clearing this check box when creating a premaster disc.

60 | Chapter 2

•Test first, then burn CDs performs a test to determine whether your files can be written to the CD recorder

without encountering buffer underruns. No audio is recorded to the CD during the test, and recording begins

after the test if it is successful.

•Test only (do not burn CDs) performs a test to determine whether your files can be written to the CD recorder

without encountering buffer underruns. No audio is recorded to the CD.

7.

Select the Render temporary image before burning check box if you want to render your CD project to a temporary

file before recording. Prerendering can prevent buffer underruns if you have a complex project that cannot be

rendered and burned in real time.

8.

Select the Automatically erase rewritable discs check box if you’re burning to rewritable media and want to erase

the disc before burning.

9.

Select the Eject when done check box if you want the CD to eject automatically when burning has completed.

10.

Click OK to start burning.

Note:

The rendered temporary file will remain until you modify your project or exit. If an image file exists when you

Open the Burn Disc-at-Once Audio CD dialog, the check box is displayed as Use existing rendered temporary image.

EDITING EVENTS | 61

Chapter

3

Editing Events

In this chapter, you’ll learn about basic event editing techniques such as cutting, copying, pasting, trimming, splitting,

and joining events. You’ll also learn how to use ripple editing to expand the possibilities of timeline editing. Finally, you’ll

take a look at advanced editing techniques such as slipping and sliding events, changing event properties, and adding

event envelopes.

Copying events

Copying an event, a time selection, or event within a time selection places an exact copy of the selected event(s) on the

clipboard, but leaves the track view unchanged. Events copied to the clipboard can be pasted in the project an unlimited

number of times. In addition, clipboard content remains on the clipboard until replaced by new content.

1.

Select the event data you want to copy or make a time selection. For more information, see Making selections on page

44.

2.

Copy the event data using any of the following methods:

•Click the Copy button ( ) on the toolbar.

• Choose Copy from the Edit menu.

• Right-click the selection and choose Copy from the shortcut menu.

• Press Ctrl+C.

Pasting events

The clipboard’s contents can be pasted in a project an unlimited number of times. However, an event is always pasted in

the track it was copied/cut from. In addition, pasting the contents of the clipboard over an existing event results in the

pasted event overlapping the existing event. To avoid pasting over existing events, you have two options:

•Use the Paste Insert command. For more information, see Using Paste Insert on page 62.

• Turn on ripple editing. For more information, see Ripple editing on page 67.

When events are cut/copied to the clipboard and subsequently pasted into a project, the time data inherent in the cut/

copied events is maintained and pasted. For example, if you select two events on the same track that are separated by

five seconds of silence, copying and pasting these events results in the five seconds of silence also being pasted into the

project.

Taking this concept a step further, if you select discontinuous events from several tracks, copying and pasting these

events results in any selected time data being pasted into the project as well. This maintains the relative position of

events in the project.

Using the Paste command

1.

Place the cursor at the desired position on the timeline.

2.

Paste the clipboard contents using any of the following methods:

Note:

For the basic event editing topics in this chapter, make sure that ripple editing is turned off. Verify that the Ripple

Edits command in the Options menu is not selected. For more information, see Ripple editing on page 67.

Note:

You can also paste events across tracks using clips. For more information, see Copying clips and events across

tracks on page 108.

Original events Pasted events

Original events Pasted events

62 | Chapter 3

•Click the Paste button ( ) on the toolbar.

•Choose Paste from the Edit menu.

• Right-click the track view and choose Paste from the shortcut menu.

• Press Ctrl+V.

Using Paste Repeat

When building projects, you often need to paste the contents of the clipboard several times. Rather than repeatedly

pasting and moving the content, the Paste Repeat command allows you to specify the number of times and at what

interval the clipboard’s contents are pasted on the track view. This is a useful way of quickly building a project that uses a

repetitive riff or structure. For example, you can build the backing tracks for a twelve-bar blues, copy them, and use Paste

Repeat to paste several copies of it in the project.

1.

Click the Time Selection Tool button ( ).

2.

Drag the mouse in the track view to create a time selection spanning several events and copy it to the clipboard.

3.

Click the Go To End button ( ) on the transport bar or press Ctrl+End to send the cursor to the end of the project.

4.

From the Edit menu, choose Paste Repeat or press Ctrl+B. The Paste Repeat dialog appears.

5.

Enter a number in the Number of times to paste box.

6.

Select the End to end radio button and click OK. The events are pasted end to end the number of times specified in

step five, starting at the cursor position.

Using Paste Insert

To insert the contents of the ACID clipboard at the current cursor position and force existing events to move in time to

accommodate the pasted events, choose Paste Insert from the Edit menu.

If the cursor is in the middle of an event, the event splits at the cursor position where the new events are pasted. For more

information, see Splitting events on page 64.

Pasting events at the play cursor

You can also paste the contents of the clipboard at the cursor during playback. You can use this feature to create rhythms

on one-shot tracks while listening to the track you’re editing in the context of the rest of your project. When you’re done

creating events, you can use the Render to New Track command (on the Edit menu) to save the rhythm to a new track, or

you can copy and paste your new events across the timeline.

1.

Create a time selection in the portion of the project you want to edit.

2.

Select the Loop Playback button ( ).

3.

Copy the one-shot you want to use.

4.

Click the Play button ( ) to start playback.

5.

Press Shift+Y to paste at the play cursor (during playback, the edit cursor remains fixed, and the play cursor follows

playback).

If snapping is enabled, events are pasted at the next snap point. You can use snapping to quantize your events.

6.

Repeat step 5 as needed.

7.

Click the Stop button ( ) when you’re finished creating events.

8.

Edit event positions as necessary.

Tip:

If you're using this feature to tap rhythms with one-shot tracks, try applying a groove to adjust the timing of your

rhythm. For more information, see Working with grooves on page 120.

EDITING EVENTS | 63

Cutting events

Cutting an event, a time selection, or an event within a time selection removes the audio data from the track view and

places it on the clipboard. Once data is placed on the clipboard, it can be pasted back into the project an unlimited

number of times. Clipboard content remains on the clipboard until it is replaced by new data.

1.

Select the event data you want to cut or make a time selection. For more information, see Making selections on page

44.

2.

Cut the event data using any of the following methods:

•Click the Cut button ( ) on the toolbar.

• Choose Cut from the Edit menu.

• Right-click the selection and choose Cut from the shortcut menu.

• Press Ctrl+X.

All selected events are removed from the track view and placed on the clipboard.

Deleting events

Deleting an event, a time selection, or an event within a time selection removes the data from the track view and discards

it. Deleted events are not placed on the clipboard and do not replace or interfere with current clipboard content. In

addition, deleted events cannot be pasted back into a project.

1.

Select the event data you want to delete or make a time selection. For more information, see Making selections on

page 44.

2.

Delete the event data using any of the following methods:

• Choose Delete from the Edit menu.

• Right-click the selected event and choose Delete from the shortcut menu.

• Press Delete.

All selected events are removed from the track view and discarded.

Reversing events

You can select events in the timeline and reverse their audio and peak data. Select an event in the timeline,

right-click, and choose Reverse (or press U) from the shortcut menu. An arrow appears on the event in the

timeline to indicate that it has been reversed.

Trimming events

Whereas deleting allows you to select event data to be removed from the project, trimming allows you to select the data

that remains. Trimming is performed by creating a time selection or selecting an event within a time selection and

subsequently deleting all unselected data.

1.

Create a time selection or select specific events within a time selection. For more information, see Creating time

selections on page 45.

2.

Press Ctrl+T to trim the data within the selection. All unselected event data is removed from the track view and

discarded.

Note:

Deleted data can only be replaced in a project using the Undo command. For more information, see Using

undo on page 49.

Tip:

To remove the unused media from your project, choose Remove All Unused Clips from the Tools menu. To remove

unused clips from individual tracks, click the Remove Unused Clips button in the Clip Pool window. For more

information, see Using the Clip Pool on page 109.

64 | Chapter 3

Splitting events

Splitting is a quick way to create independently functioning events from a single one. You might consider splitting an

event if you want to adjust a small part of the track. For example, you may want to apply pitch shift to a guitar track for a

few measures and then return the track to its original setting.

Splitting occurs at the cursor position or at the in and out points of a time selection. When you split an event, a new

ending point is created for the original event and creates a starting point for the newly created event.

When you split an event, the newly created events abut each other. If Quick fade edges to prevent clicks is selected in

the Event Properties dialog, fades are added at the split point. For more information, see Changing event properties on page

70.

However, you may move either of the events, which creates a gap.

Splitting at the cursor position splits all selected events that the cursor crosses on all tracks.

1.

Select the event(s) that you want to split.

2.

Place the cursor where you want the split to occur or make a time selection.

3.

From the Edit menu, choose Split or press S. The result of the split depends on how events were selected.

Splitting at the cursor position

Splitting at the cursor position splits all events that the cursor crosses on all tracks.

Events before splitting Events after splitting

Split position Two events

Split position Two events

Cursor position

and split point

After the split, the three events become

six events

EDITING EVENTS | 65

Splitting one event

Selecting a single event prior to splitting prevents other events from being split at the cursor’s position.

Splitting multiple events

Selecting multiple events splits only the selected events at the cursor’s position. Be sure to set your cursor position before

selecting events. Attempting to set your cursor after selecting events causes you to lose your event selection.

Splitting a time selection

Making a time selection allows you to split events at the time selection’s in and out points across all tracks.

Events before splitting Events after splitting

Events before splitting Events after splitting

Events before splitting Events after splitting

Cursor position

and split point

Event to

be split

Only the selected

event splits at the

cursor position

Cursor position

and split point

Events to

be split

Only the selected

events split at the

cursor position

Loop bar

Out point

In point

Loop bar

Split point Split point

66 | Chapter 3

Splitting events within a time selection

When selecting events within a time selection, only the selected events in the time range split at the in and out points.

Joining events

You may join events on ACID tracks that have been segmented along the timeline. Joining events is an efficient way to

redraw an event and remove any splits or silent regions between events.

You would want to join events if you decided that the event should play uninterrupted over the specified time range.

1.

Select the events or range of events that you want to join. For more information, see Selecting multiple events on page

44.

2.

From the Edit menu, choose Join or press J. The selected events are joined.

Automatic crossfades

From the Options menu, choose Automatic Crossfades if you want to automatically create crossfades when you overlap

two audio events.

Creating crossfades

You can easily create crossfades between events by simply dragging an event.

1.

From the Options menu, choose Automatic Crossfades to turn on automatic crossfades.

2.

Drag and event so that it overlaps another event on the same track.

A crossfade is automatically added to transition smoothly between the two events.

Events before splitting Events after splitting

Note:

Event crossfades are not available for MIDI events.

In point Out point

Selection bar

Event to split at the

time selection’s in

and out points

Split point Split point

Selection bar

Only the selected

event splits at the in

and out points

Select all the events that you want to join.

You can also select the first and last events you

want to join, creating an event selection range.

After you join the events, a single event appears.

Joining events is similar to dragging the edge

of an existing event

EDITING EVENTS | 67

Changing fade types

You can change a crossfade to use one of many combinations of fast, slow, linear, smooth, and sharp fade curves.

1.

Right-click the overlapping area to display a shortcut menu.

2.

Choose Fade Out Type from the shortcut menu and choose a fade curve from the submenu to set the curve for the

first event’s fade out.

3.

Choose Fade In Type from the shortcut menu and choose a fade curve from the submenu to set the curve for the

first event’s fade in.

Ripple editing

ACID includes a ripple editing feature. This feature allows you to cut, delete, and paste events or portions of events within

a time selection and simultaneously adjust the position of all later events on a selected track. The existing events’ timeline

position adjusts by the total amount of the time selection that is being cut, deleted or pasted from the clipboard.

You may turn on ripple editing mode by choosing Ripple Edits from the Options menu or pressing Ctrl+L.

Cutting events in ripple editing mode

Cutting events or portions of events removes them and their time information from their respective tracks. This

information is placed on the clipboard, from which you may paste the information back into your project.

1.

From the Options menu, choose Ripple Edits to enter ripple editing mode.

2.

Click the event to be cut or make a time selection.

To cut multiple events, use the Ctrl key, the Shift key, or the Selection () tool to select the events. For more

information, see Selecting multiple events on page 44.

3.

Click the Cut button ( ) on the toolbar to cut the event(s) to the clipboard.

The cut events and their time information are removed from the selected track(s) and placed on the clipboard.

Existing events in the selected track(s) move forward to occupy the space created by the cut.

Cutting time selections in ripple editing mode

Events within the time selection are reproduced and placed on the clipboard. Also, the time information is placed on the

clipboard. Existing events occurring after the time selection move forward in the project by the length of the time

selection.

Note:

Ripple editing is only available when a time selection is present.

Events before cut Clipboard contents Events after cut

Existing events

adjust to occur

sooner in the project

68 | Chapter 3

Cutting time and event selections in ripple editing mode

Events and portions of events within the time selection are reproduced and placed on the clipboard. Also, the time

information is placed on the clipboard. Existing events occurring later than the time selection move forward by the

length of the time selection. Only tracks containing selected events are affected by the ripple edit.

Deleting events in ripple editing mode

Deleting events or portions of events removes them and their time information from their respective tracks. However,

this information is not placed on the clipboard. Existing events move forward when you delete material from a selected

track.

1.

From the Options menu, choose Ripple Edits to enter ripple editing mode.

2.

Click the event to be deleted or make a time selection.

To cut multiple events, use the Ctrl key, the Shift key, or the Selection ( ) tool to select the events. For mo