VERSION 8

ACID
PRO

English language manual

 
Last changes: Thursday, March 29, 2018

This documentation is protected by copyright law.

All rights, especially the right of duplication, circulation, and translation are reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced in form of copies, microfilms or other processes, or transmitted into a language used for
machines, especially data processing machines, without the express written consent of the publisher.
All rights of reproduction are reserved. Errors in and changes to the contents as well as program modifications reserved.
Copyright © MAGIX Software GmbH, 1994 – 2018. All rights reserved.
MAGIX, Vegas and all mentioned MAGIX product names are registered trademarks of MAGIX Software GmbH
More license information can be found online at the MAGIX web sites.
MAGIX licensing conditions are included in the installation and also at www.magix.com under EULA.

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         Table of Contents            3

Table of Contents
Table of Contents 3
ACID Pro 8 8
New features 9
New features in ACID Pro 7 9
Interactive Tutorials 10
Technical Support 10
The ACID Window 11
The Timeline 11
The Track List 14
The Window Docking Area and Floating Window Docks 14
The Toolbar 15
The Status Bar 16
Working with Projects 17
Creating a Basic ACID Project 17
Starting a New Project 18
Project Properties 18
The Explorer Window 19
ACID Types 23
Extracting Audio from CDs 24
Opening a Project or File 25
Listening to Your Creation 27
Metronome 28
Changing Tempo, Time Signature, and Key 30
Fit to Time 32
Project References in Rendered Files 33
Saving Your Project 33
Add CD track markers to your ACID project 38
Set Universal Product Code/Media Catalog Number information 39
Burn your disc 39
Track Editing 41
Inserting Tracks 41
Selecting Playback Devices for Audio Tracks 41
Selecting Tracks 42
Arranging Tracks 42
Folder Tracks 43
Cutting, Copying, and Pasting Tracks 44
Audio Track Controls 45
Editing Audio Track Properties 52
Render to New Track 54
Optimizing Clip Stretching 55
Editing Events on the Timeline 60
Adding Events to a Track 60
4

Inserting Events at the Play Cursor 60

Pasting Events at the Play Cursor 61
Inserting Time 61
Editing Tools 61
Selecting Events 64
Go To 66
Pitch-Shifting Events 66
Moving Events 67
Automatic Crossfades 68
Using Clips 69
Changing ACID type 76
Adjusting pitch shift 76
Adjusting time-stretching (Beatmapped tracks only) 76
Adjust clip offset for looped recordings 77
Moving markers 79
Adding markers 79
Deleting markers 80
Reset stretching markers 80
Moving anchors 80
Adding anchors 81
Deleting anchors 81
Reset beat anchors 81
Using Sections 84
Snapping 86
Cutting, Copying, and Pasting Events 86
Deleting Events 89
Undoing and Redoing Edit Operations 89
Ripple Edits 90
Splitting Events 92
Joining Events 93
Trimming Events 94
Reversing an Event 94
Grouping Events 94
The Chopper Window 95
Adjusting an Event's Length 98
Event Envelopes 99
Modifying Event Properties 100
Muting and Locking Events 102
Recording 103
How Do I Record Audio from an External Source? 103
Recording Audio 105
Setting up a MIDI Keyboard for use in ACID 111
Recording MIDI 112

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         Table of Contents            5

MIDI Input Filtering 118

Working with Groove Maps 121
Applying or Removing Grooves 121
Creating Grooves 124
Editing Grooves 125
Using Markers, Regions, and Commands 127
Using Markers 127
Time Markers 128
Using Regions 128
Inserting Commands 129
Using Automation 133
Adding Audio Track Envelopes 133
MIDI Track Envelopes and Keyframes 137
Bus Tracks 141
Automating Audio Effect Parameters 143
Adjusting Envelopes 145
Recording Track Envelope Automation 148
Adding Effects 152
Track Effects 152
Adding/Editing Audio Event Effects 153
Adding Effects to a Bus 154
Adding Plug-Ins to a Soft Synth 155
The Audio Plug-In Window 156
The Plug-In Manager Window 159
Bypassing All Audio Effects 164
Mixing Audio 165
The Mixing Console Window 165
Using Busses 165
Using bus track headers 166
Using the Mixing Console window 167
Using bus track headers 167
Using the Mixing Console window 167
Using Input Busses 174
Using Assignable Effects 178
Audio Panning Modes 181
5.1 Surround Projects 183
5.1 Surround Setup 183
5.1 Surround Panning and Mixing 185
Rendering Your 5.1 Channel Mix 192
Working with Video 193
The Video Track 193
Synchronizing Audio and Video 194
The Video Preview Window 194
Using an External Video Monitor 195
6

Using a Control Surface 197

Using a Mackie Control 198
Using a Frontier TranzPort 206
Using a PreSonus FaderPort 208
Using a Generic Control Surface 210
Working with MIDI 213
MIDI Basics: Using MIDI Files in Your Project 213
Adding MIDI Files to a Project 213
Routing Tracks to Soft Synths or MIDI Devices 215
Using Synthesizers 215
Loading an instrument preset 217
Saving the current settings as a preset 217
Loading a saved bank 217
Saving the current settings as a bank 217
Softsynths included with ACID Pro 223
Automate Vita Solo Instruments via MIDI Controller 227
Automate Vita Solo Instruments via VST Parameter 228
Using ReWire 230
Inline MIDI Editing 235
MIDI Track Controls 241
Freezing MIDI Tracks 248
Editing MIDI Track Properties 250
Editing MIDI Clip Properties 252
Using the Piano Roll 253
Zoom horizontally 254
Zoom vertically 254
Zoom to a selection 254
Using the List Editor 259
Processing and Filtering MIDI Events 264
Using Controller Maps 267
Creating or Editing Program Maps 268
Creating or Editing Drum Maps 270
Exporting MIDI 271
Using MIDI plugins 272
Resetting All MIDI Ports 273
Timecode Synchronization 273
Customizing the ACID Interface 277
Customizing the Toolbar 277
Customizing Keyboard Shortcuts 277
Customizing ASIO Port Naming 279
The Time Ruler 280
Grid Spacing 281
The Time Display 282

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         Table of Contents            7

Setting Default Track Properties 282

Preferences 283
Microsoft Sound Mapper or Windows Classic Wave Driver 287
ASIO 288
ReWire Device Driver 288
Keyboard Shortcuts 298
Signal Flow Diagrams 308
Troubleshooting 313
Glossary 316
Index 326
8

ACID Pro 8
Copyright © 2018 MAGIX Software GmbH
All Rights Reserved

ACID Pro software is a DAW powerhouse that combines multitrack recording, MIDI sequencing, and legendary
ACID looping functionality into a seamless music and post-production environment. ACID inspires you like nothing
else. Fast and intuitive, it's more like a creative partner than a production tool.

www.magix-audio.com
 New features 9

New features
 l 64 bit program version
 l VST 3 support
 l New user interface skin
 l New virtual instruments:
 o Pop Drums
 o Vita Rock Drums
 o Vita Jazz Drums
 o Vita Drum Engine
 o Vita Urban Drums
 o Concert Grand
 o Vita Electric Piano
 o Church Organ
 o Vita Vintage Organ
 o Vita Choir
 o Vita Cinematic Synth
 o Vita Analog Synths
 o Vita Electric Bass
 o VITA 2
 o DN-e1
 o VITA Sampler
 l New effects
 o essentialFX suite: A collection of essential bread-and-butter effects for your daily need including
Chorus/Falnger, Phaser, Stereo Delay, Gate, Compressor, Tremolo Pan, Vocal Strip, Deesser, Tubestage,
Limiter and Reverb.
 o Analogue Modeling Suite: A collection of plug-ins modeled after real analogue circuitry: the versatile
master compressor/limiter am|munition, the transient designer am|pulse, the track analog compressor
and tape simulator am|trackand the tube pre-amp/channel strip am|phibia.
 o Vandal SE guitar amp simulation
 l New loop content
 l Event Effects: All plugin-effects can now also applied on single events on the track.
 l Event grouping: Combine events from the same or different tracks to groups for easier editing.

New features in ACID Pro 7

In case you missed the version before, here are the features that were new in Version 7

Fundamentals
 l Interactive Tutorials.
 l External control surface channel tracking.
 l Custom labels for ASIO drivers and ports.
 l Support for opening and rendering FLAC files.
10

 l Support for rendering AC-3 files with the Dolby Digital AC-3 Studio plug-in.

Mixing and Editing

 l Mixing Console window for a traditional hardware-style mixer view.
 l Audio routing enhancements:
 o You can now route busses to assignable effects via the Mixing Console window .
 o You can now route busses to multiple sends via the Mixing Console window.
 o If you want to apply track panning to bus or assignable FX sends, right click the bus or FX fader in the track
header and choose Link to Main Track Pan from the shortcut menu.
 l The Track Prefader Sends Listen to Mute check box in Preferences > Audioenables pre-volume sends from
tracks to busses and assignable effects to respond to the track mute state.
 l Input busses allow you to record from external devices with effects, mix external audio sources with your pro
ject, use external effects processors with your tracks and busses, and provide input monitoring.
 l Real-time rendering.
 l Audio, MIDI, and bus tracks now include output meters.
 l Tempo curves between tempo markers.
 l Enhanced timestretch and pitch shifting for Beatmapped clips with élastique Pro.
 l Metronome count-off.
 l Enhanced Beatmap markers for clips with multiple tempos.
 l Phase, normalization, and channel control for audio clips.
 l You can now invert the phase of audio tracks.
 l Mute and lock event switches.
 l You can now drag events across tracks to create and move clips.

MIDI and Effects

 l MIDI track freeze.
 l Enhanced plug-in management.
 l Improved plug-in scanning via the Plug-In Manager.

Interactive Tutorials
From the Help menu, choose Interactive Tutorials to start an interactive guide that will show you each part of the
ACID interface and teach you how to create a project.
Choose a topic from the Interactive Tutorials overview to start a tutorialyou'll be up and running in no time! —

Technical Support
If you experience problems or have questions while using ACID software, our technical support department is
always ready to help you. Additional support and information about Sound Forge software and other MAGIX
products can be found on the MAGIX Web site.
For a detailed list of Technical Support options, please visit the Support page on our Web site.

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 The ACID Window 11

The ACID Window

The ACID window is divided into four main areas.

The track list, timeline, and window docking area can be sized to your preferences by dragging the dividers
between them.

The Timeline
The majority of the track view is made up of the timeline where you will draw events on each track. However, there
are other aspects of the timeline to become familiar with.

The Beat Ruler

The beat ruler is displayed along the top of the timeline. This timeline will allow you to place events in reference to
the musical time of measures, beats, and ticks (ticks are visible when you zoom in).
12

This timeline changes only when you change time signature. Tempo changes will not change the beat ruler; this
allows events to maintain their size when the tempo is adjusted.

Beat ruler

Time ruler

In the sample image, 1.1 represents beat one of measure one, and each ruler mark represents one beat. The scale of
the beat ruler varies depending on the zoom level of the timeline.
If you want to view the timeline in a scale other than measures, beats, and ticks, you can use the time ruler.

Scroll Bars
The scroll bars allow you to scroll through your project and change its magnification.
The horizontal scroll bar is displayed below the time ruler. Drag the scroll box to pan left or right through the project.

The scroll box also functions as a zoom control. Drag the edges of the scroll box to zoom in and out, or double-
click the scroll box to zoom out so that the entire length of the project will be displayed.
The vertical scroll bar is displayed on the right side of timeline. Drag the scroll box to pan up and down through the
project.

Double-click the scroll box to zoom the project out so that as many tracks will be displayed as possible.

Zooming and Magnification

From the View menu, choose Zoom, and choose a command from the submenu (or use the controls in the lower-
left corner of the timeline) to change the magnification level of your ACID project.
Double-clicking the Zoom button in the corner of the timeline adjusts the horizontal and vertical
magnification so that as much of the project is displayed as possible.

Zoom in or out quickly

From the View menu, choose Zoom and choose a command from the submenu to change the magnification of the
timeline.
Item Description
Normal Restores the project’s magnification to the default settings. This feature is useful for quickly zooming
(F9) to a reasonable level when you are zoomed in or out to the magnification extents.
Edit Restores the track height zoom to a level where all track list edit controls are visible. This feature is
(Shift+F9) useful when you want to edit using the track list but do not want to change your time-zoom
magnification.
Overview Reduces the magnification of the timeline so that the entire length of the project and as many tracks
(Ctrl+F9) as possible are displayed.

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 The ACID Window 13

Zoom in to track height

 l Click to increase the track height zoom level to show more event detail.
 l Click to decrease the track height zoom level to show more tracks.
 l Click and drag the area between the and buttons to increase or decrease track height zoom level.

Zoom in to an event

 l Click to increase the horizontal zoom level to show more event detail.
 l Click decrease the horizontal zoom level to show more of the timeline.
 l Click and drag the area between the and buttons to zoom in or out on the timeline.

Zoom in to a selection

Click the Zoom button in the corner of the timeline to temporarily change the cursor into the Zoom tool. Select an
area of the timeline that you want to magnify, and the cursor will revert to the previously active tool.

Transport Controls
Item Description
Record Click to start recording into all armed audio and MIDI tracks.

Loop Click to toggle looped playback mode. When the button is selected, only the portion of
Playback the current project within the loop region will be
played back.
Play from Click to start playback from the beginning of the project regardless of the current cursor
Start position.
Play Click to play back the project from the current cursor position.

Pause Click to stop playback and leave the cursor at its current position. Click again to resume
playback.
Stop Click to stop playback and return the cursor to its starting position.

Go to Start Click to move the cursor to the start of the current project.
14

Go to End Click to move the cursor to the end of the current project.

MIDI Step Click to open the MIDI Step Record dialog, where you can record by specifying the interval
Record between MIDI notes. Step recording allows you to record notes with very precise timing.
MIDI Click to enable MIDI merge recording to build a MIDI part by recording repeatedly into a
Merge loop region. MIDI merge data is recorded in real time, and you can add more notes or
Record MIDI controller data each time recording passes through the loop region.
Metronome Click to use the metronome during playback or recording.

Metronome Click the button to turn metronome countoff on or off, or click the down arrow next to the
Countoff button to set countoff options.
Metronome countoff allows you to use the metronome to count off a set number of bars
before beginning recording or playback in the same way a drummer counts off with her
sticks before the band starts playing.
For more information about using and confuguring metronome countoff, please see the
Metronome help topic.

The Track List

The Track List contains the master controls for each track. From here you can adjust the mix, select playback devices,
and reorder tracks.

The Window Docking Area and Floating Window Docks

The lower half of the ACID window is the window docking area. You can use this area to keep frequently used
windows available, but out of the way, while you are working with a project.
You can also create multiple floating docks to organize your ACID windows. These docks can float over the ACID
window or if you have a dual-monitor video card on a secondary monitor.——

 l To dock a window, drag it to the docking area or a floating dock.

 l To undock a window, click the handle and drag it out of the docking area or floating dock.

 l To prevent a window from docking when you drag it, hold the Ctrl key.
 l To expand a docked window so it fills the docking area, click the Maximize button . Click again to restore the

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 The ACID Window 15

window to its previous size.

 l To remove a window from the docking area, click the Close button .

You can dock several windows in the same area of the screen, and the windows will be layered. Click a window’s tab
to bring it to the top.

The Toolbar
From the View menu, choose Toolbar to toggle the display. A check mark is displayed next to the Toolbar
command when the toolbar is displayed.
The toolbar contains buttons that enable you to select frequently used commands quickly. You can customize it by
adding, removing, or reordering buttons.
Item Description
New Click to open a new project. You will be prompted to save any changes to the current project.

Open Click to display 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.
If you choose an ACID project and there is an unsaved project currently open, you will be
prompted to save your changes first. If you choose an audio file, the file will be opened as a
new track in the current ACID project.
Save Click to save any changes to the current project.
The first time you save a project, the Save As dialog is displayed.
Publish Click to publish your project to the Web.

Get Media Click to open the Get Media from the Web dialog, where you can search for media files that
from the you can use in your ACID project.
Web
Cut Click to clear the selected events from the timeline and place them on the ACID clipboard. You
can then paste them to a new location.
Copy Click to create copies of the selected events on the ACID clipboard. You can then paste them
to a new location on the timeline.
Paste Click to insert the contents of the ACID clipboard at the current cursor position. The pasted
events will cover any existing events. To make room for the pasted events, choose Paste
Insert from the Edit menu.
Undo Click to reverse the last action performed. You can perform unlimited Undos, allowing you to
restore the project to any state since the last Save command.
Redo Click to reverse an Undo command.

Enable Click to turn the snapping feature on or off.

Snapping When this button is enabled, the Grid Only command is available on the Options menu
(Options > Snapping > Grid Only) to allow you to indicate which elements in the timeline can
be used as snap points.
Automatic Click to turn automatic crossfades on or off.
Crossfades When this button is enable, crossfades are created automatically when you overlap events.

Lock Click if you want envelope points and position to move with an event when it is moved along
Envelopes the timeline.
to Events
Ignore Select this button to override event groups without removing the groups. For more
Event information, see "Grouping Events" on page 94.
16

Grouping
Enable Click to edit MIDI data directly on the timeline in a piano roll or drum grid view.
Inline MIDI
Editing
Draw Tool Click to select the Draw tool.

Selection Click to use the Selection tool.

Tool
Paint Tool Click to use the Paint tool.

Erase Tool Click to use the Erase tool.

Envelope Click to use the Envelope tool.

Tool
Time Click to use the Time Selection Edit tool.
Selection
Tool
Groove Click to use the Groove tool.
Tool Grooves cannot be applied to Beatmapped tracks.
Groove Click to use the Groove Erase tool.
Erase Tool

The Status Bar

From the View menu, choose Status Bar to toggle the display of the Status Bar (located at the bottom of the
timeline).
The Status Bar displays text help when your mouse is over menu items and will also show progress meters for any
actions that take time to complete. Click the Cancel button to stop an in-progress operation.

The RAM meter on the Status Bar shows the amount of used and total RAM in your computer.

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 Working with Projects 17

Working with Projects

A project (.acd) file saves the relevant information about your source media: file locations, edits, insertion points, and
effects.
A project file is not a multimedia file. It contains pointers to the original source files, so you can edit your project
nondestructively you can be creative without worrying about corrupting your source files.—

Creating a Basic ACID Project

ACID is a full-featured digital audio workstation (DAW), but its simple pick/paint/play model makes it easy to
create ACID projects from scratch.

 1. Create a new project file.

A project file is like your canvas and palette: it's not a multimedia file, but it contains information about all the
media in your project, how the media is arranged, effects, and so on. A project file lets you edit without worrying
about changing your source media files.
 2. Choose the media that you want to use in your project. Your media can come from any number of sources:
 l You can add media files from your computer.
 l You can record audio to add vocals or instruments to your project.
 l You can record MIDI to add notes from a keyboard or other MIDI controller to your project.
 l You can download media from the Web.
 3. Drag files from the Explorer window, or Windows Explorer to create events. Events indicate where you want to
play each media file.
When you drag files to an area of the timeline that does not contain a track, a new track is created. If you drag a
file to an existing track, the file is added to the track as a new clip.

When we drag a loop from the Explorer window to a

blank portion of the timeline, a track is added to the
project, and an event is created where we drop the loop.

 4. Click and drag in the timeline with the Draw Tool or Paint Tool to create events:

Events are drawn in the timeline as you drag: the

event starts where you click and ends where you
release the mouse button.

 5. Edit the events on the timeline as needed. You can move events, adjust their length, or edit properties to fine-tune the sound of your
project.
18

 6. Save your project.

 7. Deliver your project in its final format:
 l You can render a file if you want to create a video or audio file.
 l You can burn CDs.

Starting a New Project

From the File menu, choose New. The Project Properties dialog is displayed so you can enter information about your
project, and the new project is created using those settings.
If you have an unsaved ACID project open, you will be prompted to save your changes first.
Click the New button on the toolbar (or hold the Shift key while choosing New from the menu) to skip the
Project Properties dialog and use the previously selected project settings.

Project Properties
From the File menu, choose Properties to display the Project Properties dialog, where you can adjust settings for
your project and establish default settings that will be used for all new projects.

Summary
The information on the Summary tab is saved with the ACID project and can be displayed by media players when
you render your project in different file formats.
Item Description
Title Enter the title of the project.
Artist Enter name of the artist who performed in the project.
Engineer Enter the name of the person who mixed or edited the project.
Copyright Enter copyright information about the project.
Comments Enter any comments you want to associate with the project.
Universal Product Universal Product Codes (UPC) or Media Catalog Numbers (MCN) can be written to a
Code (UPC) / disc-at-once audio CD as a means of identification. However, not all CD-R drives support
Media Catalog this feature. Check your CD-R drive documentation to determine if your drive will write
Number (MCN) these codes.
Enter the code in this box, and the codes will be written to the CD along with the rest of the
project.
Universal product codes are administered by the Uniform Code Council.
Start all new Select this check box to use the current dialog settings as the default.
projects with these The Universal Product Code (UPC) / Media Catalog Number (MCN) setting is a
settings unique value and will not be used for new projects.

Audio
Use the Audio tab to change the data format for the current project.

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 Working with Projects 19

When ACID software is connected to a ReWire mixer application, the ACID project will automatically use the
mixer application's bit depth and sample rate. Saving the ACID project in ReWire mode will not overwrite the
project's original bit depth and sample rate.

Item Description
Master If you're using ACID Pro, choose Stereo from the drop-down list to create a two-channel stereo
bus mode project.
Choose 5.1 Surround if you want to perform advanced 5.1-channel mixing. More...
Number of If you're using ACID Pro, enter the number of stereo busses for the project. More...
additional
stereo
busses
Sample Choose a setting from the drop-down list to specify the sample rate of the project.
rate
Bit depth Select a setting from the drop-down list to specify the number of bits used to store each sample.
Higher values will increase the quality of playback and any recordings that you make.
Enable Select this check box if you want to apply a low-pass filter to each track in a 5.1 surround project that
low-pass is assigned to the LFE channel.
filter on Applying a low-pass filter approximates the bass-management system in a 5.1 decoder and ensures
LFE that you're sending only low-frequency audio to the LFE channel.
  Before rendering your surround project, check your surround authoring application's
documentation to determine its required audio format. Some encoders require a specific cutoff
frequency and rolloff, and your encoder may require that no filter be applied before encoding.
Cutoff Choose a frequency from the drop-down list or type a frequency in the box to set the frequency
frequency above which audio will be ignored by the LFE channel.
for low-
pass filter
Low-pass Choose a setting from the drop-down list to determine the sharpness of filter's rolloff curve. Best
filter produces the sharpest curve.
quality
Recorded This box displays the path to the folder that will be used when you record new audio or MIDI tracks.
files folder Choose <Project> to save recorded files in the same folder as your ACID project file, or click the
Browse button to choose a different folder.
The recorded files folder from the Folder tab of the Preferences dialog is used by default unless you
choose a project-specific location. If you select the Start all new projects with these settings check
box, the setting on the Folder tab of the Preferences dialog will be updated to use the folder specified
in the Project Properties dialog.
Start all Select this check box to use the current dialog settings as the default.
new
projects
with these
settings

The Explorer Window

The Explorer window allows you to view and access your media files without leaving the ACID workspace. You may
preview media files and place media files in your project from the Explorer window.
From the View menu, choose Explorer to toggle the display of the window.
20

You can also use the Get Media from the Web to find media to use in your project.

Learn more about the Explorer window

Item Name Description

Address Displays the current folder. You may also specify a file type to display. To
Bar specify a file type, make sure that All Files is not selected in the Views
button menu and click in the combo box. Type the wildcard followed by
the extension. For example, *.wav or ?intro?.avi
Tree Displays all of the available files and folders where you can find media
View files.
Contents Displays the folders and media files contained in the active folder.
Pane
Up Opens the folder one level above the active folder.

Refresh Refreshes the contents of the active folder.

If you insert a new CD (or other removable media), click to refresh the
Explorer.
Add to Adds the selected folder to the My Favorites folder for quick access.
My
Favorites
Start Plays the selected media file.
Preview
Stop Stops the playback of the selected media file.
Preview
Auto Automatically preview media files when you click them in the Explorer
Preview window.
Views Allows you to change the way the files are viewed in the list view.
Tree Displays all of the available drives and folders that you may
View choose from to find files.
Summary Displays a short description of the selected media file at the
View bottom of the Explorer window.

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 Working with Projects 21

Details Displays the file size, date and when the file was last
created or last modified.
All Files Displays all file types in the active folder.

Preview a file
If the Auto Preview button is selected, you can click a file in the Explorer window to preview it. Click the Stop
Preview button to stop the preview, or turn off the preview feature by deselecting the Auto Preview button.

When the Auto Preview button is not selected, click the Start Preview button to hear a loop.

You can preview loops during project playback to help you decide which loops work well together. Begin by
playing the project, and then select any loop to preview. The selected loop will play in sync with the rest of
project. If you like the loop, double-click it to add it to the project. If you do not like the loop, simply choose
another to preview.
Very small files that have not been optimized may not preview correctly. If the file’s tempo is not estimated
correctly, it must be optimized first for proper results.

Preview multiple selected files sequentially

When the Enable multiple-selection preview in Explorer window check box is selected on the Other tab of the
Preferences dialog (Audio tab in ACID Music Studio software), you can select multiple files in the Explorer, and they
will be played back in order when you click the Play button (or when the Auto Preview button is selected).

Each file's icon will change to a play icon during playback. Press Ctrl+Enter to add the currently playing file to the
timeline, or press Enter to add all selected tracks.
Tips:

 l Use the Other tab in the Preferences dialog (Audio tab in ACID Music Studio software) to indicate how long
each file should play.
 l When you're playing back a selection in looped playback mode, this feature will help you find the perfect loop to
match your project.

Adjust preview volume

Drag the Preview fader in the Mixing Console window to adjust preview volume.
This setting also controls the loudness of media played through the Chopper window and Beatmapper Wizard.
When adding media to the project, the new track's volume is set to the preview volume.
If the Preview fader is not displayed, right-click the Mixer and choose Show Preview Fader from the shortcut
menu.

Add tracks to a project or add clips to a track

Adding tracks

Double-click a file in the Explorer or drag it to an area of the timeline that does not contain a track to add it to your
ACID project and create a track.
Right-click and drag a file to the timeline or track list to specify the type of track that will be created. When you drop
the file, a shortcut menu is displayed that allows you to choose whether the file will be treated as a loop, one-shot,
Beatmapped track, or as an autodetected type.
22

Until you set a default track volume in the Set Default Track Properties dialog, the setting of the Preview fader
will determine the volume of new tracks.

Adding clips

Drag a file from the Explorer to an existing track in the timeline to create a new clip and set the new media file as the
active clip.
Tips:

 l Before using long media (one-shots or Beatmapped tracks) from CDs or shared network folders, copy the
media to your local drive for the best possible performance.
 l To add multiple files to the timeline, Ctrl+click (or Shift+click) to select the files and drag them to the timeline or
track list.
 l To add a track from an audio CD, browse to your CD drive and double-click a .cda file (or drag it to the timeline).
The track is extracted from the CD and added as a track in your ACID project.
 l When a media file is added to a project from a removable device, a copy of the media file is stored in a subfolder
within a 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 these subfolders are cleared when you close then application. However, they are not cleared if the
application closes inappropriately.

Add multitrack/multichannel MIDI files

Adding MIDI files to your ACID project is just like adding audio: you can double-click a MIDI file to create new
tracks and events, or you can drag a MIDI file to an existing track to add a new clip.
When you select a MIDI file in the Explorer window, its length, tempo, type, and number of tracks are displayed
at the bottom of the window:

When you right-click a MIDI file in the Explorer window, you can choose how you want to add it to your project:
Command Description
Add to Adds the file to the current ACID project and adds tracks to the track list. No events are created.
Project
 l For Type 0 MIDI files, a separate track is created for each channel in the MIDI file, and all tracks
are organized within a folder track.
 l For Type 1 MIDI files, a separate track is created for each track in the MIDI file, and all tracks are
organized within a folder track.

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 Working with Projects 23
When you draw events after adding a file to your ACID project, MIDI controller data is not
added to the timeline. Right-click an event and choose Create Envelopes from Clip from the
shortcut menu to represent MIDI controllers as envelopes on the timeline.
Add to Adds the file to the current ACID project at the cursor position, adds tracks to the track list, and
Project with creates events for the MIDI note data on each track. Envelopes are added to the tracks to represent
Events MIDI controller data.

 l For Type 0 MIDI files, a separate track is created for each channel in the MIDI file, and all tracks
are organized within a folder track.
 l For Type 1 MIDI files, a separate track is created for each track in the MIDI file, and all tracks are
organized within a folder track.
Add to Adds the file to the current ACID project at the cursor position, adds tracks to the track list, and
Project with creates events. Existing events are shifted downstream to make room for your MIDI file. Envelopes
Events are added to the tracks to represent MIDI controller data.
Rippled
 l For Type 0 MIDI files, a separate track is created for each channel in the MIDI file, and all tracks
are organized within a folder track.
 l For Type 1 MIDI files, a separate track is created for each track in the MIDI file, and all tracks are
organized within a folder track.
Open as Starts a new project, adds tracks to the track list, and creates events for the MIDI note data on each
New track:
Project
 l For Type 0 MIDI files, a separate track is created for each channel in the MIDI file.
 l For Type 1 MIDI files, a separate track is created for each track in the MIDI file.

When you draw events after opening a MIDI file as a new project, MIDI controller data is not
added to the timeline. Right-click an event and choose Create Envelopes from Clip from the
shortcut menu to represent MIDI controllers as envelopes on the timeline.

Use the My Favorites folder

Select the My Favorites folder or choose My Favorites from the Address Bar to view the contents of the My
Favorites folder. This folder contains shortcuts to folders that you use often.
Adding a folder to the My Favorites folder

 1. Browse to the folder you want to add.

 2. Right-click the folder and choose Add Folder to My Favorites from the shortcut menu. A shortcut to the folder
is created.
Removing a folder from the My Favorites folder

 1. Select the My Favorites folder.

 2. Right-click the folder you want to delete and choose Delete from the shortcut menu.

Deleting a folder from My Favorites deletes only the shortcut to the folder; the target folder is unaffected.

ACID Types
There are four types of media that you use in ACID projects: loops, one-shots, Beatmapped clips, and MIDI clips.
A single audio track can contain any combination of loops, one-shots, or Beatmapped clips. MIDI tracks can contain
only MIDI clips.
24

Right-click and drag a file to the timeline or track list to specify the type of clip that will be created. When you
drop the file, a shortcut menu is displayed that allow you to choose whether the file will be treated as a loop,
one-shot, Beatmapped clip, or as an autodetected type.

Loops
Loops are small audio clips that are designed to create a repeating beat or pattern. Loops are usually one to four
measures long and are stored completely in RAM for playback.
When Event Information is selected on the View menu, events that use loop clips display the icon in the timeline.
Loops are the type of events that you will use most frequently. Because a loop clip can be drawn continuously across
the timeline, loops are very easy to arrange.

One-shots
One-shots are audio clips that are not designed to loop. Cymbal crashes, sound bites, and vocals could be
considered one-shots.
When Event Information is selected on the View menu, events that use one-shot clips display the icon in the
timeline.
The main differences between a one-shot and a loop are that a one-shot will not change tempo with the rest of the
loops, will not be transposed to the project key, and is streamed from disk rather than being loaded into RAM.
If you've upgraded from ACID 1.0 or 2.0 software, you'll notice that Disk-Based is no longer available as a
media type. Use one-shots for clips that you previously used as disk-based tracks, and you'll notice increased
performance during playback.

Beatmapped clips
When a file that is longer than thirty seconds is added to an ACID project, the Beatmapper Wizard starts to allow
you to add tempo information to the file.
When Event Information is selected on the View menu, events that use Beatmapped clips display the icon in the
timeline.

MIDI clips
You can use MIDI clips to play back MIDI files. You can also route MIDI tracks to external devices for playback and
record data from MIDI equipment.
When Event Information is selected on the View menu, the ACID type icon is displayed on events in the timeline:

 l MIDI clips are displayed with a icon if the Loop button is selected in the Clip Pool. When this button is
selected, MIDI clips repeat when painted on the timeline.
 l If the Loop button is not selected, MIDI clips are displayed with a icon. When this button is not selected,
MIDI clips are painted as one-shots.

MIDI tracks can use .mid, .smf, and .rmi files. For more information about adding MIDI files to your project, please
see "Adding MIDI Files to a Project" on page 213.

Extracting Audio from CDs

From the File menu, choose Extract Audio from CD to extract tracks from a CD and open them as tracks in your
ACID project.

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 Working with Projects 25

Double-click a .cda file in the Explorer window (or drag it to the timeline) to extract a CD track without opening
the Extract Audio from CD dialog.
ACID software 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 software 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.

 1. From the File menu, choose Extract Audio from CD.
 2. Choose a setting from the Action drop-down list to indicate how you want to extract audio:
Item Description
Read by Choose to extract individual CD tracks. Select the tracks you want to extract in the Tracks to read
track list. Each CD track is extracted to a new track in your project.
Read Choose to extract the current CD to a single file. The disc is extracted to a new track in your
entire project.
disc
Read by Choose to extract a time range. You can specify a starting time and ending time (or a starting time
range and length). The time range is extracted to a new track in your project.

 3. If you choose Read by track or Read by range from the Action drop-down list, select the tracks or time range
you want to extract.
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.
 4. From the Drive drop-down list, choose the drive that contains the CD from which you want to extract audio.
 5. From the Speed drop-down list, choose the rate at which you want to extract audio. If you experience gapping
or glitching, decrease the speed or click Configure and adjust the Audio extract optimization slider.
 6. Click OK to start extracting audio.
 7. Type a file name and choose a location for the file.
After the track is extracted, the Beatmapper Wizard starts if the track is longer than 30 seconds.
Select the Autoname extracted tracks check box on the General tab in the Preferences dialog if you want
to automatically assign file names to tracks that you've extracted from CDs. File names will include the
CD's identification number and track number, and the files will be saved in the folder specified on the
Folders tab of the Preferences dialog.

Opening a Project or File

From the File menu, choose Open to display the Open File dialog. From this dialog, you can select an ACID project,
media file, or groove map to open. If you choose to open an ACID project without saving the current project, you will
be prompted to save your changes first. If you choose a media file, the file will be added to the current ACID project
as a new track. If you choose a groove map, the groove will be added to your project's Groove Pool.
Before using large media files (such as one-shots or Beatmapped tracks) from CDs or network folders, copy the
media to a local drive for the best possible performance.

 1. From the File menu, choose Open. The Open dialog is displayed.
 2. Choose the folder where the file you want to open is stored: from the Look in drop-down list or from the Recent
drop-down list to quickly select a folder from which you have previously opened files.
 3. Select a file in the browse window or type a name in the File name box. Detailed information about the selected
file is displayed 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.
26

Item Description
All Files Displays all files in the current folder, including files that are not supported in ACID.
All Project, Displays ACID project, supported media files, and groove files.
Groove, and
Media Files
ACID Displays only ACID project files. An ACID project file contains all of the information
Project Files about a single project. Track layout, envelope settings, and effects parameters are saved
(*.acd, in this project file. This type of file does not contain any audio, but only references to
*.acd-bak) audio files.
By default, backup project files are created when you open or save. Backup files are
stored in the same folder as your project and use the extension .acd-bak. You can
use these files to revert to a project's previous state.
ACID Displays only ACID Zip files. An ACID Zip file contains all of a project's media files and
Projects the project file in a compressed format.
with When you open an .acd-zip project, the project file and all media files are copied to a
Embedded temporary folder. Any changes you make to the project will be saved to the files in
Media this temporary folder until you save the .acd-zip file again. You can change the
(*.acd-zip) location of the temporary folder on the General tab of the Preferences dialog.
ACID Displays only ACID groove file. A groove file is a file you can add to your project's
Groove Groove Pool to adjust the rhythmic timing of loops, one-shots, and MIDI tracks.
(.groove)
MIDI Displays only MIDI files.
(*.mid, When you open a multitrack MIDI file, the file is displayed in a single track in your
*.smf, *.rmi) ACID project.
CD Audio Displays only tracks from audio CDs. When you open a .cda file, audio is extracted from
(*.cda) the CD and added as a new track.
ACID software 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 software 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.
Audio Displays only AIFF files. AIFF files are a popular format on the Macintosh. 16- and 24-bit
Interchange files of this format can be added as tracks into an ACID project.
File Format
(*.aiff, *.aif,
*.snd)
FLAC Audio Displays only FLAC Audio files. FLAC is the abbreviation for "Free Lossless Audio
(*.flac) Codec". This is a freely savable format that can be used to compress your audio data to
50% of their original size. Unlike lossy compression methods like MP3 or OGG, the full
sound quality is kept intact with FLAC.
MP3 Audio Displays only MPEG (Moving Picture Expert Group) Layer 3 files.
(*.mp3) Variable bit rate MP3 files typically loop more accurately than files encoded with a
fixed bit rate.
OggVorbis Displays only files encoded with the OggVorbis codec.
(*.ogg)

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 Working with Projects 27

Video for Displays only .avi files.

Windows You can add only one video track to a project. If your project already contains a video
(*.avi) track, you will be prompted to replace the existing video if you open another video file.
Wave Displays only wave files.
(Microsoft)
(*.wav)
Sony Wave Displays only files saved using Sony's Wave64 format. Files saved in this format can
64 (*.w64) exceed the 2 GB file-size limit imposed by the standard Wave format (if your operating
system supports files larger than 2 GB).
Windows Displays only Windows Media Audio files.
Media
Audio V9
(*.wma)
Windows Displays only Windows Media Video files.
Media
Video V9
(*.wmv,
*.asf)

You can use wildcard characters to filter the files displayed in the dialog. For example, you can enter
*guitar*.wav to display all wave files that include the word guitar in the file name.
 5. Click the Open button.

If a media file 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 will point to the location of the source media file. If you restore
the source media file at a later time, the project will open normally.

Listening to Your Creation

The transport controls allow you to play back your entire project (or portions of the project). You can also change the
project tempo during playback.
Time compression and expansion is performed on all of the loops in a project so that they match the project
tempo. Although the compression/expansion algorithm is very good, there are some limitations: you will
probably not be able to make a 120 bpm loop sound great at 60 bpm. You can use the Stretch tab in the Track
Properties window to optimize stretching properties.
If your project includes processor-intensive effects, you can choose Bypass All Audio FX from the Options
menu to conserve processing power and avoid playback problems.

Play from the cursor position

Click the Playbutton to start playback from the current cursor position.

If the Metronome button is selected, the metronome will keep time during playback.

Play the entire project

Click the Play from Start button to play the entire project, regardless of cursor position.

If the Metronome button is selected, the metronome will keep time during playback.
28

Play a selection
With the Time Selection tool , drag along the marker bar to create a time selection and click the Play button .

If the Metronome button is selected, the metronome will keep time during playback.

If the Loop Playback button is selected, the selection will play back repeatedly. If the Loop Playback button is
not selected, playback will stop after the selection is played.
If you create a new selection during playback, the cursor will move to the start of the new loop region and
playback will begin at that point. To adjust the selection without interrupting playback, drag from the center or
ends of the loop region.

Loop playback 
Looping a section of your project is useful when you want to concentrate on a portion of the timeline.
The loop region defines the playback region.

 1. Turn on looped playback by doing any of the following:

 l Select the Loop Playback button .

 l From the Options menu, choose Loop Playback.

 l Press Q or Ctrl+Shift+L.
 2. Click the Play button to hear your selection looped

To move the loop region, click between the endpoints of the loop region and drag the bar to a new position. To edit
the length of the loop region, drag either of the endpoints.
If you create a new selection during playback, the cursor will move to the start of the new loop region and
playback will begin at that point. To adjust the selection without interrupting playback, drag from the center or
ends of the loop region.
Shortcuts:

 l Double-click the inside colored bar of the loop region to force the endpoints to the extents of the timeline.
 l Hold the Ctrl key while clicking to move the start of the loop region to the spot you click, while preserving the
length of the loop region.
 l Hold Shiftwhile clicking to extend the length the loop region in either direction.
 l Hold Ctrl+Shift while clicking to move the beginning or end of the loop region to the spot you click, stretching
or reducing the length of the region.
 l Hold Ctrl+Shift+Left Arrow to set the loop region from the cursor to the previous marker if markers exist or from
the cursor to the beginning of the project if no marker exists prior to the cursor.
 l Hold Ctrl+Shift+Right Arrow to set the loop region from the cursor to the next marker if markers exist from the
cursor to the end of the project if no marker exists after the cursor.

Metronome
From the Options menu, choose Metronome if you want the metronome to keep time while you're recording or
playing back your project.

Turn the metronome on or off

From the Options menu, choose Metronome (or click the

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 Working with Projects 29

button on the transport bar) to turn the metronome on or off.

When you start recording or playing your project, the metronome will start playing the project tempo and will follow
any tempo or time signature changes. For example, if you start recording at measure 20 and your project tempo
changes at that measure is 160 BPM, the metronome will play at 160 BPM.
The metronome sounds are created by the general MIDI sound set, and the volume of the metronome is determined
using the Preview fader in the Mixing Console.
Notes:

 l The metronome’s sound is not mixed in the final rendering of the project.
 l Before rendering from a ReWire mixer application, turn off the ACID metronome, or the metronome will be
included in the rendered output.

The metronome will not follow grooves that you've applied to your project. If you want to hear a grooved
metronome, use a simple click loop and apply the desired groove to the track.

Use the metronome to count off for playback or recording

Metronome countoff allows you to use the metronome to count off a set number of bars before beginning recording
or playback in the same way a drummer counts off with her sticks before the band starts playing.
From the Options menu, choose Enable Metronome Countoff (or click the button on the transport toolbar)
to turn metronome countoff on or off.
You can click the down arrow next to the button to set countoff options:
Item Description
Enable Turns countoff on or off.
Metronome
Countoff
Countoff Metronome counts off during playback and recording.
Always On
Countoff Metronome counts off during playback only.
Only During When countoff is turned on for playback only, the button will display a play icon:
Playback
Countoff Metronome counts off during recording only.
Only During When countoff is turned on for recording only, the button will display a record icon:
Recording
One-Bar Sets the number of measures before the cursor position the metronome will count off.
Countoff Countoff always uses the tempo at the cursor position. In the following example, if you
positioned the cursor at measure three and choose Two-Bar Countoff, the metronome would
Two-Bar count off for two measures at 120 BPM before reaching the cursor position:
Countoff

Four-Bar
Countoff

Configure Displays the Audio tab in the Preferences dialog, where you can choose a metronone sound.
Metronome

Adjust the metronome's volume

If you need to adjust the volume of the metronome, drag the Preview fader in the Mixing Console.
30

If the Preview fader isn't visible, click the Preview Bus button in the Mixing Console View pane.

Changing Tempo, Time Signature, and Key

A project can be played at any tempo, time signature, or key, and you can make adjustments during playback.
You can add automatic tempo and key changes using tempo, time signature, and key change markers. These
markers are added above the marker bar at the top of the timeline. When the cursor passes over one of these
markers, the master project tempo, time signature, and/or key will change.
If the Metronome button is selected, the metronome will follow tempo changes during playback and recording.

Notes:

 l When you use key change markers, any subsequent events that have a pitch shift specified will be shifted based
on the new key.
 l When a MIDI clip's key is set on the Clip Pool tab of the MIDI Track Properties window, the project key and key
change markers are applied to MIDI clips, and the MIDI event data will display notes as WYSIWYH (what you
see is what you hear).
 l When a MIDI clip's key is set to None, the project key and key change markers are not applied to MIDI clips.

Adjust the project tempo

Drag the Project Tempo slider:

Double-click the Project Tempo label to type an exact value. The text will change to an edit box where you can
specify a tempo. Press Enter when you are finished.
When you click the Project Tempo slider, a bar is displayed in each track header to represent the amount the
track is being stretched to match the project tempo. The mark in the center of the bar represents the original
tempo of a loop.

Change the time signature

Click the Project Time Signature control and choose a signature from the menu to adjust the project's time
signature.

Choose Other to display the Custom Time Signature dialog, where you specify the number of beats per measure
and which note receives one beat. 
When you change the time signature, the time ruler and grid spacing are updated accordingly.

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 Working with Projects 31

For loop clips, the software assumes that each beat is a quarter note. When you choose a time signature in
which a note other than the quarter note receives one beat, you can see inconsistencies in loop lengths on the
timeline. For example, a five-beat loop occupies ten beats on the timeline in 5/8 time. The same loop will
occupies twenty beats in 5/16 time.
When you're working with a time signature in which a note other than the quarter note receives one beat, one-
shot tracks will draw correctly on the timeline.

Change the project key

Click the Project Key control and choose a key from the menu to adjust a project's key:

Each loop clip that has a specified Root note will be transposed to the key indicated by the Project Key control.
For example, if three loops that have root notes of A, B and C, and your Project Key control is set to D, the loops will
be pitch shifted by 5, 3 and 2 semitones respectively

Add a key, tempo, or time signature change marker within the project
 1. Position the cursor where you want to place the marker.
 2. From the Insert menu, choose Tempo/Key/Time Signature Change. The Tempo/Key/Time Signature Change
dialog is displayed.
Command Keyboard Shortcut
Add key change marker K
Add tempo change marker T
Add time signature marker Shift+K

 3. Select the Key change check box and choose a new key from the drop-down list if you want to change the key
of all tracks until the software encounters another key change marker.
 4. Select the Tempo change check box and enter a new tempo in the edit box if you want to change the tempo of
all tracks until the software encounters another tempo change marker.

When you add a tempo change marker, you can choose a setting from the Transition type drop-down list to
indicate how ACID will interpolate tempo between markers. When you choose Hold, each tempo marker's
settings are preserved until a new tempo marker is encountered (as in previous versions of ACID).

For more information about using tempo curves, see "Use a tempo curve to change tempo between markers" in
this help topic.
Select the Time signature change check box and enter new Beats per measure and Beat value settings to
change the time signature at the marker position. The time ruler divisions and grid spacing will be updated
accordingly.
 5.
Time signature changes must occur on the first beat of a measure. If your cursor is not on the first beat of a
measure, the marker is placed at the nearest measure.
 6. Click OK.

Use a tempo curve to change tempo between markers

When you add a tempo change marker to the timeline, you can choose to change tempo gradually between markers.
Tempo curves are perfect for ramping tempo up or down.
32

 1. Add a tempo change marker to the timeline or double-click a tempo-change marker to edit an existing marker.
 2. Choose a setting from the Transition type drop-down list to indicate how ACID will interpolate tempo between
markers:
Transition Description Looks Like
Type
Hold No interpolation will take place. The tempo marker's settings will be maintained
until the next marker.
Linear Tempo changes between markers in a linear path.

Fast Tempo changes between markers in a fast logarithmic path.

Slow Tempo changes between markers in a slow logarithmic path.

Smooth Tempo changes between markers along a smooth, natural curve.

Sharp Tempo changes between markers along a sharp curve.

 3. Click OK.

If you want to change the timing resolution ACID uses to interpolate tempo curves, choose a setting from the
Tempo curve segmentation drop-down list on the Editing tab of the Preferences dialog.

Edit a key, tempo, or time signature change marker

There are several ways to edit a key/tempo/time signature change marker:

 l Place the cursor on or after the marker, and adjust the Project Tempo slider, Project Time Signature, or Project
Key control. The marker will be updated to match the control settings.
 l Position the cursor before or after the marker and right-click the marker. Choose Adjust Tempo to Match
Cursor to Marker from the shortcut menu. The marker maintains its position on the beat ruler, and the tempo
of the project is adjusted so the cursor matches that position.
 l Right-click a tempo/key change marker and choose Edit from the shortcut menu. The Tempo/Key/Time
Signature Change dialog is displayed.
 l Double-click the text of the marker and type the value you want:

When editing a combination marker, you do not have to type all three values: for example, if the current marker
value is 130,F and you want to edit only the key, you can simply type A and press Enter. The marker will change
to 130,A.

Fit to Time
From the Edit menu, choose Fit to Time to specify an exact length for the ACID project. Your project tempo is
adjusted accordingly to conform to the new length.

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 Working with Projects 33

The maximum and minimum lengths are limited so your project doesn't fall outside of the available project
tempo range of 40 to 300 BPM.

Project References in Rendered Files

When you save the project path in a rendered file, you can easily return to the source project if you use your rendered
file in another project.
The project information in the rendered file is a reference to a project file only. 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.

Save the project path in the rendered file

 1. Save your ACID project. The project must be saved before you can embed the project reference in the rendered
file.
 2. Perform the procedure described in the Rendering Files topic to choose the file type and location for rendering
your files, and select the Save project as path reference in rendered file check box.

The check box will be unavailable if you haven't saved your project or if you're rendering using a third-party file-
format plug-in.
 

Edit a referenced project

 1. Do either of the following:
 2. Right-click a media file in the Explorer window.
 l Right-click an track header choose Track Clip from the shortcut menu to edit the track's active clip.
 l Right-click an event on the timeline and choose Event Clip from the shortcut menu to edit an event's clip.
 3. Choose Edit Source Project. A new ACID window will open with the source project.
If a track's media was created from an ACID project and rendered with the project path reference in the file,
you can also click the Edit Source Project button in the Track Properties window to open the source
project in a new ACID window.
 4. Edit the project as necessary.
 5. Render the edited project using the same name as the original media file and close the second ACID window. If
you're editing an existing track, your project will automatically be updated to use the latest rendered media file.

Saving Your Project

You can save a project in several formats: you can save to an ACID project file, render to another format, or even
create audio CDs.

Saving a Project
To save changes to the current project, choose Save from the File menu. Your project is saved with its existing name
and the project is updated so it contains the latest changes.
The first time you save a project, the Save As dialog is displayed.
If you want to render a project to a different format, choose Render As from the File menu.
If you save an ACID 1.0 ...8.0 project in recent ACID software, 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 with ACID software.
34

By default, backup project files are created when you open or save. Backup files are stored in the same folder as
your project and use the extension .acd-bak. You can use these files to revert to a project's previous state.
If the Enable autosave check box is selected on the General tab of the Preferences dialog, a temporary project
file is saved every five minutes to aid in crash recovery. Your original project is not overwritten.

Save As
From the Save As dialog, you can save the current project to a different location or with a new name.
If you want to save a file to a new format, choose Render As from the File menu.

 1. From the File menu, choose Save As. The Save As dialog is displayed.
 2. Choose a drive and folder from the Save in drop-down list, or use the browse window to locate the folder where
you want to save your project.
 3. Type a name in the File name box, or select a file in the browse window to replace an existing project.
 4. Choose a file type from the Save as type drop-down list.
File Type Description
ACID An ACID project file contains all of the information about a single project. Track layout,
Project File envelope settings, and effects parameters are saved in this project file. This type of file does not
(*.acd) contain any media, but only references to media files.
ACID An ACID Zip file contains all of a project's media files and the project file in a compressed
Project with format.
Embedded If you save a project in .acd-zip format, the project file and all media files are copied to a
Media temporary folder. If you continue to work on your project after saving the .acd-zip file, your
(*.acd-zip) changes will be saved to the files in this temporary folder. You can change the location of
the temporary folder on the Folders tab of the Preferences dialog.

Select the Copy all media with project check box to create copies of each of the project's media files in the
same location as the project file. This allows you to collect all of a project's assets in a single location.
 5. Click the Save button.

Rendering Files
From the Render As dialog, you can save the current project to a different location, with a new name, or to a different
format.

Render a project to a different format

 1. From the File menu, choose Render As. The Render As dialog is displayed.
 2. Choose a drive and folder from the Save in drop-down list, or use the browse window to locate the folder where
you want to save your file.
 3. Type a name in the File name box, or select a file in the browse window to replace an existing file.
 4. Choose a file type from the Save as Type drop-down list.
 5. Choose a template from the Template drop-down list to specify the parameters that should be used for
rendering your file, or click the Custom button to create a new template.
 6. 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. Loop Playback does not need to be selected for this option to work.

 7. If the selected file type supports it, you can select the Save project markers with media file check box to

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 Working with Projects 35

include markers, regions, and time markers 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).
 8. If the selected file type supports it, you can select the Save sections as regions with 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).
 9. Select the Stretch video to fill output frame (do not letterbox) check box if you are saving to a format with a
different aspect ratio than your source media settings. When this check box is cleared, black bars may appear at
the top and bottom (letterboxing) or sides (pillarboxing) of the frame to preserve the aspect ratio.
 10. Clear the Fast video resizing check box if you see unacceptable video artifacts in the rendered video (these
artifacts are most obvious with MPEG and streaming formats). Turning this option off can correct the artifacts,
but your rendering times will increase significantly.
 11. Click the Save button. A dialog is displayed to show rendering progress.
 12. When rendering is complete, click the Open button to play the file with its associated player, or click Open
Folder to open the folder where you saved the file.

Save the project path in the rendered file

Perform the preceding procedure to choose the file type and location for rendering your files, and select the Save
project as path reference in rendered file check box if you want to save the path to your ACID project in the
rendered file. Saving the project path allows you to easily return to the source project if you use your rendered file in
another project.
The project information in the rendered file is a reference to a project file only. 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.

Render each track as a separate file

Perform the preceding procedure to choose the file type and location for rendering your files, and select the Save
each track as a separate file check box.
When you click the Save button, each audio track will be saved 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 in Macromedia Flash.
MIDI tracks must be routed to VSTi soft synths to be included in the rendered output.

Custom Rendering Templates

If the selected file type supports it, the Render As dialog allows you to create custom templates for saving files.

Create or edit a template

 1. Use the Render As dialog to specify a location and name for the file you want to save.
 2. Click the Custom button to open the Custom Template dialog.
 3. Choose a template from the Template drop-down list, or enter a new name in the edit box.

Notes:

 l Built-in presets cannot be edited.

 l When determining bit rates, 1K=1024.
 l Use the Custom Template dialog to set the template's properties.
For information about specific controls in each file type's Custom Template dialog, click the Help button ?.
 l Click the Save Template button .

 l Click OK to return to the Save As or Render As dialog.

36

Delete a template

 1. Use the Render As dialog to specify a location and name for the file you want to save.
 2. Click the Custom button to open the Custom Template dialog.
 3. Choose a template from the Template drop-down list.
 4. Click the Delete Template button .
Built-in presets cannot be deleted.
 5. Click OK to return to the Save As or Render As dialog.

Copy rendering templates between computers or user accounts

You can make your customized rendering templates available on another computer or user account by copying .sft2
files to the appropriate location in the new account or computer.
Rendering templates are stored in C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\MAGIX\Render
Templates\<plug-in name>\.
The Application Data/AppData folder is not visible unless the Show hidden files and folders radio button is
selected on the View tab of the Windows Folder Options control panel.
You can find a plug-in's name by clicking the About button in the Render As dialog.
To make a template available on another computer or user account, copy the .sft file to the same location in another
account.
For example, to make JSmith's custom wave template available for the AJones user account, copy the appropriate
.sft2 file from this folder:
C:\Users\JSmith\AppData\Roaming\MAGIX\Render Templates\wave
to this folder:
C:\Users\AJones\AppData\Roaming\MAGIX\Render Templates\wave.
If you're copying templates from an older application, templates are saved as .sft files in the following folder:
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roamin\MAGIX\File Templates\<plug-in name>\<plug-in GUID>.

Rendering Projects with MIDI Tracks

In order to render projects that contain MIDI tracks, MIDI tracks must be routed to VSTi soft synths. Tracks that are
routed to external MIDI devices will not be included in the rendered file.

Exporting Loops
From the File menu, choose Export Loops to create new loops using the media in your ACID project.
For each loop track, a separate loop will be created for each tempo and key change, so multiple files can be created
for each track.
MIDI, Beatmapped, and one-shot tracks will not be exported.

 1. From the File menu, choose Export Loops. The Export Loops dialog is displayed.
 2. Choose a drive and folder from the Save in drop-down list, or use the browse window to locate the folder where
you want to save your file.
 3. Choose a file type from the Save as type drop-down list.
 4. If the selected file type supports it, you can choose an encoding template from the Template drop-down list or
click the Custom button to create a new template.

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 Working with Projects 37

 5. Click Save to start exporting loops.

Each loop will be saved with a tempo and key appended to its base name. For example, the loop
GuitarChops.wav could create the loops GuitarChops 150.00 BPM C.wav and GuitarChops 120.00 BPM
A.wav.

Burning CDs
You can create two types of CDs to archive and distribute your project:

 l Track-at-once (TAO) CDs can be burned in multiple sessions over a period of time. Before you can use a TAO
disc in an audio CD player, however, you must close the session. TAO CDs are convenient for sharing your
projects and testing your mix, but are generally not acceptable as masters for duplication.
 l Disc-at-once (DAO or Red Book) CDs are burned in a single session. Use DAO burning when creating a master
disc for replication.

Burning Track-at-Once CDs

From the Tools menu, choose Burn Track-at-Once Audio CD to save your project as a track on an audio CD. Before
you can use a track-at-once (TAO) disc in an audio CD player, however, you must close the session.
Notes:

 l Track-at-once CDs contain two-second pauses between tracks. If you want to burn a CD with no pause time,
burn a disc-at-once CD.
 l The entire project 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 only a portion of a
project, create a loop region and select the Burn loop region only check box.

 1. If you have not already done so, save your project.
 2. From the Tools menu, choose Burn Track-at-Once Audio CD. The Burn Track-at-Once Audio CD dialog
displays the length of the current file and the amount of time remaining on the disc in your CD recorder.
 3. Choose a setting from the Action drop-down list:
Item Description
Burn audio Begins recording audio to your CD when you click the Start button. You will need to close the
disc before it can be played in an audio CD player.
Test, then Performs a test to determine whether your files can be written to the CD recorder without
burn audio encountering buffer underruns. Recording begins after the test if it is successful.
Test only Performs a test to determine whether your files can be written to the CD without encountering
buffer underruns. No audio is recorded to the CD.
Close disc Closes your disc without adding any audio when you click the Start button. Closing a disc
allows your files to be played on an audio CD player.
Erase RW If you're using a rewritable CD, the disc will be erased when you click theStart button.
disc

 4. Select your burning options:

Item Description
Buffer Select this check box if your CD recorder supports buffer underrun protection. Buffer
underrun underrun protection allows a CD recorder to stop and resume burning.
protection
38

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.
Erase RW If you're using a rewritable CD, select this check box to erase the CD before you begin
disc before burning.
burn
Close disc Select this check box to close the CD after burning. Closing a disc allows your files to be
when done played on an audio CD player.
burning
Eject disc Select this check box to eject the CD automatically when burning has completed.
when done
Burn Select this check box to burn only the audio within the loop region.
selection only
Render Select this check box if you want to render your CD project to a temporary file before
temporary recording. Prerendering can prevent buffer underruns if you have a complex project that
image before cannot be rendered and burned in real time.
burning The rendered temporary file will remain until you modify your project or exit the application. If
an image file exists when you open the Burn Track-at-Once Audio CD dialog, the check box
is displayed as Use existing rendered temporary image.

 5. From the Drive drop-down list, choose the CD drive that you want to use to burn your CD.
 6. 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 if you have difficulty burning.
 7. Click the Start button.

Clicking the Cancel button after the disc-writing process has begun will render your disc unusable (though it
will still make a fine coaster for your favorite beverage).

Burning Disc-at-Once (DAO or Red Book) CDs

From the Tools menu, choose Burn Disc-at-Once Audio CD to burn a disc-at-once (DAO) CD using the current CD
layout.
Use DAO CDs when you need to create a master disc for mass replication or want to create a CD without two-
second pauses between tracks.
If you want to burn CD tracks using the media's original tempo rather than your project tempo, select the track
and use the Track Properties window to change the ACID type setting to One-Shot.
Right-click the Time Display window, choose Time at Cursor Format, and then choose Audio CD Time to help
you arrange your project. The Time at Cursor portion of the Time Display window will display tt+mm:ss:ff (track
number +/- minutes:seconds:frames). Audio CD time uses a frame rate of 75 fps.
Add CD track markers to your ACID project

 1. Arrange your audio files on the timeline. Use the Track Properties window to change each track's ACID type
setting to One-Shot to burn the media to CD using the original project tempo.
If you want to burn a CD using audio from multiple projects, render each project as a 16-bit, 44 kHz wave
file and add the rendered wave files to a new project.

 2. Position the cursor where you want a CD track to begin and choose CD Track Marker from the Insert menu (or
press N) to add a CD track marker at the cursor position. A Red Book CD can contain up to 99 tracks.

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 Working with Projects 39

When you burn your CD, two seconds of silence will be added before the first CD track. Subsequent tracks will
have silence between them only if you use the Insert Time command to add silence before a CD track marker.

If your first CD track marker is not placed at the beginning of your project, audio that occurs before that marker
will not be burned to disc.
CD track markers must be at least 4 seconds apart. Use the Time Ruler to check marker spacing.
Set Universal Product Code/Media Catalog Number information

Universal Product Codes (UPC) or Media Catalog Numbers (MCN) can be written to a CD as a means of
identification. However, not all CD-R drives support this feature. Check your CD-R drive documentation to
determine if your drive will write these codes.
Enter the code in the Universal Product Code / Media Catalog Number box on the Summary tab of the Project
Properties dialog.
Universal product codes are administered by the Uniform Code Council.
Burn your disc

After arranging your media on the timeline and adding CD track markers, you're ready to burn.

 1. From the Tools menu, choose Burn Disc-at-Once Audio CD. The Burn Disc-at-Once Audio CD dialog is
displayed.
 2. From the Drive drop-down list, choose the CD drive that you want to use to burn your CD.
 3. 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.
 4. 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.
 5. Choose a radio button in the Burn mode box:
Item Description
Burn CDs Begins recording audio to your CD immediately.
Test first, Performs a test to determine whether your files can be written to the CD recorder without
then burn encountering buffer underruns. No audio is recorded to the CD during the test, and recording
CDs begins after the test if it is successful.
Test only Performs a test to determine whether your files can be written to the CD recorder without
(do not encountering buffer underruns. No audio is recorded to the CD.
burn CDs)

 6. 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.
40

The rendered temporary file will remain until you modify your project or exit the application. 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.
 7. Select the Automatically erase rewritable discs check box if you're burning to rewritable media and want to
erase the disc before burning.
 8. Select the Eject when done check box if you want to eject the CD automatically when burning has completed.
 9. Click OK to start burning.

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 Track Editing 41

Track Editing
Tracks are containers along the timeline where you arrange events.
Events sit on tracks to determine when media playback starts and stops, and multiple tracks are mixed together to
produce your final output.

Inserting Tracks
From the Insert menu, choose Audio Track to add a new, blank audio track at the end of the track list, or choose
MIDI Track to add a new, blank MIDI track.

If you want to add a track in a specific location, right-click a track header and choose Insert Audio Track or Insert
MIDI Track from the shortcut menu. The new track will be inserted above the selected track.
Tracks are created automatically when you add MIDI files to your project. Inserting tracks manually is helpful when
you want to create placeholders for creating new MIDI tracks with inline MIDI editing or recording from a MIDI
keyboard.
Notes:

 l When you drag a media file from the Explorer window to an area of the timeline that does not contain a track, a
new track will be created and a new event is added to the new track where you drop the media.
 l Drag a file from the Windows Explorer, Explorer Window window to an existing track in the timeline to add a
clip to the track and add an event where you drop the clip. The new clip is set as the active clip for creating
events with the Draw or Paint tool.

 l When you add a MIDI track, its output is automatically assigned to the next available channel (channel 10 is
skipped since some devices reserve channel 10 for drums). For more information about routing MIDI tracks to
soft synths or MIDI devices, see "Routing Tracks to Soft Synths or MIDI Devices" on page 215.
 l MIDI tracks can use .mid, .smf, and .rmi files.

You can change the default track volume, pan type, height, track effects, record input monitor status, and
automation mode by right-clicking a track and choosing Set Default Track Properties from the shortcut menu.

Selecting Playback Devices for Audio Tracks

Each track can be played through any device that is installed in your computer. To choose a playback device, click the
Device Selection button in the track list.

For information about routing MIDI tracks to soft synths or MIDI ports, please see Routing Tracks to Soft Synths or
MIDI Devices.
To change the playback device for multiple tracks, select a track by clicking on its icon. While holding the Shift
key, click on another track in the track list. All of the tracks in between will be selected. Using the Ctrl key in this
manner will allow you to select multiple, nonadjacent tracks. Change the playback device for one track, and all
will change.
After you add busses to your project, the Device Selection button is displayed in the track list.
42

 1. Click the Device Selection button. A list of all available playback devices is displayed.

 2. Choose a device from the list to send the current track to that device.

Selecting Tracks
Selecting tracks is the first step in a variety of editing tasks. You can move selected tracks, copy them to the
clipboard, delete, and edit multiple tracks at once.
When multiple tracks are selected, you can perform editing tasks on all selected tracks simultaneously. For
example, to adjust the volume of several audio tracks while preserving their relative levels, select the tracks and
drag the Volume fader on any selected track. All the faders will move together.

Select a single track

Click anywhere in the track header of the track you want to select. The track is highlighted.

Select multiple adjacent tracks

Hold the Shift key and click the track headers of the first and last track you want to select. The tracks including those
between the selected tracks are highlighted.——

Select multiple nonadjacent tracks

 1. Hold the Ctrl key and click the track header of each track that you want to select. The tracks are highlighted.
If you have selected a track that you do not want to select, simply click the track again.
 2. When you have selected all of the tracks, release the Ctrl key.

Arranging Tracks
Tracks can be moved to create logical groupings at any time during project editing.
To move a track, drag its track icon to a new location or to a folder track in the track list. The new location is indicated
by a line separating the tracks.
To move multiple tracks, select the tracks you want, and then drag them to a new location.
Tips:

 l You can also drag track channel strips in the Mixing Console window to rearrange tracks.
 l You can change track colors to create groupings of similar material.

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 Track Editing 43

Folder Tracks
When you have a complex project, the timeline can get cluttered. Folder tracks help you clean up the track list and
timeline by grouping 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 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.
You can also use folder tracks to maintain alternate mixes of a project. For example, create two distinct drum
parts and move the tracks to separate folder tracks. Mute one of the drum folder tracks to choose which beat is
used when you play or render your project.

Create a folder track

From the Insert menu, choose Folder Track. A folder track is added below the currently selected track.
You can create nested folder tracks by dragging a folder track to an existing folder track.

Add tracks to a folder track

Drag tracks to the folder track to add them. If you drop the track on the folder track header, the track will be added as
the first track in the folder.
When the track is expanded, you can drop a track in a specific location within the folder track. An insertion bar will
be displayed where the track will be added.

Remove tracks from a folder track

 1. Click the Expand button to expand the folder track.
 2. Drag tracks from the folder track to another location in the track list.

Expand or minimize a folder track

Click the Expand button to expand the folder track, or click the Minimize button to collapse the expanded
track.
You can also double-click a folder track icon to expand and minimize the track.

Mute a folder track

Click the Mute button to prevent the tracks in a folder track from being played in the mix. Muting a folder track
does not override soloed tracks in the folder track.
Click the Mute button on additional folder tracks to add them to the mute group. To unmute a folder track, click the
Mute button again.

Solo a folder track

Click the Solo button to effectively mute all unselected tracks and folder tracks. Soloing a folder track does not
override muted tracks in the folder track.
Click the Solo button on additional folder tracks to add them to the solo group. To remove a folder track from the
solo group, click its Solo button again.
44

Edit clustered events

When the folder track is minimized, you can also perform edit operations on clustered events in the group. The
following edit operations will affect clustered events:

 l Pitch-shifting events.
 l Dragging events.
 l Cutting, copying, pasting, and deleting events.

Click to select a clustered group of events, or hold Ctrl or Shift while clicking to select multiple clusters of events.
Selected events are displayed in a darker color than unselected events.
Events that overlap are treated as a single event when the folder track is minimized:

Editing an event in the magenta cluster affects all magenta events. Editing an event in the green cluster affects all
green events.

Editing an event in either cluster affects all events in the green and magenta clusters.

When snapping is enabled, events within the same grid space are clustered if you click or drag from within that
grid space. If you click or drag outside that grid space, only events that overlap directly are affected.

Cutting, Copying, and Pasting Tracks

When the track list has focus, you can use the Cut,Copy, and Paste commands to rearrange and duplicate tracks.
If you have multiple instances of the software running, you can cut, copy, and paste tracks across projects.

Cut tracks
Select the tracks you want to remove and click the Cut button (or press Ctrl+X). The selected tracks are moved
to the ACID clipboard.

Copy tracks
Select the tracks you want to copy and click the Copy button (or press Ctrl+C). The selected tracks are copied to
the ACID clipboard.
Hold the Ctrl key while dragging to create copies of selected events.

Paste tracks  
Select a track and then click the Pastebutton (or press Ctrl+V). The tracks from the ACID clipboard are inserted
above the currently selected track.

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 Track Editing 45

Audio Track Controls

The controls in the track list allow you to adjust track volume, panning, assignable effects send levels, and bus send
levels.

Tips:

 l Audio track controls are duplicated on audio track channel strips in the Mixing Console window.
 l To move faders and sliders in fine increments, hold Ctrl while dragging the control.

Change a track's color

Right-click the track header, choose Color from the submenu, and then choose the color you want to use to display
waveforms on the track.
If you've changed the color of any of a track's clips, changing the track color will not update the color of those clips.

Change a track's height

Drag a track's bottom border to set its height. If you want to set a track's height as the default height for new tracks,
right-click within the track list and choose Set Default Track Properties from the shortcut menu.
Click Minimize to minimize a track vertically.
Click Maximize to zoom in vertically so a track fills the track view.
After minimizing or maximizing a track, click the Minimize or Maximize button again to return a track to its previous
height.
Track height keyboard shortcuts

 l Press Ctrl+Shift+Up Arrow or Down Arrow to change the height of all tracks at once.
 l Press ` to minimize all tracks. Press again to restore tracks to their previous height.
 l Press Ctrl+` to return all tracks to the default height.

Pitch shift a track

Right-click a track header, choose Pitch Shift Track from the shortcut menu, and then choose a command from the
submenu to change the pitch of all events on a track. The event-specific pitch shift is calculated after the project key
and the track’s pitch shift.
Tips:
46

 l When a track is selected, press + and - on the numeric keypad to change track pitch.
 l From the View menu, choose Event Information to toggle the display of event-specific information including
the clip name and event pitch shift in the timeline:

Rename a track
 1. Double-click the track name and type a new name.
 2. Press Enter to save the name.

Arm a track for recording

Click the Arm for Record button on an audio track to prepare it for recording.

When you click the Record button on the main transport bar, all armed tracks will begin recording.

For more information about recording audio, see "Recording Audio" on page 105.

Invert the phase of a track

Click the Invert Track Phase button to reverse the phase of all events on an audio track.

Although inverting data does not make an audible difference in a single file, it can prevent phase cancellation when
mixing or crossfading audio signals.
Select multiple tracks to invert several tracks simultaneously.

Add or edit track effects

Click the Track FX button to add effects to a track or edit the existing effects chain.

For more information about using track effects, please see "Track Effects" on page 152.

Mute a track
Click the Mute button to prevent a track from being played in the mix. Click the Mute button on additional tracks
to add them to the mute group. To unmute a track, click the Mute button again.
Muting a track mutes its main output and post-fader sends only unless the Track prefader sends listen to
mute check box on the Audio tab of the Preferences dialog is selected. For more information and examples
about how the Track prefader sends listen to mute check box works, please see "Preferences - Audio Tab" on
page 285.

Muting or unmuting a track

 1. Deselect the Automation Settings button to toggle trim mode.

 2. Click the Mute button .

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 Track Editing 47

When you have a group of tracks muted, hold Ctrl while clicking the Mute button on an unmuted track to
remove all other tracks from the mute group. Hold Ctrl while clicking the Mute button on a muted track to reset
all Mute buttons.
Adjusting mute automation

When you select the Automation Settings button , the mute button is displayed as a , and you can use the
control to edit volume automation.

Solo a track
Click the Solo button to mute all unselected tracks. Click the Solo button on additional tracks to add them to the
solo group. To remove a track from the solo group, click its Solo button again.
Hold Ctrl while clicking a Solo button to solo a single track and remove all other tracks from the solo group.

Choose a track's input/recording device

The Record Device Selector button in a track header chooses the audio input that will be used to record to a
track.
You can click the Record Device Selector button to turn input monitoring on or off and choose a recording device:
Record Device Selector with a compact
track header.

Record Device Selector with an expanded

track header.

For more information about recording audio, see "Recording Audio" on page 105.

Assign a track to a bus

The bus button in a track header chooses the track's primary output. Assigning tracks to busses is especially useful
for creating submixes that allow you to adjust the levels of multiple tracks at once or apply an effect to multiple
tracks.
48

 1. Click the bus button on the track.

The button is displayed as a when the track is routed to the master bus, and the bus letter is displayed ( ,
, and so on) when a track is routed to another bus.

 2. Select the desired bus from the submenu. The Bus button changes to display the selected bus.

If the Bus button does not appear on the track, then you have not specified more than one bus in your project
settings. For more information about specifying the number of busses for your project, please see "Adding or
Deleting Busses" on page 165.
If you want to send a track to multiple outputs — for creating cue mixes or effects sends — you can use the
multipurpose fader to control the level of the track sent to each bus or assignable effects chain.

Monitor track output levels

During playback, a responsive meter is displayed in the track header to monitor the track's output.

Horizontal meters

Vertical meters

When clipping is detected, the peak meter displays a red Clip indicator.

Right-click the meters and choose a command from the shortcut menu to adjust the display of the meters. This
shortcut menu allows you to reset clip indicators, choose a display scale, toggle vertical display, or turn output
meters off.

Adjust a track's volume

The Volume fader in the track header can function as a trim control that adjusts the overall volume of the track, or it
can adjust track volume automation settings.
The trim level is added to the volume automation settings so your envelope is preserved, but with a boost or cut
applied. For example, setting the trim control to -3 dB has the same effect as decreasing every envelope point by 3
dB.

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When adjusting the mix of your tracks, remember to look at the meters in the track headers and on the Mixing
Console. Because you are adding the volumes of all of the tracks together, it is easy to clip the audio output.
Make sure that the meters never display the red Clip indication during playback.
Adjusting the volume trim level

 1. Deselect the Automation Settings button to toggle trim mode.

 2. Drag the Vol fader to control how loud a track is in the mix.

A value of 0 dB means that the track is played with no boost or cut. Dragging the fader to the left cuts the
volume; dragging to the right boosts the volume.

You can hold Ctrl while dragging a fader to adjust the setting in finer increments, or double-click the fader to
return it to 0 dB.

If multiple tracks are selected, all selected tracks are adjusted.

Adjusting the volume automation level

When you select the Automation Settings button , the fader thumb is displayed as a , and you can use the
control to edit volume automation.

Pan a track
The Pan slider in the track header can function as a trim control that adjusts the overall panning of the track, or it can
adjust track panning automation settings.
The trim level is added to the pan automation settings so your panning envelope is preserved, but with an offset
applied. For example, setting the trim control to -9% left has the same effect as moving every envelope point 9% to
the left.
This procedure applies to stereo panning only. For information about panning 5.1 surround projects, please see
"5.1 Surround Panning and Mixing" on page 185.

Adjusting track panning trim levels

 1. Deselect the Automation Settings button to toggle trim mode.

 2. Drag the Pan slider to control the position of the track in the stereo field: dragging to the left will place the track
in the left speaker more than the right, and dragging to the right will place the track in the right speaker. You can
hold Ctrl while dragging the slider to adjust the setting in finer increments, or double-click the slider to return it
to 0. If multiple tracks are selected, all selected tracks are adjusted.
Adjusting the track panning automation level

When you select the Automation Settings button , the Pan slider handle is displayed as a , and you can use
the control to edit pan automation.

Change the pan mode

To change the behavior of the Pan slider, right-click the slider and choose a pan type from the shortcut menu.
The selected panning mode is also used for track-level pan envelopes.

Adjust an assignable effects send level

The multipurpose slider in the track header can function as a trim control that adjusts the overall assignable effects
send level of the track, or it can adjust assignable effects send automation settings.
50

The trim level is added to the assignable effects automation settings so your envelope is preserved, but with a boost
or cut applied. For example, setting the trim control to -3 dB has the same effect as decreasing every envelope point
by 3 dB.
Tips:

 l FX sends are post-volume by default. To change to pre-volume, click the Pre/Post button at the end of the fader
(or right-click the fader handle and choose Pre Volume from the shortcut menu).
 l If you want to apply track panning (including pan position and panning mode) to FX sends, right-click the FX
fader and choose Link to Main Track Pan from the shortcut menu.
When Link to Main Track Pan is not selected, the track sends a center-panned stereo signal using the track's
current panning mode.
 l Select the Use legacy track send gain check box on the Audio page of the Preferences dialog  if you want to
configure audio track sends to behave as they did in ACID 6.0 and earlier. When the check box is selected, you
can open projects created with earlier versions of ACID and be assured they will sound the same as they did in
earlier versions of ACID.
Adjusting the assignable effects trim level

 1. Deselect the Automation Settings button to toggle trim mode.

 2. Click the label on the multipurpose slider and choose an assignable effects chain from the menu. The
multipurpose slider will change to display effects send levels for all tracks so you can monitor their relative send
levels.

 3. Drag the FX fader to control the level of the track sent to each of the assignable FX chains that you have created.
Dragging the fader to the left cuts the volume; dragging to the right boosts the volume. You can hold Ctrl while
dragging a fader to adjust the setting in finer increments, or double-click the fader to return it to 0 dB. If multiple
tracks are selected, all selected tracks are adjusted.
Adjusting the assignable effects automation level

When you select the Automation Settings button , the fader thumb is displayed as a , and you can use the
control to edit assignable effects send level automation.

Adjust a bus send level

The multipurpose slider in the track header can function as a trim control that adjusts the overall bus send level of the
track, or it can adjust assignable bus send automation settings.
The trim level is added to the bus send automation settings so your envelope is preserved, but with a boost or cut
applied. For example, setting the trim control to -3 dB has the same effect as decreasing every envelope point by 3
dB.

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 Track Editing 51

Tips:

 l Bus sends are pre-volume (and pre-mute) by default. When bus sends are pre-volume, you can create a cue mix
that is independent of your main mix. To change to post-volume, click the Pre/Post button at the end of the
fader (or right-click the bus fader and choose Post Volume from the shortcut menu).
 l If you want to apply track panning to bus sends (including pan position and panning mode), right click the bus
fader and choose Link to Main Track Pan from the shortcut menu.

When Link to Main Track Pan is not selected, the track sends a center-panned stereo signal using the track's
current panning mode.
 l Select the Use legacy track send gain check box on the Audio page of the Preferences dialog if you want to
configure audio track sends to behave as they did in ACID 6.0 and earlier. When the check box is selected, you
can open projects created with earlier versions of ACID and be assured they will sound the same as they did in
earlier versions of ACID.
Adjusting the bus send trim level

 1. Deselect the Automation Settings button to toggle trim mode.

 2. Click the label on the multipurpose slider and choose a bus from the menu.

 3. Drag the fader to 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 to the right boosts the volume. You can
hold Ctrl while dragging a fader to adjust the setting in finer increments, or double-click the fader to return it to
0 dB. If multiple tracks are selected, all selected tracks are adjusted.
Adjusting bus send automation

When you select the Automation Settings button , the fader thumb is displayed as a , and you can use the
control to edit bus send level automation.

Adjust trim levels

The controls in the track header can function as trim controls or automation controls for track volume, panning,
assignable effects send, and bus send levels. Adjusting the trim control affects the level of the entire track as it did in
previous releases of ACID software.
The trim level is added to the track automation setting so your automation settings are preserved, but with a boost or
cut applied. For example, setting the trim control to -3 dB has the same effect as decreasing every envelope point by
3 dB.  
To adjust trim levels, deselect the Automation Settings button . When the button is selected, the track controls
adjust automation settings.
52

Set the track's paint clip

 1. Click the Paint Clip Selector button in the track header. A menu is displayed to list the track's current clips.

 2. Choose a clip from the menu. The selected clip will be used for creating events with the Draw or Paint tool
.

For more information about using clips, please see "Using Clips with Tracks" on page 69.
 

Editing Audio Track Properties

From the View menu, choose Track Properties to display the Track Properties window. The contents of the Track
Properties window reflect the currently selected track.
For audio tracks, you can use the Clip Pool to organize each track's media. The Clip Pool displays each track's clips,
the number of times each clip is used on the track, and the path to each clip's media file.
For information about editing track properties for MIDI tracks, see "Editing MIDI Track Properties" on page 250.
If you want to edit media properties and stretching information, use the Clip Properties window.
Tips:

 l If the Track Properties window isn't visible, you can also double-click a track number to display that track in
the Track Properties window.
 l Right-click a track and choose Properties from the shortcut menu to display its properties.
 l When the Track Properties window is visible, properties for the selected track are displayed. Click a track to view
its properties.

Set the track's paint clip

To set the active clip, click the space next to a clip's name on the Clip Pool tab. The icon indicates which clip will
be used for creating events with the Draw or Paint tool .

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You can also click the Paint Clip Selector button in the track header and choose a clip from the menu:

Filter the contents of the track's Paint Clip Selector

Clear a clip's check box on the Clip Pool tab to remove it from the Paint Clip Selector menu in the track header
without removing it from the track. To make the clip available again, select its check box.
If a track has many clips, removing clips from the Paint Clip Selector menu can make the track list easier to
navigate.

Add clips to the Clip Pool

Click the Open button to display the Open dialog, where you can browse to clips you want to add to the track.

Tips:

 l Drag a file from the Windows Explorer, Explorer Window to the Clip Pool tab to add a clip to a track and set it
as the active clip for creating events with the Draw or Paint tool.

 l Drag a file from the Windows Explorer, Explorer Window to an existing track in the timeline to add a clip to the
track and add an event where you drop the clip.
 l You can also use the Chopper window to create new clips from a track's existing media.
 l If you want to add a clip to a track without creating an event, drag a file from the Windows Explorer, Explorer
Window and drop it on the Paint Clip Selector button:

Remove clips from the Clip Pool

You can use either of the following methods to remove clips from the Clip Pool:

 l Click the Remove Unused Clips button to remove all unused clips from the track.

 l Select a clip in the clip list and click the Delete button to remove it from the track.

Tips:
54

 l Right-click a clip in the Clip Pool and choose Remove from Project if you want to remove it from your project.
Any events that use the clip will be removed from your project.
 l Right-click a clip in the Clip Pool and choose Remove from Project and Delete File(s) if you want to remove it
from your project and delete the clip's file from your hard drive. Any events that use the clip will be removed
from your project.

Save a clip as a new file

Click the Save button to display the Save as New File with Track Properties dialog, where you can choose a file
name and folder where you want to save a copy of the selected clip.
The new file is saved in the folder you specify, and the file's original attributes are replaced with the settings from the
Clip Properties window.

Cut, copy, and paste clips across tracks

You can use the Cut , Copy , and Paste buttons in the Clip Properties window to cut, copy, and paste
clips across tracks.
For more information about cutting, copying, and pasting clips, see "Using Clips with Tracks" on page 69.

Preview clips
Select a clip in the clip list, and then click the Play button to play it.

Click the Stop button to stop playback.

Render to New Track

From the Tools menu, choose Render to New Track to mix all audio contained in unmuted tracks into one clip. This
function is similar to track bouncing in the analog world.
Tips:

 l When your project contains many tracks, mixing down can help conserve processing power: any envelopes or
track effects that were applied to the original tracks will be rendered into the new clip.
 l You can use the Render to New Track command to downmix 5.1 surround projects to stereo.
MIDI tracks must be routed to VSTi soft synths to be included in the rendered output.

 1. Click the Solo button for the tracks that you want to mix down. If no tracks are soloed, the rendered track
will match the Master Bus output. Create a time selection if you want to mix down a portion of your project.
 2. From the Tools menu, choose Render to New Track. The Render to New Track dialog is displayed.
 3. Select the folder where you want to save the file:
 l Choose a drive and folder from the Save in drop-down list or
 l Choose a folder from the Recent drop-down list to quickly select a folder where you have previously saved
files.
 4. Type a name in the File name box, or select a file in the browse window to replace an existing file.
 5. Choose a file type from the Save as type drop-down list.
 6. Choose a setting from the Templatedrop-down list to choose the desired sample rate, bit-depth, and number
of channels for the output file, or click the Custom button to specify your own settings.

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If you're downmixing a 5.1 surround project, choose a stereo rendering template.

 7. 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.
 8. Click the Save button. The rendering process begins and the status bar displays the completion percentage as
the new Track.
 9. When the mixing is complete, the new track appears at the bottom of the track list.
 10. Use the Draw or Paint tool to paint the clip on the new track.

After the new track appears, you may delete or mute the original events.

Optimizing Clip Stretching

Optimizing a file refers to the process defining a media file's root note, number of beats or tempo, and stretching
properties and saving the information to a loop or Beatmapped file.
This information is then used by ACID software to time stretch and pitch shift the file for you automatically when
you open it.
The software can use files that have not been optimized; however, their stretching properties may not be optimized
and they will not conform to the key of the current project. Use the Stretch tab on the Clip Properties window to edit
a file's stretching properties.
Click the Redetect Beats button in the Clip Properties window to apply the ACID beat-detection algorithm to
existing media.

Monitoring Clip Stretching

When you click the Tempo slider, a bar is displayed below each track name to represent the amount a track is being
stretched to match the project tempo.
The mark in the center of the bar represents the original tempo of a loop. When the bar is to the right of the mark, the
project tempo is faster than the original loop; when the bar is to the left of the mark, the project tempo is slower than
the original loop.

Using the Beatmapper Wizard

When a long file is added to a project, the Beatmapper Wizard starts to allow you to add tempo information to the
file.
Notes:

 l The Beatmapper Wizard is started by default for files longer than 30 seconds. Use the Open files as loops if
between (seconds) setting on the Audio tab of the Preferences dialog to determine the file length.
 l Support for multitempo clips is available for clips that are recorded or rendered in ACID or by adding Beatmap
markers on the Clip Properties dialog.

 1. Perform either of the following actions to start the Beatmapper Wizard:
 l Add a long file to your project. If tempo information is not detected in the file, the Beatmapper Wizard
starts.
Select the Yes radio button and click Next to detect measures and downbeats. The file will be able to
stretch/compress with the project's tempo.
56

Select the No radio button and click Finish if you want to add the file as a one-shot. The file will maintain its
original length regardless of the project tempo.
or
 l Open the Clip Properties window for a Beatmapped track, switch to the Stretch tab, and click the
Beatmapper Wizard button.
 2. The Beatmapper Wizard will draw the file's waveform and place a marker to locate the first beat of the first
measure.
Click the Play button to verify the marker's position. If the marker is positioned on a downbeat, click Next.
Otherwise, drag the marker to the appropriate location and click Next.
Click the Reset button to return the downbeat marker to its original position.
 3. The Beatmapper Wizard will draw the file's waveform and place a region to indicate the length of the first
measure.
Click the Play button to verify the measure's length. If the region is positioned correctly, click Next. Otherwise,
drag the ends of the loop region to the appropriate locations and click Next.
 4. Click the Halve Selection or Double Selection buttons or drag the ends of the loop region to adjust the
measure length.
 5. Select the Metronome check box if you want to play a click track at the detected tempo.
 6. The waveform is displayed with markers at the end of the measure. Drag the Measure slider to scroll through
the song, and click the Play button to verify that the detected measure length is accurate throughout the song.
The Beatmapper Wizard uses a single measure length for the entire song. You can drag the end of the measure
selection to change the measure's length. However, changing the length will affect the entire song; if adjusting
the last measure of the song causes the first measure to be incorrect, the downbeat may not be positioned
correctly or the song's tempo may not be consistent enough for the Beatmapper Wizard.
For more information about editing stretching properties for Beatmapped clips, please see Editing Audio
Clip Properties.
 7. Click Next when the measure lengths are correct. Tempo information is added to your file.
 8. Select the desired check boxes:
 l Select the Change project tempo to match Beatmapped track check box if you want to set your project
tempo to match the tempo calculated by the Beatmapper Wizard. Selecting this check box will ensure that
your Beatmapped track plays at its original tempo. When the check box is cleared, the track will conform to
the current project tempo.
 l Select the Preserve pitch of the Beatmapped track when the tempo changes check box if you want your
track to maintain its pitch when your project tempo changes. Clear the check box to create DJ-style
remixes: the track's pitch will raise and lower with tempo changes as it would when a turntable's speed is
manipulated.
 l Select the Save Beatmapper information with file check box if you want to save tempo information in the
file. When the check box is selected, you can add the file to other ACID projects without starting the
Beatmapper Wizard every time.
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) to store tempo information. If you move your media file, you should also move its
associated .sfl file.
 9. Click Finish to close the Beatmapper Wizard.

To paint the entire track, select the Paint tool and Ctrl+click in the track.

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 Track Editing 57

If a track has an intro before its downbeat, the intro will not be included when you draw or paint events. Drag
the left edge of the event to expose the intro.

Fine-Tuning Beatmapped Clips

For more control over Beatmapped clips, you can use the Stretch tab in the Clip Properties dialog to add tempo
changes to a clip or edit time signature and root note information.
Support for multitempo clips is available for clips that are recorded or rendered in ACID or by adding Beatmap
markers on the Clip Properties dialog.

 1. If the window isn't already visible, choose Clip Properties from the View menu.
 2. Click an event in the timeline to select the Beatmapped clip you want to edit. The clip's information is displayed
in the Clip Properties window.
 3. From the Options menu, choose Grid Spacing, and then choose Quarter Notes from the submenu. We'll use
the grid lines in the Clip Properties window to check our tempo map.
 4. Click the Stretch tab. The Stretch tab shows the Beatmap and measure markers. This clip represents a four-on-
the floor kick drum with several tempo changes, but the Beatmap markers have been removed to demonstrate
how we can add and adjust Beatmap markers manually.
Notice now the measure markers don't align with beats in the waveform and how the measures contain varying
numbers of beats:

 5. Let's add a Beatmap marker at each measure marker. Right-click each measure marker and choose Insert
Beatmap Marker from the shortcut menu (or double-click the measure marker):

 6. The second measure marker occurs slightly after the beat in the waveform, so we can drag the Beatmap marker
to the left:
58

 7. We know each measure should have four beats, but the second measure currently has five beats, and the beats
in the waveform don't align with the grid marks. Let's drag the third Beatmap marker to the left. Notice how the
measure now contains four beats that are aligned with the grid:

 8. Repeat for measure four:

 9. . . . and again for measure five:

 

 10. In the previous screenshot, you can see that a measure marker was added near the end of the clip as we dragged
the fifth Beatmap marker to the left. Let's double-click it to convert it to a Beatmap marker.

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 Track Editing 59

 11. As we drag the last Beatmap marker to the left, we can see that each measure now contains four beats that are
aligned with the grid.

You can also change the root note or time signature of a Beatmap marker by right-clicking it and choosing a
new setting from the Root Note or Time Signature submenu.
60

Editing Events on the Timeline

Once you have created tracks, you will create events to tell the software when to play the media files.

Adding Events to a Track

After you've created tracks, you can use the Draw tool or Paint tool to create events in the timeline.

If a track has multiple clips, events will be created using the active clip.

 l The Draw tool adds events to a single track at a time.

 l You can drag the Paint tool across multiple tracks to create events on several tracks at once.

Tips:

 l When the Paint tool is selected, hold Ctrl while clicking to paint the entire media file as an event.
 l 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.

For more information about the available editing tools, please see "Editing Tools" on the next page.
If you want to create events quickly during playback, use the Insert Event at Play Cursor and Paste Event at Play
Cursor commands.

Inserting Events at the Play Cursor

From the Edit menu, choose Insert Event at Play Cursor to create an event at the play cursor on the focus track. If
playback is stopped, the command creates an event at the edit cursor.
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 to save the rhythm to a new track, or you can copy and paste your new events across the timeline.
Important notes:

 l If the Chopper has focus, the current Chopper selection will be inserted at the play cursor.
 l Even when using low-latency audio drivers, you won't hear the initial attack of events as they're added, and very
short events may not play at all.

 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 Arrow 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.

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 Editing Events on the Timeline 61

If you're using this feature to tap rhythms with one-shot tracks, try applying a groove to adjust the timing of
your rhythm.

Pasting Events at the Play Cursor

From the Edit menu, choose Paste at Play Cursor to paste the contents of the clipboard at the play cursor. If
playback is stopped, the command pastes at the edit cursor.
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 to save the rhythm to a new track, or you can copy and paste your new events across the timeline.
Only events and envelope points (when Lock Envelopes to Events is selected) are pasted.

Even when using low-latency audio drivers, you won't hear the initial attack of events as they're added, and very
short events may not play at all.

 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.

If you're using this feature to tap rhythms with one-shot tracks, try applying a groove to adjust the timing of
your rhythm.

Inserting Time
From the Insert menu, choose Time to insert a specified amount of blank space into the project at the cursor
position. This feature can be used to create space in the project for new events.

 1. Position the cursor where you want to insert time.

 2. From the Insert menu, choose Time. The Insert Time dialog box appears.
 3. Enter the amount of time you want to insert (in measures:beats:ticks format) and click OK.

Editing Tools
From the Edit menu, choose Editing Tool, and select a tool from the submenu to change the active tool.

Draw
To use the Draw tool , choose Editing Tool from the Edit menu, and then choose Draw from the submenu (or
press Ctrl+D). This tool allows you to insert, edit, select, and move events in the timeline.
62

Adding events

Click in the timeline and drag to add an event. The longer you drag, the more times the loop will be repeated (one-
shots and Beatmapped clips do not repeat).
Repetitions in a loop are denoted by the black indentations in the top and bottom borders of the event:

Selecting events

Click an event to select it. Hold Ctrl while clicking to select multiple events, or hold Shift to select all events between
the first and last event you click.
Move events

Select events and drag them along the timeline.

Change an event's length

Drag either edge of an event to change its length. The event edge will snap to grid lines if snapping is on. Hold the
Shift key while dragging to temporarily suspend snapping (press Shift after clicking).

Selection
To use the Selection tool , choose Editing Tool from the Edit menu, and then choose Selection from the
submenu.
The Selection tool is designed to select multiple events across tracks by drawing selection boxes around the events
you want to include. The Selection tool can draw three types of selection boxes:
Type Description
Free The default behavior of the tool:
Selection
 l Click to select individual events (hold Shift or Ctrl to select multiple events).
 l Drag to draw a rectangular region that begins where you start drawing and ends where you
release the mouse button. All of the events that are inside the region will be selected. This
method is good for selecting a group of events that are close together.
Vertical Can be used to easily select all events that occur within a time range. The vertical selection box
automatically selects all of the tracks between your first mouse click and where you draw the
selection box; even tracks that are not visible at the current magnification are selected.
Horizontal Can be used to easily select all events on a single or multiple adjacent tracks. The horizontal selection
box automatically selects all events on a track that is touched by the selection box; even events that
are not visible at the current magnification are selected.

To change the type of selection box you are using, right-click the mouse while holding down the left mouse button.
Clicking the right mouse button will toggle through the three types of selection boxes.

Paint
To use the Paint tool , choose Editing Tool from the Edit menu, and then choose Paint from the submenu.

The Paint tool is designed to paint events across multiple tracks. With the Paint tool selected, you can paint events
across multiple tracks by clicking and dragging the mouse. This tool is also useful for inserting one-shot events
evenly along the grid.

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 Editing Events on the Timeline 63

The Paint tool is different from the Draw tool in that it can cross track boundaries. Use the Paint tool to add a random
element to your ACID projects.
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.
Loops and MIDI clips (with the Looped check box selected in the Clip Pool) will paint continuously across the
timeline. One-shots and Beatmapped clips do not repeat.
To do this Do this
Add Events Click and drag across tracks to add events.
Hold Ctrl while clicking to paint the entire media file as an event, or Ctrl+right-click to
delete an entire event.
Merge Click and drag across two or more existing events to merge them.
Events
Erase Right-clicking will cause the tool to function like the Erase tool.
Events

Erase
To use the Erase tool , choose Editing Tool from the Edit menu, and then choose Erase from the submenu.

The Erase tool allows you to remove sections of an event.

To do this Do this
Erase With the Erase tool selected, click and drag across an event to erase sections equal to the
Events current Snap to value.
Split With the Erase tool selected, click once in the middle of an event to split the event at the
Events closest snap point.
Paint Right-clicking with the Erase tool selected will cause the tool to function like the Paint tool.
Events

Envelope
To use the Envelope tool , choose Editing Tool from the Edit menu, and then choose Envelope from the
submenu.
The Envelope tool is designed to manipulate envelopes in events. With the Envelope tool selected, you can add,
delete, select, and move envelope points, but events cannot be moved or edited.

Time Selection
To use the Time Selection tool , choose Editing Tool from the Edit menu, and then choose Time Selection from
the submenu.
The Time Selection tool is designed to select all events within a range of time. Drag within the timeline to make a
selection.

Groove
To use the Groove tool , choose Editing Tool from the Edit menu, and then choose Groove from the submenu.
You can use the Groove tool to adjust the timing of media in your project by applying grooves to events on the
timeline.
64

Choosing a groove

To choose the groove you want to apply, click the down arrow next to the Groove toolbar button and choose a
groove from the menu (or double-click a groove in the Groove Pool window). The name of the selected groove is
displayed next to the toolbar button:

Painting or erasing groove events

When the Groove tool is selected, perform any of the following actions to add or remove groove events:

 l Click and drag in the timeline to paint groove events. Groove events indicate where a groove will be applied.
 l Hold Ctrl while clicking the space between two groove events to create a new groove event to fill the space
between the events.
 l Right-click and drag with the Groove tool to erase a groove event, or hold Ctrl while right-clicking to remove an
entire groove event.

Tips:

 l Drag a groove from the Groove Pool to an existing groove event to change the event's groove.
 l Drag a groove from the Groove Pool to a space between two groove events to create a new groove event to fill
the space between the events.

Grooves cannot be applied to Beatmapped tracks.

Groove Erase
 1. Select the Groove Erase tool .

 2. Click and drag across a groove event to remove it.

Tips:

 l Hold Ctrl while clicking a track with the Groove Erase tool to erase all groove events from a track.

 l You can also right-click and drag with the Groove tool to erase a groove event, or hold Ctrl while right-
clicking to remove an entire groove event.

Next Tool
Choose Next Tool (or press D) to switch to the next tool in the list. For example, if you're using the Paint tool, Next
Tool selects the Erase tool.

Previous Tool
Choose Previous Tool (or press Shift+D) to switch to the next tool in the list. For example, if you're using the Erase
tool, Previous Tool selects the Paint tool.

Selecting Events
Selecting events is the first step in a variety of editing tasks. You can move selected events, copy them to the
clipboard, delete, edit, and more.
Whoops! You just adjusted your selection until it was perfect, and now you've lost it with a stray click? No
problemit's not lost at all. Press backspace to toggle through the previous five time selections.—

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 Editing Events on the Timeline 65

Select a single event

With the Draw , Selection , or Time Selection tool active, click the event. The event is highlighted to
indicate that it has been selected.

Select multiple adjacent events

Use this procedure to select multiple events that are located next to each other.

 1. Hold the Shift key and click the first and last event that you want to select. The events, including those between
the selected events, are highlighted.
To select all events in the project, choose Select All from the Edit menu.
 2. When you have finished selecting events, release the Shift key.

Select multiple nonadjacent events

Use this procedure to select multiple events that are not located next to each other.

 1. Hold down the Ctrl key and click the events you want to select. The events are highlighted.
To deselect an event, click it again.
 2. When you have finished selecting events, release the Ctrl key.

Select a range of events

 1. From the Edit menu, choose Editing Tool, and choose Selection from the shortcut menu.
You can add or subtract events from the selection area by holding the Ctrl key and clicking an event.
 2. Place the mouse pointer at any corner of the area that you want to select.
 3. Drag the cursor to the opposite corner of the area you want to select.
 4. Release the mouse button. The events within the rectangle are highlighted.

Select all events on all tracks

To select all of the events in the timeline, choose Select All from the Edit menu (or press Ctrl+A).

Select all events on a track

Right-click an event and choose Select All on Track from the shortcut menu. All events on the track are selected.

Select events to the end of a track

Right-click an event and choose Select Events to End from the shortcut menu. The event and all subsequent events
are selected.
You can also use this command with events selected on multiple tracks.

Select events that use a specified clip

Right-click an event 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.
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Select all events within a time range

Using the Selection, Envelope, or Time Selection tool, drag along the marker bar. A loop region is created, and all
events (and portions of events) within the region are highlighted.
To quickly select all events on a track, right-click an empty space on the track and choose Select all on Track
from the shortcut menu.
If you create a new selection during playback, the cursor will move to the start of the new loop region and
playback will begin at that point. To adjust the selection without interrupting playback, drag from the center or
ends of the loop region.

Remove an event from the current selection

Hold the Ctrl key while clicking a selected event. The event is deselected.

Go To
Use the Go To command to move the cursor to a specific location in your ACID project.
Double-click either of the fields in the Time Display window to type a value in the edit box. When you press Enter,
the cursor will move to that position.

Notes:

 l When the timeline has focus, press Ctrl+G to type a Go To time in the right-hand field in measures.beats.ticks.
Press Shift+G to type a Go To time in the left-hand field using the current time ruler format.
 l When the Chopper window has focus, press Ctrl+G to type a Cursor Position (or Selection Start time) in
measures.beats.ticks. Press Shift+G to type a Cursor Position (or Selection Start time) using the current time
ruler format.

Pitch-Shifting Events
After selecting events, you can apply a pitch shift. The event-specific pitch shift is calculated after the project key and
the track’s pitch shift.
From the View menu, choose Event Information to toggle the display of event-specific information including
the clip name and event pitch shift in the timeline:

Apply a pitch shift using the shortcut menu

Right-click an event, choose Pitch Shift from the shortcut menu, and choose a setting from the submenu:

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 Editing Events on the Timeline 67

Command Function
Up Semitone Shifts the selected event up one semitone.
Down Semitone Shifts the selected event down one semitone.
Reset Removes any pitch shifting that currently exists in the event.

When the Preserve pitch when stretching check box is cleared in a Beatmapped track's Properties, you cannot
change the pitch of a Beatmapped event.

Apply a pitch shift using keyboard shortcuts

You can use keyboard shortcuts to quickly apply pitch shifting to selected events.
Command Shortcut
Pitch up 1 semitone Numeric Keypad +
=
Pitch down 1 semitone Numeric Keypad -
-
Pitch up 4 semitones Shift+=
Shift+Numeric Keypad +
Pitch down 4 semitones Shift+-
Shift+Numeric Keypad -
Pitch up 1 octave Ctrl+Numeric Keypad +
Pitch down 1 octave Ctrl+Numeric Keypad -
Reset pitch Ctrl+Shift+-/=
Ctrl+Shift+Numeric Keypad +/-

Moving Events
After selecting events, you can drag them to new locations along the timeline. An event's position on the timeline
determines when it will be played.
You can use snapping to help you align events.

Drag an event to a new position

 1. With the Draw , Selection , or Time Selection tool active, click an event and hold the mouse button.

 2. Drag the event to the position where you want it to be played.

Notes:

 l If you drag an event to a different track, the event will move to the new track, and a clip will be added.
 l If you drag an event so that it overlaps another event, a crossfade is inserted to transition smoothly between the
two events. For more information about automatic crossfades, see "Automatic Crossfades" on the facing page.
 l Release the mouse button.

If you right-click and drag an event, a shortcut menu is displayed when you release the mouse button. You can
choose Move Here from the menu to move the event, or choose Copy Here to preserve the position of the
original and create a copy of the event where you release the mouse.
68

Move multiple events along the timeline

 1. If you want to move an event and all subsequent events on a track, right-click the event and choose Select
Events to End.
 2. Drag the events to the position where you want them to be played.

You can also use keyboard shortcuts to move events: press 4 or 6 on the numeric keypad to move one pixel left
or right.

Cut, copy, and paste events

In the same way you might use a word processor, you can use ACID to cut, copy, and paste events along the
timeline.

 1. Click an event to select it.

 2. Click the Copy or Cut button.

 3. Click to position the cursor where you want to insert the event.
 4. Click the Paste button .

Automatic Crossfades
From the Options menu, choose Automatic Crossfades if you want to automatically create crossfades when you
overlap two audio events.

Event crossfades are not available for MIDI events.

Create a crossfade
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 an event so that it overlaps another event on the same track.
A crossfade is automatically added to transition smoothly between the two events.

Change the fade type

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.

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 Editing Events on the Timeline 69

Using Clips
In previous versions of ACID, each track in your project corresponded to a single media file. If you're comfortable
with the track-equals-media model, this version of ACID can behave in much the same way: when you add media to
your project, a new track is created for the media file. When you use the Draw and Paint tools, you create
events using the track's media.
However, if you want to use multiple media files on each track, you can now add those files as clips. For example, if
you want to use a single track for all the guitar loops in your project, you can add a single guitar track and add each
guitar loop as a separate clip. When a track has multiple clips, the Draw and Paint tools create events using
the active clip.

Using Clips with Tracks

Think of clips as the palette you can dip your paintbrush in when you paint on the timeline.
A single audio track can contain any combination of loops, one-shots, or Beatmapped clips. MIDI tracks can contain
only MIDI clips. For more information about ACID media types, please see ACID types.

On a track with a single clip, events are always

created using the track's media.

On a track with multiple clips, each event can point

to a different media file. In this example, each
event represents one of the track's three clips.
The banner at the top of each event displays the
name of the event's source clip.

From the View menu, choose Event Information to toggle the display of event-specific information including
the media type, clip name and event pitch shift in the timeline:

Add a clip to a track

Drag a file from the Windows Explorer, Explorer Window to an existing track in the timeline to add a clip to the track
and add an event where you drop the clip. The new clip is set as the active clip for creating events with the Draw
or Paint tool.

You can also record into a track to create a new clip.

You can drag single-stream MIDI files to a track to add clips. When you drag multistream MIDI files to the
timeline, tracks and events are created. For more information, please see Adding MIDI Files to a Project.
Tips:
70

 l You can also drag events across tracks. When you drag an event to a new track, the event is added to the new
track where you drop it, and a clip is added to the track's clip pool.
 l You can use the Chopper window to create new clips from a track's existing media.
 l If you want to add a clip to a track without creating an event, drag a file from the Windows Explorer, Explorer
Window and drop it on the Paint Clip Selector button:

 l Hold Shift while clicking the Paint Clip Selector button to display the Open dialog, where you can add a new
clip.

Set the active clip and create events

 1. Click the Paint Clip Selector button in the track header. A menu is displayed to list the track's current clips.

 2. Choose a clip from the menu. The selected clip will be used for creating events with the Draw or Paint tool
.

Copy clips and events across tracks

In previous versions of ACID, you could only copy and paste events within the same track. You can use clips to copy
events between tracks.
Tips:

 l You can also use the Cut , Copy , and Paste buttons in the Clip Pool tab on the audio Track
Properties or MIDI Track Properties window to cut, copy, and paste clips across tracks.
 l Hold Ctrl while dragging an event to a different track to copy the event and clip to the destination track.

 1. Select the events you want to copy.

Hold Ctrl or Shift to select multiple events. You can select multiple events that use different clips.

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 Editing Events on the Timeline 71

 2. Click to position the cursor where you want to paste the events.
 3. Click the track header of the track where you want to paste the contents of the clipboard.
 4. From the Edit menu, choose Paste.
Events are added at the cursor position, and clips are added to the track for the pasted events as needed.

. . . and paste it into track the same track, a new event is created on the
If you copy an event from track 1. . .
same track. No clips are created.

. . . and paste it into track 2, the event from track 1 is added to track 2, and a
If you copy an event from track 1. . .
new clip is created for the new event.

. . . and paste them into track 2, the event from track 1 is added to track 2,
If you copy events from tracks 1 and
and a new clip is created for the new event. A new track is created for the
3. . .
event from track 3.

Copy clips across tracks without copying events

You can use the Cut , Copy , and Paste buttons on the audio Track Properties or MIDI Track Properties
window to cut, copy, and paste clips across tracks:
72

 1. Click the Paint Clip Selector button in the track header and choose Clip Pool from the menu.

 2. In the Clip Pool, select the clip you want to cut or copy, and then click Cut or Copy.
 3. Click the Paint Clip Selector button in the track header where you want to paste clips, and then choose Clip Pool
from the menu.
 4. Click the Paste button in the Clip Pool.

Create new MIDI clips

Right-click a MIDI clip and choose Copy to New Clip from the shortcut menu to copy the selected clip to a new,
separate clip. Copying an event to a new clip allows you to edit a single MIDI event without affecting other events
that use the same clip.
Right-click a MIDI track and choose Create Empty Clip from the shortcut menu to create a new, empty clip and set it
as the track's active clip.
You can also use the Chopper window to create new clips from a track's existing media.

Create new audio clips (chop to new clip)

Right-click an audio event and choose Chop to New Clip from the shortcut menu to copy the selected event to a
new, separate clip.
Chopping an event to a new clip allows you to edit a single event without affecting other events that use the same
clip.
Tips:

 l You can also use the Chopper window to create new clips from a track's existing media.
 l You can use Chop to New Clip to a create new one-shots and loops from recorded clips.
 l Chopping to new clips can also help you reduce file sizes when saving your project as an .acd-zip file. If you
have a project with many recorded clips, chop each recorded event to a new clip, and then choose Remove all
Unused Clips from the Tools menu. When you save your .acd-zip file, only clips that actually appear on the
timeline are saved.

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 Editing Events on the Timeline 73

 1. Right-click an event on the timeline and choose Chop to New Clip from the shortcut menu.

The event length determines the type of clip that will be created:
 a. If the event is an integral number of beats, a loop will be created.
 b. If the event is shorter than the Open files as loops if between setting on the Audio tab of the Preferences
dialog, a one-shot will be created.
 c. If the event is longer than the Open files as loops if between setting on the Audio tab of the Preferences
dialog, a Beatmapped clip will be created.
The Chop to New command is not available for events that contain a loop point:

 2. Use the Chop to New dialog to specify the format and location where you want to save the new file. The original
file name is used, and Chopped [number] is appended to the file name.
 3. When you click Save, the new file is saved, and the selected event switches to use the new clip.

Change an event's clip

 1. Select the events you want to change.

 2. Right-click a selected event and choose Event Clip from the shortcut menu. The track's current clips are
displayed in a submenu.
 3. Choose the clip you want to use from the submenu. All selected events are updated to use the new clip.
Press C or Shift+C to change all selected events' clips by cycling forward or backward through the track's
clips.

Change a clip's color

By default, the events on a track are drawn using the track color. However, you can change the color used to display
individual clips. Perform any of the following actions to change the color used to draw a clip's events:

 l Right-click the track header, choose Paint Clip from the shortcut menu, choose Color from the submenu, and
then choose the color you want to use for events created with the track's active clip.
 l Right-click an event, choose Event Clip from the shortcut menu, choose Color from the submenu, and then
choose a color from the submenu.
 l Right-click a clip on the Clip Pool tab for an audio or MIDI track, choose Color from the submenu, and then
choose a color from the submenu.

Rename a clip

You can change the name used to display clips in the Clip Pool and on the timeline. Perform either of the following
actions to change a clip's name:

 l Right-click an event, choose Event Clip from the shortcut menu, choose Rename from the submenu, and then
type a new name.
 l Right-click a clip on the Clip Pool tab for an audio or MIDI track, choose Rename from the submenu, and then
type a new name.

The new name is displayed in the Clip Pool and in the event when Event Information is selected on the View menu.

Remove clips from a track

To remove unused clips from individual tracks, click the Remove Unused Clips button in the Clip Pool window.

To remove the unused media from your project, choose Remove All Unused Clips from the Tools menu.
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Manage clips

You can use the Clip Pool tab in the Audio Track Properties or MIDI Track Properties window to organize each
track's media.

Pitch shift audio clips

You can use the Clip Properties window to pitch shift all events on the track associated with a specific audio clip.

Select events that use a specified clip

Perform any of the following actions to select events created from a clip:

 l 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.
 l 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.
 l Right-click a clip in the Clip Pool window and choose Select Timeline Events from the shortcut menu.

Event Clip Settings

To change settings for an event's clip, right-click an event in the timeline, choose Event Clip from the shortcut menu,
and then choose a command from the submenu:
Editing a clip affects all events on the track that use the clip.

Command Description
Rename Allows you to type a new name for the selected event's clip.
The new name is displayed in the Clip Pool and in the event when Event Information is selected on
the View menu.
Color Choose a color from the submenu to change the color used to draw a clip's events.
Loop Select this command if you want a MIDI clip to repeat when painted on the timeline.
When the command is not selected, the MIDI clip will be treated as a one-shot.
For more information about ACID types, please see ACID Types.
This command is available only for MIDI clips.
Use Sets the project tempo to match the clip's original tempo.
Original
Tempo
Edit in Opens the clip's media in your selected audio editor.
Audio After you have edited and saved the file, ACID automatically detects the updated file and updates the
Editor events in the project. However, if you change the media file’s name or location (by using Save As),
you must import the edited (new) file into your project.
Edit If the clip's media was rendered with an embedded project path reference, this command opens the
Source source project in the associated application if you need to edit the media later. ACID 5.0, Sound
Project Forge 8.0, and Vegas 6.0 and later allow you to save the project path reference when you render files.
This command is available only for audio clips.
Add to Makes the selected clip available in the Groove Pool so you can apply its timing to other tracks.
Groove Groove cloning can extract grooves from loop tracks only.
Pool
This command is available only for audio clips.
Invert Reverses the phase of the sound data. Although inverting data does not make an audible difference in

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 Editing Events on the Timeline 75

Phase a single file, it can prevent phase cancellation when mixing or crossfading audio signals.
This command is available only for audio clips.
Normalize Maximizes a clip's volume without clipping.
The Normalize peak level setting on the Audio tab of the Preferences dialog sets the level to which
the largest peak in the clip will be normalized.
This command is available only for audio clips.
Channels Specifies how to treat the channels in a clip:
Both Treats the clip as a normal stereo file.
Left Only Creates a mono clip using only the left channel of your media file.
Right Creates a mono clip using only the right channel of your media file.
Only
Combine Creates a mono clip by mixing the channels of your media file. After mixing the
channels, the amplitude is divided by two to prevent clipping.
Swap Exchanges the right and left channels in a stereo file.

This command is available only for audio clips.

Clip List Displays the track's available clips. Choose a clip from the menu to set the event's clip.
Next Clip Updates the event's contents to use the next clip in the clip list.
Select an event and press C to switch to the next clip quickly.
Previous Updates the event's contents to use the previous clip in the clip list.
Clip Select an event and press Shift+C to switch to the previous clip quickly.

Editing Audio Clip Properties

From the View menu, choose Clip Properties to display the Clip Properties window. The contents of the Clip
Properties window will change to display properties for the currently selected clip in the timeline.
For information about MIDI clip properties, see "Editing MIDI Clip Properties" on page 252.
Notes:

 l If you adjust a clip's properties and do not click the Save button , the new properties are saved in your ACID
project only (the media file is not modified).
 l If you adjust a clip's properties and click the Save button , the modified properties are embedded in the
media file if possible (you will be prompted to save to a different file if necessary).
 l When you load a project, the clip properties saved in the ACID project are displayed first. If clip properties have
been edited since the project was saved or if the clip was modified in an external editor, you can click the Reload
button to load the properties saved in the file.

Manage a track's clips

Each track in your ACID project can contain multiple, distinct media files, called clips. Use the Clip Pool tab in the
Track Properties window to add, remove, and preview clips.
For more information about using clips with tracks, please see Using Clips with Tracks.

Adjust general properties for a loop, one-shot, or Beatmapped clip

The General tab displays information about the file associated with a track and allows you to change the ACID type,
apply pitch shifting to all events on the track that use the same clip, and adjust time-stretching for Beatmapped clips.
76

Changing ACID type

Choose a setting from the ACID Type drop-down list to change how the clip's media is handled in your ACID
project.
ACID Type Description
Loop When Loop is selected, the clip will be transposed to the project key and stretched to fit the project
tempo.
Loops can be drawn across the track and will repeat end-to-end.
One-shot When One-shot is selected, the clip is streamed from the hard disk rather than being stored in
RAM, will not change tempo with the rest of the loops, and will not be transposed to the project
key.
The Stretch tab is not available when One-shot is selected.
Beatmapped When a file that is longer than thirty seconds is added to a project, The Beatmapper Wizard starts
to allow you to add tempo information to the file.
You cannot choose Beatmapped for very short media files. A file must be at least one measure
long at 300 BPM to be Beatmapped.
Use the Open files as loops if between (seconds) setting on the Audio tab of the Preferences
dialog to determine the file length.

Adjusting pitch shift

Enter a value in the Pitch shift box (or use the spinner control) to adjust the pitch of all events that use the same clip.
Track pitch shifting is not saved to the media file when you click the Save button .

Adjusting time-stretching (Beatmapped tracks only)

ACID provides two time-stretching methods for Beatmapped tracks: Classic and élastique. Classic is the standard
time-stretch method used by ACID.

 1. Select the Preserve pitch when stretching check box if you want your track to maintain its pitch when your
project tempo changes.

When the check box is cleared, the clip's pitch will raise and lower with tempo changes. When the check box is
cleared, you cannot change the pitch of a Beatmapped event.
 2. Choose a setting from the Method drop-down list to determine the time-stretch method to use.
Method Description
Classic Classic is the standard time-stretch method used by ACID.
élastique The élastique method uses technology from zplane.development, and provides enhanced real-
time time stretching and pitch-shifting capabilities. The élastique method also allows you to
preserve and shift a track’s formants, which are the characteristic resonant frequencies of a sound.

 3. Choose a setting from the Mode drop-down list to choose the stretching method best suited to your media.
The élastique Pro mode provides the highest quality stretching but requires more RAM usage and CPU
power. The élastique Efficient mode uses fewer resources while still producing great time-stretching
quality for polyphonic audio. The Soloist (Monophonic) and Soloist (Speech) provide good quality for
monophonic audio with little effect on system resources.
 4. Select the Preserve formants when stretching check box if you want your track to maintain its characteristic
resonance when your project tempo changes. Formant preservation is most often used to avoid the "chipmunk
effect" in vocal performances.

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 Editing Events on the Timeline 77

This option is only available for élastique Pro and Soloist (Monophonic) modes.
 5. Type a value in the Formant shift (semitones) box (or use the spinner control) to adjust the formants of all
events that use the same clip.

Formant shifting can be used to deepen the tone of a vocal performance without changing the pitch.

For élastique Pro mode, this amount represents the number of semitones to shift the timbre in addition to the
offset required to compensate for any pitch shifting. For example, a setting of 0.000 applies formant correction
with no additional shifting, while a setting of -7.000 will apply formant correction and deepen a sound by 7
semitones.

This option is only available when the Preserve formants when stretching check box is selected.
Adjust clip offset for looped recordings

When you perform looped recording, multiple clips are created in your recorded file. You can use the General tab of
the Clip Properties dialog to adjust which portion of the recording is used for each clip (clip take offset).
A green region marks the clip's location in the recorded file. Drag the region markers to adjust the clip:

Adjust stretching properties for a loop

The Stretch tab allows you to specify how to handle pitch shifting and time stretching for loops or Beatmapped
tracks.
Click the Redetect Beats button to apply the ACID beat-detection algorithm to existing media.
You'll notice that the Stretch tab looks similar to the Groove Editor window. Both windows contain beat anchors
and markers; however, the markers on these windows perform complementary functions:

 l On the Stretch tab of the Clip Properties window, the beat markers indicate beats in the media, and the beat
anchors indicate the adjustment that is required to quantize the media to straight time before applying a new
groove.
 l In the Groove Editor window, a beat anchor represents the beat that will be adjusted, and a groove marker
represents the point in time when that beat will be played when the groove is applied. A groove marker can
occur before or after the beat anchor. A line connects a groove marker to its associated beat anchor.

If you want to hear the results of editing beat anchors and markers, select the Play Quantized button at the
bottom of the Clip Properties window and use the Clip Properties transport controls to preview the loop. Playing the
clip in Play Quantized mode demonstrates how the track sounds when the Quantize to Straight groove is applied.
Click the Play button to hear the original loop.

After you've edited a clip's properties, click the Save button to embed ACID information in the file.

Hold Ctrl while clicking the Save button to save your changes to a new file.
78

If you save stretching properties to a new file, the changes will also be applied to the current clip and saved with
the ACID project; the changes are not saved to the original file.
If you edit a file in another audio-editing program, it is possible that the ACID data will be removed. Simply edit
the settings on the Stretch tab to optimize the file again.

Item Description
Root note Choose a note from the drop-down list to set the base note for loops that you want to conform to the
project key.
If you do not want a clip transposed to the project key (a clip that contains a drum sample, for
example) choose Don't transpose.
Number Choose a setting from the drop-down list to specify the length of the original file.
of beats Selecting a value that does not match the actual file will cause the loop to play at a different speed
than normal. For example, specifying a length of 8 beats for a 4-beat loop will cause the loop to play
at half speed at any given tempo.
Stretching Stretching properties determine how time compression and expansion is performed on audio events.
method If you hear audio anomalies due to time compression, try editing the stretching properties of the
track.

 l Looping segments is the default stretching method, and it will work well with most types of
material. The clip media is divided into sections that are crossfaded, and some sections may be
looped if necessary to achieve the necessary length. Combination beat/stretch markers and
stretch-only markers represent the divisions in the clip media.
 l Choose Nonlooping segments for sustaining material such as synthesizer pads and held notes.
The clip media is divided into sections that are crossfaded, but no sections are looped. Com
bination beat/stretch markers and stretch-only markers represent the divisions in the clip
media.
 l Choose Pitch shift segments to shift the pitch of the clip to adjust for variations in tempo. Using
this option, you can eliminate some of the problems that occur with extreme tempo changes or
just create new sounds from existing loops. For example, if you have slowed the project tempo
and hear echo artifacts, using the Pitch shift segments setting can eliminate these artifacts. Com
bination beat/stretch markers and stretch-only markers represent the divisions in the clip
media.
 l Choose Sliced segments for material such as drum loops where silence exists between notes.
Instead of crossfading the segments, silence is added between beats to reduce warbling or other
artifacts. When you set the stretching method to Sliced segments, beat markers represent divi
sions in the clip media where silence will be inserted to accomplish stretching. Stretch-only mark
ers are not used in this mode and are displayed in gray: .

Transient Type a value in the box or use the spin control to adjust the sensitivity for beat detection. When you
sensitivity set the control to 100, beat markers , stretch markers or , and beat anchors are created for
every transient.
As you decrease the setting, markers are created for only strong transients. Increasing this setting can
be advantageous when working with audio that has complex rhythms. Lower settings are more
suitable for synthesizer pads and other basic material.
Timing Choose a setting from the drop-down list to choose the resolution for beat anchors . For example, if
tightness you wanted to quantize beat anchors to sixteenth notes, choose Sixteenth Notes from the drop-
down list.
Quantized beat anchors are displayed as . If the you choose a resolution from the Timing tightness
drop-down list that is too coarse, you'll notice that not all beat markers will be quantized.

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 Editing Events on the Timeline 79

Stretch Choose a setting from the drop-down list to specify how many stretch markers or will be
spacing
displayed along the bottom of the waveform display.
Audio that contains rapid notes such as drum rolls will benefit from setting the divisions at a smaller
fraction of a beat. Slower-paced material, however, may actually suffer from high resolution.
Re-Detect Click to automatically detect the beats in the current file. Use this button to reapply the ACID beat-
beats detection algorithm to existing media.
Stretch Stretch markers correspond to subdivisions of beats in the audio file. These markers tell ACID
markers software where to divide the audio when performing time stretching to match tempo. Accurately
detecting these beats is the key to making the time-compression process sound good.
Indicates a stretch-only marker that was detected by the software or added manually.

Indicates a combination beat/stretch marker. Each beat marker on the beat ruler corresponds
to a combination beat/stretch marker on the timeline.

If you want to convert a combination beat/stretch marker to a stretch-only marker, double-click

the marker (or right-click the marker and choose Convert to Stretch Marker from the shortcut
menu).
Indicates an inactive stretch marker.
When Sliced segments is selected from the Stretching method drop-down list, beat markers
represent the points where silence will be inserted to accomplish stretching. Stretch-only
markers are not used in this mode and are displayed in gray: .

Use the Zoom In Time and Zoom Out Time buttons to change the magnification of the
waveform.
As a general rule, markers that are excessively close to each other may cause clicks in the audio.
However, markers should not be more than one second apart, or pitch and echo artifacts may result.
You can add, move, and delete stretch markers on the Stretch tab. If snapping is enabled, markers will
snap to the current grid spacing.
Moving markers

You can drag any marker to a new location. If you move a combination stretch/beat marker , its
associated beat marker will also be moved.

Adding markers

Double-click the marker bar at the bottom of the waveform display to create a new marker. It is
80

advantageous to add new markers if the software does not detect any quick subdivisions in beats.
The biggest cause of audio artifacts due to time compression is a lack of beat detection. Make sure
that you add markers anywhere the application fails to put one on a pronounced beat.
Deleting markers

You can remove a user-defined marker by right-clicking and choosing Delete from the shortcut
menu. Double-click a combination stretch/beat marker to remove the beat marker , or double-
click a stretch marker to delete it.

Reset stretching markers

Click the Reload button to reset the markers to their last-saved positions.

Beat Beat anchors correspond to musical beats on the ruler at the top of the waveform display. Beat
anchors markers correspond to points in time on the ruler at the bottom of the waveform display. Each beat
and
marker corresponds to a combination beat/stretch marker on the timeline. If you want to convert a
markers
combination beat/stretch marker to a stretch-only marker, double-click the marker (or right-click the
marker and choose Convert to Stretch Marker from the shortcut menu).
Beat anchors and markers are used only when a groove is applied to a track.
Offsets between beat anchors and beat markers indicate that the beat represented by an anchor is
actually played at the marker position, which may occur before or after the beat. This mapping
represents the difference required to remove an existing groove from a media file and return the media
to straight machine time so that grooves can be applied accurately.
If you want to hear the results of editing beat anchors and markers, select the Play Quantized button
at the bottom of the Clip Properties window and use the Clip Properties transport controls to
preview the loop. Playing the track in Play Quantized mode demonstrates how the track sounds
when the Quantize to Straight groove is applied.

In most cases, you won't need to edit beat anchors.

Use the Zoom In Time and Zoom Out Time buttons to change the magnification of the
waveform.
Grooves are not applied using the markers on the Stretch tab. Autodetected stretch markers are
used to establish a baseline for applying other grooves with the Groove Pool window and Groove
tool. User-defined markers have no effect on groove quantization.
You can add, move, and delete beat anchors and markers on the Stretch tab.
Moving anchors

You can drag beat anchors and stretch markers to map the sample data in the waveform to a specific
beat:

 l Moving a beat marker changes the audio that will be played at a beat anchor location.

 l Moving a beat anchor changes the beat on which the audio represented by a stretch marker
will be played. Beat anchors snap to the current grid spacing. Hold Shift while dragging to bypass
snapping.

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 Editing Events on the Timeline 81

In this example, the audio at the In this example, In this example, the audio at the
stretch marker occurs before the beat the audio at the stretch marker occurs after the beat
but will be played at the time stretch marker but will be played at the time
indicated by the beat anchor. occurs on the beat. indicated by the beat anchor.

Adding anchors

Double-click the marker bar (above or above the beat ruler) to create a new anchor and marker.
Deleting anchors

You can remove a marker by right-clicking and choosing Delete from the shortcut menu (or by
double-clicking it).
Reset beat anchors

Right-click the beat marker bar and choose Reset All from the shortcut menu to reset the markers to
their last-saved positions.

Adjust stretching properties for a Beatmapped clip

Use the Stretch tab to quickly edit Beatmapper information for a clip without starting the Beatmapper Wizard. After
you've edited a clip's properties, click the Save button to embed ACID information in the file.

Hold Ctrl while clicking the Save button to save your changes to a new file.

Notes:

 l If you save stretching properties to a new file, the changes will also be applied to the current clip and saved with
the ACID project; the changes are not saved to the original file.
 l If you edit a file in another audio-editing program, it is possible that the ACID data will be removed. Simply edit
the settings on the Stretch tab to optimize the file again.
 l Support for multitempo clips is available for clips that are recorded or rendered in ACID or by adding Beatmap
markers on the Clip Properties dialog.
 l The ruler on the General tab is fixed, and the ruler on the Stretch tab is stretched to represent measures of
varying lengths. In the following image, you can see how the beat ruler has been compressed to change the
lengths of the measures as we switch from the Stretch to the General tab:

Item Description
Initial root Choose a note from the drop-down list to set the first root note for clips that
82

note you want to conform to the project key.

If you do not want a track transposed to the project key, choose Don't
transpose.
Initial tempo Displays the starting tempo of the clip as determined by the Beatmapper
Wizard. Type a value in the box or use the spin control to adjust the tempo.
Initial time Choose settings from the Beats per measure and Beat value controls to set the
signature starting time signature of your clip. Time signature changes in the clip will be
marked by Beatmap markers.
Ignore root Select this check box if you do not want to transpose the Beatmapped clip when
note changes stretching. Root note changes in the Beatmap will be ignored.
When the check box is cleared, pitch-shifting will be applied so the clip will
conform to your project key
Beatmapper Click the Beatmapper Wizard button to use the Wizard to adjust a track's
Wizard tempo information. More. . .

The waveform display shows tempo changes and measures:

 l The blue marker represents the first downbeat.

 l Tempo changes are indicated with Beatmap markers . These markers can be added manually or are added by
ACID when recording or rendering.
 l Orange markers represent measures.

You can adjust tempo by dragging measure or Beatmap markers:

Dragging a measure marker that occurs before the first Beatmap

marker sets the clip's initial tempo.

Measure markers between Beatmap markers cannot be moved.

Dragging a Beatmap marker adjusts the tempo of the Beatmap

marker you drag and the previous marker. The length of the
measures between the Beatmap markers is adjusted as you drag.

Dragging a measure marker that occurs after the last Beatmap

marker sets the clip's final tempo.

You can add Beatmap markers to signal a tempo change: just double-click a measure marker or a blank area of the
Beatmap marker bar to add a marker.
To remove a Beatmap marker, double-click an existing marker.
To edit a Beatmap marker, right-click it and choose a new setting from the Root Note or Time Signature submenu.
For more information about using the Stretch tab to add Beatmap information to a clip, please see Fine-Tuning
Beatmapped Clips.

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 Editing Events on the Timeline 83

Reload a clip

Click the Reload button in the Clip Properties window to reload the last-saved version of a media file. All events
remain in the timeline, but changes made in the Clip Properties window since the file was last saved are discarded.
When you edit a clip in an external editor, changes to the sound file will be reflected immediately after you save
the file in the external editor.

Replace a clip with another media file

Click the Replace button to replace the current clip with another file. The events and envelopes in the timeline
remain intact, but the audio will be replaced with the new file.
Drag a file from the Explorer to the track name in the track list to quickly replace the active paint clip with another
file.

Edit a clip's source project

If a clip's media was created from an ACID project and rendered with the project path reference in the file, you can
click the Edit Source Project button to open the source project in a new ACID window.

If you render the edited file using the same file name and location as the track's original media, your project will
automatically be updated to use the latest rendered media file.

Add a clip to the Groove Pool

Click the Add to Groove Pool button to make the selected clip available in the Groove Pool so you can apply its
timing to other tracks.
Groove cloning can extract grooves from loop tracks only.

Save changes to clip properties 

Click the Save File button to save the current clip and clip properties.

Click the Save File As button to save the current clip and clip properties to a new file. The clip is updated to use
the new file.
Clip pitch shifting is not saved to the media file.

Edit in Audio Editor

From the Tools menu, choose Edit in [editor name] to open the selected track's paint clip using an editor specified
on the Editing tab of the Preferences dialog. For example, if you have Sound Forge selected as an audio editor, you
could choose Tools > Edit in Sound Forge to start Sound Forge.
Right-click an event in the timeline, choose Event Clip from the shortcut menu, and then choose Edit in [editor
name] from the submenu.
Important:

 l The command is not available if you have not specified an audio editor on the Editing tab of the Preferences
dialog.
 l When you edit a clip in an external editor, audio, MIDI, and external control hardware is released regardless of
theClose audio and MIDI ports when ACID is not the active application check box setting (see Preferences >
General). The ports are re-enabled when focus is restored to ACID.   
84

 1. Select the track you want to edit.

You can select multiple tracks to open each track's clip in a separate window in the sound editor.
 2. From the Tools menu, choose Edit in [editor name]. The editing application is opened with the track's active
clip.
 3. Edit and save the file.

The changes will automatically be applied in your ACID project.

If you save the edited media with a different file name or location, your changes are not applied automatically.
You can add the newly created media to the project as a new track or click the Replace button in the Clip
Properties window to replace an existing track with your new file.

Using Sections
With sections, you can create different arrangements using simple drag-and-drop operations.
Each section label above the timeline represents a segment of your project. When you drag a section label to a new
location of the timeline, all events, envelopes, regions, commands, and markers within the section follow.

Insert a section
 1. Create a time selection that includes the portion of the timeline that you want to use as a section.
 2. From the Insert menu, choose Section (or press Shift+S). A section label is added above the marker bar.
 3. Type a name to identify the section and press Enter.

Adjust a section's length

 1. Hover over the end of a section label. The mouse pointer is displayed as a .
 2. Drag the end of the section: to extend or shorten it.

Tips:

 l Hold Shift to override snapping.

 l If you drag a section over an adjacent section, both will be adjusted simultaneously:

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 Editing Events on the Timeline 85

Rename a section
 1. Right-click the section label and choose Renamefrom the shortcut menu. The section label changes to an edit
box.
Press F2 to rename the selected section.
 2. Type a new name in the edit box.
 3. Press Enter

Change a section's color

 1. Right-click the section label and choose Color from the shortcut menu.
 2. Choose a color from the menu. The color of the section label is updated, but event colors do not change.

Move (shuffle) sections

Shuffling sections allows you to move all events, envelopes, regions, commands, and markers within a section in a
single operation.

 1. Drag a section label to a new position on the timeline. A is displayed to indicate where the section will be
moved.
 2. When you drop the section, events are split at each end of the section, and all events within the section are
moved to the position where you dropped the section. Downstream events ripple to make room for (or fill the
space of) the section you dragged:

Notes:

 l Hold Ctrl or Shift to select and shuffle multiple selections.

 l When shuffling envelope points, the shape of the envelope is copied to the new location and  additional points
are created at each end of the section if necessary.
 l The tempo, time signature, and key of the section will be preserved during shuffling, and tempo, time signature,
and key markers will be created if necessary.

Copy a section
When you copy a section, you copy all events within the section in a single operation.

 1. Hold Ctrl and drag a section label to a new position on the timeline. A is displayed to indicate where the
section will be copied.
 2. When you drop the section, it is copied to the position where you dropped it.

Hold Ctrl or Shift to select and copy multiple selections.

Delete a section
Deleting a section removes the section and all events from the timeline.
Right-click a section label and choose Delete from the shortcut menu. Events are split at each end of the section,
and all events, envelope points, regions, commands, and markers within the section are deleted. Downstream events
ripple to fill the space of the section you deleted.
86

Move a section label

Hold Alt while dragging a section label to move the selected labels without affecting the contents of the timeline.
Hold Ctrl+Alt while dragging a section label to create copies of the selected labels without affecting the contents of
the timeline.

Remove a section label

Removing a section label removes the section label from the timeline without affecting the section's events.
Right-click a section label and choose Remove Label from the shortcut menu.

Clear all events from a section

Clearing events removes the events from a section while leaving the section label intact.
Right-click a section label and choose Clear Events from the shortcut menu. Events are split at each end of the
section, and all events within the section are deleted.

Snapping
From the Options menu, choose Snapping, and then choose Enable from the submenu to turn snapping on or off.
Snapping helps you align items along the main ACID timeline, in the Chopper window, on the Stretch tab of the
Track Properties window, and in the Groove Editor window.
When snapping is enabled, the Grid only command is available:

 l When Grid only (Ctrl+F8) is selected, all elements that are designed to snap to the grid will snap only to grid
lines in the timeline. The grid is defined in segments of time.

You can set the resolution of the grid by clicking the down arrow next to the Enable Snapping button
and choosing a setting from the menu or by choosing Grid Spacing from the Options menu and choosing a
command from the submenu.
 l When Grid only is not selected, elements can snap to grid lines, regions boundaries, markers, the cursor
position, loop region in and out points, or the element's position before you started dragging.

You can temporarily override snapping by holding the Shift key after you start dragging.

Cutting, Copying, and Pasting Events

Just like a word processor for audio, ACID software will allow you to cut events, copy events, and paste them into
new places.

Cut events
Select the events you wish to remove and click the Cut button (or press Ctrl+X). The selected events are
removed from the track and placed on the clipboard.
If you want to shuffle existing events to fill the space left by cut events when using a time selection, use ripple edit
mode.

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 Editing Events on the Timeline 87

Cutting a time selection

If you cut a time selection, events across all tracks are removed from the timeline and placed on the clipboard. Events
that extend beyond the time selection are split at each end of the time selection:

Time selection Clipboard Events after cut Events after cut

(ripple mode)

Cutting selected events within a time selection

If you cut selected events within a time selection, the selected events are removed from the timeline and placed on
the clipboard. Selected events that extend beyond the time selection are split at each end of the time selection:

Time/event selection Clipboard Events after cut Events after cut

(ripple mode)

Copy events
Select the events you want and click the Copy button (or press Ctrl+C). The selected events are copied to the
clipboard. You may now paste the copied events anywhere in the project.
Hold Ctrl while dragging to create copies of selected events.
Copying a time selection

If you copy a time selection, the portions of events that are within the selection (across all tracks) are placed on the
clipboard:

Time selection Clipboard

Copying selected events within a time selection

If you copy selected events within a time selection, the portions of selected events that are within the time selection
are placed on the clipboard:
88

Time/event selection Clipboard

Paste events
Position the cursor and click the Paste button (or press Ctrl+V). Events from the clipboard are inserted at the
cursor position.
Pasted events will sit on top of other events in the track if they overlap. To make space for pasted events, you can use
the Paste Insert command or turn on ripple edit mode.
In previous versions of ACID, you could only copy and paste events within the same track. You can use clips to copy
events between tracks: if you select a different track before you click the Paste button, the event will be added to the
selected track, and a new clip will automatically be created.

. . . and paste it into track the same track, a new event is created on
If you copy an event from track 1. . .
the same track. No clips are created.

. . . and paste it into track 2, the event from track 1 is added to track
If you copy an event from track 1. . .
2, and a new clip is created for the new event.

. . . and paste them into track 2, the event from track 1 is added to
If you copy events from tracks 2 and 3. . . track 2, and a new clip is created for the new event. A new track is
created for the event from track 3.

Paste the contents of the clipboard multiple times

From the Edit menu, choose Paste Repeat (or press Ctrl+B) to insert events from the clipboard multiple times at the
current cursor position.

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 Editing Events on the Timeline 89

 1. Copy events to the clipboard.

 2. Position your cursor where you want to begin pasting the events.
 3. From the Edit menu, choose Paste Repeat. The Paste Repeat dialog box appears.
 4. In the Number of times to paste box, enter the number of times you want to paste the event.
 5. Select your options and specify the settings if applicable:
 6. End to End — Pastes the events one after another with no space between.
 7. Even Spacing Pastes the events with the time increments specified in the Paste every controls between the
starting points of the pasted events.
If the Paste every setting is shorter than the contents of the clipboard, the pasted events will overlap.—

Paste insert events

To insert the contents of the 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 (or press Ctrl+Shift+V).
If the cursor is in the middle of an event, the event will be split at the cursor position when the new events are
pasted.
This feature is useful when rearranging a project by moving verses and choruses.

Deleting Events
From the Edit menu, choose Delete to remove selected events or tracks or without copying them to the clipboard.
If you delete a time selection, events across all tracks are removed from the timeline. Events that extend beyond the
time selection are split at each end of the time selection:

Events after delete

Time selection Events after delete
(ripple mode)

If you delete selected events within a time selection, the selected events are removed from the timeline. Selected
events that extend beyond the time selection are split at each end of the time selection:

Events after delete

Time/event selection Events after delete
(ripple mode)

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.

Undoing and Redoing Edit Operations

Undo and redo give you the freedom to experiment with your project. Edit to your heart's content. If you change your
mind, you can always undo your changes. If you change your mind again, you can redo the undone edits (whew!).
90

For example, if you accidentally deleted a track, simply choose Undo to restore the track.
You can perform an unlimited number of undos, so you can restore the project to any state since the last Save
command.

Undo the last action performed

From the Edit menu, choose Undo or click the Undo button .

Undo a series of actions

 1. Click the arrow next to the Undo button . A list of the most recent actions that you can undo is displayed.

 2. Select the action you want to undo. If the action does not appear in the list, use the scroll bar to scroll through
the list. The selected action and all actions above it are reversed.

Reverse the last Undo performed

From the Edit menu, choose Redo, or click the Redo button .

If you later decide that you did not want to reverse an undo, click the Undobutton .

Reverse a series of Undo actions

When you reverse an Undo, you also reverse all Undo actions above it in the list.

 1. Click the arrow next to the Redo button . A list of the most recent actions that you can redo is displayed.

 2. Select the action you want to redo. If the action does not appear in the list, use the scroll bar to scroll through
the list. The selected action and all actions above it are redone.

Undo all edits

From the Edit menu, choose Undo All to reverse all edits in the undo history.
You can view the edit history by clicking the arrow next to the Undo button .

Clear the edit history

From the Edit menu, choose Clear Undo History to clear all of the entries in the Undo/Redo History list for the
current project.
The edit history is also cleared when you close your project.
You will not be able undo or redo any previous changes after clearing the history.

Ripple Edits
From the Options menu, choose Ripple Edits if you want to shuffle existing events when you cut, delete, and paste
events in the specified track.
Ripple edit mode is not available unless you're using the Time Selection tool .

Pasting in ripple edit mode ripples only the events on tracks where events will be pasted. If you want to ripple all
tracks, you can use the Paste Insert command.

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 Editing Events on the Timeline 91

Cut events in ripple edit mode

Depending on the type of selection you have made, the results will differ. Following are graphic examples displaying
events being cut with and without ripple mode enabled:

Events after cut without Events after cut with ripple

Time selection Clipboard
ripple mode mode

Events after cut without Events after cut with ripple

Time/event selection Clipboard
ripple mode mode

 1. From the Options menu, choose Ripple Edits.

 2. Select the Time Selection tool .

 3. Select the events you want to cut. If you want all events within a time selection to be cut, do not select any
events and continue to step 4.
 4. Drag along the marker bar to make a time selection. All events, and/or portions of events within the region are
highlighted.
 5. From the Edit menu, choose Cut. The events are removed and copied to the clipboard. The remaining events are
moved along the timeline to fill the empty time space.

Paste events in ripple edit mode

Depending on the type of selection you have made, the results will differ. Following are graphic examples displaying
events being pasted with and without ripple mode enabled:

Pasting time selection without Pasting time selection with ripple

Time selection copied
ripple mode mode

Pasting time/event selection Pasting time/event selection with

Time/event selection copied
without ripple mode ripple mode
92

 1. From the Options menu, choose Ripple Edits.

 2. Position the cursor where you want the events to be pasted.
 3. From the Edit menu, choose Paste. The events from the clipboard are inserted at the cursor position. The
remaining events are moved over on the track.

Events will always be pasted back in their own tracks.

Delete events in ripple edit mode

Depending on the type of selection you have made, the results will differ. Following are graphic examples displaying
events being deleted with and without ripple mode enabled:

Events after delete without ripple

Time selection Events after delete with ripple mode
mode

Events after delete without ripple

Time/event selection Events after delete with ripple mode
mode

 1. From the Options menu, choose Ripple Edits.

 2. Select the Time Selection tool .

 3. Select the events you want to delete. If you want all to delete all events within a time selection, do not select any
events and continue to step 4.
 4. Drag along the marker bar to make a time selection. All events, and/or portions of events within the region are
highlighted.
 5. From the Edit menu, choose Delete. The events are removed from the track and the remaining events are moved
on the track to fill the empty time space.

Splitting Events
From the Edit menu, choose Split to divide selected events at the cursor position.
Splitting an event allows you to adjust a small part of an event independently. For example, you may want to apply
pitch shift to a few measures of an event and then return the event to its original setting.

 1. Position the cursor where you want to split the events, or select a range of time.
 2. Select the events you want to split.
 3. From the Edit menu, choose Split.
If there is no time selection, the events will be split at the cursor position. If a time selection exists, events will

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 Editing Events on the Timeline 93

be split at each edge of the time selection.

If no events are selected, the events located at the current cursor position will be split throughout all of the
tracks.

Joining Events
Use the Join command to merge selected events.
If you do not have at least two events selected on a track, the command is unavailable.

Join events on an audio track

 1. Select the events you want to join.
 2. From the Edit menu, choose Join.
The selected events on each track are joined. Any space between the events will be filled. If you're joining events
that use distinct clips, events will be joined using the media from the first selected clip:

Events before joining

Events after joining

Drag across events with the Paint tool selected to join them.

Join events on a MIDI track 

 1. Select the events you want to join.
 2. From the Edit menu, choose Join.
The selected events on each track (and any events between them) are joined. Any space between the events will
be filled, and a new MIDI clip will be created to contain the MIDI data exposed by the clips:

Events before joining

Events after joining; a new clip is created

If you join clips that are in different keys (you can set a MIDI clip's key on the Clip Pool tab of the MIDI Track
Properties window), the new MIDI clip will use the key of the first clip. Subsequent clips will be transposed as
needed to ensure that the note values you see in the event will be preserved after joining.
94

Trimming Events
From the Edit menu, choose Trim to remove all data from an event outside of the current time selection. Trimming
does not copy data onto the clipboard.
The command is available only when the Time Selection tool is active.

 1. Select the data you want to keep.

 2. From the Edit menu, choose Trim. All data outside of the selection is deleted.

Reversing an Event
Reversed events are perfect for backward guitar solos, creating the illusion of turning back time, or whatever else you
can dream up. The event plays backward on the timeline without affecting the source media.
Events cannot be reversed on MIDI tracks.

 1. Select the audio events you want to reverse.

 2. Right-click a selected event.
 3. Choose Reverse from the shortcut menu (or press U to reverse the selected event). The event is reversed on the
timeline, and an arrow is displayed on the event to indicate that it has been reversed:

This procedure has the same effect as selecting the Reverse check box in the Event Properties dialog.

Grouping Events
After you've arranged your events so they're just where you want them, you can create groups to lock the events
together. Once grouped, you can apply editing tasks to the entire group of events.
When the Cut, copy, and delete grouped events check box on the Editing tab of the Preferences dialog is
selected, cutting, copying, or deleting an event will affect all events in the same group.

Create a group of events

 1. Select the events you want to group together.
 2. From the Edit menu, choose Group, and choose Create New from the submenu (or press Ctrl+Alt+G).

Ungroup a group of events

 1. Click on any event in the group.
 2. Right-click, point to Group, and choose Select All from the shortcut menu. All events in the group are
highlighted.
 3. From the Edit menu, choose Group, and choose Remove From from the submenu (or press Ctrl+Alt+U).

Remove an event from a group

Right-click the event you want to remove, choose Group from the shortcut menu, and choose Remove From from

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 Editing Events on the Timeline 95

the submenu. The event is removed from the group.

Temporarily ignore grouping

Select the Ignore Event Grouping button (or press Ctrl+Shift+U) to override events groups without removing
the groups.

Cut, copy, or delete grouped events

 1. Select the events you want to cut, copy, or delete.
 2. From the Edit menu, choose Group, and choose Cut All, Copy All, or Delete All from the submenu. The selected
events and any events that are grouped with the selected events are deleted or copied/cut to the clipboard.

The Chopper Window

The Chopper window allows you to select portions of media that can be placed into tracks as events or used to
create new loops.
From the View menu, choose Chopper to toggle the display of the window.

Use the Chopper window to create events

 1. Select an event. The waveform for the selected event's clip is displayed in the Chopper window.
 2. Select the part of the waveform that you want to insert as an event.
If snapping is enabled, your selection will snap to the current grid spacing.
 3. Select the Link Arrow to Selection button if you want to insert events end-to-end, or turn off the Link
button and drag the arrow above your selection to specify an offset. See Set an offset between selections in this
topic for more information.
 4. Add the selection as an event on the timeline.
 a. Click Insert Selection (or press A) to insert the current selection as an event at the edit cursor. Click
again to insert another event with its starting point offset by the amount specified by the event increment
arrow.
 b. Click the Insert Selection at Play Cursor button (or press Y) to add the current selection as an event at
the play cursor (during playback, the edit cursor remains fixed, and the play cursor follows playback).
If the track header has focus, the track's current paint clip will be inserted in its entirety at the play
cursor when you press Y.

You can also drag a selection to the timeline or copy and paste selections from the Chopper window to the
timeline. If snapping is enabled, events are created at the next snap point.
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Use the Chopper window to clone new loops (chop to new track or clip)
 1. Select an event. The waveform for the selected event's clip is displayed in the Chopper window.
 2. Select the part of the waveform that you want to use to create the new loop.

If snapping is enabled, your selection will snap to the current grid spacing.
 l If the selection is an integral number of beats, a loop will be created.
 l If the selection is shorter than the Open files as loops if between setting on the Audio tab of the
Preferences dialog, a one-shot will be created.
 l If the selection is longer than the Open files as loops if between setting on the Audio tab of the
Preferences dialog, a Beatmapped clip will be created.
 3. Perform either of the following actions:
 l Right-click the selection and choose Chop to New Clip from the shortcut menu.
or ——
 l Right-click the selection and choose Chop to New Track from the shortcut menu (or drag the selection to
the track list).

The Chop to New dialog is displayed.

 4. Use the Chop to New dialog to specify the format and location where you want to save the new file. The original
file name is used, and Chopped [number] is appended to the file name.
 5. When you click Save, the new file is saved.

If you chopped to a new clip, a new clip is added to the original track.

If you chopped to a new track, a new, blank track is added to your project.

Make a selection in the Chopper window

The selection in the Chopper window determines which part of the media file will be added to the track list when you
click the Insert Selection button. Perform any of the following actions to create a selection:

 l Drag within the Chopper window.

 l Position your cursor at the beginning of the data you want to select. Then right-click in the Chopper window,
choose Selection Length from the shortcut menu, and then choose a length from the submenu.
 l Hold the Shift key and press the right or left arrow keys.
 l Right-click an event in the timeline and choose Select in Chopper from the shortcut menu. The sound data
contained in the event will be selected in the Chopper window. For example, if an event contains only one beat
from a drum track, the Chopper window will display the full drum track, and beat from the event will be selected
in the Chopper window.

From the Options menu, choose Snapping, and then choose Enable from the submenu if you want to snap
your selection to markers or ruler marks in the Chopper window.
The selection's start, end, and length are displayed in M:B:T (measures: beats: ticks) in the bottom right-hand corner
of the window:

Selection Start Selection End Selection Length

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 Editing Events on the Timeline 97

When you create a selection in the Chopper window, a bar is displayed in the selected track to indicate where the
event will be inserted when you click the Insert Selection button:

Set an offset between selections

You can use the Link Arrow to Selection button to specify the space between the start of events inserted from
the Chopper window.

 l To insert events with no space between them, select the Link Arrow to Selection button. The increment arrow is
displayed in the same color as the waveform, and the increment length is tied to the selection length.
 l To insert events with a space between them, turn off the Link Arrow to Selection button and drag the end of the
arrow to set the event increment. The increment arrow is displayed in black, and the length will remain until you
resize it.

To create a gap between inserted events, set the event increment larger than the selection size. In the following
example, one-beat events are inserted with one beat of silence between them.

Chopper Selection Inserted Events

To overlap events and create a stuttering effect, set the event increment shorter than the selection size. In the
following example, one-beat events are inserted with a half-beat overlap.

Chopper Selection Inserted Events

Add markers or regions to the Chopper window

You can add markers and regions to the Chopper to help you identify parts of a sound file. For more information, see
"Using Markers" on page 127 and Regions.
Markers and regions in the Chopper window will be saved with your ACID project. If you want to save them to the
track's source media file, use the Save button in the Track Properties window.
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Learn more about Chopper window controls

Shortcut
Control Description
Key
Insert Selection: click to insert the current selection as an event at the cursor /
position. Click again to insert another event with its starting point offset by the <<<<<<<>>>or
amount specified by the event increment arrow. a
Move Track View Cursor Left: click to move the cursor in the timeline left by the Ctrl+,
current event increment.
Move Track View Cursor Right: click to move the cursor in the timeline right by the Ctrl+.
current event increment.
Link Arrow to Selection: select to link the selection size and event increment n
settings. When the button is enabled, the selection and increment are always equal.
When the button is not selected, you can set the increment longer or shorter than the
selection to create gapping or stuttering effects.
Halve Selection: click to reduce the current selection by half. For example, if you have ;
four measures selected and choose Halve Selection, only measures one and two will
be selected.
Double Selection: click to double the current selection. For example, if you have four '
measures selected and choose Double Selection, an additional four measures will be
selected.
Shift Selection Left: click to move the current selection left by the length of the , or <
selection.
Shift Selection Right: click to move the current selection right by the length of the . or >
selection.

Adjusting an Event's Length

Adjusting an event's length determines which portion of a media file is played by an event and for how long.

Trim the start or end of an event

With the Draw or Time Selection tool selected, drag either end of an event. The waveform stays in place, but
the beginning or end of the event will move.
The event edge will snap to grid lines if snapping is on; you can hold the Shift key while dragging to temporarily
override snapping.
If you drag the end of the event past the end of the media file, loops and MIDI clips (with the Looped check box
selected in the Clip Pool) will paint continuously across the timeline. One-shots and Beatmapped clips do not
repeat.

Shift the contents of (slip) an event

With the Draw or Time Selection tool selected, hold Alt while dragging an event. The mouse pointer is
displayed as a .

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 Editing Events on the Timeline 99

As you drag the event, the contents of the event shift, but the event will not move. You can use this technique when
you want to maintain an event's length and position, but have the event play a different section of the source media
file.
This example demonstrates holding Alt while dragging an audio event to the right:

Slip-trim an event
With the Draw or Time Selection tool selected, hold Alt while dragging the right or left edge of an event. The
mouse pointer is displayed as a .
As you drag the event edge, the opposite edge of the event will remain fixed, trimming the media from the edge you
drag.
This example demonstrates holding Alt while dragging the right edge of an event to the right:

Slide an event 
Hold Ctrl+Alt while dragging an event. The mouse pointer is displayed as a .
As you drag, the relative position of the media remains fixed on the track, and the event position changes. You can
use this technique when you want to maintain an event's length, but have the event play a different section of the
source media file at a different point in your project.
The following image represents holding Ctrl+Alt while dragging an audio event to the right:

Event Envelopes
Event envelopes give you the ability to control an audio event’s volume, fade-in, and fade-out.
If you've upgraded from ACID 1.0 or 2.0 software, you'll notice that event envelopes behave differently in
version 8. Use track envelopes for panning, effects levels, effect automation, and when you want to create
multiple envelope points.

Adjust an event's overall level

 1. Hover over the top of an event with the Draw or Time Selection tool.

 2. When you see the envelope pointer ( ), drag the volume line to the desired level. As you drag the volume line,
the event’s gain is displayed in dB.
100

When you have multiple events selected, the gain of all selected events is adjusted simultaneously. Dragging
the fade-in or -out curve has no effect when multiple events are selected.

Fade an event in or out (fade offset)

 1. Hover over upper-left or upper-right corner of an event with the Draw or Time Selection tool. The
mouse pointer is displayed as a .
 2. Click the corner of the event and drag to create a fade.

To remove a fade, drag the end of the fade curve back to the end of the event.

Change the fade curve type

 1. With the Draw or Time Selection tool selected, right-click in the faded area, and choose Fade In Type or
Fade Out Type from the shortcut menu.
 2. Choose a fade type from the sub menu to set the speed of the fade.

Modifying Event Properties

Event properties allow you to perform advanced event-level editing. These properties are saved only with a project
and are not saved into the files when you save stretching properties for a clip.
To modify event properties, right-click an event and choose Properties from the shortcut menu.

Start offset
The Start offset for an event specifies a playback starting position that is different than the beginning of the file. This

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 Editing Events on the Timeline 101

is especially useful for loops; you can change the feel by simply starting a loop at a point other than beat 1.
There are two ways to edit the Start offset:

 l The most precise way is to type in the number of samples (or ticks for a MIDI clip) by which you wish to offset
the Start offset edit box.
 l In the timeline, select the Draw tool and hold the Alt key while dragging an event left or right. The waveform will
scroll within the event boundaries to show the new starting point.

Pitch shift
The Pitch shift value raises or lowers the pitch of the selected event. Event-based pitch shift is calculated after the
project key and any pitch shift assigned to a track.
When the Preserve pitch when stretching check box is cleared in a Beatmapped track's Properties, you cannot
change the pitch of a Beatmapped event.

Speed (one-shots only)

The Speed setting allows you to change the playback speed (and consequently the pitch) of an event on a one-shot
clip.

Quick fade edges to prevent clicks

When an event does not end on a loop point, you can introduce an audible click at the edges of the event. Select the
Quick fade edges to prevent clicks check box to apply a quick fade-in or fade-out to prevent clicking when you split
events, pitch shift, or perform other edits that do not occur at a loop point.
Because quick fades are very short, you will have to zoom in to see them. You can set the quick fade duration on
the Audio tab of the Preferences dialog.

Adjusting quick fades

To adjust a quick fade, zoom in to the event and hover over upper-left or upper-right corner of an event until the
cursor is displayed as a . Drag the edge of the fade to adjust its duration:

Adjusting the fade curve

 1. With the Draw or Time Selection tool selected, right-click in the faded area, and chooseFade In Type or
Fade Out Type from the shortcut menu.
 2. Choose a fade type from the submenu to set the speed of the fade.

Play reversed
Would a reverse-tape effect add the perfect nuance to your project?
Select the Reverse check box to reverse an event. When you play the project, the event is played backward, and an
arrow is displayed on the event to indicate that it has been reversed:
102

Press U or right-click an event and choose Reverse from the shortcut menu. You can reverse multiple selected
events at once.

Muting and Locking Events

Right-click an event, choose Switches from the shortcut menu, and then choose a command from the submenu to
mute or lock the selected event.
Hold Ctrl or Shift while clicking to select multiple events.

Mute events
Muting an event excludes it from playback while preserving its position on the timeline.

 1. Select the events you want to mute.

 2. Right-click a selected event, choose Switches from the shortcut menu, and then choose Mute from the
submenu.
If you want to unmute an event, choose Mute again.
Muted events are dimmed on the timeline.

Lock events
Locking an event prevents it from being edited on the timeline.
Notes:

 l Locked events cannot be dragged on the timeline.

 l When adding events to the timeline, you cannot draw or paint past a locked event.
 l Erasing in the timeline will not erase a locked event.
 l Event envelopes cannot be modified for locked events.
 l Ripple edits and automatic crossfades will not be applied to locked events.

 1. Select the events you want to lock.

 2. Right-click a selected event, choose Switches from the shortcut menu, and then choose Lock from the
submenu.

If you want to unlock an event, choose Lock again.

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Recording

How Do I Record Audio from an External Source?

This topic provides general guidelines to help you record sound from an external source using ACID software. Your
specific hardware may vary. Please refer to your hardware documentation for more information.
If you're recording from a turntable, use a phono preamplifier between your turntable's output and your sound
card's line input. Most turntables' outputs are phono-level (rather than line-level) outputs. Phono-level outputs
are quieter than line-level outputs and have special equalization applied. A phono preamplifier will convert the
phono-level signal to a line-level signal that you can record.

Connect an audio source to your sound card's input

Basic setup

In this setup, an audio source is connected to an input on your sound card, and your powered speakers are
connected to a Line Out output. You could connect a computer microphone to your sound card's Mic In input, or
you can connect line-level outputs from a tape deck or other source to a Line In input.

Basic setup with mixer/preamplifier

In this setup, your speakers and audio source are connected to a mixer or preamplifier. The mixer/preamplifier is
then connected to Line In and Line Out connections on your sound card.
If you're recording from a turntable, use a phono preamplifier between your turntable's output and your sound
card's line input. Most turntables' outputs are phono-level (rather than line-level) outputs. Phono-level outputs
are quieter than line-level outputs and have special equalization applied. A phono preamplifier will convert the
phono-level signal to a line-level signal that you can record.
104

Digital input/output with MIDI synchronization

In this setup, an audio source with digital input/output is connected to a sound card with digital input and outputs.
Dashed lines represent a sync connection from your audio source to a MIDI timecode converter to a MIDI card.

Choose an input device and adjust levels

Before you start recording, you'll need to verify that your sound card's recording inputs are active.

 1. Ensure all cables are connected and that your audio source is generating a signal.
 2. Select the Arm for Record buttons on the tracks where you want to record. Arming a track enables it for
recording.

When a track is armed, the track meter displays the track's level. If input monitoring is not on, the meter
displays the level of your input source. If input monitoring is turned on, the meter shows the level of the input
source plus the track effects chain.

 3. To choose your recording input, click the Record Device Selector button , choose an audio device from the
menu, choose Mono or Stereo from the submenu, and then choose an input.

 
 4. Adjust your recording levels:

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 Recording 105

 l If your audio device provides a console application to adjust levels, open the application and adjust its gain
controls while monitoring the peak meters on the Meters tab in the recording dialog. Adjust the gain
controls in the console application so ACID receives a strong signal with no clipping. For more information
about using your sound card and its console application, please refer to the manufacturer's documentation.
 l If you're using your Windows sound card, perform the following steps to open the recording controls:
 a. Double-click the speaker icon in your system tray to open the Volume Control window.
 b. From the Options menu, choose Properties.
 c. Click the Recording radio button and click OK.
 d. Select (or unmute) the device from which you want to record.
 e. Adjust the Volume faders for the selected device and for the Master Record level while monitoring the
recording meters in the ACID Record dialog. For example, if you want to record from an audio CD in
your CD-ROM drive, the CD Mute check box should not be selected, and the CD and Master Record
Volume faders must be adjusted so ACID receives a strong signal with no clipping.
 5. If you have a sound card with multiple inputs and outputs, you can record multiple tracks at once. Repeat steps
2 through 4 to choose an input device and set levels for each track.
 6. Click the Record button below the timeline when you're ready to start recording.

For more information about recording audio, please see "Recording Audio" below.

Recording Audio
Ctrl+R

ACID can record audio into multiple mono or stereo tracks while simultaneously playing back existing audio and
MIDI. You are limited only by the performance of your computer system and audio hardware. Audio is recorded to a
media file on your computer and into an event on the timeline.
You may record into an empty track, a time selection, an event, or a combination of time and event selection. You
can also record multiple takes for an event as clips so you can maintain multiple versions of an event that you may
play back and edit.
For information about recording MIDI, please see "Recording MIDI" on page 112.
Notes:

 l Recorded files are saved in the folder specified on the Folders tab of the Preferences dialog by default. If you
want to choose a project-specific folder, you can use the Recorded files folder box on the Audio tab of the
Project Properties dialog.
 l You can use the ACID type for recorded audio drop-down list on the Audio tab of the Preferences dialog to
indicate whether you want to create Beatmapped clips or one-shots when you record audio.
 l Use the Record action when nothing is armed drop-down list on the Audio tab of the Preferences dialog to
indicate whether you want to create an audio track, a MIDI track, or do nothing if you click the Record button
when no tracks are armed.

When input monitoring is on during audio recording, audio effects chains that contain non-in-place plug-ins
are displayed in yellow ( ) to indicate that automatic plug-in delay compensation is being used. Chains that
cannot be used for live monitoring are automatically bypassed and are displayed in red ( ).

Record audio
By default, the Microsoft Sound Mapper is used to record audio. However, you can use the Audio Device tab in the
Preferences dialog to specify a different recording device.
106

 1. Connect an audio source to your sound card's input.

 2. Position the cursor where you want to start recording.
 3. Select the Arm for Record buttons on the tracks where you want to record. Arming a track enables it for
recording.

When a track is armed, the track meter displays the track's level. If input monitoring is not on, the meter
displays the level of your input source. If input monitoring is turned on, the meter shows the level of the input
source plus the track effects chain.

 4. Click the Record button on the Transport bar to start recording.

 5. To stop recording, click the Record button again or click the Stop button on the Transport bar. The
Recorded Files dialog is displayed.
 6. Use the Recorded Files dialog to confirm the file name and location of your recorded audio. Click Delete or
Delete All if you do not want to save the recorded files, or click Rename to change the file's name.

 7. Click Done to close the Recorded Files dialog. Your recorded file is displayed as a new event in the timeline.

Record multiple clips

If Loop Playback is turned on for your project, playback will loop during recording and a clip will be created each
time playback returns to the start of the loop region. The last clip recorded is set as the track's active clip.
A separate clip is created each time ACID records through the loop region, and you can use the Clip Pool tab in the
Track Properties window to manage the clips.
The Clip Properties window will display region markers to represent the selected event's clip in the waveform.
For information about working with clips, please see Using Clips with Tracks.

Record a new clip for an audio event

You may record into an audio event by selecting it. The record time is determined by the event's length.

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 Recording 107

 1. Select the event and position the cursor at the beginning of the event.
 2. Select the Arm for Record button on the track that contains the event.

 3. Click the Record button on the Transport bar to start recording.

Select theLoop Playback button on the Transport bar to record multiple clips within the selected event.

The last clip recorded is set as the active clip for the track. For information about working with clips, please see
Using Clips with Tracks.
 4. To stop recording, click the Record button again or click the Stop button on the Transport bar. The
Recorded Files dialog is displayed.
 5. Use the Recorded Files dialog to confirm the file name and location of your recorded audio. Click Delete or
Delete All if you do not want to save the recorded files, or click Rename to change the file's name.

 6. Click Done to close the Recorded Files dialog. Your recorded file replaces the contents of the event in the
timeline.

Record into a time selection or event (punch-in)

You may record a new clip into a selected audio event using a time selection. This option provides room for pre-roll
and post-roll during recording.

 1. Select the event you want to punch into:

 l If you want to punch into the middle of an event, select the portion of the event you want to replace and
press S to split the event.
 l Select multiple events to create multiple punch-in and -out points.
 2. Create a time selection to set the amount of pre-roll and post-roll and press Home to position the cursor at the
beginning of the time selection. The edges of the selected events serve as the punch-in and punch-out points:
108

 3. Select the Loop Playback button if you want to record multiple clips of each event. A new clip will be
created each time playback returns to the start of the loop region. The last clip recorded is set as the track's
active clip.

For information about working with clips, please see Using Clips with Tracks.
 4. Select the Arm for Record button on the track that contains the event.

 5. Click the Record button on the Transport bar to start recording.

If input monitoring is turned on, the track's original audio is played until the cursor reaches the selected event.
When the cursor plays through the selected event, you'll hear your recording input, and the track's original audio
is played again when the cursor moves past the selected event.
 6. To stop recording, click the Record button again or click the Stop button on the Transport bar. The
Recorded Files dialog is displayed.
 7. Use the Recorded Files dialog to confirm the file name and location of your recorded audio. Click Delete or
Delete All if you do not want to save the recorded files, or click Rename to change the file's name.

 8. Click Done to close the Recorded Files dialog.

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 Recording 109

When performing punch-in recording, recording occurs underneath the pre- and post-roll. If your subject starts
early, for example, you can adjust the event to uncover the recording. Hold Alt while dragging the event to slip
the media under the event, or click one of the following links for information about trimming and
slipping/sliding events.

You can also use the Clip Properties dialog to adjust the clip take offset:

Right-click an event and choose Clip Properties from the shortcut menu.

On the General tab of the Clip Properties dialog, a green region marks the clip's location in the recorded file.
Drag the region markers to adjust the clip:

Change the recording device and attributes for recording audio

The Record Device Selector button in a track header chooses the audio input that will be used to record to a
track and allows you to configure input monitoring.
Record Device Selector with a compact
track header.

Record Device Selector with an expanded

track header.

To choose your recording input, click the Record Device Selector button , choose an audio device from the
menu, choose Mono or Stereo from the submenu, and then choose an input.
To record from an input bus, click the Record Device Selector button , choose Input Busses from the menu, and
then choose an input bus from the submenu. For more information about recording using input busses, please see
"Using Input Busses" on page 174.

Monitor audio levels

While you're recording, a responsive meter is displayed in the track header to monitor the incoming signal level of
110

the selected recording device. It is important that you record with the highest signal possible without clipping.
When a track is armed, the track meter displays the track's input level. If input monitoring is not on, the meter
displays the level of your input source. If input monitoring is turned on, the meter shows the level of the input source
plus the track effects chain.

A reading of 0 dB is the maximum for a digital signal. Clipping occurs when the incoming signal is too high to be
represented as a digital value. The result is distortion in the recording. A clipped signal will be indicated by a red
indicator at the end of the meter.
Right-click the meters and choose a command from the shortcut menu to adjust the display of the meters.

Toggle record input monitoring

If you're using a low-latency audio device, ACID can perform record input monitoring so you can hear your
recording signal with real-time track effects.
To turn on input monitoring, click the Record Device Selector button , choose Input Monitor from the menu,
and then choose Input Monitor Mode: On or Input Monitor Mode: Auto from the menu. During recording,
your signal will be played back with the current track effects chain, but a dry (unprocessed) signal is recorded.

 l When Auto is selected, you will hear the input monitor signal when playback is stopped and during
recording. If you're recording into selected events, you'll hear the input monitor signal only when the cursor
passes over the selected events.
 l When On is selected, the behavior is similar to Auto mode, but you will always hear the input monitor
during recording—monitoring is not toggled on and off when recording into a selected event.

Your ability to monitor effects in real time is dependent on your computer's performance. Effect automation
envelopes are bypassed during record monitoring.

Record using the metronome 

From the Options menu, choose Metronome before recording. When you start recording, the metronome will
start playing at the current project tempo.
Use the Preview fader in the Mixing Console window to adjust the volume of the metronome.
The metronome’s sound is not mixed in the final rendering of the project.

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 Recording 111

Setting up a MIDI Keyboard for use in ACID

This topic will help you set up a MIDI keyboard for recording in ACID.

 1. Before starting ACID, connect your MIDI device.

 l If you're using a USB keyboard, connect it to an available USB port on your computer and install drivers if
necessary.
 l If you're using an external MIDI interface (such as a USB-to-MIDI converter or an external sound card with
MIDI ports), connect the MIDI In port on your MIDI interface to the MIDI Out port on your keyboard, and
connect the MIDI Out port on your MIDI interface to the MIDI In port on your keyboard.
 l If you're using a MIDI cable connected to the joystick port on your sound card, connect the MIDI In plug
on the cable to the MIDI Out port on your keyboard, and connect the MIDI In plug to the MIDI Out port on
your keyboard.
 2. Start ACID.
 3. Enable the port where your MIDI keyboard is connected:
 a. From the Options menu, choose Preferences > MIDI.
 b. In the Make these devices available for MIDI input box, select the check box for the port where your MIDI
device is connected.
If you want to type a name to identify the device that is connected to the port, double-click the Device
box and type a new name to identify the MIDI device connected to each MIDI input or output port. For
MIDI tracks that use these input and output ports, these device names will be used on the MIDI Input
and MIDI Output buttons on the track header.

 c. Select the Auto MIDI input routing check box. When this check box is selected, the focus track will accept
input from any MIDI input device when you record MIDI. When multiple tracks are selected, the focus
track displays a blinking indicator in its track number: .
 4. Add a software synthesizer (soft synth) to your project. The soft synth will give a voice to the notes you play on
your keyboard:
 a. From the Insert menu, choose Soft Synth to add a soft synth bus control to the Mixing Console window
(you can also click the Insert Soft Synth button in the Mixing Console window). The Soft Synth Chooser
dialog is displayed.
 b. On the Soft Synths tab, select the synthesizer you want to use, and then click OK. If you want to change
your choice later, you can edit the soft synth.
 5. Select the MIDI track you want to record into, or press Ctrl+Alt+Q to add a new, blank MIDI track to your
project.
 6. Choose a MIDI input and output port for your track:
112

 a. Click the MIDI Input button on the track header and choose an input port from the menu. For this example,
we can choose either Auto Input or the port you selected in step 3b above.

 b. Click the MIDI Input button on the track header and ensure Send MIDI Input Thru to MIDI Output is
selected so you can hear the notes you play while recording.
 7. Click the MIDI Output button on the track header and choose the soft synth or MIDI device and channel you
want to use to play MIDI data on the track.

 8. Select the Arm for Record button on the track where you want to record. Arming a track enables it for
recording.
 9. Click the Record button on the transport bar to start recording.

 a. MIDI messages from your controller are recorded as you play them.
 b. Notes are added to an event in the timeline.
 c. MIDI controller adjustments (such as pitch wheel and modulation wheel movements) are recorded as track
envelopes. MIDI controllers are recorded in latch mode: envelope points are created when you change a
control setting, and recording continues until you stop playback. When you stop adjusting the control, the
control's current setting overwrites the existing envelope points.
 10. To stop recording, click the Record button again or click the Stop button on the transport bar.

For more information about recording from a MIDI device, please see Recording MIDI.

Recording MIDI
You can use an external MIDI controller (or the keyboard/drum list between the track header and timeline) to record
MIDI into your ACID project.
You can record in real time during project playback, use step recording, or use MIDI merge recording to build MIDI
tracks.
Track-level "MIDI Input Filtering" on page 118 available on the Input Filters tab in the Track Properties window allow
you to control exactly which MIDI messages you want to record (or exclude) or even split a MIDI keyboard into
zones to record into two different tracks at once.——
If you use the keyboard/drum list between the track header and timeline to input MIDI notes, note that the
buttons are velocity sensitive: clicking toward the right side of a button plays the note with a higher velocity
setting than clicking toward the left side. The keyboard/drum list is visible in inline MIDI editing mode.

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 Recording 113

Attempting to record MIDI controller data over an existing event will overwrite existing note data. If you want to
record controllers over an existing event that contains note data, use MIDI merge recording (see Use MIDI
merge recording to build a part in this help topic).

Set up a MIDI controller for recording into a track

If you have a MIDI controller that includes buttons and knobs that you map to external control functions, you
can use the device as an external control device and as a MIDI input device for recording MIDI for example, you
can use the buttons, knobs, and sliders on the device for external control, and still use the keyboard, pitch wheel,
and modulation wheel for recording MIDI.

MIDI messages that are mapped to external control functions are filtered when you record MIDI. If a note
message is assigned to a control surface function, both the note-on and note-off messages will be filtered. —

 1. Select the MIDI track you want to record into, or press Ctrl+Alt+Q to add a new, blank MIDI track to your
project.
 2. Choose a MIDI input port:
 a. Click the MIDI Input button on the track header.

 b. Choose a command from the menu:

Item Description
Auto Uses automatic input routing. When this command box is selected, the
Input focus track will accept input from any MIDI input device.
Use Auto Input when you want to record multiple controllers
simultaneously. For example, with Auto Input selected, you could
record a MIDI keyboard and bass pedal to a single track.
Input Off Turns off MIDI input to the track.

Hardware Displays the devices that are selected in the Make these devices
Input Port available for MIDI input list on the MIDI tab of the Preferences dialog.
List Choose the specific device you want to use to send MIDI to the track.
You must choose a specific input port to use MIDI input filters.
Soft Synth Displays the available soft synths in your project.
Input Port Choose the soft synth you want to use to send MIDI to the track. Use
List this setting to record the output of MIDI plugins like step sequencers or
arpeggiators. Read more under "Using MIDI plugins" on page 272.

 3. Choose a MIDI input channel:

 a. Click the MIDI Input button on the track header.
 b. Choose MIDI Channel from the menu, and choose the MIDI channel you want to send data to the track, or
choose All if you want the track to listen to all channels.
If you want to select multiple input channels, hold Ctrl and select additional channels from the menu.
 4. Click the MIDI Input button on the track header and choose Send MIDI Input Thru to MIDI Output from the
114

menu if you want to echo notes from the MIDI controller to the track's MIDI device or soft synth for
monitoring.
 5. Click the MIDI Input button on the track header and choose MIDI Input Filters from the menu if you want to
specify which MIDI messages you want to record (or exclude). For more information, see Set up MIDI message
input filters, Set up a MIDI velocity input filter, or Set up a MIDI quantize input filter in Editing MIDI Track
Properties.

Set up MIDI message, velocity, or quantize filters

You can use the Input Filters tab on the MIDI Track Properties window to choose which notes or other MIDI
messages you want to record or exclude from MIDI recordings.

Record MIDI in real time

With real-time recording, you can record MIDI in real time while your project plays back.

 1. Connect a MIDI controller to your computer.

If you don't have a MIDI controller, you can use the keyboard in the track view (when in MIDI timeline editing
mode) or the keyboard in the Soft Synth Properties window.
Not all VSTi plug-ins can record using the keyboard in the Soft Synth Properties window.
 2. Select the Arm for Record buttons on the tracks where you want to record. Arming a track enables it for
recording.
 3. Choose a MIDI input device and channel for each armed track. For more information, see Set up a MIDI
controller for recording into a track in this help topic.

If you're recording using the keyboard in the track view or the Soft Synth Properties window, choose Auto
Input.

Click the MIDI Input button on the track header and choose Send MIDI Input Thru to MIDI Output from the
menu if you want to echo notes from the MIDI controller to the track's MIDI device or soft synth for
monitoring.
 4. Set up any desired MIDI message, velocity, or quantize filters for your armed tracks. For more information, see
Set up MIDI message input filters, Set up a MIDI velocity input filter, or Set up a MIDI quantize input filter in
Editing MIDI Track Properties.
 5. Position the cursor where you want to start recording.
 6. Click the Record button on the transport bar to start recording.

MIDI messages from your controller are recorded as you play them.
 7. Notes are added to an event in the timeline.
 8. MIDI controller adjustments (such as pitch wheel and modulation wheel movements) are recorded as track
envelopes. MIDI controllers are recorded in latch mode: envelope points are created when you change a control
setting, and recording continues until you stop playback. When you stop adjusting the control, the control's
current setting overwrites the existing envelope points.

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 Recording 115

Envelope points are not thinned when recording MIDI controllers from a hardware device.
 9. To stop recording, click the Record button again or click the Stop button on the transport bar.

A new clip is created for the recorded MIDI data on each armed track. You can use the Clip Pool tab in the Track
Properties window to manage clips.

You can also record into time selections, punch into MIDI events, or record multiple clips (when recording into
a selection with Loop Playback selected) in the same way you record audio.

Use step recording

Click the MIDI Step Record button to open the MIDI Step Record dialog, where you can record by specifying
the interval between MIDI notes. Step recording allows you to record notes with very precise timing.

 1. Connect a MIDI controller to your computer.

If you don't have a MIDI controller, you can use the keyboard in the track view (when in MIDI timeline editing
mode) or the keyboard in the Soft Synth Properties window.
Not all VSTi plug-ins can record using the keyboard in the Soft Synth Properties window.
 2. Select the Arm for Record buttons on the tracks where you want to record. Arming a track enables it for
recording.

If you don't arm a track for recording, a new MIDI track will be created when you click the MIDI Step Record
button.
 3. Choose a MIDI input device and channel for each armed track. For more information, see Set up a MIDI
controller for recording into a track in this help topic.

If you're recording using the keyboard in the track view or the Soft Synth Properties window, choose Auto
Input.

Click the MIDI Input button on the track header and choose Send MIDI Input Thru to MIDI Output from the
menu if you want to echo notes from the MIDI controller to the track's MIDI device or soft synth for
monitoring.
 4. Set up any desired MIDI message, velocity, or quantize filters for your armed tracks. For more information, see
Set up MIDI message input filters, Set up a MIDI velocity input filter, or Set up a MIDI quantize input filter in
Editing MIDI Track Properties.
 5. Position the cursor where you want to start recording.
 6. Click the MIDI Step Record button .

 7. Use the MIDI Step Record dialog to set options for recorded MIDI notes.
 a. Click the Step size button and choose space between the beginnings of notes.

Select the Tuplet check box to set irregular step sizes. For example, to set an eighth-note triplet step size,
choose eighth notes from the Step size menu, select the Tuplet check box, and choose 3 in time of 2.
 b. Click the Duration button and choose length of the note's sustain. When you choose a duration longer
than the step size, notes will overlap.
 c. To set the note-on velocity for recorded notes, type a value in the Velocity box. If you want to record note-
116

on velocity from your controller, select the As Played check box.

MIDI Step Record Dialog Keyboard Shortcuts
Command Shortcut
Set Step size to whole note. 1
Set Step size to half note. 2
Set Step size to triplet. 3
Set Step size to quarter note. 4
Set Step size to 16th note. 5
Set Step size to 32nd note. 6
Set Step size to 64th note. 7
Set Step size to dotted note. .
Set Duration to whole note. Shift+1
Set Duration to half note. Shift+2
Set Duration to triplet. Shift+3
Set Duration to quarter note. Shift+4
Set Duration to 16th note. Shift+5
Set Duration to 32nd note. Shift+6
Set Duration to 64th note. Shift+7
Set Duration to dotted note. Shift+.
Delete notes at cursor position. Delete
Step forward by step size and delete notes. Insert
Step forward by step size. Right Arrow
Step backward by step size. Left Arrow
Step backward by step size and delete notes. Backspace

 8. MIDI messages from your controller are recorded as you play them, and notes are added to an event in the
timeline.

Notes:

 l MIDI controller adjustments (such as pitch wheel and modulation wheel movements) are not recorded in step
record mode.
 l If you press a key before releasing the current key, both notes will be recorded at the same timeline position.
Release both keys to advance to the next step.
 l To stop recording, close the MIDI Step Record dialog or click the Stop button on the transport bar.

Use MIDI merge recording to build a part

Click the MIDI Merge Record button to build a MIDI part by recording repeatedly into a loop region. MIDI
merge data is recorded in real time, and you can add more notes or MIDI controller data each time recording passes
through the loop region.

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 Recording 117

 1. Connect a MIDI controller to your computer.

If you don't have a MIDI controller, you can use the keyboard in the track view (when in MIDI timeline editing
mode) or the keyboard in the Soft Synth Properties window.
Not all VSTi plug-ins can record using the keyboard in the Soft Synth Properties window.
 2. Select the Arm for Record buttons on the tracks where you want to record. Arming a track enables it for
recording.

If you don't arm a track for recording, a new MIDI track will be created when you click the MIDI Step Record
button.
 3. Choose a MIDI input device and channel for each armed track. For more information, see Set up a MIDI
controller for recording into a track in this help topic.

If you're recording using the keyboard in the track view or the Soft Synth Properties window, choose Auto
Input.

Click the MIDI Input button on the track header and choose Send MIDI Input Thru to MIDI Output from the
menu if you want to echo notes from the MIDI controller to the track's MIDI device or soft synth for
monitoring.
 4. Set up any desired MIDI message, velocity, or quantize filters for your armed tracks. For more information, see
Set up MIDI message input filters, Set up a MIDI velocity input filter, or Set up a MIDI quantize input filter in
Editing MIDI Track Properties.
 5. Click and drag in the marker bar or a blank area of the timeline to create a loop region.
 6. Select the Loop Playback button .

 7. Select the MIDI Merge Record button .

 8. Position the cursor at the start of the loop region. If you want to record with pre-roll, you can position the cursor
before the loop region.
 9. Click the Record button on the transport bar to start recording.

Each time recording passes through the loop region, you can add data to the event. MIDI messages from your
controller are recorded as you play them.
 10. Notes are added to an event in the timeline.
 11. MIDI controller adjustments (such as pitch wheel and modulation wheel movements) are recorded as track
envelopes. MIDI controllers are recorded in touch timeout mode: envelope points are created or edited when
you change a control setting. When you stop adjusting the control, existing envelope points on the timeline are
preserved.

MIDI controllers that are switches (such as a damper pedal) are always recorded in latched mode: envelope
points are created when you change a control setting, and recording continues until you stop playback. When
you stop adjusting the control, the control's current setting overwrites the existing envelope points.

When recording returns to the beginning of the loop region, existing MIDI controller envelopes are unaffected.
For example, you could record note data the first time recording passes through the loop region, record pitch-
bend controllers the second time, and modulation the third time.
Envelope points are not thinned when recording MIDI controllers from a hardware device.
 12. To stop recording, click the Record button again or click the Stop button on the transport bar.
118

MIDI Input Filtering

You can use the Input Filters tab on the MIDI Track Properties window to choose which notes or other MIDI
messages you want to record (or exclude), modify note-on or note-off velocity, or quantize notes when recording
MIDI from a track's input port.

Set up MIDI message input filters

Use the Input Filters tab to choose which notes or other MIDI messages you want to record or exclude from MIDI
recordings.

 1. Select the track where you want to apply the filter.
 2. In the Track Properties window, click the Input Filters tab.
 3. Choose Message Filter from the drop-down list at the top of the page.
 4. Select the Enable check box.
 5. Select your recording options.
Item Description
Record all Select this radio button if you want to record all MIDI messages from the input port.
Record selected Select this radio button if you want to choose which MIDI messages you want to
items record.
Record unselected Select this radio button if you want to choose which MIDI messages you want to
items ignore when recording.
In the following example, only note data will be recorded:

 6. Choose a setting from the MIDI Message Type drop-down list. The box at the bottom of the page displays the
available MIDI messages.
 7. Select the check box for each MIDI message that you want to filter. When editing note messages, you can
double-click the Min and Max boxes to type the notes you want to filter.

Tips:

 l If you're recording into two tracks, you can use note message filters to split your keyboard and create two
separate parts.

For example, set track 1 to record only notes A1 to B4, and set track 2 to record only notes C5 to C9. If you
assign track 1 to a plucked string bass soft synth and track 2 to a grand piano synth, the low notes you play on
your keyboard will be recorded only on track 1 and will be voiced by the bass. The high notes you play will be
recorded only on track 2 and will be voiced by the piano.

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 Recording 119

 l Filtering continuous controller messages allows you to control exactly which continuous controllers are
recorded.

For example, if you wanted to make sure you didn't accidentally record modulation automation by bumping
your keyboard's modulation wheel, you could select the Record unselected items radio button, choose
Continuous Controllers from the MIDI Message Type drop-down list, and then select the Modulation check
box.
 l Excluding system exclusive messages during recording can improve performance during real-time recording
and when using MIDI thru.

Set up a MIDI velocity input filter

Use the Input Filters tab to modify or limit note-on and note-off velocity from a track's MIDI input device during
recording.

 1. Select the track where you want to apply the filter.
 2. In the Track Properties window, click the Input Filters tab.
 3. Choose Velocity from the drop-down list at the top of the page.
 4. Select the Enable check box.
 5. Select a check box to indicate whether you want to edit note-on or note-off velocities:
Item Description
Change Start Velocity Select this check box to edit note-on velocities.
Change Release Velocity Select this check box to edit note-off velocities.

 6. Select a radio button to indicate how you want to change velocity:
Item Description
Invert Select this radio button to invert note velocities.
When you invert a velocity, it is subtracted from 127 (negative values are forced to positive) , so a
note with a velocity of 127 will be 0 after inversion, a velocity of 10 will be 117, and so on.
Set to Select this radio button and drag the slider to change note velocities to a specific value.
Add Select this radio button and drag the slider to add (or subtract) a constant offset to note velocities.
Scale Select this radio button and drag the slider to multiply note velocities by a percentage. For example,
by setting this slider to 50% would reduce all note-on or note-off velocities by half.
Limit Select this radio button and type values in the Min and Max boxes to restrict note velocities to the
specified range.
For example, if you type 40 in the Min box and 90 in the Max box, velocities below 40 will be set to
40, velocities greater than 90 will be set to 90, and velocities between 40 and 90 will be unaffected.

Note-on velocities are bound between 1 and 127, and note-off velocities are bound between 0 and 127.

Set up a MIDI quantize input filter

Use the Input Filters tab to force notes from a track's input port to align with musical beats during recording.

 1. Select the track where you want to apply the filter.
 2. In the Track Properties window, click the Input Filters tab.
 3. Choose Quantize from the drop-down list at the top of the page.
 4. Select the Enable check box.
 5. Select your quantization options:
120

Item Description
Quantize Select this check box to force the beginning (note-on messages) of MIDI events to a specified
start resolution on the grid.
Quantize Select this check box to force the end (note-off messages) of MIDI events to a specified
release resolution on the grid.
Preserve If you selected Quantize start or Quantize release, you can select this check box to maintain the
duration lengths of notes.
Quantize Click an icon to select the resolution of the quantize grid.
grid
Tuplet Select this check box to set irregular beat boundaries for the quantize grid.
For example, to quantize to eighth-note triplet beat boundaries, select the button, choose the
Tuplet check box and choose 3 in time of 2.
To quantize to sixteenth-note quintuplet beat boundaries, select the button, choose the Tuplet
check box and choose 5 in time of 4.
Offset Select the check box and type a value in the box to offset the quantize grid by the specified number
by of ticks. You can type negative values to shift the grid backward.
Swing Drag the slider to add a swing to the quantize grid.

When you set this slider to 0, notes are quantized directly to the grid. Increasing the setting shifts
every other grid boundary forward: set to 300% to shift every other grid boundary to the next grid
division.
Strength Drag the slider to adjust how strictly you want to quantize.
For example, to quantize directly to the grid, set the slider to 100%. If you set the slider to 50%, a
note that would be shifted 40 ticks is moved only 20 ticks.

The quantize filter is not applied to the MIDI thru data or the audio you hear while recording.

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 Working with Groove Maps 121

Working with Groove Maps

From the View menu, choose Groove Pool to toggle the display of the Groove Pool window. The top portion of the
Groove Pool window displays the available groove maps in your project. The bottom portion shows the selected
groove map so you can edit it.
The grooves listed in the Groove Pool are specific to your project. If you've deleted grooves and saved your
project, those grooves will be unavailable unless you import the grooves again.
A groove refers to the rhythmic pattern of a piece of music. Groove maps in ACID software expand on the software's
ability to match the rhythm and timing of files nondestructively and in real time:

 l Breathe new life into your collection of loops and MIDI files by creatively applying grooves to change the
rhythmic feel.
 l Adjust the timing of a track to add or remove a human feel.
 l Quantize and map multiple tracks or loops to a common groove.
 l Extract the groove from an existing audio file.
 l Create new grooves from scratch.
 l Different grooves can be applied to an entire track or portions of a track so you can easily match loops with
incompatible feels and tighten/loosen grooves nondestructively.

Grooves cannot be applied to tracks that contain Beatmapped clips.

Applying or Removing Grooves

From the View menu, choose Groove Pool to toggle the display of the Groove Pool window.
Did you record a drum track that doesn't swing quite right? Before you rerecord the drum part, try applying the Hard
Swing setting from the Groove Pool.
With the Groove Pool and Groove tool , you can use groove maps to adjust the timing of entire tracks or portions
of tracks.
Tips:

 l If you want to get really creative, try setting a clip's stretching method to Pitch shift segments (on the Stretch
tab of the Clip Properties window). When a groove adjusts a beat so it plays early, the pitch will be raised.
When a beat is played late, its pitch will be lowered.
 l If a groove map does not seem to work correctly on a loop, the beats in the file may not be properly detected.
Click the Redetect Beats button on the Stretch tab of the Clip Properties window to apply the ACID beat-
detection algorithm to the loop.

Notes:

 l Groove maps are applied non-destructively. If you want to change a media file's inherent groove, use the render
to new track command to render a new, grooved media file.
 l The grooves listed in the Groove Pool are specific to your project. If you've deleted grooves and saved your
project, those grooves will be unavailable unless you import the grooves again.

Grooves cannot be applied to tracks that contain Beatmapped clips.

Apply a groove to an entire track

 1. From the View menu, choose Groove Pool to display the Groove Pool window if it isn't already visible.
 2. Drag a groove from the Groove Pool window to a track. You can drop the groove in the track list or on the
122

timeline.

A groove event is displayed at the bottom of the track to indicate that a groove has been applied to the track.

To toggle the height of the groove strips, choose Show Full-Size Groove Strips from the View menu.

Tips:

 l Drag a groove from the Groove Pool to an existing groove event to change the event's groove.
 l Right-click and drag with the Groove tool to erase a groove event.
 l Hold Ctrl and right-click a groove event with the Groove tool to erase the entire event.
 l Hold Ctrl and click a groove event with the Groove Erase tool to erase the entire event.

Set a default groove for new tracks

If you have a groove that you'd like to use to set the overall feel of a project, you can set it as a default for your
project.

 1. From the View menu, choose Groove Pool to display the Groove Pool window if it isn't already visible.
 2. Choose a setting from the Default groove for new tracks drop-down list.

When you add a new loop, one-shot, or MIDI track to your project, the selected groove will be applied to the
entire track. Existing tracks are not affected.

Apply multiple groove events to a track

Groove events allow you to apply grooves to portions of tracks or apply different grooves to various portions of a
track. The groove is applied where the groove event overlaps the media event.
The edges of groove events are boundaries for grooves, and audio cannot be grooved beyond the event edges. In the
following example, the groove will adjust the first beat of the event to play before 10.1 on the timeline:

In the following example, the edge of the groove event prevents the event's first beat from being played before 10.1
on the timeline:

 1. Select the Groove tool .

 2. Click the down arrow next to the Groove toolbar button and choose a groove from the menu (or double-click
a groove in the Groove Pool).
 3. Click and drag over a track to paint groove events in the same way you create other events on the timeline.

 4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to paint groove events as needed.

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 Working with Groove Maps 123

To toggle the height of the groove strips, choose Show Full-Size Groove Strips from the View menu.

Tips:

 l Drag a groove from the Groove Pool to an existing groove event to change the event's groove.
 l Drag a groove from the Groove Pool to a space between two groove events to create a new groove event to fill
the space between the events.
 l Hold Ctrl while clicking the space between two groove events to create a new groove event to fill the space
between the events.
 l Right-click and drag with the Groove tool to erase a groove event.
 l Hold Ctrl and right-click a groove event with the Groove tool to erase the entire event.
 l Hold Ctrl and click a groove event with the Groove Erase tool to erase the entire event.

 l Zoom in to see groove markers in the groove events. The markers represent the amount and direction of offset
applied to beats:

Erase groove events

 1. Select the Groove Erase tool .

 2. Click and drag the Groove Erase tool to erase a groove, or hold Ctrl while clicking a groove event to erase the
entire event.

Tips:

 l Right-click and drag with the Groove tool to erase a groove event.

 l Hold Ctrl and right-click a groove event with the Groove tool to erase the entire event.
 l Hold Ctrl and click a groove event with the Groove Erase tool to erase the entire event.

 l Zoom in to see groove markers in the groove events. The markers provide a visual cue to the mapped groove:
 l You can also right-click a track header and choose Remove Groove from Track from the shortcut menu to
remove all groove events from a track.

Remove unused grooves from your project

Click the Remove All Unused Grooves from Project button to remove any grooves that have not been used in
your project.

Remove a groove from your project

 1. Select a groove in the Groove Pool window.
 2. Click the Remove Selected Grooves from Project button . The selected groove is removed from your
project.

If the groove is in use, a confirmation will be displayed if the Confirm groove deletion when still in use check
124

box is selected on the General tab of the Preferences dialog.

Creating Grooves
You can add grooves to your project by using an existing clip, duplicating existing grooves, importing grooves, or by
creating an entirely new groove from scratch.
The grooves listed in the Groove Pool are specific to your project. If you've deleted grooves and saved your
project, those grooves will be unavailable unless you import the grooves again.

Use Groove Cloning to create a new groove using a clip in your project
ACID software can analyze a clip's audio to extract its groove so you can apply its feel to other tracks.
Groove cloning can extract grooves from loop clips only.

 1. Perform either of the following actions:

 l Right-click an event in the timeline and choose Event Clip from the shortcut menu.
 l Right-click a track header and choose Paint Clip from the shortcut menu.
 2. ChooseAdd to Groove Pool. A new groove will be added to the Groove Pool window using the name of the clip
you selected in step 1. from the submenu.

Grooves that you create from existing clips will be available only in the project where they were created. If you
want to make a groove available to other projects, export it to a .groove file. See Export a groove in this help
topic for more information.
You can also click the Add to Groove Pool button in the Clip Properties window to add the selected clip's
groove to the Groove Pool.

Duplicate a groove
Existing grooves can serve as templates for creating your own grooves.

 1. In the Groove Pool window, select the grooves you want to duplicate. Hold Ctrl or Shift to select multiple
grooves.
 2. Click the Duplicate Selected Grooves button . The duplicated grooves are added to the Groove Pool.

 3. To change the name of a duplicated groove, right-click a groove and choose Rename from the shortcut menu.
 4. You can then edit the duplicated grooves as needed.

Import a groove
You can use the Import Grooves button to add grooves from .groove files or other media files to the Groove Pool of
your project.

 1. Click the Import Grooves button in the Groove Pool window. The Import Groove dialog is displayed.

 2. Select the .groove or media file you want to add. Information about the file is displayed at the bottom of the
dialog.
 3. Click the Open button to add the new groove to the Groove Pool.

You can extract a groove quickly by dragging a file from the Explorer window to the Groove Pool.

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 Working with Groove Maps 125

Export a groove
Grooves are stored with your ACID project. Exporting a groove allows you to save a groove in a file that you can use
in other projects or share with other ACID users.

 1. Select a groove in the Groove Pool window.

 2. Click the Export Selected Grooves button . The Export Groove to File dialog is displayed.

 3. Choose a drive and folder from the Save in drop-down list, or use the browse window to locate the folder where
you want to save your groove.
By default, grooves will be saved in the folder specified in the Default groove folder box on the Folders tab
of the Preferences dialog. Grooves in this folder will be available in the Groove Pool window when you
create a new ACID project.
 4. Type a name in the File name box, or select a file in the browse window to replace an existing groove.
 5. Click the Save button to save your groove.

Create a new groove

 1. Click the New Groove button in the Groove Pool window. A new groove is added to the Groove Pool.

 2. Type a name for your groove in the edit box, and then press Enter.
 3. Use the Groove Editor at the bottom of the Groove Pool window to adjust the length and feel of your groove. For
more information about editing grooves, see "Editing Grooves" below.

Editing Grooves
You can use the bottom portion of the Groove Pool window to edit grooves.
Notes:

 l Your edits are saved with your project. If you want to use the edited groove in other projects, you'll need to
export it as a .groove file and import the edited groove in each project where you want to use it.
 l The grooves listed in the Groove Pool are specific to your project. If you've deleted grooves and saved your
project, those grooves will be unavailable unless you import the grooves again.

 1. From the View menu, choose Groove Pool to display the Groove Pool window.
 2. Select a groove in the top portion of the window. For information about creating or duplicating grooves, see
"Creating Grooves" on the previous page.
If you want to audition your edits in real-time, apply the groove to an event and start looped playback
before you start editing the groove.
 3. The bottom half of the Groove Pool window displays your groove as a timeline with beat anchors and groove
markers to represent how beats will be adjusted.
126

A beat anchor represents the beat that will be adjusted, and a groove marker represents the point in time
when that beat will be played. A groove marker can occur before or after the beat anchor. A line connects a
groove marker to its associated beat anchor.
 4. Use the Length spin control to adjust the length of the groove. Decreasing the setting will remove beat anchors
and groove markers from the file; increasing the setting will add anchors and markers.
 5. Add or remove markers as needed:
 6. If you want to add a marker, press M or double-click the beat ruler. A beat anchor and groove marker are added
to the nearest division on the beat ruler.
 7. If you want to delete a marker, right-click it and choose Delete from the shortcut menu.
Use a single beat anchor/groove marker to adjust all beats forward or back equally. This produces an effect
similar to slipping an event.
 8. Adjust beat anchors and groove markers as necessary. Adjusting anchors and markers during looped playback
helps you hear the results of your edits.
 9. Drag a beat anchor (or insert a new one) to indicate which beat you want to adjust.

If snapping is enabled, beat anchors snap to the current grid spacing. Hold Shift while dragging to bypass
snapping.
 10. Drag a groove marker to adjust when the beat will be played. Drag to the left if you want a beat to be played
early, or drag left if you want it to be played late.

You cannot drag groove markers past each other, but multiple markers can exist at the same point in time.

When the Allow snapping for Post-Groove Markerscheck box is selected on the General tab of the
Preferences dialog, groove markers will snap to the current grid spacing if snapping is enabled. Hold shift while
dragging to bypass snapping.
 11. Double-click a beat anchor or groove marker to reset the marker to the beat anchor position.

Hover over a beat anchor or groove marker to display a ToolTip that explains the effect of groove marker
adjustments.

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 Using Markers, Regions, and Commands 127

Using Markers, Regions, and Commands

Markers and regions serve as reference points along the timeline and help you arrange events. You can use markers
for annotations, to insert metadata commands, or as snap points for positioning the cursor or creating a time
selection.

Using Markers
Markers can be used to indicate points of interest or to make notes in a project.
To create a marker, choose Marker from the Insert menu. A marker will be added at the cursor position.

Each marker (up to 99) is assigned a number. Pressing this number on the keyboard moves the cursor to the
corresponding marker.

Name a marker
 1. Right-click the marker tab , and then choose Rename from the shortcut menu. The marker name changes to
an edit box.
 2. Type a new name in the edit box.
 3. Press Enter.

Move a marker
Drag the marker tab to a new location.
Hold Shift while dragging to override snapping.

Delete a marker
Right-click the marker tab and choose Delete from the shortcut menu.

Move the cursor to a marker

Click the marker tab.

Adjust the project tempo to align the cursor with a marker

 1. Position the cursor.
 2. Right-click the marker tab, and then choose Adjust Tempo to Match Cursor to Marker from the shortcut
menu.
The project tempo will change so the cursor position matches the selected marker.
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Time Markers
Time markers can be used to indicate points of interest or to make notes in the project. Unlike standard markers, time
markers are tied to absolute time within your project and will shift with tempo changes to remain in sync with your
video (a standard marker is tied to a beat, so its absolute time will vary with project tempo). Time markers are useful
when scoring video.
To create a time marker, position the cursor and choose Time Marker from the Insert menu. A time marker will be
added at the cursor position, and the time ruler is automatically displayed when the first time marker is inserted.
You're probably thinking "Now wait a minute. You just said these are time markers. Why is the shortcut key an
H?!" Well. . . you may sometimes hear these referred to as hit markers, which is a term used by some video-
scoring professionals. Potato, po-tah-to. . . .

Name a time marker

 1. Right-click the marker tab and choose Rename from the shortcut menu. The marker name changes to an edit
box.
 2. Type a new name in the edit box.
 3. Press Enter when you're finished.

Move a time marker

Drag the marker tab to a new location; if snapping is enabled and Grid Only turned off, the marker will snap to the
divisions on the time ruler.
Hold Shift while dragging to override snapping.

Delete a time marker

Right-click the marker tab and choose Delete from the shortcut menu.

Move the cursor to a time marker

Click the marker tab.

Adjust the project tempo to align the cursor to a time marker

 1. Position the cursor.
 2. Right-click the marker tab, and then choose Adjust tempo to match marker to cursor from the shortcut menu.
The project tempo will change so the cursor position matches the selected time marker.

Hold Alt while dragging a time marker to a location on the beat ruler. The project tempo will be adjusted so the
time at the marker will occur on a specific beat. For example, if you place a time marker at 10 seconds on the
time ruler and hold Alt while dragging the marker to 5.1 on the beat ruler, the project's tempo is adjusted so the
first beat of measure five occurs at ten seconds.

Using Regions
Regions can be used to indicate sections of projects such as the chorus, verse, and bridge.
To create a region, make a time selection and choose Region from the Insert menu. A region will be added at the
cursor position.

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 Using Markers, Regions, and Commands 129

Each region (up to 99) is assigned a number. Pressing this number on the keyboard selects the corresponding
region.

Name a region
 1. Right-click the first region tab and choose Rename from the shortcut menu. The region name changes to an
edit box.
 2. Type a new name in the edit box.
 3. Press Enter.

Move a region
Drag either region tab to move the tab and change the region's size.
or——
Hold the Alt key while dragging either region tab to move a region and preserve its length.

Move the cursor to a region tab

Click a region tab.
or——
Right-click either region tab and choose Go To Start from the shortcut menu to move the cursor to the beginning of
the region.
or——
Press a number on the keyboard to move the cursor to the beginning of the corresponding region.

Select a region
Right-click a region tab, and then choose Select Region from the shortcut menu.

Delete a region
Right-click a region tab, and then choose Delete from the shortcut menu.

Inserting Commands
From the Insert menu, choose Command to place a metadata command marker at the current cursor position.
Command markers indicate when an instruction (function) will occur in a streaming media file. You can use
command markers to display headlines, captions, link to Web sites, or any other function you define.

Insert a command marker

 1. Place the cursor where you want to insert the command marker.
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 2. From the Insert menu, choose Command. The Command Properties dialog is displayed.
 3. From the Command drop-down list, choose the type of command you want to insert, or type a custom
command in the box.
 4. In the Parameter box, type the argument that should be passed to the command. For example, if you're using
an URL command, type the address of the Web page you want to display.
Command Player Description
type
URL Windows Indicates when an instruction is sent to the user’s Internet browser to
Media and change the content being displayed.
RealMedia In the Parameter box, type the URL that will display at a specific time
during the rendered project’s playback.
Text Windows Displays text in the captioning area of the Windows Media Player located
Media below the video display area.
In the Parameter box, type the text that will display during playback.
To view captions during playback in Windows Media Player 9 or 10,
choose Captions and Subtitles from the Windows Media Player Play
menu, and then choose On if Available from the submenu.
WMClosedCaption Windows Displays the text from theParameter box in the captioning window that
Media is defined by an HTML layout file.
WMTextBodyText Windows Displays the text from the Parameter box in the text window that is
Media defined by an HTML layout file.
WMTextHeadline Windows Displays the text from the Parameter box in the headline window that is
Media defined by an HTML layout file.
Title RealMedia Displays the text from the Parameter box to identify the file's title in a
media player.
When rendering Windows Media files, title information is based on
the settings on the Summary tab of the ACID Project Properties
dialog or the Index/Summary tab of the Custom Template dialog.
The summary information from the Project Properties dialog will be
used if information has been specified in both places.
To view this information during playback, choose Now Playing
Options from the Windows Media Player View menu and select the
items you want to display.
Author RealMedia Displays the text you type when you choose About this Presentation
from the RealPlayer’s shortcut menu orProperties from the Windows
Media Player shortcut menu.
In the Parameter box, type the text that you want to display.
When rendering Windows Media files, author information is based
on the settings on the Summary tab of the ACID Project Properties
dialog or the Index/Summary tab of the Custom Template dialog.
The summary information from the Project Properties dialog will be
used if information has been specified in both places.
To view this information during playback, chooseNow Playing
Options from the Windows Media Player View menu and select the
items you want to display.

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 Using Markers, Regions, and Commands 131

Copyright RealMedia Displays the text you type when you choose About this Presentation
from the RealPlayer’s shortcut menu or Properties from the Windows
Media Player shortcut menu.
In theParameter box, type the text that you want to display.
When rendering Windows Media files, copyright information is
based on the settings on the Summary tab of the ACID Project
Properties dialog or the Index/Summary tab of the Custom
Template dialog. The summary information from the Project
Properties dialog will be used if information has been specified in
both places.
To view this information during playback, choose Now Playing
Options from the Windows Media Player View menu and select the
items you want to display.
Scott EOM Scott Calculates when the next queued clip starts playing in a Scott Studios
Studios system.
WAV file For more information, please refer to your Scott Studios documentation.
Scott Cue In Scott Set the beginning of a file in a Scott Studios System without performing
Studios destructive editing.
WAV file For more information, please refer to your Scott Studios documentation.

 5. In the Comment box, type any comments you want to associate with the command. A comment is generally
used to remind you of what the command is while you work on the project; its function is similar to naming
markers and regions.
 6. In the Position box, type the time you want the command to occur in your project. Commands are inserted at
the cursor position by default.

Delete a command marker

Right-click the command marker tab and choose Delete from the shortcut menu.

Edit a command marker

Right-click the command marker tab and choose Edit from the shortcut menu.
or——
Double-click the command marker tab.

Move the cursor to a command marker

Click the command marker tab .

Use command templates

If you frequently insert commands that use similar settings, you can create a template to insert command settings
automatically.
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Creating a template

 1. From the Insert menu, choose Command to display the Command Properties dialog.
 2. Type the settings you want to use in the Command, Parameter, Comment, and Position boxes.
 3. In the Template box, type the name you want to use to store the template.
 4. Click the Save button .

Recalling a template

 1. From the Insert menu, choose Command to display the Command Properties dialog.
 2. Choose the template you want to use from the Template drop-down list. The Command, Parameter,
Comment, and Position boxes are filled using the information stored in the template.
 3. Edit the settings in the Command, Parameter, Comment, and Position boxes as necessary.
 4. Click OK.
Editing metadata commands

Your metadata command templates are saved in the cmdtemp.xml file in the ACID program folder. You can edit this
file directly to modify your templates.

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 Using Automation 133

Using Automation
Automation allows you to control audio levels, panning, and effect parameters over time. You can create fades, apply
stereo panning, and add effects with parameters that change throughout your project.
Automation is represented on the timeline as an envelope. You can create automation by adding envelopes to your
tracks (including bus tracks), or you can record automation parameters by adjusting controls in the ACID interface
(or on a control surface) during playback.
Gain, level, and panning controls can adjust automation (dynamic) settings, or they can function as trim
(nonautomated) controls.

The trim setting is added to the automation settings so your envelope or keyframe values are preserved, but
with an offset applied. For example, setting an audio track's trim control to -3 dB has the same effect as
decreasing every envelope point by 3 dB.

If your automation is not behaving as expected, you may have applied a trim value that is offsetting your
automation settings.

When a control is set to adjust trim levels, its handle is displayed as a . When a control is set to adjust
automation levels, it is displayed as a .

Adding Audio Track Envelopes

With audio track envelopes, you can create fades, apply stereo panning, and add effects with parameters or send
levels that change over time.
Track envelopes will always affect all events on the track. This means that any event envelopes will be calculated after
the track envelopes.
To record track automation using the controls in the track header, select the Automation Settings button . When
Automation Settings is not selected, the controls adjust static (trim) levels.
Tips:

 l Use event envelopes to control an event's level, fade-in, and fade-out.

 l You can use the Display tab in the Preferences dialog to change the colors used to draw track envelopes. Using
custom envelope colors can help you avoid getting lost in a maze of envelopes when you're using track
envelopes to control effects automation.

Apply mute automation

 1. Select an audio track.
 2. From the Insert menu, choose Envelopes, or right-click in the track list and choose Insert/Remove Envelope
from the shortcut menu.
 3. From the submenu, choose Mute. A check mark is displayed next to the command, and an envelope is added to
the timeline.

Mute automation is either on or off with no fade between the on and off states. If you want to use fades, apply
volume automation.
 4. If you want to change the track's mute state throughout the track, edit the envelope in the timeline.
 5. If you want to change the track's mute state by recording automation settings, select the Automation Settings
button in the track header to toggle between Mute and Mute Automation modes.

 6. Click the Mute button

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in the track header to change the track's mute automation state at the cursor position.

The button behaves differently depending on the track automation recording mode:
 l When the track automation mode is set to Off, the button mutes the entire track.
 l When the track has a mute envelope and the track automation mode is set to Read, the button changes
state to reflect the envelope setting during playback but cannot be adjusted.
 l When the track has a mute envelope and the track automation mode is set to Touch or Latch, the button
edits the envelope setting at the cursor position.
When you apply mute automation to a track, it's possible to have a track that is muted and soloed
simultaneously if you use the Mute and Solo buttons in the track header. The mute state
overrides the solo state:
 o If a track's Solo button is selected, the track is included in the solo group, but it will be muted
whenever the mute automation is set to mute the track.
 o If the track's Mute button is selected, the track is muted regardless of the mute automation settings.

Add a volume or pan envelope

 1. Select the track where you want to add or remove the envelope.
 2. Do one of the following:
 l From the Insert menu, choose Envelopes, and then choose Volume or Pan from the submenu.
 l Right-click the track header, choose Insert/Remove Envelope from the shortcut menu, and then choose
Volume or Pan from the submenu.
 l Press Shift+V for a volume envelope or Shift+P for a pan envelope.
If you're working with a 5.1 surround project, surround panning keyframes are used instead of a single
envelope.
 3. If you want to change the track's volume or pan setting throughout the track, edit the envelope in the timeline.
Panning envelopes will use the current panning mode for the Pan slider in the track list.
 4. If you want to change volume or pan settings by recording automation, select the Automation Settings button
in the track header to toggle automation mode. The Volume fader or Pan slider handle is displayed as a
in automation mode.
 5. Drag the Volume fader or Pan slider to edit automation settings at the cursor position (you can also adjust
automation by editing the envelope in the timeline).

The control behaves differently depending on the track's automation recording mode:
 6. When the track automation mode is set to Off, the control adjusts the level of the entire track. In this mode, the
automation control acts as a second trim control.
 7. When the track has a volume or pan envelope and the track automation mode is set to Read, the control will
follow the envelope during playback but cannot be adjusted.
 8. When the track automation mode is set to Touch or Latch, the control edits the envelope setting at the cursor
position. If the track does not have an envelope, an envelope will be added when you adjust the control.

If multiple tracks are selected, all selected tracks are adjusted.

Add an assignable effects send envelope

Assignable effects envelopes vary the level of a track sent to an assignable effects chain. Before you can add an
assignable effects envelope, you'll need to add an assignable effects chain to your project.

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 Using Automation 135

 1. Select the track where you want to add or remove the envelope.
 2. Do either of the following:
 l From the Insert menu, choose Envelopes, and then choose the effects chain where you want to add or
remove an envelope.
 l Right-click the track header, choose Insert/Remove Envelope from the shortcut menu, and then choose
the effects chain where you want to add or remove an envelope.
 3. Select the Automation Settings button in the track header to toggle automation mode. The fader thumb is
displayed as a in automation mode (you can also edit automation by editing the envelope in the timeline).
 4. Click the label on the multipurpose slider and choose an assignable effects chain from the menu.

 5. Drag the FX fader to control the level of the track sent to each of the assignable FX chains that you have created.

The fader behaves differently depending on the track's automation recording mode:
 6. When the track has an assignable effects envelope and the track automation mode is set to Off, the fader
adjusts the send level of the entire track. In this mode, the automation control acts as a second trim control.
 7. When the track has an assignable effects envelope and the track automation mode is set to Read, the fader will
follow the envelope during playback but cannot be adjusted.
 8. When the track has an assignable effects envelope and the track automation mode is set to Touch or Latch, the
fader edits the envelope setting at the cursor position. If the track does not have an envelope, one will be created
when you adjust the fader.

If multiple tracks are selected, all selected tracks are adjusted.

Add a bus send envelope

Bus envelopes vary the level of a track sent to a bus. Before you can add a bus envelope, you'll need to specify the
number of busses for your project.

 1. Select the track where you want to add or remove the envelope.
 2. Do either of the following:
 l From the Insert menu, choose Envelopes, and then choose bus where you want to add or remove an
envelope.
 l Right-click the track header, choose Insert/Remove Envelope from the shortcut menu, and then choose
the bus where you want to add or remove an envelope.
 3. Select the Automation Settings button in the track header to toggle automation mode. The fader thumb is
displayed as a in automation mode (you can also edit automation by editing the envelope in the timeline).
 4. Click the label on the multipurpose slider and choose a bus from the menu.
136

 5. Drag the fader to control the level of the track sent to the selected bus.

The fader behaves differently depending on the track's automation recording mode:
 6. When the track automation mode is set to Off, the fader adjusts the send level of the entire track. In this mode,
the automation control acts as a second trim control.
 7. When the track has a bus envelope and the track automation mode is set to Read, the fader will follow the
envelope during playback but cannot be adjusted.
 8. When the track has a bus envelope and the track automation mode is set to Touch or Latch, the fader edits the
envelope setting at the cursor position. If the track does not have an envelope, one will be created when you
adjust the fader.

If multiple tracks are selected, all selected tracks are adjusted.

Add an effect automation envelope

If a plug-in supports automation, you can use envelopes to automatically adjust effect parameters over time.

Hide envelopes
From the View menu, choose Show Envelopes and select the envelope you want to hide. Hiding an envelope
removes the line while retaining the playback properties.
Press V for volume envelopes and P for pan envelopes.
Hiding an envelope type affects all tracks in your project.
If you've added effect automation envelopes to a track, the track can get cluttered. Click the down arrow next to the
Track FX button and choose an envelope from the drop-down list to select which envelope you want to
display.

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 Using Automation 137

Lock envelopes to events

To move envelope points and position with an event moved along the timeline, choose Lock Envelopes to Events
from the Options menu.

MIDI Track Envelopes and Keyframes

With MIDI track envelopes, you can adjust volume, panning, controller parameters, program changes, or Sysex
commands dynamically over the duration of a track.
You can automate VSTi parameters using envelopes on the soft synth bus track.
To record track automation using the controls in the track header, select the Automation Settings button . When
the button is not selected, the controls adjust static (trim) levels.
You can use the Display tab in the Preferences dialog to change the colors used to draw track envelopes. Using
custom envelope colors can help you avoid getting lost in a maze of envelopes when you're using track
envelopes for MIDI controllers.

Add a mute envelope

 1. Select a MIDI track.
 2. From the Insert menu, choose Envelopes, or right-click in the track list and choose Insert/Remove Envelope
from the shortcut menu.
 3. From the submenu, choose Mute. A check mark is displayed next to the command, and an envelope is added to
the timeline.

Mute automation is either on or off with no fade between the on and off states. If you want to use fades, apply
volume automation.
 4. If you want to change the track's mute state throughout the track, edit the envelope in the timeline.
 5. If you want to change the track's mute state by recording automation settings, select the Automation Settings
button in the track header.

 6. Click the Mute button in the track header to change the track's mute automation state at the cursor position.

The button behaves differently depending on the track automation recording mode:
 l When the track automation mode is set to Off, the button mutes the entire track.
 l When the track has a mute envelope and the track automation mode is set to Read, the button changes
state to reflect the envelope setting during playback but cannot be adjusted.
 l When the track has a mute envelope and the track automation mode is set to Touch or Latch, the button
edits the envelope setting at the cursor position.
When you apply mute automation to a track, it's possible to have a track that is muted and soloed
simultaneously if you use the Mute and Solo buttons in the track header. The mute state overrides
the solo state:
 l If a track's Solo button is selected, the track is included in the solo group, but it will be muted whenever the
mute automation is set to mute the track.
 l If the track's Mute button is selected, the track is muted regardless of the mute automation settings.

Add a volume or pan envelope

 1. Select the track where you want to add or remove the envelope.
138

 2. Do one of the following:

 l From the Insert menu, choose Envelopes, and then choose Volume or Pan from the submenu.
 l Right-click the track header, choose Insert/Remove Envelope from the shortcut menu, and then choose
Volume or Pan from the submenu.
 l Press Shift+V for a volume envelope or Shift+P for a pan envelope.
If you're working with a 5.1 surround project, surround panning keyframes are used instead of a single
envelope.
 3. If you want to change the track's volume or pan setting throughout the track, edit the envelope in the timeline.
 4. If you want to change volume or pan settings by recording automation, select the Automation Settings button
in the track header to toggle automation mode. The Volume fader or Pan slider handle is displayed as a
in automation mode.
 5. Drag the Volume fader or Pan slider to edit automation settings at the cursor position (you can also adjust
automation by editing the envelope in the timeline).

The control behaves differently depending on the track's automation recording mode:
 l When the track automation mode is set to Off, the automation envelope is bypassed, and the control does
nothing.
 l When the track has a volume or pan envelope and the track automation mode is set to Read, the control
will follow the envelope during playback but cannot be adjusted.
 l When the track automation mode is set to Touch or Latch, the control edits the envelope setting at the
cursor position. If the track does not have an envelope, an envelope will be added when you adjust the
control.

If multiple tracks are selected, all selected tracks are adjusted.

Not all VST instruments use standard MIDI control mappings for volume and pan envelopes. You can use the
Output Settings tab in the MIDI Track Properties window to override the default envelope: right-click the
controller you want to use and choose Use as Track Volume or Use as Track Pan from the shortcut menu.

Add a MIDI controller envelope

 1. Select the track where you want to add or remove the envelope.
 2. Perform one of the following actions:
 3. Click the Insert/Hide Envelope button next to the controller's slider in the track header.

Right-click the track header, choose Insert/Remove Envelope from the shortcut menu, and then choose a
controller type.

Up to four controllers can be represented by sliders in the track header. To change the controller that a slider
modifies, click the label and choose a different controller from the menu.

If the controller you want to adjust is not displayed in the menu, choose Configure Controllers from the menu.
You can use the Output Settings tab in the Track Properties window to configure which controllers are available
on the track.
 4. If you want to change the controller setting throughout the track, edit the envelope in the timeline.
 5. If you want to change controller settings by recording automation, click the Automation Settings button in
the track header. The slider handles are displayed as in automation mode.

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 Using Automation 139

If you want to record MIDI controller envelopes into a track using a hardware controller, you can use MIDI
merge recording to record the envelopes.
 6. Drag a slider to edit automation settings at the cursor position.

The track header controls behave differently depending on the track's automation recording mode:
 l When the track automation mode is set to Off, the controls adjust the level of the entire track. In this mode,
the automation envelope is bypassed, and the control does nothing.
 l When the track has a controller envelope and the track automation mode is set to Read, the control will
follow the envelope during playback but cannot be adjusted.
 l When the track automation mode is set to Touch or Latch, the control edits the envelope setting at the
cursor position. If the track does not have an envelope, an envelope will be added when you adjust the
control.

If multiple tracks are selected, all selected tracks are adjusted.

Reset a MIDI controller envelope's points

Perform either of the following actions to reset an envelope's points to their default values:

 l Click the down arrow next to the Insert/Hide Envelope button next to the controller's slider in the
track header and choose Reset All Envelope Points.
 l Right-click the envelope and choose Reset All from the shortcut menu.

You can set the default value for each continuous controller on the Output Settings tab in the Track Properties
window.

Delete a MIDI controller envelope

Click the down arrow next to the Insert/Hide Envelope button next to the controller's slider in the track
header and choose Delete Envelope.
If you want to show or hide an envelope without deleting its settings, click the Insert/Hide Envelope button .

You can also remove continuous controller envelopes on the Output Settings tab in the Track Properties window.

Configure MIDI track controller automation

You can use the Output Settings tab in the MIDI Track Properties window to configure which controllers can be
automated; add, remove, or hide envelopes; set default values; and set each envelope's default fade curve.

 1. Right-click the track header, choose Insert/Remove Envelopes, and then choose Configure Controllers from
the menu. The Output Settings tab in the Track Properties window is displayed.
 2. Select the check box for each controller you want to automate with an envelope.
If the controller you want to automate isn't displayed, select the Show all controllers check box at the bottom
of the dialog.
Not all VST instruments use standard MIDI control mappings for volume and pan envelopes. You can use
the Output Settings tab to override the default envelope: right-click the controller you want to use and
choose Use as Track Volume or Use as Track Pan from the shortcut menu.
 3. Click the down arrow in the Envelope box and choose a command from the menu:
Item Description
Insert If the controller does not have an automation envelope, No is displayed.
140

Envelope Click the down arrow and choose Insert Envelope to add an automation envelope to the
timeline.
Show/Hide If the controller has an automation envelope, Visible or Hidden is displayed.
Envelope Click the down arrow and choose Hide Envelope or Show Envelope to toggle its display.
Click the Hide all Envelopes button at the bottom of the window to hide all controller
envelopes on the track.
Reset All If the controller has an automation envelope, you can click the down arrow and choose
Envelope Reset All Envelope Points to restore all points to the default value.
Points Click the Reset all Envelopes button at the bottom of the window to set all points on all
controller envelopes on the track to the default value.
Delete If the controller has an automation envelope, you can click the down arrow and choose
Envelope Delete Envelope to remove the envelope and all envelope points from the timeline.
Click the Remove all Envelopes button at the bottom of the window to delete all
controller envelopes on the track.

 4. Double-click the Def box and type a new value to change the default setting for a controller. This value is used
when you reset envelope points.
 5. Click the down arrow in the Curve Type box to set the default fade curve for each controller's automation
envelope. The new curve type will be applied to all segments on the envelope. You can right-click a segment and
choose a new fade curve to override the default curve type.
 6. Click the Save button if you want to save the current settings as a mapping file, or click Load to browse to a
mapping file that will replace the current settings.

Create envelopes from controller data in a MIDI clip

If you use MIDI clips that contain MIDI controller data, the controller data will not be displayed in the timeline by
default.
Right-click the event on the timeline and choose Create Envelopes from Clip from the shortcut menu to represent
MIDI controllers as envelopes on the timeline.
The Create Envelopes from Clip command is not available in inline MIDI editing mode.
When Lock Envelopes to Events is selected from the Options menu, envelope points will move with an event
as you move it along the timeline. When Lock Envelopes to Events is not selected, you can move events and
envelopes independently.

Add a program change keyframe

The Program button in the track header displays the voice or patch that will be used to play MIDI data on
the track. You can set the voice used to play the entire track, or you can add keyframes to add program changes.
Changing the track voice

 1. Click the Program button .

 2. Choose a program from the menu, or choose Select Program Change to display the Output Settings tab in the
Track Properties window, where you can select a program.

If the track does not contain program change keyframes, the selected program is used to play the entire track.

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 Using Automation 141

If the track contains keyframes, the selected program is assigned to the keyframe that occurs before the current
cursor position.
Adding a program change keyframe

 1. Click the Program button and choose Insert Program Change Keyframe. The program change keyframe
row is displayed at the bottom of the track.
 2. Using the Draw or Envelope tool, double-click in the track's keyframe row to add a keyframe.

 3. To edit a keyframe, double-click it to display the Output Settings tab in the Track Properties window, and then
select the program you want to assign to the keyframe.

Add a Sysex keyframe

 1. Right-click the track header, choose Insert/Remove Envelope, and then choose Insert Sysex from the
submenu.
 2. Using the Draw or Envelope tool, double-click in the track's keyframe row to add a keyframe.

 3. To edit a keyframe, double-click it to display the System Exclusive Editor dialog.

To hide the Sysex keyframe row without removing keyframes, right-click the track header, choose
Insert/Remove Envelope, and then choose Hide Sysex from the submenu. You can view the keyframe row
again by right-clicking the track header, choosing Insert/Remove Envelope, and then choosing Show Sysex.

Automate VSTi parameters

You can use the soft synth bus track to control parameter automation for VST instruments using envelopes.
For more information about adding and adjusting parameter automation envelopes, please see Automating VSTi
Parameters.

Bus Tracks
From the View menu, choose Show Bus Tracks to toggle the display of bus tracks at the bottom of the track view. A
bus track exists for each bus, input bus, assignable effects chain, and soft synth in your project.
You can use bus tracks to automate volume, panning, and effect parameters using envelopes. If a bus track has
envelopes applied, its icon will include a fader in the bus track and in the Mixing Console window.

For example, if you wanted to adjust the volume of all tracks in your project, you could apply a volume envelope to
the Master bus track instead of adjusting each track individually.
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Add envelopes to a bus track

Adding volume, panning, and effect automation envelopes to a bus track is just like adding an envelope to a standard
track.

Add effects to a bus track

Click the Bus FX button in the bus track header to add or edit bus effects. If there are no effects on the bus,
clicking this button displays the Plug-In Chooser. If a bus already has effects assigned, clicking this button displays
the Audio Plug-In window.
If the bus effects chain includes plug-ins with automatable parameters, the Bus FX button is displayed as a
.

Mute a track
Click the Mute button to prevent a bus track from being played in the mix. Click the Mute button on additional
tracks to add them to the mute group. To unmute a track, click the Mute button again.
Muting or unmuting a bus track

 1. Deselect the Automation Settings button to toggle trim mode.

 2. Click the Mute button .

When you have a group of tracks muted, hold Ctrl while clicking the Mute button on an unmuted track to
remove all other tracks from the mute group. Hold Ctrl while clicking the Mute button on a muted track to reset
all Mute buttons.
Adjusting mute automation

When you select the Automation Settings button , the mute button is displayed as a , and you can use the
control to edit volume automation.

Solo a track
Click the Solo button to solo all selected audio bus tracks. Click the Solo button on additional tracks to add them
to the solo group. To remove a track from the solo group, click its Solo button again.
Hold Ctrl while clicking a Solo button to solo a single track and remove all other tracks from the solo group.

Monitor bus track output levels

During playback, a responsive meter is displayed in the bus track header to monitor the bus's output.

Horizontal meters

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Vertical meters

When clipping is detected, the peak meter displays a red Clip indicator.

Right-click the meters and choose a command from the shortcut menu to adjust the display of the meters. This
shortcut menu allows you to reset clip indicators, choose a display scale, toggle vertical display, or turn output
meters off.

Automate VSTi parameters

You can use the soft synth bus track to control parameter automation for VST instruments using envelopes.
For more information about adding and adjusting parameter automation envelopes, please see Automating VSTi
Parameters.

Resize bus tracks 

You can drag the horizontal splitter between the track list and bus tracks to increase or decrease the space allocated
to bus tracks. Perform any of the following actions to resize individual bus tracks:

 l Drag a bus track's bottom border to set its height.

 l Click Minimize to minimize a track vertically.
 l Click Maximize to zoom in vertically so a bus track fills the lower portion of the timeline.
 l After minimizing or maximizing a bus track, click the Minimize or Maximize button again to return a bus track
to its previous height.
 l Press Ctrl+Shift+Up/Down Arrow when the bus track area has focus to resize all bus tracks at once.

Automating Audio Effect Parameters

When you add an effect that supports automation, you can use automation to dynamically adjust effect parameters.
Automation for audio track effects is applied on the audio track. Automation for bus effects and assignable effects is
applied on the appropriate bus track.

Add effect automation

 1. Click the down arrow next to the Track FX button and choose FX Automation to display the FX
Automation Chooser. Click one of the following links for more information about using track effects, bus
effects, and assignable effects.
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If no track effects exist, clicking the Track FX button will display the Plug-In Chooser. DirectX Effects that
can be automated are indicated by the icon in the chooser. The first time you select a plug-in, the
application will determine whether it can be automated and will update the plug-in's icon and add it to the
Automatable folder in the Plug-In Chooser. VST Effects are always automatable.
 2. Click an effect button at the top of the FX Automation Chooser. A list of the effect's automatable parameters is
displayed:

 3. Select the check box for each parameter that you want to control with an envelope.
If you're working with a 5.1 surround project, you can select the Enable check boxes to determine which
channels will be affected by the plug-in. An automation envelope is added to the timeline for each selected
channel so you can enable or bypass the plug-in during the project.

If you want to use distinct plug-in settings for each channel (separate EQ settings for the front and
surround speakers, for example), you can add multiple instances of the plug-in to the track effects chain
and select the Enable check boxes for the channels you want each instance of the plug-in to affect.
 4. Click OK to close the FX Automation Chooser. An envelope is added to the track for each parameter that you
selected in the FX Automation Chooser.

Adjust effect automation parameters

You can adjust automated effect parameters by editing the envelopes in the timeline or by recording automation with
the controls in the Audio Plug-In Window.If you've enabled the Bypass parameter for a plug-in, you can click the
Bypass button in the plug-in's banner to toggle the Bypass envelope at the cursor position.

When you automate an effect’s frequency parameter such as the frequency parameters in the track EQ effect you
may notice that the frequency changes are more apparent when moving through the lower frequencies. This is
because frequency scales in track EQ and other plug-ins use a logarithmic scale, but effect automation uses linear
interpolation.——
To make the automated frequency changes sound more natural, change the fade curve types to change the
interpolation rates between envelope points. For high-to-low frequency sweeps, use a fast fade curve; for low-to-
high frequency sweeps, use a slow curve.

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Bypass effect automation

Toggle the Bypass FX Automation button in the Audio Plug-In window to enable or bypass automation
envelopes:

 l After you've added effect automation envelopes, the Bypass FX Automation button is deselected, and effect
parameters are automated using the envelope settings.
 l When the button is selected, effect automation envelopes are ignored and the effect's initial state is used for the
duration of the track.
 l If you delete all automation envelopes from a plug-in, the Bypass FX Automation button is unavailable.

Remove effect automation

 1. Click the down arrow next to the Track FX button and choose FX Automation to display the FX
Automation Chooser.
 2. Click an effect button at the top of the FX Automation Chooser. A list of the effect's automatable parameters is
displayed:

 3. Clear the check box for the automation you want to remove.
 4. Click OK to close the FX Automation Chooser. The envelope is removed from the timeline for each check box
that you cleared in the FX Automation Chooser.

Adjusting Envelopes
When the Draw , Envelope , or Time Selection tool is selected, you can add, remove, or adjust envelope
points.
Events cannot be moved or edited when the Envelope tool selected.

Adjust an envelope
By default, A new envelope will contain a single envelope point. If you want to adjust the overall level of an envelope,
drag the envelope up or down. A floating ToolTip will show you the envelope's current setting:
146

If an envelope has multiple points, you can drag each point, or you can drag envelope segments up or down.
Tips:

 l If snapping is enabled, envelope points will snap to snap points. Hold Shift to temporarily suspend snapping
(press Shift after clicking).
 l Hold Ctrl while dragging an envelope point or segment to adjust the value in fine increments without changing
the envelope points' timeline positions.
 l Hold Ctrl+Alt while dragging an envelope point or segment to adjust the value in normal increments without
changing the envelope points' timeline positions.
 l Hold Alt while dragging an envelope point to move the point's timeline position without changing its value
 l With the Envelope tool , you can drag along the timeline to select multiple envelope points in the selected
track.

Add envelope points

To create more complex envelopes, you will need to add points. To add an envelope point, double-click the envelope.
A new envelope point will be added which can be dragged and positioned as necessary.
To delete a point, right-click it and choose Delete from the shortcut menu.

Draw envelope points

To create an envelope quickly, you can draw freehand envelope curves in the timeline.

 1. With the Draw , Envelope , or Time Selection tool active, hover over an envelope.

 2. Hold Shift, and then click and drag over the envelope. The cursor is displayed as a .

As you drag, a trail of envelope points is created.

 3. Release the mouse button when you're finished drawing.
If the Smooth and thin automation data after recording or drawing check box is selected on the External
Control & Automation tab of the Preferences dialog, the number of envelope points will be reduced when you
release the mouse.

Unthinned envelope

Thinned envelope

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Flip an envelope
You can flip an envelope to invert the envelope around its center. Volume, panning, bus, and assignable effects
envelopes can be flipped.
Flipping all points

 1. Right-click an envelope or a point. A shortcut menu is displayed.

 2. Choose Flip All Points from the shortcut menu.
Flipping selected points

 1. Create a time selection with the Time Selection or the Envelope tool .

 2. Right-click an envelope in the time selection. A shortcut menu is displayed.

 3. Choose Flip Selected Points from the shortcut menu.

Set fade properties

You can adjust the fade curve for each envelope segment individually. To change the fade curve, right-click an
envelope segment and choose a command from the shortcut menu.
Fade Type Fade In/Out Envelope
Linear Fade

Fast Fade

Slow Fade

Smooth Fade

Sharp Fade

Hold

Cut, copy, and paste envelope points

 1. Select the Envelope tool .

 2. Select the envelope points you want to copy:

 a. Create a time selection that contains the envelope points you want to copy.
 b. Click the envelope you want to copy.
If the envelope isn't displayed, you can right-click the track, choose Show Envelopes from the shortcut
menu, and then choose an envelope from the submenu.
 3. From the Edit menu, choose Copy.
 4. Select the envelope where you want to paste the envelope points:
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 a. Click within a track to select it.

 b. Insert an envelope if needed.
 c. Click to select the envelope where you want to paste the selected points.
 d. Click to position the cursor where you want the envelope to start.
 5.  a. From the Edit menu, choose Paste.

Copy an envelope to another track

 1. Select the Envelope tool .

 2. Select the envelope you want to copy:

 a. From the Edit menu, choose Select All to create a time selection that matches the length of your project.
 b. Click the envelope you want to copy.
If the envelope isn't displayed, you can right-click the track, choose Show Envelopes from the shortcut
menu, and then choose an envelope from the submenu.
 3. From the Edit menu, choose Copy.
 4. Select the envelope where you want to paste the envelope points:
 a. Click within a track to select it.
 b. Insert an audio or MIDI envelope if needed.
 c. Click to select the envelope where you want to paste the selected points.
 d. Click Go to Start if you want the envelope to appear exactly as it was in the original track, or click to
position the cursor where you want the envelope to start.
 5. From the Edit menu, choose Paste.

Recording Track Envelope Automation

Automation recording allows you to edit envelope and keyframe settings by using the controls in the ACID interface.
When combined with a control surface, you can create fades and adjust control parameters with a level of control
that only a tangible control can provide.
Automation recording is available for the following settings:

 l Audio track envelopes (using the controls in the track header)

 l MIDI track envelopes (using the controls in the track header)
 l Audio track effect parameters for automatable effects (using the controls in Audio Plug-In window)
 l Bus, soft synth, and assignable effects output and panning levels (using the controls in the Mixing Console
window or bus track header)
 l VSTi parameters (using the controls in the Soft Synth Properties window)
 l Surround panning keyframes

Tips:

 l If you want to record MIDI controller envelopes into a track using a hardware controller, you can use MIDI
merge recording to record the envelopes.
 l If you want to thin envelope points after recording automation, you can select the Smooth and thin automation
data after recording check box on the External Control & Automation tab of the Preferences dialog.

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Record automation settings

 1. Add an envelope or automatable effect to a track.

For automatable audio track effects, you must add and effect automation envelope for each parameter you want
to automate.
 2. Select the Automation Settings button .

To toggle automation controls for all tracks, press Ctrl+A before selecting the Automation Settings button.
 3. Click the next to the Automation Settings button and choose Automation Write (Touch) or Automation
Write (Latch) from the menu
Automation
Track
Recording Description
Icon
Mode
Automation Envelope points or keyframes are created only while a control is being adjusted. When
Write you stop adjusting the control, automation recording stops and the existing envelope
(Touch) points/keyframes are unaffected.
Automation Envelope points or keyframes are created when you change a control setting, and
Write recording continues until you stop playback. When you stop adjusting the control, the
(Latch) control's current setting overwrites the existing envelope points/keyframes.

 4. Click to position the cursor in the timeline, and click the Play button to start playback.

 5. Adjust the control that corresponds to the envelope point or keyframe you want to adjust.

During playback, adjusting a control will create envelope points or keyframes at the cursor position. As long as
you're adjusting the control, new envelope points/keyframes will be created for each change of the play cursor's
position.  
 6. Click Stop to end playback and stop recording automation.

Edit sections of your recorded settings in Touch mode

In Touch recording mode, envelope points or keyframes are created only while a control is being adjusted. When you
stop adjusting the control, automation recording stops and the existing envelope points/keyframes are unaffected.
Use Touch mode for touching up sections of your recorded automation settings.

 1. Select the Automation Settings button .

To toggle automation controls for all tracks, press Ctrl+A before selecting the Automation Settings button.
 2. Click the next to the Automation Settings button and choose Automation Write (Touch) from the menu.
The icon in the track header is displayed as a .

 3. Click to position the cursor in the timeline, and click the Play button to start playback.

 4. When you're ready to start editing, adjust the control that corresponds to the envelope point or keyframe you
want to adjust.

Envelope points/keyframes are updated at the cursor position, and when you stop adjusting the control, the
original settings are preserved.
 5. Click Stop to end playback and stop recording automation.
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Overwrite recorded settings in Latch mode

In Latch mode, envelope points or keyframes are created when you change a control setting, and recording continues
until you stop playback. When you stop adjusting the control, the control's current setting overwrites the existing
envelope points/keyframes.
Use Latch mode to overwrite automation settings with new values.

 1. Select the Automation Settings button .

To toggle automation controls for all tracks, press Ctrl+A before selecting the Automation Settings button.
 2. Click the next to the Automation Settings button and choose Automation Write (Latch) from the menu. The
icon in the track header is displayed as a .

 3. Click to position the cursor in the timeline, and click the Play button to start playback.

 4. When you're ready to start editing, adjust the control that corresponds to the envelope point or keyframe you
want to adjust.

Envelope points/keyframes are updated at the cursor position until you stop playback.
 5. Click Stop to end playback and stop recording automation.

Edit individual envelope points or keyframes

Editing individual envelope points gives you fine control over your recorded settings.

 1. Select the Automation Settings button .

 2. Click the next to the Automation Settings button and choose Track Automation: Write (Touch) or Track
Automation: Write (Latch) from the menu.
 3. Select the envelope tool and click the envelope point you want to edit.

You can right-click a point and choose Properties from the shortcut menu to display an effect's property page.
 4. Adjust the control that corresponds to the envelope point you want to adjust. The selected envelope point is
edited, and all others are unaffected.

For track envelopes, you can also edit the envelope directly in the timeline.

Set the automation recording mode for a track

 1. Select the Automation Settings button .

 2. Click the next to the Automation Settings button and choose a command from the menu to choose the
automation mode.
To set the automation mode for all tracks, press Ctrl+A before choosing a mode on any track.

Mode Track Description

Icon
Off Automated parameters are ignored during playback.
When you switch to Off mode, the control setting from the cursor position is used as a
static setting, and the envelope/keyframe is dimmed to indicate that it is unavailable.

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 Using Automation 151

Read The envelope/keyframe value is applied during playback, and the control reflects the
envelope/keyframe settings at the cursor position.
Adjustments to the control are not recorded.
Write The envelope/keyframe value is applied during playback, and the control follows the
(Touch) envelope/keyframe settings during playback and when you position the cursor.
Envelope points or keyframes are created only while a control is being adjusted. When you
stop adjusting the control, automation recording stops and the existing envelope
points/keyframes are unaffected.
Write The envelope/keyframe value is applied during playback, and the control follows the
(Latch) envelope/keyframe settings during playback and when you position the cursor.
Envelope points or keyframes are created when you change a control setting, and recording
continues until you stop playback. When you stop adjusting the control, the control's last
setting overwrites the existing envelope points/keyframes.
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Adding Effects
You can use DirectX and VST audio plug-ins at the event and track level, on busses, soft synths, or as assignable
effects chains.
If the plug-in you want to use isn't displayed in the Plug-In Chooser, you can use the Plug-In Manager window
to indicate where your plug-ins are installed and scan for plug-ins.
Be aware that using non-in-place plug-ins (such as Time Stretch, Pitch-Shift without preserving duration, and
some Vibrato settings) will cause audio to play out of synchronization with the waveform display in the timeline
and with other tracks. If an effects chain includes non-in-place plug-ins, the effects chain icon will be displayed
in yellow ( ).

When using ACID software as a ReWire device, any effects chain that includes non-in-place plug-ins will be
automatically bypassed to prevent synchronization problems with the ReWire mixer application. The effects
chain icon will be displayed in red ( ). Apply the plug-ins within the ReWire mixer application.

Track Effects
From the Tools menu, choose Track FX to apply or edit DirectX or VST plug-ins at the track level. Track-level plug-
ins are applied to every event on the selected track.
Be aware that using non-in-place plug-ins (such as Time Stretch, Pitch-Shift without preserving duration, and
some Vibrato settings) will cause audio to play out of synchronization with the waveform display in the timeline
and with other tracks. If an effects chain includes non-in-place plug-ins, the effects chain icon will be displayed
in yellow ( ) to indicate that automatic plug-in delay compensation is being used.

When input monitoring is on during audio recording, plug-in chains that cannot be used for live monitoring are
automatically bypassed and are displayed in red ( ).

When using ACID software as a ReWire device, any effects chain that includes non-in-place plug-ins is
automatically bypassed to prevent synchronization problems with the ReWire mixer application. The effects
chain icon is displayed in red ( ). Apply the plug-ins within the ReWire mixer application.

Add effects to a track

 1. Click the Track FX button on the track where you want to add effects. The Audio Plug-In window is
displayed.
The Track FX button is displayed in gray when a track does not have track effects assigned. When no effects
exist on a track, clicking the Track FX button displays the Audio Plug-In Chooser.
 2. Click the Edit Chain button in the Audio Plug-In window. The Plug-In Chooser is displayed.

 3. Select each plug-in you want to add and click the Add button or browse to a packaged effects chain. The plug-
ins appear at the top of the window in the order you added them.
To reorder the plug-ins within the chain, drag a plug-in button to a new location or click the Shift Plug-In
Left or Shift Plug in Right buttons.

 4. Once you have added all of the plug-ins and specified the plug-in chain order, click on the OK button to close
the Plug-In Chooser and return to the Audio Plug-In window.

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 5. Adjust the settings for the effects. For more information about using specific plug-ins, click the Plug-In Help
button .

You can also use the Insert FX control region in the Mixing Console window to add, remove, or configure track
effects. For more information, please see "Add or edit track (insert) effects" in Audio Track Channel Strips.

Edit a track effects chain

 1. Click the Track FX button on a track to open the Audio Plug-In window.

 2. Use the Audio Plug-In window to enable/bypass effects, edit effect parameters, and add/remove effects from a
chain. For more information about using specific plug-ins, click the Plug-In Help button .

You can also use the Insert FX control region in the Mixing Console window to edit the effects chain. For more
information, please see "Add or edit track (insert) effects" in Audio Track Channel Strips.

Automate effect parameters

If a plug-in supports it, you can use envelopes to automatically adjust effect parameters over time. For more
information about using automation envelopes on tracks, read more under "Automating Audio Effect Parameters"
on page 143.

Adding/Editing Audio Event Effects

Click the Event FX button on an event to apply or edit DirectX or VST plug-ins at the event level. Event-level
plug-ins are applied only to the event where they are applied.
Be aware that using non-in-place plug-ins (such as Time Stretch, Pitch-Shift without preserving duration, and
some Vibrato settings) will cause audio to play out of synchronization with the waveform display in the timeline
and with other tracks. If an effects chain includes non-in-place plug-ins, the effects chain icon will be displayed
in yellow ( ) to indicate that automatic plug-in delay compensation is being used. When input monitoring is
on during audio recording, plug-in chains that cannot be used for live monitoring are automatically bypassed
and are displayed in red ( ).

Create an event effects chain

 1. Click the Event FX button on the event where you want to add effects. The Audio Plug-In window is
displayed.
The Event FX button is displayed in gray when an event does not have effects assigned. When no effects exist
on an event, clicking the Event FX button displays the Plug-In Chooser.
 2. Click the Edit Chain button to display the Plug-In Chooser.

 3. Select each plug-in you want to add and click the Add button, or browse to an FX package. The plug-ins appear
at the top of the window in the order in which you added them.
To reorder the plug-ins within the chain, drag a plug-in button to a new location, or click the Move Plug-In
Left or Move Plug-In Right buttons.

 4. Once you have added all of the plug-ins and specified the plug-in chain order, click the OK button. The Audio
Plug-In window is displayed to allow you to edit the chain.

Edit an event effects chain

When you click the Event FX button on an event, the Audio Plug-In window is displayed to enable/bypass
154

effects, edit effect parameters, and add/remove effects from a chain.

Learn more about a specific plug-in

For more information about using specific plug-ins, click the Plug-In Help button in the Audio Event FX window
to display the plug-in's help file.

Adding Effects to a Bus

Bus effects will be applied to all tracks assigned to that bus. If a track contains track and bus effects, track effects will
be processed before the bus effects. For more information about the audio signal flow, see "Signal Flow Diagrams"
on page 308.
If you want to add effects to all audio in your project, you can add effects to the Master bus.
When input monitoring is on during audio recording, audio effects chains that contain non-in-place plug-ins
are displayed in yellow ( ) to indicate that automatic plug-in delay compensation is being used. Chains that
cannot be used for live monitoring are automatically bypassed and are displayed in red ( ).

When using ACID software as a ReWire device, any effects chain that includes non-in-place plug-ins is
automatically bypassed to prevent synchronization problems with the ReWire mixer application. The effects
chain icon is displayed in red ( ). Apply the plug-ins within the ReWire mixer application.

Add effects to a bus

Using the bus track header

 1. Click the Bus FX button on a bus track. The Plug-in Chooser window appears.

The Bus FX button is displayed in gray when a bus does not have effects assigned. When no effects exist on a
bus, clicking the Bus FX button displays the Audio Plug-In Chooser.
 2. Select each plug-in you want to add and click the Add button or browse to a packaged effects chain.
To reorder the plug-ins within the chain, drag a plug-in button to a new location or click the Shift Plug-In
Left or Shift Plug in Right buttons.

 3. Once you have added all of the plug-ins and specified the plug-in chain order, click on the OK button to close
the Plug-In Chooser and return to the Audio Plug-In window.
 4. Adjust the settings for the effects. For more information about using specific plug-ins, click the Plug-In Help
button .

Using the Mixing Console

You can also use the Insert FX control region in the Mixing Console to edit the effects chain for each bus.
For more information, please see Bus Channel Strips in the Mixing console help file.

Edit bus effects

 1. Click the Bus FX button on a bus track to open the Audio Plug-In window.

 2. Use the Audio Plug-In window to enable/bypass effects, edit effect parameters, and add/remove effects from a
chain. For more information about using specific plug-ins, click the Plug-In Help button .

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 Adding Effects 155

For more information about using the Insert FX control region in the Mixing Console to edit the effects chain, please
see Bus Channel Strips in the Mixing console help file.

Automate effect parameters

If a plug-in supports automation, you can add envelopes to a bus track to automatically adjust effect parameters over
time.
For more information about using automation envelopes on tracks, see "Adding Audio Track Envelopes" on
page 133.

Adding Plug-Ins to a Soft Synth

You can apply standard DirectX or VST audio plug-ins to MIDI tracks by adding effects to the soft synth channel
strip where the track is routed.
When input monitoring is on during audio recording, audio effects chains that contain non-in-place plug-ins
are displayed in yellow ( ) to indicate that automatic plug-in delay compensation is being used. Chains that
cannot be used for live monitoring are automatically bypassed and are displayed in red ( ).
When using ACID software as a ReWire device, any effects chain that includes non-in-place plug-ins is
automatically bypassed to prevent synchronization problems with the ReWire mixer application. The effects
chain icon is displayed in red ( ). Apply the plug-ins within the ReWire mixer application.

Add effects to a soft synth

Using the bus track header

 1. Click the Synth FX button on the soft synth bus track. The Plug-in Chooser window appears.

The Synth FX button is displayed in gray when a soft synth does not have effects assigned.
 2. Select each plug-in you want to add and click the Add button or browse to a packaged effects chain.
To reorder the plug-ins within the chain, drag a plug-in button to a new location or click the Shift Plug-In
Left or Shift Plug in Right buttons.

 3. Once you have added all of the plug-ins and specified the plug-in chain order, click the OK button to close the
Plug-In Chooser and display the Audio Plug-In window.
 4. Adjust the settings for the effects. For more information about using specific plug-ins, click the Plug-In Help
button .

Using the Mixing Console

You can also use the Insert FX control region in the Mixing Console to edit the effects chain for each soft synth.

Edit effects
 1. Click the Synth FX button on a soft synth bus track to open the Audio Plug-In window.

 2. Use the Audio Plug-In window to enable/bypass effects, edit effect parameters, and add/remove effects from a
chain. For more information about using specific plug-ins, click the Plug-In Help button .

You can also use the Insert FX control region in the Mixing Console window to edit the effects chain.

Automate effect parameters

If a plug-in supports automation, you can add envelopes to a soft synth's bus track to automatically adjust effect
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parameters over time.

For more information about using automation envelopes on tracks, please see "Adding Audio Track Envelopes" on
page 133.

The Audio Plug-In Window

From the View menu, choose Audio Plug-In to toggle the display of the Audio Plug-In window. This window
displays effects chains for the events, tracks, busses, assignable FX chains, and soft synths in your project. Use the
Audio Plug-In window to enable/bypass effects, add/remove DirectX and VST effects, edit effect parameters, and
configure effects automation.
Be aware that using non-in-place plug-ins (such as Time Stretch, Pitch-Shift without preserving duration, and
some Vibrato settings) will cause audio to play out of synchronization with the waveform display in the timeline
and with other tracks. If an effects chain includes non-in-place plug-ins, the effects chain icon will be displayed
in yellow ( ).

When using ACID software as a ReWire device, any effects chain that includes non-in-place plug-ins will be
automatically bypassed to prevent synchronization problems with the ReWire mixer application. The effects
chain icon will be displayed in red ( ). Apply the plug-ins within the ReWire mixer application.

Enable or bypass effects

Select the check box for each plug-in you want to apply to the track, or clear a check box to bypass an effect without
removing it from the chain.
The effect of plug-ins on a chain is cumulative, so you may need to rearrange the plug-ins so that one plug-in's
processing does not adversely affect other plug-ins in the chain. To reorder the plug-ins within the chain, drag a
plug-in button to a new location.

You can bypass, enable, or delete all plug-ins in the chain by right-clicking the button in the track list or
Mixing Console window and choosing a command from the shortcut menu.

Edit effect parameters

Click the plug-in's button to select it, and use the bottom half of the window to adjust the effect's parameters. For
more information about using a specific plug-in, click the Plug-In Help button .

Add or remove effects

 1. Click the Edit Chain button to display the Plug-In Chooser.

 2. Select a plug-in button, and then click the Add or Remove button. The modified chain is displayed at the top of
the window.
 3. DirectX Effects that can be automated are indicated by the icon in the Plug-In Chooser.

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 4. VST plug-ins are indicated by the icon in the Plug-In Chooser.

 5. Click the OK button. The Audio Plug-In dialog is displayed.

Tips:

 l You can bypass, enable, or delete all plug-ins in the chain by right-clicking the button in the track list or
Mixing Console window and choosing a command from the shortcut menu.
 l You can remove a plug-in from the Audio Plug-In dialog by selecting the plug-in and clicking the Remove
Selected Plug-In button .

Load an effects chain or plug-in preset

Loading a plug-in chain preset

Choose a setting from the Chain drop-down list. The preset chain is loaded using the saved settings for each DirectX
and VST plug-in in the chain.

Loading a preset for an individual DirectX plug-in

Choose a setting from the Preset drop-down list. The plug-in settings stored in the preset are loaded.

Loading a preset for an individual VST plug-in

 1. Click the Open VST Preset button .

The Open VST Preset dialog is displayed.

 2. Browse to the .fxp file that you want to use.
 3. Click the Open button.

The current VST preset is replaced with the settings stored in the .fxp file.
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Loading a bank of VST plug-in presets

 1. Click the Open Effect Bank button .

The Open VST Preset Bank dialog is displayed.

 2. Browse to the .fxb file that you want to use.
 3. Click the Open button.

All presets for the current VST plug-in are replaced with the settings stored in the .fxb file, and the first preset in
the bank is loaded by default.

Create or delete an effects chain or plug-in preset

Create a plug-in chain preset

 1. Add the effects that you want to use and adjust the settings for each plug-in.
 2. Type a name in the Chain Preset box.
 3. Click the Save Chain Preset button . The order of the effects in the chain and the settings for each plug-in
are saved.

Create a preset for an individual DirectX plug-in

 1. Adjust the settings for the plug-in.

 2. Type a name in the Preset box.
 3. Click the Save Preset button . The settings for the current plug-in are saved.

Saving a preset for an individual VST plug-in

 1. Type a name in the Preset box.

 2. Click the Save VST Preset As button . The Save VST Preset dialog is displayed.

 3. Browse to the folder where you want to save the .fxp file and type a name in the File name box.
 4. Click the Save button. The current plug-in settings are saved in the .fxp file.
Saving a bank of VST plug-in presets

 1. Click the Save VST Bank As button . The Save VST Preset Bank dialog is displayed.

 2. Browse to the folder where you want to save the .fxb file and type a name in the File name box.
 3. Click the Save button. All presets for the current plug-in are stored in the bank.
Delete a preset

Choose a preset from the Chain or Preset drop-down list and click the Delete button .

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Notes:

 l You cannot delete built-in presets.

 l VST plug-in settings are loaded or saved using .fxp and .fxb files as described above. Individual presets and
banks cannot be deleted from the Audio Plug-In window.

Automate effect parameters

If a plug-in supports it, you can use envelopes to automatically adjust effect parameters over time. Automation
envelopes can be added to tracks and bus tracks to control individual effect parameters for track effects, bus effects,
and assignable effects.
For more information about using automation envelopes on tracks, see "Adding Audio Track Envelopes" on
page 133.
When you add a plug-in that supports automation, the Bypass FX Automation button is displayed in the Audio
Plug-In window:

 l After you've added effect automation envelopes, the Bypass FX Automation button is deselected, and effect
parameters are automated using the envelope settings.
 l When the button is selected, effect automation envelopes are ignored and the effect's initial state is used for the
duration of the track.
 l If you delete all automation envelopes from a plug-in, the Bypass FX Automation button is unavailable.

The Plug-In Manager Window

From the View menu, choose Plug-In Manager to toggle the display of the Plug-In Manager window.
This window organizes your DirectX and VST plug-ins (VST effects and instruments), and ReWire devices.
You can use this window to access effects and effects packages that can be applied to events, tracks, busses,
assignable effects chains, and soft synth busses. You can also rename and reorganize plug-ins.
For information about adding effects to your project, see "Adding Effects" on page 152.
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.

Scan your computer for plug-ins

Scanning your computer for VST plug-ins is a two-stage process: first, you need to tell ACID where your plug-ins
are installed, and then you can scan those folders for plug-ins.
You don't need to scan for DirectX or ReWire plug-ins. These plug-ins are registered with Windows and are
detected automatically.

 1. From the View menu, choose Plug-In Manager if the window isn't already visible.
 2. Click the Configure VST button at the top of the Plug-In Manager window. The Plug-In Configuration
dialog is displayed. The dialog displays a list of folders where ACID looks for VST plug-ins.
 3. Indicate where your plug-ins are installed:
 l If you want to add a new folder, click the Add button and then browse to the folder where your plug-in is
installed.
 l If you want to edit an existing folder path, select a folder in the Search Folder column, click the Edit button,
and then browse to the folder where your plug-in is installed.
 l If you want to remove an existing folder, select a folder in the Search Folder column and click the Remove
button.
 4. Click the Scan button to start scanning your folders for plug-ins.
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View plug-ins
When you open the Plug-In Manager window, an Explorer view is displayed with separate folders for your plug-ins.
Folder Description
Audio Displays all your DirectX and VST audio plug-ins.
FX You can drag plug-ins to tracks or Mixing Console channel strips to add effects to your project.
Select the All folder to display all audio plug-ins.

 l The Failed folder contains plug-ins that did not scan correctly or timed out during scanning. These
plug-ins cannot be used in ACID. You can right-click a plug-in and choose Rescan from the
shortcut menu to attempt to rescan the plug-in for use in ACID.
 l The Ignored folder contains plug-ins that you want to prevent ACID from using without
uninstalling the plug-in. You can right-click a plug-in and choose Ignore from the shortcut menu
or drag it to the Ignored folder.
 l The Unavailable folder contains plug-ins that you have uninstalled since running ACID. ACID
preserves information about uninstalled plug-ins so settings can be restored if the plug-ins are
reinstalled.

The Audio FX folder also contains additional folders you can use to organize and categorize your plug-
ins. Please see "Organize plug-ins with folders" in this help topic for more information.
ReWire Displays your ReWire device (client) applications.
Devices Select the All folder to display all ReWire clients.
The Ignored folder contains plug-ins that you want to prevent ACID from using without uninstalling
the plug-in. You can right-click a plug-in and choose Ignore from the shortcut menu or drag it to the
Ignored folder.
The ReWire Devices folder also contains a Favorites folder you can use to keep your most-often-used
ReWire clients handy. You can right-click a plug-in and choose Add to Favorites from the shortcut
menu or drag it to the Favorites folder.
To create custom folders for organizing your plug-ins, you can right-click a folder and choose New
Folder from the shortcut menu.
Soft Displays all your VST instrument (VSTi) plug-ins.
Synths Select the All folder to display all soft synths.

 l The Failed folder contains plug-ins that did not scan correctly or timed out during scanning. These
plug-ins cannot be used in ACID.
 l The Ignored folder contains plug-ins that you want to prevent ACID from using without
uninstalling the plug-in. You can right-click a plug-in and choose Ignore from the shortcut menu
or drag it to the Ignored folder.
 l The Unavailable folder contains plug-ins that you have uninstalled since running ACID. ACID
preserves information about uninstalled plug-ins so settings can be restored if the plug-ins are
reinstalled.

The Soft Synths folder also contains subfolders you can use to organize and categorize your plug-ins by
instrument type and vendor. Please see "Organize plug-ins with folders" in this help topic for more
information.

The toolbar at the top of the window helps you navigate the Plug-In Manager window and adjust its display.
Item Name Description

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Address Displays the current folder. You can choose a folder from this drop-down list or
Bar click a folder in the tree view to navigate the Plug-In Manager.
Tree Displays all of the folder that you can use to organize your plug-in.
View

Contents Displays the contents of the selected folder.

Pane
Up Opens the folder one level above the selected folder.

Refresh Refreshes the contents of the active folder.

New Adds a new folder where you can drag plug-ins.

Folder
Delete Deletes a user-created folder or removes the selected plug-in from a user-created
folder. When you delete a folder, only the folder is deleted. The plug-ins remain on
your system.
Only user-created folders can be deleted.
Views Click the down arrow next to the Views button and choose a command from the
menu to change the way the plug-ins are displayed.
Tree View Displays all of the available folders on the left side of the window.
Details Displays detailed information about each plug-in.

Organize plug-ins with folders

The Audio FX , ReWire Devices, and Soft Synths folders contain subfolders to help you organize your plug-ins.
Several folders are displayed by default, and you can add your own folders. Each plug-in can be assigned to multiple
folders, but audio plug-ins and soft synths can be assigned to only one category.
If you want to create a folder to group your plug-ins, select a folder and click the New Folder button on the
toolbar (or right-click a folder and choose New Folder from the shortcut menu).
To add a plug-in to a folder, drag the plug-in from the right-hand pane to a folder.
To remove a plug-in from a folder, navigate to the folder, select the plug-in, and click the Delete button on the
toolbar.
Displaying audio plug-in folders in the Mixing Console window

You can use folders and categories to organize plug-ins in the Mixing Console window.
When you click the Insert FX button in the Mixing Console, plug-ins are grouped into
submenus.
If you want to use folders and categories to organize plug-ins in the Mixing Console
window, right-click a folder in the Plug-In Manager and choose Show in Insert FX
Submenu from the shortcut menu.
If you want to remove a folder or category from the Mixing Console window, right-
click a folder in the Plug-In Manager and choose Show in Insert FX Submenu from
the shortcut menu to deselect the Show in Insert FX Submenu command.
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Show or hide folders

To simplify the Plug-In Manager, you can choose to hide specific folders.
You can hide the following folders (default folders cannot be hidden):

 l User-created folders
 l Failed, Unavailable, and Ignored folders
 l DirectX, VST, and Track Optimized folders
Hiding a folder

Right-click a folder in the Plug-In Manager and choose Hide from the shortcut menu.
Showing hidden folders

 1. Right-click a folder and choose Properties from the shortcut menu.
 2. Click the Show all Hidden Subfolders button. All hidden folders below the selected folder are shown.

Classify audio plug-ins and soft synths with categories

Categories help you organize your plug-ins by type. The Audio FX folder contains several default categories, and the
Soft Synths folder contains an Instruments folder with default instrument categories. You can also create your own
categories to help you organize your plug-ins.
Each plug-in can be assigned to only one category.
If you want to create a new category, select the Categories or Instruments folder and click the New Folder button
on the toolbar. To add a plug-in to a category, perform either of the following actions:

 l Drag the plug-in from the right-hand pane to a category.

 l Right-click a plug-in in the right-hand pane, choose Set Category or Set Instrument from the shortcut menu,
and then choose a category from the menu.

To change a plug-in's category, perform either of the following actions:

 l Navigate to the folder, select the plug-in, and drag it to a different category folder.
 l Right-click a plug-in in the right-hand pane, choose Set Category or Set Instrument from the shortcut menu,
and then choose a category from the menu.

If you want to edit a category, right-click its folder and choose Properties from the shortcut menu. You can edit the
category's name (only for user-created categories), short name, and description. Default categories are locked, but
you can clear the Locked check box to edit them.

Rename a plug-in
If you want to change a plug-in's name, right-click the plug-in in the Plug-In Manager window and choose Rename
from the shortcut menu. You can then type a new name in the edit box.
To reset a plug-in's default name, right-click the plug-in and choose Reset Name from the shortcut menu.

Ignore a plug-in
If you want to prevent ACID from using a plug-in, but you don't want to uninstall the plug-in, you can ignore it: just
right-click a plug-in and choose Ignore from the shortcut menu.
To re-enable an ignored plug-in, right-click a plug-in and choose Ignore from the shortcut menu to deselect the
Ignore command.

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Edit plug-in or folder properties

Right-click a plug-in and choose Properties from the shortcut menu to display a Properties dialog. You can use the
plug-in properties dialog to change the name, vendor, or category of a plug-in or to add it to the Favorites folder.
Right-click a folder and choose Properties from the shortcut menu to display a Properties dialog. You can use the
folder properties dialog to change the name or description of a folder, show hidden folders, lock/unlock a folder, or
show the folder on Insert FX submenu in the Mixing Console.

Use audio plug-ins

When viewing plug-ins in the Audio FX folders, the following icons are used to represent your plug-ins:
Icon Description
Represents a DirectX audio plug-in.

Represents a DirectX audio plug-in that supports automation.

Represents a VST audio plug-in.

Represents a locked VST plug-in.

When you use a VST plug-in in your project, ACID will lock it for the remainder of your ACID session. A
lock is displayed to indicate that the plug-in cannot be removed until you close and restart the application.

To add plug-ins to your project, you can drag them from folders in the Plug-In Manager window to tracks or channel
strips in the Mixing Console window.

Use ReWire devices

When viewing ReWire devices in the ReWire Devices folders, the following icons are used to represent your plug-
ins:
Icon Description
Represents a ReWire device that is not currently in use.

Represents a ReWire device that is currently in use by a soft synth bus.

When you select a ReWire device, its outputs are displayed on the right side of the Plug-In Manager
window. This icon represents an unused ReWire output.
Represents a ReWire output that is in use.

To add a ReWire device to your project, select a ReWire device in the left-hand pane to display its outputs in the
right-hand pane. You can then right-click an output and choose Insert Rewire Device Bus from the shortcut
menu to add a soft synth bus to the Mixing Console window.

Use soft synths

When viewing soft synths in the Soft Synths folders, the following icons are used to represent your plug-ins:
Icon Description
Represents a soft synth.

Represents a locked VSTi plug-in.

When you use a VSTi plug-in in your project, ACID will lock it for the remainder of your ACID session. A
lock is displayed to indicate that the plug-in cannot be removed until you close and restart the application.
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To add a soft synth to your project, right-click a soft synth in the right-hand pane and choose Insert Soft Synth
from the shortcut menu. A soft synth bus is added to the Mixing Console window.

Bypassing All Audio Effects

From the Options menu, choose Bypass All Audio FX to omit all audio effects (track, bus, and assignable effects)
during playback.
Bypassing effects allows you to quickly compare your project with and without effects and conserve processing
power to avoid playback problems.
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.

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Mixing Audio
You can add an unlimited number of audio tracks to your project, and you can mix the tracks in two ways:

 l The audio track controls in the track list allow you to adjust relative track volumes, panning, assignable FX send
levels, and bus send levels for individual tracks.
 l The Mixer window allows for advanced multichannel mixing using busses and assignable effects.

The Mixing Console Window

From the View menu, choose Mixing Console to display the Mixing Console window.
The Mixing Console window provides an integrated view of all tracks and busses in your project using the
appearance of a traditional hardware-based mixer.

Using Busses
You can use busses to group and mix tracks. The most common uses of busses are for routing tracks and effects
outputs to specific hardware outputs or simply to use a bus as a master control for a set of tracks.
For example, if you wanted to control the master level of all your drum tracks to a relative level, you could create a
bus and assign all drum tracks to that bus. After your drums are mixed, you can adjust the overall volume of the
drum tracks by adjusting the bus volume.
To see the audio signal flow, see "Signal Flow Diagrams" on page 308.

Adding or Deleting Busses

From the Insert menu, choose Bus (or click the Insert Bus button in the Mixing Console window) to add a bus
to your project.
The number of busses in your project will be determined by several factors, such as the number of outputs that your
hardware contains or how you will be using and applying effects throughout your project.
You can add up to 26 busses, and you can change the number of busses at any time.
By default, all busses are assigned to the Master bus. In this configuration, you can use them for creating subgroups
of tracksfor example, you could route all your drum tracks to a bus so you can adjust their levels together without
changing their relative levels. However, you can also route busses to hardware outputs so you can use busses for
sending tracks to external effects processors or for mixing on an external mixer.—

Add a bus

From the Insert menu, choose Bus to add a bus to your project.
If the Mixing Console Window is visible, click the Insert Bus button .

Rename a bus

To rename a bus, double-click the label at the bottom of the channel strip and type a new name in the box (or press
F2 to rename the selected bus). The channel strip in the Mixing Console is updated when you press Enter:
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Delete all characters in a custom bus name to reset a custom bus name to its default.

Delete a bus

Right-click a bus channel strip and choose Delete from the shortcut menu, or select a bus channel strip in the
Mixing Console window and press the Delete key.
When you remove a bus from a project, any tracks assigned to that bus will be reassigned to the Master bus.

Routing Busses
You can create up to 26 (plus the Master) virtual busses that you can route to hardware attached to your computer
or to other busses.
By default, all busses are assigned to the Master bus. In this configuration, you can use them for creating subgroups
of tracksfor example, you could route all your drum tracks to a bus so you can adjust their levels together without
changing their relative levels. When you assign busses to hardware outputs, you can use busses for sending tracks
to external effects processors or for mixing on an external mixer.—
When you route busses to hardware outputs, those busses will not be included in the mix when you render
your project.

Route a bus to another bus

Using bus track headers

 1. Add busses to your project.

 2. If bus tracks aren't already visible, choose Show Bus Tracks from the View menu.
 3. Click the Playback Device Selector button on the audio bus track and choose a bus from the menu:
 l The button is displayed as a when a bus is routed to the master bus.

 l The bus letter is displayed ( , , and so on) when a bus is routed to another bus.

 l The button is displayed as a when a bus is routed to a hardware output (not available for soft synth bus
controls).

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To prevent feedback, you cannot perform circular routing. For example, if your project has two busses and bus A
is routed to B, bus B can only be routed to the Master bus.

Using the Mixing Console window

 1. Add busses to your project.

 2. If the window isn't already visible, choose Mixing Console from the View menu.
 3. If the I/O control region isn't already visible, click the I/O button in the View pane.
 4. To choose an output device, click the Output button and choose a bus from the menu.

Route a bus to a hardware output

Before you get started, verify that you are using Windows classic wave drivers or an ASIO driver:

 1. From the Options menu, choose Preferences and click the Audio Device tab.
 2. From the Audio device type drop-down list, choose Windows Classic Wave Driver or an ASIO driver.
 3. Click OK to close the Preferences dialog.

If you have selected Microsoft Sound Mapper in the Audio device type drop-down list on the Audio Device tab
in the Preferences dialog, you will not be able to assign the bus to a different device.

Using bus track headers

 1. Add busses to your project.

 2. If bus tracks aren't already visible, choose Show Bus Tracks from the View menu.
 3. Click the Playback Device Selector button on the audio bus track and choose an ouput device from the menu:
 l The button is displayed as a when a bus is routed to the master bus.

 l The bus letter is displayed ( , , and so on) when a bus is routed to another bus.

 l The button is displayed as a when a bus is routed to a hardware output.

Using the Mixing Console window

 1. Add busses to your project.

 2. If the window isn't already visible, choose Mixing Console from the View menu.
 3. If the I/O control region isn't already visible, click the I/O button in the View pane.
 4. To choose an output device, click the Output button and choose an ouput device from the menu.
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Assigning Tracks to Busses

Assigning tracks to busses allows you to apply settings to a series of tracks or route tracks to a hardware output.
For example, if you wanted to apply the same three effects to several tracks, you could apply the effects to a bus and
assign the tracks to that bus. If you wanted to send several tracks to a single hardware output, you could assign the
tracks to a bus and then route the bus to a hardware output.

Assign a track to a bus

 1. Click the bus button on the track.

The button is displayed as a when the track is routed to the master bus, and the bus letter is displayed ( ,
, and so on) when a track is routed to another bus.

 2. Select the desired bus from the menu. The Bus button changes to display the selected bus.

If the Bus button does not appear on the track, you have not specified more than one bus in your project
settings.
You can also use the I/O control region in the Mixing console window to assign a track to a bus. For more
information, please see Audio Track Channel Strips in the Mixing console help file.
Bus sends are pre-volume by default. In Post Volume mode, the following settings are applied to the track
before it is sent to the bus: track volume, track volume envelopes, track panning, and track panning envelopes.

To change to post-volume, right-click the fader handle and choose Post Volume from the shortcut menu.

Adjust a bus send level 

 1. Click the label on the multipurpose slider and choose the desired bus from the menu. The label changes to
reflect the name of the bus.

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If you can't see the multipurpose slider, drag the bottom edge of the track header to increase its height.
 2. Drag the fader to adjust the level of the track sent to the bus.

You can also use the Sends control region in the Mixing console window to configure bus sends. For more
information, please see Audio Track Channel Strips in the Mixing console help file.
Tips:

 l Bus sends are pre-volume (and pre-mute) by default. When bus sends are pre-volume, you can create a cue mix
that is independent of your main mix. To change to post-volume, right-click the bus fader and choose Post
Volume from the shortcut menu.
 l If you want to apply track panning to bus sends (including pan position and panning mode), right click the bus
fader and choose Link to Main Track Pan from the shortcut menu.

When Link to Main Track Pan is not selected, the track sends a center-panned stereo signal using the track's
current panning mode.
 l Select the Use legacy track send gain check box on the Audio page of the Preferences dialog if you want to
configure audio track sends to behave as they did in ACID 6.0 and earlier. When the check box is selected, you
can open projects created with earlier versions of ACID and be assured they will sound the same as they did in
earlier versions of ACID.

Creating a Submix Using Busses

When you start a new project, all audio tracks are routed to the master bus. In this configuration, you can adjust the
volume of your individual audio tracks to establish the mix, and you can adjust the master bus to raise or lower the
overall volume of your projects.
If you're creating more complicated audio projects, you will likely want more control over your project. For example,
imagine your horns were recorded to several tracks. If you decided that your mix was nearly perfect, but you wanted
to bring out the horns just a bit, you could adjust the Volume fader on each horn track. However, it would be much
faster to submix your horn tracks to a dedicated bus: with a submix, you can adjust the overall level of the submixed
tracks without changing their overall levels, add effects, and mute or solo the submix.
In this sample project, notice that we have eight tracks that are all routed to the Master bus and that the levels of
tracks 4-8 have been adjusted to mix the horns.
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 1. First, let's click the Insert Bus button in the Mixing Console window to create a new bus for our submix.

 2. By default, the bus is named Bus A. Let's double-click the bus label in the Mixing Console window and type
"Horns" in the box to give our submix bus a more descriptive name.
 3. Now we need to route our horn tracks to the new submix bus.
 a. Hold Shift and click the track icon on track 4.
 b. Continue holding Shift and click the track icon on track 8. Tracks 4-8 are now selected.
 c. Click the bus icon on any selected track and choose Bus A (Horns) from the menu. The selected tracks are
now all assigned to the submix bus.

When you look at the project now, you'll see that the track headers for tracks 4-8 display an to indicate that
they're routed to bus A:

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In the Mixing Console window, the I/O control region shows that Bus A is routed to the master bus: the horn tracks
are still part of the master mix because they're routed from the track to Bus A and then back to the Master bus.
If you want to automate volume, panning, and effects parameters over time, you can use envelopes on the submix
bus track. For example, if you wanted to make all the horn tracks quieter during a verse and louder during a bridge,
you could apply a volume envelope to the submix bus track.

Using Input Busses with Hardware-Based Effects

Plug-ins are great, but there are times when you may want the sound of a specific piece of hardware for your tracks.
This help topic will show you how to use auxiliary busses and input busses to send a track to an external processor.

 1. Connect your effects processor to your audio interface:

 a. Connect the input of your effects processor to an output from your sound card (for this example, we'll use
LineOut 1
 b. Connect the output of your effects processor to an input on your sound card (for this example, we'll use
Inst 1).
 2. Add a bus to your project. This bus will be used as a destination to send a track to your effects processor.
 3. Configure your bus to send its output to your effects processor:

In the I/O control region of the bus's channel strip, click the Output button and choose the output that is
connected to your effects processor's input (LineOut 1/LineOut 2 for this example).
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This auxiliary bus provides a signal path to your effects

processor's input.

 4. Add an input bus to your project. This input bus will receive the signal from your effects processor.
 5. Configure your input bus to take its input from the effects processor and send its output to your main mix:
 a. In the I/O control region of the input bus's channel strip, click the Input Source button and choose the
sound card input that is connected to your effects processor's output (Inst 1 for this example).
 b. Click the Output button and choose the output where you want to send your processed signal. We’ll send
this signal to the master bus so it is included with your main mix and will be included when performing a
real-time render.

This input bus provides a signal path from your effects processor's output to your project.

 6. Send your track to the effects processor:

Click the bus button on the track header and choose the bus you created in step 2.

The bus button on the track header lets you send

the track's audio to your effects processor.

 7. Click Play .

When you play your project, the track is sent to your auxiliary bus, into the effects processor, out of the effects
processor into the input bus, and out to the master bus.

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 8. When you're ready to render your project, you can use real-time rendering to include the output from your
effects processor with your project.

  Using Input Busses with Hardware-Based Synthesizers

If you'd like to use your vintage synth with your ACID project, this help topic will show you how to use input busses
to send a MIDI track to a hardware synthesizer.

 1. Connect the MIDI Out port on your MIDI interface to the MIDI In port on your synthesizer.
 2. Connect the audio output of your synthesizer to an input on your sound card (for this example, we'll use Inst 1).
 3. Add an input bus to your project. This input bus will receive the audio signal from your synthesizer.
 4. Configure your input bus to take its input from the synthesizer and send its output to your main mix:
 a. In the I/O control region of the input bus's channel strip, click the Input Source button, and choose the
sound card input that is connected to your synthesizer's output (Inst 1 for this example.
 b. Click the Output button and choose the output where you want to send your synthesizer's signal. We’ll
send this signal to the master bus so it is included with your main mix and will be included when
performing a real-time render.

This input bus provides a signal path from your synthesizer's audio output to your project.

 5. Send a MIDI track to the synthesizer:

Click the MIDI Output button on the track header and choose the MIDI port where you connected your
synthesizer in step 1.

The MIDI Output on the track header lets you send

the track's MIDI to your synthesizer.

 6. Click Play .

When you play your project, the track is sent to your synthesizer, out of the synthesizer into the input bus, and
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out to the master bus.

 7. When you're ready to render your project, you can use real-time rendering to include the output from your
synthesizer with your project.

Monitoring an External Source without Mixing it with Your Project

You may not want every signal that goes through the Mixing Console to be mixed with your project. For example,
you could set up a cue (talkback) microphone to communicate between the control room and recording booth.
This help topic will show you how to use an input bus to set up a cue microphone.

 1. Add an input bus to your project.

 2. Connect a microphone to an input on your sound card (for this example, we'll use Mic/Inst 1).
 3. In the recording booth, connect a pair of powered speakers or a headphone amplifier to an output on your
sound card (for this example, we'll use LineOut 3L/LineOut 4R).
 4. Set up your input bus:
 a. In the I/O control region of the input bus channel strip, click the Input Source button and choose the
sound card input where your cue microphone is connected:
 b. Click the Output button and choose the sound card output where your speaker or headphone amplifier is
connected:

When you speak into the cue microphone, its output is sent to the recording booth without being mixed into your
project output.

Using Input Busses

You can use input busses to input, process, record, and mix external audio sources with your ACID project.
Following are some examples of how you can use input busses in your projects:

 l Use an input bus as a recording input, allowing you to apply effects and record a wet signal.
 l Use an input bus as a mixer input for an external device, such as a synthesizer.
 l Use an input bus as a return for hardware-based effects.
 l Use an input bus to monitor a source such as a talkback microphone.

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Adding or Deleting Input Busses

From the Insert menu, choose Input Bus (or click the Insert Input Bus button in the Mixing Console window) to
add an input bus to your project.
You can add up to 26 input busses, and you can change the number of busses at any time.

Add a bus

From the Insert menu, choose Input Bus to add an input bus to your project.
If the Mixing Console Window is visible, click the Insert Input Bus button .

Rename a bus

To rename a bus, double-click the label at the bottom of the channel strip and type a new name in the box (or press
F2 to rename the selected bus). The channel strip in the Mixing Console is updated when you press Enter:

Delete all characters in a custom bus name to reset a custom bus name to its default.

Delete a bus

Right-click an input bus channel strip and choose Delete from the shortcut menu, or select an input bus channel
strip in the Mixing Console window and press the Delete key.

Recording Using an Input Bus

When you use an input bus to record audio, you can include input bus effects with the recorded signal. For example,
imagine that you need to record an electric guitar with an amplifier-modeling plug-in.
Scenario 1: Plug your guitar into your sound card's instrument input and choose that input as your recording input:
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In this scenario, you could then add your amplifier-modeling plug-in as a track effect and record with input
monitoring on. Your guitar would be recorded directly (without the plug-in), and the plug-in would be processed
each time you play or render your project. This method allows you to adjust the plug-in settings as you work on your
project.
Scenario 2: Set up an input bus that uses your amplifier-modeling plug-in as an insert effect, and choose that input
bus as your recording input:

In this scenario, your amplifier-modeling plug-in is cooked into the recorded signal. This method allows you to
record your processed signal but doesn't allow you to change your amplifier settings without re-recording the guitar
part.

 1. Add an input bus to your project.

 2. Set up your input bus:
 a. Click the Add New Insert FX button in the Insert FX control region of the input bus

channel strip to add plug-ins to your input bus.

 b. In the I/O control region of the input bus channel strip, click the Input Source button and choose the
sound card input you want to record:

 c. Click the Output button in the I/O control region of the input bus channel strip and choose Off. The bus
output is left off so we can monitor the input through the track.
 3. Set your track to record from your input bus:

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 a. Click the Record Input button, choose Input Busses from the menu, and choose your input bus.

 b. Click the Record Input button and choose Input Monitor Mode: On or Input Monitor Mode: Auto so you
can hear your input signal during recording.
 l When Auto is selected, you will hear the input monitor signal when playback is stopped and
during recording. If you're recording into selected events, you'll hear the input monitor signal only
when the cursor passes over the selected events.
 l When On is selected, the behavior is similar to Auto mode, but you will always hear the input
monitor during recording — monitoring is not toggled on and off when recording into a selected event.
Your ability to monitor effects in real time is dependent on your computer's performance. Effect
automation envelopes are bypassed during record monitoring.
 4. Position the cursor where you want to start recording.
 5. Select the Arm for Record buttons on the track where you want to record. Arming a track enables it for
recording.

When a track is armed, the track meter displays the track's level. If input monitoring is not on, the meter
displays the level of your input source. If input monitoring is turned on, the meter shows the level of the input
source plus the track effects chain.

 6. Click the Record button on the Transport bar to start recording.

 7. To stop recording, click the Record button again or click the Stop button on the Transport bar. The
Recorded Files dialog is displayed.
 8. Use the Recorded Files dialog to confirm the file name and location of your recorded audio. Click Delete or
Delete All if you do not want to save the recorded files, or click Rename to change the file's name.
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 9. Click Done to close the Recorded Files dialog. Your recorded file is displayed as a new event in the timeline.

Real-Time Rendering
From the File menu, choose Real-Time Render to render your project in real time.
Real-time rendering is a playback mode that renders your project to .wav format. Real-time rendering allows you to
include the output from an external input source such as a hardware synth or effects processor with your project.
Notes:

 l When you start real-time rendering, any track that is armed for recording will be unarmed. You cannot arm a
track for recording or start recording in real-time rendering mode.
 l When rendering a project that does not use external audio hardware, real-time rendering and normal rendering
will produce the same output. Real-time rendering will take longer to complete, allowing you to monitor the
rendered file as it is created.
 l If metronome count in is enabled, it will be turned off before real-time rendering begins. If the metronome is
enabled for playback, it will not be included in the rendered output.

 1. From the File menu, choose Real-Time Render.

 2. Choose a drive and folder from the Save in drop-down list, or use the browse window to locate the folder where
you want to save your file.
When using real-time rendering, render your project to a local hard drive. Rendering to a network folder or
removable drive can result in gapping.
 3. Type a name in the File name box, or select a file in the browse window to replace an existing file.
 4. Click Save to start rendering your project from the beginning of the timeline.

Using Assignable Effects

Use assignable effects chains when you want to route multiple tracks to a chain of DirectX or VST plug-ins while
setting the effects send level for each track independently.
To see the audio signal flow, see "Signal Flow Diagrams" on page 308.

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When input monitoring is on during audio recording, audio effects chains that contain non-in-place plug-ins
are displayed in yellow ( ) to indicate that automatic plug-in delay compensation is being used. Chains that
cannot be used for live monitoring are automatically bypassed and are displayed in red ( ).

When using ACID software as a ReWire device, any effects chain that includes non-in-place plug-ins is
automatically bypassed to prevent synchronization problems with the ReWire mixer application. The effects
chain icon is displayed in red ( ). Apply the plug-ins within the ReWire mixer application.

Adding an Assignable Effects Chain

From the Insert menu, choose Assignable FX (or click the Insert Assignable FX button in the Mixing Console
window) to create an effects chain to which you can route tracks in your project.
You can add up to 32 assignable effects chains, and you can change the number of chains at any time. Each
chain can have up to 32 plug-ins.  
When input monitoring is on during audio recording, audio effects chains that contain non-in-place plug-ins
are displayed in yellow ( ) to indicate that automatic plug-in delay compensation is being used. Chains that
cannot be used for live monitoring are automatically bypassed and are displayed in red ( ).

When using ACID software as a ReWire device, any effects chain that includes non-in-place plug-ins is
automatically bypassed to prevent synchronization problems with the ReWire mixer application. The effects
chain icon is displayed in red ( ). Apply the plug-ins within the ReWire mixer application.

Create an assignable effects chain

 1. From the Insert menu, choose Assignable FX. The FX Plug-In Chooser window appears.
 2. Select each plug-in you want to add and click the Add button or browse to a packaged effects chain. The plug-
ins appear at the top of the window in the order you added them.
To reorder the plug-ins within the chain, drag a plug-in button to a new location or click the Shift Plug-In
Left or Shift Plug in Right buttons.

 3. Once you have added plug-ins and set the chain order, click the OK button. The new assignable effects chain is
added to the Mixing Console window, and the Audio Plug-In window appears.
 4. Adjust the settings for the effects. For more information about using specific plug-ins, click the Plug-In Help
button .

Edit an assignable effects chain

 1. Click the Assignable FX button on an bus track to open the Audio Plug-In window.

 2. Use the Audio Plug-In window to enable/bypass effects, edit effect parameters, and add/remove effects from a
chain. For more information about using specific plug-ins, click the Plug-In Help button .

For more information about using the Insert FX control region in the Mixing Console to edit the effects chain, please
see Assignable Effects Strips.

Automate effect parameters

If a plug-in supports automation, you can add envelopes to an assignable effect chain's bus track to automatically
adjust effect parameters over time.
For more information about using automation envelopes on tracks, see "Adding Audio Track Envelopes" on
page 133.
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Delete an assignable effects chain

Right-click an assignable effects channel strip in the Mixing Console window and choose Delete from the shortcut
menu, or select an assignable effects channel strip and press the Delete key.

Routing Tracks to an Assignable Effects Chain

Routing tracks to an assignable effects chain allows you to assign multiple tracks to a plug-in chain.
In order to route tracks to an assignable effects chain, you must first add an assignable effects chain to your
project.

 1. Click the label on the multipurpose slider label and choose the desired assignable effects chain from the
submenu. The label changes to reflect the name of the assignable effects.

If you can't see the multipurpose slider, drag the bottom edge of the track header to increase its height.
 2. Drag the fader to adjust the level of the track sent to the assignable effects chain.
If you set the Dry Out faders in your effects chain to -inf, you can adjust the wet/dry balance using the Volume
and FX settings on the multipurpose slider: Volume will adjust the dry signal and FX will control the effect
signals.

You can also use the Sends control region in the Mixing console window to configure bus sends. For more
information, please see Audio Track Channel Strips.
Tips:

 l FX sends are post-volume by default. To change to pre-volume, right-click the fader handle and choose Pre
Volume from the shortcut menu.
 l If you want to apply track panning (including pan position and panning mode) to FX sends, right-click the FX
fader and choose Link to Main Track Pan from the shortcut menu.

When Link to Main Track Pan is not selected, the track sends a center-panned stereo signal using the track's
current panning mode.
 l Select the Use legacy track send gain check box on the Audio page of the Preferences dialog  if you want to
configure audio track sends to behave as they did in ACID 6.0 and earlier. When the check box is selected, you
can open projects created with earlier versions of ACID and be assured they will sound the same as they did in
earlier versions of ACID.

Using Assignable Effects Envelopes

Adding assignable effects envelopes to a track allows you to change the level of a track sent to assignable effects
chains over time. Each track can contain an envelope for each assignable effects chain that exists in your project.

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For more information about adding and adjusting envelopes, see "Adding Audio Track Envelopes" on page 133.

Audio Panning Modes

When you pan stereo audio tracks, 5.1 surround tracks, or busses, you can right-click the fader handle (or surround
panner) and choose a pan type to change the panning model.
If you want to set the default pan type for new tracks, set a track's pan type, and then use the Set Default Track
Properties dialog to set that track's pan type as the default.
The selected panning mode is also used for track-level pan envelopes.

Mode Description
Add This mode is most useful for panning stereo files. As you pan across the stereo field, the stereo image
Channels appears to move across the speakers. As you pan toward either side, the signal from the opposite
channel is added to the channel you are panning toward until at the extreme both channels are sent to
a single channel at full volume.
This mode uses a linear panning curve.
You can introduce clipping when channels are added. Monitor the meters in the track headers or
Mixing Console Window and adjust the track volume accordingly.
Balance In a stereo project, this mode can help you adjust the relative signal levels of the channels in stereo
(0 dB source material. As you pan from the center to either side, the opposite channel begins at the specified
center) center value (0 dB -3 dB, or -6 dB), and decays to -infinity. The signal in the side you are panning
Balance toward progresses from the specified center value (0 dB -3 dB, or -6 dB)to 0 dB.
(-3 dB This panning mode uses a linear panning curve.
center) For example, when you pan fully right, the right channel is played at 0 dB and the left channel is not
Balance audible. As you pan to the center, each channel is attenuated to the specified center value (0 dB -3 dB,
(-6 dB or -6 dB). As you pan to the left, the left channel is played at 0 dB, and the right channel is not audible.
center)
With the Balance (0 dB center) setting, no gain or cut is applied
when you're panned to the center, which can make the center seem
louder.

With the Balance (-3 dB center) setting, a -3 dB cut is applied

when you're panned to the center.

With the Balance (-6 dB center) setting, a -6 dB cut is applied

when you're panned to the center.

Panning in a 5.1 surround project follows the same rules: as you pan from the center to any channel in
a 5.1 surround project, the signal in the channel you are panning toward progresses from the specified
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center value to 0 dB. The signal in the channel you are panning away from begins at the specified
center value and decays to -infinity.
Constant This mode is most useful for panning monaural source material. In this mode, sound will maintain its
Power volume when you pan across channels.
If you pan a stereo file 100% R, only the right channel of your media file is played, and this channel is
sent to both output channels. If you continue to pan to the left, the left channel is gradually added to
the output, and the right channel is gradually faded out until only the left channel will be heard through
both output channels when the slider is at 100% L.

If you pan a file fully right midway between the front and rear channels in a 5.1 surround project, only
the right channel of your media file is played, and this channel is sent to the right-front and -rear
output channels. If you pan to the left, the left channel is gradually added to the output, and the right
channel is gradually faded out until only the left channel is sent to the left-front and -rear output
channels.
Film This mode allows you to pan between pairs of adjacent speakers in 5.1 surround projects using a
constant power model. This mode is optimized for theater-style speaker placement. In stereo projects,
Film mode functions identically to Constant Power.
As you drag the pan point to the center speaker, the sound becomes diffused through the front and
rear speakers. When the track is panned fully to the center speaker, there is no output from the front
and rear speakers.
Dragging the pan point to the center of the surround panner sends the signal to all speakers.
If you're panning fully to a single speaker, you may notice that some signal is mixed to the
opposite speaker. This is because the ideal placement for surround speakers does not match the
representation in the surround panner. For example, panning to the front-left speaker produces a
low-level signal in the rear-left speaker.

This is because your front-left speaker should be positioned 30° left of center and the speaker in
the surround panner is located 45° left of center. To produce a true 45° left-of-center pan, the
signal is panned between the front- and rear-left speaker.

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5.1 Surround Projects

Create a 5.1-channel mix to wrap a listener in your remixes or prepare audio for DVD-Video or 5.1-channel music
projects.
5.1 surround is a standard audio format consisting of five full-range channels and a low-frequency effects (LFE)
channel.The five full-range channels are reproduced by left, right, and center speakers positioned in front of the
listener and left and right surround speakers positioned behind the listener. The LFE channel can be routed to the
main speakers or to a subwoofer that can be positioned almost anywhere.
The center channel is typically used to lock dialogue or sounds to a video screen. The LFE channel is generally routed
to a subwoofer to enhance low audio frequencies for effects such as explosions or crashes. Audio in this channel is
limited to a range of approximately 25 Hz to 120 Hz.
ACID software plays, mixes, and renders 5.1-channel audio. Authoring software such as DVD Architect
software is required to burn the audio to DVD.

5.1 Surround Setup

Use the Project Properties dialog to set up your project for 5.1 surround.
To preview a 5.1 surround project, you'll need the following hardware:

 l An audio interface capable of six-channel output (either a 5.1-compatible sound card, a sound card with six
outputs, or three stereo sound cards).

 l Six powered speakers or six passive speakers with a six-channel amplifier.

Set your project to 5.1 surround mode

 1. From the File menu, choose Properties.
 2. Select the Audio tab.
 3. From the Master bus mode drop-down list, choose 5.1 Surround.
 4. Select the Enable low-pass filter on LFE check box if you want to apply a low-pass filter to each track that is
assigned to the LFE channel. Choose a setting from the Cutoff frequency for low-pass filter drop-down list or
type a value in the box to set the frequency above which audio will be ignored by the LFE channel.
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.
 5. Click OK.
The track headers and mixer switch to 5.1 surround mode.

Route the ACID mixer outputs

When you're working in 5.1 surround mode, you'll need to indicate where to send the output from your 5.1-channel
mix.
Setting your default routing

Use the Audio Device tab of the Preferences dialog to set default routing for 5.1 surround projects.
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 1. From the Options menu, choose Preferences. The Preferences dialog is displayed.
 2. Select the Audio Device tab.

 3. Choose a device from the Audio device type drop-down list. Choosing a device type other than Microsoft
Sound Mapper or Direct Sound Surround Mapper will allow you to choose specific devices for playback of
each of the three stereo pairs.
Please refer to your sound card's documentation to determine the type of driver you need to use for
surround output.
 4. From the Default Stereo and Front playback device drop-down list, choose the device where your front
speakers are connected.
 5. From the Default Rear playback device drop-down list, choose the device where your rear speakers are
connected.
 6. From the Default Center and LFE playback device drop-down list, choose the device where your center speaker
and subwoofer are connected.
Overriding default device routing

If you've selected a setting other Microsoft Sound Mapper or Direct Sound Surround Mapper from the Audio
device type drop-down list, you can override the default device routing at any time.
Please refer to your sound card's documentation to determine the type of driver you need to use for surround
output.

 1. Open the Mixing Console window.

 2. In the I/O control region, click the Output button and choose an output device for the Front channels.

 3. Repeat step 2 for the Rear and Center/LFE channel pairs.

Connect your amplifier and speakers

Using a 5.1-compatible sound card

 l Connect powered speakers to your sound card's outputs as indicated by your sound card's documentation.

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or——

 l Connect your sound card's front, rear, and center/subwoofer outputs to the appropriate inputs on a 6-channel
amplifier/home theater receiver. Connect front, rear, center, and LFE speakers to the amplifier.
Using a sound card with six outputs

 l Connect powered speakers to your sound card's outputs. The left channel of the Center/LFE pair is the center
channel; the right channel is the LFE channel.

or——

 l Connect your sound card's outputs to the appropriate inputs on a 6-channel amplifier/home theater receiver.
Connect front, rear, center, and LFE speakers to the amplifier.

The audio cables you'll need will depend on your specific hardware.

Using three stereo sound cards

 l Connect powered speakers to your sound cards' outputs where you have routed each of the pairs of channels.
The left channel of the Center/LFE pair is the center channel; the right channel is the LFE channel.

or——

 l Connect your sound cards' outputs to the appropriate inputs on a 6-channel amplifier/home theater receiver.
Connect front, rear, center, and LFE speakers to the amplifier.

Multiple sound card setups may not work with ASIO drivers. You can only use a single ASIO driver at a time,
and some ASIO drivers can conflict with other audio driver models (such as WDM and wave drivers).
The audio cables you'll need will depend on your specific hardware. For a typical application, you'll need three
cables: each will have a 3.5 mm stereo plug on one end and dual RCA connectors on the other.

5.1 Surround Panning and Mixing

After you've set up your project for 5.1 surround mixing, the track headers and mixer switch to 5.1 surround mode,
and you're ready to start panning.
From the View menu, choose Surround Panner to toggle the display of the Surround Panner window. Use the
Surround Panner window to pan tracks, busses, assignable effects chains, and soft synths.
Only the Surround Master bus accepts 5.1 channel inputs. If you assign a track to another bus, a stereo output is
sent to the bus, and you can perform surround panning at the bus level.
When you apply effects to a 5.1 surround project, you can use distinct plug-in settings for each channel
(separate EQ settings for the front and surround speakers, for example) using effect automation. Add multiple
instances of the plug-in to the track effects chain and select the Enable check boxes in the FX Automation
Chooser for the channels you want each instance of the plug-in to affect.
Surround panning is not available for tracks or busses that are routed to a hardware output.

Mute or solo channels

Muting a channel ensures that no audio will be played through that channel. For example, you could mute the center
channel if you want to produce a stereo image at the center listening position, or you might want to solo the center
channel when you're working with dialogue.
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 1. Double-click the surround panner on the track or bus you want to pan. The Surround Panner window is

displayed.
 2. Click the speaker icons to mute or include channels.

Hold Ctrl while clicking a speaker icon to solo the channel.

Adjust volume and send levels

Adjusting track volume

You can adjust track volume using the Vol fader in the track header the same way you do in stereo projects. The
fader in the track header can function as a trim control that adjusts the overall volume of the track, or it can adjust
track volume automation settings.
The trim level is added to the volume automation settings so your envelope is preserved, but with a boost or cut
applied. For example, setting the trim control to -3 dB has the same effect as decreasing every envelope point by 3
dB.
Deselect the Automation Settings button in the track header if you want to adjust trim levels, or select the button
if you want to adjust volume automation.
Adjusting assignable effects send or bus send levels

You can adjust send levels for busses or assignable effects chains using the multipurpose fader in the track header
the same way you do in stereo projects. Click the fader label and choose an assignable effects chain or bus from the
menu. The fader in the track header can function as a trim control that adjusts the overall send level of the track, or it
can adjust send level automation settings.
Deselect the Automation Settings button in the track header if you want to adjust trim levels, or select the button
if you want to adjust volume automation.
Adjusting channel levels

Use the Surround Master bus control in the Mixing Console window to adjust the individual levels of the 5.1
channels. The faders in the track bus control can function as trim controls that adjust the overall level of each
channel, or you can automate the master volume of the Surround Master bus (individual channel levels cannot be
automated).
Click the Automation Settings button in the bus control or bus track and verify Show Automation Controls is
not selected if you want to adjust trim levels, or select Show Automation Controls if you want to adjust volume
automation.

Adjust the center channel volume

Adjusting the volume of the center channel can help emphasize dialogue or balance the mix. You can adjust the
center channel volume trim level or automation settings.
The trim level is added to surround panning keyframes so your keyframe settings are preserved, but with a boost or
cut applied. For example, setting the trim control to -3 dB has the same effect as decreasing the center channel level
by 3 dB in every keyframe.

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Adjusting the center channel trim level

 1. Deselect the Automation Settings button in the track header to adjust trim levels.

 2. Double-click the surround panner on the track or bus you want to pan. The Surround Panner window is
displayed.
 3. Drag the Center fader to boost or attenuate the volume of the center channel. When the fader is set to 0.0 dB,
no gain is applied.
Automating the center channel level with keyframes

 1. Select the Automation Settings button in the track header to adjust automation levels.

 2. Double-click the surround panner on the track or bus you want to pan. The Surround Panner window is
displayed.
 3. Select a keyframe to adjust its center channel level or click to position the cursor where you want to create a new
keyframe.
 4. Drag the Center fader to boost or attenuate the volume of the center channel. When the fader is set to 0.0 dB,
no gain is applied. The fader thumb is displayed as a in automation mode.

Pan a track or bus

You can perform surround panning in two ways:

 l Pan tracks individually using the Surround Panner window (or the mini surround panner in the track header).
 l Route tracks to mixer controls (busses, assignable effect chains, or soft synths) and pan the mixer controls
using the Surround Panner window for the appropriate bus track. From the View menu, choose Show Bus
Tracks to display bus tracks at the bottom of the track view.

When a track is routed to a bus other than the surround master, you can use the Pan slider on the track header
to adjust the stereo track's contribution to the surround panner on the bus.

The surround panner can function as a trim control that adjusts the overall panning of the track, or it can adjust track
panning automation settings. Select the Automation Settings button in the track or bus to adjust surround
panning keyframes, or deselect the button to adjust trim levels.
The trim level is added to the pan automation settings so your keyframes are preserved, but with a boost or cut
applied. For example, setting the trim control to -9% left has the same effect as moving every keyframe 9% to the
left.
Panning controls can adjust automation (dynamic) settings, or they can function as trim (nonautomated)
controls. If your automation is not behaving as expected, you may have applied a trim value that is offsetting
your automation settings.

When the surround panner is set to adjust trim levels, it is displayed as a . When it is set to adjust
automation levels, it is displayed as a .
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Adjusting panning trim levels

 1. Deselect the Automation Settings button in the track header to adjust trim levels.

 2. Double-click the surround panner on the track or bus to display the Surround Panner window:

 3. Drag the pan point in the Surround Panner window to position the sound within the sound field. Shading is
drawn to indicate the output from each channel.
 4. Double-click the pan point to reset it to the front-center listening position.
 5. Double-click in the Surround Panner window to move the pan point to the point you click.
 6. To constrain the motion of the pan point, click the button to toggle through Move freely , Move
left/right only and Move front/back only modes.

You can also use the track surround panner in the track header to pan your track. Keyboard and mouse shortcuts
can help you position the pan point quickly and accurately. For more information, see "Keyboard Shortcuts" on
page 298.
Automate panning with keyframes

You can automate panning by adding keyframes. Keyframes are similar to envelope points in that they mark specific
locations in the track where settings change. However, unlike envelope points, keyframes are displayed below a
track:

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 5.1 Surround Projects 189

Notes:

 l Use bus tracks to add panning keyframes to busses. From the View menu, choose Show Bus Tracks to display
bus tracks at the bottom of the track view.
 l Center-channel gain cannot be automated.
 l Muting and soloing channels cannot be automated.

 1. Select the track (or bus track) you want to pan.
 2. Select the Automation Settings button in the track or bus to adjust surround panning keyframes.

 3. From the Insert menu, choose Envelopes, and then choose Surround Pan Keyframes from the submenu. An
additional row appears below the track with a single keyframe positioned at the beginning of the project. This
keyframe represents the current panning settings for the track.
To hide panning keyframes without removing them from your project, choose Show Envelopes from the
View menu, and then choose Surround Pan Keyframes from the submenu.
 4. Click to position the cursor where you want to begin panning the track.
 5. Pan your track:
 a. Double-click the surround panner on the track or bus to display the Surround Panner window:

 b. Drag the pan point in the Surround Panner window to position the sound within the sound field. Shading is
drawn to indicate the output from each channel, and a keyframe is added below the track.
 l Double-click the pan point to reset it to the front-center listening position.
 l Double-click in the Surround Panner window to move the pan point to the point you click.
 l To constrain the motion of the pan point, click the button to toggle through Move freely , Move
left/right only and Move front/back only modes.

You can also use the surround panner in the track header to pan your track. Keyboard and mouse shortcuts
can help you position the pan point quickly and accurately. For more information, please see "Keyboard
Shortcuts" on page 298.
 6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 to add as many panning keyframes as necessary. The Surround Panner window draws the
panning path:
190

 7. If you have two or more keyframes, you can drag the Smoothness slider to adjust the interpolation curve
between them. Adjusting the curve affects perceived motion of sound within the sound field: a setting of 0
produces linear motion from one keyframe to the next. Increasing the setting produces a curved path.
If you want to adjust temporal interpolation how the pan occurs over time right-click a keyframe and choose a
new keyframe type from the shortcut menu.——

Adjust panning keyframes

If you automated panning for a track or bus, a keyframe is displayed in the timeline (directly below the track) for each
pan setting. You can move, copy, and change fade types from the timeline.
Panning controls can adjust automation (dynamic) settings, or they can function as trim (nonautomated)
controls. If your automation is not behaving as expected, you may have applied a trim value that is offsetting
your automation settings.

When the surround panner is set to adjust trim levels, it is displayed as a . When it is set to adjust
automation levels, it is displayed as a .

Editing a keyframe

 1. Double-click a keyframe to open the Surround Panner window.

 2. Drag the pan point to position the sound within the sound field.
 3. Adjust the Smoothness slider as necessary to adjust the curve between keyframes.

You can also edit a keyframe by selecting the keyframe and dragging the pan point in the track or bus surround
panner.
Adding keyframes

Double-click in the keyframe bar to add a keyframe to the track view. The new keyframe will use the same settings
and interpolation curve as the previous keyframe.
Deleting keyframes

Right-click a keyframe and choose Delete from the shortcut menu.

Moving keyframes

Drag the keyframe to a new position on the timeline.

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 5.1 Surround Projects 191

Copy keyframes

Hold Ctrl while dragging a keyframe to copy it.

Change the fade curve between keyframes

If you want to adjust temporal interpolation how the pan occurs over time right-click a keyframe and choose a new
keyframe type from the shortcut menu.——
If you want to adjust the perceived motion of sound within the sound field, drag the Smoothness slider to adjust the
interpolation curve between keyframes. a Smoothness setting of 0 simulates linear motion from one keyframe to the
next. Increasing the setting produces a curved path.
Command Description Looks Like
Hold No interpolation will take place. The keyframe's settings will be maintained until the
next keyframe.
Linear Panning is interpolated in a linear path.

Fast Panning is interpolated in a fast logarithmic path.

Slow Panning is interpolated in a slow logarithmic path.

Smooth Panning is interpolated along a smooth, natural curve.

Routing audio to the low-frequency effects (LFE) channel

Perform either of the following actions to send audio to the low-frequency effects (LFE) channel:

 l Click the LFE Only button in the Surround Panner window to toggle between surround and LFE mode.

or——

 l Right-click the surround panner on the track or mixer control and choose LFE Only from the shortcut menu.

To return to normal surround panning, click the button in the Surround Panner window again or right-click the
surround panner and choose Surround Pan from the shortcut menu.
Select the Enable low-pass filter on LFE check box on the Audio tab of the Project Properties dialog if you want
to apply a low-pass filter to each track or bus that is assigned to the LFE channel. Enter a frequency in the Cutoff
frequency for low-pass filter box to set the frequency above which audio will be ignored by the LFE channel,
and choose a setting from the Low-pass filter quality drop-down list to determine the sharpness of filter's
rolloff curve. Best produces the sharpest curve.
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.
Before rendering your surround project, check your surround authoring application's documentation to
determine its required audio format. Some encoders require a specific low-pass filter cutoff frequency and
rolloff, or your encoder may require that no filter be applied before encoding.

Change the pan mode

Right-click within the Surround Panner window (or right-click a surround panner on a track or bus), choose Pan
Type from the shortcut menu, and then choose a pan type from the submenu. For more information about panning
modes, please see "Audio Panning Modes" on page 181.
192

The selected panning mode is also used for surround panning keyframes.

Use the grid to monitor panning

The grid in the Surround Panner window provides a visual indication of how your panning will sound. The grid
spacing changes to match the current panning mode.
The vertical lines represent the points where the left-to-right signal ratio is 6 dB, 0 dB, and -6 dB respectively: at the
far-left line, the left channel is 6.0 dB louder than the right channel.
The horizontal lines represent the points where the front-to-rear signal ratio is 6 dB, 0 dB, and -6 dB respectively. As
you adjust the Center fader, the lines will move forward or back to compensate for the center-channel gain.
The grid assumes that you're using a correctly set-up surround system (matched speakers and ideal
positioning). Variations in your monitoring system will cause inconsistencies between the graph and perceived
output.

Rendering Your 5.1 Channel Mix

Rendering a surround project creates six mono files (AIFF, WAV) or a single 5.1-channel file (AC-3, WMA, and
WMV) that your authoring application can use to create DVD-Video or 5.1-channel music projects.
Before rendering your surround project, check your surround authoring application's documentation to
determine its required audio format. Some encoders require a specific low-pass filter cutoff frequency and
rolloff, and your encoder may require that no filter be applied before encoding. Use the Audio tab of the Project
Properties dialog to configure a low-pass filter.

 1. From the File menu, choose Render As to display the Render As dialog.
 2. Choose a drive and folder from the Save in drop-down list, or use the browse window to locate the folder where
you want to save your file.
 3. Type a name in the File name box. A separate file will be created for each channel using this name as a base.
For example, if you type My Project in the File name box and render your project using wave files, the following
files would be created: My Project Left.wav, My Project Right.wav, My Project Center.wav, My Project LFE.wav,
My Project Left Surround.wav, and My Project Right Surround.wav.
 4. Choose a file type from the Save as type drop-down list. If you have the Sony AC-3 Encoder, you can choose
AC-3 from the list.
 5. Choose 44,100 Hz, 16 Bit, Mono, PCM from the Template drop-down list if you want to render six mono files,
or choose an appropriate 5.1-channel template if the selected file type supports it.
 6. 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. Loop Playback does not need to be selected for this option to work.
 7. If the selected file type supports it, you can select the Save project markers with media file check box to
include markers, regions, and time markers 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).
 8. Click the Save button. A dialog is displayed to show rendering progress.

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 Working with Video 193

Working with Video

You can add a single video track to your ACID project to use the ACID timeline as a scoring tool.

The Video Track

Video will always be added to the top track in the track list. Depending on your horizontal zoom level, each frame
displayed in the video track may represent multiple frames from the source video. As you zoom in, marks will be
displayed to represent each frame, and you can zoom further to view individual frames.
You can also add a still image (.bmp, .jpg, or .png format) to the video track.

Add or replace a video file

Use the Explorer window to find the file you want to use, and then add it to the timeline by double-clicking it or
dragging it into the timeline. The video will be placed in the top track, and if the file has an audio track, the audio will
be placed as a one-shot in the timeline.
If your project already contains a video track, you will be prompted to replace the existing video if you open another
video file.

Show or hide the video track

From the View menu, choose Show Video Track to toggle the display of the video track in your ACID project.
Turning the command off does not remove the video track from your project.
Right-click the video track and choose Hide Video Track from the shortcut menu.

Remove the video track

Right-click anywhere in the video track and choose Remove Video from the shortcut menu. The video track is
deleted, but the audio is preserved.

Remove the video's audio

Right-click the audio track in the track list and choose Delete Track from the shortcut menu. The audio track is
deleted, but the video is preserved.

Move or trim video

If you want to maintain the video event's length but change when it plays within your project, drag the event to a
new location on the timeline.
If you want to change the length of the event or change its starting and ending points, drag either end of the event.
For more information about trimming events, see "Adjusting an Event's Length" on page 98.

Change frame numbering

You can display frame numbers in the event for each frame in the video track.
To change the numbering format (or turn off frame numbering), select the Video tab in the Preferences dialog and
choose a setting from the Show source frame numbers on event thumbnails as drop-down list.
194

Synchronizing Audio and Video

As you add multiple audio tracks to your project, you'll need to make sure the audio and video are synchronized.

Score a video
You can use tempo changes to ensure that your video remains synchronized with audio tracks throughout your
project. For example, you might want scene changes or other key scenes to be aligned with specific beats on the beat
ruler.

 1. Add your audio tracks and video.

 2. Mark a point in the video where you want to synchronize audio:
 a. From the View menu, choose Video Preview to display the Video Preview window.
 b. Click the Play button to start playback.

 c. Press H to place a time marker at the frame you want to emphasize (a scene change, for example).
Press Alt+ right or left arrow to step through your video when playback is paused or stopped. When you
find the frame you want to emphasize, you can drag the time marker to the cursor position. Press F8 to
enable snapping and press Ctrl F8 to turn off Grid Only; and the marker will snap to the cursor position.
 3. Mark the point to which you want to synchronize your time marker:
 a. From the Options menu, choose Snapping, and then choose Enable from the submenu.
 b. Press M to place a marker on the beat ruler. For example, you might want the frame that you marked in step
2c to coincide with a downbeat.
 c. Select the marker on the beat ruler.
 d. Right-click the time marker and choose Adjust Tempo to Match Marker to Cursor from the shortcut
menu.
 e. Press T to insert a tempo change marker. The adjusted tempo and is detected and inserted in the tempo
marker's edit box. The tempo change marker will preserve synchronization between the time marker and
location on the Beat Ruler as you perform further editing.
 4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to synchronize the rest of your video.

Restore synchronization between audio and video events

As you edit your project, you may lose synchronization between your video track and the events on its audio track
because of tempo changes or event trimming.
To restore synchronization, right-click an event and choose Synchronize with Video from the shortcut menu.
This command will not work if you change a video file's audio track type to a loop.

The Video Preview Window

The Video Preview window displays a project’s video output at the current cursor position in the timeline.
From the View menu, choose Video Preview to toggle the display of the Video Preview window. Right-click
anywhere in the window to display a shortcut menu with Video Preview window options.
Item Name Description
Copy Frame Copies the current frame to the clipboard.

External Monitor Sends your video output to the device specified on the Video tab of the

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 Working with Video 195
Preferences dialog.
If you have not specified a device, the Video tab will be displayed when you click
the External Monitor button.
For more information about using an external monitor, see "Using an External
Video Monitor" below.
Shortcut Default Sets the background color of the Video window to the default color.
Menu Background
Black Sets the background color of the Video window to black or white.
Background/White
Background
Simulate Device Displays square pixels in the Video window even if the current media file is using
Aspect Ratio nonsquare pixels (DV).
This switch will turn on/off square/nonsquare interpolation, allowing faster
playback and viewing flexibility when drawing video frames to the Video
window.
Display at Media Displays the Video window to match the size of the current media file.
Size
Show Toolbar Toggles the display of the Video window toolbar.
Show Status Bar Toggles the display of the Video window Status Bar. The status bar displays
information about the video's frame size, frame rate, and current preview size.

Using an External Video Monitor

You can send video directly from the timeline to a television monitor. With this feature, you can make your final
editing decisions on a broadcast monitor, which differs significantly from a computer monitor. To use an external
monitor, you must have the following:

 l OHCI-compliant IEEE-1394 DV card

 l DV camcorder or DV-to-analog converter

Set up an external monitor

The diagram below shows the preferred setup for sending video from the ACID timeline to an external television
monitor.

The video is converted to DV format and sent through the IEEE-1394 card to the DV device (camcorder or DV-to-
analog media converter). The DV device sends analog output to the television monitor.
196

Use the Video tab in the Preferences dialog to configure your IEEE-1394 card.
The DV device must support pass through in order to use an external monitor.

Preview audio
When you preview on an external monitor, no audio is sent through the IEEE-1394 card.
As shown in the illustration in the previous heading, audio is sent to the sound card and then on to the mixer (if
present) and speakers so you can mix your audio on better speakers than are typically found in television monitors.

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 Using a Control Surface 197

Using a Control Surface

A control surface is a hardware device that uses knobs, faders, and buttons to control user interface elements that
are normally controlled with a mouse. Using a control surface lends a tactile feel to your editing sessions.
Unlike keyboard shortcutswhich determine the shortcut's behavior based on the portion of the ACID window that
has focusa control surface's mapped functions work no matter what part of the application has focus. ——
When your control surface is enabled, an indicator is displayed in the track list and the Mixing Console to show
which channels are under external control. Multiple bars are displayed if a channel is under the control of multiple
devices.

In the track list, vertical bars in tracks 1-4

In the Mixing Console window, horizontal bars at the top of channels
indicate that those tracks are under
1-4 indicate which channels are under external control.
external control.

Connect your control surface

You can use one Mackie Control Universal (with up to four Mackie Control Universal Extenders), one Frontier
TranzPort, and up to five generic control surfaces with ACID.
If you’re using Mackie Control Extenders, you'll need a multiport MIDI interface with MIDI In/Out ports for each
device.
Perform the following steps for each device.

 1. Connect the MIDI Out port on your MIDI interface to the MIDI In port on your control surface.
 2. Connect the MIDI In port on your MIDI interface to the MIDI Out port on your control surface.
 3. If you're using Mackie Control Extenders, repeat Steps 1 and 2 for each Mackie Control Extender.

If you're using a USB interface such as the Frontier TranzPort, just plug in the USB cable.

Configure ACID to use your control surface

Use the MIDI tab in the Preferences dialog to select the device to which your control surface is connected.

 1. From the Options menu, choose Preferences to display the Preferences dialog.
 2. Enable your MIDI input and output ports:
 a. Select the MIDI tab in the Preferences dialog.
 b. In the Make these devices available for MIDI track playback box, select the check box for the MIDI port

 c. In the Make these devices available for MIDI input box, select the check box for the MIDI port that is
198

connected to your control surface's Out port.

 d. Click Apply.
MIDI ports that are in use by a Mackie Control or Extender display a icon to indicate that they are not
available for MIDI track input or playback.
 3. Choose your control surface:
 a. Select the External Control & Automation tab in the Preferences dialog.
 b. Choose a device from the Available devices drop-down list and click the Add button. Adding a device loads
its default profile. If you want to customize the behavior of the control surface, double-click its entry in the
Active control devices list.
 4. Click OK to apply your changes and close the Preferences dialog.
 5. From the Options menu, choose External Control to enable your selected control surfaces.

Configure or customize your control surface

Use the External Control & Automation tab in the Preferences dialog to select the control surfaces you want to use
and adjust their configuration.

 1. From the Options menu, choose Preferences to display the Preferences dialog.
 2. Select the External Control & Automation tab.
 3. Choose a device from the Available devices drop-down list and click the Add button. The device is added to the
Active control devices list.
 4. Double-click the entry in the Active control devices list to display the configuration dialog.
 5. For information about setting up a Mackie control, see "Using a Mackie Control" below.
 6. For information about setting up a generic MIDI control, see "Using a Generic Control Surface" on page 210.

Use your control surface

This section describes how to use your control surface in general terms.
For information about your specific device, please refer to the manufacturer's documentation.

 1. From the Options menu, choose External Control to enable your selected control surfaces.
 2. If necessary, press the Automation button on your control surface.
 3. Click the Automation Settings button for each track you want to edit with the control surface and choose
Automation Write (Touch) or Automation Write (Latch) to enable automation recording.

To enable automation recording for audio busses and soft synths, use audio bus tracks.
 4. Use the functions on your control surface to edit your project.

Using a Mackie Control

The Mackie Control is fully supported by ACID software.
An overlay is available from Mackie that you can use to label the Mackie Control buttons and controls with their
mapped functions in Vegas software. Many though not all of these functions are also available in ACID.
When you use the default mapping, the Mackie Control is divided into several functional areas. All functionality
described in this topic refers to the default control mapping. You can also customize the buttons and controls on the
Mackie control.
For information about your Mackie Control, please refer to the manufacturer's documentation.
For more information about configuring ACID to use a control surface, please see Using a Control Surface.

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 Using a Control Surface 199

The Mackie Control Universal can control either trim or automation settings. In order to control automation
settings, the Automation button in the Audio/Video section must be selected, and the track or bus you want to
edit must be set to Automation Write (Touch) or Automation Write (Latch). Hold the F1 button while turning
the V-Pot (or use the Automation Settings button ) to change the automation recording mode for each track
and bus track.

Configure channel mappings for Mackie Control Extenders

If you're using Mackie Control Extenders. you'll need to set up your channel mapping.
For example, if your Mackie Control Universal is on the left of your Mackie Control Extender, you could configure the
Mackie Control to adjust channels 1 through 8 and use the Mackie Control Extender to adjust channels 9 through
16.
If you have a Mackie Control Universal positioned between two Mackie Control Extenders, you could adjust
channels 1 through 8 on the left Extender, adjust channels 9 through 16 on the Mackie Control Universal, and adjust
channels 17 through 24 on the right Extender.

 1. From the Options menu, choose Preferences to display the Preferences dialog.
 2. Select the External Control & Automation tab.
 3. Double-click your Mackie Control in the Active control devices list to display the Configure Mackie Control
dialog.

The current channel mapping is displayed on each device's LCD.

 4. Choose the channels you want to control with the Mackie Control Universal:
 a. From the Device Type drop-down list, choose Mackie Control.
 b. From the Channel Mapping drop-down list, choose the channels you want to adjust with the Mackie
Control Universal.
 5. Choose the channels you want to control with the Mackie Control Extender:
 a. From the Device Type drop-down list, choose Mackie Control Extender.
 b. From the Channel Mapping drop-down list, choose the channels you want to adjust with the Mackie
Control Extender.
 6. Repeat Step 5 for each Mackie Control Extender.
 7. Click OK to apply your changes and close the Configure Mackie Control dialog.
 8. Click OK to apply your changes and close the Preferences dialog.

Configure or customize your control mappings

Use the External Control & Automation tab in the Preferences dialog to select the control surfaces you want to use
and adjust their configuration.
When you customize your control mappings, button functions may not match the labels on the overlay. You
can click the Default All button in the Configure Mackie Control dialog to restore the default settings.

 1. From the Options menu, choose Preferences to display the Preferences dialog.
 2. Select the External Control & Automation tab.
 3. Double-click your Mackie Control in the Active control devices list to display the Configure Mackie Control
dialog.
 4. To add or change a function do the following:
 a. Select an item in the User defined surface control mappings list.
 b. Select an item in the Available host functions list.
 c. Click the Assign button.
200

 5. To remove a function, select an item in the User defined surface control mappings list and click the Clear
button.
 6. To remove all functions, click the Clear All button.
 7. To replace all custom functions with the default settings, click the Default All button.

Channel section (not shown)

The channel section includes V-Pots (knobs), buttons, and faders that you can use to edit your tracks and busses.
Area Description
V-Pot Adjusts values for panning, volume (when Flip button is selected), and effect parameter values.
Audio track Adjusts track volume when the Pan or Sends button is selected and the Flip
volume button is selected.
Audio track Adjusts audio track panning when the Pan button is selected.
panning
Bus send levels Adjusts bus send levels when the Sends button is selected.
Effect Adjusts effect parameters when the Inserts button is selected.
parameters

The V-Pot is velocity sensitive, so rotating quickly changes values quickly, and you can press the
button to choose a selection.
When the Pan or Sends button is selected, press the V-Pot to edit the track or bus effects chain.
Rec/Rdy Arms audio tracks for recording.
button
Signal Indicates whether an audio track or bus is outputting a signal.
LED
Solo Press to solo a track or remove it from the solo group.
button
Mute Press to mute or unmute a track.
button
Select Press to select a track.
button
Fader Adjusts the track or bus level (unless the Flip button is selected).
When the Automation button is selected, the fader adjusts the automation envelope if the track is in
Automation Write (Touch) or Automation Write (Latch) mode.
The fader can also adjust settings for the following items when you select other buttons in the Channel
section.
Audio track panning Adjusts audio track panning when the Pan and Flip buttons are selected.
Bus send levels Adjusts bus send levels when the Sends and Flip buttons are selected.

The fader is touch sensitive, so if you're recording automation parameters, recording will begin when
you touch the fader and stop when you release it. The current setting is displayed in the Mackie Control
display.

Footswitches (not shown)

The Mackie Control has two switched inputs (labeled User Switch A and User Switch B) that you can use to
connect footswitches.

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 Using a Control Surface 201

By default, footswitch A toggles playback, and footswitch B starts and stops recording.
You can customize the footswitches in the Configure Mackie Control dialog. Double-click Mackie Control in the
Active control devices list on the External Control & Automation tab of the Preferences dialog to display the
Configure Mackie Control dialog.

Control buttons
The buttons in the Control section determine the operation of the V-Pots and faders in the channel section of your
Mackie Control. In every mode, the fader adjusts track volume, and the V-Pot adjusts the selected control mode. You
can press the Flip button to reverse the V-Pot and fader function.
Button Description
Output Press the Output button to set the output device for each track or bus. Turn the V-Pot in the channel
section to choose an output device and press the V-Pot to select it.
Input Press to set the recording input device for each track. Turn the V-Pot in the channel section to choose an
input device and press the V-Pot to select it.
Pan Press to adjust track panning using the V-Pot in the channel section.
In 5.1 surround projects, pressing the Pan button toggles left-to-right panning, front-to-rear panning,
and center-channel level adjustment using the V-Pot.
Sends Press to adjust bus and assignable effects send levels. Press the Sends button to scroll through the
available busses and assignable effects chains, and then turn the V-Pot to adjust the send level.
Inserts Press to adjust effects settings.
Press the button once to display PL in the Mackie Control Assignment display. The Mackie Control LCD
displays the effects that are assigned to each track or bus. The following example shows a three-track
project:

Turn the V-Pot to scroll through the effects, and press the V-Pot to edit the current effect. In editing
mode, PE is displayed in the Assignment display. The following example shows the settings for the
Noise Gate plug-in on track one:

PE mode uses the following controls:

V-Pots 1 Turn to edit the effect's parameters. For switch parameters such as Bypass, press the V-
-4 Pot to change the setting.
V-Pot 5 Turn to scroll through an effect's property pages.
V-Pot 6 Turn to choose from a plug-in's available presets. Press the V-Pot to choose a preset.
V-Pot 7 Turn to edit the current effect for a different channel
V-Pot 8 Turn to choose other effects for the current channel.

Press the Inserts button again to view effects chains. PS is displayed in the Assignment display. The
following example shows the effects chain on track one:

PS mode uses the following controls:

V-Pots Turn to choose other effects for the current channel. Press to edit the selected effect and
1, 3, and enter PE mode.
5
V-Pots After choosing an effect with V-Pot 1, 3, or 5, press V-Pot 2, 4, or 6 to add it to the
202

2, 4, and channel.
6
V-Pot 7 If a channel has multiple pages of effects in the chain, turn to display additional effects. In
the previous example, Aud 1 1/2 means that track one has two pages of effects.
V-Pot 8 Turn to choose effects chains for other channels.

When <No Insert> is displayed above a V-Pot, you can turn the V-Pot to view effects that you can add
to the chain. New effects are displayed with a *. Press the next V-Pot (to the right) to add the effect.
Settings Press to adjust track or bus settings using the F1 through F6 buttons.
F1 Hold the button and turn the V-Pot to change the automation recording mode for each track and
bus track.
F2 Hold the button and turn the V-Pot to change the current panning mode.
F3 Hold the button and press the V-Pot to change the track phase.
F4 Hold the button and turn the V-Pot to change record input monitoring settings when you're
using an ASIO audio device.
F5 When the Pan button is selected, press the Settings button and then hold F5 while pressing the
V-Pot to change the bus or assignable effects output fader to Pre FX or Post FX.
When the Sends button is selected, press the Settings button and hold F5 while pressing the V-
Pot to change a track's bus or assignable effects send level to Pre Volume or Post Volume. Press
the Sends button to scroll through the available bus and effects sends.
F6 Press the Settings button and hold F6 while pressing the V-Pot on a channel to return the
channel's settings to the track defaults.

Fader Banks buttons

The Fader Banks buttons control the behavior of the channel section controls.
Button Description
Bank Press the left or right arrow button to scroll the channels 8 units at a time.
For example, if tracks 1-8 are currently displayed, pressing the right arrow will change to tracks 9-16.
Channel Press the left or right arrow button to scroll the channels 1 unit at a time.
For example, if tracks 1-8 are currently displayed, pressing the right arrow will change to tracks 2-9.
Hold the Option button while pressing either Channel button to change track order. For example, if track
two is selected and you press Option+ < Channel, track two becomes track one. Conversely, if track
one is selected and you press Option + Channel >, track one becomes track two.
Flip Press to exchange the behavior of the fader and V-Pot when allowed.

Display buttons
The Display buttons control the Mackie Control LCD display.
Button Description
Meters/Values When you're working with audio tracks or busses, press to display meters or numeric values.
Even in Meters mode, numeric values are displayed when you edit a value.
Hold the Shift button in the Modifiers section while pressing the Meters/Values button to
toggle control of tracks, busses, or tracks and busses.

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 Using a Control Surface 203
 l Press once to show audio and MIDI tracks.
 l Press again to show audio tracks.
 l Press again to show MIDI tracks.
 l Press again to show busses.
 l Press again to show all tracks and busses.
Time Fmt Press and hold to display the current time format. Turn V-Pot 8 while holding the button to
Zero change the format.

Markers buttons
The Markers buttons control additional track and channel settings.
Button Description
Marker 1/9 Press to place the cursor at marker 1, or hold Shift and press to place the cursor at marker 9.
Automation When the Settings button is selected, hold the button and turn the V-Pot to change the automation
Mode recording mode for each track and bus track.
Marker Press to place the cursor at marker 2, or hold Shift and press to place the cursor at marker 10.
2/10 When the Settings button is selected, hold the button and turn the V-Pot to change the current
Pan Mode panning mode.
Marker 3 Press to place the cursor at marker 3.
Marker 4 Press to place the cursor at marker 4.
Input When the Settings button is selected, hold the button and turn the V-Pot to change record input
Monitor monitoring settings when you're using an ASIO audio device.
Marker 5 Press to place the cursor at marker 5.
Pre/Post When the Pan button is selected, press the Settings button and then hold F5 while pressing the V-
Pot to change the bus or assignable effects output fader to Pre FX or Post FX.
When the Sends button is selected, press the Settings button and hold F5 while pressing the V-Pot
to change a track's bus or assignable effects send level to Pre Volume or Post Volume. Press the
Sends button to scroll through the available bus and effects sends.
Marker 6 Press to place the cursor at marker 6.
Default Press the Settings button and hold F6 while pressing the V-Pot on a channel to return the channel's
settings to the track defaults.
Marker 7 Press to place the cursor at marker 7.
Marker 8 Press to place the cursor at marker 8.

Add New buttons

The Add New buttons add busses or tracks to your project.
Button Description
Track Press to add a new audio track.
Bus Press to add an audio bus to your project.

Windows buttons
The Windows buttons control the display of various ACID windows.
Button Description
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Mixer Press to show the Mixing Console window. If the window is not docked, pressing the button
shows/hides the window.
Video Press to show the Video Preview window. If the window is not docked, pressing the button
Preview shows/hides the window.
Plug-Ins Press to show the Plug-In Manager window. If the window is not docked, pressing the button
shows/hides the window.

View buttons
The View buttons control the display of various sections of the ACID window.
Button Description
Bus Tracks Press to show or hide bus tracks in the timeline.
Dock Area Press to show or hide the Window Docking Area at the bottom of the ACID window.
Track List Press to show or hide the track list in the timeline.

Modifiers buttons
The Modifiers buttons extend the functionality of other buttons on the Mackie Control.
Button Description
Shift Hold the Shift button while pressing a button labeled with inverse text to perform the shift function.
For example, hold Shift while pressing the Undo/Redo button to reverse an undo action.
Option/ Hold the Option/Track Order button while pressing a button in the Settings, Add New, or Windows
Track group for alternative functions.
Order Hold the Option/Track Order button while pressing a the Channel < orChannel > button to change
track order.
Hold the Option/Track Order button while pressing F1 to F16 to perform custom functions you can
define. See the Configure or customize your control mappings heading in this help topic for more
information.
Use the External Control & Automation tab in the Preferences dialog to select the control surfaces you
want to use and adjust their configuration.

 1. From the Options menu, choose Preferences to display the Preferences dialog.
 2. Select the External Control & Automation tab.
 3. Double-click your Mackie Control in the Active devices list to display the Configure Mackie
Control dialog.
 4. To add or change a function do the following:
 a. Select an item in the User defined surface control mappings list.
 b. Select an item in the Available host functions list.
 c. Click the Assign button.
 5. To remove a function, select an item in the User defined surface control mappings list and click
the Clear button.
 6. To remove all functions, click the Clear All button.
 7. To replace all custom functions with the default settings, click the Default All button.
Ctrl Hold the Ctrl button while using a control for alternative functions.
Alt Hold the Alt button while using a control for alternative functions.

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 Using a Control Surface 205

Audio/Video buttons
The Audio/Video buttons control various audio settings for your project.
Button Description
Automation Press to place the controls on the Mackie Control in automation mode. The controls in the channel
section of the Mackie Control will affect the automation parameters on the track or bus if
Automation Write (Touch) or Automation Write (Latch) mode is selected.
When the button is not selected, the buttons control trim (static) values.
Bypass FX Press to bypass/enable all audio effects.
Metronome Press to turn the metronome on or off.
Hold Shift and press to toggle metronome countoff.
Surround Press to toggle the project properties between stereo and 5.1 surround mode.
Downmix Press to toggle the state of the Downmix Output button in the Mixing Console window.
Dim Press to toggle the state of the Dim Output button in the Mixing Console window.

Project buttons
The Project buttons perform various project-level commands.
Button Description
Save Press to save your project.
Undo/ Press to reverse edit operations. Hold Shift while pressing the button to reverse an undo operation.
Redo
OK Not used.
Cancel Not used.

Timeline buttons
The Timeline buttons perform various commands for the project timeline.
Button Description
Marker Press to place a marker at the cursor position.
Hold the Ctrl button while pressing the Marker button to remove a marker.
Region Press to convert the current selection to a region.
Hold the Ctrl button while pressing the Region button to remove a region.
Loop/ Press to toggle looped playback mode.
Select Hold the Shift button while pressing the Loop/Select button to create a time selection from the loop
region.
Mark In/ Press to set the beginning of the loop region at the cursor position.
Go to In Hold the Shift button while pressing the Mark In/Go to In button to move the cursor to the
beginning of the loop region.
Mark Out/ Press to set the end of the loop region at the cursor position.
Go to Out Hold the Shift button while pressing the Mark Out/Go to Out button to move the cursor to the end
of the loop region.
Event Hold the Shift button while pressing the Event Trim/Center Cursor button to center the cursor in
Trim/ the timeline view.
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Center
Cursor
RTZ/ Press to move the cursor to the beginning of the project.
End Hold the Shift button while pressing the RTZ/End button to move the cursor to the end of the
project.

Transport buttons (not shown)

The Transport buttons allow you to navigate the timeline and preview your project.
Button Description
Rewind Press and hold to move backward through the timeline at 20x speed.
Fast Press and hold to move forward through the timeline at 20x speed.
Forward
Stop Press to stop playback and return the cursor to its position before playback started.
Play Press to start playback. Press again to stop playback and leave the cursor at its current position.
Record Press to start recording. Press again to stop recording and leave the cursor at its current position.
Hold the Shift button while pressing the Record button to render the current selection to a new
track.

Arrow buttons (not shown)

The arrow buttons allow you to navigate the timeline and preview your project.
Button Description
Left/Right Press the left or right arrow button to move left or right 1/32 note.
Hold Ctrl while pressing the left or right arrow button to go to the beginning or end of the project.
Hold Alt while pressing the left or right arrow button to go to the beginning of the next or previous
measure.
Up/Down Press to zoom in or out.

Jog dial (not shown)

The jog dial allows you to navigate the timeline when playback is stopped.
Hold Alt and turn the dial to go to the beginning of the next or previous measure.

Using a Frontier TranzPort

Using a Frontier TranzPort, you can control ACID wirelessly.
For more information about configuring ACID to use a control surface, please see Using a Control Surface.

View the control mappings

The map for the TranzPort assigns the controls as follows.
Control Function Shift Function
Track Focus to previous track or Insert audio track.
mixer control.

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 Using a Control Surface 207

Track Focus to next track or mixer Insert MIDI track.

control.
Rec Arm track for record.
Mute Mute track.
Solo Solo track.
Undo Undo. Redo.
In Set loop start.
Out Set loop end.
Punch Toggle metronome. Toggle MIDI merge recording when displaying volume or panning for a
MIDI track.

 1. Press Track or Track to select a MIDI track.

 2. Press Shift + Loop until volume or panning information is
displayed on the TranzPort.
 3. Hold Shift and press Punch.
Loop Toggle looped playback. Toggle jog wheel control of volume, panning, input, or output device for
tracks or Mixer controls.

 1. Press Track or Track to select the track you want to adjust.
 2. Press Shift + Loop until the item you want to edit is displayed on
the TranzPort.
 3. Hold Shift while rotating the jog wheel to adjust the selected
control.
Shift Toggle alternate functions.
Markers Move to previous marker.
Prev
Markers Insert marker at cursor.
Add
Markers Move to next marker.
Next
Jog Scroll cursor. Adjust volume or pan for current track.
Wheel
Rewind. Go to start.
Fast forward. Go to end.
Stop playback or recording.
Play/pause.
Punch in or start recording.

Adjust track or bus volume

 1. Press Track or Track to select the track or mixer control you want to adjust.
 2. Press Shift+Loop until the TranzPort displays volume.
 3. Hold Shift while rotating the jog wheel to adjust the volume of the selected track or mixer control.
208

Adjust track or bus panning

 1. Press Track or Track to select the track or mixer control you want to adjust.
 2. Press Shift+Loop until the TranzPort displays panning.
Not all mixer controls allow panning adjustment.
 3. Hold Shift while rotating the jog wheel to adjust panning for the selected track or mixer control.

Edit a track's input device

 1. Press Track or Track to select the track you want to adjust.
 2. Press Shift+Loop until the TranzPort displays the track's input device.
 3. Hold Shift while rotating the jog wheel to scroll through the available inputs. When you change the input device,
an asterisk is displayed before the device name on the TranzPort.
 4. Press Shift+Punch to set the input device.

Edit a track or mixer control's output device

 1. Press Track or Track to select the track or mixer control you want to adjust.
 2. Press Shift+Loop until the TranzPort displays the track's output device.
 3. Hold Shift while rotating the jog wheel to scroll through the available output devices. When you change the
output device, an asterisk is displayed before the device name on the TranzPort.
 4. Press Shift+Punch to set the output device.

Using a PreSonus FaderPort

You can use a PreSonus FaderPort to control ACID Pro.
For more information about configuring ACID Pro to use a control surface, please see Using a Control Surface.

View the control mappings

The map for the FaderPort assigns the controls as follows.
Control Function Shift Function
Fader Adjusts volume for the active channel.  
Pan Adjusts panning for the active channel.  
Mute Mutes the active channel.  
Solo Solos the active channel.  
Rec Arm the active track for recording.  
Channel Scroll to previous track or mixer control.  
Scrolls by 8 channels when Bank is selected.
Bank Toggles scroll channel/bank mode.  
Channel Scroll to next track or mixer control.  
Scrolls by 8 channels when Bank is selected.
Output Master Fader mode.  

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 Using a Control Surface 209

Read Enables channel automation in to Read mode.  Press again to turn  

automation off.
Write Enables channel automation in to Write mode.  Press again to turn  
automation off.
Touch Enables channel automation in to Touch mode.  Press again to turn  
automation off.
Off Turns the fader off.  
Mix Displays the Mix Console. Dim mixer output.
Proj Switches behavior of fader and rotary knob.  
Trns Toggles automation for the active channel.  
Undo Reverses the last action performed.  
Shift Toggle alternate functions.  
Punch Toggles the Metronome on or off. Moves left to the next
marker.
User Toggles metronome count-in. Move right to the next
marker.
Loop Toggles looped playback. Add a marker at the cursor
position.
Rewind. Go to start.
Fast forward. Go to end.
Stop playback or recording.  
Play/pause.  
Punch in or start recording. Render selected track to a
The LED blinks to indicate tracks are armed for recording and new track.
illuminates solidly during recording.
Footswitch Toggles playback. Punch in/out recording.

Adjust track or bus volume

 1. Press Channel or Channel to select the track or mixer control you want to adjust.
 2. Move the fader to adjust the volume of the selected track or mixer control.
If you want to use the FaderPort knob to adjust channel volume, select the Proj button.

Adjust track or bus panning

 1. Press Channel or Channel to select the track or mixer control you want to adjust.
 2. Turn the FaderPort knob to adjust panning for the selected track or mixer control.
Tips:
 l Not all mixer controls allow panning adjustment.
 l If you want to use the FaderPort fader to adjust channel panorama, select the Proj button.

Start recording
 1. Arm the tracks you want to arm:
210

 a. Press Channel or Channel to select the track you want to record into.
 b. Press Rec to arm the selected track for recording.
 2. Repeat steps a and b for all tracks you want to arm.
 3. Press Record to begin recording into all armed tracks.
 4. When you're done recording, press Record again to stop.

Using a Generic Control Surface

You can configure up to five generic MIDI control surfaces to work with the ACID interface.
For information about your specific device, please refer to the manufacturer's documentation.
For more information about setting up a control surface, please see Using a Control Surface.
Notes:

 l If you have a MIDI controller that includes buttons and knobs or faders, you can use the device as an external
control device and as a MIDI input device for recording MIDI for example, you can use the buttons, knobs, and
sliders on the device for external control, and still use the keyboard, pitch wheel, and modulation wheel for
recording MIDI.

MIDI messages that are mapped to external control functions are filtered when you record MIDI. If a note
message is assigned to a control surface function, both the note-on and note-off messages will be filtered. —
 l Effects parameters cannot be adjusted with a generic controller.

A generic control surface can control either trim or automation settings. In order to control automation settings,
you must assign a button to place the control surface in automation mode, and the Automation Settings button
on the track or bus you want to edit must be set to Automation Write (Touch) or Automation Write
(Latch).

Customize your control mappings

Use the External Control & Automation tab in the Preferences dialog to select the control surfaces you want to use
and adjust their configuration.

 1. From the Options menu, choose Preferences to display the Preferences dialog.
 2. Select the External Control & Automation tab.
 3. Double-click the Generic Control entry in the Active control devices list to display the Configure Generic
Control dialog.
 4. To add or change a function do the following:
 a. Choose a setting from the View function group drop-down list.
 b. Select the Learn check box.
 c. Select an command in the Host Command list and activate the control on your control surface.
 d. You can click the Edit button to fine-tune the MIDI message settings.
 e. Repeat step 4 for each command you want to make available on your control surface.
 5. To remove a function, select an item in the Host Command list and click the Reset button.
 6. To remove all functions, click the Reset All button.
 7. Click the Save As button to save your updated configuration file.

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 Using a Control Surface 211

Load a control mapping file

 1. From the Options menu, choose Preferences to display the Preferences dialog.
 2. Select the External Control & Automation tab in the Preferences dialog.
 3. Double-click the Generic Control entry in the Active control devices list to display the Configure Generic
Control dialog.
 4. Click the Open button and browse to the mapping file you want to use.
 5. Click OK to apply your changes and return to the Preferences dialog.
 6. Click OK to close the Preferences dialog.

See an example of how you can set up MIDI keyboard as a generic control surface
If you have a MIDI device that has knobs, faders, and buttons, you can use assign those controls to adjust the tracks
in your project.

For this example, let's set up a MIDI keyboard with 8 knobs to adjust track volume.
Notes:

 l You can use this same process to assign a controller to any configurable parameter. To adjust track volume,
we're selecting Channel x Fader in the Host Command list in step 10 below. However, if you wanted to adjust
panning, you could choose Channel x Pan, or if you wanted to adjust the bus send level, you could choose
Channel x Send.
 l Effect parameters cannot be controlled with a generic controller.

 1. From the Options menu, choose Preferences to display the Preferences dialog.
 2. Select the MIDI tab, and verify that the port where your controller is connected is selected in the Make these
devices available for MIDI input list.
 3. Select the External Control & Automation tab.
 4. From the Available devices drop-down list, choose Generic Control, and then click the Add button. The
Generic Control is added to the Active control devices list.
 5. Double-click the Generic Control entry in the Active control devices list to display the Configure Generic
Control dialog.
 6. Verify that the port where your controller is connected is selected from the MIDI input drop-down list at the
bottom of the dialog.
 7. Because the MIDI keyboard in our example has 8 knobs, type 8 in the Number of channels box.
 8. Now, let's assign buttons to shift the channel banks up and down so you can control all the tracks in your
project.

For example, when you start using the controller, the knobs will adjust tracks 1-8. When you shift the banks
down, you can control tracks 9-16, and so on.
 a. From the View function group drop-down list, choose Channels.
 b. Select the Learn check box.
 c. Select Channel Bank Down from the Host Command list.
 d. Press the button or key you want to use to switch to the next group of 8 tracks.
 e. Select Channel Bank Up from the Host Command list.
 f. Press the button or key you want to use to switch to the previous group of 8 tracks.
 9. Choose Audio Channels from the View function group drop-down list.
 10. Program each knob:
212

 a. Verify that the Learn check box is still selected.

 b. Select Channel 1 Fader from the Host Command list.
 c. Turn knob 1 on your MIDI keyboard. You'll notice that the Channel, MIDI Message, and MIDI Data
columns are updated.
 d. Repeat steps 10a and 10b to program knobs 2 through 8 on your keyboard.
 11. Now, let's assign a button to toggle the controller in and out of automation mode so we can use the knobs to
adjust the track's volume (trim) or record volume automation:
 a. From the View function group drop-down list, choose Assign.
 b. Select Toggle Automation Mode from the Host Command list.
 c. Verify that the Learn check box is still selected, and then press the button or key you want to use to switch
your control surface in and out of automation mode.

You'll notice that the Channel, MIDI Message, and MIDI Data columns are updated.
 12. Click OK to close the Configure Generic Control dialog, and then click OK to close the Preferences dialog.
 13. From the Options menu, choose External Control to enable your controller.

You're ready to start using your controller.

 14. Turn each knob on your controller and notice that turning knob 1 adjusts the volume (trim) of track 1, turning
knob 2 adjusts the volume of track 2, and so on.
 15. Press the button that you assigned to scroll the channel bank down in step 8.

Turn each knob on your controller and notice that turning knob 1 now adjusts the volume (trim) of track 9,
turning knob 2 adjusts the volume of track 10, and so on.
 16. Press the button that you assigned to scroll the channel bank up in step 8 so you can control tracks 1-8 again.
 17. Press the button that you assigned to toggle automation mode in step 11.

Select the Automation Settings button on each track to enable automation recording.

Start playback, and turn each knob on your controller, and notice that turning knob 1 records volume
automation on track 1, turning knob 2 records automation on track 2, and so on.
 18. Press the automation mode toggle button once more, and you can use the knobs to adjust track trim levels
again.

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 Working with MIDI 213

Working with MIDI

In addition to using loops, one-shots, and Beatmapped tracks, you can record MIDI tracks and use MIDI files in your
projects.
To edit MIDI files within ACID software, you can use inline MIDI editing to edit in the timeline, or you can use
the List Editor or Piano Roll tab in the MIDI Track Properties window. To edit a MIDI file with an external editor,
right-click the track and choose Edit in [editor name] to open the file using the editor specified on the Editing
tab of the Preferences dialog.

MIDI Basics: Using MIDI Files in Your Project

ACID contains comprehensive MIDI support, but you don't have to be a MIDI wizard to spice up your projects with
MIDI.
You can use MIDI files in much the same way you use loops and one-shots in your projects. However, unlike loops
and one-shots, MIDI files do not contain audio. MIDI files contain information about which notes to play and how
to play them. You'll need a synthesizer (software or hardware based) to play the MIDI data.

+ or + = Music!

MIDI File Synthesizer Sound Card

Following is a basic workflow for using MIDI files in an ACID project:

 1. Use the Explorer window to find the file you want to use.
 2. Double-click the file to add it to your project. Tracks and events will be created automatically.

For more control, you can right-click a MIDI file in the Explorer window and choose a command from the
shortcut menu to indicate how you want to add it to your project.
 3. By default, your new MIDI tracks will be routed to the MAGIX VITA2 Synth. If you want to change the sounds,
you can add other VSTi software synthesizers.
 4. If you've added another VSTi soft synths to your project, you'll need to assign your MIDI track to the soft synth
you want to play the track.
 5. Click the Play button in the transport toolbar to hear your project.
 6. When you're finished with your project, you can render it as you would any other project.
In order to render projects that contain MIDI tracks, MIDI tracks must be routed to VSTi soft synths. Tracks
that are routed to external MIDI devices will not be included in the rendered file.

Once you have the basics down, you can start recording your own MIDI parts.

Adding MIDI Files to a Project

Adding MIDI files to your ACID project is just like adding audio: you can double-click a MIDI file to create new
tracks and events, or you can drag a MIDI file to an existing track's Paint Clip Selector button to add a new clip.
214

When you select a MIDI file in the Explorer window, its length, tempo, type, and number of tracks are displayed
at the bottom of the window:

When you right-click a MIDI file in the Explorer window, you can choose how you want to add it to your project:
Command Description
Add to Adds the file to the current ACID project and adds tracks to the track list. No events are created.
Project
 l For Type 0 MIDI files, a separate track is created for each channel in the MIDI file, and all tracks
are organized within a folder track.
 l For Type 1 MIDI files, a separate track is created for each track in the MIDI file, and all tracks are
organized within a folder track.
 l ACID will set the clip's key based on the MIDI file. If a MIDI file has multiple key signatures,
only the first is used.

When you draw events after adding a file to your ACID project, MIDI controller data is not
added to the timeline. Right-click an event and choose Merge Envelope Data from the
shortcut menu to represent MIDI controllers as envelopes on the timeline.
Add to Adds the file to the current ACID project at the cursor position, adds tracks to the track list, and
Project with creates events for the MIDI note data on each track. Envelopes are added to the tracks to represent
Events MIDI controller data.
   l For Type 0 MIDI files, a separate track is created for each channel in the MIDI file, and all tracks
are organized within a folder track.
 l For Type 1 MIDI files, a separate track is created for each track in the MIDI file, and all tracks are
organized within a folder track.
 l ACID will set the clip's key based on the MIDI file. If a MIDI file has multiple key signatures,
only the first is used.
Add to Adds the file to the current ACID project at the cursor position, adds tracks to the track list, and
Project with creates events. Existing events are shifted downstream to make room for your MIDI file. Envelopes
Events are added to the tracks to represent MIDI controller data.
Rippled
 l For Type 0 MIDI files, a separate track is created for each channel in the MIDI file, and all tracks
  are organized within a folder track.
 l For Type 1 MIDI files, a separate track is created for each track in the MIDI file, and all tracks are
organized within a folder track.
 l ACID will set the clip's key based on the MIDI file. If a MIDI file has multiple key signatures,
only the first is used.
Open as Starts a new project, adds tracks to the track list, and creates events for the MIDI note data on each
New track:
Project
 l For Type 0 MIDI files, a separate track is created for each channel in the MIDI file.
 l For Type 1 MIDI files, a separate track is created for each track in the MIDI file.
 l The ACID project key will be updated to match the MIDI project. Each clip (except drum clips)
will have its key set accordingly.

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 Working with MIDI 215
When you draw events after opening a MIDI file as a new project, MIDI controller data is not
added to the timeline. Right-click an event and choose Create Envelopes from Clip from the
shortcut menu to represent MIDI controllers as envelopes on the timeline.

Routing Tracks to Soft Synths or MIDI Devices

Each MIDI track can be played through any external MIDI port or any VSTi or ReWire 2.0 soft synth bus control in
the Mixing Console window.

 1. Click the MIDI Output button. A list of all the available MIDI devices and software synthesizers is displayed.

 l If the soft synth you want to use does not appear in the menu, choose Insert Soft Synth to add a soft synth
bus control to the project and route the track to the new synth.
 l If a MIDI device does not appear in the menu, choose External MIDI Device Preferences to open the
MIDI tab of the Preferences dialog and verify that the check box for the device is selected. If a device is
selected for generating MIDI timecode on the Sync Preferences tab, it will be unavailable as a playback
device.

For more information about using hardware-based synthesizers with your ACID project, please see Using
Input Busses with Hardware-Based Synthesizers.
 2. Choose a device from the list to send the current track to that device. To route to a specific port in a ReWire 2.0
device, choose your ReWire device application from the list, and then choose a port (indicated by the icon)
from the submenu.
In order to render projects that contain MIDI tracks, MIDI tracks must be routed to VSTi or ReWire 2.0 soft
synths. Tracks that are routed to external MIDI devices will not be included in the rendered file.
 3. To choose which MIDI channel will be used to send MIDI data, choose MIDI Channel, and then choose a
channel from the submenu .
When you add a MIDI track, its output is automatically assigned to the next available channel (channel 10
is skipped since some devices reserve channel 10 for drums).

Using Synthesizers
From the Insert menu, choose Soft Synth to add a soft synth bus control to the Mixing Console window.
Each soft synth bus control can represent a VST instrument or ReWire device application.
A VSTi soft synth bus control is like a virtual synthesizer module where you can route tracks. In the same way you
can route a MIDI keyboard to an outboard synthesizer module, you can route each MIDI track to any soft synth you
have set up for your project or play a soft synth with an external MIDI controller.
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A ReWire soft synth bus control connects a ReWire device application with ACID software, which serves as a
ReWire mixer application. When ACID software hosts a ReWire device application, playback is synchronized
between the two programs, and the ReWire device application's audio is output through the ACID mixer. With
ReWire 2.0 devices, you can also route MIDI tracks to synths in the ReWire device applications.
Use the soft synth bus control in the Mixing Console window to mute, solo, add effects to, and adjust the volume of
each soft synth.
You can add up to 32 soft synth bus controls to your project. If the project includes VST instruments with
multiple outputs, each output is added as a separate soft synth bus.

Using VST Instruments

A Virtual Studio Technology instrument (VST instrument or VSTi) is a software-based synthesizer you can use to
create audio from your MIDI tracks. You use a software synthesizer much like a hardware-based synthesizer: in the
same way you can route a MIDI keyboard to an outboard synthesizer module, you can route MIDI tracks to a VSTi
soft synth or ReWire 2.0 device application.
VST instruments are added to your project as soft synth bus controls in the Mixing Console window. Routing a
MIDI track to a soft synth bus control will cause the track to be played through the VST instrument, and you can use
the Soft Synth Properties dialog to choose presets and adjust instrument settings.
You can add up to 32 soft synth bus controls to your project. If the project includes VST instruments with
multiple outputs, each output is added as a separate soft synth bus.
If you change the number of outputs from within a multiport VST instrument after adding the soft synth to your
ACID project, the ACID Mixing Console window will not reflect the change if the VST instrument does not
notify host applications of dynamic port changes.

Add a VST instrument to your project

 1. From the Insert menu, choose Soft Synth, or click the Insert Soft Synth button in the Mixing Console
window. The Soft Synth Chooser is displayed.
 2. Select the VST instrument from the list and click the OK button.

If the VST instrument you want to use isn't displayed in the Soft Synth Chooser dialog, you can use the Plug-In
Manager window to indicate where your plug-ins are installed and scan for plug-ins.

The soft synth bus control is added to the Mixing Console window using the default settings, and the Soft
Synth Properties window is displayed. You can load new presets or banks or use the instrument's interface in
the Soft Synth Properties dialog to adjust its settings.
When you insert a VST instrument that supports multiple output ports, ACID creates a soft synth bus for the
VSTi's main output in the Mixing Console window.
You can add soft synth bus controls for each of the VSTi's output ports to mute, solo, add effects, and adjust
volume for each soft synth bus control individually. For more information, see "Add or remove soft synth
busses for multiport VST instruments" in this help topic.

If you change the number of outputs from within a multiport VST instrument after adding the soft synth to your
ACID project, the ACID Mixing Console window will not reflect the change if the VST instrument does not
notify host applications of dynamic port changes.

Add or remove soft synth busses for multiport VST instruments

When you insert a VST instrument that supports multiple output ports, ACID creates a soft synth bus for the VST
instrument's main output in the Mixing Console window.
You can add soft synth bus controls for each of the VSTi's output ports to mute, solo, add effects, and adjust
volume for each soft synth bus control individually.

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 1. Right-click the VST instrument's soft synth icon in the Mixing Console window.

 2. Choose Insert/Remove <Synth Name> Outputs from the shortcut menu, and then choose a command from
the submenu.

Deleting the main output's soft synth bus control will remove all of the VST instrument's ports.
 

Load or save VST instrument effect presets

When you're using a VST instrument as a soft synth, you can use the Soft Synth Properties window to load or save
settings for an individual instrument.
Some VST instruments may not support loading or saving presets through the ACID interface. These
instruments may have their own methods of saving presets and banks, or saving may not be available in a
demonstration or limited version of the instrument.

Loading an instrument preset

 1. Click the Open Effect Preset button . The Open VSTi Effect Preset dialog is displayed.

 2. Browse to the .fxp file that you want to use.

 3. Click the Open button. The current VST instrument settings are replaced with the settings stored in the preset.
Saving the current settings as a preset

 1. Click the Save Effect Preset button . The Save VSTi Effect Preset dialog is displayed.

 2. Browse to the folder where you want to save the .fxp file and type a name in the File Name box.
 3. Click the Save button. The current VST instrument settings are stored in the preset.

Load or save VST instrument effect banks

When you're using a VST instrument as a soft synth, you can use the Soft Synth Properties window to load or save
banks of settings.
Loading a saved bank

 1. Click the Open Effect Bank button . The Open VSTi Effect Bank dialog is displayed.

 2. Browse to the .fxb file that you want to use.

 3. Click the Open button. The current VST instrument settings are replaced with the settings stored in the bank.
Saving the current settings as a bank

 1. Click the Save Effect Bank As button . The Save VSTi Effect Bank dialog is displayed.

 2. Browse to the folder where you want to save the .fxb file and type a name in the File Name box.
 3. Click the Save button. The current VST instrument settings are stored in the bank.

Enable or bypass a VST instrument

Select the Enable button on the Soft Synth Properties window to enable a VST instrument so you can hear its
output, or click again to bypass the instrument.
When you change the soft synth bus control to use a different VST instrument, it will be enabled automatically.

Route a MIDI track to a VST instrument

Routing MIDI tracks uses the same process whether you're routing to a VST instrument, ReWire 2.0 device
application, or MIDI port. For more information, see "Routing Tracks to Soft Synths or MIDI Devices" on page 215.
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Play a soft synth with a MIDI device

 1. Double click a soft synth icon in the Mixer window. The Soft Synth Properties window is displayed.

 2. In the Soft Synth Properties window, click the External MIDI Input Port button and choose a port from the
menu.
If the port you want to use isn't selected, you can choose External MIDI Device Preferences to display the
MIDI tab in the Preferences dialog, where you can make devices available for MIDI input.

Notes:

 1. Step 2 is necessary only if the Auto MIDI input routing check box on the MIDI tab of the Preferences dialog is
not selected.
 2. If you're using a VSTi soft synth, select the Enable button on the Soft Synth Properties window to allow
real-time MIDI playback.
 3. Play your MIDI controller, and it will use the current program settings from the Soft Synth Properties window.

For more information about using external MIDI devices, see "Using External MIDI Devices" on page 221.

Automate VSTi parameters

You can use the soft synth bus track to control parameter automation for VST instruments using envelopes.
For more information about adding and adjusting parameter automation envelopes, please see Automating VSTi
Parameters.

Automating VSTi Parameters

You can use envelopes on soft synth bus tracks to control parameter automation for VST instruments.

Automate VSTi parameters

 1. If bus tracks aren't already visible, choose Show Bus Tracks from the View menu.
 2. Select the bus track header for the VSTi soft synth you want to edit.
 3. Perform either of the following actions:
 l Click the Configure Soft Synth Parameter Automation button in the VSTi's Soft Synth Properties
window.
or——
 l From the Insert menu, choose Envelopes, and then choose Soft Synth Automation from the submenu.

The Soft Synth Parameter Automation dialog is displayed.

 4. The Soft Synth Parameter Automation dialog displays a list of the VST instrument's automatable parameters.
Select the check box for each parameter you want to automate.
 5. Click the down arrow in the Envelope box and choose a command from the menu:
Item Description
Insert If the parameter does not have an automation envelope, No is displayed.
Envelope Click the down arrow and choose Insert Envelope to add an automation envelope to the
timeline.
Show/Hide If the parameter has an automation envelope, Visible or Hidden is displayed.
Envelope Click the down arrow and choose Hide Envelope or Show Envelope to toggle its display.

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Click the Hide all Envelopes button at the bottom of the dialog to hide all envelopes on
the bus track.
Reset All If the parameter has an automation envelope, you can click the down arrow and choose
Envelope Reset All Envelope Points to restore all points to the default value.
Points
Delete If the parameter has an automation envelope, you can click the down arrow and choose
Envelope Delete Envelope to remove the envelope and all envelope points from the timeline.
Click the Remove all Envelopes button at the bottom of the dialog to delete all parameter
envelopes on the bus track.

 6. Click the down arrow in the Curve Type box to set the default fade curve for each parameter's automation
envelope. The new curve type will be applied to all envelope segments. You can right-click a segment and
choose a new fade curve to override the default curve type.
 7. You can now edit the parameter automation data by editing the envelopes on the bus track or adjusting the
VSTi's controls in the in the Soft Synth Properties window.

Edit parameter automation envelopes or record automation

After you've added VSTi parameter automation envelopes to the soft synth's bus track, each envelope represents an
automatable parameter, and the envelope points represent parameter values.
You can edit parameter automation data by editing the envelopes on the bus track, or you can use the VSTi's
controls in the in the Soft Synth Properties window to record automation data:  

 1. Double-click the soft synth icon in the Mixing Console window to display the Soft Synth Properties
window for the VSTi you want to automate.
 2. Click to position the cursor in the timeline where you want to edit a parameter.
 3. Adjust the control in the Soft Synth Properties window that corresponds to the envelope you want to edit. An
envelope point is created or the envelope point at the cursor position is updated to match the control setting.

If you want to record automation settings during playback, the controls in the Soft Synth Properties window
behave differently depending on the track automation recording mode.

Click the next to the Automation Settings button and choose a setting from the menu to set the
automation recording mode:
Mode Track Description
Icon
Off Automated parameters are ignored during playback.
When you switch to Off mode, the control setting from the cursor position is used as a
static setting, and the envelope is dimmed to indicate that it is unavailable.
Read The envelope value is applied during playback, and the control in the Soft Synth Properties
window reflects the envelope settings at the cursor position.
Adjustments to the control are not recorded.
Write The envelope value is applied during playback, and the control in the Soft Synth Properties
(Touch) window follows the envelope during playback and when you position the cursor.
Envelope points are created only while a control is being adjusted. When you stop
adjusting the control, automation recording stops and the existing envelope points are
unaffected.
Write The envelope value is applied during playback, and the control in the Soft Synth Properties
(Latch) window follows the envelope settings during playback and when you position the cursor.
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Envelope points are created when you change a control setting, and recording continues
until you stop playback. When you stop adjusting the control, the control's last setting
overwrites the existing envelope points/keyframes.

Editing Soft Synth Properties

From the View menu, choose Soft Synth Properties to display the Soft Synth Properties window for the selected
track. You can use this window to route soft synths to VST instruments or ReWire 2.0 devices, and you can
configure soft synths for external input from a MIDI controller.
Double-click the icon on a soft synth channel strip in the Mixing Console window or select a track that is
routed to that soft synth to display the Soft Synth Properties window for the soft synth.

Route a soft synth bus control to a VST instrument or ReWire 2.0 synth application

 1. Double click a soft synth icon in the Mixing Console window. The Soft Synth Properties window is
displayed.
 2. Click the Edit Soft Synth button . The Soft Synth Chooser dialog is displayed.

 3. Select the VST instrument you want to use, or select the ReWire Devices tab and choose a ReWire 2.0 device.
If the VST instrument you want to use isn't displayed in the Soft Synth Chooser dialog, you can use the
Plug-In Manager window to indicate where your plug-ins are installed and scan for plug-ins.

If the ReWire device application you want to use isn't displayed in the Soft Synth Chooser dialog, you can
use the Plug-In Manager window to re-enable the plug-in.

In the Plug-In Manager, navigate to the ReWire Devices > Ignored folder to view the ReWire devices
you've excluded. Right-click a plug-in and choose Ignore from the shortcut menu to clear the check mark
and re-enable the plug-in.
 4. Click OK to return to the Soft Synth Properties window.
If you selected a VST instrument, the VSTi synth is displayed in the Soft Synth Properties window, and you can
adjust the controls as necessary.
If you selected a ReWire 2.0 device, the Soft Synth Properties window displays information about the synth's
MIDI ports. Click the Open ReWire Device button to start the device (some applications cannot be started
by a ReWire mixer), or select the Lock MIDI Port Configuration button to lock MIDI ports so the software
does not lose port assignments due to dynamic changes from ReWire devices.

Route a soft synth bus control to another bus

By routing soft synths to busses, you can create subgroups or use the bus to apply a single set of plug-ins to the
subgroup of soft synths.

 1. Add busses to your project.

 2. Click the Playback Device Selector button on the soft synth bus control or bus track and choose a bus from the
menu.
 3. The button is displayed as a when a bus is routed to the master bus.

 4. The bus letter is displayed ( , , and so on) when a bus is routed to another bus.

Configure a soft synth for external input

Each soft synth bus control in the Mixing Console window can accept input from MIDI tracks and external MIDI
devices. You can use your favorite controller to play a VST instrument for recording MIDI.

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 Working with MIDI 221

For more information about using external MIDI controllers, see "Using External MIDI Devices" below.

 1. Double click a soft synth icon in the Mixer window. The Soft Synth Properties window is displayed.

 2. Click the External MIDI Input Port button and choose a port from the menu.

If the port you want to use isn't displayed, choose External MIDI Device Preferences from the menu. The
MIDI tab in the Preferences dialog is displayed so you can select a port in the Make these devices available for
MIDI input section of the dialog.

This step is necessary only if the Auto MIDI input routing check box on the MIDI tab of the Preferences dialog
is not selected.
If you're using a VSTi soft synth, select the Enable button on the Soft Synth Properties window to allow
real-time MIDI playback.

Solo external MIDI inputs

Your external MIDI devices can be routed to multiple soft synth bus controls and MIDI thru devices. Soloing an
external input prevents your device from playing through other soft synths and MIDI thru devices.

 1. Double-click a soft synth icon in the Mixer window. The Soft Synth Properties window is displayed.

 2. Click the Solo Listen to MIDI Input button .

You can select the Solo Listen to MIDI Input button on additional soft synth bus controls to add them to the
solo group.

This button is unavailable if the Auto MIDI input routing check box on the MIDI tab of the Preferences dialog is
selected.

Edit VSTi or ReWire soft synth properties

The contents of the Soft Synth Properties window will vary depending on the type of soft synth bus.

 l To learn more about editing VSTi soft synth properties, see "Loading an instrument preset" on page 217.
 l To learn more about editing ReWire soft synth properties, see "Using ACID Software as a ReWire Mixer" on
page 230.

Using External MIDI Devices

If you have external MIDI devices such as MIDI controllers or hardware synthesizers, ACID software can use those
devices for playing back or recording MIDI tracks.
Real-time MIDI monitoring must be enabled to allow ACID software to communicate with the MIDI port. Real-
time MIDI monitoring is enabled by default, but if you've turned it off, you can turn it on again by choosing
Enable Real-Time MIDI from the Options menu.
When the Enable Real-Time MIDI command is selected, audio plug-ins continue running even when playback
is stopped. Turning the command off can conserve processing power, but input from external MIDI controllers
will be ignored.

Enable MIDI devices

 1. Install your device and any required drivers according to the manufacturer's instructions.
 2. From the Options menu, choose Preferences. The Preferences dialog is displayed.
 3. Select the MIDI tab.
 4. In the Make these devices available for MIDI track playback and Generate MIDI Clock box, select the check
box for each MIDI device that you want to use as a MIDI output for MIDI tracks and generating MIDI clock.
 5. In the Make these devices available for MIDI input box, select the check box for each MIDI device that you
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want to be available for recording MIDI and controlling soft synths.

Set a track's input device

Click the MIDI Input button in a MIDI track header and choose the MIDI device and channel you want to use.
For more information about setting a MIDI track's input device, please see Recording MIDI.

Route a track to a MIDI device

Click the MIDI Output button in a MIDI track header to choose the MIDI device and port you want to use.
For more information about routing MIDI tracks, please see Routing Tracks to Soft Synths or MIDI Devices and
Using Input Busses with Hardware-Based Synthesizers.

Play a soft synth with a MIDI device

 1. Double click a soft synth icon in the Mixer window. The Soft Synth Properties window is displayed.

 2. In the Soft Synth Properties window, click the External MIDI Input Port button and choose a port from the
menu.

If the port you want to use isn't selected, you can choose External MIDI Device Preferences to display the
MIDI tab in the Preferences dialog, where you can make devices available for MIDI input.

Notes:

 l Step 2 is necessary only if the Auto MIDI input routing check box on the MIDI tab of the Preferences dialog is
not selected.
 l If you're using a VSTi soft synth, select the Enable button on the Soft Synth Properties window to allow
real-time MIDI playback.

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 l Play your MIDI controller, and it will use the current program settings from the Soft Synth Properties window.

Set MIDI thru ports 

If you want notes received from a MIDI input port to be echoed to a MIDI output port for monitoring, you can set up
MIDI thru for any enabled ports:

 l A single MIDI output can have a single MIDI input routed to it.
 l A single MIDI input can be routed to multiple MIDI output ports that will receive MIDI thru data.
 l Sysex messages are not sent to a MIDI thru device.

You can also click the MIDI Input button on the track header and choose Send MIDI Input Thru to MIDI
Output from the menu if you want to echo notes from the MIDI controller to the track's MIDI device or soft
synth for monitoring during MIDI recording.

 1. From the Options menu, choose Preferences. The Preferences dialog is displayed.
 2. Select the MIDI tab.
 3. Select at least one port in each of the Make these devices available for MIDI track playback and Generate
MIDI Clock and in the Make these devices available for MIDI input boxes.
 4. Right-click the MIDI Thru From text box for any selected output port and choose the input port from which you
want to receive MIDI thru data from the shortcut menu.
Only ports that are selected in the Make these devices available for MIDI input box will be available.
 5. If you want a MIDI input port to send MIDI thru data to multiple output ports, right-click the MIDI Thru To text
box for any selected input port and choose the ports to which you want to send MIDI thru data from the
shortcut menu.
Only ports that are selected in the Make theses devices available for MIDI track playback and Generate
MIDI Clock box will be available.

Softsynths included with ACID Pro

DN-e1
The DN-e1 is a virtual analog synthesizer that is suitable for all conceivable styles and application areas. It works in a
subtractive way, i. e. first a basic sound is selected that is then filtered with the aid of a filter.
224

Sound selection

Select the sounds and sound configurations at the top.

Bank: Here you can switch between three banks with various complete configurations.
Category: Here you can select a sound category.
Rndm (Random): Here you can activate a random selection of the parameter settings in order to experiment with the
sound.
Patches/Name: Here you can select a sound that will then be modulated.
Output

The end of the signal chain is edited in this area.

Volume: Sets the total volume.
Voices: Controls the number of voices generated (polyphony).
Glide: Controls the glide function. You can access sliding pitch transitions between the individual notes.
Unisono: Switches to monophonic, but generates a number of slightly varied voices for "thickening” the sound.
Filter en.

In this area the filter curve used to filter the output sound is modulated.
Attack: Sets the time duration that the filter curve requires in order to reach its maximum.
Decay: Sets the time duration that the filter curve requires in order to go from its maximum to the sustain level.
Sustain: Here you can set the degree of filtering that should take place after the decay phase. This filtering remains
the same until the key on the keyboard is released; in contrast to the other three parameters, it does not also control a
time duration, but a specific level.
Release: Sets the time duration which the filter curve requires in order to go from the sustain level to the zero point
after the key is released.
Reverb

An additional reverb effect can be set here.

Type: Sets the sound coloration of the reverb effect.
Pre Del: Sets the time that passes between the direct signal and the arrival of the early reflections. The reverberation
time comes only after this time span.
Damp: The corner frequency at which a damping of the highs should be implemented for each delay is defined here.
This is useful, for  example, for making the delays reverberate more naturally or for creating special effects
(reggae/dub-style effects).
Decay: Sets the complete reverb time.
Low Cut: Sets the filter frequency of a high-pass filter. All signal components below this frequency will be filtered
out.
Amount: Here you can set the mixing ratio between the effect and the pure sound, i.e. the original sound without any
effect applied.
Delay

An additional echo effect can be set here.

Type: Different types of echo can be selected here: normal echo, ping-pong echo (where the sound swings through
the stereo panorama) and various other forms.
Color: Sets the sound coloration of the echo.
Feedback: Sets the number of echo repeats.
L Rate: Sets the time duration for individual echoes for the left channel.
R Rate: Sets the time duration for individual echoes for the right channel.

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 Working with MIDI 225

Amount: Sets the mixing ratio between the effect and the pure sound, that is to say, the original sound without any
effect applied.

MAGIX Vita
MAGIX Vita Synthesizer specializes on realistic playback of "real" instruments for which it uses sampling
technology. This means that short samples of real instruments in different pitches, playing techniques and volumes
are used, combined, and played again at the correct pitch.

The Vita interface

1. Layer selection/Peak meter: The Vita sounds, also known as layers, can be selected here using the arrows. Right-
clicking on the display opens the layer menu.
2. Main parameter: Here the volume, panorama position, pitch characteristics ("transpose") and the fundamental
frequency ("master tune") can be set.
3. AMP: This is the volume envelope. With this you can control the timing of a sound's volume. A(ttack) stands for
the volume increase at the start, D(ecay) for the length of time the decrease in volume takes on a section set with S
(ustain) at the maximum volume. R(elease) is the length of time it takes for the sound to fade out.

4. FILTER: Here you can switch on a filter which influences the sound. With FILTER TYPE you can select the kind of
filter you want to use. Cutoff controls the filter frequency and "Resonance" controls the strength of the emphasized
filter frequency. "Velocity" indicates how much the velocity influences the filter frequency, using "Gain" you can
balance the volume. The filter envelope (ADSR slider) influences the filter frequency depending on the time.
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5. DELAY: Here you can switch on an echo effect. "Time" controls the delay time and "Level" controls the strength of
the echo sound.
6. REVERB: Here you can switch on a reverb effect. "Time" controls the delay time and "Level" controls the strength
of the echo sound.
7. TUBE DISTORTION: This is a tube distortion effect like those found in guitar amplifiers. This is normally used for
electric guitars but you can also get creative and use it for other things. "Drive" controls the strength of the distortion.
"High-cut" and "Low-cut" filter out the high and low frequencies.
8. VALUE DISPLAY: This always displays the exact values of the parameter that was just adjusted.
9. DYNAMIC RANGE: Usually the relationship between the created volume and the MIDI velocity is proportional.
You can compensate for the fact that some MIDI keyboards need to be pressed forcefully to produce loud sounds
(or conversely produce loud sounds with a soft touch) using the "MIDI Input Curve". Using "Dynamic and
"Dynamic curve" you can manipulate the dynamics of a sound, i.e. the relationship between the loudest and quietest
sounds.
10. Voices: Here you can control the number of voices played simultaneously. If notes are no longer played, as is the
case in some fast passages, you can increase the number of voices at the expense of performance.
11. Keyboard: Here you can preview the Vita sounds. 12. lets you hide the keyboard.

Additional Vita Solo Instruments

ACID Pro includes some more synthesizers that are based on the VITA Sampling engine. The Vita Solo Instruments
are special sample players with customized interfaces for each of the instruments.
The basic controls are identical for all these Vita Solo Instruments.

One click on the arrow symbol opens a drop-out menu where you can determine the general sound of the
instrument. If "ECO" appears in the description, this refers to especially performance-improving settings which may
not sound so "smooth". In addition, you can also save your settings and add them to a favorites list for later use.

You can control the overall volume of the instrument.

You can turn the instrument keyboard on or off with this controller.
The samplers are enhanced by effects like Chorus or Reverb, special tailored for the specific instrument. If you would
like to know which result certain effects have, you will find explanations in the Essential FX help files.

Articulation
Some Vita Solo Instruments have a special feature: In the bass octave (on the keyboard (C0-H0), there are special
notes, which let you control the playing style (articulation). An alternative sample set is loaded, which lets, for
instance, a bass guitar sound even more realistic using various playing styles such as note bending and flageolet.
Articulation is switched on and continues until normal articulation is switched on again through the corresponding
note.

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 Working with MIDI 227

On the keyboard at the bottom of the synthesizer interface are the buttons to switch articulation, displayed in a
different color. In the Piano Roll Editor appearing above, you can see a practical application of articulation. The last
notes of the bar will be played back with varying articulation. At the end of the bar, normal articulation will be
switched on again through C2.

Automation of Vita and Vita Solo instruments

In ACID Pro it is possible to automate Vita Solo instruments. This allows you to change a specific value during
playback using an Automation Envelope. See "Automating VSTi Parameters" on page 218 for more Information.
Automate Vita Solo Instruments via MIDI Controller

 1. Right-click on a knob knob or fader in the instruments user interface. This opens a context menu where you can
select the MIDI controller number to use for this knob.
 2. Select the controller from the midi ctrl # sub menu. A few standard controller settings are already preset, e.g. 7
for volume, 10 for panorama, 91 for reverb. You recognize already used controllers by the asterisk behind the
number.
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 3. If you have a keyboard or MIDI controller connected to your computer there is also another way: Chose midi
learn and move a knob at your keyboard or controller, ACID Pro listens for the controller number the knob is
generating and assigns the number to the knob on screen.
 4. Now you can automate the instrument by using an MIDI controller envelope (see "MIDI Track Envelopes and
Keyframes" on page 137
Automate Vita Solo Instruments via VST Parameter

You can also automate the instruments via VST parameters. The advantage: Its resolution is not limited to the 127
values of the MIDI controller. Unless the most other VSTi which offer their parameters with a descriptive name
directly, the VITA instruments offer 127 numbered parameters for this purpose, which you must first assign to the
VST controls to be available for automation. This is because all the very different VITA Instruments use the same
engine so it makes no sense to give the parameters dedicated names. And you can assign the parameters you really
need to the first couple of parameter numbers and don't have to find them in a sometimes very long list of
parameters.

 1. Right-click on a knob knob or fader in the instruments user interface.

 2. In the context menu, choose a host controller number from the host ctrl # sub menu.
 3. Now you can insert an envelope for this numbered parameter in the soft synth bus track to automate this
parameter. See "Automating VSTi Parameters" on page 218 for more information.

With host learn you can also do the mapping the other way around: First insert an envelope for a parameter number
and then do the mapping to the actual control:

 1. Insert an envelope via the Soft Synth Parameter Automation window.
 2. Right click the control in the synths user interface and choose host learn.
 3. Move the envelope in the timeline by clicking and dragging the single default envelope point with the mouse.
The synths parameter is now liked th the according host ctrl parameter number.

Vita Sampler
The Vita Sampler is a simple sampler, which you can use to play sections of samples via MIDI, for example
individual drum sounds from drum loops. This function as a so-called "beat slicer", which means that it
automatically finds the individual elements in samples (e.g. kick drum in a drum loop), which in turn are available as
destinations for eight drum pads.

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Wave form: Your own samples in the file formats .wav. .aiff, .ogg, and .mp3 may be loaded into the Vita
Sampler via drag & drop simply by dragging them there. In this case, the sample segments ("slices") are
detected automatically and marked in the sample.
Assigned slice: Of all the detected slices, 8 are selected randomly, assigned to the drum pads, and specified
as random playback modes (5,6).
.Drum pads: Slices may be played using the mouse with the drum pads and via MIDI with the white buttons
starting at C3 (MIDI note number 60, 62, 64, etc.)
Selected slice: Slices may be selected for advanced listening by clicking them. The associated drum pad is
also displayed at the same time.
To change the slice assignment for this drum pad, drag the colored frame around another wave form slice.
To change the size of the assigned slice, drag the edges of the frame using the round handles. The edges will
snap onto the specified slice borders. Pressing the ALT key shuts off the snapping grid. This enables
imprecise positions in the slice detection to be corrected.
Note: Slices may not be assigned to multiple drum pads, which is why sometimes, the selection cannot
be dragged as desired.
Clicking the symbol changes the playback direction of the slice:

Forward

Reverse

Clicking the symbol changes the playback mode of the slice:

No loop. The slice is played back for as long as the drum pad or the MIDI note is active, but only
until the end.

Loop. The slice is played back in a loop for as long as the MIDI note is active.
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One shot. The slice is played back independently of the length of the MIDI note until the end

Lock pad: Lock the pad out of the random function (see below).

Not locked

Locked

Random: A new, random selection of slices is added to the drum pads and random playback modes (5,6)
are assigned. Locked pads are not included. You can use the random function repeatedly to discard
unwanted results and keep the good ones.
Zoom: The zoom buttons enable you to enlarge the wave form display, to recognize more details,which is
practical for correctly slice edges with the ALT button (see above)

Using ReWire
Using ReWire, you can stream audio between applications in real time, synchronize playback, and use either
application's transport controls to control playback in the synchronized applications. The cursor position and loop
region will be shared in the synchronized applications.
ACID software can be used as a ReWire mixer (host) or a ReWire device (client):

 l When ACID software is used as a ReWire mixer, a soft synth bus in the ACID mixer connects the ReWire
device application with the ACID audio engine. During playback, song position data is sent from the ACID
window to the ReWire device application, and the device will send its audio data back to the ACID soft synth
bus control.
 l When ACID software is used as a ReWire device, the ReWire mixer sends song position data to the ACID
project, and ACID software sends its audio to the ReWire mixer. ACID acts as a ReWire 1.0 device.

Using ACID Software as a ReWire Mixer

When you add a ReWire soft synth bus to the ACID mixer, the bus connects the ReWire device application with the
ACID audio engine. During playback, song position data is sent from the ACID window to the ReWire device
application, and the device will send its audio data back to the ACID soft synth bus control. To see an example, click
.
As a ReWire mixer, ACID software supports ReWire 2.0, which allows you to use a ReWire device application as a
soft synth where you can route MIDI tracks.
The ReWire data will not be included in playback or rendering if the device application is not open.
For more information about using your ReWire device application, please refer to that application's documentation.
If you receive an error that a MIDI port is currently in use when you try to play back your project, check the MIDI
tab in the Preferences dialog and verify that your ReWire device applications are not trying to access the same
MIDI ports ACID software is configured to use.

Add a ReWire soft synth bus to your project

 1. From the Insert menu, choose Soft Synth, or click the Insert Soft Synth button in the Mixing Console
window. The Soft Synth Chooser is displayed.
 2. Select the ReWire Devices tab in the Soft Synth Chooser dialog.

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 3. Select a ReWire device application and audio output from the list and click the OK button.
If the ReWire device application you want to use isn't displayed in the Soft Synth Chooser dialog, you can
use the Plug-In Manager window to re-enable the plug-in.

In the Plug-In Manager, navigate to the ReWire Devices > Ignored folder to view the ReWire devices
you've excluded. Right-click a plug-in and choose Ignore from the shortcut menu to clear the check mark
and re-enable the plug-in.
The soft synth channel strip is added to the Mixing Console window using the default settings, and ACID
software attempts to start the device. If the ReWire device application does not open, you can start it manually.
 4. Use the ReWire device application's interface to open a project and adjust its settings.

Start or stop a ReWire device application

When you add a ReWire soft synth bus to your project, ACID software attempts to start the device. You can also do
any of the following to start the application:

 l Double-click the soft synth bus control label .

 l Right-click the soft synth bus control and choose Open ReWire Device Application from the shortcut menu.
 l Start the application manually (some devices cannot be started by a ReWire mixer).

To stop a ReWire device, close the device application.

Start playback of the ACID project and synchronized ReWire devices

ReWire device and mixer applications communicate song position data back and forth with sample-level accuracy.
Position the cursor (or create a loop region) in the ACID timeline to indicate where you want playback to begin, and
then click Play . For more information about project playback, see "Listening to Your Creation" on page 27.

Route a MIDI track to a port in a ReWire 2.0 device

Routing MIDI tracks uses the same process whether you're routing to a VST instrument, ReWire 2.0 device, or MIDI
port. For more information, see "Routing Tracks to Soft Synths or MIDI Devices" on page 215.
MIDI tracks cannot be routed to a ReWire 1.0 device. Check your ReWire device application's documentation to
determine which version of ReWire it supports.

Display the Soft Synth Properties window for a ReWire 2.0 device

When you add a ReWire 2.0 synth's master bus as a soft synth bus, you can double-click the bus control label
to display the Soft Synth Properties window, where you can view the device's MIDI ports, start the application, or
lock MIDI ports.
Click the Open ReWire Device Application button to start the device (some synths cannot be started by a
ReWire mixer application).
Select the Lock MIDI Port Configuration button to lock MIDI ports so your ACID project does not lose port
assignments due to dynamic changes from ReWire devices.

Using ACID Software as a ReWire Device

When ACID software is used as a ReWire device, the output from your ACID mixer is output to a ReWire mixer
application.
After you add the ACID synth to a ReWire mixer application, the mixer application sends song position data to the
ACID synth, which sends its audio back to the ReWire mixer.
ACID acts as a ReWire 1.0 device.
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Notes:

 l You must start your ReWire mixer application before starting ACID software.
 l When ACID software is connected to a ReWire mixer application, the ACID project will automatically use the
mixer application's bit depth and sample rate. Saving the ACID project in ReWire mode will not overwrite the
project's original bit depth and sample rate.
 l If a ReWire mixer application starts ACID software, that ACID window will start in ReWire mode and cannot be
switched from ReWire mode. If a ReWire mixer connects to an existing ACID window, that window will run in
ReWire mode, and you can switch out of ReWire mode if necessary. If you exit that instance of the software
and start ACID software again, the new instance will start in ReWire mode, and you can switch out of ReWire
mode if necessary. You can switch out of ReWire mode by choosing a new setting from the Audio device type
drop-down list on the Audio Device tab of the Preferences dialog.
 l The ACID Tempo control below the track list is not available in ReWire Device mode. Tempo information is
provided by the ReWire mixer application.
 l If a ReWire mixer application includes a tempo map, video and long one-shot tracks in your ACID project will
lose synchronization with looped material. Using ACID software as a ReWire mixer (or in an ACID project
without ReWire) will resolve the issue.
 l Any effects chain that includes non-in-place plug-ins will be automatically bypassed to prevent synchronization
problems with the ReWire mixer application. The effects chain icon will be displayed as a . Apply the plug-
ins within the ReWire mixer application.
 l Before rendering from a ReWire mixer application, turn off the ACID metronome, or the metronome will be
included in the rendered output.
 l If the mixer has a Render in Real-Time option, this mode may reduce the possibility of drop-outs from the
ACID ReWire device while rendering.

Setup information follows for several common ReWire mixer applications. This information is intended to help
you get up and running with ACID software as a ReWire device. For the most up-to-date information about
using each ReWire mixer application, please refer to the manufacturer's documentation.

Use the ACID ReWire device with Steinberg Nuendo or Cubase

 1. Start Nuendo or Cubase software.

 2. Open a project.
 3. Add a ReWire channel to the project:
 a. From the Devices menu, choose ACID Pro8. A dialog is displayed to list the available ACID mixer outputs.
 b. Select the Power button for each ACID mixer output you want to send to Nuendo.
Use the Advanced Audio Configuration dialog for the ReWire Device Driver to specify the number of
stereo and mono ports the ACID ReWire device will expose to the ReWire mixer.
 4. Start ACID software.

The software will detect that Nuendo is running as a ReWire mixer and will start in ReWire device mode.
 5. Open an ACID project.
 6. Use the ACID or Nuendo/Cubase transport controls to start playback.

Your ACID project will follow playback position and tempo information from the Nuendo/Cubase project.

Use the ACID ReWire device with Tracktion

 1. Start Tracktion software.

 2. Verify that ReWire support is enabled:

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 a. Select the Settings tab at the top of the Tracktion window.
 b. Click the plugins heading on the left side of the tab.
 c. Ensure the enable rewire radio button is selected.
 3. Open a project.
 4. Add a ReWire filter to the project:
 a. Drag the new filter button (at the top of the Tracktion window) to a filter box on the right side of a track. A
menu is displayed to list the available filters.
 b. Click ReWire Device heading on the left side of the tab.

The ReWire filter is added to your track.

 5. Use the ReWire Filter tab at the bottom of the Tracktion window to set up your ReWire filter:
 a. Click the choose device button and choose ACID Pro8from the menu.
 b. Use the output channels to use controls to choose which ACID mixer outputs will be sent to Tracktion.
Click ReWire Device heading on the left side of the tab.
 6. Use the Advanced Audio Configuration dialog for the ReWire Device Driver to specify the number of stereo
and mono ports the ACID ReWire device will expose to the ReWire mixer.
 7. Leave the input channels for MIDI controls at their default settings. The ACID Pro8 ReWire device will not
accept MIDI input.
 8. Click the launch editor button in the ReWire Filter tab to start ACID software in ReWire device mode.
 9. Switch to the ACID window and open the project you want to use.
 10. Switch to the Tracktion window and use the Tracktion track controls to adjust the levels of the ACID mixer
outputs.
 11. You can use Tracktion or ACID transport controls to start and stop playback or set a loop region.

Your ACID project will follow playback position and tempo information from the Tracktion project.

Use the ACID ReWire device with Cakewalk Sonar

 1. Start Sonar software.

 2. From the Sonar Insert menu, choose ReWire Device, and then choose ACID Pro8 from the submenu. The
Insert DXi Synth Options dialog is displayed.
 3. In the Insert DXi Synth Options dialog, select the appropriate check boxes to indicate how you want to use the
ACID Pro ReWire device in your Sonar project:
Item Description
Create These Tracks: MIDI This check box has no effect because the ACID ReWire device does not send
Source Output MIDI data to the ReWire mixer.
Create These Tracks: First Select this check box if you want to add a single audio track to your Sonar
Synth Output (Audio) project that contains the master outputs from the ACID mixer.
Create These Tracks: All Select this check box if you want to add a separate audio track to your Sonar
Synth Outputs (Audio) project for each of the outputs from the ACID mixer.
Open These Windows: Select this check box if you want to start ACID software when you close the
Synth Property Page dialog.
Open These Windows: Select this check box if you want to open the Sonar Synth Rack View window
Synth Rack View when you close the dialog.

 4. Use the Advanced Audio Configuration dialog for the ReWire Device Driver to specify the number of stereo
and mono ports the ACID ReWire device will expose to the ReWire mixer.
 5. Click the OK button.
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Sonar adds ACID ReWire device tracks to your Sonar project and starts ACID software in ReWire device mode.
 6. Switch to the ACID window and open the project you want to use.
 7. Switch to the Sonar window and expand the ACID ReWire device tracks in your Sonar project.
 8. Use the ACID ReWire device tracks to configure the ACID ReWire device:
 a. Click the Output To drop-down list and choose the output where you want to send the ACID ReWire
device track output.
 b. Use the track FX controls to add effects to the ACID sequencer tracks.
 c. Use the track volume controls to adjust the level of the ACID project.
 9. You can use Sonar or ACID transport controls to start and stop playback or set a loop region.

Your ACID project will follow playback position and tempo information from the Sonar project.

Use the ACID ReWire device with Ableton Live

 1. Start Ableton Live software.

 2. Click the Session View button to switch to session view.
 3. Add an audio track to your Live project. This track will receive the audio output from the ACID sequencer.
 4. Click the Show/Hide In/Out Section button to display the in/out section in the Live mixer.
 5. Use the Audio From controls in the in/out section on the new track to configure the ACID ReWire device:
 a. Click the Input Type drop-down list and choose ACID Pro 8.
 b. Click the Input Channel drop-down list and choose which ACID mixer outputs will be sent to the Live
track.
 6. Use the Advanced Audio Configuration dialog for the ReWire Device Driver to specify the number of stereo
and mono ports the ACID ReWire device will expose to the ReWire mixer.
 7. Start ACID software.

The software will detect that Ableton Live is running as a ReWire mixer and will start in ReWire device mode.
 8. Open an ACID project.
 9. Switch to the Live window and use the Live track controls to adjust the levels of the ACID mixer outputs.
 10. Use the Live transport controls to start playback.

Your ACID project will follow playback position and tempo information from the Live project.

Use the ACID ReWire device with Orion version 5

 1. Start Orion software.

 2. From the Orion Insert menu, choose ReWire, and then choose ACID Pro8 from the submenu.

Orion starts ACID software in ReWire device mode and adds the ACID mixer outputs to the Orion Mixer
window.
Use the Advanced Audio Configuration dialog for the ReWire Device Driver to specify the number of stereo
and mono ports the ACID ReWire device will expose to the ReWire mixer.
 3. Switch to the ACID window and open the project you want to use.
 4. Switch to the Orion 5.0 window and use the Orion Mixer window to control the levels of the ACID mixer
outputs.
 5. Use Orion 5.0 to start and stop playback or set a loop region (Orion software ignores playback, tempo, and loop
region requests from ReWire devices).

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Your ACID project will follow playback position and tempo information from the Orion project.

Use the ACID ReWire device with ProTools LE or TDM systems

 1. Start ProTools software.

 2. Create a new auxiliary input track:
 a. From the ProTools File menu, choose New Track. The New Track dialog is displayed.
 b. Choose Aux. Input from the Track Type drop-down list. (On ProTools TDM systems, choose Audio
Track.)
 c. Click the Create button.
 3. In the Mix window, click the Inserts button on the auxiliary input or audio track, choose Plug-In from the menu,
choose Instrument from the submenu, and then choose ACID Pro8 from the submenu. On ProTools TDM
systems, the ReWire RTAS plug-in can only be added to an audio track.

ProTools starts ACID software in ReWire device mode and adds the ACID Pro ReWire device as an input on
the ProTools Mix window.
 4. Select the ACID Pro ReWire device on the ProTools Mix window. The RTAS Plug-In dialog displays <no
output> for the ACID Pro ReWire device. Click the button and choose which ACID mixer outputs will be sent
to the ProTools track.
Use the Advanced Audio Configuration dialog for the ReWire Device Driver to specify the number of stereo
and mono ports the ACID ReWire device will expose to the ReWire mixer.
 5. Switch to the ACID window and open the project you want to use.
 6. Switch to the ProTools window and use the Mix window to control the levels of the ACID mixer outputs.
 7. You can use ProTools or ACID transport controls to start and stop playback or set a loop region.

Your ACID project will follow playback position and tempo information from the ProTools project.

Inline MIDI Editing

Click the Enable Inline MIDI Editing button to edit MIDI events directly on the timeline. In this mode, you can
edit existing MIDI data or create new clips by drawing and erasing notes in a piano roll or drum grid view.

A drum grid allows you to edit

A piano roll allows you to edit MIDI MIDI notes MIDI notes are unavailable for frozen
notes for most patches. for soft synths that have drum MIDI tracks.
maps defined.

When you edit a MIDI event, all events that use the same clip will be updated. If you want to edit a single event,
right-click the event and choose Copy to New Clip from the shortcut menu.
When a MIDI clip's key is set on the Clip Pool tab of the MIDI Track Properties window, the project key and key
change markers are applied to MIDI clips, and the MIDI event data will display notes as WYSIWYH (what you see is
what you hear).
When a MIDI clip's key is set to None, the project key and key change markers are not applied to MIDI clips.
You can also edit MIDI clips using the Piano Roll or List Editor tabs in the Clip Properties window.
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Tips:

 l Hold Ctrl+Shift while double-clicking a MIDI event to enter inline MIDI editing mode.
 l While in inline MIDI editing mode, drag over a blank area of the timeline with the Draw tool to create a new
clip and draw an empty event.
 l While in inline MIDI editing mode, you can hover over a note or velocity stem to view its value in the bottom-
right corner of the timeline:

 l If you want to move a MIDI event while in inline MIDI editing mode, drag the top of the event with the Draw
or Selection tool:

Choose a drum map or kit for a track

MIDI tracks can display a piano roll or a drum grid.
Choosing a drum map or kit

 1. Click the Program button on the track header.

 2. Choose Drum Maps from the menu, and then choose Select Drum Map from the submenu. The Output
Settings page of the Track Properties window is displayed.
 3. Choose the drum map or kit you want to use.
Displaying the piano roll

If your track is routed to a MIDI device or VSTi soft synth, you can switch from a drum grid view to the piano roll.
Click the Program button , choose Drum Maps, and then choose None.

Navigate the piano roll or drum grid

In inline MIDI editing mode, adjusting the height of the track will allow you to see more or less of the piano roll or
drum grid. After you set the height of the track, you can use the following methods to navigate.
Scroll vertically

Perform any of the following actions to scroll vertically within a track:

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 l Use the scroll buttons at the left edge of the track to scroll up or down:

Piano roll Drum grid

 l With the Draw or Selection tool, hover over the timeline and hold Ctrl while rolling the mouse wheel
forward or back.
 l Hold Ctrl while dragging the keyboard/drum list up or down.
 l Hover over the keyboard/drum list and roll the mouse wheel forward or back.
Zoom note height

Perform either of the following actions to zoom note height:

 l With the Draw or Selection tool, hover over the timeline and hold Ctrl+Alt while rolling the mouse
wheel forward or back.
 l Hover over the keyboard or drum grid and hold Shift while rolling the mouse wheel forward or back.
Zoom note width

Note width is based on the horizontal zoom level of the timeline. Use the zoom controls in the lower-right corner of
the timeline (or hover over the timeline and roll the mouse wheel forward or back) to zoom in or out.

Audition notes with the keyboard/drum grid

You can use the keyboard/drum grid between the track header and timeline to audition the track's MIDI output or
record MIDI. When you click the keys, the note is played using the appropriate program at the cursor position.
These buttons are velocity sensitive: clicking toward the right side of a button plays the note with a higher velocity
setting than clicking toward the left side.

Select notes
Selecting individual notes

Click individual notes with the Draw or Selection tool to select them. Hold Ctrl while clicking to add or
remove notes from the selection.
Selecting groups of notes

Drag with the Selection tool to draw selection boxes around the notes you want to include. The Selection tool
can draw three types of selection boxes:
Free The default behavior of the tool:
Selection Click to select individual notes (hold Shift or Ctrl to select multiple notes).
Drag to draw a rectangular region that begins where you start drawing and ends where you release
the mouse button. All notes inside the region will be selected. This method is good for selecting a
group of notes that are close together.
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Vertical Can be used to easily select all notes that occur within a time range. The vertical selection box
automatically selects all of the notes between your first mouse click and where you draw the
selection box; even notes that are not visible at the current magnification are selected.
Horizontal Can be used to easily select all notes on a single or multiple adjacent rows. The horizontal selection
box automatically selects all notes on a row that is touched by the selection box; even notes that are
not visible at the current magnification are selected.

To change the type of selection box you are using, right-click the mouse while holding down the left mouse button.
Clicking the right mouse button will toggle through the three types of selection boxes.

Add or delete notes

 1. Click the Enable Inline MIDI Editing button .

Use the scroll buttons at the left edge of the track to navigate the piano roll/drum grid:

 2.
Drag the bottom border of the track header to increase the height of the track.
 3. Select an editing tool.
Tool Description
Draw Allows you to insert, edit, select, and move notes.
In drum-grid mode, the Draw and Paint tools both draw fixed-length note events.
Paint Allows you to insert notes of a specific length.
The Paint tool is different from the Draw tool in that it can cross note row boundaries. Use the
Paint tool to add a random element to your ACID projects.
In drum-grid mode, the Draw and Paint tools both draw fixed-length note events.
Using the Paint tool
 a. Click the down arrow next to the Paint tool button and choose a note length from the
menu.
 b. Click the Paint tool button to select the tool. The Paint tool is selected, and notes will be
painted using the selected note length.
Right-click with the Paint tool to erase notes.
Erase Allows you to remove existing notes.

 4. Inside an event, drag in the row for the pitch you want to create to create a new note, or click an existing note
with the Erase tool to remove it.

If you draw or paint notes beyond the event edge, the event is automatically extended.

Hold Shift while dragging to override horizontal snapping.

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In inline MIDI editing mode, drag in the top portion of the track to create a new event using the active clip:

Cut, copy, and paste notes

 1. Select the notes you want to cut or copy.

Click notes with the Draw or Selection tool to select them. Hold Ctrl while clicking to add or remove
notes from the selection. You can also drag with the Selection tool to draw selection boxes around the
notes you want to select.
 2. Click the Cut button to remove the notes from the event and move them to the clipboard, or click the Copy
button to duplicate the events on the clipboard.

 3. Click to position the cursor where you want to paste the notes in the timeline and click the Paste button .
Notes will always be pasted into the same row from which they were cut or copied.

Tips:

 l Hold Ctrl while dragging MIDI to create copies of the selected MIDI notes at the location where you drop them.
 l From the Edit menu, choose Paste Repeat if you want to paste multiple copies of the clipboard at the cursor
position.

Edit note position

 1. Click the Enable Inline MIDI Editing button .

 2. Use the scroll buttons at the left edge of the track to navigate the piano roll/drum grid:

 3. Select the notes you want to edit:

 l Click a note with the Draw tool to select it. You can hold Ctrl while clicking to select multiple notes.

or——
 l Use the Selection tool to select multiple events by clicking and dragging to create a selection box
around the notes you want to edit.
 4. Drag notes left or right to change their position on the timeline, or drag up or down to assign a note to a
different pitch.
 
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Tips:

 l Hold Shift while dragging to override horizontal snapping.

 l Hold Alt while dragging to constrain to horizontal or vertical movement.

Edit note duration

 1. Click the Enable Inline MIDI Editing button .

 2. Select the Draw tool .

 3. Use the scroll buttons at the left edge of the track to navigate the piano roll/drum grid:

 4. Drag either edge of a note. The edge of the note moves, changing its duration:

Hold Shift while dragging to override horizontal snapping.

Edit note velocity

Note velocity is represented in the timeline by velocity stems. To show or hide velocity stems in inline MIDI editing
mode, choose Show Inline MIDI Editing from the View menu, and then choose Show Note-On Velocities orShow
Note-Off Velocities from the submenu.

 1. Click the Enable Inline MIDI Editing button .

 2. Select the Draw tool .

 3. If velocity stems aren't already displayed, choose Show Inline MIDI Editing from the View menu, and then
choose Show Note-On Velocities or Show Note-Off Velocities from the submenu.

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Press F while in inline MIDI editing mode to toggle the display of velocity stems.
 4. Drag the top of the stem ( for note-on velocity or for note-off velocity) up to increase the note's velocity, or
drag down to decrease velocity. If multiple notes are selected, the velocities of all selected notes are adjusted at
the same time.

Tips:

 l Double-click the top of a velocity stem to set the note's velocity to the default value (64).
 l Right-click a note and choose Velocity from the shortcut menu. You can then choose a command from the
submenu to set the note-on velocity.
 l If multiple notes are selected, you can edit the velocities of all selected notes simultaneously.

MIDI Track Controls

The controls in the track list allow you to adjust track volume, panning, and MIDI controller values.

Tips:

 l MIDI track controls are duplicated on MIDI track channel strips in the Mixing Console window.
 l To move faders and sliders in fine increments, hold Ctrl while dragging the control.

Change a track's color

Right-click the track header, choose Color from the submenu, and then choose the color you want to use to display
the track and MIDI data on the timeline.
If you've changed the color of any of a track's clips, changing the track color will not update the color of those clips.

Change a track's height

Drag a track's bottom border to set its height. If you want to set a track's height as the default height for new tracks,
right-click within the track list and choose Set Default Track Properties from the shortcut menu.
Click Minimize to minimize a track vertically.
Click Maximize to zoom in vertically so a track fills the track view.
After minimizing or maximizing a track, click the Minimize or Maximize button again to return a track to its previous
height.
Track height keyboard shortcuts

 l Press Ctrl+Shift+Up Arrow or Down Arrow to change the height of all tracks at once.
 l Press ` to minimize all tracks. Press again to restore tracks to their previous height.
 l Press Ctrl+` to return all tracks to the default height.
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Rename a track
 1. Double-click the track name and type a new name.
 2. Press Enter to save the name.

Pitch shift a track

Right-click a track header, choose Pitch Shift Track from the shortcut menu, and then choose a command from the
submenu to change the pitch of all events on a track. The event-specific pitch shift is calculated after the project key
and the track’s pitch shift.
When a track is selected, press + and - on the numeric keypad to change track pitch.

Arm a track for recording

Click the Arm for Record button on a MIDI track to prepare it for recording.

When you click the Record button on the main transport bar, all armed MIDI tracks will begin recording.

For more information about recording MIDI, see "Recording MIDI" on page 112.

Freeze a track
Click the Toggle Freeze button on a MIDI track to convert a MIDI track to .wav file, effectively taking your soft
synths offline and conserving processing and disk resources.
For more information about freezing MIDI tracks, please see "Freezing MIDI Tracks" on page 248.

Mute a track
Click the Mute button to prevent a track from being played in the mix. Click the Mute button on additional tracks
to add them to the mute group. To unmute a track, click the Mute button again.
Muting or unmuting a track

 1. Deselect the Automation Settings button to toggle trim mode.

 2. Click the Mute button .

When you have a group of tracks muted, hold Ctrl while clicking the Mute button on an unmuted track to
remove all other tracks from the mute group. Hold Ctrl while clicking the Mute button on a muted track to reset
all Mute buttons.
Adjusting mute automation

When you select the Automation Settings button , the Mute button is displayed as , and you can use the
button to edit mute automation.

Solo a track
Click the Solo button to mute all unselected tracks. Click the Solo button on additional tracks to add them to the
solo group. To remove a track from the solo group, click its Solo button again.
Hold Ctrl while clicking a Solo button to solo a single track and remove all other tracks from the solo group.

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Monitor track output levels

During playback, a meter is displayed in the track header to monitor note-on velocities.

Horizontal meters

Vertical meters

Right-click the meters and choose a command from the shortcut menu to adjust the display of the meters. This
shortcut menu allows you to set the meter's response, hold peaks and valleys, toggle vertical display, or turn output
meters off.

Adjust a track's volume

The Volume fader in the track header can function as a trim control that adjusts the overall volume of the track, or it
can adjust track volume automation settings.
If the track doesn't have a volume envelope, the fader sets the volume of the channel (0 to 127).
If the track has a volume envelope, the fader behaves as a trim control that is added to the volume automation
settings so your envelope is preserved, but with a boost or cut applied. For example, setting the trim control to -6
has the same effect as decreasing every envelope point by 6. The control range is -127 to 127, but the overall volume
of the MIDI track is bound at 0 and 127.
When adjusting the mix of your tracks, remember to look at the meters on the Mixing Console. Because you are
adding the volumes of all of the tracks together, it is easy to clip the audio output. Make sure that the meters
never display the red Clip indication during playback.
Not all VST instruments use standard MIDI control mappings for volume and pan envelopes.

You can use the Output Settings tab in the MIDI Track Properties window to override the default envelope:
right-click the controller you want to use and choose Use as Track Volume or Use as Track Pan from the
shortcut menu.

Adjusting the volume trim level

 1. Deselect the Automation Settings button to toggle trim mode.

 2. Drag the Vol fader to control how loud a track is in the mix.
A value of 0 means that the track is played with no boost or cut. Dragging the fader to the left cuts the volume;
dragging to the right boosts the volume.
You can hold Ctrl while dragging a fader to adjust the setting in finer increments, or double-click the fader to
return it to 0 dB. If multiple tracks are selected, all selected tracks are adjusted.
Adjusting the volume automation level

When you select the Automation Settings button , the fader thumb is displayed as a , and you can use the
control to edit volume automation.
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Pan a track
The Pan slider in the track header can function as a trim control that adjusts the overall position of the track in the
stereo field, or it can adjust track pan automation settings.
If the track doesn't have a pan envelope, the slider sets the pan for the channel (100% L to 100% R).
If the track has a pan envelope, the slider behaves as a trim control that is added to the pan automation settings so
your envelope is preserved, but with a boost or cut applied. For example, setting the trim control to -6 has the same
effect as decreasing every envelope point by 6. The control range is -127 to 127, but the overall pan value is bound at
0 and 127.
Not all VST instruments use standard MIDI control mappings for volume and pan envelopes.

You can use the Output Settings tab in the MIDI Track Properties window to override the default envelope:
right-click the controller you want to use and choose Use as Track Volume or Use as Track Pan from the
shortcut menu.

Adjusting track panning trim levels

 1. Deselect the Automation Settings button to toggle trim mode.

 2. Drag the Pan slider to control the position of the track in the stereo field: dragging to the left will place the track
in the left speaker more than the right, and dragging to the right will place the track in the right speaker.

You can hold Ctrl while dragging the slider to adjust the setting in finer increments, or double-click the slider to
return it to the center.

If multiple tracks are selected, all selected tracks are adjusted.

Adjusting the track panning automation level

When you select the Automation Settings button , the Pan slider handle is displayed as a , and you can use
the control to edit pan automation.

Set a track's MIDI input port and channel

Click the MIDI Input button and choose a command from the menu to set the track's input device and channel for
recording MIDI.
If you want to select multiple input channels, hold Ctrl and select additional channels from the MIDI Channel
submenu.

This track is set to accept input from any MIDI device.  

Item Description
Auto Uses automatic input routing. When this command box is selected, the focus track
Input will accept input from any MIDI input device.

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 Working with MIDI 245
Use Auto Input when you want to record multiple controllers simultaneously.
For example, with Auto Input selected, you could record a MIDI keyboard and
bass pedal to a single track.
Input Off Turns off MIDI input to the track.

Hardware Displays the devices that are selected in the Make these devices available for
Input Port MIDI input list on the MIDI tab of the Preferences dialog.
List Choose the specific device you want to use to send MIDI to the track.
You must choose a specific input port to use MIDI input filters.
Soft Synth Displays the available soft synths in your project.
Input Port Choose the soft synth you want to use to send MIDI to the track. Use this setting
List to record the output of MIDI plugins like step sequencers or arpeggiators. Read
more under "Using MIDI plugins" on page 272.

For more information about recording MIDI, see "Recording MIDI" on page 112.

Set a track's MIDI output port and channel

Click the MIDI Output button on the track header and choose the soft synth or MIDI device and channel you want to
use to play MIDI data on the track.

This track is sending MIDI to port 1 on the B4 Xpress soft synth.

Each MIDI track can be played through any VSTi or ReWire 2.0 soft synth bus control in the Mixing Console
window, or external MIDI port.
For more information about routing MIDI tracks, see "Routing Tracks to Soft Synths or MIDI Devices" on page 215.
If your track is routed to an external MIDI port, you can load a device-specific program map. When you use a
program map, the MIDI Output button will display the device name, and the Program button  will display
the device's patches.

Set the track voice or add a program change keyframe

The Program button  in the track header displays the program (voice or patch) that will be used to play MIDI data on
the track. You can set the voice used to play the entire track, or you can add keyframes to add program changes.
246

If your track is routed to an external MIDI port, you can load a device-specific program map. When you use a
program map, the MIDI Output button will display the device name, and the Program button will display the
device's patches.
Changing the track voice

 1. Click the Program button .

 2. Choose a program from the menu, or choose Select Program Change to display the Output Settings tab in the
MIDI Track Properties window, where you can select a program.

If the track does not contain program change keyframes, the selected program is used to play the entire track.

If the track contains keyframes, the selected program is assigned to the keyframe that occurs before the current
cursor position.
Changing the program for a hardware synth

If your track is routed to a hardware synth, there are several ways to change programs:

 l Click the Program button and choose Synth Control of Program Change if you want to change programs
using the synth's controls.
 l Click the Program button and choose Use Program Change and Bank if you want to change programs by
specifying the program, MSB, and LSB values. Double-click the values in the track header to edit them:
.

 l If you've created a program map for your device, click the Program button and choose Use Device Program
Map to return to the device's program map. You can then choose a program by clicking the Program button and
choosing a program from the menu.

For more information about creating program maps and assigning them to hardware devices, see "Creating or
Editing Program Maps" on page 268.
Adding a program change keyframe

 1. Click the Program button and choose Insert Program Change Keyframe. The program change keyframe
row is displayed at the bottom of the track.
 2. Using the Draw or Envelope tool, double-click in the track's keyframe row to add a keyframe.

 3. To edit a keyframe, double-click it to display the Output Settings tab in the Track Properties window, and then
select the program you want to assign to the keyframe.

Adjust a track's MIDI controllers

The sliders and faders in the track header can function as trim controls that adjust the overall setting for a continuous
controller, or they can adjust automation settings.

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The trim level is added to the automation settings so your controller envelope is preserved, but with an offset
applied. For example, setting the Pan trim control to -9% left has the same effect as moving every envelope point
9% to the left.
Adjusting MIDI controller trim levels

 1. Deselect the Automation Settings button .

 2. Choose the controller you want to adjust:

 3. If the track's channel selector is set to All, you can click the on the Volume and Pan controls to choose the
channel you want to adjust.
To change a track's channel, click the MIDI Outputbutton, choose MIDI Channel from the submenu, and
then choose the channel you want the track to send MIDI data (or choose All to send on all channels).

 l Click the on the other sliders to choose the continuous controller you want to adjust.

If the controller you want to adjust is not displayed in the menu, choose Configure Controllers from the
menu. You can use the Output Settings tab in the Track Properties window to configure which controllers
are available on the track.
 4. Drag the slider to edit the controller value.

You can hold Ctrl while dragging the slider to adjust the setting in finer increments, or double-click the slider to
return it to 0.

If multiple tracks are selected, all selected tracks are adjusted.

Adjusting MIDI controller automation levels

When you select the Automation Settings button , the controller slider handles are displayed as , and you
can use the controls to edit automation.

Adjust trim levels

The controls in the track header can function as trim controls or automation controls for track volume, panning, and
continuous controller values. Adjusting the trim control affects the level of the entire track as it did in previous
releases of ACID software.
The trim level is added to the track automation setting so your automation settings are preserved, but with a boost or
cut applied. For example, setting the trim control to -3 dB has the same effect as decreasing every envelope point by
3 dB.  
To adjust trim levels, deselect the Automation Settings button . When the button is selected, the track controls
adjust automation settings.

Set the track's paint clip

 1. Click the Paint Clip Selector button in the track header. A menu is displayed to list the track's current clips.
248

 2. Choose a clip from the menu. The selected clip will be used for creating events with the Draw or Paint tool
.

For more information about using clips, please see "Using Clips with Tracks" on page 69.

Freezing MIDI Tracks

Projects that use soft synths can tax your computer's processing and disk resources. Freezing MIDI tracks allows
you to convert each MIDI track to a .wav file, effectively taking your soft synths offline.
MIDI Track Frozen MIDI Track
MIDI Track Data Audio Wave Data

MIDI Messages

Soft Synth

Audio Buffer

Soft Synth Bus Soft Synth Bus

Sub/Master Bus Sub/Master Bus

Hardware Output Hardware Output

Freeze your tracks when you're finished editing them. After freezing, you can adjust track volume and panning only.
Notes:

 l Only tracks that are routed to soft synths can be frozen. Track freeze is unavailable for tracks that are routed to
MIDI devices or ReWire devices, muted, or armed for recording.
 l Any VSTi parameter envelopes you have applied to a soft synth bus track are also saved into the frozen .wav file.
 l The soft synth bus in the Mixing Console window is not frozen. You can continue to work with effects, volume,

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and panning on the soft synth bus.

If you freeze your MIDI tracks and save your project as an ACID project with embedded media (.acd-zip), the
frozen .wav files will be saved with your project. You can use this method to archive a MIDI project or share
your project with a collaborator who doesn't have all your soft synths.

Freeze selected tracks

 1. Select the tracks you want to freeze.
 2. Click the Freeze Track button on a selected track (or right-click a selected track and choose Freeze Track
from the shortcut menu).
The tracks are rendered to .wav format. Please note that render speed is dependent on the soft synth plug-in.

If you freeze a track that is routed to a multiport VST instrument, you'll be prompted to choose which port you want
to freeze. VSTi technology does not allow you to freeze multiple ports.
MIDI track before freezing

MIDI track after freezing—all controls other than

Mute, Solo, Volume, Pan, and Automation
Settings are unavailable.

Edit frozen tracks

After you freeze a MIDI track, you can adjust track volume and panning only. Trim and automation controls are
available in the track header and Mixing Console.
These controls behave as they do on an audio track. For more information, please see "Adjust a track's volume" and
"Pan a track" in "Audio Track Controls" on page 45.
A frozen MIDI track does not allow you to edit the following:

 l Moving, splitting, deleting, and drawing events are not available.

 l MIDI data — such as inline MIDI editing, continuous controller messages, SYSEX data, volume and pan
messages, and voice changes — is frozen.
 l MIDI filtering is not available.
 l MIDI track properties cannot be edited.
 l The Chopper window is not available.

Unfreeze tracks
 1. Select the tracks you want to unfreeze.
 2. Click the Freeze Track button on a selected track (or right-click a selected track and choose Freeze Track
from the shortcut menu to clear the check box).
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Editing MIDI Track Properties

From the View menu, choose Track Properties to display the Track Properties window. The contents of the Track
Properties window reflect the currently selected track.
For MIDI tracks, you can use the Output Settings tab to adjust MIDI controllers, voices, and drum maps. You can
use the Input Filters tab set up MIDI message, velocity, or quantize filters. You can use the Clip Pool tab to organize
each track's media and enable looped or one-shot drawing for MIDI events.
For information about editing track properties for audio tracks, please see Editing Audio Track Properties.
If you want to use the Piano Roll or List Editor plug-ins to edit MIDI data, use the Clip Properties window.
Tips:

 l If the Track Properties window isn't visible, you can also double-click a track number to display that track in
the Track Properties window.
 l Right-click a track and choose Properties from the shortcut menu to display its properties.
 l When the Track Properties window is visible, properties for the selected track are displayed. Click a track to view
its properties.

Configure MIDI track controller automation (output settings)

You can use the Output Settings tab to configure which controllers can be automated; add, remove, or hide
envelopes; set default values; and set each envelope's default fade curve.
For more information about editing MIDI track envelopes, please see MIDI Track Envelopes and Keyframes.

Set up MIDI input filters

Use the Input Filters tab to choose which notes or other MIDI messages you want to record (or exclude), modify
note-on or note-off velocity, or quantize notes when recording MIDI.
For more information about setting MIDI input filters, please see MIDI Input Filtering.

Set the track's paint clip

To set the active clip, click the space next to a clip's name on the Clip Pool tab. The icon indicates which clip will
be used for creating events with the Draw or Paint tool .

You can also click the Paint Clip Selector button in the track header and choose a clip from the menu:

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Filter the contents of the track's Paint Clip Selector

Clear a clip's check box on the Clip Pool tab to remove it from the Paint Clip Selector menu in the track header
without removing it from the track. To make the clip available again, select its check box.
If a track has many clips, removing clips from the Paint Clip Selector menu can make the track list easier to
navigate.

Add clips to the Clip Pool

Click the Open button to display the Open dialog, where you can browse to clips you want to add to the track.

Tips:

 l Drag a file from the Windows Explorer, Explorer Window to the Clip Pool tab to add a clip to a track and set it
as the active clip for creating events with the Draw or Paint tool.

 l Drag a file from the Windows Explorer, Explorer Window to an existing track in the timeline to add a clip to the
track and add an event where you drop the clip.
 l You can also use the Chopper window to create new clips from a track's existing media.
 l If you want to add a clip to a track without creating an event, drag a file from the Windows Explorer, Explorer
Window and drop it on the Paint Clip Selector button.

Export a MIDI clip

Click the Save button to export the selected clip to a new folder or with a new file name.

For more information about exporting MIDI, please see Exporting MIDI.

Remove clips from the Clip Pool

You can use either of the following methods to remove clips from the Clip Pool:

 l Click the Remove Unused Clips button to remove all unused clips from the track.

 l Select a clip in the clip list and click the Delete button to remove it from the track.

Right-click a clip in the Clip Pool and choose Remove from Project if you want to remove it from your
project. Any events that use the clip will be removed from your project.

Cut, copy, and paste clips across tracks

You can use the Cut , Copy , and Paste buttons on the Clip Pool tab to cut, copy, and paste clips across
tracks.
For more information about cutting, copying, and pasting clips, please see Using Clips with Tracks.

Preview clips
Select a clip in the clip list, and then click the Play button to play it.

Click the Stop button to stop playback.

Toggle looped or one-shot painting for a MIDI clip

Select the Loop button on the Clip Pool if you want a MIDI clip to repeat when painted on the timeline. Events
252

that use loop clips are displayed with a icon in the timeline.
Deselect the Loop button if you want a MIDI clip to be treated as a one-shot. Events that use one-shot clips are
displayed with a icon.
For more information about ACID types, please see "ACID Types" on page 23.

Edit a MIDI clip's key

You can use the Key column in the Clip Pool to set the key of a MIDI clip. A clip's key affects playback and how
MIDI notes are drawn in events.

 l When you create a new MIDI clip via recording or inline MIDI editing, the key is set to None.
 l When you open a MIDI file, ACID will set the clip's key based on the MIDI file. If a MIDI file has multiple key
signatures, only the first is used.
 l When you open a MIDI file as a project, the ACID project key is updated to match the MIDI file. Each clip
(except drum clips) will have its key set accordingly.

When a clip's key is set, the project key and key change markers are applied to MIDI clips, and the MIDI event data
will display notes as WYSIWYH (what you see is what you hear).
When a clip's key is set to None, the project key and key change markers are not applied to MIDI clips.
To edit a MIDI clip's key, right-click a clip on the Clip Pool tab, choose Key from the shortcut menu, and then choose
a key from the submenu.

Edit a MIDI clip's time signature

To change a MIDI clip's time signature, right-click a clip on the Clip Pool tab, choose Time Signature from the
shortcut menu, and then choose a time signature from the submenu.
The time signature you choose will be used to display the grid on the piano roll editor and to display M.B.T
(measure.beat.tick) values on the list editor.

Editing MIDI Clip Properties

From the View menu, choose Clip Properties to display the Clip Properties window. The contents of the Clip
Properties window will change to display properties for the currently selected clip in the timeline.
You can use the Clip Properties window to preview a MIDI file and edit MIDI data using the list editor or piano roll.
For information about audio clip properties, click "Changing ACID type" on page 76.
When the Clip Properties window is undocked, you can double-click its title bar to toggle its size especially
handy when you're using the piano roll.—

Manage a track's clips

Each track in your ACID project can contain multiple, distinct media files, called clips. Use the Clip Pool tab in the
Track Properties window to add, remove, and preview clips.
For more information about using clips with tracks, please see Using Clips with Tracks.

Save changes to clip properties

Click the Save File As button to save the current clip and clip properties to a new file.

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Edit a MIDI clip with the Piano Roll

The Piano Roll tab is a plug-in that you can use to create and edit note events within the ACID Clip Properties
window.
A piano roll view of a MIDI file displays note information on a grid, just like inline MIDI editing mode.
For more information about using the Piano Roll, please see Using the Piano Roll.

Edit a MIDI clip with the List Editor

The List Editor tab is a plug-in that you can use to perform detailed filtering and editing within the Clip Properties
window for a MIDI track.
Events within the MIDI file for the selected track are displayed in a table. Each event occupies one row, and the rows
are sorted in chronological order. The columns in the List Editor tab display the contents of the events.
For more information about using the List Editor, please see Using the List Editor.

Create envelopes from controller data from a MIDI clip

If you use MIDI clips that contain MIDI controller data, the controller data will not be displayed in the timeline by
default.
Right-click the event on the timeline and choose Create Envelopes from Clip from the shortcut menu to represent
MIDI controllers as envelopes on the timeline.
The Create Envelopes from Clip command is not available in inline MIDI editing mode.
When Lock Envelopes to Events is selected from the Options menu, envelope points will move with an event
as you move it along the timeline. When Lock Envelopes to Events is not selected, you can move events and
envelopes independently.

Using the Piano Roll

Using the Piano Roll

With the piano roll editor you create and edit note events within the ACID Clip Properties window.
A piano roll view of a MIDI file displays note information on a grid, just like a sequencer or a roll from a player piano
(hence the name).
Each note event is represented by a block in the top pane. The piano keys along the left side of the window indicate
the pitch of each note event, and the beat ruler across the top of the window indicates the position and duration of
each note.
The vertical bars below the piano roll represent note-on velocity information for each note.
Set up the Piano Roll view

Add or edit note information

Edit velocity, pitch bend, and continuous controller information

Play from the piano roll

Setting Up the Piano Roll View

A MIDI track can contain a mind-boggling array of MIDI note and controller information. To make your editing
easier, you can set up the piano roll in the Clip Properties window to display just the information you want.
254

Zoom in or out

Zoom horizontally

To zoom in and out in time by small increments, press the Up Arrow/Down Arrow keys or use the and
buttons in the lower right-hand corner of the piano roll:

Zoom vertically

To zoom in and out in time by small increments, press the Left Arrow/Right Arrow keys or use the and
buttons in the lower right-hand corner of the piano roll:

Zoom to a selection

Use the Zoom tool to magnify a region without losing your selection. Drag the mouse over an area to zoom in. A
dotted rectangle is drawn around the area, and the area is magnified when the mouse button is released.
While holding the left mouse button, click the right mouse button to toggle through the three magnification modes:

 l Zoom Time only: magnifies horizontally without changing the vertical zoom level.
 l Zoom Level only: magnifies vertically without changing horizontal zoom level.
 l Time/Zoom Level: magnifies horizontally and vertically.

Scroll the display of the piano roll

Use the scroll bars at the bottom and right side of the piano roll to scroll through the piano roll.
Hold Shift while using the mouse wheel to scroll horizontally, or hold Ctrl while using the mouse wheel to scroll
vertically.

Change the spacing of the grid

When you create or move events, the event edges will snap to the grid. To override snapping, hold Shift while
drawing or dragging events, or click the Enable Snapping button to toggle snapping on or off.

 1. Click the down arrow next to the Enable Snapping button .
 2. Choose a spacing from the menu.
When you choose Ruler Marks, the grid spacing will adjust to match your current level of magnification.

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Adding or Editing Notes

The piano roll in the Clip Properties window can edit note on, note off, and velocity information.
When you create or move events, the event edges will snap to the grid. To override snapping, hold Shift while
drawing or dragging events, or click the Enable Snapping button to toggle snapping on or off. For
information about changing the grid spacing, click "Zoom horizontally" on the previous page.
If you want to hear notes when you draw notes, select notes, or click the keys on the Piano Roll tab, select the
Monitor button on the Piano Roll Editor tab. If you're using a different host application, please refer to that
application's documentation for information about enabling real-time MIDI monitoring.

Add or delete notes

 1. Right-click an event on the timeline and choose Clip Properties from the shortcut menu.
 2. Click the Piano Roll Editor tab.
 3. Select an editing tool.
Item Description
Draw Allows you to insert, edit, select, and move notes in the piano roll.
Paint Allows you to insert and select notes.
The Paint tool is different from the Draw tool in that it can cross note row boundaries. Use the
Paint tool to add a random element to your ACID projects.
Using the Paint tool: Click the down arrow next to the Paint tool button and choose a note
length from the menu. 2. Click the Paint tool button to select the tool. The Paint tool is selected,
and notes will be painted using the selected note length.
Right-click with the Paint tool to erase notes.
Erase Allows you to remove existing notes.

 4. Drag in the row for the pitch you want to create to create a new note, or click an existing note with the Erase tool
to remove it.

If the Enable Snapping Notes to Specified Scale button is selected, you can only draw notes within the
selected musical scale. Click the down arrow next to the button to choose a root note and scale. You can use
this feature to transpose a song to another key.

Hold Alt while dragging to override scale snapping.

If the Enable Snapping button is selected, you can only draw notes on grid divisions. Click the down arrow
next to the button to choose a snapping resolution.

Hold Shift while dragging to override horizontal snapping.

Select notes

 1. Right-click an event on the timeline and choose Clip Properties from the shortcut menu.
 2. Click the Piano Roll Editor tab.
Press Ctrl+A to select all notes on the currently selected track.
 3. Select an editing tool:
Tool Description
Draw Click to select individual notes, or hold Shift or Ctrl to select multiple notes.
Selection Drag to draw selection boxes around the notes you want to include. The Selection tool can
256

draw three types of selection boxes:

Free The default behavior of the tool:
Selection  l Click to select individual notes (hold Shift or Ctrl to select multiple notes).
 l Drag to draw a rectangular region that begins where you start drawing
and ends where you release the mouse button. All of the notes that are
inside the region will be selected. This method is good for selecting a
group of notes that are close together.
Vertical Can be used to easily select all notes that occur within a time range. The
vertical selection box automatically selects all of the notes between your first
mouse click and where you draw the selection box; even notes that are not
visible at the current magnification are selected.
Horizontal Can be used to easily select all notes on a single or multiple adjacent rows.
The horizontal selection box automatically selects all notes on a row that is
touched by the selection box; even notes that are not visible at the current
magnification are selected.

To change the type of selection box you are using, right-click the mouse while holding down
the left mouse button. Clicking the right mouse button will toggle through the three types of
selection boxes.

 4. Select the notes you want to edit.

Edit note position

 1. Right-click an event on the timeline and choose Clip Properties from the shortcut menu.
 2. Click the Piano Roll Editor tab.
 3. Select notes you want to move.
 4. Drag the selected notes left or right to change their position on the timeline, or drag up or down to assign a note
to a different pitch.
If the Enable Snapping Notes to Specified Scale button is selected, you can only drag notes within the
selected musical scale. Click the down arrow next to the button to choose a root note and scale. You can use
this feature to transpose a song to another key. Hold Alt while dragging to override snapping. If the Enable
Snapping button is selected, you can only drag notes to grid divisions. Click the down arrow next to the
button to choose a snapping resolution. Hold Shift while dragging to override horizontal snapping.
You can also select notes and use the Cut , Copy , and Paste buttons to manipulate notes in the
piano roll. Notes will always be pasted into the same row from which they were cut or copied.

Edit note duration

 1. Right-click an event on the timeline and choose Clip Properties from the shortcut menu.
 2. Click the Piano Roll Editor tab.
 3. Select the Draw tool .
 4. Drag either edge of a note. The edge of the note moves, changing the duration of the note.

Toggle scale snapping

Click the Enable Snapping Notes to Specified Scale button to toggle snapping.
If the button is selected, you can only draw or drag notes within the selected musical scale. Hold Alt while drawing
or dragging notes to override snapping.
Click the down arrow next to the button to choose a root note and scale.

Quantize events

So we can't all play with a drummer who has perfect timing. . . . Let's face it: even if we could, that might not help

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 Working with MIDI 257

some of us play in time.

You can use the MIDI Quantize dialog to force notes to align with musical beats based on the parameters you
specify.

 1. Select the notes you want to quantize.

Hold Ctrl or Shift while clicking to select multiple events, or press Ctrl+A to quantize the entire track.
 2. Click the Quantize button . The MIDI Quantize dialog is displayed.
 3. From the Quantize resolution drop-down list, choose the beat to which you want the selected notes to be
quantized.
 4. Select the Start times check box if you want note start times to snap to the beat selected in the Quantize
resolution drop-down list.
 5. Select the Note durations check box if you want note durations to snap to the beat selected in the Quantize res
olution drop-down list.
 6. Click Apply.

Editing Velocity, Pitch Bend, and Controller Information

You can use the area below the piano roll to edit note-on velocity, pitch bend, and continuous controller information.

Use the Draw tool to draw velocity data

 1. Click the drop-down in the lower portion of the Piano Roll tab and choose Velocity from the menu.

 2. Select the Draw tool and drag in the lower portion of the Piano Roll tab to adjust the velocity bars:
 3. Zoom in and drag a bar up or down to change its value.
 4. Drag across multiple bars to edit them simultaneously.

Enter specific velocity values for selected notes

If you need more precise control over velocity adjustments, you can use the note shortcut menu to adjust velocity for
all selected notes.

 1. Select the notes you want to edit.

 2. Right-click a note and choose Velocity from the shortcut menu (or double-click a note).
 3. Choose a command from the submenu.
Item Description
Set to Maximum Sets the velocity to 127.
Set to Default Sets the velocity to 64.
Set to Minimum Sets the velocity to 0.
Set to. . . Displays an edit box where you can type a specific value.

The velocity for all selected notes is updated.

Edit pitch bend information

 1. Click the drop-down in the lower portion of the Piano Roll tab and choose Pitch Bend from the menu.
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 2. Drag the Paint tool in the lower portion of the Piano Roll tab to paint a pitch bend curve, or right-click and
drag to erase a curve.
If Enable Snapping is turned on, the data will snap to the grid. Hold Shift to override snapping.

Edit continuous controller information

 1. Click the drop-down in the lower portion of the Piano Roll tab and choose a controller from the menu. If the con
troller you want to edit is not displayed, choose All Continuous Controller, and then choose a controller from
the submenu.

 2. Drag the Paint tool in the lower portion of the Piano Roll tab to paint controller data, or right-click and drag to
erase a curve.
If Enable Snapping is turned on, the data will snap to the grid. Hold Shift to override snapping.

Playing from the Piano Roll

The transport controls on the Piano Roll Editor tab in the Clip Properties window allow you to audition your changes
instantly through the output where your ACID track is routed. For more information about routing MIDI tracks, see
"Routing Tracks to Soft Synths or MIDI Devices" on page 215.
To control volume during playback in the piano roll, drag the Preview fader in the Mixer window.
Before you paint a note, you can click a key on the keyboard to preview its sound. You can also preview notes as
you draw, paint, or select them. Select the Monitor button on the Piano Roll Editor tab. If you're using a
different host application, please refer to that application's documentation for information about enabling real-
time MIDI monitoring.

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Item   Description
Loop Click to toggle looped playback mode. When the button is selected, only the portion of the
Playback current project within the loop region will be played back.
To move the loop region without changing its length, drag the selection bar to a new location.
To edit the length of the loop region, drag either of the endpoints.
Play Plays the entire MIDI file from the beginning, regardless of cursor position.
from
Start
Play Plays from the current cursor position.
Pause Halts playback and leaves the cursor at its current position.
Stop Halts playback and returns the cursor to its position before playback.
Go to Moves the cursor to the beginning of the file.
Start
Go to Moves the cursor to the end of the file.
End
Solo Plays the currently selected track by itself. To hear the entire MIDI file, turn off the Solo Track
Track button.

Using the List Editor

Using the List Editor

Sometimes, a piano roll view of a MIDI file just doesn't cut it. If you want to see exactly what's going on in your
complex MIDI file, you can use the list editor. With the List Editor you perform detailed filtering and editing within
the Clip Properties window for a MIDI clip.
Events within the MIDI file are displayed in a table. Each event occupies one row, and the rows are sorted in
chronological order. The columns in the List Editor tab display the contents of the events.

Filtering MIDI Events

A MIDI file can contain a mind-boggling array of events. The List Editor tab allows you to filter MIDI data to help you
display only the events you want.

 1. Click the Filter button to display the MIDI Event Filter dialog.
 2. Select the check box for each event type that you want to exclude from the event list. Clear a check box to
include events of that type.

Adding, Editing, and Deleting MIDI Events

You can use the List Editor tab to edit a MIDI file by adding, editing, and deleting MIDI events.

Edit an event

Editing an existing event allows you to change parameters for an existing event.
You cannot change the event type for an existing event. If you need to change the event type, select an event in
the list and click the Delete button . You can then insert a new event by clicking the Insert Event button .
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 1. Select an event in the List Editor tab and click the Edit Event button to open the Edit MIDI Event dialog.

Each event type has different parameters that you can adjust. Depending on the type of event that you're
editing, the contents of the Edit Event dialog will vary. For a list of parameters for each event type, see
"Editable Event Parameters" on page 262.
 2. Edit the settings in the Edit MIDI Event dialog.
 3. Click OK to close the Edit MIDI Event dialog and apply your changes.

Add an event

You can use the List Editor tab to add new events to the list.

 1. Click the Insert Event button to display the Insert MIDI Event dialog.

Each event type has different parameters that you can adjust. Depending on the type of event that you're
editing, the contents of the Edit Event dialog will vary.For a list of parameters for each event type, see
"Editable Event Parameters" on page 262.
 2. Edit the settings in the Insert MIDI Event dialog as desired.
 3. Click OK to close the Insert MIDI Event dialog and apply your changes.

Delete events

 1. Select the events you want to delete.

Hold Ctrl or Shift while clicking to select multiple events.
 2. Click the Delete button . The events are removed from the list.

Quantize events

So we can't all play with a drummer who has perfect timing. . . . Let's face it: even if we could, that might not help
some of us play in time.
You can use the MIDI Quantize dialog to force events to align with musical beats based on the parameters you
specify.

 1. Select the events you want to quantize.

Hold Ctrl or Shift while clicking to select multiple events.
 2. Click the Quantize button . The MIDI Quantize dialog is displayed.
 3. From the Quantize resolution drop-down list, choose the beat to which you want the selected events to be

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quantized.
 4. Choose the MIDI events you want to quantize:
Item Description
Start times Select this check box if you
want MIDI event start times to
snap to the beat selected in the
Quantize resolution drop-
down list.
Note durations Select this check box if you
want note durations to snap to
the beat selected in the
Quantize resolution drop-
down list.
Notes only Select this check box if you
want to quantize only note
events.
Aftertouch, control change,
meta, NRPN, RPN, pitch bend,
poly pressure, and program
change events will not be
quantized when this check box
is selected.
Apply to current selection only Select this check box if you
want to quantize only the
selected events. Clear the check
box to quantize all events
within the list.

 5. Click Apply.

Previewing in the List Editor

The list editor's transport controls allow you to audition your changes instantly through the output where your ACID
track is routed.

Preview a single event

When monitoring is enabled, the list editor will play events when you select them.

 1. Select the Monitor button on the List Editor tab.

 2. Click anywhere in an event row to play the event.

Play your MIDI file

Item Description
Loop Click to toggle looped playback mode. When the button is selected, only the events between the
Playback mark in and mark out points will be played.
Play Plays the entire MIDI file from the beginning, regardless of cursor position.
from
Start
Play Plays from the current cursor position.
Pause Halts playback. The next time you click Play, playback will begin with the last event played.
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Stop Halts playback. The next time you click Play, playback will begin with the first event in the list.
Go to Moves the cursor to the beginning of the list.
Start
Go to Moves the cursor to the end of the list.
End

Set a loop region

When the Loop Playback button is selected, you can set a portion of the edit list to play repeatedly. The
beginning, end, and length of the loop region are displayed in the Loop boxes in the lower-right corner of the List
Editor tab.

 1. Select the first event you want to play.

 2. Click the Mark Loop Start button.
 3. Select the last event you want to play.
 4. Click the Mark Loop End button.
 5. Click the Play button to start playback.

Editable Event Parameters

Each event in the List Editor has different parameters that you can adjust. If you're sending MIDI to an external
device, refer to your MIDI device's documentation for more information about the required parameters.

Aftertouch

Parameter Description
Start Time Time (in measures.beats.ticks) that you want the event to begin.
Channel MIDI channel (1-16) where you want to send the event.
Pressure Amount of vibrato (0-127) you want to apply to each voice on the channel.

Control change

Parameter Description
Start Time Time (in measures.beats.ticks) that you want the event to begin.
Channel MIDI channel (1-16) where you want to send the event.
Controller Displays the number of the current controller change type. Choose a controller change type
Change from the drop-down list to the right of the Event type drop-down.
Number
Controller The controller value.
Change Value

Note

Parameter Description
Start Time (in measures.beats.ticks) that you want the event to begin.
Time
Channel MIDI channel (1-16) where you want to send the event.
Note The note you want to play as a numeric value (60) or pitch (C3). For example, you could type either
60 or C3 in the box.
On The speed of the note's attack (0-127). Low values produce a soft attack; high values produce a

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Velocity strong attack.

Off The speed of the note's release (0-127). Low values produce a soft release; high values produce a
Velocity staccato release.
Duration The length of the note's sustain in measures:beats.ticks.

Packed NRPN

Packed non-registered parameter numbers are used to adjust settings such as vibrato and filtering, but are not part of
the General MIDI specification. Refer to your MIDI device's documentation for more information about the required
parameters.
Parameter Description
Start Time Time (in measures.beats.ticks) that you want the event to begin.
Channel MIDI channel (1-16) where you want to send the event.
NRP MSB The parameter's most significant byte.
NRP LSB The parameter's least significant byte.
Data MSB The value for the most significant byte.
Data LSB The value for the least significant byte.

Packed RPN

Packed registered parameter numbers are used to adjust common settings such as pitch wheel range.
Parameter Description
Start Time Time (in measures.beats.ticks) that you want the event to begin.
Channel MIDI channel (1-16) where you want to send the event.
NRP MSB The parameter's most significant byte.
NRP LSB The parameter's least significant byte.
Data MSB The value for the most significant byte.
Data LSB The value for the least significant byte.

Patch

Parameter Description
Start Time Time (in measures.beats.ticks) that you want the event to begin.
Channel MIDI channel (1-16) where you want to send the event.
Bank LSB The least significant byte value for the bank.
Bank MSB The most significant byte value for the bank.
Patch The number of the patch you want to play.

Pitch bend

Parameter Description
Start Time Time (in measures.beats.ticks) that you want the event to begin.
Pitch +/- The number of cents by which you want to bend the pitch.

Poly pressure

Parameter Description
Start Time (in measures.beats.ticks) that you want the event to begin.
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Time
Channel MIDI channel (1-16) where you want to send the event.
Note The note to which you want to apply pressure.
Pressure The pressure (0-127) you want to apply to the note. Most devices will apply more vibrato to a note as
the pressure increases.

Program change

Parameter Description
Start Time Time (in measures.beats.ticks) that you want the event to begin.
Patch The number of the new patch you want to play.

Processing and Filtering MIDI Events

From the Edit menu, choose MIDI Processes and Filters to apply destructive editing to MIDI events on the timeline.
You can quantize data in events, edit velocity values, change the duration of an event, or transpose MIDI data.

Quantize a MIDI event

 1. From the Edit menu, choose MIDI Processes and Filters. The MIDI Processes and Filters dialog is displayed.
 2. Select the Quantize tab.
 3. Select your quantization options:
Item Description
Quantize Select this check box to force the beginning (note-on messages) of MIDI events to a specified
start resolution on the grid.
Quantize Select this check box to force the end (note-off messages) of MIDI events to a specified
release resolution on the grid.
Preserve If you selected Quantize start or Quantize release, you can select this check box to maintain the
duration lengths of notes.
Quantize Click an icon to select the resolution of the quantize grid.
grid
Tuplet Select this check box to set irregular beat boundaries for the quantize grid.
For example, to quantize to eighth-note triplet beat boundaries, select the button, choose the
Tuplet check box and choose 3 in time of 2.
To quantize to sixteenth-note quintuplet beat boundaries, select the button, choose the Tuplet
check box and choose 5 in time of 4.
Offset by Select the check box and type a value in the box to offset the quantize grid by the specified
number of ticks. You can type negative values to shift the grid backward.
Swing Drag the slider to add a swing to the quantize grid.

When you set this slider to 0, notes are quantized directly to the grid. Increasing the setting shifts
every other grid boundary forward: set to 300% to shift every other grid boundary to the next grid
division.
Strength Drag the slider to adjust how strictly you want to quantize.

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For example, to quantize directly to the grid, set the slider to 100%. If you set the slider to 50%, a
note that would be shifted 40 ticks is moved only 20 ticks.

 4. Select the tracks or events you want to quantize:

 l If a selected event has note events selected, only the selected notes will be quantized.
 l If you want to quantize multiple events on multiple tracks, hold Ctrl or Shift while clicking the events to
select them, and then select the tracks.
 l Select a track to quantize all events on the track. Hold Ctrl or Shift while clicking a track header to select
multiple tracks.

The Apply to selected notes only, Apply to all notes in selected events, and Apply to all notes on
selected tracks radio buttons at the bottom of the dialog will track the current selection. If you want to
override the current selection, you can click a different radio button.
 5. Muted tracks will not be quantized.
 6. Click the Apply button.

Edit velocity
 1. From the Edit menu, choose MIDI Processes and Filters. The MIDI Processes and Filters dialog is displayed.
 2. Select the Velocity tab.
 3. Select a check box to indicate whether you want to edit note-on or note-off velocities:
Item Description
Change Start Velocity Select this check box to edit note-on velocities.
Change Release Velocity Select this check box to edit note-off velocities.

 4. Select a radio button to indicate how you want to change velocity:
Item Description
Invert Select this radio button to invert selected note velocities.
When you invert a velocity, it is subtracted from 127 (negative values are forced to positive), so a
note with a velocity of 127 will be 0 after inversion, a velocity of 10 will be 117, and so on.
Set to Select this radio button and drag the slider to change note velocities to a specific value.
Add Select this radio button and drag the slider to add (or subtract) a constant offset to selected note
velocities.
Scale Select this radio button and drag the slider to multiply selected note velocities by a percentage. For
by example, setting this slider to 50% would reduce all note-on or note-off velocities by half.
Limit Select this radio button and type values in the Min and Max boxes to restrict selected note
velocities to the specified range.
For example, if you type 40 in the Min box and 90 in the Max box, velocities below 40 will be set
to 40, velocities greater than 90 will be set to 90, and velocities between 40 and 90 will be
unaffected.
Change Select this radio button and type values in the From and To boxes to change velocity values
over gradually over time.
time The velocity for the first note in the selection is set to the From value, and the velocity for the last
note in the selection is set to the To value.
Select the By percentage check box to change velocity over time based on the current values. For
example, to fade a selection in, select the By percentage check box and type 1 in the From box and
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100 in the To box. To fade a selection out, type 100 in the From box and 1 in the To box.
Drag the Curve slider to choose the fade curve that will be used to generate velocity for notes
between the first and last note.

Note-on velocities are bound between 1 and 127, and note-off velocities are bound between 0 and 127.
 5. Select the tracks or events you want to edit:
 l Select a track to edit all events on the track. Hold Ctrl or Shift while clicking a track header to select multiple
tracks.
 l If you want to edit multiple events on multiple tracks, hold Ctrl or Shift while clicking the events to select
them, and then select the tracks.
 l If a selected event has note events selected, only the selected notes will be edited.
The Apply to selected notes only, Apply to all notes in selected events, and Apply to all notes on
selected tracks radio buttons at the bottom of the dialog will track the current selection. If you want to
override the current selection, you can click a different radio button.

Muted tracks will not be edited.

 6. Click the Apply button.

Edit duration
 1. From the Edit menu, choose MIDI Processes and Filters. The MIDI Processes and Filters dialog is displayed.
 2. Select the Duration tab.
 3. Select a radio button to indicate how you want to change note duration:
Item Description
Change Select this radio button, and then choose a setting from the drop-down list:
by
Setting Allows you to set notes to a specific duration.
duration to Click the down arrow next to the selected note size and choose the desired note
duration from the menu. Choose User size to type a duration in beats.ticks in the
edit box: for example, type 2.000 for two beats, or type 0.200 for 200 ticks.
Adding to Allows you to add a constant value to existing note durations.
duration Click the down arrow next to the selected note size and choose the amount you
want to add to notes.
Subtracting Allows you to subtract a constant value from existing note durations.
from Click the down arrow next to the selected note size and choose the amount you
duration want to subtract from notes.

Scale Select this radio button and drag the slider to multiply selected note durations by a percentage. For
by example, setting this slider to 200% doubles note durations.
Select the Change start times check box if you want to change the start times of notes while
changing duration.
For example, if you set the Scale by slider to 50% and select the Change start times check box,
you can compress notes so they play in double time. If you set the Scale by slider to 50% and clear
the Change start times check box, note durations will be shorter, but their positions on the timeline
will not change.
Limit Select this radio button and choose Min and Max values to restrict note durations to the specified

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range.
For example, if you choose an eighth note as the Min setting and a half note as the Max setting,
sixteenth notes will be changed to eighth notes, and whole notes will be changed to half notes.
Notes between the Min and Max settings are unaffected.

 4. Select the tracks or events you want to edit:

 l Select a track to edit all events on the track. Hold Ctrl or Shift while clicking a track header to select multiple
tracks.
 l If you want to edit multiple events on multiple tracks, hold Ctrl or Shift while clicking the events to select
them, and then select the tracks.
 l If a selected event has note events selected, only the selected notes will be edited.

The Apply to selected notes only, Apply to all notes in selected events, and Apply to all notes on
selected tracks radio buttons at the bottom of the dialog will track the current selection. If you want to
override the current selection, you can click a different radio button.
Muted tracks will not be edited.
 5. Click the Apply button.

Using Controller Maps

A controller map allows you to edit the continuous controller (CC) messages that are used by synthesizers either
hardware-based synths or soft synths. —
You can configure which controllers can be automated; add, remove, or hide envelopes; set default values; and set
each envelope's default fade curve.

 1. Right-click the track header, choose Insert/Remove Envelopes, and then choose Configure Controllers from
the menu. The Output Settings tab in the MIDI Track Properties window is displayed.
 2. The GM2 Controllers map is used by default. If you want to load a different map, click the Load button and
browse to a new mapping file (.xml). ACID installs default templates to the ..\My Documents\MAGIX\ACID
Pro\8.0\MIDI Templates\Controller Maps\ folder (..\Documents\MAGIX\ACID Pro\8.0\MIDI
Templates\Controller Maps on Windows Vista).
 3. In the Track Properties window, select the check box for each controller you want to automate with an envelope.
If the controller you want to automate isn't displayed, select the Show all controllers check box at the bottom
of the dialog. If you want to rename a controller, double-click its name and type a new name in the edit box.
Not all VST instruments use standard MIDI control mappings for volume and pan envelopes.

You can use the Output Settings tab in the MIDI Track Properties window to override the default envelope:
right-click the controller you want to use and choose Use as Track Volume or Use as Track Pan from the
shortcut menu.
 4. Click the down arrow in the Envelope box and choose a command from the menu:
Item Description
Insert If the controller does not have an automation envelope, No is displayed.
Envelope Click the down arrow and choose Insert Envelope to add an automation envelope to the
timeline.
Show/Hide If the controller has an automation envelope, Visible or Hidden is displayed.
Envelope Click the down arrow and choose Hide Envelope or Show Envelope to toggle its display.
Click the Hide all Envelopes button at the bottom of the window to hide all controller
envelopes on the track.
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Reset All If the controller has an automation envelope, you can click the down arrow and choose
Envelope Reset All Envelope Points to restore all points to the default value.
Points Click the Reset all Envelopes button at the bottom of the window to set all points on all
controller envelopes on the track to the default value.
Delete If the controller has an automation envelope, you can click the down arrow and choose
Envelope Delete Envelope to remove the envelope and all envelope points from the timeline.
Click the Remove all Envelopes button at the bottom of the window to delete all
controller envelopes on the track.

 5. Double-click the Def box and type a new value to change the default setting for a controller. This value is used
when you reset envelope points.
 6. Click the down arrow in the Curve Type box to set the default fade curve for each controller's automation
envelope. The new curve type will be applied to all segments on the envelope. You can right-click a segment and
choose a new fade curve to override the default curve type.
 7. Click the Save button if you want to save the current settings as a mapping file.

Creating or Editing Program Maps

From the Tools menu, choose Program Map Editor to display the Program Map Editor dialog.
You can use the Program Map Editor dialog to create or edit program maps for external MIDI devices. Program maps
assign user-friendly names to patches/programs so you don't have to use patch:bank messages.
When you use a program map, the device's name and program (patch) names are displayed in the MIDI Output and
Program buttons in the track header and on the Output Settings tab of the Track Properties window.

Create a program map

 1. From the Tools menu, choose Program Map Editor to display the Program Map Editor dialog.
 2. Click the New button to create a new program map.

You'll be prompted to choose a file name and location where you want to save the new map.
Tips:
 l The base file name will be used as the device name. For example, if you save My Synth.xml, the device
name will be My Synth. If you want to associate a drum map with a program map, be sure to use the same
device name for both maps: when you select a drum program for your synth on a MIDI track, the correct
drum map will be loaded automatically.
 l If you want to create a program map based on an existing map, load a program map and then click the
Save As button to save a copy of the program map with a new name.

 l Click the Add New Program or Add New Drum Program button to add a program to the table in
the first available slot.
If a group is selected from the Program Group drop-down list, the table lists only programs that belong to
the selected group. Any programs you add will automatically be associated with the selected group.
 3. Type a description of the program in the Program Name box.

You can double-click an existing name to edit it.

 4. If you want to assign the program to a group, right-click the Group box and choose a group from the shortcut

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menu.

If you want to create a new group, choose Add New Group and type a name in the box.
 5. Double-click the Prog,MSB, and LSB values to edit them and type the values that correspond to the appropriate
program.

Please refer to your device or its documentation to determine the correct values for each program.
Notes:
 l Within ACID, MIDI values range from 0-127. If your device uses 1-128, subtract 1 when editing the
program.
 l Devices that use Sysex messages to change programs are limited to 128 programs.
 6. Click OK to close the dialog and save your changes.

Edit a program map

 1. From the Tools menu, choose Program Map Editor to display the Program Map Editor dialog.
 2. Load the program map you want to edit:
 3. Choose a setting from the MIDI Device drop-down list.
 4. Click the Load button and browse to the map you want to edit.
Tips:
 l If you want to associate a drum map with a program map, be sure to use the same device name for both
maps: when you select a drum program for your synth on a MIDI track, the correct drum map will be
loaded automatically.
 l If you want to create a program map based on an existing map, load a program map and then click the
Save As button to save a copy of the program map with a new name.

 l To add programs to the map, click the Add New Program or Add New Drum Program button to
add a program to the table in the first available slot.
If a group is selected from the Program Group drop-down list, the table lists only programs that belong to
the selected group. Any programs you add will automatically be associated with the selected group.
 5. To remove a program from the map, select a program and click the Delete button .

 6. To edit a program name, double-click the name and type a new value in the box.
 7. To change a program to a drum program , right-click the program name and choose Drum Kit from the
shortcut menu.

To change a drum program to a program, right-click the program name and choose Drum Kit from the shortcut
menu to clear the check mark.
 8. If you want to assign the program to a group, right-click the Group box and choose a group from the shortcut
menu.

If you want to create a new group, choose Add New Group and type a name in the box.
 9. Double-click the Prog ,MSB, and LSB values to edit them and type the values that correspond to the appropriate
program.

Please refer to your device or its documentation to determine the correct values for each program.
270

Notes:

 l Within ACID, MIDI values range from 0-127. If your device uses 1-128, subtract 1 when editing the program.
 l Devices that use Sysex messages to change programs are limited to 128 programs.
 l Click OK to close the dialog and save your changes.

Assign a program map to a MIDI device

 1. From the Options menu, choose Preferences.
 2. Click the MIDI tab.
 3. In the Make these devices available for MIDI track playback section of the dialog, verify the check box is
selected for your MIDI device.
 4. Right-click the Device value for your MIDI device and choose Load Device Template from the shortcut menu.
 5. Browse to the program map you want to use and click Open.

The selected program map will be used for any track that is routed to the MIDI device.

Creating or Editing Drum Maps

From the Tools menu, choose Drum Map Editor to display the Drum Map Editor dialog.
You can use the Drum Map Editor dialog to create or edit drum maps. A drum map assigns a drum sound to a
specific note (so you don't have to remember that C3 is Bass Drum 1, for example). When a drum map is defined for
a soft synth, you can use the drum grid in the timeline to edit MIDI data.

A piano roll allows you to edit MIDI A drum grid allows you to edit MIDI notes
notes for most patches. for soft synths that have drum maps defined.

Choose a drum map or kit for a track

MIDI tracks can display a piano roll or a drum grid.
Choosing a drum map or kit

 1. Click the Program button on the track header.

 2. Choose Drum Maps from the menu, and then choose Select Drum Map from the submenu. The Output
Settings page of the Track Properties window is displayed.
 3. Choose the drum map or kit you want to use.
Displaying the piano roll

If your track is routed to a MIDI device or VSTi soft synth, you can switch from a drum grid view to the piano roll.
Click the Program button , choose Drum Maps, and then choose None.

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Edit a drum map

 1. From the Tools menu, choose Drum Map Editor to display the Drum Map Editor dialog.
 2. Choose the drum map you want to edit.
 3. Select a drum map in the MIDI Drum Map Template list or click the Open button to browse to an XML
drum mapping file.
Drum maps that belong to the GM2 kits are displayed with a and cannot be edited.
 4. If you want to edit the name of the drum map, double-click the name in the MIDI Drum Map Template column
and type a new name in the box.
 5. If you want to associate the drum map with a MIDI device, double-click the Device box and type the name of a
MIDI device.

When you associate a drum map with a MIDI device, the drum maps will be displayed automatically on the
Output Settings tab of the Track Properties window when you choose Drum Map from the drop-down list at
the top of the page.
Be sure to type the device name identically in the Drum Map Editor and the Program Map Editor.
 6. If you want to change the description of the map, edit the text in the Drum Map Description box.
 7. Add keys as needed:
 a. Click the Insert Key button to add a key to the drum map.

If a key is selected, the next available key will be inserted. For example, if you select C5 and click Insert
Key, C#5 will be added if it does not exist in the current drum map. If C#5, D5, and D#5 already exist, E5
will be added.
 b. Double-click the name in the Instrument column and type the name of the instrument associated with the
selected key.
 8. Select a key in the table on the right side of the dialog and click the Delete Key button to remove it from the
drum map.
 9. If you want to copy key assignments from other drum maps, perform the following steps:
 a. In the MIDI Drum Map Template list, select the drum map that contains the keys you want to copy.
 b. Select the keys you want to copy. Hold Ctrl or Shift to select multiple keys.
 c. Click the Copy Selected Keys button .

 d. In the MIDI Drum Map Template list, select the drum map that you want to edit.
 e. Click the Paste Copied Keys into Map button . Select the keys you want to copy. Hold Ctrl or Shift to
select multiple keys.

If a key is selected, the next available key will be inserted. For example, if you select C5 and click Insert
Key, C#5 will be added if it does not exist in the current drum map. If C#5, D5, and D#5 already exist, E5
will be added.
 f. Double-click the name in the Instrument column and type the name of the instrument associated with the
selected key.
 10. Click OK to close the dialog and save your changes.

Exporting MIDI
From the File menu, choose Export MIDI to export the MIDI tracks in your project to a new MIDI file.
272

Export a MIDI clip

You can use the Clip Pool tab in the Track Properties window to save the selected clip to a new folder or with a new
file name.
MIDI clips are always exported as MIDI type 0.

 1. Click the Save button on the Clip Pool tab in the Track Properties window. The Save MIDI Clip dialog is
displayed.
 2. Choose a drive and folder from the Save in drop-down list, or use the browse window to locate the folder where
you want to save your file.
 3. Type a name in the File name box, or select a file in the browse window to replace an existing file.
 4. Type a value in the Resolution box to set the resolution of file. The default is 960, but you can specify any value
between 24 and 960.
Not all MIDI devices can read arbitrary resolutions.
 5. Click the Save button.

Export your project as a MIDI file

When you export to a MIDI file, the MIDI tracks in your project are saved to a standard MIDI file. Track names, track
device names, and track voices are saved in the exported file.
Muted tracks are not included in the exported file.

 1. From the File menu, choose Export MIDI. The Export Project as Standard MIDI File dialog is displayed.
 2. Choose a drive and folder from the Save in drop-down list, or use the browse window to locate the folder where
you want to save your file.
 3. Type a name in the File name box, or select a file in the browse window to replace an existing file.
 4. Choose a setting from the MIDI file type drop-down list to indicate the type of file you want to save:
 5. Choose Standard MIDI File Type 1 to preserve tracks when exporting. This mode preserves the MIDI data in
your ACID project.
 6. Choose Standard MIDI File Type 0 to save your project as a single-track, multichannel MIDI file.
When you add a Type 0 MIDI file to your project, a separate track will be created for each channel in the
file. If you have tracks routed to separate soft synths or MIDI devices, they will be preserved as separate
tracks only if their MIDI outputs use different channels. For more information about choosing a track's
output port and channel, please see Routing Tracks to Soft Synths or MIDI Devices.
 7. Type a value in the Resolution box to set the resolution of the file. The default is 960, but you can specify any
value between 24 and 960.
Not all MIDI devices can read arbitrary resolutions.
 8. Click the Save button.

Using MIDI plugins

There is a special category of VST instruments that don't produce it's own sound but instead generate MIDI output,
either of its own, like Step sequencers or derived from its own MIDI input like arpeggiators, chord assistants or even
complete composing tools. To use these plug-ins in ACID Proproceed as follows:

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 Working with MIDI 273

 1. Insert a MIDI track, click on the MIDI Output button and chose Insert Soft Synth to load your MIDI plug-in.
 2. Insert a MIDI track that should receive the MIDI output from the MIDI plug-in and insert a soft synth there.
 3. In this track, click on the MIDI Input button and chose the soft synth as track MIDI input

 4. The soft synth of the second track now receives the MIDI from the first one

In this example, the step sequencer on track transforms the long single notes into arpeggios that than are
recorded on track 2.

Resetting All MIDI Ports

From the Tools menu, choose Reset All MIDI Ports to send a global note-off command to all MIDI ports.
You can use this command to stop stuck notes from playing, much like the Panic button on MIDI hardware devices

Timecode Synchronization
ACID software can generate MIDI timecode and MIDI clock as well as trigger from MIDI timecode. These features
allow you to synchronize ACID projects with other audio applications and external audio hardware.
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Generating MIDI timecode

Triggering playback from MIDI timecode

Generating MIDI clock

Generating MIDI Timecode

From the Options menu, choose Timecode, and then choose Generate MIDI Timecode from the submenu if you
want to generate MIDI timecode (MTC) when you click Play .

MIDI timecode (MTC) is a standard timecode that most applications and some hardware devices will use to
synchronize themselves. ACID software will generate stable MTC at all available frame rates for other applications to
chase.

Generate MIDI timecode

 1. Specify a MIDI Output device to which you will send the timecode and a Frame rate for the timecode. These
options can be found on the Sync page of the Preferences dialog.
The MTC generation device will not be available for MIDI track playback.
 2. From the Options menu, choose Timecode, and then choose Generate MIDI Timecode from the submenu.
MTC is generated starting wherever you click Play .

Generate MTC with an offset

In some cases, you may want to start sending timecode with an offset (e.g., 01:00:00:00) to allow time for multiple
devices to synchronize. You can create an offset on the ACID time ruler to accomplish this.

View outgoing timecode

To view the outgoing timecode, right-click the Time Display and choose MIDI Timecode Out from the shortcut
menu. The Time Display will now show the outgoing MTC time.

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 Working with MIDI 275

Triggering from MIDI Timecode

From the Options menu, choose Timecode, and then choose Trigger from MIDI Timecode from the submenu if
you want playback to be initiated by receiving timecode from another device.

Trigger playback from MIDI timecode

 1. Connect a word clock signal between your computer and triggering device to lock synchronization.
If the MIDI trigger device can output MIDI timecode, a timecode converter is not necessary; you can connect
the trigger device directly to your computer.

 2. Configure your trigger device to send MIDI timecode (MTC) to your computer.
 3. Configure ACID software to receive MTC:
 a. From the Options menu, choose Preferences and select the Sync tab.
 b. From the Input device drop-down list, choose the port from which you will receive MTC.
 c. From the Frame rate drop-down list, choose the frame rate that your trigger device will use to send MTC
to ACID software.
 d. Click OK to close the Preferences dialog.
 4. From the Options menu, choose Timecode, and choose Trigger from MIDI Timecode from the submenu.
When an incoming MTC signal is received, the ACID project will begin playing from the position indicated by
the timecode. If ACID software is not receiving MTC, you can play and edit normally.

View incoming timecode

To view the incoming timecode, right-click the Time Display and choose MIDI Timecode In from the shortcut
menu. The Time Display will now show the incoming MTC time.
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This display will also show status and error information. If Trigger from MIDI Timecode is enabled but no MTC is
detected, the display will show Waiting... If the wrong frame rate of MTC is being detected the display will show
Wrong format.

Generate MIDI Clock

From the Options menu, choose Timecode, and then choose Generate MIDI Clock from the submenu if you want
to generate MIDI clock when you click Play .

MIDI clock differs from MIDI timecode in that it contains tempo as well as positional information. MIDI clock is
essentially measured in ticks from the beginning of the project. MIDI clock sends 24 ticks per quarter note.
The advantage of using MIDI clock is that ACID software can send its tempo changes to the chasing application and
they will be preserved.

Generate MIDI clock

 1. Specify the MIDI Output device to which you will send the clock signal. This option can be found on the Sync
page of the Preferences dialog.
 2. From the Options menu, choose Timecode, and then choose Generate MIDI Clock from the submenu.
MIDI clock is generated when you click Play .

View outgoing MIDI clock

To view the outgoing clock, right-click the Time Display and choose MIDI Clock Out from the shortcut menu. The
Time Display will now show the outgoing MIDI clock time.

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 Customizing the ACID Interface 277

Customizing the ACID Interface

You can customize the ACID interface to suit your needs and working preferences.

Customizing the Toolbar

The ACID toolbar is fully customizable. To change the appearance of the toolbar, double-click an empty space on the
toolbar, or choose Customize Toolbar from the Options menu.
To quickly move toolbar buttons, hold Shift while dragging a button to a new location. Hold Shift while
dragging a button off the toolbar to remove it. Hold Ctrl and Shift while clicking the left edge of a button to add
a separator.

Add a button to the toolbar

 1. From the Options menu, choose Customize Toolbar.
 2. In the Available toolbar buttons column, choose the button you want to add.
 3. Click the Add button.
 4. Click Close to close the Customize Toolbar dialog.

Remove a button from the toolbar

 1. From the Options menu, choose Customize Toolbar.
 2. In the Current toolbar buttons column, choose the button you want to remove.
 3. Click the Remove button.
 4. Click Close to close the Customize Toolbar dialog.

Move a button
 1. From the Options menu, choose Customize Toolbar.
 2. In the Current toolbar buttons column, choose the button you want to move.
 3. Move the button:
 l Click Move Up to move the button up one space in the Current toolbar buttons list and left one space on
the toolbar.
 l Click Move Down to move the button down one space in the Current toolbar buttons list and right one
space on the toolbar.
 4. Click Close to close the Customize Toolbar dialog.

Reset the toolbar

 1. From the Options menu, choose Customize Toolbar.
 2. Click the Reset button.
 3. Click Close to close the Customize Toolbar dialog and reset the toolbar to its default appearance.

Customizing Keyboard Shortcuts

From the Options menu, choose Customize Keyboard to customize the keyboard shortcuts available in the ACID
interface.
278

The Keyboard map box displays the currently assigned shortcut keys. Click a tab in the middle of the dialog to
choose which shortcuts you want to see.

Edit or create new shortcuts

 1. Click a tab in the middle of the dialog to indicate the type of command you want to assign to a keyboard
shortcut.
 2. Select a command in the list.
You can type a word in the Show commands containing box to filter the list of commands to display only
commands that contain the word you typed.
 3. Click the Shortcut keys box and press the key combination you want to assign to the selected command.
 4. Click the Add button to assign the key combination in the Shortcut keys box to the selected command.

Save a keyboard map

Click the Save as button and type a name to save your current keyboard shortcuts to an .ini file in the C:\Documents
and Settings\[user name]\Local Settings\ApplicationData\MAGIX\ACID Pro\8 folder (C:\Users\
[username]\AppData\Local\MAGIX\ACID Pro\8 on Windows Vista).
The Application Data folder is not visible unless the Show hidden files and folders radio button is selected on
the View tab of the Windows Folder Options control panel.
You can use this file as a backup or to share your keyboard shortcuts with other ACID users.

Delete a keyboard map

Choose a mapping from the Keyboard map drop-down list and click the Delete button to remove the selected
keyboard mapping.
You cannot delete the default ACID keyboard mapping.

Import or rename a keyboard map

Copy an ACID keyboard mapping .ini file to the C:\Documents and Settings\[user name]\Local
Settings\ApplicationData\MAGIX\ACID Pro\8 folder (C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Local\MAGIX\ACID
Pro\8 on Windows Vista).
The Application Data folder is not visible unless the Show hidden files and folders radio button is selected on
the View tab of the Windows Folder Options control panel.
The next time you start ACID, the new keyboard mapping will be available from the Keyboard map drop-down list
in the Customize Keyboard dialog.
If you want to edit a the name used to identify a keyboard mapping in the Customize Keyboard dialog, open the
.ini file in a text editor and change the <Display Name>portion of the Name=<Display Name> entry. Save the
.ini file and restart ACID to use the new name.

Reset the default keyboard map

Choose [Default] from the Keyboard map drop-down list and click OK to restore the default configuration.

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 Customizing the ACID Interface 279

Customizing ASIO Port Naming

When you use an ASIO sound card, default names are displayed in ACID for each of the device's ports. If you have a
simple setup, the default names probably work well enough for you. However, if you have a complex setup,
customizing the port names can help you keep track of your routing with meaningful labels.
For example, if you have your control room monitors connected to outputs 1 and 2 on your sound card, you could
replace the default MainOut 1L and MainOut 1R port names with CtrlRm Left and CtrlRm Right. If your lead vocal
microphone is connected to Mic/Inst 1, you could name the port LeadVocal, and a harmony microphone connected
to Mic/Inst 1 could be labeled Harmony.

 1. From the Options menu, choose Preferences, and then click the Audio Device tab.
 2. Choose your ASIO audio interface from the Audio device type drop-down list, and then click Apply.
 3. Click the Advanced button to display the Advanced Audio Configuration dialog.
 4. If you want to edit the name of an input or output port, click the label in the Name column, and then press F2.
You can then type a new name in the edit box.
Item Description
Name The name of the port as it will be displayed in ACID.
Default naming.
Input pairs and outputs can be
mono, or multiple mono, or stereo.
 l Mono : A single-channel input
or output.
 l Stereo : A pair of two mono
inputs or outputs. For
example, you might connect
the right and left outputs of a
stereo device to a stereo input.
 l Multi mono: A grouping of
two monaural channels as a
multichannel port. The
content in the channels is
from distinct monaural
sources and not intended to
be mixed as a stereo signal.
For example, you might
connect two microphones to
separate inputs to record
harmony vocals.  
After renaming the multiple mono
port Mic/InstIn 1/Mic InstIn 2 to
Guitar, the port is switched to
stereo, and the left and right
channels are renamed Guitar Left
and Guitar Right.
If you rename either of a stereo
port's channels, the port is
switched to a multiple mono
channel, and labels are updated
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accordingly.
If you want to switch back to a
stereo channel, you can rename the
Multi Mono channel.

Notes:
 l ASIO port names are not saved per project.
 l In stereo pairs, odd-numbered ports represent the left channel; even-numbered ports
represent the right channel.
 l Stereo pairs must consist of sequential channels. You cannot make stereo pairs from
arbitrary channels.
 l If you want to restore a port's default name, delete the label in the Name column, and the
Internal Name is restored.
 l If you want to restore all port names, click the Reset Names button (or press Alt+N).
I/O Indicates whether the port is an input or output port.
Internal The default name of the port.
Name
Channel Indicates whether a port is a stereo, mono, or multiple mono.

The Time Ruler

From the View menu, choose Time Ruler, and choose Show Time Ruler from the submenu to toggle the display of
the time ruler.
The time ruler is displayed along the bottom of the timeline. To change the format of the display, right-click on the
timeline and choose an option from the shortcut menu. This timeline will change with tempo since the number of
bars and beats per second of real time will change with tempo.

Beat ruler

Time ruler

Change the format of the time ruler

From the View menu, choose Time Ruler and choose a format from the submenu.
Format Description
Samples Displays the time ruler in samples.
Time Displays the time ruler in hours:minutes:seconds.milliseconds.
Seconds Displays the time ruler in seconds.
Time & Frames Displays the time ruler in hours:minutes:seconds.frames.
Absolute Frames Displays the time ruler with all frames numbered sequentially from the
beginning of your project.
Feet and Frames 16mm (40 fpf) Displays the time ruler in feet+frames at a rate of 40 frames per foot.

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 Customizing the ACID Interface 281

Feet and Frames 35mm (16 fpf) Displays the time ruler in feet+frames at a rate of 16 frames per foot.
SMPTE Film Sync (24 fps) Displays the time ruler in hours:minutes:seconds:frames with a frame
rate of 24 frames per second for synchronizing with film.
SMPTE EBU (25 fps, Video) Displays the time ruler in hours:minutes:seconds:frames with a frame
rate of 25 frames per second. This is known as SMPTE EBU (European
Broadcasting Union) because European television systems run at 25
fps.
SMPTE Non-Drop (29.97 fps, Video) Displays the time ruler in hours:minutes:seconds:frames with a frame
rate of 29.97 frames per second.
In video, the frame rate of exactly 30 fps is never used. Instead, the
timecode runs at a rate of 29.97 fps. This leads to a discrepancy
between real time (as you would see on a clock) and the SMPTE time.
SMPTE Drop was created to compensate for this discrepancy.
SMPTE Drop (29.97 fps, Video) Displays the time ruler in hours:minutes:seconds;frames with a frame
rate of 30 frames per second.
This format runs at 29.97 fps, just like SMPTE Non-Drop. However, to
keep the SMPTE clock from drifting from real time, certain frame
numbers have been removed from the counting system. The time is
adjusted forward by two frames on every minute boundary except 0,
10, 20, 30, 40, and 50. Thus, when SMPTE Drop time increments from
00:00:59.29, the next value will be 00:01:00.02. In SMPTE Non-Drop,
the time would indicate 00:01:00.00, but it would be two frames
behind real time.
SMPTE 30 (30 fps, Audio) Displays the time ruler in hours:minutes:seconds:frames with a frame
rate of 30 frames per second.
This rate is exactly 30 fps and is commonly used when synchronizing
audio applications such as multitrack recorders or MIDI sequencers.
Audio CD Time Displays the ruler in hours:minutes:seconds:frames with a frame rate of
75 frames per second for creating Red Book CDs.

Create a time ruler offset

A time ruler offset allows you to change the time ruler to start at a specific time. Typically, this feature is used in
conjunction with SMPTE and MIDI projects when their timelines are the main reference.
A time ruler offset allows you to set the time ruler in an ACID project based on another project’s timeline for
reference purposes.

 1. From the View menu, choose Time Ruler and choose a Set Time at Cursor from the submenu. An edit box is
displayed in the time ruler.
To create a simple offset, click Go to Start to move the cursor to the beginning of your project.

 2. Type a time in the edit box and press Enter.

The time ruler is shifted so the cursor position matches the time you specified. For example, if the cursor is
positioned at the 2:00 minute mark and you enter 15:00 minutes, the start of the project will be set to 13:00
minutes.

Grid Spacing
From the Options menu, choose Grid Spacing and choose a command from the submenu to specify the spacing of
the vertical grid lines along the timeline.
You can use grid lines as snap points when Snap to Grid is enabled.
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The grid spacing setting is independent from the beat ruler format.

The Time Display

The Time Display shows the current cursor position, MTC input, MTC output, or MIDI clock output time. The right-
hand field always displays the cursor position in measures.beats.ticks format, and the left-hand field displays the
cursor position (using the time ruler format) or the MIDI timecode/MTC status.

Double-click either of the fields in the Time Display window to type a value in the edit box. When you press Enter,
the cursor will move to that position.
You can change the format of the left-hand field or the appearance of the Time Display by right-clicking the Time
Display and choosing a new format from the shortcut menu.
Item Description
Edit Cursor Position Allow you to move the cursor to the position you specify.
- Beats
Edit Cursor Position
- Time
Time at Cursor Choose Time Format and choose a setting from the submenu to set the time units used
Format in the Time Display and Time Ruler.
For a description of each of the time units available in the submenu, see "Change the
format of the time ruler" in the The Time Ruler topic.
Time at Cursor Displays the time based on the current cursor position.
MIDI Timecode Out Displays outgoing MIDI timecode.
MIDI Clock Out Displays outgoing MIDI clock.
MIDI Timecode In Displays incoming MIDI timecode.
Generate MIDI Enables generation of MIDI Timecode during playback. For more information, see
Timecode "Generating MIDI Timecode" on page 274.
Generate MIDI Enables generation of MIDI Clock during playback. For more information, see "Generate
Clock MIDI Clock" on page 276.
Trigger from MIDI Enables playback to be triggered using MIDI timecode. For more information, see
Timecode "Triggering from MIDI Timecode" on page 275.

Setting Default Track Properties

You can use any track's settings to specify default settings for new tracks.

Use a track's settings as the new defaults

 1. Right-click a track header and choose Set Default Track Properties from the shortcut menu.
 2. Select the check box for each item that you want to use as a default when creating a new track:
Item Description

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 Customizing the ACID Interface 283

Volume Select this check box if you want to use the current setting of the Volume fader whenever you add
an audio track.
Until you set a default track volume in the Set Default Track Properties dialog, the setting of the
Preview fader will determine the volume of new tracks.
Pan Select this check box if you want to use the current panning mode whenever you add an audio
Type track.
To set the panning mode, right-click the Pan slider and choose a mode from the shortcut menu. For
more information about panning, see "Audio Track Controls" on page 45.
Height Select this check box if you want to use the current track height whenever you insert an audio or
video track.
Track Select this check box if you want to use the current track effect chain and settings whenever you
FX insert an audio track.
Default track effects are limited to the first four plug-ins in the chain.
For more information about audio track effects, see "Track Effects" on page 152.

 3. Click OK.

Restore the original track settings

 1. Right-click a track header and choose Set Default Track Properties from the shortcut menu.
 2. Select the Restore original defaults check box.
 3. Click OK.

Preferences
From the Options menu, choose Preferences to display the Preferences dialog. This dialog contains various user
options.

Preferences - General Tab

From the Options menu, choose Preferences and select the General tab to specify miscellaneous options.
Item Description
Automatically open Select this check box if you want to automatically reopen the project that was open the
last project on startup last time the application was closed. When the check box is cleared, the application
starts with a blank project.
Show logo splash Select this check box if you want the ACID logo splash screen to be displayed when the
screen on startup application starts.
Use Newsfeed to stay When this check box is selected, the software will periodically display information from
informed about ACID MAGIX at startup. Clear the check box to bypass the Net Notify dialog.
product updates
Draw contents of Select this check box if you want to draw waveforms in events. Clearing the check box
events can improve performance on some systems.
Create undos for FX Select this check box if you want to create undos when a plug-in parameter is changed in
parameter changes the FX pages.
Confirm media file When this check box is selected, a message box will appear asking if you want to delete
deletion when still in a media file that is currently in use by the project.
use
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Close media files When this check box is selected, files can be edited in external editors while they are
when ACID is not the contained in events in your ACID project.
active application
Close audio and MIDI Select this check box if you want to close audio and MIDI ports when you switch to
ports when ACID is another application. External control is also suspended when ACID is not active.
not the active Clear the check box if you want to leave ports open. For example, if you have a MIDI
application keyboard routed to a soft synth, clearing the check box would allow you to continue to
hear the soft synth while you're working with a sequencer.
When you edit a clip in an external editor, audio, MIDI, and external control
hardware is released regardless of the Close audio and MIDI ports when ACID is
not the active application check box setting. The ports are re-enabled when focus is
restored to ACID.
Enable multimedia When this check box is selected, you can use a multimedia keyboard to control playback
keyboard support of a project.
Automatically render The .wav format is limited by a maximum file size of ~2GB. When this check box is
large Wave files as selected, you can render larger files as Wave64 files.
Wave64
Prompt for region and When this check box is selected, an edit box is displayed so you can name markers and
marker names if not regions as you place them.
playing
Create project file When this check box is selected, backup project files are created when you open or save.
backups on save Backup files are stored in the same folder as your project and use the extension .acd-bak.
(.acd-bak) You can use these files to revert to a project's previous state.
Preserve pitch for Select the check box if you want to maintain the pitch of Beatmapped tracks when the
new Beatmapped project tempo changes.
tracks when tempo
changes
Automatically start Select the check box if you want to start the Beatmapper Wizard when you add a file that
the Beatmapper is longer than 30 seconds to your project.
Wizard for long files
Use slower updates Select this check box if you want to update the audio engine more slowly. Selecting this
to prevent playback option can prevent unwanted artifacts during timeline editing.
clicks during editing
Enable autosave Select this check box to create a temporary project file that can aid in crash recovery. This
file is saved every five minutes, and your original project is not overwritten.
During normal startup and shutdown, the application cleans *.autosave.acd and
*.autosave.acd-bak files from your project folder.
If you choose to restore your project when you restart the application after a crash, the
*.autosave.acd file is renamed to *.restored.acd and is used as your project file.
Even after you use Save As to save your restored project, the *.restored.acd file will
remain. Check your project folder occasionally and delete unneeded files.
Use SPTI Direct for Select this check box if you want to use SPTI (SCSI Pass-Through Interface) to
CD burning communicate with your CD burning drive.
Autoname extracted Select this check box if you want to automatically assign file names to tracks that you've
CD tracks extracted from CDs.
File names will include the CD's identification number and track number.
Keep bypassed FX Select this check box if you want effects to remain open so you can bypass/enable

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 Customizing the ACID Interface 285

running effects with no pause for A/B testing. When the check box is cleared, effects are fully
bypassed, conserving processing power.
Confirm groove When this check box is selected, a message box will appear asking if you want to delete
deletion when still in a groove from the Groove Pool window when it is in use by the project.
use
Enable Windows XP When this check box is selected, the ACID window will inherit the appearance of the
theme support current theme when using Windows XP. When the check box is cleared, user interface
elements will maintain the classic Windows operating system appearance.
Allow snapping for When this check box is selected, groove markers in the Groove Editor will snap to the
Post-Groove Markers current grid spacing if snapping is enabled. Hold shift while dragging to bypass
snapping.
Clear the check box if you do not want groove markers to snap to the grid.
Check .acd file type When this check box is selected, ACID will check whether .acd, .acd-zip, and .acd-bak
association at startup files are associated with ACID software and will prompt you to restore the file
association if necessary.
Recently used project Select the check box and enter a number in the edit box if you want to list your most
list recently used projects at the bottom of the File menu.
Default All Click to restore the General tab to the default settings.

Preferences - Audio Tab

From the Options menu, choose Preferences and select the Audio tab to specify playback and recording options.
Item Description
Open files as Enter a lower and upper limit to specify which files will be opened as loops if stretching
loops if properties are not saved in the file.
between Files that are shorter than the lower limit will be opened as one-shot tracks; files longer than the
upper limit will start theBeatmapper Wizard.
Quick fade edit When the check box is selected, ACID software will place a rapid fade on the edges of audio
edges of audio events (10 ms by default) to soften potentially harsh transitions. When the command is not
events selected, edges of new events are not faded (fades that were applied before the check box is
cleared are not removed).
Right-click an event and select or clear the Quick Fade Edges command to override the default
event fade behavior for individual events.
Selecting or clearing the check box will not affect existing quick fades in your project. To
remove all quick fades from a project, enter 0 in the Quick fade time box.
Quick fade Enter a time (in milliseconds) to specify the duration of fades applied to the edges of events.
time Changing this setting will affect all existing quick fades in your project.
Waveform Choose a setting from the drop-down list to specify whether you want to display waveforms in
display while the timeline while recording audio. Turning off waveform displays can improve performance.
recording
ACID type for Choose a setting from the drop-down list to specify the type of clip that will be created when
recorded audio you record audio.
Record action Choose a setting from the drop-down list to specify what happens if you click the Record
when nothing button when no tracks are armed:
is armed
New Audio Creates a new audio track where you can record.
Track
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New MIDI Creates a new MIDI track where you can record.
Track
Do Nothing The Record button is unavailable unless an audio or MIDI track is armed for
recording.

Include project Select this check box if you want to use the project name to identify recorded clips.
name when For example, if this check box is selected and you're working with My Remix.acd, recorded files
naming will be named My Remix Track X Recording X.wav.
recorded
If this check box is not selected, recorded files will be named Track X Recording X.wav.
media
Track prefader Select this check box if you want pre-volume sends from tracks to busses and assignable effects
sends listen to to respond to the track mute state.
mute When the check box is cleared, the pre-volume sends are not affected by the mute state (in
order to facilitate cue mixes).
For example, assume you have a project with one track and Bus A that is routed to a hardware
output. By default, the bus send is pre volume, so the Master and Bus A will have the same
output when you play your project:

If you mute the track, the track's output to the Master bus is muted, but the prefader send to Bus
A continues playing (if the Track prefader sends listen to mute check box is not selected):

If you switch the track send to post volume, the track's outputs to the Master bus and Bus A are
muted:

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 Customizing the ACID Interface 287

If you select the Track prefader sends listen to mute check box and switch the track send back
to pre volume, the track's outputs to the Master bus and Bus A are muted:

Use legacy Select this check box if you want to configure audio track sends to behave as they did in ACID
track send gain 6.0 and earlier. When the check box is selected, you can open projects created with earlier
versions of ACID and be assured they will sound the same as they did in earlier versions of
ACID.
Metronome Choose a setting from the drop-down list to choose the sound that will be used to play the
sound metronome.
Normalize peak Type a value or use the spinner to change the value that will be used when normalizing clips.
level
Default All Click to restore the Audio tab to the default settings.

Advanced Audio Configuration

The Advanced Audio Configuration dialog allows you to view information about and adjust settings for audio device
selected in the Audio device type drop-down list on the Audio Device tab of the Preferences dialog.
To display the dialog, select a device from the Audio device type drop-down list, click Apply, and then click
Advanced.
Microsoft Sound Mapper or Windows Classic Wave Driver

Item Description
Audio devices This list contains all of the audio devices that are installed in your computer. Select a device
from the list to set the options below for that device.
Interpolate When this check box is selected, the software will attempt to compensate for inaccurate
position devices by interpolating the playback or recording position. If you notice that your playback
cursor is offset from what you are hearing, enable this option for the playback device.
Position bias If the position of playback or recording does not match what you hear after you enable
Interpolate position, you can attempt to compensate using the Position bias slider.
Moving this slider will offset the position forward or backward to compensate for the
inaccuracies of the device.
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Do not pre-roll When this check box is selected, the software will not create buffers prior to starting playback.
buffers before Some devices do not behave properly if this check box is cleared.
starting If your audio stutters when you start playback try selecting this check box.
playback
Audio buffers Drag the slider to set the number of audio buffers that will be used. Adjusting this setting can
decrease gapping or help you synchronize the input and output.
Buffer size Choose a setting from the drop-down list to indicate the buffer size you want to use. Choose
MME to use the Playback buffering setting on the Audio Device tab in the Preferences dialog.
For example, if you choose MME from the Buffer size drop-down, set the Audio buffers slider
to 5, and set Playback buffering to 0.35 seconds, five 0.07-second buffers are created.
If you choose 1024 from the Buffer size drop-down and set the Audio buffers slider to 5, five
1024-byte buffers are created.
Priority Choose a setting from the drop-down list to set the priority that is assigned to your audio
buffers.
Increasing the buffers' priority can help you attain smoother playback, but it can also adversely
affect other processes.

ASIO

When an ASIO driver is selected, the Advanced Audio Configuration dialog displays information about the settings
for the selected driver. Click the Configure button to open the driver manufacturer's configuration applet and adjust
settings.
The lower portion of the dialog lists the device name and the name for each of the selected ASIO device's ports. You
can use these controls to customize input and output port names.
ReWire Device Driver

Item Description
Number of Specifies the number of extra stereo ports the ACID Pro ReWire device will expose to ReWire
extra stereo mixer applications.
ports After changing this setting, you'll need to close and restart ACID software and any active ReWire
mixer application. Port changes cannot be changed dynamically when using ReWire.
Number of Specifies the number of extra mono ports the ACID Pro ReWire device will expose to ReWire
extra mono mixer applications.
ports After changing this setting, you'll need to close and restart ACID software and any active ReWire
mixer application. Port changes cannot be changed dynamically when using ReWire.
Some ReWire mixers work better with mono inputs than stereo inputs. Check your ReWire mixer
application’s documentation for more specific requirements.
Priority Choose a setting from the drop-down list to set the priority that is assigned to your audio buffers.

Increasing the buffers' priority can help you attain smoother playback, but it can also adversely
affect other processes.

Preferences - Audio Device Tab

Use the Audio Device tab to specify playback and recording options. To display this tab, choose Preferences from
the Options menu, then click the Audio Device tab. Click the Advanced button to access the advanced audio
preferences. 
Item Description

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 Customizing the ACID Interface 289

Audio device Choose a driver type from the drop-down list.

type
Microsoft The default setting. Allows the Sound Mapper to choose an appropriate playback
Sound device.
Mapper
Direct Allows the Surround Mapper to choose appropriate playback devices for the front,
Sound rear, and center/LFE channels in a 5.1 surround project.
Surround
Mapper
Windows Allows you to choose a specific audio device using a classic Wave driver.
Classic For stereo projects, choose a device from the Default Stereo and Front playback
Wave device drop-down list.
Driver
For 5.1-surround projects, choose devices from the Default Stereo and Front
playback device, Default Rear playback device, and Default Center and LFE
playback device drop-down lists.
ASIO Allows you to choose a specific audio device using a low-latency ASIO driver.
For stereo projects, choose a device from the Default Stereo and Front playback
device drop-down list.
For 5.1-surround projects, choose devices from the Default Stereo and Front
playback device, Default Rear playback device, and Default Center and LFE
playback device drop-down lists.
ReWire Allows you to use ACID software as a ReWire device in a ReWire mixer
Device application.
Driver If a ReWire mixer application starts ACID software, that ACID window will start in
ReWire mode and cannot be switched from ReWire mode.
If a ReWire mixer connects to an existing ACID window, that window will run in
ReWire mode, and you can switch out of ReWire mode if necessary. If you exit
that instance of the software and start ACID software again, the new instance will
start in ReWire mode, and you can switch out of ReWire mode if necessary by
choosing a different audio device type.

Default Choose the device that you want to use for playing stereo sound data and the front-left and -right
Stereo and channels of a 5.1 surround project.
Front Selecting the Microsoft Sound Mapper allows Windows to select an appropriate device to use for
playback the current sound data.
device
If you have selected Microsoft Sound Mapper, you will not be able to assign busses to
different devices.
Default Rear Choose the device that you want to use for playing the rear channels of a 5.1 surround project.
playback
device
Default Choose the device that you want to use for playing the center and low-frequency effect channels
Center and of a 5.1 surround project.
LFE playback
device
Playback Specifies the size of the audio segments that are sent to the sound card.
buffering The larger the number, the more buffering is performed during playback. This value must be as
(seconds) low as possible without gapping. To set it, start at .25 and play back a typical song. Move some
of the track faders. If the playback gaps, try increasing this slider in small increments until the
gapping goes away. As you increase this slider, the RAM meter at the bottom of the ACID
window will indicate more RAM usage. You need to strike a balance between RAM usage and
playback buffering.
290

If you simply cannot get playback to be free of gapping, you need to either decrease the number
of tracks you are trying to play simultaneously, install more RAM in your computer so you can
increase buffering, buy a faster access hard drive, or minimize the number of audio plug-ins you
are trying to use simultaneously.
Enable track Select this check box and drag the Track buffering slider if you want to adjust the amount of
buffering audio that is prerendered ahead of the cursor position.
When the check box is selected, a separate processing thread is used to render audio from tracks.
On multiprocessor or multicore computers, a thread will be created for each logical processor.
When the check box is cleared, a single processing thread is used to render audio from tracks and
busses.
Default audio Choose the device that you want to use for recording sound data.
recording Selecting the Microsoft Sound Mapper allows the operating system to select an appropriate
device device to use for the current sound data.
Automatically Select the check box to automatically compensate for offset between the time you initiate
detect and recording and when your sound card starts recording.
offset for Clear the check box and drag the User recording latency offset slider to specify an offset value.
hardware
recording
latency
Enable Select this check box if you want ACID to use multiple processing threads for playing soft
multithreaded synths. On multicore/multiprocessor computers, this setting can significantly increase
soft synth performance during playback and real-time rendering.
playback Clear the check box if you're using a single-core processor or if you're using soft synths that do
not support multithreaded rendering.
Advanced Click this button to open the Advanced Audio Configuration dialog.
Default All Click to restore the Audio tab to the default settings.
  

Preferences - MIDI Tab

From the Options menu, choose Preferences and select the MIDI tab to set options for using MIDI devices with
ACID software.
If you have a MIDI controller that includes buttons and knobs that you map to external control functions, you
can use the device as an external control device and as a MIDI input device for recording MIDI for example, you
can use the buttons, knobs, and sliders on the device for external control, and still use the keyboard, pitch wheel,
and modulation wheel for recording MIDI.

MIDI messages that are mapped to external control functions are filtered when you record MIDI. If a note
message is assigned to a control surface function, both the note-on and note-off messages will be filtered. —

Item Description
Make these devices available Select the check box for each MIDI device that you want to use as a MIDI
for MIDI track playback output for MIDI tracks and generating MIDI clock.
To load a program map for a hardware synth, right-click the Device box
for your MIDI device and choose Load Device Template from the
shortcut menu.
The selected program map will be used for any track that is routed to

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 Customizing the ACID Interface 291

the MIDI device. The device name will be displayed on the MIDI Output
button on the track header, and the programs from the device map will
be available when you click the Program button in the track header.

To assign an input device to a MIDI output port, right-click the Device

box, choose Input from the shortcut menu, and then choose an input
device from the submenu. For example, by assigning an input device,
you can choose which controller you want to use to play a MIDI device.
When you assign an input device to a MIDI output port, the device
name is displayed in the Device column in the appropriate row in the
Make these devices available for MIDI input list.
If you want an output device to receive MIDI thru data from an input
device, right-click the MIDI Thru From column and choose a device
from the shortcut menu.
When you choose a MIDI Thru From device, the device name is
displayed in the Device column in the MIDI Thru To column in the
Make these devices available for MIDI input list.

Make these devices available Select the check box for each MIDI device that you want to be available
for MIDI input for recording MIDI, and controlling soft synths.
To assign an output port to an input device, right-click the Device box,
chooseOutput from the shortcut menu, and then choose an output
device from the submenu.
If you want a MIDI input device to echo its MIDI data to an output
device, right-click the MIDI Thru To column and choose a device from
the shortcut menu. You can select multiple devices to send MIDI thru
data.

Auto MIDI input routing When this check box is selected, the focus track will accept input from
any MIDI input device.
When multiple tracks are selected, the focus track displays a blinking
indicator in its track number: .

The Solo Listen to MIDI Input button in the Soft Synth Properties
window is unavailable when this check box is selected.
Default All Click to restore the MIDI tab to the default settings.

Tips:

 l Double-click the Device box and type a new name to identify the MIDI device connected to each MIDI input or
output port. For MIDI tracks that use these input and output ports, these device names will be used on the MIDI
Input and MIDI Output buttons on the track header.
 l If you want notes received from a MIDI input port to be echoed to a MIDI output port for monitoring, you can
right-click the MIDI Thru From and MIDI Thru To box for any enabled output or input ports. For more
information about setting up MIDI thru, see "Using External MIDI Devices" on page 221.

Preferences - Video Tab

From the Options menu, choose Preferences and then click the Video tab to set options for the video track and
configure an external monitor. Your video will be sent to this device when you click the Preview on External Monitor
button in the Video Preview window.

Audio is not output to the external monitor.

292

Item Description
Show source frame Choose a setting from the drop-down list to change the format used to display
numbers on event frame numbers in the video track, or choose None to turn off frame numbering.
thumbnails as
Device Choose a video output device from the drop-down list.
Details Displays information regarding the video output device specified in the Device drop-
down list.
If project is invalid for DV If your source media does not conform to DV standards, choose a setting from the
output, drop-down list to adjust the video to display properly on your external monitor.
conform to the following
Sync offset (frames) If audio and video do not play back in synchronization on your external monitor,
drag this slider to specify a frame offset to restore synchronization.
This setting affects synchronization on an external monitor only. Audio and
video synchronization in your ACID project is unaffected.
Record engage delay This control has no effect on your ACID project.
(frames)
Default All Click to restore the Video tab to the default settings.

Preferences - Editing Tab

From the Options menu, choose Preferences and select the Editing tab to specify options for editing on the ACID
timeline.
Item Description
Project tempo Use the up and down arrows or enter a value in the edit boxes to specify the minimum and
range maximum tempo available in the ACID project. Changing this option will affect the
resolution of the Tempo slider.
Tempo curve Choose a setting from the drop-down list to change the timing resolution ACID uses to
segmentation interpolate tempo curves.
Editing application Displays the path to each editor you want to have displayed in the Track List shortcut menu
X and in the Tools menu. Click the Browse button to choose an editor.
Right-click in the track list, and choose Edit in [editor name] to edit a the media file
associated with a track.
You can specify any editing tool you want to use; however, this feature was designed for
use with destructive audio/MIDI editors.
Browse Click to select the .exe file for each editor you want to have available in the track list shortcut
menu and in the Tools menu.
Name Enter the name that you want to use to identify each editor. This name is displayed in the
track list shortcut menu and the Tools menu.
Clear Click to remove an assigned editor.
Check for latest Select this check box if you want to automatically check your computer for the latest versions
versions of of MAGIX programs and use them as editing applications.
MAGIX editors
Default All Click to restore the Editing tab to the default settings.

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 Customizing the ACID Interface 293

Preferences - Sync Tab

From the Options menu, choose Preferences and select the Sync tab to specify the options for setting up
synchronization of other applications and devices with ACID software.

Sync Settings

The following settings, available on the Sync Tab, are used for setting up MIDI timecode generation from the ACID
timeline.
Item Description
Generate MIDI These settings are for setting up MIDI timecode generation from the ACID timeline.
Timecode settings
Output device This option specifies the MIDI device to which the MIDI timecode will be sent. The
MTC slave should also be set to this device.
Frame rate This option specifies the frame rate for generating MIDI timecode. The MTC slave must
be set to the same frame rate.
Generate MIDI Clock These settings are for setting up MIDI clock generation from the ACID timeline.
settings
Output device This option specifies the MIDI device to which the MIDI clock will be sent. The MIDI
clock slave should also be set to this device.
Trigger from MIDI These settings are for setting up MIDI timecode triggering from another application or
Timecode settings external device.
Input device This option specifies the MIDI device from which the MIDI timecode will be received.
The MTC master should also be set to this device.
Frame rate This option specifies the frame rate at which the MTC master will send timecode to the
ACID application.
Advanced Click to open the Advanced Sync properties dialog for the selected MIDI settings.
Default All Click to restore the Sync tab to the default settings.

MIDI Timecode Input - Advanced Settings

The MIDI Timecode Input dialog appears when you have clicked on the Advanced button on the Sync tab of the
Preferences dialog. This dialog contains advanced options for MIDI Time Code input. It is only displayed if a device
is selected for MTC input on the previous dialog.
Item Description
Free-wheel for When this option is selected, playback will continue for a specified period of time without
time code loss chasing if timecode is lost for some reason. Enabling this option can compensate for infrequent
losses in timecode. If losses in timecode are frequent, troubleshooting should be done to find
the cause of the problem.
Free-wheel Use the up and down arrows or enter a value in the edit box to specify the amount of time that
slack time timecode can be lost before the Free-wheel playback time starts. A longer time is more
tolerant of breaks in the incoming timecode.
Free-wheel Specifies the amount of time that playback will continue after theFree-wheel slack time has
playback time been exceeded.
Synchronization Use the up and down arrows or enter a value in the edit box to specify the amount of time it
delay time takes for to synchronize itself to incoming timecode.
On slower computers, this time should be set to approximately two seconds. On faster
computers, it may be set lower.
294

Setting this value too low can sometimes result in audible pitch shifting at the start of
playback.
Offset adjust If synchronization is consistently behind or ahead of your MTC generator, enter a value in the
box to adjust a synchronization offset with quarter-frame accuracy.

 l If synchronization is behind, set this value to a negative number. A setting of - 4 usually

does the trick.
 l If synchronization is ahead, set this value to a positive number. A setting of +4 usually
does the trick, though it is rare that ACID software will sync ahead.

MIDI Timecode Output - Advanced Settings

This tab contains advanced options for MTC (MIDI timecode) input. It is only displayed if a device is selected for
MTC input on the Sync tab of the main Preferences dialog.
Item Description
Full-frame This option specifies when to send full-frame timecode messages while Generate MIDI Timecode is
message enabled. Full-frame messages are used by some external synchronizable audio devices to seek to a
generation proper location prior to actually starting synchronization. Tape-based recorders especially benefit
from seeking to full-frame messages because of the time it takes to move the transport to the proper
location. However, full-frame messages are ignored by some devices and may actually cause
unexpected behavior in other devices.
Check your hardware documentation to find out if they support full-frame messages.

MIDI Clock Output - Advanced Settings

The MIDI Clock Output dialog appears when you have clicked on the Advanced button on the Sync tab of the
Preferences dialog. This dialog contains advanced options for MIDI Clock output. It is only displayed if a device is
selected for MIDI Clock output on the previous dialog.
Item Description
Send Start Select this check box if you want to send a Start command rather than a Continue command
instead of when Generate MIDI Clock is enabled.
Continue when When the check box is cleared, a Continue command is sent, as this type of command allows
beginning the chasing device to start from a specific time. However, some older sequencers that support
playback MIDI clock chase do not support the Continue command and must start playback from the
beginning every time.
Song Position This option specifies when to send Song Position Pointer messages while Generate MIDI
Pointer Clock is enabled. Song Position Pointer messages are used by MIDI applications and devices
generation to seek to a proper location prior to actually starting synchronization.

Preferences - Display Tab

From the Options menu, choose Preferences and select the Display tab to specify options for the appearance of the
ACID workspace.
Item Description
Track Use these controls to change the default colors used to display tracks in your project.
colors Select a track from the Track drop-down list, and then click the color swatch to display a color picker.
You can choose any color using the RGBA or HSLA controls. Click the button to switch between
RGB and HSL color modes, or click the eyedropper to sample a color from your screen.
When you click OK or Apply, all tracks that used the selected color are updated.

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 Customizing the ACID Interface 295

Envelope Choose an envelope type from the Envelope type drop-down list and click the color swatch to
colors display a color picker, where you can choose any color using the RGBA or HSLA controls. Click the
button to switch between RGB and HSL color modes, or click the eyedropper to sample a color
from your screen.
Using custom envelope colors can help you avoid getting lost in a maze of envelopes when
you're using track envelopes to control effects automation.
Section Use these controls to change the default colors used to display sections in your project.
colors Choose a section letter from the Section drop-down list and click the color swatch to display a color
picker, where you can choose any color using the RGBA or HSLA controls. Click the button to
switch between RGB and HSL color modes, or click the eyedropper to sample a color from your
screen.
Icon color Drag the slider to adjust the color intensity of icons in the ACID window. Drag to the left to decrease
saturation the color saturation, or drag to the right to increase it.
Icon color Drag the slider to adjust the amount of tinting that is applied to the icons in the ACID window. Drag
tint the slider to the right to add an average of the title bar colors to the icons. Drag to the left to decrease
the amount of tinting applied.
You can use the Display Properties control panel to change your active window title bar colors. In
the Windows 2000 operating system, open the Display Properties control panel and select the
Appearance tab. Then choose Active Title Bar from the Item drop-down list. In the Windows
XP operating system, open the Display Properties control panel and select the Appearance tab.
Then click the Advanced button and choose Active Title Bar from the Item drop-down list.
Default Click to restore the Display tab to the default settings.
All

Preferences - Other Tab

From the Options menu, choose Preferences and select the Other tab to set up list-based preview from the Explorer
window.
Item Description
Enable multiple-selection preview Select this check box if you want to preview multiple selected files
in Explorer window sequentially from the Explorer window.
Number of times to repeat each Enter the number of times you want to play loops before the next file
Loop begins playing.
Seconds of each One-Shot to play Enter the amount of time you want one-shots to play before the next
file begins playing.
Number of Beatmapped measures Enter the number of measures you want to play from Beatmapped
to play files before the next file begins playing.
Default All Click to restore the Other tab to the default settings.

Preferences - Folders Tab

From the Options menu, choose Preferences and select the Folders tab to indicate where your project media is
saved.
Item Description
Default project folder This box displays the path to the folder that will be used for creating new projects. Click
the Browse button to choose a different folder.
Use a single default Select this radio button if you want to save all project media in a single folder.
296

folder for project

media saves
Use separate defaults Select this radio button if you want to choose where to save each type of project media.
for each type of The following boxes display the location where each type of media file will be saved.
project media save
Record This box displays the path to the folder that will be used when you record new
audio or MIDI tracks. Click the Browse button to choose a different folder.
The folder you specify here is used by default for new projects, but if you
want to choose a project-specific recorded files folder, you can use the
Recorded files folder box on the Audio tab of the Project Properties
dialog.
Extract This box displays the path to the folder that will be used for tracks that you
from extract from audio CDs. Click the Browse button to choose a different folder.
CD
Render This box displays the path to the folder that will be used when you render your
project project. Click the Browse button to choose a different folder.
Render This box displays the path to the folder that will be used when you render to a
to new new track. Click the Browse button to choose a different folder.
Chop This box displays the path to the folder that will be used when you create new
to new tracks with the Chopper window. Click the Browse button to choose a
different folder.
New This box displays the path to the folder that will be used when you export
MIDI MIDI. Click the Browse button to choose a different folder.
MIDI files are not created when you record MIDI or create new MIDI
clips. MIDI data for clips is stored within the ACID project.

Default groove folder This box displays the path to the folder where default grooves for new ACID projects are
saved. Click the Browse button to choose a different folder.
This folder is also used as the default location for saving exported grooves from the
Groove Pool window.
Temporary files Displays the folder where temporary files are created. Click the Browse button to specify a
folder new folder.
When a media file is added to a project from a removable device, a copy of the media
file is stored in a subfolder within this folder. This keeps the media file available for
use even if the source of the media is no longer accessible.
Be aware that these subfolders are cleared when you close the application. However,
they are not cleared if the application closes inappropriately.
Free storage space in This box displays the amount of space available in the folder specified in the Temporary
selected folder files folder box.
Default All Click to restore the Folders tab to the default settings.

Preferences - External Control & Automation Tab

Use the External Control & Automation tab to set up and customize control surfaces. To display this tab, choose
Preferences from the Options menu, then click the External Control & Automation tab.
You can connect one Mackie Control Universal (with up to four Mackie Control Universal Extenders), one
Frontier TranzPort, and up to five generic MIDI controllers.
The selected device isn't enabled until you select the External Control command from the Options menu.

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 Customizing the ACID Interface 297

Item Description
Smooth and thin When recording automation or drawing envelope curves, ACID software creates as many
automation data envelope points or keyframes as possible to represent your control movements.
after recording or Select this check box if you want to reduce the number of envelope points/keyframes after
drawing recording/drawing is finished.
Thinning is not applied to MIDI controller envelopes that you record from a hardware
device.
Set controls to Select this check box if you want controls to return to their default values when set the
default values track's automation recording mode to Automation Off. Automated effect parameters do not
when automation have default settings and will retain their last-set values when you turn automation off.
is turned off When the check box is cleared, controls will retain their last-set values when you turn
automation off.
Available devices Choose a device from each drop-down list, and then click Add to choose the control
surfaces that will be available to ACID software. Adding a device loads its default profile.

 l For information about setting up and using a control surface, please see Using a
Control Surface.
 l For information about using a Mackie Control Universal, please see Using a Mackie
Control.
 l For information about using a Frontier TranzPort, please see Using a Frontier TranzPort.
 l For information about using a generic control surface, please see Using a Generic
Control Surface.
Active control Lists the control devices that you've added. If you want to customize the behavior of the
devices controller, double-click the device name.
Default All Restores all control surface preferences to the default settings.
298

Keyboard Shortcuts
From the Help menu, choose Keyboard Shortcuts to view the shortcut keys that are available. The available shortcut
keys are arranged in tables according to function.
The following shortcuts represent the default configuration. Your system may differ if you've used the
Customize Keyboard dialog to customize your keyboard shortcuts.

General Shortcuts
Command Shortcut
Display online help F1
Display context-sensitive help Shift+F1 and click an item
Refresh screen F5
Shortcut menu Shift+F10
Temporarily suspend snapping Hold Shift while dragging

Project File Shortcuts

Command Shortcut
Create new project Ctrl+N
Create new project and bypass the Project Properties Ctrl+Shift+N
dialog
Open existing project or media file Ctrl+O
Save project Ctrl+S
Open project properties Alt+Enter
Close the current project Ctrl+F4

Magnification and View

Command Shortcut
Focus to track view Alt+0
Show Explorer window Alt+1
Show Chopper window Alt+2
Show Mixing Console window Alt+3
Show Video Preview window Alt+4
Show Media Manager window Alt+5
Show Track Properties window Alt+6
Show Surround Panner window Alt+7
Show Soft Synth Properties window Alt+8
Show Audio Plug-In window Alt+9
Show Plug-In Manager window Ctrl+Alt+1

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 Keyboard Shortcuts 299

Show Groove Pool window Ctrl+Alt+2

Show Clip Properties window Ctrl+Alt+3
Show/hide bus tracks B
Show/hide event information Ctrl+Shift+I
Shift focus forward through open ACID windows F6
Shift focus backward through open ACID windows Shift+F6
Shift focus forward (clockwise) through track list, Tab
timeline, bus track timeline, and bus track list (when
track view or timeline has focus)
Shift focus backward (counterclockwise) through track Shift+Tab
list, bus track list, bus track timeline, and timeline (when
track view or timeline has focus)
Restore project magnification to the default settings F9
Restore track height to a level where all track list Shift+F9
controls are displayed
Reduce timeline magnification so the entire length of Ctrl+F9
the project and as many tracks as possible are displayed

Zoom time in/out small increments Up or Down Arrow

(when timeline has focus)
Zoom time in/out large increments Ctrl+Up or Down Arrow
(when timeline has focus)
Zoom in time until each video thumbnail represents one Alt+Up Arrow
frame
Zoom track height in/out (when timeline has focus) Shift+Up or Down Arrow
Zoom audio waveforms in/out vertically in timeline, Alt+Shift+Up or Down Arrow
Chopper, and Clip Properties
Change track height for all tracks Ctrl+Shift+Up or Down Arrow
Minimize/restore track height for all tracks `
Return all tracks to the default height Ctrl+` (grave accent)
Minimize/restore the window docking area F11 or
Alt+`
Maximize/restore timeline vertically and horizontally Ctrl+F11 or
(window docking area and track list will be hidden) Ctrl+Alt+`
Minimize/restore the track list Shift+F11 or
Shift+Alt+`

Explorer window
Command Shortcut
Add all selected files to the track list Enter
Add selected file or currently playing file to the track list Ctrl+Enter
300

Cursor placement, loop region and time selection

Command Shortcut
Go to beginning of active loop region or viewable area
Home
(if no time selection)
Go to end of active loop region or viewable area (if no
End
time selection)
Toggle cursor between beginning and end of loop
Keypad 5
region
Time select loop region (when Time Selection tool
Shift+Q
is selected)
Toggle previous selection Backspace
Go to beginning of project W or Ctrl+Home
Go to end of project Ctrl+End
Move left by grid marks Page Up
Move right by grid marks Page Down
Go to (using measures, beats, and ticks) Ctrl+G
Go to (using absolute time) Shift+G
Set end of time selection
(using measures, beats, and ticks when Time Selection Ctrl+Shift+G
tool is selected)

Center in view \
Move cursor to corresponding marker or select
Number keys (not Keypad)
corresponding region
Move left/right one pixel Left/Right Arrow
Move to marker(s) Ctrl+Left/Right Arrow
Move left/right to event edit points on current track
Ctrl+Alt+Left/Right Arrow
including fade edges
Move through a video event one frame at a time Alt+ Left or Right Arrow
Create or extend loop region/time selection Shift+Left or Right Arrow
Double loop region/selection length ' (apostrophe)
Halve loop region/selection length ; (semicolon)
Shift loop region/selection left , (comma)
Shift loop region/selection right . (period)
Select previous section Ctrl+[
Select next section Ctrl+]

Event Editing
Command Shortcut
Add entire media length for all media except video Ctrl+click in timeline

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 Keyboard Shortcuts 301

(only when Paint tool is selected)

Cycle clip forward for all selected events C

Cycle clip backward for all selected events Shift+C
Copy to new MIDI clip Ctrl+Shift+C
Select Draw tool Ctrl+D

Select next edit tool in list D

Select previous edit tool in list Shift+D
Show velocity information in MIDI events (when in F
inline MIDI editing mode)
Toggle inline MIDI editing mode G
Undo Ctrl+Z
Redo Ctrl+Shift+Z
Cut selection Ctrl+X
Copy selection Ctrl+C
Copy event Ctrl+drag
Paste from clipboard Ctrl+V
Paste repeat from clipboard Ctrl+B
Paste insert Ctrl+Shift+V
Insert event at cursor Y
Paste event at cursor Shift+Y
Delete selection Delete
Move selected event(s) right 1 pixel Keypad 6
Move selected event(s) left 1 pixel Keypad 4
Temporarily suspend Snap To Shift while dragging an event
Erase entire event Ctrl+click event with Erase tool
Split event(s) S
Join selected events J
Reverse event U
Trim events to selection length. Ctrl+T
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.
Slip Trim: moves the media with the edge as it is Alt+drag edge of event
trimmed
Slip: move media within event without moving the Alt+drag inside the event
event
Slide: move event while leaving the underlying media in Ctrl+Alt+drag event
place
Pitch up 1 semitone Numeric Keypad +
=
Pitch down 1 semitone Numeric Keypad -
302

-
Pitch up 4 semitones Shift+=
Shift+Numeric Keypad +
Pitch down 4 semitones Shift+-
Shift+Numeric Keypad -
Pitch up 1 octave Ctrl+Numeric Keypad +
Pitch down 1 octave Ctrl+Numeric Keypad -
Reset pitch Ctrl+Shift+-/=
Ctrl+Shift+Numeric Keypad +/-
Change an event's gain setting Numeric Keypad / or *
Change an event's gain setting by 10% Shift+Numeric Keypad / or *
Change an event's gain setting by 25% Ctrl+Numeric Keypad / or *
Set an event's gain to 0.0 dB Shift+Ctrl+Numeric Keypad *
Set an event's gain to silence Shift+Ctrl+Numeric Keypad /
Render to new track Ctrl+M
Chop to new clip if the Chopper window has focus

Playback
Command Shortcut
Start/stop playback Spacebar
Stop playback Esc
Toggle looped playback Q
Play from start Shift+Spacebar or Ctrl+Shift+Spacebar when the
timeline or track view has focus
Shift+F12 from any window
Play from cursor Ctrl+Spacebar when the timeline or track view has
focus
F12 from any window
Pause/resume playback Enter when the timeline or track view has focus
Ctrl+F12 from any window
Record Ctrl+R
Go to start of project Ctrl+Home or W
Go to end of project Ctrl+End
Skip backward Page Up
Skip forward Page Down

Timeline
Command Shortcut
Record Ctrl+R

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 Keyboard Shortcuts 303

Go to (using measures.beats.ticks) Ctrl+G

Go to (using current time ruler format) Shift+G
Set end of time selection (using measures, beats, and Ctrl+Shift+G
ticks when Time Selection tool is selected)

Group Events Ctrl+Alt+G

Toggle snapping F8
Temporarily suspend snapping Shift+drag
(press Shift after clicking)
Toggle snap to grid Ctrl+F8
Ripple edit mode Ctrl+L
Draw tool Ctrl+D
Select next edit tool in list D
Select previous edit tool in list Shift+D
Mark in point I or [
Mark out point O or ]
Render to new track Ctrl+M
Insert/show/hide track panning envelope P
Insert/remove track panning envelope Shift+P
Insert/show/hide track volume envelope V
Insert/remove track volume envelope Shift+V
Adjust envelope point value in fine increments Ctrl+ drag envelope point or segment
without changing the point's timeline position
Adjust envelope point value in normal increments Ctrl+Alt+ drag envelope point or segment
without changing the point's timeline position
Adjust envelope point's timeline position without Alt+ drag
changing its value
Insert audio track Ctrl+Q
Insert MIDI track Ctrl+Alt+Q
Insert folder track Ctrl+Alt+F
Insert region R
Insert marker (standard) M
Insert time marker H
Insert disc-at-once CD track marker N
Change tempo Alt+drag time marker
Insert tempo change T
Insert key change K
Insert time signature change Shift+K
Insert tempo and key change Shift+T
Maximize timeline vertically F11
(window docking area will be hidden)
Maximize timeline vertically and horizontally Ctrl+F11
(window docking area and track list will be hidden)
304

Maximize timeline horizontally Shift+F11

(track list will be hidden)

Track List
Command Shortcut
Mute selected tracks Z
Solo selected tracks X
Record Ctrl+R
Cycle through effect automation envelopes E or Shift+E
Render to new track Ctrl+M
Show/hide bus tracks B
Insert audio track Ctrl+Q
Insert MIDI track Ctrl+Alt+Q
Insert folder track Ctrl+Alt+F

MIDI
Command Shortcut
Insert new MIDI track Ctrl+Alt+Q
Show velocity information in MIDI events (when in F
inline MIDI editing mode
Toggle inline MIDI editing mode G
Generate MIDI timecode F7
Generate MIDI Clock Shift+F7
Trigger from MIDI timecode Ctrl+F7
Reset all MIDI ports Ctrl+Alt+F7

Chopper
Command Shortcut
Create or extend selection Shift+Right/Left Arrow
Mark the start point of a loop region I or [
Mark the endpoint of a loop region. O or ]
Once the endpoint is established, the loop region will
highlight.
Insert Chopper selection in the timeline at the current / or A
cursor position
Shift Chopper selection left by the length of the , or <
selection
Shift Chopper selection right by the length of the . or >
selection
Shift Chopper selection left by the length of the Ctrl+Shift+,

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 Keyboard Shortcuts 305

increment arrow
Shift Chopper selection right by the length of the Ctrl+Shift+.
increment arrow
Shift timeline cursor left by the length of the increment Ctrl+,
arrow
Shift timeline cursor right by the length of the increment Ctrl+.
arrow
Links the length of the increment arrow with the length N
of the selection.
When toggled on, the length of the increment remains
equal to the length of the selection.
When toggled off, you can configure the increment
independently of the Chopper selection.
Halve the length of the Chopper selection ; (semicolon)
Double the length of the Chopper selection ' (apostrophe)
Double the length of the increment arrow Ctrl+' (apostrophe)
Halve the length of the increment arrow Ctrl+; (semicolon)
Insert region R
Insert marker M
Chop to new track Ctrl+M

Surround Panner
Command Shortcut
Constrain motion to 45-degree increments Shift+drag the pan point (only when Move Freely
is selected)
Constrain motion to a constant radius from the center Alt+drag the pan point (only when Move Freely is
selected)
Constrain motion to the maximum circle that will fit in Alt+Shift+drag the pan point (only when Move Freely
the Surround Panner is selected)

Move the pan point forward/back Up/Down Arrow

(when the pan point is selected) Mouse wheel
Move the pan point left/right Left/Right Arrow
(when the pan point is selected) Shift + mouse wheel forward/back
Move the pan point forward/back in fine increments Ctrl+drag the pan point
(when the pan point is selected) Ctrl+Up/Down Arrow
Ctrl+mouse wheel
Page Up/Page Down
Move the pan point left/right in fine increments Ctrl+drag the pan point
(when the pan point is selected) Ctrl+ Left/Right Arrow
Ctrl+Shift+mouse wheel
Shift+Page Up/Page Down
Move the pan point to a corner, edge, or center of the Numeric keypad
Surround Panner
306

(when the pan point is selected)

Move the pan point to a corner on the largest circle that Ctrl+Numeric Keypad 1,3,7,9
will fit in the Surround Panner
(when the pan point is selected)

Mixing Console
Command Shortcut
Rename selected channel F2
Insert new audio track Ctrl+Q
Insert new MIDI track Ctrl+Alt+Q
Cycle default/narrow/wide channel strips D/N/W
Hide the selected channel strip Shift+H
Show the Channel List pane Shift+C
Show all channel strips Q
Show/hide audio bus channel strips U
Show/hide audio track channel strips A
Show/hide MIDI track channel strips C
Show/hide assignable effects channel strips E
Show/hide soft synth channel strips V
Show/hide master bus channel strip T
Show/hide preview channel strip P
Show/hide fader ticks Shift+T
Show/hide control region labels Shift+L
Show/hide Faders control region F
Show/hide Insert FX control region I
Show/hide I/O control region H
Show/hide Meters control region M
Show/hide Sends control region S
Change selection of a channel strip Left/Right Arrow
Move the right channel of the fader for the selected Ctrl+Up/Down Arrow
channel strip
Move the left channel of the fader for the selected Shift+Up/Down Arrow
channel strip
Select multiple adjacent mixer controls Shift+Left/Right Arrow
Select multiple nonadjacent mixer controls Ctrl+Left/Right Arrow
Delete the selected channel strip Delete
Move the fader of the selected channel strip Up/Down Arrow
(for assignable FX, this only moves the output fader)

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Mouse Shortcuts
Command Shortcut
Zoom in on timeline Rotate mouse wheel forward or back
Vertical scroll Ctrl+wheel
Change meter resolution Ctrl+wheel when hovering over a meter
Horizontal scroll Shift+wheel
Zoom in/out in piano roll or drum grid Shift+wheel while hovering over the piano roll/drum
grid in the timeline
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
308

Signal Flow Diagrams

Here it is: everything you ever wanted to know and more about audio processing in ACID software.——

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 Signal Flow Diagrams 309

Audio signal flow

310

Notes:

 l This diagram describes non-MIDI audio events.

 l In 5.1 surround sound 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.
 l Assignable effect chain panning is available only in 5.1 surround sound projects. In 5.1 surround sound 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.
 l Bus panning is available only in 5.1 surround sound projects. In 5.1 surround sound projects, busses routed to
the Surround Master bus send surround panning (six-channel) information. Busses routed to hardware send
stereo panning (two-channel) information.

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 Signal Flow Diagrams 311

MIDI signal flow

312

Notes:

 l Soft synth panning is available only in 5.1 surround sound projects. In 5.1 surround sound projects, soft synth
bus controls routed to the Surround Master bus send surround panning (six-channel) information. Soft synth
bus controls routed to busses (e.g., Bus A) send stereo panning (two-channel) information.
 l Bus panning is available only in 5.1 surround sound projects. In 5.1 surround sound projects, busses routed to
the Surround Master bus send surround panning (six-channel) information. Busses routed to hardware send
stereo panning (two-channel) information.

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 Troubleshooting 313

Troubleshooting
We're here for you. . . really. This topic is meant to help you get over those annoying little hurdles that are keeping
you from doing what you really want to do: get back to creating some great music with ACID software.

The audio from my ASIO sound card keeps dropping out. What gives?

Increase your latency settings

 1. From the Options menu, choose Preferences. The Preferences dialog is displayed.
 2. Select the Audio Device tab and click the Advanced button. The Advanced Audio Configuration dialog is
displayed.
 3. Select the ASIO driver tab and click the Configure button to display the configuration applet from your hardware
manufacturer.
 4. Type a new latency value, apply the change, and close the configuration applet to return to the Advanced Audio
Configuration dialog.
 5. Click the Apply button in the Advanced Audio Configuration dialog.

Turn off other audio devices

You can only use a single ASIO driver at a time, and some ASIO drivers can conflict with other audio driver models
(such as WDM and wave drivers).

My audio skips and gaps when I play my project. Can I fix it?
Getting your computer to play back a complex project can be a bit like walking a tightrope: there's a delicate balance
between responsive playback and glitch-free playback. The trick is finding the sweet spot for your hardware.
For more information about setting advanced audio preferences, see "Microsoft Sound Mapper or Windows Classic
Wave Driver " on page 287.

 1. From the Options menu, choose Preferences, and then click the Audio Device tab.
 2. Click the Advanced button to display the Advanced Audio Configuration dialog for your sound card.
 3. Adjust your buffer size until playback is responsive and clear.
 4. For wave devices, try raising and lowering from the default settings until you find the sweet spot. Use the Buffer
size drop-down list to choose a buffer size in samples, or choose MME to use the Playback buffering setting
on the Audio Device tab in the Preferences dialog. You can also try increasing the Audio buffers setting to
increase the number of buffers created. As a last resort, choose Time Critical from the Priority drop-down list.
 5. For ASIO devices, start with a setting of 2048 samples. If playback is glitch free, you can try decreasing the
setting. If you hear glitches, you may need to raise the setting.

Higher sample rates (and bit depths) may require a larger buffer because more data is being put through your
device per buffer.
314

Why can't I hear the output of my MIDI controller through the soft synth or
MIDI thru port?

Turn on real-time MIDI monitoring

If you have a MIDI track routed to an external MIDI device, real-time MIDI monitoring must be enabled to allow
ACID software to communicate with the MIDI port.
Real-time MIDI monitoring is enabled by default, but if you've turned it off, you can turn it on again by choosing
Enable Real-Time MIDI from the Options menu.

When the Enable Real-Time MIDI command is selected, audio plug-ins continue running even when playback is
stopped. Turning the command off can conserve processing power, but input from external MIDI controllers will be
ignored.

Enable the VST instrument

If you're using a VST instrument, select the Enable button in the Soft Synth Properties window to hear its output.

Try a different soft synth

Unfortunately, some soft synths work better than others. Try routing your soft synth to a different VST instrument.

When I try to play my project, the ACID application tells me that it can't
open the Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth. Whatever can I do?
ASIO sound drivers can cause conflicts with the Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth. To play your project, choose a
different device for MIDI playback and verify that no other application is trying to use non-ASIO drivers.

Why don't all my automatable plug-ins appear in the Automatable folder?

Unfortunately, there is no standard way for a DirectX host application to determine whether a DirectX plug-in is
automatable. For this reason, the application does not check a plug-in until you try to use it (just think of the time
we're saving you at startup).
After you use a plug-in, the application can determine whether it is automatable and it will appear in the correct
folder in the Plug-In Chooser and will be indicated by the icon if it is automatable.

I want to adjust the buffer size and buffer flushing for my VSTi plug-ins, but I
can't find a setting in the Preferences dialog.
Adjusting these settings can resolve issues with some specific VSTi plug-ins. These settings will vary with your
specific configuration and can be modified via the Windows Registry.
Incorrectly modifying the registry can degrade performance or cause serious problems with your operating
system. If you're uncertain how to change these settings, please use the defaults.

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 Troubleshooting 315

 1. Start the Windows Registry Editor.

 2. Browse to the key [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\MAGIX\ACID Pro\8\Metrics\VSTi Synth].
 3. Edit the appropriate DWORD value:
DWORD Default Explanation
Value
FlushOnStopCount 00000000 Some VST instruments (such as FruityLoops) do not flush their buffers
on close and will output these buffers the next time you play or render
your project. Entering a value in the FlushOnStopCount DWORD allows
you to flush up to 500 buffers of audio.
FrameSize 00000006 Frame size defaults to 6 ms, but can be set as high as 2000 ms. This
should rarely need to be modified.
 

Both of these settings apply to playback, seeking, and rendering. Excessively high values can cause latency that
can appear as an application crash. For example, if you set your buffer size to 2000 ms and set ACID software
to flush 500 buffers, you'll create a 1000 second hang on every stop, seek, or render.

When I try to play my project, I see an error message that tells me a MIDI
port is currently in use. What should I do?
If you have a MIDI port configured in both ACID software and a ReWire client application, they will conflict when
both applications try to access them at the same time.
If you want to use the MIDI port to play synths within a ReWire client, clear the port's check box in the Make these
devices available for MIDI track playback and Generate MIDI clock section of MIDI tab in the Preferences dialog.
If you want to use your MIDI port in ACID software, make sure your ReWire client is not configured to use the port.
316

Glossary
ABCDEFGHILMNOPRSTVW

-A-
Activation Number
This number is based on the Computer ID number of the computer on which the software is installed. Each
computer has a unique number, similar to a license plate. An activation code is created based on that number. When
you register the software, MAGIX will generate an activation code for you. Once the code is entered, the software
will not time out. Since the activation number is based on the Computer ID, it is important that you have the
software installed on the computer where you will be using it.
ActiveX
A Microsoft technology that enables different programs to share information. ActiveX extends Microsoft Windows-
based architecture to include Internet and corporate intranet features and capabilities. Developers use it to build user
interactivity into programs and World Wide Web pages.
Adaptive Delta Pulse Code Modulation (ADPCM)
A method of compressing audio data. Although the theory for compression using ADPCM is standard, there are
many different algorithms employed. For example, Microsoft's ADPCM algorithm is not compatible with the
International Multimedia Association's (IMA) approved ADPCM.
Advanced Streaming Format (ASF)
See Windows Media Format.
Aliasing
A type of distortion that occurs when digitally recording high frequencies with a low sample rate. For example, in a
motion picture, when a car's wheels appear to slowly spin backward while the car is quickly moving forward, you are
seeing the effects of aliasing. Similarly, when you try to record a frequency greater than one half of the sampling rate
(the Nyquist Frequency), instead of hearing a high pitch, you may hear a low-frequency rumble.
To prevent aliasing, an anti-aliasing filter is used to remove high-frequencies before recording. Once the sound has
been recorded, aliasing distortion is impossible to remove without also removing other frequencies from the sound.
This same anti-aliasing filter must be applied when resampling to a lower sample rate.
ASIO
A low-latency audio driver model developed by Steinberg Media Technologies AG.
Attack
The attack of a sound is the initial portion of the sound. Percussive sounds (drums, piano, guitar plucks) are said to
have a fast attack. This means that the sound reaches its maximum amplitude in a very short time. Sounds that
slowly swell up in volume (soft strings and wind sounds) are said to have a slow attack.
Audio Compression Manager (ACM)
The Audio Compression Manager, from Microsoft, is a standard interface for audio compression and signal
processing for Windows. The ACM can be used by Windows programs to compress and decompress .wav files.
Audio Proxy File
An audio proxy (.sfap0) file is created when an audio stream is not efficient to access or if it does not seek
accurately. The application will take the audio stream from the file and save it to a separate and more manageable
audio proxy file. While audio proxy files may be large (because they are uncompressed), the performance increase is
significant.

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 Glossary 317

The file is saved as a proprietary *.sfap0 file, with the same name as the original media file and has the same
characteristics as the original audio stream. For example, movie.avi yields a movie.avi.sfap0 audio proxy. Additional
audio streams in the same file are saved as movie.avi.sfap1, movie.avi.sfap2, etc. This is a one-time process that will
greatly speed up editing. The conversion happens automatically and does not result in a loss of quality or
synchronization. The original source file remains unchanged (the entire process is nondestructive). Audio proxy files
can be safely deleted at any time since the application will recreate these files as needed.
Audio proxy files are saved to the same folder as the source media. If the source media folder is read-only (e.g. a
CD-ROM), the files will be saved to a temporary directory.
ASX File
ASF Stream Redirector file. See Redirector file.
Attenuation
A decrease in the level of a signal.

-B-
Bandwidth
When discussing audio equalization, each frequency band has a width associated with it that determines the range
of frequencies that are affected by the EQ. An EQ band with a wide bandwidth will affect a wider range of
frequencies than one with a narrow bandwidth.
When discussing network connections, refers to the rate of signals transmitted; the amount of data that can be
transmitted in a fixed amount of time (stated in bits/second): a 56 Kbps network connection is capable of receiving
56,000 bits of data per second.
Beats Per Minute (BPM)
The tempo of a piece of music can be written as a number of beats in one minute. If the tempo is 60 BPM, a single
beat will occur once every second.
Bit
The most elementary unit in digital systems. Its value can only be 1 or 0, corresponding to a voltage in an electronic
circuit. Bits are used to represent values in the binary numbering system. As an example, the 8-bit binary number
10011010 represents the unsigned value of 154 in the decimal system. In digital sampling, a binary number is used
to store individual sound levels, called samples.
Bit Depth
The number of bits used to represent a single sample. For example, 8- or 16-bit are common sample sizes. While 8-
bit samples take up less memory (and hard disk space), they are inherently noisier than 16-bit samples.
Buffer
Memory used as an intermediate repository in which data is temporarily held while waiting to be transferred between
two locations. A buffer ensures that there is an uninterrupted flow of data between computers. Media players may
need to rebuffer when there is network congestion.
Bus
A virtual pathway where signals from tracks and effects are mixed. A bus's output is a physical audio device in the
computer from which the signal will be heard.
Byte
Refers to a set of 8 bits. An 8-bit sample requires one byte of memory to store, while a 16-bit sample takes two
bytes of memory to store

-C-
Clip
A clip refers to a media file on a track. A single audio track can contain any combination of loops, one-shots, or
Beatmapped clips. MIDI tracks can contain only MIDI clips.
When a clip is used on the timeline, an event is drawn to represent the clip.
318

Clipboard
The clipboard is where data that you have cut or copied from an ACID project is stored. You can then paste the data
back into a project at a different location.
Clipping
Occurs when the amplitude of a sound is above the maximum allowed recording level. In digital systems, clipping is
seen as a clamping of the data to a maximum value, such as 32,767 in 16-bit data. Clipping causes sound to distort.
Codec
Coder/decoder: refers to any technology for compressing and decompressing data. The term codec can refer to
software, hardware, or a combination of both technologies.
Compression Ratio (audio)
A compression ratio controls the ratio of input to output levels above a specific threshold. This ratio determines how
much a signal has to rise above the threshold for every 1 dB of increase in the output. For example, with a ratio of 3:1,
the input level must increase by three decibels to produce a one-decibel output-level increase:
Threshold = -10 dB
Compression Ratio = 3:1
Input = -7dB
Output = -9 dB
Because the input is 3dB louder than the threshold and the compression ratio is 3:1, the resulting signal is 1 dB louder
than the threshold.
Compression Ratio (file size)
The ratio of the size of the original uncompressed file to the compressed contents. For example, a 3:1 compression
ratio means that the compressed file is one-third the size of the original.
Computer ID
Each computer has a unique number, similar to a license plate. An activation number is created based on that
number. Since the activation number is based on the Computer ID, it is important that you have the software
installed on the computer where you will be using it. The Computer ID is automatically detected and provided to you
when you install the software.
The Computer ID is used for registration purposes only. It doesn't give us access to any personal information
and can't be used for any purpose other than for generating a unique activation number for you to use the
software.
Crossfade
Mixing two pieces of audio by fading one out as the other fades in.

-D-
DC Offset
DC offset occurs when hardware, such as a sound card, adds DC current to a recorded audio signal. This current
results in a recorded wave is not centered around the zero baseline. Glitches and other unexpected results can occur
when sound effects are applied to files that contain DC offsets.
In the following example, the red line represents 0 dB. The lower waveform exhibits DC offset; note that the
waveform is centered approximately 2 dB above the baseline.

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 Glossary 319

Decibel (dB)
A unit used to represent a ratio between two numbers using a logarithmic scale. For example, when comparing the
numbers 14 and 7, you could say 14 is two times greater than the number 7; or you could say 14 is 6 dB greater than
the number 7. Where did we pull that 6 dB from? Engineers use the equation dB = 20 x log (V1/V2) when
comparing two instantaneous values. Decibels are commonly used when dealing with sound because the ear
perceives loudness in a logarithmic scale.
In an ACID project, most measurements are given in decibels. For example, if you want to double the amplitude of a
sound, you apply a 6 dB gain. A sample value of 32,767 (maximum positive sample value for 16-bit sound) can be
referred to as having a value of 0 dB. Likewise, a sample value of 16,384 can be referred to having a value of -6 dB.
Device Driver
A program that enables Windows to connect different hardware and software. For example, a sound card device
driver is used by Windows software to control sound card recording and playback.
Digital Rights Management (DRM)
A system for delivering songs, videos, and other media over the Internet in a file format that protects copyrighted
material. Current proposals include some form of certificates that validate copyright ownership and restrict
unauthorized redistribution.
Digital Signal Processing (DSP)
A general term describing anything that alters digital data. Signal processors have existed for a very long time (tone
controls, distortion boxes, wah-wah pedals) in the analog (electrical) domain. Digital Signal Processors alter the data
after it has been digitized by using a combination of programming and mathematical techniques. DSP techniques are
used to perform many effects such as equalization and reverb simulation.
Since most DSP is performed with simple arithmetic operations (additions and multiplications), both your
computer's processor and specialized DSP chips can be used to perform any DSP operation. The difference is that
DSP chips are optimized specifically for mathematical functions while your computer's microprocessor is not. This
results in a difference in processing speed.
Disk-Based Files
Disk-based files are usually longer audio clips that are played from hard disk rather than being stored in RAM. Disk-
based files are used for vocals or any other long audio file that does not loop.
Drag and Drop
A quick way to perform certain operations using the mouse. To drag and drop, you click and hold a highlighted
selection, drag it (hold the left mouse button down and move the mouse) and drop it (let go of the mouse button) at
another position on the screen.
Dynamic Range
The difference between the maximum and minimum signal levels. It can refer to a musical performance (high-
volume vs. low-volume signals) or to electrical equipment (peak level before distortion vs. noise floor). For example,
orchestral music has a wide dynamic range, while thrash metal has a very small (always loud) range.

-E-
320

Envelopes
Envelopes allow you to automate the change of a certain parameter over time. In the case of volume, you can create a
fade out (which requires a change over time) by adding an envelope and creating a point in the line to indicate where
the fade starts. Then you pull the end point of the envelope down to -infinity.
Equalization (EQ)
Equalizing a sound file is a process by which certain frequency bands are raised or lowered in level. EQ has various
uses. The most common use for an ACID project users is to simply adjust the subjective timbral qualities of a
sound.
Event
An instance of a media file on a track. An event may play an entire media file or a portion of the file.

-F-
File Format
A file format specifies the way in which data is stored on your floppy disks or hard drive. In Windows, the most
common file format is the Microsoft .wav format. For information on the different file formats supported by ACID
software, see "Opening a Project or File" on page 25 or "Save As" on page 34.
Frame Rate
Audio uses frame rates only for the purposes of synching to video or other audio. To synchronize with audio a rate of
30 non-drop is typically used. To synchronize with video, 29.97 drop is usually used.
Frequency Spectrum
The frequency spectrum of a signal refers to its range of frequencies. In audio, the frequency range is basically 20 Hz
to 20,000 Hz. The frequency spectrum sometimes refers to the distribution of these frequencies. For example, bass-
heavy sounds have a large frequency content in the low end (20 Hz - 200 Hz) of the spectrum.

-G-
Groove
A groove refers to the rhythmic pattern of a piece of music. By deviating from a machine-quantized beat, individual
beats may be played early or late to change the feel of the music. Applying a groove can simulate the timing patterns
of human musicians, lending a human feel to MIDI-generated music or quantizing several distinct pieces of music
to a common timing.

-H-
Hertz (Hz)
The unit of measurement for frequency or cycles per second (CPS).

-I-
In-Place Plug-In
An in-place plug-in processes audio data so that the output length always matches the input length. A non-in-place
plug-in's output length need not match a given input length at any time: for example, Time Stretch, Gapper/Snipper,
Pitch-Shift (without preserving duration), and some Vibrato settings can create an output that is longer or shorter
than the input.
Plug-ins that generate tails when there is no more input but otherwise operate in-place (such as reverb and delay)
are considered in-place plug-ins.

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Insertion Point
The insertion point (also referred to as the cursor position) is analogous to the cursor in a word processor. It is
where markers or commands may be inserted depending on the operation. The Insertion Point appears as a vertical
flashing black line and can be moved by clicking the left mouse button anywhere in the full-view control area.

-L-
Loop
Loops are small audio clips that are designed to create a repeating beat or pattern. Loops are usually one to four
measures long and are stored completely in RAM for playback.

-M-
Marker
A marker is an anchored, accessible reference point in a file.
Media Control Interface (MCI)
A standard way for Windows programs to communicate with multimedia devices such as sound cards and CD
players. If a device has an MCI device driver, it can easily be controlled by most multimedia Windows software.
MIDI Clock
A MIDI device-specific timing reference. It is not absolute time like MIDI Time Code (MTC); instead it is a tempo-
dependent number of "ticks" per quarter note. MIDI clock is convenient for synchronizing devices that need to
perform tempo changes mid-song. ACID software supports MIDI clock out, but does not support MIDI clock in.
MIDI Port
A MIDI port is the physical MIDI connection on a piece of MIDI hardware. This port can be a MIDI in, out or
through. Your computer must have a MIDI-capable card to output MIDI time code to an external device or to receive
MIDI time code from an external device.
MIDI Time Code (MTC)
MTC is an addendum to the MIDI 1.0 specification and provides a way to specify absolute time for synchronizing
MIDI-capable applications. MTC is essentially a MIDI representation of SMPTE time code.
Multiple-Bit-Rate Encoding
Multiple-bit-rate encoding (also known as Intelligent Streaming for the Windows Media platform and SureStream™
for the RealMedia G2 platform) allows you to create a single file that contains streams for several bit rates. A
multiple-bit-rate file can accommodate users with different Internet connection speeds, or these files can
automatically change to a different bit rate to compensate for network congestion without interrupting playback.
To take advantage of multiple-bit-rate encoding, you must publish your media files to a Windows Media server
or a RealServerG2.
Musical Instrument Device Interface (MIDI)
A standard language of control messages that provides for communication between any MIDI-compliant devices.
Anything from synthesizers to lights to factory equipment can be controlled via MIDI. ACID software uses MIDI for
synchronization purposes.

-N-
Normalize
Refers to raising the volume so that the highest level sample in the file reaches a user defined level. Use
normalization to make sure you are using all of the dynamic range available to you.
322

Nyquist Frequency
The Nyquist Frequency (or Nyquist Rate) is one half of the sample rate and represents the highest frequency that can
be recorded using the sample rate without aliasing. For example, the Nyquist Frequency of 44,100 Hz is 22,050 Hz.
Any frequencies higher than 22,050 Hz will produce aliasing distortion in the sample if no anti-aliasing filter is used
while recording.

-O-
Offline Media
A media file that cannot be located on the computer. If you choose to leave the media offline, you can continue to
edit events on the track; the events will point to the original location of the source media file.
One-Shot
One-shots are RAM-based audio clips that are not designed to loop. Things such as cymbal crashes and sound
bites could be considered one-shots. Longer files can be treated as one-shots if your computer has sufficient
memory.

-P-
Pan
To place a mono or stereo sound source perceptually between 2 or more speakers.
Peak Data File
The file created when a file is opened for the first time. This file stores the information regarding the graphic display
of the waveform so that opening a file is almost instantaneous. This file is stored in the directory where the audio file
resides and has a .sfk extension. If this file is not in the same directory as the audio file or is deleted, it will be
recalculated the next time you open the file.
Phase
Inverting the phase of sound data reverses the polarity of a waveform around its baseline. Inverting a waveform does
not change the sound of a file; however, when you mix different sound files, phase cancellation can occur, producing
a "hollow" sound. Inverting one of the files can prevent phase cancellation.
In the following example, the red line represents the baseline, and the lower waveform is the inverted image of the
upper waveform.

Pre-roll/Post-roll
Pre-roll is the amount of time elapsed before an event occurs. Post-roll is the amount of time after the event. The
time selection defines the pre- and post-roll when recording into a selected event.
Proxy File
See Audio Proxy File.
Pulse Code Modulation (PCM)
PCM is the most common representation of uncompressed audio signals. This method of coding yields the highest
fidelity possible when using digital storage. PCM is the standard format for .wav and .aif files.

-Q-

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 Glossary 323

Quantize
To conform to prescribed values. For example, if a recorded MIDI file consisted of notes with irregular timing, you
could quantize the notes to a straight time. If a file consisted of notes played in straight time, you could quantize
those notes to a groove to apply a different feel. Snapping is a form of quantization that forces edits to divisions on
the timeline grid or ruler.

-R-
Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP)
A proposed standard for controlling broadcast of streaming media. RTSP was submitted by a body of companies
including RealNetworks and Netscape.
Redirector File
A metafile that provides information to a media player about streaming-media files. To start a streaming media
presentation, a Web page will include a link to a redirector file. Linking to a redirector file allows a file to stream; if
you link to the media file, it will be downloaded before playback.
Windows Media redirector files use the .asx or .wax extension; RealMedia redirector files use the .ram, .rpm, or .smi
extension.
Resample
The act of recalculating samples in a sound file at a different rate than the file was originally recorded. If a sample is
resampled at a lower rate, sample points are removed from the sound file, decreasing its size, but also decreasing its
available frequency range. When resampling to a higher sample rate, the software will interpolate extra sample
points in the sound file. This increases the size of the sound file, but does not increase the quality. When down-
sampling, one must be aware of aliasing.

-S-
Sample
The word sample is used in many different (and often confusing) ways when talking about digital sound. Here are
some of the different meanings:

 l A discrete point in time which a sound signal is divided into when digitizing. For example, an audio CD-ROM
contains 44,100 samples per second. Each sample is really only a number that contains the amplitude value of a
waveform measured over time.
 l A sound that has been recorded in a digital format; used by musicians who make short recordings of musical
instruments to be used for composition and performance of music or sound effects. These recordings are called
samples. In this Help system, we try to use sound file instead of sample whenever referring to a digital
recording.
 l The act of recording sound digitally, i.e. to sample an instrument means to digitize and store it.

Sample Rate
The Sample Rate (also referred to as the Sampling Rate or Sampling Frequency) is the number of samples per
second used to store a sound. High sample rates, such as 44,100 Hz provide higher fidelity than lower sample rates,
such as 11,025 Hz. However, more storage space is required when using higher sample rates.
Sample Size
See Bit Depth.
Sample Value
The Sample Value (also referred to as sample amplitude) is the number stored by a single sample. In 16-bit audio,
these values range from -32768 to 32767. In 8-bit audio, they range from -128 to 127. The maximum allowed
sample value is often referred to as 100% or 0 dB.
324

Secure Digital Music Initiative (SDMI)

The Secure Digital Music Initiative (SDMI) is a consortium of recording industry and technology companies
organized to develop standards for the secure distribution of digital music. The SDMI specification will answer
consumer demand for convenient accessibility to quality digital music, enable copyright protection for artists' work,
and enable technology and music companies to build successful businesses.
Shortcut Menu
A context-sensitive menu that appears when you click on certain areas of the screen. The functions available in the
shortcut menu depend on the object being clicked on as well as the state of the program. As with any menu, you can
select an item from the shortcut menu to perform an operation. Shortcut menus are used frequently for quick access
to many commands.
Signal-to-Noise Ratio
The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is a measurement of the difference between a recorded signal and noise levels. A
high SNR is always the goal.
The maximum signal-to-noise ratio of digital audio is determined by the number of bits per sample. In 16-bit audio,
the signal to noise ratio is 96 dB, while in 8-bit audio its 48 dB. However, in practice this SNR is never achieved,
especially when using low-end electronics.
Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE)
SMPTE time code is used to synchronize time between devices. The time code is calculated in
Hours:Minutes:Second:Frames, where Frames are fractions of a second based on the frame rate. Frame rates for
SMPTE time code are 24, 25, 29.97 and 30 frames per second.
Streaming
A method of data transfer in which a file is played while it is downloading. Streaming technologies allow Internet
users to receive data as a steady, continuous stream after a brief buffering period. Without streaming, users would
have to download files completely before playback.

-T-
Tempo
Tempo is the rhythmic rate of a musical composition, usually specified in beats per minute (BPM).
Threshold
A threshold determines the level at which the signal processor begins acting on the signal. During normalization,
levels above this threshold are attenuated (cut).
Time Format
The format used to display the time ruler and selection times. These can include: Time, Seconds, Frames and all
standard SMPTE frame rates.
Track
A discrete timeline for audio data. Audio events sit on tracks and determine when a sound starts and stops. Multiple
audio tracks are played together to give you a composite sound that you hear through your speakers.
Track List
The Track List contains the master controls for each track. From here you can adjust the mix, select playback devices,
and reorder tracks.
Track View
The majority of the Track View is made up of the space where you will draw events on each track.

-U-

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 Glossary 325

µ-Law
µ-Law (mu-Law) is a companded compression algorithm for voice signals defined by the Geneva Recommendations
(G.711). The G.711 recommendation defines µ-Law as a method of encoding 16-bit PCM signals into a non-linear 8-
bit format. The algorithm is commonly used in European and Asian telecommunications. µ-Law is very similar to A-
Law, however, each uses a slightly different coder and decoder.
Undo/Redo
These commands allow you to change a project back to a previous state, when you don't like the changes you have
made, or reapply the changes after you have undone them.

-V-
VSTi
A Virtual Studio Technology instrument (VSTi) is a software synthesizer plug-in produced by Steinberg Media
Technologies AG.

-W-
wav
An digital audio standard developed by Microsoft and IBM. One minute of uncompressed audio requires 10 MB of
storage.
Waveform
A waveform is the visual representation of wave-like phenomena, such as sound or light. For example, when the
amplitude of sound pressure is graphed over time, pressure variations usually form a smooth waveform.
Waveform Display
Each event shows a graph of the sound data waveform. The vertical axis corresponds to the amplitude of the wave.
For 16-bit sounds, the amplitude range is -32,768 to +32,767. For 8-bit sounds, the range is -128 to +127. The
horizontal axis corresponds to time, with the leftmost point being the start of the waveform. In memory, the
horizontal axis corresponds to the number of samples from the start of the sound file.
Windows Media Format
Microsoft's Windows Media file format that can handle audio and video presentations and other data such as
scripts, URL flips, images and HTML tags. Advanced Streaming Format files can be saved with the .asf or .wma
extensions.
   INDEX    326

Index

. Allow Snapping for Post-Groove Markers  283

Apply Groove  122
.MID Files  295 Arm for Record  45
arpeggiator  113, 245, 272
5 Arranging Tracks  42, 45, 241
ASIO Audio Drops Out  313
5.1 Surround  183, 185, 192 ASIO Configuration  287
Panning  185 ASIO Device and Port Naming  279
Project Properties  18, 183 ASR  99
Rendering  192 Assignable FX  178-180
Setup  183 Adding an Assignable Effects Chain  179
Assignable FX Envelopes  133
A
Routing Tracks to Assignable Effects  180
Ableton Live  234 Using Assignable Effects  178
Absolute Frames  280 Assigning Soft Synths to Busses  166, 220
ACID Project with Embedded Media  34 Assigning Tracks to Busses  168
ACID Type for Recorded Audio  105 Audio  83, 156, 164, 285, 287, 308
ACID Types  23 Buffers  288
ACID Window  11 Bypassing Audio Effects  164
ACID Zip file  34 Device Preferences  288
ACIDized Media  55 Editors  83
Active Control Devices  297 Plug-In Window  156
Add Channels Panning Mode  181 Preferences  285
Add to Groove Pool  74 Properties  18
Add to Project (MIDI)  19, 213 Signal Flow  308
Add to Project with Events (MIDI)  19, 213 Audio Device Preferences  288
Add to Project with Events Rippled (MIDI)  19, 213 Audio Device Type  289
Adding  41, 60-61, 152, 154-155, 165, 179 Audio Track Properties  52
Busses  165 Auto MIDI Input Routing  290
Effects  152 Autodetected  45
Effects to a Bus  154 Automatable Plug-Ins Don't Appear in Folder  313
Effects to a Soft Synth  155 Automatic Crossfades (Ctrl+Shift+X)  68
Effects to a Track  152 Automatically Detect and Offset for Hardware Recording
Events to a Track  60-61 Latency  288
Groove to Groove Pool  75, 121 Automatically Open Last Project on Startup  283
Tracks  21 Automatically Render Large Wave Files as Wave64  283
Tracks to a CD  37 Automatically Start Beatmapper Wizard for Long
Adding Clips to a Track  52, 69, 250 Files  283
Adding Input Busses  175 Automating Effects  133, 141
Adding MIDI Files to a Project  213 Automating Effects with Envelopes  143
Adding MIDI Notes  235 Automating VSTi Parameters  218
Adding or Editing Note Information (Clip Properties)  254 Automation  137
Adding Plug-Ins  152, 159 Automation Envelopes  133, 136, 141, 145
Additional Transient Detection  75 Automation Overview  133
Adjusting  98, 101, 145 Automation with Generic Control Surfaces  210
Adjusting an Event's Length  98 Automation, Recording Parameters  148
Adjusting Envelopes  133, 137, 145 Autoname Extracted CD Tracks  283
Adjusting Quick Fades  101 Autoname New MIDI Tracks  283
Advanced Audio Preferences  287 Autosave  284
Advanced File Settings  35 Auxiliary Bus Envelopes  133
Advanced Sync Preferences  293
Aftertouch (Clip Properties)  262
   INDEX    327

B Clip Take Offset  77, 109

Clips  69
Backward Events  94, 100 Clip Properties (Ctrl+Alt+3)  69
Balance Panning Mode  181 Editing Audio Clip Properties  75
Bank LSB (Clip Properties)  262 Editing in an Audio Editor  83
Bank MSB (Clip Properties)  262 Editing MIDI Clip Properties  252
Banks  159, 216 Clips - Overview  69
VST Effects  156 Cloning Grooves  124
VSTi  216 Cloning Loops  95
Beat Anchor  77 Close Audio and MIDI Ports When ACID is Not the Act
Beat Markers  77 ive Application  283
Beat Ruler  11 Close Media Files When ACID is Not the Active Applic
Beatmap Markers  57 ation  283
Beatmapped Clips  23, 57 Closing a CD Project  37
Beatmapper Wizard  55, 57 Collapse Track Keyframes  185
Both Channels  74 Color  74
Bounce Tracks  54 Combine Channels  74
Buffer Size  288 Combine Events  93
Burning CDs  37-38 Commands, Metadata  129
Busses  165 Condense Tracks  43
Adding  165 Configure Soft Synth Parameter Automation  218
Assigning Tracks to Busses  168 Confirm Groove Deletion When Still in Use  283
Bus Envelopes  135 Confirm Media File Deletion When Still in Use  283
Bus Tracks (B)  141 Conserving CPU Processing  164
Deleting  165 Consolidate Tracks  43
Effects  154 Constant Power Panning Mode  181
Renaming  165 Contacting Technical Support  10
Routing Busses  166 Continue Command  294
Using  165 Continuous Controllers  137, 241
Bypass  156, 164, 217 Control Surfaces  199, 206, 208, 210, 296
Bypass VSTi  216 Controller Change Number (Clip Properties)  262
Bypass/Enable FX Automation  156 Controller Change Value (Clip Properties)  262
Bypassing Audio Effects  164 Controller Envelopes  139
Controller Maps  250, 267
C Controllers, MIDI  221
Convert to Stretch Marker  80
Cancelling Operations  16
Copy  15
CC Messages  267
Copy (Ctrl+C)  44, 86
CD  24, 37-38
Copy Envelope  145
Burning Disc-at-Once (Red Book) CDs  38
Copy to New Clip  52, 69, 235, 250
Burning Track-at-Once CDs  37
Count-In  28
Extracting Audio From  24
Countoff (Metronome)  28
Changing MIDI Note Duration  264
Create Empty MIDI Clip  69
Changing Tempo and Key  30
Creating  38-39, 95, 124, 156, 283
Changing Track Height  45
Disc-at-Once CDs  38
Channels  75
Events During Playback  60-61
Channels in MIDI Files  213, 241, 271
FX Chain Presets  156
Chasing MIDI Timecode  273
Grooves  124
Choosing a Drum Map for a Track  235
Loops with the Chopper  95
Chop to New  96
Project File Backups on Save  284
Chopper (Alt+2)  95
Track-at-Once CDs  37
Clean Clip Pool  69, 89
Undos for FX Parameter Changes  283
Clear  89
Creating Drum Maps  270
Clear Undo History  89
Creating Program (Patch) Maps  268
Click Track  28
Creating Tracks  41
Clicks in Playback  283
Crossfades  68
Clip Colors  69
Cue Microphone  174
Clip Pool  52, 250
Curves, Tempo  30
328

Custom Keyboard Shortcuts  277 Editing  44, 60, 75, 83, 86, 220, 252, 292
Custom Rendering Templates  35 Cutting, Copying, and Pasting Events  86
Custom Time Signature Dialog  30 Cutting, Copying, and Pasting Tracks  44
Customizing ACID  277 Drum Maps  270
Customizing ASIO Device and Port Naming  279 Edit in Audio Editor  83
Customizing the Toolbar  277 Events  60
Cut  15 MIDI Clip Properties  252
Cut (Ctrl+X)  44, 86 MIDI Events  235
Cutting, Copying, and Pasting MIDI Notes  235 MIDI Notes on the Timeline  235
MIDI Track Properties  252
D Note Duration  240
Note Position  239
DAO  38 Preferences  292
Data LSB (Clip Properties)  262 Program (Patch) Maps  268
Data MSB (Clip Properties)  262 Soft Synths  220
Default  45, 122, 282, 295 Track Properties  75
Groove Folder  296 Tracks  41
Groove for New Tracks  122 Editing Applications  292
Project Folder  295 Editing ASIO Device and Port Naming  279
Track Height  45 Editing Controller Maps  267
Track Properties  282 Editing Frozen MIDI Tracks  248
Default Audio Recording Device  288 Editing the Key of a MIDI Clip  250
Default Center and LFE Playback Device  288 Editing Tool  61
Default Rear Playback Device  289 Effects  152, 154-155, 178, 180
Delay Compensation  105, 152, 154-155, 179 Assignable Effects  178
Delete  127, 166, 193 Assignable Effects Envelopes  180
Busses  165 Automation Envelopes  136
Events (Del)  89 Bus Effects  154
Marker  127 Effects Packages  156
MIDI Notes  235 FX Automation, Enabling/Bypassing  156
Video  193 FX Packages  156
Deleting Input Busses  175 FXB Presets for VST/VSTi  156, 216
Deleting MIDI Events (Clip Properties)  259 FXP Presets for VS/VSTi  156, 216
Destructive MIDI Processing and Filtering  264 Soft Synth Effects  155
Device Names, Customizing for ASIO Devices  279 Track Effects  152
DirectX Plug-ins  152 Effects Envelopes  143
Display Preferences  294 Élastique  75
DLS Soft Synths  45 Embedded Media  34
Draw Contents of Events  283 Enable Automation for a Generic Control Surface  210
Draw Tool  15, 60-61 Enable Autosave  283
Drawing Envelopes  145, 283 Enable Envelope Drawing  283
Drawing Looped MIDI Events  250 Enable Inline MIDI Editing  15
Drum Maps  270 Enable Media Manager  283
Drum Maps, Choosing  235 Enable Metronome Countoff  29
Duplicating Grooves  124 Enable Multimedia Keyboard Support  283
Duration MIDI Filter  264 Enable Multiple-Selection Preview in Explorer
E Window  295
Enable or Bypass FX Automation  156
E-mail  10 Enable Real-Time MIDI  221, 314
Edit Enable Snapping  15
Editing Tool  61 Enable Track Buffering  288
Edit in Sound Forge  83 Enable Windows XP Theme Support  283
Edit Keyboard Shortcuts  277 Envelope Thinning  145
Edit Source Project  33, 74-75 Envelope Tool  15
Editable Event Parameters (Clip Properties)  262 Envelopes  133, 141, 145
Assignable FX  133

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   INDEX    329

Changing Colors  294 F
Effects Parameter Envelopes  133
Envelope Tool  61 Fade Offset  100
Event  99 Fade Properties  133, 147
Locking to Events  133 FaderPort  208
Pan  133 Fast Tempo Transition  30
Using  133 Filtering MIDI Events  259
Volume  133 Fit To Time  32
Erase Tool  16, 63 Fixed (Sliced) Segments  75
Erasing CD-RW Discs  37 Flip Envelope  145
European Broadcasting Union  281 Flushing VSTi Buffers  313
Event Clip Settings  74 Folder Preferences  295
Events  60-61, 67, 86, 100-101 Folder Tracks (Ctrl+Alt+F)  43
Adding to Tracks  60-61 Formant Shift  77
Changing Length  61 Four-Bar Countoff  29
Copying  86 Free-Wheel  293
Cutting  86 Freeze Track (MIDI)  248
Editing  60, 92-94 Freeze Tracks  54
Envelopes  99 Frontier TranzPort  206
Event Length  61 FX  152, 154-155, 178, 180
Modifying Properties  100 Assignable Effects  178
Pasting  86 Assignable Effects Envelopes  180
Pitch-Shifting  66, 100 Automation Envelopes  136
Reversing  94, 100 Bus Effects  154
Selecting  64 Effects Packages  156
Sliding  98 FX Automation, Enabling/Bypassing  156
Slip Trimming  98 FX Packages  156
Slipping  98 FXB Presets for VST/VSTi  156, 216
Snapping  86 FXP Presets for VS/VSTi  156, 216
Stretching  75 Soft Synth Effects  155
Trimming  99 Track Effects  152
Events at Play Cursor  60-61
Expand Track Keyframes  185 G
Explorer Window (Alt+1)  19
Export  34, 36, 124 Gain and Automation/Trim Controls  133
Grooves  124 Gain Offset  133
Keyboard Map  278 Gapping Audio Playback  313
Loops  36 Generating MIDI Clock (Shift+F7)  273, 276, 293
MIDI Clips  272 Generating MIDI Timecode (F7)  273-274, 293
MIDI Tracks  271 Generic Control Surface  210
Projects  34, 271 Get Media From the Web  15
Tracks  35, 271 Getting Around  11
External Control & Automation Preferences  296 Go To (Ctrl+G / Shift+G)  66
External Control Surface  198, 206, 208, 210, 296 Go to End (Ctrl+End)  13
External Editor, Updating Track Properties After Go to Start (Ctrl+Home)  13
Grid Spacing  281
Editing  75
Groove Erase Tool  15
External Effects Processors  171
Groove Tool  15
External MIDI Device Program Maps  268
Grooves  121, 124
External MIDI Devices  221
Creating  75, 124
External MIDI Inputs, Routing to Soft Synths  220
Duplicating  124
External MIDI Outputs, Soloing  220
Exporting  125
External Synthesizers  173
Groove Cloning  124
External Video Monitor  195
Groove Erase Tool  64
Extra Mono Ports (ReWire)  287
Groove Markers, Snapping  283
Extra Stereo Ports (ReWire)  287
Groove Pool  121
Extracting from CD  24
Groove Strips  122
Groove Tool  63
330

Grooves and the Metronome  28 Key, Changing for MIDI Clips  250

Importing  124 Keyboard Preferences  277
Overview  121 Keyboard Shortcuts  298
Grovel for Plug-Ins  152, 159 Keyframes  245
Keyframes, Tempo  30
H
L
Hardware Synthesizer Modules  173
Hit Marker (H)  128 Latency  289
Hold  31 Left Only  75
Hold Tempo Transition  30 Legacy Track Send Gain  287
host ctrl #  228 LFE  191
host learn  228 Linear Tempo Transition  30
How to Create a Basic Project  17 Link to Main Track Pan  45, 168
Listening to Your Creation  27
I Load Bank  216
Lock Envelopes to Events  15, 137
Icon Color Saturation  294 Locking Events  102
Icon Color Tint  294 Loop Clips  23, 251
If Project is Invalid for DV Output, Conform to the Fol Loop Cloning  95
lowing  291 Looped MIDI Events  250
Import Keyboard Map  277 Looped Playback (Q or Ctrl+Shift+L)  27
Importing Grooves  124 Looping Segments  78
In-Place MIDI Editing  235 Loops  36
Input Busses  174-175 Loops, Creating  95
Input Busses and MIDI Tracks  173 Low-Pass Filter for LFE Channel  18
Input Device for MIDI Ports  290
Input Filters  118, 250 M
Input Monitor  105, 176
Insert  43, 60-61, 129 Manually Beatmapping Clips  57
Assignable FX  179 Maps, Groove  121
Audio Track (Ctrl+Q)  41 Markers (M)  127
Bus  165 Markers/Command  129
Event at the Play Cursor (Y)  60-61 Master Bus  165
Folder Track (Ctrl+Alt+F)  43 Maximize Track  45
Metadata Commands  132 Measure Markers  57
MIDI Track (Ctrl+Alt+Q)  41 Measures, Marking while Recording  105
Section (Shift+S)  84 Media  19
Time  61 Media Catalog Number (MCN) for DAO CDs  18
Insert Bus  165 Media Explorer  19
Insert Event button (Clip Properties)  259 Media Manager, Turning Off  283
Insert Events at Play Cursor  60 Media Types  23
Insert Silence  61 Merge Envelope Data  137, 252
Interpolate Position  287 Merge Events  93
Invert Envelope  145 Merge Recording  112
Invert Phase  74 Message Filter (MIDI Input)  118
Invert Surround Panning Keyframes  185 Metronome  14-15, 28
Invert Track Phase  46 Metronome Countoff  14
Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth Doesn't Open  313
J MIDI  213
Channels  252
Joining Events (J)  93 Clip Properties  252
Controllers  221
K
Effects  155
Keep Bypassed FX Running  283 External Devices  221
Key  30 Input Device  113, 222
Key Bindings  277 MIDI Clip Time Signature  250

www.magix-audio.com
   INDEX    331

MIDI Controller Data, Displaying on the Timeline  137, Muting Events  102

252 Muting Folder Tracks  43
MIDI Events, Joining  93 My Favorites  20
MIDI Export  271
MIDI Files, Adding to Projects  19 N
MIDI Filters  264
Naming a Marker  127
MIDI Input Devices  290
Navigating  11, 17
MIDI Input Filters  118
New  15
MIDI Merge Recording  112
New Features  9
MIDI Port in Use  313
New Groove  124
MIDI Preferences  290
New in Version 7  9
MIDI Recording  114
New Project  18
MIDI Step Record  115
New Track  54
MIDI Track Channel  241
Next Clip  75
MIDI Track Output  215
Nonlooping Segments  75
MIDI Track Playback Devices  112, 290
Normalize  75
MIDI Track Properties  250
Normalize Peak Level  287
MIDI Track Voice  241
Note Duration  240, 266
MIDI Tracks Make No Sound  313
NRP LSB (Clip Properties)  262
Output Device  215, 221
NRP MSB (Clip Properties)  262
Piano Roll  235
Number of Beatmapped Measures to Play  295
Plug-Ins (OPT)  252
Number of Beats  75
Recording  112
Number of Extra Mono Ports (ReWire)  287
Stuck Notes  273
Number of Extra Stereo Ports (ReWire)  287
Thru Ports  112
Number of Times to Repeat Each Loop  295
MIDI Clip Key  250
MIDI Controller Maps  267 O
midi ctrl #  227
MIDI File Locations  295 Off Velocity (Clip Properties)  262
midi learn  228 Offset  281
MIDI plugins  272 Offsetting Gain  133
MIDI Track Freeze  248 One-Bar Countoff  29
MIDI Zones (Split Keyboard) Using Input Filters  118 One-Shot Clips  23, 252
Minimize Track Height (~)  45 Online Support  10
Mirror Envelope  145 Open  15, 25
Mix to New Track  54 Open as New Project (MIDI)  19, 213
Mixer  165 Open Files as Loops if Between  285
Mixing Audio  165, 185 Open in Audio Editor  83
Mixing Console  165 Opening MIDI Files  19
Monitoring an External Source  174 OPT  253
Monitoring Clip Stretching  55 OPT Envelopes, Merging to Events  137
Moving a Marker  127 Optimizing a File  55
Moving Events  67 Orion  234
Moving Tracks  42 Other Preferences  295
MTC  274-275 Outboard Effects Processors  171
Multichannel MIDI Files  213 Outboard Synthesizers  173
Multiple-Selection Preview in Explorer Window  295 Output Settings  250
Multiple Input Devices, Recording to a Single Track  112 Outputs  41, 165-166
Multiple Media Files per Track  69 Outputs, VST Instruments with Multiple Outputs  216
Multiple Mono  34 Overlapping Events  68
Multiple Selection Preview  19 Override Default MIDI Volume or Pan Envelope
Multiple Stereo  34 Mapping  137, 267
Multiport VST Instruments  216
Multiprocessor Track Rendering  288 P
Multitempo Files  55
Multitrack MIDI Files  213 Packed NRPN (Clip Properties)  262
Mute (Z)  45 Packed RPN (Clip Properties)  262
Mute Envelope  137 Paint Length (for MIDI and One Shots)  60-61
332

Paint Tool  15, 60, 62 Video  291

Pan  45 Preserve Formants when Stretching  75
Pan Envelopes  136 Preserve Pitch for New Beatmapped Tracks When Tempo
Panic Button (MIDI)  273 Changes  283
Panning  185 Presets  152, 158
Panning Modes  45, 181 PreSonus FaderPort  208
Parameter Automation in VST Instruments  218 Previewing (Clip Properties)  261
Paste  15, 86 Previewing 5.1 Surround Projects  183
Events Across Tracks  86 Previewing Media  19
Paste Events at Play Cursor (Shift+Y)  61 Previewing MIDI Events (Clip Properties)  261
Paste Insert (Ctrl+Shift+V)  86 Previous Clip  75
Paste Repeat (Ctrl+B)  86 Program Change Keyframe  245
Pasting Tracks (Ctrl+V)  44 Program Changes  245
Path  308 Program Map Editor  268
Pause  13 Project Tempo Range  292
Pen  62 Projects  17
Pencil  61 Project Key  30
Piano Roll  235 Project Path  33, 83
Pitch-Shift Event  66 Project Path in Rendered File  33, 75
Pitch-Shifting Tracks  45 Project Properties  18
Pitch Shift Segments  78 Project Tempo  30
Play  13, 27 Project Tempo Range  292
Play All  13 Project Time Signature  30
Play Cursor, Adding Events  60-61 Prompt for Region and Marker Names if Not Playing  283
Play Looped  13, 27 Properties  18, 52, 100, 250
Play Quantized  77 ProTools  235
Playback  27, 41 Publish  15
Playback Buffering  288 Punch-In Recording  109
Playing from the List Editor (Clip Properties)  261
Playing from the Piano Roll (Clip Properties)  258 Q
Plug-and-Play CD/DVD Drive Detection  283
Plug-In Chain  152, 180 Quantize
Plug-In Chooser, Adding Effects  152 Quantize Playback  75
Plug-In Delay Compensation  105, 152, 154-155, 179 Quantize (Clip Properties)  259
Plug-In Manager (Ctrl+Alt+1)  159 Quantize Filter (MIDI Input)  118
Plug-In Window  156 Quantize MIDI  264
Plug-Ins  152 Quick Fade Edit Edges of Audio Events  100, 285
Port Names, Customizing for ASIO Devices  279
R
Ports, Multiport VST Instruments  216
Position Bias  287 Real-Time Rendering  178
Post Volume  168, 180 Record  13
Pre-Roll Buffers Before Starting Playback  288 Record Device Selector  45
Pre Volume  180 Record Offset  105
Prefader Sends Listen to Mute  287 Recording  105, 112, 148, 175
Preferences  283 Audio (Ctrl+R)  105, 175
Audio  285 Automation  148
Audio Device  288 MIDI (Ctrl+R)  112
Display  294 Record Action when Nothing is Armed  105
Editing  292 Record Folder  295
External Control & Automation  296 Recording Automation with a Generic Control
Folder  295 Surface  210
General  283 Recording Multiple MIDI Devices  112
Keyboard  277 Recording VSTi Parameters Automation  218
MIDI  290 Red Plug-In Icon  152
Other  295 Redetect Beats  75
Sync  293 Redo  15

www.magix-audio.com
   INDEX    333

Redo (Ctrl+Y)  89 Seconds of Each One-Shot to Play  295

Region (R)  128 Section Colors  294
Regions to Denote Measures in Recorded Files  105 Sections  84
Remixing  95 Selecting  41-42, 62
Remove from Project  52, 251 Events  64
Remove from Project and Delete File(s)  52 MIDI Notes  235
Remove Groove from Track  121 Playback Devices  41
Remove Unused Clips  52, 73, 250 Select All (Ctrl+A)  64
Remove Unused Events  89 Select Tool  61
Remove Unused Grooves  123 Tracks  42
Remove Video  193 Selection Tool  16
Rename  74 Set Controls to Default Values when Automation is
Rename Clip  69 Turned Off  296
Rendering  34, 36, 55, 178, 192 Setting Default Track Properties  282
Render Temporary Image Before Burning  37 Setting the Input Device for MIDI Ports  290
Render to New Track (Ctrl+M)  54 Setting Track and Event Properties  75, 100
Rendering Each Bus to a Separate File  34 Setting Up the Piano Roll View (Clip Properties)  253
Rendering Files  34 Sharp Tempo Transition  30
Rendering Projects with MIDI Tracks  36 Shortcuts  298
Rendering Your 5.1-Channel Mix  192 Show Full-Size Groove Strips  121
Reordering Tracks  45 Show Logo Splash Screen on Startup  283
Replacing a Track  75 Show Output Meters  45
Resetting MIDI Ports (Ctrl+Alt+F7)  273 Signal Flow Diagram  308
Restore Track Height  45 Silence  61
Reverse Event (U)  94, 100 Skipping Audio  313
ReWire Overview  230 Sliced Segments  78
ReWire Device Driver Preferences  287 Sliding Events  98, 193
ReWire Device Mode  232 Slip-Trimming Events  98
ReWire Mixer Mode  230 Slipping Events  98, 193
Rewritable CD  37 Smooth and Thin Automation Data After Recording  296
Right Onlu  74 Smooth Tempo Transition  30
Ripple Edits (Ctrl+L)  90 Smoothness  190
Root Note for Transposing  75 SMPTE Drop - 30 fps  280
Routing  166, 215, 220 SMPTE EBU - 25 fps  280
Busses to Busses  166 SMPTE Film Sync - 24 fps  280
Busses to Hardware Outputs  166 SMPTE Non-Drop - 29.97 fps  280
Soft Synths  166, 220 SMPTE Non-Drop 30 - 30 fps  280
Tracks to Soft Synths or MIDI Ports  215 Snap to Scale (Clip Properties)  254
Routing Soft Synths to Busses  220 Snapping (F8 / Ctrl+F8)  86
Routing Tracks to Busses  168 Snap Offset  194
Ruler Format  280 Snap to Grid  281
Soft Synth  36, 41, 166, 218, 220, 230
S Adding  215
Editing Soft Synths  220
Samples  280
Muting / Soloing  220
Save  15
Rendering Projects with MIDI Tracks  36
Save Each Track as a Separate File  34
Routing to Busses  166, 220
Saving  33-34
Routing Tracks  215
ACID Projects (Ctrl+S)  33
Selecting Playback Devices  41
Media-Usage Relationships in Active Media
Soft Synth Automation Envelopes  218
Library  283 Soft Synth Parameter Automation  218
Save As  34 Solo (X)  45
VST Effect Banks  156 Solo External MIDI Inputs  221
VST Instrument Banks  216 Solo Listen to MIDI Input  220
Scanning For Plug-Ins  152, 159 Solo Track  258
Scoring  194 Soloing Folder Tracks  43
Scroll Bars  12 Sonar  233
Seconds  280 Sorting Tracks  42
334

Sound Forge  83 Tempo/Key/Time Signature Change (T/K)  30

Source Project  33, 83 Temporary Files Folder  296
Splitting a MIDI Keyboard Using MIDI Input Filters  118 Temporary Image File  37
Splitting Events (S)  92 Text Event (Clip Properties)  262
Start Offset  100 The Toolbar  15
Start Time (Clip Properties)  262 The Video Track  193
Starting a New Project (Ctrl+N)  18 The Video Window  195
Static Control, Audio Track Gain and Panning  45 Thin Automation Data After Recording  296
Static Control, MIDI Tracks  137 Time  75, 280
Static Control, Surround Panning and Center Channel Time & Frames  280
Gain  185 Time Display  282
Static Controls vs. Automation Controls  133 Time Display window  66
Status Bar  16 Time Marker (H)  128
Stems, Velocity  235 Time Ruler Offset  281
Step Recording  112 Time Selection  65
step sequencer  113, 245 Time Selection Tool  15, 63
Step sequencer  272 Time Signature for MIDI Clips  250
Stop  13 Time Signatures (T)  30
Stretching  56, 75 Time Window  282
Stretch Markers  78 Time/ Zoom Level  253
Stretch/compress  55 Timecode  273-275
Stretching Mode for Beatmapped Tracks  75 Generating (F7)  274
Stuck Notes  273 Synchronization  273
Summary Information (Alt+Enter)  18 Timecode Offset  274
Support, Contacting  10 Triggering From (Ctrl+F7)  275
Surround  183, 185, 192 Timeline (Track View)  11, 281
Panning  185 Timeline MIDI Editing  235
Project Properties  18, 183 Toolbar  15, 277
Rendering  192 Tools  12
Setup  183 Tools, Editing  61
Surround Panner Window  185 Track Buffering  290
Surround Projects  18 Track Color  69
Swap Channels  74 Track Colors  294
Synchronization  273-276, 293 Track Freeze  54
MIDI Clock (Shift+F7)  276 Track Output Meters  45
Synchronization Offset  274 Track Phase  46
Synchronizing ACID with ReWire Synths  230 Track Prefader Sends Listen to Mute  285
Synchronizing Audio and Video  194 Track Properties  52, 250
Timecode (F7)  273-275 Track View (Timeline)  11, 60-61, 127
Video Sync Offset (Frames)  291 Adding Events  60-61
Synth Control of Patch  241 Inline MIDI Editing  235
Synthesizer Modules  173 Markers  127
Sysex Keyframe  141 Tracks  41, 44, 75, 168
Adding  21
T Applying Envelopes  141
Bouncing  54
Takes  105 Changing Color  45
Talkback Microphone  174 Changing Height  45
TAO  37 Editing Audio Track Properties  52
Tap Rhythm  61 Editing MIDI Track Properties  250
Technical Support  10 Height  12, 45
Templates  35 Muting (Z)  45
Tempo  30, 55 Panning  45
Tempo Changes  57 Pitch Shifting (+/-)  45
Tempo Curve Segmentation  32, 292 Reordering  45
Tempo Transitions  30 Replacing  75

www.magix-audio.com
   INDEX    335

Selecting  42 Track Effects  152

Selecting Playback Devices  41 Using External Effects  171
Setting Default Properties  282 Using Hardware-Based Effects  171
Soloing (X)  45 Using Input Busses  174
Track Folders  43 Using the List Editor  259
Track FX  152 Using the Piano Roll (Clip Properties)  253
Track List  11, 14, 41, 45 Usint External (Hardware) Synthesizers  173
Types of Media  23
Volume  45 V
Tracktion  232
Transitioning Tempo  30 Velocity (Clip Properties)  262
Transport Controls  13, 27, 198, 206, 208 Velocity (Clip Properties)  257
Transposing MIDI Clips  250 Velocity Filter (MIDI Input)  118
TranzPort  206 Velocity Stems  240
Trigger from MIDI Timecode (Ctrl+F7)  275 Video  193-194
Trim (Ctrl+T)  94, 98, 193 Video Preferences  291
Trim Control  48, 133, 137, 186 VITA  228
Trim Control, Audio Track Gain and Panning  45 Vita Sampler  228
Trim Control, MIDI Tracks  137 Vita Solo instruments  227
Trim Control, Surround Panning and Center Channel Vita Solo Instruments  226
Volume  45, 99
Gain  185
Volume Envelopes (V)  133
Trim Controls vs. Automation Controls  133
Volume, Metronome  28
Troubleshooting  313
VST  156, 216, 218
Two-Bar Countoff  29
VST Effects  152, 155, 178
Type 0 MIDI Files  22
VST Instruments  216
Type 1 MIDI Files  22
VSTi  216
U VSTi Buffers  313
VSTi Parameters, Automating  218
Undo  15 VST Instruments with Multiple Outputs  216
Undo (Ctrl+Z)  89
Undo All  90 W
Undo/Redo History list  89
Waveform Color  69
Unfreeze MIDI Tracks  248
What's New in This Version  8
Universal Product Code (UPC) for DAO CDs  18
Window Docking Area  11, 14
Unused Media, Deleting from Project  69, 89
Windows XP Theme Support  294
Updating Track Properties After Editing in External
Working with Grooves  121
Editor  75
Working with Video  193
Use as Track Pan  241, 267
Use as Track Volume  137, 241, 267 Y
Use Bright Colors for Loop Stretch Markers  283
Use Device Patch Map  241 Yellow Plug-In Icon  152
Use Legacy Track Send Gain  287
Use Net Notify to Stay Informed About MAGIX Z
Products  283
Use Original Tempo  74 Zoom (F9 / Ctrl+F9 / Shift+F9)  12
Use Program Change and Bank  241 Zoom Level  254
Use Slower Updates to Prevent Playback Clicks During Zoom Time  254
Editing  283
Use SPTI for CD Burning  283
Use Vertical Meters  45
Using
Beatmapper Wizard  55
Bus Effects  154
Chopper Window (Alt+2)  95
Control Surfaces  199, 206, 210, 296
Envelopes  133
External Video Monitor  195