acid pro 5 power! the official guide to sony acid pro 5 software

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A C I D
®
P R O
5
POWER!
Q Q Q
D. Eric Franks
THE OFFICIAL GUIDE TO SONY
ACID PRO
5
SOFTWARE
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ACIDPRO
5
POWER!
Q Q Q
iii
Foreword
Respected author and speaker D. Eric Franks appropriately begins this book with a chapter on the
ACID Pro software’s impact on the music world. David knows that to fully appreciate the power and
flexibility of ACID Pro software as it is today, you must first understand its roots, and why it remains
the music creation application by which all others are judged.
Before ACID Pro software, even simple composition and recording required hiring talented musicians,
booking studio time, and spending a lot of money. ACID Pro software changed all that with the launch
of version 1.0. With its straightforward interface and intuitive “pick, paint, and play” functionality,
ACID Pro software made professional audio composition and editing accessible to anyone with a PC.
Word of this revolutionary new tool spread fast, and musicians and producers everywhere embraced

the ACID Pro software as an essential component of composition, recording, editing, and production.
True to its revolutionary roots, ACID Pro 5 software once again raises the bar. Version 5 features
three new patent-pending technologies: Groove Mapping™ and Groove Cloning™ quantization tools,
and the powerful Media Manager™ technology. These new technologies forge exciting new music
creation territory, giving you creative potential and flexibility that is unmatched by any other program.
Other new features include native VST effects support, nestable folder tracks, ReWire™ device support,
and real-time event reverse.
In this book, D. Eric Franks explains how to get the most out of the ACID Pro 5 application. From the
basics of song creation to incorporating the ACID Pro tools into your live performance, you’ll learn
the tricks of the trade and achieve truly professional results.
If you want to create songs, remix tracks, produce 5.1 surround audio mixes, develop music beds, or
score videos, you need the ACID Pro 5 software. If you want to take advantage of all the program’s
power,
ACID Pro 5 Power!
is an essential guide.
Curtis Palmer,
Chief Technology Officer,
Sony Pictures Digital, Inc.
Q Q Q
iv
Acknowledgments
First, I’d like to say thanks to all who worked on this book, getting it to press a little over a week after
Sony Media Software officially released the application. Very impressive. I wish to acknowledge
Sean Medlock for making sure I write real good and keeping me on task. Andy Saff made significant
contributions to the editing, and Mark Garvey did a splendid job of propelling this project forward.
Thanks go out to Orren Merton for creating the fun and thought-provoking quizzes at the end of
each chapter. Although I rarely worked directly with the layout staff, I want to publicly say that I
think the book looks great. Thanks, gang. Finally, I’d like to thank Gary Rebholz and Michael Bryant
at Sony Media Software for their fast and incisive technical support and editing. Gentlemen, I wish
we had more time and more pages.

About the Author
D. Eric Franks
is an author and speaker who teaches multimedia production and post-production tech-
niques to folks all over the world. He’s published a half-dozen books and several hundred magazine
articles. Mr. Franks currently supports his ACID software addiction (need more loop libraries!) by
creating training materials for Digital Juice and producing background music for commercial spots.
He spends his weekends working on a film on that will probably never get a public screening, if
indeed it is ever finished at all.
Q Q Q
v
Contents
TABLE OF
CHAPTER 1
A Song Is Born . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Building Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Media Files and Loops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
AllYou Need to Know . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Creating a Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Saving Your Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Change Project Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Exploring Loops and Previewing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Event Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Creating a Track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Creating an Event with the Draw Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Using the Paint Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Snapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Moving and Trimming Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Zooming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Copying, Cutting, and Pasting Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Ripple Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Selecting Multiple Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Duplicating Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Playback and Mixing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Project Playback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Monitoring the Mix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Track Volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Panning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Fading Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Envelopes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Creating MP3 Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Chapter 1 Quiz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xiii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Q Q Q
vi
Getting Around . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
A Visual Tour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Navigating the Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
Zooming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
Transport Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Envelopes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Marker Bar, Grid Bar, and Time Ruler Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
Toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

Window Docking Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
Docking Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
Organizing the Window Docking Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Resizing Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Defining the Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Top Ten Shortcuts* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
Chapter 2 Quiz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Composition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
Song Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
Creating Structure with Markers and Regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Working with Markers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Working with Regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
Time Markers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64
Musical Phrasing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64
Beats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
Measures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
Phrases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
Tempo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
Project-Level Tempo Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
Changing the Tempo on the Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70
Matching Project Key to a Loop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
Adjust the Tempo to Fill a Length of Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
Chords and Intervals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
Key Progression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78
Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78
Project-Level Key Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
Q

Table of Contents
Q Q Q
vii
Mid-Song Key Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
Loop-Level Key Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81
Pop Music Progression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81
Blues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83
Track-Level Key Changes (Pitch Shift) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84
Event-Level Key Changes (Pitch Shift) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85
Radical Event-Level Key Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86
Chord Progressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87
Chord Progressions from Preexisting Loops . . . . . . . . . . . . .88
Creating Chords with Simple Loops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89
Chapter 3 Quiz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90
Polishing Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
Introductions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
Making Space for an Intro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
Types of Introductions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95
Fading In and Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95
Track Fades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95
Event Fades (ASR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97
Quick Fade Edges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97
Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99
End on Beat 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99
Big Finale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100
Mixing and Merging Songs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101
Breaks and Bridges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102
Break It Down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102
Bridges and Solos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104
Spicing Up Solos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104

Chopper Trimming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105
Project Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Backing Up Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Recovering Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Saving Projects with Embedded Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111
Chapter 4 Quiz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111
Recording Vocals and Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114
Microphones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Q Q Q
viii
Monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123
Recording into the ACID Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124
Recording into a Track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124
Working with Takes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133
Takes by Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135
Automatic Looping Takes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140
Recording MIDI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143
Chapter 5 Quiz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144
Mastering the Mix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139
Mixing a Master . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139
The Studio Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140
Headphones versus Speakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140
Configuring Your System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141
Subwoofers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142
If It Sounds Good . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142

Mixing ACID Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142
Clipping Redux . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144
Loudness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145
Volume Envelopes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146
Grouping and Busses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148
Space and Panning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148
5.1 Surround Mixing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150
Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150
Configuring the ACID Software for 5.1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151
Fundamentals of 5.1 Surround Mixing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .153
Rendering a 5.1 Surround Mix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156
Track FX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158
Compression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158
Noise Gate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .161
Equalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .162
FX Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .165
Chapter 6 Quiz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166
FX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .169
Types of ACID FX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .169
FX in Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .171
Experimenting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .173
Where Should FX Go? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .173
FX Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .176
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
Q
Table of Contents
Q Q Q
ix
Recommendations on FX Placement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .177

Summary of Sony Media Software FX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .179
Track FX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .179
ExpressFX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .179
DirectX Audio Plug-Ins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .180
General FX Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .180
Presets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .180
Dry/Wet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .181
Rate and Hertz (Hz) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .182
Frequency (Pitch) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184
FX Automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .185
Chapter 7 Quiz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .188
FX Dictionary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .191
Amplitude Modulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .191
Calculating Rates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .193
Chorus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .193
Compressor (Track) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .195
Distortion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .195
Dither . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .196
Flange/Wah-wah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .198
Calculating Rates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .199
Gapper/Snipper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .199
Calculating Rates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .200
Graphic Dynamics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .200
Graphic EQ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .203
Multi-Band Dynamics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205
Multi-Tap Delay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .208
Calculating Rates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .210
Noise Gate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .210
Paragraphic EQ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .211
Parametric EQ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .213

Pitch Shift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .214
Resonant Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .215
Reverb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .215
Simple Delay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .217
Calculating Rates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .218
Smooth/Enhance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .218
Time Stretch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .218
CHAPTER 8
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Q Q Q
x
Track Compressor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .219
Track EQ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .219
Track Noise Gate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .220
Vibrato . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .220
Calculating Rates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .221
Wave Hammer Surround . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .221
Chapter 8 Quiz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .223
Loops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .225
Media Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .225
Track Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .226
Audio Loops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .226
Track Properties Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .233
Modifying Existing Loops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .234
General Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .235
Stretch Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .236
Creating Your Own Loops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .238
Legal and Ethical Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .239
Recording and Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .242
Making ACID Loops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .247

Loop Limitations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .255
Limiting the Limitations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .255
On the Other Hand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .256
More Loops! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .257
Chapter 9 Quiz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .258
The Secret Life of ACID MIDI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .257
MIDI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .257
MIDI Standard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .258
Basic MIDI Synthesis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .261
Software Synthesis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .262
Configuring MIDI in the ACID Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .266
Preferences Dialog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .266
Working with MIDI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .267
Adding MIDI to the ACID Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .267
MIDI Track Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .268
Recording MIDI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .271
Recording MIDI Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .271
MIDI Triggers and Time Code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .273
Generating MTC and MIDI Clock from the ACID Software .274
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
Q
Table of Contents
Q Q Q
xi
Triggering the ACID Software with MTC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .276
Advanced Sync Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .277
FX and MIDI Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .279
Chapter 10 Quiz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .280
Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .283

Working with Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .283
Adding Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .283
Previewing Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .285
Adding Flash Movies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .288
Video Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .288
Video Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .289
Synchronizing Audio and Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .291
The Audio Track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .294
Rendering Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .298
Render Once . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .298
Compression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .300
Audio for DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .305
Video Editing? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .307
Chapter 11 Quiz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .308
Publishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .311
Rendering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .311
Miscellaneous Rendering Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .312
Digital Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .312
Audio File Formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .314
Compression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .316
Media Destination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .322
Publishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .323
ACIDplanet.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .323
On the Web . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .326
Streaming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .330
Streaming Formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .330
Audio CDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .334
Burning Songs to a CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .334
Dedicated CD Burning Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .336
Copyright . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .336

Chapter 12 Quiz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .338
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Q Q Q
xii
Loose Ends and Loops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .341
Loop Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .341
Media Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .342
Setting Up the Media Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .342
Using the Media Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .344
Grooving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .349
Painting a Groove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .350
Editing a Groove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .351
Groovy Advice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .352
RAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .353
Processor Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .354
Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .354
General Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .355
Audio Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .357
MIDI Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .358
VST Effects and VST Instruments Tabs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .358
ReWire Devices Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .359
Video Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .359
Editing Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .360
Sync Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .360
Keyboard Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .360
Display Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .361
Other Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .361
Folders Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .361

Chapter 13 Quiz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .362
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .365
Shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .371
Mouse Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .371
Marker Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .372
Keyboard Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .372
Keyboard Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .373
Playback (Transport) Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .374
Editing Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .375
Chopper Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .376
Standard Windows Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .377
Quiz Answers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .379
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .381
CHAPTER 13
APPENDIX A
APPENDIX B
APPENDIX C
INDEX
Q Q Q
xiii
Introduction
The ability to create professional-quality music, using just about any modern computer, is now in the
hands of the masses. ACID
®
software is sophisticated yet simple. First and foremost, it’s fun. The very first
time you fire it up, you can produce something that sounds pretty good. In fact, if you haven’t already
done so, put this book down and go try it out!
This initial ease and simplicity masks the fact that ACID software is a powerful and professional-level tool
that’s ideally suited to song composition and film scoring, among other uses. This book comprehensively
covers these higher-level features and shows you how to use ACID software in real-world situations.

Whether you’re a new-wave multimedia designer creating engrossing content for the Net or an old-
school producer in a traditional recording studio, this book will teach you how to take full advantage of
the ACID application. And get this: ACID software can help you make money too!
What Is ACID?
The ACID 5 software from Sony Media Software is the most popular and advanced loop-based
music creation and remixing tool ever created. It doesn’t require any particular musical talent other
than a good ear, and needs no special equipment other than a basic computer. The ACID application
is a fully capable standalone tool, and yet it meshes perfectly with studio hardware and other soft-
ware multimedia applications. It’s stunningly easy to create catchy tunes within an hour of installing
this artistic tool. And it all starts with the loop.
Loops are short sections of music or a performance, saved as standard media files on your computer.
They’re the building blocks of an ACID song. The first loops were created by physically attaching short
sections of magnetic audio tape end to end. These loops were recorded in such a way that when they
ended, they immediately began playing again at the start of the file, potentially forever. Hence the term
loop
. Today’s versions aren’t literally loops, but they perform the same function.
Recorded by professional musicians, loops allow you to take a drumbeat, a bass line, and a lead instrument
melody and assemble them into a new and original composition. Because there are many thousands of
loops available, the creative possibilities are almost endless. And because the individual loops are created
by some of the world’s top musical talents, the quality is top-shelf. It doesn’t even matter whether you can
play a note yourself or not. But ACID software isn’t just a crutch for folks with little or no musical ability; the
program also helps performers create their own loops and thus expand their range of tools and expression.
The ACID application is primarily a musician’s tool, with a focus on song creation and multi-track mixing,
but many other professionals and serious hobbyists will find it extremely useful. ACID software is ideally
suited for multimedia professionals who need to create original music for Shockwave and Flash presenta-
tions. (I’ve found this to be a lucrative avenue.) Video and film professionals will find no tool that’s better
suited to scoring. We’ve heard ACID loops in everything from television commercials to the Bollywood
film
Ashoka
. DJs and mixmasters can use the ACID application to remix songs in amazing new ways,

even in demanding and exciting live performance venues. And of course, studios and musicians will find
INTRODUCTION
Q Q Q
xiv
the multitrack mixing and recording features second to none. The ACID software is so simple to use, and
yet its powerful effects enable you to create truly professional material.
One of the most amazing aspects of the ACID software is its simplicity of use. Don’t let that fool you:
There’s a lot going on under the hood. Beat matching, tempo adjustment, key matching, and mixing
are only a few of the things that you may never notice as you use the ACID application. Once you’ve
explored the program for a while, get ready for the next level, with complex effects, digital video, MIDI,
cutting-edge compression algorithms, CD burning, 5.1 surround sound audio, and Internet publishing.
That’s what this book is about.
About This Book
This book takes you beyond the basics and explains guru-level procedures that utilize the ACID 5 application
to its fullest potential. The ACID application is more than a toy, although it can be more fun than a video
game. This book is targeted at the intelligent multimedia professional who is ready to use ACID software on
the job, as well as the hobbyist who wants a serious artistic tool. The clear and solid examples in the first few
chapters will quickly allow the less technically inclined reader to express his creativity more fully. On the
other hand, technically savvy non-musicians will find the chapters on introductory music theory invaluable as
they move beyond playing around with the ACID software and into serious music composition. And for those
who are techno-wizards both with software and in the studio, this book will explain the most efficient tech-
niques for maximizing the power of the ACID application.
This book is going to start with the fun stuff. Within minutes of popping the ACID CD into your computer,
you can pump out some pretty amazing tunes. Immediately after you install the program (and before
your read another word), you really should play around with it for a bit. The first goal of this book is to
familiarize you with the nuts and bolts of the ACID software. Thanks to the well thought out user interface
(UI) and program workflow, you can master the ACID application fairly quickly.
The second goal of this book is to go beyond the basics and into true music creation. Most people never
create a song that’s more than a bunch of loops that sound good together, layered track over track. It
shouldn’t end there, however. Just as a good story or novel has an arresting introduction, a dynamic

exposition, a shocking conclusion, and a satisfying denouement, a good song has structure as well. To use
another analogy, just because you can type doesn’t mean you can write a great novel. The middle section
of this book focuses on music and music theory, with a heavy emphasis on how to expresses your musical
ideas effortlessly using the ACID software.
The final goal of this book is to get into some of the more technical aspects of the ACID tools. From
burning industry-standard CDs to producing highly compressed MP3 files for the Internet, publishing and
sharing your music is the ultimate goal. In the process, this book will cover everything you need to know
about maximizing the quality of your music after the creative process is over. In addition, it will show you
how to polish your masterpieces using effects processing. There are also a hundred other fascinating top-
ics that you can dive into, from amazing MIDI technology to recording your own vocals and solo jams.
This book is all you need to get you on your way.
Q
Introduction
Q Q Q
xv
Which ACID Is Which?
Sony Media Software has released a number of different versions of the ACID application. They range
from a free version that comes with a new computer or another piece of hardware, all the way up to an
expensive professional version. As you might expect, you get what you pay for.
The ACID XPress software
is the free version of the program, used by Sony Media Software as a promo-
tional introduction to the ACID family. You might get this application free with some hardware you buy, or
you can download it directly from Sony Media Software. After you get the application, you can also grab
some demo songs from ACIDplanet.com. You can certainly get a taste of the application and create some
pretty cool stuff, but this version’s capabilities are quite limited. Sony Media Software may offer some
good deals on upgrading to a higher version from the Express version.
The ACID Music Studio software
is the base level of the application that this book covers. If you’re even
mildly serious about producing quality music, you need to own this version of the ACID software at the
very least. Full-featured and powerful, the ACID Music application is priced to fit the budget of the inter-

ested amateur musician and composer, yet it can still produce professional-level output. The ACID Music
software also comes with a CD of basic loops.
The ACID Pro application
is the high-end version of ACID software that’s appropriate for studios, professionals,
and prosumers. As with the other versions, it’s easy to step up to this version when you’re ready. Its uncompro-
mising quality and the technical tools you need to get the job done make this an awesome addition to any
multimedia professional’s audio rack. The ACID Pro application also comes with a CD of basic loops.
Table I.1 details some of the major differences between versions.
Table I.1 Acid Software Versions
ACID XPress Software ACID Music Studio Software ACID Pro Software
Tracks
10 Unlimited Unlimited
Disc-at-Once CD burning
No Yes Yes
Bit depth
16/48kHz 16/48kHz 24/192kHz
Multiple sound card support
No No Yes
5.1 surround mixing
No No Yes
Effects (included)
None Express Effects (included)
Video
No Yes Yes
DirectX plug-in support
No No Yes
Volume and panning automation
No Yes Yes
Effects (FX) automation
No No Yes

Adjustable stretching
No No Yes
INTRODUCTION
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ACID XPress Software ACID Music Studio Software ACID Pro Software
Save tracks to individual files
No No Yes
ASIO driver support
No No Yes
MIDI recording/piano roll
No Yes Yes
Media Manager
No No Yes
Flash Import
No Yes Yes
Grooving
No No Yes
Folder Tracks
No No Yes
VST effects and VSTi synths
No No Yes
* Source:
What’s New in Version
5
?
All versions of ACID software do the same basic thing: create and remix loop-based music. Since Sony
Media Software marketing covers all of the new features in the ACID 5 software extensively in their
promotional materials and on their Web site (follow the Comparison link on the main ACID 5 page),
I’m only going to highlight a few additions that I found particularly impressive.

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New organizational tools include the Media Manager (see Chapter 13), which greatly aids management of
the thousands of loops you’ll accumulate, and Folder Tracks(see Chapter 5), which will help you arrange
your inevitably complex timelines more efficiently.
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If you’re a less than virtuoso performer, Groove Quantization (see Chapter 13)will smooth out imperfect
performances automatically. Actually, there’s a lot more to it than that, but the subtle changes that the
Groove tools make can have a dramatic impact on the feel of your music.
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Of course, ACID software has always had its own effects, and the last version introduced DirectX effects to
the mix. Now we can also play with the hundreds of Virtual Studio Technology (VST) effects(see Chapter 7).
VST is a proprietary industry standard for audio effects, plug-ins, and instruments, originally developed by
computer music pioneer Steinberg (now owned by Pinnacle).
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The ACID 5 software now has ReWire support(see Chapter 10). ReWire is a system for transferring audio
data between two computer applications, in real time, which means they can be coordinated and synched
together very precisely. You can use your favorite MIDI composition tool in sync with an ACID project, or
take the ACID application to the club for a live performance.
NOTE: WHICH ACID DO YOU OWN?
Unsure of which version of ACID software you own? From the Help menu, select About Sony ACID. The dialog box lists
the type of product you’ve purchased, and the version and build number as well. You may be able to purchase a new
license online and instantly upgrade to a more advanced version.
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Introduction
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Reading This Book
This book is designed as both a tutorial and a reference. You should have this book open when the ACID
application is running, because there are many examples and procedures in the book that only make

sense in the context of the program. Learning by doing is always the best study method.
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If you’ve never used ACID software before, you may want to work through the examples in the first two
chapters fairly carefully to master the basics. (After playing with the program for a couple of hours first,
of course.)
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If you already have a good feel for the program, you may want to browse through the first two chapters
and see if it all seems familiar. It shouldn’t be a waste of time. There are a few surprises, shortcuts, and
expert tips scattered throughout these chapters.
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Veteran ACID users with limited formal music training may want to concentrate on the music theory chapters
and the new features, and otherwise use the book as a comprehensive reference. Major new features, such
as MIDI and video, have entire chapters dedicated to them.
Getting Additional Help
Don’t underestimate the quality of the ACID documentation that Sony Media Software includes with the
program. This text is a supplement to these primary references, not a substitute. Read the manual, pause
your mouse cursor over unfamiliar items in the UI to get the ToolTips, watch the status bar at the bottom
of the program, and don’t forget to use F1 for specific context-sensitive Help on just about anything.
Finally, check out the Sony Media Software Web site and user forums. The discussions that occur on
ACIDplanet.com are nearly as interesting as the music that shows up there:


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A Song Is Born
The goal of this chapter is to introduce the basic features of the ACID software and explain how they
function in practical use. The procedures described here are the fundamentals. We’ll talk about lay-

ing down tracks, trimming, and mixing, among other things. Along the way, we’ll define the terms
and illustrate them with a host of examples.
The best way to use this chapter is to turn on your computer, run the ACID software, put this book in
your lap, and try the procedures as you read. Some procedures are so easy that they won’t seem
worth the trouble, but you might as well go ahead and try them anyhow. Why not? They’re a breeze.
Besides, we’ll be describing concepts throughout this book that simply cannot be understood without
hearing them for yourself. We’ll start at the beginning, lay down some tracks, and do a little mixing.
The final section explains how to save a song so that you can publish it and share it with others.
From start to finish, this chapter shows you how to begin a project and output a final song. We’re
going to start with four quick definitions—projects, loops, tracks, and events—and then immediately
move into practical examples.
START PLAYING!
One of the primary goals of this book is to be motivational, to get you excited about the ACID application and ulti-
mately about music. With that in mind, I want to stop you right here: Have you played with the ACID software yet?
Don’t worry, we’ll get to work soon enough. But if you haven’t played around with the application yet, close this
book, run the program, use the Explorer window to find your loops, and drag-and-drop a few into your timeline.
We’ll see you back here in a few hours . . .
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Building Blocks
The ACID software uses specific terms to convey specific ideas. It’s important to understand what “the
program,” “the manual,” and “the Help” mean when referring to program-specific terms, since the
meaning of each term might be quite different from how it’s used in the real world (although those
real-world meanings often offer a clue). Here are a few fundamental ideas that need to be discussed.
Projects
The first step in composing a song with the ACID software is to create a project. When you first run the

application, a new project is loaded automatically. Every time you use the software, you’re working on
a project. The projects you’ll save on your computer contain all of the information about your composi-
tion, such as the key, tempo, and audio files used. Project files control every aspect of your song,
including which sounds are used, how they’re mixed together, and what effects modify the sound.
ACID project files have the .acd extension and are only recognized by the ACID software. That is,
they cannot be opened or played back in any other applications. Although a project saves informa-
tion about your composition and the sounds that make it up, a project file is not a song and cannot
be played back as such on a media player, over the Internet, or on a CD player.
The great thing about working with projects, instead of editing actual audio files on your computer,
is that you’re not actually changing any media files on your computer. This editing process is non-
destructive, and it lets you edit and experiment with sounds without fear of changing the original
media files. You primarily edit ACID project files and not loops or media files (although you can do
that as well). When you’re done with your project, which is made up of loops, media files, and
effects, you can save it to another format that can be burned to a CD or published on the Internet.
This is called rendering, and it’s the process of creating an actual song. Actually, since the ACID
software is also a video-scoring tool, the final render might even create a new movie file.
SAVE YOUR WORK
When you start a new project, the first thing you should do is save it. Select Save from the File menu and type a
name for your project. Saving is the last thing I do before I shut down the ACID software at 3 a.m. It’s become a
habit. I save all the time, reflexively, especially when something aurally wonderful has just happened (you’ll know
when). Periodically I’ll save versions of a project as I work, especially when it’s taking a new sonic direction. I just
tag an 001, 002, 003 to the end of the filename, methodically. That way, I always have something to go back to if
a particular path gets hopelessly muddled.
My motto is: Save early, save often.
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Building Blocks
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So, if you haven’t done so yet, let’s start a project. If you have the ACID application running right now,

you’re in a project already. Congratulations. To start a new new project, go to the File menu, select
New (or press Ctrl+N on your keyboard), and click the OK button. This opens the New Project dialog.
(You’ll learn some more details about some of the other parts of the New Project dialog in just a few
pages.) The first thing you want to do is save: File menu, Save. The first time you do this, you’ll have to
enter a filename and then click OK. Excellent: You now have a perfectly silent musical composition.
Media Files and Loops
A file is the most basic unit a typical computer user works with. Files can be text documents (.txt),
pictures (.bmp), or songs (.mp3). Media files (see Figure 1.1) are just files that contain audio, video,
digital music, or pictures. Media files that can be used in the ACID software are video, audio, or
MIDI in nature. Audio files are central to the application, of course. Some typical audio file formats
that can be used in the ACID application are .wav and .mp3.
Figure 1.1
A file folder in Windows Explorer
that contains Windows audio files
in the WAV file format.
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Loops are specially recorded audio files, usually fairly short in duration, that you can play back using
just about any Windows media player, such as Winamp or even the Windows Media Player. A loop
is structured so that when it’s played back, the end of the loop immediately and seamlessly leads
back into the beginning of the loop. Most loops can be played over and over again infinitely, sound-
ing as if they’re much longer continuous recordings.
Loops are normal .wav audio files and are commercially available from multimedia companies for use in
loop-based music tools. ACID loops from Sony Media Software actually contain a little more information
than a typical .wav file, such as key and tempo information. This makes them particularly easy to use in the
ACID software. You can use Sony Media Software loop libraries with many other multimedia applications,
such as video editing applications or Flash animation tools, and loops from other companies can also be

used in the ACID software. In fact, it’s a killer app that’s so dominant that many other companies produce
loop libraries containing the extra musical information needed to integrate with the ACID application.
Many other companies also have software that can read media compatible with the ACID software.
Over the years, the definition of “loop” has expanded from its original meaning to include non-
repeating material. (These are called One Shots in the ACID application, for example.) This material,
such as solo sections and vocal quotations from old movies, isn’t designed to loop over and over, but
it’s still broadly referred to as a loop when used in loop-based music creation tools. In the same way
that we no longer “dial” a telephone number on our pushbutton phones, loops may not always
“loop” infinitely. In any case, loops still tend to be short audio files on a computer that can be put
together to make longer and more complex songs. Although loops are the fundamental building
blocks of an ACID house, there are other components that we’ll talk about later, such as beatmap
songs and video files.
Let’s add a loop to your
project. The Explorer win-
dow should be visible at
the bottom of the pro-
gram, and it should look
very familiar if you’ve
ever used a Windows
computer. Click on the
hard drive that contains
your loops, find the folder
where you’ve stored them,
and then drag and drop a
media file into the timeline
(see Figure 1.2). You’ve
just created a track.
Figure 1.2
The Explorer
window and the

main timeline.
Drag files from
Explorer to the
timeline to create
a track.
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Building Blocks
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Tracks
In a bricks-and-mortar studio, engineers record the audio of a song as separate tracks. Physically,
tracks are narrow bands on an audiotape that run parallel to each other for the length of the tape.
Recording the various parts of a song to separate tracks on the same piece of tape means perfect
synchronization can be achieved, and the tape can be played back while a new part is recorded to
one of the blank tracks.
Another feature of this method is that the engineers can adjust and mix the individual tracks to
another tape. Musically, a track corresponds to a single part or performance in a song. For example,
guitar, drums, and vocals can all be recorded to separate tracks. Tracks don’t necessarily contain a
single voice. For example, a track could contain an entire orchestral wind section or a combined
drum and bass section.
Tracks in the ACID application (see Figure 1.3) are analogous to tracks in a studio or on an audio-
tape. An ACID track contains one media file. You can use the controls to adjust, mix, and otherwise
modify an audio loop with special effects. The number of tracks is unlimited and can include MIDI
songs or even video.
Every track has a number of important controls in the Track Header section on the left side (see Figure
1.4). Many of these controls correspond to faders and knobs typically found on the mixer board in a
conventional studio. (See Chapter 6, “Mastering the Mix,” for more on mixers in the ACID software.)
Figure 1.3
Three loop tracks, with a drum beat
on Track 1, a piano part on Track

2, and a bass line on Track 3.
Figure 1.4
The controls available in the Track
Header.
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Minimize/Maximize/Restore buttons
—Changes the height of the track between three preset values.
Many aspects of a track’s appearance can be customized. Track size can be controlled by using the
Minimize, Maximize, and Restore buttons in the Track Header. The lower edge of the track in the Track
Header can also be dragged to change the size. Finally, the vertical scroll bar on the right side can be
used to zoom in and out of the timeline, changing the height of all the tracks. Tracks can be all different
sizes. The width of the Track Header can be changed by dragging the narrow bar that separates it from
the timeline.
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Track Number/Type/Color/Pitch
—The track number is the order of the track from the top down and is
located in the top-left corner. The track number is simply a numerical indication of the tracks’ order from
top to bottom. The track order, and thus the track number, does not affect the mix or sound of a project.
Track color can be changed by right-clicking the colored square in the Track Header, selecting Color
from the pop-up context menu, and then choosing a color from the sub-menu. The color of the waveform
of the events inserted into the timeline is determined this way as well. This color is used for your refer-
ence only. One possible idea is to make all bass tracks the same color, all percussion tracks another,
keyboard tracks another, and so on. The type of track is largely determined by the kind of media file
being used (such as .wav or .mid), but can be set independently in certain situations. Loop tracks are
represented with a looped arrow, One Shot tracks with a straight arrow, MIDI tracks with a painter’s

palette, and video tracks with a filmstrip icon. Pitch shifting information is also displayed in this area of
the track. See Chapter 9, “Loops,” for a discussion of loop and track types.
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Track Name
—Defaults to the name of the media file, but can be changed. By default, the name of a
track is derived from the name of the source media file. You can change this name by double-clicking it
and entering a new one.
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Bus/Device Selection button
—This sets the routing for the track to one of the busses or devices. The ACID
audio signal can be sent through any number of real devices (such as multiple sound cards), virtual
devices (busses in the ACID software), or effects (FX), just as an audio signal can be sent through a
device in a real studio (such as a guitar through a phaser pedal). Although this can seem a bit confusing
at first, all of this routing gives you a lot of flexibility and power to control the mix. The Bus/Device
Selection button isn’t visible on the track unless you have more than one sound card on your computer
or have inserted an additional bus or FX into the project. See Chapter 6 for more information on group-
ing tracks together into a bus.
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Track FX button
—Click this button to add effects to a track. See Chapter 7, “FX,” for more information
on adding and modifying a project with effects.
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Mute and Solo buttons
—These are mutually exclusive buttons that silence a track or make it the only
track playing. Click the Solo button on one track to hear only that track. Click another Solo button on
another track to hear both of those tracks. Click multiple Solo buttons to play several “solo” tracks at
a time. Likewise, click the Mute button on a track to silence it. Multiple tracks can also be muted at the
same time.