Originally developed by Sonic Foundry as a loop-based music sequencer, Sony ACID software for the PC has now matured into a fully-featured music workstation.
Combining innovative loop-creation with professional multi-tracking recording and comprehensive Midi support, ACID software provides a cost-effective solution for composing, recording, mixing and arranging audio. ACID loop-libraries are available to special order, contact Technical Support for details.
File Formats Supported
ACID reads and writes AIFF, ATRAC, AVI, QuickTime, MP3, OGG, PCA, Wav, WMA, WMV and MIDI files. ACID Pro 7 software also includes the Dolby Digital AC-3 Studio plug-in to export mixes in surround format. Also exclusive to ACID PRO is FLAC, AAC and MP2 file support.
Platform and Hardware Requirements
Microsoft Windows XP (SP3 or later), Windows Vista (SP2) or Windows 7. Processor: 1.8GHz, (2.8GHz or faster recommended). Hard drive: 200MB space for program installation, (8GB required for installation of all the optional components). RAM: 1GB, 2GB recommended. Windows-compatible sound card (ASIO driver support recommended), DVD-ROM drive (for software installation). Supported CD-Recordable drive (for CD burning only). DirectX 9.0c or later (included on DVD-ROM), Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 (included on DVD-ROM), QuickTime 7.1.6 or later, active Internet connection for Gracenote MusicID, CD database. The package includes User Manual and DVD-ROM installation media.
Licensing and Support
Sony products are licensed for use on a single computer. Technical Support and software updates are available online at www.scvlondononline.co.uk, telephone technical support available on 020 8418 1472. Educational establishments, (schools, colleges and universities), may qualify for discounts and multi-user licences. Contact Sales for further information.
ACID MUSIC STUDIO 8.0
ACID Music Studio is an effective tool for original song creation, live recording and studio-quality mixing and effects processing. It offers an unlimited number of audio and midi tracks with recording up to 48kHz at 16-bits, depending on hardware, with non-destructive editing. Full midi sequencing is offered, including non real-time 'step' recording, 'piano roll', event-list and drum-grid editing as standard. DirectX, VST and ASIO plug ins are supported, as well as graphical editing, mix automation and midi data on the track timeline. CD extraction and burning tools are included. There are many other functions, but most important are ACID's innovative loop-creation and playback facilities enabling automatic pitch and tempo matching of audio files with real-time loop previewing. Over 3000 loops are included to assist the user to be up and running as quickly as possible. With version 8 multicore processor support is added as well as Windows 7 compatibiliy. Midi editing and processing has been improved including the addition of 90 DLS intruments. Automatic crossfades for multiple audio events on a single track is now supported and track envelopes for real time modulation of midi controllers are now also featured.
ACID PRO 7.0
This has all the facilities of ACID Music Studio but adds support for hardware control surfaces such as the Mackie Control range. Recording up to 192 kHz at 24-bits is supported, dependant on hardware. Over twenty DirectX audio effects including, delay, EQ, compressor, resonant filter, reverb, flanger, chorus and distortion effects are provided as well as VSTi soft synth support. There is the facility to automate plug-ins. A new combined Audio and Midi mixer is included in version 7.0 with input busses that allow real time rendering of input signals. Therefore ‘live’ signals can be mixed with pre-recorded material. The record input may be monitored with time-track effect DSP during recording. 5.1 surround-sound mixing supported, 32 assignable effects-chains and 26 auxiliary busses are also available. The media manager has customisable loop searching and tagging. Midi Time Code and Midi clock may be generated for synchronising external sequencers and recorders. Frame-accurate video scoring helps the user compose an original soundtrack for a video inside the ACID software workspace. Further enhancements in version 7.0 include improved beatmapping over tempo changes, new tempo change curves between user selectable points in a song, Audio and Midi track meters, enhanced pitch change and timestretch facilities as well as optimized plug-in management and scanning routines. Interactive tutorials now included as standard.