Subject:ACID - really that good?

Posted by: DjXSoundz

Date:6/7/2002 3:27:46 PM

i only use acid for recording (sound forge too but...) its a great program. but now i'm at the perfoessional level with my stuff. i jus got a ECHO MIA soundcard (24bit 96k and 4 TAO recording ) i'm not sure if i should use acid anymroe. i was thinking of take advatage of the multitackng in Vegas. But is acid really that good??? all the peeps at guitar center and in the real world hate it. they all use cubase. i've herd acid colors the sound and also it crashes a lot latley. I'd like to hear from the sonic foundry staff what they think acid (or acid w/ vegas) vs. Cubase VST .
thanx
DJ XDZ

Subject:RE: ACID - really that good?

Reply by: Vocalpoint

Date:6/7/2002 3:37:31 PM

Well - if you have hit the "professional" level as you state, you should know the difference between Acid and Vegas. When you say "recording in Acid", are you trying to multitrack in Acid? Bad move, my friend.

I use Acid primarily for creation not multi track recording. Vegas is for multitracking and Soundforge for 2 track editing. Acid is just another great tool in my toolbox as long as I call on it for the capability it can provide.

As far as the "peeps" at Guitar Center - need I say more?

As far as Cubase - if that's your thing - I know folks who use it and love it. Cubase SX seems like it might be quite cool...

Cuzin B

Subject:RE: ACID - really that good?

Reply by: Jessariah

Date:6/7/2002 4:51:16 PM

I agree. People confuse Acid for a real multitracking program. Acid is more of an arranging program (at least that's how I use it). As for Cubase, I've never played around with it. I find it hard to believe that it is any easier/efficient than VV or Sonar -- each of which I own, and absolutely love.

I think when you get to the "pro" level, you realize that one app just doesn't cut it. If I want a quick music bed or sound texture, I do it in Acid. Yes, I could do it in VV or Sonar, but Acid is the easiest and quickest. If I want to do video or various audio track blendings, VV works the best. If I'm doing a lot of midi and/or tracking audio, I prefer Sonar.

Problem is, you have to be "pro" -- throw in half a dozen Adobe apps into the picture for the text/graphic end of your business and you're looking at $1,000+ per year just in upgrades...

Subject:RE: ACID - really that good?

Reply by: groovewerx

Date:6/7/2002 6:42:45 PM

i think you should take a good long look at your hardware then ask yourself if your rig can actually handle an app like cubase. those require heavy duty hardware to be fully functional and stable. acid is not as demanding but if you want to record >15 4:00 tracks simultaneously, you will need a strong pc.

Subject:RE: ACID - really that good?

Reply by: Spirit

Date:6/8/2002 3:56:43 AM

Feeling embarrassed about using Acid in case it makes you look like an amateur ? It's the result that counts. Remember that german band who used a Casiotone and had a worldwide hit Da Da Da ? There are a lot more factors that will determine your "pro" status than whether you use Acid or VST or Logic. Not that Acid is in the same category as VST or Logic - they are primarily MIDI apps which also handle audio. I don't use much MIDI but if I did, sure, I'd buy Cubase SX. (Or maybe wait and see what AcidPro4 delivered ;) ).

If you were setting up a studio then I'd say Cubase SX and/or Logic would be essential. If you're just trying to make music, then I'd say do what feels good and you know. If you find yourself always saying "if only I could do this" then look again at your set-up. If you feel "free" then why change ?

On the Vegas front, I also have VV3 and am ready to change to that when Acid chokes from all my long one-shots, but as yet it hasn't happened....

Subject:RE: ACID - really that good?

Reply by: Iacobus

Date:6/8/2002 11:13:59 AM

Very well said, Spirit.

About the "ACID colors the sound" subject: That's just plain silly. Anyone who knows their digital audio chops can work with ACID just fine; everyone else is either delusional or a hack. I'd like to know exactly what these ACID detractors mean by that statement.

Iacobus

Subject:RE: ACID - really that good?

Reply by: bgc

Date:6/8/2002 5:59:29 PM

For what it is meant to be (a multitrack composition tool for loop based audio) my opinion is that ACID is just plain the best. In terms of "coloration", for all the things ACID is doing to the audio to allow you to change tempo and key independently it sounds amazingly great and when it does "color" the audio, I think it does it in a very "musical" way.
ACID's NOT a multi-track and I use it together with Vegas Video (and Sound Forge).
I wouldn't use any other suite of tools.
One caveat: I'm not a big MIDI guy, strictly audio. I can't defend ACID for it's MIDI capabilities.

Subject:RE: ACID - really that good?

Reply by: SHTUNOT

Date:6/8/2002 10:48:49 PM

Cubase SX? No freakin' way! I'm more than happy with using VV3,Acid3,SF6, AND Sonar 2.0XL for any extra audio needs that the others lack. The most well rounded system I have used yet!!! I can hardly wait to run it on my new system I'm buliding in a short while. Later.

Subject:RE: ACID - really that good?

Reply by: groovewerx

Date:6/9/2002 1:44:17 AM

"coloring" does happen in acid but can be switched off. i've found that when i record a take it defaults as beatmapped upon playback. by changing its properties to one-shot, there is a noticable difference in fidelity. the same goes for altered tempo files when preserve pitch is unchecked.

in my opinion, the coloring by acid works like an analog simulator adding warmth to digital audio and can be useful in some projects.

as for multitracking with acid, i do it all the time with 40+ tracks of huge files. perhaps sf failed to mention if you have a high performance audio pc, you can use the program far beyond its listed capabilities and perhaps that is for marketing vegas.

like some others have said, acid is a tool amoungst many in the a/v pro's bag of tricks. i use several high-end titles but none can compete with acid when it comes to on the spot tracking and pre/post arranging.

Subject:RE: Glad you said that GW

Reply by: gbat

Date:6/9/2002 8:44:53 AM

I've been having trouble with my other audio apps: N-Tracks, Power Tracks, (ya, I know I should get VV :) ). I thought I'd crank up Acid 3 and see what I could do to it. I gave it a pounding with lotsa stereo tracks, loops, midi files, plugs on tracks, master and buss..Waves verb, comp. etc. Took everything I threw at it. It's going through Microsoft Sound Mapper and is using the C: drive for temps. I have an audio only drive but hate to mess with it if it's working. My other apps. give me pops and crackles at this level and freeze ups too. I may use the others for just the midi and use Acid and Vegas le for the audio, SF5 for mastering.

I've got a Tbird 1.2, Asus A7A266 with crappy Ali chipset, 2 7200 drives, 512 DDR, Edirol UA-100 usb inteface.