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Subject:Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Posted by: hsonik
Date:11/7/2002 10:40:36 PM

#1) Ability to display and control several VST instruments at the same time. Be able to keep all the instruments used "on top".

#2) Rewire support

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: deeplfo
Date:11/8/2002 2:31:33 PM

My wish list:

- real-time midi mapping of incoming channel to any other

- better, more intuitive color scheme on the midi piano roll editor

- a midi drum editor :)

- better midi time code and midi clock implementation, e.g. being able to always send midi clock out on any/all midi ports.

- a midi/audio metronome would be nice too

I know all of the above fall into the category of a sequencer and Acid is not, or supposedly not, advertised as a sequencer, but now that we're here lets take a little further :-)

Mohsen




Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: deeplfo
Date:11/8/2002 2:42:55 PM

oh and one more:

- be able to preview tracks from an audio cd (cda format)

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: bitbopper
Date:11/9/2002 12:41:33 PM

1) I'd like to be able to drop several loops on the same track.
2) Vst effects support


Paradiddle

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: luces
Date:11/9/2002 1:44:06 PM

I would like to be able to also have multiple loops on one track and the ability to copy and paste Tempo,Time, and Key markers.

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: Jessariah
Date:11/9/2002 2:04:52 PM

Just my two cents:

The more you try to make Acid like other programs, the less it will be like Acid. It's like the occasional gripe in the Sound Forge forum that it isn't a multi-track app.

Even though the Rewire fanatics took their blows in here when Acid 4's features were announced, that may be the simplist solution. Granted, the tracks can add up -- especially when putting together drums & bass with one shots...but that's what "render as" is for. Acid is acid. Vegas is Vegas. Forge is Forge...

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: Iacobus
Date:11/9/2002 4:20:43 PM

I second that too.

At first glance, it looks like something such as the MIDI features in ACID were an afterthought, but people have to remember that the MIDI features (such as the mere creation of a MIDI track) have to fit into ACID's paradigm, not the other way around. ACID, by and large, used to exclusively deal with digital audio only prior to ACID 3.0. (The only MIDI features were MIDI sync with other apps and hardware devices.)

Iacobus

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: Spirit
Date:11/9/2002 6:55:16 PM

Although I was a big supporter of having VSTi and MIDI in Acid, I now think it was not a good move. It seems that instead of getting more innovation and development of the core of Acid, the effort has been channelled sideways with poor results.

I'd much rather see Acid concentrate on improved workflow, mixing, effects and sample manipulation (ie super-chopper) than MIDI or plugins. In this respect SoFo could learn soemthing from Ableton.

With the OPT standard can MIDI just be "left alone" by SoFo now ? Does it mean that a third-party could take over development and users could just plugin a whole new MIDI environment ? Does it work that way ?


Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: aress
Date:11/9/2002 7:00:39 PM

lock regions [like vegas]

group regions and tracks [like vegas]

SMPTE not mtc

auto crossfade regions [like vegas]

metronome [like vegas]

split/insert the whole track

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: waynegee
Date:11/9/2002 10:23:30 PM

ReWire.

OMF import/export

Able to record mono tracks

Able to export tracks in mono(if need be)

Able to acivate whichever MIDI ports in Preferences and then choose which one to use per track.

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: bitbopper
Date:11/10/2002 12:11:37 AM

"The more you try to make Acid like other programs, the less it will be like Acid. It's like the occasional gripe in the Sound Forge forum that it isn't a multi-track app.

Even though the Rewire fanatics took their blows in here when Acid 4's features were announced, that may be the simplist solution. Granted, the tracks can add up -- especially when putting together drums & bass with one shots...but that's what "render as" is for."



I understand your point. It's a good one too but don't you think it would be much easier when working on a drum track to be able to import other drum chunks on the same track? Unless you wanna mess with each chunk, it would be much easier that way. I don't see how acid would not benefit from that. I don't think they have to change the whole prog for that, just another type of track were ya can drag multiple loops on them.


Acid is acid, unless they take off some functions, I don't see why you couldn't work the same way you do.

Some people don't like the midi implementation or think it's a mistake. I think it's great. I can now fiddle some vstis in realtime, just jam along the tune. It's something I wished they would have implemented before.

It's not 100% yet but I trust SOFO and I know they will make it right in due time.

Pat



Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: Laurence
Date:11/10/2002 12:24:47 AM

To the previous suggestions I would add the following:

A good integrated DLS synth editor.

A midi preview from the expore window.

An "export complete midi arrangement from the timeline.

Some of the Vegas Video shortcut keys.

"Rubberband" controller edits on midi tracks and fad in / fade out controller 7 or 11 tabs as well.

Laurence Kingston

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: bitbopper
Date:11/10/2002 12:30:57 AM

Oh and a metronome with a count-in would be great ;)


Pat

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: wcreed
Date:11/10/2002 3:39:22 PM

I’d like to suggest a new track type, for handling wav files that have an internal sustain loop.

So… Instead of loading a SoftSynth, a MIDI track, and drawing in a LONG held note in the piano roll, why not drag the wav into a track and just draw in the length of the sustain. Great for pads.

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: BrainLoops
Date:11/10/2002 7:07:52 PM

1. Reverse

2. An option to arrange loops by BPM in the explorer window.

3. Vsti track to .wav export.

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: BrainLoops
Date:11/10/2002 9:18:53 PM

4. A track lock option.
I often edit the wrong track by mistake, sometimes screwing up a near perfect mix.

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: Jessariah
Date:11/11/2002 12:38:20 AM

Sorry, gang,

Anybody who claims to be a "pro" is gonna have more than one card up their sleeve...

Acid is Acid. If you try to make it VegAciForge, it will tank. I don't mind the midi. I don't mind the VSTi. Wanna know how often I've used these features (or intend to)? --> ZERO.

You want great midi? Spring for Sonar. You want great, intuitive multitracking? Spring for Vegas. You want to master and edit with precision? Spring for Sound Forge.

You want a great, loop-based app that kicks butt? You've already got it.

If Rewire will hook most up to their favorite darlings, then I'm for it (I'll be the first to bend a knee to the Propellerheads faithful). For those who are trying to do it all with one app -- it can't be done. And, if you get your way, I fear that an exceptional app will be destroyed in the process.


Subject:rewire lets acid be acid
Reply by: ozzborn
Date:11/11/2002 7:49:13 AM

1.stability
2.rewire
3.re-read 1 and 2

all i really want 4 christmas is REWIRE and a ROCK SOLID ,STABLE acid 4.0 .

i must say, that i do like the way midi is arranged in the arrange page but i hate the process of listening to vsti's and external midi's even worse.(why cant they do it like any other program,this is why we have standards).

because of this, i find myself not using the vsti's due to unpredictable stability, and some vstis that i like (versyn tera) ,dont appear in acid.
if the external midi was little better i could sequence in acid and use vsti's from the new steinberg v-stack on a seperate computer. while im using reason rewired in acid with 8 stero channels.

acid+reason= an unparelled music production expierence!!!!!!!!!

p.s. hope i spelled that right

Subject:RE: rewire lets acid be acid
Reply by: ozzborn
Date:11/11/2002 7:54:02 AM

1.stability
2.rewire
3.re-read 1 and 2

all i really want 4 christmas is REWIRE and a ROCK SOLID ,STABLE acid 4.0 .

i must say, that i do like the way midi is arranged in the arrange page but i hate the process of listening to vsti's and external midi's even worse.(why cant they do it like any other program,this is why we have standards).

because of this, i find myself not using the vsti's due to unpredictable stability, and some vstis that i like (versyn tera) ,dont appear in acid.
if the external midi was little better i could sequence in acid and use vsti's from the new steinberg v-stack on a seperate computer. while im using reason rewired in acid with 8 stero channels.

acid+reason= an unparelled music production expierence!!!!!!!!!

p.s. hope i spelled that right

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: jtuffen
Date:11/11/2002 8:44:22 AM

Seeing as I'm working with loads of audio tracks at the moment, I would appreciate something like Logic Audio's 'pack to folder' - that is collapse multiple tracks into a 'virtual track'. This would also (I think) address some of the 'place multiple wavs into a single track' people...

I could see it working pretty much like Logic: select a bunch of tracks, select 'group to folder' (or whatever) and the tracks would be replaced by a single group track/folder. Double clicking on the group-folder would 'go into' the folder, and you would see the tracks in the folder only. Of course, this *might* allow you to group a bunch of single shots (drum hits whatever) and then make the group-folder loop... simple to write a drum loop for an entire song without having to copy loads of individual hits (Ok, you could render the loop, but it's not as easy to edit hits once it's rendered!)...

No real change to the way Acid works either....!

john..

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: Spirit
Date:11/11/2002 9:59:17 AM

Yes, that'd be good. That was a request for version 4 too.

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: Maruuk
Date:11/11/2002 11:15:28 AM

Note that if they just ripped out all the dysfunctional new crap and gave us a super-stable 5.0 with nothing but the improved audio engine and Rewire on top of the basic 3.0g feature set, everyone would be happy. Midi, VST, multitrack, all available via Rewire in apps that work fine now, not in the distant future. Co-rendering with a feature set of your own choosing, according to your needs, or not. Simple, basic, functional. "Let Acid be Acid."--SOFO rep. Please.

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: zendar
Date:11/11/2002 2:43:59 PM

sf need to 'study' ableton live - that app kicks ass. be good to see sf rip someone else rather than get ripped

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: Jessariah
Date:11/11/2002 11:10:10 PM

I have to say I agree with Maruk.

Focus on Acid's strengths...implement Rewire to quiet "add-this, add-that" crowd. Acid was never meant to check my email. It was also never meant to have all the features that "other apps have." Otherwise, we wouldn't need Acid...we could just glue a super duper looper feature onto an app that already has all the other features some want. Sonar did it (and I'm a BIG Sonar fan), but it still isn't Acid. Let each app have their ground. As I stated earlier, anyone who's doing this for a living doesn't rely on just one program.

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: bitbopper
Date:11/11/2002 11:31:55 PM

"Anybody who claims to be a "pro" is gonna have more than one card up their sleeve..."

Looks like you are throwing half the deck away by saying midi/vsti are useless in Acid.

You might not have a need for it but some do (like me ;)). Now I can plug in an octopad and enter a percussion line and mangle it anyway I want in Acid without leaving it.

Personnaly I think it can only expand the creative potential of working with Acid. I don't think it will turn into another kind of app. I wouldn't want that either ;)



Pat


Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: Maruuk
Date:11/12/2002 1:44:29 AM

You'd get to work in each app's native environment, producing the grooves and sounds natural to that app and receiving the benefits of all the feature sets you need, and saving the time of having to export and import between apps. You just hit play and co-render this "best of" mix in a flash.

Creatively, it's ideal.

Acid Pro 3.0g with Rewire. A dream of purity and simplicity itself forever lost to meddling product managers who thought Acid could beat the sequencers at their own game and not have to adopt a competitor's standard compromising the pristine and smug Acid standalone status.

And forgetting the dwindling SOFO corporate resources could scarce support this utopian, dare I say Quixotic adventurism. Result: Product Identity skewed. Product functionality skewed. User: Screwed.

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: waynegee
Date:11/14/2002 12:11:43 AM

Rewire. Yep. The future. Implement or die.

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: ozzborn
Date:11/14/2002 4:13:43 AM

to parradiddle

i like having midi and vstis in A4 but i also believe the vstis are causing considerable strain on acids engine.your average NI instrument probably consumes as much resources as a full project in reason.(mixer,redrum,nnxt,and a malestrom)

one day soon, im sure sonic will get it together, but at this moment its pretty unstable.however when i stay away from asio and vstis, a4 is stable.so if they just allowed you to monitor external midi(other than when you are recording)you could use a second computer(or the same computer) with v-stack or something similar and not have the BUGS AND INSTABILITY that asio and vstis brings,and have all the vstis you want with no compromise of stability than, sequence in acid and record the audio from the other program, along with rewired tracks from reason.

i love acid ,the interface cant be beat, i now own abelton live,I LIKE IT but i REALLY want sonic to get it together because I LOVE WORKING IN ACID over any other loopbased app, but A4 makes me insane, its so close to being perfect(THE LOOPBASED DAW). rewire and stability is what will make a4 perfect

ACID+REASON=BLISS

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: aress
Date:11/14/2002 8:04:22 PM

Give us 256 colors instead of the lame ones available.

it would also be nice to color code on the write strips

beta test,beta test,beta test,beta test.

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: Spirit
Date:11/14/2002 9:55:05 PM

I have only one main request:

True looping-record. That is, I'd like to be able to define a section of the track (MIDI or audio), then hit record and have that section loop. The differnce is that what you record overdubs itself on each pass. So you'd don;t end up with one long track, just the looped section with each "pass" on top of each other.

Hope this is clear.

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: dkistner
Date:11/15/2002 7:22:11 AM

Export complete midi arrangement...a definite BIG YES!

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: bitbopper
Date:11/15/2002 1:27:15 PM

Same for me Ozzborn about for the stability issue.

Vsti do use a certain amount of cpu but you still can bounce the thing. I don't use midi all the time but when I need it, the implementation is welcome. For me it's much easier to do a melodic from whithin acid then running something in the background and trying to sync it. I did it a few time before. I would run acid then play reaktor in the background and it would render a wav file has I play it, then I would import it in acid. If I screwed I have to start over. Now it's much easier to do it, it's time saving and I can always correct a few notes here and there.

That's the way I like to work, I use loop based music and incorporate some live playing elements with VSTIs or just record some outboard sound inside Acid. It's quite close to a dream app for me.

I wasn't too sure myself about the opt plugin but it has some good potential. Genesys are coming out with a few interesting OPT plugs. I just hope we'll see more with better functionality for the piano roll or a dedicated drum edit.

Pat



Subject:rewire and better midi for otboard devices(synths,samplersetc
Reply by: ozzborn
Date:11/18/2002 10:27:25 PM

just want to clear a few things up

problems.....
vsti's and asio put considerable strain on acids engine.

These two brand new additions are probably the reason for acid being as unstable and unpredictable as it is.

solutions.......
rewire (master) adds other programs like reason to acid. A standard project in reason (1 mixer,1 nnxt,1 malestrom,2 redrum,1 dr. rex)only uses as much resources as say one or two N.I. absynth.
this gives us acid users alot of flexibility with minimal sacrifice in processing power.

vsti's are great,and I see the wow factor, but if the external midi was better implemented(currently no external monitoring of midi except when you hit the record button,but you can play the vsti's) you could open up any vsti in v-stack(which is a host for vsti and vst effects)and sequence from acid with way less strain on the cpu, and have a more stable acid.

summary
i love acid ,its always been one of my main apps since 2.0 (acid,reason,wavelab,waves platinum,pulsar cards,vegas) i like the new direction but i realize that this is going to be a long journey.

I just want my stable ,hassle free program back so i can focus on music again

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: knowbody
Date:11/19/2002 4:13:25 AM

Don't know if this has been listed already but I'd like to see more functionality in the explorer view. Forward/Backward buttons (similar to Internet Explorer) would be very useful. Being able to drag a file from Acid straight into SoundForge would be nice.

I'd also like Acid to be better at finding missing files. The search option should browse to folder rather than being restricted to whole drives.

Chris (Hunt)

Subject:THE ULTIMATE 5.0!
Reply by: skip_tracer
Date:11/20/2002 4:46:36 PM

Vst FX and DXi support for full synth support

Midi metronome

ReWire

MIDI drum editor

Some way to get away from all the skips and pops that people are plagued with. Perhaps a buffer greater than 1 sec

Better CD burning

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: MattX
Date:12/2/2002 11:07:38 PM

Hey guys,
first off...i salute you on your creation of an extremely user friendly interface.
i have a quick idea i can't get out of my head.

many times i like to run my sounds through an effect in "pre" but want to kill the sound completely on the fly. i can't.

to do this i must mute the sound, then change from VOL to BUS, then change to POST.

when i want to hear it all again....i have to go through that whole process.

would it be possible to add a TOTAL MUTE BUTTON?

this would obviously kill the entire output on the wav without having to go through that whole "change" and "change back" process.

please see if this simple idea can be added to the update.

many thanks.
MX

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: dkistner
Date:12/3/2002 6:45:19 AM

Pat, I just bought Stolen Track from Geniesys and they emailed me saying they're having a big Christmas sale. Anyone interested in Geniesys' work should check it out: www.genevoice.com. Looks like Geniesys is really developing for Acid Pro.

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: Nechromatic
Date:12/3/2002 11:51:38 AM

4 things id really like to see: (which dont change the way acid works IMHO)

>>> "loop quantization" : itd be GREAT if you could tell acid to analyze the "feel" of a certain drum loop (should be easy: the "feel" is the distance between those markers in the "stretching properties" window, at least when the rhythms are similar) and then use the same feel on a different loop...a big plus would be if you could save different "stretching marker sets" -> then you could apply those to all kinds of different loops... this would be a KILLER feature for a loop based app like acid, wouldnt it !

>>> one-click reverse ... obviously doing this is a lil awkward right now...switchin back n forth between acid n forge for this feature that even 80's samplers used to have ;)

>>> grouping of tracks (as in logic, like somebody said

>>> locking of tracks/envelopes...so you dont move events/edit envelopes accidentally they should have a "lock" feature so you cant edit them while "lock" is on (think photoshop ;) )

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: dkistner
Date:12/3/2002 2:51:08 PM

Yes, locking of tracks/envelopes. I screw myself up all the time!

The idea of doing the loop-based quantize thing is kind of along the lines of what I'm trying to do to effect a pulse--where the durations and pressure time of notes are altered slightly within a given bar(s). Not necessarily the same thing as swing. Perhaps a way of creating maps you can apply to so many bars...so you could set up velocity curves and the like to apply to musical phrases and SAVE them for later use. And then open up a page where users can upload their maps and share them with others. That would be very nice, very exciting.

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: salad
Date:12/3/2002 2:59:50 PM

There's aleady a "Lock Envelopes to Events" feature.
Is that what ya mean?.....or are you describing something else?
It works here.

update: OK, I think I know what you mean now....nevermind.

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: Twinstates
Date:12/4/2002 5:50:44 AM

4 things id really like to see: (which dont change the way acid works IMHO)

>>> "loop quantization" : itd be GREAT if you could tell acid to analyze the "feel" of a certain drum loop (should be easy: the "feel" is the distance between those markers in the "stretching properties" window, at least when the rhythms are similar) and then use the same feel on a different loop...a big plus would be if you could save different "stretching marker sets" -> then you could apply those to all kinds of different loops... this would be a KILLER feature for a loop based app like acid, wouldnt it !

>>> one-click reverse ... obviously doing this is a lil awkward right now...switchin back n forth between acid n forge for this feature that even 80's samplers used to have ;)

>>> grouping of tracks (as in logic, like somebody said

>>> locking of tracks/envelopes...so you dont move events/edit envelopes accidentally they should have a "lock" feature so you cant edit them while "lock" is on (think photoshop ;) )


Hallelujah!

Rewire would also be good.

God damn Sonic Foundry, can't they just get it right. The develop team seem like a bunch of dead heads, there is so much that you could do with ACID, more so than a lot of other apps.

I really hope they sort it cos SF make some of my favorite products but the game has really moved on and they have gone from revolutionary to snooooooresville in 3 years...

Cheers

TS

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: stusy
Date:12/4/2002 9:13:27 AM

Hold on there babaloooeys...!! we don't even have a 4.0B yet...come on...think a little...!

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: SonicJG
Date:12/4/2002 10:08:27 AM

Lots of good ideas recently.

Locking is a good idea.
Reverse is of course on our list.
Diane, it sounds like you're talking about something like amplitude modulation by measures...? Tempo-based effects is also a good idea that we're considering.

Thanks,
Joel

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: SonicJG
Date:12/4/2002 10:20:37 AM

>>Forward/Backward buttons (similar to Internet Explorer) would be very useful.
[JG] Where would you put this? It's already getting a bit cluttered and real-estate is at a premium. As far as matching I.E., Backspace on the keyboard can get you to the previous directory, but Shift + Backspace doesn't yet, and might be a nice feature request, but I just noticed that the Windows explorer doesn't do this. I'm pretty sure we call WinExplorer code for this stuff, so...

>>Being able to drag a file from Acid straight into SoundForge would be nice.
[JG] From ACID's explorer, you mean, right?

I'd also like Acid to be better at finding missing files. The search option should browse to folder rather than being restricted to whole drives.
[JG] Yep, time permitting.

Joel

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: SonicJG
Date:12/4/2002 11:01:32 AM

Twinstates-

Thanks for flaming.

<taking the bait>
A) Please do not call upon God to damn Sonic Foundry.
B) Our development team is not comprised of dead heads, and it's ridiculous for you to suggest that.
C) "there is so much that you could do with ACID, more so than a lot of other apps" We know that, and many of those things are on this thread, which we read. Have you developed ever? In-between all the bong hits and road trips, say we have X,000 developer hours devoted to a development cycle; we need to choose how to spend those precious hours to make the product as useful and usable as possible. With the exception of locking tracks/envelopes/events, none of the ideas you copied and pasted, and said "hallelujah" to weren't previously on our list for consideration. With a finite amount of time, and "so much we could do with ACID", it ends up coming down to time-economics, and we plan the feature set accordingly.
D) Rewire. Noted--see above.
E) It's unfortunate that our products are putting you to sleep. Which do you use, and what could we do (other than listen and implement) to wake you up? :) (Keep your eye on our website.)

We're listening. Most people who come to the forums know that. They also know that we're not going to satisfy everybody. Trying to do that would eventually satisfy nobody. The middle path means to satisfy as many people to the highest degree possible.

Up next however is 4.0b--soon, and hopefully fulfilling the last statement above.

Joel

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: dkistner
Date:12/4/2002 2:54:17 PM

Joel, thanks for saying all that. My partner develops shareware on the side, after he puts in a "salaried" (e.g., no pay for plenty of overtime) workweek programming for people who (a) don't know what's possible/probable and (b) don't know how to ask for it if it were. They think developing/maintaining a computer program is like thinking: something you don't have to think much about, accomplished with the wave of the hand.

Some people who seem just to want to complain all the time don't seem to realize that, even with the very best intentions and more hours than there are in a day, software can behave in quite unanticipated ways and it can take many, many hours just getting "tiny" little kinks out. Add on top of this a burgeoning wish list and new developments in related software hitting almost daily that you have to decide if you want to factor in or not, and I (for one) would lose my mind doing the job you folks at SoFo do. So, yes, I appreciate you very much and have some compassion for what's going on (here and there) in trying to get this new release out.

About the pulse thing. I'm not entirely sure of the terminology (if amplitude modulation is the word or what), but in SuperConductor I could set up something called a hierarchical pulse with variations in time and velocity/amplitude settings at each of the three pulse levels. I usually didn't make changes at the smallest-note (say sixteenth) level; but I would set up, say (for 4/4 time) one bar of four quarter notes where the second and third notes might play a little louder relative to the first and third, yet the first and fourth notes might have slightly longer durations; this pulse would repeat throughout the piece unless I deliberately reset it. If one were speaking in percentages, it might go like this: 103%/96%/97%/104% (duration), 98%/100%/98%/96% (velocity). That's at the bar level.

But then, at one higher level of action, I could define, say, an 8-bar pulse that would slowly swell in velocity/amplitude, then fall toward the end of the phrase, and I could also make one bar play a little faster relative to the others as I did at the mid (bar) level.

I'd be happy if I could set up pulse-like effects at only one level and save them as templates.

Having Acid recognize tempo changes in midi files would make it possible for me to import midi files done in other programs that I'm now using for pulse effects. But if Acid had a way to map these out directly in the program, it would be too awesome for words.

Diane

P.S. I complain sometimes too. It's usually when I'm just frustrated as hell.

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: aress
Date:12/4/2002 4:44:33 PM

lock regions [like vegas]

group regions and tracks [like vegas]

auto crossfade regions [like vegas]

metronome [like vegas]


Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: SHTUNOT
Date:12/4/2002 7:34:28 PM

SonicJG...

I made this very suggestion about the "back/forward buttons" but my idea was to add the ability to use my microsoft "trackball explorer" back/foward buttons so that when I scan through my folders in say acid/vegas/sf6/etc...I can do so quicker without resorting to have to use the back button built into your explorer window.

Maybe you could try to just give a pair of shortcut keys to just that "only" when the explorer view is in "focus". That way someone who doesn't have a mouse like mine can still benefit by either using their "page up/down" buttons to move around or even then program something like a shuttle pro to do the same.

Am I making sense?

1. Sofo app explorer tab add "back/forward" compatibility for my microsoft trackball explorer. IE: It will function in the same manner as if I was using it in my "windows folders"[outside of the app].

2. Add shortcut keys to be used only when the explorer tab is in focus. Making finding/extracting A/V much more efficient. IE:page UP/Down...

3. Take away the folder that you click to move back in the explorer tab and replace it with "arrows" facing opposite each other so that a person can do the same function of going back/forward manually.

ED.

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: Nechromatic
Date:12/5/2002 6:51:25 AM

tempo based effects! yes! i mean i saved a couple of presets for my fav fx, like delay, flanger n stuff ... so theyre synchronized with the beats but i had to use the old calculator :)

saving templates of envelope movements...yeah like that too :)


Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: SonicJG
Date:12/5/2002 12:42:19 PM

Thanks.

I just passed those explorer things along, so we'll kick them around a little.

Diane, your note about the velocity/volume does sound like tempo-sync'ed amp mod. The thing about duration could likely be done in MIDI (perhaps OPT even), but to try to do that for audio would be a big big thing.

Joel

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: dkistner
Date:12/5/2002 12:48:28 PM

Joel, midi is what I mean. I do everything in midi pretty much, until I get dry waves out. Then I'm usually just applying effects and tweaking the mix.

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: coolout
Date:12/9/2002 9:15:00 PM

tempo-based effects? that's what waves' plug-ins are for. each one has a pad where you tap out the tempo for delay and filters and such.

O.K. JG here's my wish list:

1.) TEMPO MAP WITH THE BEATKEEPER- you know when you preview the various looped segments after you've set the start point and initial tempo. it would be a major feature to be able to map the tempo of each looped segment automatically and then assign the subtle or abrupt changes in tempo on one track as the master tempo for every track AUTOMATICALLY.

think about the possibilities for production and remixing: you record a guitar/vocalist, import tracks of a live band, or rip some oldie song that changes tempo. now your loops and midi sequences move with them like part of the band.

dynamic compression/expansion=elastic loops. kind of like roland's variphrase technology but much better.

2.) add to this GROOVE MAPPING/QUANTIZE- mentioned in a earlier post but not in this context...now your audio can "stay in the pocket" with whole song...no matter how funky the drummer gets.

3.)LIVE TRIGGERING/MUTE/UNLOOP OF LOOPS- yeah, ableton bit your sh*t, and you can bite them too...selectable auto/groove-quantize and live triggering/mute/unmute of acid tracks by MIDI or qwerty keyboard.

this where it gets scary...you've tempo/groove mapped your favorite james brown, bassment jaxx, miles davis, or hell linkin park song...RIGHT. now onstage or in the studio you're able improvise, jam, and play your loops, vsti, sampled drums and percussion with your favorite MIDI controller or just your computer keyboard and EVERYTHING STAYS ON TIME AND IN SYNC.

4.)of course: REWIRE

REVERSE

LOGIC-LIKE SCREENSETS

A DEDICATED TRACK MIXER PAGE WITH VERTICAL(NOT HORIZONTAL)TRACK FADERS



i ask for no credit for these suggestions only the beta test

coolout1@yahoo.com

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: Nechromatic
Date:12/10/2002 12:46:06 PM

uhm yeah maybe i dunno about those...depends on how tight your timing with the spacebar is :) and youll always have to fine tune it, right...
i synchronize all my effects with the old calculator...but i think it would be MUCH MORE practical if you could set delay times, flanger rates etc. in seconds/Hz OR bpm ...

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: SonicJG
Date:12/10/2002 2:43:55 PM

Thanks, I hear those. WRT tempo-based effects, the idea would be similar to what ACID Music 3.0 had, but more fully implemented (lots of bounding needs to happen to make sure that other plug-ins in a chain would either behave correctly or be disallowed). IOW, you'd set your flange rate to once per half note, and then irrespective of what your actual tempo is (say your tempo starts at 120bpm, then bumps to 150bpm), it will flange in time--with ACID sending its current position and tempo to the plug-in, in addition to the PCM. There would also need to be a way to set phasing to determine where in the cycle it should start.

Sidenote: There are probably a variety of ways to do this--one thing we want to keep in mind with this potential feature and everything listed above is that we want to make sure that if a feature gets added, the interface will allow it to be approachable to more than only 25 hard-core MIDI users. I realize that some of the people on this board are longtime MIDI geniuses, and we don't want to let you down either.

Joel

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: FilthyK
Date:12/10/2002 3:50:10 PM

Hey, SF crew . . . keep your chins up. We all know, or should know, that you guys are working your asses off to get things correct. We also know, or should know, that you proggers are often preyed upon by marketing weasels to perform miracles in short time frames.

So, I am going to humbly submit my requests for 5.0:

--Add real-time fx monitoring for external input. I would love to jam my vox through some fine Sound Forge effects in real-time.

--Add full DX and VST support for both effects and instruments.

I apologize if these have been posted already, but 53 posts are alot to slog through. Cheers and have a nice day.

Layyyter . . .

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: BryanF
Date:12/10/2002 8:20:43 PM

I'd like to see smarter audio looping which allowed for head and tail regions outside the boundaries of the loop area. The head could be a slow synth attack, which plays ahead of the left edge of the loop, and the tail could be the decay. It would be really great if at the point of repeating the loop, the tail played as well, smoothing out the abrupt cutoff at the loop end point.

Like somebody said, some of the 80's samplers did more than acid does. Not that acid sux, its just that playing from beginning to end and repeating doesn't work well for sustained sounds.

And guys, you will not get a better acid by insulting the programmers and the company. I love acid, if you don't love it too, then don't use it.

BF

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: Weevil
Date:12/11/2002 8:16:11 PM

Good point Bryan,

Could it be done by having a pair of loop markers in the track properties that you would use to define the boundaries of the loop?

...And when you were in the track view you could hold down a key and drag the edge of the loop event to draw the ‘head and ‘tail’ regions.

(Something like that would also be a great addition to Vegas).

Gets my vote, would be very cool.

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: BryanF
Date:12/13/2002 3:34:35 AM

The only way I can see this working is if you can define a region inside a sample, and this region is the actual loop. The start of the looped area would be like the anchor point in Logic - the event aligns and snaps to the anchor, and the proceeding audio plays ahead of the start. It would be cool if the bits before and after the loop are greyed out but visible. Its really just cross fading.

Maybe that's a more important issue - we all understand why you can only have one audio file playing in each track, but why can't you overlap (crossfade) the wave file on top of itself. You could achieve the effect I'm after by drawing a new event over the tail of the previous one.

SF programmers, is this too hard?

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: coolout
Date:12/15/2002 2:32:52 PM

i think the whole sample anchor/traditional sampler loop point concept is a BAD idea.

i have been a logic user for 4 years and it's that type of complexity that made me start using acid pro.

the beauty of acid pro is in it's limitations and how they're implemented. it forces you to think of arranging in a linear fashion and to focus on the music and not sample points.

if you want a sample to repeat from the middle then chop off the middle and paste in or use a vsti if you need a traditional sampler.

i don't see what the big deal is here.


Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: BryanF
Date:12/15/2002 7:31:41 PM

Logic's anchor is a great feature and really wouldn't make it any more complicated. Why should only the start of the sample line up with anything, why not some other point in the sample? But I understand your point. The basic concept of acid is that events in each audio track are sections of audio and they never overlap.

Still, how about a new type of audio, the overdub audio loop? The conventional beat mapped, loop and one shot types wouldn't be affected at all, and you need never use an overdub audio loop if you didn't want to. But if you did, you could overlap it and have it play both at the same time.

BF

Subject:RE: Things I would like to see in Acid 5.0
Reply by: Weevil
Date:12/16/2002 1:48:33 AM

Hey coolout,

I certainly agree about keeping the application clean.

The whole idea of using loop markers in the track properties is that unless you specifically used them they would in no way interfere with the way the program currently works. They would default to the full length of the file, so unless you went in and deliberately move them, Acid would behave in exactly the same way it does now. However it would give you the ability/option to some things fare more simply, no more entirely separate tracks for drum fills...

I think something like this would be perhaps even more useful in Vegas: Record a few bars of tambourine, pick the best bit, set your loop points and draw the truncated loop to your hearts content. Nothing could be simpler.

Just an interesting idea, I’m not putting the farm on it...

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