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Subject:Acid 2.0 features that aren't in 4.0??
Posted by: dorkus
Date:1/6/2003 7:27:01 PM
I just upgraded to 4.0 from 2.0, and am disappointed in what seems to be missing - In 2.0 there was a Properties tab at the bottom that you could use to preview the loops you already had in your track list. In 4.0, clicking on properties takes you to a new window, and you can't preview it without drawing it out. Is there a way to do this that I can't see? Also, in 2.0, if you had a one-shot that you wanted to convert to a loop, you could just type in the tempo that it's supposed to be after you converted it. In 4.0, it figures out its own tempo and won't let you edit it. I must be missing something. Help! Thanks, -Jim- |
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Subject:RE: Acid 2.0 features that aren't in 4.0??
Reply by: Iacobus
Date:1/7/2003 2:22:29 PM
Unless I'm misunderstanding, the Properties window, by default, opens as a floating window that you can dock if you so please. There also should be a transport control (play, stop, etc.) in this very same window. Try playing around with the Stretch tab under the track's properties. Adjust the "Number of beats" setting to change the tempo. (Remember that they're co-related as far as ACID's concerned. Halving the number of beats will increase the tempo, while doubling will decrease the tempo.) HTH, Iacobus |
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Subject:RE: Acid 2.0 features that aren't in 4.0??
Reply by: dorkus
Date:1/7/2003 4:56:48 PM
Thanks for the reply. My problem is that you can't preview it with the rest of the material playing (you can do this in 2.0. As far as stretching to match tempos, it works o.k., but it's tedious and unexact. Anything else I'm missing? |
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Subject:RE: Acid 2.0 features that aren't in 4.0??
Reply by: Iacobus
Date:1/8/2003 2:29:24 PM
You can preview a loop without having to add it to your project by simply clicking on it in the Explorer window while the project plays back. You can preview loops one right after another by holding down CTRL and clicking the desired loops you want to hear while your project plays back. The loops will then cycle after a desired number of seconds. (This can be changed under Options>Preferences on the menu bar and then the Other tab.) I'd say using an external audio editor such as Sound Forge or Sound Forge Studio would help you out for your second problem. Both Sound Forge and Sound Forge Studio have ACID tools that will help you tailor the sample to the way you want it. For example, if a One-shot is brought externally into Sound Forge and you wanted to turn it into a Loop, you'd first click Special>Edit Tempo on the menu bar. You'd then enter the desired tempo you want the (future) loop to be. Sound Forge will then tell you roughly how many beats this sample would need to be to stretch to that tempo. Click OK. You'd then click Special>Edit ACID Properties on the menu bar, change the file type to Loop and enter the info for the number of beats Sound Forge gave you earlier. You'd click OK, save the file in Sound Forge and then switch back to ACID and reload the loop. (Note this is a destructive method; keep a backup of your original file if you desire it so.) HTH, Iacobus |
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Subject:RE: Acid 2.0 features that aren't in 4.0??
Reply by: knowbody
Date:1/8/2003 5:08:07 PM
Regarding previewing a loop that you've already brought into the mix with the rest of the mix wouldn't it be best to paint a view bars? I use explorer for previewing tracks - I only bring them into the mix if I'm going to use them. Note that the auto preview button must be depressed in order to hear the loops in explorer start immediately (without pressing play). Actually I find the position of the main play/stop/record buttons in Acid 4.0 a little confusing. In Acid 2.0 they are near the top of the screen. In 4.0 they are in ht middle but very near the buttons used in the explorer window. THis looks awkward to me. I'd like to be able to float the main buttons or put them at the top of the screen. Having said this space is rather tight. One feature that worked better in Acid 2.0 than 4.0 is finding a specific loop. In Acid 2.0 if you've lost a loop you go looking for it. Acid pastes the loop name inside the 'name box' so once you've found the right directory you just press return to load the track. But in Acid 4.0 once you've found the directory you've still got to physically click on the track name to bring it into the 'name box' before pressing return. This makes the whole process very cumbersome - a real drag compared to 2.0. The feature of actually searching for a loop is a new addition in 4.0 but being restricted to searching a whole drive is a pain if you have large drives. A browse option should be available. Sound quality is better in Acid 4.0 when it works. I had much less trouble with stuttering in 2.0 than 4.0. I can render tracks OK but playing them in Acid is another matter. Acid 4.0 is also a resource hog compared to Acid 2.0. (See separate post). Chris (Hunt) |
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Subject:RE: Acid 2.0 features that aren't in 4.0??
Reply by: dorkus
Date:1/8/2003 6:14:47 PM
Usually when I'm working on a project, I search for a number of loops that will work. I put them all up, and then listen back to them one by one to see which ones I'll throw out. In 4.0 I have to draw them out, and then mute all but one, and then do it over and over to preview the loops that I've selected. In 2.0, you could just hit the down arrow and click the play button in the properties window. It was fast. |
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Subject:RE: Acid 2.0 features that aren't in 4.0??
Reply by: dorkus
Date:1/8/2003 6:16:30 PM
Thanks for the tip. If it works, then that's what I was looking for. |
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Subject:RE: Acid 2.0 features that aren't in 4.0??
Reply by: knowbody
Date:1/8/2003 6:29:34 PM
I'm curious how you can know which loops will work if you aren't listening to them as you build up the mix. How do you select loops - by their name? I usually lay one or two loops down (typically drum track is first) and then bring in all the loops that sound like they go with it. Of course not all those loops will sit together even if they all sit with the drum loop. I'm used to painting them where I think they will go as I usually work loops in 'batches' I still don't quite get your problem. Why mute all the tracks but 1? Why not solo the track(s)you want to listen to? Also I don't know if this helps but if you select a track in the track list you can arrow up and down and the property box changes accordingly - you can then hit the play button in the property window. It's true this works better with the mouse (I'd prefer more keyboard shortcuts). It would be good if there was a solo track keyboard short cut and a mute track keyboard short cut but then 2.0 doesn't have these either. Chris |
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Subject:RE: Acid 2.0 features that aren't in 4.0??
Reply by: dorkus
Date:1/9/2003 7:16:06 PM
I produce rock songs primarily, and I usually have drums, bass, guitar and vocals before I go to acid. I use it for underlying grooves and for connecting parts (such as a post-chorus or something). I usually know what type of thing I'm looking for. Is it a shaker or something shakerish? I'll then go to my cds and put up 20 different types of shaker-type loops - this can take some time. Then after I've done that, I'll scroll through them trying to find the one(s) that I'm going to use. It's way easier if I don't have to draw out all 20 of them, mute 19, listen, etc. |
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Subject:RE: Acid 2.0 features that aren't in 4.0??
Reply by: knowbody
Date:1/9/2003 9:49:03 PM
I strongly suggest investing in a hard drive and copying all your loop libraries to it. That way you can use explorer to preview the loops. Swapping CDs is very time consuming. Moreover you can make a directory to hold possible loops for that project and copy loops into it. Right-click in the right explorer pane and you can make a new directory from within Acid. Expand the tree in the left Acid explorer pane and drag files from the right pane to your new directory pressing CTRL (You'll see a + simple appear with the file - if you don't see the + symbol that means you are moving the file rather than copying it). If you drag files from a CD I think the + symbol shows up automatically without you needing to press the CTRL key. Whether you house your loops on a hard drive or not I think if you copy the files you are using to disk then Acid explorer will do the job of previewing for you? Hope this helps, Chris |